THE WOLVES DEN

By

Tamara Gray

© copyright February 2006, Tamara Gray

Cover art by Amber Moon, © copyright February 2006

ISBN 1-58608-816-5

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Prologue

I tensed, slowly lowering my sunglasses as a strong rift in the room brought my attention to the entrance of the bar. Peeking over the rim of the glasses, I stared eagerly at the bulky new stranger who entered the bar. He had a strong aura but he wasn’t the one I was seeking. I exhaled, a little relieved but also disappointed. Taking a sip of my drink, I slipped my shades back onto my face. At one time, I would have been offended if someone wore sunglasses inside a building, but now I understood the practicality of hiding what humans thought was unnatural. For fear of revealing my supernatural state, I left the shades in place, covering the abnormal glow of my eyes that only increased with my mounting excitement.

My legs dangled off the floor, swinging side to side as I stared absently out the window. The leather pants I wore creaked with the motion of my legs. I enjoyed the feel of soft leather against my bare skin. Even the smell of leather appealed to my senses. I get strange looks because I wear a lot of leather, but I’d like to think it’s more practical than weird. The flexible material fit like a glove and added protection against scrapes and cuts that would attract unwanted attention from my enemies.

My hand slipped inside my jacket and thumbed my weapon anxiously. Every nerve in my body tingled with anticipation, almost to the point of pain, as I sat and waited. I gazed at the setting sun’s bright orange and red light sneaking through the curtains. Only moments from now, I would know the identity of my informant. He had been feeding me information on the werewolves’ locations for over a week, but every time I got close to Adeem, someone interfered.

I adjusted the sunglasses as the last splash of sunlight hit my face, squinting at the light despite my shades. Wearing them served a dual purpose. Not only did they enhance the overall coolness effect, but also effectively blocked the sun’s rays. Some would call me lucky that as a vampire I didn’t fear the sun. Of course, others call me cursed because of my condition. A vampire killed my mother while I was unborn and alive inside her womb. I found out only recently that her transformation left both vampire DNA and human DNA in my system. Now both strands were permanently seared together as one. I have the immunities that being a human provides and various powers granted to vampires. I’d like to think I am more human than vampire, but it seems that, lately I could feel my humanity slowly slip away.

According to vampire prophecy, I was the one who would bring peace to the earth and save the world from damnation. Imagine that, little ole me, saving the world. Well I guess I wasn’t that little, at 5’11” I could best most men, and now my superhuman strength allowed me to do just that. Protecting people was my business and I was good at it, but now minor injuries were a thing of the past. As the energy surged through my body the realization that killing me would be more difficult each passing day hit me. Saving the world seemed a little crazy, even to me. I chuckled at the thought and then remembered how seriously Siön Baptiste had taken the prophecies that he said I would fulfill someday. He felt that protecting me was more important than his own well being. Siön Baptiste, the vampire, the man who changed my life forever.

My knuckles clenched, nails dug into my skin as I thought back to the moment I drank Siön Baptiste’s blood. That one instant in time changed my life forever. When his blood mingled with mine, I became much more than just a vampire. If I went by Siön Baptiste’s interpretation of the prophecies, I would eventually be the most powerful vampire of all time. However, with power came a price and that price might be too much to bear. This increased power had not only changed me, but now I was a beacon, attracting more than just vampires. Sometimes I had to wonder if all this strength and power was worth losing my human soul. Some experts argued that vampires were still alive and had souls. My whole take on it was still up in the air.

I took a deep breath and watched the crowd around me. If they knew what I was and what I would become, they would run for their lives. Pain brought me back from my drifting thoughts. Opening my hands slowly, I examined the nail marks as they began to seep blood. As quickly as the bleeding began, it stopped. The cuts healed right before my very eyes. I fought every primal instinct not to lick the wound and savor the sweet, metallic taste of my own blood.

I growled under my breath, placing my palms down, fangs lengthening. “Out of sight, out of mind. Out of sight, out of mind,” I repeated quietly. My breathing slowed, as did the hunger. The needle-sharp fangs slowly withdrew. A warm sensation shot down my arm, pooled in my hands and pulsed and tingled lightly. I looked around the room and then carefully turned my palms up, watching in horror as the blood evaporated and disappeared. “How did I do that?” I asked myself.

Siön Baptiste had warned me that my powers would increase over time. I could control weaker minds or probe into the thoughts of unguarded minds. That feat would be harder to do if I came up against a strong Lycan or vampire. I practiced on my cats. If I could only get them to clean out the kitty litter or use the toilet, I would feel like I’d accomplished something significant. Vampires could also control the elements. Some, with a mere thought, could create a flame or move water and earth. Other stronger, older vampires could become invisible or travel through time. The books Sevastian and Siön Baptiste gave me to read were fascinating. There was still so much more to learn about what I could or could not do. Only time would tell just how powerful I would become. Week three of becoming a vampire and already strange, unusual things happened on a daily basis. Things I couldn’t control or did without knowledge of how and why. Maybe he was right and I needed his help after all. Only time would tell. For tonight, I concentrated on the task at hand. Find Adeem.

I had one motivation to be here tonight, the creatures I hated most in the world, the Lycans. They saw me as a threat and Adeem was behind my kidnapping. He’d forced Tyler to infect me with the Lycan’s disease by threatening Tyler’s family. Now all I wanted was for every werewolf involved with my abduction to die. Revenge and the hatred for the monsters that tore my body apart, were my major incentives to keep the search for Adeem alive.

My eyes were watering from the smoke-filled room, but even that would not spoil my excitement. The anticipation of finally finding the creature ultimately responsible for infecting me with the Lycan’s disease was enough motivation to sit in this stinky bar all night. I inhaled and exhaled, slowing my body’s eagerness for of what was to come.

The Red Moon Bar wasn’t a place I’d normally visit, but if I wanted to find Adeem I had no choice. An informant, who chose to stay unnamed, recommended contacting the owner. After paying a pretty penny to both the informant and the owner of the bar, I found out that Adeem visited quite frequently. The bar owner was an immortal and would look the other way, coughing it up to pack business. My informant finally agreed to meet in person to tell me where to locate Adeem. I was prepared to do whatever it took to make him to talk, searching for over two weeks for a clue to the whereabouts of Tyler. He’d been forced to infect me by Adeem’s hand.

Unfortunately, nobody in the surrounding clans wanted to mess with Adeem. My research showed him as a cruel leader who beat down his pack and led recklessly. Despite his obvious flaws as a leader, nobody would spill the beans, but I knew he was the key to locating Tyler. Now all I had to do was wait for him to arrive, and hope that I could track down him and Ty before the next full moon.

I played robotically with my drink, unable to stomach its contents because of nerves. Only taking a sip now and then to fit in with the crowd. The restless energy I felt was only enhanced by my hunger for blood. I refused to feed off humans as if they were cattle. Siön Baptiste had warned me that I could survive for only so long before my body would begin to devour muscle and I’d weaken. If I fed while in the weakened state, the person I chose to feed from would probably not survive. I pushed the thought of food and my hunger to the back of my mind. I had to develop control over my feelings.

Rolling my shoulders, hunger for blood enhanced the restless energy I felt. Human food just didn’t satisfy my cravings lately. Fidgeting nervously in my seat, my foot began to tap uncontrollably against the stool. The entire counter was shaking with the force of my motion. If only I could get my hands on that grimy scum Adeem ... No telling what I’d do to him but taking a bite out of crime would have a whole new meaning. Laughing silently, I let the air rush out of my lungs that I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Finally, after weeks of searching, I’d found someone in the Lycan clans willing to talk about Adeem’s whereabouts. Everyone was so closemouthed because of the fear they held for Adeem. This would all change tonight. Lifting and cocking my head to one side, my neck popped loudly as the tension freed in a loud crack. All the anxiety built up was slowly released as I flexed and moved my body. The strain gathered in my back started to disappear as I twisted and turned in my seat. If my bones themselves were welded in place from waiting, I would continue to wait as long as it took to have my revenge. I owed it to the old man who saved my life three weeks ago from the werewolf attack. I owed it to Trevor, my best friend who was killed. I owed it to Siön Baptiste for his near death and torture. I owed it to myself. My motto since my rebirth as a vampire was “I don’t get mad, I get even.”

I grabbed the waiter’s arm as she passed. “Are you sure the informant is coming tonight?”

She leaned into me, whispering in my ear. “Yes, he comes in like clockwork. He is never late.” Shrugging free from my hold, she scooted off to help wrestle a rowdy patron.

I stood slowly and stretched my stiff body. Adrenaline has a way of tensing up muscles, and if you don’t keep it in check, you can build up lactic acid. The things you learn while sitting in a doctor’s office reading medical magazines. I turned and headed to use the restroom, wanting to concentrate on the task at hand and not my bladder. Yes, even vampires use the bathroom. Blood is filled with nutrients, waste and mostly water. Vampires need to dispel the extra water and waste that is found in blood.

The answers were all in my little book, Adjusting to Your New You by some famous vampire author in Pennsylvania. My second favorite new read was Vampire Myths. People tended to believe what they saw in movies. I know I did, but now that I’ve become a vampire, things are quite different then they first appeared. It didn’t help that since vampires and werewolves came out of the closet, humans were doing whatever it took to become immortal. Some groups even went as far as to kidnap vampires and drain them dry, using their blood in various experiments. Pharmaceutical companies were now working on developing synthetic blood banks. The world has changed in the last fifteen years, and frankly, I wasn’t sure I liked all the changes. Some states were still reluctant to accept this change. Voting rights and benefits were huge issues these days. Some countries maintained the old ways and killed vampires on sight. They had executioners for hire. That was a scary thought. Others have developed safe havens for whole vampire and werewolf communities. The world was indeed changing and I was right smack dab in the middle of it all.

As I grabbed the bar, a powerful probe seeped into the back of the bar slamming into my mind. I steadied myself, swayed, as the energy seemed to sift through the air, pulsing and vibrating. Whoever it was, they tried to tear down the barrier I’d erected around my thoughts. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as the strong wave of magic moved throughout the bar. Scanning the people inside, I slipped my jacket on. The ability to read a thought was not a simple trick that just any feebleminded immortal would know. He must be a clan leader, and I only knew of one in New Orleans.

“This is no informant....” I growled, blocking the mind probe and covered my vampire aura with a weak human aura. Maybe I’d be lucky and he would be fooled, or maybe my so-called informant had turned out to be a traitor. That thought had me grinding my teeth, irritated that I’d paid ahead of time.

“Where are you going?” the server asked, yanking my arm as I headed for the door.

Whipping around to face her, my smile revealed every inch of my fangs. “You knew Adeem was coming tonight. Did you warn him?” I growled.

She laughed nervously and leaned into me, whispering, “No, I had no idea who the man was, just that he wanted to speak with you.”

I lowered my sunglasses so she could see my eyes. “This had better not be a trap ... for your sake.”

Panic washed over her face. “No, no, I swear it is not a trap. I told you the truth.”

My eyes roamed over her face and settled on the rapidly beating pulse on her neck. I licked my lips and she took a step back. Shaking my head, I turned away from her. She reeked of fear but she didn’t appear to be lying. “For your sake, I hope you’re right,” I mumbled, shoving her out of my way as I stalked past the group of people exiting the bar. I could feel his presence closing in. It was coming from the alleyway just beyond the entrance.

Dark shadows covered the alley as the sun faded and the moon rose. Music spilled into the night from the Red Moon Bar. Dimmed light cascaded over the moonlit night as I homed in on my target. The voices from the bar faded as my vision strengthened in the dark. My jacket whipped violently around in the wind. I stood motionless, honing all my energy in on the shield around my aura. I could surprise him if he wasn’t aware that I was waiting ... unless the informant had already ratted on me. He closed in on the alley quickly. I inhaled deeply and watched as my mark rounded the corner, unaware of my presence. Confident that for once I had the upper hand, I casually blew a rogue strand of curly blonde hair out of my face and lowered my sunglasses. “Adeem,” I called, barely a whisper on the wind.

Slowly, he lifted his head and our eyes met. A lazy, dangerous smile moved across my face. He slowed and stopped, eyes narrowing into small slits as he watched me. The shock on his face was worth every bit of money and time I had spent hunting him down the past weeks. Hatred welled inside of me and I fed on that hatred.

Two men rounded the corner behind him and halted dead in their tracks, nearly toppling over Adeem.

Bad to the Bone blasted from the bar as I took a step toward the group of werewolves. He had brought backup and they were as surprised to see me, as I was to see them. I was so busy worrying about Adeem that I didn’t think he would have anyone with him. My bad, I should have known he wouldn’t go anywhere without bodyguards. The jacket I wore moved as if it had a mind of its own, flaring to life even as my aura pulsed with life. A light above me burst into a thousand pieces, falling to the earth and clattering as it landed. I had to keep my anger in check because if I weren’t careful the whole place would explode. I could feel the unseen force behind my aura surge forward, vibrating the very ground I stood on. The tornado of wind whistled loudly around us and up into the heavens, almost knocking Adeem off his feet.

Adeem and his men looked around the alley suspiciously, then back at me, sniffing the air around them. “Tell me why you insist on hunting me, child?” Adeem asked, smirking wickedly as his comrades moved in front of him.

I smiled at the Lycans who were willing to give their lives for the clan leader. Sentinels were fighting machines with only one purpose in life, death to any that dared attack their leader. The look on my face must have answered Adeem’s question.

“You will never touch me unless I see fit to allow it. I have a hundred men who will stop at nothing to keep me safe from my enemies.” His laughter was overshadowed by the music thumping in the background.

Lifting my hands in a gesture of peace, I took another step forward. “Where are you keeping Ty?” I asked, ignoring his bodyguards.

“You are a foolish girl to think you can threaten or catch me, and my own,” he grunted.

I laughed and even to me it didn’t sound normal. “Adeem, I am not here to warn or catch you.”

“What then do you want of me?” he asked, unable to hide his puzzlement.

“I want you to die.” I grinned wickedly, pushing my sunglasses back onto my face.

“Give it up!” he shouted. “You do not have the power or the ability to fight me. Either you join us or we will kill Tyler.”

I took another step forward. “This is your last chance, Adeem. Where is Ty?”

He threw his head back and howled, the muscles in his neck pulsing and bulging. Great, he was going to get all furry on my arse. “If we cannot have you, then nobody will.”

“Oh, that was original,” I mocked.

He howled a second time and the two men beside him just stood as if nothing were happening. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, sending chills down my spine.

“Dang it,” I whispered.

History was about to repeat itself, and frankly, I wasn’t in the mood. Sure enough, Adeem began to change right before my eyes. The night Tyler turned and attacked me came flooding back to my memory. Fear gripped my heart as the thought raced through my mind. As if reading my thoughts, Adeem smiled. I could already see the sheen of slime forming on his skin. Yep, he was going all fur-butt on me, and this time I was prepared. If he wanted to fight, things were going to get messy.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, sending several curls flying. My power flared to life in response to my call. I looked at the ground steadying my nerves then slowly raised my eyes to meet his demonic stare.

Do not play this game with me, Adeem, you will lose. My voice resonated in his mind, trailed by laughter.

His hands flew up to his head, trying to block my scan. “Get out of my mind, you abomination,” he demanded. His hands dropped as I felt the tentacles of my aura slipping from the hold it had on him.

I squeezed every ounce of hatred and anger from my being and fueled my energy. Closing my eyes, I reveled in the feel of how strong I had become. My eyes flew open the moment I made contact with his mind, but as soon as he realized what I had done, he countered my unseen attack, slamming a mental barricade up to block me out. I grunted, taking a step back, trying to dig my way back in, but couldn’t break through the barrier he raised between our minds. A sharp pain shot through my brain at the impact of hitting his mental blockade. I closed my mind off to the pain. Adeem could not know he had hurt me, ever. My own mental block was being tested. He couldn’t get in. You could lose yourself in someone’s mind if your aura wasn’t strong enough. I was powerful, but not eating properly had weakened me enough not to take that chance. If someone ever became trapped in another’s mind, his or her life would end. A shiver ran down my spine at what could have happened if I hadn’t been careful. I’d let my anger get the best of me, but it wouldn’t happen again.

I watched silently as my hands fell limply to my side. “Abomination?”

“You are tainted, impure, not a true werewolf,” he growled, his voice gravely as he continued to change.

“Ouch, that really hurt. But...” I mumbled, grabbing my heart mockingly. “But you see, we have a problem here, Adeem. You give me no choice in the matter. You took away my choices when you forced Ty to attack me. Infecting me was your first mistake.” I growled, my anger flaring back to life. A faint glow appeared on my skin, I glanced down quickly to see my hands shining brightly. Ignoring the unnatural glow, I continued. “I would gladly leave you alone. Just tell me where Ty is and I’ll be on my way.” I reached into my jacket pocket, mindlessly stroking the silver throwing stars.

He cackled, ignoring my request. “And what, my dear, was the second mistake?” He stared at me from behind glowing, amber eyes.

“Coming here tonight.” I casually shrugged my shoulders, smirking at him.

Both werewolves beside him started to chuckle as Adeem continued to speak. “You have two weeks until the full moon. What will you do then?” His lips peeled back in an evil smile. In place of teeth, his fangs began to lengthen, slime running down his crater-filled face and chin. He cracked his jaw as the transformation began. “Ty will scream for mercy when we get through with him and so will you.” His voice deepened, ending with a growl.

I hated the fact that Lycans could change at will. The werewolf I had killed before was young, weak. Adeem was a different story. His power rivaled my own and if I didn’t make my move now, he would become too strong to fend off.

If everyone could just learn to get along, the world would be a better place. Gag! The combined grumbling down the alley snapped me back into reality. I lifted my finger shaking it at him. “Tsk, tsk, Adeem, we all know changing this close to humanity will put your kind in danger.”

His head lifted, growing in size as his tendons and muscles popped. “I will eat you for dinner,” he rumbled.

I slid my hand back to my pocket. “And you will rue the day you ever messed with me.” Without any hesitation, I removed the throwing stars, hurling them at the werewolves guarding Adeem. The force of my throw was too strong to avoid, and the impact sent one werewolf flying backward, but he quickly regained his composure. The werewolf to the left of Adeem ducked and the star flew by him, hitting Adeem in the shoulder. He screamed at the men in a foreign language and with the star still deep in his shoulder, he took off in the opposite direction.

His guards stalked nearer. “You actually ducked so you wouldn’t get hit?” I mumbled. “Wow, you’re a great protector.” The sentinel’s head cocked, eyes furrowing together as he frowned.

“Just wonderful, Samantha, make them even more angry why don’t you,” I whispered to myself.

The second star was embedded deeply in the right werewolf’s chest. He seemed unaffected by the dark, red stain now spreading down the front of his shirt.

“Funny, he leaves you to die and runs like a baby? Doesn’t that just piss you off a wee little bit?” I asked, as they continued to move closer.

With hands on hips, I began to tap my right foot annoyingly. Sighing loud enough to show my annoyance. “I’ll give you three choices.”

The big guy with the star still in his chest hesitated, cocking his head to one side.

“One, you take me to Ty and I let you live for tonight and hunt you another day. Two, you take me to Ty and feed me Adeem on a plate with mashed potatoes and I let you live. Three, you ignore one and two and I kill you now.”

They both laughed and then moved forward. “What makes you think you can kill us?” asked the unharmed wolf.

I watched them both inch forward. “What makes you think I can’t?” I sneered.

Ignoring me, they continued forward, getting too close for comfort.

“I’ll take that as three, then?” I dropped to the ground, reaching inside my jacket. With inhuman speed, I pulled out my silenced Berettas and aimed them at the men as they came closer. Both halted, lifting their heads to sniff the air. “Very cliché of me, but come any closer and you’re history,” I warned.

The sentinel to the left hesitated but the injured warrior took another step. Not giving them time to react, I littered the alleyway with bullets. My night vision allowed me to home in on them perfectly. The only sound was the quiet click of the trigger being pulled and high-pitched ping as it screeched down toward the men. Only when they fell to the ground motionless, did I stop firing. Taking a deep breath, I strolled cautiously up to the bodies. The wind blew my hair in my face as I stood looking down on the mess I’d made, waiting for any sign of life. Placing my boot on the man closest to me, I kicked him repeatedly. Only when he did not attempt to attack was I confident he was dead. Neither werewolf stirred as I reached down and yanked the star from the chest of my first victim. “Two down, only one hundred thousand more to go.” The star was covered in his blood. “Gross!” I swiped it against his jeans and stuck it back in my jacket pocket. “Hope you guys don’t mind, but these things are expensive.”

The wind kicked up again, blowing my hair into a wild frenzy as I strolled casually onto the sidewalk outside the bar. “Adeem, you got away this time but I got what I needed.” I laughed. The minute the star had hit his flesh he’d let down his guard enough for a mind scan.

My next target was Derk Augusta, the photographer. Just two weeks ago, I had witnessed his handiwork first hand. And it was his handiwork that brought Siön Baptiste into my life. The pictures of the vampire’s torture and death still haunted me.

I headed down the sidewalk leaving the alley behind. A pang of regret swept through me briefly, but if I hadn’t killed those Sentinels, they would have torn me apart. I was still struggling with human emotions and attachments. When I didn’t think too hard, my vampire instincts took over and often swayed my emotions. If I didn’t keep myself in check, I could become rogue like so many vampires had in the past during their first year. The same small part of what remained of my human life felt pity for what would happen to Derk if he didn’t cooperate. Yet, in the same breath, the monster I was becoming hoped he wouldn’t cooperate at all.