Disclaimer: I don’t own Sailor Moon. This story does not follow any Sailor Moon storyline. The characters Hal and Dale are mine, even if their names are not.
Chapter One- Lonely
Nephlite growled as he crouched on four legs in front of a dead end alley facing a pale woman with coppery-blond hair. She bared her fangs in a sadistic smile and her green eyes showed an arrogance that Nephlite knew was going to cost her, perhaps dearly.
The woman snapped her arm down and a leather handled silver dagger slid into her gloved hand. She waved it about in a threatening, triumphant manner. “This will be your last night on this earth, werewolf,” she hissed.
Nephlite gave a derisive laugh. “Not with that, I’m not.”
“Why not? It is silver. Your weakness, correct?” The woman then lunged forward without warning, the blade sweeping toward Nephlite’s skull. The werewolf didn’t move as the dagger came down… and shattered. “What!? How…?”
“You don’t really think I’m going to tell you, do you, vampire?” Nephlite bared his teeth which longed to bite. He snarled as the vampire, Zoycite, backed up and then sprinted away with a scream of fury.
Nephlite laughed again before assuming human form. He went to the alley’s entrance and looked around. The streets were empty. He tucked his hair behind his pointed ears and strode down the sidewalk. He was not too concerned about being spotted as a werewolf as humans didn’t recognize a werewolf and he could smell a vampire long before he saw one and they saw him.
The feud between werewolves and vampires was ancient and not likely to end anytime soon. He knew this personally as he had been fighting vampires for 250 years. He had encountered both veteran vampires and newbies, the latter easier to handle than the former, especially nowadays.
In the past, the newly-turned were tutored by their creators for at least a hundred years before being allowed to take their leave to drink blood and tutor a newbie of their own if they wished. Now, though, newbies left as soon as they learned their strengths and weaknesses. Their belief that they were invincible was often the death of them. Nephlite usually disposed of the new ones by burying a sharp silver stake in their hearts and they would burst into flames. All that was left then was a pile of ash and the stake which Nephlite would collect. He was able to get close by posing as a gullible human and once close to the newbie, he would strike.
The veterans were a different story. Their centuries of experiences were invaluable and their age left them especially vulnerable to a werewolf bite. If a vampire of any age was bitten by a werewolf on a full moon, they would then become a werewolf him or herself.
Some of them were grateful for they had never wanted to be a vampire but drank blood and tutored any they turned. Other changed ones resented the bite and killed themselves with the only way a werewolf could die: A silver bullet to the head. It was a tragedy when that happened for their life experiences were also lost. The grateful ones provided a lot of information, nonetheless as their ages ranged from 200 to almost a thousand. Thanks to them, they admitted that they never spoke of werewolves to the ones they turned which resulted in them encountering a werewolf in human form and getting killed as it is difficult to tell a werewolf from a human, save for the ears, a fact no vampire knew about.
Nephlite had been twenty-four when he was bitten and his age froze at that moment. Humans could be bitten on any night and those bitten had to have a certain scent telling one they could be a wolf. Nephlite had been taught by a pack and lived with them for a hundred years until a trio of werewolf hunters showed up in town and shot some of the pack while the others, including Nephlite, had been forced to run and live solitary lives.
Nephlite had taken one mate in his next hundred years of life. She ended up being killed by a vampire who had clearly worn gloves in order to handle a silver bullet. Her death hit him hard as they never got to have any children. He had gotten even by killing the vampire with the silver stake method; aside from that, a vampire’s other weakness is the sun.
Nephlite resumed a single life and dedicated himself to eliminating vampires either by stake or bite. Those he bit, provided him with their knowledge of vampires before either dying or live as a living being again. Nephlite always advocated living and was able to convince some to do just that, especially when he pointed out the perks and advantages.
The immortality was nothing new but able to walk in sunlight was a plus as well as being invulnerable to any blade or bullet, save for silver and even that was ineffective if it didn’t strike the skull. He admitted that the enhanced senses were a bit overwhelming at first but one does get used to them. Speed and strength remained the same and he spoke of the unique scent that cued them to a human being able to become a werewolf.
I’ve been alone for a long time, he thought as he headed for his apartment. My dear mate died seventy-five years ago and I have not taken another since then. Mostly because I have not met another that could compare to her. She was strong and confident. She was not afraid to fight vampires and she was a fabulous cook. I doubt I’ll ever meet anyone like her. Nephlite blinked back tears as he entered his apartment and began preparing dinner. He was a decent cook himself; after all he had been alone most of his life.
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Zoycite snarled as she stormed about her room in the small mobile home she shared with her mentor and future mate. They had owned it for decades and able to tow it with the truck that her mentor maintained. But these matters weren’t on her mind; it was her encounter with the werewolf she dwelled on.
“Zoycite?” came a male voice before a pale man with long white hair and pale blue eyes stepped into the room. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes!” she snapped. “I tried to kill a werewolf and failed. I swung a silver dagger at him and it shattered. How is that possible?”
Her mentor, Malachite, frowned. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “Werewolves keep their weaknesses and advantages secret, especially the former. Any vampire that knows the weaknesses are either dead or became a werewolf who enjoys being a vulgar beast.” He shuddered at the thought.
“That’s why I was trying to kill him. I’m lucky it wasn’t the full moon or he could have bitten me.”
“Zoycite, you are too young to try to kill a werewolf.”
“What!? I’m almost a hundred years old, not counting the age I was when you turned me.”
“Yes and I am nearing 200. My age is a sign of the wisdom I have gained over the decades. A werewolf would love to turn me just to add my life experiences to their store of knowledge. Heh, as if I would tell them about it. I would ask for the weaknesses, pass that on to you, and then kill myself.”
“Please don’t do that,” Zoycite pleaded.
“Do not worry. I have no intention of letting that happen. We will kidnap humans for us to drink during the full moon as we usually do. It is the easiest way to survive. Of course, if we can turn a human to serve us and give us our victims, then we will do that.
“But, back to our ages. Once you are 150, you can try your luck with werewolves. If you get fortunate enough to learn their weaknesses, tell me and I will spread it to the king who will pass it on.”
Zoycite nodded in acknowledgement. She would have to wait until she was older before trying again. It was difficult to kill a werewolf as they wouldn’t tell and asking a hunter was no good as they tended to hunt in daylight and they may be a vampire hunter too. I will eventually kill that werewolf I met tonight. After all, we are both immortal.
Chapter Two- Potential
Lita closed the magazine with a contented sigh and stared up at her ceiling. It was a Friday night and the weekend was off to a good start, in her opinion. She had completed her homework, she had a fan meeting tomorrow, and then on Sunday, she planned to work out at the gym.
Lita lived alone in her own apartment as her parents had died a year ago and no one was willing to take in a fourteen year old girl who had a reputation for fighting school mates and had to transfer to another school as a result. So far, she hadn’t fought anyone in her current school, at least not physically but that was the part she had to avoid. The local gym was helpful in curbing her fighting desire. She spent time at the gym either pummeling a punching bag or attending a martial arts class. Few classmates understood her enjoyment in working out and being strong, but none knew of her other passion: Werewolves.
She found werewolves fascinating and read everything she could about them. The knowledge she gained made her want to either be a werewolf or a werewolf hunter. The ‘fan’ meeting was actually a werewolf anonymous meeting where she had some friends. A few of them hung out after meetings or a regular gathering to role-play at being werewolves and hunters. She was often told that she would be good in either role…if werewolves and hunters were real. It was accepted that neither were real but the members held out hope to actually meet a real werewolf or hunter.
Funny thing is that there’s no way to tell a werewolf from a human, she thought as she prepared for bed and slid under the covers. Too bad. I have a few questions only a werewolf can answer. She sighed softly as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Nephlite sat near the back of the community center’s basement room of the werewolf anonymous meeting and watched others enter the room. He was not a regular member but guests were warmly received as long as they showed genuine interest. He certainly displayed that and for a good reason. He encouraged any kind of misinformation the humans shared about his kind. If one of them became a vampire, it would be very bad as he or she would tell other vampires what did kill a werewolf, provided the truth was told at meetings such as these. And if that happened, all the young vampires would be sent out to dispose of any werewolves they found as long as it wasn’t the full moon.
He also attended such meetings to sniff out potential new wolves. He felt werewolf enthusiasts would happily accept the chance to be bitten. He had been bitten to save his life. He had been pursued by a vampire who had fled when a werewolf got between him and Nephlite. When told of the existence of vampires and werewolves and that Nephlite had the scent to be a wolf, Nephlite accepted the offer to be turned. It had led to 250 years of life, love, joy, sorrow, and death.
He took a deep breath and a familiar scent hit him. The scent of pine trees and clean water that a potential wolf carried. Only werewolves could smell this scent which was good as vampires would drain those potentials before getting the chance to be bitten. He casually turned his head in the direction of the smell and saw that a pretty teenaged brunette girl had sat beside him. She also looked over and smiled at him. “Hi,” she said, extending a hand. “I’m Lita.”
“I’m Nephlite.” He took her hand and was astounded by her grip. He said as much and her smile grew.
“I work out at the gym nearby. I don’t remember seeing you at meetings before.” She nodded at the other people.
“No. I’m just a guest. I do have an interest in werewolves like everyone else here.”
“Of course. I try to learn everything I can about them and apply them to a role-playing game I and others sometimes do.”
“You role-play as werewolves?”
“Or hunters. I like playing both roles.”
At that moment, a gavel sounded and everyone took a seat and fell silent as the meeting started. Nephlite listened to the humans and either encouraged the misconceptions or altered facts that were true such as physical signs. He wore his hair loose all the time as they neatly concealed his ears.
“Yes,” the president said to Nephlite’s contention to no physical signs. “That is pretty much accepted by everyone here. If it was that easy, obviously we would have questions for him or her.”
“Of course.” Nephlite relaxed as other topics of werewolves were discussed, his nose tickling from the unique scent coming off Lita. It was most pleasant and it stirred a feeling in him that he thought he’d never feel again: Love. I need to befriend her and get to know her. The first thing I’ll do is check out the nearby gym and see if I can spot her or smell her. I can take my time in courting her as I can turn her at any time, if she wants it. I’m fine if she doesn’t; we can just be friends.
Lita smiled dreamily as she left the meetings. It had been a good solid discussion of werewolves and was swaying her more toward wanting to be one instead of a hunter. The best part of the meeting was when she met Nephlite. She had never met a man like him. For one thing, he wore his hair long which is unusual for a guy but it looked good on him. His smile was warm and genuine. He wasn’t put off by the fact that she was strong and worked out regularly. He was also interested in werewolves which was a big plus in her book.
He could be the guy for me. Yes, he’s older but he seemed to really like me. I hope we run into each other again real soon. I’d like to know more about him and be his friend. Once we’ve established that, I could tell him how I feel about him. I know it’s kind of sudden but I tend to fall fast and hard when it comes to matters of love.
Nephlite pulled the dumbbell up and then down before pulling up the other one in his other hand. He had sought out the closest gym to the community center and, once he had, decided to go in and work on his biceps. Yes, he was stronger as a werewolf, but felt that his back legs were stronger than the forelegs so he decided to lift some weights.
He worked on all the upper body equipment available before grabbing a shower and leaving the building. He was a bit surprised to find that night had fallen. Heh, time flies when you’re working out, he thought. And it should really fly when I meet Lita here, whenever that is.
He had started down the sidewalk and then heard the sound of rapid footsteps behind him before a blond man sped past, snagged Nephlite by the arm, and yanked him down the sidewalk and into a deserted and isolated alley. He swung Nephlite around and the werewolf hit the wall hard enough to leave him winded. “What the hell?” he gasped out.
The blond pushed him up against the wall. “Listen,” he said urgently. “I need your help. My name’s Jedite, I’m a vampire hunter, I’m out of ammo, and a vampire is pursuing me.”
“And you grab me for what…” Nephlite paused, his nose flaring as he caught that unique scent again. “That scent,” he said softly.
Jedite nodded. “I met a werewolf in another town a year ago and he told me I carried a scent only werewolves could smell and that I could become a werewolf. I caught sight of your ears for a split second earlier today so I know you’re a werewolf. I beg of you to bite me.”
Nephlite saw the desperation in Jedite’s eyes and in his voice as well. “Of course I will. I won’t let those vampires drain a potential wolf.”
Jedite smiled as he stepped back and Nephlite changed to his wolf form before delivering the bite. Jedite gasped and then growled softly as he shifted into a blond wolf with gold-green eyes. He thanked Nephlite before leaving to be a wolf for the night.
Chapter Three- Workout
Nephlite, back in human form, followed Jedite, who was using connected alleyways to travel, at a distance to insure his safety. When one is bitten, they must stay in wolf form all night. It helps join the two sides together. Jedite went into another alley and Nephlite heard the clatter of a fire escape. He nodded at this before heading home. Jedite would likely stay on the rooftops all night. The vampire may find him, but won’t recognize him as the hunter he was pursuing unless Jedite speaks.
It was easier to hide from vampires back when I was first bitten. There were more forests, caves, and tunnels suited for wolves. But, over time, humans built their towns and cities in wolf territory and we had to adapt back into human society which wasn’t hard as we had been human before being bitten. Being among humans does aid us in finding humans who could become wolves…like Lita. Nephlite smiled to himself as he entered his apartment. He looked forward to seeking her out and inviting her out somewhere to talk and get to know one another.
Jedite raced across a roof and then leaped over the gap to land on another roof. His tail swished at this. That was incredible! I’m glad I was bitten. Granted, I don’t know the name of the one who bit me, but I will be around for a little so I’ll be able to find him and get his name.
Jedite turned in a circle to truly admire his body. It was strong and lean with a full tail and firm strong legs. I’m stronger and faster and be able to fight vampires even when I’m out of weapons as I’ll have claws and teeth I can utilize to injure them as only silver stakes to the heart and sunlight can kill them. Jedite managed a wolf’s grin as an irony occurred to him. He was now a vampire hunter who was a werewolf, a vampire’s enemy. He softly laughed before heading for the roof of his hideout where he would slip inside and sleep the rest of the night away.
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Nephlite thrusted away on the rowing machine while keeping an eye on the front door, his position giving him an excellent view of it. He paused after twenty minutes of rowing to drink some water and pat his face. It was during the latter that Lita walked in, already in workout clothes. She hadn’t noticed him as she crossed to the enclosed room used for boxing, wrestling, and martial arts practice. He watched her warm-up before getting up and heading for the room. He entered the room and froze at what he was now seeing.
Lita was in front of the punching bag with bandages around her knuckles for protection and was pummeling the bag with a strength and speed he had never seen in a teenage girl. She proceeded to assault the bag with powerful kicks and he watched, transfixed by the display of skills he was witnessing. She would make a good wifewolf with those skills, he thought. He watched as she punched and kicked either the bag or thin air before she caught sight of Nephlite.
“Oh! Hi, Nephlite,” she said as she grabbed a towel from a bag and patted her face. “How long have you been there?”
“When you started punching the bag. I’m impressed.”
Lita blushed a little. “Uh, thanks. Most guys are put off by my fighting skills. I think I scare them with what I can do.”
“I’m not put off or scared. I like those who can fight back, male or female. I was hoping to see you again. I’d like to know more about you.”
“I’d like to know more about you too.”
“How about we start with our fighting skills? I’m quite the fighter.”
“Sure.” Her eyes roved over Nephlite’s body as the two struck defensive poses. She hadn’t noticed it before as he had on regular clothes. Now, she had a clear view of his muscles. They were firm and not overlarge. It would be easy to underestimate how strong he was and that went for his legs as well as his arms and chest.
Nephlite admired Lita’s form. She was so pretty and he could sense her strength as she didn’t look strong. It might have to do with her height. She’s taller than most teenage girls her age.
Suddenly, Lita charged and swung a leg up in a forward kick. It snapped out and Nephlite crossed his forearms in a defensive block. Lita then swung a side kick that Nephlite blocked again before moving in with a series of punches, taking care not to use his full strength as this was just a demonstration, not a fight for his life.
Lita dodged or blocked his punches before a double-handed block seized a punch. She thrusted her hips against his abdomen, shifted her feet, and was able to lift Nephlite off his feet as she flipped him over her shoulder. He landed on his back, winded but delighted with her maneuver.
“You okay?” she asked as she held out a hand.
“Fine,” he replied as he took her hand and was helped up. “That was an excellent move.”
“You held back,” she said. “I sense you could punch harder than you did.”
“Yes, I could but I did not want to severely injure you. This was a demonstration, not a real attack.”
“True.” Lita patted her face as Nephlite did the same. She found it curious that Nephlite hadn’t tied his hair back. Doesn’t it get in the way? Lita wondered.
“Lita, I know a cozy coffee shop nearby where we could talk, if you like.”
She nodded. “I know that place. I’ll see you at the gym’s entrance.” She flashed a smile as she grabbed her gym bag and left the room to hit the showers with Nephlite following her lead a couple of minutes later.
She knew I held back on my strength, Nephlite thought as he rinsed off. She held back, too. I too sensed that she could have struck harder and thrown me harder too. She is indeed strong and she would be more so if she became a wifewolf. Key word: If.
He found Lita waiting at the doors in normal clothes and she smiled at him as they left the gym and headed down the sidewalk to the shop. They had placed their orders and Nehplite went to gather napkins and condiments while Lita went to grab a table. Nephlite was about to grab some cream and sugar for his coffee when the scent of a wolf reached him. He looked to the right and saw a familiar blonde. “Jedite,” he said.
“Hi. I wanted to find you to thank you again and get your name.”
“Oh, right. I didn’t introduce myself. My name’s Nephlite.” He held out a hand.
Jedite took it and they shook. “I was amazed by how far I can leap now and how much faster and stronger I am now. Being a werewolf is wonderful.”
“I had hoped you would see it that way. I sometimes have encountered those who hate it and killed themselves. Of course, those were vampires that I bit into werewolves.”
“We can turn vampires?” he asked. “I wasn’t told that.”
“It’s only on the full moon and it’s preferred to turn those who are 200 or older.”
“Why?”
“In the hope of learning more about vampires and what they experienced in the past.”
“I also smell a pleasant scent.” Jedite’s nose flared. “Pine trees and clean water.”
“Yes. That is the scent of a potential wolf. I’m here with that person to get to know her and perhaps have her as a mate as well as ask if she’ll let me turn her.”
“I see. Well, good luck to you, Nephlite.” Jedite gave a wink before he walked away.
Chapter Four- Sharing
Nephlite added the cream and sugar, stirred his coffee, and took a sip, enjoying the mix of strong coffee, and sweet condiments.
“You took a while over there,” Lita commented, tilting her head at the condiment counter.
“I ran into a new friend I met last night and realized that I didn’t give my name. He then spoke a little of himself.”
“Did you talk about yourself to him?”
“Only if it was something we had in common.” He took another sip. “And that brings us to our get-together. Tell me about yourself, Lita.”
“Well, I’m fourteen, I like martial arts and all kinds of sports, I enjoy cooking, love werewolves, and I’m attending my third school in two years.”
“Third school? Why? What do your parents do?”
Lita lowered her eyes. “My parents died in a plane crash,” she whispered sadly.
“Oh, Lita. I’m so sorry,” said Nephlite, feeling terrible.
Lita gave a small, sad smile and put a hand on Nephlite’s hand. “You didn’t know. It’s okay.”
“So, why…?”
“I kept transferring because I kept getting into trouble for fighting.”
“Ah. Yes, schools do frown on that.”
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong. I am an average student, despite my fights.”
“I have no doubt of that. I see nothing wrong with fighting, but not at school. I’d hate to see you have to transfer again, especially if you have to move.”
“I have no intention of doing that. I like living here.”
“I like it, too.” Nephlite now really wanted Lita for a mate and wifewolf. She could move in with me.
“So, Nephlite, your turn to talk.”
Nephlite took a moment to gather his thoughts as a lot of himself couldn’t be said at this stage of getting to know each other. “I’m twenty-four,” he said at last. “I enjoy working out, I’m a decent cook, I love werewolves, I work odd jobs which pays well, and I live alone in an apartment.”
“Oh. So, you don’t have a wife or girlfriend?”
“I had a wife a few years ago but she was killed at least a year after we married. Her killer hasn’t been found and caught.”
“I see. We’ve both lost loved ones.”
“Yes, but I know she wouldn’t want me to live alone forever. It’s just that no one could compare to her, except you. You remind me so much of her.”
“How’s that?”
“She was confident and strong, she wasn’t afraid to fight back, and she was a wonderful cook as well as a loving woman.”
Lita heard the softness of Nephlite’s voice as he spoke of his lost love. He was definitely someone she could date. “Did she also have an interest in werewolves?”
“No. That was one part of me she didn’t understand and I did my best to not speak of it too often.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind talking about werewolves.”
“Then, let’s do so. You said you and others role-play. Could you tell me more about that?”
“We write a persona of a werewolf or hunter, making sure we stay in the boundaries of a set of rules we agreed on. Then, we sit down and act out the persona we wrote down with someone writing down what we say.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“Well, we’ve got a few ‘scripts’ that are on-going as we tend to write different characters and settings.”
“What kind of rules do you have for your werewolves?”
“Well, they can’t be invulnerable to everything a hunter might have on him or her. They’re not allowed to bite a hunter but can turn a random non-persona human if it’s the full moon.”
“So, say the hunter pulls out a machine gun. What then?”
“Machine guns are not allowed. It gives the hunter an unfair advantage.”
Nephlite quizzed Lita a little bit more about the role-playing rules before Lita said, “Nephlite, if you were playing, what kind of character would you play and what would the character be like?”
“Werewolf, no doubt. He’d be the shy, quiet type. Prefers to keep to himself and change only when he has no choice. Non-silver blades would be useless. Same thing for bullets.”
“That would work for an urban script. What about a forest one?”
“He could be a spy or craftsman, working with natural materials.”
Lita was impressed with the character Nephlite made up right there on the spot. It was clear that her answers on role-playing helped him craft such a gentle character. None of us thought of doing that, even with the forest script. “Nephlite, the group is going to have a meeting tomorrow night. Would you be interested?”
“I would, but would it be all right?”
“Yes. We welcome new players. The community center basement is where we gather and usually at seven p.m.”
“Tomorrow, seven p.m. Yeah, I’ll be there with my character written up.”
“Great.” Lita drained her tea and stood. “I should go. I need to get dinner started. I’ll see you tomorrow, Nephlite.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Nephlite watched her leave and felt that their impromptu date went reasonably well. He got to know Lita a little more and he had told her a little of himself. The only things he hadn’t said were his real age and the true nature of him and his wife.
That will come out eventually. Secrets never stay as such. I only hope that she forgives me for concealing the fact that I am a werewolf from her.
Night fell and Jedite was ready to hunt. His flight from his prey had felt wrong to him, but he knew his fellow vampire hunters would say he did the right thing in that situation. But, would they have approved of me asking to be bitten into a werewolf? I had known for a year that I could be one, but I never truly considered it until last night.
Jedite made sure he was properly armed. He had as many silver stakes as he could tuck into his coat. He was amused that he could touch silver considering a silver bullet to the head would kill him. Silver bullets could penetrate his body, but hard focus would force them out. He was told that by the werewolf who had sniffed out his scent. He had been told a great deal about werewolves that night and promised to never tell anyone what he had learned.
He headed down the sidewalk and then into the back alleys where his prey liked to lie in ambush. He kept a hand inside his coat and around a stake so he could strike quickly. His eyes pierced the darkness and knew no vampire could hide from him now. It was his nose that told him a vampire was around the corner. He smiled grimly as he gripped the stake tighter and headed deliberately into the vampire’s trap.
“We meet again, hunter,” said a voice Jedite had heard last night. He turned and calmly faced the vampire. “You will die tonight,” he stated.
“And you will be a vampire,” his prey said, before lunging, but to Jedite it was like the vampire was moving in slow-motion, thanks to his werewolf side. He brought out the stake and buried it in the heart. The scream he heard from his prey was satisfying as was the pile of ash. Jedite recovered the stake and left the scene of his latest vampire killing. The night was still young and he was eager to find and kill other vampires.
Chapter Five- Role-Play
Nephlite arrived a little early for the role-playing and took his time heading downstairs. He held the profile and persona of his character, adapting him for whatever setting would be used tonight. He reached the basement and entered the room where the meeting had been. He saw a conference table and three people seated around it, one of them being Lita. The other two were men who looked older than Nephlite, one with graying black hair and the other with silver-streaked red hair.
The black-haired man rose and strode toward Nephlite with a warm smile. “Hi, Nephlite. I saw you at the meeting Saturday. I’m Hal and I’m considered the ‘alpha’ of our group.” He extended a hand.
Nephlite took the hand with his own smile. “Lita told me about your group and it sounded interesting so I thought I would come and participate.” He sat across from Lita and next to the redhead who was introduced as Dale who wrote the scripts. He was delighted when Nephlite passed him his character papers and he copied them into a notebook exclusively for players’ characters.
Two other people showed up before Hal rose and introduced Nephlite to them, saying he was a guest player who would consider whether or not to keep coming back. “Hopefully, you will at least come every now and again,” he concluded before sitting.
“I suggest we do the urban script,” Dale said. “Nephlite’s character would fit in nicely, adding contrast to our characters.”
“Very well. Allow Nephlite to read it so that he will be familiar with it.”
Dale did so and Nephlite read through it. It was written just like a play script and, therefore, easy to follow. It told of a vast city and four werewolves living together out of protection. All four were well-thought out and their personalities were thoroughly defined. He got to the end and pushed it back to Dale, having an idea of how his character could fit in.
Hal cleared his throat and Dale poised his pen over the paper. He launched into a narrative using the first-person point of view and speaking slowly enough for Dale to write down his words. He was in wolf form on a full moon night and smelled an unknown werewolf. He described Nephlite’s wolf form and that he approached to greet him.
Nephlite took up the story at that point. He inhabited the personality of his character. He had to act as a shy, gentle werewolf who only fought when he had to as opposed to the lonely werewolf he really was who had no issue with fighting vampires or turning them. Of course, in the role-playing script, vampires merely wanted to kill werewolves and vice versa. It was only the full moon that changed a werewolf and allowed them to bite a human. Nephlite knew that all of that was not true, but he allowed these beliefs to stand as it allowed him and his kind to live among humans easily.
It was eight-thirty when the role-playing was halted and the next meeting was set for next Monday at seven p.m. Lita and Nephlite left together and the former said, “So, what do you think?”
“The urban script was intriguing when there was a suggestion of a vampire hiding in the shadows. Red eyes glowing in the dark. Very spooky and menacing.”
“Well, we figured our version of vampire are those who will attack a lone werewolf or gather others in order to attack a pack of werewolves.”
They got the one-on-one right, but it’s rare for a clan or pair to attack a pack. It’s more non-existent actually. Vampires tend to seclude themselves on the full moon so they don’t run the risk of being bitten.
“I did enjoy the back and forth dialogue,” Nephlite said out loud. “It helps one get into character.”
“Yeah. Hal says in order to bring your character to life, you have to become your character.”
“A bit hard as I’m not very much like my character.”
“You played him well and I loved the idea of him having a real name and a codename.” She sighed and smiled. “Alan and Moonshadow. That second one sounds mysterious and romantic.”
“Thank you. I wanted a mysterious one, but I can see how the name could be romantic too.”
Lita smiled up at Nephlite as she gave him directions to her place. She had only known him for three days and although he was older than her, she felt she had known him all her life and he was definitely the one for her.
“Lita, is your apartment at Sunset Gardens?” Nephlite asked.
“It is. Apartment thirty-four.”
Nephlite gave a short laugh. “I live at Sunset Gardens too. Apartment fifty-six.”
“A rooftop access floor?” Sunset Gardens numbered its apartments by floor and number on that floor. Lita’s was on the third floor and the fourth unit of nine on that floor, thus number thirty-four.
Nephlite nodded. “Each unit on that floor has a window that opens to the roof. Mine faces the eastern sky.”
“You must see some beautiful sunrises.”
“And when the full moon rises. I especially enjoy that.” The pair entered the building and rode the elevator up. When it opened on the third floor, Lita bid him good night, got off, and Nephlite rode it to the top floor.
Lita is a terrific girl, he thought as he entered his apartment. I could definitely see myself spending eternity with her. I will be admitting the truth before too long. She’ll understand why I hid it from her.
I still can’t believe we live in the same apartment building. We can see each other every day. Nephlite smiled at this; with Lita living two floors down, he wouldn’t be lonely anymore. Well, he would for the next three nights, starting tomorrow. It was the time of the full moon and he would roam the streets and kill or bite any vampires he found.
Malachite removed his fangs and dripped some of his blood into the bite marks. His victim groaned in pain as the blood raced through him and changed him into a vampire. Malachite released him and the newbie turned and knelt. “Thank you for turning me,” he said.
“You’re welcome and I expect you to do as I ask. Your first task will be to collect three humans to sustain Zoycite and me for three nights. You will do this tomorrow night.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Master is not necessary. Sir or Malachite will do. Master is a very outdated notion.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, I suggest you head out and feed on your first victim. Just remember: Remove all traces of your attack and watch out for werewolves.”
“Yes, sir.” The newbie, Sapphire, left to do as Malachite had suggested. Once he was gone, Zoycite turned to Malachite. “Why didn’t we drain him?”
“He will do what we would have done: Run the risk of being killed by a werewolf while getting our victims. Truthfully, I should have done this a long time ago. Oh, well.”
“And if he survives?”
“I will tutor him as I did with you. He might make a good student. He is respectful and reveres both of us.”
Sapphire skulked about the alleys, peeking out of them to see if there was a human he could feed on. Yes! There was one! He waited until the woman was closer before he seized her, dragged her into the alley, and sank his fangs into her while covering her mouth.
Blood entered his mouth and went down his throat as he sucked. It wasn’t until he had removed all traces of his attack did he allow his disgust to show. That was terrible. But I wanted to be immortal and I didn’t care if it was a werewolf or a vampire. I happened to run into a vampire and asked to be turned. I am a vampire now and I should learn to like it, though the taste of blood will make that hard.
Chapter Six- Full Moon
Nephlite howled as he changed to wolf form. He shook himself out and flexed his paws, his claws shredding a little of the grass underneath. The smell of the grass and trees filled his nose and he was grateful that his kind didn’t suffer from allergies; if a bitten one did have allergies, their change to a wolf cured them of it. He took off at a run through the deepest part of the park woods, his heart full of joy at being a werewolf. His nose detected a squirrel and his run turned into a hunt as he tracked the animal, chased, and killed it with the practiced ease that came from years of hunting. Of course, Nephlite did not hunt every full moon night, but did so on the first night to re-connect with his wolf’s natural state.
He left the park and began to prowl through deserted streets and isolated alleys. He observed the comings and goings of the people in the distance and prided himself on being able to blend in so that he didn’t need to move on too soon. A large city is ideal for a werewolf. It makes it easy to shift with an ever-changing population. The only thing is that I have no other werewolves to hang out with.
“Nephlite?” came a soft voice and the brown wolf turned to see Jedite. His tail wagged as the blonde wolf drew up beside him.
“I thought you had already left,” he commented.
“I had thought I would after disposing of the vampire that had been pursuing me, but I looked around and found there are no underground hunter shops here. I’m thinking of staying here and running a shop.”
“What kind of hunter shop? I mean, what is it?”
“Oh, a shop for vampire hunters, of course.” Jedite chuckled. “I’m not going to run a shop for werewolf hunters for obvious reasons. Besides, I’m detecting a fair amount of vampires scattered across the city.” He tapped his nose with the back of a paw.
“I don’t think you’ll find any roaming tonight or the next two. Most vampires stay in their hideouts to avoid running into one of us. Some human do go missing during this time and their bodies show up somewhere with no blood in their bodies and no marks to indicate how they lost their blood.”
“How do you learn all that?”
“Experience and some amateur detective work. I’ve been fighting vampires for 250 years.”
“Whoa,” Jedite said softly. “You’re very experienced.”
“There are slightly older werewolves than me, but yes I am quite experienced.”
“Nephlite, I did scent a vampire tonight. It’s likely a newbie but I couldn’t follow as he was in a crowd of humans.”
“I see. He or she is a newbie and may be kidnapping humans so older ones can stay indoors and be safe.”
&&&&
Malachite passed the unconscious human to Zoycite and regarded the other human in a cell before looking at Sapphire. “We still need one more human,” he said.
“Yes, sir. I got these two in an isolated area and dragging them here wasn’t easy.”
“Yes, of course. But now, you will find one more. There is plenty of night left to get one more.”
“Yes, sir.” Sapphire rose and left the mobile home. He sighed softly. He had very quickly become disenchanted with being a vampire. Yes, he was immortal but he had to drink blood which tasted awful to him and he had to hide from the sun because it was fatal to him; a shame as he had loved the sun. He didn’t want to live this way anymore. I’ll bring back one more human and then I will allow the sun to kill me. Sapphire headed off through the crowd, deciding to snatch someone from the front of an apartment building. He looked around and spotted one such building and, as luck would have it, a tall brunette girl was leaving it- alone. He quickly headed after her, eager to finish his task and then prepare to die.
Nephlite yawned as he settled in an alley near his home, Jedite having headed off to enjoy his night. It had been quite a night with so much of it left. He liked that Jedite was choosing to stay and run an underground vampire hunter shop. I may offer to help him in running it. I’ve never really spoken to a vampire hunter and I’d be interested in how such a shop operates.
His nose detected two scents coming to his alley. He rose and darted into shadows before focusing on the scents. One was the scent of a potential wolf and the other was death and blood, the smell of a vampire. He heard footsteps and his mouth parted as Lita entered, went halfway down, stopped, and turned to strike a defensive pose as a pale young man with blue hair entered.
Lita put the last of the chopped vegetables in the fridge and smiled exhaustedly as she closed the door. She had spent the afternoon after school and after dinner chopping vegetables for future meals. I deserve a reward and I think a walk would be good, she thought as she looked out her window. It was a pleasantly warm night and that prompted her to leave and set off down the sidewalk. She was planning to take a quick up and down walk, however, not long into the walk, she found herself being followed by a pale young man. He gave off a creepy feeling that she didn’t like and decided to confront him and learn what he wanted. His answer will determine whether I beat him badly or not.
She found an alley and headed into it. She went halfway in and then turned, getting into a defensive pose as her stalker entered the alley.
Sapphire followed at a leisurely pace. He had enough time to follow his target and pick his moment to grab her. Girls are easy to grab, he thought. They get nervous and scared when being followed and they don’t really fight back. If she doesn’t seem scared, perhaps bearing my fangs will do the job. He saw her enter an alley he knew was a dead end and he smiled in satisfaction. Too easy, he thought. He followed her to find her in a defensive position and looking as if she meant business.
“Why are you following me?” she demanded, her voice hard and unyielding.
“You’re not afraid?” he asked.
“No.” She gave a short laugh. “You don’t look so tough, unless you’ve got a gun or something.”
“No gun. I don’t need one.” Sapphire then hissed as he bared his fangs.
Lita’s pose broke as she took a step back. “What the…?”
“I’m a vampire,” he said with no hint of pride.
Lita resumed her pose. “You’re not draining me or turning me.”
“I have no intention of doing either one. I am also not looking for you to kill me as I am quite capable of doing that myself.”
“What?” Lita was confused at this statement. Why would a vampire speak of death in this situation? “Why…?”
Sapphire waved a hand back and forth. “That is not your concern. You’re coming with me.” He reached out for her.
Lita’s hand shot out and gripped Sapphire’s wrist, locking onto to it. He gasped at the firmness of her grip. She’s strong. She’d make a better vampire than a victim. Sapphire felt his feet leave the ground, he then hurtled through the air, and crashed against the back wall. He laid there, winded, for a moment before getting to his feet. “Very good,” he said with a smile. “But that won’t stop me. I have a job to do and you are the one who will finish it.”
“I suggest you find someone else because I’m not going to cooperate.”
“I don’t need your cooperation! All I need to do is overpower you and carry you off to my mentor as a victim who will die either tomorrow or the night after.” He started toward her again.
Chapter Seven- Turned
“Leave her alone or you will regret it,” Nephlite growled, unable to stay quiet any more.
“Who’s there?” Sapphire demanded.
“Nephlite?” Lita asked, turning around.
“You think you can stop me?” Sapphire looked where he had heard the voice.
“I don’t think I can. I know I can. You were foolish to be out tonight, even if your mentor ordered you to capture humans for him or her to drain so he or she don’t run the risk you are right now.” Nephlite came out of the shadows, stalking slowly, and baring his teeth.
“Nephlite?” Lita gasped.
“A werewolf,” Sapphire muttered. He then hitched a smile on his face. “Well, this actually works out for me.” He calmly looked at Nephlite. “Go ahead and kill me. I won’t stop you.”
Nephlite stood straight, his head cocked. “What?” he asked, confused.
Sapphire’s smile turned sad. “I wanted to be immortal and I didn’t care which way it happened. Then, last night, I was turned and told to feed. I did and found that I hated the taste of blood. I concluded earlier tonight that I made a mistake becoming a vampire. I have decided that after giving my mentor the three people he wanted, I would let the sun kill me. But now, I have a chance to die before sunrise. So…if I try to grab the girl, you’ll kill me?” Sapphire said hopefully.
Lita stared at the still forms of wolf and vampire, stunned by the former’s identity. Nephlite’s been a werewolf all this time. I know why he didn’t tell me: No werewolf freely admits his or her true nature unless they have a death wish. And speaking of which…
“Nephlite, you can’t kill him,” she protested.
“Sure he can,” Sapphire countered. “I’ll wager he’s killed plenty of vampires in his immortal life.”
“I have,” Nephlite admitted. “But, it’s usually self-defense. I won’t kill you, but I can do something else.”
“What?” Sapphire asked curiously.
“I can bite you into a werewolf. That is why vampires prefer to stay indoors during the full moon. It is the only time a vampire can become a werewolf and you will still have the immortality you have now.”
Sapphire’s eyes widened. “They didn’t tell me that. They just said to watch out for werewolves.”
“Most new ones don’t know. The ones who are 200 or older are especially wary as my kind learns a good deal about vampires from them as well as their life experiences.
“I will bite you if you wish. I only want your name.”
“I’m Sapphire and yes, I do want you to bite me.” He went to his knees and held out an arm.
Nephlite took the arm in his jaws and bit as gently as he could while making sure the werewolf virus went into him. Sapphire gasped in pain as he felt his heart beating again and his fangs shrinking into sharp teeth. He planted his hands on the ground as he shifted into a blue wolf.
Sapphire blinked his now gold eyes and crossed them to see his muzzle. His tail swished furiously at seeing this and knew that he was a werewolf now. He panted before saying, “Thank you, thank you!”
“You’re welcome and you are now free of your obligation to the one who turned you last night.”
“I thought as much and it feels great to be free of that.” A soft look came to his eyes. “Now, I can see the sun again.”
“Yes, just be mindful of the full moon. You will change instantly no matter where you are.” Nephlite then braced himself as the turned to Lita. “Lita, I-,”
Lita shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s pretty much a given that a werewolf hides his true nature. I understand.”
“I…could bite you too. A human can be bitten any night, unlike vampires.”
“That is…a nice offer but could I think about it? At least a couple of days? You do have a new one to teach right now.”
Nephlite looked back at Sapphire before looking at Lita. “You have a point. All right. You know where to find me when you’ve made a decision.”
Lita nodded and eased past the two werewolves before heading back home. Sapphire watched her leave and then his nose sniffed rapidly. “What is that smell?” he asked as he sniffed again. “Pine and water?”
“That is the scent of a human who can become a werewolf or wifewolf. That is one reason why I stepped in. I won’t allow a potential wolf to be turned or drained.”
“I’m sure I didn’t have that scent and yet you bit me.”
“It’s different when turning a vampire. Only the full moon is needed for the bite to work.”
Sapphire bowed his head. “I have so much to learn.”
“And I will help you. First of all, if you bite a potential outside of the full moon, he or she must stay a wolf the entire night.”
“I’d like to know my weaknesses and advantages.”
Nephlite chuckled a little. “Of course. We only have one weakness. We can only die by a silver bullet to the head.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes. If a silver bullet strikes a different part of the body, hard focus can force it out, but then you’ll need to sleep a long while to recover.”
“How long?”
“At least seven to nine hours.”
“What if someone tries to attack with a silver knife?”
“It will shatter as will any blade and bullets will bounce off us, save for the silver, of course.”
“Our advantages?”
“Sharper senses, faster speed, and increased strength. You’ll need some kind of hat or head cover as you’ll have pointed ears in human form all the time.”
“Do the vampires know this?”
“No. They know of our silver weakness but not the fact that only a silver bullet to the head can kill us. Thanks to countless ages, we know that the sun and a silver take to the heart can kill a vampire.”
“So…I could kill the one who bit me and the one who lives with him?”
“You could, but only outside of their home. Every vampire fortifies their resting place that makes it impossible to open from the outside.”
“I’m guessing a former vampire told you that.”
“More like a former vampire told a werewolf who spread it to others. We know much about them but they know very little about us. Do you have a place to stay, Sapphire?”
He shook his head. “I’m a drifter. No home, no job, nothing but the clothes I wear.”
“I see. Well, you can come with me but I insist you get a job and I will speak with the landlord of altering my lease.”
“I promise to job hunt tomorrow.”
“Good. I will hold you to that. Now, let me show you to your new home.” Nephlite guided Sapphire through the deserted streets he knew so well and shared some of his life experiences with him as well as what he could expect as a werewolf.
Sapphire listened to Nephlite who he found to be a better mentor than Malachite, more compassionate. I am glad I met Nephlite and became a werewolf. I am sure that I’ll have a better immortal life than the one I had been going through.
Chapter Eight- Questions
Lita looked around as she headed home. She felt a little scared of what she had seen tonight and yet in awe of those same events. Vampires and werewolves were real. Sapphire had been a vampire and was now a werewolf, just as Nephlite was.
He offered to turn me and let me have time to think it over. In our role-playing game, one is never given the choice; he or she is simply bitten and on the full moon, of course. That is the other thing. Nephlite said I could be turned at any time. So, I could wait until after the full moon to make a decision. I do want to talk to Nephlite before making a choice.
&&&&
Nephlite smoothed down his hair as he went into the kitchen to fix an early dinner for him and Sapphire. The young man had headed out late this morning to see if any hiring signs were posted while Nephlite had gone to speak to the landlord. Altering the lease had been easy as Nephlite always paid his rent and bills on time and he assured the landlord that Sapphire was looking for a job and would pay his share of the rent in the same timely fashion he did. Once the new lease had been drawn up and promising the landlord that both of them would sign it the next morning, Nephlite went upstairs for a nap and awoke to the start of a late afternoon.
He had laid a large slab of steak on the counter and was about to chop some vegetables when a knock sounded. He went to the door and looked through the peephole to see Lita. His heart pounded. Has she decided already? He opened the door with a warm smile. “Lita, hi,” he said as he let her in.
She smiled back, but it faded when she saw the kitchen. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were making dinner.”
“It won’t take long. The full moon brings on a desire for raw meat. So, I just need to sauté some vegetables to complement it.” He started chopping.
“You’re going to eat all of that?” she pointed at the steak.
“No. Sapphire’s going to live with me. I’ve already spoken with the landlord and he drew up a new lease that we’ll sign in the morning.”
“You mean, he’s homeless?”
“I prefer drifter, but that’s right,” spoke up Sapphire as he came in with a happy smile. “I found a job,” he said. “And it’s perfect for a werewolf, meaning I get the full moons off.”
“Really. What kind of job is it?” Lita asked.
“Selling weapons to vampire hunters at a kind of secret shop. I ran into a werewolf who spoke of running this shop.”
“Jedite,” Nephlite said. “He works fast as he mentioned running a shop just last night. He had the scent of a potential and was told that a year ago. He recognized me as a werewolf and begged me to bite him as a vampire was after him and he was out of ammo. That was Saturday night.”
“Scent of a potential?” Lita repeated.
“Yes,” Nephlite said as he got out a skillet, turned on the stove, and put some butter in it. “Not every human can be turned. They have to have a scent that is a combination of pine trees and clean water. It is a very pleasant smell and I picked it up on you the day we met, Lita.”
“And that’s why you offered to bite me.”
“It is. I take it you’re still deciding?”
“Right. I wanted to talk to you before making a choice.”
“Ask anything you want.” He added the vegetables and some seasoning.
“How long have you been alive?”
“If my count my twenty-four years before the bite, I’m 274.”
“That’s…well, old.”
“There are others older than me. I spent 250 years fighting vampires and moving if I have to. I like big cities as it allows an immortal to blend in with an ever-changing population.”
“Are there a lot of werewolves and vampires here?”
“Until Saturday, I was the only werewolf. Sapphire spoke of two vampires last night and Jedite says he smelled a scattering of vampires in this city.”
“Yeah,” Sapphire said as he got plates, cups, and utensils. “Well, they’ll have to go out tomorrow for their next victim as I only brought back two.”
“Nephlite, did you really have a wife?” Lita asked.
“I had one and she was a wifewolf, but she was killed by a vampire seventy-five years ago. I suspect he had been wearing gloves to handle the silver bullet as any silver is painful to them. I got revenge by driving a silver stake into his heart.”
“Seventy-five years ago. You’ve been alone for a long time,” Lita said with sympathy.
“Yes. I lived with a pack for the first 100 years of my immortal life. We were forced to scatter by a trio of werewolf hunters.”
Sapphire whistled. “You’ve had a rough life.”
“I suppose so. But I have had love and joy in my life. I hope to have a lot more in the future.”
“Well, I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got a job, a home, and a friend.”
“I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, either,” Lita added.
“Thank you. So, anything else?” He turned off the stove and cut the steak in two.
“Is there a reason why your hair is long and not tied back?”
“Yes; a very good reason.” He brushed some away from an ear and showed it. “It’s part of being a werewolf.”
“I imagine you’re stronger, faster, and have sharper senses.”
“Yes and it’s hard to kill a werewolf. Only a silver bullet to the head will do it.”
She nodded and said, “I think I’ll leave so you can eat before it gets dark.”
“I hope my answers were helpful.”
“They’ve given me something to think about. Have a good night.” Lita left the apartment and went to the elevator.
“Do you think she’ll accept your offer?” Sapphire asked as they started on their food.
“I hope so and I’d like to have her for a mate. She reminds me of my lost wife.”
“She’s still thinking about it. That’s something.”
“It is. I can wait. Patience is something one gains from immortality.”
&&&&
Zoycite fumed as she disposed of the corpse. “He didn’t bring another victim or come home.”
“Yes. That is a concern,” said Malachite. “I suppose he was killed.”
“He could have been bitten,” Zoycite put in. “If so, it had to be that brown one I encountered almost a week ago.”
“Considering I have not seen a werewolf here for years and it’s a big city, it’s possible our paths would not cross.”
“If we could identify him in human form, then we might be able to kill him,” Zoycite said gleefully.
“I told you,” Malachite said sternly. “You are not ready to try and kill a werewolf and I am not keen on meeting one myself. The prudent thing would be to try and hire a werewolf hunter. The problem is that there are not many of them as most humans consider both of our kinds as myths.”
“So, what do we do?”
“We keep our heads down and after the full moon, we will move on to another city. Let the werewolf have this one, him and Sapphire if he was bitten.”
Zoycite nodded. Yes, we’ll move and find a new city in which to feed.
Chapter Nine- Decided
Lita awoke Thursday morning and reflected on yesterday’s talk with Nephlite as she got ready for school. He had given her a lot to think about; indeed she had dreamed that she was a wolf and was racing Nephlite. His joyful laugh had filled her heart with joy and she had laughed too. It was such a happy dream, one Lita knew could come true.
I will be bitten, she thought as she went through school. I’m not going to wait for the full moon to end. Tonight, I will be a wolf. I will go to Nephlite before dark and tell him that I’ll be a wolf.
&&&&
Sapphire blinked as Nephlite slid open his skylight window. “Hunting?” he repeated. “We’re going hunting?”
“The perfect time to do so. Vampires prefer to stay indoors, remember? Those that are out like using alleys to ambush their prey. We will go to the park.”
“Uh, we don’t eat humans, right?”
“We don’t. We eat what normal wolves eat. The night we met, I ate a squirrel.”
“A squirrel? They’re fast, little things, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, but we’re faster. Anyway, the full mon is usually the best to hunt as we won’t run into vampires.”
A knock sounded as both men were about to leave. Nephlite looked in the peephole again and saw Lita. Curious, he opened the door and let her in. “It’s almost moonrise,” he said as he closed the door.
“I know. I made my decision. I’ll be a wolf too. A wifewolf, right?”
“Right. Lita, would you do me the honor of being my mate as well?” Nephlite asked, going to one knee.
Lita’s eyes widened and then sparkled. “Yes. I had felt that you were the one for me and I would love to be your mate.”
Nephlite beamed as he stood and took her hand as they joined Sapphire at the window who congratulated the couple as they climbed out onto the roof.
The sky flared as the sun vanished but Nephlite’s side of the roof showed the night sky and the white full moon. Nephlite and Sapphire instantly changed into wolves and Lita got to her knees, eager to be bitten and have her dream from last night become reality.
Nephlite padded over to her and Lita saw love in his gold eyes. She admired his strong body and legs before seeing him wrap his jaws around her arm and she gasped as she felt her flesh being pierced. She then felt a quick burn spread through her before she found herself on four legs with brown fur. She craned her neck to see a lean, strong body also covered in brown fur. She looked forward as Nephlite rubbed his cheek against her own. She returned the gesture.
“Come on, let’s go hunt,” said Nephlite before leading the way down the fire escape.
Lita followed Nephlite, marveling at how she was able to walk on four legs so easily. Sapphire was behind her and wondered if that was some kind of pack order. Nephlite is a leader as he is the oldest and most experienced out of all of us. I’m his mate, so maybe I have a higher status than Sapphire who was bitten two nights ago.
Sapphire followed Lita and admired her lean yet slender figure. I was wrong thinking she’d make a good vampire. She’s better suited to be a wifewolf. Nephlite is lucky to have her as his mate and speaking of Nephlite, I consider him a leader due to age and experience. Lita has a status equal to that because she’s his mate. I’m fine with following both of them. The three of us could be a pack; four if Jedite decides to hang out with us.
The trio entered the park and crept through empty paths that led to the woods. Lita flared her nose and her instincts told her what she was picking up. Grass, trees, flowers, dirt, and animals that appealed to her wolf side. But, I’ve never hunted before. How do I do it?
Nephlite inhaled deeply before saying, “Do either of you smell animals that wolves like?”
“I do,” Lita said. “But I don’t know exactly what I’m smelling.”
“Same here,” Sapphire said.
“Okay. I’m scenting rabbits over there.” He aimed a paw ahead and to the right. Lita and Sapphire sniffed in that direction and the image of a gray rabbit popped into Lita’s mind. “Ah, so that’s a rabbit’s scent,” she said softly.
“Yes,” Nephlite said. “Follow me and I will demonstrate how to chase and kill it.” Nephlite immediately slunk low as he stalked toward the smell of rabbit with Lita and Sapphire copying him.
Nephlite tapped his hunting skills as he tracked his chosen prey. He often hunted squirrels and rabbits as they were common in a city park. If a deer found its way into a city park, he wouldn’t hesitate to hunt and kill it as deer was a rare treat. The scent of the rabbit grew stronger and then he scented two rabbits. Perfect, he thought, licking his chops. He paused behind a bush and kneaded the dirt to make his next move silent. He crouched lower as he took two more steps. His back legs’ muscles bunched up before he leaped out from his hiding place. Lita and Sapphire rushed to see Nephlite springing after a rabbit. He planted his paws on its back and Lita was about to see him bite down when movement in front of her made her look down.
A second rabbit was there and trying to get away from the two wolves who had suddenly appeared. It was fatter than its companion but still fast. Lita’s new hunting skills kicked in and she lunged forward, her jaws latching onto the neck before she bit down. She felt it go limp in her mouth before she released it and howled at a successful kill.
Nephlite turned at the howl, his kill still in his mouth, and saw a dead rabbit at Lita’s paws. His tail swished as he went over and released his catch. “Very nice, Lita,” he commented.
“I didn’t think, I just acted,” she said. “I suddenly knew what to do.”
“That was your hunting instinct,” Nephlite said. “We’re wolves right now and that includes the instincts.”
“He’s right,” came a new voice before a blond wolf came into view. He flashed a wolf’s grin.
“Jedite,” Nephlite said. “Out hunting yourself?”
“Already did and it was good. So, I see a pretty wifewolf. I take it this is the one you were courting?”
“Yes. This is Lita. Lita, this is Jedite a vampire hunter and Sapphire’s boss.”
“And I should get some sleep for work tomorrow. But first, I was wondering if you three were a pack and if I could join.”
“I hadn’t thought of us being a pack,” Nephlite said. “But I suppose we are and of course you can join.”
“Great. Well, I’ll see you at work, Sapphire. Eleven o’ clock.”
Sapphire nodded as Jedite left. He looked forward to his first job in years since he became a drifter. But I’m not a drifter anymore. I have a home and a job. Plus, I’m a werewolf and have a pack.
“Who wants to race?” Lita asked suddenly.
“I do,” Nephlite said. “But first, let’s eat.”
All three laid down and tore into their prey. Nephlite felt content as he ate. He had a pack again and a mate. The courting didn’t take long as Lita was a werewolf fan and she liked me almost instantly. He got up and stretched in preparation for a race with his new mate.
