The Alpha And The Angel

12_Golden Blood

Cole POV

“Where are you?” I mind-link Preston as Ariella and I run outside.

“East gate,” he replies.

“This way,” I shout, and Ariella follows me.

I run as fast as I can, and I am impressed that she keeps up with me with ease. However, I should shift and go through the wheat fields – that would be the fastest way.

“I’m going to shift,” I say as we run. “Get on my back. It will be quicker.”

“Shift and go,” she replies. “I’ll follow. You shouldn’t waste time on my behalf.”

There is no time to argue. So, I shift in the run and increase my speed. I nearly trip when I notice Ariella running right beside me. Damn, she is fast! I am the fastest wolf in my pack, and she keeps up with me. That is inhuman. I guess she is an angel after all.

Ariella and I reach the East gate simultaneously and we both stop dead in our tracks when we witness the scene.

Eight growling and sneering wolves surround a vampire. A vampire … in daylight! Every time he tries to make a run for it, they corner him in.

“What the hell am I looking at?” I ask Preston.

“Told you,” he replies. “We’re keeping him alive as evidence because there’s no way in hell that anybody would believe us.”

“Get the silver ties,” I order. “We need to interrogate him.”

What is happening to the world? In less than twenty-four hours I have seen an angel and a vampire in daylight. That simply does not happen. We need this vampire alive. If Victor figures out a way to move in daylight, we are all doomed.

“Will that even work?” Preston wonders. “I mean, he’s already immune to sunlight. Who knows what else he’s capable of?”

“We’ll know soon enough,” I scoff.

Ariella POV

I stare at the hissing vampire. He keeps on trying to break free, but the wolves toss him right back into the circle. There is something familiar about the scene. Almost like a Déjà vu feeling. The cold, sly look in his eyes, the exposed fangs. It is triggering me, but I cannot place it.

And how is it possible for this vampire to walk in daylight? Why did he not turn into a ball of flames? Worse, are there more like him? Because if there is, the world is in danger. Daylight is safe, people can come and go without fearing that they will be drained. But this will change everything.

The vampire frantically tries to escape, looking for an opening to pass the wolves but they keep on stopping him. The vampire charges a wolf, jumps at the last second and flies over his head … right towards me. Instinctively I reach out and grab him by his upper arm. I use the momentum of his speed and swirl him into a tree. Immediately, the wolves descend on him and pin him to the tree.

Cole growls and the wolves bite into the vampire and drag him away. I want to follow but Cole comes to stand in front of me, and he shifts.

“Are you okay?” He asks me in all his naked glory, resting his hands on my shoulders.

“Yes,” I nod. “He didn’t touch me.”

“I thought that after last night … are you sure you’re alright?” He studies my face.

“I’m fine,” I lay my hand against his cheek. “I reacted on instinct. I didn’t even have time to feel rattled or traumatized or whatever.”

“How the hell did you do that?” He frowns. “It’s impossible for humans to keep up with a vampire’s speed and strength.”

“I told you,” I shrug. “I’m not human.”

“I’m starting to see that,” he squints his eyes. “Did I even save you last night? Because it seems like you don’t need help at all.”

“Oh, I needed you last night,” I sigh and nod. “I was weak and disoriented when I woke up, and not nearly capable of defending myself.”

“Okay,” he leans over and kisses me softly. “Come on, I’ll race you home.”

He smiles wickedly at me before he shifts and starts running.

“You didn’t say go,” I shout as I sprint off.

Halfway back, I catch up with him and together we run through the fields, past the houses and shops until we reach an ugly building. It is solid, grey with tiny, barbed windows.

“Is this the jail?” I ask, following him inside to a locker room where he shifts and puts on shorts and a t-shirt.

“You can call it that,” he takes my hand and leads me downstairs. “This is the dungeons and it’s one of the oldest buildings. Be prepared, there’s no natural sunlight downstairs. It’s where we keep vampires – if and when we catch them.”

Cole was not kidding. Except for a couple of dim lights, the place is pitch dark and it smells. No, it reeks. A combination of blood, mould and dirt.

“Alpha,” Preston approaches us. “The silver still works. It’s eating through his flesh like it should.”

“Thank Goddess,” Cole exhales deeply. “I don’t know of anything else that would detain him.”

“Holy water,” I mumble, and Preston looks at me sceptically.

“What?” I shrug. “Everything has something that can kill it.”

“Uhm … is it wise to have her here?” He whispers to Cole.

“Preston,” Cole clears his throat. “Meet your future Luna, Ariella.”

“Congratulations,” Preston flashes a bright smile. “And welcome to the pack.”

“Thank you,” I nod. “Now, let’s get back to business.”

“This way,” Preston leads the way to the back, and we follow him.

“We should figure out when last he fed,” I say. “The hungrier he is, the more irrational he’ll become.”

“How do you know that?” Cole looks stunned at me.

“I just do,” I sigh. “The same way I know vampires will never be able to acclimate to holy water.”

“We’ll know soon enough,” Preston snorts. “We’re going to test every theory on him. We need to figure out how far they advanced.”

“I still can’t believe they found a way to walk in daylight,” Cole sighs. “We must increase border patrol and alert our teams scouring the towns. As well as other packs.”

“Not yet,” I say quickly when I remember Jack’s words.

“Ariella, I must protect my people,” Cole explains. “They need to know to be on the lookout day and night.”

“And you should inform your pack, but not the neighbours. Jack told me wolves are protecting the vampires,” I reply. “You should use this information to figure out who they are. I don’t know how, but it’s worth looking into.”

“You’re right,” Cole agrees. “We need to know more before we go public with it.”

“I’ll mind-link the warriors to shut up until further notice,” Preston adds.

The moment we walk around the corner, I see the vampire and the stench of burning flesh is evident. Silver chains are burning into his chest as he violently struggles against them.

“Preston,” Cole crosses his arms in front of his chest. “What’s the problem with this picture?”

“There’s a vampire in it?” Preston frowns.

“There’s a frantic vampire in it,” I reply dryly.

“Exactly,” Cole grunts. “There’s no way he’ll respond to us while chained like that.”

“Does either of you have something sharp?” I ask.

“I do,” Preston takes out a pocket knife. “But please don’t damage it. It was a gift from my grandfather and it’s my lucky charm.”

“Don’t worry,” I take the knife from him. “I won’t perform a magic trick and make it disappear.”

“Yes, Preston,” Cole chuckles. “She won’t break your stuff.”

“I’m just saying,” Preston mumbles sheepishly.

“Why do you need it?” Cole looks at me.

“To test a theory,” I slice over my palm and turn my hand upside down.

The moment the first drop of blood hits the floor, the vampire sniffs, calms down and his eyes fixate on me.

“You,” the vampire hisses, his eyes frantically on the blood on the floor. “You have the golden blood.”

Cole and I look at each other and I swallow hard. I did not expect this. I only thought the blood would calm him down.

“Come closer,” the vampire invites. “I’m tied up and cannot hurt you. I only want to smell. It’s intoxicating.”

“That’s enough!” Cole barks and closes my bleeding hand.

“Eat your heart out, Alpha,” the vampire’s eyes lock with Cole’s. “I’m going to drain her if that’s the last thing I do and there’s nothing you can do about it.”