Blood Moon Chronicles Book 3 A New Moon RisesChapter 7
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"Only those willing to walk through the dark night will be able to see the beauty of the moon and the brilliance of the stars."
-Socrates Villegas
There are things that go bump in the night. Vampires, bloodsucking beings of the dark. Werewolves, bestial beings of the moonlight. They have lived alongside humans throughout history. Well known during the Dark Ages, they became but a myth, only to be discovered once again as industry advanced and their attempts to hide became outclassed by human ingenuity.
Now, times are changing. While humans have unified governments, vampires are a scattered band of noble houses under a single council of elders, and werewolves maintain fiercely independent packs. Technology is on the rise. Humans are so much weaker than vampires and werewolves, but with their guns and organization, they have the firepower and numbers to back up their threats.
Thus, the United States of America issued a warning to all werewolf packs and vampire clans within its borders: Make peace, or else.
The clans and packs responded with derision, but some saw the wisdom in this. Humans were growing in power and the only way to avoid a war they may lose may just be to work with humanity. But vampires and werewolves had been at each other's throats since the dawn of time. How to make peace?
Pendleton Bloodworth, alpha of the largest werewolf pack in Oregon, and Elizabeth Von Helson, matriarch of the most influential vampire house in Oregon, thought of a way. Pendleton would offer one of his omegas, Genndy Bloodworth, for an arranged marriage. Elizabeth would similarly offer one of her scions, Robert Von Helson, for this proposal.
Of course, if the two couldn't make a marriage work, the plan to use them to bring peace to their warring tribes could very well fail, no doubt worsening the race relationships. Thus, Pendleton and Elizabeth made a plan.
Starting on June 1st of 2018, Genndy would spend one month living in the Von Helson manor with one guest of her choice. At the end of this month, Robert would then spend one month living among the Bloodworth pack with a guest of his choice in return. After the two months were up, the two would be married. The alpha and matriarch could only pray that in those two months, their children would come to grow fond of each other.
We woke early and decided against having a morning meal, instead hoping to get on our way sooner. I collected my goods and made my way out of the inn with the others. I took Janet’s equipment as she was going to head to the carrier bird aviary to send out a message to her contacts. She would meet us at the stablemaster’s when she was done. Lillian padded alongside me and we were warmly greeted as we approached. “Hello, my friends,” he said warmly. “You are ahead of schedule, but I was able...
“Please. Join me, Davik, I have been waiting for some time, knowing that you would eventually find your way to Retvan. We have a lot to discuss.” I turned to find Ruben’s eyes staring at me, signs of care and weariness in them, but a cold resolve behind them. He looked a bit thinner and a bit more haggard in appearance since the last time I had seen him, though he had been falling into a chasm when I saw him last. The beard, as well as the used and torn clothing, would not let anyone except...
I awoke slowly. A light throbbing of my head caused a bit of discomfort. I looked around to find myself alone in bed, daylight shining through the window. I could hear the faint sounds of birds through the glass. It was very auspicious, given the nature of events that had transpired last night. As memories filled my mind of everything that had happened, tears began to fall freely down my face. My friends, my love and her family all gone. Taken by that black monstrosity in a binge of carnage...
I woke up with a start, my hand darting to my chest, to look for the hole where the sword had pierced me. Content that there was nothing there, I tried to get up and only then did I realize that I was not alone in bed. Janet had laid down next to me and, I guess, fell asleep on my shoulder, though my jerking up in bed had roused her from her nap. “Davik?” she asked, a note of concern in her voice. “Are you okay? Was it another of those dreams again?” “Yes it was, Janet, but your suggestion...
I panicked again when I woke up from the dream, as both my arms had gone numb. When I looked at both, I saw tuffs of red hair on either shoulder or it dawned on me what had happened. The only thing I wondered was ... why? While I had been shocked at the surprise of Lillian and Janet sleeping on me, I had not realized how much I had missed the sensation. It had been nearly a year since someone was sharing my bed to fight off the tremors and, during my time away, as well as during the trip...
When I awoke, I was sometime in the evening, the sounds of the insects out on their nighttime hunts filled the air. The gentle breeze from the open window carried their sounds into my room. Hopefully, I hadn’t slept past evening meal. As I moved to get up, I realized there was a soft arm draped across my chest and a leg resting on my thighs. I looked down to see dark locks of hair draped across my chest and felt the soft rise and fall of my companion’s chest. The scent that filled my senses...
Lillian I left everyone in the room and made my way to the cellar of the, opening the door to find Violet, on the floor. The chains of the shackles were looped around a metal bracket on the floor, even Davik’s unique strength would not be able to pull it up. I looked down at her, memories of her sleeping after our love making filling my head and alerting me to her ruse. I walked up and planted a hard kick to her abdomen, causing her to scream in pain, as well as curse me for hitting...
Davik I could not tell how long I had been here, but my stomach was beginning to demand that I accept the food that the young girl had been bringing. True to her word, Brenson had stopped using blunt objects and began using a whip. I had to be careful as the pain of the strikes could have made me bite my tongue off, which would have been very painful, and I doubt I would have been able to grow it back. The whole time, he was asking how I was able to do the things I could, where I got my...
I awoke with a start, the last residual emotions of the dream leaching out of me. I felt disgusted with my body each time the dreams happened, but I knew more, now. I knew the monster’s voice, as well as a bit of what he looked like. Still, to see him help murder his father while I watched through his own eyes was unsettling. The feelings of superiority, glee and even arousal were disgusting, and I felt tainted by them. I looked over and saw that Lillian was still resting, so I went and got...
While I had seen Lillian change more than a few times now, the change happening to Violet seemed far more violent and painful. The transformation Lillian underwent happened in a matter of moments, one minute she was a human, the next she was a wolf. I had to wonder if this was what occurred during a Voguel’s first transformation as their body shifts and morphs under the manipulation of the curse. It sounded like her bones were breaking with every shift of her body, as her body repurposed...
“I have not heard that name in a very long time,” she said as the color drained from her face. “Brenson was the name of my older brother.” “Is that name common where you came from? I mean, it could have been a different Brenson that had come from your country.” “Names are a bit different back home,” she said shaking her head. “They are regional and very few are repeated outside of a family. Besides, the age fits and I will know from the books you collected, as he wrote one or more of...
I did not get back to sleep right away, my mind reeling with the idea that there could be another like Brenson out there and worry of what that person could do. Lillian kept me company for as long as she could, but after an hour, she fell back into a deep sleep, her rhythmic breathing lulling me to join her. Thankfully, there were no other dreams that plagued me, not that I could remember, so I was thankful for that. When I next woke up, sunlight was creeping through the window and the...
The trip, over the next few weeks, was strained at the beginning, as the tensions were still high after what had happened with Gwen and Ethal. The other soldiers were giving me a wide berth, but they were cordial when we were around one another. They worked with Liza and Celka to see what their skill level was, what they might have an aptitude for and where they would need to improve. Given the unique nature of the beast we might face, Janet took it upon herself to train with me, though I...
“All this time,” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “All these years and it had been you all along. Janet considered you a friend! Her worst enemy and her ultimate target was hiding in plain sight the whole time.” He laughed, “Hiding in plain sight is the best way to do it, boy. I made sure after I killed my cousin to ensure I was in the shadows. Then I appointed that fool to act in my stead, using a link to send messages through. I would be able to relay information and orders for Feror to...
We woke a few hours later at the same time, which was not surprising. We had slipped into our dreamscape and we had noticed that we would all come out of it at the same time. This occurred every time, and we emerged rested, despite what had occurred. While they had acquiesced to my request for resting, they decided to try and pull us all into their dreamscape. They had succeeded and we were pulled into an accurate facsimile of my bedroom back in Cartha. There were some differences, since the...
I felt odd in a way I could not place and tangled in a darkness I could not fully perceive. As I opened my eyes, I found myself once again within a dreamscape that was not my own. The one I shared with my ladies felt different than the one I currently found myself in. I stretched out with my senses, hoping that they would work here and what I found was peculiar. The environment was strange, with no form other than the dense forest and storm clouds above. It only seemed to stretch out for a...
“Excuse me gentlemen, is there a problem here?” We all turned to look at the source of the question, to find Jerreth standing behind the two men, arms crossed along his chest. His gaze was cool and passive as he looked from person to person. I then looked at each of the men more closely, they were holding pieces of wood, no doubt scraps laying around they felt would work as clubs. “It is none of your business darkie,” yelled one of the men, “our business is with this murderous piece of...
We arrived at the western encampment a few minutes later. I had been surprised to find the people of the capital forced to live outside the fortified area of the city. What genuinely surprised me was the number of soldiers that were camped outside the core of the city. Based on the Dran’s vanity, I would have assumed he would keep as many soldiers he could between him and any Voguel. My gut told me that these were ones he could not confirm as totally loyal to him. So, under the guise of...
Janet and Lillian had been listening in on my comments through our link, so when I said I was not alone, Janet came crashing through the window that investigated the atrium. Lillian would make herself known when the time was right. We needed to keep him off guard if we were going to succeed. Seeing Janet nearby brought me a sense of relief, though I was worried about leaving Ingrid up on the second floor alone. ((Do not worry, Davik, I sent the two with me up to make sure she got to us okay...
STATE OF THE UNION by Dale Ribbons Great editing and help from the peerless Steve Zink OUR CAST OF CHARACTERS: Fan Fiction, no copyright violation intended U.N.I.O.N.: The United Nations Intelligence Operatives Network. A covert peacekeeping organization founded in 1949. WILLIAM ?BILLY? WEBSTER: Billy and his brother Thomas were both employed by UNION, Billy in Research & Development, Thomas as a field agent. When Thomas disappeared on an assignment, Billy asked to be...
It took me a while to return to the village, the blood moon had finally set, and the sun had already started cresting over the hillside. It had taken me a long time to get back because I had decided to bring the bodies of my kills with me. I did not want to start a panic with the villagers, so I had to make them look like more victims. It was hard to stomach, cutting into them like that, but it had to be done. If I brought them back with the injuries I gave them as wolves, there would be...
Davik //Are you sure? \\ I asked Lillian, worry in my thoughts. // Maybe you need to find the inner fire that I did to trigger my abilities and I believe that Janet was able to pull from the same source.\\
We made our way through the town and arrived at the bank just as the girls and Jerreth, were leaving. Lillian had a satchel on her shoulder, which I assumed had the money they were supposed to take out. Based on their happy expressions, things must have gone well, and it looked like Jerreth had taken the opportunity to start talking to Liza. I was glad that Janet’s choice was to be in my wagon, as it helped them spend some time together on the trip other than at meals. “Jerreth, you and Liza...
I made my way from the inn to the market east of there, where Clive had said they had been ambushed. When I arrived, there was a bustle of activity, normal for a market of this size, as well as a grouping of soldiers on the far side. I suspected that was where the attack had transpired. I weaved my way through the crowd until I arrived at the other side, where three soldiers were investigating the area. “Good afternoon gentlemen, what exactly happened here? Do you have any idea who did...
Violet looked at me for a few moments, her expression never changing and said, “Davik, we need to talk.” “What would you like to talk about?” I asked, gesturing for her to come inside. “You will need to be a bit more specific.” “No, not here,” she replied with a shake of her head. “Let’s talk somewhere more private. This needs to be a talk between you and me, with no one else interfering or trying to give their own input.” I shrugged my shoulders, though I took note of her lack of reply. I...
Davik He used the whip again, demanding to know how I had gotten my abilities and what had been used. I tuned him out, thinking of other things, when a strange tickle occurred in the back of my head. Not on the skin, but deep inside, not unlike when I found the fire that triggered my abilities that first time. The tickle appeared just after a strike of the whip and after two more, it became much stronger. Instead of a tickle, I began to feel emotion, but it seemed off as if it were not my...
When I opened my eyes the sun had gone down, and the moon had begun its rise. The attacks occurred when the moon was at its highest point in the sky. I had some time; I collected my gear, and headed downstairs. The others were sitting at the table; the tension could be cut with a knife. I could see the worry on their faces; Liza and Trina were in tears. Trent and Carl were trying to calm them down, while the rest sat with hard looks on their faces. I was shocked to hear that, but looking...
The arrow went right through his Adam’s apple, all he managed was a gurgle before falling forward. The sound he made must have reached his comrades, as I heard them increase the speed of their approach. When he had hit the ground, the arrow was pushed even further through his neck, causing a spurt of blood to escape the wound. I could see that the arrow had pierced his spine, near the base of his skull. Within moments, he stopped breathing; a large puddle of blood was oozing out around him....
I awoke sometime later with Lillian and Janet still in my arms. I looked down to see that their hands were still intertwined. I wished we were done with all this, allowing me to bask in the love and tenderness of the women in my life. I was growing tired of all the darkness and death that seemed to permeate my life, despite my attempts to prevent it. Still, they are the light that has come out of that darkness and I do not think I would do anything that would have kept that from...
The next week was much of the same routine each day. Wake up and spend roughly twenty-four hours cutting logs into boards, without any sleep. The boys came after the second day and began to work with me to deal with the logs. The tough weather had come through and I did my best to protect the inside of the house. With them working together on one and me working on another, we doubled the work that could be done. Violet would visit for breakfast and lunch, while Ruben would eat dinner and help...
We cut our way through another dozen Voguel before we reached the end of the scent trail. We turned right down a fork corridor and found an open door. My senses told me there was at least one person inside. But there could have been more. Lillian, however, confirmed that there was only one and her demeanor meant that it was our former captive. I slowly walked into the room and saw multiple cells, one of which was open. I approached the open door to find her in chains. There was a dead body on...
As the shock from the contents of the letter wore off, anger filled me at the audacity of the person sending these people after me. I did not know what I had done to warrant this level of aggression and I was not the only person that was affected by this, as he was toying with the lives of so many people. I had to stop him before any more people fell victim to his malicious intent and Ilane noticed the seething anger I was feeling. “What is the matter, Davik?” Ilane asked, a confused look on...
The next three months were a bit of a blur as my days were full of exercise and training. I would wake up each morning, with one of the sisters in bed with me. Thankfully, my clothing seemed to remain on, but their clothing seemed to lessen. They would notice the effect it had on me and giggle in response. After a light kiss on the lips, they would saunter out of the room to get ready. I would make my way downstairs to a nice hearty breakfast and a table full of friends. The day’s tasks would...
“How long has it been?” The woman before me asked softly. “You have grown into a fine young man, Davik.” My eyes narrowed, “It has been ten years, but this is not possible. You were not Voguel, nor should this be able to occur like this. I have dreamt of my mother often over the years, but you are nothing like her. So, end your mindless tricks and show me who you really are.“ The woman’s eyes twinkled, a small amount of pride appeared in her eyes and she shook her finger at me. “Ahh, ahh,...
As I entered the back of the wagon, I fought to clear my head of the feelings her appearance was dredging up from the recesses of my mind. She looked so much like my mother had when I was young, and if felt the yearning a child has to be embraced by their mother. I had thought that she had made herself resemble my mother through manipulation, a way of adjusting my dreamscape to benefit her agenda. Now I believed that she merely used it, knowing through the dreamscapes connection that she...
I laid my eyes on her once again, I was lucky that such a beautiful creature loved me as much as she did. I only hoped that I would be worthy of that love. I spent the rest of the night just watching her, as I waited for the sun to begin its journey through the sky. Just after dawn, Violet woke up, stretching her beautiful body, and greeted me with a warm smile. She gave me a soft, passionate kiss, got out of the bed, and left the room. A short time later, she returned with a tray of...
I awoke to the sound of a crackling fire, the smell of something cooking and the softness of a bed beneath me. I felt completely drained of energy and gingerly opened my eyes to see where I was, hoping that I had not been captured by an unseen enemy. I saw old grey stone above me and turning to look to my left, saw a form sitting in front of the fire. The person was humming a tune that I did not recognize, but it put me in a sense of ease and contentment, as it almost seemed familiar. I tried...
I felt drained as I sat on the bed and, though they were only pricks of the skin, the experience was enough to make me lightheaded. However, it was the mixing of the blood that had left me feeling drained. Lillian had said that I would feel better with some rest and left with the others to help Janet. The plan was to complete the rest of the procedure with the ladies in their respective rooms. That way they would be able to rest on their beds as the change occurred. The biggest issue would...
I awoke with a start, and found I needed to retch as well, the imagery had made me sick to my stomach, and I swore that my genitals felt a little tender. It was as if they felt a miniscule fraction of what had happened, and it only made me curse Brant even more. Once I had finished throwing up, I got some water, and went about cleaning up after myself. Once I had that done, I went about my morning business, after putting some more wood on the fire. When I returned to the cavern, I went to...
My heart skipped a beat and I felt a lump from in my throat as I heard Fergus utter the name of the one, I was dreading would come to Fardun, in search of me. “Fergus, are you sure that it was him? Like, absolutely sure that Brenson was the one who was asking around for me?” “Aye, lad, it was him,” he said with a nod. “He was, of course, much older, with some drastic changes, but I never forget a face.” I took a few deep, calming breaths before I asked, “You said that he had drastic...
“So, Davik, this is where you have been hiding? I must say it is a quaint little camp that you have here.” The voice jarred me, given that I had not seen anyone here during my quick search of the rooms. I turned to see who had said that, as the voice was familiar, but my shocked mind was having trouble figuring out who it was. I soon looked into the deep brown eyes of my love’s mother, Ilane. “I assume you are having trouble understanding my presence here,” she said, with a smile. “You are...
Even though there had been eighteen years since he had left, the smell of what lay inside had remained. The smell of decaying flesh filled the building, and I tried to control myself. Lillian had to leave, as the sight and smell were too much for her. I heard her asking for the Patron and whoever took care of the village’s dead to come to the shop immediately. The door muffled what she said next and I tried to focus. I needed to see what had happened in that room. There were two beds on the...
Jethro, You are a man of great promise, but I can give you an even greater one. The power over those around you, fed by fear and control. Why settle for being a lone soldier, when you could be greater? All you need is the vision to see a great future for you and the will to do what it takes to bring it to fruition. Understand that despite this power, you will serve me and will do so for all time. If you fail to understand that, I will not hesitate to rip your throat out, after I kill every...
It has been nearly three weeks since we found out about Jethro and everyone has done what they could to try and help locate Violet. Edgar sent men to each town, village and inn that was along the way. I scoured the area between them, looking for signs and even using my abilities in the hopes of locating a trail. I even visited Cartha and Dru’Tirk, but no sign there. Lillian even joined me to look, but even her skills and abilities in her wolf form did not help. After two weeks, I was...
Lillian “You have been asking around about something you shouldn’t be, little lady. I am afraid you are going to have to come with us, or you might get hurt.” I looked around, hoping to find something that I would be able to use, but there was nothing. I closed my eyes, focusing on the training I did with Janet and the others on the way here and everything that I learned. I opened my eyes to see the ringleader stepping towards me, reaching his arm out to grab me. One of the things they...
With the meeting concluded, we said our goodbyes to Vestra and planned our next steps. “Well, I am not sure that went very well, but I guess that we will soon see,” I said with a sigh. Janet nodded, “It is done, the next step is figuring out where the Voguel are hiding and launching their attacks from.” “It was easier in Bardack due to the smaller number of Voguel attacks,” I said as I pondered the problem. “You have centuries of such attacks and they keep coming back. We would need to...
I flashed in and out of consciousness, not sure where I was or what state I was in. I could feel the sensation of being carried, but I was so fatigued I could barely move. I had been fed something to drink and the effects of the poisons seemed to have been lessened by it. The next time I had come back into consciousness, I felt like my body was burning up; I had never felt a fever such as this and I struggled to try and get some help, but my body would not move. I could hear arguing on the...
“Ruben! What in the seven hells are you doing? Why did you kill Trent and what do you mean - ‘unless he finds you’?” Ruben wiped the blood off his sword, using the leg of Trent’s pants, as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience. This arrogant display only further angered me, at his disrespectful attitude more so then the heinous act he had just performed. “I am truly sorry, Davik, but he had to die, as do you. I did not want to have to do this, but I do not have any choice in the...
It had been nearly two months since we had left the port town of Iltha’tal and thankfully we had not run into any trouble. We had maintained the schedule of who would travel the forests and who would travel in the wagon. Of those who did travel in the wagon, the driver on duty rotated between everyone and at least one other sat to keep them company. They also kept their eyes on the forest just in case something slipped by the others. Training their skills and accessing their combat awareness...
Our two-month journey back to the Vishant Capital city was uneventful. There were no attacks or distractions, but the looming threat of our enemy still hung in the air. We worked hard to prepare ourselves for what would occur in the coming days. Endless fighting drills and sparring matches. Some one on one, but now almost all were an eight-person free for all. Lillian would watch and keep track of the hits and wins. Her practice came on our hunts and she reveled in our time together then. I...
Aphronia walked quickly as she made her way through the dark corridors. Her cloak glided through the air as she moved quickly and purposefully through the lair, the swish of her dress caressing her legs as she made long quick strides. Her plan had not gone at all the way she hoped, but she had been able to escape with the knife and had been able to poison those bitches. She had been unsure if their threats had been genuine, but she hoped they enjoyed having their so-called cure fed to them....
I awoke with no memory of what might have appeared in my dreams, and I was thankful for that. The mixture of the journal contents, as well as somehow reliving Brant’s dreams, was starting to weigh on me. I knew I had to find out what each was leading me to, but I worried what I would be like when I reached the end. I stretched my sore muscles - I would need to get more padding for my bed roll. For now, I would go check my snares for any animals they might have caught, and then collect the...
As I opened the door to a house that I had not been in for nearly nine years, various emotions filled me. The most prominent was the sense of loss that it brought in me; the loss of both my parents and my best friend. Violet should be here with me, helping me through this as she had always done in the past, but she was missing. Having Liza and Lillian was a small comfort and one that I greatly appreciated. I took a deep breath and took a step through the doorway, into the entrance to my...
I entered the smithy and looked around at the interior of the entranceway, trying to appear passive as I looked about the environment I just entered. Since this was a blacksmith shop with no living quarters attached, there was a main entrance where people could place and pick up their orders and the work area itself which was kept separate. There were two young men manning the counter at the far side of the room, which looked no bigger than the waiting room at Ilane’s clinic, as well as one...
Janet It has been nearly seven months since we lost Davik and I still have not gotten over it. The others feel the same deep loss, though I think that Lillian has been hit the hardest. She had known him, cared for him longer than any of us. Still, the pain was as raw and deep as it had been the night he died. The love of my life gave his life to restore peace to my homeland. Each day, as we get closer to Int’samba, I wonder if that sacrifice was worth what was lost to me, the others and to...
I thought some more about the wood that I would be using to repair my home. I had come across this wood when growing up with my elder parents. It was unique in that it was water resistant, lighter than all other woods, never had bugs go through it, and could bend into any shape without breaking. It is known as Teaka wood, and only grows in a certain part of the forest. It was mostly used for the boats that the village fisherman used in Fardun, but I had noticed its qualities, and figured it...
I looked at the gate rising, and watched as a form was slowly revealed to me. Black boots, covered slightly with mud, which went to just below the knee. A purple skirt starting from mid-thigh, to her waist, adorned with golden stitching along the hemline. To match the boots and provide contrast to the dress, a black belt adorned with golden stitching. As the gate continued to climb, I marveled at the sight before me. She wore a purple top, cut low, revealing remarkable cleavage, the sleeves,...
“Do you know who it is, Lillian?” I asked as I started to put my pants on. “Could it be the innkeeper or possibly the dock master looking for us?” > I nodded to Janet and she quickly took up her nearby sword, placing it near her and out of the line of sight from the door. She then quickly put on a sleeping gown, though I never remembered her having one. Perhaps it was something that she had...