Half past noon

Fingertips...brushing lightly against his ears, at his neck...Jonathan twitched his ears and shifted slightly lifting a back foot to scratch at an itch. The hand moved away; he whined softly. Then that raspy, horrifying voice filled his ears, causing his breath to hitch.

“Youngling...youngling...? Wake up...”

Jonathan squeezed his eyes shut tight and gave a low growl. Strong fingers encircled his muzzle, the touch surprisingly gentle.

“Don’t growl at me, pup...I’ve not hurt you...”

He cracked one eyelid open. The master vampire leaned over him his face a cool mask. Jonathan slid open the other eye to find that he was no longer in the torture chamber. He trembled in relief but then that itch at the base of his throat returned and he twisted his body around, wincing slightly as he lifted his back leg and began to scratch furiously.

Matthew removed his hand just in time and tilted his head a bemused light in his eyes. Jonathan rumbled in his chest as he kept scratching.

Goddamned fleas...

The vampire cracked a tiny smile, but swept it away before the Werewolf could see it. Jonathan finally let his leg rest and peered up at Matthew.

What...what am I doing here...?What he really wanted to know was why he was still alive, but he didn’t dare to ask that question out loud. The vampire rested back on his haunches face now set like stone.

“I’ve decided to keep you around for awhile. You may prove to be useful.” Matthew stared down hard at the young Were. “Mercy is not something I usually show. However, you are barely out of childhood and I am not so cruel to kill an unblooded Were. So you should be grateful you are still alive.”

Falling quiet once he’d finished speaking, Matthew watched the Werewolf silently wondering how he was going to respond.

Jonathan hesitated before shuffling so he was flat on his belly and lifting his eyes to the vampire. For a heartbeat, he just eyeballed the vampire. Then the youngling did something that a Were only ever did to the highest ranked Were Warriors. He slowly rolled onto his back, ears back, tail tucked between his legs and his head turned to the side. With his underbelly and throat exposed, he was now entirely vulnerable to attack. This was the ultimate sign of submission.

The master vampire blinked slowly. He knew enough of Werewolf custom to recognise the body language and it stunned him. Obviously, he didn’t allow Jonathan to see his shock, but nonetheless he was surprised. He knew that only the most powerful, and revered Were leaders were afforded this particular symbol of deference. For Jonathan to display himself in such a manner to Matthew spoke volumes.

Matthew folded his arms across his chest. Then he stepped closer remembering something else he had read about Werewolf hierarchy and customs. Soundlessly he knelt by Jonathan’s head and reached his right hand to close around the youngling’s throat. He squeezed lightly. The Were growled low, but the sound was not one of protest, it wasn’t even fearful. The vampire hissed, lips peeling back from his fangs. Jonathan’s tail flickered slightly between his back legs, still tucked close to his body.

Matthew squeezed his throat more; Jonathan let his head fall more to the side, his body going limp, supple, and compliant. There he lay in complete surrender to the master vampire. And at that same moment, Matthew became extremely conscious of the pulsing of the Were’s blood through his veins. He sucked in his breath and glanced into Jonathan’s deep brown orbs. The Were’s lip curled ever so little.

Drink from me, master...

The vampire didn’t even hesitate, didn’t question the way the youngling addressed him. He shifted his weight, bracing his upper torso above the Were’s body, bending his head down and sinking his fangs into his jugular. The first wave of blood hit Matthew so strongly he thought it would overwhelm him. He gasped as if for air, but then he began to pull upon the vein and the intensity eased.

As he drank, he found his hand absently trailing over the Werewolf’s lean body, tangling in his fur. Jonathan growled and twitched beneath Matthew’s touch. However, he did not move allowing the vampire to draw sustenance from his vein.

Eventually, Matthew was satiated, and he pulled back his fangs shrinking into a more comfortable position. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth dashing away fresh droplets of blood.

Damn...no wonder Syn drinks Were blood...

Jonathan snarled faintly.

He was never offered it...

Matthew scowled. “You weren’t supposed to hear that...”

The Werewolf barked a laugh.

You just drank from me...your thoughts are connected to mine now...

The master vampire stiffened in shock.

“What?” The tension in his voice was unmistakeable. The Werewolf whined softly.

It’ll wear off...

Matthew growled. “It had better, I don’t want you in my mind, pup.”

Jonathan grumbled.

You think I want that, master?

The vampire frowned.

“Why are you calling me that now?”

The Werewolf averted his gaze so he was staring at a point on the opposite wall.

“Answer me.”

A tremor ran through Jonathan’s body. He didn’t want to answer. Matthew gave a low warning growl.

“If you’re going to call me that, I need to know why.”

The Werewolf snarled angrily.

I don’t want to be indebted to you...

“How do you mean, pup?”

He trembled again tail twitching.

I’m still alive...you showed me mercy...and you didn’t have to...

Matthew stood and walked back to his chair leaning against one of the arms.

“I did not do it for you, wolf.”

Jonathan turned his gaze back to the master vampire a confused expression in his deep brown eyes.

No..then...why?

Matthew’s jaw tightened and without responding, he vanished from the chamber.

* * * * *

The Rev sat in the soldiers’ quarters polishing his leather boots. He moved the polishing cloth lovingly over the supple leather, head bowed with his hair falling into his eyes. There was a soft pop close by but he didn’t need to look to see who had just appeared.

“Matt.” He nodded without lifting his eyes from his boot.

“James...” The uncertainty in the master vampire’s voice caught The Rev’s attention and he cast a quick glance toward him.

“What is it, Matt?”

Matthew sighed heavily and slumped on a pallet next to the lanky vampire. He held the parchment they had found on the wall between his hands. The Rev tilted his head.

“Matt?”

“This...” The master vampire held it as if he were afraid it would burst into flames. “This...worries me, James.”

The Rev was the only person that Matthew trusted completely. He was the only vampire in the whole of Southern California who knew the master vampire all the way to the core of his black heart. After all he had known Matthew the longest. Therefore, he was the only one who ever saw Matthew’s vulnerable side. No one could call it a soft side, because Matthew would quickly disabuse them of the notion, but he did have his weaknesses.

The Rev frowned rubbing at his face.

“What does it say?”

Matthew shivered slightly, skin crawling slowly where it covered his spine.

“This war...it’s been going on for so long...” He paused and looked out into the distance, hazel eyes clouding over. “How many times have I seen my family enslave...” He bit his bottom lip and stood up staring anywhere but at his trusted confidant. “Jonathan is the first of his kin to be truly born free...his parents were born as slaves...but, I don’t think he even knows that.”

The Rev snorted. “Why do you care, Matt? It’s your family’s tradition to use Were’s for slaves...and you treated all of them pretty badly...hell, we all did.”

Matt raked tense fingers through his oily hair.

“Yeah, but it’s been several hundred years since a Were was slave here..”

“Well, what are you thinking? Gonna keep the pup around?”

Matthew’s jaw tightened.

“Brian will hate that. He’ll demand I kill him.”

The Rev blinked slowly only slightly surprised that the master hadn’t denied that he wanted to keep the Were.

“Yes, but we all know how Synyster feels about the Lycans. He’s always hated them...racist son of a vamp...”

Matthew smirked faintly.

“It’s just in his nature, right?”

“Exactly. You shouldn’t be so worried about him. I’m sure Vengeance will be fine with it. Anyhow, better to keep the enemy close than let him get away.”

Matthew nodded then looked down at the parchment reading the ancient runes once more, tracing each letter with the tip of his finger.

“There’s something else...”

The Rev tilted his head.

“What’s that?”

Matthew shook his head slowly.

“I cannot say...” He frowned. “No. That’s not right. I do not know.” He looked up at the other vampire, lips pressed together in a thin, hard line. “If I knew...” He trailed off a faraway look appearing in his eyes. “If I understood...I thought...I thought we were entirely different species...”

The Rev’s eyebrows drew together in confusion.

“Matt?”

Matthew stood abruptly.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the library.”

The master vampire vanished without a sound leaving The Rev gazing in utter bemusement at the spot he’d just been sitting.

2 PM

“A hunting we shall go, a hunting we shall go...a hunting we shall go!”

Synyster groaned as Zachary bounced around him, green eyes literally glowing, singing raucously.

“Cut it out, kitten...seriously...why must you be so irritating?”

The younger vampire stuck out his bottom lip, the tips of his fangs protruding.

“I’m not...”

“Right.” Synyster readjusted his fedora and peered around the front hall. “Where’s Shadows?”

The Rev appeared his freshly polished boots now firmly on his feet.

“He’s in the library. He says he won’t be hunting with us today.”

Synyster snorted. “He’s reading? What for?”

“I doubt that’s any of our business, Haner.”

“Yeah, but it won’t feed him.”

The Rev growled low showing his fangs.

“You should not question the master, Brian.”

Synyster rolled his eyes.

“Well, we should leave then.”

Zachary licked his lips slowly eyes shining.

“Come on, I could eat a whole cow.”

The Lieutenant snarled. “You already did at breakfast...you really need to try a predator of some kind...”

Zachary snarled back, “They carry diseases, Gates. I’m not planning on dying any time soon.”

Synyster opened his mouth to retort but found no sound would come out. He swung around, as did the other two.

Matthew stood at the top of the large staircase arms filled to overflowing with ancient scrolls. Zachary tilted his head slightly.

“What’re you doing with those, Shads?”

The master vampire answered sourly, “I have some reading to do.”

“Some reading?” The young vampire chuckled. “That’s a whole lot more than ‘some’...”

Matthew hefted the scrolls into a more comfortable position.

“Why are you still here?”

Synyster growled silently passed the restriction on his vocal chords.

We were about to leave...can I have my voice back, Shadows?

Matthew’s gaze narrowed hard and cold.

“Only if you quit the bickering, Brian.”

Yes. I swear. He coughed as the tension eased. “Thanks...” He grumbled and headed for the entrance. Matthew shook his head slightly and headed back to the library. The Rev and Zachary followed Synyster out the front not looking back.

Notes