The Kindred, Dark Lineage

Chapter Five

Tapuro leans back against the bar and sighs. "Harper is calling in his debt...hmmm, there is no denying I owe him and with that being said I am also a man of my word. However, debt can only take you so far and what you ask cannot be covered by debt alone, it will bring you close but not all the way."

"What else is there?" Asks Jody. "You don't want money, so what else is it that you want?"

"It just so happens what I want is standing in this very room." Tapuro says while turning towards Kaitlin with a mischievous grin."

Kaitlin looks scared but before Tapuro has a chance to say any more my mother explodes.

"WHOA, whoa, that is not going to happen! Call it the mother in me but I WILL NOT stand by while you take advantage of a young girl, under no circumstances. That sickens me and if even for a second you thought that I would allow something like that, then you sicken me." Yells Jody.

Tapuro begins laughing. "I do like you Jody." He says. "I agree that Kaitlin is a rare beauty and though most men would give a nut to be with her I assure you that I am not most men and that is not what I want from her."

"Then what?" Asks Jody.

Tapuro walks over to Kaitlin and begins circling her like a predator, I can see from here her body has gone tense. He leans in and whispers something in her ear and horror comes over her, her jaw drops and her eyes widen. It reminds me anime where the eyes jitter and you can feel the emotion coming from them.

"What is it Kaitlin, what did he say?" Asks Riley.

Kaititlin bites her lower lip. "He wants, he wants my, my...blood."

Tapuro turns around to face us, he's glowing in self righteous pride. "That's right, in addition to my debt owed to Harper I also require the blood of a pure bred." He says.

"You know who I am?" asks Kaitlin now sounding surprised and concerned at the same time.

"Oh I most certainly know who are Kaitlin Northbrook. The last remaining female werewolf and a purebred no less. You're daughter to one of the most powerful Alpha's in north America, so in exchange for my help in protecting the boy from the fae I require your blood, do you accept my offer?" Asks Tapuro.

"No, there must be another way." Says Jody.

"How much blood?" Asks Kaitlin.

Tapuro suddenly looks evil. "Not much, let's say three liters." He says in a disturbingly creepy tone.

I watch as my mother rushes towards Kaitlin, she's flailing wildly. "WHAT? Three liters will kill her! The body can't lose that much blood, are you crazy?" Asks Jody.

Tapuro seems un effected by my mothers statement. "It's true, a human can't lose three liters of blood but then Kaitlin is no mere human. Her werewolf genes allow her to heal at a much faster rate than a normal person, her body should regenerate the blood as needed. She will live." Says Tapuro.

"What do you mean SHOULD?" Asks Jody. "Your not sure?"

"When you get to be my age my dear, you find there are very few certainties in life. What I know of werewolves and considering the blood line Kaitlin is derived from I expect she will survive." Says Tapuro. "But I need a decision, the hour is late and I would like to get some sleep."

"I'll do it." Says Kaitlin as confidently as she can manage, though the look in her eye shows just how terrified she really is.

"Kaitlin NO!" Cries Riley.

"I agree with half pint, there must be another way." Says Randal.

Again I'm faced with the dilemma of someone willing to sacrifice something for me, they say the world has become a cold place yet in the last twenty four hours I have witnessed more selfless acts and words of kindness than I have in the last ten years combined. These people are brave beyond words and are trying to help me, a kid they barely know to survive in a world that really has no place for me. It doesn't seem right, how can I let them continue to make sacrifices on my behalf. This is my fight, not theirs.