Page 127 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Chapter 2

Macey spent the rest of the day meeting the other vampires and getting put into a training group. While the vampires of her pack had taken her out on patrol a few times—which had felt like they were looking for trouble—and shown her what to eat to keep the blood hunger at bay, that was all they’d been able to do until she passed vampire training at the gathering. Here, they seemed to take training very seriously.

There was even a roster for who’d patrol the campgrounds to make sure humans didn’t intrude. For the first week, none of the new vampires were on the list. After that they were on with a partner, then in the last week they had full responsibility. Already, she wasn’t looking forward to any of this.

Around her the new vampires buzzed with anticipation, eager to learn how to fight and guard their pack. She could barely raise enough fake enthusiasm to pass as happy to be here and do her part. Did no one here care that they were rejects?

That the wolves saw them as lesser?

She’d seen the confusion in Owen’s eyes when he’d realized. He’d been super nice about it, but then she wouldn’t have expected anything less. He’d been nothing but polite when she’d been an idiot pup panting after him. He was a true gentleman, and a wolf. And she’d never see him again, except in passing. She sighed, if she wanted to have any fun this gathering, she’d have to look for it among the other vampires.

She scanned the vampires gathered in the hall. Some she knew from when she was younger—they too had turned out to be faulty wolves—and some she recognized from previous gatherings. But none of them made her pulse beat even the tiniest bit faster.

She wrote her schedule into the small notebook she’d carried in her jeans. No cell phones were allowed in the camp. Though she was sure pack leaders had them, in case of emergencies. Among the wolves there’d be several doctors and nurses and paramedics, probably a few police officers and firefighters too. Very few wolves had rural jobs anymore, like timber cutting. Many packs were now based in a city, only the staunch traditionalists clung to the rural land. Her family lived in town, like the rest of the pack but the pack area included a nice chunk of forest suitable for running.

With the schedules noted and the welcome done they could do their own thing for the rest of the day, with a reminder that failure to attend the required classes would result in punishment.

Talia grabbed her arm. “Exciting!”

Macey frowned. “Do the packs even need us?”

Back in the day when people hunted them, sure. A human with preternatural speed and power was handy in protecting the wolves. But humans had forgotten they existed.

The guy in front of them stopped, turned, and scowled. “Of course they do, besides who would abandon their family?”

Was she abandoning them in wanting to be elsewhere? Humans moved away from their families all the time. She had friends who had moved states to go to college and who had no intention of returning home. They saw life as an adventure. Vampire’s also seemed to move packs more freely. It was only wolves that were expected to stay and never leave.

There was more to the world than the Green River pack. And since she wasn’t a wolf, maybe she could live a little more.

“I was just wondering about practicalities.” She shrugged; sure she was already failing at being a guard.

“That’s what you’ll learn.” He glanced at her and Talia and shook his head. “Newbies.” Then he stalked away.

What was up his ass?

“That was Ajax.” Talia whispered as though not wanting to draw his attention.

The name seemed familiar, but Macey wasn’t sure why she should know it.

Talia bumped her arm. “Eldest son of a pack leader.”

“Ouch.” To have grown up expecting to be a leader only to end up a vampire. She searched for him again, but the bearded man was gone. No doubt to do some serious scowling.

“It get’s worse. No one in his pack since his father has fully turned. Some are saying it’s a curse.”

“Or bad genes.” Or bad luck.

“And now his father is dead…” Talia left the words hanging.

The other packs would declare his pack dead because there was no leader to take over. “They should just let vampires lead.”

“What? A whole pack of vampires?” Her eyebrows pinched together.

It didn’t sound too bad. No wolves to sneer. No pitying glances. No one to make demands. It would just be a place where vampires could gather. She shrugged like it was a dumb idea. “Yeah, maybe not.”

Talia lead her toward some other young vampires, who despite their youth were standing in the shade instead of making the most of the sun. “While the wolves are having their run tonight, some of us are also running, separately of course.”

“What do you mean?” The run was for wolves to be wild and wolfy.

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