Chapter 7: Wolf
An hour later, Becca went to check on Derek, who was still fast asleep. She placed a hand against his forehead and was pleased to discover that he no longer had a fever. She headed back downstairs and used Derek’s laptop to update her blog and other social media sites. She decided to order Derek his very own new smart phone and ordered a little present for Derek as well. It was with his money, but whatever. Then there was a knock on the door.
Becca went to answer the front door, and opened it to reveal Tristan Savant holding a gold box of freshly made chocolates in his hands. There was a huge grin on his handsome face. Tristan Savant was a sight for sore eyes. He was a type of candy on his own - eye candy. He had long, blue-black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and exotic bi-colored eyes - one was gold, the other a sapphire blue. His skin porcelain white and he was wearing his chocolatier jacket, black pants and shiny dress shoes.
Becca had fallen for his pretty face, but hadn’t been able to handle his baggage of being half-incubus and his guilt over his ex-girlfriend’s suicide. She’d been a coward. And she really regretted that.
“Hey, babe. Here are some of my very special chocolates.” Tristan handed Becca the box.
Becca took the box with a grateful look on her face. “Hey, Tristan. Thank you.”
“I hope they work out for you. I really do.” Tristan said sincerely.
“Thanks. I hope so too.” Becca said thinking that this was beginning to get a little bit awkward between them.
“When you open your heart to love…love will find you, Rebecca.” Tristan said before turning around and heading towards his truck, which was parked right out front. The exterior of the food truck had been painted a sky-blue and had the design of fluffy clouds and voluptuous angels on it. Those angels looked oddly real somehow. Becca thought. It was like she could feel them watching her.
“Hold up, Tristan. What’s the deal with those angels on your truck?” She called out.
“Oh, these beauties? Derek painted them for me. They’re my guardian angels.” Tristan bragged.
Becca smiled at that. “I’ll bet. Bye! Say ‘hi’ to Issy for me!”
“Will do. I just hope she doesn’t get jealous.” Tristan smiled ruefully. “Issy can be really scary when she gets jealous.”
“Playboy.” Becca teased. She closed the door behind him. It felt like she was closing the door to a certain part of her past and taking a step forward to her own future.
Alright! It’s time to seduce a stubborn Druid! Becca headed to her room to take a quick shower and afterwards entered the walk-in closet to select a sexy outfit. She found a red leather corset and a matching mini skirt. A pair of red high heels had already arrived from Amazon, and she put them on. Becca checked out her reflection in the mirror - high heels changed everything!
Becca grabbed the box of chocolates and headed to Derek’s room. Becca opened the door and made her way inside. She went to Derek’s bedside, and set the box down on the night table. She grabbed a bottle of Aloe vera and climbed onto the bed next to Derek. Time to do naughty things to celebrate his recovery. Becca thought. She leaned over to whisper in Derek’s ear, “Wake up, Derek.”
Derek awoke, turned his head to see Becca, and her cleavage was right in his face. Whoa! “B-Becca…” Derek pushed himself up into a sitting position with his back against the headboard. “What’s up?”
Becca showed Derek the bottle of Aloe vera with an innocent look on her face. “I read online that Aloe vera is good to use on someone with sun poisoning. It will help soothe and cool down your overly heated skin. I was thinking I could help put some on you.”
“Uh…I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Becca.” Derek began to object.
Becca rolled her eyes at Derek. “Oh, come on, we’re both adults here. Let me help you, Derek. Please.” She gave him a pleading look.
It was the ‘please’ that undid him. He swallowed, and his throat felt dry at the thought of having Becca’s hands on his hot flesh. “Uh…okay.”
Becca beamed at him. “Take off your shirt.” Her tone was giddy, excited.
Derek did as he was told, took off his shirt, and tossed it aside. Becca squirted some Aloe vera into her hands, and scooted closer to Derek. She placed her hands on his pecs and began to rub the Aloe vera into his flesh gently.
Derek let out a sigh of relief and pleasure. He had to admit that it felt really good and the Aloe vera was cooling down his skin.
Becca ran her hands innocently over Derek’s tanned, muscular chest and torso, down his rippling abs, and then up and down his arms. His flesh felt so hot.
Derek had closed his eyes in bliss at her ministrations.
Becca squirted more Aloe vera onto her hands and returned to Derek’s chest. She rubbed Derek’s nipples with the palms of her hands gently and in a circular motion.
Derek gasped at the erotic sensation and blood rushed to his cock. His hips bucked up of their own accord and his eyes flew open. “Becca, what are you…?” He gave her a suspicious look.
Becca pulled back and gave Derek an angelic look. “What?”
“Er…nothing, never mind.” Derek said, feeling embarrassed. Get your mind out of the gutter, Derek. Becca unbuttoned Derek’s pants and slid down the zipper. Derek reached out and grabbed her hands to stop her. “Becca!” He burst out in a scandalized tone.
“What?” Becca continued to give him that beguiling look. “I’m just going to rub Aloe vera on your legs. It’s to lower your entire body temperature. Why? What did you think I was going to do? Perv.” This is total BS. I hope he falls for it though…
Derek flushed. “Er…nothing. I…proceed.” He said in a husky voice. Becca pulled Derek’s pants off and tossed them to the floor. Now Derek was only in a pair of boxer briefs.
“Mmm.” Becca could already see that his boxers had gotten tight.
Derek looked down at his crotch and blushed. “Ah…sorry.”
“Shhh…just relax…” Becca cooed as she squirted Aloe vera onto her hands and began to run her hands up and down Derek’s legs in a professional manner.
Derek relaxed at her gentle touch, his eyes closed again, and he rested his head against his pillow. He felt so weak. He needed to feed badly, but…feeding while Becca lived under the same roof as him just felt wrong somehow.
Becca waited until Derek had lowered his guard before she began to rub Aloe vera on his inner thighs. He became aroused. Before Derek could tell her to stop she had already pulled her hands away.
Derek’s eyes flew open, and he sat up to see Becca grabbing a gold box from the night table.
“I bought you a present.” Becca said as she opened the gold box to reveal the chocolates within. They looked amazingly delicious. They were all different shapes: hearts, circles, rectangles, and leaves. “They’re all different flavors.”
“What did I do to deserve this?” Derek asked.
Becca selected a chocolate and held it out to Derek. “You risked your life to protect me that night. Also, I think it’s high time someone rewarded you for protecting this city. You’re its secret hero…like Batman or something. You deserve a reward.”
Batman? That’s hitting it a little close to the mark. “Rebecca.” Derek breathed in surprise, touched by her kind words.
Becca took advantage of Derek’s open mouth and plopped the chocolate inside.
Derek chewed and swallowed. “Mmm. Wow.” The chocolate bonbon tasted like it had a liqueur in it.
“Was it good?” Becca asked with a hopeful expression on her face.
“Very good.” Derek readily assured her.
“I actually have another present for you. It arrived while you were sleeping.” Becca explained as she reached over to the night table and grabbed something. She then held it up to Dearg. It was a smart phone with a Batman cell phone strap. “Ta-dah! Your very own smart phone and cell phone strap. Actually…” Becca began with a blush and grabbed
her own smart phone. “We have couple cell phone straps.” She held up her smart phone to show Dearg the Catwoman cell phone strap that was dangling from it.
Derek’s lips twitched with amusement. “Batman and Catwoman, huh?”
“I’ve always been a fan of that ship.” Becca set the phones back on the night table, selected another chocolate, and held it out to him. “Have another.”
Derek leaned forward and took the chocolate from her fingers with his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. A strange warm, tingly feeling was forming in his lower stomach.
Becca selected another chocolate. “My hero deserves this special treat.”
Derek took the offered chocolate with his mouth again, but this time he let his tongue caress the very tips of Becca’s fingers as he took the chocolate into his mouth.
Becca shivered at the feeling of Derek licking her fingers. She continued to feed Derek chocolates, and had a few of them herself.
For some reason, Derek couldn’t stop eating them. They were probably the most delicious thing he’d ever eaten. And they were addicting somehow.
Becca placed a chocolate between her lips and neared Derek’s face with it. He took the chocolate hungrily, and ended up kissing Becca passionately. Becca straddled Derek so she could deepen their kiss and placed her hands on his bare chest to steady herself.
Derek groaned as he swirled his tongue around Becca’s, tasting chocolate, and also the sweet, tangy, lime flavor of Becca. Her leather skirt was riding up her thighs and revealing her long, lithe legs. His eyes were drawn to her golden-hued flesh. So darn sexy.
Derek couldn’t resist placing his hands on her hips and running his hands down her thighs and over her legs.
Becca pulled back to catch her breath.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” Derek groaned as he felt up her legs.
Becca smiled devilishly at Derek. “Oh yes, we should. I think this city’s hero deserves a reward for a job well done. A very special reward. Let me take care of you, Derek. Let me cherish you.” Becca purred in that southern drawl of hers before kissing her way down Derek’s neck to his chest. She then started to kiss his arm tattoos.
Déjà vu. Cinnia had done that to him during their wedding night. She’d kissed Derek’s tattoos and traced their designs with her wicked tongue.
And Rebecca Thorn was doing it now. Her skillful, hot, wet tongue was tracing the designs of his tattoos almost lovingly. It touched something deep inside of Derek. Something that he’d had locked up tight for more than two millennia.
Derek felt like he was in a dream. He was still feeling a bit lightheaded because of his need to feed and the sun poisoning. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.
Becca kissed her way back up Derek’s body and captured his lips hungrily with hers. Derek eagerly kissed her back. He couldn’t get enough of this woman in his arms. She was so irresistible. Addicting. Just like the chocolates.
While Becca distracted Derek with her kissing, she removed her panties and flung them aside. She reached down and used her hand to guide him to her. Derek startled and pushed her back while giving her a questioning look. “Becca…?”
“Please, Derek. I need you.” Becca gave him a pleading look.
Please. There was that word again. Derek nodded dazedly. He had no willpower left to resist this fiery temptress in his arms.
Becca united their bodies.
The vampire gasped at the sensation. Becca gasped too as they became one. It felt so good to be one with him. It felt like…coming home for some reason. Tears sprang to her eyes for a reason she couldn’t explain.
Derek looked up at Becca concernedly, and reached up to brush her tears away with his thumbs. “Are you okay, lo-er, Becca?” I almost called her ‘love’.
“Ah, yes. I don’t know why I’m crying. I feel so good. It’s just…I feel strange.” Becca shook her head confusedly. She couldn’t explain it in words. That she felt like she’d done this before with him. She almost felt like a virgin in his embrace. Everything about this moment felt so intense and different from any other time she’d made love with a man before. No, she was beginning to realize that those times she thought she was ‘making love’ were just ‘having sex’. Right now in that moment, she was truly ‘making love’ to someone.
“I’m going to move now.” Becca breathed before she started to surge over him. Derek grabbed onto her hips and groaned. Having her in his arms felt wonderful. Becca leaned over Derek and kissed him as they made love. The feeling was extraordinary.
Derek could feel himself getting close. “Becca…I’m going to…!”
“Yes…claim me.” Becca readily agreed.
“Ladies first.” Derek said as he reached between their bodies and began to caress her.
Becca was so stunned by Derek’s ministrations that she stopped moving. “What are you…?”
“Let me give you mind-numbing pleasure, Becca.” Derek urged in his deep, husky voice as he continued to caress her skillfully.
Becca grabbed onto his shoulders. “Wait, stop. I feel strange. What is this…?” She could feel the heat building within her, and then a wave of pleasure crashed into her. She cried out Derek’s name. “Derek!” Her blood felt like it was on fire, her body was tingling all over, and she trembled against Derek in sheer ecstasy. When it finally stopped, she collapsed on top of Derek, panting for breath. “What…what was that?”
Derek’s eyes popped. “You mean your…?”
“That’s the first time that’s happened.” Becca admitted shyly with a slight blush to her cheeks. The freckles on her nose were really standing out all of a sudden.
Becca’s startling revelation had Derek joining her with a shout. “Becca!” He claimed her fully. Mine. He thought dazedly.
Becca was still collapsed on top of him. He turned his head and could see the throbbing pulse on Becca’s neck. Derek’s fangs lengthened inside of his mouth of their own accord. He could see the blood rushing through her veins next. He hissed and neared his fangs to her neck. He was about to bite her when he pulled back sharply, suddenly realizing what he had almost done. Crap! What the hell is wrong with me? I’m loosing control.
Derek moved Becca off of him, sprang off the bed and rushed for the bathroom. He entered, shut the door and locked it behind him.
“Derek? What the hell?” Becca grabbed the bed sheet, wrapped it around her, got off the bed, and headed towards the bathroom door. She tried the knob and was surprised to find that Derek had locked the door. “Hey. What’s wrong? Let me in.”
“No! Go away! Leave me alone!” Derek shouted through the door.
Becca’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Derek…?”
“Go!” He yelled back loudly.
Becca’s temper snapped and she pounded on the door angrily. “Let me in, you jerk! Don’t do this! Don’t push me away!” Becca pounded on the door until her hand hurt. “Dang it.” She shook her red, throbbing hand. After all that, he still wouldn’t let her in. Just when she thought they were getting closer, that’s when he’d pull away from her. He was always putting up walls that she kept trying to take down. And she was sick of it! It was like Derek didn’t trust her. And that hurt.
“Alright…fine! Be that way! Keep putting your guard up!” Becca stomped angrily out of the bedroom and Derek listened to her go.
Derek leaned his back against the bathroom door, and slid down the door to sit on the floor. He put his face in his hands. His fangs were still elongated. He was so thirsty. Thirsty for blood. He was craving blood so badly that he couldn’t trust himself around Becca right then, and wouldn’t open up that door regardless of what she said. He had to protect her, from himself.
Derek was so weak, he ended up falling asleep, right there on the cold, tiled floor. He awoke the next day and reached out his dulled senses to make sure Becca wasn’t in his bedroom. He realized that regardless of what he wanted, he had to feed. If he continued to be stubborn and didn’t,
he’d only become a danger to Becca.
Derek stood up, opened the bathroom door, and entered his bedroom. He made his way over to the pet tank that was filled with rats. He removed the screen lid, reached in and pulled out a rat. He sunk his fangs into the creature and drank its blood. He moaned in pleasure, and was immediately disgusted with himself.
Derek drained it dry and then opened his python’s tank to toss the dead rat inside. One rat wasn’t nearly enough though, and Derek grabbed another. He sunk his fangs into the rat and drank its blood. He could feel blood dripping down his chin but he didn’t care. He was so thirsty. I must have more…more blood!
A gasp was heard and Derek looked up to see Becca standing in the doorway to his bedroom with a horrified look on her face. “You…you’re a vampire! You lied to me. You…monster!” Becca turned and fled from the room.
Derek tossed the rat into his python’s tank and took off after Becca. “Becca, wait, let me explain!”
Becca ran down the stairs. “What is there to explain? You’re a vampire! I can’t believe you kept that from me!”
“I had to. It was for your own safety! I have powerful enemies, Becca. I didn’t want you to get involved in my life. The less you knew the better!” Derek argued. “I just wanted to keep you safe.”
Becca began to walk through the tattoo parlor and headed for the front door of the townhouse. “Oh, you mean enemies like Dracula and Neena? Well, you know what? I’ve already met them! Well, I met Neena and the creepy twin vampire girls. They were going to torture me, but Slaine rescued me!”
“Wait! What? When did this happen?” Derek demanded as he followed her across his tattoo parlor.
“When I went shoe shopping Neena kidnapped me. How do you think I got that disgusting scar on my shoulder? Neena tried to take a bite out of me. Then she took me to the basement of Iron Casket. These vampire twin girls were there. I think their names were Yoko and Koko. They wanted to hurt me, but Slaine distracted them and I was able to escape. Is that what you tried to protect me from? Well, you failed, vampire!” Becca grabbed the doorknob.
“Becca, please, wait. You know I can’t go out there in broad daylight. We need to talk about this. About us.” Derek pleaded, his voice thick with emotion.
“There is no ‘us’. You’ve made that pretty clear, Derek.” Becca stated coldly before opening the door and heading outside into the light of day. She closed the door behind her.
“Dang it!” Derek swore and kicked the door. It felt like Becca had just ripped his heart out - like she’d taken a piece of him with her. It was in that moment that Derek realized that he was falling for Becca Thorn, despite his promise to Cinnia to love her forever. He may have been in love with her already…
And he had to find out the truth about that. He couldn’t let Becca go this way. He had to protect her. He…loved her! I frigin love her. I can’t let her go out there on her own. I have to protect her. She’s mine!
Derek grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened the door. He was dressed in only a pair of boxer shorts, but he didn’t care. He had to speak to Becca and tell her how he felt about her. The vampire ran out of his shop and into the sun.
His eyes stung and he could feel his skin burning. He looked around for Becca and spotted her speed walking down the sidewalk. “Becca! Wait!” Derek called after her as he ran towards her. She was already a couple blocks away.
Becca spun around at the sound of his voice, and her eyes widened at the sight of him coming towards her in the sunlight. His exposed skin was turning red right before her eyes, then blistering, and then most shocking of all Derek’s skin began to catch on fire. Becca gasped. “Derek! You idiot! Get back inside! You’ll kill yourself!” She shouted.
“No! There’s something I need to tell you first!” Derek stubbornly continued forward.
Becca hesitated, but only for a moment. The sight of Derek on fire and walking towards her, stirred something very profound deep within her. Her heart broke at the sight of him hurting for her. “Derek!” Becca began to run towards him. However-
Someone stood in her path and she ran right into them. Becca looked up to see a middle-aged man in a black, hooded, leather vest, leather pants, and boots. He had blue Celtic tattoos on his arms just like Derek’s. “A Hunter?”
The Hunter smiled before putting a rag doused with chloroform up against Becca’s face.
Becca’s eyes bulged and she was knocked out cold.
The Hunter caught Becca as she collapsed and carried her over to a black Mercedes with tinted windows that was waiting for him. The rear door opened and he got inside of the car with Becca. The Hunter closed the door behind them.
It all happened so fast. In seconds, and there was nothing Derek could do about it!
“BECCA!” Derek roared as he ran after her and the car. But it was too late…they were already driving off. “No…Becca…!”
“What the hell are you doing, idiot!” Came an angry, booming voice.
A pair of big, brawny arms reached out, grabbed Derek, and pulled him into the darkness of a nearby alleyway. As soon as Derek was out of the sun the small fires on his exposed flesh went out.
Derek didn’t even care who’d saved him. He just continued to gaze forlornly in the direction the car with Becca had gone.
Garth slammed Derek into the brick wall to get his attention. “If you’d stayed out there a second longer you’d be dust!”
Derek looked up at Garth with a desolate look on his face. “What would it matter, Garth? I failed to protect Becca. They’ve taken her.”
Garth frowned. “Who? The vampires?”
Derek shook his head. “No, the Hunters.”
Garth scratched his head and a confused look came over his face. “What would the Hunters want with Becca?”
Derek shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe they plan to use her against me somehow? Maybe she’s bait to lure me out? Whatever the reason - it can’t be good.” He let out a defeated sigh. “Why are you even here, Garth?”
“I was on my way to check on you guys, when I saw you on fire. Crap. I hope no one saw that. You’re crazy, you know?” Garth peered out at the sidewalk. “I gotta get you home somehow.” The shifter looked around the alley and spotted a large dumpster. A glint game to his golden eyes. He picked Derek up and carried him over to the open dumpster.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing, Garth?” Derek demanded.
“Saving your butt.” Garth stated before tossing Derek into the dumpster and closing the lid.
“Garth, let me out of here!” Derek shouted.
“No can do. Not until we get back to your place anyways.” Garth said as he began to push the dumpster out of the alleyway and down the street.
“You jerk! I’m so going to kill you! There’s…disgusting stuff in here!” The vampire complained.
Garth chuckled darkly. “Yeah, yeah.” He pushed the dumpster down the street and headed to Voodoo Tattoo. He opened the door of the shop and pushed the dumpster over so Derek along with a bunch of garbage rolled into the shop.
“Garth!” Derek sprang to his feet, covered in foul-smelling garbage. “Look at the mess you’ve made!”
“Your welcome. Have fun cleaning that up. Maybe next time you’ll think twice before going out in the sun because I’d just do this again to save you.” Garth crossed his arms over his chest and gave Derek a stern look.
Derek ran a hand back through his hair and found a banana peel. “Ugh.” He tossed the peel aside. “Alright, I get it. I’ll try not to be so stupid next time. I promise.”
Garth put a hand on Derek’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. We’ll get her back.”
“Garth?”
“Yeah?”
“Get your hand off my shoulder - it frigin hurts!” Derek complained and made a beeline for the stairs. He was going to cover his entire body with Aloe vera A-SAP.
***
Becca was terrified as she regain
ed consciousness to find herself in a car with four other people whom she didn’t know. The man who’d grabbed her off the street had lowered his hood to reveal a real hard-boiled man with brown hair with a stripe running through it. He was currently smoking a Cuban cigar.
Driving the car was a young man. His hood was down revealing a black Mohawk and his entire face had been tattooed to resemble a snake’s face with green scales. Freaky. Becca thought. A large green, yellow, and red snake tattoo coiled around his entire right arm and shoulder, and on his other arm there was a Chinese dragon tattoo. This guy was definitely into reptiles. Could this guy get any scarier?
Sitting in the passenger side seat was a young woman. Her hood was raised and so Becca couldn’t see much of her face, but she had long, black hair with scattered braids. Her vest was unzipped low to reveal her cleavage, and the black antlers tattooed on her chest. The antlers probably belonged to a stag tattoo. She also had various other tattoos on her arms in black ink - a fox, owl, and butterfly among them.
“Vortigern, are you sure she’s the one my grandmother wants?” The raven-haired girl asked.
“You saw it for yourself, didn’t you, Fiadh? That vampire was running after her in broad daylight. She’s the one we want alright. Derek Dearg’s…love.” The hard-boiled man sneered the word ‘love’.
“And you’re sure Derek is the one who killed Keane?” Fia asked.
“He denied it, of course. But vampires are not to be trusted. You know that better than most. They cannot escape their true nature. He dared to take my son’s place as the Hunter for this city and that I won’t ever forgive.” Vortigern rumbled in his thick British accent.
“She’s just so…American. Did you see the shoes she’s wearing? She wouldn’t be able to fight in those, or run.” Fia scoffed. “The vampires would kill her in less than a second. I really don’t know what my grandmother is thinking.”
Vortigern shrugged. “Dealande saw a possible future where this girl is useful somehow. I trust Dealande’s judgment, for the most part.” He puffed on his cigar and released a perfect smoke ring.
Becca had had enough of eavesdropping on their conversation, which wasn’t making any sense at all. “Who the hell are you weirdos? Where do you think you’re taking me! Why did you kidnap me?”
“Ah, Sleeping Beauty is awake.” Vortigern drawled in an amused tone.
“Kidnap, she says. Ungrateful woman.” The young man with the snake tattoo on his face snarled nastily. “We just saved your life, woman. Did you not notice the vampire on fire that was chasing after you?”
Becca frowned. “I wasn’t in any danger from him. He’s my…friend. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Friend?” Fia sneered. “Don’t you mean ‘lover’? I can still see the bite mark on your neck. You’re lucky he didn’t inject his saliva into your veins, or else you’d be a flesh-eating zombie right about now.”
Becca raised her hand to cover the bite mark on her neck from Slaine and frowned. She wanted to correct their assumption that Derek had bitten her…but why bring up Slaine? Becca dropped her hand. “Again, it’s really none of your business.”
“Stupid girl.” Fia groused. “In love with a vampire.”
“Don’t worry, Fia. I’m sure Dealande will set her straight.” Vortigern assured.
Fia sighed. “I hope so. Step on it, Nathair.”
“You got it.” Nathair drove the group to a four-story, brick townhouse. All of its windows were covered by thick drapes. Nathair and Fia exited the car first. Vortigern exited the car next, and grabbed Becca’s arm before dragging her out of the car.
“Don’t I get a say in any of this?” Becca demanded.
“You’re coming with us. It’s for your own good, girl.” Vortigern said firmly.
Becca looked up at the sinister looking townhouse. It looked haunted. She shuddered. “What is this place?” It looks like the perfect setting for a horror film.
A dark shadow fell over Vortigern’s face. “My son Keane used to live here. He was the Hunter in charge of protecting San Francisco from vampiric threat.”
“Your son? Was?” Becca prodded.
“He was killed…by a vampire. And your ‘friend’ Derek has taken his place. I have reason to believe Derek killed my son.” Vortigern explained darkly.
Becca shook her head, and an adamant expression formed on her face. “Derek wouldn’t do something like that. It was probably some other vampire. Derek told me he is a Hunter.”
“A Hunter…who is a vampire? Don’t be ridiculous. No vampire can control their thirst for blood. It will ultimately control them.” Fia insisted.
“Derek doesn’t feed from humans he…feeds from rats.” Becca guessed. Now the pet tanks in Derek’s room were making a whole lot of sense. He probably fed from the rats and then gave the dead rats to his pet python, Nagini.
Vortigern, Fia and Nathair gave Becca curious looks.
“I’ve never heard of a vampire managing to survive on animal blood alone.” Nathair said.
“It’s just more of his lies.” Fia huffed. “He probably told her that…but I wouldn’t believe it.”
Vortigern dragged Becca to the front door and opened it. He ushered her inside, and Fia and Nathair followed. Nathair shut the door behind them.
“Grandma! We’re back! Where are you?” Fia called out.
“I’m in the living room, Fia.” A raspy voice called out.
Vortigern dragged Becca through the foyer and into the living room while Fia and Nathair followed close behind. The living room had purple, velvet drapes on the windows, and scented candles were lit and burning everywhere. They had to pass through a beaded curtain as they entered the room. Becca’s attention was drawn to the dream catchers on the walls, and shelves that were filled with lots of New Age knickknacks and accessories. The furniture looked comfortable but threadbare.
Seated on one of the couches was a teen female Druid. She was wearing a dark purple, leather vest with hood, which was down, revealing her short, purple hair. The Druidess was wearing purple, leopard print pants with black spots on them, and boots. She had a lit cigarette sticking out of her mouth, and was currently reading a magazine. Her arms were covered with purple wildcat tattoos: a panther, a tiger, a leopard, and a house cat among them. Okay. Someone has a purple fetish. Becca thought.
Seated beside the girl with purple hair was a young man that appeared to be around the same age as the Druidess and who looked related. He also looked like a total, Goth punk with spiked-up blonde hair, and a spiked leather collar around his neck. He was wearing a black, hooded, vest, but his hood was down revealing the tattoos on his face that resembled black wings. The black wings extended down from his eyes in an arc, and almost looked like black tear tracks until one moved closer and saw the feathers. On his arms were lots of crow tattoos, and his shoulders to his elbows had been tattooed with feathers, making it look like he had wings.
Lastly, Becca’s eyes were drawn to a round table that had a purple tablecloth and a crystal ball sitting in the center of it. Seated at this table was an old woman with long white hair with scattered braids. Her eyes were milky white. A blue butterfly had been tattooed across her face. She was wearing a dark blue, medieval gown with belled sleeves. Although Becca suspected that she was hiding more tattoos beneath those sleeves. Becca noticed that the woman was wearing a necklace with a crescent moon on it that resembled the necklace she’d seen in the room Derek had made like a shrine for Cinnia.
The Druid with the bird tattoos looked up and grinned excitedly. “Hey, look who’s back!” In his excitement he accidentally dropped his magazine revealing that he’d been using it to conceal the Playboy magazine he’d really been looking at. He looked down at his fallen magazine and blushed. “Oops.”
Fia gave the young man a disgusted look. “Feannag, you are disgusting.”
Fean grabbed his porn magazine and slid it behind one of the pillows on the couch. “Wh
at? You’re imagining things, Fia.” His gaze shifted to Becca and he raked his eyes over her as he checked her out. “Who’s the babe? And is she single?” He waggled his eyebrows at Becca.
“This is vampire Derek Dearg’s lover.” Fia sneered. “So yeah, she’s tainted.”
Fean looked crestfallen by the news and sat back on the couch. “Oh…it’s her.”
Becca was irked by his disappointed tone.
“I’ve been expecting you, Rebecca Thorn.” The old woman spoke out in her raspy voice. “Come, sit here, child.” She waved her hand to the chair in front of her.
Becca hesitated but Vortigern gave her a little shove in the old woman’s direction. “Go on, girl. She won’t bite.”
Becca frowned at Vortigern and went to take a seat in front of Dealande.
Dealande waved her hand over her crystal ball and smoke appeared to swirl within. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you. I’ve had visions of you since I was a little girl. Visions of possible futures, and in one of my visions I saw you defeat a great evil that not only threatened the peace and safety of this city, but the entire world.”
Becca looked over her shoulder, expecting someone to be standing behind her. She pointed to herself. “You mean me? You can’t be serious.”
Dealande reached out and put her hand on Becca’s. “Dead serious. You are one of us, Becca. You just don’t remember your past life.”
“Excuse me? Past life?” Becca questioned, feeling like she’d fallen into some kind of weird dream. Definitely falling down the rabbit hole here.
“Yes. In your past life you were a Druid Vampire Hunter…it is also why you were able to control the magical tattoo on your lower back without it having to activate on its own to protect you.” Dealande explained while giving Becca a knowing look.
Becca narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Dealande. “How do you know about that?”
Dealande chuckled. “I see a lot…and I don’t see at all. These visions of mine have cost me my sight. One cannot peer into the future without consequence.” Dealande pulled her hand back, removed her necklace, and held it up before Becca. “Watch the pendant, child.”
Unbidden, Becca’s eyes began to follow the swing of Dealande’s pendant as it swung back and forth, back and forth.
“Fia, light the incense.” Dealande directed her granddaughter.
“Yes, Grandmother.” Fia moved around the room and lit incense in various holders. The smell of sandalwood filled the room.
“It is time for you to remember your past. To remember who you once were…in order to become one of us and the heroine we need to save this city.” Dealande said as she swung the pendant back and forth. “Now…remember more than two millennia ago when you lived in the Blood Oak Village. Dream and remember, child.”
Becca’s eyes drifted shut and she fell into a deep sleep, where she began to remember memories of her past life.
More than two millennia ago, her name had been Cinnia. Becca realized that the red-haired woman she’d been dreaming about lately was…her. And that that woman was Cinnia.
Becca began to recall and dream about her life as Cinnia in the Blood Oak Village. She remembered how her parents had raised her as a boy so that she could become a ‘Hunter’ because she possessed blood magic. She remembered how she’d befriended a fellow Hunter-in-training named Dearg. They had been best friends, and then they’d met Hunchback and had befriended him too.
The trio had been inseparable and undefeatable. And when Cinnia’s secret that she was female had been revealed she recalled how Dearg had stood up for her and protected her. And Hunchback had protected her too.
FLASHBACK
Time passed and at the age of sixteen the Druid Vampire Hunter trainees got their level five tattoos. These were usually animals that could be used for transportation or attack such as: horses, unicorns, bulls and bears.
At the age of seventeen the trainees got their final battle tattoos - dragon tattoos. The Druids usually got these tattoos done on their backs, and were quite large and elaborate. For the better part of the year the trainees learned to control their dragon tattoos. These battle tattoos were big enough to enable a Hunter to pour all of their magical energy into it. Dragon tattoos were also the most powerful tattoos in a Druid’s arsenal, and took the most energy to control.
At the end of the year, Corann came up with one final graduation challenge or test that the trainees would have to pass in order to become an official Hunter. That year, the trainees were assigned to take out an entire lair of vampires on their own and without help from the Elite Hunters.
When the day of their final test arrived, the trainees headed through the forest towards the vampire lair that the adult Elite Vampire Hunters had discovered beforehand for the test. Dearg and Cinn walked side by side, leading the group of terrified trainees while Aengus was looking strangely smug.
Even though most of the trainees were terrified out of their minds, Dearg still caught some of the young men sneaking glances Cinnia’s way. Cinnia had grown out her long red hair, which fell to her shoulders now in waves. She was wearing a red, hooded vest that was tight enough to show off her feminine curves, tight, black leather pants and high-heeled boots. Cinnia had become the most beautiful woman in their village, and all of the young men envied Dearg’s relationship with her.
It was during the day, but the trainees carried lit torches in their hands for when they reached the cave. It wasn’t long before they reached the cave and entered, using their torches to see by. They walked through the cave and down its dark narrow passageway until they reached a large, open chamber. There in the chamber were ten closed wooden coffins.
“Here. Hold this.” Dearg handed Cinnia his torch and approached the first coffin. He picked up a crowbar, pried the lid off, picked up the lid, and tossed it aside to reveal that inside of the coffin a vampire was sound asleep with his arms crossed over his chest.
Vampire Fact: Vampires were incredibly sound sleepers during the day, and this was the best time to attack them when they were most vulnerable.
One by one, Dearg used the crowbar to pry off the coffin lids and tossed them aside. Dearg tossed the crowbar to the cave floor, and wiped his hands off. He cautiously backed up several steps and motioned for the other Druid Vampire Hunter trainees to approach. “Alright, everyone. Let’s do this. Summon your battle tattoos.” Dearg directed them before summoning his magical power and holding his arms out before him. His wolf and panther tattoos began to peel off his skin and solidified as they leapt off his arms and landed on the cave floor.
The other trainees followed suit, held out their arms, summoned their magical power, and willed their battle tattoos to materialize. Once every Druid had one or two battle tattoos at the ready Dearg gave the order.
“Now! Attack!” Dearg commanded his wolf and panther tattoos to attack the sleeping vampires.
“Attack!” The voices of the other Hunters rang out as they too commanded their ink creatures to attack the unsuspecting vampires. The ink creatures attacked and went for the vampires’ throats. The vampires came awake screaming and screeching to find ink creatures trying to rip their heads off.
But it was too late.
The ink creatures decapitated the vampires one by one, and the vampires disintegrated into dust. However, the sound of the vampires being murdered alerted the other vampires that were living in the lair to the presences of the Druid Vampire Hunters.
These vampires who’d been sleeping in their coffins in other chambers, came awake and headed for the chamber where the Hunters were. A hissing sound filled the air as vampires began to rush into the chamber baring their fangs and claws. Their eyes were glowing red.
“There are more of them!” A Druid cried out fearfully.
“Don’t panic! Remember your training. We can handle them - as long as we stick together!” Dearg called out, rallying the Hunters.
“Aye!” Everyone shouted back and prepare
d for battle.
***
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Hunchback was entering his cave dwelling, and carrying a bundle of firewood. Winter was almost upon them, and it was getting colder in the evenings. Hunchback dropped his bundle of firewood next to his hearth, and wiped his hands off. The hair on the back of his neck prickled in warning.
He was not alone.
Hunchback spun around to come face to face with High Priest Corann, and his band of Elite Druid Vampire Hunters. Dressed in their hooded leather vests, they entered the cave side by side blocking any escape route possible. High Priest Corann stepped forward and lowered his hood to reveal his face to the Unknowable.
“High Priest Corann.” Hunchback murmured.
Corann didn’t look at him. Instead he glanced around the cave dwelling with a sneer on his face, and caught sight of the dark green, hooded cloak the mysterious Archer always wore when he went to the aid of Dearg and Cinnia. He also spotted a bow and quiver of arrows leaning against the cave wall. “So it’s true then…you’re the Archer. I can’t believe my son dared to ally himself with the likes of you - an Unknowable. Seize him!” Corann ordered his Elite.
The Elite sprang into action and attacked Hunchback.
“No! Stay away!” Hunchback cried out, his eyes flashed gold, and a burst of telekinetic energy hit the Elite and knocked them off their feet.
“Fools!” Corann snapped angrily. “Use your battle tattoos! Subdue him! Now!”
The Elites hopped to their feet, stretched their arms out before them, summoned their magical power, and willed their battle tattoos to rise off their arms, materialize and attack Hunchback.
“Two can play at that game.” Hunchback said solemnly as he raised his own arm, summoned his magical power, and willed his griffin tattoo to peel off his arm and attack the other ink creatures.
Corann watched this happening in sheer disbelief. “He summoned an ink creature…impossible. You dare make a mockery of Crom Cruach, you monster! Oh, you will pay for that! And you will tell me who dared to give you those tattoos!”
Corann stealthily made his way over to the bow and quiver of arrows. He slung the quiver over his shoulder, raised the bow, nocked an arrow to it, and aimed at Hunchback’s back.
Fwoosh. An arrow embedded itself in Hunchback’s hump and he cried out in pain.
But Corann wasn’t through with Hunchback just yet, and shot another arrow at the back of Hunchback’s leg. Hunchback stumbled forward to one knee. Corann sent another arrow into the back of Hunchback’s other leg. Then an arrow to Hunchback’s shoulder. Hunchback fell forward to the cave floor, bleeding and trembling in pain.
Corann approached Hunchback with slow, purposeful steps. He stood next to Hunchback and aimed another arrow at Hunchback’s back.
Fwoosh. Hunchback cried out as another arrow pierced his hump, and then another and another, until he lost track of how many arrows had been sent into him.
“You have broken the Blood Oak Clan’s tradition, Unknowable. And that I will never forgive. Our traditions are everything. Without our traditions we would be no different from livestock and at the mercy of the vampires. Unknowables are forbidden from using blood magic and for good reason. Crom Cruach marked you as a sacrifice to serve as payment for the blood magic gifts he has bestowed upon the Hunters. This knowledge has been passed down to us from our ancestors. For your crime you shall be sacrificed. But first…you shall be punished for your insolence.” Corann laughed happily. He always did enjoy a good human sacrifice.
Cinnia. Dearg. Where are you guys? Were Hunchback’s last thoughts as he sunk into unconsciousness.
To be continued in…Tattoo 8: Fox