“I’m just saying, it’s not like I’ve killed every Sanguinares I’ve ever met.” I complained.

“Trading one for precious metals because Katya asked you to, doesn’t count. I’m not taking you through a territory owned and governed by a Red Court. Especially not Devos.” Sophia said, marking another spot on the map.

“What’s so special about them?”

“They’re a major court close to Eve Valley. The clan has worked for years to keep a neutral diplomatic relationship with them. They’re also one of the few courts that prohibit excessive feeding, a rule not just reserved for their own members but their whole territory.” Natasha explained.

“So they’re not allowed to drink themselves into a frenzy. Moderation doesn’t really seem like that incredible of a trait, even for a vampire.” I replied cynically.

“It’s not just moderation. When Sanguinares give into their thirst, they change. I guess you could say they lose some of their humanity. Although even Sanguinares who haven’t given into the thirst were still once humans, and humans can be plenty cruel as it is.” Natasha continued.

“So they’re Vampire-Lite and you don’t want me going through there causing a diplomatic nightmare…Wait, have I ever met a Sanguinares who hadn’t given into the thirst?” I questioned in realization.

“I doubt it. The council supported Sicilia specifically because she was psychotic, cruel, and near us. They wanted to pressure the Clan into asking for help and accept their rule-”

Natasha Interrupted Sophia’s explanation, her tone comical like she was reading from a fairy tale, but with a cold edge just beneath the surface. “But then a big bad monster came in and ate the silly psychotic vampiress. The end.”

A loud beeping noise filled the car immediately ending our conversation as Natasha and Sophia shared a startled look before Sophia leapt towards the back seat, accidentally kneeing me in the stomach as she continued towards the trunk, pulling out a black tactical looking bag.

“It’s a convoy distress signal fourteen miles from here.” Sophia told Natasha as she read the small display of the beeping device.

“Direction.” Natasha asked concisely from behind the wheel.

“North East, mountain roads. You need to take the next exit and head towards Tomoha.” Sophia explained as the car sped up, far exceeding the speed limit. Sophia started pulling out gear from the bag, at which point she noticed she was basically using me as a table.

“Someone’s hit a transport carrying heirs. We’re going there now. I assume you don’t have any objections?” She told me with a hint of worry in her voice.

“None.” I replied grimly.

***

The caravan of trucks, campers and motorhomes were arranged in a semicircle towards the road, allowing the pack some privacy during the evening as they made camp for the night.

A firepit had been dug and lined with stones at the center and the atmosphere of the camp was surprisingly cheery, all things considered.

The move had been abrupt, few getting more than a couple of hours to pack up and get ready to leave, but there hadn’t been any complaints, at first Lydia had thought it was because no one wanted to voice their discontent in front of them, but she slowly came to realize that most of the pack and their families had been prepared for this for a while now. A lot of the younger wolves were even excited at the prospect of moving and establishing a new territory, kind of like an adventure to new lands.

“Maybe this will end up being a good thing for the pack.” Lydia thought as she threw another log on the fire and leaned back in her chair.

John and Nala were seated nearby, Nala wrapped up in a blanket nuzzling up to John, who had been staring distantly into the fire for the past hour.

“John?” Lydia called out softly but didn’t get a response. “John.” She tried again more firmly, Nala now looking up at him and pulling his sleeve, which finally managed to grab his attention.

“I heard you the first time.” John responded calmly.

“Then why didn’t you respond?” Lydia accused sceptically.

“Because the answer to your question will be the same as last time you asked.” John responded with a tired sigh.

“Oh, so you know what I’m gonna say before I say it now, oh wise spirit wolf?” Lydia prodded.

“You’re not that hard to read or predict.” John shot back with a smile, causing some of the closer people to laugh lightly.

“All you’ve said is we’re heading west, but what are we gonna do when we hit the coast? Are we going to be roamers? or do you have plans for a claim?” Lydia questioned. John had been infuriatingly vague ever since they’d left their territory. Lydia had been worried he would become depressed after they lost their ancestral home, but instead he had become more focused and determined than ever.

Nala had been as worried as Lydia until one night she and John had stayed up speaking at length about their kinds spirituality and the Instinct within. It had honestly sounded like something their mother would’ve said, although John and Lydia had always leaned more towards their father’s pragmatism when it came to the more spiritual aspects of their kind, John even more so than herself. In fact, it had been one of the few times she had ever seen John and Nala argue.

But not anymore. He’d spent most of the night asking questions before his hour long contemplative staring contest with the fire.

“No idea. I guess we’ll be roamers until we find a place to settle down.” John replied. It might have sounded like he didn’t care, but he radiated a calm certainty that everything was gonna be okay, and it was infectious, spreading to the entire camp. Everyone except Lydia.

Lydia was getting ready to rip into what she thought was a moronic response from her older brother when Tim came crashing into camp in his wolf form and out of breath before shifting back and struggling to get enough air to talk.

“Something’s happening. Down the pass. Bunch of cars. And guns. Chasing a big armored semi!” He strained out through ragged breaths.

John and Lydia both shared a look before setting off. The earlier discussion shelved now that more important things needed their attention.

***

Lydia, John and a few members of the pack were standing on a cliff overlooking a mountain road, what looked like a semi hauling an armored command center was blocking off the entrance to a road-tunnel meant to lead to the other side of the mountain.

They could see flashes of light and hear delayed echoes of gunfire bouncing off the cliffs around them as what looked like an all out war was taking place down there as the defenders seemed to move further and further into the tunnel, having abandoned their vehicle.

John and Lydia could guess why as a streak of light flew towards the semi rocking the armored car, it was at that point the pack heard something unexpected, children screaming from inside the tunnel, young too, from the sound of it.

“John.” Lydia started uneasily.

“Yeah, I heard that too.” John replied, not taking his eyes off the situation down there.

Lydia noticed the look in John’s eyes and immediately knew what he was thinking.

“You better not say some stupid shit like to stay here. I’m coming with you.” Her tone made it clear this wasn’t up for discussion.

“So am I.” Cole chimed in from behind them.

“The hell you are.” Lydia reprimanded. “You’re barely old enough to drink, let alone go meddle with what stinks like vampire business.” She her expression turned serious as she asked, “You sure we should do this? Nothing good will come from meddling with this.”

“If I said let’s head back to camp and ignore this, would you listen?” John asked with a sad smile.

“Fuck no. Those kids didn’t do anything to deserve this. I’m going down there either way. I’m just asking whether you think you’re up for it. I mean, you are getting up there in years.” Lydia joked.

“Let’s go.” John said as the two took off down the paths, taking on forms of two monstrous wolves.

***

Matthias hurriedly led the heirs and their carers out of the armored transport while shielding them as best as he could from any potential ricochets.

The outer cameras had picked up what looked like an RPG and, as the highest ranking surviving member of the convoy, he’d ordered an immediate evacuation of the transport. It would be able to take a couple of hits, but he wasn’t gonna risk it. This path was one of the three most commonly used roads to the valley, and he knew it well. This tunnel had several service tunnels that could act as escape routes, with plenty of choke points to slow down any pursuers.

But what he hadn’t accounted for was that their attackers knew of these tunnels as well, they’d made it barely a couple hundred feet from the convoy when they were ambushed, the service doors wide open as a team of Sanguinares stood ready, their hungry sadistic grins made it clear they’d long since lost their humanity, giving in to the thirst letting it twist their minds.

They were upon him and the carers before he could react, all of them likely a hundred years his senior. He was slammed to the ground hard enough to break off several teeth, but they didn’t kill him immediately.

He watched and felt as they herded the heirs together into a group, radiating sick joy at the distress they caused not just in the children buy also in Matthias and the other Sentires present.

They were forced to watch as one of the Reds took a young boy and dragged him out in front of them. Her thoughts were bloodthirsty and cruel as she pulled a long combat knife from her side and put it to the young Heir’s throat.

“The Council sends their regards.” She said, something unnatural and dark rippling underneath the skin of her arm.

Matthias couldn’t see her face, but he could feel the enjoyment she felt from the young heir’s wailing cries of pain and fear as she slowly dragged the knife across his skin, drawing blood.

Matthias’s Sentire instincts were screaming at him to save the boy, to chew off his own arm if need be, to fight, and fight he did. He struggled violently against their powerful grip, thrashing wildly, until he felt something else besides the fear and cruelty. He felt a strong protective instinct blanket the area just before a powerful gust of wind passed them and warm liquid splattered on his face before the headless torso of the woman holding the knife to the young boy fell to the ground.

The Reds were well trained and didn’t loosen their grip, but their game was over and they immediately pulled out their sidearms and executed their prisons. The last sight Matthias saw before it all went black was a young boy, still breathing.

“Please, someone, protect them.” Matthias pleaded with his final thoughts.

***

Lydia limped over to John, her hind leg useless as she’d taken a burst of machine gun fire from one of the vampires.

John had taken the road around the pass entering through the other side of the tunnel, seeing the situation they had wasted no time trying to at least save the children, but their enemies had been well trained and fast, John had taken one of them by surprise saving a young boys life, but Lydia had to prioritize either the children or the ones pinned and made the obvious choice, it had only made it harder seeing the thankful expression on one of the adults before they were ruthlessly executed, telling her she’d made the right choice.

“These were good people.” Lydia thought solemnly before turning to the huddling group of children.

She shifted back into her human form, eliciting a fearful cry from some of the younger children.

“Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Are any of you hurt anywhere?” She asked softly, crouching down slightly as to seem less imposing.

One of the older kids stepped forward to answer but was interrupted as the fighting at the other end of the tunnel seemed to have reignited and intensified.

“Let’s get them out of here.” John said, walking up from behind them, having checked the service door.

***

We’d heard heavy gunfire followed by an explosion while still driving up the mountain roads, but a couple of minutes before arriving, it had all but stopped. When we arrived, we saw why.

The Convoy had been completely wiped out. The attackers simple hadn’t had anything left to shoot, and we saw them in the distance as they carefully started approaching the armored transport wedged in the tunnel.

“Oh god.” Sophia said, seeing the scene. Natasha’s expression turned cold and furious.

“Stop here.” Natasha all but ordered, and Sophia drove to the side of the road.

Smoke was rising in the distance from several wrecked cars burning, the heavy cloud of smoke having obscured us enough that we weren’t noticed barely a mile down the road. Although the attackers seemed more focused on the tunnel ahead of them than what approached from behind.

“I’ll move through the roadside ahead and check if there are any survivors.” Natasha said as she stepped out of the car and began strapping on gear and loading a compact rifle. “Be ready to leave quickly. Also, I’m sorry Aleks, but I think you should stay in the car. We don’t have the support for an all out attack so it’s too-“ Natasha looked at the back seat, Aleks nowhere to be seen. “God dammit!” She cursed as she looked ahead, spotting him just before he walked through the heavy smoke from ones of the burning cars.

***

“Move forward! The ambush team should already have made contact!” One of the Reds called out. Looking back, he saw the silhouette of what he assumed to be one of his men lacking behind. “Are you deaf?! Get a move on, we can’t let any of them get away!” He reprimanded as he moved towards the figure, the thick smoke of burning rubber and gasoline blocked his vision until he was little more than a couple of feet from the figure, but before he could reach out, the wind shifted and blew the harsh black smoke away revealing a 6’5 man wearing heavy armor with a T slit helm showing a singular light which seemed to focus on him.

“What the fu-“ Was all he could get out before the armored man charged him, leaving wisps of thick black smoke trailing behind him.

As the armored man tackled him to the ground, he quickly realized he very wasn’t fast or particularly strong, sure, compared to a human he could have been an Olympic athlete, but next to the strength of a Sanguinares of his age, the armored man might as well have been a child.

He exerted his strength and practically flung the armored man into a nearby smoldering SUV, heavily denting the door. But the armored man stood back up with an almost mechanical steadiness to his movements, not wasting a single ounce of energy more than strictly necessary. The movement felt unnatural and oddly intimidating.

Deciding he’d had enough of this he opened fire with his rifle peppering the armored thing with bullets tearing through the armor, it remained standing, he only now noticed the thick black smog that surrounded them as it slowly drifted towards the holes in the armor resealing them, the smoke parted slightly revealing two additional armored figures stepping forward before charging him along with the first. Every time one was beaten, two more would take it’s place. After barely a minute, over twenty armored entities were charging at him, beating him senseless as he had no more energy left to fight back.