Bloodmoon: Peace Treaty (3 page)

Vampire reproduction was a tricky thing. While every vampire was capable of sexual intercourse, only the first born males could reproduce along with the first born females. The Queen birthed an average of ten new-borns per birth session. And the first born son, and first born daughter, inherited the ability to reproduce and became king and Queen eventually.

In-breeding without any negative side effects.

Apart from the King and Queen who had the ability to reproduce. Few vampires too were born with special powers apart from the normal abilities that came naturally. Some could change forms at will, others could bilocate and others yet could read thoughts. As far as these powers went though, they weren't very common.

Vampire babies also developed very quickly and within a few months were fully grown, and then the aging process slowed to a minuscule degree.

Christoph stared down at the new-borns and smiled

How lucky you are little ones. To have been born in a time of peace, such as this.

Shaky peace
a little voice corrected.

He shoved the voice aside. The next generation would grow in a world where they did not have to constantly look over their shoulders. Where they could hunt in peace and not be scared of attack. That gladdened his heart.

With one more perfunctory look around, he stepped out of the nursery and went to his room.

Her saber dropped from her hand as he chopped at her wrist, rendering her hand temporarily numb. He caught it mid fall with the tip of his boot and kicked it up, catching it by the hilt.

"You should really hold on tighter to your weapon" he said. That familiar, peculiar, and knowing smile playing across his lips.

For some reason, he was shirtless and she now gazed at the claw marks she had left on his body. She swallowed. Her throat felt incredibly dry and she felt her legs buckle a bit underneath her.

"Whoa, you okay? You swayed a bit there" he said, rushing forward to keep her steady. She took advantage and moved aside quickly while stretching a foot out. He tripped over it and fell on his face, dropping both weapons which she now retrieved.

"You were saying?" she said twirling the weapons systematically while watching him stand.

He dusted himself off, and she watched. Noticing how his muscles moved under his skin with each body movement. Tightening and loosening as he went about the activity. Acutely aware of the steady beating of his heart, feeling hers settle to a rhythm to match his.

She heard him say something. She didn't hear what.

"What did you say?" she asked looking up, and she paused, confused.

They were now at a river bank, and he was cleaning himself up with a wet rag. His wet hair hung around his face giving it an air of mystery that disturbed her in places she did not want to think of at the moment.

"I said. . ." he started again, obviously not partaking in her shock at the change of scenery. ". . .you fight dirty. That was a cheap shot" he finished and tossed his hair to the back, sending a small spray of water at her.

She didn't move to avoid it.

Instead she looked d

Own at her hands lamely, the weapons were still in her hands.

What was going on? How'd they get here?

"Can I have my weapon back now?" he asked, and she tossed his blade at him.

"Thank you" he said and immediately ran forward, attacking her with a fore swing which she ducked and a backswing which she parried with her saber. He attacked again, but she caught his hand mid swing and shoved it down hard while raising her knee up simultaneously smashing them against each other in the process. His saber dropped and she shoved him backwards, but he held on to her jacket and pulled her down with him.

They landed in the water. She was untop of him. And she could not find the strength to move. His scent hit her with such fervor she felt she would collapse. She was acutely aware of everything about him. His hard muscles beneath her hands. The slow beating of his heart. The sound of him swallowing.

And something else.

His bulge pushed up through his wet pants and prodded at her pelvis.

This physical representation of his excitement at their close proximity only worked towards increasing her own growing excitement.

He was as turned on by her as she was by him.

She looked into his eyes and found that they were already staring at her. The deep black of his eyes reflected the stars above and had a watery sheen to them. They seemed to draw her in with their earnestness.

They both swallowed and she moved her hand against his skin. They were smooth to the touch and only roughened up at the intervals that were her claw marks. Surprisingly, she could see none of the other scars that he'd had from battle.

Only hers. Just hers.

She felt her hand moving downwards towards his bulge of its own volition. She seemed to not be in control of her body. It had a mind of its own. And had a goal it sought to achieve.

As her hand continued its downward journey, that same force steadily pulled down her face to meet his. She was excited to see his head coming up to meet hers.

Her eyes caught sight of his lips advancing towards her, and hers parted ever so slightly.

She closed her eyes.

Keena woke up and for the first few minutes, she was unsure or her surroundings. Then gradually she gathered her bearings and sighed.

The contents of her dream came flooding back to her. The complete details, in an undreamlike fashion, without the usual plot holes in the middle. It all came back to her.

She realized also, with some shock that she wished the dream had continued. She wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered the look in Christoph's eyes as their lips had inched towards each other. She felt a slight dampening in her nether regions at the thought.

What was wrong with her?

Why was he affecting her this way? I mean. He was a vampire. Just like he had, she had also been brought up to hate his kind and everything they stood for. To find herself attracted to one now, and the son of the king no less, was as ironic as anything could be.

The familiar tiny voice in her head asked her

Does he feel the same way?

She froze as the thought took root. What if her attraction was one-sided?

Could she really continue with their sessions keeping in mind that whatever it is she felt for him would forever remain unrequited?

Even worse. What if he did feel the same way? What would she do then?

Was there any reality in which a vampire and a werewolf could be together and everything would be right with the world? Even if that was a world she wanted to live in, would everyone else share her enthusiasm?

The questions kept coming and no answers accompanied them.

She groaned in frustration and lay back down.

Once more, the voice asked, what if he feels the same way?

                                               ***

"Christoph. Searched for you last night. Couldn't find you, where were you?" Remus asked smiling up at his friend.

Christoph already had a practiced answer,

"Well, when I woke up, I had to go take a walk. I mean, just to check out how everything is now that we have peace. I just realized that I hadn't done that since the treaty came into play"

"Oh. That's good. Like what you found?" he asked

"Oh yeah. Everyone was going about their activities just normally. I even stopped by the nursery you know. Checked out the new-borns"

"Oh yeah. Our adorable brothers and sisters" Remus said laughing. Just as he turned to go, he caught sight of something and did a double take.

"Whoa. Those are new. What happened? Get in some kind of scuffle while making your rounds?" he asked indicating the claw marks on his chest

Christoph tried to stifle his look of apprehension. He had slept shirtless when the sun came up and now had not had time to put on something.

How could he deal with the situation to quell Remus' curiosity? He could feign surprise, or maybe ignorance.

He went with familiarity.

"This old thing? I got this one at the battle of Mediis Tenebris. Can't believe you've forgotten Remus, we fought right beside each other" he said, feigning offence

Remus seemed to think for a while, then an expression of remembrance washed over his face.

"Ooh. That's true. I think I remember now. Mediis Tenebris. Long time ago. It was that big grey wolf right?" he inquired and Christoph, overwhelmed with relief, could only manage to nod in concordance.

"Exactly" he added in a small voice

"Good ol' days eh buddy?" Remus said tapping his shoulder. Then. "Hey. A couple of us thought we would take the horses and go get some breakfast in one of those mountain settlements. Want to come?" he asked

Christoph shook his head in the negative. "No, thanks, I'll just stay back here. Don't you worry. Have yourselves a good time. I guess"

"Such a pansy" Remus said shaking his head, laughing.

"Yeah, a pansy who will knock you out cold if you don't move away from him" Christoph replied mock threateningly.

Remus feigned intense surprised and walked away.

Christoph watched him leave. He yawned and as he did and his dream came back to him. He'd been dreaming of Keena.

The mere mention of her name caused a stirring in his loins and his throat to tighten with anxiety. He reached for a shirt and put it on. Then he looked outside at the sky.

Tonight was a special night.

                                              ***

"Going somewhere?" Turk asked as he stepped into her room and Keena turned with a start.

"Don't do that again" she said, getting herself together, not wanting him to see that he had rattled her.

"What do you want?" she asked now

"Nothing really" came the baritone reply. "I just popped in to make sure you were okay. You didn't answer me though. Are you going somewhere?"

She turned to look at him now, irritation spelt across her face boldly.

Did he not know how much he disgusted her? She asked herself

"Yes. I am. Don't you know what night it is?" she asked

"I do. Everybody does. And so do they. Where are you going? Let me come with you" he offered, stepping forward.

She raised her hand to stop his advancement

"I'll be fine. I won't stay long. Don't you worry. I can't stay in tonight though. Nobody can keep me in." She said, spitting out the final sentence as she tucked in her saber with an air of finality.

"Are you going to try to stop me Turk?" she asked when he just stood looking at her.

He stared at her for a while, then smirked and stepped aside.

"Don't stay long" he said as she passed by him

She didn't reply. She did not see the need to. It was no business of his. He'd lost all right to know her whereabouts a long time ago.

As she passed the castle window, she looked out and a small smile played across her lips.

Tonight was a special night.

                                             ***

The full moon radiated downwards lighting up the field in its luminescent light. Everywhere was quiet, and only a small wind could be heard, permeating the loud silence of the night.

The Wolf raised its head and sniffed the air. The scent was present, but vague. It moved forward, its huge paws leaving deep prints in the grass. The passing wind ruffled its fur slightly.

Rearing back on its haunches, it raised its head and howled at the moon. The howl seemed to clear its senses and it sniffed the air again.

There it was.

Turning sharply, it darted towards a tree and lunged into its branches.

Christoph reacted fast and dived out of the leaves that had been his hiding place, landing softly on the grass.

The full moon was out, and Keena was at her full potential tonight. She had even assumed wolf form. Something he'd expected slightly.

The wolf jumped down after him and growled threateningly. Christoph crouched down and winked at the majestic wolf.

"Wow. You're pretty even as a wolf"

Whoa where did that come from? He thought to himself, and returned his mind to the task at hand.

Keena circled him, her head low, claws protracted and her teeth bared. He turned along with her, not wanting to be blindsided with a sudden attack. His blade glistened in the moonlight as the light caught the inscribed runes running down its entire length.

Suddenly with a yelp, the Wolf galloped forward at a dizzying speed and lunged at him.

He was down before he could make a move to evade the attack and the Wolf was untop of him, snapping at his face as he struggled to keep its jaws as far away as possible.

With his free hand he punched at the wolf's stomach, then grabbed it by the side of its head and pushed it off of him. Keena fell on her side, and was immediately on her paws again, and rearing back for another lunge. This time, Christoph was ready and ducked just in time for her to sail past him.

As she passed, he reached out and caught her by the neck mid-air catching her in a headlock. The Wolves legs thrashed around in the air helplessly.

Then, with a sudden rush of energy, Keena tossed herself to the side relying on her weight to topple Christoph over.

It worked.

They both went down and with the fall, his grip around her neck loosened and he let his arms fall to his sides.

She stood over him staring. She could hear his heart beat. It was steady. He was watching her with some odd kind of fascination. His shirt had rolled up a bit and she could see the end of the claw mark just above his belly button.

She didn't know when she did it. She didn't know why she did it.

She bent down and licked his face.

He looked every bit as taken aback as she was by her actions, but then he smiled. It was that smile. That peculiar, knowing smile. The same one he'd had on in her dream. Just then, slowly and while still untop of him, she slowly started transforming back to her human form.

Her fur retracted and slowly her bones started shifting and rearranging back in place.