Awaken

Chapter 5

The energy as they walked down the long corridor was tensed. Jagson lead them through the castle, to the wing that was used by no member of the Onyx Lake Pack except himself, Duglass and Assandra. It was rumoured that prisoners of Jagson's ruthless raiding resided here, people who could serve him some purpose for his ever long conquest of domination. Others said it was Assandra's lair, the place she worked her darkest magic. Then of course, there were the whispers that this wing was used by Jagson and Duglass for their secret affair. Whichever may be true, Edward was not looking forward to finding out.

Duglass kept a firm hand on his arm, leading him through the darkened passageways. He had the briefest thought to shift, and fly his way out of there, but Assandra would surely have pointed one of her knobby fingers at him, striking him down if he tried to run.

Finally they reached a door at the end of the hall. It had heavy chains across it, so many as to hide the wood behind it. There was no sound or movement and Edward could feel his skin crawling in both anticipation and fear for what was behind it.

Jagson turned to them, eyes gleaming. "Once we open this door, there is no turning back from the choices we have made." He warned.

Assandra giggled at him, and Duglass nodded his head in response. Jagson reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out a copper key, turning it in the lock on the chains. In one loud thud, the chains fell to the floor. The air was still for a moment, eerily silent. Even the big, bad Alpha King seemed to be holding his breath.

It was Assandra who moved first, sighing in annoyance as she gave Jagson a slight push away from the door. "It's my creation, let me in first so I can see this beauty." She hissed, giving the door a sharp rap.

"Hello, my pet! It's me, your Mother. I'm coming in to see you." She sang, her face beginning to morph between ages.

There was no response. She reached out, twisting the iron knob just enough to crack the door. From inside, a smell wafted into the hall, it was rancid, like eternal death. Edward's stomach began to lurch as soon as it touched his nose. The room was death, and he was being lead inside of it.

The four of them entered, Edward the only one seemingly disgusted by the stench. His body shook at the sight before him, causing Duglass to tighten his grip on Edward's arm. The walls were covered in blood and other matter. Some if it seemed fresh, still wet and slick, dripping down the stone wall. In other spots, it was dried, brown and old some remnant of a poor victim that had met his fate inside these walls. A pile of bones was stacked in a corner, almost neatly, nothing left on them save a few pieces of tattered cloth.

At the very bottom of the skeletal pyramid lay one of many skulls, a spider resting on top of it. Edward could see its beady eyes gleaming at him in the dim light that came from the lantern Assandra was holding up. He looked away, his gaze darting around for the source of such horror.

"Come on now, sweetling. It's so rude to keep your mother waiting." Assandra called. "Show yourself!" She demanded.

Suddenly, the air around them turned cold. Colder than it had been in the drafty room, almost as though death himself had arrived. The spot just in front of Edward began to swirl. Before he could react, hands of ice and steel had him pinned against the blood spattered wall. He snapped his eyes shut, not willing to stare death in the face. Whatever had him, sniffed his neck, the gravelly tongue of the creature licking across his cheek. He accepted his fate, and waited for death to engulf him.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Jagson's voice boomed, startling Edward. His eyes snapped open and he saw that he was face to face with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Jagson growled and the woman released his neck, spinning around to face the King who commanded her. She was graceful, lithe, her body that of a Goddess. But something was off in her demeanour and Edward struggled to pin point exactly what it was. He watched as she squared off with the Alpha, her back turned to him. He could see she had claws, they extended from her nails much like a wolf's might. Her skin was porcelain, almost as if he could reach out and break it if he touched her too quickly. She had hair the color of spun wheat, and it fell down her back, full and lustrous. He saw her bow her head to the Alpha.

As though she could feel him staring, the woman turned her attention back toward Edward, hissing. That's when he saw it, her eyes, they gleamed red and they were blank. She was soulless, this magnificent creature in front of him. She c****d her head at him, growling.

"What's the matter, pretty boy? Have you never seen a dead girl before?" She licked her lips, revealing her fanged teeth to him.

"Kya, that is enough, leave the poor demented bird alone, we did not bring him here as your play toy." Duglass said.

Kya whipped her head around, speeding toward Duglass so quickly it was just a blur of movement to Edward. This time, it was the Beta who was pinned, on the ceiling, not the wall.

"You don't get to speak to me like that Beta. You are not my owner and I am not just a wolf anymore." Her voice dripped venom as she held the man by his neck against the beams.

"One quick let go of my hand and you'll be nothing but splatter on the floor below." Edward heard her say.

'Not just a wolf anymore'. Edward wondered what she meant as he stared at the scene above them.

As though she were reading his mind, Assandra stepped in front of his line of vision. "Little bird, meet Kya. The best kept secret of the Onyx Lake Pack. She was left for dead by Novalynn Mangata. But, as you can see, she is in fact, not wholly gone. She is part vampire now, thanks to yours truly." Assandra cheered, twirling in a circle.

"Kya, release him." Jagson muttered, rubbing his hands against his temples.

She looked at her Alpha, a smile playing on her lips as she slowly lifted one finger, and then two.

"Ah, ah. Safely, back here on the ground." The King instructed.

Kya grinned, and in a flash landed both herself and the Beta back on the floor. Duglass coughed, straightening his shirt as he stretched his neck from the vise-like grip the woman had on him.

"Now that you have had your fun, it's time to release you. That is why we are here. Now is the time for you to exact your revenge on the woman who tore you to pieces. Novalynn Mangata and her entire line must die, Kya." Jagson stated.

Kya smiled, wide and evil, her dead eyes sparkling red as she listened to the Alpha.

"The pack does not know we have saved you, your return is an unexpected one. No one is to know it was vampire blood that was used to resurrect you, or that you are now hybrid." He continued, slightly wrinkling his nose at the last word.

Kya bowed deeply to him. "Alpha, thank you for saving my life. I know I am an abomination in your eyes, but my wolf, she lives inside of me still. Together, we will avenge not only you, but ourselves. Tell me, Master. What it is you need me to do?" She asked.

Jagson looked at her, trying hard to dismiss the disgust on his face but failing to do so. He stared at her, wrapping his head around what one of his fiercest warriors had become. Admittedly, she was stunning. Assandra had outdone herself in making the reborn woman appear attractive. But the idea that she was partly vampire now made him want to kill her on the spot. But he couldn’t, and he knew it. A vampires bite was death to a wolf. Only fire or wood could destroy his new weapon.

Finally, he nodded at Kya, pushing away his feelings about her existence, lifting her still bowed head gently by the chin.

“You are no longer a full born wolf. This is true. But you are my most prized possession, Kya. Assandra has created a small force for you to personally take to Prix. Bring me justice in the form of the she-wolf’s head and that of her son, and I will grant your freedom beside me.” He vowed to her.

Kya smiled at him. Her red eyes flashing as she nodded her head in acceptance. “I will kill that woman. Victory and glory are yours Master.”

Edward felt himself shiver at their exchange. He had a dark feeling he had made a mistake. It was one he wouldn’t be able to correct. Kya wrapped her fangs around the vein that pulsed at his neck, draining him as he screamed for mercy to the sound of Assandra’s laughter.