Dhampirs of Sgiach

37. Kieran

The scent of blood was all around Kieran. Blood and meat and death. Others were around him. He could feel them on the edges of his consciousness. Someone warm was right next to Kieran. Kage…

Kieran slid his arm around Kage’s waist and pulled him close. Confusion crept into his mind as the scent of funnel cake filled his senses. And the hips were wrong. Kage had more hip than most men, but these were rounder and fuller. He slid his hand up the body and frowned. Nothing was right. His eyes shot open when his hand grazed the full, soft breasts.

Silvery golden hair tipped in black met his vision. Kieran pushed away from the strange woman and backed up into another person. He looked and found Hikaru behind him. Curled up and naked next to a strange man. The man was more of a boy. Kieran looked around and saw other strangers of varying ages, but they seemed to all be related by scent and appearance.

Artem was in the mix, his head nestled in the curled form of one of the strangers. Mixed among them were the half-eaten remains of wererats. Kieran swallowed the bile and willed himself not to shake as he tried to remember anything.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

Kieran jumped and made a rather unmanly sound as he looked at his father. Auron leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his enormous chest. Kieran closed his eyes and thought back. “Kage and the cliff. Then nothing but flashes,” he finally said. He glanced at the strange woman. “Did I…?”

“Start the mating process with her?” Auron asked.

“Yeah…”

“From what we saw when we finally found you, Artem, and Hikaru, yes.”

Kieran moved farther away from her as he attempted to stand. His body was stiff, and didn’t want to move as fluidly as usual. His father picked his way to Kieran and helped him stand as others came in. “Start moving them and bind the strangers' magic,” Auron commanded. “Especially the woman.”

“Why?” Kieran asked as he watched the other werebears obey, and his father led him from the room.

“She’s a necromancer. The others were dhampirs of Mallum Sanguinem,” Auron explained as they found somewhere private to talk.

They ended up in some barracks room, and Auron sifted through the dresser drawers as Kieran sat on one of the beds. He helped Kieran dress in clothes that smelled of rats, but it was better than shivering naked in the cold. “You traumatized Kage.”

“And now I’ve cheated on him,” Kieran said as he sat back down.

“And you’ve shortened your life.” There was angry heat in those words.

Kieran looked down at his lap. “Where is Kage?”

“We’ve kept him away from the bunker. He doesn’t need to see what you and his twin did with Artem.”

Kieran winced at those words. “Did I…?”

“Turn Kage? No. Hikaru and Artem kept you off him.”

“What happened with Mallum Sanguinem?”

“They retreated. We saw the necromancer at one point, but he escaped. I imagine your necromancer will know why they were here,” Auron said.

Kieran winced at that. “She’s not my necromancer,” he said, refusing to look up at his father.

Auron grunted at that. “You picked her during a full moon. In front of your Clan. You’ll be drawn to her like a bee to a flower.”

“I don’t have a Clan, and I choose Kage,” Kieran growled. “And I don’t even know her name.”

“You didn’t just turn Artem and the others. You bound them to you with an Alpha Voice. That comes with responsibility.”

“I didn’t mean to do it! Nor did I want to!” Kieran snapped angrily. He felt his magic swell inside him and march along his skin in painful tingles. “I just wanted to protect my family!”

Kieran closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly counting to ten as he released it. “May I take a shower?”

Auron was silent so long that Kieran opened his eyes and looked into his father’s eyes. The Grizzly finally sighed. “Yes.”

The water in the showers didn’t get nearly as hot as at the lodge, but it was more desirable than the water in Kieran’s apartment. The heat felt good on his stiff muscles, and he stood under the water for a while as it pelted his back. He heard the door open momentarily before Kage’s cotton candy scent filled the room. Heady and enticing.

Kieran lifted his head and scented the air as a rumble started in his throat and chest. Kage poked his head into the shower and paled slightly at the sight of Kieran. Kieran frowned slightly at Kage’s odd look, then looked down at himself. He still had blood on him in places. He moved into the water and stretched himself before grabbing a soap bar and lathering himself.

Kage watched Kieran’s movements. “They said you…” Kage trailed off and sniffed the air. His crimson-flecked silver eyes shined with unshed tears, and Kieran froze in his movements.

Kieran moved faster than ever, and Kage yelped as he hugged him tightly. Before he could stop himself, he admitted the truth about Dr. Sorcha’s diagnosis and why he chose to go through with the transition. Through it all, Kage stood frozen in his arms.

“You told him?”

Kieran looked up from where he sat in the corner of the shower at his father and nodded before he rested his forehead on his knees.