Bloody and Wild

To an End

In the earthy gloom Lewis' eyes shined gold like cat's eyes and the couple stared at each other levelly, each trying to read and judge the other's face. It is just the two of them. The others wolves were nearby, scouting, guarding or recuperating. No one was happy to have to wait but Lewis caught their grumblings and made a note of the worst offenders. The woman leant back and smiled, apparently having reached a decision though Lewis remained undecided.

"What's your name?" He asked smoothly, his posture a mirror image of her relaxed gait.

"Claudia," she replied clearly with a ring of pride. Lewis nodded solemnly, mentally noting that it didn't suit her, Claudia means lame, whilst the reality was a being with grace and strength superior to his.       

"My names-"

"Lewis, I know." She smiled, her eyes sparkling with hidden knowledge. Lewis bristled at his disadvantage.  

"You're a vampire," he stated more coldly this time. He remembered Lauren telling him about her vampire hunting family, she had claimed that vampires were impossible to kill. Instead her family contained them. He remembered the distant horrified glaze to her eyes as she had recounted her first discovery of the crypts her family hid from the public eye.

"You're a werewolf," Claudia retorted, her smile widening.

"Why did you save me?" Lewis' cold, blue eyes were sharp as he observed her face for any betrayals of feeling.

"Because I made a deal, my freedom in exchange for insuring I gave you a message." Lewis' interest pricked up a notch. Claudia lent forward now, her smile gone and replaced with a tightening of her jaw. "There's a group of vampires that want to make you a deal, I can tell you where to meet them."

"What kind of deal?" Lewis asked wearily, raising a speculative eyebrow.

"A deal that will benefit both you and them greatly. Will you meet them?" Lewis leant conspiratorially toward her.

"Tell me more," he commanded, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his thin lipped mouth.

**

Lewis watched with distaste as Claudia drained her meal, feathers scattered everywhere.

"You finished?" He asked impatiently. She shook her head. Blood dribbled down her chin and feathers were caught up in the tangle of her hair.

"No, this isn't enough. I think I need people blood." Lewis sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. It was twilight and the wolves were anxious to be on the move again.

"You think?" He queried.

"I'm kind of new to this." Claudia explained awkwardly, dropping the mutilated bird onto the forest floor.

"That's right. She was with Ryder not long ago. She's a prison guard for him."  Donald spat with disgust at Claudia's feet but she didn't even flinch. Lewis clicked his jaw deliberately and eyed Claudia who boldly met his gaze.

Whatever she had been, she did help them to escape. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Be quick," he ordered sternly. Claudia was gone in the blink of an eye.   

**

As they waited for Claudia, Lewis' mind wondered to the woman he had left behind. He didn't look back at that with any pride. But he didn't regret it, not really. Ryder had taught him a thing or two, one was to avoid his own heroics. Being the hero wasn't how the real world worked, heroes didn't win, it was the man behind the scenes that did. He understood that now.