"Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate.
Incurable, in each, the wounds they make."
Euripides, Medea
"Must you leave?"
She sighed softly caressing his cheeks and snuggled closer to him.
"It's beyond... what should I say..." she mused and added, "my curfew hours?"
"I didn't realise blood sucking monsters were bound by rules," he teased her before rolling her under him.
She gasped at the sudden sensation that ran through her body as her back hit the cold forest floor when a moment ago she had been embraced in his rather hotter than normal body.
"Speak for yourself wolfy. The coven is governed by vampire laws but we still have our free will unlike you who is bound to a pack," she gave a cocky reply but at the mention of the last word, his body got all rigid and he moved away from her. He gazed woefully at the moon.
"A pack? I am not sure what that even means Zaisha. I never belonged to one and come to think of it, I am not sure if I even belong anywhere," he told her in an emotionless tone.
Zaisha laced her fingers through his and kissed their entwined hands.
"You're wrong about that," she told him and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips.
"You belong with me Rehan. Forever and always," she told him, her voice brimming with love.
"You're all I have Zaisha and I love you. I would never let anyone change that," he told her and she smiled up at him sadly.
"Sounds too good to be true. But I am afraid you're getting the raw end of the deal," she said in a sad voice casting her gaze away while he looked puzzled.
"Whatever does that mean?"
"Rehan, how can you love me?" she asked him looking into his bottomless black pools.
"They say vampires are cold. They have no heart. It's as good as dead. How could your heart possibly love someone who doesn't have one?"
Taking her hand in his, he placed it on his chest holding it steady there.
"There! Can you feel that?" he asked her allowing her to feel the rhythm of his heartbeat.
"You already have it Zaisha and it will only ever beat for you," saying that he sealed her lips with his and made love to her as the night stood still and the moon cast her silvery glow over the forest bearing testimony to the union of two mates from opposite worlds unbeknownst that one day it would stand to witness a betrayal, so cruel and perverse that would destroy everything in its wake.
***************
"Rehan," Avni sighed.
"Not again mom! Can't you do this? For me?" he asked her a tad bit annoyed pushing his plate aside and got up.
"I am not sure... It's just... something about her just doesn't feel right."
"Argh!" he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"It's just the age old prejudice of a dethroned luna speaking," he told her in a cold voice.
"No," Avni replied in a low but firm voice.
"Not a luna. No. But a mother," she replied looking him in the eye and added, "who is concerned for her only child."
Rehan's face softened and he knew his mother was only looking out for him.
"Then don't be," Rehan assured her crouching low and took her hands in his kissing it.
"Mom I love you but she is important to me too. So for once, can't you try to put aside everything and accept her?" he pleaded her cupping her face as Avni looked deeply troubled.
"You both are all I have," he told her pressing a light kiss to her forehead and left from there.
"And you are all I will ever have," she said to herself as Rehan shut the door after him.
***************
"How much longer do I have to put up with this charade?"
"You already know the answer, don't you sugar?" he asked her amused, a hint of sarcasm playing in his icy blue eyes that was as cold as his dead heart.
"Be that as it is but I still wonder..." she trailed off frowning while he arched his brow at her flashing his signature smirk.
"Well he seems to be harmless and his mother was abandoned by her own clan who want nothing to do with her. By the looks of it, she certainly doesn't display the inclination of wanting to claim her heritage back while her son doesn't seem to even have the potential of a rogue werewolf let alone the descendant of a powerful clan," she said idly twisting the glass that held a liquid of deep red substance swirling it before she brought it to her lips. The sooner it touched her lips her eyes turned a vivid shade of violet and her canines protruded to elongated fangs while her face was still partly shrouded in the darkness.
"For all we know she got knocked up by a mundane human and her clan disgraced her later when they found out. So why go all the way to decimating his clan when there is nothing left to it?" she asked him in a bored voice.
"It's been eons and she wants nothing to do with her old life after they abandoned her along with her unborn. The boy is nothing out of ordinary and he is as harmless as a puppy waiting to wag its tail at anyone who gives it an affectionate pat. Trust me, that's exactly what he is doing," she added scowling in distaste and this only seemed to amuse Abhay.
"And you will continue with your part as you have been doing so far. Hold his leash around your pinky and make sure he is distracted all the time. Do what it takes to ensure that. Hypnotize him, sweet talk him or f**k him. But keep him away and when the time comes, be done with him."
"And why should I take that pain? When all it takes to be done with the job is to attack them head on? Two werewolves are no match for me especially when the other is as good as a mortal!" she replied haughtily.
"You will do as the Council wants you to and you are in no position to question either the Council's authority or mine. Do not forget that she is not just a luna but a descendant of a powerful wiccan lineage as well. It's not her but you who would be no match to her if you attack her head on. She can take out twice the likes of you and that's the reason we need to catch her unguarded when she is at her vulnerable best," he told her with a tone of finality as she gritted her teeth.
"As for all the pain," he stressed on the last word and winked at her.
"Don't tell me you're not enjoying it."
"I was trained to be a warrior Master Raichand, not a wh**e," she told him angrily flashing her violet eyes at him.
"You were not chosen to bed him, if that were to offer you any solace," he told her going to stand before her.
"You already have all the training you need. You're a woman," and before she could react he licked the drop of blood lingering on her lower lip sending a spasm of pleasure through her and when she leaned in closer, he withdrew teasing her.
"Finish off that bloodline once and for all, and I give you my word, absolution will be yours."
***************
"We have already seen that vampire chick make a move on the Verma boy. What if she is a spy chief?"
"I say we take her out!"
"Rehan is our only hope to thwart Raichand!"
"We need to act before it's too late!"
"What good will the boy do if he is not aware of his own powers?"
The werewolf council was in a state of chaos as they sat there debating the future that awaited their clan. Rehan was their secret weapon and they knew their best chance at survival was that it remained one. They could never afford to let this slip. For the rest of the supernatural world Avni was a disgraced luna who had had a torrid love affair and got pregnant with the child of a human. But what they didn't know was that Rehan was a descendant of two of the most powerful werewolf clans, both of which had a link to the wiccan heritage and was the only other lycanthrope who was powerful enough to take on the invincible force called Abhay Raichand who had brought the rest of the supernatural races down to their knees. They had never seen it coming and neither did they see a threat in Abhay for he had turned back into a human. Little did they know that the vampire council would go against their own kind and forcibly take Abhay Raichand back into their folds, obliterating the memories of past from the depths of his mind. If murdering his own sire parents in order to stake their claim on Abhay was not enough, they moulded him into an amoral beast that was nothing like the compassionate vampire he had once been. Everything that was good, everything that defined the vampire the world had known him to be, was lost forever to the darkness that had engulfed his soul. And now he was nothing but a mere puppet in the hands of the council who used him to gain leverage on their supremacy over the supernatural world, enslaving the other races. Among those who refused to comply with them, some were killed while some fled their own home ground, hiding, bidding their time to strike at the right moment.
"We cannot extend an olive branch to the luna when we were the ones to shun her Paul and besides I doubt if she will ever be of any use to us. It's the boy we need," Jason Danver, the alpha of the pack spoke up from behind coming to stand before them.
"The boy?" Vivek huffed in scorn.
"We have been monitoring him Jase and believe me, he won't be able to hurt a fly. You think he is the nemesis we have been looking for?"
"The boy's powers have been suppressed by that foolish woman as she wants him to live the life of a mundane human when he was destined to be a vanquisher," Jason replied in a repulsive tone.
"And what use will he be to us otherwise? The only one who can lift the spell is the one who cast it and Avni will never do that," Daniel cursed under his breath banging his fist on the table frustrated.
"Not necessarily. There are other ways to accomplish what we seek," Jason replied smirking and added, "infact Raichand has already set the stage for that. All we need to do is strike when the iron is hot."
***************
Rehan hated crossroads. To tread on a path forsaking the other while not knowing what he was leaving behind. He wished he never had to choose. He loved his mother but Zaisha was his life. He would never be able to let go of her and his mother would never accept her. Neither would Zaisha's clan accept him.
He leaned against the tree in the park watching a couple walk away happily hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears and how he wished he could steal those moments for himself. How ironical it was, that the humans failed to cherish something so wonderful and precious while it would be an unattainable fantasy forever evading him? He envied the humans for having the freedom to choose the path they wished to embark on, a luxury that was far out of his reach. How he wished he was not a werewolf and Zaisha was not a vampire. If he were to be given a choice he would choose to be a mundane human who could walk away into the sunset with his soulmate by his side.
"Penny for your thoughts wolfy?" a musical lilting voice broke through his turbulent thoughts.
Rehan turned to look at his girlfriend who had entwined her arms with his, leaning her chin on his shoulder, a picture of serene beauty and tranquillity. The woman he loved with all his heart, his Zaisha.
He tucked a stray lock behind her ear and pulled her stole closer to cover her ears, which was a gesture to ward off the cold though she would never need that, cold as she was rendered by the blood coursing through her veins. Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled her closer brushing his hand over the top of her head with his thumb while she winced.
"Awww..."
"Zaisha? What...?" he pulled back and pushed her fringe back to see a gash on her forehead and when he looked carefully he could notice that Zaisha had concealed a cut on her lips.
"What happened Zaisha?" he asked her while she looked away nervously.
"Nothing Rehan, it's just... Ummm... I got hurt," she mumbled. But Rehan was not buying that.
"Tell me the truth Zaisha," he asked again more firmly this time.
"I was being followed Rehan," and Rehan went rigid hearing that. When Zaisha saw his expression she added hastily, "I managed to evade them. They won't get to you but they reported back to chief that I had been consorting with a human. I managed to convince them that I was tailing a stray werewolf pack and they did buy my story but I circumvented the orders. So..."
"Bloody leeches," Rehan growled in a low threatening voice balling his fists.
"Rehan it was my fault..." Zaisha tried to placate him but Rehan was beyond furious.
"I will kill them. Each one of them," he hissed.
"It was inevitable Rehan and it's fine, really. Let it be," Zaisha pleaded him.
"They can't get away hurting you. I won't let them," Rehan fumed.
"Rehan, please not again! We have to get on with it and it's about time we accepted the reality," Zaisha sighed in defeat.
"The hell I do," he cussed out loud enough for passers-by to stop and give them a cursory glance.
"Just forget it," Zaisha muttered walking away.
"What? It's my fault now is it?" he yelled at her gouging at the bark of a tree.
Lately they had been rowing over trivial issues and staying away for long stretch of time was one among them. Zaisha had told Rehan time and again that it would be difficult for them to be together since she was being watched by her coven but Rehan wouldn't hear of it. He would much rather go after those vampires himself and be done with it forever rather than live in trepidation over every moment fearing for their lives and those he cherished. He loved Zaisha with all his heart, loved her to brink of insanity and the mere thought of losing her drove him to despair. He wished she would understand this but she belonged to a coven where she would never be free to make her own choice. But hadn't they already made that choice when they had chosen to be together?
Rehan knew he had upset her and composing himself he ran after her. She had left the park and was headed back to her cottage in the woods. He caught up with her soon enough and pulled her back. The look on her crestfallen face tore his heart apart and he tried to hug her but she pushed him away.
"Rehan I think it's about time we sorted out our priorities," she told him resolutely.
"Honey I am sorry..."
"No Rehan! I can't go on like this. I belong to a coven and I need to abide by its laws. You think it's easy for me?"
"Zaisha I can't be away from you. I need you," he told her cupping her face but she pulled back shaking her head.
"And what have you been doing off late? This is not my idea of spending quality time quarrelling all the time. All you do is curse my kind and call them by names. Have you forgotten I am one among them too?" she retorted angrily.
"It's not..."
"We both knew none of this is going to be easy. You may have broken your ties with your clan Rehan but I have not. We were never meant to be but still we are here. We are together and it scares the hell out of me."
"Scared?" Rehan asked puzzled.
"But why? Do you... do you have any regrets?" Rehan asked her in a hurt voice.
"No, of course not! How could I? When you were the best thing that happened to me?" Zaisha told him cupping his cheek.
"Then why?"
"Because I am scared of losing you Rehan," she sighed sadly.
"Scared of losing what we have between us. So much that I sometimes wish we had never met," she cried, her fair cheeks stained by a blood tear that ran along it.
"We can never be together but yet I don't want to be apart. Every time I step out, I am scared of leading my clan to you. I want to be with you but not at the cost of your life Rehan. I don't want them to get to you and we barely get to be with each other. But every time we are together we are just throwing away what we have bickering over things which will never change," she cried making Rehan feel miserable for making her sad.
"Shhh... it's ok. Everything will be all right," he consoled her taking her in his arms.
"How Rehan? We will never be able to evade them forever. They will hunt us down and kill us both and it won't end here. They will go after your mother too," she sniffed as Rehan stiffened at the mention of his mother.
"Zaisha you're fretting over nothing. They won't get to mom," he assured her though he was unsure himself.
"Rehan our races have been at war since the dawn of time. If they ever find out about us..." she trailed off.
"We fight back," he told her firmly as she pulled back.
"They are an ancient race of warriors Rehan. They can snap your neck in a heartbeat even before you realise what's coming for you. We can't fight them. They will kill us and next they will hunt down your mother."
Zaisha was right he realised as a cold fear seeped through his heart. No, not his mother Rehan thought helplessly. There was no way he would jeopardise his mother's life. But a life without Zaisha was worse than death itself. He knew there was only one way out for him to protect them both and though it would haunt him for the rest of his life, he had to make this choice. For his love. For his mother.
"Then we leave," he told her firmly and for a moment Zaisha could not comprehend the meaning behind his words but realisation dawned on her when Rehan gave her a knowing look.
"But where..."
"Anywhere. We will go far away from here. Far from Sweden. We can go back to India where they will never find us. We leave tonight," he told her.
"Rehan but what about your mom?"
"Mom will never know," he told her, a pang rising in his chest.
"But she will be safe Zaisha. They can get to mom if they get to us but I won't let that happen. We can be on the run for the rest of our lives. As long as we're together, nothing else matters. But I want to know if that's what you want as well? Are you willing to forsake your clan to be with me forever?"
Zaisha nodded happily and hugged him.
***************
"Hej!"
"Here is your expresso Mr. Appelqvist, just the way you like it," Avni beamed serving coffee to her customer.
"Tacka," he beamed at her and pulled out the Swedish daily to enjoy his coffee reading news as Avni walked back to the cash counter to drop the change she had received into a small cookie jar. Avni ran a small cafe on the outskirts of Skovde for a living. Living among humans for more than two decades had made her humane in more ways than one. The moon no longer held her sway for Avni and forsaking a world that had banished her, she embraced the mortal realm that offered her nothing but a safe haven where she lived in peace with her son. She had vowed to never have any supernatural ties in her life but that all changed when her only child chose a vampire for a mate. Avni had never met the girl and needless to say, she did not approve of her. She knew Rehan was head over heels in love with her but she could sense a storm approaching, threatening to destroy her small happy world and she felt helpless fighting hard to keep it all together.
Rehan was slipping away from her and try as she might, she knew that she was fighting a lost cause. She wasn't sure why she disapproved of the girl. She thought of various reasons why she wasn't right for her son. Nature had pitted vampires and werewolves against each other ever since they came into existence and a union between the two would be nothing short of blasphemy. If either of the clans got wind of this, they would hunt down her son and she knew the ill fate that awaited him. Her Rehan was still a boy who was untainted by the treacherous and deceptive world that had snatched away everything from her. She would forever keep that blotch off her son, no matter the price she had to pay for it. And even if she were to ignore it, how could she ignore the fear that crept into her being? If truth be told, she knew it had nothing to do with the girl being a vampire entirely. But it was almost like every nerve in her fibre was warning her of an impending doom that would destroy the happy world she had so painstakingly built burying the ghosts of her past. Harbouring a bleeding heart and then piecing it together had taken more than a lifetime but then again she knew that was inevitable since she was born into a world of lies and deception. Immortality was nothing but an eternal curse, one such as her was bound to pay. Never had she revealed to anyone about Rehan's father's identity and she hoped to carry this secret to her grave. Like her, Jeh Khurana too was born into a clan that had wiccan heritage and since wiccan magic was earth bound, the powers of the deceased were passed onto the last living direct descendant of their bloodline. After Jeh died, his wiccan magic naturally passed onto his son. Avni knew the consequences one had to pay if they were to possess a power such as this and she had suppressed his powers so that he may never be aware of it and neither let the world know of it. His enemies would hunt him down while her power hungry clan would use her innocent son to attain their selfish needs. She had sheltered her son from her world, from his own powers that would lure him to a disastrous fate from where there was no escaping but how could she protect him from a heartbreak that was inevitable knowing what it would cost him? Even if the girl's love for him were to be true, there was no denying that their love had no future and in the end it would only cause him an irrevocable pain she had once lived through. How could she let her only child destroy his life while she stood beside him watching the debacle unfold like a mute spectator? NO, she had to stop him. She wouldn't lose her son after having made all the sacrifices destiny had so unfairly extracted from her. She would protect her son with her last breath.
Rehan had not come home since they last rowed over that girl two days ago and she was worried now. She knew he was with that girl right now and she had to make him see sense before it was too late.
A shrill noise broke through her reverie of unsettled thoughts bringing her back to her surroundings. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the caller ID and answered the call.
"Rehan you had me so worried! Sweetie where are you?"
"Mom everything's ok. Hmmm... it's... I suppose I wanted some time alone," he told her and Avni could sense the note of hesitation in his voice.
"Rehan? What's the matter? Look we can sort it out together. Just came back ok?" she pleaded him.
"Mom it's ok. It will be now."
A pause.
"Rehan?" Avni called out tentatively.
"Mom I love you. You know that right?"
"Rehan I don't care if you want to spend the rest of your life with that vampire girl. If that's what you want so be it honey. Just come back to mom ok?" she pleaded him.
She could hear the sharp intake of a breath at the other end. She could sense her son trying to say something but unable to voice his own feelings.
"Mom I won't let them get to you. Never. I want nothing more than to see you happy, see you safe."
Avni could not comprehend the exact meaning behind any of his words but she knew things were far from being all right.
"Rehan where are you? I will come right away," she told him gathering her things.
"Mom I... I swear... They won't hurt you again."
The line went dead.
**************
Rehan took away the sim from his phone and destroyed it. He had to ensure he left no trail behind and he knew his mother would come looking for him once she realised he had eloped. But he could not take that risk and jeopardise the lives of the only two people that mattered to him. He would protect Zaisha with his life and his mother would be safe as long as he stayed away from her or so he thought.
He had arranged for fake passports for himself and Zaisha and had even managed to secure a visa in Italian embassy, thanks to a friend who was working there. Everything was set. He had booked tickets to Trieste via Munich and from there he intended to head to Johannesburg. They had no choice but to be on the run forever if they wished to be together and they had already chosen their path. There was no turning back now. But yet as he bade the last farewell to his mother, he could feel his resolve breaking apart. He had vowed to make a silent exit but it felt wrong to do so and not hear her voice one last time.
He was doing the right thing, wasn't he, he asked himself mentally but a tiny voice inside chided him for being selfish. A selfish son who was walking out on his own mother to be with a girl he had barely known for less than a year.
NO, he was protecting her but that voice was back again, this time louder.
Coward!
"Shut up," he yelled flinging the first object that his hands could grab smashing it against the opposite wall. Without turning back to see what it was, he walked away little realising that all that would remain of his heart that knew nothing but love was a mirage of what he had left behind.
**************
For a moment Avni stood where she was trying to process Rehan's last words. He had said he will not let anyone hurt her but why would anyone hurt her in the first place? What did he mean by that? And why did it sound like he was going somewhere? None of this made sense unless...
And then it struck her like a thunderbolt.
He was going to elope with that girl.
"What the hell have you done, you foolish boy?" she cursed out loud and without pausing to give an explanation to her assistant who looked shocked on seeing her exclaim she just shook her head and asked her to take charge while she tended to an errand.
Taking a short cut via the woods she transformed into a wolf and raced through the forest, the cold wind rushing through her ears. It took a little less than thirty minutes to get there. She transformed back into her human form and came out of the clearing but to her woe she realised she was late. The door was locked and he had already left.
"Looks like a mother threw her own child to the leeches," a snide voice spoke up from behind.
**************
It was mid-afternoon by the time the sun had set over the horizon shrouding Skovde in darkness. The winters here were particularly harsh and it often rendered the whole town gloomy forcing people to stay indoors. A howling wind raged on as Rehan drove his way across to where Zaisha had rented a modest cottage. The gates were swung open and even from a distance Rehan could see that the front door was left open. Rehan was instantly on guard. Locking his car he dashed through the gates into the house only to find everything scattered about. Dread filled his heart and he made his way into the living room and wherever he turned he noticed there had been signs of struggle.
"Zaisha?" he called out tentatively at first.
When he got no response he called out once more, a little louder and his voice trembled as he took in the demolition. Pacing around wildly, he called out for Zaisha again and again, raking his hands through his wind tussled hair furiously. He stumbled on his way out to the back door and on the window pane there were red streaks and on a closer look it resembled the imprints of a bloody hand that must have swiped the glass. He pushed it wide open and he felt the ground being pulled from underneath him as he stared at the sight before him. Zaisha lay motionless on the floor in a bloody pool, her face paler than the snow that had covered her partially. He fell on his knees and took her lifeless form in his arms.
"No, this cannot be... no," he cried shaking her as if to wake her up but her arms dangled limply by her sides. She was not dead he told himself fervently repeating it like a mantra in his head and shaking his head profusely he hugged her as if he were willing it strongly enough to undo what had happened but Zaisha lay dead as ever.
"Baby please wake up. You can't... You won't... No, please. Don't die on me," he mumbled incoherently choking on his tears but for all he knew his pleas would never be answered. He was still in a daze, unwilling to believe that everything had come to a brutal end. In the midst of all this, his eyes fell on the wall behind him. A shape that resembled something like a bat etched in blood - the insignia of the Vampire Council. A hatred such as he had never known he was never capable of surged through him clouding all his senses and setting Zaisha back where he had found her, he set off to a point from where he could never come back as a person he had once been.
**************
Avni turned around to see where the voice had come from and for a moment she was stunned to react. After all these years when she had finally assumed she had evaded it forever, her past was catching up with her.
"Jason Danvers," she said in clipped tones.
Jason gave her a tiny bow smirking, a gesture that seemed like mockery than a sign of respect.
"My lady!"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Avni snapped. If it was not bad enough that her son had gone missing, she now had to deal with the alpha of the Iceland pack.
"Tut tut... Where have your manners disappeared off to my lady? I expected better from a luna of your stature. Clearly I should have anticipated that your fall from grace had taken its toll on you. My apologies," he replied smugly.
Avni gritted her teeth and focused all her thoughts on ignoring Jason and finding a way to get her son back.
"I don't care about keeping up the pleasantries with a bunch of assholes who turned their back on me and then had the nerve to show up on my doorstep," she replied frostily, a low growl escaping her lips.
"Get the hell out of here before I do something we both regret!"
The sooner she got rid of Jason she could set off looking for Rehan but Jason was not budging from his ground.
"I was hoping for a friendly visit but got busted instead. I am sure your son would have greeted me better," he taunted her.
It was then that Avni recalled his earlier words.
"What did you mean by what you said before? About leeches? What does this have anything to do with my son? And why are you here after all these years? We both know this is not a coincidence. So don't fool around," she threatened him and before he knew it he found himself being bound by invisible chords holding him in place.
"You didn't really have to do that," he replied in a bored voice.
"You sure know how to throw questions around but I am disappointed that you missed the important one of it all."
Avni found her throat getting dry. She knew what he was getting at but how was it possible she thought. How could he know anything about Rehan?
"Don't trouble that tiny brain of yours. It's obvious isn't it? You came rushing only to see your son gone but the real question is where did he go?" he asked her. Again she knew he was trying to goad her and it worked too. She flicked her fingers and he was thrown off the ground where he hit the tree behind him crashing down onto the ground that was covered in snow.
Jason was shaken but he didn't let it show. He knew he had to keep her agitated enough to ensure he accomplished what he had set out to do.
"No more tricks wolf," Avni glared daggers at him.
"What do you know about Rehan?"
"Did you really think you would put up with this facade longer than it deserved to be under wraps?" he mocked at her.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Avni yelled at him on the verge of losing her carefully guarded temper that came along with being a werewolf.
"You're the one to ask?" he sniggered.
"Well take your pick. The mate who had dumped you after getting you pregnant was no human. Like yourself, he was a descendant of a powerful clan that had ties with a wiccan lineage. Or the fact that you cast a spell to suppress your boy's powers? Not only did you disgrace your own clan and species, but you let your son take it one step further by allowing him to consort with a vampire?" he asked her spitefully and continued to egg her on.
"Or you pushed him to his own destruction with your noble intentions that he will pay for it with his life because his own mother took away his powers to defend himself? Plenty of choices to pick from."
Avni was enraged at this. So now they were here to kill her son and had probably taken him away too. She took a step forward but Jason stopped her in her tracks.
"Hold it! I am not the enemy you seek at this moment. Your son has gone to his vampire chick to check on her but I am afraid there is nothing left for him there. Her clan got there first and killed her and who knows? He might have gone off to pursue them. You know the temper issues that come with lycan blood and the pangs of unrequited love! Tends to make one reckless, doesn't it? I am betting his girlfriend had told him where their den was."
The blood drained off Avni's face as she realised her worst fears had come true. She knew Rehan would do something like this. She had to stop him before it was too late.
"Where is my son? Don't you dare try to pull your dirty tricks on me! I have lived long enough with my clan to know the likes of you. Tell me where he is and I might spare your worthless life," she spat at him venomously while Jason had a victorious glint in his eye.
**************
Rehan had reached the dilapidated amphitheatre in Kuressaare, Estonia that had been abandoned a long time ago. Nobody tended to the place and it was lying in its decrepit state for more than a century. Blinded by rage he sought nothing more than to tear those wretched leeches apart. He cared little for his own life which no longer mattered to him. The woman he had loved was gone forever and he would make sure that those responsible would pay with their life or he would die trying. He owed it to Zaisha, for the beautiful life they had envisioned for themselves together.
He remembered Zaisha telling him about the underground basement which was once some sort of dressing room but was now a base for vampire operations. Now that he was here he had to find a way in but with the whole place covered in snow that hadn't seen a plough for ages, it was no easy feat. But maybe he didn't need to since the very next moment he felt the air stir around him and when he looked back he found a vampire perched atop a broken pillar.
Seething with rage Rehan took a step ahead as the vampire jumped to the ground and even before Rehan could strike him a blow, he rendered him unconscious.
**************
Rehan woke up sometime later in an otherwise dark dingy room, his cheek pressed against the cold marble floor. He tried to move but his hands and legs were bound and every time he tried, the metal seemed to burn his skin and he let out a groan.
Silver!
They had bound him in silver chains, a metal lethal to both vampires and werewolves alike. Ignoring the pain, he tried to get himself into a sitting position but he had barely struggled to push himself up when he was punched hard on the face and as he fell he could feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.
"You cowards!" he spat at them.
"Keeping me chained like an animal doesn't speak volumes about the strength you leeches boast of."
"Quit being such a masochist will you? Or is this some typical wolfy trait? Besides dogs bark regardless. We learned to tune it out a long time ago," the blond vampire replied in a bored tone.
"You filthy bloodsuckers! How could you do this? Zaisha was one of you!"
"Who thought it'd be so easier?" another voice spoke up and this belonged to a lanky dark haired vampire.
"I didn't realise you folks let your hormones get the better of you," the newcomer mocked Rehan.
"I bet she'd be amused Eli," his tormentor replied.
"Not every day you see a wolf turning into a lovesick puppy whining away for a vampire," his partner agreed.
"Why don't you just kill me already?" Rehan yelled at them rattling his chains which only caused him more pain.
"Like you did with her? Let this end now. You punished your clan member for falling in love with a werewolf. Now why not do the same with me and be done with it?"
His outrage was greeted by a raucous peal of laughter.
"You still don't get it do you? No wonder they call you mindless beasts," the blond one replied gleefully.
"You thought vampires would be interested in what became of a forbidden love affair? Its gothic fantasy wolfy and you should snap out of it. Everything has a purpose and today you are about to fulfil yours. Lucky you," he added sarcastically shaking his head while Rehan squinted his eyes in confusion.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rehan asked them warily.
"Patience pays off my boy. Maybe a day or two and you will know. Then who knows? Maybe we shall be kind so as to grant your wish. Put an end to your miserable existence just the way you wanted."
"Yeah? Is that one of your pathetic excuse to save your own neck? If you think I am no match for you then why hesitate? Fight me like a man will you?"
This was followed by more laughter.
"On second thoughts why don't we see what we are up against Jonas? Besides we only need him alive. So why not have some fun instead? What do you say Mikhail?" the vampire called Eli asked his comrade who had just then joined now.
"Yeah am sorta bored. Devil knows, we could all do with some laughs now," Mikhail replied flashing his fangs.
"OK wolfy, you asked for it," Eli sighed and putting on his gloves he turned to his companions.
"Who'd do the honours?" he asked them.
"Nah we prefer working as a team," Jonas replied and the other two laughed along with him.
Rehan felt the chains being pulled off him and Eli made sure he did it slowly dragging it against his body making him gasp in pain. He tried to stand up but the silver had rendered him weak and he could barely sit up and when he did, he was dealt another blow, this time to his ribs and he could hear a crack. He tried to transform into a wolf but in his weakened state it was a near impossible task.
His healing had set in but it only made matters worse as every time the vampires broke some part of his body, his bones were getting set which only intensified his pain. He was not sure which was more painful. The blows he had to endure or self-healing!
Gathering all his strength he tried to summon the wolf in him and his eyes began to take on their amber glow, his nails elongating to deadly talons. His wolf instincts kicked in as the fight got fiercer and though he was no match for three vampires he was able to put up a fight. On the vampires part, underestimating Rehan had been a blunder.
Rehan struck Jonas a fatal blow leaving an ugly gash on his chest and as he fell sputtering blood more vampires joined the fight hearing all the commotion that had Rehan distracted for a moment. Taking advantage of this momentary diversion, Eli grabbed him from behind sinking his fangs into him while Rehan howled in agony. After a while Eli flung him to the ground wiping his mouth.
He spat the blood out.
"Definitely tastes like a dog's," he muttered in disgust and in a heartbeat he broke Rehan's spine as a deafening crack resounded in the room accompanied by a blood curdling shriek. The other vampires made no move as Eli continued to torment a broken Rehan who was in no shape to fight back now.
"I know you heal fast dog," he sneered.
"But I am counting on that. This makes it even better. Every time your bone sets up, I will make sure it breaks sooner. You wanted to die? You will but not before you have learnt a lesson or two..."
Eli could not finish his sentence. He felt a searing pain shoot through his entire body that had originated from his chest. He looked down to see a wooden stake sticking through it and he dropped to the ground crumbling to dust.
Out of the corner of his eyes Rehan could see his mother who was now charging at the vampires. She cast a quick protection spell on Rehan and joined the battle. In a flash two more dropped to the ground as Avni pulled out their dead hearts. She swooped down on the vampires like an avenging goddess. As Rehan saw his mother fight it out, he realised why she was born a luna. He was awestruck to see his mother move with such speed and agility descending upon her enemies like an angel of death that the vampires never had a chance to even understand what had struck them. His mother was here...
And then it struck him. Why was she here? How did she know about it even? No, his mother should never have got stuck in this mess. He had left her thinking he was protecting her but he was wrong. He had only lured her to this death trap. He could see that the vampires would never be a match to his mother. But he never wanted her here.
Singlehandedly Avni killed more than five vampires and finally when the last one dropped down dead at her feet she turned her gaze on her son. A moment ago there was nothing but fury and hatred, but now as she looked at her son, Rehan could see nothing but unconditional love and pain for him in her eyes and now he knew. Nobody had ever loved him like his mother had and they never would. He now knew the extent of her love and realized how he had given it all up foolishly by making reckless decisions. He has taken it for granted so far but in that moment he vowed never to leave her no matter the circumstances. He would protect her with his life like she had done with hers all this time.
But no sooner had Avni taken a step towards him, she came to an abrupt halt, her eyes going wide and her lips formed a surprised - O. She stretched her hand towards Rehan like she was trying to beckon him and Rehan stared in horror as she dropped down. But nothing, not even his worst nightmares could have prepared him for what he saw next!
Standing before him, her fist enclosing a bloody mass that was dripping blood, with lips curving upwards in a sarcastic smile and violet eyes that had an evil glint in them, was Zaisha! Zaisha who was dead! And his mother...
No sound came forth but a silent scream escaped Rehan as he tried to gather his thoughts. How and why would she do this? Was she never dead? His mother? No! She had to be all right he thought desperately but the dead heart enclosed in Zaisha's fist said otherwise. The woman he thought had left him forever was there all along and the woman whom he had left hoping to keep her safe would never come back to him again.
Zaisha threw the heart away and walked upto Rehan. Now that Avni was dead, the spell she had cast a few moments ago was broken and Rehan stood up. As he looked at her, he could not find a single trace of the woman he had loved with all his heart. The one standing before him had murdered his mother in cold blood. And this had been her true face. The one he knew and loved was a farce and had always been.
"Why...? Why did you do this?" he asked her in a voice barely audible to even his own ears but Zaisha said nothing.
"I loved you..." he trailed off.
"And you were a bloody fool to believe that," she sneered her face contorted with disgust.
"Did you really think that we could ever be together? Ah, you naive fool! You never really got it!" she said trailing her finger on his cheek but Rehan stood frozen on the spot.
"It was always her! Your mother! You never really knew her did you?" she asked him in a mock innocent tone.
"She was the last of the powerful line of lycans with a wiccan heritage. The only one who could have stopped us. Who held the key to thwarting our master, Abhay Raichand. The only way to get to her was through you and," she laughed, a lilting musical sound that felt eerie. "You turned out to be an easy prey. I didn't have to try hard. I never realised the extent of your stupidity until you fell in my trap and decided to run away with me. Never did you realise that once you did that, you made her vulnerable. Not that she needed your protection. But you never thought she would risk it all to get you back? Your mother loved you enough to die for you and it's a pity that the feelings were never returned," she said pouting and then laughed like a maniac.
Rehan had gone all numb. He stood there, his face devoid of any emotions. Only one thought rang repeatedly in his head - he was the reason his mother was dead. He did this to her!
"Kill me!" he told her in a flat voice.
"Kill me now and be done with it!"
At these words, she smiled like an angel and placed her hand on his heart.
"I have a better plan darling," she whispered in her ear and plunged a silver knife a little below his heart while he buckled in pain but he welcomed it.
"You said your heart would always beat for me! But sweetie you didn't realise it never needed to. It was already dead," she whispered the last few words in his ears and twisted the knife further. Rehan tried to mask his agony as he bit hard on his lip stopping himself from howling. He would not cave in.
"But I can't kill you," she replied shaking her head. "Nope."
"I'd rather you did it to yourself. I owe this to you honey, for old times sake?" she told him running one hand through his hairs while the other was gripping the hilt of the knife plunging it even deeper.
"Do it," Rehan grunted.
"Do it while you still have the chance. I am giving you a choice. Kill me now and if you don't...I promise you, I will be the one to pull out that dead heart of yours!"
"Now you won't be so heartless to do that would you? Awww you love me," she giggled.
"I have to admit you were great in bed. I did enjoy while it lasted baby but now it's time for a goodbye kiss!"
She pressed her cold lips to his bloody ones harshly for a moment before pulling away the knife. She turned her back on him and like a fallen warrior he crumpled to the ground.
Di being a DFL reader I am aware of Rehan's shady character and his past , even then I couldn't completely trust myself to not to feel deeply for him/avni .The story is touchy ❤️ . Mine fav part was where Avni thundered her wrath on those leeches while Rehan ultimately learned the power of her mother's love . 😳
We got a glimpse of our mighty cruel abhay raichand too , the vampire council had definitely seeded the idea of becoming the ultimate power in SP world in his brain and blood . 😆
Unfortunately for avni she was the only one to think her secret was safe 🤓 . From Abhay to the councils everyone knew that jeh is the father . Rehan was a liability for them . Zaisha did played her part well and accomplished her task she just don't have a slightest idea that she signed the ticket to hell herself *evil smirk * 😉 . Tempted to read the next and final part . 😎
