*** This story contains some mild language, suspense, romance, and some frightening images and situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Chapter Forty Eight:

Week One, Night Two

Sympathy for the Devil

My hands stung from the contact of the sword with the solid creature. I opened my eyes to see that the Lycan had stopped its ravaging of Demetri. But only momentarily, as it lifted its head from Demetri's shoulder and snarled at me, a prolonged growl rumbling deep in its throat.

I obviously had no training in the use of a sword. And in my feeble attempt to save Demetri, I had used the broad side of the blade, striking the huge Lycan on the upper arm. It was an ineffectual blow, an embarrassing blow; it had smacked like a paddle. The blade had smoked against the creature's massive arm, but there was no real damage. I had only succeeded in turning its attention on myself.

I took a step back, thrusting the point of the blade in the air in an attempt to put some space between us. It was a useless threat, however; as the Lycan lifted its bulk off of Demetri to tower over me. It was then I saw that he was unmistakably a male.

"I don't want to hurt you," I babbled, stalling for time. The gray Lycan was still thrashing about, unable to get free from Demetri's arm. I shuddered, trying to keep my attention on the dark Lycan as he stared down at me.

But then, the Lycan sniffed the air between us. And then he leaned down, until I could feel his warm wet muzzle against my scalp, his breath stirring my hair. I lowered the sword slowly. Demetri's voice was calm but pleading, Don't move, Bella.

The Lycan pulled back, tilting his head and looking at me as if seeing me for the first time. His voice was low and guttural. "Hu-man?" he seemed to mutter to no one in particular.

I understood then why I confused him. It was my smell. I nodded; he was partially right. Still, it must have been a surprise to find a human—even a half-human—down here under the vampire stronghold.

My hair stirred again as he inhaled sharply. His eyes narrowed and I almost took a step back. "Volt-uri…" he accused, snarling.

I had no doubt that it looked like I was conspiring with the enemy. "No," I said. "Prisoner of the Volturi." I looked over at Demetri. "Except for him."

He pointed down at Demetri. "Takes human blood."

I couldn't argue with that. "Friend," I sighed.

The Lycan seemed more confused than ever. "Friend?" he said as if it were impossible to contemplate. "No…Murderer of men."

I lowered the sword again, until its tip rested on the ground, hoping it would signal an act of goodwill. "We don't want to war with you. Won't you let us pass?"

The Lycan barked an order and the gray wolf went still in Demetri's arms. He then demanded that Demetri release him. Demetri looked up at the dark beast, then at me, before pushing the gray Lycan away from him, allowing it to scurry to the wall of the tunnel, leaving no doubt who was in charge here.

I put the sword down on the ground and slid it to Demetri. The Lycan growled disapprovingly, but I refused to let Demetri go totally defenseless; his wounds all but incapacitated him anyway.

Then the Lycan paused as if considering my request. "You can go." But when he looked down at Demetri, his voice was hard. "He belongs to us."

Go, the gate is not far ahead…run for it. Demetri was looking up at me, his lips forming the words, although I heard them clearly in my head.

His hand then grabbled for the handle of his sword and I hissed, Don't be foolish!

But he only stabbed the blade of his sword into the ground and propped his arm up on the hilt to support his weight. Go! he demanded when I continued to stare open-mouthed at him.

I'm not leaving you behind… I told him.

Bella…now's not the time to tell me you care. He grunted in obvious discomfort as he tried to shift his weight. Damn Lycan wounds always take the longest to heal—I just need a few minutes.

I knew that he was trying to pacify me so I would go. But I would have none of it. You know as well as I do that They won't wait the few minutes that you need.

I set my jaw and stared up at the Lycan, "I'm not leaving without him."

Bella! Demetri's voice was gruff in my head. His head rolled back and he looked up at the ceiling in exasperation.

Forget it, I said, my voice calm, but firm.

The Lycan shook his head incredulously. And then before my eyes, he began to morph into something that resembled a man, but not quite…as his body was still covered in the dense short fur. He was now about the same height as Demetri, but brawnier it seemed underneath the fur. His muzzle slowly disappeared into the square of his jaw. And I watched as the long white incisors became small and humanlike, flashing—along with the whites of his eyes—against the glossy dark fur. His irises were a tawny brown and easily the most human trait he possessed; and they regarded me with a mixture of both awe and suspicion.

The gray Lycan still stood against the wall, unchanged. He fidgeted and seemed to be waiting for the dark Lycan to give him the okay to change.

But the dark Lycan was preoccupied with me and gave no notice to the other.

His voice was no longer guttural, but it remained deep when he asked me, "Is that your final decision?"

I nodded. Then I stepped around him and went to Demetri's side.

For a long moment the dark Lycan appeared in a sort of trance, staring through us as if in a daze.

It seemed to make Demetri uncomfortable. "Where are you planning on taking us?" Demetri asked him, but the Lycan stopped him by holding up a fur-covered hand, and then went on staring out beyond us.

After a few moments, he addressed me, "We're taking you to Muriel. She's very interested in meeting you."

"Who is Muriel?" I asked. But the dark Lycan had turned to the other Lycan and grunted, and the gray Lycan began his own transformation into a gray-furred youth.

You're a stubborn, stubborn woman, Demetri growled. But he couldn't hide the relief in his voice, not from me. He seemed relieved that they were taking me to this Muriel person, or whatever she was.

Stubborn and reckless, I admitted. It's the reason you're hurt like this.

I lifted Demetri's arm and pulled him up so that he hunched over, then I draped his arm around my shoulder and half-carried, half-dragged him as we followed the two Lycans into the tunnel we'd emerged from.

***

(Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading! OTM)