Battle
I turned and sprinted through the woods. I knew not where to go, but felt the pull of her strength. My master had commanded that I capture Artemis' silver arrows, and the goddess knew his thoughts. Faster and faster. Through the woods into the open field with its circle of light. Artemis awaited. She shimmered and smiled at me.
"He has come for Brogio, for all of you." Her words were like slick oil oozing through my brain.
I slipped through the barrier from dark to light and bathed in the prickling caress of her glow.
"He hates him, you know. He still wants Selene."
Please, goddess. You know we need your silver arrows. There's no time!
She ignored my thoughts. "He can have sex with her now. Apollo is consumed with the thought of Brogio having sex with his virgin. She's been my virgin for this eternity." She smiled and shrugged. "My brother wants to stop them before they can be together."
Artemis, please help us. The silver arrows are all that will stop him now. I sat at her feet, tempted to lick her toes if that would help convince her of our need.
"Yes, that's true ... but, what's in it for me?" Her light turned a frosty shade of gray, and I oddly felt its icy sharpness.
If you don't give me the arrows, I will have to fight the were-jaguar. I knew I would be playing with fire if I angered her. My bite might be the only thing that can kill him. Or ...
She swirled in a black cloud around me. "No, I forbid you to put yourself at risk! You must obey me. We have an arrangement."
But, my Alpha and our pack will die if I cannot save them. I beg you. Please let me have your arrows.
Her light suddenly glowed golden, and she kneeled down next to me. "What will you give me in return?"
What do you want?
At that moment, she transformed into a silver husky in front of me, and I stared into her blue eyes as they pierced mine. She rubbed her head against my chest and then turned her hind quarters suggestively toward me. A seduction in exchange for Brogio's life.
*****
"My gods, the dog did it!" Kane pulled the quiver from my back and chuckled. "What'd you have to do to get this, dog?"
I responded with a growl. Brogio gently stroked my head. "I knew you could do it, Snow Blood! I'm sorry it had to come to that." He turned to Kane. "Come! Let’s grab our bows from my nearby hunter’s blind. We need to set up and attract the beast." He pointed to the edge of the woods where Selene was standing. "Snow Blood, guard Selene. You know the drill. Kane and I are off to battle."
Selene and I settled into a thick brush area. My keen hearing enabled me to alert to their footfalls. The creature heard them as well. Its roar sent a quick shiver up my spine. Selene wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer. I could feel her heart pounding against my fur.
The creature's footsteps shook the ground as it followed Brogio and Kane's movements. A sickly smell permeated the air. Rotted meat and burnt fur overwhelmed my nose. Selene covered her mouth and gagged. Through the leaves, I spotted the were-jaguar. It was just ten feet from us. I dared not move with the embodiment of Apollo dangerously close. Suddenly, I remembered Kane's words that the were-jaguar would be able to hear Selene's pulse. I bolted from our hiding place, drawing the beast away from my master's love. It was a risky move leaving Selene alone, but a calculated one.
The beast screamed like a large cat and dashed after me. I could only be grateful Selene didn't scream and give away her hiding spot.
I ran through the trees as fast as I could. I felt the heat of its breath on my back. Despite its massive size, this beast was able to keep up with me.
Brogio taunted it – "What are you waiting for? I'm here!" I followed his voice, dodging the traps that awaited it.
Looking behind me, I saw the were-jaguar make one plunge forward. I leaped high in the air and sailed over a pit buried in the ground. I turned just to see the enraged were-jaguar fall through. Its scream shook the trees. I peered over the side and saw the beast twisting in agony on the sharp stakes.
Brogio and Kane were at the mouth of the opening before I could blink.
"This is going to hurt." Kane said. He grabbed an arrow from the quiver. "Damn the Gods," he screamed, releasing the first round into the monster. His hands began to blister as he reached for the second arrow and shot it off, aiming for the creature's head.
Brogio stood at the edge of the pit and gritted his teeth, but didn't scream. His hands blistered and smoldered as he loaded the bow and took deadly aim at the were-jaguar's brain. As he loaded the second silver arrow, his hands began to burn. Neither Brogio, nor Kane came prepared with gloves. The flesh from their hands started dripping off in chunks of liquid flame. Both Brogio and Kane screamed in agony. I remembered Brogio's conversation with Artemis about how silver burned vampire's skin. Deadly as well to the were-jaguar, Brogio and Kane released two more rounds of silver arrows into the monster. Its cries of agony mingled with those of both vampires as its wounds ignited with fire.
Again, my Alpha and his son released two more silver arrows from their burning hands.
The were-jaguar's screams formed words that gave us all pause. "Hades is coming for all of you! This is only the beginning of your troubles."
Its wounds smoldered as my male pack members shot two more silver arrows into it. "Damn it, I'm out," Kane yelled.
Brogio reached back into his quiver to discover he had only one remaining arrow. His fiery hand grabbed and loaded it, then sent it into the creature. The monster exploded into flames. A column of fire rose up and out of the pit. A flash of light burned my eyes as the fire exploded into ashes and fell to the ground.
Kane dropped his bow and pounded his scorched hands against nearby trees. He was trying to put out the flames of his burning hands. Brogio settled his bow across his chest where it wouldn't touch his skin. He whispered "ha-b'rakah" to each hand. Miraculously, the flames died upon the last syllable of the word. He walked to Kane and repeated the word. Kane dropped to the ground as the flames went out.
Brogio turned to me. "You should be with her." He furrowed his brow. He was displeased with me. "Go and protect Selene."
A tar-like form rose from the ashes. An acrid smell filled the air. Laughter shook the earth. Dark smoke circled me. It was so thick I couldn't see my Alpha. I couldn't see anything at all. I growled at the wall spinning around me. Then it rose up and flew away, almost like a bird!
"Great gods!" Kane shouted. "What was that?"
"Apollo," Brogio said quietly. "We haven't seen the last of him."
*****
"She is safe?" Brogio's eyes glowed red. His tone a dangerous question.
Yes.
"Where?"
I sprinted off with him in hot pursuit behind me.
Selene sprang from her hiding place and threw herself into Brogio's arms.
"You are safe!" He turned to me and smiled his appreciation.
Brogio pushed her back, examined her from head to toe. Selene appeared focused on his cinder-like hands.
"What has happened to you?" She gently pointed to the marred flesh.
"It's nothing." Kane interjected as he approached. "A good meal, and we'll be healed like new." His disappointment at her lack of concern for him spilled across his face. He watched closely as Selene ignored him and continued to examine Brogio's wounded appendages.
"Honestly, Selene, I'm going to be okay. Come everyone. Let's all go back to the house." Brogio turned and pulled Selene to his side, wincing from the pain of his injured hands. "It's obvious that Apollo will find us no matter where we go. We need to recuperate and prepare for whatever comes next."
*****
I spent the next several days watching the repairs on the house while my pack slept. I kept a keen eye on our surroundings. How Brogio managed to have the manpower that he did amazed me. A hundred workers spread throughout the house replacing windows, repairing the damaged roof, and cleaning up dead crows.
My forages in the forest were satisfying and uneventful, except for the recurring scent of ... other dogs? No, wolves. Many of them. Their fresh droppings and the pungent, repulsive smell of recent kills piqued my curiosity about them. I pushed down a passing urge to seek them out. It would only result in the wolf pack Alpha feeling threatened and challenging me. He would be no match for me, and I had no desire to harm a member of my own species.
The fifth night in our new location, Brogio and Kane drank blood from crystal wine glasses. Selene dined on a large salad. Her laughter filled the house. All appeared well, so I decided to take a turn around the perimeter of the property. As I reached the woods, a cold fog crept through the trees and rolled toward the outside of the house. The hairs stood up on my back at the steady purpose of the dense, gray fog. Its rotten smell prickled my nose. I knew instantly what it carried.
I rushed back to the house, hit the slightly open door and skidded to an abrupt stop. Lucky that I skid, or I would have run straight into Brogio.
"What the..."
Bringer of death! My mind screamed into his.
It menacingly oozed between our legs and spread along the floor of the house. First the entry, then the den, then the dining room. Selene's laughter turned to a cough ending in a chocking sound.
"Brogio! Quick! Selene!" Kane's voice rang through the house.
We rushed to the dining room. Kane cradled an unconscious Selene in his arms. Panic spread across his face. "She's collapsed!"
The creeping fog surrounded each of us with no effect. I growled as it slithered across the floor and crossed to a slightly opened window and slid out into the night.
Brogio rushed to Selene. He placed three fingers on her neck. "No pulse." He bit his wrist, opened her mouth and tried to force his blood down her. Pulling her to him, he sat down in a dining room chair balancing her on his lap and watched her closely. Minutes went by, and she stirred and breathed out. Relief spread across his face as he found her pulse. "She lives!"
I went over to my Alpha and sat next to him. Minutes ticked by. Kane took a step toward Brogio. "But, she's not come around."
Brogio touched Selene's cheek gently. "Wake up, my love! Let my blood heal you."
More minutes passed. Kane moved closer and put his hand on Brogio's shoulder. "It's not working."
Brogio stood, the despair on his face made me heart sick. He ran toward the stairs carrying her up, taking two at a time. He shouted over his shoulder, "Kane, get a doctor! She's not responding to anything. We have to try anything we can!"
*****
She was as pale as the silver of her hair. It spread around her shoulders and arms, and I thought she looked void of life, like one of the marble statues that adorned either side of Brogio's entrance gates.
Kane had gone at his break-neck speed to the emergency room of the hospital. He used the vampire ability to compel one of the doctors just coming off duty to return to the house with him. Dr. Williams was a man who looked to be in his early forties. The green surgical scrubs he was wearing stretched over a tall, thin body. Though his face was still young, his brown hair was turning prematurely gray. His concern for Selene spilled across his face as he examined her. "We need to get her to a hospital for blood tests, and into intensive care."
"Not unless I or my ... dog can be with her at all times." Brogio searched the eyes of the physician.
The doctor raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's impossible! Dogs aren't allowed in intensive care, let alone the hospital!"
"Then draw her blood now, Dr. Williams, and get it tested. I won't leave her alone."
"As you wish." The doctor's reply sounded curt. "But I don't know if she'll make it through the night without complete medical care. And even then, I'm not sure she will pull through in her condition." The stoic physician drew several tubes of blood, labeled and placed them in his bag. Straightening, he turned to Brogio. "I will do what I can, but I won't be able to return until later tomorrow morning."
Brogio stared deeply into the physician's eyes, compelling him to obey. "Send a nurse with the necessary supplies and medicines from the hospital within the hour. You will do so without question. You will rush the blood tests at the laboratory and return here personally with the results by three o'clock this morning. Do you understand?"
The doctor appeared to be in a daze. He nodded obediently and rushed out to his car.
At that moment, I wondered if I would be able to compel a human being to do my bidding as Brogio did. Since I couldn't speak, I doubted I would be able to make my commands clear. I was however willing to try.
*****
Selene was not improving. Nothing seemed to work. The nurse came and set up IV bags and set her up on oxygen. She tried to make Selene comfortable. The doctor returned to say the quick analysis of the blood tests were not definitive. The symptoms were plague-like.
"We must quarantine her!" He handed a medical mask to the nurse, Brogio and Kane.
The nurse adjusted hers while Brogio and Kane set theirs aside on a nearby antique dresser.
"The rest of you need to be tested and isolated!" Dr. Williams' voice betrayed his fear of what Selene might have.
Again, Brogio locked onto the doctor's eyes. "No, doctor. It is all right. You will think no more along these lines. None of us here share her symptoms. You are merely treating one sick patient."
The doctor shook his head, packed up his bag and provided the nurse with specific instructions. "Keep the drip going. We don't want her to get dehydrated. Continue the oxygen and in case of infection, the doxycycline every four hours. "Call me if there is a change."
Before he left, Brogio stared deeply into the doctor's eyes again. "You will speak of this to no one. You will not reveal that you have seen this patient, ever. Do you understand?"
The doctor nodded his head in agreement as Brogio pressed a thick stack of cash into the physician's hand.
Over the next day, I sat by guarding Selene. Brogio had also kept vigilant at night, but he had to go to his rest at sunrise. Selene looked so fragile, hooked up to IVs, oxygen and a heart-lung monitor. The machine made quite a bit of noise with its steady beeping.
Nurse Julie administered the medicine that the doctor had left. She worked without sleep, having been compelled by my Alpha. Her middle-aged face revealed her exhaustion. Small and efficient, her smooth movements around Selene lulled me into dozing by the bed, waking every few hours to see if Selene had improved. There was no change.
At sunset that night, Brogio quickly returned to sit beside Selene, never taking his eyes from her. He seemed helpless in this situation, despite all of the magic that he had exhibited since I had met him.
Hours later, Kane, who had been surprisingly absent, returned and stood by Brogio. "I have been using your computer in your office doing some checking." He placed a large hand on his maker's shoulder.
Brogio's eyes never left Selene.
"Apollo is the healer of the gods, but he is also the bringer of disease and death. He has the ability to send plague."
Brogio finally turned to look at his progeny. "Why would he want to kill Selene? From what Artemis has told Snow Blood, Apollo wants her for himself."
"Perhaps he sent it thinking it would kill us. Or, maybe we are somehow immune and she isn't?"
I moved closer to the bed to watch Selene. For hours she appeared corpse-like and eerily still. Now, suddenly, she started thrashing around on the bed, crying out, "Leave me alone! Leave me!" At one point, she sat straight up, gasped for air and fell backward onto her pillow. Then, again, she bolted straight up in the bed.
I tried to climb onto the bed to comfort her, but Brogio pushed me away in his attempt to prevent her from falling out of the bed. Kane, knowing he should not interfere, took a step back, his eyes filled with surprise. Nurse Julie ran to help Brogio steady her patient. Together they gently laid her back down. She kept silent the rest of the night.
Brogio and Kane left at daybreak. I gently crawled up on the bed, close to Selene's face, carefully avoiding the tubes and wires attached to the equipment. I watched her even more intently. The thrashing didn't return. That day, her fever increased, and the nurse applied cold towels to her arms, legs and forehead. Late in the afternoon, her fever broke.
Brogio and Kane returned at sunset. "My gods, her cheeks have some renewed color!" Brogio flew to her side. Kane went to the other side of the bed, and I jumped down, heading for the front door so that I could relieve myself outside.
When I returned, I found them helping her to sit up. I hopped back up on the bed to her side, and pushed my nose under her hand. She squeezed my head briefly. My heart leaped for joy!
Brogio sat her up even more, offering her a glass of water to sip.
Brogio turned to the nurse, his eyes full of questions.
"I have no idea, sir. Her fever spiked earlier, and then it broke. It was nothing I did." The nurse shrugged and took the glass to fill it with more water in the adjoining bathroom for her patient.
"How do you feel, my love?" Brogio pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
"It's all such a blur ... I ..." She sat back and sighed. "What happened to me?"
"You've been ill and unconscious for several days." Kane touched Selene's pale hand, but Brogio stopped him with a withering stare. Kane smiled and sat in a chair next to the bed.
"Dreams ... I had such strange dreams." Selene murmured. I drew closer to hear her.
"A beautiful woman, surrounded by ever-changing light. Swirling in my dreams. Her words confusing. She said that her brother's cunning plan had backfired." She took the glass from the nurse and sipped the water.
"Leave us!" Brogio commanded.
"But, sir, I must attend to my patient. The doctor will want . . ."
Brogio stood up and turned to the nurse. "You have worked without stopping. I thank you for your constant care. Now, please go to the kitchen and make yourself something to eat. There is ample food for you in the refrigerator. It's down the stairs and through the den and dining room. There will be ample time to examine her later."
Nurse Julie reluctantly left the room. Brogio turned back to Selene's side.
"Laughter, her laughter ... and a male voice, yelling ... She called him 'Apollo’." Selene gulped out in-between sips of water.
"Tell us." Kane leaned forward.
"It was like she was laughing at him, and he was angry."
"Who? Artemis and Apollo?" Kane whispered.
"Quiet, Kane! Let her tell it in her own way." Brogio moved closer to Selene. "Go on."
"She said something about how his blunders gave her pleasure. She goaded him about his frustration."
"Ah, so we were correct. He made a mistake with his plague." Kane sat back in his chair and stretched out his legs.
Selene continued. "She asked how his purifying ceremony to ward off the evil was going. He kept yelling at her to be quiet. Then, it seemed as if he pushed her away."
"Did he say anything else, Selene?" Brogio took her hand.
Normally Selene would avert her eyes, not look at him. But this time she stared him full-on in the eyes.
"Please, Selene, whatever you tell us might be important." Brogio kissed her hand.
She then surprised us by pulling back the bed sheets and moving her legs to the side of the bed. "Yes, knowledge is indeed power." Her stature seemed to grow before my eyes. "He wants me for himself." She steadied herself as she stood up next to the bed, her chin raised, her eyes full of pride. "He begged me to forgive him."
Brogio sat straight up. Kane leaned forward again and whispered, "Really?"
"Yes." She took a tentative step and then faced us all. "Women are his weakness. He can't resist. He confessed that he sent the plague to kill everyone but me. He makes rash decisions. He promised me life instead of darkness."
Brogio stood and towered over her, but she didn't back away from him. "And, how do you feel about that?" His eyes never left hers.
"I would rather be dead." She took his hand. "Don't you see, Brogio? We have a weapon against him now, and we will use it."
*****
Selene sat by the window. The healthy glow of her cheeks displayed her recovery. Nurse Julie told us that Selene's rapid improvement was nothing less than miraculous as she left the night before. I lay with my head on her legs as she hummed a cheerful tune. No longer tentative and unsure, she exuded a strength that only women who know their power over men can wield.
The sun would set soon. I napped and fell into a deep sleep filled with strange dreams of my own.
Two men, one golden and the other dark bathed in a red glow, argued.
"We had a deal, Hades!" The golden one was unusually handsome with broad shoulders and golden curls that framed the strong features of his face.
"Then keep your sister away from Persephone!" The dark one was sinister, red eyes glowed in a black face. He reeked of sulfur. It baffled me that I could smell him in my dream!
"I don't control Artemis! What about my son? And, you agreed to help me bring these vamps back to your domain."
"Asclepius will have to fend for himself! No one threatens my wife!"
"I thought my son's restoration of people to life was reducing your dominion's numbers!"
"Never mind that! I can't live without Persephone! That bitch sister of yours threatens even now to lure her away from me! Get rid of these blood suckers on your own, and I will still take possession of their souls in my world!"
"We made a deal!" Apollo's frustration seemed to shake my dream but was drowned out by Artemis' gusty laughter.
I awoke abruptly and stared into Selene's questioning eyes. Shaking from head to tail, I yawned and pondered my strange dream. Was it a message from Artemis? What did it all mean? I couldn't wait to share this with Brogio so that we could try and decipher this.
It was late afternoon. The sun invaded the windows of Selene's bedroom. Its intensity grew and spread to every corner of the room. The heat became too unbearable to remain on the window seat. Selene and I jumped away from the spot where we had wasted away the day listening to music.
The house shook and rumbled like the sound of a freight train pounding down on us. The sun became larger and brighter. Fire consumed the woods outside. With no time to spare, Selene sprang into action.
"Quick, Snow! It's Apollo, he's coming! We have to wake Brogio!"
We sprang down the stairs. The paintings on the walls crashed behind us. We ran to the front door and Selene swung it open. The heat hit us like a blast furnace. We just cleared the house before it burst into flames! We made a dash for the winery cellar door. Selene's skin began to blister. The fur on my back burst into flames, but Selene grabbed a blue painter's tarp near the door and beat out the flames, burning her hands. She cried out. I pushed her to the door, and we fell inside and went down into the darkness.
The coolness of the wine cellar gave momentary relief. Selene finished beating out the rest of the flames on my back with the tarp. Pain shot through me like thousands of daggers. Her pale skin and hands were in ruins. I tried to lick her hands, but she screamed in agony.
Brogio and Kane were at her side before I could call them.
The sun! Everything is on fire!
Brogio ignored my words and examined Selene's burns. "My gods! They've hurt you, my love. I will avenge this."
"We can help her, but we first have to escape the fire!" Kane searched the cellar boundaries.
"There's a way out underground." Brogio pointed to a small passageway. "An escape route."
You can't go into the light! All of us will burn! I ran along to the passageway and sniffed it out.
"It goes deeper into the ground." Brogio still was inspecting Selene's burned skin and hair.
Kane grabbed me. "You are burned badly, dog, but you will heal with some human blood."
My pain subsided to the background as panic overtook all my other senses.
"Come." Brogio gently pushed Selene forward. "Our only hope is to go deeper underground."
Brogio took the lead. Selene staggered along with me behind her and Kane taking up the rear. Deeper and deeper we went in the blackness, but the freight-train rumble became more intense. Crouching in the dark dampness, we waited. Minutes passed and then the rumble subsided. I could only imagine the house, the winery, the forest, everything around us burned to the ground. Selene's small whimpers of pain were the only sound.
"It had to be Apollo, father." Kane's voice broke through the dark. "He drove his sun chariot close to earth to kill us all."
"Yes, and in his careless rage, he has again made Selene his victim." I could hear my Alpha draw her closer to him as she cried out in pain.
As he bit into his vein, I was reminded of my old human Alpha biting into an apple. I heard Brogio whisper, "Drink, my love. It will heal you."
I could hear her sobbing as she sucked from his wrist.
I tried to lick my wounds but couldn't reach them. Kane bent down and pulled me close, licking the burns on my back. The burning pain subsided, and I could feel the rough patches knitting together and my skin instantly healing.
You can heal with your tongue?
Kane stared at me, bewildered.
Brogio answered, "At great cost to himself, yes. He's rather stingy with the ability."
Kane eyed me. "Be still, my dog brother."
It was in that moment that Kane truly became my litter mate. I knew that henceforth I would die to save the three with whom I crouched in a corner in the dark. It no longer mattered that I had been torn from a life I had loved. Circumstances had dealt me this fate, and these three cared for me whenever it counted.
Brogio intuitively knew when the sun had left the sky. After a while, he led the way as Selene and Kane climbed up the iron ladder that led to the surface. I tried but found it hard to navigate, so I just leaped from the ground up to where the others stood. No problem.
For as far as we could see, everything was gone. The forest, the house and winery. There was little hope that anyone, or anything nearby had survived. I felt a deepening sadness for all those who had died so needlessly at the whim of Apollo.
*****
Chunks of embers and small fires still burned. We walked back to where the house and winery had been. Nothing remained; the wooden parts of the house and wine cellar were ashes. The stone had melted. The surrounding forest, all the animals, everything had been devastated. I felt numb. I hopped along - the ground was still hot and burned the pads of my feet. Kane lifted me onto his back, and I perched upon his shoulders feeling loved and protected.
Selene's beautiful skin and hair had begun to heal. Brogio's blood had restored her face and arms to resemble raw-looking sunburn. Her usually silky hair still was dry and straw-like, singed in places. My burns would remain until I could find human blood. Though they were much better from Kane's healing tongue.
Brogio stepped over to what had been the estate driveway. He appeared to be communicating with someone as he closed his eyes and put his fingers to his temples.
Afterward, he returned to Selene, lifted her in his arms, and we made our way into the nearby destroyed town that had once been Kelowna.
"It's gone!" Selene cried out in despair. "What will we do?"
Brogio sat her down. "Don't fear. Someone is on the way to get us now."
Kane lifted me higher on his back and sighed. "Your network of resources never ceases to amaze me."
Brogio sighed. "One of the few advantages of living for thousands of years." Brogio turned a distraught face to his progeny. "The heartbreak is losing those that matter most. My men here are lost."
My Alpha's strength, and that of his son were amazing. After walking for miles, each carrying Selene and me, they decided to sprint to the next town over. Neither Selene, nor I, appeared to be a burden to either of them. They carried us through the night, alternating between sprinting and walking to avoid aggravating Selene's still-raw skin.
Before sunrise, a long black stretch limousine pulled up beside us on the road from Kelowna. The doors opened automatically, and two men jumped out to assist everyone inside the car.
Kane sat in the front seat and immediately asked the driver, "What are the reports of what happened here?"
The driver looked to Brogio. My Alpha nodded once, tightening his grip on Selene who collapsed against him in exhaustion.
"Some sort of catastrophic coastal event ... They are saying that it could've been caused by an inner solar system flyby of our dual Sun."
"Dual sun?" Kane leaned forward.
"Something about a mini-solar system entering ours."
"Do tell." Kane sat back and took a deep breath. "And the damage?"
"The west coast of Canada and parts of Washington and Oregon were taken out. Don't know about anywhere else." The driver sighed.
I searched Brogio's face for his reaction. His sorrow spread across the vampire's face, and his shoulders slumped from the weight of what had happened. Yet, I didn't blame him for this. It only added to my resentment of Apollo and Artemis and their vain attempts to manipulate all of us.
"Thank the gods for Master's deep wine cellars and underground garages!" Kane let out a deep sigh. "We would've been toast."
We drove through the night and the next day, only stopping to refuel with the additional fuel stored in the large car trunk and make pit stops. I was thankful Brogio had summoned a car instead of trying to transport us by other means. Selene and my injuries would have made anything else too uncomfortable. The car's blacked-out windows allowed my Alpha and brother to sleep away from the bright sun. During the night, I watched the miles fly by us, spanning a path of destruction. The car's mini-fridge was well-stocked with human blood, and I lapped at a bowl the relief driver provided for me every few hours. The burns on my back healed quickly. My fur filled in where the empty patches had been. Selene slowly transformed, her pale skin flawless; her silver hair like a moonbeam. The small mini-fridge also held small fruit and other finger foods to sustain her, which the drivers restocked as soon as we reached unaffected areas. Brogio slept with his arm hung loosely around her, while a comatose Kane held onto one of my hind legs throughout the days that followed.
Just before the fourth nightfall, the landscape changed. Agricultural, dairy farms and apple orchards lined the roads in lush greens.
Brogio awoke as day became night. "How close to Gaspereau, Anton?"
"Another few miles, master. Then your estate near Wolfville." Anton's reply was prompt and respectful.
"Gaspereau? Your Nova Scotia winery?" Kane sat bolt upright and let go of my leg. "Another replica of British Columbia and Oregon, I would imagine!"
Brogio smiled, then hugged Selene closer to him as she continued to sleep.
I wondered how long it would be before Apollo launched another attack and shattered this momentary tranquility.
*****
Wolfville Winery proved to be yet another replica of Oregon. It made new surroundings easy to acclimate. The days moved from fall to winter. Kane and I patrolled the outer perimeter of the property, learning every nook and hollow in the surrounding woods. Brogio, on the other hand, seemed to want only to explore the depths of Selene's eyes. His passion for her grew in its intensity, and Selene returned it in kind. Kane and I often interrupted their passionate embraces in the den, the kitchen and even on the stairs. It became embarrassing, even awkward.
On one such occasion, Kane blurted, "Oh, why don't the two of you get it over with!" The smirk on his face made them both burst into laughter. "It's not like we'll be around for much longer once Apollo attacks again."
The pair shrugged and descended the stairs. I wasn't sure what held them back from mating. But the need in the air was so thick I could have chewed it in half with my fangs.
The next three weeks were spent hunting, preparing more pits and traps in the woods for another attack and watching more of the same between my Alpha and his chosen mate. And then, the visions started.
At first they came to me in dreams. Soon they interrupted my days. Soldiers, thousands of soldiers marching on the estate across a snowy field. The golden one, dressed in gold armor, led them driving a chariot pulled by two perfectly matched grey horses, gold flames shooting from their heads. The faces, arms and legs of the soldiers were golden, like the metal of their armor. They moved in unison, never missing a step, lances held upward and slightly pointing forward. At first, I could just see a brief glimpse of them. As the dreams progressed, more and more of it was revealed. Apollo was coming for us.
I met Brogio in his resting place in the wine cellar as he rose from his sleep the next night. He is coming, my Alpha.
"Yes, I have had the dreams as well." He turned to Kane who joined us just outside their resting place. "Let's make final preparations. Our respite is over. He approaches."
What do you plan, Brogio? I knew we had laid the same type of traps in the forest as we had at the previous estate, but Brogio and Kane seemed to have something else in mind.
"Soon, Snow Blood. Soon you will see." He walked away leaving me to wonder.
*****
The next night, vampires came in droves. First Leander, who was greeted warmly by his maker in the entranceway of the house.
"Father, you honor us to fight for you." Leander was a handsome blonde man, as fair as Kane appeared dark and sinister. "My coven will arrive shortly."
Brogio turned to me with his arm around Leander's shoulder. "Snow Blood, this is Leander. He is my second eldest child. All of the vampires I have made control their own covens. Leander, Snow Blood is my youngest."
Leander saluted me as he stared curiously at Brogio.
"It's a long story." Brogio then changed the subject as he leaned in to his progeny. "How many, Leander?"
"With mine, that of Ian, Leslie, Joseph, and Alexander, at least one thousand."
Who are those that Leander names, Brogio?
"My progeny, vampires of my making and your brethren," Brogio shot back to my mind.
A thousand vampires here? The thought was mind-boggling!
"Excellent, Leander. Thank you, my son. Now, come, take some wine with me, or blood if you wish after your journey."
The vampires began to arrive at midnight. First Ian and Leslie, then Joseph and Alexander arrived. Ian was tall with long dark hair and a slender body. Unlike his maker, he was dressed all in red. His green eyes surveyed the room and landed on me with a smile. Leslie was a beautiful, tiny woman with black hair and eyes. Her wide smile made dimples on her brown skin. She was dressed in black leather and tall stilettos. She and Ian seemed to be mated. Joseph looked no older than a teenager, and, like Kane, he was full of mischief. Alexander was almost as tall as our Alpha. His broad shoulders and red hair seemed to fill the room. I liked each of them instantly.
The clock over the fireplace mantle struck one o'clock in the morning. The sound of a thousand bats flew around and through the estate, settling in the trees surrounding the house and winery.
They aren't in human form? I asked Brogio in my head.
"Better for them to take the shape of the night creatures to guard against intruders." Brogio let his eyes settle on mine and mentally replied.
But where will they go during the day? Who will guard against a day attack?
"In this place many years ago, I built miles of underground tunnels and alcoves. They will rest there during the day." He silently responded. Then, he and Leander raised their wine glasses with their compatriots and took long sips of blood.
In that moment, realization struck me. I raised my concern to Brogio. You and the rest of your considerable pack will be defenseless during the daylight.
His words crept into my mind. "A problem not yet resolved." He turned to make plans with his other children and introduced them to Selene who appeared fascinated by them. It was one massive family reunion of sorts.
I sought solace in the forest, looking for a solution. Could I be a maker? Would it be possible for me before another attack to find a wild pack and make them my coven, with my daylight attributes? It was far-fetched, but I had to try. If Brogio was in need of the help of a thousand vampires to offset the power of Apollo, I wanted to aid his effort.
In the three weeks since our arrival at Wolfville, when tracking to quench my blood thirst, I caught the scent of wolves. They always kept out of sight, apparently afraid of me and my demon smell. I put my nose to the ground, took in the aroma of earth, moss, leaves, tree roots, rabbit, squirrel, bird and ... wait ... wolf. I locked onto the smell, let my keen nose follow only the wolf trail that led to droppings, kill sites and mating rituals. I paused only to sniff the air for any clues I might have missed.
One encounter led me astray. I came upon a large doe that bolted at the sight of me. She gave me a merry chase weaving in and out of the trees, and over fallen logs. Small creatures scattered as we passed. Squirrels scampered up tree trunks. A rabbit darted across my path, and I barely missed it. An owl hooted at me from above. I considered it a fun distraction and didn't make an effort to try and take the doe. An attempt, perhaps, to avoid the possibility of becoming a pack-master? The doe darted ahead of me and out into a clearing that had the vague familiarity of the open field where I had encountered Artemis at our past two homes. I braced myself for contact with the goddess, but she did not appear. Had the doe led me there to make me think about Artemis? Skidding to a stop, I watched the doe disappear into the woods on the other side of the field. The moon sunk lower in the sky, and I realized I was wasting time. Shaking my entire body from head to toe, I refocused on my primary task and followed my nose. I followed back the way I had come, through the fallen leaves and branches. Finally, I recaptured the early scent of the wolf pack. They had made a recent kill. The blood trail led me deeper into the woods to a small clearing near a cave. Success! Six healthy, and more importantly, well-fed wolves gathered around a deer kill.
I lifted my head to the moon, then let out a howl as I turned from dog to demon.
The pack snarled at me in unison. Two gulped down a few pieces of deer meat. Four challenged me, ears flat, fangs dripping with blood, hackles raised. To them, I was an intruder wanting to steal their captured prey. To me, they were a fearless pack that when changed over would give Apollo another challenge to fight off.
But first, they needed to prove themselves worthy.
Four wolves spread-out in front of their deer meal, while a fifth scrawny one stole away, dragging part of the kill to a stand of trees twenty feet away. No intruder was going to interrupt his meal.
Silence. Wind blew in the trees. A large black wolf moved in front of the other four, poised in an eternal crouch, frozen before me with a permanent snarl.
The black wolf sprang at me with the other four leaping behind him. All five tried to take me down at once. Claws ripped, teeth snapped. I was determined not to bite them in case my venom was poison to them. I spun in a tight circle, slashing at them with my claws. I outsized them and grabbed one by the throat, tossing him against a nearby tree. Spinning again, I slashed one across the face with both my claws, and he yelped and fell. The other two backed off a bit at the sight of their injured pack members. The black wolf came at me from the side and sprang, trying to slash my throat. I stood up on my hind legs and he broadsided me, then fell to the ground. I staggered back, then pounced in his direction as he jumped back on his feet. I hit him head on, and we tumbled in the dirt, rolling hard into a tree trunk. We both jumped to our feet, but I slashed open his shoulder. He yelped and fell.
The other four were on me from behind immediately. I spun and with my claws and body knocked them all to the ground. I took the one I had thrown into a tree earlier and ripped out his throat with my claws, throwing him with a thud against another tree. The one with the slashed face tried to fight but was too weak from loss of blood. I slashed his face again with my front claws. He dropped to the ground in a heap.
The other two knocked into me, tearing at my shoulders and chest with their teeth. I clawed, pushing them away. I leaped onto the one closest to me and broke its neck by landing with all my weight onto it. It lay motionless on the ground, still breathing. The other one staggered to his feet. I hit him in the neck and buried my claws into him. He fell over and rolled on the frozen ground, wincing in pain.
I heard a growl behind me. The sixth wolf that had been too busy eating to join the fight approached me cautiously.
He was small and wide. Nothing like the lean tall fighters that tumbled with me. Yet the others had conceded to the scrawny one. I was puzzled by this.
Scrawny assessed me with a cunning intelligence that sent shivers down to my tail. My heightened vampire senses allowed me to read this creature's intent. Even as I stood in my intimidating demon form, he did not blink, did not balk. Instead, he huffed and sat down on his hind legs.
The gesture was demeaning. In one action he had said I wasn't worth the trouble. He would soon learn that this was not an appropriate language to address his Alpha.
Scrawny was ten feet away when I charged him. He leaped to meet me half way. He met me scrape for scrape. He went for my throat. I pulled back and covered his muzzle like he was an adolescent pup with my massive jaw. He yelped and managed to pull away. His anger only grew, and he tried clawing at my eyes.
I ran him into a tree opening a huge gash in his side. He yelped, but the fighting went on. He jumped up and attacked my hind quarters. I howled at the fangs digging in on the soft part of my leg. I turned to free myself, and he smiled up at me, letting go of my leg. Our eye contact was his signal to pounce on my back. He positioned his head to go directly for my throat. Our jaws snapped at each other, but I continued to avoid biting. This put me at a huge disadvantage. He bit into my back, puncturing the skin. I swirled around, flinging him off and swiping a huge gash across his back. The blood oozed from him. He had lost a lot of blood. He let go and staggered back. He shook his head side-to-side and sat down, dazed.
I sprinted to the wolf that lay with his backside curled the wrong way around a trunk. This was the one whose throat I had ripped open with my paws. Lifeless, almost all of the blood in his body was gone. I too was bleeding from enough places to quickly force my blood down his open mouth.
The blood oozed into him. I hoped that my blood was enough to turn him.
Scrawny fell on his side from his sitting position. I rushed to him as he lay convulsing in the throes of his death. I let the blood drip from my wounds into his mouth.
In turn, I went to each wolf, each one was lifeless, bled out as I had hoped. I dripped my blood into each of their mouths.
Six once vital wolves lay on the ground lifeless. For what seemed like a moon's cycle, I waited. I struggled with my injuries as I returned to dog form. Bleeding from my back, shoulders, chest, my hind legs, my face and front paws, I tried to lick at each one, hoping my blood would turn this wolf pack into my coven of followers.
Scrawny lay not far from me. I noticed that his right front paw twitched, and I moved to sit next to him. His muzzle spasmed. Red flashing eyes pierced me with hate. The real battle started before I realized that my plan had worked.
The scrawny one had no plans to be subservient to me as a wolf, or as a demon. He lunged at my leg immediately. I was faster. Even in my wounded state, I body blocked him, knocking him on his back and pinning him by the neck. He struggled, using claws to push me, wiggling his body to try to get free.
I held him steady as his soul attached itself to me. I was master, he the child. Yet he fought. I growled. Stop it.
Scrawny paused in his fight to be free. Five more souls hooked themselves one by one as I clamped down on my child's throat. Their lives felt like bloated water bags hanging from my heart.
Is this how Brogio feels? I wondered to myself.
"You get used to the weight." Brogio's voice rang out in my head.
How my master found me, I didn't know. He stood nearby leaning against a tree watching me try to tame the scrawny one.
Brogio chuckled. "You should know by now there is nothing you do that I don't know about."
Scrawny squirmed, and I pressed my claws down into his throat. Be still, I commanded.
"Your first child. "Brogio beamed with pride. "He's feisty."
Okay, any suggestions on how to handle him?
"Yeah. Let him go."
I unclenched my teeth and pulled back with my claws, Scrawny immediately sprang up and sprinted into the nearby trees.
"No, Snow Blood." Brogio held me back by the scruff of my neck. "Let him go. Let them all go."
My emotions swirled at being bound to six souls' every thought. I had always liked being alone, aside from my domesticated days when I felt responsible for little Tommy. Now, I never would be. Even Scrawny's thoughts invaded me. His hurt. His broken pride. The other five crept closer to me. Lying down near me, they spread their front legs out in front of them, almost in unison, and rested their heads on their legs. They closed their eyes and waited, and I felt their acceptance and devotion.
Is this what happens when you create vampire children?
"Yes." Brogio's thoughts crept back at me. "Acceptance is normally immediate. You are their master now."
But what of the Scrawny one? Why does he resist?
"Only the strongest of wills can." Brogio spoke to me aloud. "He will come around in time."
The realization of what had happened, the wounds I had sustained in the fight and the loss of blood weakened me. I staggered toward Brogio who was watching nearby. Suddenly, I felt my Alpha's arms around me, raising me up and pouring his blood from his opened wrist into my mouth. Pure pleasure rushed through me. My intense pain ceased. Then total blackness.
When I awoke, I remained on the cold, blood-soaked ground where I had created my coven. I felt refreshed and satisfied. Brogio stood above me, watching closely as he licked closed the wrist he had opened to heal me. My new wolf coven crowded around, and my mind was filled with their voices. I will serve you, Alpha. Give us your commands. How can. . .
"Enough!" Brogio's voice broke through the clutter, commanding them to silence. "Do not speak until Snow Blood commands it! You'll fry his mind with your incessant questions!"
My pack pulled in closer to me and snarled.
We don't take orders from you.
Enough. I stood to lick my master's hand. The transformation of my coven seemed complete. My mind raced with ideas for our part in the oncoming battle. But one kernel of an idea implanted inside my brain. If Apollo takes human form true to my dream, perhaps I could take him down with my venom, hopefully with all of our venom.
Brogio cautioned. "Only as a last resort. He is more dangerous than you know."
Kneeling down, he held out a red leather collar with silver spikes. "You are a brave creature, Snow Blood. Your loyalty means a great deal to me. You risked it all to create daytime protection for all of us. With luck, you will have shared your tolerance for light with them. Let this collar signify that you are henceforth the leader of your own coven." He placed the collar around my neck. I lowered my neck to humbly accept it.
Brogio disappeared with the first rays of sunlight from the clearing in the forest. I stood to face my wolves, who had formed a circle around me. Soon, I would know if I had sentenced them to a fiery death, or a blood-filled eternity. Neither would be easy for me to face. Now healed from their fatal wounds, my wolves paced restlessly around me, anticipating whatever would come next. They knew without my intending them, that I awaited what fate the sunrise would bring them. Novice at mind linking with them, I let slip my worry and anticipation about the sun. A pink glow spread across the sky, streaked with blue and gold. It was beautiful. The sun appeared and spread through the trees into the clearing. I closed my eyes as it spread across my face. It slowly reached out and licked the bodies of my progeny, soon covering them completely. They live! They are day walkers! I threw back my head and howled at the sun. Their voices joined me. Relief spread through all of us as the sun lit the day with promise.
We raced out into the woods and hunted. I watched with pride as my young neophytes trapped and awkwardly attacked their prey. It was a blood bath at first. Their inclination was to tear apart their prey. I soon illustrated what my Alpha had taught me. They caught on quickly and made me proud. I could feel Scrawny trailing us. Not joining, but ever watchful. I hoped I could win him over.
I wondered what to call each one of my children, but that would have to come later. Guarding my Alpha and his family became all-consuming this day.
I spent hours positioning my coven throughout the estate to stand guard. I would know the instant we were being attacked. The long day dwindled into night. I had just led my day walkers into the house to meet the others who were waiting for us in the den with Brogio, Kane and Selene when the pounding of heavy footsteps outside alerted me. I ran down to the gates of the estate. This would give Brogio an advanced glimpse through my eyes. Hoards of them approached from more than one thousand yards away. They appeared in person as they had in my dream, marching through the snow-covered field. Only now, each soldier stood more than seven-feet-tall, flanked by twin were-jaguars that towered over them. Out front, what had to be the golden-god Apollo grew to be the tallest of what looked to be several thousand soldiers. I scampered back to the house to defend with the others.
Back in the den, everyone stood in expectation. My coven crouched on the floor, wary of the others. Brogio questioned aloud, "Why in the world would he take human form?"
"He wants me to see how beautiful, how irresistible he is." Selene stood next to Brogio, tall and smiling knowingly. "He doesn't want me to see him as a monster. There's no allure in that."
Kane snorted. "Why would he come at night when we are strongest? He has little advantage in that."
Brogio walked over to Kane and placed his hand on his son's arm. "His pride is such that he'd want to prove he can beat me on my own turf, during my own time." Brogio returned to his love and took her arm. "Come, Selene. I have a safe room that will give you protection."
She pulled her arm free. "No, Brogio, I will stand with you." She stood up so tall that she almost reached his chin.
"You can't. What if you are harmed ... or worse, killed or captured?" He searched her eyes.
"You know I am right! I can bring advantage if he sees me with you!"
"I'm not sure what you mean?" Brogio scratched at his brow.
"If you saw me with him, would it not rattle you?" She smiled and winked. "Let's try and catch him off guard." Her confidence radiated. "Besides, if you are killed, I would rather die with my friends than spend eternity with that ... selfish bastard."
My Alpha knew she was right. If he experienced the true death, Selene's being a slave to Apollo would be a worse fate.
*****
We gathered in front of the house. A thousand, or more, of the various covens in bat-form had arisen from sleep and filled the surrounding trees. Brogio commanded the first wave of our defense. All his coven leaders flanked him and stood at attention. So too did my coven of wolves, minus Scrawny, who waited impatiently behind us from afar.
Apollo and his army crashed through the gates of the estate and began the 500 yard march to the house.
Nodding slightly, Brogio signaled to his vampire children, Ian, then Leslie, Joseph, Alexander and Kane, who had all shed their clothing. I wondered how they would fight these armored soldiers. Their voices screamed "ATTACK" as they each morphed into demon warriors.
Ian became an upright warrior dressed in red armor covering his arms and head. A bird-like beak and horns protruded from his helmet. He stood eight-feet tall on cloven feet. His talons held a long scythe.
Leslie joined him. Spikes sprouted from her shoulders. Horns grew out and pointed upward from her now skeleton face. Her muscled arms grew longer than the length of her body, and her muscular chest bulged with power. She matched Ian's height. She carried a six-foot-long maul large enough to crush a man's head.
Joseph's head took the shape of a ram with four horns. Spikes sprouted from his large arms, chest and hips. He grew impossibly large. Transparent wings sprang from his back. He wielded a sword as long as his great body and ascended above Apollo's army.
Alexander grew to eight feet in height. His horned head came to a tall point that matched the sharp length of a spiked chin. His skin became exposed muscle. The heads of skeletons grew out of his back, and his large hands carried a scepter filled with the heads of skeletons that shot fire when he pointed it.
Kane's transformation trumped them all. He grew to more than ten feet tall. Hundreds of sharp horns grew out from his body. His head continued to transform from shark to something indistinguishable and terrifying. In-between the horns, hundreds of tentacles, more than eight feet long, reached out displaying the capability to choke the life from approaching soldiers.
At the command of each of their leaders, the combined covens, with the exception of my wolves, rose. One thousand vampire bats, filled the air. They descended upon the gold-armored, giant soldiers, ripping at their bared throats. Super-sized as they were, these soldiers appeared human in their ability to bleed. The soldiers fought back, slashing through the bats. The bats gnashed jugulars, feeding in a frenzy, taking many soldiers to their knees, as they too were torn apart. The enemy's super-human backup forces were more than a match for the bats. They ran forward, slashing through more than a hundred bats with their silver-lined swords and leaving them for dead.
Our vampire demon warriors moved forward, slashing and mutilating their enemies. Alexander set an entire flank on fire with his scepter. Still, the enemy outnumbered us and continued to slaughter the bats with their deadly silver swords.
"RETREAT" filled the air, and the returning bats circled and screeched. I looked on in amazement as severed bat parts slowly reassembled – legs crawled back to bodies, wings flapped until they reached the proper socket, heads rolled back to find the right neck. Blood and spatter moved to re-enter its parent body. This reassembly was a sight to behold. The vampire bats transformed into giant demons, matching their coven leaders. "ATTACK!" was again shouted. Meanwhile, the unscathed bats morphed into giant winged dragons, breathing fire. They swirled over the marching soldiers and scorched more than a thousand of the enemy.
Apollo's backup archers carried silver bows. They were able to bring down several winged ones who burst into flames when hit by silver arrows.
The coven leaders morphed again into all manner of horrifying creatures. Were-jaguars. A giant T-Rex. Even a pterodactyl that spewed flaming blood over the majority of the enemy soldiers. The pterodactyl took a nose dive and floated no more than eight feet above hundreds of soldiers, instantly incinerating them. At this point, I could not tell one coven leader from the other apart. They continuously morphed each time they were wounded. Those that had morphed into were-jaguars took on enemy of like kind. Their giant bodies crashed against each other, and the earth shook with the shock of their clash. Some fell to the ground, pummeling each other. It reminded me of the time that Tommy, my little one from my human family, and I sat and watched Godzilla vs. Rodin on television. One gnashed a gaping hole in the shoulder of the other. Another ripped out the entrails of his opponent. I could only hope that our guys were winning.
Selene and I remained beside Brogio. My coven moved restlessly behind me. I could feel Scrawny's eyes trained on me still from afar. I wondered if he was planning to attack me, or to help with the escalating battle. I looked up at Brogio for some signal that my coven and I should enter the fray. Not taking his eyes from the battle, his words crept into my brain. "Not yet. You and I will wait for Apollo. If I fail to kill him, I need you to do so to protect Selene."
The giant T-Rex ran through the enemy with his mouth open, scooping up more than fifty armored soldiers, swords, bows and arrows. Apollo stood on his chariot, surrounded by hundreds of his soldiers. He fired silver arrows into the T-Rex, but it was impervious to anything that Apollo could shoot at it. It bit down hard, then spit out heads, arms, legs, pieces of metal.
Apollo moved through the devastation of his army to within 50 yards of us. He emerged unscathed. He was magnificent in gold armor, blonde curls and piercing sun-filled eyes, just as he had appeared in my dream. He reminded me of one of Tommy's comic book superheroes. He stood proudly in his horse-drawn, pure gold chariot. I had never seen anything as shining as this. It filled the night with its light, as if the sun fueled it. All the night creatures stepped away from it in fear of being scalded. The battle raged around him without touching him, or the soldiers near him. He appeared to be surrounded by an invisible barrier that he could activate or release at will. He marched forward, never taking his eyes from Brogio, who in almost invisible speed ripped out, with fangs and claws, the throats of every golden soldier between Apollo and himself. I stood in awe of both my Alpha and the god. The power of Apollo radiated from the human form he had taken. His beauty and confidence were blinding. His presence made everyone around him, except Brogio, look small and inadequate. And, with all his beauty, his presence was terrifying. His eyes, even filled with sunlight, projected evil intent. I could smell the evil, despite the spectacle.
In a gesture of supreme self-confidence, Apollo released his shield twenty yards in front of us. Two of our giant coven were-jaguars moved to attack him. With lighting speed, he cut them in half with his sun-filled silver sword.
In that moment, I knew that as powerful as my master was, he would never be able to defeat Apollo. I turned to my pack, Follow me! Take him now!
"No!" Brogio's scream ripped into my head.
YES! Was my reply as I willed myself forward. My paws moved as if I were swimming through waves of water. I pulled the power of my children into me, and together we broke Brogio's attempt to paralyze my body.
Instantly, Selene, who had been standing by me throughout the battle, called loudly to him. "Apollo, I am here! See me!" She threw off the heavy coat she had been wearing to reveal tight black pants and a silver sweater that clung to her every curve.
Apollo's concentration was momentarily broken. He stopped to look into her eyes and gaze upon her silvery beauty. That was the break that we needed. I forced my orders into the brains of my wolves, and my pack immediately morphed into black demons from hell. Their bodies grew to seven feet in length, with fangs of prehistoric length. Their hairless bodies sprouted horns from every pore. They spread out and ran around me, attacking the god from all sides. They were thrown from left to right, yelping and bounding back for more. The god tore off the front leg of one faithful child and tossed it aside, and still my pack refused to back down. My five converged on him, tearing at him with teeth, claws and horn, snarling, slashing, trying to bite, but unable to take him down.
However, they made a large enough distraction for me to strike.
I prepared to spring forward and fight Apollo to the death, when I felt a gentle hand on my head. It was Selene's. "Wait."
She passed me and walked forward, mesmerizing Apollo, who easily threw off my followers by tossing each one in the air. He stood in awe of her. She took several steps in his direction, nearing the confident warrior. He let down his guard and reached out to her. Not only his love of beauty, but his pride and arrogance gave us an opening. As she arrived at his feet, Brogio, who followed her, reached forward with his arms extended and pulled her behind him.
That was the cue I was waiting for. I sprung onto Apollo with all the power in my hind legs. I was instantly on his chest. In mortal form, he was vulnerable to me. My fangs sank deep into his throat. The sword he still carried in his right hand plunged and twisted into my stomach. I held fast, withstanding the searing pain. His twisting sword cut through me, ripping through my flesh. I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was Scrawny who rushed in to my defense as Brogio pulled Selene away from the fray. I felt Scrawny's thoughts as he circled around behind the god, surprising the soldiers at his back as he bolted through them. He leaped on Apollo's back, sinking his fangs into the god's neck. A thunderous shriek echoed across the woods. The three of us fell to the ground. My venom, combined with Scrawny's, coursed through the god's human-like veins. Foaming and twisting, it raced through Apollo's beautiful human form until his body ceased to move.
I was lying face down in the grass with Apollo's sword piercing my belly. I could not crawl away to safety. I reached down inside for my last ounce of energy and lifted my head to watch as Apollo's human form began to dissolve like rapid rotting. My pack of demons reverted back to wolf form and began to snarl and bite at the air in frustration of my impending demise. Leander landed near my one legless progeny and offered him his blood to heal him. Scrawny, who lay next to Apollo's dissolving form, rolled over, stood and tugged me away from the puddle of black, stinking oil that Apollo's body had left. A large, black stream of smoke emerged and lifted upward. The air filled with a wispy, raw voice. "Damn you! You will all die!"