chapter 10

Hatred, which could destroy so much, never failed to destroy the man that hated, and this was immutable law

-- James A. Baldwin

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    I awoke in my bed, a blanket covering me and IV's piercing my skin… I hate needles. Honestly I don't know how they got me in the bed, I lifted myself off the bed and noticed I was still in the same clothing, it smelled of blood, old blood, I removed the IV's and tried my best to get to the closet, three steps was all my body could handle before I banged into the wall for support, before I could even try again my door flew open and all I could see was red hair flying in my direction… Kerry.

    K<3: Hey hey hey slow down Slade. You been out for a few days.

    When my eyes finally focused on the blur in front of me I looked into those Amber eyes, those intoxicating eyes.

Hey beautiful, care to help me towards my closet then.

   She blushed

K<3: I would rather have you lay down but… those clothes reke, and you need a shower as well

Well I would love to have some good alone time but I think your rushing it Missy.

   I have never spoken like this before… damn I must be doped up on painkillers but it did get a great reaction out of her, her skin seem even a darker red than her hair.

K<3: That's not what I-.. Just-... ugh… shut up and let me help you there okay?

Fine with me beauty.

   She helped my into my bathroom and set the shower to a temperature I thought cold, but it would work, Kerry walked out and I washed the blood from my body, thing is I never had to wash my own blood off, it was only a bullet hole anyways, shouldn't have caused this much. Once I was cleansed of blood I grabbed a towel and dried off, I was able to walk better so I wrapped the towel around my waist headed out, kerry was sitting at the foot of my bed and blushed once again and turned her gaze back to the door.

Oh I can't be that hideous can I?

K<3: You know that's not why I'm looking away

   I laughed and headed towards the closet, I pulled a set of boxers and jeans on when I felt her gaze upon me once again, I was about to pull a shirt on when she spoke up again

K<3: those scars… how did you get them.

   I'm a fighter, a wolf that kills people that end up on a paper with cash behind their names, over the years I've killed many but sometimes they leave their mark, I call them my battle scars, the only scars I hide are the ones that I would rather forget about.

My scars tell a story… they are reminders of when life tried to destroy me but failed… Most have come from witches right before I end there life, others… come from wolves that turned their back on the packs, rogues... is what there called.

   She got up and walked over to me, she was hesitant but she placed her hands on the scars, following them around my back, she stopped on one that was a few inches below my neck.

That one came from a boy named Clark, he left the pack for a witch, Clark ended up on the list after he killed his father because she asked him to.

   She stopped and looked at the scar

K<3: how'd he get you?

When I went after him… his girl came at me with some dark magic, but it's effects didn't last and she ended up killing herself because she knew what would happen if I had got hold of her, when I moved towards her he came out of nowhere and ripped a great chunk out of my back… luckily my grandmother has worked with magic, especially healing magic, it Could've been completely gone but what's the fun in that… it nearly killed me so I make sure I'm reminded of it.

K<3: why be reminded of the time you killed your own kind.

   I looked at her, stunned.

I don't kill because I can… I kill because it's my job, he betrayed us first… his betrayal brought upon his own death.

K<3:... why though? Why is it a wolf's job to kill, taking a life can't be easy, leave it to the hunters…

pshhh… to people like your father?

   She looked away

K<3: he's grown up in this life… you still have years to live, all this life does is kill… I don't want to see you dead… again.

   She really cared about me, I smiled at the thought that someone actually doesn't want to see me dead, many I've met out of the packs and Keith tend to want me dead, I grabbed her chin and turned her to look at me.

I'm not going to get myself killed, your father has been the only one that has ever gotten close, and I'm not going to let that happen again.

   I gave her a smile.

I'll be fine Kerry, this life… is what I do.

   She looked into my eyes as I looked in hers, she knew I was telling the truth, but she didn't like it, her eyes showed fear for what I was, but she didn't want to let me go.

I know this life of mine is terrible. I had wanted it to stay a secret from you, the life of a werewolf is not easy to have or burden.

K<3: you would've kept this a secret from me? How would you explain to me when you would go on a hunt, or if it was a full moon?

... I don't know, I think if I knew you would be ready to understand what I do I would've told you… but you know now. Can you take the burden?

   The silence afterwards almost tore me to shreds… would she leave me, I have gone through a lot these past months… I don't know how I would handle this.

K<3: your asking me to betray my family, they have been hunters for generations, some have died by the hands of wolves.

Kerry I'm not asking you to betray your family… the choice is entirely up to you. If you want to go, you can.

   If she chose to leave, I would be destroyed… I don't want to lose her, I've only started to see who she was, and what she can be. My life will not be easy for her, but I'll be by her side and let her know I will be here to comfort her till the end of time. She finally met my gaze once more… and smiled.

K<3: If my family has a problem with a wolf being my boyfriend… then let them be bothered, your mine Slade. And you better not cross me.

   I smiled back

Wouldn't plan on it.

   I embraced her and held her there for what felt like hours, I finally let her go when I felt the presence of another person, Keith was standing at my door, looking our way.

K: Your up… good, now she can leave.

   It was obvious from the start that Keith didn't care for Kerry, he probably knew something would happen to me if I kept on following the road Kerry was on, but it didn't matter now, she saved me and he needed to respect that.

She'll be staying here… right now her father is probably fuming about me surviving and that his daughter helped me escape.

K: The more reason to send her back, it's not our problem for what happens to her, but it will be our problem when he decides to come wreak havoc upon the pack.

    Keith needed to grow up, I was about to argue with him when Kerry spoke up.

K<3: He won't come after the pack…

K: And how do you know that?

K<3: Because… when I had been born my father accepted an offer from John. My father would help keep the riff raff out and John would make sure I was protected, but If any of the wolves among the Tennessee pack ended up dead by the hands of my father, John would not hesitate to come after me.

    This was news to me, John had always mentioned agreements between other species to me, so I wouldn't end up breaking them, I was now being told that he had made an agreement with a hunter… a hunter he failed to mention to me. I wasn't going to have any good words to throw his way.

K: Then why did he think it was a great Idea to go after Slade, He is a wolf after all.

Technically I'm not apart of the pack though Keith, due to my exile and the packs rules, I can't officially be apart of the pack, but they would be there if I needed them.

K: So What? Do you believe John would've accepted your death then and not do anything about it?

Knowing John, he would break the deal over my death, if your father had succeeded… he would've put a price on your head.

K<3: Slade… my father did succeed, you died back there, but then you came back basically in the same condition you had died in… how?

   I looked down at my hand, at my father's ring… it had been glowing when I awoke. It protected me, my father gave this to me to protect me. The shitty thing was if he hadn't given it to me… he would've still been here.

My father's ring… it was glowing when I came back… it was a gift from him.

K: So your ring has not just one… but two enchantments on it… talk about Plot Armor.

   Keith looked as if he wanted me to give him the ring, I pulled my hand closer, there was no way I was letting Kerry see my hands, and now I know this ring keeps me alive.

The thing is though… nothing comes without a price, especially if it brings me back from the dead, I just don't know what it is…

K: This price is something we need to figure out… so if I were you I wouldn't go and get myself killed again.

   Is it just me or is Keith sounding more of an ass lately, he normally never questioned me or ever tried to insult me. If this was all because of my newly found relationship, then I would be talking to him about it soon.

Then let's get going, I don't want to die anymore then I need to.

    I headed towards the door leading out of my bedroom but before I made it… I felt the bloodlust, the vampire inside me had awoken and wanted to be fed, the pain it caused brought me to my knees, Kerry ran my way but I couldn't let her get close… My hunger may take over

Kerry… Get back. NOW!

    Startled by my sudden outburst she stepped away, I looked to Keith and he noticed the look in my eyes, he knew what was happening.

K: Kerry there's a black cooler out in the kitchen, go grab one of the packets out of it, and be fast.

    Kerry ran out of the room and the hunger increased, it had caught the scent of her blood, flowing through her veins. I stood up, the vampire overpowering me and started towards the door to drink her blood but Keith didn't allow me to go anywhere, he jumped on my back pinning me to the ground

K: KERRY HURRY!

    She came back to the room holding a bag full of a dark liquid

K<3: Keith is this… Blood?

    I was stunned, Keith had taken it upon himself to get blood to feed me, I knocked him off me and ran to Kerry ripping the bag out of her hand and draining it in a few seconds, surely one bag couldn't feed the vamps hunger, but miraculously it did, the hunger went away with every gulp of blood, until it was completely empty. I don't know how that royal does it... to not drink blood and still be able to control himself, this hunger has driven me to the very edge, and I almost tumble over the edge when it hit me the third time. This was getting out of hand... if I don't find a way to cushion the blow of the hunger, I may harm not only more of the innocent, but I also may harm those I hold close. But I've also concluded that I'm not going to let Lizard Boy put the lid back on the pot... I'm going to keep my strength, but remove the hunger entirely, I just don't know how to do just that. Keith may know of something that will help, but I don't know if he will want to, while he seemed ok with Lucas being a vamp, but really... he despises vamps.

   And now I was a vamp, no... a hybrid, something much worse, something that in the past, was uncontrollable. But I am his friend, his brother, he would do everything to help me. I finally got control of myself and looked towards the two, keith looked as fine as ever but Kerry looked shookin up.

Sorry you had to see that Kerry, it's been a problem for that past week, ever sense that idiot that lucas had over unleashed it.

K<3: unleashed what though, you said your a werewolf, and wolves don't go physco for blood.

Well… that's sort of correct but yes, I'm not just a werewolf… I'm also a vampire, this is generally known as hybrid.

   Before I could even continue my lecture upon my being, Keith pulled out an old scripture, something his parents had collected over the years before they had been killed

K: I may have an answer for this problem of yours Slade, You may like this answer as well.

   I knew I could count on Keith, he had my back… even if he was pissed at me.

Well then… What is it?

K: this… {Looking at the paper} will solve that bloodlust of yours, after we do this, you will no longer feel the need to drink blood as often as you do.

But I'll still want blood.

   He looked away from me, not wanting to meet my gaze

K: Not exactly… As you had said earlier Slade, nothing comes without a price. This spell will remove the bloodlust as well as the hatred that all vampires hold, but you can't just remove them and let them roam the world. Once we remove them, they will need to be crafted into weapons.

   Remove the bloodlust, as well as the hatred, then formed as a weapon… wheres the price? This sounds great, no backfire.

Your still not telling me the price it will take…

K:... Once crafted into a weapon, whomever bares these will act upon the weapons desire. So if you were to hold the bloodlust weapon, you will kill anything that crosses your path and the pain it will cause… will be excruciating to that person. And if you held the hatred weapon, you won't hesitate to kill the person who is stopping you from doing what you want to do. They also will cost a leg and a bone. The bloodlust and hatred will be held in gems that are apart of the blade. The gems will act as prisons to these terrible two.

   Held in a prison of gem, not to be let out. Just the way it should be

What kind of gems.

K: any gem really, as long as it's real.

   I moved over toward my closet, in the back of the closet I opened the safe that was hidden among clothing, inside sat my fortune, gems gold trinkets that buy anything you could ever want. I grabbed a ruby and hematite. In wolf lore, the ruby was created by the blood of the first werewolf, Fenrir. The Hematite on the other hand… had been created by the tears of Skol after his father and been tied down and left alone for eons. To have these gems was a great honor among the wolves, I've collected these over years of fighting, they had been given to me as a token of gratitude by wolves I've saved or taken off the bodys of the slain, I never wanted to use these… but if they take the pain and hatred away, then so be it.

Ruby for the bloodlust, and Hematite for the hatred, what do I need to do?

   I had never shown Keith my collection before and he had looked mystified at these gems.

K: I just need a drop of your blood on both gems and it should work.

   I pricked my finger and let two droplets of blood drop on the gems, what came next is hard to explain. I have never understood magic, and this well… was some strong magic. Keith had placed his hands on the gems and started his spell, the room lit up in the light of red and black, when it finally disappeared, in Keiths hands were to blades, Karambits. The Hematie gave one blade a dark look, it had a red webbing around it, as for the ruby, it created a blood red blade. Keith handed them to me, the hatred and bloodlust taking a toll on him.

The hatred blade shall be named 'Black Beauty', the bloodlust will of course be named 'Blade of eternal bloodlust'

   I Sheathed the blades and was about to put them away when I got a text on my phone

"Slades is grandma, come home NOW!!!! I need help."