Day 6: Vampires and Werewolves

She could see, smell, hear, sense everything around her. Her speed was unmatchable and the fear she strikes was unsurpassable.

The sound of branches cracking, leaves stirring, and powerful paws hitting the Earth. She loved it all. She loved how free she was in this form. How she could willingly choose her freedom, even if her brother calls her a hot head.

She ran and ran through the dark forest in the dead of night. She was too excited, too involved. Too in love to care of the consequences rained upon her if her brother found out.

She stopped at a clearing, alone. A pond reflected the moonlight casting an eerie glow in the area. She didn't mind, of course, this was her home turf. This was her hour, and her time.

She heard rustling in the trees above and was instantly on alert. Glancing up, her fierce, animalistic eyes scanning the treetops for any threat.

A lone bat landed on a branch, hung upside-down. It stared at her, and her tail wagged.

A flash of light, and a boy appeared, hanging upturned where the bat used to be.

"There she is," he said. He grinned, fangs blazing as he did. His eyes were almost cat-like, green and dangerous.

"Come on, let me see you."

Another flash, and a woman stood where the wolf was.

She smiled, her fangs flashing as she did. Her eyes seemed to be glowing silver, like metal.

"Better?" she asked.

Laughing, the vampire swung down from the trees and walked toward her.

"I've waited…" was all he said before he took her lips in a rough kiss. She melted into him, letting out a sound of pleasure as she did. Her lips curved against his and she growled.

"It's been too long," she responded once he let her breathe again, considering he didn't have to. "Sorry this took so long, my brother has been very overbearing."

"That doesn't surprise me, I'm guessing you haven't told him about us yet?" he asked.

"Eren." She sighed, and looked down at his chest, fingering with the collar of his shirt. "You know as well as I that a romance between a werewolf and a vampire is strictly forbidden. Levi is the king of werewolves, of course I haven't told him, have you told your parents?" she asked.

"Yes."

Mikasa instantly looked up with a look of shock. "What? When?"

"After our last meeting, after you told me you loved me."

There was a beat of silence. Mikasa was gobsmacked.

"You…" She tried to wrap her head around it. "You…Well, what did they say?"

Eren shrugged. "They, as expected, were quite…startled. A little angry at first, well, my mother was. My father didn't say much of anything at the time. But they know, and they…don't care."

"They…don't care?" Mikasa asked, not really believing him.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"That…That doesn't matter. No werewolf knows about me and you and I'm here. That doesn't prove anything."

"Fine. The thing is, Mikasa, is I love you. I wouldn't have cared what my parents said, or any vampire. That won't change how I feel about you." He rested his forehead on hers and Mikasa's eyes drooped with passion and lust.

"You know what I like to hear." She leaned in again, taking over his entire body with those supple lips of hers.

How could he not love her? He wondered. She was incredible. The most beautiful, dangerous, reckless werewolf ever to walk this Earth. And taking her again, he thought, and she's all mine.

Moving toward the pond, they rested on the bank.

Eren put his arm around her and she snuggled in. His scent consumed her. His very aura lit her up and caused fluttering in her chest and her breath to shake. He was so overwhelming.

"The Saibansho is tomorrow night," Eren said, staring out over the water. She felt him nod against him.

"I know. This is the first time in 50 years that the werewolves and vampires are in the same place at the same time."

"Yeah, pretty crazy."

A moment of silence passed. Then two. Then three. Until Eren sighed.

"Are…Are you ever going to tell your brother about us?" he asked, hesitantly.

"I want to, Eren. I want to with all my heart, but if I tell him, there's no going back. Wouldn't you rather be with me in secret, instead of never seeing me at all?"

"I guess so, but Mikasa, this is killing me. I want to do so much with you. And I can't because anyone could see us. The birds are big tattle-tails."

Mikasa gave a hearty laugh. "I know they are. But they aren't awake during the night." She gave him a kiss, meant to be quick, but Eren had other plans.

He gripped the back of her head, a fistful of her black hair. He roughened it, and it took her breath.

He started to lean back, taking her with him. She laid on his chest, firm and warm, and slipped her tongue passed the seal of his lips.

She was his key, his key that unlocked emotions in him he didn't know he was capable of feeling.

His hand traveled down her back, rested on her hips.

He groaned against her lips as she swept her glorious tongue along his fangs, and it made him shudder.

Her body lit up in flames as his fingers left trails of ice. For a man with no breath, no heartbeat, no circulatory system, he left her alive, happy, wanting. Him. And only him.

"Mikasa." Only her name, and she understood.

He was aching, desiring, pleading with his eyes as she stared into them.

"I want you."

Blending into the shadows as a wolf was much easier than anyone thought. She was pure black, nothing but a night sky, as she carefully made her way through the palace toward her chamber.

Reaching it, she transformed back, and slipped in.

She was the only one in the room, and she sighed, locking the door. She started to pull of her shirt when movement in the corner of the room alerted her.

She transformed back into the wolf and growled a deep, dangerous warning.

The same growl met her head on as a white wolf with icy eyes stepped out from behind the curtains.

Mikasa barked, one neutral bark, and appeared again as a girl.

"Annie! What the actual hell?" The white wolf stepped more into the torchlight and transformed.

A woman with pale blonde hair, ice blue eyes, and a slim, small stature took its place.

"I think I should be asking you that? Where have you been, Joo Okami?"

Mikasa ran her hands through her hair.

"I told you when we are alone you can call me Mikasa. You don't treat me like a queen so you shouldn't call me that."

"What's gotten your fur in a matt?"

"I don't have matts, and it doesn't matter. I just want to sleep."

"Well, I'm not letting you until you explain," Annie said, crossing her arms.

Mikasa waited and waited. Annie just raised her eyebrows.

"For the love of- Fine!" She stepped forward more, and removed the clothing that covered her neck, and she revealed the fang bite on her neck.

Immediately, Annie was back as a wolf. She howled and tackled Mikasa to the ground, baring her teeth and sneering.

"Hey! It's not what you think, Ann. It's not!" When the wolf barked out an aggressive sound. "I…" She hasn't told another living werewolf about Eren. She couldn't.

But this is Annie, she thought. Her best friend since she was a pup. They hunted their first time together. She trusted Annie with her life, but could she trust her with her love life?

"I…love him."

The white wolf stopped snarling immediately. She slowly got off the blackette, and changed back.

"Mikasa…" She stared at her in horror. "Mikasa, do you have any idea what this means? If your brother found out about it, he would chain you up!"

"You don't think I'm aware of that? You are the first wolf I've told."

Annie didn't say anything for a while, just stared at the wall behind Mikasa.

"Do you really love him? Does he love you?"

"He loves me as much as a man with no heartbeat can."

Annie sighed, tucked hair behind her ear. "If you screw this up, I'm not saving you."

"I never asked to be saved."

"You will."

And transforming back, Annie walked toward Mikasa's terrace doors, and leaped off the railing to the one below, and into her room.

She closed the doors, locked them, but left one window open unless Eren wanted to pay her a visit as he's done in the past.

She settled in her bed with the torches out, and just stared.

She stared at her ceiling, thinking, doubting, overthinking, and anything your brain makes you do when you're bored or trying to sleep.

What if she told Levi? What if? She can only assume what his reaction would be. She would love to think that he'd be fine with it, but he won't. And that's what pissed her off. Why couldn't she love who she wanted? Why couldn't he let her choose for herself for once.

All her life, Levi had trained, disciplined, raised, and grew up with her. He knew that she was smart. If she wasn't, she knew she would still have fallen in love with Eren. She was sure that she loved him. More than anything in this world, even…her throne…

Mikasa sat up in bed. Maybe, if she wasn't a queen, she could be with him.

Would she be able to give up her crown to love Eren? Could she? Should she...?

Mikasa lit a candle and sat on the side of her bed.

But there was always the possibility that she was wrong. Maybe if her destiny and purpose in life was to rule the werewolves, or why be born this way, in this family? It's possible that the Saibansho could go horribly wrong and they end up at war, or the vampires move to a different kingdom, of course the werewolves wouldn't leave as they had marked their territory more than enough times, and they would never see each other again.

"Ugh." Mikasa fisted her hair. Too many possibilities, too many outcomes, either way…Both ways make her unhappy.

She wouldn't want a world ruling without Eren, and she wouldn't want Eren and give up her destiny. Too many endings, they all end the same. So why couldn't she find some middle ground? Somewhere where she could have both. The only way of ending that way would be if Levi was okay with herself and Eren being together. It would take a lot of convincing on her part. And Eren's. And she certainly doesn't want to pit an angry, trained wolf on him.

But Eren's parents are fine with them. So maybe they could help convince.

She flopped onto her back and heaved a deep breath. She couldn't think about all this right now. She just needs to do what she does and see what happens.

But that depends on her, whether or not she should tell Levi.

She awoke to the sight of a candle melted into a pile of hardened wax. Getting up she realized she had fallen asleep with no covers and with the candle still lit. It wasn't even dawn. Her head scratched so she transformed into a wolf to scratch it.

Before she could transform back, some said, "Knock knock."

Whipping around to her window she saw Eren crawling through it. Her tail wagged and she hurried over to Eren licking, leaping and nuzzling all over him.

He was laughing the entire time, until he said, "Now transform back so I can see your beautiful face."

She did, and he pecked her on the lips. "How's my girl?"

"Exhausted. I didn't sleep well. Why are you here so early in the morning? It'll be dawn soon. You'll make it back okay?"

Eren pressed his finger to her lips. "I wanted to see you one last time before I turn in for the morning. I'll make it back fine."

"Okay. So how was your night?"

"Eh. Hunting, killing, eating, you know, the usual."

Mikasa laughed. "It's great, isn't it?"

"Fan-fucking-tastic."

"Don't be so loud. I have guards at the door."

"Sorry, is this better?" he asked in a light whisper.

Mikasa nodded. "Much better."

"Are you preparing for the Saibansho? It's being held here."

"Yes, a lot of preparations. Mostly of Levi yelling and intimating people and making them piss themselves, and me in the background eating rabbit legs, laughing at them."

Eren threw his head back in a laugh and looked at her again.

He fingered at her single strand of hair in front of her face, and she leaned against him.

"I was thinking a lot last night, which was why I couldn't drift off. I was debating and overthinking," Mikasa explained.

"That's so like you. What were you debating?"

"If I tell Levi. There is so many possibilities, Eren. All end with me being unhappy. I couldn't imagine a life without you, but I can't give up the life that I was destined to follow. I am the queen of my species, but…" She sighed and buried her head in his shoulder. "I love you."

Eren didn't say anything for a while. Just held her and took in the scent of her hair.

"I understand, Mikasa. I will be all right with the choice you make. If you won't be happy telling him or not, then I'll do my best to make you happy no matter your choice."

"This is the thing." She leaned back and looked into his cold dead eyes. "You say things like this, and I get more paranoid. I wish I didn't have to choose. What if your parents tell him before I do? What if you get banished? What if-"

"Hey." He gripped her chin to make her look at him again. "God, it's a wonder you sleep at all."

Mikasa let out a breath. "I know. I'm sorry, this probably isn't helping you either."

Eren shrugged. "I'll live. I have no doubts about you, Mikasa. And I said it before, I'll say it again, I love you, and I will do anything to help make your choice easier." He leaned against her forehead and she closed her eyes and took in the comfort that only Eren could give.

Suddenly, a howl of a wolf sounded and Mikasa jumped back.

"Sunrise." She started pushing him toward the window. "Eren, it's about to be sunrise, you need to go now before the sun comes out."

"Okay, okay, I'm going." He placed one leg out the window and turned to her and kissed her. "I'll see you tonight."

She nodded and Eren transformed into a bat and zipped away.

She showered, and dressed, and prepared for the day of chaos. Her wolves in waiting appeared at her door to tell her Levi requested her at the breakfast table.

Sighing, she closed her bedroom door, transformed, and bounded down the corridor.

Before she reached the dining hall, she could smell all the food presented. Pancakes, sausages, eggs, French toast, crepes, fruit, and…BACON!

Howling, she burst into the chamber, startling a few staff, but Levi simply raised an eyebrow from the end of the table.

"Morning." Mikasa hurried over to Levi, as usual, and laid her head on his knee. He ruffled her fur and kissed the top of her head.

She walked over to the other end of the table where her grand chair waited.

Transforming back, she took her seat and a maid came over and placed a tray in front of her.

She started to pile on food and shoveled it into her mouth before it met her tray.

"Slow down, your Majesty. You don't want an upset stomach for the preparations for the day.

"Thanks Hanna, but I think I'll be fine," Mikasa said, trying to talk around the crepe stuffed in her mouth.

"Mikasa, please." Levi looked at her and Mikasa looked down at her plate.

"Sorry, brother."

He grunted and continued eating.

The door blasted open, whacking against the hard, stone wall and arguing people came in, and Levi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What the hell are you idiots arguing about now?"

The 4 newcomers froze, bowed, and all started talking at once.

"Eld is being a jerk-"

"Am not! Say that to my face, Oluo!"

"Shut up!"

"NO, you shut up!"

"You boys are idiots!"

"Says you! You've been arguing the whole trek down here, Petra!'

"I'll make you eat those words."

"Ha! You can-"

The low growl escaping Levi's lips shut them up immediately.

"Sorry, you Grace."

"What happened?" he asked. "Petra, you are the only one speaking."

The red head nodded. "Well, the preparations director came down with food poisoning from a sick squirrel and is on bed rest. So, Gunther said he would take over, but Eld wanted to, so obviously Oluo wanted to as well, and I…" She sighed herself and turned to the flushing boys behind her. "They're just being idiots."

"Okay, I have a solution. Mikasa will take over."

Mikasa choked on her sip of coffee and blubbered. "Say what now? Me?"

"Yes, did I stutter?" Levi asked, daring to be contradicted.

"But…But… I don't wanna!"

"I don't give a shit if you don't wanna. You are, and you will, so finish up. We only have 12 hours until sunset, we OBVIOUSLY don't want to be late." Emphasizing the fact made Mikasa tremble.

He hated the vampires, and finding out his sister was intimate with one, that's just icing on the fucking cake.

Mikasa angrily stormed down the corridors and into the outside courtyard where a giant field of grass lay, and a fountain sprayed. Soldiers, nobles and bunch of important wolves that involved royalty.

As soon as everyone saw her, they bowed.

"You Majesty, as you can see, we have made progress." He gestured to the field a few tables were scattered around and there was random groups of werewolves, and they were wrestling.

"Okay, well I am the replacement for the preparations director…" she said.

"Oh of course, what do we do?"

Mikasa shrugged. "They're vampires and should be on level ground for sure but we can all meet in the throne room."

A man walked up, he was very, very tall, and had black hair. Green eyes it looked like.

"I think that's a good idea," the tall boy said. He looked about her age, maybe a year older. "We have the power but they are on level territory.

"Well, I guess that can work. Nicely done, your Grace. We shall not use tables and chairs, we'll all stand."

"All right. Now is there anything else you need of me?" Mikasa asked.

"Taste testing is just about ready. We'll need your approval for the refreshments."

The girl nodded, and started to head back into the castle to the kitchen.

"And this is our famous rabbit and bird beak stew, I find that the vampires will find it quite gamey, but they'll survive. They live off mice for Christ's sake!" the head chef of the castles kitchen explained.

Mikasa took a look into the pot, and instantly an amazing aroma wafted into her nose. She started to drool…a little.

"Mmm, that smell really good."

He poured a ladle-full into a bowl and handed it to her, along with a spoon.

Scooping some up, she placed it into her mouth and her eyes lit up with delight.

"This tastes amazing. Farrow, you must make some for me at a later date." Mikasa ate more until the whole bowl was scooped clean.

Taking the bowl back, Farrow laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, your Majesty, you flatter me. Now, how about this fish pie? I changed up the recipe a little, added the tarter sauce as a base instead of a top layer, also added some lime to it, give it a bit of a tang. It might be a bit delicate of taste, but you may like it."

He offered her a little saucer with a little piece of pie, and smiled.

Taking it, she sampled some and she nodded. "Definitely. Well done."

"Oh, fantastic! Now, I don't want you to spoil your lunch, but one more thing. This is dear steak."

"Oh, my God." Mikasa couldn't help but admire the large piece of steak. 6 pounds maybe. "That…is huge…"

"Indeed, only the best with Farrow. Your Majesty, please try it."

Mikasa broke off a piece of the steak with a fork, and placed it in her mouth. She was delighted.

"I want this whole thing."

The chef's around her started to laugh, and she couldn't help the joyous embarrassment.

"I'm so glad you think so." He grinned. "I will save you some then."

Awesome, Mikasa thought, she totally embarrassed herself by letting her inner wolf take over. She forgot she was royalty to them.

"Thanks. Now if you don't mind. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Nope I think your free to go," Farrow bowed down.

"Thank you."

Mikasa hurried out and closed the door behind her.

Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair.

"This is going to be a long day…"

The closer that sunset creeped up on her, the more anxiety she felt. She still hadn't decided if she should tell Levi. She hasn't found a good time, both of them have been busy being the king and queen to sort out personal issues.

She changed into a white, silk dress that ended at her ankles. She wore beige lace-up boots, and a fake smile.

"You can do this…" she told her reflection. Maybe.

The corridors were mostly empty because almost everyone was gathering in the throne room, awaiting her arrival no doubt.

Picking up the pace, she maneuvered to enter through the side entrance.

She saw Levi waiting.

"There you are." He walked up, placed his hands on her shoulder, rubbed up and down. "Are you ready?"

"Let's hurry before I decide I'm not."

Levi grunted, whirled a hand in the air, and the staff surrounding them moved along.

She walked in front of the massive crowd of vampires and werewolves. The only light was the torches lining the ceiling.

Both Mikasa and Levi sat in their thrones, faces passive of any emotion. Although, Mikasa almost cracked when she spotted Eren in the crowd. Standing beside two older vampires, no doubt his parents, and also beside a blonde boy with stormy eyes, scanning and observing. Beside him, a little blonde girl stood, talking to the two boys.

"Welcome." Levi put both his hands out. "To you all. Vampires and werewolves alike. I thank you all for being so forthcoming about my request to meet."

A woman, as beautiful as a flower, stepped forward, her tiara gleaming.

"As am I, King Levi. I am Alma Reiss, queen of the vampires. Shall we understand the purpose of this meeting?"

"Of course. Straight to the point. As you all know, vampires and werewolves have never been the species who get along. Our constant hate for each other is as fierce as ever. Am I wrong?"

No one spoke. Alma simply nodded.

"For centuries we have been separated and vigilant to each other. Not one to meet the other without out the spilling of blood, and the taking of life.

"Enemies, since our time began."

Mikasa couldn't look at Levi, or Alma, or anyone in the crowd. She faced down, accepting the fact, even if it destroyed her. She wishes there was something…

"We don't want any death among our pack," Levi continued. "I'm not permitting, and if our kingdoms constantly are at each others' throats, then maybe it be best, you all get out."

The vampires hissed, snarled and snapped at Levi.

Alma put her hand up, indicating silence.

"And why, King Levi, do you think we would do that?" she asked.

"As I said, we have lived here for centuries, and we are wolves, and marked are territory surrounding this entire wood. We own this land, in a way you blood-suckers will never be able to do."

Alma gave a look of horror and betrayal.

"As have we, marked this land, with our blood, and sweat and tears. We have lived here just as long as you have. Why not come to an agreement?"

"I want you to think about the fact that your vampires have no chance against savage, trained wolves such as my people."

"Must everything end in violence, King Levi? Must war always be the answer?" A man stepped up, placed an arm on Alma.

"King Reiss, I assume?" Levi asked flatly.

"You assume correct. I believe a compromise can be made, if you-"

"Not interested. I don't want to lay my eyes on another vampire."

Mikasa felt nauseous. Why? Why were things supposed to be this way? Why…

Wait. She was the queen, and she has said nothing. Maybe…

"Why not?" Mikasa abruptly stood up before she could stop herself.

Levi turned to her. "What?"

"Why can't there be a compromise?" she asked, firmly.

Levi may be her brother, but he is something more, a king. And more than that, he was a wolf, an untameable wolf, and she was about to back him into a corner.

"What kind…of compromise?" Levi observed her coolly, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes, indicating that she best be choiceful with her next words.

She locked eyes with Eren, at first he seemed nervous, but once he saw her looking, he gave her a confident smile.

"For years we have been fighting differences. Giving in to our natures as our ancestors have before us. We are taken over by our ancestors will, therefore, this has never truly been our kingdom. We have been following the rules of the past, never letting tradition or protocol slip because we don't wish for change.

"But think about it. We are all very strong, and smart. So why can't we get along. What is stopping us?"

Everyone stared at her in awe, in interest.

"We are the rulers now, King and Queen Reiss. We have the power, the control over our lives and our world. We all hunt the same things, we all survive the same way. So why can't we hunt, live, fight the same way together?"

She turned to Levi, she couldn't read his eyes, but he stood up.

"Queen Mikasa, is this…an official ruling?"

Mikasa almost laughed. He was on her side.

"Yes. I, Queen Mikasa Ackerman of the Werewolves, hereby declare, as of this hour, in this time, werewolves and vampires are no longer seen as enemies, but as comrades, family, as part of the pack."

Everyone, surprisingly, leapt up in a cheer. Shaking hands with the opposite species. All celebrating an event that will change history.

Levi ruffled Mikasa's hair. "Now you won't have to sneak off with your boyfriend.."

And leaving his comment lingering, he left a horrified Mikasa alone.

Until Eren and the two blondes walk up.

"Hey, good job, Mikasa, I-"

"He knew."

Eren halted. "What?"

"He knew. The whole time. He knew that I was seeing you. He…knew."

She looked back to where Levi was shaking hands with the King and Queen of vampires.

"He did? And he didn't lock you up."

Mikasa shook her head, shocked and amazed. "He knew."

"Now that that's sorted."

Annie walked up, punched Mikasa in the shoulder.

"I spotted a 6-pound deer steak in the mess hall. No one's there yet, wanna reminisce of old times and sneak some before the banquet?" the blonde asked Mikasa.

"I'm supposed to be mingling…but what the hell. I deserve it."

"We're coming, too."

And so, Mikasa ran with her mixed batch of friends, and hurried to the mess hall.

She could be the queen some other time…