Chapter Eight
Howling at the Moon
B
en stopped Luca just as he was approaching the front door of the Den. “Luca, where have you been?” he asked.
“Around. My phone died.” Which was true in a sense. Its battery had died sitting on the seat of his Jeep.
Just then, the screen door opened, nearly hitting Ben in the side of the face. “Be forewarned, Carson’s very unhappy with you,” Kip whispered, poking his head through the open doorway.
“What else is new?” Luca asked, rolling his eyes.
“Luca!” Ben scolded. “It’s that lack of respect that has you on such rocky ground.”
“I think it’s a difference of opinion that has me where I’m at with our Alpha, the attitude is just a byproduct,” Luca half-teased.
Ben looked at him sternly. Apparently, he was in no mood for jokes. He didn’t say anymore.
“You worry too much,” Luca said, clapped Ben on the shoulder and entered the Den.
“Luca.” Carson cornered him the second he walked through the front door. “You are my Beta. Being unable to reach you is unacceptable.”
“Dead phone. No charger.” He held it up as if to prove that it was in fact dead.
Carson stormed toward him, his face inches from Luca’s. “Next time, buy one,” Carson snarled between gritted teeth.
Luca didn’t back down. “What did I miss that was so important?” Luca asked, keeping his voice even, unaffected by Carson’s threat.
Carson stared daggers at him, but still, Luca didn’t submit. This was hard to do, but not impossible like it would have been for any other wolf under Carson’s command.
Carson backed down before it could look like it wasn’t his decision. He squared his shoulders and said, “now that you’re here, maybe we can start the meeting I called for before noon.”
“Five minutes and I’m all yours.”
Carson growled audibly.
“Thanks for the notice,” Luca said and then took the stairs two at a time, laughing to himself as he went.
Luca headed for his bathroom. In six minutes he was showered, dressed, and walking back out of his bedroom door. When he arrived downstairs once again, the pack had congregated in the family room. Carson was pacing menacingly, not unlike most nights. “Well, now that the Beta has finally graced us with his presence, we can start,” Carson snapped as Luca took a seat on the dilapidated couch.
“Who has good news?” He looked momentarily, manically gleeful.
No one spoke.
“Are you telling me that no one has any information on the vampire problem?”
Luca looked away. Luckily, some of the others did too, out of guilt at being unsuccessful no doubt. Luca looked at the floor, hoping that his expressive face wouldn’t give him away.
“No one has found their location?” Carson asked, glowering at the group. “That is unacceptable. This leader of theirs has evaded us once already. That will not happen again.” Carson’s tone confirmed that orders were going to be to kill Jules when they did catch her. Kind, strong, sweet Jules. His Jules. If he could call her that. He nearly smiled but caught himself. Luca’s jaw clenched tightly.
Jed finally spoke up. “I’ve been unsuccessful at finding the coven’s location.”
Luca tried not to sigh due to the relief he felt.
“But I have ascertained that the red-headed female lives somewhere near the coast. Also, I believe she lives separately from the others,” Jed continued, turning Luca’s emotions upside down. They were too close to her.
“But I’ll keep looking.”
“See that you do!” Carson snapped.
Max sniggered.
Luca scowled over at him. There was no need for Carson’s temper to be indulged.
As the lack-of-progress reports continued, Luca had to bite his tongue. He wouldn’t let them harm her. He would do whatever he had too. To keep from giving himself away, however, he planted his feet on the floor and tried to keep the finger tapping to a minimum.
After what felt like hours of discussion, Luca was convinced that, other than Jed’s information, no one had learned anything else he needed to know to keep Jules safe. Carson’s rant, however, was dragging on.
“Now, who’s with me?” Carson shouted.
This got a rise out of everyone except Luca.
“We don’t have enough cause to attack. We have no proof that they kill. We are rushing to uninformed conclusions,” Luca stated evenly.
His point was met with utter silence.
He then abruptly stood and left the room. Reasoning with this Alpha, or his pack, was a waste of time.
Luca strode furiously into the yard heading for his Jeep until he realized that he’d left the Jeep key’s upstairs. So, he paced angerly in the yard instead. He desperately wanted to storm back in and defend her. To tell them all that he knew she didn’t kill humans, didn’t even feed from them. To convince them that they were wrong about her but that desire was utterly illogical. What he was doing with Jules was a betrayal Carson would never forgive. In fact, Luca thought that if Carson knew the extent of his betrayal, he would kill Jules just for spite. But that didn’t really matter, because Luca was pretty sure Carson intended to kill Jules no matter what. It was clear that their relationship had to remain a secret. Revealing his feelings for her to anyone endangered them both.
“Luca. Luca! What was that about?” Ben asked, running up beside him.
Luca ran his tongue over his teeth, deciding how much he could say without throwing Jules, and likely himself, under the bus. “I don’t know.” Luca shrugged. “This vampire. She didn’t attack us. She’s the one who stopped the fight.” He spoke very carefully. “And we don’t have proof that she’s hurt anyone. Why is Carson so intent on killing her?”
“Killing?” Ben raised one eyebrow. “She’s already dead. You understand that, right?”
“You know what I mean.”
“We can’t risk letting those monsters roam around innocent humans,” Ben said.
“What if she doesn’t kill?” Luca asked.
“They all kill,” Ben stated bluntly. “Luca, you’re a young wolf. You haven’t seen the terrors that I have. The tyranny they’ve enforced over our race throughout the years is unacceptable. Every being on earth will be better off with one, or three, less of those things in existence. You get that don’t you?” Ben asked, jabbing Luca in the ribs. He guessed Ben was trying to lighten the mood.
Luca faked a chuckle. “I know, but…”
Ben took him by the shoulder and steered him back toward the Den. “Luca, you’re young. I know you don’t understand fully. Be assured that they are the enemy. And that they are dead, soulless beings. To destroy them would be to put them out of their misery.”
“How?” Luca stopped walking and looked at Ben.
“Only one thing is as deadly to them as silver is to us. The sun,” he stated simply.
Luca offered a fake, lighthearted, eye roll. “I know that. But how else do you destroy them?” He was treading on thin ice, but if there was another way, he needed to know.
“Yes, Luca, everyone knows that sunlight kills vampires. But just as…”
Luca waited patiently. Ben’s explanations sometimes took a while, but his knowledge was vast.
“…silver has to circulate in our bloodstreams to kill us,” Ben continued, “vampires have to be in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time for the sunlight to be fatal. Vampires are quite strong, so this can be hard to accomplish. Our ancestors devised another why. Years ago, we used to bury them alive. It is likely that many are still buried deep in the ground. Their locations forgotten forever,” Ben’s voice trailed off like he was remembering something.
“We bury them?” That doesn’t sound so bad, Luca thought.
But Ben continued, “not in this age. Today’s technology makes killing them much simpler.”
Luca waited, impatiently now, for his real question to be answered.
“Now, we have UVB lights we can carry to weaken them for the kill. Then, removing their heads works quite nicely.”
Protecting Jules from this fate had just become Luca’s number one priority.
JULIANA
The next thing Jules knew, she was tapping snooze on her alarm. She woke from a dreamy haze with images of Luca and memories of his touch coaxing her gently. As she hit snooze for the third time, she noticed a couple of waiting messages from an unknown number. She read the first one. “Hi, it’s me.” And the second. “I assume you know who me is.” And the last. “They are closing in on you. I know you can take care of yourself, but please, be cautious.” She smiled, saved the number under the contact name L.C., and punched in a quick response.
Jules pulled herself out of bed and dressed for work. She didn’t know if it was wise to stop at the coffee shop. She wasn’t sure that she could keep a secret like this from Monica. After a short amount of contemplation, she decided to stop in anyway.
When she walked through the door, Monica beamed at her. “I know something good,” she teased.
“Don’t tell me.” Jules knew it probably had something to do with Saturday night, and that would send her straight into an immersive Luca Cain spiral.
“Okay. Then, spill. Why didn’t you answer any of my calls yesterday? You did promise me you’d explain everything.” Monica wore a faux scolding expression.
Jules had contemplated how much to say on the drive over. She didn’t like the idea of creating a wedge between herself and the human who knew her best. “I really can’t tell you,” Jules said and smiled sheepishly.
“Jules!” Monica came around the counter, neglecting the customer waiting to order. “What do you mean you can’t tell me?”
Jules pointed toward the waiting woman.
“I’m taking ten,” she shouted to the back. No one responded. Monica rolled her eyes. “Don’t go anywhere.” She pointed an accusatory finger at Jules.
Jules walked a couple paces away and stared aimlessly at the television over her head. “The Fort Miles Phantom has stuck again. A local police officer and two civilians fell victim to this madman in an alley on State Street. The civilians’ identities are being kept confidential until the families can be notified. Officer Micha Harrison’s family was unavailable for comment.”
Jules looked over as the door dinged, announcing the now very angry customer’s departure.
“Come on.” Monica walked passed Jules, motioning for her to follow her outside. Monica rushed over to one of the metal tables set up for customers who preferred the open atmosphere and sat quickly. Jules slid into a chair opposite her. She glanced up, it was going to be a blessedly foggy day.
“Now can you tell me?”
Jules sighed. “It’s not that eventful really. I went for a run Saturday night and didn’t keep track of the time. I spent all of Sunday in a cave on the beach…” Jules hesitated, “by myself.”
“And your phone was?”
“At my house.”
“Jules, I know you. You’re hiding something.”
“Maybe.” Jules’s face scrunched into a supremely guilty expression.
“See, the last time you looked at me like that you were trying to friend-dump me for my own good. Now look at us, we’re better friends than we ever were before I knew your crumby secret.”
Jules sighed.
“What? Is it Luca?”
Monica smiled giddily when Jules failed to respond. “He likes you. I could totally tell that he likes you.” She was seeping excitement.
“Yeah,” Jules said. “I caught that too.” She pressed her lips together, unable to say more.
“So, then what’s the problem? Mrs. Prentiss was human once.”
“She was.” This was irrelevant to Jules and Luca, but she ran with the excuse anyway. “And Gabriel had to turn her into a vampire.”
“And is she unhappy?” Monica asked.
“No,” Jules answered honestly. Jules didn’t like this. She wanted to be honest with Monica. She wanted to tell her everything that had happened since the anniversary double date had come to an end. She desperately wanted to tell her how being with Luca had changed things inside her. How she felt more hopeful and alive. However, the secret had to be kept, for her safety and for Luca’s.
“But you do like him, don’t you?”
“I don’t… not like him.”
“So, what? Because you’re…” Monica didn’t say undead, but Jules knew she was thinking it. “It means you can’t ever find love?”
Jules’s phone beeped. It was a message from Luca. Jules couldn’t help but smile.
“You’re smiling. Who was that?” Monica asked.
“No one. I have to get to work.” Jules stood.
“Jules! There is still something you’re not telling me.”
Jules hesitated and then spoke. “Yes,” Jules admitted, “and I promise to tell you what it is when I can.”
“That is very frustrating.” Monica scowled.
“I know. I’m sorry, please trust me.”
“Fine. But this conversation is not over.” Monica stood, taking a few steps closer to the coffee shop.
“Agreed.” Jules smiled at the annoyed look on Monica’s face. They’d be alright. And as soon as she could, Jules would tell her everything.
GABRIEL
Gabriel left his classroom door open. He was hoping to see Jules pass by on her way to her office. She’d been ignoring his calls and texts since Saturday and he was fed up. Minutes ticked by, students began to arrive, and still, Jules had not passed. He watched the clock and checked his phone for missed messages. Nothing. Jules was careless with the sun, it had to be up by now. He peeked through the blind. Confirming that it was going to be a foggy morning, he twisted each blind open, letting in the dull morning light.
“Mister Prentiss?”
Gabriel turned toward his door at the student’s call. Behind the girl, he saw Jules.
“I’ll be just a moment Kara,” he told the girl and walked passed her. “Jules!”
Jules stopped but heisted before turning around. “Gabriel.”
“You’ve been ignoring me. Why?” It came out more of an accusation than a question.
“I needed time,” she said.
“Time for what? I was worried the…” he hesitated, knowing they were a stone’s throw away from a student in every direction. He lowered his voice to barely a whisper, “wolves may have found you.”
Jules sighed. “You’ll just have to trust that I can take care of myself. You set them on this path Gabriel. The consequences are yours to bear.”
Gabriel was stung. He knew he’d reacted impulsively when the Alpha had threatened them, but he hadn’t realized how much his actions must have been bothering Jules. She rarely spoke to him like this. If she’d only done what he wanted to do years ago.
He’d asked Jules to relocate, once they’d discovered the extent of the pack presence in Aboit. But she had refused. By then she had befriended Monica and to her leaving wasn’t worth sacrificing their growing friendship.
“We can’t talk about this now. You know that.” Jules’s tone was harsh, authoritative.
“We can’t just not talk about it either,” he said, under his breath. He knew Jules, that was her way. When she didn’t want to deal with something she pretended it wasn’t a problem for as long as she could. “I have to run study hall today. Come to our place tonight, we can talk about it then,” he suggested.
She considered a moment longer than was reasonable and then nodded.
Satisfied, he turned back to his classroom and the waiting student. Kara was peaking around the doorframe whispering fervently to a friend.
“We’re not having an affair, girls. Get to class.” The pair scampered off, Kara’s question seemingly forgotten.
LUCA
Luca had been in relatively constant contact with Jules throughout, this, their first day together while apart. He read her latest message before he started the Jeep.
“I’m spending the evening with my friends. I probably won’t respond for a while.” Luca had gathered that she meant she’d be with her coven tonight.
He punched in a reply, “perfect timing. I’ll be away from my phone for the next few hours. Full moon.”
The Jeep’s engine roared to life as the key turned. He was not looking forward to all the inquiries concerning his behavior of late. However, if he was late this time, Carson may actually have his head. Still, it was comforting to know that Jules was safe for the night. All the wolves would be preoccupied.
Luca’s phone beeped. “Oh no! I completely forgot that little detail.” She was poking fun at him for overlooking the fact that vampires can’t go into the sunlight.
He smiled widely. At the next stoplight, he replied with, “sure you did.” Luca glanced up through the windshield. The moon was already on the rise.
The next message he received winked at him with the addition of, “have a good hunt!”
Luca put his phone down without replying. He had arrived. He pulled up to the fence at the local preserve, which was already lined with cars. This was the night of the full moon, tonight the animal would take over. Werewolves could, of course, turn at will. But during the apex of each full moon cycle, the animal inside was forcibly, wonderfully, released.
The patch of gravel next to Carson’s vehicle was left open for the pack’s Beta. Luca parked the Jeep there and climbed out. With a running leap, he launched himself over the chain-link fence, landing with a thump on the other side. Luca wasn’t sure how Carson managed this, but every full moon, the pack that Carson called his own, gathered to pay their respects to their Alpha and run as one.
A few young wolves howled as Luca approached one of several groupings of werewolves. “Hi Luca,” said a female wolf, batting her eyelashes at him.
He smiled cordially but moved farther into their midst. Some wolves bowed slightly toward him when he passed. Luca saw many familiar faces, some he did not expect to see tonight.
Kyle playfully barked in his direction. Hayley, standing next to him, smacked him on the back of the head. Luca joined them near the center of the gathering pack.
“I’m surprised you’re here,” Luca commented.
“I am too,” Kyle admitted. “However, our almighty Alpha informed me that I was to be here, or else.”
“What do you suppose that means?” Hayley asked worriedly. She took Kyle’s hand and made a face at Adam, who had scowled at her.
Luca shrugged. He didn’t want to worry Hayley, but, he figured it probably had something to do with whatever punishment Carson had decided Kyle deserved for his insubordination.
Kyle ran his hand down Hayley’s long, silky hair, kissing her on the side of the head. “It’ll be fine.”
Watching them together made him think of Jules. Of his new-found passion for her. Of his need to protect her. Everything seemed to bring his mind back to Jules.
Carson’s howl pierced the darkening night sky. And it was met with more howls, Luca, Hayley, and Kyle did not join them.
“Once again, it is pleasing to see you all,” Carson began.
Some wolves continued to stand in their human form. Some of the more feral wolves crept from the woods in their wolf form. Luca, Kyle, and some others began to sit on the grass, knowing Carson’s speeches tended to run long.
“Looking at all of you shows me the inspiring strength I have behind me…”
“Here we go,” Kyle muttered.
Hayley kicked him lightly.
Luca suppressed a snicker.
“A lot has progressed since the last Moon Hunt, but first and foremost I must announce a cause for celebration.”
Kyle looked at Luca, who was silently hoping Carson hadn’t had Jules killed in the last ten minutes of radio silence.
“A wedding has taken place,” Carson continued.
Luca’s eyes grew wide.
“Kyle Cooper, Mrs. Cooper, please join me.”
Hayley hesitated but was nudged forward by her father. She reached out her hand to Kyle, who took it, pulling himself off the ground.
Luca worriedly watched as the couple walked, hand in hand, up to where their Alpha stood.
“We celebrate with this couple that, with my full blessing, have been joined together as one.”
Luca balked. Like hell they were. He looked at Kyle, who seemed to be very confused, if not a little unnerved by what Carson was saying.
“Her father and I talked at length before I allowed this union…”
Luca knew that Carson had talked to Hayley’s father, but to demand her hand for himself, not grant it to somebody else. Luca looked at Joe Reynolds. Hayley’s father looked rather subdued. What had he given or promised Carson, to ensure that Hayley and Kyle were safe? Luca shuttered to think of it. Owing Carson that kind of a debt was bound to unravel a few nerves.
“After tonight’s hunt has concluded, a celebration will be held at my home, the home of your Alpha. All are welcome.” At this, he gave a sweeping gesture, but the statement was untrue. If you were not one of Carson’s favorites, you were not actually invited. This was of common understanding amongst the pack. This suggested inclusion was just for show.
Luca suppressed an eye roll as he half-listened to Carson prattle on. Luca let his mind wander after Kyle and Hayley had safely rejoined in him the grass. He listened for the word vampire to pull him back to what Carson was saying, but it never came. Carson didn’t say a word about the current threat to Aboit, or the pack. Luca found this odd but was relieved all the same.
As Carson’s voice continued to wreck the peace of the evening, Luca spied something a bit odd. Looking over Carson’s shoulder, Luca focused in on a pair of late arrivals. Being late to the Moon Hunt was not a normal practice. It was a woman Luca had never seen before and a teenage boy. The woman was tall and beautiful, stately even. The boy wore tight jeans and a t-shirt that dripped with irony, a stocking cap covered most of his dyed black hair, and he looked like he pretty much permanently had something better to do with his time.
Once it must have become apparent that the majority of his pack was seeing something he wasn’t, Carson turned to look behind him. Luca prepared himself, this kind of disrespect was generally considered a punishable crime. But Carson made no move against them.
The woman spoke without waiting to be addressed. “Micha is dead. Carson, we need your help.”
“Demetria Harrison,” Carson said invitingly, which was odd.
A few of the wolves near Carson, who had been hanging on his every word, jeered at the audacity of interrupting their Alpha’s speech.
Carson rose his bulky arm to silence them. “This woman has come back home, we will welcome her,” Carson instructed. “Ben, Luca,” he said, then motioned for them to join him by the woman’s side.
Max bounded up beside them, but Carson held out his hand, sending the over-eager wolf away.
“Tell me what happened, Demetria,” Carson instructed, almost softly.
“I didn’t see it happen but my son Ricky did.” Demetria motioned toward the teenager.
Ricky glared back.
“Tell our Alpha what happened, baby,” Demetria instructed the boy sweetly.
Ricky rolled his eyes and paused. “It was a vampire,” Ricky said finally.
Carson’s eyes grew brighter, hungrier.
“How do you know? What did it look like?” Ben asked.
“I didn’t get a great look, but…fangs, pale skin, red hair…”
“Female?” Carson nearly shrieked.
“No, it was definitely a dude.”
Carson’s face fell.
“When did this happen?” Luca asked.
“Last night.” Ricky didn’t say more.
Luca flinched. Poor kid.
“We’ve been living in Fort Miles,” Demetria said. “Micha, my husband, was looking into the sting of murders there. They were vampire killings, he was sure of it. He must have closed in on the demon. When it attacked, it overpowered him, but he fought hard. His sacrifice gave our son a chance to run,” Demetria’s voice cracked as she spoke. She reached out for her son’s hand. He yanked it away before she could take it.
Carson rested a hand on her lower back. The gesture was a bizarrely intimate one.
“Demetria, I’m so sorry. Where are you staying now?” Ben asked.
Luca was starting to put things together. This woman must have been part of this pack’s past. A past that took place before he had come to Aboit.
“Nowhere yet. We grabbed the important things and came straight here. I didn’t want to take the risk that that monster would come back to finish the job.”
“I understand,” Carson said. “You and the boy can stay with me. At least until you get back on your feet. I must say, it will be nice to have you back with us.”
“I’m truly grateful, Carson.” Demetria smiled at Carson like he had just rescued her from certain death.
“It’s not a problem in the slightest,” he assured her, putting one hand on her shoulder, close to her neck. “It’s my job as Alpha now, to take care of you. Do you have a car?”
“We do.”
“Let’s go now, so you can get settled before the pack arrives,” Carson decided.
“Are you sure? The full moon…” Demetria looked around at the many pack members hovering nearby, pretending they couldn’t hear the conversation being had. Luca couldn’t believe she had blatantly questioned him.
“Of course, I’m sure. We can be back to the Den by the moon’s apex, and my Beta can lead the hunt tonight,” Carson said smoothly, motioning dismissively toward Luca.
Luca’s fingers twitched, it was a lot of power to hold, leading the Moon Hunt.
“Your troubles are over, dear one.” Carson brushed Demetria’s cheek with one finger. “You are no longer alone; you have me now.”
Demetria blushed.
Ricky rolled his eyes but said nothing.
“Wolves!” Carson demanded the pack's attention. “Your Alpha must take his leave. Your Beta, Luca Cain, has command.”
Demetria’s eyes grew wide at the announcement of his surname. Several wolves muttered their approval. The boy, Ricky, Luca noted looked mildly interested, but only for a moment.
Carson began to propel Demetria in the direction of the preserve’s entrance.
“I want to run with the pack,” Ricky announced, not following his mother.
“I don’t know Sweetie. I…” Demetria began, turning to face him.
“Demetria, dear, let him. After what he’s been through, the hunt may be just what he needs. Besides, this way you and I can catch up.” Carson instructed, but Luca seriously doubted there was any concern for the boy in Carson’s motives.
“He can catch a ride back with me,” Luca offered.
Demetria looked from Luca to her son and back, then she conceded. “I’d like that,” she said to Carson. She was now looking up at Carson like he’d hung the moon.
With that, Carson and Demetria walked towards the entrance to the preserve. Luca turned away from their receding forms.
“Find me after the hunt,” Luca told Ricky, then moved to address the pack. It was obvious that he held the position of power now, all faces turned obediently toward him.
During the following minutes, Luca allowed the pack to prepare for the change. Some wolves began to remove their clothing, some simply their outerwear. Some of the teenage girls tucked their phones in their bra’s. Whatever a wolf changed with stayed with them, became part of them. So, how one chose to run was seen as a highly personal decision. Luca always found that t