The Allies of Old; Book Two Renewal: Chapter Forty Two "Resolve and Reservations"

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Chapter Forty-Two

They stopped suddenly and Ty released her, the dizziness from their method of travel causing her to trip and land hard on one knee. Jess looked around wildly and when her eyes landed on his face she shrank back from the malice in his expression. She saw the cabin he’d brought her to the night they’d met, and the realization that no one would know where to find them slammed into her mind at the same time she absorbed the terrible thing she’d just said to him.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, looking up at him with frightened eyes, “I didn’t mean what I said.”

He yanked her to her feet and grasped her under the chin. “Are you afraid of me little human?” he asked in a low, flat voice. “You should be, because you’re right, I am a monster.” His eyes flashed and she stared in choked horror as his fangs dropped. He yanked her head to the side and she cried out.

“Please! I’m sorry Ty, please I really didn’t mean it, you hurt my feelings and I lashed out, please!”

He was scraping her neck with his teeth and she gasped, terrified he was about to rip out her throat like they did in the movies. “Please,” she breathed and he turned her head, grasping her chin once more.

His eyes were shooting off sparks of light, his lips parted slightly to accommodate his fully dropped fangs and she shrank back from the alien look of him. His eyes narrowed further and she forced herself to shake off her fear, bringing a hand up to the side of his face. He blinked, seeming startled by the gesture.

Tears tracked down her cheeks and her lip trembled. “I really am sorry for what I said,” she whispered.

She watched in fearful fascination as his eyes returned to normal and his teeth disappeared into his mouth. He was holding her by the collar of her shirt and she felt his fingers tighten their hold.

A moment later he vaulted them into the air and then she was staggering in Michael’s back lawn. She looked around but he was gone. Her breaths came out in ragged bursts and she sank down to the frozen ground and put her face in her hands, hot tears drenching her fingers….

Her eyes opened slowly this time, her stomach tight with remembered fear and regret. She had remained on the ground for a long while before she’d finally pulled herself to her feet and went inside. And she’d refused to discuss the details with anyone. They would’ve blamed him, she knew, and she didn’t want that.

Aunt Harri had taken a nap shortly after they’d boarded the train back to France and she’d wanted to joke with Jenna about the ‘wolf’ wearing her out, but of course her sister was too busy being self-righteously pissy with her for that.

Harri was no longer asleep Jess realized, in fact she was no longer in her seat. She risked a glance to the right and found Jenna’s seat was also empty. Bathroom break?

She sighed heavily, reviewing her sister’s harsh words.
It wasn’t as if she didn’t realize she had a problem developing a real relationship with guys. She just didn’t know why, or how to change it. It might’ve made more sense if she had the same problem everywhere, but her friendships with the girls had come naturally.

For some reason she couldn’t quite put her finger on she had a problem being herself with the male of the species. Maybe it was insecurity. Maybe Jenna was right and she did rely too much on her looks, forgetting about her personality when she was with them.

She had tried to be different with Ty, though the fact that he was an immortal vampire should have clued her in to the absurdity of it long before he’d clued her in himself. But she’d been caught up in the excitement of it all, allowing her hormones and emotions to run away with her.

She knew now that what she’d felt for him had been attraction, even lust, but nothing more. He’d been right to call her a tease though she hadn’t meant to be. She hoped now that she was gone he would return to the house, she hated that she had driven him away, costing them a valuable fighter at a time when they needed all the help they could get.

She also hated constantly fighting with her sister, especially when she did have a point.. as she watched Jenna walk back down the aisle toward her she gave her sorrowful puppy eyes.

“I solemnly swear from this day forward I will know a guy’s deepest secrets before they get their first kiss.”

As she sat down Jenna’s eyebrow lifted and she giggled, “You don’t have to go that far. But just, you know, talk to them, find out what they’re interested in besides your body, have a real conversation or two. That’s all I’m asking. I’m terrified you’ll end up getting knocked up by some guy and then find out you hate him.”

Jess gripped her sister’s forearm and spoke earnestly, “I know what you’re saying, I’m not a complete moron. But I’m telling you I’m on a mission. I am going to learn their full life story before it gets personal, just to prove I can be friends with a guy. To myself, not you.”

Jenna nodded. “Good. That’s exactly what you need to do.”

They both looked up at the sound of high heels clicking down the aisle and watched Harri make her way towards them carrying drinks with little umbrellas. She smiled her typical breezy smile and handed the fruity concoctions over before sitting down beside Jess.

“That nap was just what I needed,” she said with a dramatic flourish. “Seth McKellar was absolutely insatiable, I wonder if it’s just him or if all wolves are the same way? I should like to meet another and find out!”

The girls grinned at one another, and the three of them sat back with their drinks and discussed the plans they had for the remainder of their European vacation.

**

Tyros sat on top of a telephone pole and stared sightlessly at the place he’d called home for the past five years, his mind lingering on the events of the past week.

You’re a monster, just like your parents! The girl’s carelessly thrown words had sliced through him like a dagger, mainly because they were true. He might keep the beast inside of him dormant, but it was there, and for a moment it had burst out of him snarling. If he had broken her skin in that moment, he might have been lost to it. The desire to drink from her had been nearly impossible to resist.

The males he lived with didn’t understand the overwhelming lure of it as they had never broken that rule. Of course, he thought bitterly, they had been brought up with the knowledge that it was wrong. Whereas he had been taught the opposite.

He’d told the girl a little about his life, about the woman who’d birthed him and her desire for his father-a male addicted to human blood and on the verge of turning. There was something about Jess’s silly naivety that had made her easy to talk to. Her company had been a soothing balm to the edge he always carried.

So he’d spoken of the fact that his sire had resisted the final plunge in order to reproduce. He explained that vampires could only conceive twice in the whole of their lives and not at all if they turned, and that if a male sired both children with the same female the offspring would invariably be of opposite sex. He’d gone on to explain that his father, Ce’Julienne, had been determined to have his prince and princess in place, so when Tyros was born he had waited until his mother was pregnant once more before draining the life of a human and forever condemning himself to darkness.
The girl’s vivid green eyes had actually filled with tears at that point.

He’d smiled wryly and said “Oh, but that’s not the end of the story. You see my mother did not give birth to a daughter, and her unfaithfulness cost the baby its life and nearly hers. But just before Ce’Julienne delivered her death blow, a “friend” pointed out that female vampires were in increasingly short supply. So he’d given her a choice-she could vow her life to him and turn, or die. She did not choose death.”

She had gasped at this point and blurted, “You were raised by condemned vampires?”

He had met her wide eyed stare with one of his own, surprised he’d revealed so much, but as he’d studied her expression he’d relaxed, realizing he could use the confession to his advantage. From what he’d observed of her type of female they loved being in another’s confidence, it made them feel special. And since his motivation in spending time with her had been mostly inspired by his prick, the decision to manipulate her was easy.

Unfortunately she was related to the biggest fucking cockblocker he’d ever met.

He scowled as his thoughts turned to the confrontation between the siblings on the night the little bitch had skimmed out on him. When he’d realized she was not coming back to the room he’d freed his swollen shaft and stroked it violently, imagining slipping it between her perfect tits and coming in her indecisive face.

Afterwards he had cleaned himself with the bra she’d left behind and thought about sneaking into her room that night and stuffing it in her fucking mouth.

Unfortunately he couldn’t carry out the action without serious repercussions.

He shook his head forcing his thoughts of the girl aside. She had left that morning and it was doubtful he would see her again.

His mind drifted to the males he’d lived with and fought beside for the past five years. He examined his feelings toward them and wasn’t particularly surprised to find a lack of guilt over his imminent betrayal. In the years he’d been there he had refrained from developing bonds with them, never losing sight of his goal. He could not afford to turn his back on the large payment that awaited him-his ticket out of his brother’s service.

He would truly miss fighting with them, however. Destroying demons had suited him, though his reasons for it differed greatly from that of his housemates. He couldn’t care less about duty or the preservation of mankind, it was the fight itself that had appealed to him and he was exceptionally good at it.

He lit a cigarette and took a long drag, watching the smoke swirl away from him. He reluctantly acknowledged that he was stalling. Even though he suffered no guilt over betraying the males of the house, there was a definite twinge in regards to the little female, his main purpose for being there in the first place.

He smiled thinly at the irony that up until a few weeks ago he hadn’t believed she existed. Had thought his brother was deranged…well that part was still true, but the idea that there might actually be something to the prophecies came as a surprise.

He flicked the cigarette and closed his eyes as he recalled a particular passage written in one of the old books. A “Malach”, or angel with hair the color of corn silk and sparkling jewels for eyes will appear in an unlikely place and breathe new life into the ancient race of sworn protectors joining with a warrior of old. One who will rise and lead the forces of good to victory, fighting for Adonai-Creator Most High-bringing humanity into a dawn of peace as the scales fell from the eyes of a people who had grown jaded and had long forgotten “ahavah”. Love.

There were many books with variations on the topic, but the theme remained the same, always involving members of their race who still upheld the old ways by destroying demons and protecting humankind. And always there was mention of a female who would serve as the catalyst.

His brother believed that if he acquired this female than the outcome of the prophecies would alter. So he had sent Tyros to find those who still lived by the laws of Ahavah.

Once Tyros had learned of Michael’s band of hunters Demetrius offered him more money than he could possibly refuse to infiltrate it, believing they would lead him to knowledge of the female’s whereabouts.

And though he’d never placed any stock in his brother’s notions, he’d agreed to do the job in exchange for half of the payment upfront, with a time limit of ten years. He hadn’t believed she was real, but felt a decade was a small price to pay for the large sum that was waiting.

Then Leo had called to inform them of the human girl turned vampire, and when he’d first laid eyes on Anna he’d been stunned to see the words from what he had considered a myth--in living, breathing color.

He felt another small pang as he pictured the little blonde healer. He knew his brother planned to make her his. He had spoken of some alternate prophecy, one where the “enlightened ones” would rise to power. In his version of things to come he would be the High Sovereign Emperor and his delusions required a fair haired healing Empress. He intended to breed this “Empress” with a male who had “yet to embrace his superior nature” and then claim the babe as his own sovereign son.

Tyros strongly suspected Demetrius wanted him to be that male so the child would have a blood tie.
Yes, he was stalling, though he knew if he waited much longer more were likely to learn of her existence. He couldn’t afford it getting back to Demetrius through some alternate route, particularly since she was residing under the same roof as him. Once his brother learned that little detail he would inevitably offer him an even larger sum of money to deliver her personally.

He let that roll around in his mind and his hands slowly clenched into fists. Fuck, he thought angrily, I can’t.

But he would have to give Demetrius something, he still needed the rest of his commission. So he’d give him her location along with everything he wanted to know about the males protecting her, which was all that was required of him in their original agreement.

As for her bond with the warrior Le’Jarien he would keep that to himself, as well as her human heritage. He was certain his brother would learn those things on his own but perhaps he could buy the female time enough for the ground shaking warrior to except his fate. Once that occurred, her abduction would be no simple matter. Not only would it be difficult to pry her from that monstrosity, but the nature of the bond would lead him to her if she was taken, and no amount of protection wards would keep him out.

He took a long breath and stood, glancing dispassionately down at the place he’d called home for half a decade. He would not see the inside of it again.

He blurred to his small cabin and entered it, sitting down on a worn armchair, the only piece of furniture that occupied the space. He pulled his cell from his pocket and stared at the screen for a long moment, knowing that once the call was made there was no turning back. But he would finally have what he needed to live in the style he desired. Am I really debating this? His lip curled self-deprecatingly as he punched in the number.

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