Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Intermission: Bad Moon Rising

The sound of the vintage record player continued through the parlor, playing an old song nearly forgotten by time. The soulful melody and female voice served as an undercurrent to the sounds of a billiard table's game and occasional male laughter.

("It must have been moonglow, / way up in the blue. / It must have been moonglow / that led me straight to you...")

"And you're certain you want to get involved? The packs have not yet forgiven your coven's crimes against our crown. Killing the young master alpha was not part of our deal," came the sound of a fluid male voice.

"You weren't there to be a part of that deal, Page. And those may have been my fellow coven's people, but not my men," answered a second voice.

The sound of the ceramic balls clanged loudly before being echoed by the dull thumps of them hitting felt-covered wood.

The tall, blonde wolf chuckled as he leaned his weight against his pool stick, staring at the Moon Worshipper across from him. "Well, I suppose not. However, with all of the recent rumors I've been hearing, perhaps taking on the eldest Hellmuth son will make our jobs a little easier. I take it you've read the research I forwarded you?"

"I did," the vampire said calmly, taking another shot and knocking three solid-colored balls into pockets. "Half-bloods are dangerous. I'd be willing to donate a few of my own to serve as sires for the new ones and teach them control. But my stipulation still stands."

"Yes, I know. You want the Shadow Stalker monarchy gone and I want a stronger bloodline holding the Pack Alphahood."

"Exactly. I'll help you create Victoria Hellmuth's super-soldier army and take down Jason Hellmuth, but only if you help me eradicate Eris Mezdor's entire line of succession from the throne. Once Cecilia Marie is married to that son of hers, she'll be the only one left alive and able to rule both vampire clans."

Killian Page chuckled again and nodded. He watched as the dark-skinned vampire took another shot, sinking one more ball. "And how can you be sure that princess of yours wants to rule both houses? If I were in her shoes, I'd be immediately expecting some retaliation. Shadow Stalkers will think it was planned and mutiny."

"Maybe so," the Moon Worshipper responded nonchalantly, taking his third shot in a row. "But that's what your hybrids are for. I help you create them, and you then unleash them on both the Hellmuth alpha and the Shadow Stalkers. It's hard to hold a mutiny when there's no one left to rebel. Once it's done, I'll help you then eradicate the hybrids and purify the packs."

Another ball dropped into a pocket.

"You know, there's not much point in playing a game if you're going to use your vampire senses to cheat," the pack alpha said flatly, watching the vampire take his fourth shot.

"You only call it cheating because I'm winning," his opponent said. "I assume your part in this plan is so you can take the Pack for yourself? I hope you'll remember who was your friend to gain it for you. Perhaps then we can revisit the idea of a Moon Worshipper and Wolf pact."

"Perhaps," the blonde said. "After the dust settles, of course."

"Of course."

There was a knock on the door and the two turned to look as it pushed open. A shorter, tan man with dark hair stepped in and shut it behind him. "Alpha Page," he greeted, his voice thick with an accent from south of the United States border.

The pack alpha nodded, beckoning the man into the room. "Did you find her?"

The new wolf nodded quickly, coming to stand beneath the low lamplight of the overhead chandelier. "We did. My brother and I tracked her through Rio de Janeiro with ease."

The Moon Worshipper chuckled and took his final needed shot. "Now who are you going after? I thought you had enough on your plate to worry about. Right corner pocket." He watched as the eight-ball rolled into its designated spot. "Game."

Killian Page glanced at the table and shot the man a dirty look. It really was unfair to play any sport against a vampire. "Gregory, this is Luis, one of my pack brothers from Brazil," he introduced. "Luis has done me the courtesy in following Miss Serenity Mezdor."

Gregory paused from beginning to set up a new game. "Mezdor? You've been tracking Her Majesty's niece? I thought you boys learned your lesson when Avalon the Hybrid and his son put a bullet in your own queen."

"Miss Mezdor has been of...special interest to me," Page said calmly, twisting the pool stick in his hand. "The late queen alpha believed her blood to be perfect for spawning new half-bloods."

"So, she is a hybrid like her father," the Moon Worshipper said, confirming what the other two men in the room already knew. "There have been rumors for years that she's the animal in the family after the Prodigy died." 

"Yes, Miss Mezdor is a half-blood," Luis answered, shifting on his feet uncomfortably. "And we have a problem..."

Killian Page turned his head sharply, his eyebrows furrowing. "Did she see you? I don't want her to know we're tracking her whereabouts."

"She caught our scents, even though it was a very public place. Her Wolf senses are very good," Luis answered hesitantly. He knew there was no point in trying to offer an excuse. "But there's another problem."

The blonde wolf and the Moon Worshipper stared at him, waiting.

"Go on," Page goaded harshly after the man didn't finish his sentence for several seconds.

"I don't know how, but," Luis started slowly, "she has Alpha abilities. She spoke, without words... And we heard her."

Page inhaled sharply, anger flaring in him. "Impossible. A half-blood cannot be an alpha. It's not possible. She is not Alpha-blood."

"I don't know, sir, but she spoke and we heard her. More than a few fragmented words. Her voice and influence were very clear," Luis insisted.

"How? How in the world can a damn half-blood speak to you? She is not your alpha!"

"But she did."

A moment of silence filled the room, only accompanied by the song still going on the record player. 

("...And now when there's moonglow, / way up in the blue. / I'll always remember, / that moonglow gave me you...")

Gregory Jones began to chuckle as he finished setting up what would be the fourth game of the night. "I bet I know. You two can argue all you want, but there is one thing I know about wolves and your special, little abilities. It takes someone else in the equation to have them. And I bet I know exactly who's to blame for your chosen lab experiment to have those magical powers."

Page growled, the thoughts clicking in his head. He had fought for the girl, had spent plenty of time with her, despite Victoria's objections... "Jason."

The vampire looked up at him with a smirk. "Your prince has himself a girlfriend."

The blonde pack alpha shook his head, throwing the pool stick to the ground. "Impossible! We can't have a half-blood with Alpha status. I won't stand for it. It has to be stopped before she ends up ruining everything the Pack is!"

"Then you might want to move your plan up a few months. I'm immortal; I'm willing to wait to get my part of the deal. But I'm willing to bet you're not. Especially if that girlfriend is given a ring, or starts having children."

He seethed, his hands gripping into fists at his sides as he fought back the need to physically snarl aloud. "Luis, I want you to continue tracking Miss Mezdor. Find out when her next trip is for the Shadow Stalker queen. I'm going to have to send a message sooner that I expected."

Gregory continued to chuckle. "Good luck. We've been trying to get rid of Mezdors for over a hundred years. They're a lot harder to kill than you may think. And it hasn't been for lack of trying..."