Fang Chronicles: Amy's Story Read online

  Ivan was staring at Marcus like he had lost his mind. He abruptly stood and exited the room muttering to himself, “Of all the fucking stupid…not in five hundred years, God save me.”

  Chapter 9

  Amy sat down hard in the chair behind her. She heard what Ivan said, but it didn’t register. Her heart was beating like a hammer. Al raced into the room, looked at Marcus and growled. “It will be okay, Alba, pull your teeth in. Our guest is smarter than we realized and keeping secrets will only cause her to continue digging. We can’t have that.”

  Al bared her teeth, threatening Marcus.

  Marcus rose from his chair, pushing it back suddenly. It flew across the room, and slammed into the wall. Amy jumped from her seat, thinking Marcus was going after the dog. She was staring at them both, not sure what to do. In the blink of an eye, the dog became a beautiful woman. The woman who cared for Amy the night she was attacked. She was not only gorgeous she was completely naked.

  Amy collapsed back into her chair. Spots were appearing before her eyes. She never believed people fainted over something they saw. She might be wrong.

  “Alba, what are you doing? This is not good for you while you’re pregnant. Are you out of your mind? Amy please get a chair and help me sit her down. My temper may not have hurt her, but this could.”

  She could do little more than he asked. Her brain was not working properly. She tentatively assisted Alba into the chair.

  “I had things to say, and I was not waiting a month or more to say them. You tune out my mind when you don’t want to listen.”

  Ivan came running into the room and took in what had happened in an instant, “This entire house is fucked up, Marcus. Of all the…”

  “Do not use profanity in our home Ivan, regardless of the cause. I think Alba and I are on the same page and you’re just a little slow on the uptake.”

  Ivan threw his hands up in the air and stormed back out.

  Alba took Amy’s trembling hand.

  “This must be hard for you to accept. We could pussyfoot around, but showing you is the only way I can be sure you truly understand. We mean you no harm. You are safe with us, but our secrets must remain undisclosed and you know too much. We need you to learn what we are and understand what is at stake.”

  “I’m sure of what I saw, but I don’t think I believe it.” Amy whispered.

  “I will change back after I’ve had my say, but it will be the last time before the babies are born.”

  Marcus stared at Alba, not mistaking her words. “Babies, as in two?” he asked.

  “Yes two. So help me, stop frightening the poor girl and get her some wine. Amy I need you to look at me, my eyes Amy.” She said this as Amy’s eyes traveled her body.

  “Look into my eyes. I’m Al, I wouldn’t harm you and I will protect you.”

  Amy gazed into her eyes. They were the same dark color as Al’s. They were beautiful.

  Amy glanced towards Marcus. “Can you do that? Turn into a wolf?”

  “No, Amy,” he said. “I’m a vampire.” This time his smile showed fangs.

  Amy tried to bolt. She made it halfway to the door, but Marcus appeared in front of her out of thin air, blocking the way.

  “Was that absolutely necessary Marcus? You scared the poor girl half to death. At least I let her grow comfortable with me in my wolf form before I showed off. Come on Amy, sit and let Marcus get you something to drink.”

  “Something stronger, please, I may be able to drink the entire bottle.” Amy said in a choked voice.

  “You see, Amy? You still have your sense of humor,” Alba said.

  Marcus brought an entire bottle of whisky. It was not her first choice, but it would do. He poured the whisky into a shot glass and she took it with a shaking hand and downed it with a grimace. Her hand was still shaking as she handed the glass back to Marcus and asked for another. She finished the second glass and placed the tumbler on the table.

  Alba took Amy’s cold hand into her warm one. “I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine the shock you must feel at this moment. We can answer questions, if you’d like?”

  Amy regarded Alba’s dark eyes. As the alcohol entered her system, she could feel herself calm. She glanced towards Marcus.

  “Why don’t we eat, and at least then you will have a full stomach.” He said.

  As soon as the words left Marcus’ mouth, the door opened and another young, good-looking man entered, carrying a table setting.

  After placing the dishes on the table, the young man said, “Master, I will return with dinner.”

  “Thank you, Philip.”

  As soon as Philip left, Ivan returned to the room, carrying a robe. He handed it to Alba “I see you haven’t eaten our guest.” He said looking at Marcus.”

  “Ivan, I’ve had about as much of you as I can take. Maybe you and I should have a discussion later tonight, in private.”

  “I think that’s a great idea. I have a few things I too would like to… discuss with you. Amy, you are taking this better than I expected.”

  “Are you a wolf or a vampire?”

  Ivan laughed and then laughed some more, almost bending double. He couldn’t help it. He had not laughed this hard in a while. He glanced towards Marcus and saw the look of death thrown his way. His laughter continued.

  “Forgive Ivan his manners, I fear he is off his medication,” Alba said, with a smile in her voice.

  “He didn’t answer my question. What is he?”

  “He’s a wolf. I’m the only vampire we have in residence and you are the only human here at the moment,” Marcus said.

  “Do you get humans visiting often?”

  “Only when we’re hungry,” Ivan stopped laughing long enough to say.

  Chapter 10

  Despite having her world turned upside down, dinner arrived and it was delicious. The conversation flowed, though Amy never dreamed they could discuss this subject matter with no one ending up in a loony bin. She was a journalist, and her investigative mind set in. They answered every question she asked.

  “Does it hurt to change from wolf to human or back again? Are you allergic to silver? Do others exist?” The questions went on and on, at least about the wolves, vampires were another story. When Amy finished asking everything she could think of, she asked the one question in the back of her mind that would not leave.

  Looking at Marcus she said, “Do you drink blood?”

  He looked at her and simply said, “Yes.”

  “Do you kill people when you do it?”

  Alba laughed this time and answered. “We take care of Marcus’ needs. That is what the wolves do. We have cared for him for many years and will continue as long as he is alive.”

  Alba glanced towards the vampire and continued. “Marcus is the King of the wolves. He is our King. We will protect him with our lives. Before vampires befriended beastkind, we struggled to survive. Vampires saved us.”

  “So there are other vampires and “beastkind,” as you call them?”

  Marcus spoke up. “Until we can be sure of your plans, I don’t feel we should talk about anyone but us. I’m not trying to hide things, but I will protect my kind at all costs.”

  “Then why have you told me?”

  “I had two choices the night I saw you in that alley. I could have killed you, as I did your attacker.”

  Amy gasped.

  “Or, I could do what I did. Thinking you were a teenager, addicted to drugs, prostituting your body and on the road to certain death. I tried to help you but it backfired on me.” Marcus glanced at Alba and Ivan. “It backfired on us. It was my fault and I broke the one rule we adhere to strongly. We let very few humans know who and what we are. If they find out, we don’t let them live.”

  “You killed the man in the alley? What did you do with his body?”

  Alba tried to stop the answer Marcus was about to give, but Ivan spoke up. “We ate him.”

  Amy peered down at her half eaten plate of food and then glance
d back up. She stared directly at Marcus. “Are you going to kill me?”

  “If we wanted you dead, you would already be dead and the evidence long gone. I told you earlier, Alba saved your life. We have very few babies at this house, and we tend to indulge the mothers whenever they are expecting. I was not willing to fight Alba in her condition, in order to kill you. It sounds cold, but we protect our secret and sometimes it’s a harsh reality. I misspoke. It is always a harsh reality.”

  “So if you are not going to kill me, how will you make sure I don’t talk?”

  “Without killing you, we can’t. But we are hoping, at least Alba and I are, that you will spend some time with us and learn what we are. I think we can convince you to keep our secret. Though not many, there are humans that know about us, and they help from time to time. We are not killing machines, but we have offered our services to keep this country safe. We do have friends and they also want our secrets kept.”

  Alba spoke up, “I need to change.” She glanced at Amy. “I would like to continue staying with you in your room, if it won’t bother you. I can understand everything you say while in wolf form.”

  “I am honored to have you room with me. I will feel safer if you’re around. I believe if I have the story right, you are the only one that did not think I would be better off dead.”

  “I promise no harm will come to you while you are with us.” This was said while casting evil glares at Marcus and Ivan. “I really do need to change. I’ll see you back in the bedroom.”

  “Could you change here for me, if it isn’t asking too much? I wasn’t sure what I saw when you did it the first time. If you don’t want to its okay, but I would really like to see it again.”

  Alba stood up and dropped the dressing robe. She stood on two feet and then four. It was almost as if her body blurred for a split second and then Al was there. Amy stood and went over to her. She placed her hand on Alba’s head. Alba rubbed herself against Amy’s side.

  “She gets like this whenever she’s having a baby. I don’t know if you heard, Ivan, but two pups are coming.”

  “Two! That explains why she is even more unstable than usual when she’s carrying.”

  “Will they be born as baby wolves?” Amy asked.

  “It’s up to Alba. If she is in human form the last months, they are born as human. In wolf form, the gestation is shorter and they are wolves. Many of our females choose this over human birth. The pups will start changing within a few weeks. It is quite miraculous even for us.”

  “May I go up to my room now? I’m exhausted and I need time to process what I’ve been told. I may still wake up tomorrow and find this is the most fantastic dream I ever had.”

  “I’ll walk you to your room. Alba, can you give me twenty minutes to speak alone with our guest?”

  Alba growled softly at Marcus. “You have my promise. She will be protected in my company. Come along, Amy, I won’t keep you any longer than necessary.”

  Marcus gently took her arm and led her from the room.

  Chapter 11

  The arm holding Amy was firm but not tight. She could smell his body. It had a unique scent. She saw his nostrils flare and wondered if he smelled her too. He affected all her senses. She first noticed it when she saw him on the television screen. Having him this close was torture. She didn’t know how to make him release her arm. It made her uncomfortable and she could feel the unexpected warmth of his hand. She thought vampires were cold. Her mind still had trouble processing what she saw and heard. She remembered reading a time travel novel many years ago. It was entirely too “way out there” for her, and she kept thinking while reading that the heroine too easily accepted the things that happened.

  Now, maybe she understood. How do you deny it when someone shoves it in your face? She had a lot to think about and wanted to get everything straight in her head. She did not want to be alone with Marcus.

  When they arrived outside her room, Amy hesitated. Marcus released her arm and opened her door. “Step inside. There’s nothing I can do to you in the room that I can’t do in the hallway. I just want us to talk privately for a few minutes.”

  Amy entered the room. Marcus went over to a grouping of chairs and waited for Amy to have a seat before he sat down across from her. “I blocked your access to the Internet and also your cell phone. If you can promise me that nothing of what we told you or will tell you will get out while you are our guest, I can unblock them.” He stared at her intensely.

  “I don’t think anyone would believe me anyway, so I have no problem making that promise.”

  “Good. You are my guest, and I want you to have full access to my property. I think it will help you understand who and what we are. The wolves were told not to change while you are here. I will release them from that order, but you need to understand that nudity is more often seen than clothing. If it bothers you, turn away. It’s difficult for them to remember where they leave their clothes and they often times forget to collect them later. In the city, they adhere to strict guidelines, but this is their home and they need the freedom to be themselves.”

  “I have seen naked people before and will probably get used to it quickly. Thank you for the warning. I will try not to make anyone feel uncomfortable with my presence.”

  “The only other thing I ask is that you withhold judgment on anything you see until you can talk it over with me or Ivan. You may see things that bother you and need explaining. The explanation won’t always be palatable, but at least you might see things in another light.”

  “What types of things are you speaking of?”

  “Wolves and vampires can be violent and dangerous. It takes little to make us revert to the animals we truly are. Everyone is aware you’re off limits and no danger will befall you, but the wolves fight, and when someone gets out of line, Ivan or I take care of it instantly. I will have a less than friendly talk with Ivan after leaving your room and it will not be pleasant to witness.”

  “Could one of you die?”

  “No, but Ivan will walk very gently for the next day or so. He is provoking me because he wants a fight. I decided to give it to him.”

  “What about you, could you be hurt?”

  Marcus laughed, “It is unlikely, but Ivan gets in a nice hit or bite occasionally. I heal much faster than he does so even if I get pummeled, it will be hard to tell by tomorrow. The wolves also heal fast, but Ivan will be sore for a couple of days at least. I plan to make sure of that.”

  She guessed this was a guy thing, “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”

  “Yes. The property is safe and always guarded. Beyond our gates we have enemies. If you decide to leave, we will escort you back to Phoenix. You now carry our scent, and it will take a few days after you leave to get rid of it entirely. I’m sorry, but nothing can be done about it. Only time can remove the aroma.”

  “You will really just let me leave?”

  “I gave you my word and I will keep it, but I feel your curiosity will keep you with us. I’m sure you are overwhelmed, but at the same time, you can learn so much by staying, and I hope you will.”

  “Would you really have killed me the night you saved me?”

  “I will go to any length to protect my family. So yes, I would have killed you. Alba saved your life. Don’t take that lightly. She has killed more brutally than almost any other wolf in the pack, but she declared you as her family and she will protect you with her life.”

  “Are you really a king?”

  He laughed, “It’s not a term I allow anyone to use unless we are in a formal setting and it’s more a political title. I also do not like the term “master,” but the wolves like to push me in small ways when they know I will not retaliate. It’s a game they play. I guess it’s a family game.”

  “I plan on staying, and I appreciate your courtesy in allowing me to contact my friends. They would send out the National Guard if too much time passed before I called. Thank you.”

  Marcus took a
deep breath. His control was near its limit. Amy’s smell was intoxicating and he didn’t want to scare her. It was time to end this conversation.

  “I bid you goodnight. I will not see you again until tomorrow evening. Please request whatever you need, and Ivan will see to it.”

  Marcus got up and took her hand. It seemed very old fashioned to Amy, but he kissed the inside of her wrist. She felt as if electricity passed, from his lips, up her arm and then traveled to her lower body. She looked into his eyes and saw something that surprised her, longing and a touch of sadness. He was such a gorgeous man and she did not understand the sadness but wondered if the longing was for her body or her blood.

  Now why did she let her mind go there?

  Marcus left the room and held the door as Alba entered. The dark wolf eyes looked at Amy with interest.

  “He’s too beautiful for his own good. If I don’t watch myself I will drool in his company.” Amy voice held uncertainty.

  If a wolf could smile, Alba did.

  “I need a good night’s sleep, and I bet you do, too. I’m exhausted and I’m not carrying two children. You can sleep on the bed if you will be more comfortable. There is plenty of room.”

  Alba immediately jumped on the bed and made herself at home using her teeth to try to pull back the comforter. Amy helped and Alba soon settled down. Amy went into the bathroom to wash her face, thinking how nuts it was to have a conversation with a wolf. Maybe she would wake up tomorrow and discover it was all a dream. Surprisingly she was out when her head hit the pillow. A few hours later, a cold nose nudged her shoulder.

  Amy couldn’t help the groan that escaped her throat. Alba nudged harder and she slowly opened her eyes. A small amount of light entered the room from the crack she left in the bathroom door. It was a strange home and Amy had not wanted to sleep in a pitch-black room so she left the bathroom light on.

  “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

  “Whine.”

  Amy got out of bed and replaced her nightshirt with a t-shirt, pair of jeans and her tennis shoes. Alba watched as she hurried to get dressed.