Alex nodded at Darric before he left and he looked at Claudia. "You have a twin brother?" He opened the door for her and as she slid into the car he slid into his seat and started driving to this large house outside of town. There was a lot of acreage. "This is my home." He pulled into the drive and you could hear the pride in his voice. There was another car there and they saw Kitty running around outside playing with a dog.

Alex parked the car and opened Claudia's door before she could do it herself. Although once inside the house he kissed her and picked her up wrapping her legs around his waist and ran into his room with her. Kicking the door shut he kept kissing her like she was his life.

@kyrisse (sorry took so long-phone rang)

"Yeah. He's my only family." Claudia responded and let Alex lead her back to the car. She slid into the passenger seat with not so much as a complain. While it would have made her grumble, she didn't as her mind drifted onto something else. She was silent the whole trip.

Crimson Keepers... She's heard of the name before but she couldn't quite place where. Should she join the pack just because Caius was in it? If she did join the pack, wouldn't she end up fighting vampires? What of Alex?

She blinked when she realized that she was already considering Alex into her future plans. A vampire. And one she had only met a few hours ago. Was it possible that she had imprinted on him? She shook her head. No, she couldn't possibly have. She has always expected to imprint on a fellow wolf. Imprinting on a vampire was nothing short of impossible. What she was feeling now was just lust. Yeah, that was it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her train of thought was broken when the car slowed down in front of a large house. "Looks like you live in style," she said in response to Alex. The vampire she had seen Alex speaking to in the pub was also there. She unhooked her seat belt and was about to open the car door when Alex beat her to it. She chuckled. A vampire being a gentleman to a werewolf.

Claudia stepped into the house and marveled at how large it was. Her curious nature made her want to explore. But apparently, Alex had other plans. She could barely react when he swooped down and began kissing her. At the touch of his lips to hers, she felt herself automatically heat up. She wrapped her legs around his waist when he lifted her up. She tangled her fingers into his hair as he brought her to his room. Her lust was at its peak even before the door shut behind them.

((It's okay. ))

Alex barely contained his need for her as the door slammed shut. Clothing fell to the ground, the last of it only an instant before he pulled himself back for just a second looking at her below him on the bed. His eyes were locked onto hers as he saw her consent, Alex gave into his primal need for her. His craving for her blood intensified more than it had for any other and his fangs dropped. Not wanting to scare her or force her to do something she didn't want to he retracted them. Feeding was a part of sex for a vampire and it was a craving he was having trouble with ignoring.

---

Kitty was playing out back with the dog that came by every day. It was a stray but it had looked hungry so when it had started coming by regularly she started buying dog food and a collar for it. Pretty soon it was claimed to be her dog and she had taken him to the vet and gotten him fixed and now he was on all of the things that humans determined he should be for a long happy life. She would run and play with him every day and he had stopped leaving the property a couple of months back. Now he knew this was his home and he accepted it. After a long playful session he would always knock her down and lick her face. Today was no different. The dog knocked her on her back and then licked her face. When he started growling at the direction of the woods she sat up, stopped laughing and looked around. "Charlie go in the house."

The dog ignored her and stayed between her and the woods. She caught the scent of a werewolf in the air and it wasn't the one in the house with Alex. Alex's lady smelled sweet and this one smelled musky and earthy. She picked up her larger then life dog and carried him to the house and put him inside. Her dog barked continuously when she shut the door on him. Kitty walked towards the woods and stopped halfway there and waited. "You can come out now. If you are good I won't bite."

@kyrisse

Claudia went wild as she felt Alex against her, all over her and inside her. The world around them seemed to fade away as she let lust and instinct take over. Nothing else mattered. There was only Alex and the heat that was raging between them. When she saw his fangs protract, she was so caught up in their lovemaking that she no longer pulled back or showed any signs of aversion. Almost automatically, she tilted her head to the side to allow him full access to her neck. Her heart beat quickened at the thought of having him feed on her, partly due to fear but mainly because she wanted him satisfied.

---

Darric sauntered out of the darkness as though it was the most natural thing to do, his cunning gray eyes on the female vampire. "If you play nice, I won't bite as well," he chuckled and said in a relaxed voice. He took a quick glance at the dog then at the house. He could smell Claudia and the male vampire she was with in it. A strange combination but it wasn't completely unheard of. He personally knew of wolves that have taken a liking to illicit relationships with their long since declared nemesis. But having the young she wolf imprint on a vampire was rare and it was the first he had ever witnessed. Her willingness and choice of staying by his side when she could have ran earlier was proof of it, strengthened by her reaction to his touch. He saw the look in her eyes. There was no denying it. Even if she herself hadn't realize it yet, she now belonged to the vampire and no force on earth will stop her from following him to the ends of the earth. He turned his attention back to the vampire. "I mean no ill will. I am merely...observing. And watching out for a wolf that should be under my care. Is the master of this house your sire?"

Alex saw Claudia raise her neck to him and pull her hair over so he could feed. It took so much self control not to just rip into her but he managed to hold himself back long enough to be gentle and carefully glide his teeth into her neck and then he fed on her sating his hunger. This just drove his need for her deeper and deeper until he lost control completely and gave in to his body's demands. He bit his lip and kissed her bite marks healing them. As he drove them both to the edge of heaven and back his eyes locked with the passion in hers. Once they were spent they lay in each other's arms and he kissed her gently and continuously. Alex was in love and he knew that could be dangerous in his line of work but he also knew that he couldn't let her go.



Kitty watched as the wolf man came out of the trees. He was very handsome and his muscles were well defined and she felt an attraction instantly but she didn't want to be attracted to him because he was her enemy. "Yes, Alex is my sire. I think the lady wolf will be well cared for. He has never brought a woman to our home before so she must be special to him." Kitty inspected him and asked, "If you are here to fight him for her you will lose. I don't see him giving her up if he cares enough to bring her here." Realizing that what she said might sound insulting she backtracked and stammered a little. "I..I didn't mean you couldn't win, just that he would be even more fierce than usual if you tried to take her from him." She blushed a little.

Claudia's body stiffened when she felt Alex's fangs graze the sensitive skin on her neck. Her eyes flew open as her survival instincts kicked in. When the tip of Alex's fangs broke her skin, she almost pushed him off her. Her eyes changed from a clear blue shade to golden and it took all of her self control not to lash out to protect herself. Strangely, her body relaxed as soon as Alex clamped down and began drinking from her. There was pain, that was for sure. But with it came a sensation she didn't expect to feel from a vampire bite. It was a heady sensation that turned her hotter and cranked up her sexual desire for him. All her inhibitions soon faded away and there was only Alex. "Oh, God..." she moaned when their lovemaking became faster, hotter and rougher, her movements matching his. With a shudder, she collapsed against him, completely satiated and spent. She returned his kisses as she laid in his arms. There was no doubt in her mind now that she has indeed imprinted.

---

Darric raised an eyebrow at the female vampire. It was strange that she gave out information without so much as a blink of an eye. He half expected her to attack him fangs and all just for being something that most of her kind hated. "Alex... Alex North." he mumbled thoughtfully. He knew the vampire and has heard of his exploits. Sure enough, fighting someone with that much caliber would no doubt be a daunting task. Not that he wanted to fight in the first place. He shook his head. "I have no business fighting him or trying to take Claudia away from him. I will, however, keep my eye on him and on her." He meant what he said. If the vampire ended up harming Claudia, he would need to intervene for the simple reason that she was Caius' twin. Caius was his blood brother, effectively making Claudia family as well. He took another quick glance at the house. "I'll see you around," he said before turning and disappearing back into the shadows.

A few minutes later, a howl echoed in the night.

Kitty was about to ask him to wait when he disappeared into the woods. She turned back to the house. She had given out more information than she probably should have but there were very few who could even compare to Alex when it came down to his age and strength. She stomped into the house she would have liked to have continued speaking to... hell she hadn't gotten his name. "Fuck" she mumbled irritated with herself.

Kitty knocked on Alex's bedroom door. "Mr. and Mrs. North! Someone was here asking about you Claudia." Alex threw the covers over them and yelled."Open the door Kitty." She opened it and stood in the doorway. "Some wolf with a scar on his face showed up to check on Claudia. He never said his name but I told him she would be safe because if you brought her here she must mean something to you since you never bring girls here. I probably shouldn't have told him that part. I thought you should know. So Daddy? Is this my new Mommy?" She laughed and closed the door as Alex threw a shoe at her.

Alex had a small smile on his face at the Mrs and the Mommy part. He chuckled and turned back to Claudia. "I'm sorry she can be a real handful. I don't know if that guy is trustworthy or not. If he is looking out for you that is fine but if he tries to take you away from me I'll kill him." Alex lay on his side looking at her. "You are simply beautiful. I need to let you know that I'm not a nice guy. You are my lady so to you and those I've sired I am but to others it is rare that I open up."

@kyrisse

Claudia was nestled against Alex tracing circles on his chest when Kitty spoke out from behind the door. She looked at the female vampire from under the covers Alex had thrown over both them. She listened to what Kitty said, a fierce sense of possessiveness coming over her from being called Mrs. North. Who would've thought she'd feel this way? She spoke only when Kitty left. "Hmm... Darric followed us here? Did Caius tell him to?" she wondered out loud, finding no real sense in keeping her thoughts from her mate. She looked at Alex thoughtfully. "I don't think he wants to take me away from you. At least I didn't sense any ill intent from him." She leaned forward and planted small kisses along Alex's jaw. "That's perfectly fine. Nice guys are boring," she mumbled and then shifted position so that she was on top of him, ready for another round.

---

Running through the trees and darkness, Darric felt Caius' mind. He reached out to it. Being the alpha of the pack, he had a wider telepathic reach than any other. Caius. What's your current location? He waited for an answer.

It didn't take long before Caius' voice echoed in his head. Hey Darric. Missed me? he chuckled. I'm a good three days away from where you are. Do you need me to get there earlier?

No, not particularly. Although I think you may want to.

There was a long pause. Claudia. She's there?

Yes.

And...she's what? What the hell? Caius huffed. I'll be there by tomorrow night.

Alex's laughter turned to throaty moans as his lady turned her attentions to his pleasure. Just before his mind succumbed to her completely he thought to remind himself later to ask about her twin later. They didn't surface from the bedroom for several hours.

When they did Alex saw Shade walk into the house and his eyes got wide seeing Claudia there. He smiled slightly and went into the living room to watch tv. "Where is Kitty Cat?" "I told you to watch her." Shade got up and came back into the doorway. "She left club right after you did, I thought she went with you." "She was here but she didn't come here with me. I have no idea where she is." Shade gave him a frustrated look. "Go find her Shade." Alex commanded gently. "Son of a bitch, I'm gonna strangle her!" When the door banged shut Alex chuckled.

---

Shade sped into town. Kitty Cat liked to eat fresh as he called it. Problems arose because she was not good at covering her tracks. She had gotten into trouble with the police because of her antics. Alex and Shade had had to glamour them several times already. When he caught her she was shouting at some skanky vamp who oddly was drinking from a drug addict. That kind of blood was not going to be good for her. Kitty kicked the other vamp girl in the back and then she ripped her head off by climbing on her back and yanking. About this time Shade ran up and grabbed her. "Kitty! Damnit Alex said you aren't supposed to be out here on your own."

---

Kitty was still kicking and screaming at Shade when he threw her on the ground outside of the city. "You stupid bitch! You are going to get us all in trouble. You can't go on a feeding frenzy or help your little druggy vamp friend do it. One of these times Alex will not send me for you and you'll get staked." Kitty walked away from him and back towards the house. Charlie came back outside to her and licked her face and growled facing the woods again. "You'd be the only one to notice if I were gone huh Charlie." Kitty lay on her back and looked up at the stars and wondered how many times she would be doing this very thing. Now that Alex had a serious mate she wasn't going to have attention from anyone but Charlie. He wasn't going to have time for her, and Shade... he was like the pissy older brother who didn't like babysitting. She closed her eyes when Charlie growled. "Charlie be quiet. There is no one out here but us and Shade the asshole."

@kyrisse

Claudia stepped out of the room, thoroughly pleased but lost in her thoughts. Was Caius around? What would he think if he knew that she had imprinted on a vampire? She imagined he'd be incredulous and then he'd laugh at her, knowing that between the two of them, she was more likely to attack than to bed a bloodsucker. Or would he be angry? Her brow furrowed but she blinked when she saw Shade. "Hey," she greeted a little awkwardly. She wasn't exactly comfortable being in the house with vampires. Alex was an exception of course.

---

What the hell has gotten into her? A human, fine. A warlock, sure. But a vampire? Seriously? I thought she hated them with a vengeance, Caius continued raging inside Darric's head.

Caius, I love you like a real brother but you are seriously giving me a headache. I can't answer any of your questions. So you'll have to take it up with her when you get here. Darric responded.

Caius ignored Darric's complaints. You've met this vampire, have you? I---

Caius's voice disappeared as Darric cut off their telepathic connection by shifting back to his human form. He shook his head. Tomorrow night was gonna be interesting. He silently slipped into his rented apartment.

Kitty lay on the ground with Charlie barking at her and he was backing up towards the house. She was totally ignoring his warnings and he turned and ran through the doggy door as the wolf attacked his master. Kitty's screams were deafening. The wolf was tearing the skin off of her bones and the pain...the pain was horrific. Charlie was jumping at Alex when it started and he got there in time to see it rip Kitty's heart out. Shade was there at the same moment and as Alex crushed the wolf's body in fury and grief he watched Shade cry as he held what was left of Kitty.

Alex dropped to his knees in anguish.

Claudia ran out of the house the same time Alex did when Kitty screamed. But when they got there, it was too late. There was nothing left of Kitty to save. Claudia sensed at least two more wolves nearby. She sniffed the air. Young and untrained. Probably a small rogue pack. Her eyes immediately changed from blue to gold as she watched Alex kill the wolf that tore into his childe. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she felt the change happen.

Claudia has always been affected by acts of violence particularly if it involved vampires. But this time it was different. This time she felt that unshakable need to protect what was hers despite knowing that Alex can protect himself even without her. A low growl escaped her throat as she burst out of the black leather clothes she had taken earlier, a huge mass of black fur, muscles, deadly claws and very sharp teeth. She took a quick glance at Alex before she shot out towards the trees and into the darkness.

It didn't take long for Claudia to locate the two young werewolves. Turned only on the last full moon, they had succumbed to the rage and both were clawing and biting at each other in the clearing. They were humanoid type of werewolves and by the way they moved, it was obvious that they had no control over their new forms. With no one to guide them, they were a liability. Both snarled at her when she stepped out into the clearing.

As both werewolves attacked, Claudia proved to be superior. With faster reflexes, she was able to bring down one of them. But the second one was more feral and was able to get a good bite out of her hind leg. She howled in pain but was relentless in her attacks until it too collapsed at her feet.

In the glow of the moonlight, the two werewolves reverted to their human forms. Teenagers. A male and a female, barely her age when she had changed. But these two didn't have Caius to guide them. And as she stood there, looking down at their lifeless bodies, she felt a great sorrow settle over her. She killed her own kind. It was a necessity but it didn't relieve the sadness that permeated her whole being. She pulled back her head and howled to the moon.

Alex had seen Claudia when he turned around and saw her darting into the woods. He had seen her and he followed her to make sure that she was alright. He could smell those other wolves and the thought that there was more than she could handle on her own worried him. He followed his nose and when he got there she had already laid waste to the first wolf and she was ripping the second one apart. Thankful that she was ok he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Alex got to her realizing that she had been bitten and was injured. He bit his wrist and put his blood directly over the wound and when she changed back he told her to drink and put his wrist up to her mouth. After she was healed he took off his shirt and put it around her so she wouldn't be naked in front of Shade. "Let's go back to the house baby."

Claudia did as Alex told her, moving as if she was some clockwork doll. As her mate lifted her in his arms, she took another glance at the two unmoving bodies. She had killed werewolves before but none so young as the two. What would have Caius done? He would have tried to calm them, communicate with them until they were able to control themselves. He wouldn't have just tear them apart like I did. He would save them. Her mind played back eveything in slow motion and she had to cringe at how savage she had been. Would it have been better if she had let them go? Alex would have torn them apart. His anger was immense She reached out and hugged Alex's neck as he carried her back to his house. "I'm sorry for your loss... she whispered.

When they reached the clearing Shade was standing there watching the small fire he set to burn what was left of her. He was also saying something in his native tribal language. Alex didn't know what it was but he knew that Shade had loved Kitty but she hadn't ever seemed to see him as anything but a brother. He ran them over to the small fire and he set Claudia on her feet and kept his arm around her. They stayed there for quite a while before eventually going back inside the house.

---

Casey walked towards the wooded area. She was running late and she only knew of one way to get there on time. She darted into the woods and she slowed so as not to twist her ankle on the uneven ground under her feet. The branches caught her hair every now and then. Casey's heart skipped a beat as she heard a wolf howl in the not too far off distance. Chills ran up her spine and she hurried her steps and kept as quiet as possible. She heard it coming up on her from the side and as it leaped at her she dropped to the ground and it sailed over her and she got up and ran faster dropping everything as it was now just not important. The large white wolf turned towards her and Casey stepped into a hole and fell breaking her ankle all she could do was roll up into a ball giving it her back to bite but not her face or chest. She screamed as the wolf bit her on the back and ran off.

Claudia stayed silent as she stood beside Alex and watched the flame. There has been too much death that night and it threw a wet blanket on her otherwise happy mood of being with her mate. The death of the two young wolves at her hands still gnawed at her conscience.

---

Darric looked out from his apartment window at the sound of wolves howling. One came from the direction of the vampire's house he had visited just a few minutes ago. It sounded sorrowful. Another one came from the opposite direction and seemed full of fury. He stared at the darkness for a few minutes before he decided that he needed to see what was happening.

Just as he stepped into the forested area he heard the howl from, a woman's scream pierced the night. It was human. The scream brought Darric into high alert and he hurried deeper into the forest until he saw a woman on the ground, her back bloody with what appeared to be a wolf bite.

He stepped forward towards her. "What happened?" he asked as he began helping her up.

Casey was scared nearly to death as the wolf had bitten her. She screamed with agony and it ran off deeper into the woods. Casey tried to get up to run but her ankle was firmly broken and she cried out when she tried to stand. That was when she saw a man coming through the trees at her. All her mind registered was that he was alive and trying to help her. Casey was in shock so she didn't respond to his questions right off. Her mind wasn't listening. It seemed to catch up all at once and she grabbed onto him for dear life begging him not to leave her there.

Her heartbeat was echoing in her head louder than it had ever been. Her back was bitten into high up closer to her shoulder. "I was going to a class and I was running late so I took a shortcut though the woods and I heard the wolf but by then it was too late. I ran but it attacked me. When I screamed it must have scared it off. How bad is the bite? Do I need to go to the hospital?" She laughed a fearful and disbelieving laugh, "at least I wouldn't turn to a werewolf until tomorrow night, ha ha no full moon til then." Casey closed her eyes and looked like she might pass out. "Please, you have to help me get out of here. I can't walk. I think my ankle is broken." The last thing Casey saw was the handsome face of a man with a couple of distinctive scars on his face.

@kyrisse

Darric looked down at the girl's broken ankle and then at her face as she pleaded with him. Quietly, he ripped off his shirt and used it as a makeshift bandage, tying it around her shoulder tightly. "The wound is deep. We'll need to have that cleaned." He leaned down and took her into his arms. "I can drop you off at the hospital if you want."

@Kyrisse



"What? No! Please don't leave me, isn't there another way? Is there really ... Are there really, werewolves? I heard that they are real not too long ago and now I'm kinda freaking out. Am I going to turn into a man eating werewolf or some other monster?" Casey had heard so many things in the last six months that she was very worried. She laid her head on his shoulder. "I just moved up here and I'm all alone." Exhaustion overtook her and she wrapped her arms around him and slept as he carried her.

Darric calmly listened to the girl's panicked words as he carried her out of the woods. But because she had fallen asleep, he had no idea where to bring her. Deciding that bringing her to the hospital was really not ideal, he brought her to his apartment instead.

His landlord was lounging at the front desk when he walked in. He looked up but didn't comment on why Darric was half naked and carrying a sleeping woman in his arms. He had seen too many strange things to actually concern himself with asking.

As soon as the door shut behing him, Darric laid her gently on his bed. He took out the first aid kit from the bathroom and silently walked towards the still unconscious woman. He pulled out a pair of scissors and began cutting her shirt on the part of the bite to adequately expose the wound. When he was done, he cleaned it and patched it. Once she turned on the next full moon, the wound would heal. Satisfied with his work, he put the kit away and settled on the couch a few feet away. He closed his eyes and settle into silence. He did not sleep, however, and kept his ears on alert.