It had been three days since she had fled Ordoghaz and tonight was a full moon. Gabriella was in agony. Every muscle in her body hurt. She staggered through the forest, her body screaming in protest. Her body was changing she could feel it. Her eyes were sharper and her ears could hear more then ever before.
Gabriella was scared, cold, in agony and upset. She had loved Kraven with all her soul but he had betrayed her, 'I was never anything more then a toy, a toy for him whenever he needed pleasure!' He had chosen Selene to be his queen. Gabriella would never know Selene would not become Kraven's queen. Gabriella would never know that she was the reason Selene would hate Kraven.
Suddenly something crashed through the bushes on her right and Gabriella attacked with lightning fast reflexes. Her attacker however raised their hands
"I do not wish to harm you." A male voice said coolly.
Gabriella stared at the man. He wasn't very tall but he carried himself with air of a true leader. He had long, brown hair and a brown beard. His gray eyes looked at her with sympathy. Gabriella noticed that he wore a beautiful pendant around his neck. She had no idea who this strange man was but she could feel power and importance radiating from him.
"Forgive me," the stranger said suddenly making Gabriella jump, " but I had to find you before you turned. I am the one who bit you. I...am Lucian!"
Gabriella could not believe her ears. Didn't Kraven kill Lucian? Wasn't that why the vampires had a feast in his name?
"You can't be Lucian," she said finally, "Kraven killed Lucian."
The man Lucian? laughed and pulled up the sleeve of his brown shirt. "He lied to everyone. He really formed an alliance with the lycans and myself. When the time comes we will through down the elders and Kraven will take control of both covens and form a peace treaty with the lycans."
Gabriella shook her head. She didn't want to believe it but she had to face facts. She walked over to Lucian and touched his arm, "And this is where he cut the brand from your arm?" She asked, looking at the bloody rag Lucian had tied around his arm to stem the flow of blood from his injury.
"Kraven was too much of a coward to cut the brand from my arm. I cut it off myself!" He laughed coldly.
Gabriella shivered. Kraven was blatantly lying to the entire coven? Lying to her sister? "I have to tell them. I have to warn the vampires." She gasped. She started to run away when an incredible pain gripped her body. Gabriella dropped to the ground and gasped, "What's happening to me?" She whispered in a panic.
"It is a full moon!" Lucian said, "You are turning into a lycan".
"No!" Gabriella sobbed, "I don't want to be a lycan! I hate them! I hate you! You ruined my life! I don't want to become one of the animals that murdered Fabio or my family!"
Lucian knelt down beside her, a rage in his gray eyes. He grabbed the pendant from around his neck and showed it to her," Do you see this pendant? It once belonged to Viktor's daughter Sonja. Sonja and I fell in love and even, secretly, became husband and wife. I loved her more then anything else in this entire world and then I found out she was pregnant but the baby was something new. A cross between lycan and vampire. Sonja and I were going to be the parents of a hybrid, of something new and wonderful that the world would have never seen but Viktor found out. He captured us and burned Sonja alive. Killed his own daughter... killed her for loving me." Lucian looked away and through her blinding pain Gabriella could sense he was heartbroken.
'So that is why Lucian hates vampires!' she thought.
Gabriella felt her bones take on her a new shape and she whined in agony. That caught Lucian's attention and he looked over, sympathy and confusion blending on his face
"You said that lycans murdered people you loved. Fabio and your family?"
Gabriella couldn't do anything but nod.
"I do feel sorry to tell you, that yes, lycans killed the troop you lived with. They were lycan hunters and I wouldn't have them exterminating my people. I was informed that you were saved and that is why I picked you to bite. You know all about lycans and are trained in combat. You are still human also. I cannot turn a vampire into a lycan and if a human is bitten by a vampire and survives I cannot bite them. No one can survive a bite from both species." 'At least not yet' he thought. " The vampire coven, Viktor's coven is filled with dark, hidden secrets and I will make you aware of them. The vampires started this war not us lycans and I intend to over-through the vampires one day. Now your family? I have not organized any other human casualties. I did not order an attack on other humans and I control all lycans in this area. Not one of them would disobey me so it couldn't have been lycans who killed your family".
'Not the lycans! Surely it couldn't have been? No! The vampires? Are they responsible? She thought fearfully.
That was the last thought that went through Gabriella's mind before the change took over her body. Gabriella couldn't move, think or speak. She lay there in agony. Death was coming on swift wings for her, or was it?
Gabriella opened her eyes. The pain was gone. Instantly she knew the change was complete. She could no longer see wondrous colors. Now she could only see in dark, dull colors but it was like looking in sunlight. Gabriella could see incredibly well in the dark. She could also hear amazingly soft noises. She could hear deer in the forest eating grass. She could smell their musky aroma as though they were standing right beside her. She gazed down and looked at her huge, hairy paws. Then she looked at Lucian. She tried to speak but could only growl and yelp.
"That was your first change. The first one always hurts but they get easier to control. Someday you won't even need the moon. You can change by yourself like I can. Now come on. You can come back and live with us lycans." He looked at her wolfen eyes, " There really is no going back to the vampires."
Gabriella nodded and followed him. She paused for a moment and glanced back over her shoulder. She felt angry and upset with Selene but knew deep down in her soul she would miss Selene dearly but she knew that they would meet again 'and when we do, I will let her know how sorry I am and how much I love her' with that she turned and followed Lucian to start her new life as a lycan.
