5. Ronyn

5

RONYN

Team A: you’re the northern side of the compound. Ten miles out, search everywhere. Team B: you’re the southern tip. Team C: east. Team D: west. We don’t leave an inch of these woods unscoured.

A bombastic howl reverberated through the woods as my feet slammed against the forest floor. There was no way in hell those vampires were getting the jump on us again. Not if I had anything to do about it. Even if me and my troops had to pull 24-hour shifts for the foreseeable future, that Delilah bitch would never be able to drop down onto our heads like that ever again.

As my troops and I raced through the woods, I felt my wolf clawing beneath the surface.

I raised my head toward the sky and bowed out my back. Talons grew from my fingernails and my teeth sharpened as I slammed down onto all fours. My stature grew. The darkness of my wolf’s shadow covered the ground as my clothes ripped and my pants snapped. I smelled their putrid stench wafting through the breeze. Every time it kicked it, the trees seemed to sneeze off their scent and coat the ground beneath their tops with it.

I snarled as my eyesight sharpened. I stalked deeper into the darkness as my hearing heightened. And one by one, placing my nose to the ground to sniff out the vampire’s pathways, my troops checked in.

North is clear, Lieutenant Riley thought.

So is west, Lieutenant Mac said when he reached out.

South is taken care of, Lieutenant Rhonda said.

But, Lieutenant Gallagher didn’t come in with anything regarding his patrol to the east.

Gallagher, I snarled as I leapt up the trunk of a tree, how’s the patrol coming along?

When he didn’t respond, however, I immediately pivoted myself toward the eastern wind that kicked up.

Gallagher! Lieutenant Riley barked.

We’re backtracking now, Lieutenant Rhonda said.

I’m headed your way as well, Lieutenant Mac snarled.

I lifted my nose into the air and sniffed deeply. Goddamn it, that stench still clung to the air. It was filthy. Unnatural. And I had no fucking clue why the hell it still lingered around with all this fucking wind ushering in autumn.

Unless…

Vampire! Lieutenant Gallagher finally managed to huff out. We’ve got a vampire down east-northeast of the compound! About eight and a half miles out!

I growled as I leapt from tree to tree, pivoting myself back around. I jumped from the treetop and slammed back down to the ground, shaking out my wolf’s fur. I dug my talons into the dirt. And as I took off in a dead sprint, I weaved around trees and leapt over downed trunks. The scent grew as I approached the direction my lieutenant called out. The ground seemed to rumble as all of my troops turned in the direction of Gallagher and sprinted like a bunch of motherfuckers.

And all of them were primed, ready for a fight.

Let’s slaughter this son of a bitch.

I want it’s fucking head.

I wanna watch that thing turn to dust. I promised my wife I’d tell her about it if I ever witnessed it.

Why don’t we put its head on a spike as a warning to any other vampires that try to approach us?

But, the conversation in groupthink stopped when a bombastic howl from Gallagher’s wolf sounded out. A strangled, pained howl that ricocheted through the night and shivered me to my fucking core.

You leave that fucking vampire to me, I growled as my feet battered against the forest floor, growing closer to my wounded lietenant. Team A, get back to the compound and take over the nightly patrol.

But, commander general ? —.

I leapt through the air and jumped down a hill, skidding through the mud until I reached the bottom. Team B, you’re going to continue to take split shifts in the woods tonight. Figure out who’s staying and who’s heading back to the compound. Whoever’s staying in the woods needs to be with me. Whoever’s staying at the compound needs to head there now.

But, Ron ? —.

I barked, sending the shockwave of my rumbling voice tumbling through the woods before I reached back out in groupthink. Team C, you’re in charge of trapping the compound. I want warning systems back up in the trees. I want snipers back in their nests. The whole nine. And Team D?

Finally, there was no fucking protest. Get some rest. Tomorrow’s another day, and you’ll be the team doing the first 24-hour shift switch out. Sleep, hydrate, and eat, because it’s about to get wild around here for a while. Now, go! You have your orders!

I let out another massive bark before I heard my troops scurrying through the woods. My nostrils flared as sweat dripped from between the undercoat of my wolf’s fur. I stayed the course, not stopping for anything until the stench of that vampire was too putrid that I couldn’t fucking stand it.

And as half of Team B came racing from the other direction of the woods, another whimpering howl resounded throughout the night.

Gallagher, we’re coming! Just hold on! Lieutenant Rhonda exclaimed.

I’m gonna slaughter that dead carcass if it’s done anything to my lieutenant.

Should someone tell his wife?

Do we need to reach out to Voss?

I jumped through the air, leaping over a rushing river as Gallagher’s pained cries finally surfaced to my ears. No one does anything when you have your orders.

I never ran so hard in all my fucking life. But, the second I heard Gallagher whimpering, I pivoted. I took off running, racing through the woods while branches slapped against me left and right. I placed my nose to the ground. I tracked Gallagher’s wolf’s paw prints in the mud before I finally heard it.

A rushing sound of air behind me that whipped me around on all fours.

It’s… just the one, Lieutenant Gallagher managed to choke out.

Get him out of here and leave that vampire to me.

Are you sure, comman ? —?

I barked with frustration. I don’t know what it is about everyone defying me this evening, but you can bet your sorry fucking asses you’ll pay for it in training this week. Now, get Gallagher out of here and get yourselves back to the fucking compound and leave the vampire to me.

Within seconds of silencing my troops, something dropped down onto my back. I skidded to a stop and threw myself against a tree, listening as something snapped. I snarled as I whipped around, but the moving motion blur lunged back at me. That stinky carcass got its arms wrapped around me and I had to do a goddamn barrel death roll just to throw it off.

No matter what, I couldn’t let that fucker’s fangs touch my fur.

Voss, I growled as I reached out in groupthink. We’ve got a rogue vampire. I’m sending the troops back to you to start patrols closer to home.

He immediately reached back out. Where are you?

The vampire lunged for me, moving like lightning around me as I tried to keep up with my eyes. Nine miles northeast of the compound.

I’m coming, he said without hesitation.

I chomped my teeth into the vampire’s arm and tossed it into a tree. No, ready the cave.

The cave?

I jumped through the air and slammed my front paws against the vampire’s chest. Yes, the cave. We need to know what the fuck Delilah’s planning, exactly. Maybe we can get some answers out of this motherfucker.

On it, he practically growled.

The vampire’s fangs reached down to my paws, and I pivoted in a hurry. I raced up the tree, but I felt that bitch’s hand wrap around my ankle. A grin spread across my jowls as I pushed off from the tree’s trunk, flipping myself backward and slamming that rickety tin can against the tree.

I felt its grip fall away from my fur as I circled back around, touching down onto the ground as the vampire crumbled at my feet.

Then, a shadow flew over me before my lieutenants dropped down in front of me. One by one, including Gallagher, who was still limping around. Rhonda stepped on that vampire’s neck as she changed back into her human form. Gallagher was covered in bruises as he shifted back as well, but he managed to keep the legs of that fucker pinned. And Lieutenant Mac? He stayed in his tan-colored wolf form and sat right on that vampire’s chest, giving me enough time to shift back into my own human form as I stared down at the red-eyed little bitch.

“Well, well, well,” I said, placing my hands on my knees and dipping down, “look at what the cat dragged in.”

“We should rip off its head,” Rhonda hissed.

“I think we should grab its arms and rip it limb from limb,” Gallagher wheezed.

Lieutenant Mac let out a howl of approval, but it was me who shook my head. “No, we keep this one alive.”

Rhonda scoffed. “You can’t be serious.”

I shot her a look. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

“The hell you going to keep it for?” Gallagher spat. “That fucker damn near snapped all of my ribs at once!”

I shrugged. “Not my fault you let this bastard wrap his arms around you.”

“What!?” Gallagher exclaimed.

The vampire grinned up at me. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“That’s it,” Gallagher snarled as he charged the vampire pinned to the forest floor.

I stepped in front of him, pinning him with a look. “One more step and you’re done for.”

Gallagher bared his teeth to me. “Says who?”

“Gee!” Rhonda barked. “Look at who you’re talking to for a second!”

I tilted my head as the haze of anger finally melted off my lieutenant’s face. He cleared his throat as his arm cradled his stomach, and I couldn’t help but notice that he was crooked from the pain.

“Gallagher,” I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder, “go find Merida. Get yourself checked out and make sure you weren’t bitten.”

“I’d know if I was bitten,” he hissed.

I stared into his eyes as my wolf’s black stare appeared on my face, and I watched my lieutenant’s face pale. “You have your orders. I will not repeat myself. Now, go.”

He nodded his head before slipping around us. “Yes, commander general.”

The vampire chuckled from beneath Rhonda and Mac. “You just don’t have the stomach to kill me.”

Gallagher paused. “Why I oughta?—”

I slammed my hand against his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He was right, that vampire probably broke all of his fucking ribs. I stood in between Gallagher and the vampire. I crouched down as he doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

“Don’t make me get Voss to pick you up and throw you back to the compound,” I whispered as a dangerous warning fell from my lips. “Because if I have to tap into our Alpha’s cinematic strength just to get you to listen, I will.”

Gallagher swallowed hard as he slowly rose up. “I’m going, I’m going.”

I tapped my temple. “Check in once you’re back and with Merida.”

He waved his hand at me. “Just keep me updated on what kind of rug you turn that skin-sack into.”

“I hope it’s a Persian rug,” the vampire said nonchalantly, “those are always such nice rugs.”

“Can it,” Rhonda snarled.

I loomed over Gallagher. “Get moving. Now.”

I watched him disappear into the darkness of the woods then I reached out to Merida in groupthink.

Gallagher’s headed your way. He let a vampire get its arms around him. Let me know when he finds you.

She immediately responded. Heading to the bath house now. I’ll let you know when he gets back.

Thanks.

I turned back to the vampire that Rhonda had apparently ripped up from the ground. Instead of that monster being on its back, Rhonda had the damned thing pinned to a tree. At some point in time, Lieutenant Mac shifted back into his human form, and the two of them struggled to keep the vampire from fighting against them.

“You think you can take me in your human forms?” the vampire asked with a chuckle. “Pathetic.”

I grinned as I reached into my back pocket, pulling out a small baggie. I loosened up the ties and pried open the pouch as a dastardly smile grew across my face. I reached my hand into the bag. The heavy smell of the garlic-doused handcuffs tickled my nostrils as my hand journeyed onward, trying to find what I was looking for.

I felt the sharp, waxy leaves of the juniper, pulling a handful of it out.

“You wouldn’t dare,” the vampire hissed as its eyes widened.

“Rhonda,” I said as I walked up to the vampire, cloaking it in my shadow, “be a doll and pry that fucker’s mouth open for me.”

She giggled as she slammed her fist against the vampire’s jaw, unhinging it as it cried out in pain. The resounding crack made Mac bark with laughter. As the vampire drew in a deep breath to shriek out, I stuffed that juniper so far into its fucking mouth that I heard the damned thing choking on it.

I clasped my hands behind my back and waited with a smile on my face as the vampire struggled. I watched the strength bleed out of its cold, dead body, doing my best to ignore the heady stench that filled the spaces between us. I don’t know how in the fuck they could stand the way they smelled. It was disgusting. The smell alone was enough justification to wipe them out.

But when the vampire dropped to the forest floor, completely paralyzed, Merida’s voice exploded in my mind.

Got Gallagher. He’s pretty bad off. I want to see the rest of your troops that came into contact with this vampire before bedtime tonight.

I nodded as I dipped down, scooping up the paralyzed vampire. Send them to the bath house, I assume.

Yep. Bexley just wrapped up her bath, so we’re good here.

I tossed the vampire over my shoulder. How is she?

About as good as you can expect.

Fair enough.

“What now, commander general?” Mac asked.

I pointed to the pouch on the ground that once held the juniper. “Get me the handcuffs in there and put them around this fucker’s wrists.”

“On it,” Rhonda said, scooping the pouch up from the ground.

I peered over my free shoulder to look at Mac. “I can take this from here. Take Rhonda and make sure everyone who came into contact with this slimy sack of shit sees Merida in the bath house. I want everyone looked over before we go to bed tonight.”

“You sure you don’t need someone to come with you?” Mac asked.

I shook my head. “I’ve got it covered with Voss from here.”

I waited until Rhonda got the garlic-laced handcuffs on the vampire’s wrists. Then, I shooed them off and turned toward the direction of our cave. We hadn’t used that place in a while. We hadn’t had someone shackled there for some time now. And as I started in its direction with that vampire slung over my shoulder, my body vibrated with excitement.

Finally, I’d get to give one of these fuckers a sliver of what it deserves.

“You’re right, you know,” I said to the paralyzed vampire as I walked us deeper into the woods, “I don’t have the stomach for causing death tonight. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t have other plans for you.”

The lonely walk to the cave helped clear my mind. The burn in my muscles as I hiked it up that hill toward the inlaid mountain cave forced me to come alive. By the time I got into that cave and shackled that vampire to the stone wall, the juniper paralytic started wearing off. The vampire began coughing. Sputtering. Spitting out the juniper leaves and twigs as he coughed and wretched.

I watched it vomit onto the cave floor at my feet.

“Huh,” I said as I kicked the vomit off my shoe, “didn’t know vampires could do that.”

The vampire struggled to catch its breath. “You think we can’t fucking puke, for crying out loud?”

I reached down and wrapped my hand around its neck, slamming the goddamn thing back against the wall. The piercing scream it let out shivered me to my core.

“I’m gonna have fun with you tonight,” I snarled.

Voss, I’ve got the vampire in this cave. Where are you?

He wasted no time reaching out. Helping your troops get to where they need to be. Just give me a fucking second.

Ronyn? Dom asked when he reached out.

Dom, I’m at the cave. Wanna come take a shot at this vampire Gallagher found flouncing around in the woods?

I’m already on my way.

Voss piped up again. Same here. About to head out now.

My grin was positively devilish as I tilted my head. See you two soon.

“Looks like it’s just you and me for now,” I said.

The vampire looked at me through its dull, glowing red eyes. “Do your worst.”

As if the heavens opened up to give me the best solstice present possible, I rolled up my sleeves and rubbed my hands together.

“Challenge accepted,” I snarled.