BloodRed

I watched Robin, Mika, Quin, and Gwin slam into Justin repeatedly. He rarely manages to get them. Jem was out hunting and I just couldn’t bring myself to attach Justin. So I just watched. Jem came and stood beside me just as Justin slammed Robin into a tree. He got back at the perfect time I suppose.

“He’s doing pretty good,” Jem commented.

I held back a snort. Jem hadn’t seen all the times Justin had been slammed into something. I sighed. “Yeah, At this rate he’ll be ready to fight Tono in two days.” I don’t know if he’ll win though. I wish I could develop future sight to help us, I added silently.

He glared. Don’t beat yourself up. He’ll be fine.

Will he? Hex had years of experience behind him and he still lost.

He wouldn’t have if there hadn’t been a cliff!

That’s my fault too! If I had chosen another restaurant, Hex would be alive. Or if I had given myself to Tono, Hex would be alive.

Jem snarled which got the attention of everyone. “What’s wrong?” Mika asked.

“Kelsey is blaming herself,” Jem growled.

“For what?” Robin asked.

“Everything,” Jem replied still glaring at me.

“I shouldn’t have chosen The Blue Cafe for Justin’s date. If had chosen differently there wouldn’t have been a cliff for Hex to fall off of. Though wouldn’t have been a fight if I had given myself to Tono. If I had future sight as a gift a lot of this wouldn’t have happened!” I said angrily.

Mika shook her head. “A fight would have broken out no matter what. If just would have been later.”

“None of this is your fault, Kelsey,” Justin added. I hadn’t even noticed that he had switched back into a person.

I sighed. “Who bright us to Brad’s? Me. Who chose a restaurant with a cliff? Me. Who’s supposed to have a lot of gifts? Me. Whose Tono after? Me. Don’t you see? It all leads back to me!”

“Tono wanted the pack and Hex wanted Tono dead. Those two would’ve fought anyway. Hex would have lost no matter what because…he had health problems,” Gwin said softly.

“Health problems?” We all said in unison. He had had problems? That would have been helpful to know!

“Yes. His kidneys and liver were slowly failing. He’s had a lot of heart attacks.” She shook her head. “He loved me too. So he told me everything so I knew he wouldn’t live long.” She glanced a Justin. “Do you remember when I disappeared for a year a while back? That was because I had gotten pregnant.”

“You had a child?!?” Quin said.

“Then the leadership shouldn’t go to me. It should go to your kid,” Justin said.

Gwin glared. “She’s only three! How is she supposed to lead anyone?”

“Kerrin,” I said softly.

Gwin blinked. “How did you know her name? Hex and I have someone watching her and our visits were short. You couldn’t have seen her!”

I snorted. “You always told me if you had a daughter you would name her Kerrin.” I smiled a little. “I’ve seen her too. Your babysitter leaves sometimes and has someone watch her. I was a regular.”

“What?!? We told her she wasn’t allowed to hire people,” Gwin said outraged.

“Well, well. Looks like Mama Wolf is mad,” a voice we all recognized said.

I whirled and gasped. He had Kerrin in his arms! Uh-oh. “Let her go, Tono,” I said calmly.

He smirked. “I think I’ll keep her.” His pack glared at him.

A low growl rumbled through me. “You will not.” I side glanced and saw Quin, Justiny, and Gwin had changed into wolves. Then an idea hit me. “I have a better idea,” I announced.

Jem shook his head. “Bad idea, Kelsey.”

“My gift says differently.”

“Your gift is wrong!”

I looked him in the eye. “Has strategy let us down yet?”

“No, but…”

“But nothing. I know what I need to do and I will do it.” It’s the only way, I added silently.

“You’ll be breaking your promise to Hex!”

At that, I couldn’t help the smile that popped out on my face. “Wrong. I won’t be.”

Mika’s eyes widened. “He look you in the eyes before he dropped.”

“Yes. I hadn’t realized until a little later what that look had meant.” I looked at Tono. “I challenge you, Tono, for the leadership of the pack and the release of Kerrin. Do you accept?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re a vampire.”

“So?”

“Vampires can’t lead a pack.”

I grinned. “Wrong. A vampire has a right to issue the challenge. If that vampire wins, that vampire is allowed to choose a wolf they trust to lead the pack.”

“How do you know the rules?” He demanded. “You just became a vampire a short time ago!”

I rolled my eyes. “Instinct.”

He handed Kerrin to a wolf behind him. “I’m the Alpha! I can change the rules!”

I snored. “No, you can’t. The rules were made a long time ago. You can’t change them.” Another gift had been unlocked and it was called Supernatural History. It’s not a very useful gift but at the moment it was. “The first werewolf ever made them. They’re set in stone, Tono. You can’t change them. You can make new ones. But those new ones can’t cancel the old ones.”

“You bitch.”

I waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. Now quit stalling. Do you accept or will you run away with your tail between your legs?”

“I accept,” he snarled.