The Calling

Chapter 26 ~ Ethan Woods

I have never been more scared of my Wolf as I was that night. I couldn't control the rage and hatred that was building inside me. I was irritated at Langston for being late to the meeting, and I felt guilty that I had to leave Shannon in the first place. I was frustrated that I could feel something was wrong with Shannon, and that I had no way of truly knowing. But when I realized the Langston Pack took her... my mate... my reason for existence, it was all the catalyst I needed to ignite my raging fire, and I became... pure chaos.

Before I became pure chaos, all I remember was my desperation to find Shannon. I knew by isolating her scent that I could find her faster, but by doing this, I risked killing her myself. If Shannon hadn't transformed, I fear that would have been the case. Despite being gravely wounded, she managed to transform, and was able to overpower me. Once she broke through my chaotic state, I yielded to her, and I was once again myself.

After that, Shannon became weaker every second, and she was slowly crossing over into the spirit world. I had to save her; I can't lose her. I brought her back to the Pack house where our medical experts were waiting to save her. They attended to her wounds but when they tried to transfuse her, she began to have a reaction to the transfusion. The doctors said that there is something different in her blood which is rejecting the exchange.

I refused to believe that she couldn't be saved. I told them that we had to save her, that she was not only my mate, but when she changed, I discovered that my mate was really our Alpha Queen, and that she's stronger than us all. We've all heard tales of the Alpha Queen, but no one believed them to be real, especially me, but now, I know different. She is real... I saw her and felt her Aura; she it is not of this world.

When they told me that there was nothing that they could do, I was desperate to save her. I would give anything. As the medical team gave up one by one, I was beginning to lose hope, but one of them pulled me aside and said,

"There's another way to save her, but you're probably not going to like it."

"I don't care, I will do anything to save her."

"Then we need to speak with the council members of the Highest house of Vampires'."

"Lucas is not going to like this, but make it happen."

"No Vampire in his right mind, will openly walk into a Wolf's den. Perhaps, your penthouse would be a more acceptable location for them to assist her."

"Make the calls, I will get her to my place."

I insisted that I didn't want my mate to die at the Pack house, and told Lucas that I wanted to be alone with her. I told him that I wanted to take her somewhere that she would feel more comfortable. Lucas and the medical team respected my wishes and let me take Shannon from the Pack house. Plus, Lucas had to deal with the mess of bodies at Shannon's house and the trail of bodies I left in the woods.

Shortly after I arrived at my apartment, I was greeted by an Elder Vampire, and not just any Elder, but the first known Original, Asmodeus. Apparently, he hasn't been seen in centuries. At least he didn't waste time. He told me that he could save Shannon, but it would result in her becoming a Vampire. I refused to believe that turning her into a bloodsucking monster was the only way to save her. He said that he's been waiting a millennium for her arrival and that she is the key to unlocking the rifts between realms. He also said that he's the missing piece to her final transformation and that's why blood transfusions won't don't work for her. I thought he was crazy, but then he said that she's part of a prophecy, and then I remembered the scrolls that Gavin found in the locked archives. Vampire scrolls which had been stolen long ago from a daylight raid and had been damaged from war and time. Of course, I wanted to know more about the prophecy, but he said that we don't have time and that she is losing her life force, so if I want her to live, he needs to turn her now. He assured me that if it's not too late, then she will survive the transformation. What choice do I have, I can't live without her...

It pained me to watch him bite her, and then to suck her blood. Then Asmodeus bit himself on the wrist and force fed her his blood. As he did this, he told me that he hasn't turned anyone for centuries because he's waiting and searching for her. He then warned me that he was not the only one searching for her, and that he has reason to believe that Vladimir has been doing the same, and using black magic Witches to help him. He warned me that Vladimir is cunning and always has a purpose... do not under estimate him.

As Shannon was laying in my arms, he then told me the worst possible thing he could tell me; he said Shannon will need to die, to be reborn. He said that his blood is different than the generations of Vampires after him, whose blood has been diluted. He said that his blood is pure Vampire blood, and with it carries its own magical powers including his life memories. If Shannon survives, her powers will be limitless, and she will not need blood to survive.

As I held Shannon in my arms and watched her die, Asmodeus left me to grieve. I've never been much of a religious man, but I prayed and prayed that night that Shannon would come back to me.