The door opened into a dark room and Artis looked up. She watched Coyle approach the captured woman and she rose to her feet. He caught her gaze and then looked down at the woman. Artis studied his face and said, "We removed the bullet a week ago." His eyes turned to her and he said, "She'll wake in time." Artis caught his arm and asked, "What do you plan on doing with her when she does? You going to let her live and keep killing us? Why is she here in the first place, Coyle?" His eyes flashed red and she went silent. Her hand dropped to her side and she bowed her head. She needed to believe he wouldn't become too wrapped up in this woman but she had pushed his patience. She walked to the door and heard, "She had nowhere to turn." The words drew her attention back to him and she saw him lift the woman's arm. Closing her eyes, Artis opened the door and stepped into the hall. Hearing the door close, he looked at the woman's face and smirked. "You are well trained." "Get your hands off me, vampire." He watched her eyes slowly open and he stared into a set of deep brown eyes. She knocked his hand away from her arm and sat up. The room spun but she forced herself to ignore it. The pain was back in her shoulder and she felt her body drained of nutrients. She glanced at the man and saw him walk over to a nearby table. He lifted a small bullet up and she felt her breathing slow. Looking around, she recognized the room as the basement and she looked back at the man. He poured a glass of something and approached her. He handed it to her and she caught the scent of blood as she knocked it to the ground. "I'm not drinking your food's blood." He stared at her and said, "You'll never recover without it." She let out a growl and said, "I'd rather die." His eyes grew red and she smirked. This one had power and it surrounded him like a thick coat of darkness. She remembered the quickness to the end of the discussion before and she stared the vampire in the face. He controlled the others that lingered in this place and her eyes focused on his. The red tint turned bright gold and she felt her heart stop. His mouth curved upward slightly and he said, "You remember." Aine felt her pulse slowly return to normal and she moved to her feet. Her legs were too weak to hold her and she leaned back into the make shift bed. Coyle caught her wrist and she met his gaze. "You don't want to kill the ones that saved your life." She spat in his face and he caught her throat. Shoving her back onto the bed, he pinned her arms down and pulled the collar to her sweater down. He studied the marks Bain had left and met her gaze. "I can remove them, allow them to heal properly." Her eyes narrowed and she asked, "What am I suppose to give you then?" He let her sit up and said, "The reason to the wolves." "They are keeping their word to my dead mother. You should know that. You killed her." He stepped back and said, "You mean Bain." Her eyes flashed with a wild look and he smirked. The wolves had brought a primal trait to life in this woman and she used it well. Her protectiveness of the pack left her image a wild one. She caught his studying gaze and looked away. He caught her steady pulse and asked, "Do you want them gone or not?" She stared at him and said, "I don't want anything to do with you." He stopped her from moving off the bed and she shoved at his chest. His arms held her pinned in place and she felt her eyes lock in his gaze. Her need to kill him kept her calm and he lowered his mouth to her shoulder. She slid her hand underneath her and wrapped her fingers around the old switchblade in her pants. His fangs ripped into the old wound and she went still. The pain was missing this time and a sensual feeling crawled through her. She took a deep breath and felt his tongue slip over the puncture marks. Slowly he looked into her eyes and she felt her hand tighten around the knife. He stepped away and she slid her hand over the new wound. Tenderness was missing and she studied the vampire. Coyle felt her burning gaze looking for answers and he walked to the door. He pulled it open and heard her get to her feet. "Leaving immediately will lead to fatigue." She frowned and watched him slip into the hall. The door closed and she took a deep breath. Weariness filled her body but with it came a strength she had lacked since the fight with Bain. Staring at the closed door, she shook her head and let go of the switchblade. She looked around the basement and approached the door. Testing the handle, she found it locked and smirked. He was a calm vampire and that left her uneasy with him. The golden eyes were the same now as when she had first seen him. He was cautious and well aged. Twisting the handle hard, she heard the lock snap and she pushed the door open. The strength she would have to thank the vampire for but the little sip he took she would kill him for. Walking up a flight of stairs, she saw the exit to the manor and stepped into the hall. The floor was empty and she saw the sun rising in the window to the east. She walked to the door and pulled it open, allowing the sun to spill into the hall. Quietly she stepped into the sun and closed the door, savoring the warmth on her skin. ______________________________________________ "Aedan, you here man?" He closed his eyes and leaned back on the roof. Since the shooting, he had been avoiding Doran but the man wouldn't give up. Opening his eyes, he looked out across the meadows and at the woods surrounding the town. Doran popped his head out of Aedan's room and looked up at him. "You up there thinking again?" Aedan sighed and asked, "Can't I get rid of you?" The man smirked and shook his head as he climbed onto the roof. Doran sat next to him and let out a sigh. "It's a bit cold to be up here this early in the morning." Aedan looked at the distant manor and said, "I needed to think." Doran sighed and said, "I'm really sorry about the shooting. I didn't think Aine would get hurt." Frowning, he looked at his friend and growled, "Then you don't know her that well. You threatened her family." Doran shook his head and asked, "When will you two realize the wolves aren't her family? She is one of us, a human." Aedan stared at him and asked, "What did you do?" The man looked away and said, "Pops went into the woods this morning." Cursing he got to his feet and asked, "Did he find the pack?" Doran nodded and said, "That's what he told me before I came here." Aedan growled and heard, "He followed you the other day when you went to the woods. Said you were looking for Aine." Feeling the anguish spreading through him, Aedan looked to the old manor again and dropped down onto the roof. Doran caught his shoulder but he shook the hand away. "When Aine comes back, she's going to kill you." Doran frowned and asked, "You think she'll still trust you? You didn't cover yourself and led my pop straight to them." Aedan let his head fall down to his chest and heard Doran get to his feet. He looked at the man and saw him staring at something out in the meadows. Aedan followed his gaze until he saw the shadow entering the woods and he jumped to his feet. Doran met his gaze and asked, "Was that her?" Aedan looked back at the woods and said, "I hope not." "Doran! Your father needs your help with the wolf!" Aedan looked at him and Doran jumped down into his bedroom. Following him inside the house, he watched Doran flee out into the streets and he ran after him. He followed him to the Maccoy farm and heard the fight coming from inside the barn. Stepping inside the barn, he saw the young wolf in the catch and Doran's father standing outside the cage. Turning to Doran, Aedan caught his shoulder and threw him back into the wall. "You idiot! You're going to get yourself killed!" "Not just him." Aedan looked over his shoulder and felt his heart stop. Doran let out a curse and he let the man go. ______________________________________________ Reaching the lair, she stopped walking and looked around. Blood filled her head and she looked at the tree. Kneeling down by the opening, she saw Cori sitting and nudging Breck's muzzle. Feeling the fear suffocating her, she moved next to Cori and ran her hand along Breck's neck. She kissed his muzzle and looked up at Cori. "I won't let him die." Cori nudged her face and she rubbed a white ear. Looking around, she found Belenus gone and she looked back at Breck. Catching his gaze, she understood and turned to Cori. "Keep him with us. I'll be back." Cori nudged Breck's muzzle and Aine climbed out of the tree. Rising to her feet, she ran through the woods and stopped at the edge. She felt the eyes on the back of her head and closed her eyes. "Running about when it'll kill you." She turned to the nearest tree and Coyle dropped to the ground. He stared at her and she approached him. "Save Breck. I don't care what I have to do to convince you. Just save him or I'll kill all of you." Coyle caught her gaze and nodded once before disappearing into the trees again. Taking a deep breath, she left the woods and ran to the town. She saw people running around the Maccoy farm and felt her fist tighten. Quietly she approached the barn and heard Aedan's voice. Pushing the door open, she saw Belenus in the cage and felt everything go red inside her. "You idiot! You're going to get yourself killed!" "Not just him." Aedan looked over his shoulder and felt his heart stop. Doran let out a curse and he let the man go. She stared at Aedan and saw Doran's father raise his gun. Jumping onto the man, she ripped the gun away and shoved him into the wall. Holding him down at the throat, she felt her pulse racing and she pushed the gun's barrel into the man's neck. "Aine don't!" Her head snapped over her shoulder and she held Aedan's gaze. All the trust she put in him shattered and she threw the gun at him. He caught it and she moved to the cage. Ripping the lock off, she swung the door open and Belenus rose to his feet. Doran stepped into view and she pinned him against the wall. Her switchblade rested against his throat and his eyes were white. Aedan emptied the gun and threw it aside. He caught her shoulder and she threw him onto the ground. "Give me one good reason not to kill all of you." Aedan stared at her and said, "You can't live with it." She growled and straddled him on the floor. Her eyes burned fire into his and she wrapped her hand around his throat. "I trusted you." He stared up at the woman and saw a wild creature instead of the woman he had fallen for. His hand caught hers and she jerked it off. Glancing out the window, she saw the sun gone and felt the barn go cold. Aedan looked at her stilled face and glanced past her. Doran moved to his father's side and Aedan felt Aine rise. "Aine..." She looked at the man in the doorway and asked, "Do I have to kill you too?" The man's eyes flashed and she put her switchblade away. Aedan climbed to his feet and caught her shoulder. She shoved his hand away and said, "Don't touch me." He felt the hurt strike his chest and he said, "Aine, I didn't know they did this." She turned to him and said, "I don't know who you are." Quietly she turned her back on him and approached the man. Aedan closed his eyes and heard her stop walking. He looked up at her and heard, "I see any of you again, I'll kill you." His breath caught in his throat and he watched the man lead her and the wolf away. He watched them disappear into the night and he dropped to his knees. Doran moved to his side and knelt next to him. "Aedan, she'll come around." He shook his head and said, "I betrayed her trust. She was already hurt from being shot. I'm not getting her back." Doran caught his shoulder and saw the despair surround his friend. Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and shook his head. ______________________________________________ Silently they entered the woods and Belenus moved at her side. She let him approach the lair but lingered behind. Coyle followed the pup and she saw Cori approach him. He knelt in front of her and scratched her ear. Silently Breck stepped out of the tree and Aine felt the relief flood her. Breck met her gaze and she approached him. Stepping up to him, she knelt in front of him and ran her hand along his muzzle. He stared at her and she threw her arms around his neck. Taking a deep breath, she let her relief and sorrow consume her. The tears never fell but inside she drowned in them as she held onto the wolf. Breck nudged her face and she looked at him. He glanced at Coyle and she took a deep breath. Rising to her feet, she watched him stand and step into the direction of the hidden pond. Silently she followed him and they stopped at the pond. She stared at the water and said, "Thank you." He looked back at her and said, "I used our mixed blood." Her brown eyes moved to his face and he approached her. She saw the bite mark on his arm and felt her pulse jump. The blood on his arm was alluring and she closed her eyes. "You want a connection, don't you?" His hand caught her jaw and the cool touch ignited the blood in her. She met his gaze and took a deep breath. Slowly she caught his arm and looked at the wound. Her mouth covered the bite mark and she felt his eyes burn into her head. Feeling her mouth tainted in his blood, she lifted her head and met his burning gaze. He saw the flicker in her brown eyes and caught her as she shut down. Holding her inches off the ground, Coyle heard the steady pulse and smirked. She hated him but had come to him to save her family. The connection between them would prove to be both useful and dangerous. From now on, they were linked and that opened the doors to many dangers.