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5 My worst nightmare

Hirudo = the vampire kingdom now ruled by Julian Nikolaevich, younger brother of King Vladimere Nikolaevich

Suckswick is a town in Hirudo

Meet Luan Anderson:

Species - Turned werewolf

Hair color - blonde

Eye color - brown

Age – 24

Date of birth - 22 February

Height – 182 cm

Meet Marrok Green:

Species - Werewolf

Hair color - dark brown

Eye color - hazel

Age – 23

Date of birth - 3 August

Height – 187 cm

Meet Marcus Bladely (Blade):

Species - Vampire

Hair color – dark brown

Eye color – honey brown

Age – 380 (22 turned age)

Height – 185 cm

***POV – Zagon

Portland, one of the cities with the most supernaturals on the planet Earth, only satan knows why. I haven’t seen anything special about this place so far, but that might just be it. Or maybe the forest scenery has something to do with it, lots of natural hiding space for darker beasts.

My eyes move over the packed pub again. The warm earthy colors complement the rustic farmhouse design, sporting lots of wood and iron, to create an intimate and cozy atmosphere. The smell of freshly ground coffee beans and beer smothers the air but in a nice way.

We’ve been to this city on several occasions for a hunt, but never to this part of town for some reason, and I had no idea this homey diner existed until a few hours ago. Yep, we’ve been sitting at the corner booth for quite a while now and I’m slowly getting bored with the street view through the window next to us. I’m not sure why I’m so tensed up today.

Apparently, the girl we’re looking for was last seen here – thanks to Luan’s computer skills. I’ve scanned every person at every table, all the workers, and I watch the door every time the little bell rings when it opens, but so far I haven’t seen any female with a fucking moon printed on her face.

The place seems to be filled with regulars; a strange mix of supernaturals, commoners, and humans. Groups hanging out, talking enthusiastically, a few singles drowning their sorrows and a small number of pairs. There are also the usual mysterious ones lurking in the shadows, trying to hide, but no tattoed Oracle girl. Maybe Luan made a mistake … but that’s highly unlikely, he never does.

I tap my fingers on the table impatiently. For some or other reason my hound is also feeling unsettled. Usually, when he’s on edge, danger lurks just around the corner, but he’s never been like this before. This is different - as if he’s eagerly marking time. Maybe it’s the aftershock of finding out who my father is or the implication that fate might be real.

“… hasn’t any talent.” Playboy Luan has been complaining non-stop about the lack of pretty girls in this city.

“You better keep it in your pants, unlike last time.”

“How could I’ve known she had a husband and that he was a shoot-first-ask-questions-later type of guy?”

Marrok holds up his left hand and wiggles his ring finger.

“Humans wear rings, dude.”

Luan snorts, hosting his familiar ticked-off frown on his face.

“My bad,” he grunts looking down. One downfall of being a wolf; they’re horny most of the time. And my brother rides it like a pro - screwing any willing vagina. Marrok just manages his urges better. Gratifyingly demons are just normally tempted and, even though it took me years to learn to restrain my hound, I now dominate my mind, body, and hound but he can still be slightly unruly at times – like today.

“You can thank your naked ass for quick healing.” Marrok uses every chance he gets to tickle my brother’s nose, cause usually, Luan’s the one with the big mouth.

“And just so you’re in the loop, vamps have special bracelets, elves and fays get tattoos, while wolves and demons leave marks,” Marrok says, but Luan knows all this, he just tends to ignore it when it suits him.

“Ok, I get it, next time I’ll do a full 360 of her body checking for jewelry, bites, or tats before I dive into the tunnel,” Luan rolls his eyes, just a little brassed off. I don’t think he’ll ever learn.

Normally, I would enjoy the payback more, but my hound is steering to rule the roost as if he’s waiting for something special to happen. Fucking dog knows he can’t just come out to play, especially when we’re on Earth. I harshly push him back.

“Luan, found anything new?” I need a diversion while waiting for the girl to make an appearance. But my inner beast is still going crazy, and I can’t let a coo-coo hound lose in a crowded pub on Earth. It takes me a minute or so to pull his strings enough to be able to concentrate on what my brother is saying.

“ … and I had to hack deep into the dark web and found that Mr. Apollyon is a fucking genius. Allegedly his IQ is like 210. Now I know where you get your brains.” He throws some whiskey down his esophagus, “Anyway, almost everything non-magical used by TDF was invented by him.”

He leans forward slightly, “There are even some rumors that he was trying to manipulate DNA strands, wanting to build the ultimate weapon, but he couldn’t quite get it right.” He sits back again.

“You have to admire the guy a little.” Luan pulls up his shoulders and continues, “except the part where he’s a dark psychotic mass-murderer.”

My brother looks around as if checking that nobody is eavesdropping.

“There’s something else,” he says softly, leaning forward and gesturing for us to do the same, “you know he set some vampires free to do his bidding? Guess what I found?” He looks super excited.

I look at Marrok and he looks back at me, neither of us in the mood to play guessing games.

“Those vamps also killed a royal couple – the wolf prince and his elven princess mate.” Luan continues.

“Okay, so,” Luan looks around again, and pulls out his laptop, “they killed two royals, and I was thinking, there must be a serious thick case file about the incident and if I hack into TDF, maybe we can find a link back to your dad.”

“You want to hack into The Dark Firm?” Marrok asks surprised.

“Don’t judge … and it won’t be the first time.”

“No judgment here, I’m proud,” Marrok says pulling a face. Luan is already typing on the keyboard.

“Ok, I’m in! Let’s see, both kings helped with the case - obviously,” Luan mumbles to himself, “ and it was closed days after the attack, all the vampires responsible have been caught and executed. Let’s just … “ He types some more and then he lifts his hands from the keyboard, his face one of shocking revelation.

“What?” I ask.

“Eh, I’ve pulled the mugshots of those vamps … “ He turns the computer slightly so we can see.

A big black dude with a huge scar on the left side of his face stares from the screen. The word ‘deceased’ is written in red diagonally over the photo. Luan looks at us waiting for the information to sink in.

Marrok turns a whiter shade of pale and it feels as if my blood is clotting in my veins. Fuck! It’s the leader of the vampires that murdered Marrok’s parents. The same photo Desmond deleted from his laptop a few days ago.

“So … this vampire that, most likely, worked for my father, was one of those that killed the prince and princess – then he gets executed – but years later his brood kills Marrok’s family, and now he’s burning blonde wolf girls … and the Demonant deletes his photo … does this make any sense to you?” They shake their heads. Something very peculiar is going on here.

“It seems that there’s a coverup, someone powerful must be protecting him,” Luan says typing again without looking up from the screen.

“Powerful? Like my father maybe?” I ask.

“Maybe … but that would mean he still has contacts in the firm …” Luan answers without stopping his fingers from playing the keyboard like a pianist.

Marrok snorts through his nose. He is super quiet and I guess it’s because of the not-so-good news. I follow his gaze to the cocky vampire, that’s been serving our table, standing behind the bar counter.

I know it won’t take much to provoke Marrok if the look on his face is any indication.

The vamp drabs an unruly black curl behind his ear and smiles at the girl paying her bill. She turns beet red and writes something on a napkin – I guess it’s her phone number. He winks at her while stuffing the napkin in his back pocket. Great, a vampire replica of Luan.

The girl walks out, looking back before closing the door behind her. I watch her through the window until she disappears.

“I found him, “ Luan almost shouts, then he looks around frantically, before whispering again, “I found his information - James Bladely, born 2 November, 386 years old, turned at the age of 28, last known address is in Suckswick, Hirudo, no phone number listed.”

Marrok grunts and pulls his mouth in a snarl, but I know he won’t do something impulsive. If anything, Marrok is the most responsible in our little group, the one that can deliberate a situation and act accordingly.

“There’s nothing about Polly, but I’ll dig a bit deeper later in private.” Luan slams the computer close.

“Polly?” Marrok looks just as lost as me.

“Yes, we can’t go on calling your dad by his full name all the time, you know just in case someone’s listening,” Luan shrugs his shoulders as if it’s common knowledge. Ok, it does make sense. Polly, it is then.

The little bell on the door chimes announcing the arrival of a small figure drowning in an oversized grey hoody and my hound jumps into action, taking me by surprise. For a moment my eyes go black before I can push him back forcefully. Stupid dog. What the fuck is wrong with him today? I swear softly, causing both of my companions to look inquisitively at me.

The vampire waiter’s face lights up and it piques my interest. The person’s hands are stuck into the pockets of a pair of tight jeans. I peek my super-senses to hear what they’re saying, while still fighting my hound for control.

“Hey, how was training?” The vampire moves around the counter and takes the figure into his arms, looking down, his body hiding the person’s face from us.

“After all this time and you still ask me that. You know Harrok doesn’t take it easy on me and I have … “ The object of the definite female voice holds out her arm and pulls up the sleeve, “… eh had a few cuts to prove it.” My hound is going ballistic and I’m getting rather fed-up, and if I wasn’t so preoccupied with the girl at the door, I would put him in his place, once and for all.

The vampire laughs and strokes over the exposed skin of her arm. “Yeh, quick-healing is such a downer. You never have evidence of any proclaimed abuse.” Ok, guess that makes her a vamp or a wolf or something with healing powers. She’s too far for me to differentiate her smell from all the others in the canteen.

“What’s with the hoody?” The vampire asks, sounding a bit surprised.

“Eh, struggling with my inner beast for some kind of shitty unknown reason.” So it isn’t just my dog acting out at least. Maybe it’s close to a full moon. That could explain it I guess.

“Oh, PMS, good to … ” The girl puts up her hand to his face, stopping him mid-sentence.

“Shut up, Blade.”

My hound goes mad again and I’m truly getting rather pissed off with him.

Can this be our girl? Is that what my hound is trying to tell me?

“You think that could be her?” Luan asks the same question, his attention glued to the two figures.

The girl laughs and pulls down the hoody exposing some light blonde hair and revealing her face for the first time. Our eyes lock into a distant staredown lasting a few hours or a few seconds, I truly can’t say. Even from here, I can see my shock mirrored on her face. She’s fucking beautiful, a 15 out of 10 in anyone’s book.

“Have you guys noticed the pretty girl at the door?” Luan expresses my thoughts again.

“NO!” I growl a bit harshly, still busy with the war between my inner-selves.

“Great, cause I haven’t noticed, not at all,” my brother continues quickly, leaning away from me.

She quickly pulls her hood back up, and walks through the tables to the far side of the canteen, sitting down at a table in the corner facing us.

Something is pulling me to her, and I have a good idea of what it is. This is not at all how I imagined it would be. Fuck! Fuck! Triple fuck! I think I’ve just met my worst nightmare, the thing I’m most afraid of in this world.

I manage to control my inner beings, only by the skin of my teeth, something rather unfamiliar to me, the king of self-control. Hell, I haven't felt like this since I was around 7 and something deep inside my mind stirs forth my already tense nerves.

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