Resounding Truth: (Werewolf Novella) (The Resounding Series) (9 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The earth disappeared below her as Lilith lifted them into the air, the speed at which they rose causing Dru's stomach to turn. She quickly realized what was happening and wrapped her arms around the vampire’s neck, clinging to her.

"What are you doing? I thought we'd come to an agreement."

Lilith laughed and the sound echoed in Dru's ears like the ringing of bells. "We did, Drucilia. The blood offering is a private matter, not one to be shared in front of the wondering eyes of a power hungry Alpha and your future mate, who rests just beyond the woods."

Dru turned to see Caleb bounding out of the forest, Derik turning to confront him. Fear tugged at her as she tried to reason with the vampire.

"Make this quick. I don't want any more blood on my hands," Dru growled, turning her attention back to the vampire.

The woman reached up and pulled Dru's hair loose, the crimson strands moving to entwine with Lilith's golden ones, creating something almost magical.

"You are the future of the Graybacks. Derik's time is almost up, and you will lead, strong and quiet, from beside the next Alpha male. I make my covenant with you because it is you that will bring salvation to our people and make us a great nation once again."

Dru stared in shock, not quite sure what to say. Could the queen of the vampires see the future, or did she spout poetic words to lull Dru into not struggling?

"I don't understand," Dru muttered, her body shivering at the cold in combination with their height.

"You will. I promise," Lilith said softly.

"Why is this accord so important to you?" Dru murmured, her fear of being bitten by the creature causing her to aimlessly seek conversation.

"A time is coming where we will be hunted, not as vampires, but as monsters, different from humans. The church has re-instituted their circle of Hunters and has empowered them with special magic and strength, allowing them to do things that no human should be capable of. They are to become hunting machines that can not only seek us out, but destroy us with very little effort."

"You've seen this yourself?"

Lilith smiled. "I am a prophet. I can see time as far as it spans and know exactly what will happen along each stop on the map."

"Then you know the outcome of the Hunters’ invasion." Dru clung to the other woman, the smell of strawberries coming from the wind catching her blond hair.

"The future is forever changing, young one. I believe that if I make an accord with you, the desolation of my people can be circumvented, or at least delayed. I'll take more time over the destruction I have seen in my visions."

Dru breathed in deeply, her fear of heights melting with the realization that Lilith meant her no harm.

"And this accord will save us both, I suspect?"

"I don't know until it is completed. I cannot see a hypothetical future, only one based on the decisions and paths currently laid out. We will do this, and if the future does not shift for the better, then I will try something else until it does."

Dru nodded, unsure of how to respond to the ethereal creature that held her high above the earth and offered her nothing but fear in exchange for her gift of blood.

"Offer me your neck, and let us close this accord with your sacrifice and my acceptance." Lilith shifted and the two of them spun around in the night sky, as if dancing for all to see.

Dru hesitated only for a moment. A million questions swam through her mind, and yet to appear innocent, young or weak in front of the monster that held her tightly would be damning, of that she was sure. She looked away, her eyes making out the scene below as Karis lay on the ground and Derik and Caleb yelled at one another. The two vampires stood stone still and seemed to be more interested in the stars in the sky.

The sharp puncture of Lilith's teeth caused Dru to cry out, and she struggled a bit, but warmth quickly took the place of pain. Her eyes grew heavy and scenes of the past danced across her vision.

"Mother, why is Karis different than us?" Dru sat on the edge of her mother's bed, her little sister in a small wooden crib in front of them.

Her mother smiled warmly and pulled Dru's small frame a little closer. "She's special. The guardians of heaven decided that your father and I were worthy of such a gift, and so they gave her to us."

"Am I special?"

"Of course you are, but Karis is going to need you to protect her because she's so small. Can you do that for us?"

Her mom looked down at her and Dru couldn't help but smile so much it hurt her face.

"I can. How is her special different from mine?" Dru moved from her mom to lean over the small crib, reaching down to touch Karis's small hand as the baby wrapped little fingers around Dru's finger.

"You will be a leader and the head of our family one day." Her mother moved beside her and rubbed her back as she reached down to rub her fingers along the side of Karis's small face. "Your sister will prophesy the future and be of great service to you and your Alpha. She will be loyal and loving, but only you will appreciate her for who she is, Drucilia."

Dru felt her heart ache. "No one but me will love her, Mom?"

Her mom sniffled and shook her head, her lips quivering slightly. "There will come a time when the right wolf will accept Karis, but loneliness and heartache are to be her burden. Love her with all of your heart and she shall never know the difference."

Dru nodded, leaning over the crib to kiss her sister. "I will, Mom. I will love her and take care of her forever. She will never be lonely as long as I'm there."

"Dru … Dru … wake up. Tell me you're okay." Caleb's voice pulled her from the darkness she sat comfortably in, the memories of her past warming her heart and giving her strength.

She groaned, reaching up to touch the puncture wounds on her throat and jerking her hand back at the tingle of pleasure that jolted her senses.

"Where am I? Where is Karis?" She sat up quickly, using Caleb to help her stand.

Derik walked toward them, holding Karis, as the three vamps walked away in the distance. Drucilia ran toward him, taking her sister from his arms and kissing her cheeks and face as she knelt to the ground.

"Oh my god. Tell me you’re okay, Karis. Wake up. Wake up." Dru looked up at Derik. "Why won't she wake up? What did they do to her?"

"They put her under a sleep spell. She will wake up tomorrow morning not having the faintest idea of what happened." His voice was guarded, his mood edgy. "I'm not happy about what happened here tonight, and the fact that you disobeyed me pisses me off beyond what I have the energy to express."

"She didn't disobey you. I came of my own accord." Caleb stepped up as Derik moved toward Dru aggressively.

"Then you disobeyed me. Either way, someone is going to be punished." He growled and stuck his finger in Caleb's chest.

Caleb slapped his hand away. "You don't own me, so watch it."

"Get the hell away from my mate and my pack. Find another group to hover over. You're not welcome here, and if I see you again I will rip your throat out."

Derik pushed Caleb hard, the large man stumbling backwards. He righted himself and started to charge at Derik as Dru yelled, "Stop it! I can't handle this right now. One of you get Karis and let's get back to the camp. When we get there, Caleb can gather his things and leave."

She stood and looked at both of them, her words empty and her heart aching. To watch Derik possibly kill Caleb would be the end of her after all that had happened.

Caleb moved to get Karis as Derik growled, "Back up."

"Fine," Caleb barked back before looking at Dru with hurt in his gaze and transforming. He ran before them, his large white body swallowed by the darkness of the night.

Derik moved toward her, reaching down and picking up Karis before pulling Dru to his side. He looked down at her, his eyes moving toward her neck. "I'm proud of you. You proved yourself worthy to carry my young tonight." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, his words and actions sickening to her.

They moved toward the forest and he called out to her, "Change into your wolf and get back to the camp. I’ll walk Karis back and be there shortly. Get some rest, and when I put her to bed I’ll let you know."

Dru hesitated only for a minute before changing forms and running through the forest in hopes of catching up with Caleb. He was nowhere to be found, but his scent was heavy and strong. She knew he was hurting and confused by her actions and words. She would explain the situation as soon as she could, but seeing him emotionally scarred and safe was far better than watching him die because of the truth.

She'd fallen in love with him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

"What are you doing?" Dru asked sharply as she approached Caleb, the handsome beast working to pull together a few shirts and a small bag of supplies.

"I'm leaving. It's what you want, so I guess I was wrong." He turned from her, his shoulders stiff with hidden emotion.

She reached out to touch him, but he moved away. "Caleb, I just don't want anything to happen to you. I cannot stand the idea of Derik harming you. Where would I be if that happened?"

He stood from the small bench in the middle of their campsite. "I'm an Alpha wolf, Drucilia. I need a pack and I want a mate. I'm going to find both. My own strength is measured by my desire to win and lead, so you don't need to worry about Derik or anyone else harming me. I can hold my own."

She backed up a little, the sound of his words biting. Hadn't he just claimed her earlier as his own? Hadn't she agreed? Confusion rolled over her as she crossed her arms over her chest and watched him in painful silence.

He finished pulling his stuff together and moved toward her, hovering just above her as he gazed down with desire in his eyes. He simply stood there as she looked up at him, everything about him a dream that she saw shattering before her. He was strong and demanding, good and whole, loving and wickedly masculine. She felt the first burn of tears press against her gaze and hated the fact that her emotions were being slung everywhere.

"Tell me you love me and you want me to stay. Tell me that you need me to fight for you and for these people, and I will kill him tonight." He leaned forward and brushed the tip of his nose along the side of her face, his lips brushing her ear. "Tell me that you're mine, and I will conquer the world and lay it at your feet, Drucilia."

She leaned into him, the warmth of his body and the delicious aroma of his desire grabbing her painfully. She brushed her lips down his cheek, stopping just before touching his mouth and hovering there. Her eyes moved up the strong slope of his nose, his eyes deep and drawing her in. There was nothing she wanted more than him, but surely there was a different way. Leaving it up to fate to protect him in a fight with Derik was asking for more blood. No one loved her and lived to tell about it.

She couldn't answer him, though every part of her knew the truth as it shined through the darkest parts of her soul. She pressed her lips to his, breathing him in and tasting him once more, in case it was the last time.

"Meet me by the lake where Karis was taken in two hours. I will have your answer, and if we are to be together then we’ll figure out how tonight." She kissed him again, and though she recognized the subtle flinch of disdain, he simply nodded and moved past her to slip into the forest.

His absence left her cold and, for the first time in a long time, lonely.

Dru walked around aimlessly in her tent, worry crowding her mind. Derik should have been back already, though the thought of him being late wouldn't have concerned her if Karis wasn't with him. He didn't care for the younger girl at all and had made comments on more than one occasion that Dru should consider marrying her off to another pack. That idea was beyond monstrous, and the fact that he'd suggested it made him even more despicable in her mind.

She sat down on the edge of her bed, the events of the night rushing around her.

The image of the vampire queen sat heavy on her, the vision of rushing into the night sky with her almost as real in the present as it had been when it occurred. Having the power to fly and see deep into the future almost seemed worth the sacrifice of light and food. Dru looked up and the curtain opened; Derik entered, toting her sister as she continued to sleep. Sweat covered his chest and face, the front of her sister’s shirt wet from his efforts.

Dru moved quickly, taking the girl from him and turning to put her into her bed. She undressed her as Derik slipped out, neither of them speaking a word to one another. It was freezing outside. For Derik to be sweating so profusely meant he was either sick or Karis’s weight had somehow caused him to exert too much energy. She finished with her sister and then moved back out into the night to find him.

Derik sat alone by a dying campfire, his head in his hands as if he were in despair. She moved to sit beside him, keeping her distance, but making her presence known. She needed to slip away if she were going to meet Caleb within the timeframe she’d promised. If she were late, there might be a chance that he thought she wasn't coming.

"What do you want, Dru?" he grumbled, his arm muscles straining beneath the soft material of his shirt.

"I want to know if you're okay. You’re sweating in freezing temperatures." She reached out to touch his arm, but he jerked away from her.

"It's a fever, but from what, I'm not sure. I'll be fine." He looked up from his hands and looked over at her. "Where is your pet?"

She scoffed, her concern quickly dying before it blossomed too far. "He's gone."

"And you made sure he left, or he just said he was leaving?"

"He packed in front of me and left." She shrugged.

He laughed sardonically. "I love that you think me a fool. Head of your pack and smart enough to outwit your brilliant father and yet you think I'm stupid enough to believe that Caleb just up and left." He shook his head, ran his fingers through his wet, dark hair and stood. "No, you might be that ignorant, but I’ll be watching for him. He has his eye on you and isn't going to be satisfied until he has you or I kill him."

She stood as well. "I'm not concerned with this conversation. I wanted to check on you, and I have. Thank you for taking care of Karis."

"Do not speak of what happened tonight to anyone. It's no one's concern about the demons. Understood?" He turned toward her, his legs almost giving out beneath him. She reached out to help steady him, but once again he pushed her away.

"You need to rest. Something isn't quite right."

She motioned for Nick, another wolf who was standing nearby, to come and give him aid. Nick was more of a companion to Derik than Dru would ever be. She moved back as a few other males moved up and man-handled him to his tent. He didn't say anything else to Dru, but muttered a few obscenities toward the people who tried to help him.

She turned to sit on the bench once more. Her concern for him was valid. There was no reason an Alpha wolf would contract a virus from being in the woods other than the stress of the move, the pressure closing in on all sides. Her father had come down with random fevers from time to time and her mother always swore it was stress related.

David, the elder wolf who she had helped escape in the battle with the Hunters, moved to sit beside her. "He's in bed, and we've called Merilla. You should get some rest too, Drucilia."

"I will. I'm going for a quick run in the forest to ease some of the built-up tension from dealing with him all night, and then I'll go to bed."

"No going near the edge of the property. There are rumors of vampires living in this area. God help us if that’s true. Those beasts took far too much from us once, and I'd hate to see it happen again." He shook his head and patted her arm. "Get some rest, okay?"

"Okay." She waited until he left. His words didn’t make much sense, but perhaps the vamps had attacked the village before her birth. She never remembered seeing or hearing anything of them as a child or teenager. She stood and stretched, checked the area around her and slipped into the forest, leaving her dress and transforming quickly.

The peace of the night surrounded her and brought a calm she'd been searching for over the last few days without success. She jogged slowly, enjoying the moments by herself and wondering what her and Caleb's next steps would be. She couldn't imagine them not being together. He was hope, and she was going to cling to it. Leaving the pack might be an option, but with the new accord she'd struck with the vampires, it almost seemed as if she were tied down eternally.

Lilith had been quite clear that Derik's time was almost up, but did that mean that Caleb would fight him or that this illness would take him? She huffed, her breath making a small smoky cloud in the air around her. The lake was just ahead, and anticipation built in her as she pushed her legs and ran toward it.

She stopped at the edge and narrowed her eyes, the small cap of dark hair bobbing in the middle of the lake bringing warmth to her whole body.

"Get in here. I'm freezing my ass off and you're late."

She transformed, one arm over her breasts and one covering the rest of her nakedness as she walked into the water. "This is too cold."

"No it isn't." He laughed and waded toward her, his movements causing the water to splash up onto her bare legs as she yelped. "Just run in here. It's better if you don't think about it."

She shook her head and moved a little faster, the water quickly reaching her thighs, waist and then just over her breasts. She gritted her teeth and swam toward him, stopping in front of him and leaving a bit of space between them.

"I thought you might not come." His eyes shone in the light of the moon, the smile playing on his mouth causing her stomach to clench. He was so beyond handsome that the vampires’ beauty didn't hold a candle to him. A million questions about his past assaulted her. Surely there was another female in the world looking for him.

The Huntress.

"Of course I came. Derik took forever to get back, and when he did, he was dripping with sweat from a fever." She moved her arms and legs to keep herself above water, the intimacy of being so close washing over her in waves.

He moved closer, stopping in front of her as his eyes moved across her face. "You owe me an answer to the questions I asked of you back at the camp. I've been searching for you for a long time, and yet I resolved earlier that if you decide you don't want me then I’ll back off, only because to force you to love me wouldn’t be any better than what Derik is trying to do."

She reached for his shoulders, pulling herself to him until no water flowed between their bodies. He closed his eyes as a sound of appreciation rose from his chest, the delight of hearing it setting her blood on fire.

"I'm here because the answer is yes. I don't know what that means will happen next or how to go about being with you forever, but I need you."

He smiled with lustful intent and tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her mouth up to meet his. He paused just before they kissed and nipped at her. "The how is my part to discern, as your mate. Trust me in this and let me give you the world."

She mumbled her agreement, not caring about words or promises anymore, only about the demanding desire to take him and claim him as hers forever.