When Worlds Collide Ch. 12

Demetri's black eyes swung to Rafe's and he watched him silently for a moment before he nodded his head slowly, his eyes suddenly reverting to their normal deep green colour. "He has tried to take both of our hearts from us," he whispered softly. "Lacey and Mara and also Annie who we hold jointly in our hearts. You can run with me if you can keep up, Rafe. I will even let you play with me but I will not let you slow me down."

"Agreed!" Rafe growled softly his eyes swinging to his Alpha, waiting for Jared to order him to stand down. Their eyes locked for a long moment and then Jared nodded his head, silently giving his second his permission to do what he needed to do.

Rafe smiled a truly chilling smile, turning back to Demetri just as the vampire once more reverted to his more feral state, his eyes going black and his head tilting to the side as he scented the night air again.

Andrei strode out of the trees, his brown eyes flashing with excitement, his smile widening when he saw Demetri's feral state. "This is going to be fun," he laughed softly. "Graves has about forty vampires left, the humans are all dead. We have about fifteen left in the forest not counting us." He nodded his head at Caleb's crew standing just inside the tree line.

"None of Graves' army leaves here alive," Demetri said coldly. "I don't care if they surrender. They die. Anyone who is uncomfortable with that can leave now. If you stay you are in agreement." The vampires didn't appear bothered but some of the Weres looked to their Alpha for guidance.

Jared's expression was hard and unforgiving. "They came to our land and have killed our pack members. They deserve no mercy for the death and destruction they have brought to my pack. I will find no fault in any pack member who wants to reside inside the house until this is over. But I will not hide while our vampire allies clear up our problem for us." Loud growls rumbled through the pack.

Caleb frowned. "Jared, these are vampires, not humans. Your losses are pretty low at the moment but that will change when the pack comes into contact with vampires."

"Alpha, Millie just called from the evacuation site," Mitch Fielding called, running from the house. "They were attacked by three vampires sent by Graves."

Jared paled, fear running through him. "Millie?" he ground out.

"They are safe. A vampire showed up and protected them." He looked like he had more to say but Caleb interjected.

"We sent Alexei to protect them, Jared," he told his friend.

"You knew and you didn't tell me my mate was in danger?" Jared growled furiously.

"There was nothing you could do about it, Jared," Caleb said quietly. "It was faster to send one of us when we found out about the danger. The attack happened on the house before I had time to find you and let you know what was going on." He watched his friend carefully seeing some of the anger die in his eyes but not all.

"Even more reason why we will not hide from this fight, Caleb," Jared grated out through clenched teeth. "He attacked the children. He sent his crew to slaughter the weak and the defenceless." He turned and strode away towards the house, his body rigid with his fury.

Mitch hurried after him, waiting until they were out of earshot. "Alpha, wait," he said in a loud whisper, pulling Jared away from the house because there were two other vampires inside. "Millie said they know how to kill the vampires."

Jared listened intently as Mitch related the conversation in quiet, hushed tones. He smiled coldly. "Excellent, Mitch! Get everyone shifted back to wolf form. I'll alert the pack when the vampires can't hear."

He hurried into the house, doing a quick check on Lacey who was back in human form wrapped in a throw from one of the couches. "Your clothes are upstairs still if you are uncomfortable," he said to her quietly, aware she still had issues with nudity.

"I know," she whispered softly. "But I don't want to go up there, Jared." Her haunted gaze slid to the stairs and Jared's followed hers, a deep scowl crossing his face when he saw the three dead Weres on the landing. He didn't have time to address the issue though, there was a war to finish, one they could now participate in with some hope of winning.

Jared strode to the hall cupboard and pulled it open. "Take what you need from here," he told Lacey, showing her the stock of sweatpants and tops folded neatly inside. "We tend to keep a few stock items here at the main house and also at the community centre, just in case we need them. It's not uncommon for people to lose their clothes around the compound in a moment of exuberance."

He left her to chose something and approached the sitting room. Mara was lying on one of the sofas, Rhianna resting on the floor beside her. There was an enormous, red haired vampire sitting in one of the chairs close to them. The man looked up then looked at the two women. When Rhianna smiled at Jared the vampire turned back to the window, looking outside as if bored.

"You okay?" Jared asked crouching down beside the two woman. Mara was still very pale but appeared to be healing from whatever injuries she had sustained. She managed a weak smile.

"I've felt a lot worse," she answered. "Think most of my bones have healed now, just the last couple of ribs to go and I should be fighting fit again."

"If you need more blood, tell me," Rhianna said quietly. "My wounds have healed thanks to Nors. I can afford to give a bit more blood if you need it, Mara."

The brunette shook her head slowly. "No, I'll be fine, Annie. You've done more than enough as it is." She watched her friend's brow furrow in a deep scowl and she reached out a hand and touched her curls lightly. "It is not your fault, Annie. You can't blame yourself for Sandro's actions." Her friend nodded and her expression cleared but she could see that the little redhead wasn't totally convinced. In time, she would come to see that she wasn't accountable for her injuries.

"The wounded are on their way in. That won't be a problem will it?" Jared asked his eyes on the big vampire in the chair.

"Nors will be fine, Jared," Rhianna said reassuringly. "Won't you?"

"As long as no one tries to harm any of my charges, I will be the perfect gentleman," Nors growled softly his eyes never leaving the window.

Jared took that as the best he was going to get. No one entering the house would have any cause to try and hurt anyone inside it. He was actually quite relieved the vampire was there. He wouldn't need to worry about leaving the house undefended.

Jared turned and went to head outside as Lacey limped to the sitting room doorway. "Your leg?"

"It's healing fine," she answered. "I thought it was broken but Mitch said it was just badly sprained. There is hardly any pain anymore." Her eyes met her Alpha's. "Rafe?" she whispered softly.

"He's fine, Lacey. Worried about you but I will let him know you're fine. Just stay inside and help with the wounded if you can."

Jared finally left the house as people began to move inside. He shifted immediately to wolf form and quickly began transmitting his plan of action to the pack members who were going to finish the battle at his side.

Caleb watched the wolves. He knew something was up, something they were hiding from him. He turned to Rafe and raised a questioning eyebrow but the big man shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't in wolf form so he had no idea if anything crucial was being discussed.

Sighing Caleb turned to Andrei, Rhianna's words suddenly coming to mind. "Andrei, do a sweep of the back of the house. Sandro entered from there. Check and see if there are any wounded Weres that need help." He didn't hold out any hope that anyone survived the vampire's attack but there was no harm in checking. Plus, he had promised his woman he would see to it and he wasn't about to let her down. She had been through enough tonight as it was.

Andrei nodded, turning and heading off in the direction indicated. Demetri seemed rooted to the spot at the moment, trying to find Graves' scent through everyone else's. He had time to do this quick side trip before they finally moved off for the last stance against the invaders.

He rounded the back of the house, his keen gaze taking in three dead Weres beneath the shattered window on the first story. He didn't need to approach them, he could smell they were dead and he detected no heartbeats. He turned to leave when a sound attracted his attention. It was a weak, dull thud, the sound of a laboured heartbeat further off to the left, closer to the tree line.

He crept forward quietly, his eyes settling on the broken form of a wolf, lying at the base of a tall tree. The Were was still alive but barely. Ensuring there were no enemies near, Andrei approached and knelt down before the wounded animal. How it was still alive was a complete mystery to him. It looked like just about every bone in its body was broken. There would be no magical Were healing for the wolf.

Pursing his lips he toyed with his options. He could leave it until it died or he could give it a mercy kill. He knew he'd been ordered not to accidentally kill any Were but this was doing the wolf a favour. He would be putting it down, sparing it the pain it was so obviously in. Making up his mind he leaned down, baring his fangs close to the wolf's neck. The sharp tangy scent of cinnamon assaulted his nostrils and he blinked slowly in surprise, raising his head slightly as the wolf opened its eyes to look up at him.

Loretta forced her eyes opened, trying to breath through the pain. Her head was on fire, excruciating jolts of pain flashing periodically through her tired mind. She couldn't feel her body for which she was grateful. Her back had broken when she hit the tree, cutting off most of the pain she felt but the harsh throbbing in her head was more than agony. She didn't know how long she had lain there. All she knew was someone was close so she forced her eyes open.

She stared up at the vampire with his fangs bared, ready to bite her and she wanted to weep with relief. 'Do it!' she screamed in her head, praying for him to bite quick and deep and put her out of her misery. She tried to tell him to when he paused and watched her with an almost curious expression on his beautiful face, but she was still in wolf form. Using the last of her reserves she pushed her wolf down, knowing she was losing the strength of her beast and the pain would be even worse, but this was the only way she could communicate with the vampire.

Loretta shifted, a tortured scream escaping her lips as the fire in her head blazed brightly. "Do it," she whispered weakly. "Please. Just do it."

Andrei stared at the woman before him, her face a mask of agony, her entire body covered in black and blue bruises. She was so badly bruised it was hard to tell she was naked as she lay broken before him. Her whispered plea surprised him. Her pain must be unimaginable if she pleaded for death. He leaned forward again, his fangs grazing the side of her neck and the haunting scent of cinnamon assaulted him again and he found he couldn't bite her.

Puzzled he sat back, staring at her as her eyes followed him, accusing him. Why couldn't he bite her? She wanted him to. She didn't want to suffer anymore but every time her scent washed over him he just couldn't do it.

"Bastard," she hissed, her breathing sounding tortured, her eyes full of tears as she glared at him. "You get off on watching others suffer?"

Her words infuriated him and he reached for her, pulling her broken body into his arms, his head descending once more to her neck. His hands ran down her back, his thoughts in chaos as he traced her spine until he found the point of the break. He stroked the area lightly, knowing she couldn't feel his touch. He couldn't kill the she wolf. Three times he had tried to and each time he couldn't complete the kill. He was confused, angry. Never before had he been unable to complete a kill. Why he couldn't do so with the Were in his arms he didn't know.

Groaning in irritation, Andrei turned her over until she was laying face down in his lap. He lengthened his talons and drove one pointed nail deep into her back. She didn't move or make a sound as her blood began to pool out of the hole in her back, his finger feeling around inside until he found the damaged area. Withdrawing his finger he ripped it open with his fangs and plunged back inside, allowing his blood to mix with hers, rubbing the break, searching to the damaged nerves and coating them with his blood.

When he was satisfied he had done enough to heal the break, he withdrew his finger and leaned over and licked at her back. Her sweet blood exploded onto his tongue and he stifled down a groan. She tasted so good. His fangs wanted to sink into her soft skin but he controlled himself, closing the wound on her back and selfishly licking up her spilled blood. He'd done her a favour by starting the healing process on her back. It wasn't much for her to donate a little of her own blood for his enjoyment.

Andrei reluctantly raised his head, licking his lips clean before he turned her over and shifted her down his lap until her head was cradle in the crook of his arm.

"What have you done?" Loretta growled as her body exploded in a massive wave of pain and she struggled to hold back sobs as her legs began to twitch involuntarily.

"Healed your back," he answered, holding her tightly. "But it's our little secret okay? If the Council finds out I'm running around healing Were bitches I'll be in deep trouble."

She bit her lip not to scream out loud with the pain, her breath coming in deep panting rasps. "Why?" she ground out. "You should have just killed me like you were going to."

Andrei ripped his wrist open and pressed it to her mouth. "Drink, it won't kill you," he ordered softly. "It will stabilise you until your own healing abilities kick in. This is another little secret just between the two of us." He pressed his wrist tightly against her mouth so she couldn't ask anymore questions he just didn't have the answers to.

She fed from him reluctantly but she did drink and he closed his eyes and allowed himself a brief moment of enjoying the purely erotic feel of her soft lips sucking against his wrist. He knew his actions were madness. Letting the Weres know that vampire blood could heal them was not a smart move but there was something about this feisty, brave little bitch that called to him on a deep level. He was loathe to let her die so the only option he had was to heal her.

Loretta drank, feeling the pain beginning to lessen, her limbs no longer twitching. She stared into the face of the vampire as she sucked at his blood. His eyes were closed and his beautiful face was almost serene, as if he was taking some kind of personal enjoyment out of her drinking from him. Part of her wanted to be offended that he was getting off on her pain even if he was trying to help her. But another part of her, her wolf part was suddenly rumbling deeply as his blood sent liquid fire through her veins and the pain was soon down to a dull ache.

"Enough," Andrei whispered without opening his eyes, gently pulling his wrist from her mouth. "Rest for a moment."

Loretta licked her lips clean, closing her eyes and relaxing in his strong embrace, her body getting stronger with each passing moment. She wasn't up to running through the trees anytime soon but she was healing at a faster rate than was the norm for a Were. "Thank you," she said softly, feeling him lean down and run his nose against the side of her face, inhaling deeply as he did so.

He moved, lifting her gently into his arms as he stood up. "Tell no one, little bitch," he said softly staring straight ahead as he strode swiftly around the side of the house.

"Loretta!" Rafe yelled, hurrying over to them and reaching to take the injured woman from the vampire. "You okay, sweetie?" he asked softly, his brown eyes full of concern as he cradled her gently.

"Don't schedule me for any training exercises for a couple of weeks," she said drolly, managing a weak smile. "I'll be fine though, with a bit of rest."

"Rafe," Demetri called softly and the big man hesitated for a moment before Andrei took the decision out of his hands.

The vampire reached for Loretta and took her back from the Were. "I'll make sure she gets safely inside," he told the other man, looking down at the woman in his arms with a slight smile on his face. "Loretta," he laughed softly. "You strike me more as a Rose, all beautiful on the outside but prickly as a thorn on the inside."

"Drop dead," she grumbled but there was no heat in her voice and her lips threatened to twitch into a smile. "So what do I call you, apart from asshole, that is?"

Andrei threw his head back and laughed loudly as he continued on his way to the house. "Who told you my nickname?" he countered without answering her question.

"Andrei?" Rhianna gasped jumping up as he entered the house with a badly wounded Loretta in his hands. "Oh God, Loretta, are you okay?"

Andrei laid her down on the other sofa in the sitting room as the youngling moved slightly stiffly over to the pretty brunette and gently stroked her hair back from her face.

"I'm going to be just fine, Annie," Loretta sighed staring up at the brown haired vampire who set her wolf to prowling with agitation. Her lips twitched into a smile as he broke her gaze and turned away. "Thanks, asshole!" she called with a little laugh.

"Anytime, Rose!" he countered with a laugh of his own as he strode back out of the house without a backward glance.

"Private joke," Loretta answered Rhianna's unspoken question before she closed her eyes and allowed the welcoming comfort of the sofa to soothe her aching body. Andrei. She smiled slowly and fell instantly into a much needed sleep.

Rafe returned to Demetri's side as Andrei took Loretta into the house.

"I've found him," the vampire whispered in a cold, chilling voice. "If you're coming then you'd better shift now because I'm not waiting for you."

Rafe shifted instantly as Demetri took off into the night. He caught the vampire's scent and followed it. Demetri might be able to move faster than him but his skills at tracking had yet to let him down.

Demetri's movement seemed to trigger something in the other vampires, without a word they all transformed and turned, heading into the trees. Caleb looked at Jared with narrowed eyes, knowing the wolves were up to something. He considered asking but then shook his head. This was their compound, their pack which was being attacked. They had the right to do as they saw fit.

Caleb took a deep breath and let go. If Demetri was going deep then so would he. He was aware of Andrei coming to his side as he released his humanity completely, his eyes turning completely black, his thirst for blood driving him from his very core. He turned his head, saw Andrei had transformed too and they smiled coldly at each other before they blurred into the trees.

Jared watched the vampires leave and chuffed loudly. The pack knew what to do, how to take down the enemy vampires. Each and every member had taken a moment to scent their allies while they all stood waiting for Demetri to act. The likelihood of any accidents happening was remote. He howled loudly and the wolves disappeared into the trees, ready to kill as many vampires as they could get their teeth into.

To be continued...