The Vampire's Harvest

10

You can't stand around and watch your sister get slaughtered by a werewolf. Even in human form, werewolves maintain supernatural strength. The moment he's done toying with Gianette, he'll crush her skull without thinking twice about it. You know your sister's distraught over the decision to make her a breeder, but to do this on her own, unarmed, is beyond foolish. Joining her side won't make it a fair fight, he'll still have the advantage, but she at least might have a chance to escape.

With a roar, you charge forward, pushing the stunned wolves aside and launching yourself at Gianette. She looks over at you, eyes wide, her mouth shaping a word, a shout, a warning, something... You can't tell, all you hear is the sound of the alpha's fist against your chest.

The wind knocks out of you as you skid across the ground, the rough terrain slicing and scraping at your skin. The next seconds feel like hours as your lungs struggle to find air and the spots before your eyes disappear. An invisible wall breaks and oxygen pours into you with a painful gasp. You spit and sputter, your stomach close to expelling everything in it, but after a few desperate heaves, you stabilize. With your breaths coming in slower, steadier, you reach a hand up to your cheek and find blood beading along the various scrapes marring your skin. You look at your red fingertips and then clench your hand into a fist. You're glad it's your blood instead of Gianette's.

"Please! I didn't ask for this to happen!"

You turn to see your sister on her knees, her hands reaching up to the alpha in supplication, but he swipes them away, throwing her to the ground.

"The answer is no," he says with a growl rumbling his words. "Wolves, we have waited long enough. It's time to rid this world of a few more vamps." The pack whoops and howls, many shifting into their wolf form as they start their march into town.

As they do, Ferris steps forward, attempting to draw the alpha's attention while maintaining enough distance to keep him out of arm's reach.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm the leader of the town's coven and we wish to work with you to defeat the vampires. If we could tag along and perform our spell while you distract the vamps..."

But, the alpha keeps moving forward, not so much as glancing over in Ferris's direction. The coven's sigh rolls over the field as the thunder of the wolves' savage charge dissipates into the distance.

"Ferris, I..."

"He didn't say no," the mage replies with a firm set to his jaw, his eyes focused upon the backs of the wolves. "He seemed pretty clear with his answer to Gianette, so I'm taking his lack thereof for us as permission to move forward."

"Ferris, you..."

"What?" he asks, shooting you a vicious glance. "Want to tell me how to run my coven again?"

"No... I guess I just want to say sorry."

"You may have delayed us, but we still have our chance. Save your apologies for your sister." Without another word, Ferris follows in the pack's footsteps, ushering the coven forward. You watch them race towards the main street that leads to the great hall, before finding the courage to turn to your sister.

Gianette lies where the alpha left her. Her golden blonde hair spilling out over the grass and her muscular frame as still as the night except for the slight flutter that marked her breath.

"Gianette... I'm..."

"I don't want your apologies either," she hisses, her head turning to face you as she props herself up onto her elbow. "I knew what I was doing. I would have dodged that swing and then I'd dodge the next. I'd keep right on dodging until he tired, and then I could strike." She pauses to take a breath, her lips pinching back her anger. "You ruined everything, Micah."

"I..." You bite down on your lips to keep them from trembling. All your other siblings are gone. They'd all been chosen by a vamp and then whisked off to join the glamorous world of the immortals. You were fine with that until Gianette came back. When she returned, you realized just how much your heart swelled with joy at the sight of her. You realized how much you needed family. "I didn't want to lose you again, Gianette. I couldn't bear to see you hurt. I had to save you."

She stays silent, but with a deep sigh, she shifts her weight until she's sitting cross-legged and facing you. Then she runs a shaky hand through her hair and breaks the silence.

"I missed you too. I kept looking back on my way up here, hoping I'd see you running after me. I thought maybe you'd join me. But, now there's nothing to join. Wolves only value strength and having you step in ruined my chances."

"If they value strength, then prove it to them in the heat of battle," you say, standing up and looking out to town. "Let's go. We'll show them, that not only can you withstand the alpha, but you can take on the vamps without the help of supernatural strength."

"That'd be suicide," mumbles Gianette.

"Not if Ferris pulls off the spell, it will be over so fast that even humans like us could stand a chance. We just need to get down there and defend the coven."

Gianette doesn't answer, instead she looks to the woods. After taking a few breaths, she gets up on her feet and dusts herself off.

"If we're going to do this, we better get going," she says before sprinting off towards town with you following behind with an eager energy in your step.

You run as fast as our legs can carry you, racing down the street before turning the corner that leads to the great hall. There you find the wolves, vamps, and coven already in the heat of battle. Gianette looks to Ferris and the others, and spots a vampire eyeing the human gathering. She grabs a rock as she lunges forward. With surprise on her side, she tackles the vamp and proceeds to bash his skull in.

You think to join her, but as you run ahead, you catch sight of another vampire thrashing the largest, burliest wolf in the pack. You don't know how you know it, but you are certain it's the alpha wolf. He's wounded badly and the vampire has him cornered. However, the alpha is still a threat and it's taking all of the vampire's concentration to keep the wolf beneath his thumb. With the vamp distracted, you may able to throw off the vampire and save the alpha, which may then save your sister's chance at wolfhood.

You can't stand around and think about it. The vamp may spring at any moment and the battle continues to rage around you. Grab something you have on hand to use as a weapon and charge forward, or else the alpha may be lost.

What will you use?

- Silver Pin: ch 17

- Cord: ch 18

- Pistol: ch 19