...But Count James recoiled, covering his nose. He coughed and cursed about a mint smell that was too potent.
"The hell is that? A fucking pheromone shower? You can't even get close to it-OOF!" One second Count James was there, then gone the next.
Kieran tackled him hard. Though Kieran swiftly got up and stood between them in a defensive stance, James squirmed on his backside like an upside turtle that couldn't roll over. Not even being one of the undead could fix his immobility. To 'help' him, Kieran impaled his nails into James's throat and effortlessly held him up in the air, his signature move. Maybe Kieran was more like a spider than a lion; once you were caught, there was no escape.
Count James gurgled from choking on blood and kicked his short legs. Upon seeing Kieran's enraged expression, he froze in fear and urinated himself. Even Teru shivered, eternally glad he wasn't the recipient of Kieran's anger.
"P-Prince Kieran," James stammered, blood from his mouth accidentally sprayed on Kieran's face at the 'P' sound. "H-how unexpected you are here! I see you still have that pretty little o-omega-"
"Don't speak of him or I will kill you," Kieran snarled. Teru swore he saw smoke billowing out of his nose and mouth from being so red-hot angry. "Do not fuck around with me. You knew who I was. I could sense your 'pack' tracking us since late morning. Why?"
"Yes! Yes! I'll tell you! In exchange, don't kill me! Please!"
"We'll see."
What a coward.
James was satisfied with that answer. "Are you heading south? Nashville has fallen to the earthquakes and locusts. We," he glanced around the bloodbath of his dead comrades, "I mean, I just came from there. If you've been in the forests this whole time, that means you wouldn't know about Europe, either. Since King Abaddon finally finished his job, the sixth trumpet arrived. You remember what it entails, I assume? The four angels of this trumpet are leading their 200,000,000 mounted troops to set everything ablaze. They will kill half of the population, humans and vampires. It's madness out there-UGH."
Kieran pressed harder into his neck. "That doesn't explain why you're following us. Considering you never attempted to contact me after I took the winning bid over yours, why now?"
"Ah, ah, well, Queen Lilith made a worldwide announcement to capture you and Prince Blaise."
"I am aware of that. For a reward."
"Not just a reward! A reward of safety, my Prince! Of a high-paying position to work in her council. Experience, class, and gender don't matter as long you are arrested. That's why I lied to influential alphas that we'd share the prize if we teamed up. She needs Pride and Lust to finish wiping out the tainted souls. Queen Lilith said the omega doesn't matter because you are more important to her-"
He paused when Kieran suddenly laughed. It wasn't of joy or amusement, but a 'wow, this idiot' type of chuckle.
"You, those soldiers, the alphas I just killed, everyone," Kieran said to himself, continuing to laugh.
"Prince?"
"So easily fooled for hope. I suppose that is a given because you are all desperate to save yourselves in these end times."
"Huh?"
"Did you know she had already promised me to give Teru time to have his pups? Hmm? She is not one to break the promises she made with the heavens as a witness."
Count James looked more panicked than before. "W-what do you mean?"
"My mother's priority was never her children, never me, Blaise, Charles...It was to get revenge on her former mate. Kill his descendants. Of course, she wants my omega. You? A maggot of society? Lying to the alphas to join your efforts and take me down? Pride? Burraidh." (Idiot).
Kieran's fangs widened. His face started to shift. The air smelled of rotting flesh.
Teru's Humility tingled on high alert, giving him the final urge he needed to get going. He moved his hand. Then his arm and leg.
Roll over. That's it. Get up carefully.
Count James cowered and ugly wept as Kieran turned into his sin's form. The lion symbol was alive, moving around from nape to Adam's apple. Being already agitated, it must've been too difficult to control himself. "More like you were lied to in the first place. Mother would destroy your heart even if you offered me on a silver platter. All she wants to be is a thorn in my side by spreading bullshit bounty-hunting job applications. She is enjoying how you scramble to find and challenge me. It's her way of letting me know she did not and will not forget about us."
"I-I-I-I am not challenging you," James could barely utter, the color in his face whiter than a ghost. "H-how about w-w team up, find more alphas to g-gather, and kill the Queen? That omega can-"
He stopped his blabbering, mouth gaping open. Blood waterfalled down his chin as Kieran squeezed his nails further to grip James's esophagus.
"You said...you wouldn't...kill me...," he choked.
Pride's sinister growl replied, "I said 'we'll see.' I also said I'd kill you if you talked about what is mine. And," he brought his face closer, "you reek of pride."
He crushed his throat before Count James could respond.
SQUISH. SQUELCH. POP.
He was beheaded. Blood squirted from the severed neck, all sorts of veins and arteries gushing crimson. The pressure popped it off, surprised face blinking at Pride after landing on the dirt The soul in Count James's glazing eyes went dark.
CRUNCH. RIP. SPLAT. CRACK.
Piece by piece, Pride tore off body parts like it was nothing. Skin. Ribs. Intestines. Legs. Globs of fat from his larger-than-life stomach. They were discarded in piles. The heart went somewhere in a ditch. Soon, there was nothing left to rip apart.
Almost no part of Kieran was clean. He was soaked in blood, a pool of it waving over his feet. He stood while staring at his trembling hands, breathing heavily.
Even like this, Pride held back his instincts to go berserk and destroy the entire land.
Teru saw everything. Not long ago, he would've fainted from the gruesome sounds alone of a body being picked apart. This sort of thing didn't shock him anymore, so used to bloodshed and violence. It was not like Teru had room to judge, anyway; he was just as violent with the herds of deer yesterday.
It was just as that soldier said. They lived in a dog-eat-dog world, now more than ever.
It is us or them. And we must survive.
While watching, he removed the combat boots and socks. Teru cautiously approached from behind, taking quiet steps not to startle Pride. His weak legs were shaky. He swerved around dismembered bodies and stepped over limbs. His left foot skidded over slippery blood but caught himself from tripping.
Pride's backside was close enough to touch. It stunk of decomposition and it didn't come from the dead vampires. Given the demonic growls and extra broadened shape of his shoulders that had not been there minutes earlier, he had fully transitioned into his sin.
Yet, at the same time, his pheromones were musky. The alpha in him was feral for threatening his mate.
There were a lot of emotional conflicts going on that confused Teru. Did this situation call for Humility? Did it call for an omega?
The vampire sniffed the air and looked back abruptly, cat-like pupils immediately zoning in on Teru.
Wait, maybe being sneaky wasn't the best idea-
"Ah!" Teru yelped when Pride scooped him up and rushed out of the gory area.
In seconds, they were next to a river with a gentle flow, swaying cattails, and croaking frogs, oblivious to the nearby killing field. The shade protected them from the heat. It was a calming place.
Pride got on his knees and cradled him tightly, burying his monstrous face into Teru's hair. He groaned from the pain of holding in his on-the-brink rage. Sometimes he snarled at nothing, other times he growled or whined.
Teru was patient. He didn't ask if he was okay. No, his mate was not okay. This wasn't easy to overcome. Some people didn't want to be talked to during hard times or they'd break down; just wait until they were composed and comfortable. He let out his brown sugar pheromones to soothe him, but it came off as a sweet mint.
"Me," Pride growled. "I smell me. On omega."
Did smelling his pheromones on my body help him reach the light? Like when I struggled to crawl out of hibernation?
Teru kissed his counterpart, lips brushing over the large fangs protruding from Pride's mouth. This face stained with the blood of someone he butchered would petrify anyone. It didn't fool the virtue. His green eyes had so much emotion. Worried. Hurt. Upset. Fear. Regret. Humility could recognize each one. If people had not been so terrified, they would have seen it, too.
"You certainly did," Teru gave a small smile, his own eyes getting a little teary. "Look at how well you're doing. I wasn't even needed this time. I'm proud of you."
"Monster?"
"No, my mate. I will always tell you that you are not a monster until you believe me."
Some of Pride's facial structure receded at the compliment. The decay scent wasn't noticeable. Kieran was coming back.
Omegas like compliments, eh? Perhaps alphas do, too.
"No," Kieran growled with a mouthful of thick teeth and shook his head to disagree. "Because of you. Helped."
"I did? It didn't seem like it, though. I honestly did not know which side of me to use to help you."
"Mint. Behind me. You walked to me. You woke up. I noticed." They touched foreheads. "Proud."
It was something else to be told by Pride that they were proud of you. "Yeah, I was scared for you. I couldn't hibernate just yet."
Teru raised an eyebrow when Kieran randomly leaned over to feel the water and said, "Good." Without asking, he grabbed Teru's shirt collar and pulled, ripping the material straight down.
"K-Kieran! Jesus!" Teru squealed in surprise, covering his belly with crossed arms. The ruined top was discarded on the grass. Kieran made him stand up. Rip. His nail cut Teru's track pants from the waist to thigh so was easier to slide them off.
"Hey!" he protested.
Kieran went for the briefs next.
But Teru smacked away the offending hand and took them off himself. He gave the stink eye. "Don't you dare."
"Dirty," the alpha mumbled, disgusted by the scent of another vile vampire's blood smeared over him thanks to their embrace.
"I know they're dirty! We could've washed my clothes! There wasn't that much blood on them. I have little to wear as it is-Kieran!" His eyes boggled at the scene unfolding.
Kieran became nude in a second. His clothes could not be saved because of the earlier fight.
Teru hid his face with his hands, feeling shy. It had been a while since to be naked together, and this was his first time seeing his large, bare build as Pride. After having those recent lewd daydreams, this situation should be illegal.
Heavens, help me.
He heard a gruff from the river. Teru peaked through his fingers. Kieran held out his hand, wanting him to join. The water turned color, caked blood washing off and floating away. He approached, mindful of the rocks and jagged pebbles in the sand. Kieran lifted Teru from under his armpits and lowered him.
The chilliness of the water felt divine, loving how the depth went up his stomach. He didn't hesitate to sit, shoulders submerged. It must have been what his body needed. His temperature decreased, easing the urge to hibernate which could've been dangerous for the pups. He sighed and blew bubbles in the water.
When Teru opened his eyes, Kieran was gone. He looked around the area but didn't panic too much since he still felt his presence somewhere-
SPLASH.
Like one of those mermaids in the movies he watched, Kieran emerged from the surface, hair flinging to his nape. He was mostly normal except for his huge fangs.
Not gonna lie, Teru liked what he saw. His eyes feasted on his silhouette, back muscles flexing as Kieran rubbed off the last of the blood streaks on his arms. The lion tattoo was frozen into a roar.
Teru bit his bottom lip, focusing on the strong lines accentuating Kieran's hips; hips that move fluently when going in and out of him, slick dripping down their thighs, alpha firmly gripping onto Teru's ankles so he could spread his legs wider to reach that spot-
He almost gasped loudly when there was a pinching sensation in his groin. It wasn't painful like his heat and he could tell it had nothing to do with the pregnancy. Still, the ache was more intense than when he wasn't in his cycle. Hormones? He was told he'd be more sensitive.
I just...
I just...
The mint pheromones wafting from himself were the final straw, wanting to lick and bite his mate's neck and smell it from the official source. To feel fingers swirl around his hole before stretching him. To see the alpha's cock dripping for him. To see Kieran yearning for him just as much. To be pressed against and penetrated.
I just want him.
Teru waddled to him, now the hunter. An intuition said not to give in to the lust that was out of character for him when not in heat. He stopped. Wait. Wasn't it merely pregnancy hormones getting the best of him? In this moment when they really did not have the time? He knew better-
The sight of water droplets on Kieran's skin left him thirsty. His tongue wanted to skim over pecs and sip every drop. Then, nip on his neck. Demand that he wanted more than a handjob. Their mission to get to Nashville went to the back burner.
All of him.
His own canines grew sharper, inner dominant omega getting a mind of its own by wanting to match the alpha's canines, too. He ignored the warning bells in his head, hypnotized by the desires of the flesh.
But...would Kieran fall into temptation and satisfy the omega's aching need?