Blood Rite: MATE

Chapter Eighteen ~ Rogue Hunting

"I just got word back from Diana!" Blaidd said rushing into the kitchen. It had been hours since they had left and they were all beginning to get antsy.

"Alright love, that's our que." Luke said helping Tala with her jacket.

"I'll go ahead of you guys and scout. Keep an eye on my tail." Tami said before heading out after Diana & Baddy.

"Please be careful." Reika told them as she wrapped her arms around Tami and Tala and brought them into a group hug.

"We'll be back before you know it." Tami ensured her. After giving Rick a quick kiss she was out the door.

Luke and Tala followed slowly behind.

It was almost pitch black as Tala and Luke made their way through the dense forest. It had been an hour since they lost sight of Tami.

"I don't think I've ever seen such amazing inventions before." Luke finally said after a long silence. "Why did you let me believe Rick made them?"

"You assumed so I just let you." She answered quietly before feeling pulled.

Luke had grabbed her hand and was pulling her towards him. He towered over her small frame. Gently holding her chin in his hand he made her meet his eyes. "I'm sorry for assuming, They're amazing . . . You're amazing." He told her before leaning down and brushing his lips against hers. Which caused Tala's heart to thump harder. The same heat she felt before came rushing back. Her fingers playing with his thick, dark hair. They were both lost in the moment. Too busy enjoying their first time alone since Tala woke up. Upon hearing rustling they broke apart and looked around. Before they realized it they were surrounded by five rogues.

"Tala, stay close." Luke obstructed.

"I can take care of a few rogues." Tala told him as she stood ready to fight.

"Tala these aren't normal rogues." Panick was thick in his voice. "They're Vrykoalas."

Tala looked at them more closely. She might not know much about this supernatural world but she knew that those weren't normal Lycans. Even in their human form they retained their wolf like fangs and she could see that most of their visual body parts were hairy.

"What are Vrykolakas?" She asked him.

With lightening speed one of them appeared in front of Tala. "We're like you but much better." With seemingly no effort Tala was tossed to the side.

"Tala!" But before Luke could get to her three more tried to corner him. The first two were easy for him to take out but the last one was able to jump onto his back, biting into his shoulder. Leaving Luke unable to lift it. Before the rogue could finish his second attack Tami had him by the neck.

"I think you're quite done now!" She told him.

Tala was finally coming to and found that all the Vrykolakas were taken out.

"Luke?!" She gasped when she saw the blood spilling from his shoulder. "What do I do? How do I help?"

"I'll heal and be okay." He said faintly.

Talas eyes shot up to her mom in hopes she had an answer. "Isn't he supposed to be healing faster?"

"A Vrykolakas bite takes longer to heal. His wolf is trying to fight off the poison."

"Poison?!" Tala heart plummeted into her stomach.

"Yes, and yes it can be fatal, but he's an alpha, one of the strongest the pack has ever seen. He'll be ok. It will just take time. Try and put some pressure on it and I'll check around to ensure there's no more coming. Stay alert!" Tami was off into the trees.

Tala ripped the bottom of her shirt to put it over Luke's wound. "You know, when you first came here, the last thing I thought is that we'd end up here." She tried to laugh but it came out sounding forced.

She was too cold, too scared and too worried. If this is what happened to them, what of Baddy and Diana? Her emotions were all over the place. All of the people she loved were in so much danger because of her and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Their smiling faces flashed before her eyes as a sense of warmth flowed through her

"Tala? What have you done? . . . How?" Tami asked in complete shocked as she stared at where her daughters hands were and what they were doing. Tala followed her gaze and lifted her hands in shock.

"What?" Luke asked his voice sounding better.

"She just sped up your healing process." Tami stayed still in shock.

"I . . . .healed him?" Tala asked looking at her blood covered hands. Luke look at his shoulder, taking the cloth off, he could see the scar where the bite was.

"How did you do that?" Tami asked her.

"I don't know." Tala confessed. "I was just thinking about all of the people I love and how I wish I could protect them. Be stronger so no one got hurt again."

"We'll figure it out together." Luke comforted her, he could feel how scared she was of herself.

"Can you walk?" Tami asked Luke.

"Yes."

"Can you fight?" She asked

"I don't have a choice, we can't turn back now. We need to get Baddy and Diana back."

"I seen an old abandoned institution up the way. I think it's safe to say they're there. I think these were the guards." Tami told them. Tala helped Luke up. "Luke you need to shift and regain your strength. It seems the wound was healed but your powers are still drained." Knowing she was right he gave Tala a kiss and let Lycus take over.

"Ahhh." Tala groaned as she kneeled to the ground in pain. Lycus was right next to her instantly.

"What's wrong." Tami asks

"I have a head ache and my mind is cloudy but there's voices. It hurts so much."

"Let it take over." Tami advised.

"What?"

"Let it take over. It's your Luna power coming in . . . You need to stop fighting it. Yes it'll hurt like hades but if you don't it'll make it hurt for longer"

Tala tried to do what she asked but it was hard. The pain was unbearable. Closing her eyes she tried to breath through it. Suddenly a white light flashed in Talas face. She could suddenly see through Diana's eyes.

"Let it in, what do you see?" Tami asked her.

"Diana and Baddy have been captured. I can feel them being tortured." She cried. "We have to hurry." She told Tami as she opened her eyes. "How did you know what was happening?" She asked as Tami helped her up.

"I remember when Gela went through it after she mated with Zeev. It took her a long time to control it. She fought back against the Luna gift . . . She didn't want it."

"She didn't want it? But I was told she has been an amazing Luna?"

"Yes, not everyone accepts their fate . . . or their mate for that matter. Zeev, at that time, had given his heart to someone else and Gela fought so hard, for so long to not get in the way of that."

"How? The bond is so strong." Tala couldn't imagine being able to resist the mate bond.

"I couldn't even imagine being able to do that with Luke."

"Some bonds are so strong they are undeniable from the start. Others have a slow take off."

"I always kind of pictured Gela as the mean girl in school that will take your man and make you say sorry about it."

Tami laughed at that thought.

"Actaully Gela was the book worm of our group. She had big dreams to change the world and always had her heads in the clouds or a book. Back then you'd hear her pray to never mate, she wanted to drift with the wind."

"Thats almost tragic and ironic that she mated with the one person that would make her stuck."

"Oh, you have no idea. The girl he was dating at the time was one of Gela's best friends. When she turned 18 and it happened, it broke her heart." Tami remembered her coming to her door crying. Shaw was on the phone with a distraught Zeev in the other room.

"Wait you were Gelas best freind . . You dated Zeev?!"

"Shhhh. We're getting closer and still need to be on guard." Tami warned.

"Not denying it tho."

"I was already with your father. It was frowned upon to date before you're 18 but Shaw and I were sweethearts since we were 10 and 12. We were so scared when I turned 18 but he was my fated mate after all."

Talas heart swarmed at the thought. She didn't get to hear much about her biological father but when she did it was always so amazing.

"Thats pretty wonderful and Gela and Zeeve seem happy at the end anyway. I'm sure the other girl found her mate too right?" Questioned Tala.

Tami thought about her beautiful friend.

"No, actually. She doesn't get to find that kind of happy fairy tale ending. She's happy in her own way though, even though she still loves Zeev."

"How could she not have found her mate by now?" Talas heart broke for the girl in the story.

"Because she's not a wolf, she's a witch." Tami said quietly.

Realization hit Tala.

". . . Tia?" Her mother nodded yes. "That actually explains a lot." She continued. "I always just thought she didn't want to be tied down or something."

"No . . . Just too in love with someone who can never love her the same.

They were quite for a long time as they walked to the building. Before they could even enter they seen Baddy tied up outside, badly beaten. In an instant Luke was back in his human form. Tala handed him his pants before running to get Baddy down.

"Heal him." Luke demanded, Catching Tala off guard.

"I don't know if" she started

"Just do it Tala!" He cut her off. With shaky hands she went to baddy trying to heal him but it wasn't working.

"Luke we can't waste anymore time, we have to find Diana. Baddy needs to get to Tia now. You're the only one strong enough to carry him. You need to go now!" Tami demanded.

"I can't leave you guys defenseless." He felt so torn. He couldn't leave but Baddy was in rough shape and needed imidiate help.

Tala closed her eyes for a moment trying to mind synce with the farm. "Rad is heading out to meet you, get him to Rad as fast as you can." She told him as she opened her eyes.

With sad eyes he lifted Baddy over his shoulder and ran into the woods.

"Alright Tala, this is going to be extremely hard and I don't know what we'll be walking in on. You need to prepare yourself for the worst. Most importantly I need you to remember everything I taught you girls about Taekkyon, Kalaripayattu, and Pakration. Remember what each taught you because you will need them when we go in there. Tala," She knelt her forehead down to touch Talas forehead. "I love you so much."

"I love you too mom."

They we're both terrified as they entered the building. The only way in or out was through the front door. They were both stunned to see there was no one on the first or second floor.

As they reached the third floor they could see Diana tied up to a chair with no one in sight.

"Tala wait." Tami tried to stop her but she was already to Diana. They roughed her up a bit but she wasn't anywhere close to how bad Baddy was.

"You shouldn't be here." Diana warned her. "This was a trap for you both." A tear rolled down her face as a man entered.

"The second I seen this sweet little pup coming, I knew we had you." The man said.

"Zagan?!" Tami sat in shock.

"Hello dear Tamika. Good to see your alive after all and brought me a present." He said looking towards Tala.

"Don't you lay a hand on my daughter." She growled at him.

"Oh?" He said before snapping his fingers.

Soon a dozen Lycans and Vampires came in.

"We really only need Rudalfa. So bring her to me when you're done with the other two." He said before leaving the room. "Be careful, they are a bit feisty." He hollered back to his men.

One of the vampires by Diana began laughing. "What are these three little girls going to do?" They all got a chuckle from it. He had only got in one good laugh before Diana broke her chair to peices and within seconds was watching him boil and desecrate on the floor.

"They're Strigoi!" Diana shouted "Go for the heart."

Tami breaks off another piece of the chair and tosses it to Tala "Behind you!" She shouted just in time for her to get the guy coming at her from behind. Tala stood stunned for a second watching the man turn into goo.

Tami pulls out one of the sticks that were holding up her hair. Pressing a hidden button on the end it became longer. Tala and Diana watched in awe as their mother took down five of the men in one swift movement.

"She looks like she's dancing." Diana commented before taking out a rogue that lunged for Tala.

Soon the fight was over, all the rogues and vampires were dead or knocked out. Zagan entered in disbelief. Diana watched as something in Talas eyes changed. Something unfamiliar flashed through them. Before they could see what she was about to do, Tala had Zagan by the throat with one hand while the other was about to pull out his heart.

"Tala don't!" Tami begged.

"He tried to take my family away from me." She growled. The anger radiating off of her sent shivers through their spine. They've never seen her so angry before.

"I need to speak to him. Let him go" Tami asked carefully.

"What?" Tala looked at her bewildered.

"Let him go." Tami asked again putting her hand on top of Talas.

"Why?" Tala asked as she let him go.

"Because Zagan is Shaw's brother. . . ." She spoke quietly.

"This monster is my fathers brother."

"Twin to be exact." He said smiling and winking at Tami

"Fraternal." Tami reminded him

"What are you doing here Zagan? Why are you after my daughter? You are our family?

"Family? Ha! I didn't even know either of you were alive. I mourned all four of you just to find out three of you made it after all? Some family? She's the golden wolf. She's more valuable than family."

"You can't mean that!" Tami pleaded.

"Oh I can. I felt so much pain." He began walking towards Tami making her back up. "But then I was released. From the pain, the grief, the guilt, all of it."

"Apparently free of empathy as well." Tami stayed disgusted.

"A small price to pay." He began whistling. "You're going to love this part." He whispered to Tami. "Cadejo! Gwyllgi! Grim!"

Three gigantic wolf like creatures entered.

"What are those thing?" Tala gasped.

"Pricolici!" Diana gasped.

"Say it again for those who don't understand." Tala panicked. She could feel the darkness within these beasts.

"When a werewolf dies with a soul so evil and wicked. They come back as a Pricolici. Malicious, violent in nature and absolutely spectacular." Zagan told them as he stroked one of the beasts backs. "Kill them." He instructed.

"Run!" Tami told them grabbing both of them by the hand.

"After them." Zagan instructed the beasts again.

"We won't be able to make it. We need to turn."

"But what if I can't turn back." Tala ask as the ran down the flight of stairs.

"I think the alternative of being beast food is much worst." Diana reminded her.

Tala's heart was pounding as she fumbled trying to get her clothes off. She watched as her mom and sister let their wolves take over. She felt Rudy nipping, ready to do they same. Taking a deep breath she let her.

They got out as fast as the could, the beasts were on their tails. The ran and ran and ran some more. Finally the could see the open field where the farm was hidden. Running as fast as they could they made it across and see Tia and everyone waiting.

Tala shifts back and instinctually jumps into Lukes protective arms.

Tia sends out a blast that knocks the Pricolici back. Soon Zagan appears. Recognition flashed over Tia's face and she stepped back into the protection of the farm. Disappearing from veiw.

"Little witch, little witch, won't you let me come in." He taunted her. "This is all very clever. I guess I'll have my work cut out for me after all. At least now that I know you're involved with the Lycans. Funny and here I thought you'd end up on my team."