Blood of The Beast: Revelations

First Encounter

Axwell A Ingrosso & Romans- Dancing Alone

Astra: 

     I knew she was going to do this. Having him here only makes this easier. She's basically throwing me at him with no regard to my emotional state. I've never been emotionally compromised and with him here, I know things are going to get weird. My parents need to get their own place and do their weird s**t away from the rest of us, weird. 

    "You think she can read minds?" Naloc asked when I climbed up onto the tree branch above the swing dad had put on my tree when I was a little girl. 

    "She can," we both turned to see uncle Brendon walked towards us with Evie in tow. 

    Now that she's of age, she follows him everywhere. He doesn't seem the least bit interested in her. It's kind of sad. It's also something I dread about being this close to Hunter. He's much older than I am. He has goals and plans that he never intended to include me. I'm starting to figure out what I want and none of it includes him. A compromise doesn't seem obtainable. Most of my ideal go against his. 

    "Hey guys," she greeted us. "Welcome home, Astraleen," 

    "Mom can read minds?" I asked ignoring her. No one calls me that. My mom only calls me by my full name when she's pissed. 

    "Yes, she chooses not to. As the first of our kinds, we can force ourselves into other people's minds. It's a learning ability granted to our class. It's intrusive and can be painful for the victim," 

    "Victim?" Naloc asked. 

    "Yes, that's how painful it can be if the person isn't willing. Now, what did your mother guess correctly? I take it it's big since both of you are bothered," he smirked. I hate him. 

    "Astra found her mate," Naloc answered. I don't care if everyone knows now. I guess my mom was my only concern. The rest of the world should know he belongs to me. 

    "Really? Do we know him?" Evie asked, excitedly. Brendon looked at her with a smile. 

    "Not officially," I answered. 

    "The Lycan," Naloc chuckled. 

    "Oh," Evie sighed heavily. "That's unfortunate," 

    "Why? The boy has the heart of a king. He'll make a great addition to our family. He's a new generation war machine. It's rare nowadays. All you kids are very pampered. At least, Evie, Nancy, and Naloc are," 

    "Astra isn't?" Naloc asked. 

    "She can be, but your sister is not afraid to put her foot in her mouth. Just like her mother. This is reciprocated with discipline and consequences. You, my dear boy, you are the golden boy. You do things far beyond your understanding as long as it's not outside your mother's approval. I believe this is called being a mama's boy," 

Evie and I snickered. 

    "What does that make you? Her pet fanger?" 

    "Naloc," mom's voice came from behind us. My brother's lips pressed together tightly. "Apologize," 

    "No," he refused. "f**k him," 

With that, Naloc walked away from Brendon and Evie. 

    "You two are driving me insane," mom complained, rubbing her temples. "B, why do you provoke him?" 

    "I'm not trying to," he laughed. 

    "Astra, don't you have something to do?" mom turned her attention to me. I groaned as I jumped down from the tree. Her eyes stayed on Brendon. She's angry and for once, it's not at me. I headed North where she told me she had established them. 

    There are hundreds of them lounging about the area. Kids, teens, adults. They have a certain smell. Earthly with a hint of something that kind of burns when there's too much of it. I got a few growls and angry expressions as I made my way through towards the house I know she gave him. Before getting there, I stood up on one of the stones my mom put here as a decoration. I can see them all and then can see me. If I have to play nice with all of them I should in the very least apologize for what I did. 

    "What the f**k is she doing here?" someone growled. 

    "Good evening. My name is Astraleen Malacoda. Everyone just calls me Astra. I want to start with an apology. What I did to not only your comrades but mine. Is not a very good first impression. I don't have full control of what I am, just yet. Under heavy pressure, fear, or sadness. My vampiric side takes control and I lose it. It's not an excuse I know. Believe me, when I say, no one is going to hate it more than I do. Welcome to Rogue Creek. If you guys like burgers, Nasty Burger on Mainstreet makes the best ones," 

    "Is she serious?" someone asked. 

    I jumped down and walked over to the house and rang the doorbell. The door was pulled open by Aeneas. He's taller with shoes on. Looks a little bigger with clothes on. He was completely naked when I trapped him back at the University. Biter, this one. Took me two whole days to heal from his bite wounds. 

    "You," he glared at me. "She sent you?" 

    "I'm not happy about it either," I shot back. 

    "Perfect," he motioned me in. I stepped into the house. I am very familiar with it. We had designed it for Jenny and Gerard. Mom planned on surprising them after Gerard was promoted in August. "Z, we have company," 

    "Z?" I asked. 

    "Childhood nickname," his voice sent chills down my spine. "We were not named but lettered. I was the youngest. Z was my letter," 

    "Right, son of Domino," I nodded.

    "Correct. You're tiny," he looked me over. 

    "Yeah, the women in my family grow with power-ups. Believe it or not, two weeks ago I was only four, eight," 

    "No s**t?" Aeneas asked. "How tall are you now?" 

    "Five six," I answered. Hunter's scent is intoxicating. He's beautiful for someone with the reputation he has. I imagine what I'm feeling around him is the attraction of our newly forming bond. I don't like the way he makes me feel. "Before we go, I'd like to speak to you two about what's to transpire at dinner," 

    "No surprises?" Hunter asked, sitting on the blue modern sofa. I had picked them out because blue was Jenny's favorite color. 

    "I think I've had enough surprises from you for a while," I sighed. He motioned me to sit down. I sat down by letting my body fall back onto the love seat. I'm tired. Not physically, but definitely tired. 

    "I agree," 

    "When you first made your presence known to my mother, we got all the intel we could on you. To our understanding, you have been looking for your mother for some time now, correct?" 

    "How do you know that? Not even the Lycans with me know that" he glared at me. 

    "The day we met, it wasn't without purpose. My father and I's objective was to get a taste of your blood,"  I continued without acknowledging the fact that he's getting worked up. It's cute and scary at the same time. 

    "He-" he stood up. His eyes are fading into black. He's ridiculously strong. The power and alpha command coming from him is nearly on par with my mother's. Definitely surpasses my grandfather's. 

    "By doing so, as long as your blood is in our system, we can track you and anyone related to you," 

    "Princess, I'm going to need you to shut up," Aeneas came around. "Hunter," he snapped his fingers in Hunter's face. "Hunter!" 

    "What?" Hunter roared. 

    I pulled Aeneas from him when his hand came up. His hand missed his brother. I caught his wrist before it hit me in the face. The skin to skin touch startled me and the expression on his face indicates that it caught him off guard as well. Our eyes met, the black shade retreated to reveal his different colored eyes. The left one is half hazel, half pale blue. The right one is hazel in the center rimmed with pale blue around it. I let go of him and looked away first. I know what that means for Lycans. The more color he loses, the closer he is to death he is. 

    "Hunter?" Aeneas snapped him out of it. 

    "Why would you do that?" Hunter asked. He made me look at him, using the tips of his fingers to guide my gaze back to him. I feel more of him now. The tingling sensation, it's not going to be easy to forget. It might even become demanding. "I could have hurt you,"

    I pricked his finger. He looked down at me when I looked at the blood from my nail. I carefully licked it off my hand and swallowed it. His blood is now imprinted in me. Anyone related to him won't be too hard to find. I stepped away from him needing to go after the source of his flaming rage. The man who did this to him. 

    "Gross," Aeneas whispered. 

    "She's here," I informed them as I went to the door. "Your mother will be having dinner with us. This is not a gift, Hunter. We didn't find her so you can have a happy reunion. It was my idea. I proposed it to my mother and she agreed only because she was sure that you'd let her die before you let us use her against you," 

    "She's right," he admitted. 

    "I know that now," I turned to face him. I can feel my fangs aching. My eyes have to be brilliant red. "Just like you know why I took your blood just now," 

    "You don't want to do this," he shook his head. He moved close to me but there's something making him hesitate. "You're a kid and I know you're strong. I know you can do things only gods can-" 

    "Then what's the problem?" I asked. 

    "I'll never forgive you for taking it from me. Years and years will pass and I will never forgive you for it," he swore. 

    He stood up straight, tucked into his v-neck is my necklace. He's wearing it. My instincts need relief. This is what I was afraid of. This irrational thing that comes with this f****d up bond. I see now what Naloc meant when he said he hates it at times. I stepped to him and took it out, holding the pendant in my hand. My mom had given me this necklace. Her little old lady had given it to her and now it belongs to him. Why does this stir unwanted feelings?

    "I don't like this," I pulled away. "I don't like feeling s**t. You're a problem. One I don't want to have right now. I have so much s**t going on and adding you to that seems a lot like overkill. You couldn't have picked a pack? Your father's pack maybe? You would have been happier with a female of your choice," 

    "I still can be," he whispered. His words sting. The rage in me flared brighter than it ever has before. In flash, I was standing in front of him so close I can taste the scent coming off of him. Feel the heat radiating from his body..

    "No, I'd never allow it," my eyes are definitely red now. I can see them in the reflection of his eyes. "You so much as touch another female and I will kill her. Naloc will hold you down while I make you watch me drain the life out of her and when I'm done he and I will rip her to shreds. Whether she'd be one of yours or one ours. That blood will be on your hands. If you hate me and what I am, know that I can care less. You do belong to me now," 

    "I'm not an object," he growled. His eyes are turning black again. 

    "Please, you don't scare me. I've looked evil in the eyes and have happily ran into his arms. You are powerful, but you've never been backhanded by the Vampire Prince Alastair Malacoda, Hunter. Something tells me with the way things are going, it won't be too long before it happens," 

    With that, I turned my back to them. I can feel my body aching for a release. Anything that will help soothe this fire boiling in my blood. I can feel them following behind me. As soon as I got to the packhouse, my mother grabbed my arm and pulled me towards my dad. He wrapped his arms around me as she locked us in her study. A growl burst out of me when he let go. Tears and rage are not a good combination. My body is shaking.

    "Let go," my dad whispered in my ear. 

    The sound of the door opening and then closing caught my attention. I turned around to see the man standing there. I recognize him from the latest most wanted media updates humans put up to make certain criminals into feeding targets. I can hear his blood racing inside of him. His heart is beating at an alarming rate for a human. The burning scent of fear is filling the room, making my mouth water. 

    "Please," he began to pound on the door. "Help! Help!" 

    "Yeah," I laughed. "Keep screaming, b***h," 

----

Scylla: 

    The boy watched me push the man into my study. The sound that came out of Astra startled them both. I lead them away from the study as she did what she needs to. I felt the change in her as soon as the anger flared in her. There are rain clouds forming outside. With the roar she let out, thunder and lightning followed. I remember the night she was born. Scared the hell out of me, as well as the entire pacific coast. 

    "It was your eyes wasn't it?" Alastair asked him. "Did she bite you?" 

    "No, she pricked me," he showed us his finger. She cut into him pretty deep. I motioned him to give me his finger. I licked the wound instantly healing it. He didn't like that. 

    "Sorry. I mom almost everyone now," I shrugged. 

    "What happened to her? She was fine one moment and the next she was pissed," he demanded. He's genuinely concerned about her. I imagine my letter worked the way I intended it to. I now have things he wants. Not one, but two. Things he'd die for. 

    "She's only been a fledgling for a couple of weeks," Alastair answered. "Before that, she was just a she-wolf. After the attack at the school, her vampiric side was triggered when she-" 

    "Died," Naloc finished. He stepped to hunter looking at something around the boy's neck. Naloc scoffed and turned away. "Astra is excruciatingly possessive. She gets it from my dad. Whatever she promised, if it involves me. She's not lying," 

    "f**k," Aeneas shook his head. "Are all of you homicidal like that? Is there anyone here who doesn't jump to s*******r skipping the steps that potentially can lead up to murder?" 

    "My father," I nodded. "But since it involves Astra, I doubt he'll consider the steps leading up to the murder. She's kind of everyone's favorite. It's the vampire in her," 

    "I'm sure we can change them. I'll ask, master right now," we all turned to see Allison and Hunter's mother coming towards us. I looked over at the boy to see that he's stopped inhaling. "Master, she's allergic to goose feathers," 

    "Mother?" he asked in disbelief. I stopped Aeneas from saying anything as he took a couple of steps towards her. 

    "Z," she choked out. She looked him over for a bit before she rushed to him. "Oh, my god," she cried. "You're so big," she laughed touching him as if she were making sure he's real. Her hands stopped on his face. The smile faded when her eyes met his. "Z, I'm so sorry," she began to sob. She pulled him down to her. "I'm so sorry," 

    "It's okay, mother. It wasn't your fault," he finally wrapped his arms around her. 

    He buried his hand in her hair, pulling her to him closely. The relief in his eyes is painful. I can taste his grief in the air around us. The beast in me aches. I can see why Astra lost it. I didn't know she was capable of feeling this much. I wanted her to live without any of this s**t, but I no longer have control of her fate. Alastair lightly elbowed me when Astra stepped out from my study covered in blood. 

    "Oh s**t," I went over to her. She tried to wipe her face but only smeared more blood across her mouth. "Shower. Now. Dinner is almost ready," 

    "Okay," she nodded. She looks like she's a little in shock. 

    "Alastair," I called out. 

    "On it," he laughed. He scooped her up and the two of them disappeared upstairs. I turned to look back at the boy to see that he's looking at me wide-eyed. Double, oh s**t. 

    "Sorry, fledglings," I shrugged. His mother chuckled. 

    "I've had to deal with them a lot. I can help," she suggested.

    "No, she's not that kind of fledgling and I've told you already, Naomi. You are not a servant here. You're done with all of that. You can go home with your son now that he's here," 

    "Were you really going to use her to try and get me to back off?" Hunter asked. 

    "No, Astra has a nack for war but she's not quite on our level yet. I wanted to show her how things work in war. Before the other thing happened," 

    "The other thing?" he asked confused. 

    "You being my sister's mate, dumbass," Naloc bit out angrily. 

    "You have a mate?" his mother asked him. He looked down at her and smiled.

    "It's not an ideal mating. She doesn't want me and is really young. It's too early to talk about mating," 

    "That's for damn sure," Alastair agreed. He and Astra are coming down the staircase. She's clean and freshly showered. Even the scent of blood is gone. Alastair probably helped her. 

    "Who's hungry?" I asked trying to break the awkwardness. 

    "I'd like to be excused from dinner if that's okay?" Astra suggested. "It's raining and I haven't played in a long time," 

    "Are you sure?" Naloc asked. "I know you're hungry,"

    "Not for food," she sighed. I don't want to point out that it's raining because she made it rain. 

    "That's fine," I nodded. 

    "What do you play?" Aeneas asked. 

    "Cello," Alastair answered when she walked out into the rain without acknowledging anyone. 

    "She looks embarrassed," Naomi noted. "Maybe we shouldn't let her go out on her own," 

    "She is," I nodded. "Astra isn't very good at expressing her emotions. Outside of the angry ones. Unfortunately, she gets that from both sides of her family," 

    "Cute," Aeneas laughed. "Who does she get the homicidal rage from?" 

    "Her mom," my dad answered. "Astra is the embodiment of Scylla at that age. Although, Astra holds back a little more than Scylla did. I think it's because of Naloc. They keep each other grounded," 

    "I had Allison," I corrected him. 

    "Naloc doesn't have a split personality and he's also not a little," 

    "A little?" Aeneas asked. 

    "Don't ask," Naomi giggled. Even Hunter laughed.