Lucas's POV
I walked quickly into my apartment, one of many throughout the city. I was in a rush. I just needed to shower, change into cleaner clothes before heading out to patrol again. I had been going for two days straight combing the city in the constant search. I was so tired but I knew I was so close to finding her. I couldn't stop now. The ability to not have to sleep is something I was becoming envious of the vampires. I never thought that would happen.
I made my way to my room, heading straight for the drawers. I shuffled through them looking for my black long sleeve shirt. I groaned in frustration as I couldn't seem to find it.
"Looking for this, little bro?" a voice said behind me.
I spun around to find Julian smirking, casually laying on my bed, playing with the shirt I had been looking for. I walked over and grabbed it out of his hands.
"You're losing your edge, Lucas. You need to sleep. You didn't even catch that I was here…," he paused, "that a vampire was here."
I grumbled something and headed to the shower. I was in no mood to deal with him. I needed a good cold shower to wake me up. As I stood there rotating the faucet to first cold then back to hot then back again, I heard my brother's voice as he stood outside the door. I hadn't really talked to him since everything went to hell. To be honest, I still didn't truly believe he was alive and apparently a vampire. I couldn't help but feel left behind or abandoned by my big brother all those years ago. He was suppose to be king, not me. He was always the leveled headed one, the responsible one. I was the hot tempered one, the one who always acted on my emotions. I wasn't made for this responsibility.
"Lucas, I know you've been avoiding me," he said with a sigh. I didn't answer. He cleared his throat. "I know it must be hard to come to terms with what I've become. But there are things we need to talk about. Things that we both know you've been avoiding."
Vampire or not, my brother and I have always been close enough for me to know what he was referring to. It was reassuring to know 9 times out of 10, I knew where his head was at.
I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on the tiled wall. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have right now. It seemed pre-mature, as the pivotal person in question was still missing.
"There are things that father never told us, things he wasn't very truthful about. One of them obviously being me."
I heard him sigh as I heard his steps pace back and forth in front of the bathroom door.
"I didn't mean to abandon you all those years ago, Lucas. The thirst...," he trailed, "It was so bad. I had to leave or I would have put everyone in danger. Please understand that I did what I thought was best. Over the years, I became more able to control it and learned on my own that there were other ways to sedate the thirst rather than use humans. I realized that though I had become something evil, there was still good inside in me.
I had come to see dad, to show him. For years we were told that this couldn't happen…a werewolf becoming a vampire. Up until now, our people just hadn't allowed it. Should it happen, it would mean certain death. It was only the honorable thing to do. But Father couldn't do that to me, he couldn't order my death. Instead he said I wasn't welcome to Oranious anymore, that I had been exiled."
"Father would never have done that. He would never turn away his own son," my voice harsh and barely loud enough over the sound of water hitting the tile floor.
"He had no choice, Lucas. I know that now. It was the only way he could of saved me."
His footsteps stopped and I heard him slide to the floor. I stared at the drain, watching the water circle down, listening to my brother.
"But with my gift, I disobeyed orders. I was able to stay but be unseen. I was only planning on staying for a little while. Just long enough to make sure you were alright and safe. I needed to know that the vampire who had done this to me wouldn't come after you. But then I notice Tabitha and she wasn't the little girl who followed me around anymore. She had grown up and I just couldn't turn my attention away from her. I watched her, followed her and fell in love. It was impossible for me to leave."
I shut the faucet off, starting to dry myself and get dressed. I put my jeans back on and made my way out the bathroom. Julian had moved and now was sitting on the edge of my bed, head in his hands. I put my shirt on and leaned against the wall across the room watching him.
"Then certain things started to set in motion. I watched you fall in love with Leah," he continued still not looking up. "I was concerned so I sought her out, trying to figure who she was and where she came from. I researched shape shifters, trying to dig up any information that I could find. In all texts and research that I found, she shouldn't exist…a female shape shifter. They should only be carried in the male chromosome.
"I learned that these shape shifters run in packs very much like we do. But what was most interesting I had found that they had become allies to a coven a vampires. These vampires were not like the ones I knew, they had eyes that were gold like mine. They were peaceful, civilized and not motivated by their thirst. They are strong Lucas. You know that. The powers they have are phenomenal. The only way the human race can survive this is if the people of Oranious align themselves with them."
He looked up at me. His stillness was uncomfortable even more so of what he was implying. I turned away from his gaze.
"I haven't known her that long, Julian" I said.
"This is hardly the time for courting, Lucas. Taking her out on more dates isn't going to change what you already know what you feel for her. How can you be so consumed with finding her but don't know if you want to make the commitment of spending the rest of your life with her?"
I know how I felt but I also didn't want to inadvertently push her away. I would do anything to have her as my wife but I didn't want to assume that she felt the same way about me, or at least as strong. I knew she had said I was her imprint. But I really didn't know what that all entailed.
"This is hardly a conversation that needs to be had. She isn't even here, she hasn't been found." I grabbed my shoes as I slipped my sweatshirt on. I looked at the clock. "I have to go."
"The kingdom is starting to divide. I don't know how long things will keep holding together. We need this alliance, Lucas."
I began to push past him but felt his cold hand on my shoulder. His hand stood out in front of me, holding our mother's wedding ring.
"You're going to need this soon," Julian said. He dropped it in my palm and I held the ring, staring at in fear. "Let's not waste anymore time, Lucas. Tonight we find her."
It was him who started past me and made his way out the door. With new resolve I slipped the ring on my the chain of my necklace. I knew my mother had loved Leah, even during the short time she knew her.
"Are you coming?" Julian called from the hallway.
I tucked the necklace under my shirt. Tonight was different, I could feel it. Not just because Julian had said so, but I had never felt such certainty within myself. Tonight, Leah and I would find each other.
Lucas's POV
I walked quickly into my apartment, one of many throughout the city. I was in a rush. I just needed to shower, change into cleaner clothes before heading out to patrol again. I had been going for two days straight combing the city in the constant search. I was so tired but I knew I was so close to finding her. I couldn't stop now. The ability to not have to sleep is something I was becoming envious of the vampires. I never thought that would happen.
I made my way to my room, heading straight for the drawers. I shuffled through them looking for my black long sleeve shirt. I groaned in frustration as I couldn't seem to find it.
"Looking for this, little bro?" a voice said behind me.
I spun around to find Julian smirking, casually laying on my bed, playing with the shirt I had been looking for. I walked over and grabbed it out of his hands.
"You're losing your edge, Lucas. You need to sleep. You didn't even catch that I was here…," he paused, "that a vampire was here."
I grumbled something and headed to the shower. I was in no mood to deal with him. I needed a good cold shower to wake me up. As I stood there rotating the faucet to first cold then back to hot then back again, I heard my brother's voice as he stood outside the door. I hadn't really talked to him since everything went to hell. To be honest, I still didn't truly believe he was alive and apparently a vampire. I couldn't help but feel left behind or abandoned by my big brother all those years ago. He was suppose to be king, not me. He was always the leveled headed one, the responsible one. I was the hot tempered one, the one who always acted on my emotions. I wasn't made for this responsibility.
"Lucas, I know you've been avoiding me," he said with a sigh. I didn't answer. He cleared his throat. "I know it must be hard to come to terms with what I've become. But there are things we need to talk about. Things that we both know you've been avoiding."
Vampire or not, my brother and I have always been close enough for me to know what he was referring to. It was reassuring to know 9 times out of 10, I knew where his head was at.
I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on the tiled wall. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have right now. It seemed pre-mature, as the pivotal person in question was still missing.
"There are things that father never told us, things he wasn't very truthful about. One of them obviously being me."
I heard him sigh as I heard his steps pace back and forth in front of the bathroom door.
"I didn't mean to abandon you all those years ago, Lucas. The thirst...," he trailed, "It was so bad. I had to leave or I would have put everyone in danger. Please understand that I did what I thought was best. Over the years, I became more able to control it and learned on my own that there were other ways to sedate the thirst rather than use humans. I realized that though I had become something evil, there was still good inside in me.
I had come to see dad, to show him. For years we were told that this couldn't happen…a werewolf becoming a vampire. Up until now, our people just hadn't allowed it. Should it happen, it would mean certain death. It was only the honorable thing to do. But Father couldn't do that to me, he couldn't order my death. Instead he said I wasn't welcome to Oranious anymore, that I had been exiled."
"Father would never have done that. He would never turn away his own son," my voice harsh and barely loud enough over the sound of water hitting the tile floor.
"He had no choice, Lucas. I know that now. It was the only way he could of saved me."
His footsteps stopped and I heard him slide to the floor. I stared at the drain, watching the water circle down, listening to my brother.
"But with my gift, I disobeyed orders. I was able to stay but be unseen. I was only planning on staying for a little while. Just long enough to make sure you were alright and safe. I needed to know that the vampire who had done this to me wouldn't come after you. But then I notice Tabitha and she wasn't the little girl who followed me around anymore. She had grown up and I just couldn't turn my attention away from her. I watched her, followed her and fell in love. It was impossible for me to leave."
I shut the faucet off, starting to dry myself and get dressed. I put my jeans back on and made my way out the bathroom. Julian had moved and now was sitting on the edge of my bed, head in his hands. I put my shirt on and leaned against the wall across the room watching him.
"Then certain things started to set in motion. I watched you fall in love with Leah," he continued still not looking up. "I was concerned so I sought her out, trying to figure who she was and where she came from. I researched shape shifters, trying to dig up any information that I could find. In all texts and research that I found, she shouldn't exist…a female shape shifter. They should only be carried in the male chromosome.
"I learned that these shape shifters run in packs very much like we do. But what was most interesting I had found that they had become allies to a coven a vampires. These vampires were not like the ones I knew, they had eyes that were gold like mine. They were peaceful, civilized and not motivated by their thirst. They are strong Lucas. You know that. The powers they have are phenomenal. The only way the human race can survive this is if the people of Oranious align themselves with them."
He looked up at me. His stillness was uncomfortable even more so of what he was implying. I turned away from his gaze.
"I haven't known her that long, Julian" I said.
"This is hardly the time for courting, Lucas. Taking her out on more dates isn't going to change what you already know what you feel for her. How can you be so consumed with finding her but don't know if you want to make the commitment of spending the rest of your life with her?"
I know how I felt but I also didn't want to inadvertently push her away. I would do anything to have her as my wife but I didn't want to assume that she felt the same way about me, or at least as strong. I knew she had said I was her imprint. But I really didn't know what that all entailed.
"This is hardly a conversation that needs to be had. She isn't even here, she hasn't been found." I grabbed my shoes as I slipped my sweatshirt on. I looked at the clock. "I have to go."
"The kingdom is starting to divide. I don't know how long things will keep holding together. We need this alliance, Lucas."
I began to push past him but felt his cold hand on my shoulder. His hand stood out in front of me, holding our mother's wedding ring.
"You're going to need this soon," Julian said. He dropped it in my palm and I held the ring, staring at in fear. "Let's not waste anymore time, Lucas. Tonight we find her."
It was him who started past me and made his way out the door. With new resolve I slipped the ring on my the chain of my necklace. I knew my mother had loved Leah, even during the short time she knew her.
"Are you coming?" Julian called from the hallway.
I tucked the necklace under my shirt. Tonight was different, I could feel it. Not just because Julian had said so, but I had never felt such certainty within myself. Tonight, Leah and I would find each other.
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