Sororate Chapter 1

1

2nd August 22262

Declan and I walked hand-in-hand in a comfortable silence as we stared out at the views around us. We were both enjoying the walk and I must admit I was starting to really like this part of our holiday in China. When Declan first told me that we would be hiking the Great Wall of China for three days I must admit, at first I wasn’t what you might call, ‘excited’ by the idea.3

“Are you frickin’ nuts?!” I barked.4

“Relax B.” he customarily rolled his eyes. “We won’t be camping… but we’ll be hiking. Each night we’ll have a hotel booked and waiting for us so you can still get your creature comforts of hot showers and a soft mattress to sleep on.”5

“But *hiking* all day, every day for three days straight?” I complained. 6

“Look, we won’t even be hiking the whole thing! It’s less than half that we’ll be doing as they’re still restoring it.” 7

“I don’t care if it’s only a quarter of the way! This is three days, all day, that we’ll be walking the thing?!” I said indignantly.8

“B, we sometimes run up to 300km’s in the space of one night during a hunt.” Declan gave me a funny look.9

“Yeah, but that’s one or two nights a month and I have the bloodlust fueling me along.” I frowned. 10

We were of course talking about the fact that my husband and I were Werewolves.11

Declan was a 163 year old European Werewolf with the appearance of a man in his mid-thirties when in human form. My blue-eyed, blonde-haired husband was finally growing out his crew-cut which he had for 140 years so now his hair sat just below his ears. When he was in European Werewolf form, he looked completely different… 12

…his 190 cm’s height almost doubled, his muscular build practically tripled in width from his extra Werewolf muscle as his hands and feet turned into dangerously sharp claws. He was hairless, but his head changed into more of a wolf’s as he had a short snout which made up a jaw of razor-sharp teeth. His eyes glowed green with his round pupils turning into thin, black slits. As a European Werewolf in his hairless, wolf-like shape, he could run on all-fours up to speeds of 300 km/ h and he was so strong he could lift up a car on each arm. 13

Myself on the other hand, I was a 160 year old Lokoti Werewolf with the appearance of a half-Native American in my late twenties. I had dark blue eyes and I recently had my hair re-styled. I now have a fringe and my thick, shiny black hair was cut into layers which went just past my shoulders. For 140 years I previously had long hair which fell all the way down my back and no fringe. 14

Lokoti Werewolves had a more human appearance in Werewolf form. When I changed from human to Werewolf, I retained my human shape. My eyes glowed bright turquoise as my black pupils vanished. My teeth became longer and sharper and although my 170 cm height remained the same, my body bulked up like a weight-lifter’s with extra muscle. The nails on my hands and feet turned longer and sharper and stronger, like claws. Lokoti Werewolves can run up to speeds of 200 km/ h in our upright form, but because I was also a Circulator I could move at the speed of light. 15

Because I was a Circulator I could instantaneously phase through time and space. It looked very similar to teleporting but instead of just moving locations I could move through time as well. When I phase my body has the ability to turn itself into light; to change from a biological being into one made of light waves. This was because I had a different bio-electromagnetic frequency than normal people… which means the electrical impulses in my brain and along my central nervous system registered higher than a human’s. Another way to look at it was, my body’s electrical field was in temporal flux. Because of this I didn’t age and I could move at the speed of light as I could also turn myself into light. By doing so, I could disappear in one time and place and reappear in another in a bright flash of light. It was a handy gift to have when one had a doctorate in Ancient History and Mythology… heh heh! 16

My papers and guest lectures kept me busy in the academic field where in my profession I was known as Dr. Bianca Riverclaw, which was my mother’s maiden name. I’ve been Dr. Bianca Sabre for 50 years and then Dr. Bianca Wisetail for 50 years. Now I was beginning a new run as Dr. Bianca Riverclaw as my other two identities are supposed to have ‘carked’ it by now… or Dr. Bianca Wisetail is believed to have retired. 17

Declan had it much easier than I did, as he ran the Garage on our tribal lands he didn’t have to worry about assumed identities. In fact, if a person had ever suggested to him the idea to pretend to be somebody else, he would figuratively bite your head off and tell you where to go stick it! My husband had a low tolerance for anything superficial and he says it as it is… much to my amusement and to our tribe, the Lokoti.18

The Lokoti lived on our Tribal Lands in the World Heritage Listed National Park. We were situated in Alaska in the Alaska Range where the Lokoti National Park was 4.5 hours north of Anchorage and 1.5 hours south of Fairbanks. Ours was a land of untouched wilderness of vast forest, snow-tipped mountains and interconnected river ways. 19

My people were well-used to seeing Declan’s and my perpetual youth, because of the tribe’s fifteen Lokoti Werewolves whom could live up to 200 years. This meant that they aged slower than their human wives or tribal members. The human members of our tribe held the Werewolves in high esteem because the Werewolves had a history of protecting the humans. The Lokoti humans guarded well the secret identities of the Lokoti Werewolf pack, which included Declan and I.20

I had to leave our Tribal Lands on a regular basis with my guest lectures and attend academic seminars in the fields of Ancient History at the different Universities around the world. When I came to the end of my tenure as Dr. Bianca Wisetail, I had to start using my ability as a Circulator to alter my age to an older appearance, so my lack of aging wouldn’t draw suspicion. Declan hated it when I left the house looking like a 50 year old. He didn’t relax again until I came home and reverted back to my supernaturally youthful appearance of a person perpetually in their twenties.21

Because of our supernaturally long lives – Declan would live up until 300 years because of his breed of Werewolf – my husband has become rather sensitive to old age and death. We have lost our family due to time. Declan’s human mother Susan Sabre and his human little brother Derik Sabre both have died of old age. My family were a little different though… my Circulator Gran turned my aging Lokoti Werewolf Grandfather into a Circulator and took him to live for all eternity in the space time continuum. Last year, my Circulator mother turned my aging Lokoti Werewolf father into a Circulator and they too left to go exist for eternity in the space time continuum. However we in no way felt isolated as Declan and I had the progeny of the Riverclaw family and the Sabre family, who lived with us on the Tribal lands to keep us busy with baby-sitting requests and social functions. 22

We also had the Lokoti Werewolf pack. Declan was raised as soon as he changed at the age of 3 years old, to hunt animal instead of human. I was taught the same when I changed just before my 18th Birthday. As genetics would dictate that there are no more and no less than fifteen Lokoti Werewolves at any one time as our supernatural tendency came from genetics passed down the male bloodline; I was the first and so far the only female Lokoki Werewolf. Declan as a European Werewolf, became the honorary 16th member of the Lokoti Werewolf pack after he was attacked by the European Werewolf whose bite turned him when it very near killed him. Now thanks to his years of loyalty, honor and fighting to protect his family, tribe and land, he was Second in the pack.23

There was another difference to myself than to the rest of the Lokoti Werewolves… was that I was barren. Lokoti Werewolves were known for besides being Werewolves and being stronger, faster and living for a longer period… they were also known for their virility. Most of the Werewolves in the pack had three or more kids each and they could control their bodies when to stop reproducing. I didn’t even have a choice… I’ve never been able to breed. 24

There was a time when I was married to my first husband, another Lokoti Werewolf that we tried to have a child. I was put on different kinds of medication to improve my fertility; but as much as my virile Lokoti Werewolf husband and I tried the ‘natural’ way to conceive, it didn’t happen. My Calculator Vincent who had been a doctor - who has also gone to live in the space time continuum - diagnosed me then as having ‘non-specific ovarian failure’. He ran multiple tests to ascertain I didn’t have tubal disease, I didn’t have endometriosis nor did I have an ovulation disorder. But for some reason things just didn’t add up. My eggs were difficult and most of the time refused to be fertilized and then the antibodies in my uterus didn’t allow my fertilized egg if it did get fertilized to embed itself in the lining of my uterus. 25

I suppose I could have considered IVF or ICSI or Blastocyst Culture or Assisted Hatching using the sophisticated 25th Century technology in the Medical Bay at the Circulate Headquarters that used to exist on Mars 250,000 years ago… but as my first husband at the time Grant, pointed out; “If my supernaturally fertile Werewolf sperm can’t impregnate you the natural way… then I doubt these other unnatural and scientific ways can either. Stop stressing B, please. Like I said, there’s always adoption and after the War there would be plenty of children that need a good home.”26

However just as Grant and I were making preparations for adoption, he was murdered by outsiders who came to loot and plunder our Tribal lands, We were then, one of the few areas left in North America that was safe from the fall out and radiation sickness after the War. 27

With my second husband Declan who was ironically my first love to begin with before I married Grant… he was pleased about my inability to conceive. “So far I’m the only European Werewolf known not to be a man-eater… I’m not exactly ecstatic at the idea of having kids that could turn out like me. It’s a blessing that I won’t create anymore little European Werewolves with you.” Declan has said time and time again. 28

With Declan and I the topic of adoption had only come up once, but it was in a hypothetical point of view. But on more than one occasion has Declan vocalized; “I don’t want kids!” Declan snapped. “And neither do you! You only mention them after a tribal gathering… when there isn’t a tribal gathering you’re quite happy to write your essays and teach and I’m happy with the garage and having you all over the house when ever I want, where ever I want with out worrying about if the kids are asleep or not! We don’t want kids!”29

My husband’s obsessive love for his wife was well-known to the tribe who were our friends and family… although not many people were game to tease or joke to my husband about it. Declan may not be a man-eater but his growl or when his eyes would flash green, could still scare people. His large muscular build was also off-putting to humans as well. But I must admit, everything that I had just described here? It turned me on and Declan’s temper and my stubbornness kept our chemistry ignited. 30

Declan would rant and rave when I went away overseas or interstate to do a guest lecture if I were away longer than 12 hours. He would growl warningly at anyone or anything, natural or supernatural that showed particular interest in either my Lokoti Werewolf pheromones or my aura as a Circulator. When we were home, quite often when I’d be sitting at the dining table typing out another essay or presentation, Declan would decide to do the paperwork from the Garage on his own laptop so he could sit beside me. When we read books or listened to music or watched movies in the living room, we always sat on the same couch and we would always be hugging. Declan enjoyed cooking so as he prepared all of our meals and in exchange I did all of the housework. 31

Even though with the commercial recovery decades after the War which meant food was no longer a luxury but common place again, we still grew our own vegetables and herbs in our greenhouse. Together, as we listened to music, we enjoyed planting and tending to our crops. Our greenhouse was in a way Declan’s and my child from the amount of time we spent in there. Declan started a hobby last year to grow orchids amongst our vegetables which need constant care. His orchids were his pride and joy as they were ‘our flower’. Before we were married Declan used to give me flowers that were orchids that were grown by other members of the tribe. 32

“OK Brandon.” Declan looked on our Great Great Great Great Grand Nephew, Brandon Sabre, warily as he handed the 14 year old boy a list of what to do while we were away touring Asia. “I know these lands and I know where you live. With my Werewolf sense of smell I can track you no matter where you go on this continent… If I come back to a dead garden, your ass is grass and I doubt your parents will miss you *that* much.” 33

The 14 year old Lokoti boy’s eyes widened as he gulped whilst he looked on his tall, muscular blonde-haired blue-eyed Great Great Great Great Grand Uncle standing before him, glaring menacingly. 34

“Declan don’t traumatize the kid!” I rolled my eyes at my husband. 35

Declan handed over the list to Brandon as he stared long and hard on his Nephew. 36

“Er, no sweat Uncle.” Brandon nervously licked his lips. 37

I walked over to Brandon’s side and I patted him on the back reassuringly. “Don’t worry Brandon, the job’s pretty easy and the list of instructions is descriptive and easy to follow.” 38

Brandon’s eyes widened even further as he looked on me and I overheard him inhale deeply… which Declan caught as well. 39

“Frickin’ hell woman…” Declan rolled his eyes, “…I can’t take you or your frickin’ Lokoti Werewolf pheromones anywhere!”40

Declan suddenly pulled me into his arms away from the teenaged boy… whose face fell when the smell of my pheromones were taken away.41

“Dude, she’s your Great Great Great Great Grand Aunt and she’s also a married woman.” Declan glared at Brandon again. “Now scat!” We watched Brandon quickly turn around as he left the greenhouse and ran around to the front of our house as he disappeared. Declan next shook his head, “I hope your pheromones aren’t going to get us into trouble again on this latest holiday.” 42

“What do you mean ‘again’?” I looked on him unimpressed. “When did *my* pheromones get us into trouble?” 43

“Um, let’s see…” he pretended to think, acting sarcastic. “…how about in Europe with the European Vampires?” 44

“That wasn’t just because of my Lokoti Werewolf pheromones, it was also because of my aura as a Circulator.” I refuted.45

“And the European Werewolf, Marcos?” 46

“That wasn’t just because of my Lokoti Werewolf pheromones, it was because there aren’t that many female Werewolves left in the world.” I said coolly. 47

Out of the blue Declan laughed evilly as he picked me up in his strong arms and he playfully pretended to eat my neck. “I know and you’re all mine! MINE I say!” 48

I squealed with laughter as I next squirmed out of his grip and then I ran out of the greenhouse and back into the house to finish my packing…49

... 50

… and now here we were, hiking the Great Wall of China. Large backpacks were strapped to our backs, as we walked hand-in-hand on a beautiful afternoon, looking out at the mountainous Chinese countryside. The Wall was busy with lots of other tourists and we passed a couple of other backpackers who had the same idea as us. After a while as the day became late, Declan pulled me aside and he stopped to take out his mobile phone to check the GPS.51

“Right.” He looked on his watch and then at the GPS. “It’s 5 o’clock and it’s still 5 km’s to the town where our hotel is that we’ll be staying tonight.” 52

“So?” I shrugged. “So what if we have to walk in the dark? We’re ‘different’ Declan. We shouldn’t be afraid of the dark.” 53

Declan frowned as he put the phone back into the front pocket of his backpack again. “You think I’m afraid of the dark?” he looked on unimpressed. 54

“We are creatures of the night, aren’t we?” I smirked. “With your big build even in human form you’re still intimidating. I doubt we’ll get mugged.” 55

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” His frown deepened as he looked away. I watched him look around at the surrounding countryside and sniff the air. “We’re on somebody else’s territory.” Declan said.56

“Huh?” I gave him a funny look. “Well, yeah we are. It’s called China, Declan. Chinese people claim ownership of this country.” 57

Declan gave me an unimpressed look, “B, sometimes I wonder whether you’re more ‘Light People’ than you are like me.” He hinted at my being a Circulator as well as a Werewolf. 58

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked offended.59

“Smell the air!” he barked. 60

I closed my eyes as I frowned and I concentrated… I smelled vegetation, I smelled dirt, I smelled the warm blood flow in the humans around us, I smelled the distant smells of somebody cooking somewhere… and then I smelled something else. This something else was like pungent animal smell, so strong that it left behind the scent of the natural that it had to be supernatural. My eyes were wide when I next opened them as I looked on Declan in surprise. 61

“Is that - is that - is that Asian Werewolf?” I asked quietly so no passers by could hear. 62

Declan nodded as he looked over the side of the Wall down at the valley below. “They’ve marked this as their territory, as a kind of invisible fence warning off other Supernatural beings like ourselves and others. We should be safe in the hotel in a town, but I don’t want to be out here in the dark. They could mistake us being out here as hunting… hunting on their territory.”63

I looked on him impressed at how he knew this, or sensed this with his Werewolf intuition. I guess being a Circulator did interfere with my Lokoti Werewolf instincts sometimes, but my European Werewolf husband was more attuned to his. He knew about the European Vampires and the European Werewolves we encountered with out ever reading the SSIT – the Supernatural Scientific Investigative Team - reports on them that the Tribal Elders kept. 64

After a moment, Declan noticed that I was still looking on him, or smiling rather. “What?” he gave me a funny look.65

“You’re hot when you go all authoritarian about this kind of thing.” I smiled in approval. 66

Declan laughed and then he gave me a smug grin. “I’ll remember you said that later on tonight in our hotel room.” 67

He retook hold of my hand and hurried us along and this time instead of walking at a comfortable speed, we picked up our steps until we were power walking along. The sun sunk lower and lower in the sky as we managed to walk another three kilometers before sunset, walking so quickly we attracted some funny looks from the other tourists around us. When the town where our hotel was, was two kilometers away, we could see it in the distance from the view from the Great Wall. 68

“Come on, let’s leg it.” Declan ordered as the red sun started to disappear over the horizon. 69

Holding hands with Declan out in front, almost pulling me along as I felt tired from walking all day… we broke into a run. 70

We ran what would have been considered fast for humans but it was slow for our kind as we couldn’t show off our supernatural speed in public like this. Neither could I just instantaneously phase us there because there were too many people about. We ran down the exit steps from the Great Wall and then along a road and into the rest of the way into town with Declan still pulling me along as he squeezed my hand.71

As soon as we entered the safety of settlement, I stopped us to catch my breath and lean wearily against the side of a building. 72

“Come on, B! You’re one of my kind as well as one of the ‘Light People’… that was just a slow jog for us!” Declan looked on my tiredness unimpressed.73

“I’ve also been walking all day for two days straight!” I snapped at him. “My feet are sore and my legs are tired!” 74

“Moan moan moan.” My husband rolled his eyes, before he next looked away as he still looked around warily. 75

“What is it?” I watched his concern. 76

“When we ran into town I smelled more markings. This town is protected. Being outside here after dark probably isn’t safe either. Let’s just hurry up and get to the hotel.” Declan grabbed hold of my hand again as he pulled me from the wall and after him down the street. 77

As we walked down the darkening streets, we stopped under a street light so Declan could read address of the hotel on our print out of our travel itinerary. He put the address into the GPS feature on his mobile phone and next we followed the GPS’s instructions to our destination. 78

We walked down a busy commercial street that was closed off to traffic and instead had many people mulling around. I looked interested into the shop windows or into a few of front windows of the restaurants we passed. Some of the restaurants had a couple of tables out the front where families sat down eating. I also noticed at a couple of these tables elderly Chinese people playing Marjong.79

“Oh look, Marjong.” I paused to watch, but Declan pulled me along again. 80

An old Chinese man with a long thin white beard who was smoking a long thin pipe looked up at me from his game of Marjong as we passed. To my surprise his brown eyes suddenly turned completely white with just tiny black pupils in the middle! 81

Frickin’ hell – that man is an Asian Werewolf! And he showed me his eyes to let me know that he knows… that he knows what Declan and I are. 82

“OK, let’s go.” I suddenly hurried in front of Declan and now I was the one pulling him along. 83

Now I wish I had brought my silver-coated Katana, my Japanese sword along with me. I would have felt a whole lot safer with that insurance policy in my back pack being here on another Werewolf’s territory. Declan and I power walked into our hotel off the street and up to the check-in counter. 84

“We have a reservation for Sabre.” Declan handed over our copy of the itinerary with the bar-code for the hotel clerk to scan. 85

“Welcome to the Jade Hotel.” The Chinese man smiled politely as he spoke to us in English. “I believe your reservation has you in the Lotus Suite. Our room service will bring you your complimentary bottle of champagne for your stay.” 86

“We don’t drink alcohol.” Declan said flatly.87

Well we can’t…if we got drunk and lost our control over the bloodlust being Werewolves? No, it was just too hideous to consider. 88

“Very good, Mr. Sabre.” The man didn’t miss a beat. “Then we can arrange another beverage to be served. We also have a selection of de-alcoholized wines or soft drink or juice or iced tea…” 89

“The de-alcoholized wine would be fine.” Declan said shortly.90

I could tell he didn’t mean to be rude but by seeing him look over his shoulder at the door of the hotel, he just wanted us to hole up protectively in our room. 91

“This hotel also has a complimentary gym as well as a sauna and a pool.” The hotel clerk went on. “In the gym you can purchase massages and we even have an acupuncturist…”92

“No thanks, we probably won’t be leaving our room.” Declan frowned. “Sorry, Hsu?” he looked at his name tag. “My wife is really tired and we’d just like to get our door security card please.” 93

“Of course Mr. Sabre.” The hotel clerk continued to smile politely. “If I could just get your credit card as well as sight your passport for identification purposes.” Declan was quick to hand these things over to the clerk who scanned them into his computer and then he handed them back to Declan. “And here is your key.” The clerk next passed Declan our hotel room security door tag. “Inside of the rooms you will also see menus for room service and your complimentary de-alcoholized wine will be served shortly.” 94

“Thanks.” Declan took hold of my hand and was quick to lead me away. 95

Then I don’t know why, but for some reason I looked over my shoulder back at the hotel clerk standing behind the counter who watched us leave… and I caught him sniff. He wasn’t sniffing because he had a cold or a running nose, but he was sniffing us! 96

Frickin’ hell – he’s another Asian Werewolf! They’re everywhere! 97

I surprised Declan when I stopped and turned around and I marched back over to the check-in counter. The small lobby of the hotel was quiet with no other people around and this hotel desk clerk was by himself. 98

“Look.” I began. “We know this is your territory. We’ll keep to our room and then in the morning we’ll leave. We don’t want any trouble. If you guys are as good as trackers as I’ve heard, you’ll smell no human blood or human flesh on our lips nor on our breath as we don’t eat human.” 99

Declan’s eyes widened as he realized who it was that I was talking to. 100

The hotel clerk’s face remained perfectly calm and he even smiled politely at me again; “We are aware about that particular quality about you as our guests, thank you Mrs. Sabre.” The man said simply. “If the hotel had any objection we would not have proceeded with check-in. But thank you for sharing your dietary requirements with us. We will be sure to notify the kitchen.” 101

Declan came to stand protectively beside me as he looked on the hotel clerk with narrow eyes. 102

“We hope that you enjoy your stay at the Jade Hotel and please feel free to enjoy our complimentary features like the pool, spa or sauna which is included with the cost of your room.” The hotel clerk continued to smile on us.103

I sensed that this guy really meant it… that he didn’t see Declan and I as a threat so we were allowed. 104

“Come on B.” Declan gently pulled me away and down a hallway as he warily looked over his shoulder. I guess Declan also believed he wouldn’t harm us as he next led the way to our hotel room. 105

As soon as Declan unlocked our door and let us into our room I let out a sigh of relief to be able to take off my big backpack… which was the first thing I did. I dropped it onto the suitcase stand on the side of the wall and I turned and looked back at Declan who stood sniffing and listening by our closed door. I think he wanted to make sure we weren’t being followed. 106

“It’s cool Dec.” I walked over and collapsed wearily onto the bed. “They’re allowing us to stay tonight.” 107

Declan didn’t move away from the door immediately, but he continued to listen. When he did leave the door, he next walked over to our window and parted the curtain to look outside. I heard him growl as he glared. What now? 108

Tiredly I stood up and crossed over to where he was standing and I looked out too. We saw two Chinese men who appeared to be in their twenties, wearing black clothes complete with black sunglasses, standing across the road, looking up at our window. They practically looked like gangsters. 109

“More Asian Werewolves?” I asked Declan.110

“They don’t trust us. They’re letting us know we’re being watched.” Declan growled. 111

“But they’re trusting us enough to let us stay.” I sighed as I turned away from the window and I walked back over to the bed. 112

I sat back down as I started to take off my hiking boots, before I laid down on top of the soft bed and I stretched out as I felt my muscles begin to unwind. 113

Just then there was a knock on the door which made Declan jump as he whirled around and he next growled at the door! He made a move towards it as he opened it a little of the way. Next another man wearing a smart uniform carried in on a tray a bottle of de-alcoholized wine in a wine cooler along with two wine glasses.114

“Would you like this on the table?” the staff member asked Declan.115

“Yeah, whatever.” Declan shrugged, but I caught he was looking on the Chinese man warily.116

The man in the uniform carefully placed the tray down and then he immediately began to leave again… but then just before he left, he turned and said to Declan and I; “In appreciation of you drinking de-alcoholized wine and showing your consideration towards the safety of others, if you should order dessert with your meals this evening, the dessert will be free of charge.” The man stated and then he left. 117

Declan shut and locked our door again behind him and he turned and gave me an uncomfortable look. 118

“I wish when we planned our travel we could have been given a map of all the supernatural areas or the locations marked by other Werewolves or whatever so we knew where to avoid.” Declan complained as he walked over and flopped down onto the bed beside. 119

“But then we would never leave Lokoti land because like humans, the supernatural are everywhere.” I sighed. 120

“Yeah… I guess so. I mean hey, I was bitten by a European Werewolf in Alaska of all places let alone Europe.” Declan rolled onto his side so he was facing me. He turned quiet for a couple of minutes as he rested his head perched up on his hand as he smiled down.121

“What?” I noticed after a minute what he was doing. 122

“You’re fearless, you know that?” he smiled softly. 123

“Fearless?” I gave him a peculiar look.124

“The way you just walked up to the hotel clerk and laid it all out… I thought he smelled funny, but you saw through him immediately.” 125

“Only because I caught him sniff us.” I shrugged. 126

“My wife the sleuth.” Declan chuckled as he bent his head to kiss me on the forehead. 127

He next moved closer to me as he rested his other arm over me. His lips next kissed their way down the side of my face towards my mouth which he next smothered with his own. I felt his ardor but all I felt was tired… 128

“Not yet!” I giggled, moving my head away. “I need to unwind first.” 129

“Hey, you’re the one who said I’m hot when I go all authoritarian.” Declan reminded me as he next began to gently maul my neck with his mouth. 130

“You are hot when you go all authoritarian… but I’m also tired.” I grabbed hold of his hair as I raised his head. 131

“Is this the real reason why you asked me to grow out the crew cut? So you’ve got more hair to pull?” Declan chuckled as I clutched onto his head. 132

“Definitely.” I tittered. 133

“You don’t see me pulling your hair, do you?” he lightly scolded, but he didn’t pull my hand off. 134

“You wouldn’t dare.” 135

“You’re right.” He smirked and then he gave me an evil grin. “Besides, I’d rather pull on the hair elsewhere on your body.” 136

“Eew!” I cried out, and then I squealed with laughter when he suddenly ducked his head and took several playful bites through my clothes and into my skin. 137

~~~~~~~~138

I didn’t sleep well that night, and neither did Declan. Every time I rolled over I woke up, and when I briefly opened my eyes, I found Declan lying awake. He laid still, with his arms about my slumbering form as he constantly watched the door or the window of our room and I heard him continually sniff the air. I came to realize he was on guard and from the manner he was holding me, he felt he had to protect. 139

“Dec get some sleep.” I murmured sleepily. “We’re safe… if we weren’t I would have one of my tell-tale feelings as a Circulator.” 140

“Shhh.” He kissed the top of my head as he stroked the skin on my back. “You’re more tired than I am. You need the sleep more than I do.” 141

“Declan please go to sleep. If I sensed we were in danger I would have phased us back to Alaska.” 142

“Close your eyes and be quiet.” He playfully growled. 143

I rolled onto my side so I was facing him and this time I rested my cheek on his warm, strong chest. My husband looked like he appreciated this as his arms closed about more tightly and he planted several more kisses on my forehead. 144

We were quiet for a couple of minutes as we settled back down again and I guess Declan thought I had fallen back to sleep or something, so he thought now would be a good time to say; “I love you B… always and forever.” 145

Then I surprised him when I replied sleepily, “love you too Dec.” 146

Pause.147

“Oh… you weren’t supposed to hear that.” He said. 148

“Whatever.” 149

“You were making your sleeping noises... I thought you were asleep.” 150

“Whatever.” 151

“No seriously, you were breathing deeply and you were making those little sighing noises.” 152

“Whatever.”153

“Were you faking it, knowing I was going to say that?”154

“Declan, frickin’ shut up and let me sleep!” 155

~~~~~~~~156

The next time I opened my eyes again it was morning and it was by Declan shaking me awake.157

“Come on, let’s get out of this place.” He greeted with a kiss on the nose and he leapt out of bed as if he had been the one who had slept. 158

Half conscious, I raised my head and marveled at how quickly he dressed.159

Declan started to chuckle as he looked over at me lying there dazed, “man I’ve been married to you for 140 years and your bed hair still cracks me up!” 160

I grouchily threw his pillow at him as he continued to laugh before I rolled over and tried to hide under mine. 161

~~~~~~~162

60 minutes later, dressed, breakfasted and with our teeth brushed, we checked out of our hotel just before 9 AM. The same hotel clerk was behind the check-in desk when we handed in our hotel door security card. 163

“Altogether the figure of 488 Credits will be charged to your Credit Card Mr. Sabre for your accommodation, Garlic Prawns, Chicken Chow Mein and steamed rice for your Main, with as an entrée Dim Sum and Spring Rolls and the additional de-alcoholized wine you ordered. However your dessert of custard tarts will not be charged as they came compliments of the hotel.” The clerk read off his computer screen. 164

Declan handed over his Credit Card to pay up as he still looked on the clerk warily. A moment’s silence passed as the clerk swiped Declan’s Credit Card and then he raised the EFTPOS machine for Declan to punch in his PIN which he did. 165

“The food was delicious thanks.” I suddenly said. Declan gave me a funny look but the clerk smiled politely. 166

“I will pass your compliments on to the chef.” The clerk handed Declan’s card back to him. Declan and I turned around to leave as my husband was putting his Credit Card back into his wallet when we were stopped. “Will you both be walking in a westerly direction along the Great Wall today?” the clerk suddenly asked.167

We both turned and looked on him in surprise. 168

“Maybe and maybe not.” Declan answered warily. We were but Declan didn’t want the Asian Werewolves in this town to know our movements. 169

“I ask because when I saw your itinerary last night, it has your accommodation listed at the Bamboo Inn in Wuwei, which is in a westerly direction. Wuwei is in the Gans province and I feel I must advise you… that the area is the territory of the Hsin family.” The clerk said.170

“The who?” Declan gave him a funny look. 171

“The Hsin family are not as enlightened as we are and they have not seen or smelled a female of your kind in a very long time… Mrs. Sabre may not be safe there.” The clerk stopped smiling. 172

My heart almost stopped as Declan’s eyes widened. I suddenly felt one of my tell-tale ominous feelings again…173

“But we start a new tour tomorrow morning and we’re getting picked up by bus from the Bamboo Inn in Wuwei.” Declan said annoyed. “What are we supposed to do, boycott the tour as well as the town?!” 174

The clerk looked on Declan unimpressed and he spoke in a low voice; “My apologies. I did not realize how different we are with our separate cultures. I was speaking as a friend. My family are very protective over our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. We have not allowed any of our women anywhere near the borders of Hsin territory since one of our women were kidnapped 50 years ago.” 175

Declan’s eyes almost popped out of his head as he heard this. “I was told there was only one female Asian Werewolf left.” Declan threw pseudonyms and caution to the wind in the quiet lobby as he looked on the clerk in almost disbelief. 176

“Then whoever told you that was not truthful nor accurate.” The clerk said evenly. 177

“Figures.” Declan rolled his eyes as he huffed. 178

“Didn’t either Leo or Marcos tell you that?” I looked at Declan.179

Declan gave a short nod. “It makes you wonder what else they lied about, doesn’t it?” 180

“Our people know of the Lokoti Werewolves.” The clerk now spoke plainly as there was no-one else about. “The Lokoti Werewolves are respected by my family. It is because we know that you are not man-eaters you were allowed to stay in our town last night. It is as a sign of respect that I warn you now… avoid Gans province.” 181

“Maybe we should just go back to Alaska.” Declan complained as he looked on me.182

I started to think and plan, “show me the itinerary.” I turned to Declan.183

“What? Why?” he gave me a funny look.184

“Please?” I held out my hand.185

Declan pulled out the itinerary from his front pocket of his backpack as he handed it over. I looked on the tour details that we were meant to be embarking on tomorrow and I eyed off the nightly stop-overs before I turned back to the clerk.186

“OK, so if we boycott Wuwei, what if we head south instead of walking along the Wall until we come to Yushu? It’s the place where we’re supposed to stay over night for the first night of the tour.” I spoke to both the clerk and my husband.187

“Yushu is not in anybodies territory and you should be safe.” The clerk gave a single nod. 188

“And the rest of the tour and the rest of our holiday?” I held out the itinerary to the clerk who took the paper out of my hands to look on it again.189

“In Cambodia you will meet the Truong clan who live in the northern region, but if you do not go out at night and you stay in your hotel room they should leave you alone.” The clerk handed the itinerary back.190

“So after this place and if we avoid Wuwei, the only other Asian Werewolves we’ll come across is in Cambodia?” Declan wanted to double check.191

“The route your proposed holiday takes you on will be avoiding the other territories of the other clans.” The clerk answered. 192

“Right.” Declan put the itinerary back into his backpack and looked on me. “Now to find our way to Yushu.” 193

“On the south side of town if you head down the main street you will see a reputable car rental company.” The clerk said. 194

“Oh, thanks.” I smiled on his helpfulness. 195

“I wish you both a safe journey on your travels.” The clerk said. “And I must politely ask you Mr. Sabre that you do not step into our territory again.” 196

What the…? I didn’t see that coming! Declan and I exchanged a surprised look which we then gave to the clerk. 197

“You were protected last night because of my family’s respect for the Lokoti Werewolves.” The clerk spoke plainly as he looked directly at Declan. “However our family have not had the best experience with your breed before. I cannot vouch for your safety should you return to our territory again, with or with out the company of your wife.” 198

The clerk was referring to Declan being a European Werewolf. The clerk didn’t seem so nice now, and I saw that by suggesting the car rental company it was because he wasn’t trying to help us, he was trying to get rid of us. I recalled the sight of the two Asian Werewolves standing outside of our hotel window, watching us… I now saw it wasn’t because they didn’t trust me, it was because they didn’t trust Declan. I opened my mouth to start to protest my husband’s innocence, but Declan stopped me.199

“Come on B.” he pulled me backwards as he walked me to the door of the hotel. He held open the door for me as he threw the clerk a parting glare. 200

~~~~~~~201

Declan was quiet for the remainder of the morning. We walked to the car rental place and as Declan took charge of organizing the rental I made a call to our PA at Hodge Endeavor to arrange for us that instead of starting the tour in Wuwei we would instead join it in Yushu. Soon we were zooming down the highway in our plasma-charged vehicle out of town and down the highway. I noticed Declan’s moody frown as he stared out at the road in front over the wheel as his jaw was set. 202

I put a comforting hand on his lap and I began, “look it wasn’t anything against you personally… they, like us, have had a bad experience with European Werewolves before, that’s all.” 203

Declan spat out, “in the beginning the Lokoti Werewolves didn’t trust me enough so they married you to Grant. Then my own kind tried to kill me to take off with you. My species of Werewolf must be the most hated of all the breeds of Werewolves out there!” 204

I squeezed his leg supportively, “but you solved that problem. You’re the last of your species… you killed Marcos and Michelle and my Gran and Grandfather took out Leo.” 205

But this didn’t make Declan feel better, “yeah well according to that clerk back there I’m one too many.” 206

My chest began to hurt as I felt his embarrassment and his pain. I didn’t know what else to say, so I stared out the windscreen as Declan drove and I squeezed his leg with my hand. 207

“I love you Declan… always and forever.” I breathed as I stared ahead. 208

I felt my husband raise my hand to his lips and kiss it several times before he threw me a wink with a half smile.209

~~~~~~~~210

Driving to Yushu took a lot longer time than it would have if we were on the tour bus going from Wuwei to Yushu. We ended up driving all day and when the sun set, Declan was still behind the wheel. We only stopped for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea but according to the road signs we were still 73 km’s away from Yushu. 211

“Get out the map, would ya B?” Declan frowned. “See if there’s a short cut or somethin’.” 212

I turned on the computerized map/ GPS in the centre of the dash board and I began to fiddle around with it.213

“From our current position, which is the fastest route to Yushu?” I issued the verbal command.214

“Working.” The female voiced computer replied. “The current highway you are on is the main route to Yushu.” 215

Declan growled impatiently, “but is there a short cut?” 216

I didn’t know if he was asking me or the computer then, but next the computer answered; “There is a road which will cut the journey down by 43 km’s but the road is not a main road.” 217

“Who cares!” Declan snapped. “Where is this road?” 218

The GPS began to issue the directions, and Declan turned off the highway and drove down several smaller roads for us to reach the short cut road. For some reason I felt nervous about the idea of leaving the main highway because we at least had the safety of other vehicles driving with us and bright street lights. But this small road in the country was dark with no street lights and it was poorly kept with many potholes. Plus I didn’t see any other cars. 219

“Declan.” I began, “maybe we should turn back onto the highway?” 220

“Why?” he gave me a funny look. I looked away from him and back out at the windscreen… I even shivered which made me zip up my jacket and huddle on the seat. “Are you OK, B?” Declan looked on in concern.221

“I’m just cold.” Declan next switched on the heater and aimed most of the air vents my way. “Thanks.” I said flatly.222

We drove onwards for another hour, through the inky black night with the only lights available were our headlights and the lights from the computerized features on the dash board. 223

“Turn right in the next 50 meters.” The GPS computer directed. 224

Declan obeyed and we turned down a small one-lane road that was made of dirt! We’re driving down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country at night?! I was really starting to question this decision… It’s the frickin’ 23rd Century! All roads were meant to be sealed now! Even the roads about our tribal lands were now sealed and we were in the middle of nowhere there.225

“Declan,” I began. “I don’t like this.” 226

My husband looked on me for a few moments away from the road. “Why, are you getting one of your warning feelings, B?” 227

Before I could answer him, suddenly we were jolted forwards as if we ran over something on the road and we heard our tyres blow out! 228

BAM! BANG! 229

“What the hell?!” Declan slammed on the breaks as our seatbelts held us safely. Our car skidded to a halt in the dirt... Declan quickly put his hand on my leg, “B, are you OK?” 230

I blinked and even though the shock almost petrified me into a statue… I managed to nod. Declan was the first to undo his seat belt and hop out of the car to survey the damage. I watched him walk around the car to the back of the vehicle and then I heard him growl and swear under his breath as he kicked at something on the road. Next I undid my seat belt and I climbed out to go and see what he was looking at.231

As I walked around the back of the vehicle, in the red light of our stop lights; I saw what looked to be a fence post lying in the middle of the road with several large nails sticking out of it… which must have been what blew out our tyres. I next walked around the car to find that all four of our tyres had blown, before I next re-joined Declan who was now standing next to the drivers seat. 232

I watched him lean over into the car towards the GPS system in the dash board and he pressed the green ‘assist’ button. The GPS screen next started to flash green, indicating that a signal had been sent from our vehicle to the satellite relay system so a repair vehicle would be dispatched to our location. If Declan had hit the red ‘emergency’ button instead we would have the Police come and find us. 233

“OK, a repair vehicle should be on it’s way.” Declan sighed in annoyance as he looked about. “But wherever we are, being in the middle of nowhere… it could be a while.” I scowled as I looked away in frustration, I knew we should have stayed on the highway! I shivered again as the cold night air stung my bare legs as I was wearing shorts with my hiking boots. “We’ll wait inside the car and keep the heater on.” Declan suggested as he rubbed my arms. 234

He started to walk me around to the passenger’s side door, when he abruptly stopped and he looked about. He even started to sniff the air, which was a worry. Oh oh… 235

“Not more Werewolves?” I moaned.236

“Uh huh.” Declan’s human blue eyes turned glowing green and Werewolf-like so he could see into the dark better. “There’s a lot of them and they’re coming this way.” 237

Just then the anxious feeling that had been growing in the pit of my stomach grew worse as something occurred to me, “that fence post with the nails was deliberately left out on the road… the Werewolves that live here use it to stop travelers to eat them.”238

“Great! It’s just what we need - man-eaters!” Declan growled as he let go to take off his coat. 239

I stood back to give Declan room as he quickly stripped off his clothes so when he changed into a Werewolf they wouldn’t be torn to shreds with his increased size. I too started to undress as I took off my jacket but I left on my t-shirt and shorts but I started to take off my shoes and socks. My shorts would be safe as it was primarily my upper-body that bulked up and I thought the stretchy material of my t-shirt should be able to handle my change. 240

Declan completely stripped under thirty seconds flat and he tossed his clothes and shoes onto the passenger’s seat of the car. Then he stood back from me and the vehicle, as he morphed from his human shape into his taller, wider and stronger, more frightening appearance of his Werewolf body. I also changed as I felt my muscles bulk up, my nails grow longer and stronger and sharper, my teeth grow longer and razor sharp and my human blue eyes glowed turquoise. 241

Even though we were fairly sure the Asian Werewolves may not try to eat us… we didn’t trust man-eaters as they were dangerous and untrustworthy. With my Werewolf eyes I saw them come towards us in the night out of the trees and bushes.242

At first they looked like ordinary wolves, but they were slightly larger and all of their eyes were glowing white with the tiny black pupils in the centre. They were all thin with silvery fur. I heard them with my Werewolf hearing, growl under their breath and sniff our scent. Ten of them appeared from the night and surrounded our car. 243

Declan growled warningly their way. Soon he sniffed out who the leader was as he next stood tall on his hind legs to tower above the Asian Werewolves. My husband came to stand in front of me with his large size to show the head Asian Werewolf that I was his mate and that I was under his protection. Then from the sounds of the growling being emitted from the leader and then from his henchmen or hench-Werewolves I should say… he didn’t seem to appreciate this. 244

Oh oh, don’t tell me they’re attracted to my Lokoti Werewolf pheromones too? Frickin’ hell, Declan was right! He really CAN’T take me anywhere! Declan roared loudly at the Asian Werewolves to back off, but instead of moving away they began to circle us… 245

Just then one of the Asian Werewolves who passed by tried to snap at my arm; but Declan in lightening fast speed, swatted this Werewolf and sent him flying through the air with his greater strength! 246

The Asian Werewolf whined in pain as it landed 20 meters away. However, it was quick to return to its four feet and then rejoin the rest of it’s pack to circle us again. They kept circling and circling us; growling, looking on us with their glowing white eyes or sniffing at us continually. It was as if they were trying to sniff out our strengths and our weaknesses. 247

Declan remained standing on his hind legs as he next gently pushed me up against the car with himself in front. 248

“Maybe we should instantaneously phase out of here?” I growled to Declan in my Werewolf deep voice.249

But Declan growled back as he shook his large Werewolf head to say ‘no’, as he never took his eyes off the leader or his men as they continued to circle. The Circulator in me wanted to argue back and put my hands on Declan and phase us both out of here back to Alaska. However, the Lokoti Werewolf in me stayed these thoughts.250

My Lokoti Werewolf instincts recognized that these Asian Werewolves would try to kill Declan so they could kidnap me, to try to force me to become their concubine or some such nonsense. The Lokoti Werewolf in me knew that even if we did take flight and phase back to Alaska that these ten Asian Werewolves that were apart of this particular pack of whose name I know not, would pursue; thinking that they were the dominant species because we ran away. I knew Asian Werewolves were the fastest if not the strongest and were the best trackers… so Declan and I would have to move somewhere in a different time period as the only way to throw them off our scent. Plus if we did phase back to Alaska and they came after us, it could put the humans of the Lokoti Tribe at stake… And that was something that the Lokoti Werewolf in me was not prepared to do. 251

It was best to fight it out, here and now and get this out of the way to declare our dominance to ensure that we wouldn’t be followed. Looking on my hairless mate’s body at how big and strong it was, actually made me think that we were dealing with a pretty stupid pack of Werewolves anyway. No matter how much they wanted to use me to breed… they were honestly going to go up against Declan looking like that?! 252

Declan may have been bigger and stronger than them but unfortunately Asian Werewolves are faster. They started to run around us in a circle, running faster and faster that they began to look like a blur… As they ran around, I noticed that they were beginning to move closer. Declan growled fiercely and swung out his sharp strong claws, but he missed them. And then it was on! 253

Three Asian Werewolves leapt on Declan in lightening fast speed as the one in the middle went right for his throat. Before I could come to my mate’s aid, another two Werewolves leapt onto the top of the car and grabbed me from behind and started to pull me away… They thought by separating us would weaken us.254

Declan and I growled angrily… as Declan swatted off two of his attackers with his greater strength. Then he lifted up the Asian Werewolf that was trying to rip out his throat, in his hands and he looked like he was about to snap the creature’s back! But before he could, another five Asian Werewolves all leapt upon him! 255

“Declan!” I roared at the sight of the five Asian Werewolves all biting into and clawing at him!256

With the speed of a Circulator I managed to whip myself out of the two Werewolves jaws. I next turned around and used my Lokoti Werewolf strength to belt them both so hard that they flew 10 meters away! Next I leapt onto two of the Asian Werewolves who were on my husband’s large back. I pried apart their jaws with my greater strength, to force them to release him. Then I too belted these two Asian Werewolves away.257

They rolled away on the ground, but soon leapt back to their feet. They tried to use their faster moves to leap on top, but they still hadn’t cottoned on that I was not only a Lokoti Werewolf but I was a Circulator too. By moving at the speed of light using self-defense moves, I ducked out of the way of one as I next caught and flipped over the ground the other. 258

I continued to fight this way, as both Circulator and Lokoti Werewolf. With my Lokoti Werewolf strength I was stronger than the Asian Werewolves, and with my ability as a Circulator I was faster than them too. The more I threw to the ground, or threw aside, or belted the Asian Werewolves, the weakened they became… even if they did continue to fight on. 259

I was fighting four Asian Werewolves and Declan was fighting off six. I saw two of his six fly into a tree from one of his wallops and then collapse to the ground, bleeding profusely thanks to Declan’s larger and sharper claws. Declan and I fought back to back and side to side, as we growled at our enemy who began to falter.260

I whipped one Asian Werewolf across the snout with my sharp, long, claw-like nails, almost cracking open its jaw as it yelped in pain. Three down and seven to go…261

When one Asian Werewolf next tried to go for the front of my throat, Declan caught him in mid-air as he roared in anger! He lifted the Asian Werewolf above him and this time he did snap its’ back! The Asian Werewolf dropped to the ground like a sack and didn’t get up again. Four down and six to go. 262

I next pulled one of the Werewolves that was trying to bite into the back of Declan’s strong bulky neck. I delivered several hard punches into its rib cage, with my Lokoti Werewolf strength. Then I flung it away and it landed 30 meters away and it too didn’t get back up again. Five down and five to go…or so I thought.263

As soon as the Asian Werewolves discovered that half of their pack was down because of fighting Declan and I… they immediately backed off. They stopped their pursuit. 264

They released their sharp jaws from Declan’s tough skin and bulky, hardened European Werewolf muscle, to slowly back away. Declan continued to growl threateningly, as he stood tall on his hind legs with his front claws ready. His glowing green eyes with the black slits didn’t leave the Asian Werewolves. 265

We watched the five remaining Asian Werewolves pick up their wounded and sling them across their backs. After throwing us a parting growl, they slunk off defeated back into the night. But Declan and I didn’t move, not for the first five minutes anyway. 266

We stood with our claws and our razor sharp teeth ready, as we listened to the Asian Werewolves paw-steps fade away into the darkness. Their scent gradually grew fainter and fainter the further away they went. After fifteen minutes of sniffing the air continuously and watching the surrounding land incase they made a sudden reappearance; I deemed it to be relatively safe again and I could look away.267

I looked on my enlarged mate, still standing tall on his hind legs. I saw the multiple bite marks in his skin were bleeding. They weren’t deep because with his supernaturally strong muscle the Asian Werewolves couldn’t dig their teeth into him…but still I hated to see him hurt. 268

My Lokoti Werewolf instinct guided me on what to do; I placed my mouth over one of his wounds and I ran my tongue over it, to help speed up his regeneration process. Declan whined softly… not in pain, but in affection as he stood still and allowed me to do this to several of the worst bite marks on his upper body. After ten minutes of this, when I stood back; I saw that he was no longer bleeding and that fresh pink scar tissue was there instead.269

Next my husband growled softly, I think he was ordering me to stand still. He put his heavy, strong front claws on my shoulders and then he too ducked his head. I closed my eyes and I accidentally emitted a giggle, as his tongue tickled as he lapped at my scratches and bites, to use his saliva to speed up my regeneration. The tickling became so distracting that it made me revert back to human which was too soon; there was still a long claw mark going down my back.270

“Oow! Frickin’ hell!” I swore as my injuries suddenly felt a lot worse in my weaker human form. 271

I caught Declan roll his glowing green eyes and shake his head as if to say, ‘well that was a smart thing to do, turn back into a human while you’re still wounded’. Then Declan turned me around with his strong claws as he next began to lick at the cut on my back. His Werewolf saliva thankfully turned the stinging wound numb as it began to heal. 272

After Declan had seen to my injuries, he next began to shrink as he reverted back into his human form. As soon as he was human again we hugged and kissed each other.273

“Are you OK?” we both asked each other at the same time. 274

“I’m OK.” I nodded. 275

Declan hugged me again in relief as he looked into the night. “That was too easy.” He said warily.276

I looked on him as if he were nuts… “what do you mean, THAT was too easy?!” 277

“They backed off too soon.” Declan frowned. “I don’t think that was all of them, I think they could have gone for reinforcements.” 278

My eyes widened as I looked on him in alarm. I knew he was right. He’s always been right before about other supernatural things. He was right about the European Vampires. He was right about the European Werewolves… he was always right about this kind of thing. 279

“I’m going home to get my sword.” I announced.280

“No, wait!” Declan grabbed hold before I went into phase. I looked on him as I waited to hear what he had to say. My mate and husband surprised me by what he said next and the way he behaved; “I want you to go to Alaska and I want you to stay there for the next two hours.” Declan held me by the shoulders as he looked on demandingly.281

“Huh?” I looked confused.282

“I want you to go back to Alaska and stay there for the next two hours.” He repeated. “I’ll be fine. I have to do this alone.” 283

“What…?!” I looked on him as if he truly had lost his marbles.284

“B, this isn’t up for debate!” he barked. “I need to fight them alone, do you understand me?” 285

“No!”286

Declan paused as he took a deep breath and he tried to put this another way; “This isn’t just a territorial thing… well, yes it is. These Asian Werewolves, I think they’re the Hsin clan that we were warned about. Somehow they got wind of us even though we didn’t go near their land and they’ve come for you.”287

“Me? But why me? I can’t frickin’ breed for them!” 288

“You know that and I know that, but because of your pheromones they don’t know that. They think you’re fertile because of how you smell. Now listen to me…” he turned deadly serious. “I have to declare my dominance. I have to claim you as my mate. I have to fight them for you B because if I don’t, they’re liable to track us all the way back to Alaska for you and that would put the Tribe at risk.” 289

I looked on him askance as Declan next rushed out, “what Leo and Marcos told me about the Asian Werewolves? It was only half true… sure there’s more than just one female Asian Werewolf left but they are rare. The Hsin clan don’t appear to have any which is why they’re so interested in you. The only way they’re able to multiply their numbers is by sharing their blood, but the female humans aren’t changing but instead they’re dying… Females of any Werewolf species including Asian are becoming more and more rare in this world. Think about it B… why were Hsu’s Asian Werewolves afraid of letting their women near the Hsin clan? I have to fight to declare you my mate and declare my dominance.” 290

“How the hell do you know THAT much?!” I pushed his hands off. 291

“Because I can smell it!” he dropped his voice warningly. I looked on my husband in disbelief. “I can’t explain it B… but I can smell it… I can sense it. I can smell that since the Third World War not many female Werewolves can be created which is why they’re so rare. In most Werewolf breeds females are dying out from old age and hardly anymore new females are being created. I don’t know why exactly. But it’s because of the War and maybe the underlying effects of the radiation sickness. Humans may have been able to cure the radiation sickness in the natural world, but what about the supernatural world?” he pointed out. 292

“But…” I tried to interject but he interrupted. 293

“You’re rare B.” Declan cupped my face in his stronger two hands as he drilled his eyes into mine. “Marcos and Leo may have lied to me about the exact number of female Asian Werewolves left? But they had the right idea, there aren’t many. You with your pheromones are like a winning lottery ticket blowing down a street in the Depression era.” 294

My heart felt heavy as I believed him but my stubborn Lokoti protective instinct refused to abandon my mate in a time of danger. “Then I’ll fight with you.”295

“No.” Declan released his hold.296

“No? What do you mean, no?” 297

“I will fight better with out you by my side.” My husband said to my surprise.298

“What?” I looked on, offended.299

“B, when I fought those Asian Werewolves just then? I was holding myself back.” 300

“You were holding yourself back?” 301

“Yes.”302

“What do you mean you were holding yourself back?” Declan looked hesitant, as if he were unsure if he should explain. I huffed as I put my hands on my hips as I looked on my husband demandingly. “Declan, what did you mean when you said that you were holding yourself back?” my tone dropped warningly. 303

My mate and my husband looked on, guiltily; “I’ve always been holding myself back around you and the other Lokoti Werewolves, B. I’ve been doing so ever since I was 5 years old when I first realized I was a different to the rest of the pack.” 304

My eyes widened as this new truth began to dawn, “you mean even on a hunt you hold yourself back?”305

“Of course I hold myself back!” Declan looked on with displeasure that I had never realized this before. “You think that by hunting one or two animals a month it placates my bloodlust?”306

“Well…” I faltered.307

“Remember when Derik died?” he suddenly brought up this painful memory of his little brother dying of old age. He continued, “remember how angry you felt when I disappeared and I came back from a hunt and I was rough with you? You smelled the flesh and blood of at least ten different animals on me that day when I almost lost control over the bloodlust. I came home and I bit you too… but I managed to regain control again. But that’s what it’s like for me B. Always. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… I’m insatiable. I want to eat human and if I can’t eat human then I eat animal. But the bloodlust inside of me would quite happily eat something supernatural instead, like these Asian Werewolves… which is why I was told never return because Hsu’s Asian Werewolves smell it.” 308

My heart raced with anxiety as I looked on Declan for the first time feeling afraid of him. “Does that mean that… that you want to… eat me too?” I swallowed hard.309

“NO!” he was quick to pull me close. Declan gently banged his forehead into mine as he squeezed me against him and he inhaled loudly. “You’re apart of every fibre of my being and my bloodlust knows this. You are more apart of me than Derik’s progeny is. Like I said once before, if anything ever happened to you then I would be the first European Werewolf to die of a broken heart than to have it pierced by silver.” I turned quiet, as his words reassured and so did his body language as he held me close. “Which is why B that I’m asking this of you now.” Declan closed his eyes before he met mine again. “Return to Alaska. I will fight the Asian Werewolves and I won’t hold back… and I will win because of this.” 310

Next I tried to imagine what he was talking about, it wasn’t hard. I could almost see my husband going on an insane, murdering rampage as he indulged his bloodlust for one night and one night only, to embark on a vengeful feeding frenzy. It was kind of like, ‘you sniff at my wife like that and you will pay…’ The bloodlust in his supernatural species, was far more primitive than I gave it credit for. 311

Just then Declan’s head snapped around and his human blue eyes turned glowing green and wolf-like once more…I heard it too, the encroachment of many predators heading towards our direction.312

“Please B.” Declan looked on me pleadingly with his glowing green eyes. “Trust me… not only do I want you safe out of harms way in Alaska, but I don’t want you to see what I do tonight.” 313

My heart continued to race as my eyes stung. I was touched by my husband’s over-protectiveness, but the Lokoti Werewolf inside blindly refused to leave my mate in danger.314

“I have a confession too…” I laughed weakly. “…I’ve been holding out on you as well.” Declan looked on in disbelief. “I can kill Werewolves just as well as my Gran could. You saw me fight the European Vampires? Towards the end when I wolfed-out, I didn’t just fight them as a Circulator but I fought them as a Lokoti Werewolf; your Werewolf wife. With my speed and my strength - albeit my strength is not as great as yours – there’s nothing that I can’t fight. This is why I’m coming back for you after I’ve done this…” 315

…then I surprised him when I suddenly disappeared...316

I instantaneously phased from the middle of the Chinese countryside, into my bedroom inside of my house in Alaska.317

I rushed over to my wardrobe where upon I threw open the doors. My hand went straight for my Katana that was hidden behind a long black woolen winter overcoat. I pulled out the shining, silver sword, when I instantaneously phased back to China even before the swords’ sheath hit the bedroom floor. By the time I re-appeared beside Declan, he had changed back into his huge hulking European Werewolf form; just as twenty Asian Werewolves closed in on our position.318

I morphed into my stronger Lokoti Werewolf form and I growled at my mate, who stood a healthy distance away from my silver weapon; “I won’t hold back if you don’t. Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”319

I think I caught him smirk with his wolf-like snout and jaw full or razor sharp teeth, before he turned back to our attackers. This time Declan didn’t wait for the larger group of Asian Werewolves to make their first move… he made his. On all-fours, Declan barreled his way into the circle of smaller and weaker Werewolves, growling hungrily and snapping his jaws! 320

I didn’t have time to stand back and be horrified by the view of my mate not just fighting but EATING his way through our enemy; as Declan took on ten of Asian Werewolves who fought back, I fought the other ten.321

An Asian Werewolf tried to use it’s supernatural speed to leap onto my arm that was holding the sword, but using my time manipulation abilities as a Circulator I instead saw him come towards me in slow motion. As I moved my arm away from its incoming jaws, I next spun around and using my Lokoti Werewolf strength, I didn’t just cut my sword into the Asian Werewolf…322

… I cut him in half. Two bloodied parts that once belonged to a whole, landed in the dirt. The remaining nine Asian Werewolves, paused in their attack, just long enough to see their member of the pack fall to the ground in pieces. 323

Just then my attackers and I were momentarily distracted from the blood-curdling howls, whines, yelps and squealing. It was echoing through the night, coming from the faltering seven Asian Werewolves whom were fighting my mate. I saw three Asian Werewolves were already dead on the ground with either their throats or their chests bitten out thanks to Declan’s jaws. 324

The Asian Werewolves may have been faster than Declan, but their speed was showing no effect on his greater physical strength and his feasting. Watching Declan let loose his European Werewolf bloodlust on his enemy, was like watching a Great White Shark be unleashed into an Olympic sized pool during a swimming event - the victims saw their attacker coming but other than trying to escape, there was little they could do about it. But they didn’t try to escape, instead the Asian Werewolves fought on to claim their dominance over us who were strangers on their territory.325

The nine remaining Asian Werewolves out of the ten that I was dealing with, next turned their attention back my way, as I held up my sword higher. One Asian Werewolf, tried to leap onto my right side, as another tried to leap onto my left. But in the speed of light, I was able to duck backwards and escape from their jaws. I remained in light speed - looking almost like a series of bright flashes - whilst swinging my sword around with my Lokoti Werewolf strength. Soon another two Asian Werewolves fell to the ground, either missing a head or the other half of their body. 326

Just as I polished off my fourth attacker in under a minute, I started to slow back down to real time. I realized the other six of my attackers were now absent. When I looked over at Declan who was mangling his seventh enemy – slash – meal, I saw my six now battling alongside Declan’s remaining three. 327

Declan almost paused with his mouthful when I next appeared beside him, swinging out my sword, to bring down another one of the Asian Werewolves. When Declan dropped his half-eaten meal as I faced off the remaining eight, again the Asian Werewolves began to back away. 328

For a second time this evening they began to retreat due to the loss of numbers, but this time I didn’t buy it. I didn’t trust them. Who’s to say that they’re not going to come back AGAIN? 329

When one of the Asian Werewolves stopped to pick up one of the dead, it yelped in fright when Declan next charged at it! The supernatural creature bolted away and escaped from him by its’ greater speed. 330

Once more Declan and I were left standing alone on the road, with our broken down car near-by, panting with our bloodlust ignited. As Asian Werewolf blood dripped from my silver sword; Asian Werewolf blood dripped out of Declan’s razor sharp teeth and covered his claws. I sensed Declan battle to re-contain his control on his bloodlust so I kept a wary distance from my husband until he was able to do so. 331

I wasn’t really afraid of him turning on me, but Declan’s always sensed to give me time and space when I was really angry about something. I thought I should show the same consideration. After 5 minutes of standing there like that, I started to realize that Declan was not trying to calm himself down at all, but instead he was waiting… he was waiting for them to come back. 332

Oh frickin’ hell! Was this fight going to go on ALL night or something? Just how many Asian Werewolves are there in this frickin’ part of China anyways?! I just had to ask that, didn’t I? I next got my answer…333

Through the dark, I saw with my Lokoti Werewolf eyes, as I picked up their scent as well as I heard the arrival of thirty more male Asian Werewolves. What is this? Tit-for-tat? At first Declan beat off ten, and then we fought twenty, and now they’re coming back with thirty?! Where the hell are they all coming from?!?334

Then with my Lokoti Werewolf sense of smell, I detected some slight differences about these new Asian Werewolves - that they didn’t all smell alike. I realized that we were dealing with more than one clan here. But they didn’t smell like Hsu’s Asian Werewolves back at the hotel, so that was one small relief. If they had been the same Asian Werewolves, then I would have known that this whole thing had been a trap. 335

Declan roared furiously at the new arrivals, who looked on us with their glowing white eyes and their tiny black pupils. They next started to spread out to encircle us again… 336

Maybe that’s it – maybe that’s their plan? To keep fighting us with their greater speed and numbers until they exhausted Declan and I?337

I remembered something about my Great Great Gran Elisha Worthall’s notes on the Asian Werewolf; The Asian Werewolves are the best trackers of all the breeds and their sense of smell is legendary. There are stories and legends of human victims being unable to escape a vendetta placed against them by an Asian Werewolf, even if the human moved to the other side of the world. 338

Have my supernatural Lokoti Werewolf pheromones become the Asian Werewolf’s vendetta? Not to eat or kill but to dominate? 339

*Yes little wolf* I heard the familiar deep, ancient rumblings inside my chest. The voice which ironically only seemed to pop up usually when I was fighting for my life… *There is a reason why not only you are the first female Lokoti Werewolf but you are the first Lokoti Werewolf to be unable to breed*340

Unable to breed… unable to conceive… unable to bear children…That’s it! 341

I next whipped my computerized mobile phone out of my pocket of my shorts with my clawed hand. I quickly opened it and I spoke quickly and quietly as I gave my verbal commands; “Access Mandarin translation program. Access translation protocol from English to Mandarin. Translate the words: I am barren. I cannot bear young. If you think you’re good trackers then track this… can’t you smell my womb has never been used? Don’t you wonder why?” 342

“Working.” My mobile phone responded and within a second the words appeared on the lit-up screen.343

Declan heard it was what I was doing and he growled unhappily. He growled for what I was about to do and then he roared even angrier at the Asian Werewolves for making me do it.344

I next called out in my deep rumbling Werewolf voice in Mandarin the words that appeared on my screen. I hope I got the pronunciation right and I wasn’t telling them instead that I wanted to become pregnant by them…? However whatever I said was met with silence…deathly silence. 345

The Asian Werewolves stood still on their four paws as they all looked on, with their glowing white eyes in the night. The evening air became so still, I stopped breathing in fear that I might miss something. The only thing that was barely audible in the silence was the sound of the Asian Werewolves sniffing… sniffing me. The only thing that moved was Declan’s two front claws, which he flexed threateningly, as he waited for them to come closer. 346

Then one of the Asian Werewolves, who looked slightly bigger than the others, turned around and trotted away into the night. Next all of the other 29 Asian Werewolves also turned around and followed after the one who must have been their leader. They all slipped quietly into the black night and disappeared. 347

This time I did sense as both a Circulator and a Werewolf that it was the last time. As I re-opened my eyes, I reverted back to my human form as I lowered my sword. 348

“That’s it.” I said to Declan. “They’re not coming back.”349

I turned around and I walked over to our rental car. First of all, I opened the boot to put my sword inside before I opened up my backpack to take out a scarf. Next I opened my passenger’s side door as I proceeded to sit down on the car seat and put my shoes and socks on again. Lastly, I pulled on my zip-up jacket over my torn t-shirt. 350

When I stood up again I noticed that Declan hadn’t moved. He was still standing there on the road out in front of the car, his hulking huge form looked intimidating in the car’s headlights. He was staring off into the distance and growling at the night, like he was hoping that the Asian Werewolves would return so he could continue feeding. This partially disturbed me, as I didn’t want Declan to be known in the supernatural world as a cannibal. 351

I approached him with the scarf that I began to wet down with my bottle of water. “Here.” I held out the wet material to him. Declan turned his large Werewolf head towards me, as his glowing green eyes narrowed. “To wash the blood off.” I said casually to hide my knotting stomach. I hated seeing the large blood stains around his dangerous mouth and claws. 352

Declan shrunk back down into his human form, to use his human hands to take the wet scarf, as he began to wipe himself clean. 353

As I walked a little away from him, I looked about at the sliced open or half-eaten bodies of the Asian Werewolves that were lying on the ground. Partly to my surprise, they all looked like a bunch of dead wolves on the ground. They didn’t revert back to their human appearances when they died, like European Werewolves and Lokoti Werewolves did. Oh well, at least we wouldn’t have to explain the carcasses of dead humans lying around to the mechanic, when he shows up in his repair vehicle. 354

Declan next walked past as he went over to the car to pull out his clothes to dress again. He didn’t look my way, nor did he speak, as he dressed and then he sat inside the car. He used the rear-vision mirror to check his mouth and his face, to make sure that he had removed all traces of blood. 355

I sensed he was angry about something - actually, he was worse than angry, he was infuriated about it - so much so that this anger kept his bloodlust burning inside of him. What was he angry about? Was he angry about what happened tonight? Was he angry that he didn’t get to eat the other 30 Asian Werewolves? What…? 356

I watched him through the windscreen as he wiped off any remaining traces of blood on his hands around his nails. I felt that he was deliberately not looking in my direction. Oh… was he angry with me for some reason? 357

Why? What did I do? I just removed a vendetta against us by a species of Werewolf that was known to track their vendettas to the ends of the earth… So what was he angry about? 358

Declan next shut his car door on his side and he sat back into the drivers seat. He switched off the internal car light and I watched him close his eyes and take several deep breaths to calm himself. What was he so pissed off about? 359

I warily walked over to the passenger’s side door to open it and climb in. Once I was seated, I shut the door again to keep out the cold night air. 360

The silence in the car was palpable. Declan stared angrily out at the windscreen. The road before us that was littered here and there with dead Asian Werewolves, whose silvery-grey coats almost shined in the car’s headlights. I think I almost caught him growl again under his breath, as he looked on the carcasses. After five minutes I couldn’t stand it anymore. 361

“OK Declan, what is it?” I looked on him demandingly. 362

Silence…I thought Declan wasn’t going to answer, as he kept his lips pursed in a tense manner as he seethed, whilst he still refused to look my way.363

“What’s wrong?” I asked, annoyed. “Are you angry that I interrupted you from your feeding frenzy so you didn’t get to try to eat the other thirty? Well guess what… I don’t know how many of them there were but we were fighting more than one clan tonight. If we had beaten that thirty then they would have come back with forty, and then fifty and then maybe sixty as they pulled in the other clans. We were becoming a vendetta to these people and they DON’T give up!” 364

“You don’t think that I KNOW this B?!” Declan suddenly shouted. I looked at him in surprise. “Don’t you frickin’ get it? Even now? I was fighting for YOU tonight! I was fighting for my mate! I was fighting for your protection and I was fighting for your honor!” Declan ranted. Then I actually caught him look on me in disgust as he tearfully bit out this next part; “If a male, human or non-human, yelled that out about you what you yelled out about yourself tonight? I would have shoved my claw down his throat and ripped out his still-beating heart.” My eyes widened with further surprise. “You just yelled out to your possible rapists that they didn’t want you because you were practically soiled because you were barren like you were some common…” 365

But then he stopped himself there as he looked away, blinking hard. 366

My stomach sank as I stared out the windscreen in shock. Like I was a common what? A common prostitute? A common what? Hang on - I momentarily frowned - prostitutes aren’t barren, or that I had ever heard of anyways. Why, was it a common trait that women who couldn’t have children become prostitutes? Maybe I’ve been hidden away in my nice little happy-safe world on the Tribal lands for too long so I didn’t know this…367

“A common prostitute?” I bit out. “You think I yelled out that I was barren like I was a common prostitute or something? Why do you think prostitutes are barren?” 368

Before I gave him the chance to answer, I swung open my door, hopped out, slammed it shut behind me and walked around to the back of the car. I popped open the boot and I pulled out my backpack and my sword. Once they were out, I slammed the boot closed, slung my backpack over my shoulder and then I tucked my sword up into my bag.369

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?!” Declan was quick to open his door and jump out. 370

“Excuse me, I think there’s a barren prostitute’s convention in Vegas that I’m due to make an appearance at.” I said casually.371

I may have said this casually, but I had to blink fast to try to hide my wet eyes, which belied the sensation of my heart splitting into two. 372

“Don’t be stupid B…” 373

But I didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence, because I instantaneously phased home to Alaska. I turned my biological body into light waves instantaneously before I reappeared in my bedroom for a second time that night.374

I next dropped my backpack onto my bed and then I carried my sword over to its sheath that was lying on the floor. Once it was encased, I returned it to my wardrobe. My bedroom was dark, but the smells of home as well as the familiar sight of my furniture, I found to be welcoming. 375

Our house in Alaska was as small as a cottage. It was a two-story, dark brown, wooden house with a stone chimney and a small wooden front veranda. We had a European-styled garden with a gravel driveway. Our furniture was mostly country-style and made from pine except for our over-stuffed couches in the living room and our King-sized, sleigh bed in the bedroom. 376

I was so angry that I noticed my hands were shaking, but to get my mind off things, I turned on the stereo and blasted my ears with loud music to listen to, whilst I unpacked. I listened to Iggy Pop as I unpacked and I separated my unpacked clothes into the clean and the dirty. The clean clothes I put away and then the dirty clothes I dropped into my laundry basket. Then I picked up the laundry basket to carry down to the laundry when my mobile phone started to ring.377

I moved the basket to one arm as I fished out my phone from my pocket. I saw Declan’s name appear on my screen as apart of Caller ID. In a temper, I switched off my phone, slammed it down on top of my tallboy which almost broke it before I continued on with what was doing. 378

He can go to hell… or remain in China alone for all I care. I didn’t care that we would be apart for longer than 12 hours. It’s not like I was stranding him and leaving him in danger anyways. I had seen to his safety, which was what really pissed me off about Declan’s words tonight. He was always shaking his head and telling me that I didn’t behave enough like a Werewolf. When I thought I heard the Lokoti Wolf talk through me again tonight? I thought that was what I did do tonight, by behaving like a Lokoti Werewolf by ensuring my mate’s safety. I didn’t care if a bunch of foreign Werewolves, now knew that I couldn’t have kids! It certainly wasn’t a secret around here. 379

I felt the looks of quiet pity in my tribe’s eyes whenever they looked on me. Once I even overheard with my supernatural hearing in the supermarket in Alma the town next to our tribal lands, two women who weren’t Lokoti but they were used to seeing me around; whisper behind my back. 380

“She’s definitely had work done, how else does she stay looking like that?” 381

“She may be pretty but I heard from Shana that she can’t have kids. I guess looks aren’t everything after all.” 382

After this I refused to go grocery shopping in Alma for twelve months, although I didn’t tell Declan why. Usually I enjoyed the experience of shopping in the supermarket. The wide range of choice it offered which seemed like paradise as my memories of when food was a precious commodity after the War was still fresh in my mind. Declan knew this, which is why he couldn’t understand it when I started ordering our groceries online over the internet, to be delivered instead. 383

Tonight I thought I heard the voice of the Lokoti Wolf, the forefather to my kin the Lokoti Werewolves, tell me that I couldn’t conceive for a reason… and that reason tonight, was because to stop incidents like what happened tonight. I *knew* the Asian Werewolves who were low on females wouldn’t want a defective female who couldn’t breed for them. So what was sharing a local fact, with a bunch of growling strangers, for the safety of my mate and my tribe? And Declan has the gall to act like HE was the one who was insulted tonight?! 384

Screw that for a joke! 385

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