Nightmares of Beauty

Chapter 9

Scott

I woke on my back, staring up at the ceiling. As a vampire, I didn't really sleep - to rest, I lay down and closed my eyes, and I faded into a trancelike state where I was aware of my surroundings but only vaguely. There was the sound of a car starting and driving off as I pushed myself to my feet. Because I now had a refrigerator, I pulled a wine bottle of blood from a shelf and downed it. Never as good as the real thing, but it was the only nutrition I needed, and it was easier than getting it from someone. I was stealing it from the hospital, blood that was going to expire soon, anyway.

When I finished, I wiped the blood off my chin where it had trickled from the side of my mouth and rinsed out the bottle, setting it on the counter with the other empty ones. If anyone came in here, they'd probably think I had a very serious drinking problem.

Samuel

My paws pounded against the hard packed earth as I flew over the forest floor. My half sister was here and I'd received a message saying she was in danger. It hadn't been from the alpha of the local pack, but from a delta, and apparently without the alpha's knowledge. Lost in my thoughts, I almost ran into the light brown wolf that had soundlessly appeared. I could smell the pack - this would be the edge of their territory. I knew that if I'd crossed the line without permission, I'd have been torn to shreds by the first wolf to see or smell me.

The female bared her teeth. I was not of her pack, so I could not link with her mind to speak, so she communicated with body language, instructing me to stay silent and follow her. I nodded, my tail and ears and head low, making sure I did not show the slightest hit of aggressiveness. After a while of the quick, loping pace she set, we reached a clearing with a couple caves. This would be their dens. There were a few people there, both in wolf and human form, some in their middle form. A trio had obviously just returned from hunting, and there was one tan male lying on the ground in the sunlight. His leg was in a splint.

Once we were in her home ground, the female smoothly shifted to her human form midstride and stopped, turning to me. I shifted, as well, slightly self-conciously, because of the fact that all I was wearing was a pair of very dirty shorts. "I came as soon as I could," I said, panting a little. My hair had gotten longer and shaggier, hanging in my eyes.

She nodded. "I am Naomi," she said. "The alpha of our pack is Jaydn. You are Samuel."

I nodded. "I am he. You contacted me for help against the vampire known as Scott?"

"No. We contacted you to keep Jaydn safe, as well as Rose. Your half-sister," Naomi said. Every pair of eyes in the clearing was on us, and I nodded. "Harley! Get him some clothes," she said, without looking. A young-looking boy nodded and slipped into one of the caves, returning a moment later holding a pair of light blue jeans, a belt, and a black shirt. He gestured for me to come with him, and I did, very confused as to how to enter the cave for a moment before awkwardly going in head first. it widened quickly, and we were soon in a underground room. There was a deep-looking pool in one corner. Steam rose from it, and there were several different types of body and hair wash on the edge.

With a nod from the boy, I stripped out of my shorts and entered the pool. He disappeared through a door, so I washed quickly. The water was hot and seemed to be fed by an underground spring. Just as I finished, Harley came back with a towel. I clambered out and dried off, then dressed in the clothes he'd provided. They were all a little large, but for the most part fit well. We walked back out to Naomi. She was conversing with a pair of wolves who both nodded and trotted off in different directions as I approached.

"Okay, here's the plan," Naomi said, turning to face me.