Disclaimer: I own nothing.
This whole chapter is a flashback.
Northwestern Hungary,
June, 1952
Singe sat in the back seat of the car with Anton while Raze drove. Lucian sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window. He hadn't said a word since they'd driven out of town an hour ago. The rest of the Pack were in several large vans on their way to Sanctuary. It might arouse suspicion to have a convey of automobiles all heading in the same direction so some of the others had taken different routes.
Everyone in the car was subdued. The town had been quiet and peaceful and the Pack had been established in the warehouse for over a year. Now that location was lost to them. Once the vampires found a hiding place, there was no going back to it, even decades later. They couldn't risk being found. Anton had explained to Singe that Sanctuary wasn't just one place. There were several of them scattered all over Europe. That way if one of them were discovered, the others would still survive. The one they were headed to was the main one.
It really brought home to Singe that they were at war. He'd played in his lab while the others risked their lives with every patrol. It was disconcerting to think that not only was he part of a war that had been going on unseen for centuries, but his side was losing. The Bloods had contacts in many different countries. They had their own businesses, finances, and control over government officials in those countries while the Lycans were forced to hide in sewers and keep their heads down for fear of extermination.
It angered him to think that he and the others were mere animals in the eyes of the Bloods. If it were up to the vampires, all Lycans would be wiped out leaving them to reign supreme behind the scenes of human life. The only advantage the Lycans had was that they bred faster than vampires. From what Anton and Lucian had told him, most vampires didn't even bother to have children in the natural way anymore. They just bit humans they thought were worthy or desirable and hoped they'd survive the virus.
It had startled him the first time he'd learned that the majority of those who were bitten by either Bloods or Lycans didn't survive. It was sheer coincidence that he had survived Lucian's bite although he'd had nothing to lose by trying. But if he'd died, Lucian would have found some other scientist to help him. It was just a matter of how many he had to bite until one survived.
From the numbers he'd been given, he'd estimated that only 20-30 of those who were bitten survived the transformation. No one seemed to know why some made it and others didn't. He thought it an interesting puzzle that may hold the key to learning more about the biological makeup of both species. But as with many of the questions he'd asked since beginning his studies, he hadn't had time to pursue it yet.
They drove for most of the day, eating food brought along in the car rather than stopping at human restaurants and pausing only to stretch their legs and use the public bathrooms at rest stops. It was late afternoon when Raze turned down a gravel road that wound among tall trees. There was a gate blocking the road so Raze had to stop the car and open it before they could pass. Once through, he closed it again and then drove a short distance and emerged on the shore of a large lake.
Singe stared out the window at the cluster of buildings along the shore. It looked like a normal camp site with one large building surrounded on both sides by cabins. But his Lycan senses assessed the situation and found it sensible. The cabins had water on one side which provided a certain level of protection. It would be harder to approach from that direction without being seen. The cabins were in a clear space with no woods around them to provide cover. It looked like a relatively safe place.
Several of the other vans were already here and members of the Pack came out to meet them as they exited the car. Lucian looked as relaxed as he'd ever been. He stood for one moment, simply breathing the clean air and looking up at the sunlight before moving to meet the approaching Pack members.
There were a few men that Singe didn't know but there were also women as well, the first Lycan women he'd ever seen in person. They moved in the same predatory way the Lycan men did but there was more of a softness to their smiles and movements. One of them, a small, brunette woman who walked with a limp, nearly threw herself into Anton's arms. He laughed and whirled her around before setting her down.
"Singe, this is my mate, Gretal. Gretal, this is our new scientist." She came over and kissed his cheek and they exchanged pleasantries. Everyone headed towards the buildings. It was still light out so there was no threat from the vampires but caution was a long-established habit especially where Lucian was concerned. If the vampires ever discovered that he was still alive, they would throw every resource at their disposal towards wiping out the Lycans before he could rally them again.
They approached the main building and most of the Lycans sheared off, heading to the smaller cabins. This close, more members of the Pack were coming out to see Lucian and pay their respects. Singe saw a few children among the crowd and smiled despite himself. He'd never been fond of children but the wolf in him wanted to protect the cubs. They represented the future of the pack. Unless Lucian's plan succeeded, every man, woman and child here was in danger of being wiped off the face of the planet.
Anton whispered to Singe that he'd join them shortly and went off into the crowd with Gretal. Singe saw his friend scoop up two little boys, laughing and kissing the top of their heads. The blond Lycan had to give up so much to fight with Lucian. It was such a shame that he could only see his wife and children on occasion. Then Singe's attention was diverted to the woman who stepped out the door of the main building.
He had no doubt that this was Isadore, the alpha female. She radiated the same sense of authority that Lucian did. Isadore was about his height with olive skin, dark eyes, and long black hair pulled back in a braid. According to Anton, she was one of the few Lycans who could match Lucian for age although the centuries certainly didn't show on her calm face.
She walked towards Lucian, halted a foot away, and bowed her head. He acknowledged her with a nod. All of the others had fallen back so that only Raze and Singe still stood with Lucian. The beta bowed his head and she smiled and touched his shoulder. When she turned her gaze to Singe, the scientist bowed his head as well.
"Isadore, this is Singe, our new scientist. He'll need a quiet place to work on his research while we're here." There was a light touch on his shoulder and Singe raised his head again.
"Welcome, Singe. We were told you'd be coming and we already have a place set up for your work. I hope your stay here will be a fruitful one."
"Thank you. I too hope that my research will benefit our cause." She seemed amused by his sincerity. The four of them went inside. The main building looked like a lodge. The first floor consisted of one large open space with a few small offices along one wall. Upstairs were bedrooms and other private rooms.
Isadore led them to one such room which contained a large table and numerous chairs. It was apparently a conference room and there were references along the wall including books and a large map of Europe. There were small red pins inserted in various locations that showed the known bases of operations for the Bloods. Budapest was their main site but there were red pins in every country on the map.
Many were just small outposts, not full-fledged covens like Ordoghaz, but even a small outpost was a threat. The vampires had access to superior weaponry and technology. They patrolled vigilantly, always alert for signs of the Lycans. And more of the older vampires had survived the war than Lycans.
Most Lycans today were too young to remember the last big war, six hundred years ago where Lucian had faked his own death. They fought out of instinct and aggression, not personal vendettas like Lucian or Isadore. But many of the vampires remembered the war and were determined not to let it happen again. They would end the centuries-long conflict by killing an entire species and then had the nerve to claim that Lycans were the barbaric, savage ones.
There were no pins marking the location of the Sanctuaries. Lucian would never take the chance of letting such information fall into the wrong hands. No one knew the exact location of each site except Lucian, Isadore, and Raze. The lower-ranking Lycans only knew where they had been and even that was a security risk. Some Lycans had been known to kill themselves rather than be captured and tortured for information. It might be the only way for their wives and children to stay safe.
They took seats with Lucian at the head of the table and were soon joined by Anton, Gretal, and a blond female who was introduced to Singe as Pauline. Everyone in the room, except Singe himself were among the top-ranking Lycans of the Pack. It made him slightly nervous even though, by Lucian's word, he was of high rank himself. Lucian began things without preamble.
"Isadore, have you anything to report?"
"All has been quiet. There have been seven births since your last visit, all healthy.
Three males and four females. The underground fortifications are complete. Beatrice of the Romanian Sanctuary has asked me for permission to split her Pack in two and establish a second Sanctuary in the northern regions. She fears the large number of Lycans at the current site will increase the chances of detection."
"And what did you tell her?"
"I told her to send a detailed plan of where the new Pack would be and who would be sent there along with a plan for how to move half the pack there undetected. They arrived today but I have not had a chance to look them over."
"We'll do that together later. I understand Beatrice's fears but I'm reluctant to send Lycan women and children on such a long trip. Perhaps she can find a site that's closer to the current one but still far enough away to be separate. I'll have to think about that.
If there's nothing else, I'll keep this short. The plan is well on its way to success. All we have to do now is wait. In the meantime, Singe will further our aims with his studies. He is to be given any assistance he might need while he's here."
"Of course, may I ask what you've discovered so far?" Isadore asked Singe causing everyone to turn to him.
"I have not had a chance to analyze the vampire sample I took from the captive but the Lycan samples have been quite...informative." He debated how much to tell them. While Lucian was quite intelligent, he didn't understand all of Singe's discoveries and he had no reason to believe the rest of them would either. So he decided to tell them in as simple terms as possible.
"The virus that causes one to become a Lycan alters the DNA in ways I don't fully understand yet. I know it causes a boost in the adrenal gland as well as hormone levels over all. The cells that regulate hair and muscle growth are stimulated during the Change and the normal adrenaline output is tripled. Similarly, the bone marrow produces a much higher quantity of white blood cells which deal with infection and during the Change, the body is flooded with chemicals, some of which I've never seen before. I still have much to do to understand how it happens."
"I think you will likely find similarities in the vampire samples. After all, we are all descendants of the Sons of Corvinus."
"What? I didn't think you really believed that old fairytale, Isadore." Lucian scoffed and most of the rest looked skeptical but Singe was confused.
"I do not understand. Who are the Sons of Corvinus?"
"You never told him about the legend, Lucian? Even if it is a fairy tale, there may be a clue in it that would help Singe to tailor his line of research towards a more rewarding end." Lucian looked unconvinced but he nodded.
"Very well, if you think it will help." Singe listened intently as Isadore related the story of the Baron Corvinus who had survived a plague and achieved immortality. He had three sons, two of whom became the first Lycan and the first Blood when bitten by a wolf and bat respectively. The third son had been mortal and had lived out a normal life, marrying and fathering many children.
He could see why Lucian considered it a fairytale but the scientist in him was considering the implications. If the vampire samples showed similarities to the Lycan ones, it might give some credence to the idea of the story. A common ancestor would explain some of the similarities, such as the glowing blue eyes and their accelerated healing and metabolisms. Besides, what were the odds that two such unique species would arise separately of each other?
The meeting was short as there was not much news to discuss. When it broke up, Lucian and Raze went off to get some well-needed rest. Anton, Gretal, and Pauline left as well. Anton obviously wanted to be with his wife, who he rarely saw, so Isadore had offered to give Singe a tour of the place.
No one could say how long they would be here although Anton had mentioned that they probably wouldn't stay more than a month. It was essential for Singe to learn as much as he could while he was here. She led him outside, pointing out various landmarks as they walked slowly around the camp. It looked like any small village as children played and women chatted over laundry or chores but it was getting dark now and the tension level was going up just a bit.
"Most of the camp is underground for defense. There are two tunnels leading in different directions out into the hills. Every building has a link to those tunnels which can be closed off to slow down intruders at various points. We are all taught how to fight and shoot from a young age but if the Bloods ever find us, some will stay and fight while the rest of us flee. They would slaughter every one of us in their hatred if they could." The alpha female spat the word "Bloods" out as a curse and briefly bared sharp teeth in disgust.
"We plant crops in order to blend in with the human population and then sell them at local markets. There is good hunting in the woods but we have to be careful not to take too much and draw attention to ourselves. Often, we have to get by largely on fish from the lake." Singe wrinkled his nose briefly at that. Fish were meat and therefore edible to a Lycan but their flesh hardly compared to mammals or birds.
It was a poor substitute and he disliked the idea of relying on it for a staple. Plus, it would take a large amount of fish to sustain the population of Sanctuary. He estimated the population at around a hundred and fifty. According to Anton, if it got much bigger, they would have to consider moving some of the population elsewhere. The more Lycans in one place, the better the odds of being discovered and Lucian preferred that the population of any given Sanctuary not go over two hundred.
"We also keep chickens, ducks, and geese but most larger farm animals react nervously to our scent and are too much trouble to keep here. Sometimes we trade the produce for beef, mutton, or pork. We have been here for over a century and the Bloods have never found us. We're too careful for them but it is hard on all of us to have to live like criminals, always one wrong word away from discovery."
He understood what she meant. During the war, everyone had been so secretive, afraid of the secret police and the camps that troublemakers were sent to, never to be seen again. People couldn't trust their neighbors or friends, or even sometimes family. He thought he'd left that sort of situation behind but now he was right back in the thick of it.
After a tour of the grounds, she led him back into the lodge and showed him the layout. Just as in the warehouse, there were private rooms for the high-ranking Lycans as well as an armory and bathrooms.
One of the rooms on the first floor proved to be a library. There were books in a wide variety of languages. Many of them were conventional and contemporary but there were a few that smelled of dust and age. Singe was drawn to the older books, examining the titles for anything interesting. Some were in languages he didn't know but he found one in German and carefully slid it off the shelf for a closer look.
"Lucian has a tendency to scoff at the past unless it involves his memories of Sonja. His mind is only on the future and the success of his plan these days. It is unfortunate for one as old as him to ignore where he came from especially since the two of us are almost the only ones who remember what it was like to be a slave of the Bloods." Isadore sounded almost wistful as she said the alpha's name and Singe glanced at her but her face was blank. Did she perhaps have feelings for Lucian? Singe couldn't be sure but he thought it possible from her tone.
"Did the Bloods ever talk about their origins? Where they and the Lycans came from? Any thing you can remember would be a help to me."
"The vampires certainly didn't speculate about that sort of thing in front of slaves. The only information I ever heard was the story of the Sons of Corvinus and that was treated as a fairy tale by most. I think the Elders knew more about it though. I do remember one odd incident I heard about from a fellow slave.
There was a Blood beating one of the Lycans for some mistake or other. He was hitting the chained slave with a silver rod while all the poor Lycan could do was scream and beg for mercy . The Blood made seem sneering remark to the slave about how if the Lycans were descended from a Son of Corvinus, he must have been a particularly weak and pathetic son. Lord Marcus happened to be walking nearby. He walked over, grabbed the vampire, and ripped his head off without saying a word. Then he just turned and walked away while everyone in the room stared in shock.
I don't know if that's significant. Marcus was never any kinder to us than any of the others. But it struck me as odd that he would react so violently to the vampire's words. Some said he was the eldest of the three Elders but Viktor was the one in charge."
"If this Marcus is really the eldest, could he have been the one bitten by the bat in the story?" Singe was intrigued. Could the original vampire still exist and if so, how much could be learned from his blood? Not that Singe ever expected to get a sample from one of the vampire Elders but it was an intriguing thought. Also, what had happened to the original Lycan and to Alexander Corvinus himself? Were they dead or merely in hiding?
"I suppose it's possible but it does seem a silly story when you think about it. It's just the only attempt at an explanation that I've ever heard. But let me show you to your lab so you can get started. The books will still be here tomorrow."
Reluctantly, he put the tome back and followed her to a back room where his lab equipment had been set up. The room was smaller than the back at the warehouse but there was a separate bedroom and bathroom right next door for his use.
"If there's anything you need, please just ask. Would you prefer to take your meals in your room or in the common room?"
"Here, please. Thank you for your help."
"You're welcome. It's my pleasure to help your project in any way I can. It holds a lot of promise for defeating the Bloods. Good night, Singe."
He bowed his head briefly to the alpha female as she took her leave and then turned his attention to his samples. The samples from the vampire had been packed into a small cooler filled with ice. He removed them and started his analysis.
First he tried combining a drop of the vampire's blood with a blood sample from Raze. Under the microscope, he watched in fascination as the viral agents destroyed each other in a frenzy of mindless rage much as the two species did on a larger scale. Combining the two directly was obviously not the solution and he briefly wondered how Sonja had ever become pregnant with Lucian's child. Perhaps the virus was stronger in the bloodstream than in other bodily fluids. Next time he had a vampire captive to work with, he resolved to take more extensive samples.
The tests took most of the night but as more and more results were revealed, he became too excited to sleep. There were significant similarities between the vampire's DNA and those from his fellow Lycans. To be sure, there were also significant differences but if he were comparing samples to find whether two people were related, he would consider these to be conclusive. Lycans and Bloods were related and had most likely sprung from a common source.
With these test results, Isadore's fairytale took on a new dimension. Perhaps some parts of the story were embellished or exaggerated but it was likely as close to the truth as he could get without quizzing Marcus himself. The thought of facing an Elder vampire made him shudder. He was no match for even one of the regular vampires let alone an Elder. Science was his area of expertise, not combat.
His mind kept returning to the idea of the third Corvinus son, the mortal one. What sort of potential might be hidden within the genetic structure of his descendants? Could that be the key to creating a hybrid between the species? Even if it was, how could they possibly hope to find any of those descendants? Genealogical records from so long ago would be nearly impossible to find if they even existed. Still, it was a place to start.
If the story could be believed, Alexander Corvinus's mutation had been passed on to his sons. Their unique genetic structure had mutated further when exposed to animal DNA to create what were essentially immortal animal/human hybrids.
The blood of Lycans and Bloods destroyed each other on a cellular level. The only way to make a hybrid would be to find a bridge that could join both types to create a unique being. It was possible that a descendant of Corvinus had a latent blueprint of that original mutation present in their own DNA. If the original could create a hybrid between animals and humans, then it might allow a link between the two hybrids. Theoretically, it should work.
If Lucian agreed, they could begin searching as soon as possible. It would likely take time to find any records, if they even existed, but there was still over fifty years before the plan was supposed to come to fruition. Maybe, with luck, Singe would be able to find the right donor and create a hybrid in time. Then the Bloods wouldn't stand a chance.
