MOONBOUND

MOONBOUND Book One: The Hidden Alpha Chapter One Ashes and Chains The smell of burnt bread filled the cottage. “Not again.” Elara stared at the black lump sitting on the wooden table. Her grandmother didn’t even look up from her sewing. “Did you burn breakfast?” “I lightly overcooked it.” “It is black.” “It is golden.” “It is charcoal.” Elara sighed dramatically. “You never support me.” Her grandmother laughed. The sound warmed the little cottage more than the fire ever could. “Maybe because I’ve been eating your cooking for twenty-two years.” “That’s rude.” “It’s honest.” Elara grabbed the loaf and poked it. The bread practically crumbled. “Fine. Maybe a little burnt.” “A little?” “Very burnt.” “Much better.” The old woman finally smiled. Elara loved that smile. Life had not been kind to either of them. The village wasn’t rich. Most people worked from sunrise until nightfall. Some hunted. Some farmed. Some barely survived winter. But they survived. That was enough. At least it had always been enough for Elara. Until today. She didn’t know why she felt uneasy. Something felt wrong. The morning looked normal. The sky was blue. The chickens were annoying. The goats were trying to escape again. Everything looked exactly the same. Yet her chest felt tight. Her grandmother noticed. “You’ve been staring outside for ten minutes.” “I’m thinking.” “Dangerous habit.” Elara snorted. “You make me sound stupid.” “I raised you. I know exactly how stupid you are.” Elara laughed. A loud crash interrupted them. Both women froze. The sound came from outside. Another crash followed. Then screaming. Elara was already moving before she realized it. She reached the door first. The moment she pulled it open, her heart stopped. Smoke. Everywhere. People were running. Children were crying. A woman fell in the street. Someone shouted. The village blacksmith stumbled past covered in blood. For a moment Elara couldn’t understand what she was seeing. Then she saw the riders. Dark armor. Black cloaks. Mounted on massive horses. They weren’t attacking randomly. They were taking people. Capturing them. Dragging them away. “What is happening?” Her grandmother’s voice trembled behind her. Elara turned. The old woman looked terrified. And suddenly Elara felt terrified too. Because her grandmother never looked scared. Never. Not once. “Grandmother.” The old woman grabbed her shoulders. Hard. Hard enough to hurt. “You run.” “What?” “You run.” “I’m not leaving you.” “You run.” “No.” The old woman shook her. “Listen to me.” Tears filled her eyes. The sight frightened Elara more than the raid itself. “You run and don’t look back.” Elara opened her mouth. A scream cut through the air. Then another. The sound of hooves grew louder. Closer. Too close. The riders had reached their street. Elara grabbed her grandmother’s hand. “We go together.” The old woman smiled sadly. A smile Elara would remember for the rest of her life. “No.” Then everything happened at once. A horse rounded the corner. A rider spotted them. Someone shouted. A soldier jumped down. Elara reached for a piece of firewood lying nearby. The man laughed. Actually laughed. Like she wasn’t a threat. Like she was a child. That angered her. She swung anyway. The wood cracked against his shoulder. The man barely moved. “Feisty one.” “Leave us alone.” The soldier stepped forward. Her grandmother stepped between them. “No.” The old woman spread her arms. Protecting Elara. The soldier’s expression hardened. Everything seemed to slow. The fire. The screams. The smoke. The fear. All of it faded. There was only her grandmother standing there. Small. Fragile. Defiant. Then the soldier struck. Elara screamed. “GRANDMOTHER!” The old woman fell. The world shattered. Elara dropped beside her. Her hands shook. Blood. Too much blood. “Grandmother.” No answer. “Grandmother.” Nothing. Tears blurred her vision. A rough hand grabbed her arm. She fought. Kicked. Bit. Scratched. The soldier cursed. “Hold still.” “No!” She fought harder. But grief made people weak. And soldiers were stronger. Several more arrived. Someone bound her wrists. Someone else dragged her away. She twisted desperately. “Grandmother!” No answer. “GRANDMOTHER!” The cottage burned behind her. The street disappeared. The village disappeared. Everything disappeared. And as chains closed around her wrists, Elara realized something. Her old life had ended. And whatever waited ahead would change everything. Chapter Two The Captives The first thing Elara became aware of was the pain. It sat behind her eyes like a hammer. Every movement sent another wave through her skull. She groaned and tried to sit up. Bad idea. The wagon lurched violently, throwing her against something hard. “Easy there.” A voice came from beside her. Male. Young. Annoyingly calm. Elara opened her eyes. Sunlight blinded her immediately. She hissed and squeezed them shut again. “Wonderful. She’s alive.” A different voice this time. Female. “Shut up, Rowan.” “You’re welcome.” Elara forced her eyes open. The inside of the wagon slowly came into focus. Wooden walls. Iron bars. Chains. People. Too many people. Her stomach dropped. Memories crashed into her. The village. The fire. Her grandmother. The soldiers. The chains. The old grief punched her square in the chest. She sucked in a shaky breath. “No.” The word escaped before she could stop it. Nobody spoke. Nobody needed to. Everyone in the wagon knew that look. The realization. The remembering. The moment when hope finally died. Elara lowered her head. For several seconds she said nothing. Then she swallowed hard and looked up. A young man sat across from her. Dark hair. Crooked smile. Blue eyes that looked entirely too amused for someone in chains. He lifted a hand. “Hello.” Elara stared. “Hello?” He nodded. “That’s usually how people greet each other.” She blinked. Then frowned. “You find this funny?” “No.” His smile faded slightly. “I find surviving useful.” That surprised her. He leaned back against the wagon wall. “My name’s Rowan.” She didn’t answer. “You’re supposed to tell me your name now.” Still nothing. The wagon rattled over another bump. A woman sitting nearby sighed dramatically. “She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Rowan pointed at her. “See? Mira gets it.” Mira rolled her eyes. “Nobody gets you.” “I think I’m charming.” “That’s because you’re stupid.” “That’s hurtful.” Elara found herself staring. The two of them sounded like old friends. Not prisoners. Not people being dragged somewhere against their will. Friends. The realization felt strange. Mira noticed her watching. She offered a small smile. “My name is Mira.” Elara hesitated. Then quietly said, “Elara.” Rowan threw both hands into the air. “Success.” Mira groaned. “Oh gods.” “What?” “You act like a child.” “I am a child.” “You are twenty-four.” “A mature child.” Elara almost laughed. Almost. The feeling surprised her. It felt wrong to laugh. Her grandmother was dead. Her village was gone. Nothing was funny anymore. Yet somehow these two idiots were trying. The wagon suddenly slowed. Voices sounded outside. Guards. Shouting. Then silence. The captives became tense immediately. Elara felt it. Fear spreading through the wagon. A little boy sitting in the corner moved closer to Mira. No older than ten. Maybe eleven. Mira immediately wrapped an arm around him. “It’s okay.” The boy nodded. He clearly didn’t believe her. Neither did anyone else. Rowan noticed Elara looking. “That’s Finn.” The boy frowned. “I can introduce myself.” “You never do it right.” Finn kicked his leg. “You are so annoying.” “I hear that often.” The boy turned toward Elara. “My name is Finn.” “I’m Elara.” “Are you a fighter?” The question caught her off guard. “What?” “You look like one.” Rowan snorted. “She woke up and immediately looked ready to punch somebody.” “Maybe I am.” Finn’s eyes lit up. “I knew it.” Mira shook her head. “Please don’t encourage him.” “Too late.” Elara felt the corner of her mouth twitch. The first hint of a smile. The first since yesterday. A large man sitting quietly near the back finally spoke. His voice was deep enough to shake the wagon. “Can everyone be quiet?” Everyone turned. The man sighed. “Thank you.” Rowan pointed dramatically. “And that giant mountain is Tomas.” “I am not a mountain.” “You absolutely are.” Tomas folded his arms. “I was sleeping.” “You’ve been sleeping for two days.” “I cope differently.” “That’s concerning.” Tomas ignored him. Elara watched the exchange. Something inside her eased slightly. Not much. Just enough. The grief was still there. The fear too. But for the first time since her capture, she wasn’t completely alone. A sudden shout came from outside. The wagon stopped moving. Every captive froze. The guards sounded nervous. That couldn’t be good. Rowan immediately sat upright. “You hear that?” Mira nodded. “I don’t like it.” Neither did Elara. The air felt different. Heavy. The horses outside suddenly became restless. One started screaming. Another kicked wildly. The guards began shouting. Then everything went silent. Completely silent. Even the birds disappeared. Finn grabbed Mira’s sleeve. “What happened?” Nobody answered. Nobody knew. A low growl rolled through the forest. The sound froze the blood in Elara’s veins. It didn’t sound human. It didn’t sound like any animal she’d ever heard either. Another growl followed. Closer this time. Much closer. The horses panicked. Men started yelling. Steel left sheaths. Tomas slowly sat up. “That’s not normal.” “Nokidding,” Rowanwhispered. Something slammed into one of the wagons ahead. People screamed. The entire convoy erupted into chaos. Elara grabbed the bars. Trying to see outside. All she caught was movement. Dark shapes. Too fast. Too large. Another scream echoed through the trees. Then it stopped abruptly. Silence. The kind that only comes after something terrible. Finn buried his face in Mira’s side. Mira looked pale. Even Rowan wasn’t smiling anymore. Outside, a guard shouted. “Form ranks!” Another shouted back. “It’s here!” Elara felt her pulse hammering. “What is here?” Nobody answered. Because nobody knew. Then a shadow moved between the trees. Massive. Fast. Watching. And for one brief second, Elara could have sworn two silver eyes looked directly at her through the bars. The wagon shook violently. Someone screamed. And the world exploded into chaos CHAPTER THREE .The wagon lurched so violently that Elara hit the wooden floor. Someone screamed. Outside, men were shouting. Screams. “Whatishappening?” Finncried. Nobody answered. Another scream split the air. Then something slammed into the wagon. Wood cracked. The entire wagon tipped sideways. Bodies crashed into each other. Elara grabbed Finn before he hit the wall. “Stay down!” The wagon rolled once. Then stopped. Silence. A terrible silence. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Then Rowan whispered, “I think we should run.” For once, nobody argued with him. They hid behind a cluster of rocks. Mira had a hand over Finn’s mouth. The boy was shaking. Elara slowly peeked over the stone. A soldier burst through the trees. Blood covered his face. “Help me!” Nobody answered. The man stumbled. Looked behind him. Then froze. Elara followed his gaze. Something stepped from the shadows. At first she thought it was a wolf. Then she realized no wolf could be that large. The thing’s head nearly reached the man’s chest. Its silver eyes glowed. Its black fur looked almost blue beneath the moonlight. The soldier dropped his sword. The beast lunged. Chapter Four The soldier never got the chance to scream. One second he was standing there. The next, the beast hit him. The impact threw both of them into the trees. Branches snapped. A horrible crunch followed. Then silence. Finn squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t want to see.” “Thendon’t,” Mirawhispered,pullinghimcloser. Elara couldn’t look away. She should have. Every instinct screamed at her to hide. Torun. To do anything except watch. But she couldn’t. More shapes emerged from the darkness. One. Three. Five. Ten. Massive wolves stepped into the clearing. Not ordinary wolves. Nothing about them looked natural. They moved with purpose. Like soldiers. Like men who had trained together for years. The remaining raiders formed a circle. Weapons raised. Terrified. One of them shouted, “Fall back!” Nobody moved. The wolves had already surrounded them. A low growl rolled through the forest. The ground itself seemed to vibrate. Tomas slowly lowered himself beside the others. His face had gone pale. “Tell me I’m dreaming.” “Youarenotdreaming,” Rowansaid. “I preferred it when you lied.” Another raider tried to run. He made it three steps. A grey wolf shot forward. The man disappeared beneath claws and teeth. Finn buried his face against Mira’s shoulder. The forest became chaos. Steel flashed. Men shouted. Wolves lunged. Elara watched one leap higher than any animal should. Its jaws closed around a man’s arm. The scream echoed through the trees. Another wolf knocked a raider off his horse. The horse bolted. The rider never stood again. The battle ended almost as quickly as it began. The raiders never stood a chance. Not against whatever these creatures were. One by one, the shouting stopped. Until only the wolves remained. Silence settled over the clearing. A cold breeze drifted through the trees. Nobody moved. Not the captives. Not the wolves. Nothing. Then one of the beasts stepped forward. Larger than the others. Its fur was dark as midnight. A silver scar ran across one eye. The other wolves lowered their heads slightly. Elara noticed it immediately. Leader. The realization made her stomach twist. The giant wolf lifted its head. Sniffed the air. Then slowly turned toward the rocks. Toward them. Elara’s heart nearly stopped. “No.” The whisper escaped before she could stop it. Those silver eyes locked onto hers. The wolf stared. Not like an animal. Not like a predator. Like a person. Like someone studying her. Rowan slowly sank lower behind the rock. “Please tell me it can’t see us.” “Itcanseeus,” Tomasmuttered. “It can definitely see us.” “Wonderful.” Nobody laughed. The giant wolf took a step forward. Then another. Every captive held their breath. Then something strange happened. The beast stopped. Its body trembled. A crack echoed through the clearing. Finn jumped. “What was that?” Nobody answered. Another crack followed. Then another. The wolf staggered. Its body twisted. Elara frowned. “What is wrong with it?” The answer came immediately. Everything. The creature’s bones shifted beneath its skin. Its shape changed. Fur receded. Limbs stretched. The wolf shrank. Twisted. Changed. Elara’s mouth fell open. “No.” The word came out weak. More cracks echoed around the clearing. The other wolves were changing too. One after another. Fur disappeared. Paws became hands. Muzzles became faces. The impossible unfolded right in front of them. Men emerged from the wolves. Actual men. Tall. Scarred. Armed. Breathing heavily from battle. Finn fainted. Nobody blamed him. Mira stared at the unconscious boy. Then back at the clearing. Then back at Finn. “Honestly, that was probably the correct response.” Rowan pointed at the former wolves. “No.” “That is literally what I said.” “No.” “Very descriptive.” “No.” Tomas rubbed both hands over his face. “I am too old for this.” The largest wolf had become a man. A huge man. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. Silver eyes. The scar remained. He picked up a cloak from the ground and fastened it around himself. Then he started walking toward the rocks. Toward them. Elara stood. Mira grabbed her wrist. “What are you doing?” “I don’t know.” “That is not reassuring.” The stranger stopped a few feet away. His silver eyes swept over all of them. One by one. When his gaze landed on Elara, it lingered. Just for a second. Then he looked away. “You can come out now.” Nobody moved. The man sighed. “We already know you’re there.” Rowan slowly stood. “Any chance this is all some elaborate misunderstanding?” The man stared at him. “No.” “Didn’t think so.” The others reluctantly emerged from hiding. Finn finally woke up. Took one look at the warriors. Then immediately tried to faint again. Mira smacked the back of his head. “Stay conscious.” The boy groaned. The silver-eyed warrior crouched slightly. His expression softened. “What is your name?” “Finn.” “Good.” The boy blinked. “Good?” “Means you’re alive.” Finn considered that. “Fair point.” One of the warriors behind their leader laughed. The tension eased slightly. Only slightly. Elara folded her arms. She wasn’t smiling. Wasn’t relaxing. Wasn’t forgetting that she was still a prisoner. The silver-eyed warrior finally looked at her again. “You have something to say.” It wasn’t a question. Elara lifted her chin. “A lot, actually.” Several warriors exchanged amused looks. The man seemed interested. “Go ahead.” She pointed directly at him. “You were a wolf.” “Yes.” “Now you’re a man.” “Also yes.” “No.” One of the warriors snorted. The silver-eyed man raised an eyebrow. “No?” “No.” He waited. Elara gestured wildly. “Wolves don’t become people.” A grin appeared on one warrior’s face. Another laughed. The silver-eyed man looked completely serious. “Around here they do.” The answer only annoyed her more. “What does that even mean?” “It means you’re very far from home.” The words settled heavily between them. Far from home. Far from her village. Far from her grandmother. Far from everything. The anger returned immediately. Sharp and painful. She swallowed hard. The warrior seemed to notice. His expression softened for a fraction of a second. Then it disappeared. One of the other warriors approached. “Commander.” The silver-eyed man turned. “The survivors?” “None.” A grim silence followed. The commander nodded once. Then looked back at the captives. “You’re coming with us.” Elara’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” “We’re not going anywhere.” The warriors actually looked impressed. Apparently people didn’t speak to them that way. The commander crossed his arms. “You were being taken north.” “And?” “The men who captured you belonged to Dravenmoor.” Nobody recognized the name. The commander continued. “They raid villages. Sell captives. Burn what they don’t need.” Elara’s jaw tightened. “My village.” The commander’s gaze met hers. “Yes.” The single word hit harder than she expected. A strange look crossed his face. Not pity. Something else. Regret, perhaps. Before she could ask, he spoke again. “They were taking you across the border.” “And now?” His answer came immediately. “Now you’re under the authority of Vargareth.” Something told Elara she wasn’t going to like whatever came next. And judging by the way the others suddenly looked uncomfortable, neither were they. Chapter Five Nobody liked the sound of that. “Authority?” Rowanrepeated. “Thatsoundssuspiciouslyclosetoownership.” A few of the warriors exchanged glances. The commander looked unimpressed. “It isn’t.” “Good,” Rowan said. “Because I just escaped being kidnapped. I would hate for this to become a habit.” One of the warriors barked out a laugh. The commander ignored him. “You’ll be taken to Vargareth.” “Andifwesayno?” Elaraasked. “You can stay here.” She opened her mouth. Then closed it. The clearing was filled with bodies. Beyond it was a forest full of giant wolves that apparently became people. For once, arguing felt less effective than usual. Mira sighed. “I hate when the scary people make sense.” “Thankyou,” saidoneofthewarriors. “That wasn’t a compliment.” “Still taking it.” Finn slowly raised a hand. Everyone looked at him. “Question.” The commander nodded. “Are there more wolves?” “Yes.” Finn lowered his hand. “Second question.” The commander waited. “Can they become people too?” “Yes.” Finn looked at the sky. “I’m having a very difficult week.” Tomas patted his shoulder. “Join the club.” The commander turned away. “We leave in ten minutes.” Elara stepped forward. “You still haven’t told us your name.” The warriors suddenly became very interested in absolutely everything except the conversation. The commander paused. Then looked back. “Kael.” Elara blinked. That was it. No title. No grand introduction. Just Kael. “You have a surname?” “Yes.” “Well?” “No.” One of the warriors nearly choked trying not to laugh. Elara narrowed her eyes. “I don’t like you.” “That’s unfortunate.” “You don’t care?” “Not particularly.” Mira grabbed Elara’s arm. “Please stop challenging the giant wolf-man.” “He started it.” “He answered a question.” “He answered it badly.” Kael turned and continued walking. The discussion was apparently over. Elara hated that. An hour later, she hated the journey even more. The forest seemed endless. The warriors moved easily through it. The captives did not. Finn had tripped over roots six times. Rowan had somehow walked into a tree. Twice. Mira was threatening violence. Tomas looked ready to retire from life entirely. And Elara’s feet hurt. A lot. “Arewethereyet?” Finnasked. “No,” saidthreewarriorsatonce. “Just checking.” Five minutes later— “Are we there now?” “No.” “Now?” “No.” “Now?” One of the warriors pointed toward a cliff. “Keep asking and we’ll find out how well you fly.” Finn decided silence was a wonderful idea. The group continued. The sun slowly dipped lower. Shadows stretched across the forest floor. Elara noticed something strange. Nobody seemed worried. Not the warriors. Not even a little. As if nothing in the forest could possibly threaten them. Eventually she moved closer to Mira. “Do you notice that?” “The terrifying confidence?” “Yes.” Mira glanced ahead. “They either know something we don’t...” “Or?” “Or they’re idiots.” A voice came from beside them. “We can hear you.” They turned. A warrior with dark braids grinned at them. “Good,” Mirasaid. “Thenhearthistoo.You’reallunsettling.” The man laughed. “Fair.” “Do you all turn into wolves?” “Most of us.” Mira stopped walking. “Most?” The warrior immediately regretted speaking. “Forget I said that.” “Ohno,” Mirasaid. “Youdon’tgettosaymostandthenwalkaway.” “Watch me.” And he did. Mira stared after him. “I hate these people.” “I think they’re enjoying this.” “That makes it worse.” Ahead of them, Kael glanced back briefly. For a moment his eyes met Elara’s. Then he looked away again. The strange feeling returned. That same feeling from the clearing. Like he was trying to figure something out. Or remember something. She didn’t like either possibility. They reached the river shortly before sunset. The water rushed between steep banks. Clear and fast. Several warriors immediately moved toward it. Finn dropped to his knees and started drinking. Mira grabbed the back of his shirt. “You don’t know if it’s safe.” “I’m thirsty enough to take the risk.” One of the warriors looked offended. “It’s a river, not poison.” Finn continued drinking. Tomas sat heavily on a rock. “I vote we live here now.” “No,” Kael said. “Worth a try.” The commander crouched beside the river and studied the water. His expression changed. Only slightly. But Elara noticed. So did the others. A moment later, every warrior became alert. Conversations stopped. Hands moved toward weapons. The atmosphere shifted instantly. Elara felt it. “What’swrong?” sheasked. Nobody answered. Kael stood. His silver eyes scanned the opposite bank. The forest had gone quiet. Too quiet. Even the birds had stopped singing. A warrior stepped closer. “Did you smell it too?” Kael nodded once. The man’s face darkened. “That’s impossible.” Elara’s stomach tightened. She was getting very tired of hearing things described as impossible. “Whatisit?” Rowanasked. Kael’s gaze remained fixed on the trees. “Trouble.” “That’s not helpful.” “It’s accurate.” Then something moved across the river. Fast. Too fast. A shadow between the trees. Gone before anyone could focus on it. Finn nearly dropped into the water. “Did anyone else see that?” “Yes,” Kaelsaidquietly. The answer did not make Finn feel better. Not even a little. And for the first time since meeting them, the warriors of Vargareth looked genuinely concerned. Elara suddenly had the feeling that the worst thing in this forest wasn’t the wolves. And whatever was watching them from the other side of the river had just arrived. Chapter Six The shadow moved again. This time everyone saw it. Finn immediately grabbed Rowan’s arm. “Tell me that’s a deer.” “It is not a deer.” “Then lie to me.” “No.” The figure appeared across the river. Tall. Still. Watching. Then another appeared. And another. And another. Mira frowned. “Why are they standing like that?” A warrior beside her muttered a curse. Kael’s expression darkened. “Back away from the river.” Nobody argued. That alone scared Elara. The strangers stepped into the fading light. Their skin looked unnaturally pale. Their eyes reflected silver. One smiled. Elara wished he hadn’t. His teeth were too sharp. Finn made a choking sound. “Oh.” The pale stranger tilted his head. “Well.” His voice carried easily across the river. “That’s disappointing.” Kael stepped forward. “Leave.” The stranger laughed. “What a lovely greeting.” Another pale figure appeared beside him. “Are these the survivors?” “It appears so.” Their eyes swept over Elara and the others. Elara felt cold. Like she was being inspected. Like livestock. She hated it. The first stranger smiled wider. “Can we have them?” “No.” “You’re no fun.” One of the warriors behind Kael groaned. “Can they ever be normal?” “No,” Kael replied. “That’s what I thought.” The pale stranger sighed dramatically. “You’re hurting my feelings.” Kael drew his sword. The smile vanished instantly. The temperature seemed to drop. The stranger’s eyes turned red. “Ah.” Finn squeaked. “That’s not normal.” “No,” Rowanagreed. “Thatisdefinitelynotnormal.” The stranger stepped onto the water. Not into it. Onto it. Like the river was solid ground. “Ohcomeon!” Rowanshouted. “Now we’re walking on water?” The vampire grinned. Then charged. Everything exploded into motion. Warriors rushed forward. Steel flashed. The vampire crossed the river in seconds. His sword collided with Kael’s. The impact echoed through the trees. Another vampire lunged. A warrior met him halfway. The fight spread instantly. Elara grabbed Finn. “Get down!” “No argument here!” They dove behind a fallen log. Mira followed. Tomas dropped beside them. “What are they?” “Apparentlymyworstnightmare,” Rowanreplied. A scream echoed nearby. One of the vampires flew backward. Straight into a tree. The trunk cracked. The vampire stood immediately. Unhurt. “Wonderful,” Tomasmuttered. “They’re hard to kill.” “Stop saying wonderful when you mean terrible.” “It helps me cope.” Nearby, Kael fought two vampires at once. Elara couldn’t look away. He moved differently than everyone else. Faster. Sharper. Deadlier. One vampire lunged. Kael sidestepped. Drove his blade through the attacker’s chest. The vampire froze. Then collapsed into ash. Finn blinked. “Did he just—” “Yes.” “Right.” Another vampire suddenly appeared in front of Elara. She froze. Red eyes. Pale skin. A smile full of teeth. “Hello.” Mira immediately smacked him with a rock. The vampire staggered. More from surprise than pain. “What was that for?” “Stay away from her.” The vampire actually looked offended. Then a warrior tackled him from the side. Both disappeared into the trees. The battle ended as suddenly as it began. The remaining vampires retreated. One by one. The red-eyed leader backed away. His gaze settled on Kael. “This isn’t over.” Kael wiped blood from his blade. “It never is.” The vampire smiled. Then vanished into the darkness. Silence returned. Nobody celebrated. Nobody cheered. Finn slowly stood. “Can I faint now?” “No,” Mirasaid.