bound to the moonlight

12. Marcus

I breathed the night air in deeply as silence was the only significant sign around me, I don't know how animals seemed to know that we were close but they tended to vacate the area within seconds of me arriving. Closing my eyes I breathed in deeply to confirm no one else was around yet I couldn't help my hand straying to my gun as I opened my eyes not completely reassured.

"Twitchy aren't you brother." A voice purred next to my ear,

"Evening Tytus, your late." I said coolly spinning around to face my fellow Brethren determined not to take a step back although his bulk was very imposing and did make me want to try. The vampires eyes were a bright shining scarlet and his fangs were elongated.

"Sorry Marcus." He said casually gracing around the empty forest clearing "but you know I don't like to rush my food." He smiled but I didn't feel any urge to smile back,

"you shouldn't spoil your appetite." I said blandly. Titus shrugged,

"This isn't exactly legal is it we could have been found out ."

"And who would even care?" Titus shrugged,

"Not everyone thinks like us brother, they have to be seen to tow the line."

"Yes I know we have to be perfect little pets. Romeo's with fangs like the sparkly cullens in twilight," I said calmly but I felt the revulsion inside me, we were able to feed on blood donors who freely gave donations most aristocrats sought blood sustenance, this way myself included but that was about as satisfying as a bag of air it kept us alive but well feeding for vampires wasn't only about nutrition. Feeding from Vampires was acceptable but the donor had to volunteer again which wasn't usual but it did sustain us for longer than humans their blood being stronger many who couldn't maintain donors survived this way but again it wasn't exactly thrilling human blood was at least warm. Feeding from humans who weren't willing donors was alright as long as you didn't draw attention to yourself killing was an occupational hazard but mainly a sign of a young inexperienced and over enthused vampire, it would t get them any kind of punishment but well they might get a reprimand by the council if they continued as too many bodies threatened our exposure and the humans couldn't be aware we existed even I was aware of that, there was a thrill in feeding that way though to be the hunters we were, but for me hundreds of years of practice ensured that nobody died unless I wanted them too and the council too knew this so even hunting them had lost their appeal as killing couldn't be brushed off with an oooops. So the majority of my blood came from the girl she was very convenient and though not exactly willing she was there and my donors convenient but no more than hookers . We simply bought them paid for them, paid their rent gave them an allowance and in return they were at our beck and call. Some of the elders had up to ten or so of them, and kept them for years more like companions than anything else. I hadn't even developed a slight fondness for mine, I wouldn't kill them for no reason but I had done it before, and felt very little remorse for it, in fact if I was completely honest I actually felt no remorse. Of course the girl was different, completely forbidden it would probably be staking out for the sun if she was found, which was exactly why nobody but me and a handful knew of her existence and most only knew fragments of her beyond that she existed , even she didn't know it was a better idea that way.

"Where's Damien?" I snapped

"I thought he was with you."

"He was but he found a better offer." I growled,

"Should we just forget this right now?"

"Hell no." said another voice from the darkness and I turned around to see Isaac striding towards us casually his eyes were black like dark pools; he rubbed a hand over his short stubble covering his forehead,

"And where were you?" Tytus snapped,

"Working." Isaac said forcefully "I found that sloppy fledgling of yours and took her out your welcome, she even gave me a love bite" Isaac jeered pulling his shirt down showing the still bleeding ragged bite on his throat.

"We told you Isaac she's not the problem it's her sire we have to deal with, and the easiest way to him is though his link to her." Tytus's deep voice rumbled,

"It doesn't matter we'll find him a different way" Isaac sneered, he was right but it was still annoying it would take longer. He saw our faces and clearly sensed our annoyance but his arrogant smile of course didn't fade, "sorry I know this wasn't the official company procedure but I couldn't help myself and she was definitely worth it."

"Well enough about your s*x life well get too work later this is supposed to be some R&R not a corporate retreat." Tytus said harshly stretching his joints popping loudly. "This is male bonding time. And now we can focus completely on the task at hand."

"Did you clean up?" I asked knowing the answer,

"No I didn't have time." I groaned, "Besides what's the point he knows were after him this is more of a statement in fact I might go over there and see if I can decorate a little more before he finds her. Look I had to take her out she was leaving a trail of nice visible bodies behind her, company policy right."

"Isaac you know patience sometimes works better after all were immortal what the point not everything has to be done right now sometimes softly softly does better for you." I said softly

"Well thanks for the advice on that sir but no use on it now where is Carthian?"

"Here." Said a gruff voice and Carthian strode in from the gloom he had a less significant bulk than the other brothers but his face was hard and sharp as if it had been chiselled out of rock, his shrewd eyes swept across the assembled brothers, he was a very old vampire and so his hazel eyes always retained a crimson sheen." am I late?" he asked his voice sharp. I shrugged Carthian was second generation so we all held him in very high esteem whenever he chose to turn up was the right time. "Where is Nico?" I smiled then.

"Cutting off our targets escape. " I said drawing my long dagger out of the sheath resting down the back of my thigh. "Not that they know it yet."

"How many do we have?" Asked Carthian.

"Just one." I said my lips curving into a slight smile. "And of course his lady friend don't worry no one will miss this fucker."

"She a wolf?" Tytus asked his eyes widening with a type of lust I didn't like to see it made me horrified to think what would have happened if he had ever met the girl. He had been there of course it had been the brethren but I had been the one who had found the girl running in the woods with her little brother and I had hidden her away until the feeding frenzy was over my brothers of course believed I had killed her so I had simply to keep anyone from finding out about her this had actually become easier since I had allowed her to live in the world rather than in my direct control, but I hadn't been confident in my control of her now I was more sure of it.

"Marcus?" the inquiry was soft but still snapped me from my reminiscence.

"Yeah a newly turned one." I all but purred in anticipation,

"Oooh the pack would love that." Carthian said,

"So... hunt." Isaac said his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm; I closed my eyes and lifted them to the sky breathing in deeply, my fangs tingling with their lust for blood. not that we were supposed to drink their blood we weren't supposed to even be hunting them like this it was a ...group bonding exercise. It wasn't sanctioned shall I say by the council but what they didn't know. The covenant meant that we were forbidden from hunting or harming wolves we left the shape shifters to themselves, though an occasional rogue disappearing nobody noticed and they were more fun to hunt. The hint of the wolf scent hit my nose and I growled as my fangs began to lengthen.

"Let's hunt." I snarled and we plunged into the trees we could have snuck up on them but this way would be more fun they would hear us coming of course and so they would run and running was better as it meant we had to chase and we loved to chase. Wolves were fast of course but we were faster.

"Please." He whispered throatily from the forest floor where he was knelt panting frantically bleeding from a multitude of cuts we had given him.

"Please what?" I hissed my voice rasping from my lengthened fangs,

"Not her." He whispered, I smiled and released my grasp from the young girl who I was holding clear in the air effortlessly by her throat. She crumpled to the floor like a rag doll,

"please do what you want to me but not her please." I turned to Isaac who was grinning, Carthian was shifting around restlessly behind him.

"You know what." I said with a smile as I lifted his girl up to her feet and smoothed her long black curls from her face I stroked my fingers down her pale face and along her slender throat thoughtfully, I could see the wolf grinding his teeth and couldn't help myself from smiling this was his mate. "We could do that but I think we're going to do whatever the hell we'd like to the both of you." Isaac chuckled as I dived down in a heartbeat and plunged my fangs into the young girl's throat deep, she screamed which made my pleasure spike it was so much better when they screamed. Purring contently as the wolf snarled on the ground. The girl slumped in my arms as the rest of my assembled brethren leapt forward pushing the wolf to the floor plunging their fangs into him.