Blood Luna

Blood Luna (Original Short Story)

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I wrote this short story for the Burning Moon contest, but because people enjoyed it and wanted more I decided to write the full story. This is the original short story. If you want to read Blood Luna with absolutely no spoilers of what lies ahead then skip this chapter and start with "Complaisance." That said, enjoy :)

When Calla was taken by the vampires all she wanted was to get rescued, now she wants revenge.
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The smell of petrichor was thick in the air, a fire burned in her lungs as she ran. For the first time in her afterlife she felt alive; she had purpose.

As she made her way through the puddle filled alley streets her feet barely kept a grip on the ground. The city was even more dead than she was. Only abandoned buildings and empty streets greeted her as she ran. She needed to put as much distance as possible between herself and the pier. She needed to get away from the creatures that took her very humanity from her.

Glancing back briefly she could see flashlights in the distance as the search for her began, they shone like spotlights in the empty city. Panic gripped her as she desperately tried to avoid being caught.

Twenty foot walls separated the city from the dense forest, built to keep the werewolves out when it was a thriving city some 7 years before the take over. Any sensible human would stay away from the walls, but she wasn't human anymore.

Her leap allowed her to get high enough to grasp the wall's edge. As she hoisted herself up lights glared on her. Raising a hand over her deep wine colored eyes she briefly glanced at the lights before stepping off the ledge and landing solidly on her feet, forest side.

The vibration of the impact reverberated through her body as she heard cursing from the other side of the wall. They wouldn't pursue her without back up. The creatures of the moon were simply too big a threat to the vampires. Not only were they strong enough to face them in battle but their blood was poison to the vampires, just a taste sealed their fate.

It wasn't long before a patroller saw her run by and alerted the alpha of her presence. She ceased running when seven wolves emerged from the trees around her. She easily recognized the biggest one as the alpha. He shifted into a man. His tall and well built figure, covered in markings with meanings that still eluded her, a familiar sight.

The alpha bewilderedly gazed at her, "Calla?"

She stared into his eyes, red piercing blue, "Alpha Malloy"

"What have they done to you?"

She swallowed hard, "Too many things to tell. I'll spare you the details and focus on what's relevant. They've been experimenting on humans, trying to find a cure to their thirst. I am the product of many failed attempts, I alone survived. If a vampire drinks my blood they will no longer thirst. Fortunately, none of their other experiments are stable. I am the first and last. They're going to take me to the capitol so the king and his strongest can suck me dry."

Alpha Malloy's fists clenched, "And when they do, what will happen?"

"I'll die"

The alpha's nostrils flared as he let out a low growl, "Do you think there's any way we could undo what they've done?"

Calla shook her head, "My condition is irreversible. I cannot change my blood any more than I can change my vampirism. I used to think werewolves were monsters, but humanity was ignorant. You are not monsters, you are the protectors of life. I see that now. Vampires, they are the true monsters. They've no respect for life or even death. I want to rob them of the opportunity to become gods. But to do so great sacrifice will be required."

Alpha Malloy nodded, "It won't be easy, but we'll find a way to keep you safe. We'll work together to stop them."

She chuckled darkly, "No, I can't stay here. I need to feed, my blood doesn't work on me. There's only one way out. I need to feed off of one of you."

The wolves growled violently at her suggestion. It was too great a sacrifice.

The alpha silenced them, "If that happens both you and the shifter will die."

"I know, but I won't die instantly. It will be a slow death as the shifter blood poisons me and corrupts my blood. That will give me enough time to hand myself over and be taken to the king. Then I can kill the elite vampires when they drink me into oblivion."

He dolefully peered at the young woman before turning to address his pack, "We may have failed to protect the humans but there is still nature to preserve in this world. We must protect the wildlife from the fangs of the drinkers. The death of the elite will gives us a chance to wipe out the vampires. The sacrifice is heavy, but necessary. You can drink my blood—"

The surrounding wolves growled in outrage at the proposition. The beta abruptly burst into his skin side, "Alpha, please let me."

"It's not up for discussion, beta. It's time I passed the reins onto my son. I will die and you will all live on to finish this fight."

He stepped forward and bared his neck.

The beta dared to speak once more, "With all due respect sir, he's barely hung on since Calla was taken. How will he react when—"

Calla prepared to bite the alpha.

"He'll finish the fight, because you'll tell him the truth: a vampire killed me."

A violent snarl resounded as the alpha's son arrived on the scene, "Father"

The alpha glared at his beta angered that he called Alistair using the pack link. This was the boy's mate, there's no way he'd make a logical decision.

Calla jumped away from the alpha and froze as her eyes connected with her mate's, "Alistair"

"Calla," he cupped her cheek his eyes filling with tears, "I am so sorry. What have they done to you?"

She took a shaky breath, "Human or vampire, we're enemies. You know that."

He shook his head in despair, "Not by choice! This war has always belonged to our ancestors. We never got to choose. And I choose you."

Author's Note:
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