Same Day

TO Radio Station

10:30 AM

“So, why are we here again? I thought I heard you tell Pierre we don’t have any commitments until tomorrow?” David slouched on a sofa in the artist dressing room at the back of the local radio station. Seb sat on the floor with Jeff playing a game of cards.

Chuck sat opposite them scrolling through his BlackBerry phone, sucking at his bottom lip. He lifted his head at the bassist’s question. “What’s that?”

“Why are we here, Chuck?”

The drummer rolled his eyes. “We’re giving a fan a little surprise.”

“Just one?”

“Yes, a young woman who works here, her younger brother has leukaemia and is a massive fan of the band. The woman asked if she could bring her brother in to meet us.”

David grinned. “That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, it is.” Chuck smiled. “I just hope Pierre gets here soon. I told him ten thirty...”

Pat walked into the room camera clutched in his right hand; hearing the drummer’s comment he lifted his head from the tiny monitor. “Pierre’s on his way here.”

“Oh. Good. Doesn’t pay to be late.”

David snorted. “Pierre’s never late.”

Chuck rolled his eyes and said, “No, that’s usually you who’s late. I keep forgetting that.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah...you keep telling yourself that, Comeau.” David slapped the drummer on the shoulder and fell back on the couch closing his eyes, kicking his legs out causing Seb to protest as he knocked a pile of cards all over the floor. The bassist just giggled shifting his weight about, getting comfortable. The two guitarists shook their heads at him and after restacking the cards, resumed their game.

Pat flopped down next to them and poked his camera into their faces, grinning madly. “Come on you two...tell me what you’re doing...”

“We,” Seb smirked, “are playing a new game that I came up with. It’s called... ‘let’s see how many times I can beat Stinco at Snap!’”

Jeff laughed. “Yeah right, it’s called ‘let’s see me whoop Sebastien’s ass!’”

Pat snorted, “It’s way too easy to beat you at cards, Jeff. Way too easy.”

The bald guitarist pretended to look sad. Seb chortled sweeping the cards up then dealing them out. Pat trained the camera on the two piles of card and rambled aimlessly as the other two men proceeded to play Blackjack.

* * * * *

“Lu...I can hear someone...” A pale young boy huddled on a sofa in the staff coffee room watching as a woman with long mahogany hair rifled through a stack of files.

The woman lifted her head. “What is it, Shamus?”

The boy’s nostrils flared and he turned his head. “Smells like-”

“Oof...fuck...ouch...” A deep masculine voice cursed from the back of the room.

The woman and the boy looked over and blinked as a young male vampire materialised next to the standing fridge swaying slightly. Dark hair fell into deep brown eyes and he braced his inked left arm against the side of the fridge. The boy shifted on his seat.

The woman tilted her head slightly, smiling in bemusement. “Can I help you, sir?”

The male rubbed at his eyes and mumbled to himself. “Shit...that feels fuckin’ weird...”

The woman giggled softly. “First time you’ve done that, eh?”

The male blinked as if realising for the first time he wasn’t alone. “Merde...” He stared hard at the woman taking in her appearance, a small frown creasing his brow. “You...” He paused, eyes narrowing.

She smiled and walked away from her files and stopping in front of him. “It’s okay, I’m one as well. It’s always a little strange the first time you do that.”

The male bit his lip the tips of his fangs peeking out from his top lip. “You?”

“I’m Luna.” The woman brushed fingertips through red locks.

The male smiled tilting his head slightly. “Pierre Bouvier.”

“Oh?” Luna rubbed at her arms, recognising the name as that of the singer of the band she was supposed to be meeting shortly. “Your band is out there waiting for you.”

Pierre arched an eyebrow. “You’re the woman whose brother-?”

“The lad’s really not my brother...” They both looked to the boy seated on the couch. He sat up chocking his head to the side, large black eyes staring solemnly at them. “He is a Lycan...”

The boy growled softly, “The name’s Shamus Cunningham.”

Pierre blinked surprise in his eyes. “Any relation to, Patrick?”

Shamus smirked. “Half brother.”

Pierre rubbed his jaw. “So...you don’t really have Leukaemia?”

The young Werewolf laughed bitterly. “Who needs cancer when you have the Lunar Curse?”

The singer’s face took on a serious cast as he remembered the comment Pat had made about the Full Moon curse. So, this must have been the person he was referring to.

“Ah...but, I suppose your everyday human wouldn’t understand?”

Shamus shook his head. “It’s easier to let them think I have some kind of fatal disease.”

Pierre nodded but then looked away his thoughts turning abruptly to his elder brother, Jay. If only that were true for him. He would give anything to cure his brother’s cancer.

Luna sensed the melancholy in the male’s thoughts and gently eased the conversation in a different direction. “Shamus is a huge fan of Simple Plan.”

The youngling nodded.

Pierre forced a smile on his lips. “Well, then we’d better take him out to meet the rest of the band.”

“May I get your autograph first?” Shamus held out a worn CD cover. Pierre noted that it was from the band’s first record, No Pads... Smiling he pulled a Sharpie from his back pocket, yanking the lid off with his teeth and signing his name with a flourish.

“There you go, pup.” He grinned. The Were smiled broadly clutching the cover close to his chest.

Luna nodded slightly a graceful smile playing on her lips. “Thankyou...”

Pierre shook his head. “Don’t thank me, Luna.” He waved a hand toward the door. “Come. You said the guys are waiting for us.”

Luna smoothed a hand over the beige slacks she was wearing and straightened the collar of her simple white blouse. “Yes. Some of them have been playing cards.”

“And, Patrick has been fiddling with that camera of his. Dad swears he’s attached to it permanently.” Shamus’ lip curled a little.

Pierre chuckled. “That’s almost true, kid.”

The youngling rolled his eyes and taking hold of the female’s hand headed for the door. Pierre followed them out to the room where his friends’ were waiting.

Chuck was the first to look up, eyes widening slightly. “Pierre?”

“Yeah...that’s me,” Pierre smirked, then waved a hand toward Luna and Shamus. “I found them on the way here.”

The drummer turned to the woman and the boy and grinned. “Hello. I’m Chuck.”

Shamus made a show of looking as if he were in awe, mouth working slowly as if in disbelief. The smile on Luna’s lips was almost shy. Pierre drew back allowing the rest of the band to approach and greet them.

Pat who was still glued to his camera glanced sideways at the singer, eyes narrowing slightly. Pierre...I smell...vamp...

Pierre came to stand next to him. Recognise your half brother?

Pat blinked and stared down the viewfinder at the boy. Holy shit...Shamus...but...the female? Isn’t that...?

Pierre folded his arms smiling tightly as he observed the others taking photos with Shamus and Luna.Her name’s Luna...she’s...the same as me.

Pat lowered his camera from his eyes and turned his head to look at Pierre, his face was pale. I know, Pierre. I know who she is... Shit...

Pierre tilted his head at the tension in Pat’s voice. Shit, what?

Pat clenched his jaw. Johnny told me of her...and so did my father. She lives with my sister...she is one of the only vampire’s to live willingly with a whole clan of Lycans.

Pierre nodded still watching; Luna was now sitting on the sofa with David, the bassist was attempting to tell her a joke. Shamus was kneeling next to Jeff trying to play his acoustic guitar a look of utter concentration on his young face.

Pat breathed out harshly then added as casually as anything, By the way, she’s Johnny’s mother.

Pierre’s head whipped around shock plastered across his face. What?

Pat met his surprised look calmly. Johnny’s a Halfling...a cross between a Were and a vamp...Luna’s his mother. He worked his jaw for a moment deciding wisely not to elaborate on Luna’s lineage. It was not his place; if she wanted to enlighten Pierre then she could do so on her own. He nodded toward the redheaded female. Luna...mated a Lycan...for love. But then... Pat’s tone hardened. She lost her husband...Shadows had him and every other Lycan in California, destroyed.

Except for Johnny... Pierre ruminated on their conversation just as Luna turned from David and pegged him with a knowing look. He tilted his head toward her smiling faintly. She turned to the bassist speaking softly to him, then she rose and approached Pierre and Pat.

“Hello,” Luna smiled at Pat.

He lowered his camera and stared at her, eyes narrowed ever so little. You look nothing like your brother...

The female took her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head, her long hair tumbling over her shoulders. Thank the Lord for that, Patrick...

Pierre frowned looking between them sensing that they were conversing in their minds.

He felt a little left out and so he butted in speaking out loud to fill the seeming void between them. “So, you work here, Luna?”

Luna looked at him, lifting one eyebrow. “Yes, Pierre. I do. It is a safe, respectable job for a...woman like me.”

Pierre chortled. “It’s tough in this industry though.”

She shook her head in response. “Only for the bands and the executive. I find it relatively easy. At least...considering who I am.”

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing, eh?”

Luna chuckled. “Nah, a cat in a wolf’s coat.”

Pierre laughed outright, pressing a hand to his chest. “Good one.”

“Well, it is true...we fanged ones are related to the humble house cat.”

Pierre blinked, then quipped softly, “Is that the real reason vamps and Lycans were at war with each other?”

Luna rolled her eyes. “That would be a good excuse...except...you have had dogs in your life, right?”

“Yeah, Lach and I have a little dog...her name’s Delilah. She’s fine with me.” Pierre scratched his jaw. “But, then she is domesticated.”

The female smiled raking slender fingers through her long red hair. “However, Lycans and Vamps...are not so much...”

Pat snorted. “You make us sound like animals.”

Luna grimaced, the expression doing nothing to mar her beauty. “At the basic instinctive level that is what we are, Pat.”

She glanced at Pierre and met his gaze directly. He felt the force of her stare and shivered. Pulling his eyes away from hers he looked back toward the rest of the band. They were all focusing on the youngling who was still playing Jeff’s guitar. He watched them silently. Luna stepped closer to him, nodding toward Shamus.

When she spoke her voice was low enough that it wouldn’t carry any farther than their small huddle. “Shamus is borne of the oldest Were line in the world...”

Pat scowled. “The Cunningham line isn’t that old.”

Luna raised an eyebrow at him. “No? Then perhaps he is really of the Langlois line?”

Pat shook his head. “No. He is not my mother’s son. But then...the Cunningham name is only recent...well as long as we have been in Canada.”

She nodded then rubbed at her arms slowly lowering her voice even more. “No Lycan family goes as far back as the oldest vampire.”

Pierre grimaced. “Who are the oldest vampire families?”

Luna licked her lips and shot the singer a wry look. “The Sullivan clan is the oldest...followed only by the Sanders clan. Both of Celtic descent.”

Pierre swallowed his Adams apple bobbing visibly. “Matt Sanders...of Avenged Sevenfold...” He noticed the female tense slightly at the mention of the master vampire’s name. He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve heard of him?”

Pat turned his attention to his camera and began to fiddle with it, keeping one ear on the vampires’ conversation. Luna took her bottom lip between her teeth thoughts passing across her eyes.

Then she nodded softly. “Who hasn’t?” She paused then looked away staring into the distance for a moment.

Pierre waited patiently sensing that she was deep in her thoughts. After several moments she brought her eyes back to his; they were filled with an inexplicable tenderness.

He blinked and tilted his head. “Luna?”

“Matt is my elder brother, Pierre.” Her voice sounded sad, weary even.

Pierre’s eyes widened in shock, but, it was Pat who spoke first, jerking his head away from the camera. “What? But then...Johnny’s his-”

“Nephew. Yes. And, yes...Matt knows this.”

“Does Johnny?”

Luna shook her head in the negative. “No. Matt never told him. And I believe he never will either.” Her bottom lip quivered. “He...spared his life though. Because of that.” She forced a smile then turned to look toward the rest of the band. “Anyway, enough of this...we’re being anti-social...we should go join Shamus and the others.”

Pierre nodded in agreement; Pat just nodded with his eyes before glancing back into the viewfinder of his camera. Luna looked at him for a second then swirled around and headed back to the rest of the group. Pierre hung back a little longer until Pat waved a hand at him to go. With a sigh, he did, leaving Patrick to document another day in the life of Simple Plan.

Downtown, TO

Noon

Johnny wandered aimlessly along the pavement hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans. He had a beanie tugged firmly down over his head in an attempt to disguise his person from the people on the street. With his shoulders hunched and body slouched he knew he would not be readily noticeable. It was important for him to go incognito since he was trying to find someone without anyone knowing.

Of course, he could have gone Wolf, however then he would have the issue of the local dog catcher on his tail. He had seen one of their trucks cruising through the city and he could not afford to get caught out. Shadows would skin him alive for that. Well, perhaps not, but Johnny was not going to even risk pissing his master off any more than he already had.

When he had arrived back on the A7X bus after having visited Pierre and Pat the master vampire had been waiting for him. And he had been livid. Shadows threatened him with the most horrible death if he did not do as he was told. That meant only leaving the bus if he was looking for Pierre’s mother or the band had some commitment.

Shadows also forced him to reveal Alpha’s identity. Once again Johnny had played him giving the master vampire another alias. He knew though that it would not take long for Shadows to realise he was taking him for a ride. So Johnny had gotten out of his presence as fast as he could with promises he would not return until he had Serena with him. Hence the reason he was putting one foot in front of the other on the cracked pavement of a Toronto street.

With his head down Johnny was able to track the many varied scents of the city. Halting at a crossing, he stiffened slightly, nostrils twitching as he caught hold of a familiar aroma. It was extremely faint almost drowned by the myriad other scents that assaulted the sensitive hairs in his nasal passage. Biting his bottom lip, he swung a swift left and hurried passed a gang of rowdy youths who were huddled around a bus stand.

He would have completely disregarded them if it weren’t for the soft protest that issued from within the circle of young men. A very familiar voice reached his ears. He whipped his head back catching a whiff of that same perfume coming from directly amongst the group of men.

The feminine voice that called out in objection spiked at his heart. “Let me go...please...I have to catch my bus...”

Johnny snarled as he turned toward the youths. They did not notice him as their attention was focused toward the centre of their huddle. One of them snorted and grabbed at a tiny figure that was trying to push passed them. Long black hair caught the sunlight giving off a purple sheen.

Serena... Johnny hissed then let out a low growl a sound that rumbled deep in his throat. One youth turned his head and saw Johnny standing there. The Were noted vaguely that the youth was much bigger than him, obviously a jock on some high school football team.

However, Johnny knew that he had the upper hand. The one advantage to being a Lycan was that his height did not diminish his strength or his ability to cow anyone regardless of how much bigger than him they were. Of course that only applied to humans. He could not intimidate a Were or Vamp who was larger than him. Because, as it were they were always stronger than he would ever be.

The youth sneered. “Piss off, buddy. This ain’t your business.”

Johnny slowly licked his lips, muscles coiling ready for a fight. “Oh really? I happen to know that woman you’re harassing...so...I suggest getting away from her.”

The youth laughed and stepped toward Johnny cracking his knuckles. “What’re ya gonna do if I don’t, eh?”

Johnny glanced back over his shoulder, scanning the street then he looked toward the group of young men who were still surrounding the female. He felt her mind shift opening slightly, letting him know that she knew he was there.

Then he looked hard at the jock in front of him. “You really don’t want to know, kid. So tell your friends to leave her alone.”

“Kid?” The jock sneered more, narrowing his eyes at the shorter man. “Look at you...you’re not gonna do shit. Look at you, you scrawny piece of shit.”

Those words jolted into Johnny’s brain and triggered a reaction that rarely erupted from the young Were. His eyes went yellow, a real golden glow and then he snarled, a savage sound that sounded like it should have come from the throat of a wild animal. A split second later, he lunged at the youth changing in midair his clothes splitting as his form twisted from bipedal human to four-legged canine.

The youth’s eyes widened in horror and he opened his mouth to scream; the sound never left his mouth as Johnny ripped his throat out with a terrible roar blood spraying all over his fur. The other young men scattered having finally noticed what was going down. They just bolted, terror written all over their faces and stinking up the air around them.

The woman Johnny had just rescued stared after them; eyes narrowed focusing on their minds so as to wipe their memories of the scene they had just witnessed. Then she turned to the Werewolf.

Johnny snarled shaking his head from side to side still holding onto the jock’s neck. His body hung limp as a ragdoll from the large Were’s powerful jaws. It wasn’t until the woman crept close to him that he halted, breathing hard.

Her perfume wafted toward his nostrils and he released the human’s neck and lifted his head toward her. Sherry Blackwood sighed, brushing a hand through her tangled black hair and straightening the short black skirt she was wearing.

“Johnny...Johnny...Johnny...” She crouched down to his level and took his bloodied face in her hands, murmuring close to his muzzle. “What am I to do with you, eh?”

Johnny whined and licked at her face.

Sherry shook her head frowning. “I was fine, you know.”

Johnny growled disapprovingly. Didn’t look fine...

Sherry sighed. “What are you doing here?”

Me specifically?

“Yes.” She stroked the fur between his ears gently.

He rumbled in his chest and nudged his bloodied muzzle against her hands. Looking for you...wanted to see you again. He paused then added, wondered if you wanted to meet your son.

Sherry’s eyes widened then she looked around them to see if they had an audience, but other than the youths that had accosted her [who had now gotten as far away as possible] there was no one else around.

Then she looked back at her friend. “But, I thought you said I shouldn’t...”

Johnny grunted and turned from her padding around the jock’s body sniffing at him and pawing at his sides. Then he narrowed his gaze and gave a low yipping sound. The youth’s body vanished as did the pool of blood he had been laying in.

Then the Were settled back on his haunches and peered up at the female vampire. The situation has changed, Serena. You need to meet with Pierre. I can’t tell you why...he’ll explain it to you...but you have to come with me.

Sherry swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a moment. “Does Shadows know that you’re looking for me?”

Johnny growled the fur at his throat bristling. He sent me. But...he doesn’t know that I’m taking you to meet Pierre.

Sherry wiped a hand over her mouth.

Johnny lifted a paw and rested it against her thigh. Are you alright, Serena?

“Those lads would’ve done no real harm...not like...”

I know...but...they were hassling you...and...um...I kinda lost it.

Sherry chuckled. “You’re one wild wolf when crossed, Johnny.”

Johnny lowered his great head licking at his legs.

The woman smiled softly and scratched behind his ears. “Well, if we’re going to do this...I guess we’d better go...”

The Were yipped. Can’t take you to Pierre just yet. I have to talk to him first. But, I will take you to the Lycan haven. You’ll be safe there.

Sherry nodded, straightening and smiling down at the large shaggy wolf standing before her. “Lead the way, old friend...”

Johnny yipped once more then turned and trotted down the street, tail held vertical like a flag to mark the way.

Notes