Choosing sides

Another 10 years have passed and the Lycans still hide safely in plain sight replacing almost the entire world's supply of silver with an engendered compound structurally identical to silver, but lacking its lethal qualities. Eve had matured into a fine young woman, as tall as Selene, she had her father's long hair and strong features. Her slender, well endowed body was fit and toned. She was every bit the huntress her mother was. The vampires are still hunted, hated and full of hatred all their own. Michael, Eve and Selene fight an endless battle of survival against the world. That is, until one night Selene is out hunting lycans and Eve tags along for the first time. Michael had wanted to delay this part of her training for as long as possible. Now that she was of age, she couldn't be held back any longer.

For Selene, the night went as usual. Slipping in and out of shadows silently, tracking the scent of lycans throughout the city. There was a small den in the slums that she figured would be perfect for Eve. When they arrived, Selene instructed Eve to follow her lead and never leave her side. Eve was excited and did exactly as told. She kicked in the door to a large building and was immediately confronted by two lycans. She quickly decapitated one and filled the other with silver tipped bullets. A third crashed through the ceiling and caught her by surprise. Eve sprang into action carved the beast in half with a blade of her own. Two more burst through the wall and tackled the duo to the ground and tried to bite off their faces, but Selene shot her attacker in the leg before attempting to wrench off his head, but the wolf ducked in pain before throwing her into an iron support beam. Selene was dazed for and bleeding as the number of lycans seemed to increase tenfold. That was all Eve needed to be pushed over the edge.

Her skin turned a blue/black that mirrored her father's; her eyes glowed an icy blue colder than the harshest winter, while her fangs and claws elongated and sharpened to deadly points. The lycans looked up as she roared violently, but did not attack her. Selene watched as she wildly clawed at the massive bodies surrounding her, but they each did everything in their ability to avoid her and keep their distance rather than attack. She finally got a hold on one, but when she went lash him open, the beast caught her wrists and looked into her eyes. Eve snarled with fury and determination, wanting nothing more than to put all of her mother's training to good use. She saw the others closing in on them and expected to feel the pain of their claws in her back. What she never expected was the huff of a lycans breath on the back of her neck. She looked around to see them all sniffing at her and cocking their heads curiously. They showed no sign of attacking and she was highly confused. She looked to her mother who was starting to recover, then back to the wolf who held her firmly in its grasp. She growled at him once more before he threw his head back and let out a massive howl that carried through the entire building. All she could do was stare as he finally released her and stepped back to continue howling. The others left the room and scaled to different parts of the building to let out howls of their own. Eve listened dumbfounded and captivated at the symphony of sound around her. It was all brought to a screeching halt by the sound of two pistols emptying their cartages into the lycan who had caught her. He roared in pain before bounding out of a nearby window, shattering the glass with a violent crash.

Eve turned to see her mother holding two smoking guns straight out and breathing heavily with a look of astonishment on her face. She had no idea what just happened, but knew she did not like it. They quickly made their way back to their home at the edge of the city, where Michael had been on guard for any intruders who would seek to ambush them upon their return.

"Mom, what was that? Why didn't they attack me?" Eve questioned frantically as they sprinted across rooftops in the moonless night.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." Her voice was full of uncertainty. "Until I do, you will remain with your father. Am I understood?" Normally Eve would object to being left behind, but things were too unpredictable and her mother's shaken resolve made her nervous.

When they arrived, Eve quickly embraced her father and told him everything that happened. He expected a story of how many lycans she took down, but instead was informed that his daughter was at the center of all the howling he heard. He looked to Selene for answers, but she turned away noting that she had none to offer. Later that night, the two of them had much to discuss.

"I have never seen anything like it." Selene started pacing around their bedroom. "One moment a horde of the beasts are about to finish us off, the next, they are all focused on her and howling. Even refusing to attack…" She bit her lip. "I tell you Michael I don't like it one bit. The lycans want something from her, and I will not let them have her again!" She finished with a loud yet shaky tone. She looked to Michael who had concern across his face, but something withheld in his eyes. "What is it?"

He started to deny anything being wrong, but thought the information should'nt be withheld any longer. "After you left, someone made an attempt on the house." He started with a sigh. Selene's eye widened at the thought of them being found, but he continued before she could speak. "A nearby coven sent their enforcements after us, but they never made it past the tree line." He looked out of the window to the neighboring forest. Now Selene allowed herself to relax before taking note of the uncertainty in Michael's voice.

"You didn't kill them… did you?" She asked lowly. He shook his head and brought his hand to his mouth trying to figure out what it all meant. "I went to check it out, but when I got there, there were just the bodies of a couple dozen vampires. They did manage to get one though." He said stepping over to the window, looking as the rising sun shone over the trees.

"One what?" She asked suspiciously.

"A werewolf… Not a lycan, but a true werewolf. Like the ones bitten by William…" He trailed off nervously. Now Selene was scared. Not nervous, but scared. Werewolves never really died out, usually roaming the wild avoiding contact with large populations of humans, but these came dangerously close to the city and attacked vampires. Weather it was a random encounter or if they were actually protecting her home was a complete mystery.

"I'm going back for answers!" She said tuning for the door. Michael tried to stop her, but she wouldn't have it. Her first target would be the coven who attacked her home. Her immunity to sunlight would be her advantage. When she slammed the door behind her, Eve looked out of her room at her father for comfort. He had always been the more sympathetic one, with Selene being hardened by centuries of fighting. A few hours after she was gone, the two hybrids caught a scent. To Michael, it was familiar but it made Eve extremely tense. A lycan, a very old lycan was approaching them. Michael had to see for himself if could really be the man who should have died long ago. He opened the door with a shock.

"Lucian…" He said breathing heavily. Eve just stared at the man and prepared herself for the worst. The man looked at her with a warm smile before returning his attention to Michael.

"It's been quite some time my friend." He said extending a hand to Michael's shoulder. Much to Eve's surprise, her father welcomed the man in with no hesitation and saw him to the sitting area.

"Dad! Who is this guy?" She asked nervously.

"He's the lycan who bit me…" He said shakily never thinking he would be in this situation. Eve looked even more confused than before.

"That's Lucian? But mom said she watched him die…" She was completely lost. "Why is he here?"

"My death was entirely exaggerated my dear. As to why I am here, I need to speak with you and your father."He said taking a seat. Michael sat down across from him while Eve chose to stand behind his chair.

"Lucian, first I have to ask you. What is going on? Why are werewolves protecting my house, and lycans howling at my daughter?" He asked quickly getting to the point.

"Yes, about that. After you and Selene went missing, I moved a majority of the lycans out of the country. Those who remained were forced to go underground to avoid the purge. After learning that the hunt for lycans was officially over, called off by lycans posing as human officials, I made arrangements for us to assimilate into the human's society. It was only recently, that word reached me about the true circumstances surrounding your capture and your daughter." He sighed before getting to the next part. He knew Michael might have a problem with it.

"Michael… do you remember what it was that Viktor feared most? What drove him to kill his own daughter?" Lucian asked calmly keeping his composure. Eve looked to her father as breathed heavily and nodded.

"Yes, he feared a mixing of the species…" he held his daughter's hand.

"That's right. What Viktor feared more than anything in the world is what you and your daughter are today." He said proudly. "Have you ever wondered how lycans felt about on the matter?"

Michael had to be honest with himself and shook his head, no. Lucian looked to Eve who also shook her head before moving to sit with her father.

"Unlike the vampires, we understand the benefits and need for adaptation, growth and change. Even now, at least four different breeds of lycan roam this city. Those like me, the starved creatures that hunt in the sewers, the exceptionally powerful ones that control the city, and of course the werewolves who roam the wilds. And now there's the two of you." He said motioning to the pair. "Many lycans believe that you are the future for our kind and should be protected. As one of the oldest and most powerful in existence, I informed the others, that you were both very much capable of handling yourselves." This made Eve smile proudly.

"Mr. Lucian, why did you come all the way out here? If my mother knew you were here, she would want your head." Eve said almost concerned for the man.

"That is actually the most important part of my visit. Michael, as you know, even though the humans no longer hunt our kind, the death dealers still pride themselves on slaughtering lycans." He said seriously. This made Eve bite her lip. Tell me child, what did you know of lycans before meeting today?"

"Only that they captured me and my family to make themselves immune to silver. My mother always told me they were dangerous mindless animals." She said shyly seeing for herself that Lucian was actually very sophisticated and very much a lycan.

"A common sentiment from vampires I'm sure. The truth is, we were once slaves to the vampires. We protected them from the werewolves during the day and we toiled for them, building their castles enforcing their laws, forging their weapons. I myself fell in love with one and she became pregnant with my child. However, she was Viktor's daughter. And he put her to death rather than see someone like you come into this world." He said with a light shutter. Eve's eyes widened at the tale and Michael hung his head in sadness for what happened to him. "Not long after that, I lead a revolution against Viktor. The war between lycan and vampire has raged on ever since."

"But what does all of that have to do with me now?" Eve Asked.

"Your mother still hunts my kind even though she knows the truth about her past." He said looking at Michael. Eve looked to her father for an explanation.

"Your mom was turned into a vampire by Viktor and originally became a death dealer because he told her lycans killed her family. The truth is, Viktor and other vampires killed her family. He spared your mother because she reminded him so much of his daughter Sonja." He explained heavily.

"Yes, and despite this, she continues to hunt us mercilessly. The other vampires see us as a threat to them and to their food supply. But with her having the blood of Corvinus coursing through her veins, she no longer needs the humans, nor is she vulnerable to the sun. We had hoped that after personally killing two vampire elders and being hated by vampires for it, she would take our side or at least end her involvement in the war all together. But she hasn't, and the lycans don't believe she ever will." He stood and paced toward the door.

"Michael, no lycan shall ever attack you or your daughter. I promise you that. But Selene is not only killing our kind, she is hunting us like animals." He walked back with pleading in his eyes. "Please my friend, while none will actively pursue her, I cannot force them not to defend themselves. Last night, your daughter was recognized by a lycan general and he made sure everyone in the area was aware of her presence. Selene might have been granted the same protection had she not filled his hide with silver bullets." He said sharply. He looked into Eve's eyes and hoped she understood.

"Child, the vampires are murderers, slavers and monsters by every sense of the word. You're mother doesn't have to be one of them if she doesn't want to be. You three, may not have the power to end this war, but you definitely play a major role in who the victor will be." He finished his statement with a nod and left the house. Eve and Michael watched as he took off in a blur toward the city.

That night, Selene returned soaked in fresh blood. Due to their connection, Eve and Michael knew what she had done. When she came through the door, Eve was waiting for her, huddled on the couch. Selene came and sat next to her to make sure she was alright, but was caught off guard by what her daughter asked her.

"Mom… why do you hunt the lycans instead of the vampires?" Eve asked shakily.

"Because, I'm a vampire myself. I cannot take sides against my own kind, especially not with those beasts." She spat.

"But you're not one of them anymore. You can go into the sunlight. After we all got back together, the only ones to ever come after us were vampires. Yet we hunt the lycans… why?" She asked with a great deal more sadness in her voice this time.

"I… where is this all coming from? Are you still shaken by what happened last night?" She asked patting her daughter's hair. Eve looked away for a moment to hide her sobs before speaking lowly.

"I know what happened… to you, to start the war, to the lycans… all of it." She said staring at the ground. Selene stopped patting her after that and was in shock that she knew of such things.

"Where did you learn this?" She asked quickly but softly.

"Lucian was here." Michael said from the doorway. Selene went wide eyed. Could nothing kill that man?

"He explained everything. What happened in the forest, with you two in the slums… the whole thing." He said folding his arms.

"Well what would you have me do Michael? I'm a death dealer, it's all I know!" She shouted at him.

"You became a death dealer to avenge your family. But after you learned the truth… then what? Do you just enjoy killing lycans or do you not want to avenge them anymore?" He asked her trying not to sound threatening or condisending.

"You know neither of those is true." She said through gritted teeth.

"Then what is it mom?" Eve asked looking at her pleading. "The vampires want all of us dead, but you defend them…" Eve said moving to stand next to Michael.

"When the lycans took over the city, what happened?" Michael started. "People were still living their lives, better lives actually. The lycans took control and coexisted with humans. When the vampires were in power, lycans were slaves; humans were either food or workers that they ruled over through fear. Honestly Selene, I prefer the way the lycans want things." Michael said with a nervous swallow.

"What did Lucian want?" He she asked, shakily holding back her emotions.

"He said that no lycan will ever attack us, or pursue you as long as we don't hunt them or kill them without cause." Michael said almost as if he was negotiating. Selene cleared her throat and sniffed back her tears before standing.

"Fine, from now on, the vampires are my enemies…" She said firmly. It was going to take a while to get used to having lycans as allies, but a melody of howls from outside assured her that they would honor Lucian's agreement with Michael and Eve.