Cursed Blood

8/13/2019 Cursed Blood

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Prologue: Curse of Blood & Moonli ght

...No one truly knows how the curse came to be.

Some claim it as a punishment from the gods.

Others said it was the grotesque product of unnatural unions between wolves and men.

But no matter the origin story, all who tell the tale agree on some thingsthe first being that

the beasts are bloodthirsty, soulless monsters that kill without discrimination...

-X-

Aurelia, the land from which our heroes hail, was once a great and prosperous land, known to

all of its neighbours as the Golden Kingdom.

'Aurelia is blessed by the gods!' was what the royal family claimed.

And it would seem that way, what with the plentiful harvests and mild winters.

But seven-hundred-and-fifty years ago, that all changed.

Good King Nikoloas and his wife, the gracious Queen Jocelyn, were celebrating the birth of

their children, the twins Lucian and Luna, who were their only heirs, for Nikoloas and

Jocelyn were both nearing their fiftieth year. There would be no more children.

To celebrate the birth of the twins, they invited all the royal families of all the neighbouring

kingdoms to a great ball.

On the eve of the ball, once all the guests had arrived - King Oberon and Queen Titania, of

the kingdom of Avalon; Simba and Nala, the leaders of Pride Rock; Artemis and Apollo, the

twin rulers of Celestra, just to name a few - King Nikoloas stood up in front of his guests and

thanked them for coming.

After Nikoloas had said his piece, Jocelyn took her turn in front of the audience, and thanked

the guests as, one by one; they brought forward a gift and laid it down at the foot of thechildren's crib.

As Artemis and Apollo stepped forward to present their gift, the doors to the great hall flew

open with a bang.

Everyone turned to face the doors.

Striding through the entrance as if she owned the place, parting the people as easily as Moses

parted the sea, was a woman dressed in rich wolf furs of all shades - brown, black, grey,

white and russet. Her hair was the colour of new fallen snow, her skin the colour of full

moonlight.


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Her eyes were the colour if old blood, and they shone with a malevolent light.

"Nikoloas," she announced. "Jocelyn. My oldfriends." She stressed the last word with a hefty

amount of sarcasm.

Jocelyn chose not to notice this. "Lupa," she greeted the Wolf Queen. "What brings youhere?"

Lupa arched an eyebrow at the gentle Queen.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for your children."

Jocelyn smiled at her graciously. "Thank you, Lupa. We welcome your gift."

Lupa threw back her head and laughed out loud. "That is what you think now," she hissed.

"But I assure you, Queen of Aurelia,you and yours will be cursing this 'gift' for eons to

come."

Jocelyn frowned. Her husband drew her closer to his person. "Speak plainly, Queen of

Wolves," he growled out. "Tonight is a night of celebration. Gods forbid your poison filled

riddles ruin it for my wife and I."

"What care I that you wish tonight to be a night of peace? For I was not invited."

Jocelyn paled. "Lupa, I assure you, we did not mean to offend. Your invitation must have

simply been misplaced. But now that you are here, you are more than welcome to stay and

enjoy the festivities-"

"SILENCE!" Lupa roared. Her pupils dilated, and madness radiated from her. "I will not let

this insult slide! Do you - all of you- truly think that I do not hear what you whisper behind

my back? That I do not here the slurs you throw around? You hate me more than you hate

Aaron! This is the last straw! You must all be taught a lesson." Panting hard, Lupa paused for

breath, turning to face the crib that held the twins. She raised her hands.

"Lupus!" She bellowed out.

There was a flash of light, like the light of a full moon, and Lupa vanished.

With a sob, Jocelyn flew towards her children, as the audience made up of her guests looked

on in horror.

The Queen of Aurelia felt relief like no mortal woman had ever felt before when she saw her

two children, safe, sound and happy.

Jocelyn felt a small but strong hand grip her shoulder.

She looked up to see the golden-haired, silver-eyed princess of Celestra standing over her,

staring at her children with a scrutinizing gaze that was wise beyond her years.

"My Queen," Artemis said. "Do you know what 'lupus' means?"


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"No. I do not."

"Wolf," the princess supplied. "It means 'wolf.'"

Her brother, Apollo, stepped forward, his face unusually grave. "Your children have been

cursed," he stated matter-of-factly.

Nikoloas let out a roar. "Cursed! What do you mean?"

The prince of Celestra remained silent.

The King of Aurelia growled. "Speak plainly, prince, or I shall cut out your tongue."

"A curse of blood and moonlight," Artemis answered. "But that is all I can see for now."

She turned towards her brother. "Shall we give our gifts now, do you think?" she asked.

Apollo nodded. "Perhaps not the gift we were originally planning to give, but yes."

Artemis placed one hand on Luna's forehead. "I have only enough power for one," she

commiserated.

"Just do your best," Apollo murmured.

Artemis closed her eyes. "Exalttum," she whispered, feeling the power the word held shiver

down through her body and out of her fingertips, seeping into the sleeping baby girl,

protecting her from the worst of the curse. "I am sorry I cannot save your brother also, little

one," Artemis whispered.

Behind her, she could hear her brother explaining to the Aurelian monarchs the true nature of

the curse.

"Lupa has tried to transform your children into bloodthirsty, immortal beasts. Artemis has

saved the girl, but she cannot save the boy. Neither can I, for I do not hold that power. What I

can do, however, is cast a small fertility spell upon you so you can conceive again."

"Why must we have another child? If Luna has been saved-"

"Luna's humanityhas been saved. The curse will still affect her, but she will retain her soul.She will not become a monster."

"And you need another child, because one born of Aurelian blood can break the curse, I fear,"

Artemis interjected. "If you do not conceive again, your line will die out, as will Aurelia."

Nikoloas bowed his head. "We accept," he said

-X-

...Artemis and Apollo took Lucian and Luna away that night, and the story of what had

happened was eventually forgotten over the ages.


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The only part that was remembered was what Artemis had said: 'One born of the blood of

Aurelia is destined to break the curse. She is the cure. All you have to do is wait for her to

arrive.'

And so, Aurelia waited.

Through each generation, as attacks grew more and more frequent, as the beasts started

hunting every night rather than just on full moons, they waited.

But no daughter was born to the royal blood line of Aurelia.

At least, not until the present day.

The first Princess of Aurelia to be born in 750 years, to be born since Luna.

Princess Annabelle Regale

Chapter One: The High Princess

The light of several hundred candles glinted off of the silver of the blade.

The entire court was hushed as the High Princess approached the monster that was chained

to the floor at the foot of the King and Queen's thrones.

At that moment, the beast wore the guise of a young girlno older than thirteenbut all

present knew the truth of her nature.

The girl's blue eyes were wide and fearful as the blonde haired beauty approached. Even

though the Princess was almost a full two years younger than her, the royal held the upper

hand. The blade she held loosely in her hands reeked the sharp scent of silver in the air

silver being the bane of all Lupiwhether they were Damnatorum, or Exalttum, like her.

The humans did not know that there were two types of Lupiones descended from Luna, who

retained their humanity, much like their forebear; and ones descended from Lucian, who

were damned, beasts in every sense, the exact image of what the humans thought of all ofthem.

In fact, humans did not know that all Lupus, born or bitten, were, in a way, descended from

their precious royal family. That titbit had been struck from the history books long ago; she

had been told when she was only a very small cub.

The golden haired princess watched the wolf-girl in front of her suspiciously. Her black hair

hung over her face, partly obscuring her eyes, but the electric blue orbs still were so bright

they seemed to glow through strands of hair.

The princess spoke the words she had been taught. "You have been found guilty of the crimeof holding the curse of blood and moonlight. Thus I, ReginaAnnabelle, sentence you to death


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by silver." As she had been speaking, the princess had been stepping closer to the wolf-girl,

and she now raised her blade above her head, preparing to bring it down and slit the beast's

throat.

As the silver made contact with her flesh, the blue-eyed wolf-girl screamed.

When it came to the Lupi, you didn't even really need a blade. So long as your weapon was

silver, it could be the bluntest object ever, but it would inflict severe damage almost instantly.

Steel, however, no matter how sharp, had next to no detrimental effect on the beasts.

Annabelle had been taught all this since she was a very small child, but this was the first Lupi

she had ever seen alive.

This Lupus was her first kill.

"Please."

Annabelle faltered. Her arms froze in mid-air.

The Lupi girl was staring at her, pleading with her eyes. "Please." Her voice was naught but

a whisper.

Annabelle turned to her parents, uncertain. King Frederick nodded encouragingly. "Slay the

beast, as is your destiny," he intoned.

"I'm not a monster," the girl protested in a broken voice. "I've never killed anyone. I'm good,

I swear. Please!"

Annabelle's step mother snorted. Up until then she had been silent, cradling the young

Princes, George and Harold, in her arms. "Kill it so I can take your brothers back to their

chambers, Filia," she said.

Annabelle pressed the dagger against its throat.

The resulting scream echoed throughout the throne room, loud enough that Annabelle

wouldn't have been surprised if it woke up the entire Aurelian kingdom.

Where the silver of the dagger met her skin, the wolf-girlsflesh seemed to evaporate away,bubbling as if the silver was acid.

Annabelle gulped.

The silver dagger was literally eating away the Lupi's flesh.

Suddenly, a crash, loud enough to be heard over the screams.

Annabelle jerked away from the Lupi, reflexively turning towards the sound of smashing

windows.

The wolf-girl made a sound that might have been a sob of relief.


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A dark shape flew into the rooma wolf, the colour of midnight.

It howled when it saw the girl on the floor, and Annabelle flinched as it spokein her mind.

Cassie!

The voice was young, and male. The young princess glanced around to see if anyone else had

heard the beast speak, but judging from the lack of reaction of the aristocrats gathered, she

guessed the answer was not.

The black wolf skittered towards the girlCassiefast, but slipping and skidding on the

tiled floor.

If not for the frozen shock of everyone there, the two Lupi would have been killed within

seconds.

As it was, they only just made it out. The black wolf gently tossed Cassie atop his back, andall but flew out of there.

At the entrance to the hall, he glanced back, and looked directly at the princess.

Green eyes met blue, and the world froze for Annabelle Regale, High Princess of Aurelia.

She didn't notice that guards were moving around her; shouting.

She could only see those eyes...they had seemed so...

...human.

Hunters and Guardians were racing out the doors, but the wolf had vanished.

And Annabelle found herself praying that both Lupi got far, far away.

Ever since that day, that 'chance' encounter, those eyes have haunted the High Princess of

Aurelia.

And she vowed to herself that she would do anything to see that wolf again.

-X-

YEARS EARLIER, MANY LEAGUES AWAY

Over the sea from Aurelia lay another powerful kingdom, the kingdom of Aecor.

This kingdom was ruled by the High King Unda and his wife, the fair Ros. Their firstborn,

Miles, would one day rule over Aecor, and, they secretly hoped, Aurelia.


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The regents of Aecor had heard the news - the Aurelian queen, Sophia, had given birth to her

first child, a beautiful baby girl by the name of Annabelle.

At once, Unda sent Cete, his lieutenant, to the Aurelians, with an offer he felt sure they

couldn't refuse.

He offered their daughter Miles hand, and a note that said he was willing to accept a very

reasonable dowry.

So, it came as an absolute shock when their refusal arrived.

"Calm down, love," Ros said as she tried to sooth her husband. "There are other princesses."

Unda roared. "I will not let this insult stand! This is Sophia's work, I am sure of it. Frederick

is a reasonable man; he would see the good that would come from this union. Sophia has

always hated me, and now she seeks revenge in the form of denial!"

"I think it has more to do with that prophecy of theirs, love," Ros said. "You know, the one

about theReginadestined to defeat the Lupi and break the curse."

Unda snorted. "A girl, the one prophesied to vanquish those monsters? Ridiculous."

Ros sighed as a wail came echoing from down the hall. "Where is that wetnurse?" she

mumbled to herself as she wondered down the hall to Miles nursery.

Unda sighed as his wife left the throne room. They must pay for this insult to me and mine, he

thought.

Abrubtly, he stood, and all but ran out of the throne room.

-X-

Maga wasn't the girl's real name. Just as Amata wasn't the other's. They were merely names

they had taken to hide what they truly were - asylum seekers from Aurelia.

So when the door to their shop flew open and the King himself thundered in, they were sure

that they had been discovered.

Instead, they learned, the king had come to them for the kind of help only they could offer.

"I need Sophia dead," he said.

"But I need it to be an accident," he added.

"A lot of storms this time of year," Maga said.

"Big ones," Amata agreed.


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"Can you do it?" Unda asked.

"Easily," Amata said.

"But all magic comes with a price," Maga warned.

Unda snorted. "Name your price."

"We wish not for gold or precious stone," Amata cautioned. "We want something that is a

true blow against you."

Maga nodded sagely.

"But why help me if your price is a hindrance against me?"

Maga snorted. "You are a man, therefore, we hate you."

The king blinked. "Well, that seems a little prejudiced."

"Oh, it is," they assured him. "In return for our help, we require two things."

"Name them," Unda said stonily.

Amata giggled. "Such bravery," she sighed, as she pretended too swoon.

"Suchstupidity," Maga corrected. "We require, first, a drop of your blood."

Unda looked uneasy, and also confused, but he nodded. After all, what harm could they

wreak with just one drop?

"Second, we require a woman who currently resides in your dungeons. A woman by the nameof Verity Fors."

Unda's eyes darkened. No-one in Aecor had two names. That was an Aurelian trend, and at

that moment, he hated Aurelia.

"Why should I let a criminal go free?" he growled.

"Because you require our help," Maga said. "And we require hers."

"Now, go and fetch her," Amata ordered. "And, while you're away, see if you can do

something about shaking that horribly depressing chip off of your shoulders."

Scowling, the High King left.

Maga leaned into Amata. "Do you think he knows of the true price?" She queried.

Amata laughed throatily. "Of course not! What respectful king knows of blood magic?" Her

eyes darkened with mirth. "He'll never know that for the life of the Aurelian queen, we tookthe life of his son."


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-X-

Verity Fors was a simple woman. Not by means of intelligence - for hers far surpassed that of

many men - but by way of lifestyle. She preferred the small things, and valued family above

all - after all, though she came from a big one, she had precious few livingblood kin.

The rest - her parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins - had been hunted down by the royal

guard of Aurelia, for the crime of being Lupi.

Verity gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, the better to hide her elongated canines

and glowing eyes with.

Yes, she came from a long line of Lupi, both Light and Dark (she herself was pledged to the

side of light), but that was not why she was, at that current moment in time, rotting in an

Aecorian gaol cell.

She was in said cell because she was an Aurelian.

Prejudices were so incrediblystupid.

A clang from above drew her attention, and she ran her tongue over her teeth, making sure

they were all flat, human. She squeezed her eyes shut once again; only opening them once

she was sure all evidence of her wolven side had been pushed out of her irises.

Although the Aecorians were not as prejudiced towards her species as the Aurelians were,

she was still a monster to them.

And, no matter what kingdom you lived in, monsters were killed on sight.

The heavy thud of footsteps reached Verity's ears, and she tensed, bracing her back against

the wall, prepared to fight her way outto the death, if need be.

"Relax, scum," a voice spoke to her in the lilting tones of an Aecorian the inflections on

each vowel stressed out in all the wrong places.

Verity lifted her gaze, and stared directly into the eyes of Unda, King of Aecor.

Chapter Two: Blood and Bone China

"Filia, stay still, I'm trying to brush your hair." A woman in her mid-thirties scolded the

young princess playfully.

Annabelle, at the pure and innocent age of five, did not yet know what the affectionate name

everyone at the palace called her by meant yet. She only knew that sitting still was boring,and that her hair seemed fine to her.


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"But whymust I have my hair brushed?" She whined plaintively.

Her lady-in-waiting stiffened. "Your father is to marry today, Filia," she said in a low tone.

"You must look your best."

Annabelle knew the woman was so tense because she was afraid the princess would burstinto tears at the mention of her soon-to-be-step-mother. Even though she was only five, she

was remarkably intelligentsomething her father insisted she got from her mother.

But Annabelle had never known her mother. Sophia of Aurelia was naught but a faint

memory in the back of the young princesses' mind. She was glad her father had found

someone, even if she wasa bit mean at times.

But Annabelle still didn't want to sit still and get her hair brushed with nothing to entertain

her mind in the meantime.

"Tell me a story as you work," she demanded of the ladies' maid imperiously.

The woman gaped at the blonde curls that hung in wild array down the younger girl's back.

Regaining her composure after a slight pause, she responded with a muttered, "Of course."

"A scary one," Annabelle insisted further. "Tell me about the Wolven."

Adeliefor that was the maid's namepaled. That subject was forbidden. "II can't, Filia."

Annabelle frowned. "You have to obey me. Tell me a story about the wolven!"

Adelie gulped. "Ofof course, m'lady."

Annabelle settled in, the strokes of the brush against her locks soothing when combined with

the lilting sing-song tone of Adelie's voice.

"Once upon a timebefore you were born, Filia, and when I was only a small infant against

my mama's breastthere was a man named Elijah Woods. He was the proprietor of Woods

China, the company that made the finest bone china in all the land. So fine, in fact, it soon

became of big demand in the houses of royals and aristocrats, not only in Aurelia, but in

other kingdoms, too. Some rulers even braved crossing the Sea of Silver to inspect his works,

which were truly flawlessalmost works of art, actually."

"But Elijah had a secret. Before he had started his companyonly a month or two before,

mindhe was attacked by one of the Wolven, a Lupi, and they delivered unto him a fate

worse than death, by the standards of all men."

"They bit him, and left him there to turn."

"The night of his first full moon, he had made the workers in his factory stay, to work

overtime. A big order had come in from across the seaa far off kingdom called Narnia

and the order had to be filled with all haste, to catch the ship in less than a week."


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"After he shifted once the moon had reached its peak, he killed them alleach and every

single one of them. Probably revelled in it toohe was, after all, a monster."

"The next morning, once again in his human form, Elijah panicked. Over thirty men dead

what was he to do?"

"He eventually came up with a planone worthy of your mother, the late Queen Sophia,

though I mean no offence to her, none at all."

"He threw each of his murdered workers bodies into his large kiln, and once the flames had

reduced them to nothing but bones, he threw the bones into his clay grinder."

The princess made a horrified sound.

"Yes, princess," Adelie said, her brush stroke slowing. "He turned those men into plates and

saucers, teapots and cream jugs. Then he sold them, and they truly were the best bone china

that had ever been seen in Aurelia. He sent packages of them to the grieving families of his'missing' workers, acting the part of the concerned employerbut what kind of monster

makes a heartbroken mother or wife eat off of the bones of her dead child or spouse?"

"A few months later, what he had done was discovereda group of Guardians were

investigating after reports were made that howling came from the factory on full-moon

nights. They found bones in the kiln, and bones dust in the grinder."

"A wolf was beheaded with a silver sword, and at dawn, it melted back into the form of one

mister Elijah Woods."

"And from that moment, everyone in the kingdom knew to trust nobody. Your friends,

neighbours, spousethey could all hold the curse of blood and moonlight."

Adelie turned the princesses' face towards her. "They are monsters of the first and highest

order, Filia," she said. "And you are the one destined to kill them all."

-X-

PRESENT DAY AURELIA

Cassidy Venia awakened with a gasp.

A half-a-dozen faces turned towards her questioningly, but she waved away their concern.

It's just a dream,she scolded herself.And dreams aren't real.

"You okay?"

If it had been anyone else, Cassie would have shifted and buried her teeth into their carotid

quicker than they could say, 'oh, never mind', but when it was Christopher, Cassie never did

mind.


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After all, not only was he her cousin, she owed him her life.

"Fine," she answered him, trying to let the truth shine out through her blue eyes, which never

worked. Chris was practically psychicthough, she supposed, that was a useful trait for

someone who was being groomed to take over as alpha of the Fenn pack.

Chris scowled at her, obviously hearing the lie in her voice, but was so distracted by

something he chose not to comment on it. "We've got a problem," he informed her, his eyes

darkening, jaw tensing as he worked it.

Unconsciously, Cassie felt herself react to the tension in the airand behind her, felt others

react in much the same way.

Pack. Protect.

"A royal party is heading our way," he growled out, wolf and man colliding in his voice. The

adrenalin flooding through the group was affecting him largely as well.

Gasps echoed throughout the entire village, the heightened hearing of the species meaning

that almost everyone heard.

Cassie's head swam. Snatches of thoughts unfinished flew through her head at the speed of

lightwe need to runhow did they find uspackprotect."We need to leave," she

whispered, feeling sadness drain into her marrow. Fenn was the only home she had ever

knownits residents had taken her in once her brother had been taken by the royal guard,

after her mother had sunk lower than low, once she had been attacked by the rabid Flora

Turris. Besides, they were theFennpack. Leaving negated the plausibility of that name.

"They'll kill us all if we stay."

Chris shook his head, teeth grinding as he clenched his jaw in denial. "Nobodyis dying," he

snarled. "I'm not letting that blue-blooded little bitch and her posse of idiots tear my family

apart."

"But if they've found us out"

"It's just a royal tourcomplete procedure. Princess Annabelle's last chance to see the

kingdom before joining the ranks of the Hunt."

Cassie relaxed slightly. "So what do we do?"

"What I need you to do, Cassie, is take the ones too young to control their wolves and hide

them in the tunnels." Christopher's tone was serious, and his green eyes were dark.

Cassie simply nodded and awaited more orders.

Her cousin sighed and cupped his chin in his hand. "Let us just hope this does not turn into a

horrible parody of a novel I read once."

Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Around the World in Eighty Slays?"


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-X-

Annabelle fingered the small silver blade attached to her ankle.

One of the Guardians who had been assigned to her personallyJonathon, wasn't that his

name?smiled at her reassuringly. "All will be well, princess," he said amiably.

"If that is your opinion, you are entitled to it, certainly," Annabelle muttered under her breath.

Jonathon's smile faltered.

"Beg pardon, milady? If I have offended you somehow"

"Your very presence offends her." Annabelle's bestonlyfriend leant around the High

Princess and glared murderously at the young Hunter. "Take your person somewhere else,

immediately."

Instead of meekly bowing, like Annabelle expected him too, like most people did in the face

of Lady Rosa Cantor, Jonathon winked and said, "Your wish, m'lady, is my command."

Flustered, Rosa leant away from the window. Jonathon laughed as he rode back up to the

procession at the front of the carriage.

"You were flirting with him," Annabelle observed once she was sure Jonathon was well out

of earshot.

Rosa shrugged. "He was cute. How far to this Fin town, anyway?"

"Not much longerwe should be there by noon. And it's Fenn, notFin."

"I can't wait till we're theremuch longer in this carriage and the Guardians willhave a

bloodthirsty beast to deal withme."

-X-

Chris' face was crinkled in worry. "Well, Red?" he asked softly of one of his oldest friends

in fact, the friend the entire village expected to be his mate, his Luna. "Tell me what you see."

Claire Horoma was a very special Lupibitten, not born, like most of those who resided in

the Fenn pack, she was Oracle before wolf, before anything else.

Which meant she could see the future. Only snippets, thoughunless someone asked her

directly for a prophecy, which was almost unheard of in this day and age.

"I'm sorry, Chris," She whispered, wishing she could give the wolven in front of hera

prince in his own rightbetter news. "Bloodshed, no matter where I look. No matter which

path I try to lead the future down. Bloodshed, everywhere. I can't say when, can't say where,

why, how, or who, but it's coming. It's as unavoidable as death, which, as you know, comes

eventually for all men."


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Christopher bowed his head. "Warn your family. Prepare to fight your way out if things get

ugly. Don't worry about anyone else, just get yourselves out."

Claire's inner wolf balked at this.Pack should stick together, it insisted.Running like

cowards with tail between legs while rest of pack fight is not our way .

As if he could read her mind, Chris sent a sharp look in her direction that clearly meant one

thing, and one thing onlythis is an order.

Chris, as future alpha, had certain advantages over the other wolvenlike, the power to

command obedience, for instance.

Claire inclined her head slightly. "Yes," she murmured.

A horn trumpeted in the distance.

Chris tensed. "They're here."

-X-

Annabelle's breath was coming fast. She felt as if she was hyperventilating.

Peeking out of the gaps in the carriage windows, which she had drawn closed about a mile

back, she saw a crowd of about fifty gatheredthe townspeople? Standing in the space

between the royal party and the people of Fenn, which she dubbed no-man's-land, was the

messenger they had sent ahead of them, to alert the town of their coming.

He was dressed in the fine grey silk and silver filigree of royal livery, and was proudly

brandishing an extensive scroll, from which he was reading. Once Annabelle caught the gist

of what he was saying, she groaned and fell back against her seat, burying her face in her

hands.

Frowning slightly at her friend, Rosa leant forward. Gracious...beautiful...chosen...she

snorted. "Holy hell, Annabelle, is he reading your titles, or practicing your epitaph?"

Annabelle flung an arm out and struck Rosa hard across the stomach.

"Bitch," the other girl said.

A trumpet sounded in a complicated string of notes that sounded more like the garbled noises

of dying cats than an actual tune to both girls. "I think that's our cue," Rosa crinkled her nose.

"How tasteful."

In a single, smooth motion, she flung open the carriage doors, and stepped into the sun light,

clearly expecting Annabelle to follow.

-X-

A girl with curls the colour of golden wheat was sobbing, horrible, ugly sobbing, as she leantover the body of another girla girl with dark skin, hair done up in thin, flexible braids.


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"Please!" she sobbed out. "Please, someone, help!"

"This is your punishment, Filia," the voice sneered her name out; putting a hateful twist on

the pet-name her subjects had chosen for her, their 'chosen, prophesied' saviour.

'Princess of Angels'

Still sobbing, Annabelle looked at the source of the voice.

His furiously burning green eyes drilled into her silvery grey ones. "You killed my loved one,

now I'll kill yours," he growled out in a double voice, man and beast mingling as one. "A

throat for a throat, princess."

Annabelle screamed as a midnight black wolf lunged at Rosa's neck...

[X]

Chapter Three: H atred, Sympathy, and Other Justi fi ed Emotions

There once lived a woman called Flora Turris.

Flora lived in a town just outside the skirts of the capital, in a rundown manor house.

She used to have a son, but he's gone now, gone far away - he ran from his mother when he

was still only a child.

'He's dead,' most whisper, when they pause to think of the crazy recluse at all.

They shun Flora, and avoid her at all costs, as if the curse of blood and moonlight ran in her

veins.

It didn't, of course - once her child had gone missing, all the usual tests had been placed

upon her, and she had passed them all with human colours.

But the curse still had a hold on the poor woman, and it is a bond she will never break free

from.

-X-

"Two silver pieces, I'll go no higher," a blonde, tall man told the butcher in front of him.

The butcher considered the cut of meat in front of him. It was large, yes, but riddled with

gristle, bone, and marble veins of fat. Two coins of silver was a fair deal.

"I'll take you up on that," he informed the young traveller in front of him, holding out hishand for payment.


17/79

The blonde smiled tightly. It stretched the scar across his face grotesquely. "Wrap my

purchase first," he said in a voice soft and silky and deadly.

The butcher did as his paying customer asked jovially - pulling sheets of brown paper and

lengths of twine from a box underneath the table that was his market stall.

"Here you go, sir," he said as he handed off the beef in exchange for two coins of silver.

"Merry part."

The boy inclined his head. "And to you."

He walked away as fast as possible while still seeming casual, just wanting to get out of sight

of the butchers stall.

"Those coins were fake," the voice came from behind him. "You ran a con without me; I'm

hurt."

Levi turned to face the blue eyes and auburn hair of Tamsin Rinaldi. He raised an eyebrow at

her. "How do you know they were fake?"

She just looked at him. "Well, for one, your skin wasn't melting off because of them."

Levi made a sudden jerking motion with his neck, and a hiss wormed its way out his mouth.

"Shut up, are you tryingto get us killed?"

Tamsin rolled her eyes. "No Guardians, Hunters or Slayers for at least two inns, I checked."

"Is there a reason you left camp?" He asked her tightly.

"The royal party approaches Fenn," she replied in a formal tone. "I thought you'd want to

know."

Fenn...that was a small rural town populated mostly by Lupi. "And this interests me why?"

Tamsin's eyes widened in mock surprise as a deeply malicious glint sparked to life in her

eyes. "I thought you knew, Levi," she said with mirth. "Your former betrothed, Cassidy - she

resides in the village of Fenn."

-X-

Christopher tried his hardest to ignore his wolf.

It was almost as if there were two people fighting for dominance of his body - normally, he

and his inner beast were so in harmony with each other that they were one and the same.

Not today.

Today, the wolf wanted to leap at the princess that was regally sitting in the carriage, wanted

riptearbloodcarnageslaughter; and the human wanted to be logical.


18/79

Cassie, who now stood next to him after slipping her way through the crowd, sent him a

worried glance and slipped her hand into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze before

relinquishing it back to him once again.

This helped to calm him the slightest bit - wolves were very big on physical communication.

Chris took a breath, and steeled himself.

The first girl out of the carriage was of exotic looking descent, but that was not what sent off

murmurs and fearful, outraged looks among the community. No, what did that was the blue

feather woven into one of her intricate side braids - the sign of a sympathizer, someone who

believed not all Lupi were monsters and should feel free to live among others with equal

rights.

He had been so distracted by this mark of status that he'd forgotten the carriage held two

people, but as the second person stepped out, graceful as a duck on water, he snapped back to

attention.

At any moment - the slightest brush of silver against skin - this could deteriorate into a fight

to the death. He had to remain alert.

The princesses feet touched ground and stayed there.

Around Chris, people began to kneel.

His teeth snapped together with an audible clack as his jaw clenched.

Oh, hellno. He should've expected itAnnabelle Regale wasroyalty, unfortunately - but he

was no simple minded subject. Half his family was dead because of the blue-blooded little

snit. He would not bow to her.

But his mother, the Luna of his pack, shot him a sideways look that made his wolf whine and

keel over in submission, and quelled any rebellious thoughts in his mind.

Swallowing back acid - humility was a bitter, burning medicine - Chris sank to his knees,

only a fraction of a second later than everyone else.

His mother nodded approvingly.

"Greetings," the voice of Regina Annabelle rang out over the kneeling crowd in rich, dulcet

tones.

-X-

Next to her, Rosa snorted.

Ignoring her, Annabelle continued. "It is a pleasure to make all of your acquaintances. Please,

rise - and go back to whatever it is you were doing before; I do not wish to disturb anyone."


19/79

Slowly, the crowd dispersed. Eventually, only a select few remained - two adults, a married

couple; the town leaders, maybe? - And two kids around her age, a boy and a girl, both dark

haired.

The boy seemed to be protesting adamantly about his remaining there, and the adults

exchanged exasperated looks while the girl stood next to the boy, serenely going along withwhat he said.

"Excuse me?" Rosa called out.

The dark haired boys eyes snapped in their direction, and Annabelle had to suppress a

shiver.

She could see their colour, even from here - a deep, emerald green - but what really affected

her was the menace that radiated off of him in buffeting waves.

Their eyes met, and only one thought was on Annabelle's mind.

If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under.

-X-

The knife was shoved in with jarring force.

Stabbing someone was a strange feeling, she mused. Like trying to poke a stick into an under

ripe and hard tomato - the skin resists at first, surface tension and whatnot, before finally

giving way in a spectacular rush of surprise and disgust; blood and other bodily fluidsrushing out and soaking her fingers as they dug into the flesh and inside the wound; trying to

push the knife further and deeper in, making sure the damage was irreparable.

Eyes - haunted and wounded - met hers.

"Why?" He choked out through mouthfuls of blood and some alkaline liquid.

She watched the shuddering blade impaled in his gut with great fascination, and shrugged.

"Because."

His breath rasped - wet and thick; a death rattle. His eyes met hers one last time. "I trustedyou." A bitter laugh. "Should've known better, huh, Tamsin?"

Tamsin smiled prettily. "You trust far too easily, Levi," she confided. "You never stopped to

consider which side I fought for, did you? I was Lupi, and that was enough." She shook her

head at him mockingly. "Silly boy."

With a great, hacking cough, Levi's lungs gave in.

[]


20/79

Chapter Four: Of Hunters and Wolves

In the first years of the plague known as the curse of blood and moonlight, countless men -

and women, and children - died.

The people were panicking, blood-born fear of the unknown kicking in and driving them to

extreme lengths.

No one left their houses after sundown. The night belonged to the wolves, and if they caught

you out there, you were free game. People started killing each other, neighbour against

neighbour; mothers started drowning their children at bath times.

'Better to die peaceful than bloody,' was the motto of those days.

The country could only live with this paranoia and fear running rampant for so long.

Eventually, Aurelia fell to wrack and ruin, just as Nikoloas and Jocelyn given birth to their

third and last child; a beautiful boy by the name of Remus.

They had named him this in hope of appeasing the wolf queen's anger.

If anything, it served only to stoke an already raging fire.

The attacks grew more frequent; not just on full moon nights anymore. They were focused on

the capital, Stella, and more directly, the palace.

For inside those marble and sandstone walls, the young prince lay. If they could kill him, the

prophesied princess would never be born. The royal bloodline of Aurelia would die out, and

the Lupi would rule forever. The land would be theirs.

The plan didn't quite work out that way.

The palace, after all, was a fortress. It would take an army of men with battering rams to

break in; and no wolf was willing to reveal his or her human form.

But the Lupi had patience, and preternatural gifts. They were all stronger and faster than the

palace guards - even the females.

When they finally managed to breach the palace gates, howls of jubilation could be heard all

over the kingdom. Such was their happiness; their bloodlust grew to incredible levels as they

tore their way through legions of guards.

It was complete and utter decimation.

But when the leaders made their way into the nursery, Prince Remus and his parents werelong gone.


21/79

They'd come back, years later, surrounded by well-trained men wielding weapons of lethal

silver.

And thus was born the Guild of Hunters, Guardians of the kingdom.

-X-

Rosa knew the truth about what Fenn was.

As she made her way over to the group of villagers huddled together she tried to calm her

racing heart.

They're not monsters, she told herself sternly. They're not going to eat you, and even if they

were inclined to slaughter the entire royal party, you're safe .

Yes, she thought, raising a delicate hand to stroke the royal blue feather that marked her as a

sympathizer. I'm safe.

Her family had long been sympathizers. It had started generations ago, with her great-great-

great grandparents on her mothers side.

Forget nobility - this was her bloodlines legacy.

The green eyes of the handsome younger man followed her hand's movement. It was clear in

his eyes he knew what the feather meant.

Just as clear was his hate. Not for Rosa - his flippant mannerisms as he took her in beforetransferring his attention to Annabelle seemed to state he couldn't care less about her - but for

Annabelle. Which was fair, she supposed. Her friend had killed very many Lupi in her time,

and not all had been Dark. How many of them had he known?

Annabelle flinched backwards slightly; a wounded and fearful look on her face as her lips

parted in shock.

"Relax," Rosa whispered, even though she knew that all four of the wolves gathered could

more than likely hear her without trouble. "He's probably just pissed about the new tax rate."

Annabelle managed to summon a small, wobbling smile.

The older man and woman there, a married couple, by the looks of it, stepped forward. The

two younger ones came forward also, as if tethered to them.

The Alpha and his Luna, Rosa inferred. Which made the two teenagers their heirs, she

theorized.

"I'm Verity Leto, miladies," smiled the woman as she dipped into a short curtsy. The dark

haired, blue eyed girl followed her example with a scowl on her face. "This is my husband,

Rex," a gesture to a tall and thickset man with regal bearing and greying hair, "my niece,

Cassidy," who smiled like something dead had been shoved under her nose, "and my son - "


22/79

"Christopher Fors," green eyes interrupted, his gaze, so filled with hate, never once leaving

Annabelle. Rosa felt a shiver of foreboding run down the length of her spine. "My name is

Christopher." As he spoke, he tilted his head to one side in a canine way, pride and defiance

radiating from him. "Don't expect me to bow to you ever again," he told the princess

seriously.

Gasps were heard all around. His cousin paled to a colour akin to milk; his father stiffened,

eyes darkening with topaz; his mother's hand flew up to her neck, where she clutched at her

pearls. Various people around the town square whom had gone back to their everyday tasks

froze, revealing who was Lupi and who wasn't.

Worse by far, however, was the reaction of the Guardians.

Jonathon snarled, and raised his lance into a ready position. Around him, the rest of the men

did the same.

The silver tips of the weapons gleamed wickedly in the noonday sun, but Christopher simplytilted his head back, and spread his arms open languidly - an invitation, if Rosa had ever seen

one.

His eyes darkened with battle-lust.

"Stop!" Rosa implored Jonathon, throwing all of her acting skills into her voice, attempting to

make it as sweet and alluring as possible. "He's just a village simpleton, he's not worth it!"

She made her eyes open wide, earnestly.

Jonathon seemed to hesitate, but he finally nodded and barked out something to the other

Guardians, who, with much grumbling, lowered their weapons.

"Okay," Verity said, surveying the group gathered with a certain amount of justified

nervousness. "Princess," she addressed Annabelle. "I'm sure Chris here would love to give

you a tour."

Chris gave his mother a look. She shrugged innocently in a 'what?' way.

Annabelle seemed uncertain. "Are you quitesure - "

Rex stepped in then, speaking for the first time. "Christopher willbehave." It was not a

question, or an assumption. Nor was it a guarantee.

It was an order, and Chris clearly didn't like it.

But he bowed his head in acquiescence. "Yes, sir," he murmured soberly. He then turned to

Annabelle and held his arm out - a clear invitation; though it seemed to cause him agonizing

pain, it appeared Chris would be a gentleman.

Cassidy turned to Rosa with a resignated sigh. "Guess that leaves us together."

-X-


23/79

Heat flared up her body as she arched her spine, pressing herself harder against him.

His hands held her gently but firmly, running up her calves, under her skirt, twisting in layers

of petticoats.

"You're beautiful," he whispered huskily as he pressed feather light kisses up and down herneck; into the hollow of her throat, her chin.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head slightly as he started walking forwards; her back hit

a beam of timber - one of the stable stalls.

Their lips finally met, and it was perfect. Time froze, and it was as if no one else existed.

A crashing noise came from beside her, intruding on her beautifully foggy state of mind. He

pulled away from her, and her body cried out from the loss.

He ran a hand through his dark hair, which was already incredibly messy because she hadbeen running her hands through it.

He smiled sheepishly at his cousin, who was standing, mortified, in the centre of a milk

puddle - she must've dropped the bucket; that's what made the noise.

Her blue eyes flickered from her cousin, who was awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to

foot, and whose shirt was partially undone; to the flustered princess who was frantically

trying to compose herself.

"My eyes," Cassidy whispered. "My god, my eyes."

[]

Chapter F ive: I ntermission

"Pl - ple -please- "

With a sharp sound, metal gauntlet made contact with delicate skin.

Red bloomed across the girls cheeks as blood rushed to the point of contact. Her head

snapped back, and she would have fallen into the dirt if not for the fact that the man had a

firm grip on her waist.

One of his friends came up behind her, pressing hard into her back. She stumbled forwards,

and her blood turned to ice as she realised she was now trapped between two very drunk, verylarge men.


24/79

"Father,please," she pleaded of the man in front of her, slapping his hands away as they crept

under her skirt.

He hit her again. "Hold the bitch down," he said to the man behind her.

Through her daze, she felt her arms being dragged above her head and secured; her skirtbeing torn open as cool night air hit her legs.

She struggled; it only excited him more.

"Tamsin," he groaned, as an intense pain grew within her stomach. "You look so like your

mother."

-X-

Stinging pain and warm wetness travelled down her arm; from the crease of her elbow to her

wrist.

She stared at the broken bottle - its jagged edges and sharp points - with as much cool

detachment as she could muster; as her father used it to tear open the flesh of her arms.

She no longer had much sensation in the left one; she couldn't feel her right at all.

-X-

More girls were locked in the barn with her every night. And the more girls that came, the

more men that came looking for fun.

Tamsin was never touched by any men except her father - she must have been declared off

limits - but she fell asleep each night to the sounds of their screams.

-X-

"You stupid,stupid, bitch," her father hissed out, punctuating each word with a hard blow to

her swollen abdomen. "How dareyou get pregnant?"

I didn't ask for this, she tried to say, but all that came out was blood.

Her father continued his abuse of her stomach, even after she had slipped into

unconsciousness.

-X-

Tamsin stared with dead eyes at the wall across from her as the blonde doctor prodded her

midsection with gentle fingers. "What happened to you?" His voice was understanding.

"I fell," she lied flatly. Not caring if he believed her. Not caring much about anything,

anymore.

His eyes were shrewd. "You've had a miscarriage," he informed her.


25/79

Tamsin didn't react; her father flying into a feigned rage.

Later, she sobbed into her fists. And her father opened himself a bottle of scotch;

congratulations for a job well done.

-X-

One of the other girls - Jaquelyn - she'd killed herself.

Tamsin stood over the broken, frail body, her eyes tracing the numerous deep cuts

crisscrossing the crease of her elbow.

People who want to be saved cut their wrists, Tamsin had once been told. They bleed out

slowly, so they have time to be found.

People who truly want to die? They cut higher, and deeper - there's no saving them then.

Tamsin considered Jaquelyn's nearly severed arm.

-X-

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tamsin blinked sleep out of her eyes as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She was

lying on a pile of hay far away from the rest of the girls - none of them wanted to be near her;

they were far too scared of her father.

The tapping, scratching noise was coming from a peeling panel on the far wall.

Tamsin crawled over to it. With minimum effort, she yanked it off the wall.

A great golden wolf stood there, blinking at her with intelligence filled eyes.

Humaneyes.

She swallowed a scream when she saw the full moon.

Oh,god. She was going to die.

But, she supposed, as muscles rippled under thick pelt, maybe death wouldn't be so bad.

She welcomed the wolf's fatal embrace with open arms.

-X-

To say she was surprised when her eyes opened was an understatement.

Wasn't she supposed to be dead?

A low chuckle caught her attention.


26/79

She jerked upwards, and was astonished at how easy the movement felt. No pain, nothing.

She ripped the bodice of her dress open, and gasped as she saw smooth, perfect skin.

"Fast healing is a benefit of the bite," a voice said.

Tamsin's head jerked in its direction.

The blonde doctor her father had dragged home to look at her injuries smiled at her in a feral

way. He looked remarkably less civilized - less human - than he had on that day.

Part of her felt like lunging for his throat, but another part soothed it - a part that insistedsire,

alpha.

She lowered her gaze demurely, on instinct.

Blonde hair made a noise of approval. "Good girl. Submission is good. You're at the bottomof the food chain now - it's the only way you'll survive."

She risked a glance at him. He looked at her with eyes of yellow.

"Hello, Tamsin," his voice was musical. "I am Lucian." He tilted his head and considered her.

"Are you enjoying your new gift?"

A flash of unrecognisable emotion ran through her.

Gift? Gift?She would be outcast - hunted- a monster.

But she would have power. She would be stronger than any human male - stronger than her

father.

Lucian cupped her cheek and smiled at her. "No man will ever touch you without your

permission again," he informed her. "In our society, among our kind, females are precious.

Cherished. You will be treated as a princess."

Tamsin managed to clear her throat enough to speak. "My father?"

Lucian rose gratefully. "Yours to do with as you please. When you are done, find me waitingat the outskirts of town."

He left, leaving Tamsin lying on the ground, a song singing in her blood.

A song of revenge.

-X-

Tamsin licked thick arterial blood from a man's aorta from her lips - her human lips; she'd

shifted back.


27/79

He was still alive underneath her. Gasping and choking and drowning in his own blood, but

alive.

Tamsin drove clawed fingers into his temples, squeezing with her newly gained preternatural

strength until his head cracked open like an egg and his brain spilled out.

"This is my vengeance, father," she whispered as she rose.

Around her lay carnage. Other thirty dead men, maybe an equal amount of women.

Tamsin stood among their bloody, wasted corpses, and laughed.

[]

Chapter Six : Argentum Nocte

Cassie pitied herself, sure, but not as much as she pitied her cousin.

Sorry, Chris,she tried to communicate to him using body language. If he understood her, he

showed no sign of it.

His jaw was clenched so tight his bones threatened to break through skin. Gold and black

swirled amid the verdurous green of his irises.

His wolf was fighting him for control of his body.

She winced in sympathy. She'd experienced that herself once or twice before, and the inner

turmoil - the pounding headaches and the feeling of absolute disharmony - it was enough to

drive one mad.

Chris was strong and smart; he'd be able to stay in control and dominate his animal side.

Cassidy just hoped the princess wasn't expecting him to talk on their little tour.

The sympathizer girl -Rosa- tapped Cassie on the forearm with a gentle, barely-there touch.

Cassie suppressed a snort. This girl had spirit, sure; she'd proven that by stopping the guards

from attacking her hot-headed cousin - but she was weak.

"Are you taking me on this tour, or what?"

Cassie nodded her affirmative. "Walk with me, sympathizer," she said.

Rosa winced and cast a furtive look in the direction of the guardians.


28/79

"Relax, sympathizer," Cassie told her. "I'm not stupid; they can't hear us."

Rosa screwed up her face. "I have a name, you know."

"I'm sure you do," Cassie said calmly "I'm also sure that you have about a thousand titles to

go with it. What are you? A Lady, a Duchess, a Countess?"

Her derisive tone seemed to raise the girls metaphorical hackles. "Lady Rosa Cantor, of the

Tenth Noble House of Aurelia," she answered in a steely tone.

"A pretentious, rich noble," Cassie corrected, "who thinks she is better than most people, but

especially my kind of people, because we're 'half-animal'."

Rosa pouted slightly in a hurt way. "I never said that."

The blue-eyed wolf girl shrugged in a careless way. "All sympathizers - whether or not they

are of noble birth - think in the same way. They don't seek equality for the Lupi, for all theirclaims. They seek recognition that they are better by lording it over us."

Rosa winced then sighed. "How about you just give me that tour now?" She suggested,

extending an olive branch.

Cassie tilted her head. "Sure," she nodded. "I think I'll take you to the place most people go

this time of day."

She grinned at the noble, letting her wolf side shine through for just a second - flashing fang

and blinking golden eyes balefully.

Her grin widened as her Other side sensed the fear coming off of Rosa in palpable waves.

-X-

Rosa was not going to scream. She was not going to run.

Most importantly of all, she was not going to ask a guardian to accompany her to wherever it

was Cassidy was taking her.

As she watched, the green-eyed, handsome one led Annabelle in the opposite direction of herand Cassie - to the stables, from the looks of it.

She snorted. Typical. Annabelle and her horses.

Cassie's gaze followed hers. "Chris likes horses," she said. "He has a certain...affinity, for

them."

So, he and Annabelle apparently had something in common.

Maybe they would get along.


29/79

Then again, she supposed, as Annabelle yanked her arms from Chris' and began gesticulating

wildly at him, maybe not.

"Are you coming, or not?" Cassidy was impatient, her aquiline features pinched.

"Yeah," Rosa said. "I'm just wondering which one of them will succeed in killing the otherfirst."

The glance Cassidy sent Chris and Annabelle's way was perfunctory. "Ten pieces of gold on

the bitch," she said casually, eyes glinting with malevolence.

Rosa felt her shoulders tighten at the slur against her friend, but forced no other reaction to

show. "Shouldn't you be betting on your cousin's side?"

Cassie snorted and began making her way down one of the streets of hard pressed dirt - no

marble here, not like Stella - and answered with. "Chris isn't stupid. If he kills the princess,

we all die. He's enough of a self-sacrificing martyr that he won't risk us."

Rosa didn't pretend not to notice Cassie's use of the archaic 'royal we'.

"Packs are connected," Cassidy answered her unspoken question. "We're closer than most

people ever dream of. It sometimes reflects in our actions and words." She paused and turned

back to Rosa. "We're here."

Rosa looked at the building they had stopped in front of. It was made of roughly hewn stone

and timbers. She walked forwards and pushed the plain door open.

It was lighter than it looked. It swung into the stone wall with an ear-splitting bang.

"Careful!" Cassidy chastised her. "That door was expensive!"

Rosa raised both shoulders in a 'sorry' sort of way. Before stepping into the dimly lit tavern,

from which thick wood smoke and warmth was buffeting, she craned her neck up to get a

good look at the sign.

Silver Midnight, it read in Latin -Argentum Nocte.

"Don't let the name fool you," Cassie's voice was filled with mirth. "It doesn't stay open pastten, and you won't find a single molecule of silver matter inside. We can't risk discovery if

the publicans come rolling into town." She gestured inside. "Are you coming in? Meridie will

be pissed if we keep the door open."

As if on cue, a loud, brassy voice bellowed from inside: "Shut the damn door, you eejits!"

Rosa stepped in quickly. As Cassidy came entered as well and closed the door behind them,

she turned to face those that sat in the Inn.

Every iris in the room flickered with golden light as they took in the blue feather braided into

her hair.


30/79

Rosa gulped. Her muscles tensed in preparation to bolt.

Cassidy snorted from behind her, and gave her what was probably supposed to be a gentle

shove forward.

"Be nice to the sympathizer, guys," she said, as Rosa rubbed her now aching back. "She's on'our side.'" Sarcastic finger quotes for the last two words.

Attempting to break the ice slightly, Rosa waved. "Hi," she said.

A younger girl, around fifteen, with blonde hair and green eyes - she wore an apron; she

must've been a barmaid - stepped out from the shadows of two identical looking guys.

They hissed and tried to pull her back behind them, but she shook them off. The three of them

stared at Rosa - the menace of the men and the curiosity of the girl rolling off in waves - with

wide eyes.

"So you're really a sympathizer?" The girl's eyes traced over the blue feather. "I've never seen

one before." The tone of her voice suggested that seeing Rosa in the flesh was the equivalent

of seeing a unicorn.

"We don't normally flash the feather in public," she said. "But I thought your town special."

The atmosphere warmed almost instantly.

A dark skinned woman from behind the bar grinned at her. Silver chains wrapped around her

throat glinted in the candlelight. "I'm Meridie," she said in the same brassy voice that hadberated Rose and Cassidy earlier. "Welcome to Fenn."

[]

Chapter Seven: Argentum Nocte (Part Two)

"So, Meridie," Rosa began, as around her the noise started up again; as people went back to

whatever they were doing before she walked in. "How are you wearing silver?"

Meridie sighed and rolled her eyes. Rosa got the feeling that strangers that came to Fenn -

strangers 'in the know,' that is - asked this question of her quite frequently.

The publican gestured at a battered stool in front of her.

Rosa glanced to the side to check if this was okay with Cassie (which grated on her nerves,

she wasn't a damn pet), but saw that the blue eyed wolf-girl was gone - talking to the waitressfrom before.


31/79

So, she sat. "Well?" She asked eagerly.

Meridie raised an eyebrow at her and paused in her washing of a large jug that seemed to

have once been filled with rum. "Why do you think, you eejit?" She asked.

Rosa shrugged. "I don't know. Were you born special, or immune - "

She broke off as Meridie started to shake with laughter.

"What?" She said, disgruntled.

"Immune," Meridie gasped out. "My gods, girl, we should keep you around. Good value, you

are."

Rosa glanced over her shoulder at Cassidy, at a complete loss.

Cassidy quirked a brow at her, likewhat the bloody blue hell have you done to Meridie?

She turned back to face the barmaid and clasped her hands genteelly, waiting for Meridie to

compose herself.

"Immune," she finally muttered again in a thick brogue. "By the gods, girl, have your parents

taught you nothing? I'm a scion."

Rosa frowned. "A what, now?"

Meridie grinned. "Basically a sympathizer, only more intense. I've gone...native, I guess."

Before Rosa had a chance to react to this, a great uproar went off just outside the Argentum

Nocte.

-X-

Annabelle was flushed and breathless, her chest heaving, once she had finished yelling.

Infuriatingly, the green eyed jerk - Christopher- just stood there, completely cool and

collected, and not looking cowed in the least.

"If you're quite done with your childish tantrum," he drawled as he turned his back on her and

continued to walk in the way they had been heading with long, loping strides, "the stables are

over here. Fenn has bred some of the fastest horses in Aurelia. We have stellar bloodlines,

you see; our horses are mixed breeds, but the mixes are good. I think they get their speed

from some Arab, but I can't be sure. The shape of their muzzle, however, suggests I may be

right - "

"Stop," Annabelle said. "Shut up. What do you think you're doing?"

He turned his body to face her, a look of polite bafflement on his face. "I think I'm making

polite conversation in a civilized manner, majesty," he said.


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Somehow, the way he spoke her title made her feel dirty, like she had just been called a slut

in front if the entire royal court.

"Yes - that - not what I meant," she spluttered. "You can't insult my father like that and then

expect me notto comment."

He turned his back to her once again, and resumed walking. Annabelle hurried to follow.

"Of course I can expect no such thing," Annabelle wasn't one hundred percent sure - she

couldn't see his face - but she though he may have been smiling. "Please, do comment away."

The incensed princess huffed. "My father is a good man, and his laws are just."

"Your father is a selfish man," Christopher said in a condescending tone. He looked down at

her, and while there was only an inch or two of difference in their height, Annabelle suddenly

felt very small. "And his laws are not just - they are made to keep the food and gold with the

nobles; to take away from his people and his land. He lives in the now, Annabelle - " sheshivered slightly when he said her name, surprised that there was no menace in his voice -

only some sort of desperate needfor her to understand. " - he's not thinking of the future; of

the generations that are to come." His eyes darkened with what looked like an animalistic sort

of rage. "He isn't a good king, princess."

Annabelle bit her tongue to keep down all the burning remarks she wanted to dish out. He

was entitled to his own opinion, certainly - and he'd already proven he wasn't exactly the

brightest star in the sky.

Just because he said it, it doesn't make it true, she reminded herself.

A beautiful building appeared, dragging her out of her thoughts with an almost magnetic pull.

It was a simple stable, built in the same, common design that the majority of barns were built

in.

The wood, however, transformed it into a work of art. It was golden in colour, with no visible

knots that Annabelle could see. The grain was fine, very fine; and the varnish had been done

exquisitely well - no moisture had warped the panels of these walls.

She was so entranced with taking in every inch of the stables she barely noticed whenChristopher sighed in annoyance and gently guided her in, with a hand on the small of her

back.

Inside, the smell of hay and horses greeted her. It was warm in the stables, and sunlight

dappled the ground and walls - coming in from cracks between each panel.

Some horses poked their heads over stall doors and took her in with curious gazes. After they

had taken her in, they all turned to look at Chris with what she translated to be 'who the hell is

this?' In their expressions.

She turned to face Christopher, as well.


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His expression was soft as he took in the fillies and colts; the mares and the stallions and the

geldings. All the tension that had surrounded him from the moment she had spoken to him

had vanished. His eyes were half closed, and he swayed slightly.

He was completely at ease - his guard completely down.

He's beautiful.

Annabelle jerked. The hell had that thought come from?

It was true, though. With the hateful snarl gone, and the aura of vulnerability that now

surrounded him, he was beautiful. He was beautiful like the tapestries depicted the gods to be

beautiful - all full lips and long lashes and defined cheekbones.

The two, who had been so hostile towards one another only minutes before, fell into

companionable silence.

That was when all hell broke loose.

[]

Chapter Eight: Argentum Nocte (Part Three)

Instinctively, Cassidy's body braced for a shift.

Sylva's hand slammed down into her trembling forearm. With eyes wide, she shook her head

infinitesimally.

Her message was clear;shift, and I'll kill you with my plants.

Swallowing hard, Cassidy managed to get herself under control.

Her responsibilities coming to her attention, she looked around for Rosa.

Oh,god. The idiot was heading for the door.

"Are you stupid?" Cassie hissed into the nobles ear as she flitted to her side using her

preternatural speed. "When you hear the sounds of a fight, you don't go near it - especially

notin Fenn!"

Rosa's brown eyes were bright with fear. She flinched as a particularly loud bellow of pain

came from outside.


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Cassie tried to communicate mentally with her.Be glad you don't have my senses, she

thought.Be glad you can't smell the blood, can't hear the sounds of splintering bone and

blades entering flesh.

"What..." Rosa swallowed. "What is it?"

Cassie glanced towards the door. Her eyes flickered with gold. "Damnatorum," she hissed.

Rosa blanched. "Dark wolves?"

Cassie nodded. "Meridie!" She called out. The scion still stood behind her bar, but she held a

sword in her hand - a wickedly curved blade with a broad end and a handle that was

fashioned of silver. Her dark skin gleamed with sweat, but she looked ready to kick some ass.

Her eyes locked with Cassidy's, and an understanding passed between them.

"I'll take the noble to sanctuary," he said. "You deal with my pub."

Cassie opened her mouth to protest, but Meridie quelled her with a single look. "It is not your

place to deal with this Dark one," she said sternly. "Leave that to your Alpha."

Rex. Right, he was the one who dealt with Damnatorum that wandered into Fenn.

Only, the royal guard were here. He couldn't justshift.

As Meridie led Rosa out through a well hidden back entrance, sword raised and at the ready,

as Sylva ran around the tavern extinguishing all lanterns and candles; Cassidy leant towards awindow ever so slightly, and peeked out.

Her heart nearly leaped into her throat.

A full platoon of Guardians had gathered in the street outside of the Argentum Nocte. On the

outskirts of their circle lay the body of a straggly wolf, with his throat torn out, slowly

melting back into human form.

Its throat had clearly been ripped open by teeth.

In the centre of the circle, lashed down by dainty chains, was Rex.

In wolf form.

Steam hissed upwards from his body as the chains sunk into his flesh, melting it like pure

acid.

He snarled defiantly and thrashed, attempting to throw them off.

Cassie's breath caught as the guard that had tried to attack her foolhardy cousin -Jonathon-

raised a silver Kali sword.

As he brought the blade down, a shiver of power ran through the wolven in the room.


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Atransference.

Rex's head rolled, sickeningly; away from his body.

A great cheer went up among the Guards.

A warm glow of power came over Cassidy.

Chris roared in her mind, with grief, with anger. The rest of the tavern winced as their pack

links shifted, changed.

Rex -Alpha- was gone. His heir needed to take his place.

For a minute, Cassie was sucked into Chris head. She saw through his eyes, heard his

thoughts.

Annabelle was in front of him, looking pale and terrified. "Your eyes," she whispered."They're yellow."

Chris apparently ignored her.Run, he spoke into Cassie's mind.Take the pack, and run.

The words were filled with the kind of power that could not be denied - a clear order, his first

as an Alpha.

The connection snapped closed.

"Run," Cassidy spoke roughly. "We have to run." She turned to face the crowd in the pun."Be prepared to kill your way out."

-X-

Annabelle backed away from the boy in front of her as he yelled in pain, clutching his head

and falling to his knees.

In between this and the sound of screams and roars coming from the town, Annabelle was

near her panic limit.

"Christopher?" She asked, swallowing her fear. "Are you okay?"

He looked up at her, moving with inhuman quickness.

His eyes shone with gold.

Her voice died in her throat.

Ohgod.He wasLupi.

And he was staring at her like he wanted her dead.

"Oh, my god," she whispered.


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"Not exactly," Christopher spoke in a low, growling voice as he rose with animal grace.

"Though I have been told the resemblance is startling."

He took a step towards her, and she jerked backwards.

"Nuh uh," he spoke from behind her. She flinched forwards as she felt his lips at her ear, buthis arms looped around her waist like steel girders and held her fast. "You're not going

anywhere, princess."

Annabelle closed her eyes and held in a sob of fear. "You killed my father," he murmured.

"Maybe not directly, but still, he's dead because of you, you bitch." He chuckled. "It's only

fair of me to return the favour, am I right?"

-X-

Jonathon grinned at his comrades as he wiped clean his sword.

He'd ordered his men to search the town and kill any townsperson they found.

He heard the sound of a girl sobbing, and turned.

One of the guys in his squadCruor Trux, god, he hated that guy - was yanking a red head

forward by the hair. Silver burns traced down in macabre yet graceful tracks, all over her

face.

Her green eyes burned with hatred and gold.

Jonathon readied his sword. "Any last words, dmon?" He asked.

She laughed throatily. "You've killed the wrong wolves," she snapped out. "When Lucian

comes for you, you'll be praying for our aid." Her eyes glazed over with poisonous green

light. "Mark my words, changeling. Your death is coming."

She said no more as her head separated from her body, falling to the ground in a mess of

quivering red curls.

Cruor grinned. "And another one bites the dust."

Jonathon stood over the corpse, breathing hard. "She can't be the only one," he snapped. "Get

me some trackers. We're hunting these bastards down."

Another Guard jogged up. Panic was clear on his features.

"What is it?" Jonathon asked, his formal mask coming over his face as he snapped to

attention.

"The princess," the guard gasped out. "And the Lady Rosa."

He raised an eyebrow. "What about them?"


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The guard swallowed. "They're gone."

-X-

Tamsin grinned.

Next to her, wolf form, Levi tilted his head.

"The princess is within our grasp," she said. "We just need to get in closer..."

-X-

Howls could be heard, from all over the kingdom.

[]

Chapter Nine: Blood & F ire

Maga fussed over the bubbling liquid in her copper chalice.

It was clear as water, and as she lowered a blood soaked silver pendant into it - a crescent

moon - it calmed, smoothing out like glass.

A knock sounded on the door. She smoothed out her dress and called out to Amata. "Get the

door, will you?"

Amata, in all her dark and exotic beauty, hurried up from the basement, untying her apron to

reveal a stunning emerald chiton.

The second sorceress rushed to the door and pulled it open; to reveal the waiting King and a

Lupi.

Verity Fors.

Amata felt her pupils dilate and her breath quicken as she took in the woman in front of her.

"Come in, come in," she urged, ushering Verity inside with a gentle arm slung over her

shoulders. Pausing, she cut her gaze to the waiting King. "Our deal is done," she said in a

curt tone to Unda. "Don't worry, Highness - we'll keep our end of the deal."

Amata grinned tightly as she stepped forward and slammed the door shut in his face.

Verity flinched. "Who are you?" She whispered.


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Amata smiled and offered her a chalice of water. "We are your tickets back home, to

Aurelia."

Maga winked.

Filled with gratitude, Verity drank deeply of the cup.

She didn't see how the eyes of the other two women shone with malice.

A few hours later, they sent Verity on her way.

A few months later, Verity was pregnant and Sophia was dead.

-X-

Rosa could barely breathe around her fear.

Meridie was only moving at a brisk jog, but what with her many layers of petticoats and silk

skirts and delicate lace embroidery, Rosa's movement was hindered greatly.

"Wait up," she panted, trying to ignore the terror that was bubbling up in her chest cavity -

thick as tar, caustic as acid. "I can't run as fast as you."

Meridie's steely eyes didn't waver from the forest in front of them. "Dry your eyes, princess,"

she hissed out. "Damnatorum don't just come into Fenn - they know the penalty for that. They

risked this because they heard your friend was here, I'm supposing."

Rosa's sluggish blood turned to ice and then pure adrenalin. "Annabelle," she gasped. "My

god, I need to go after her."

She made to turn around, but with a snort, Meridie whirled, grabbed a fistful of pink silk, and

began to yank her along. "Can't let you do that, I'm afraid," she said.

"Why not?" Rosa hissed, digging her heels in and scrabbling to gain some firm ground.

"Because you're leverage," Meridie answered curtly.

Rosa was momentarily stunned. "Pardon?" She asked, thrown.

"Rex - the Alpha - is dead. Killed by your guards. Chris has ascended to his step-fathers

position, and his orders are to run." She glanced back at Rosa. "You can be used to buy

passage; shelter, milady."

Internally, Rosa screamed.

But she was more scared for her friend.

Killed by your guards. Chris has ascended.

God, he was going to killher.


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"Annabelle," she sobbed out, worry for her friend giving her the strength she needed to break

free of the bartenders grip.

Meridie sighed in reservation. "She's fine. Captive, but fine. She's worth more than you are."

Rosa, ignoring her, whirled around to face the way they had come, hiking her skirts up, fullyprepared to run and fight her way back into Fenn.

With a sigh, Meridie let her go.

-X-

The moment she and her group hit the tree line, Cassidy called out an order. "Shift!"

The spectacular sound of crunching bone, tearing flesh, stretching muscles and howls filled

the air as all the Lupi that had been in Argentum Nocte, as well as a few others, morphed into

canine form.

Mentally, Cassie called out orders. She was now second-in-command, Luna of the pack until

Chris claimed a mate.

Split up, she thought in a growl.Run fast and far, in evasive patterns. Don't head in any

particular direction, unless your pack bond starts to weaken, in which case, double back.

Avoid the caves by the Parcae Summit. The littles are stashed there. We can't lead the

trackers to them.

She gazed around at the wary, battle ready wolves gathered in front of her.Encounter anyonethat isn't pack, she ordered.Kill them.

-X-

The power rush was heady.

Christopher hated to think it, but he'd neverfelt better - never more alive; more in charge of

his wolf, never as strong.

Also, he had never felt as angry or grief stricken.

Rex, he thought. In the recesses of his mind, his wolf was howling for release. It wanted to

honour his step-father, wanted to avengehim.

Chris wasn't the only one feeling that way. Before his - promotion - his pack sense had only

been actively open when in wolf form. Now, as an Alpha, he was connected to all of them on

a soul deep level.

As he dragged the princess along, heading for the town square, where the scent of smoke and

blood emanated from, he blocked out her fearful sobs, retreated into his mind, and searched

for his inner circle.


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Cassie- she was doing everything a good beta did, and was leading the majority of his pack

away from danger. With relief, he noted that Sylva, Connor, Felix and Maesta travelled with

her; keeping the younger ones calm.

He nearly turned around and snapped the blonde bitches neck when he realised he couldn't

feel Red.

Not 'out of pack bond range' couldn't feel her; 'dead' couldn't feel her.

He let out a scream of agony.

Annabelle flinched away from him, fighting his grip.

It was her turn to scream as the muscles in her left forearm twisted - though she had

struggled, Chris had been in no mood to show mercy to the snit; and had not loosened his

grip.

Her sobs began anew.

"Oh, shut up," he snarled over his shoulder harshly.

With faltering breath, Annabelle finally fell silent.

And Chris arrived at the front of the Argentum Nocte.

The body of his step-father lay in a limp heap next to the dainty, red-headlesscorpse that

could only belong to Claire.

His mind clouded over with rage; his wolf was very close to taking over.

A blonde guard - Jacob? - loomed over his mother, Kali sword raised, as she was bent double

over her husbands headless corpse, sobbing uncontrollably.

She didn't look up, didn't even make a sound, as the sword swung down.

A swing of an arm, a flash of a silver blade, a sickening thud, and his mother - his mother, the

sweetest woman in the kingdom - was dead and gone, joining Rex and Red in the afterlife.

Chris let out a roar of rage as he felt the pack bond that connected them dissolve into

nothingness, as if it had never existed.

The blonde Guardian whirled in surprise, his blood soaked blade hanging loose in his hands.

Perfect.

With a great tensing of muscles, Chris launched himself at the guard, shifting in midair.

As he landed, skidding along the ground, his teeth closed around the blondes pale neck with

a savage crunch.


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Annabelle screamed, but Chris could barely hear her.

The sanguine taste of Jonathon'syes,that was his name - blood was sweet in his mouth.

It tasted like revenge.

-X-

Tamsin's eyes shone with eerie yellow light.

"We hunt!" She called out to the wolves gathered in front of her, before throwing back her

very human head; and howling at the night sky.

[]

Chapter Ten: This Means War

Annabelle had gone past scared.

Gone past terrified; and with her injured arm, she'd gone past agony.

She screamed as the wolven's maw closed around Jonathon's neck. Even over the shrill

sounds she was making, she could hear the grating crunch of snapping bone; the lush wet

tearing of flesh and skin.

"Oh, my god..."

Annabelle whirled, uneven sobs breaking out of her throat. Rosa stood behind and to the side

of her, a cloud of dust still billowing around her - she'd clearly just skidded to a standstill.

Her eyes were the size of drachmas and her skin was the colour of one of the porcelain kore

that resided in the palace in Stella. Her dark braids were plastered to her skull by sweat, hersilken skirts were little more than rags clinging to her skin.

And her gaze was fixed resolutely on Jonathon.

She whimpered as Chris released him, simultaneously shifting effortlessly back into human

form.

The dark haired boy - man - ignored Rosa and stared directly at Annabelle.

Some traitorous part of the princesses' mind noted that, even with eyes of yellow-gold, even

with blood slicked teeth and gore dripping down his chin, he was beautiful.


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She wanted to run, but his gaze froze her. She was the prey in front of the predator; the doe in

the hunters sights.

He grinned, revealing teeth stained with red. "You're mine, princess."

Annabelle heard Rosa swallow.

-X-

Levi kept his nose to the ground as his paws thumped down in a hard, loping rhythm.

Can you smell that? Tamsin's ears flicked as she raised her nose in the air. It twitched as she

breathed in.

Blood, Levi affirmed. And fire.

Tamsin nodded; an awkward movement - one not natural to wolves.Fenn, she said withrelish.

When Levi winced, she rolled her eyes at him.Relax, I'm sure your lady is fine.

Cassidy is notmy lady.

The Lupi doth protest too much, methinks.

Shut up.

In unison, they stretched their legs further, lengthening their strides; breaking into a near

gallop as they hit the Fenn town limits.

Tamsin wrinkled her muzzle as they passed blazing stables.Eww. Burnt horse.

Yum, Levi joked.

You're soulless.

Once they were out of the cloud of smoke that buffeted from the burning stables, Tamsin

relaxed.Thank the gods, that smell was giving me a migraine.

Levi groaned dramatically.Your voice is giving me a migraine.

Twisting in mid-stride, continuing to run as she pulled her lips back from her teeth, Tamsin

snapped at the space between Levi's flank and rump.

Ouch.

You deserved it, you uncouth bastard.

Oh, I'm the uncouth one, am- Levi's mental voice faltered.


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They had just reached what had once been the town centre. Lying in a broken heap was a pile

of headless corpses - wolven Levi recognized. To the side of the pile was a human Guardian

Levi didn't know, one with blonde hair, and a still beating heart.

Tamsin slunk forward, stomach low to the ground.He's been given the bite, Levi, she

murmured.

A flash of electricity went through him.

We should leave.

Tamsin glanced at him and gave him the canine equivalent of a raised brow. You sound

nervous, Levi.

He belongs to the Fenn alpha. We should go. The princess is gone, but the trail is fresh. We

can catch up.

Tamsin cocked her head to one side, proof of her sudden laser focus.

This kid- she nudged the fledgling with her nose - he's connected to the pack, right? Will be

drawn to them?

Levi nodded his wolf's head.

Tamsin's lips pulled back from her teeth and her tongue lolled out in a wolfish grin.Perfect.

-X-

Cassie looked up as she felt her cousin - her alpha- enter the clearing the Fenn pack had set

up camp in.

Behind him were the two noble-blooded girls; seemingly frightened out if their wits. The

Filia's arm appeared to be broken.

Chris immediately handed them off to Meridie - who looked far less than pleased with Rosa -

and headed straight for Cassidy.

She tensed, and knew what was coming. The rest of the pack - in human form or other - fellsilent.

"My

Cursed Blood

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Transcript of Cursed Blood