Blood Lust

Chapter Four - The Request

‘Alpha’ Leo called out as he opened the door to the office after a peremptory knock, ‘there is a Vampire at the border, he is requesting an audience.’

Justin looked up surprised, they had not had issues with the Vampires, both living under a mutual unspoken rule to not meddle in the others affairs.

‘Do we know what he wants?’ he asked concerned.

Leo shook his head, ‘no Alpha, he refuses to discuss his business with anyone but yourself.’

Justin sighed heavily, before nodding to the Beta to grant the visitor entry, mind linking his wife to tell her of the meeting and asking her to be present.

Moments later Hazel rushed in, worry radiating from her as she perched herself on her husbands desk, ‘do we know what he wants?’ she asked, ‘we haven’t caused issue to the Vampire community, why would he wish to see you?’

Justin shook his head tiredly, ‘no idea baby, but I've sent Leo to escort him up to the pack house, so I guess we will find out soon enough.

Ten minutes later a curt knock announced Leo’s return, calling him in, Justin sat back in his chair as the door opened and the Beta entered, standing aside to reveal the tall thin foreboding figure of Viktor.

Stepping into the room, Viktor held out his thin, milk white hand toward the Alpha, a smile on his face as the pair shook in greeting.

‘I thank you for your audience Alpha’ Viktor said as he took the seat that Justin indicated to him, ‘I am Viktor, King of the Vampire society’ he started as Hazel stifled her gasp, turning his gaze to her, Viktor smiled humourlessly at her, ‘I see my reputation precedes me madam, please rest assured that I mean you no ill will.’ he said quietly.

Returning his gaze to Justin, he arranged himself more comfortably in the seat as Justin watched him, ‘welcome your highness’ he said cordially, ‘to what do we owe this unexpected visit from someone such as yourself, to my knowledge we have co-existed all these years amicably so I hope nothing has happened to trouble either of our peaceful lives.’

Viktor perused the Alpha for a moment, studying his stature before letting out a small sigh, ‘Please Alpha, call me Viktor, no need for formalities, especially as I come to you heavy hearted, it seems my people have been handed a difficult situation and I am informed through a reliable source that the Oak Ridge pack have the means to aid us.’

Justin placed his elbows on his desk, his eyes grazing the Vampires face, trying to decipher what he meant.

‘I am confused, how can Oak Ridge help the Vampire community, you are well known as quite a formidable opponent within the supernatural realms.’

Viktor gave another exaggerated sigh, ‘Our problem is not of a violent nature, it is to do with my son, he will soon reach his two hundredth birthday, which in our world is our coming of age if you will, he should assume my title on this date but has not been lucky enough to find his match. I have been forced to seek the help of a witch who assures me that the answer to my son’s predicament is here.’

Leo interjected, stepping forward from his position by the office door, ‘apologies for the interruption, but are you saying that your son’s mate is here in Oak Ridge?’ he asked disbelievingly.

Turning to face the Beta, Viktor shook his head, ‘His match, or Mate as you call it, I do not know her whereabouts, you cannot track a Vampire Match, the bond doesn’t exist until they touch. But once a Vampire marries and consummates the union, any match that would have had a claim to them will no longer exist, the opportunity to find their perfect other is lost. I asked the witch for information on a female with specific traits who could help my son lead and produce him an heir as we no longer have time to wait for his ideal other to appear.’

‘Did they give you a name?’ Justin asked warily

Smiling again, Viktor nodded, ‘I am lead to believe that his ideal partner is your daughter Halle, I come to ask you to hand her to me so that I can return her to my son as his bride.’

Hazel’s hand tightened on her husband's shoulder as the Vampire’s words sunk in. His eyes widening, Justin struggled to control his wolf as he met the Vampires gaze, ‘I’m sorry Viktor, did you just ask me to give you our daughter?’ he checked, unable to comprehend the man’s words.

‘That is correct Alpha, I am informed that Halle is the best candidate as a spouse for my son, to rule beside him as Queen.’ Viktor replied.

Struggling to speak, Justin finally found his voice, ‘I am sorry Viktor but Halle is only sixteen years old so too young to marry. Regardless of that, within our species we each have a mate chosen for us by the Goddess, I would not deny my daughter her right to search and accept her mate by giving her to someone no matter how great their need.’ he said diplomatically.

Viktor nodded gravely, ‘I feared that would be your answer Alpha, but I felt I had to honour our unspoken truce by coming to ask first.’

Catching the undertone of threat, Justin stiffened, ‘and by that you mean? . .’ he asked.

‘I apologize Alpha, but should you refuse to hand over Halle to my son I am afraid I must take her by force, my son’s marriage is crucial to our species, if he does not marry and consummate the union our species will die.’ Viktor replied sadly.

‘Why can’t you just marry your son to another Vampire? Surely you have many female Vampires that would make excellent brides’ Hazel asked, her hands shaking slightly as she spoke.

Meeting the she wolfs gaze, Viktor shook his head, ‘A Vampire who wishes to procreate must marry outside of the species, two Vampires cannot produce life. As the future leader to all of our kind, Vallance needs to obtain the best and strongest partner that we can get, would you not want the very best for your child madam?’ he asked quietly.

‘I’m sorry Viktor, but the answer is no, we will not hand over our daughter like she is some sort of trinket.’ Justin growled angrily.

Viktor nodded, ‘Then I apologise in advance Alpha, but if you do not change your mind in the next forty eight hours my underlings will be sent to destroy your pack and pluck your daughter from the wreckage. Not only that, but I will also send teams to your allies, the Red Moon pack and the Silver Cross pack where they will have instructions to slay every man, woman and child in both places. I hate to be like this as we have lived harmoniously until now but I will kill everyone in our path except Halle should you refuse to relent.’

Standing from his chair, Viktor gave a slight bow to the Alpha and the Luna before walking to the door. Turning around as he reached for the door handle, Viktor mused for a moment before adding, ‘I should let you know that I have the ability to cross your barrier, I did not use it today as I felt it would be rude to cross into your territory unannounced, but if I have to take Halle by force, I will not hesitate to use my ability to get myself and my underlings through your protective shield.’

Opening the door, Viktor walked out, Leo following as Justin signalled him to see the Vampire off of their property.

Turning to his wife, Justin instinctively put his arms around her and pulled her to him as she looked down at him horrified, ‘my baby’ she whispered, ‘he can’t take my baby, she can’t become a Vampire’s wife.’

Justin held his mate tightly as he breathed through his own anger and worry, ‘no-one is taking our Halle from us babe, I promise you that.’ he growled.

‘Do you really think he can get through our barrier?’ Hazel asked shakily.

Staring unseeingly at his desk, Justin shrugged his shoulders, ‘I don’t know how he could as all our pack members are here with us and I don’t believe one would turn against us to help Vampires, but we can’t rule out that they haven’t figured out a way to break our defence. What I do know is that I need to ring James and Aaron and tell them what is going on, if we are going to war with the Vampires we need to give them a heads up about what is coming their way.’ he replied grimly.

Reaching for the phone, he pressed for a confrence call and rang though to the Silver Cross and Red Moon Alpha offices. After a few rings, Aaron and James both picked up.

‘Hey mate, this is a surprise, did we forget a big occasion again? Not often you conference call us’ James said chuckling.

‘Hey guys, no you haven’t forgotten an occasion, i’m ringing with some s**t news so I am going to say i’m sorry right now’ Justin replied tiredly.

Both of the listening Alpha’s sobered up immediately, ‘what’s up Jus?’ Aaron asked in concern.

Rubbing his face with his hand, Justin sighed, ‘I just had a meeting with Viktor, current King of the Vampires.’ he started.

James let out a low whistle, ‘what have you done to piss off the Vamps mate?’

‘Nothing’ replied Justin, ‘he came to tell me that a witch has given him information that Halle is the best choice as a bride for his son, we have 48 hrs to hand her over or he’s going to wipe out our pack.’

A low growl came from Aaron as James muttered, ‘s**t’.

‘I’ll send warriors to you, i’ll get them moving now, they’ll be there ASAP Jus, don’t worry’ Aaron said angrily, James offering his own warriors to their forces as well.

‘You can’t send warriors guys’ Justin replied sadly, though he felt slightly lighter at their show of solidarity to his situation, ‘Viktor has also threatened both of your packs, if I don’t hand over Halle he will m******e ever member of your packs, he is promising that no-one will be left alive when they are done.’

James hissed in anger whilst the sound of shattering glass made Justin sure that Aaron had just thrown a scotch glass at the wall of his office.

‘I can tell you this, if those blood sucking bastards try to hurt my pack i’ll rip their throats out one by one’ James growled in fury.

‘That’s why you need to keep your warriors with you, I can’t hand Halle over to them, i’m sorry guys, i’m putting you and your packs in danger but she’s my baby, I can’t just give her to some Vamp willingly’ Justin groaned.

‘Don’t Jus, we understand, we would never ask you to hand our niece over to save ourselves’ James replied forcefully, ‘you wouldn’t even think about asking us to hand over one of our kids, so know that neither would we.’

Aaron growled his agreement, ‘you keep Halle safe, get your fighters ready and we’ll do the same. Don’t worry about us Jus, just keep my niece out of that bastards hands.’

‘Thanks guys’ Justin replied, slightly relieved that his friends had taken his devastating news as well as they had.

‘Oh Jus’ Aaron added, ‘Vaya and Daniel have already left and are heading your way, I don’t see any reason to turn them back and you know they’ll stand with you when they know what is happening, but try and keep them safe mate, Isabella will murder us all if anything happens to them.’

Justin chuckled despite himself, ‘I hear you, i’ll do my best, but that Vaya doesn’t take orders well’ he joked.

‘Tell me about it’ Aaron grumbled back before the three men said goodbye and hung up.

Looking up at his wife who had been sat silently beside him, tears running down her face, he stood up and embraced her tightly, ‘don’t worry babe, we are going to do everything we can to protect her.’

Nodding into his shirt, Hazel raised her puffy eyes to her husbands, ‘I know, I just feel terrible that we are putting our friends in danger as well’ she whispered.

Kissing her forehead, Justin murmured into her hair, ‘they know what they are doing babe, and if James and Aaron are not a scary enough force just think what’s going to happen when Chloe and Charity find out. I would not want to be the Vampires who decide to take on those two she wolves’

Hazel giggled at his words, ‘they are scary I must admit, they will be fine wont they babe?’ she asked hopefully.

Justin kissed her tenderly, ‘yes my love, our friends will be fine, trust them.’