SO, THIS HAS BEEN JUST SITTING ON MY LAPTOP FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW AND I'VE DECIDED TO POST IT. HOPE YOU ALL DON'T MIND ME REPLYING TO REVIEWS REAL QUICK!
Indigo575: D'aww! *blushes* Thanks! That story, as I told Belle, was a stumbling block for me and I got really discouraged. To the point that I simply gave up, but your reviews (Belle's too) have made me think/remember that there are people who find a story and like it, despite its flaws. As such, I will do more Middle-Earth stories...right after this one! ;) This bunny has been shadowing me for a few days, incessantly, and I believe it's time I confronted it. *cocks gun* Let's do this!
Me and Not You 1001: What were you doing up at 11:30 at night?! My friend, you need sleep! ;) But seriously, that's where my own sleep schedule is right now, so...can't blame you! ;)
As for Winnie's name change, that is just for variety's sake. I didn't want to be unoriginal and continuously call her 'Rowena' in every universe I put her in. Sorry to confuse you...yet again.
I have as much a clue as you do about the plot of Thor: Ragnarok. I just so happened to stumble (upon doing some light research on the upcoming movie, Skurge in particular) upon something Karl Urban said about his character, that, while aligned with Hela and an antagonist, Skurge has 'crossed a moral line' by committing himself to her, so I took that as 'he had no choice, and is actually an awkward sweetheart under all that armor and muscle' type thing. So...yeah. Awkward!Skurge you got! XD Glad you liked it!
ANYWAY, ONTO THE STORY!
GOD BLESS AND GOOD DAY!
~THE LUPINE SOJOURNER
"Faster! Hit me harder!" Luke cries as we continue sparring at speeds we could never have achieved when we were human. I growl and swing harder at him, managing to catch him under the chin, knocking him clean off his feet. He grins up at me. "Good. You're getting much better." He praises, suddenly sweeping his legs to try and trip me. I don't let him, leaping over it easily and landing with my hands on his chest, straddling him and pinning him down. He's grinning, golden eyes shining in pride and admiration. "You're already nearly as good as me and you haven't had the gift more than a week." I grin back, leaning down to kiss him.
"I just have an amazing teacher." I reply. He laughs.
"Maybe, love, but you're a natural, there's no denying." I chuckle.
"Thank you." I whisper, leaning teasingly down, hovering just out of reach. "I love you." We kiss, lightly wrestling for dominance.
"And I love you." He replies, coming out on top...until I flip us and pin him.
Then, the Queen's second in command summons us for discussions with Luke and more intense training with a Hive Guardian for me.
Joy.
=#=#=#=#=
Two weeks later, I was deemed ready for field assignments and Luke and I were told to begin our vengeance on the Clergy and those who wronged us.
Luke and I wait on the edge of the farmland til dusk, then make our move. The troop of vampires we were assigned, of course, joined us speedily from the hive, having been unable to get out during the day.
Fortunately, thanks to the mix of our blood and the Queen's blood, we didn't have that problem. Unfortunately, the normal vampires make a ton of noise, giving the family within the house a chance to grab weapons and prepare for our assault.
Not that it helps. The man and woman, who I knew to be Owen and Shannon (brother and former wife of Peter), can only do so much to stop us and the vampires. They're shell-shocked at our abilities, but we don't give them time to do much else but stand there in shock as we take them down. Owen we kept barely alive, so he could lure Peter out.
It's only when all is said and done that we hear panicked, slightly muffled breathing from beneath the floor. I smirk, pointing downward when Luke sends me a questioning glance. He nods and together we move toward the obvious trap door, wrenching it easily open. Inside, there's a young woman, Lucy (who I actually somewhat like, from what little interaction I've ever had with her), in a nice white dress, pressed against the back wall, trembling in terror, hands over her face. Her hands did nothing to muffle her breathing. I grin wickedly down at her.
"Why, hello there." I grin. "Nice seeing you again." Her face scrunches in confusion before realization dawns. And she screams. Probably at my fangs, but more than likely Luke and I's eyes. "Now, now. None of that." I scold, clicking my tongue reproachfully, grabbing her wrist and yanking her up, pulling her over my shoulder. She screams again and beats against my back, to no avail. I jostle her. "Stop that, Lucy, or I'll bite yah!" I snap. Trembling, she goes still as I carry her through the house.
"Ma! Pa!" She screams, beginning to struggle again.
"I mean it, Lucy! They can't help you! Now, be still!" I growl, briefly resting my teeth on her leg for added effect. Again, she goes still, but this time she's sobbing. "Thank you!" I grin and walk on toward my bike. Luke is patient as I seat Lucy and fire up the bike.
"They'll meet us at the train." He says, motioning to where the vampires were descending on the small town nearest this farm. I nod. "Let's go." I nod again and take off beside Luke.
=#=#=#=#=
Getting her into the cage on the train took a little work. She seemed to think she may have luck simply running from us as soon as Luke let her go to open the cage. We let her try and she promptly ran into a Familiar and screeched again, spinning and running right back to us. I grabbed her arm, swung her into the cage and locked it shut in one fluid movement. We're only using the cage to keep the Familiars and the occasional vampire in here from eating her. We still needed her as bait, after all. She was trembling again, gazing around in fear as her situation truly sank in. Luke and I go to start the train moving toward the next town.
"I forgot you know her." He said as we work. I shrug.
"So do you." I point out. Luke sighs.
"Only little."
"You think I know her better?" I ask curiously. Luke shrugs.
"That's why I mentioned it." I nod.
"I've met her, yes, had a few conversations. She seems a decent girl."
He hums. "Perhaps. Now, we should be getting back. After all, the Familiars are not as...refined as you or I." I nod.
"That's true. Lead the way." Once we arrive, we see the Familiar that Lucy almost literally ran into pressed against the bars, making kissing noises. In disgust, Luke grabs him and throws the Familiar to the ground.
"That's no way to treat a friend." He points out, voice calm and even, only his body language hinting at any danger.
"Or a lady, for that matter." I add sourly. As the Familiar rises, I wrench him around to face me. "Spread the word; none are to speak to or even look at her. We need her as bait." I hiss and the Familiar bobs his head like he can't do it fast enough.
"Y-yes, mistress!" He squeaks, taking off at a sprint to tell the others. I scoff at his 180 spin of attitude when we stepped in and spin as Lucy steps forward.
"Pl-please, let me go." She whimpers desperately. I grin at her.
"He shouldn't have scared you like that, Lucy. But we can't let you out."
"You're in there for your own protection." Luke adds, striding calmly around the cage. Lucy frowns. "If I let you out, you'd be torn apart, piece by piece." Lucy's eyes go wider (if it were possible) and her trembling increases. Then, something in her expression hardens a little, though her trembling is still visible.
"My uncle's a priest." She snaps, voice trembling and crushing any threat she may have possibly been trying to put into those words. I raise a brow.
"Uncle, you say?" I ask. Oh, that cowardly- -how dare he trade fatherhood of Lucy with Owen and then not tell her the truth! Lucy nods.
"He'll come after me!" She continues. I scoff. Not likely, given that Luke once trusted Peter to do just that, and nearly paid the ultimate price.
"Really?" Luke asks, halting mid-stride. "What makes you so sure?" Luke asks. Lucy frowns.
"He'll come after me!" She repeats insistently. I shake my head.
"If you truly think that, you don't know Priests, honey." I reply, coming to stand with arms crossed in front of her, tutting mockingly.
"He'll come after you, too!" She adds in a tone that reminds me of a kitten mewling and thinking it scared the hound. I laugh, and Luke leans down.
"Now that's something…" He pauses for effect, looking the young woman dead in the eyes. "I'm absolutely counting on." She shrinks back at the close-up sight of our teeth and eyes.
"Now, now, Lucy. No need for all this tremblin' nonsense." I soothe, continuing to grin. "Relax. Nobody's gonna hurt yah in there." She doesn't look convinced. I give her a pretend hurt expression. "What? You don't trust me?" I ask. She shakes her head.
"N-no. Yo-you're...you're like him!" She stammers, nodding to Luke. I laugh.
"Yes, I am, but I'm not lying to you. You are safe in there." She shakes her head again, this time in confusion.
"Y-you went missing 'bout three weeks back, Lizzie. What happened to you?" She asks, eyeing my eyes with concern and fear, each vying for dominance. I shrug, unsure why she was so concerned.
"I was reunited with Luke, and got a new perspective on...everything." Lucy frowns.
"What does that mean?" I laugh.
"Nice try. I won't tell you now; it's time to feed the troops." I reply and leave before she can truly react.
=#=#=#=#=
Chicken blood, as I came to find out, was no great substitute for human blood, but at least it satisfied our needs.
"If only we could feed on humans, instead." I mumble under my breath, taking another large gulp of the blood, settling more comfortably on the arm of Luke's chair, arm around his shoulders. Luke chuckles.
"Then, the entire world would eventually be populated by vampires and Familiars." He replies, grinning up at me with fondness and genuine amusement. I smile.
"Is that such a bad thing?" I tease, knowing full well he knew it wasn't. He draws me to him, right into his lap, after sucking down the last of our dinner, kissing me tenderly.
"No, my love. It is not."
=#=#=#=#=
It's been a few days of heading through towns and outposts, getting a few human feedings out of the deal and a couple more Familiars, to boot.
The only unpleasant thing so far? That slinking, greasy salesman that claimed to have information for us, then dared to say he wanted compensation. Good thing he was easily dealt with after we learned that our plan had worked and that Peter was on his way.
"There's your compensation." Luke growls as the man's limp body hits the floor. A few Familiars are already hauling their newest member to his feet. "Put him to work." He orders. I watch apathetically as the man is taken away, then turn and lean into Luke's embrace from behind.
"We should feed our guest." I muse. Luke nods, nuzzling into my neck, the side he'd bitten to make me understand. The side that brought us together again. It was my sweet spot, my breaking point. And he knew it.
"I'll tell the Familiars to prepare something for her." He says alluringly by my ear. I grin.
"Something else you wish to occupy yourself with, Luke?" I ask teasingly, melting into his warm, loving embrace. I feel more than see his grin.
"I'd love to occupy myself with you." He breaths, and I chuckle. Of course, once we were joined in a vampire equivalent of matrimony as soon as possible after I was changed. And so, we'd been together a number of times, displaying our love for each other unashamedly and without reservation. I spin in his arms to face him and tap his nose.
"Unfortunately, my love, we must be patient. Much of the food from the previous village is still edible. We'll feed our guest, then have some fun together. Deal?" He grins, draws me to him, and kisses me hungrily.
"Deal."
=#=#=#=#=
Within five minutes, all was in order. I summoned a Familiar I trusted not to eat Lucy and told him to retrieve her. In moments, it was done. Lucy still trembled as she was sat down without much grace. I nod in thanks to the Familiar who tips his head in respect and leaves.
"You must be starving." Luke muses, circling behind Lucy. "You haven't eaten in days." The girl doesn't speak or move, eyeing the food distrustfully. Luke comes to her side and leans on the table with his hands. "Have you ever had real roast duck?" He asks. Lucy jerkily shakes her head.
"Course not." She mumbles. I lean on her other side, picking up a bit of duck and eating it.
"Well, you're missing out. It's delicious." Luke smiles at me and motions to the food, particularly the duck.
"Try it. You'll never have better." Luke then decides to stop taunting the poor girl and steps to the end of the table, where I join him, my arm snaking around his back as his arm follows my hips teasingly. I pretend I hadn't heard Lucy grab a knife from the table as we stare at our reflection, so different yet so similar to our previous selves. A little knife meant nothing to us, no threat at all.
"What are you?" Lucy asks tentatively. I smile.
"Not drastically different from yourself, but with more...understanding, more clarity to the way things really are in the world."
"What are you talking about?" Luke slips his hat off.
"Church tells is that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and that since Vampire have evolved without eyes, it is a soulless creature to be...eradicated." Luke explains, coming to sit in the chair at the opposite end of the table. I sit on the arm of that chair, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, slipping his hat on my head. "But I have seen the soul of a Vampire, and let me tell you; it is far more pure than that of any man." I hum in agreement.
"Oh, it is. Vampires are to be spread and encouraged." I add. "They are far more precious than any jewel, no matter what anyone else tells you." Lucy swallows.
"Now, you ask us what we are." Luke proceeds promptly. "We are the bringers of the tide. We are the wave that will wash clean this unclean world." He then stiffens subtly in determination and intimidation. "And you and your…" He takes a moment to decide what word to use for Peter. "Priest" he decides, "will help me do it." She swallows. I smile.
"Don't worry. It'll all make sense before long." I assure her. She swallows.
"What does that mean?" She asks. I wink.
"You'll see...long as she accepts you, of course."
IT DON'T TAKE A GENIUS TO FIGURE OUT WHO LIZZIE'S TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? ANYWAY, HOPE YOU LIKE AND ALL THAT JAZZ.