Blue Moon: Blood Moon Trilogy #3 (33 page)

“
T
he way the stories go—and that’s all they’ve ever been; stories—a vampire-werewolf hybrid might be virtually unstoppable.” Alistair stood in the living room, educating us on everything he knew about hybrid lore. I wasn’t discounting anything he might say, knowing that anything could be possible.

“Nothing is unstoppable,” I argued. “Harder to slow down, maybe. But not unstoppable.”

“They’ll be impervious to both sunlight and silver,” Alistair continued. “There have been no documented cases of a successful procedure, but there are plenty of theories on how one could make it happen.”

“Which are?” Nick spoke up.

Alistair regarded him before answering. “It’s said that the cycle the moon is in—whether it be new or full—will determine a higher concentration of either vampire or wolf. A new moon would mean the vampire DNA would be more dominant, whereas, naturally, a full moon would allow the wolf to be.”

I let this sink in for a minute, trying to wonder if that really was the case, or if it was just some debunked theory that Bobby and Gianna had already failed at.

“It should be said that a bite from one species to the other is eventually fatal, there’s no way to actually accomplish this. It’s foolish to think someone could.”

I met his gaze, hands clasped tightly in front of me as I leaned on my thighs. “Bobby feels pretty certain he found a way…and the fact that I watched him saunter out in broad daylight is a pretty good indication that he might actually have succeeded.”

This confession caught Alistair off guard. “You…you actually witnessed this?”

“We both did,” Nick replied. “As did Brooke’s parents.”

Alistair began pacing in front of us, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t understand,” he said beneath his breath. “How is this possible? The exchange of saliva or blood would be fatal.”

“Unless that blood or saliva shared similar genetic markers,” I interjected firmly, gaining Alistair’s complete attention. I could see the confusion in his eyes, likely wondering how I’d even come to that conclusion. “I spent a little time as their prized guinea pig. I learned a few things.”

The room fell silent as Alistair absorbed this new theory. He began pacing again, mumbling to himself and working out the probability of that happening based on things he’d read or heard over the years. I picked up bits and pieces of his outward monologue, but understood very little as it sounded very scientific and theoretic.

“You mentioned something about the moon playing a part in which species tends to dominate,” Roxanne spoke up, and Alistair became almost flustered when their eyes met. “Does that mean that if a wolf was changed, that their soul might remain intact?”

“I suppose anything is likely in this unusual case,” Alistair said, even though he didn’t sound too sure. “But I think it might be best to expect the worst. It’s not uncommon knowledge that when the vampire virus infects the host, it basically eradicates any traces of humanity.” He dropped his eyes from hers and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I was picking up the slightest hint of attraction between them.

If I wasn’t so worried about finding Cordelia, I might have time to think it was adorable.

“Just because your DNA is part animal doesn’t make you any less human. Your species typically feels more empathy for others, so long as they follow your laws and don’t intrude in your affairs.

“I have to admit, the idea of a hybrid intrigues me,” Alistair continued, looking almost excited by the possibility.

“You seem like an intelligent man,” I told him. “Everything you’ve told us has helped us understand a little better. We’re planning to raid their compound again to look for more information and irrefutable proof. I don’t expect to understand any of it, and your talents might come in handy to hold them off should they show up. I’d be eternally grateful if you’d accompany us. You might be able to make more sense of what we find down there.”

Alistair’s grey eyes brightened with the prospect of learning more about this, and his smile widened for a second before he remembered the gravity of the situation and recomposed himself. “I would gladly offer my assistance with your investigation.”

Before he could say anything else, I remembered what Vince had said about the price sometimes being too high.

I briefly contemplated taking back my request, but before I could, Alistair spoke again. “Normally, in these situations, there’s an exchange of…services, if you will.” I nodded, looking nervous as I waited for him to state his terms. “While I’m sure the others won’t be happy by what I am about to do, I’d be willing to help you, and the only thing I request in exchange is access to this information. My people, we’re always trying to learn and study the happenings of our world. We use this information to our advantage.”

“You mean you trade it with those who require it in exchange for…whatever services you might be in need of,” I assumed confidently.

Alistair nodded. “That’s a fairly accurate assessment. We have archives containing information on our world hidden deep within the catacombs beneath the city, and we only access them when we’re asked to.”

“So, you’ll join us and offer up additional protection, and the only thing you want in return is information on the hybrids?” I asked, unable to keep the skepticism from my voice. It seemed too good to be true, based on what Vince told me about them.

“That’s correct.”

“Good enough for me,” I said, pushing myself to my feet and looking around the room at the rest of the Pack, and then at my parents. “I need a few of you to stay here with my parents, and the rest will be coming to the compound.”

“Brooke?” I turned toward my father. “I realize I have no right to voice my opinion, but I don’t think this is the best course of action.”

“We have to find out what we’re up against. If they succeeded—”

“I know,” he interrupted. “But you can’t split everyone up. Not now. What if you all take off and we’re ambushed. Will you be able to make it back in time? Or vice versa. What if you’re all walking into a trap?”

“So I should take my entire pack in there?” I questioned a little too harshly. “You and Mom? You guys are willing to walk into the compound? See the cage where Bobby kept me prisoner? The room where he tortured me? Forced me to change into an animal so he could study me?”

A hand on my shoulder distracted me, and calm rippled through me as I looked up to see Nick. “Easy,” he told me calmly. “His fears are valid, considering everything they’ve been through and learned.”

“Are you suggesting we take them with us? They could get hurt…or worse.”

Turning me to face him entirely, Nick placed his hands on my upper arms. “Not at all.” He took a deep breath. “There’s a panic room beneath the house. It’s impenetrable.”

“To hybrids?” I shot back at him with arched eyebrows of disbelief.

I could sense the exasperation rolling off of Nick as he rolled his eyes. “I can’t be sure, but it’s well-hidden and requires—”

“If I may,” Alistair interjected, gaining everyone’s attention. “Once they’re concealed, I can use a cloaking spell to throw off anyone who might make it past the barrier spells. It will affect the heightened senses of both vampire and werewolf alike, making it impossible to detect anyone who might be hiding somewhere within the house—or beneath it, as it were.”

“I’ll stay behind with them,” Colby offered. The idea made me uneasy; she wasn’t exactly in the best place emotionally to keep my parents safe.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Zach spoke up, sounding nervous, “I’d like to stay, also. I think safety in numbers would be ideal.”

Nick turned back to me with a smile. “See? Between the pack and a powerful Shaman working together, they couldn’t be in better company.”

Mulling this over, I finally conceded. “Okay. You’re right. They’ll be safe here until we return.”

“In addition to the cloaking spells, I will cast a protection spell over them. They’re really quite effective at warding off both physical and magical attacks. I have an entire arsenal of spells ready to use—even if they are against our ways.”

From what I’d heard of the way they lived, I knew he was talking about using offensive magic, and I was grateful that he would offer to do this for us. Before I could thank him, he cleared his throat.

“Marcus has always been good to me. While he’s made some deals with us in the past that might compromise his own code, I will always be indebted to him for saving my life.”

Curiosity nipped at my heels, but I knew it to be disrespectful to pry. Instead I offered him a look of sympathy, only to have him brush it off with a smile.

“It was a long time ago. I was barely a teen coming into my powers. My parents were two of the most sought after Shamans in our circle, their spells more powerful and reliable than anyone else. Gianna wanted to use them to help her cloak her lairs all over the world. My parents weren’t into using their gifts to help the soulless, so they refused her, regardless of her offering up her army to always be at our beck and call.

“She killed them in a fit of rage, and was going to kill me when Marcus interrupted.” He indicated to the scar running down the left side of his face. “That was the day I got this.”

Awkwardness hung in the air before he finally cleared his throat. “We should probably head out. We’ve got our work cut out for us if we’re going to gather enough information to prove your theory and find a solution.”

The Pack stood aside while Alistair cast a spell of protection over my parents. Once the spell was in place, I could see the faint aura of energy around them, and I could feel it pulsing whenever we were close.

Understandably, my mother was a little more nervous about all of this, but she was really trying to be okay with it, knowing we wouldn’t let anything happen to them. But I could sense her anxiety, so I asked Alistair if there was anything he could do, and he agreed to cast a small calming spell that he said was equivalent to taking a Valium. She wasn’t aware he was doing it, which I was certain was wrong, but with her calm and not worrying, I was better able to focus on the mission as we led them through the house and down into the panic room.

Nick and I followed Vince and Layla as they led my parents through the main level of the house. Once we reached the kitchen, I watched on in confusion as Layla opened the walk-in pantry and reached inside. I took a step to the left and observed her press her hand to the white wall. A loud beep echoed in my ears, and then the wall opened inward, shelves still attached.

Smiling, she stepped out of the way so Vince could lead us down the stairs. “It was important the entrance wasn’t predictable. So often, you see them in bedrooms or offices, and we just couldn’t take the risk.”

Vince and Layla’s panic room wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen in movies. Instead of steel-enforced walls, I was admiring what looked like a studio apartment. I could smell the steel behind the drywall, but this was definitely more comfortable than I’d envisioned since finding out about it.

In the far corner was a king-sized bed covered in a thick red comforter. On the other side of the room, a door that I could see led to a washroom. To my right, I saw a kitchenette that I assumed was fully stocked with all sorts of non-perishable items, and to my left, a decent sized-living room area.

“Please make yourselves at home,” Layla said as my parents looked around. Colby and Zach joined us then, looking around from next to me. “We’ll secure the room before we leave. It’s completely soundproof, and with Alistair’s cloak, you’ll be safe.”

Even though we’d taken every precaution, I couldn’t help but think the worst—it would be unnatural if I didn’t after everything that had happened to me. I pulled Zach and Colby aside. “If something
should
happen, though, you’re both prepared to fight? You’re in control?”

Colby smiled, and for the first time in the last few days, I saw the fire in her eyes that had been extinguished the day her parents died. Her strength had returned, even if only minutely. “I’ll protect them with my life. I know what it’s like to lose my parents, and I won’t let you experience that.”

Nick gripped my arm lightly and tugged me back toward the stairs. “Come on. We have to go if we’re going to get this done before sundown.”

I hugged my parents one last time and told them I loved them before the four of us headed up the stairs. After Layla secured the entrance, I stepped into the pantry and looked around, pressing my hand to the spot that Layla had earlier. Nothing happened.