!Warning: Mild M (16+)-rated themes: Depiction of violence and blood.

- XXVI -

When her horse spooked, frightened by the sound, Amelia yanked on the reins, keeping it from running. Then she focused on the entrance to the cave. Slowly a huge, white furred beast approached the vampires. It came on all fours but towered above their tallest soldiers. The fire still separated the men from it, the flames' reflections dancing in the monster's black eyes.

Marcus dismounted, removed his helmet, and waded through the water until he stood directly in front of the cave.

"William..." he whispered.

It had been more than a century since he had seen him, but the original vampire still remembered the warm feeling that the presence of his twin brother had always raised in his heart. The question was, did William remember him, too? Could he even recognise him?

The monstrous white wolf stopped right behind the fire, staring at Marcus, and baring his sharp teeth.

"It is me, Marcus..." the Elder tried again. "Please, listen to me, William!"

The only reaction was a low, threatening growl from deep within the beast's throat.

Viktor watched with his eyes narrowed, his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Marcus's little plan doesn't appear to be working," he observed and shot Amelia a glance.

She noticed his tone, his eagerness to attack and slaughter their nemesis. Viktor would do it with his bare hands if necessary.

"Wait. Give him some time," Amelia whispered in a low tone.

Marcus bit down on his lower lip. So close to William and yet so far from him. He should have been able to sense William's very feelings, not just his presence. The connection had been there since they were children, long before they had been bitten and his brother's change. Now the werewolf's mind seemed blank to him, like he had been reduced to a soulless animal, incapable of rational thought, incapable of any emotion.

But he had to reach out to him, somehow tell William that everything would be fine if he stayed calm. Otherwise, Viktor and Amelia wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"I'm your brother!" Marcus's voice sounded desperate, on the verge of breaking.

William's snuffling breath quickened a bit. Had he finally sensed something familiar? Just when a spark of hope lit up in Marcus's heart, the white wolf straightened up to stand on his hind legs and howled again in that bloodcurdling tone of his. Then, without another warning, he dashed forward towards his brother, right through the fire, unafraid.

The original vampire stood there, paralysed. William was attacking him. His own flesh and blood, his twin brother wanted him dead. He knew he had to draw his sword, to defend himself, at least get out of the way, but he couldn't. He could only stare into those blank black eyes, coming closer and closer...

"Attack!" Viktor's harsh voice echoed through the Danubian valley, and silver arrows rained down on the werewolf.

Dozens of arrowheads pierced William's flesh, but he didn't flinch, didn't even slow down. Following a swift gesture from Amelia, General Thomas and some of his men descended on him with their swords, protecting Marcus, who still stood there, unable to move. The vampires managed to wound the werewolf's legs, but with a strike of his claws, he threw them against the cave's wall, knocking them out.

William's jaws snapped at Thomas, who ducked, but was struck by another blow of the growling beast's talons. The knight collapsed at the feet of Amelia's horse and a cloud of dark red started to stain the murky waters around him.

The female Elder clenched her teeth, and her emerald eyes began to glow demonically. That mindless monster! How dare he injure her general, her best soldier? She would show the rabid dog his place!

Amelia dashed at William herself, but when the original werewolf howled a third time, her horse reared up, threatening to throw her. With a skilled motion, she leapt off the animal, spinning through the air and over William's head, then landed on his back. Shouting a battle cry, Amelia drove her blade into the beast's shoulder. William clawed at his own neck, roaring and slavering, trying to get rid of her, while she clutched at the hilt of her sword and his snow white fur alike.

Viktor ordered his men to attack again and the vampires stabbed William's legs and feet.

Marcus could only watch. He had forfeited his chance of reaching out to his brother, and now he could not help him. It was only a matter of time before the soldiers killed him.

Still trying to bring Amelia down, William stood on all fours and leapt over the soldiers' heads. Startled by the sudden movement, the Elder grabbed the wolf's fur more tightly, but with her gloves on, she was unable to drive her nails into his skin. She gasped when she lost her grip, falling and crashing into the stone of the cavern.

Before she could stand again, William was upon her. She had no time to react, no time to defend herself. Suddenly his fangs pierced the flesh of her neck, right through the chainmail between her breastplate and her helmet. Her head spinning from the excruciating pain that followed, she let out a hoarse scream.

At first, she felt paralysed by the agony that shot through her limbs, but within seconds her survival instinct set in, and without thinking about what she was doing, she rammed her knee into the werewolf's midsection.

William backed away from her, but in the process he ripped out a piece of flesh from her neck with his teeth. Amelia coughed and pressed her hand against the wound, when cold dark red liquid began to sputter out between her fingers. She could barely breathe.

"Amelia!" Viktor's shout sounded concerned and furious at the same time.

Her vision blurred, and she could only make out the hooves of his black horse, as he dashed towards William, and the blade of his silver sword glistening in the moonlight. But instead of the werewolf's death cry, she heard the crack of splintering bone, when William's claws crushed the horse's legs. The animal went to the ground, screaming, taking its rider with it.

No! Amelia tried to scream, but only a horrible gurgling sound escaped her throat.

The injured horse kicked wildly, splattering the Danube's dark water in every direction. This distracted William enough to keep him from seeing Viktor, who emerged from the river, aquamarine eyes flashing in rage.

In a quick movement, Viktor drew one of his short swords and pierced William's right paw. A loud, pained howl accompanied the scent of burning flesh from where the poisonous silver bit his flesh, only to be followed by a second cry, when Viktor stabbed the other paw with his second sword. The warlord grinned, while he twisted his weapons in a way that made it more difficult for the wolf to pull away from the weapons.

Clutching her bleeding wound and breathing heavily, Amelia watched William dropping to his knees. Viktor had him pinned in place, but he couldn't move without freeing the wolf. He needed someone to help him deliver the final blow.

Amelia's eyes searched the cave and the riverbank for her soldiers, but they were either dead or backing away, afraid of William's power. Marcus stood at the entrance of the cave, staring at the water with downcast eyes.

It seemed, despite her injury, Amelia had no choice but to do it herself. Groaning in pain, her hands searching for support on the stones, she managed to stand up and draw her dagger from her belt.

Gathering her last remaining strength, she ran towards William, aiming for the throat. Viktor's grin broadened, when he saw that she came to his aid. With a feeling of triumph rising in his chest he waited for her to finally slay the root of all evil.

But then, the unexpected happened.

"No!" Marcus stepped forward, tackling Amelia, and throwing her to the ground, where she collapsed, striking her head upon the ground.