Blood of the Past
ten

Marcos opened the door, gesturing for me to walk out. I took a few steps as he led the way. When another vampire stopped us, I held out my arm while Marcos made a small cut. “Have a taste.”

The vampire gave him a strange look, but assumed Marcos was on his side so he trusted him. He sucked the blood, closing his eyes.

Marcos grabbed my hand and pulled me down the stairs. It was easy to pass the first few vampires but as more came, I warned Marcos that I couldn’t give much more or I’d lose consciousness.

“Where is she going?” the leader asked from behind.

Marcos stopped to look at him. We had no other way out now, and I had warned Marcos not to be the distraction who let me go. I wouldn’t have a repeat of Noah. So instead of running, I shifted into wolf form, ready to fight.

The leader hissed, lunging forward. Marcos immediately stepped in, throwing him to the ground. The leader, who I’d call Joe, rolled over, pinning Marcos to the ground. He didn’t even bother strangling him. Instead, he grabbed his chin to attempt to snap his neck.

I ran and jumped into the air, snapping my jaw at his shoulder and pulling him down. He grabbed my ear, pulling hard until I let go.

Marcos jumped from behind, tackling him to the floor. He threw Marcos off of him, sending him flying into the stair railing. I sunk my claws into his neck, but it barely hurt him at all.

Joe grabbed my jaw and swung me up into the air before slamming me into the ground. I yelped from the pain, trying to scramble to my feet but he kneed me right in the side. I fell over.

Marcos yelled and jumped onto Joe’s shoulders from the stair railing, grabbing his chin and jaw and pulling it at an odd angle until his spine had been severed right where his neck was. He dropped to the floor and Marcos rushed over to me.

I shifted back into my human form, holding my side. He scooped me up into his arms, hurrying to the foyer and out the front door. It took a lifetime to arrive at the pack house, and that hadn’t been Marcos’ fault. His speed was fine, but my concept of time was not.

Everyone immediately growled and prepared to attack, but when they saw me, they didn’t know how to proceed.

The alpha came out of his office, stopping in front of us. His eyes had sunken in while bags hung low under them. “Brianne…”

Marcos bowed his head to show he wasn’t a threat. “I don’t know if the baby is okay. I’m sorry.”

To everyone’s surprise, the alpha waved for Marcos to follow him. He led us to a different room, one with medical equipment fit for wolves. He shut the door, still holding onto the knob. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Marcos glanced at me, clutching me tightly. “I don’t care. I didn’t know where else to go. I just want to know that she’s okay.”

He sighed and nodded, facing Marcos. Marcos laid me down on the bed, but I gripped his hand. I wasn’t letting him go.

The alpha ran a few safe tests, before using the sonogram to get a visual inside. He confirmed that the blow didn’t hurt the baby, and that’s when the tears began. Marcos thought something was wrong with me, but I was crying because it was over. The torture was finally over.

The alpha eventually checked all of my injuries, making sure I was healing properly. He gave me some clothes, but he said, “Brianne, if you associate with him, we can’t let you stay in the pack.”

I looked at Marcos, biting my lip. I could have a whole family, or I could have one man who saved my life. The choice came easy. I had grown up here, but I never felt like I was part of the pack when Noah died. I felt like I had been just another wounded soldier.

Holding Marcos’ hand, we left the pack house together. We made it back to my house to pack up some of my things. I couldn’t continue to stay since I was still in their territory.

We left and Marcos found us an abandoned building to stay in until we could replace a place together. He reached up and wiped away a tear. “I’m sorry.”

I shook my head and sniffled. “They’re no better than the vampires. But it doesn’t matter. This whole event showed me who my supporters were.” I wrapped my fingers around his forearms.

Marcos nodded, not sure what he could say. He felt responsible, but he had no reason to. He saved my life. He deserved my support.

A few more tears fell, but before Marcos could wipe them with his thumb, I said, “Kiss me.”

This time, he didn’t hesitate. Marcos kissed me softly, pulling me against him. I returned the kiss and gripped his shirt as if he was about to fly away.

He kissed his way down my jaw, then my neck. “You chose me over your pack, Brianne. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

Some might have assumed I chose him because he was the one I could have sex with. They’d call me a whore, or call me weak. I knew better. I didn’t choose him because he’d sleep with me. “I choose you, Marcos, because I trust you to help me raise this child.”