Blood of the Highland Moon

Chapter 12: Realizations

Lucas's P.O.V.

Slipping from the castle had been easy enough, but avoiding the rapidly rising sun had nearly been my demise. I huddled in the dark recesses of the cave and looked out at the shady forest with its cursed patches of sunlight. I should have left the moment the sun had gone down, but I never was one for thinking things through. that was precisely why I was sitting in a cave with burns covering my face and arms. I needed blood; badly.

I scowled as I thought of Sorcha. She would be furious by now, the lass seemed to think that I needed a mother. I was through with her ‘keeping an eye on me’. Just because she made me didn’t mean she had to raise me, it was time to cut the fangs, and what better way than to rescue her cousin and kill the mutt king? It was past time the vampires made a move and stopped waiting for conformation that the bloody werewolves had taken her.

What I would do when I reached the werewolf kingdom was still to be discovered. It wasn’t as if I could simply walk up to them and say ‘I’m here to kill your king and take back my princess.’ I had only met the princess a few times, but when the bleeding mutts took her, they declared war on my kind, and for that it was only fair that I kill their king or one of his loved ones.

A scuffling noise behind me drew my attention. I calmed my breathing and listened, ignoring the pain of my burns. The sound of a heartbeat drew a smile to my lips. It was an animal, one that knew I wasn’t to be tampered with. The question was, would this animal be curious enough to be caught? Letting my body tell me where my prey was, I closed off my mind and embraced the hunter I was.

Catriona's P.O.V.

Once we had untangled from one another’s arms I had straightened my skirts and hastily put some distance between us. I stood on the other side of the room next to the two chairs and the fireplace that graced one of the walls of his bedchamber. It was nearly impossible to keep from watching him as he dressed. My eyes wanted to take in every inch of his tall, muscled, broad frame, but I managed to deny them after a few quick glances. Alex would be back with our food and I had to clear my head first.

There was a knock on the door and then Eallair opened it to let Alex in. Alex smiled at me and sat the food on the small table between the chairs. “Good morning, lass, how did you sleep?”

“Well enough, thank you for asking, Alex.” I said as I grabbed an oat cake.

“There is a lot of food for just two people, Alex.” Eallair said as he walked over.

“Yes, well I haven’t eaten yet and thought I might join you.”

“Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.” I said before Eallair could answer. I didn’t want to be left alone with him again.

“Eallair, I was wondering who you were going to send to tell the vampire king about Catriona?”

I shot a glance at Eallair. “You haven’t sent word that I am here yet?”

“Don’t get angry with me lass, you have only been gone from your home for seven days. It is just now time that I should send word. How is your father to know that I knew you could travel in the day?” Eallair countered.

“My father knows that I would have told you that I can stand small amounts of sunlight.” I said through gritted teeth.

“How is he to know that I believed you and didn’t think you were simply trying to get yourself killed?” Eallair said tightly.

“So, Eallair, who do you think you will be sending?” Alex interjected before either of us could get into a full-blown fight.

“I hadn’t decided yet. Perhaps you should choose for me, you have been spending more time with the men lately and will know who can be trusted to nay lose their temper or unintentionally provoke the king.” Eallair said to Alex without taking his eyes off mine. It was as if he were daring me to break my glare first. Ha! That would never happen.

“It doesn’t matter who you send, my father will be so furious that he might just kill them on sight. He probably already suspects you as the one who has taken me because a human wouldn’t have been able to overpower or startle me the same as a werewolf. That and you smell different than a human.” I said pointedly as I continued to glare at Eallair.

“What do we smell like, lass?” Eallair asked skeptically.

“Dog.” The word left my mouth as the insult that it was.

“I don’t think I smell like dog.” Alex said good naturedly. “But if I do then at least I smell like a dog that has recently been bathed.” Eallair burst out laughing at Alex’s remark and I rolled my eyes and dug into the oatcakes yet again. “Anyway, I will do as you wish cousin and look for the best person to send.” He looked thoughtful for a moment then smiled. “Why don’t I go?”

“No!”

“No!” Eallair and I said at the same time. Eallair glanced at me then back to Alex. “I’ll nay be risking my cousin in this. I fear you would try to joke with the king and he would have you killed.”

“I wouldn’t joke with the king, this a serious thing, you having his daughter and all.”

“Cousin, I can’t let you go and put yourself in danger this time. I need you here.” Eallair said simply.

“Aye, who else will keep you laughing?” Alex gave a broad smile and winked at me.

“When you send the message, what will you say?” I asked as I put food on my plate.

“That his daughter is safe, and will stay that way, and that I seek to discuss a truce.” He said simply.

I snorted. “This whole thing is a horrid idea. You are all going to be killed.”

“Can you see the outcome of it all so clearly?” Alex asked honestly.

“I don’t have to see to know what will happen. My father will want naught more than to kill the lot of you for taking me.”

“And what will he do when he finds that I found you wandering the woods alone?” Eallair asked as he too filled a plate.

I glared at him. “He’ll naught need to know. You’ll not have the chance to tell him, he’ll kill you before you can tell him.”

“Maybe I should word my letter a wee bit more careful.” He glanced at Alex. “Dear King of the Vampires, I have just recently discovered that the lass I found wondering the woods is indeed you daughter. I thought that I might keep her safe as a show of good faith and upon your retrieving her, we might discuss a truce.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” I breathed in outrage.

“Yes, lass, I think it would solve a lot of problems. Your father wouldn’t think that I planned to capture you at all, but that I had simply found a lass in the woods and brought her back to my castle.” Eallair said with a slight smile.

“My father will never believe you.”

He shrugged. “We will see. I can’t change what I have done now, its too late. I must find the best way to use you and now I have a way that will lead away from any fighting at all.”

“Lass, no matter what you say to him he’ll simply do as he wishes and you can’t change his mind. I can tell by the way he’s talking. You had best save you breath.” Alex said simply and went back to eating the food he'd brought for the three of us.

Sorcha's P.O.V.

“She wasn’t happy here you know.” A woman’s hushed voice came through the door.

“Ach, the bleeding king kept her locked away and never let her talk to anyone. She wasn’t even allowed to go out at night with us.” A second woman’s voice came through the door.

“It would not surprise me if she was trying to run away when she got taken by a werewolf.” The first said and I felt myself tense.

“Do you know it was a werewolf? The lass was so sheltered she probably was taken by a human.”

I burst through the door, knocked the closest to the floor, and locked my hands around the throat of a maid. “You’ll never speak of my cousin that way again! I’ll kill the both of you!”

The other woman in the room shrieked and lunged at me. “Let go of her, she didn’t mean it!”

I looked at the other woman with hate filled eyes, twisted around, grabbed a handful of her hair, and flipped her over my back. I curled my fingers into talons and slashed my long nails across the woman’s face who was pinned beneath me. The other woman was upon me in moments. I was knocked onto my back and we rolled across the floor, hissing, biting, and hitting each other. The first woman I’d attacked launched herself at us and I kicked the second off of me and right into the first. I made a fist, fell upon the closest, and began to punch her repeatedly in the face.

“You’ll never speak of my uncle, your King, that way again! My cousin didn’t run away! You keep your bloody thoughts to yourself you lowly b***h!” I screeched as the second pulled me off the first. Just when I was about to turn on her again Mathew was there, his hand locked around my fist.

“What is the meaning of this?” He demanded, glaring at each of us in turn.

“These two were accusing Catriona of running away because of our ‘bleeding king’ as they put it.” I hissed. I’d been angry since she’d gone missing, and even more so since Lucas had disappeared.

He looked at the other women who hung their heads. “It’s true then, what she claims?” He tisked. “Catriona would nay have run away, and I understand frustration with our king from time to time, but you must remember that he has all of us to think about, he can only do his best. From now on you will not disrespect him in any way, and if you have any thoughts on what happened to the princess you shall bring them to my attention and no one else’s.”

“Yes.” They both said together. I glared at them.

“And you, Sorcha, that was not a reason for you to attack them.”

“Someone had to teach them a lesson.” I hissed.

“Just because you are upset that your little toy has gone missing does not mean you can attack our kind.” He scolded. The other women giggled.

“Lucas is not my toy, he is yet wild, uncontrollable. I fear he will alert the werewolves that we know it was them who took Catriona.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” He said.

“I have also been upset ever since Catriona went missing, she is my cousin.” I looked at the two women. “I’ll apologize for my reaction, this time, but I’ll not be so kind next time.”

Catriona's P.O.V.

I’d been wondering the halls since the three of us had finished our breakfast. Eallair had told me not to go far from the library, that he would smell if I did and would come after me. He was writing the letter to my father. Anger filled me as a vision of him naked slipped through my thoughts. What the bloody hell was I doing? He was a flea-bitten mutt!

I wondered back into the library to find a book to take my mind off things. He looked at me the moment I entered the room. I could feel his eyes on me as I crossed to a bookcase. Heat swelled in my skin, knowing he was looking at me, knowing what it felt like to have him touching me. I could feel the scowl settle on my face. The bloody b*****d was in my thoughts and I wanted him out!

“Catriona.” My name was a husky exhale behind me. I hadn’t heard him approach and whirled around to face him.

“You stay away from me, you bloody mutt.” I said as I took a step back.

“Or what, you’ll bite me?” He said in a husky voice as he pulled his shirt collar to the side to show the wounds I had left.

“Just because I let that happen once does not mean I will let it happen again.” I warned.

He laughed. “Once? Lass, the way I remember it was many times.”

“You know what I mean, you filthy mongrel!” I fumed.

“All that we shared and you still insist on insulting me, I don’t get it Catriona, why?”

“I’ll always insult you, dog.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Do you not remember where this got you before?”

“There is naught you can do to get me to curb my tongue, so you might as well get used to it you bloody, tail chasing, flea bag.”

He had crossed the room in seconds and had my back against the wall. “Catriona, I think I am beginning to like it when you call me such things.” He stroked the side of my face. I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest as his body pressed even closer to mine. His lips were but inches from mine as he breathed, “Insult me again lass.”

“Mutt.” I breathed as his lips crushed to mine. My arms shot up around his neck, my hands digging into his hair. His arms tightened around me, pinning my body tight to his. His tongue slipped into my mouth and brushed against one of my tingling fangs. Moans rumbled up from both of us as his tongue began to bleed. Suddenly I pushed him away.

“What? What is wrong?” He asked, concern seeping into his voice.

“What are we doing? You have kidnapped me so that you can use me against my father and we are kissing, and last night, last night…” I trailed off and covered my mouth.

“Catriona, don’t think of it.” He soothed as he stepped closer.

“Don’t touch me!” I bit out. “I don’t wish to be touched right now, not by you or anyone else.”

“Catriona, sweeting, don’t blame yourself.”

“I am nay blaming myself! I am blaming you! If you would have just kidnapped the wrong vampire none of this would be happening! It’s all your fault! You leave my head so muddled I don’t know what to do! I can’t stand you and yet when you touch me I can’t get enough of it. You say you are angered by my words and yet your reaction says something entirely different.” I stopped mid rant, a realization taking hold. “You seduced me on purpous! Its a way to anger my father! You don’t want peace, you wish to push this feud into a full blown war!”

“No! I never planned on any of this happening! I don’t want a war! I only want justice for the death of my father!”

“So you kidnap the vampire princess? That was a brilliant move, did your advisor come up with that one? If so, I think you need a new advisor because they are trying to get all of you killed!” I said in outrage.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” He said in a flat voice.

“Really? I have only lived with my father for the last 18 years of my life, I think I know exactly what I am talking about! He will never agree to peace now! By kidnapping me you have started something that will only end with death!” I snapped.

He clenched his jaw and glanced away. “It will always end in death.” He looked back to me then, “That is why my father is not here today. One of your filthy leaches killed him.” The bitterness in his voice was something I hadn’t heard before.

“Eallair-“ I said softly and took a step toward him. “My father didn’t kill yours, if he had he would have announced it to all. Whoever killed your father has kept silent.”

“Once your father receives my demands he will find who killed my father and deliver them to me and then you will be free of me.” There was a hardness to him that I hadn’t expected as he stepped away from me and left the room.

“Eallair!” I called out as I rushed to the door.

He stopped but did not turn around. “I don’t care what you do, or where you go, just don’t leave the castle.” With that he began walking away again.

Lucas's P.O.V.

I was through hiding in the blasted cave and I knew just how to get out. The creature I’d fed upon had strengthened me and it was time that I put that strength to use. Heavy clouds had begun to spread across the sky and thick shadows lined the forest. I stepped out into the forest cautiously. I knew I had to pay attention and stay to the shadows. I could feel the energy from the brewing storm and knew the clouds would stay for at least a few hours, I hoped longer.

The more distance I could cover the better.

I began to shoot through the shadows as fast as I could, avoiding any areas that looked even remotely light. I wasn’t going to get myself burnt again. I began to think of all the ways I could possibly get into a castle I’d never seen before. Perhaps it would be as simple as telling them I was looking for the princess. I shook my head at that stupidity.

I could go up to the castle doors and beg for help, tell them I was lost and didn’t know what was happening to me. Tell them that I’d been bitten by something and it had made me sick and I didn’t know why. If they thought I was a newly changed vampire they might take me inside and I could find a way to get to the princess then and get her out. But I would have to kill the werewolf who’d taken her. I would kill the bloody werewolf king while I was at it. If I played my part good enough, he would never see it coming.

I smiled to myself, imagining the blood of a werewolf staining my fangs, my first kill for the crown. What rewards would that grant me? If I were to return with the princess safe and sound would I be granted a high place in the king’s favor? Would he reward me with riches? The rest of the vampires would finally respect and possibly fear me, the vampire who’d killed the king of the werewolves without help from the rest of them. It was past time that the bloody b*****ds started treating me like a vampire instead of a bleeding pet. I could do just as much as the rest of them if I wished. I was as strong as most of them, as fast as most of them, and smarter than the lot of them. Perhaps I would become advisor to Mathew once he became king and took the princess as his queen.

Sorcha's P.O.V.

“Sorcha, come sit with me?” Aunt Maggie asked in a soft voice.

I walked over and sat next to her on the daybed. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t know what to say. She was grieving for her daughter, not sure where she was, or when she’d see her again. I was grieving for my cousin, not sure if she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut, not sure what horrors she suffered at the hands of a werewolf.

“Such tension. Tell me why you look such a mess.” She asked gently.

I closed my eyes. I’d forgotten to clean up after my fight with the others before going to my day room. I’d not expected Aunt Maggie to be in my day room. I sighed. “I got into a fight with a couple of maids.” I glanced at her to find her waiting patiently for me to continue. “I overheard them saying that Catriona may have been trying to run away.”

She closed her eyes in a brief moment of what looked like pain. Then her silvery eyes flashed open and she gave me a sad smile. “Yes, I’d considered something of the sort myself. I don’t believe she would ever run away, but I have been wondering if she had simply been sneaking out of the castle to enjoy a bit of the night when she was captured. Mathew said the struggle happened in the woods beyond the cave entrances.”

I nodded my head. “That would be something she would do; sneak out into the night without anyone with her. Uncle Conner really should have let her go out more, with many guards. She may not have been so wild had he simply indulged her some of her wishes to be like the rest of us.”

“Yes, my lass is a bold one. She has been since she was born. She was always sneaking out into the shadows of full day when she was a wee lass.”

“Yes, I know it. I had to retrieve her a few times.”

"Yes, I remember you getting burnt once. I think that’s when she finally stopped trying to get out during the day. When she realized that we might be hurt trying to stop her.”

"Yes. She wasn’t happy with me for it. She blamed me for getting hurt, said she was just going to play in the shadows.” I shook my head.

“She has always been quick to get angry at others. She gets that from her father.”

She smiled at me. “As do you. I didn’t know your father, but I suspect he was as quick tempered as Conner.”

“Yes, and he had the same soft spot where my mother and I were involved. He loved us dearly.” I looked at my hands folded in my lap. “He never wanted me to become a vampire, but he wouldn’t stop me from talking to Uncle Conner. Uncle Conner didn’t become a vampire until after I was 5 or so. He’d been my favorite uncle, favored over my Mother’s brothers and sisters.”

“Yes, because he, like your father, had a soft spot for you, still does.” She put her hand over mine. “He worries over you the way he worries over Catriona.”

"Yes, I know it.”

“But I don’t think he’s thought of how this is effecting you.” She added softly.

I smiled at her. “He is too wrapped up in his own anger to think of how it is effecting any of us.”

“Lass, we all are.”