Loyalty by Naomi M-B (books to read for 13 year olds TXT) 📕

Black boots crashed into the man’s head, smashing him into the wall. If he were human, it would’ve meant the end. But, as it was, he was a ghoul and perfectly capable of surviving. Leaping lightly to the ground, Farah slammed his booted foot into the ghoul’s cranium a few more times to be sure.

No response. Unconscious at last.

“I hate ghouls,” he muttered, reaching to his belt for handcuffs. Noises echoed down the corridor, a much more brutal battle was taking place further along. Lucinda was always perfect for loud diversions. The werewolf had an intense blood lust only levelled by Farah’s own. As a Dusk Vampire he became exhilarated at the mere thought of violence. Especially against other members of the undead (Particularly Dawn vampires).

There came a vicious screech and the lights began to flicker. Shadows danced erratically along the concrete walls and Farah’s eyes narrowed. If she inflicted too much damage to the place, they’d both be getting it in the neck. So to speak.

Glancing down at his prisoner, he deliberated joining the fight. Adrenalin was already beginning to pump through his veins, desperate for action. Before a conclusion could be reached a light accented voice entered his head. Oi, oi, you’re running late.

“I know,” he snapped, slinging the unconscious ghoul over his shoulder. “Tell that to Lucinda. The idiot’s trying to tear this place apart.”

Heavens, we’re not gonna have to pay for it are we?

“Take it out of Kyan’s salary, he won’t notice. All he ever does is mooch off the rest of us anyway.”

Said the pot, the Irishman quipped.

The corridor outside was deserted. Huge scratches scarred the walls and craters were dotted along the hall at regular intervals. Dust and bits of concrete littered the floor before him. Stinking ghoul blood was splattered across the walls and floor. Most of the lights had also been smashed leaving the hallway in near darkness.

The growls and screeches continued.

Can you go drag her out? Pretty please?

“That’s your job, Mika!”

Babies whine, Farah. There was a pause as Farah glared at the wall. I’ll do your chores for a week?

“Done!” Grinning to himself, he trudged down the passage, shifting the prisoner on his shoulders. “Hey, where abouts-” His words were cut off as Lucinda was hurled down the corridor, her flailing claws narrowly missing his face. Stunned, he stared wide eyed at the approaching figure. The flickering lights behind it illuminated curly hair and loose clothes but left their face concealed in shadow.

Groaning, Lucinda clawed up the wall to get to her feet.

“Who the hell is that?” Farah dumped the ghoul to free his hands.

Fangs out, Lucinda’s speech was distorted beyond recognition. However, one glance from her amber eyes relayed her feelings of confusion. This was an unknown enemy.

“Mika?” For once the other man was silent. “Mika!”

There came a chuckle from the looming silhouette. “Sorry,” they drawled. “No little druid to help you out with this one.” Another laugh as they drew nearer.

Easing his feet apart, Farah settled himself into a crouch, ready to spring at the man. A dark film slid down over his eyes. Night vision was a wonderful thing in these sorts of places. With its aid, he could make out a man with narrow features and curly hair. Fangs growing, he let out a low warning growl.

Apparently, this made the man even more amused as he laughed yet again.

“Aren’t you two just adorable?” he sighed. “All growly and fanged up. As if you could take me down. But don’t worry. I’m not here to fight.”

A snarl rolled from Farah’s lips. “You could’ve fooled me.”

This time, the man was silent. It was now possible to smell him over the stink. Both Lucinda and Farah growled as they caught his scent. Werewolf. One from a pack most likely. The scent was too refined, too purely lupine to be either half-breed or turned.

“Now, now, little ones,” the man said, stepping into the pool of flickering light spilling from the still open door. It fell upon a smirking face and dark blond hair. Amused golden eyes gleamed at them in a silent laugh. “I really am just here to chat.”

“Why can’t we hear Mika?” Farah demanded, venom pooling in his glands. Ready to bite, ready to kill, destroy.

With a sigh that held more than a hint of exasperation, the man explained. “I’ve blocked mental communication. It’s a thing I know how to do,” he drawled. “Now, are you willing to listen to me? I won’t hurt you. I’m not armed nor have I even begun transforming.”

Farah glanced to Lucinda. Her senses were better than his; she’d be able to pick up on dishonesty. After several moments, she straightened. Fangs and claws retracting, she nodded. “What do you want?” Instead of answering, the man just looked at Farah. With a snarl, Farah reverted to his fully human form as well.

Delighted, the man smiled again. “Thank you. Now, I want the pair of you to carry a message for me.”

“We look like messengers to you?” Farah demanded.

“Silence,” Lucinda snapped, shooting him a glare. “What kind of message?”

“A warning.” The amusement faded. “On a recent hunt, my pack picked up on something… odd. My Alpha wanted us to stay quiet-”

“I thought most packs didn’t have Alphas,” Farah interrupted, ignoring Lucinda’s warning glower.

“We’re not most packs,” the man chuckled. He smirked at Farah in a way that made the vampire’s skin crawl with distaste. “Which is probably why we managed to find it.”

“Are you going to tell us what it was or do we have to guess?” Lucinda asked, eyes stony now that her bloodlust had receded.

“I place my bets on bullshit,” Farah grumbled but was ignored.

Taking his time, the man paced slightly across the passage space, pausing to inspect the blood on the walls. “You know of Shades, right? Well, imagine for a moment that a certain Shade with a certain… ability began experimenting with other life forms.” When Lucinda fixed him with a glare, he laughed again. “Look, my hands are tied. My Alpha gave me orders. All I’m saying is that you should tottle off to your little councillors and get them to look into the eastern Shade district. You’ll find something interesting I’m sure.” Cocky smile intact, he winked at Farah before turning on his heel and starting back.

With quick, skilled and practiced movements, Lucinda pulled her gun from her belt. “Freeze,” she ordered, pointing it at the man’s back. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us,” she said and fired.

“Isaac Dentina?” Jinsa asked. Her blank aqua eyes were narrowed in suspicion. “Surely you are a one of Lark’s.” The faerie looked uncomfortable, her glassy wings twitching in agitation.

Despite the swelling bruises on his scalp, the curly haired man still managed a smirk. “Defected, I’m afraid. Mother’s love just wasn’t my style.” The young man was knelt before nine thrones of knotted ancient oak upon each one, a council member sat. Each member represented one of the nine united races of the realm: Faeries, Vampires, Warlocks, Druids, Ghosts, Elves, Werewolves, Humans and Shifters.

“Traitors are no friends of the council,” Terrin declared. “Especially those who forsake their packs.” The elder werewolf was glaring at the man knelt before him. Distaste rippled through his every word and a growl crept in at odd moments.

Isaac let out a harsh laugh. “It’s called modernisation, old man. I didn’t get along with my family so I left and found a better one.”

“With Cassius?” Terrin scoffed. “He’s a pathetic excuse for a lycan. Deceitful, dishonourable-”

“Honour?” Eyebrow raised, Isaac sent a glance towards the scattering of people stood beneath the balconies. “What about that little puppy with the braids? She shot me in the back!”

Beneath the stone canopy, Mika let out a mock gasp. “Lucy!” he whispered. “How could you?”  Not taking her eyes away from the scene, Lucinda punched him. Beside her, Farah glared at Isaac through the protection of his sunglasses. Sunlight was lethal to Dusk vampires. Even the sight of it caused his eyes to sting and it only made him more irritable. The handful of Dawn vampires a few feet away (pretty and pretentious as always) weren’t doing anything to help matters.

“Lucinda is a half-breed,” Terrin snapped. “And as such she isn’t bound by honour laws. Cassius on the other hand is. Unless there’s something he wishes to tell us?”

“Cassius is a good and honourable lycan,” Isaac growled. The slur against his Alpha visibly stung.

“Oh really?” A disbelieving eyebrow climbed its way up Terrin’s forehead. “Is that why he bound your speech?”

In the sudden silence, every vampire and werewolf could hear Isaac’s heart as it began to race. Jaw tightening, Isaac hissed, “Just go to the Eastern Shade territory. If you don’t then every one of you is doomed.”

Fifteen minutes later, the council adjourned. Despite Isaac’s promises that his pack would come looking for him, they ruled that he’d be kept in custody for later questioning. Mika, ever the enthusiast, had volunteered their team to guard him. Which was why, after several hours of waiting around, the lycan was in the back of their car singing at the top of his lungs. Hands cuffed to the divide between the front two seats, he was crammed between Mika and Farah. They’d been banished back there when Lucinda had declared that the latest supply box took precedence and had already claimed the front passenger seat with it. Furious, Farah was glaring out of the black-tinted windows, doing his best to ignore the piercing tones.

“Ooooooh! The Grand old duke of York!” Isaac bellowed, slowly deafening Farah’s delicate ears. “He had ten thousand men!”

“Shut. Up,” Farah growled.

“SORRY!” Isaac all but screamed, mouth barely a centimetre from Farah’s head. “WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”

With a yelp of both pain and annoyance, Farah punched him in the gut once, twice, three times. Quiet reigned at last. Grimace battling with a smug grin, Isaac sat back and contemplated how utterly bleak his outlook was.

First, there was the Shades and their… experiment. The memory gnawed at his mind. With a frown, he shook his head to banish it. In the tight confines, this movement caused Farah yet more annoyance. Not Mika though, the little druid had curled himself up and jammed earphones in. Faint music drifted through the cramped space.

Heavy metal, who would’ve thought.

Anyway aside from the Shades more pressingly was the issue of Cassius. A defeated groan worked its way up his throat, pressing against his clamped down teeth. The whole point of waiting the two months since the discovery was so that Isaac could leave, warn the council and return before Cassius returned from the mountains. So that he wouldn’t notice.

Now?

Now Isaac had two days at most. Two days to think of a plan and escape if he wanted to get back in time. If he was lucky, he could pass it off as a hunting trip. Killian would never betray him and the others rarely kept track of each other while Cassius was away. Two days...  It was a tight schedule but not completely impossible. The