Running

A female werewolf fights to protect her love with a vampire, but will he betray her? Is she better off with her own kind? Or is it they who will betray her first?

Chapter one

Feeling the flying wind and the earth beneath me, it's hard to keep the panic from my concentration. Get out, get away, The instinctual pull was strong, so strong, I didn't try resisting. I could feel my heart beating wildly against my rib cage, the intense hunger in my belly, my breath no longer controlled-but ragged and filled with the desire to flee as fast as I could. I was no longer safe here, I had been safe in ignorance but I knew now. I knew.

The thought had made me so happy...and now, why did it have to be this way? Why did my greatest joy put me in so much danger? I felt my stride lurch ahead, and my muscles began to burn. How long had I been running? The brown plains of the flat-lands had given way to evergreens, only a few miles, I needed to be faster and I wished I had wings. Life would not be so kind as to grant me two wishes.

I felt eyes on me, the hunters were everywhere, I told myself that to make myself run even faster, and it worked. What if they kill him? I thought, suddenly fighting the urge to return to him, the only vampire who would say he loved a wolf. He can hold his own. I told myself to regain the seconds lost in hesitation.

Where was I going? I didn't know, I wasn't running I was fleeing. That did it, my body turned sideways, paws locked in the dirt, skidding until I had a mound at least a foot high by each foot. Some wolf I was. I turned back, deep in the trees now, but I knew my way back. I lowered my head, glowering at nothing. A fierce growl tore from my chest, I felt bestial, inhuman. I felt the last of my terrified human self fade. I would go back. I would fight them, I wanted their flesh in my teeth. I wanted to taste the blood. And if it proved there was no threat, then fine.

I then channeled my fury into running back, faster than I had gone while running away. I was no coward, I was not a human. I was the wolf, and nothing would stop me. I was both the unstoppable force, and the immovable object. Either someone else would die while I protected it or I would. I would not falter again.
My limbs filled with new fire, the trees blurred to seemingly endless green until they gave way to plains again. It was hard to avoid the highway, but the light was fading behind the mountains to the west, and I doubted any humans would give a second though to something they couldn't see. Stupid as it was, I fancied myself invisible. Human attention sounded like such a petty trifle compaired to losing myself...loosing him.

Frustrated by the endless fences beside the road I gave in to the need to switch from dirt to pavement. I leapt over an unsuspecting sedan and spead ahead, not caring for the driver's reaction. I counted the intersections, one, two, three, I didn't slow for the fourth, only careened around the corner, skidding until my paws burned and rocketing forward again.

"NOT HIM!" I heard the feirce double-bass of my wolven voice tear through the night like a rusted blade through harded-flesh. Unpleasant, painful, powerful. I continued forward, and lept narrowly out of the way as two cars hit head-on at the next intersection, though the human in me winced at the sight.

Almost there, another intersection, the last one before I was running over empty dirt roads watching the grazing horses and cattle run, frantic, from my presence. So close, I was so close to him...to them...Suddenly I craved blood more than his safety and that scared me.

Finally, I passed the road that led home, no...not home, to the human family that had raised me for nineteen years. I nearly flew over the blind hill that had that final turn waiting for me at its denument. I barely slowed, the residential dirt road feeling cramped compared to the highway. My eyes were set on my goal, that lonely white house at the top of the next hill. I didn't know where he was, but if his scent was here, I could find him.

I slowed to a stop this time, feeling my paws throbbing, probably bleeding from my skid on the rough pavement. Not wise to leave blood behind to be tracked, but that didn't matter. My nose set to work. I smelled familiar things, dog waste from the back yard, oil, gasoline, the rancid smell humans had seemed to have accumulated since my change, and him. The sweet smell of my vampire, it reminded me of jasmine and sandalwood; so calming compaired to my own scent of cinnamon, wood and earth. Then another, more alarming scent, blood. Not mine, but his.

I felt panic rise in my throat and twist painfully in my belly, where was he? I circled the house once, then again the other way. It was dark as I followed the scent through the neighbor's feild, and it suddenly cut a hard right, then doubled back on itself, darting in every direction and changing them at random intervals. He was trying to outrun someone. The scent lead me far from his house to a dishevled barn that looked like it would collapse with the next gust of wind. I sniffed at the entrance, weary of the aged building, all bloodlust gone.

Suddenly I froze with the too strange and familiar scent of his blood,

"My angel, you came back. I'm glad."

"Alandiel," I sighed with relief, the double-bass of my voilven voice sounding much too harsh for the way I was feeling. I couldn't see him, but I could tell he was hurt pretty badly. He grunted and I heard him shift, "are you alright?" Stupid question.

"I'm fine angel," I could hear him lie, there was far too much blood for him to be 'fine'. I entered the darkness, looking around the molded hay and rusted tools, "Don't angel, you don't want to see this." His voice was closer and I turned to catch just a glimpse of him before he shot off to another part of the barn, I heard him grunt again in pain.

"What did they do to you? Where are they?" I asked, feeling the anger brim to the breaking point.

"I don't want you going after them."

"Won't you at least let me see you?" I asked, glancing around in the darkness. With a sigh I heard him emerge into the rectangle of moonlight in front of the open door. His long, white, silken hair was tangled, he torso was bare and bleeding, though I could see the wound was almost healed, a crecent-shaped cut from a sword.

"The scarred one did this to you didn't she? I'll kill her." I felt the growl in my voice.

"They're too powerful for even you, I think even Lestat would be a challenge for you." He said, and leaned against the wall.

"You mean that fat, pompous fool? I'll kill him and that scarred b***h."

"Scarred b***h hm?" I watched Alandiel's face turn fierce before I could move I felt the peircing blade cut through my back, I yelped and my legs buckled under me as I crumpled to the ground. She felt it nessesary to twist the blade as she pulled it out and I lay there dizzy, but growling none the less.

"Alandiel," her voice was like bells, "first you fraterenize with these mongrels, then, not only that, you deny the council their right to," she gave me a snide smile, "question it's knowledge of the Necrim?"

"Leave her out of this, she knows nothing." His voice was as much a growl as mine. I looked up and I could see he had his sword ready. He was shaking, he must have wanted her head more than I did.

"It seems she knows quite a bit to me," came a low voice, I hear heavy footsteps walk past me. "The fact she even knows I exist is something." Said Lestat.

I snorted, despite the pain through my back. Lestat had been far romantisized in literature. In all reality he was fat, with dark, oily hair, and not ramantic presence at all. In fact, he glowered at me, but his eyes showed no fear.

A small congregation of equally anicent Vampires filed in, cornering him.

"What's this?" another female voice sounded close to my head, but I couldn't move. She touched my neck, moving the fur to reveal the mark Alandiel had left there.

"This is treason!" an outraged voice said from behind me.

"Now Marious, thats a bit overzealous don't you think?" answered another voice; it sounded more like wind than a voice.

They seemed to for a crecent around Alandiel, blocking him in.

"There are punishments for these crimes." continued the wind-like voice.

"Why must it be a crime?" Alandiel's voice was suddenlt light. He was in his diplomatic mode, "I was protecting her."

"But you weren't protecting us! Feeding our secrets to some dog! Let me cut his head off now and be done with it!" I heard the scarred one's voice rising in anger. I knew she wanted any excuse to kill him. Any at all.

It was then I felt the healing start, the wounds were already closed, and I waited until the pain faded. I didn't move, I was waiting for the right moment. I knew Alandiel would disagree, he would think killing any member of the Necrim would sentence us both to death. But what if this is what the vampires of the world wanted? Freedom from the rules the Necrim had so firmly placed? So that bonds between wolf and vampire were no longer taboo.

"There is no law against marking a wolf," the whispy voice spoke again, "but telling her about us is unexceptional. We know that's not all you've told her, but let us not repeat them here." His voice held a certain remorse, like he didn't want to carry out the apropriate sentence for the 'crime'.

I knew if I moved all of the ears in the room would hear me. I could feel the emmense pressure of their power pushing against me like an invisible vice. I began to despair, maybe I was no match for them...maybe Alandiel and I would die here. I growled, and a few eyes flickered to me. I froze, hoping they'd still think me immobile. The one with the whisperey voice seemed to be the head of the group. I still wanted the scarred ones head in my jaws.

Alandiel's eyes lingered on me a moment too long.

"He's in love with her too!" the scarred one's voice was even more furious than before.

"Let's not jump to conclustions Dite," said the whisper, "Have you developed feeling for this wolf?"

Alandiel's jaw tightened.

"You see! He has!" She shreeked. I felt my maw tremble, if I leaped at her now, how fast would the rest kill me? Would I have time to at least crush her ignorant, roman head off?

I had to wait, Alandiel would be crushed if I was killed...and he would allow his own death soon after, and yet the minutes dragged on. When would I get my chance?
"Damn mut..." mumbled Marious. I continued my 'dead' facade, though I knew they could hear my heart.

Alandiel put his sword away and pushed through them. They did not stop him, only watched with both curious and outraged eyes as he apprached me, and kelt before me.

"Angel," he whispered, even though all ears could hear him, "I'm sorry." He stood and faced the group, "Do what you must."

What was he doing? i fought to keep still. If he dies then I would not last much longer either. Damn. THe scarred one seemed to have been waiting for this exact moment,

"Yes!" She didn't wait for the whispery one to give her the okay, and leapt at him, sword raised.

Clang.

Inu's sword was blocking hers, and they shot into a blur of movement. I glanced at the others. The other female and the older vampire with the papery skin and whispy voice stood with interested looks while the others looked angry.

Then his voice cried out and he stopped, the scarred one's sword through his shoulder.

"You've gotten much better," he grunted,

"Shut up," she scowled, twisting the blade and he called out again.

I couldn't take it, I launched myself at her, my large head crashing into her and sending her crashing into the fragile wall. I heard her ribs crack, though they would heal in seconds.

"I'll kill you!" She cried, leaping at me, her sword still lodged in Alandiel's body. I turned my body, defensive and she attached herself fangs and all into my side. I tore her off with my jaws.

"ENOUGH!" The whispery voice was suddenly a loud boom that froze us all in our places.

"Put me down mongrel!" Dite cried from her place in my jaws. Oh how I wanted to crush her right there, her blood was already filling my mouth. Why hadn't the others attacked?

Alandiel pulled the blade from his shoulder and the oldest vampire took it from him.
"Forgive Dite, she's a bit too eager."

"Of course." replied Alandiel with a bow, how could he be so calm when our death was sitting right here?!

"Please put our sister down wolf." he said, his white eyes looked to me with admiriation? I must have imagined it.

I reluctantly put her down and she punched my muzzle...I hardly felt it. She snatched her sword from the elder and shot Alandiel and I a feirce glare.

"Come with us Alandiel." he continued.

"What about the dog?" Cried Marius from behind him.

"She will come as well, but first..." He moved toward me and I tensed, his hands with their long nails reached toward my face and I backed away, but suddenly my legs wouldn't move...and all was black.

I heard myself groan, as I sat up.. no! I was in human form, but why? I glanced around the shadowy walls and had the feeling I was upside down. Where..what? Who? I was so lost in the dizzying confustion that was my mind. Churning, what is that? I thought, then it came. I threw up and curled up in the darkness.

"It's awake," I recognized Lestat's voice,

"Why can't we just kill it now...it might know too much already," replied Dite.

Damn, I thought, I should have stayed still but..."Ohhh," I groaned and threw up again. What had they done to me? I curled up closer to the wall.

"Disgusting," spat Dite.

"Now, now..." It was the whispery one, "Come child, come with me," he held out a chalk white hand that looked as if it would fall apart at the slightest breath. I heard Dite spit again. I wiped my face and stood. I was nude, but no one seemed to care. Thus, being so used to it in wolf form I did not care either, however the leader gave me a cloak.

"What happened to me?" my voice cracked and sounded weak.

"It was the spell, it's side effects are less than appealing but you understand."

I scowled, "Where is Alandiel?"

"He is...busy. You on the other hand should remain silent, lest you allow yourself to be killed here. There are many who would see you dead. Levarthicus."

At the last word my vison failed, but I was still concoius. He took my hand and led my through winding tunnels, "Votharg." And my vison returned.

I was in a new room, there were holes in the walls like an underground cave and a small gathering of food in the corner. My stomach churned, food was not what I wanted.

"You would do well to remain in human form here, perhaps you'll stay alive long enough to leave."

"You mean I'm not going to die? Why." It was not a question, as I glared at the elder.

"My child you are an interesting piece. I would like to study you as long as your life allows."

I was furious, he wanted me like a collection piece? Some doll for his amusement? I would not have it and I could feel the change bristling as the fur began to tickle my skin.

"Ah, ah, ah," his hands came toward me again. I bit him. He cringed away,

"Dite, Lestat, I've been bitten."

I would not let him black out my vision again. My legs started cramping as my knees buckled back. I stood half-changed as they came running. I didn't care about living, where was Alandiel?

I growled loudly and lurched, but something held me,

"Let go!" I cried, my voice caught between the low wolven bass and the high feminine trill of the human.

"Thank you Adonis," hold her for me. I fought against the presence behind me. But instead of blacking out, Lestat and Dite arrived and helped the elder away. As soon as they were out of sight, I was released. Still in half form I whirled around to se who had held me and felt my anger melt.

He had dark hair and golden eyes. He was big, taller then I was and much more built and he looked at me with sympathy and sadness.

I roared in frustration, worldess sounds and smashed my fists into the walls. I was so powerless here! I hated it! "Where did they take Alandiel?" I snapped.

"Alandiel is dead," he said apologetically.

"You're lying!" I growled, "He wouldn't...he couldn't..he.."

"They took him to the sun chamber...He burned in the sun. Punishment for telling you so much."

"What day is it?"

"It's been two days."

I refused to belive him. Not Alandiel, not like that..not the sun. Not him.

"You will take me there leech!"

"I would, but you're form is more suited to that of a horror movie. You won't get away looking like that."

I forced myself to calm a bit, and picked up the discarded cloak as I shifted back to human form. "Show me."
Adonis grabbed my arm and I flinched, expecting the cold touch of a vampire, but wait...He was warm. I leaned closer, trying to use my human nose to catch his scent, but he jerked me around a corner, stopping the action.

"This way," his voice was warm and reminded me of caremell. Thick, warm, and somehow sweet. Perhaps he was a halfling? A half vampire? Or maybe he was..no, there was no way another wolf would be living here willingly. And trusted. Perhaps he was one of the whispery one's dolls. A collection piece . I growled quietly. If that were true then he was not worthy to call himself a wolf.

"Here," he said, opening a large metal door. I entered. The sun shown brightly here and my eyes stung after spending so long in the near darkness of the caves. Sure enough, there were ashes in the corner. I couldn't belive it. He wasn't dead. Even seeing these ashes made no difference. It was not him. His scent was here but...I looked up the the cage over the hole at the top of the tower. No damage. I shook my head as I walked back into the darkness.

"That was not him. He is not dead." I glared at him. In a flash I remembered how I had met Alandiel. Old friends at school, we had known each other for years, but after graduation. He had left the state, one year later he returned a new person. The long white hair tained red and black in places. His electric blue eyes and the cold touch his skin had always held now held a softer, finer texture. He was a vampire, and had been since I had met him. When he revealed this secret to me I had been all too intruiged and then...one night...

The touch of his skin is a shock but I lean into it. "I trust you." I pull my hair to the side and tilt my head, exposing my neck.
"Are you sure angel?" His fingers graze my neck and I shutter.
"Yes...I'm ready," I feel him lean forward his lips, his breath on my neck. I fill with desire, then the prick of his fangs. I wince and he stops,
"I'm sorry are you okay?"
"Try again," I breath, "Don't stop.."
Again I feel his fangs and I tense, then a moment of nothing. Suddenly I feel warmth between my legs and feel myself cling to him. Breasts suddenly feeling the need to be touched and a ravenous lust for him rushes over me. I know it's the vampire venom, filing me with such want. I cry out, gripping his shoulders tightly. I can feel my blood on ym neck but it is only a trifle comapred to the flood. He pulls back. I see him smiling through my dizzy vision.

I had been marked by him. Over then next few weeks I had slowly become more and more of a wolf. He helped me understand and learn. Perhaps he had already known I was a wolf and it took his bite to awaken me. Either way, I had fallen in love with him, and he with me. "Alandiel.."I heard myself say his name and I cam back to reality.

We were in a small room in the caves. It was crudely furnished, as if the vampires had given him the things they didn't want anymore. Like a poor man's palace. There was a bed with netting around it, a table, a bookshelf with several volumes.

"Why did you bring me here?" I wanted Alandiel, I wanted to find him. I was half a second away from darting out of his room to look for him when Adonis cought my arm again. I snapped at him, forgetting my human form for a moment and he let go.

He sighed, "Look, whether you belive he's dead or not I intend to help get you out of here. Both of us," his voice was a whisper.

"Why would you want to escape? Can't you leave freely?" I thought about the possibility of him being a wolf.

"Nope, can't."

I stared at him and crossed my arms, he continued,

"You see I can do some pretty special things around here. The vampires need me, I don't need them though. I'd like to get out of this leech hole as much as you do."

"What? You're a.." I scowled, "You could leave whenever you want, why haven't you? You sorry excuse for a-"

His finger was on my lips, "Shhh," don't say it, that word brings a lot of unwanted attention. Now, do you want my help or not? I know these tunnels like the back of my hand, and I hav their trust."

I snorted and wretched away from his touch. He would be helpful.

"Are there any others? Our kind I mean." I refused to look at him, how could any wolf allow themself to be treated like this? Kept as a vampire's pet.

"Two, I can take you to them tonight. Then we can leave tomorrow when the sun is out and the day is new." Until then, better eat something, you're stomach's been rumbling since we left the sun chamber."

I frowned, but attacked the pile of food in the corner of his room, shoving the meats into my mouth. I couldn't smell it on him, but if he was a wolf, and he really wanted out. I could help him, but only if he would help me get to Alandiel. "I need to find him," I said between mouthfuls, "he's not dead. You can get the others and leave but I'm not going anywhere without him."

His eyes looked disappointed, and his mouth moved thoughtfully, "Well whatever you say miss..."

I thought about it. He wanted my name. Alandiel called me Angel, but I would not allow this wolf to call me that,

"Call me Az," it was short for my wolfen name Azriella, but Az suited me better. "Just Az."
Night came as if I had willed it, not that it mattered, leaving this place was out of the question until sunrise. I had spent the next several hours pacing the crude room of Adonis. Why didn't he smell right? My mind traced back to my theory of him being a half-blood, all the sad stories of wolves that had been changed to be as such, rather than born. Perhaps he had been bitten? Then again what had he meant by 'special things' and the vampires 'needed him'? Her thoughts were broken as a growl tore from her throat in reaction to a sound at the door.

Adonis grinned, "Woah, down girl," he hadn't left me alone for more than a second at a time since he had fed me, and when he did leave for longer, he placed the thickest iron grate over the hole-like door. As if the would keep me, even he would know that.

"C'mon, we can go see the others now." I reluctantly followed him, after he set the heavy grate aside.

"I could break through that at any moment you know." I said to him quietly.

"No you couldn't." his voice was smug and I stopped to look at him, frowning deeply.

"What do you mean I-?"

"The meats I fed you have been laced with silver, not enough to kill, but it prevents us from transforming. FOr as long as you're here, you're just a human."

I was enraged,

"Traitor! How could y-!"

His strong hand found it's way over my mouth and in a flash he had twisted his body around and dropped me to the ground faster than I could react. My head hit the cold stone below with a crack and my vision blurred a moment as the pain spread over the back of my skull, followed my a wet feeling in my hair.

"Keep your mouth shut," he growled through his clenched teeth, then his voice turned to a hiss "You need to play along in this little game if you want to get out alive, got that? No more outbursts, you are a prisoner here. You will follow my lead until I say otherwise, or I will kill you myself is that clear?"

My eyes swam through the red that tinted my vision, I was so angry I would have shifted right then. However the meat must have been laced, because my body held no reaction. He sighed and helped my up. I noticed my arm was now bruised as well and I rubbed the back of my head, the sticky liquid beginning to dry out.

"Listen," he said looking around, "just do everything I tell you or you'll end up getting us all killed."

I nodded, unable to form words at the moment. He grabbed my bruised arm roughly and continued through the tunnels until we came to another grate nearly a mile across the underground world.

There were two other wolves, just as he had said. A young girl, no more than twelve was nude and chained by the neck. Just across the room was a young male who looked a bit older, maybe seventeen was also chained.

"Whats going on here?" I whispered as I entered the cell after Adonis.

"Az, meet Zuni and Lucca."

Zuni, the young girl, crigned away from me and hid her face, while Lucca reclined easily...shamelessly, before me.

"Hey Adonis, nice catch, ya gonna chain her up in here with us?" He winked at me, eyes scanning the cloak. With a glare I pulled it tightly closed.

"She's the one who's gonna get us outta here," replied the man beside me, "She's got a mark."

Lucca's eyes suddenly shot to my neck and I was glad my hair was covering me.

"How did you know about that?" I asked,

'I can smell it on you." he replied,

"So? What's that got to do with anything?" glared at the young male a moment before i caught the girl gazing up at me with wide eyes.

"That means you, my dear, will soon be able to grow wings."

THe young girl, Zuni, appeared to be African American, her dark hair and skin make her look like a princess in the dark of the cave. She gave a tiny peep, which drew our attention to her.

"Mother always said, that a wolf with the mark of the fang would gain immunity to silver and the wings of the ancient ones."

It seemed the girl thought I could already sprout these "wings".

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I've never had wings, I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"We'll help you," said Adonis, "I've only seen one other like yourself, so I know it's possible. As soon as the silver wares off in your blood, meaning you can eat the meat and still transform, you'll learn how to grow your wings. We'll use that to get us out of here and kill these leeches while were at it."

"That's great!" said Lucca in hushed excitement.

"No I won't." I said.

They all turned to me again.

"I'm not doing anything without Alandiel."

"You're damn leech is dead!" hissed Adonis,

"He isn't!" I hissed back.

Adonis growled as stepped toward me, but stepped back again with a huff.

"We'll figure this out." He turned back to Zuni and Lucca, "Until then just hold on."

The two chained ones assumed a solemn ere, I assumed they had some sort of plan that had existed before my arrival, and now was only accelerated.

Why was I so great? What the hell was he talking about? But more than Anything, where was Alandiel?