The End Zone: SPORTS ROMANCE (Contemporary Sport Bad Boy Alpha Male American Football Romance) (New Adult Second Chance Women’s Fiction Romance Short Stories) (17 page)

*

Lizette took the stew off the fire, setting the hot kettle on a hanger and stirring the food one more time.  She dipped the ladle into the stew and poured a copious amount into a large bowl.  She set the bowl in front of Sterling, handing him a spoon and thanking him for his contribution to the meal. 

Sterling mumbled thanks, his face unreadable.  He’d been sullen since he’d returned, distant and more than once so lost in thought that he had to ask Conrad to repeat what he was saying.

Lizette couldn’t help but feel like his behavior had something to do with her, but she didn’t know how to fix it.  Conrad elbowed Sterling in the ribs and he said “thank you” more clearly.

Conrad watched her moving about the kitchen, the dark brown dress flowing around her as she fussed with dinner.  Lizette would have been beautiful in a burlap sack, but Conrad admired how the chocolate fabric and ornate stitching brought out the tender pink tone of her skin and the light spray of freckles that were scattered across the bridge of her nose.

He looked at Sterling, who was also watching Lizette, though he was less open about it.  Sterling had always been the odd man out, even among the Lycans.  His family line had cursed him with the pale brown coat that was almost blond, making him stand out in clan that valued likeness and uniformity.  Conrad suspected that Sterling was enamored with Lizette, and who could blame him?  They both were. 

Lizette brought a bowl to Conrad, who thanked her warmly before dipping the spoon in the broth and blowing on the steaming liquid until it was cool enough to taste.

The first bite was wonderful, and Conrad moaned appreciatively.

“This is delicious.  What did you put in it?” said Conrad.  Both Conrad and Sterling cooked, but nothing they made was as flavorful of the stew before them. 

“I found some sage just inside the woods, and a few other plants I like to use for seasoning.  So you like it?”

Sterling looked up her, his face incredulous.  His bowl was nearly empty, and she hadn’t even served herself.

“This is the best stew I’ve ever eaten.” 

Lizette was surprised by Sterling’s gushing praise, and pink crept up her face.  She blushed prettily and thanked him for the complement.

She tried to take his empty bowl, but he waved her away.

“Get your food and sit down.  I can serve myself.”  He stood and went to the pot, dipping out a generous helping of seconds and taking his bowl back to the table.

Lizette was taking her first bite when someone knocked on the door.  Sterling jumped up and headed for the door.

***

Sterling opened the door, surprised to see a weathered old woman at the standing there, and an even older man standing behind her.  He had his hand on the woman’s shoulder, comforting her as she cried freely.

Sterling glanced at the wagon parked a few yards away, but the driver was slouched in the seat.  He turned his attention back to the woman.

“Can I help you?”

“I hope so, Sir.  We’ve been looking for our darling daughter.  She was kidnapped from our home in south Ungerland, and we’ve heard that she may have escaped and found her way here.  Have you seen her, perchance?”

Sterling’s heart sank.  As much as he tried to deny his feelings for her, he was very fond of Lizette.  He’d bedded many women in his life, both he and Conrad had, both separately and together.  Yet, there had been something very special about Lizette.  He didn’t want to see her go, but he wouldn’t deny her family just to keep her.

He looked through the common room and into the kitchen.  Conrad and Lizette were talking to each other between bites, and Lizette looked so happy.  Sterling was tempted to send them away, to tell them that they had been given the wrong idea, but he couldn’t live with himself if he did.

He turned over his shoulder, “Lizette.  Can you come her please?”

Lizette jumped up walking quickly to him, and the old woman clapped her hands over her mouth, looking delighted that her lost daughter might actually be alive.

“Yes Sterling?”  Lizette’s smile was radiant as she looked at Sterling.  He moved to the side as she went to the door, smile set on her face, expecting that Maeve had come calling for the return of her clothes.

When her eyes met Beth’s, Lizette stifled a scream. 

“You!”

Suddenly, Beth lunged at Lizette, her face contorted in rage as she reached for the girl.  The man in the wagon stood, letting the blanket fall from his lap.  He held up the crossbow, letting the arrow fly towards Lizette.

Sterling grabbed Lizette, moving her out of Beth’s reach.  As he turned, the arrow meant for her sunk into his shoulder, ripping a cry of pain from him.

Beth, still screaming in rage, tried to climb over Sterling as he slid against the door jam, but Conrad was already there, yanking the woman off her feet and tossing her into her husband.

Conrad looked at Sterling, who waved him away.  He stood, breathing labored with pain.  Lizette grabbed Sterling’s arm, dragging him back into the house as Conrad advanced on the woman. 

His face lengthened as hair sprouted in tufts all over his body.  He shifted quickly, moving easily onto four legs from two.  Beth’s husband moved forward, attempting to protect his wife.  With a rage-filled growl, Conrad swiped at the man with his mighty paw, slamming the man into the ground head first and killing him instantly.

Beth was on the ground, frantically crawling backwards on her hands and knees.  The horse behind her screamed and took off, the sudden movement flipping Owen over the edge and onto the ground.  He landed hard, wind knocked out of him, trying to catch his breath on the ground.  His cross bow was on the floor of the wagon, which was long gone.  He cursed his misfortune, continuing to struggle to his feet while the werewolf was focused on Beth.

Her efforts to escape were pointless.  Realizing this, she stopped, staring straight into the eyes of the werewolf hovering over her.  Owen, capitalizing on the moment the werewolf’s back was turned, slunk on his belly into the trees beyond.  He was certain the wolf hadn’t seen him fall out of the fleeing wagon.  With any luck, the wolf would assume he was in the wagon that was likely on the other side of Bradenton by now.

The wolf walked to the woman, snarling and growling at her all the while.  The woman looked him dead in the eye.

“You can kill me, but the Master will come for the girl.  He won’t rest until he has her and all of Bradenton cowers before him.”

She spat in his face and Conrad growled one last time before biting her once on the throat, killing her instantly.  It was a more merciful ending than she deserved, but he didn’t have time to waste.  Sterling was hurt, and Dallin was surely on his way.  The sun was rapidly dipping towards the horizon, and he needed to alert the guards if they were going to be ready.

Owen watched the wolf turn, scanning the area briefly before shifting back to human form and walking into the house.  As soon as the door closed, Owen tried to get up, but his ribs were cracked, and the effort was too much.  He pulled himself along the ground, attempting to hide himself as deeply in the brush as he could while he regrouped.  The pain was already lessening. He just had to come up with a plan.

Conrad closed the door and bolted it behind him, sliding an extra bolt in the bottom of the door for added security.  Sterling was in the kitchen, sitting in a chair while Lizette cleaned the area around his wound, and heated a metal poker in the fire.

“Are you alright?” said Conrad to Sterling.

“It’s not bad, I just need to get the arrow out and cauterize the wound.  Lizette can’t get it out.”

Conrad walked up to him, head tilted as if he was considering the situation.  Without warning, he yanked the arrow from Sterling’s arm in one motion, dropping it and reaching for the metal fireplace poker and dipping the glowing red tip in the wound.  Sterling bellowed in pain, but held still while the heated metal did its work.   Conrad pulled it out, satisfied that the wound wasn’t going to bleed anymore.

“Dress it quickly.  The vampires will be here tonight, and we must be ready.”

He grabbed Lizette, planting a kiss on her lips before releasing her and walking out the door.

“Lock it behind me and don’t open it to anyone until I return.”

She nodded, hurrying behind him to latch the heavy door before running to Sterling to dress his wound.

***

Conrad’s breath crystallized in the air in front of him.  He made no move to hide his position, standing in the open with the moonlight lighting him up from behind.  The forest was eerily silent; not even the tiniest creature stirred in the woods, indicating that there was something out there, waiting for them.

Conrad was counting on it. 

He heard movement in on the trail ahead, and he stood, crouched on all fours, ready to spring forward and attack.  A lone vampire stepped out into the open, long blond hair unmistakable, even in the silvery light of the full moon.

Conrad growled low in his throat, but Dallin didn’t move.

“I believe you have something that’s mine.  I want her back and I won’t leave until I have her.  Is one woman really worth the lives of everyone in the village?”

Conrad’s lip curled as he continued growling, his massive teeth glinting in the moonlight.

“I can see you can’t be reasoned with,” said the vampire.  Pity.  I wasn’t ready to overthrow the Lycan clan just yet, but tonight will have to do.” 

Two more vampires appeared behind him, and several more walked out of the woods, through the mist.  Conrad growled low again, but held his ground.  Dallin took a step forward, then held up his hand.

He sniffed the air around him, and walked towards a low, dense grouping of bushes.  He reached in, grabbing Owen by his shirt and holding him up in the air.

“Ah, my murderous friend.  It looks like you weren’t a good investment after all.”  With that, he sunk his teeth into Owen, laughing as the man’s blood rushed into his mouth.  As the life force drained out of Owen, Dallin stopped, quickly slicing his own wrist with a sharp finger nail and feeding the blood down Owen’s throat as he hung limp in the air.

Dallin dropped him to the ground.  He landed with a thud in the soft brush, completely motionless.

“He’ll be ready momentarily.  Until then, shall we fight?”

Dallin raced towards Conrad, sailing into the air to close the distance between them.  Conrad lunged at him, catching him in mid-air.  The two went down, tumbling in the dirt as they went.  The vampires advanced on Conrad, but paused when they heard the commotion in front of them. 

Out of shadows stepped scores of Lycans already shifted, ready to join the fight.  Beside them stood several humans, armed with crossbows and sharpened stakes.  They stood at the ready as the Lycan ran into the forest, growling wildly as they went.

Conrad and Dallin continued to wrestle on the ground, each trying to sink his teeth into the other.  The battle raged around them, but they were focused on each other.

“I will have her, and I’ll breed her until her body can’t handle anymore.  And then I’ll turn her.”

Conrad snarled, swiping the air with his paw and connecting with Dallin’s jaw. 

“When she’s turned, I’ll send her back here to kill the entire village, one fool at a time.”

Dallin pushed Conrad off of him, flinging the wolf into the air.  He landed on his feet, advancing towards Dallin with murder in his eyes.

Owen stirred in the bushes, and Conrad was tempted to go after him while he was still down.  But Dallin was counting on it, and Conrad couldn’t afford to turn his back on him.

He lunged at Dallin and took him down, straddling him, shoulders pinned by two massive paws.  Dallin laughed in his face.

“You’ll never defeat me.  Your father died trying, and I walked away.  I’ll walk away again, as I have for 200 years.  You’ll grow old and I’ll stay the same.  You can’t protect her forever.”

Dallin smiled, the poisonously sweet expression sickening on his ageless face.  Around them, vampires screamed and disintegrated into piles of ash and dust.

Wooden stakes flew through the air, finding their targets and taking down vampires as they fought.  There were more than fifty; many more than the original group that Dallin had fled with fifty years before.

Owen moved in the bush, this time finding his footing and standing.  He swayed slightly, then took a tentative step.  He looked confused, regarding his bloodless skin on his arms with a look of horror on his face when reality dawned on him.

He looked at Dallin, and the werewolf pinning him to the ground.  He snarled, running towards the pair, eyes locked on Conrad.

Conrad was faced with a choice; to turn and fight Owen, leaving his back to Dallin, or to hope the fledgling vampire was too weak to fight him before he dispatched with Dallin.

He didn’t have to make his decision.  From behind him, he heard a crossbow let fly, and a stake pierced Owen’s heart from behind.  He looked down at the point protruding from his chest, his face registering shock a moment before he dissolved in mid-air.  His life as a vampire was over almost before it got started, and Conrad doubted that anyone would mourn his loss.