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“I hate you, you hear? How’s it feel knowing I’m fixing to take down your vampire? I’m gonna tear out his heart and feed his guts to them buzzards. If you ain’t coming home ’cause of lover boy, reckon I’ll just git rid of him myself. No reason left for you to linger ’round these parts.”
Lyra laughs, her voice filled with both amusement and defiance. “And just how are you going to do that when you can’t even reach him?”
“You think you’re so smart,” he sneers at me. “We’re challenging you to a fight vamp, ’til the bitter end, right on our stomping ground, come tomorrow night. And when you bite the dust, Lyra’s gonna suffer, and I’ll make sure her life’s a living hell. If you’re too chicken to face me, reckon that’ll prove you’re nothing but a yellow-bellied bloodsucker.”
Lyra releases herself from my grasp, stepping forward with a resolute expression. “No, he won’t fight you.”
My mind races, considering the weight of Lucian’s words and the repercussions of my decision. Honor, an integral part of my existence, demands that I defend my reputation when it is challenged. Though I have no desire to engage in a battle with Lucian, knowing that Lyra has already chosen to stand by my side. But I am compelled by the code of my people to protect my honor. I’m not afraid of him, and I will accept his challenge, for it is my duty to defend what is rightfully mine.
“I accept your challenge,” I declare, my voice steady and unwavering.
Lyra’s eyes widen in disbelief as I make my decision known. “No, don’t do this. Please, Xavier,” she pleads, her hands reaching out to grasp mine.
I turn to face her, my expression softening as I take in her distress. “Love, I understand your concern. But honor dictates that I can’t ignore Lucian’s challenge. It’s not out of fear, but out of duty that I accept. They will just keep coming back for you until this matter is settled once and for all.” Leaning in, I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, hoping to alleviate her worries. “I promise I will return to you unharmed.”
“That’s what you reckon, huh, you sumbitch,” Lucian growls. “You’re heading straight for hell, son. And let me tell you, I’ll be the one to...”
But I have heard enough from him. Swiftly, I grab the door and forcefully close it in his enraged face, abruptly severing his tirade.
“Your brothers leave much to be desired. Thank the darkness your mother had the good sense to send you to school, letting you rise above their inbred ways,” I mutter under my breath as I turn away from the door.
Silence hangs in the air, and my gaze shifts towards Lyra, expecting a retort or an objection, but instead, I am met with the full force of her anger. Her eyes blaze with yellow fire, her fiery spirit is ready to consume me. In an explosion of frustration, she slams a fist against my chest, her fury echoing through the room.
“Why would you do that? Why would you accept his challenge?”
The living room beckons, its familiar furnishings offering a brief comfort. I make my way toward the space, my movements deliberate yet laden with the weight of my decision. The wet bar awaits, a haven of liquid courage. I reach out, my hand finding the decanter of blood—the life force that sustains my existence. Pouring the deep crimson elixir into the glass, I lift it to my lips, allowing its metallic scent to infiltrate my senses. I take a long sip, savoring the bittersweet taste, before facing the woman whose anger has trailed after me like a relentless shadow.
“I told you it was a matter of honor.”
“Screw your honor,” she retorts. Her eyes search mine, seeking understanding amidst the volatile ocean of emotions. “Do you even know why he wants to fight at the trailer park? Did you even stop for a minute to think about it?”
“It doesn’t matter, here or there, I will wipe Lucian from the face of the earth. It’s not a full moon tomorrow either, so he can’t even rely on his transformation.”
“No, Xavier. Think about what he said. He said ‘we challenge,’ not ‘I.’ Who is the ‘we’ he was talking about? My brothers are strong; they only need the full moon to turn into full wolves. They can turn into their half-beast form any time they want. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”
Bloody hell, a half-beast. I can only imagine the hideous fusion of man and monster, the lovechild of a werewolf and a Picasso painting—utterly terrifying and perplexingly grotesque.
I shake off the image. “I’m not afraid; I have faced more dangerous foes than Lucian.”
“God, listen to yourself,” she exclaims, her voice teetering on the edge of despair. “This isn’t going to be a fair fight. You won’t be facing Lucian alone; you are going to face all my brothers, and when the bloodlust kicks in, the rest of the pack will join in too. You accepted his terms without clarification. You don’t stand a chance.”
Does she have so little faith in me?
I slam the glass down on the table, its sharp clink reverberating through the room. The sound punctuates my resolve as I advance towards her. “What would you have me do, love? Should I cower and back down, knowing that I am outnumbered? Or should I stand my ground and fight for what is right?” My voice rises with each word, my anger boiling over. “I will not allow anyone to treat you like this, to disrespect you, or to threaten you. I will fight for you, even if it means putting myself in danger.”
“No, we can run away. We can start a new life together, far away from all of this. We can find a place where we can be happy and safe, please.”
I don’t understand where Lyra is coming from. She is usually so fierce, but now she seems scared and vulnerable.
“Run away?” My voice rises further, laced with incredulity. “Do you not understand? This is about our home, our sanctuary, our very existence. How can you ask me to abandon it?”
“Please don’t do this, Xavier; I beg you. What good is a home if you’re not in it?”
“It’s not about running away. It’s about the principle, the defiance against those who seek to control us, to strip us of our freedom. I will not be forced from my home and my life.”
“And what about me, Xavier?” She brings her hand up to her chest, pressing it against her heart. “What about my fears, my desires? Do they mean nothing to you?”
“Of course, they mean something to me. More than you’ll ever know. But I can’t let fear dictate my actions. I refuse to let it engulf us.”
