A Werewolf's Moon (The Council) (27 page)

“But, how did you become…” Vladislav frowned. “What are you?”

“Hell if I know. For five years I was kept in a cage like a pet. Once every three days they had a human doctor and my dad routinely inject me and their other prisoners. My dad told me it was a mix of demon venom, werewolf and vampire blood. Over and over they did this. I lost track of how long they did it. I became numb, but I lived. The rest of them…maybe twenty people, died.
Mostly from disease and starvation.
My dad was the big reason why I survived.
Him and that doctor.”

We were all silent, just staring at the kid. I think most of us were afraid to speak.

“What happened to your dad?”
Pepper
’s voice came out in a whisper, but she was the only one who found the strength to speak.

“Dead,” Alex gulped audibly. “
T
he turnings weren’t successful. So they killed him.”

“But you were turned.”

Alex nodded, “He did it to save me, at least, that’s what I think. I thought he would have put me out of my misery like I suspected he and the doctor did with so many other people. But I remember things he used to say…that I was special. That I’d get through this because I was different. It was because he made me different. I’m half vampire, half wolf, with some demon. The werewolf dominates, and that’s what keeps me sane I guess.”

“When did you escape?” this time Irena spoke, settling a motherly hand on his shoulder.

‘Two years ago.
Took me forever just to figure out how to act human again.”
He said. “The demons brought me over with them, thinking it would be funny to see how I reacted around humans. I let them think I was crazy, knowing that once I got back to this world, I could escape and find the Council. I learned about you from other prisoners. I learned about phasing and the glow of energy in my eyes. I made myself stronger, so that I could get away. But when I got away, I didn’t
know
what to do with myself. So I settled for trying to mess up their plans. When I found out their next target was
Pepper
, and that she had a direct link to the Council, I knew this was my chance to
take down the demons for good.”

“Have you seen Christy?” Venna asked.

Alex nodded. “I have.”

“Dmitri has it under control,” The vampire king said, not inviting any more questions.

“So where does that leave us?”
Henry
asked.

Vladislav rubbed his eyes, “That question cannot be answered tonight. Nor will it be answered as quickly as we’d all like, I’m sure. There is much to discu
s
s in the coming days.”

My father stood to refill his tea cup from the pot in the center of the table. “First things first, we will remove ourselves from any of our current residences, and reside at the island. The demons cannot phase. We will be safest there.”

A murmur of approval went through the room.

“And I believe we should tell our people.” Irena said. “We must call a meeting with all covens and warn them about the demons. They need to be ready to fight for themselves, or to leave their homes and find remote places to reside like us.”

“I believe she is right,” my mother said. “Are we all in agreement?”

“Then we hunt,” James looked to Alex. “And you know these monsters better than any of us. Will you help us track them down and find the door?”

Alex nodded, “But only if you make me a promise.”

“And what would that be?” the king asked warily.

“If you happen to run across the demon king, he’s mine.”

Henry
stared at him, his gaze fierce. “You don’t think he’s come over to our side, do you?”

“I don’t think. I know.” Alex’s eyes flashed blood red. “
H
e
was the one who brought me here
.”

Chapter 26

Pepper

“I’m on an island off the coast of Fiji…” I laughed, spinning around, taking in the white sand beach and palm trees. It’d been three weeks since the compound was attacked. I thought it would take longer for the island to be secured, but the purchase went fast. I’m positive it was moved along by magic.

“This is amazing!” Venna laughed too and dove into the surf. She leapt in fully clothed and I ran after her, plunging into the sinfully warm water. The salt burned my eyes. The sun made my skin wonderfully tight.

“I can’t believe this.” I floated on my back, closing my eyes. “Uh, I’m never leaving.”

“Me either,” she floated beside me. We stayed in the water until we were both sure we had sunburns.

“Venna,”
Henry
called, coming down the beach. He had an armful of towels.
As usual, he looked like he ste
pped o
f
f the pages of some preppy magazine, with his perfect sandy hair and polo shirt over his swim trunks. “You’re bright red!”

I glanced over at my best friend and grimaced. “We should have come better prepared.”

Venna nodded. “Good thing I’ll heal.”

I followed her out of the water and we took the towels from
Henry
. He smiled, pulling off this mirrored aviators. Sometimes I wondered if he was for real.

I felt a tingle rush through me and glanced up the beach to see Quinn walking toward us. He was rumpled and his plaid shorts looked a little mismatched with his blue shirt. My werewolf was endearingly clothing challenged. I wouldn’t have him any other way though.
Except he could do with a haircut.

“Hey, I thought you were just going for a walk,” he took in my soaked jeans and shirt with a grin and held out his hand. “We need to get up to the hotel and get changed for our first meeting.”

I laced my fingers with his and told Venna I’d see her later as she and
Henry
phased. “Wait,”

Quinn frowned.
“Yeah?”

“Can I
phase
us?”

He smiled, holding my hand tighter. “Sure, go for it.”

I swallowed. “But, what if we end up in the wrong place?
Like…I don’t know.
I can’t
phase
us into a volcano, right?”

“Are you thinking about a volcano?”

“Uh, no.”

“Then you’ll do fine.” He smiled. “Go for it. I’m right here.”

I held his hand in both of mine as tight as I could and squeezed my eyes closed. I drew a deep breath and thought of the room I’d been in earlier with Quinn. The bamboo floors and the massive windows, big bed with green pillows. I thought as hard as I possibly could.

“Hey,
Pepper
,”

“Shush please, I’m concentrating.”

“Open your eyes,” he chuckled.

I blinked, rubbing them. Our reflections stared back at us in the mirror over the dresser. “I did it?”

I turned around, taking in the room.

“Quinn, I did it!” I kissed him. “You better watch your back, werewolf. The game is on, and I’m going to sneak up on you every chance I get.”

He picked me up and wrapped both arms around me, “I doubt you’ll ever catch me by surprise.”

“I’m going to try,” I kissed him, running my hands through his shaggy hair. “So when do we have to be ready?”

He shrugged, walking toward the bathroom, “
Soonish
.”

“Great, I’ll wear the dress I altered.” I laughed at the look on his face. “What?”

“Council meetings are a little serious. Not that I don’t love your clothes, but…”

“Trust me,” I sighed when he set me on my feet and kicked him out of the bathroom so I could shower. We may be mates, but I wasn’t quite ready to share the bathroom with him. I asked him to pass me my suitcase and I pulled the dress out. It was reminiscent of the traditional style Venna and Flora wore. Cap sleeves, cinched waist, and the color was a deep burgundy. Quinn’s mom had rush ordered it for my first official Council meeting. I liked it, but yesterday I’d had some free time, and added my own little twist.

I shimmied into it and put on my silver stilettos, gaining about four inches in height.

“Wow,” Quinn stood from his spot on the bed as I stepped out of the bathroom. He was dressed in his formal black dress clothes, complete with saber at his side. He’d tamed his hair, a little. “
Pepper
, you look beautiful.”

I smiled, resting my hands on my hips as I swished the skirt. A slit went up the side almost to my hip. The opening didn’t flash my leg. I’d filled it with a cascade of black, ruffled lace. “Thank you. I’m thinking a little drama spices it up. I’m not conventional…”

“
Pepper
,” Quinn tied a black sash around my waist with the green moon and stars around it. “I never should have said anything. I’m sorry. You’re perfect, and you look spectacular.”

I smiled, taking his hand. “No apology needed.”

We walked slowly, stealing kisses as we headed down to the ballroom. The doors were open to a veranda and the sun was setting into the bright pink and orange sky.

Everyone was gathered in the room, all chatting and dressed in their formal best. I felt like we’d gone back in time about three hundred years or so.

Venna hurried across the room and hugged me. She was dressed in her signature purple color, but the tiara on her head was something I’d never seen before. It suited her. She really looked like a princess.

“
Pepper
?” something inside me soared at the sound of my father’s voice. I hadn’t seen him since the day after I’d turned. And I missed him. I missed him so much.

“Dad?”
I turned. He was standing behind me a ways. He looked a little hesitant and uncomfortable, but I ran toward him and hugged him. “You came!”

I’d been on the phone with him at least twice a day. He’d been
getting used to being a vampire.
T
he last three weeks were important for him and
I
to learn about our new identities. I was sur
prised to find out
that Quinn’s father had phased to Sarah’s house
to visit with
my father. I wasn’t sure what it was about, but
it gave
my dad enough faith to come to the new compound, and to take his place with my new family. We were all connected now.

He stepped back and smiled. “You’re my little girl
Pepper
, you always will be.”

I nodded, biting my lip. “What about this thing with you and Sarah…that whole past life?”

He looked up at the ceiling and back down at me, “There are things I never told you about me,
Pepper
. I never told anyone because I didn’t think they were important.”

“Like what?” he hadn’t talked about Sarah while we’d been on the phone either. We talked about anything and everything but her and the old civil war picture with him in it.

“That I nearly lost my right leg in a car accident. Or that I’d seen Sarah before in my dreams. When I was a kid I used to tell my mom that I had nightmares about a lady with purple eyes and that I was a soldier in an army. I’ve never been
near a
cannon in my life, but I could fire it no problem. I would know exactly what to do.”

I stared at him, “Dad, you can’t be a civil war soldier in another life. I mean, that’s crazy.”

“No more crazy than being turned into a werewolf by a prince,” he countered with a laugh.

I agreed, and thought it was kind of cool. More than anything though, I hoped things worked out between my dad and Quinn’s aunt. He hadn’t met anyone that stuck since my mom. It seemed like it could be a good thing. “So what are we going to do?”

He braced his hands on his hips and gave me his best stern gaze. “Well, I’m going to retire from the Navy and go to work for the Council. Seems they could use someone with my expertise. But first, I’m thinking we should spend that father daughter time together we’ve been putting off.”

“Hey, since we can phase we’ll save on airfare if we decide to go anywhere.”

He nodded. “And I’m thinking that werewolf of yours is going to have to come with us. I’d like to get to know him better.”

“Sound like a good plan,” I glanced back at Quinn, who was talking to
Henry
on the other side of the room. He winked at me and started my way. I looked back at my dad. “Sarah should come to.”

Quinn smiled. “What’s this about father daughter time?”

“Family time,” I said. “You, me, my dad and Sarah…what do you say?”

He smiled and shook my dad’s hand, “I say, count me in.”

“Attention, everyone.”
Quinn’s mother walked into the center of the ballroom
. The idle chatter stopped and all eyes went to the queen as she
placed a
gold
box on a pedestal. “
Pepper
, would you join me in the center of the room?”