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*Episode 3: *

Can't you give me more time?

I watched the flames rolling in the fire for a long moment, pondering your words before taking a drink from my glass. My statement about not so happy endings having obviously sparked something in you. "I understand your concern my pet, but this is all in the past now. Life is a trial and we learn from it, regardless if our hearts still beat or not."

I rose from my seat as you sat up, and moved to the window sill once more. The silk gown I wore flowed and clung to my body, which had not changed a bit in these past years.

Looking out over the night and the rainy city in the distance, I pursed my lips, lost in thought about things. I thought about loved ones in both my mundane life and this one. I was of course lying, digging up old memories was painful sometimes, even now. I questioned if you heard the apprehension in my voice as I spoke out once more. "Do you want I should continue. my pet?"

I set my focus on one of the towering buildings in the distance, along with my jaw when your words came. I composed myself and turned to offer a bemused smile like that of a doting mother. "Such a curious thing..." My fingertips drifted over your arm as I passed you and returned to my seat at the fire.

You were there, sitting up on the sofa next to me, like an excited child waiting for a bedtime story. I offered you a smile and drew from my cup once more, feeling the rush fill me as I let out a sigh and looked to the fire before continuing. "Not so happy endings do not necessarily mean tragic in the long run... Ha but I am getting ahead of myself, let us focus on where we currently are in my tale..."

#

I had been with my new family for nearly a month now. Katrina had been diligent in my training, despite me constantly derailing it for affection and sex. Suffice to say she had been drinking a lot more blood to keep up.

I had a few more close calls, but nothing on the level of our first time. You could say I had even become adept at focusing my will and energy towards the opposite spectrum. Imagine that, a succubus that drains herself instead of you. I remember the first time I pulled it off, poor Katrina was so adorable. I had her drooling and mindless with pleasure. Then when we were done, she was hyper as could be and full of energy. I, on the other hand, needed a nap.

Were we a thing? Oh certainly not at the time... I had developed feelings for her over the month and I knew she liked me as well. The sex was amazing and we got along well, but she reminded me constantly that she understood what I was, as well that she didn't expect monogamy out of me. Still, I could see the jealousy she would show when I got a little too flirty with others around her.

On the day signifying a full month of being there, I was summoned to speak with Elias in his office. It would be my first encounter with the Marquis alone and in an official capacity. Katrina pleaded with me to keep myself under control, explaining it was a very important meeting but she couldn't say more than that.

I found myself outside of the white foxes office and raised my hand to knock, when he called out from within. "Come in, Alice."

My ears lifted and I opened the door to slip into his office. The room looked like something straight out of an old museum. Everything from the furniture to the books lining the shelves, it all looked several hundred years old. It was like I had stepped into a portal and found myself back in the renaissance age. The fox sat in a regal looking chair, behind a large sturdy desk that looked like a finely polished oak.

"Sit my rabbit." He gestured to one of the two elaborate chairs before him and I felt my tension rise as I quickly moved over to take a seat. I placed my hands on my lap nervously while I scanned the room.

"Do you know why you are here?" He asked pointedly.

"N-no sir... Katrina simply said it was important and to mind my manners." I spoke the words with a slight blush on my cheeks. Even from there I could feel the old foxes overwhelming aura of will and power threatening to dominate my own. Despite the improvements to my endurance over the last month, it paled in comparison to him.

"Ah, Katrina..." He nodded as he folded his hands and gave me a calculated look. "Speaking of her, this is unrelated to why you are here, but I wish to express concern over you and hers ... relationship."

My ears lifted and my stomach twisted in a knot. I'm sure he easily saw the fear and concern in my eyes. "Y-yes my lord?"

"You are a succubus, Alice. You can't keep feeding off her, she isn't mundane." The fox spoke the words matter of fact.

I felt panic push up into my chest for some reason and quickly spoke out. "M-master, er... sir... I-if I may speak?"

He smiled, amused by the multiple titles I had used and seeing my nervousness. He opened his palms and gave me a reassuring grin. "We are family, Alice. You are my sister like Katrina is and like Alex is my brother. Do not be afraid to talk to me and address me how you are comfortable in doing so. Speak."

I felt my cheeks burn and looked down, blinking several times to organize my thoughts before looking back at him and speaking out. "I... I'm not feeding on her anymore, Elias... sir."

"Oh?" The fox spoke out, raising his brow and one ear curiously.

"N-no sir... I have that under control. I don't... I don't take her energy when we are... together. I do it to make her happy, and... if anything... uh... S-she feeds off me now?" I laughed as I spoke the last of the words and rubbed the back of my head, my ears wobbling about nervously.

The fox fixed me with a serious look that rattled my composure as he spoke out authoritatively. "Explain what you mean."

I flinched and bit my lower lip, feeling the nerves well up in me as I looked away. "Ah... I mean... I..."

Elias sighed and softened his gaze. "Alice... my rabbit, my sister... do not be afraid, just tell me what you mean by her feeding upon you. Neither of you is in any sort of trouble."

I calmed myself and gave him a nod. "At first I was able to just close off that um... mojo..." I laughed at using her word then grinned. "Then I was able to... erm... reverse it? At first I did it to make her feel good, push my will forth and make her body feel all the better. T-then... well now, like..." I huffed and clenched my fist. "So like, if Katrina is having a bad day. I will hug her really tight and focus my will, pushing some of my energy into her. It makes her happy but then she will scold me telling me I shouldn't be wasting my energy on her."

The foxes' mouth gaped slightly at the words and he moved to reach across the desk, extending his arm and opening his palm. "Show me..."

I blushed and hesitated, my hand lingering several inches from his. "Ah... sir... but when I touch you, I tend to..."

He smiled and shook his head. "Relax, I've turned off my 'mojo'." He spoke the word with a grin.

I smiled and nodded before moving my hand into his own. It was warm to the touch, making me assume he was using his own reserves of blood to keep his heart beating. Indeed, I could feel the thrum of his pulse at my fingertips and imagine the blood flowing through his wrist. There was no overwhelming rush of energy like there had been in the past from him though.

"Good, now first... try to feed on me, I'm going to resist you." He growled the words gently and I nodded.

I focused and tried to pull energy from him, it was like I was trying to pull energy from a brick, not a glimmer of a tingle came. I grit my teeth in frustration and focused, my ears folding, my tail flicking about in concentration.

"Try harder Alice." He barked the words out, they came to my ears as an order and I snarled as I focused my will.

"I know you've got more in you than that, rabbit. I said try harder!" His words came out sharp and I felt his will start to overbear me. It felt as if it were a commandment and my very life was on the line if I disobeyed him.

I fixed the fox with a defiant glare and snapped my teeth together before my eyes grew a deep red. I shrugged off all restraints the cat had instilled upon me and the demons came to my walls of fortitude. I flung them open, welcoming them and embracing every drop of power they promised me.

Elias's eyes opened wide at the display and I felt the faint glimmer of energy start to pull from him. He clenched his own teeth, showing his sharp canines to me as he started to resist. I wasn't having it, my body wasn't having it.

While gripping his hand I felt myself launch across his desk into him like I had done when I first came here. The contact broke from our hands as I shoved my smaller body fully up against his own, getting as much contact as I could. I felt the familiar rush of energy from him but I wanted more, no, my demons in me demanded more.

He huffed out his shock and I shoved my mouth to his own in a furious hungry kiss. The fox growled against my lips and I felt him returning it, a primal rational side of me deep down was shocked by it, but I kept going. My tongue pushed against his own and the rush of energy coming from him was intoxicating. It wasn't like Alex and Katrina, no this wasn't just energy, it was power. I felt centuries of cultivated will and strength flow into me violently, my very soul desperate to claim it all for myself.

A snarl came from Elias's mouth and then it all ended with him grabbing my throat before forcing me off him. He stood, holding me aloft from the ground, I couldn't breathe, not that it mattered if I did or not. The red in my eyes faded and I blinked down at the dog, a whimper in my throat.

He stood there holding me, with his teeth bared and a furious glare in his eyes. His crystal blue irises had intensified as if burning with white-hot fire. His ears and tail had wisps of blue flames licking off them as if the energy I had tried to siphon from him, was just pouring out of his body. "You dare try to claim my power fledgling succubus? You think I have not the power and the force of will to extinguish your very soul in a gout of fire?!"

I felt I was going to die as I struggled against his grip, my thoughts turned to Katrina and my mortal family as tears started rolling down my cheeks. I yelped out weakly and clenched my teeth before summoning up what words I could and yelled out. "You ordered me... too! S-stupid fox!"

The fox let out a hungry growl and his own eyes shifted as if he were reigning his own self under control. He released my throat and I landed on his desk, a heavy gasp of air being pulled into my lungs on instinct alone.

Elias paced away from me with a growl and put his hand to his forehead as if willing himself to calm. The ethereal blue wisps that had been coming from his tail and ears extinguished and he let out a ragged sigh before slumping his shoulders.

I clenched my teeth, rubbing at my throat before calling out. "Ah... sir? Master... are you... are you alright?"

He turned to look at me, his hand still over his face, his teeth still showing in a furious snarl. He composed himself with a controlled breath and stepped back towards the desk. "I am fine... I apologize to you my rabbit, my sister... We all... even I, have demons to bring to heel at times."

"Um... that was..." I bit my lip, panting out and feeling my cheeks darken.

"Shameless I am awa-"

"So freaking cool!" I spoke out, clenching my fists and flicking my tail.

Elias seemed taken aback by the statement and barked out in surprise. I grinned at him and lifted my ears. "I mean... the almost killing me part was kind of terrifying, but you looked so badass just now! Huff... huff!" I could feel my body heating up furiously, my hips squirming as I shifted on his desk.

He gave me a gentle smile then his eyes drifted over to my squirming hips. I gave him a knowing grin and slid off his desk. My eyes shifted to red and I turned away from him. I braced my palms upon the polished wood and pushed my ass out. My skirt had ridden up slightly from sitting on the desk, showing off my blue panties beneath.

"I mean... you wanted to see what I was talking about with Katrina... why not experience first hand... my Master~." I moaned the words while looking over my shoulder, swaying my round ass towards the fox, my little tail flicked up eagerly.

The white fox clenched his teeth at the display and I drooped my large white ears, giving him a playful smile. The fox then smiled with a nod before moving towards the desk and around to the front of it. I groaned out in disapproval and wiggled my hips, desperate for his attention. "I-I really don't mind if you have me!"

"I'm sure you do not my rabbit, but there is a time and place for all things." He spoke the words as he moved to grip my hand from the front of his desk. I whimpered my frustration and bit my lower lip, wondering if I should take the chance to tackle him to the ground again.

"Show me now... push your energy into me..." He spoke the words as he gripped my hand and smiled at me.

"Can I do it while I'm in your lap and your balls deep in me instead, Master?" I moaned the words and found myself ready to climb over the desk after him.

"Alice!" The fox snapped at me sharply. I frowned and reigned my control in, my eyes going blue once more before I bit my lip with a nod. I focused my will and thought about how I did it with Katrina. A moment later I felt the familiar sensation as my life force slipped free, before pushing into his own body.

"Fascinating... truly this is remarkable, Alice." He spoke the words of praise and my tail flicked happily as I sighed out while gripping his hand.

"Ha... I'm so glad you're proud of me, Master. Can we have sex now?" I moaned the words and leaned in, kissing at his hand gently while he gripped my own.

He grinned at me and gently withdrew his hand before moving back around to his side of the desk. "Stand up, straighten your skirt and go sit back down, Alice." The words came out gently, but I felt him push his will into them, compelling me to do so. I frowned but obediently shifted off the desk and moved back to my seat, fixing my skirt on the way.

"Why... why not?" I asked, a little bit of a pout in my voice as I looked at the fox, blushing and giving a frustrated whimper. "I can control it, I won't feed upon you, Master!"

The fox showed his teeth in a grin before taking a seat and putting his hands on the table. "I'm almost six centuries old, my rabbit. The fascination and appeals of sex were long ago. An incubus I am not."

"Y-yeah but! I mean... I want to please you, sir. I want to... huff..." My eyes shifted crimson and I cooed out lovingly. "I want to taste you and hear your pleasure..."

Elias grinned at me and shook his head. "I understand my rabbit, and I've laid with my fair share of your type many times in my existence. However, I humbly ask that you save your energies and affections for my sister."

I crossed my arms, feeling heat build in me from the rejection, my eyes not shifting back and blood red as I spoke out defiantly. "Yeah? Well, how long has it been for you?"

The fox saw my shift in posture, I'm sure he could see the irritation building within me as he thought about the words. "Hmm... I would wager my last time was around forty years ago."

I gasped out and put my hands on the desk. "By the gods... Elias you poor thing! Don't worry you cute little puppy, I will save you!"

He fixed me with a glare as I started to climb over the desk after him, the doting words obviously not appreciated. "Enough of this Alice. Sit down and behave."

My eyes seemed to flashback to blue as if by his own will alone and I found myself sitting, whimpering in frustration but the fire in me doused handily.

Elias sighed at the whole thing as if this entire encounter had been a drain upon him. "Forgive me, Alice. I do not mean to reject you or frustrate you. Just consider me old fashioned, I would need to truly feel something for my partner to lay with them."

"I... I understand sir. I'm sorry to put you in an awkward situation..." I drooped my ears and looked away.

"Well then... we have gotten very sidetracked, let us get on to the reason you were called here to begin with." Elias folded his hands upon the desk and fixed me with an all-business look.

"Yes sir." I folded my hands in my lap and lifted my eyes to look upon him as he spoke.

"You are new to this family and all members who enter a family do so on a temporary trial basis. They are allowed to have one full season to prove they can adapt and be productive members of the court. After that, they meet with the council that consists of various Marquis of the region they are in. The council then decides if they are worthy to become full members of our court."

My ears lifted and I frowned at the idea. "Oh... what happens if I don't meet the council's approval?"

"You die." The fox spoke the words with a level, even look.

I choked at the words and felt panic push into my chest, my eyes blinking several times. "I... I what? But..."

"Relax, Alice... only the most extreme cases come to that." He spoke gently to me, stretching a hand out which I gratefully snatched up and gripped.

"Extreme cases?" I spoke the words with hope in my voice, ears lifting.

"Yes. In my two centuries on the council, I've only seen three potential candidates rejected. It only happens to the truly mad or depraved amongst us." The fox spoke the words sadly as if he recalled each of them clearly.

"Can I ask a question, sir?" I felt my curiosity building up once more.

"Certainly." Elias nodded and gave me a welcoming smile.

"We... well most of us... we're killers, we kill to survive, yes?"

"That's right my rabbit, in this day and age, we have easier means to the ends, but killing is still a daily occurrence with our kind."

"Why would the council care if someone was a deranged killer then?" I lifted my ears as I put a hand to my chin in thought.

"Let me answer that with a question, my rabbit. Did you know we existed before a month ago?"

My ears sprang up as I clued in right away. The look on Elias's face showed he approved. "Ah! If we had some crazy nut running around feeding and leaving a wake of bodies, people would put the pieces together!"

"Right! And indeed my dear, some already have." He spoke the words sadly and looked down at his hands.

"Oh? Some know about us?" I could see the concern in his eyes as he lifted them to me to respond.

"Yes, my sister. They know and even hunt us." The words came out deadly serious as I felt a lump in my throat.

"W-wait... so there are people that hunt us? B-but... I've seen how strong some of our family are, how could they even?"

"We have our weaknesses my rabbit, this isn't the movies. You saw how quickly Luciano fell to Alex. It didn't take garlic and a stake, just sharp claws and a lot of force." The fox pulled from his desk once more and looked over his bookcase.

"Oh..." I felt fear creeping up on me once more as if I should just never go out again and stay here in the large mansion in the hills.

"Rest assured all but the truly powerful of us would be felled by a sniper just as quickly as a mundane would. If not outright slain, we would certainly be incapacitated and unable to heal in time to escape. They would close in and finish the job easily in such a scenario, be it with guns or fire." The fox spoke the words with his hands clasped behind his back, I could tell by his tone he intended this talk to be a lesson and frighten me.

He continued, "or perhaps the hunters would simply wait until the day while we were all asleep. Burning our home down around us instead, leaving us the option to burn, or flee into the daylight that awaited us. These situations have all happened, Alice."

"That's..." I shivered and looked out the dark window of his office. "That's really scary to think about..."

"It should be my rabbit. That is why we have the council. That is why we limit our numbers and that is why we all practice maintaining the veil we create. We do so to keep those out that would expose us to the hunters and other threats."

I nodded and frowned. "But... I can't just rely on the blood you guys give me, I have to eventually go out and hunt for my own. You can't exactly bottle the essence I pull from people and as you said, I can't keep feeding off the family."

"You are astute my rabbit, that is correct. For better or worse, you have to eventually leave the nest and hunt. Of course, you can come back when you are done, this is your home now." The fox grins and opens his hands with a wag of his tail.

"T-thank you... you've all been more kind to me in my... well, I guess my death than anyone ever had in life." I felt a smile on my face as the fox moved over to me and pushed a hand to my head, petting my ears. I could feel his will pushing forth as if trying to comfort me.

"Alice, you will become a great boon to this family... I honestly believe that." His words came out kind and doting, not unlike a father offering praise to a daughter.

"Thank you, Master..." I grinned up at the fox, my cheeks darkening, my eyes shifting to a maroon. Elias saw the cue and pulled his hand away with a smile.

"There is an Incubus I am good friends with, who is one of the Marquis in the region and as old as I am. I will speak to him during your evaluation tomorrow. Perhaps you could get some advice from someone that's been at it for a while." Elias gave a knowing grin and flicked an ear. "Perhaps I will stay present though, it wouldn't do for you to lose yourself like you did today with me."

I blushed at the words then processed the rest before speaking out sharply. "Tomorrow?! You said I had a season!"

The fox grinned and wagged his tail as he looked away. "I have great confidence in you my rabbit. I have requested your evaluation early so that you can more quickly become an official member of our court."

"Master!" I stood from the chair, my tail flicking in panic as I clenched my fist. "That's too early, what if I screw up? Can't you give me more time?"

Elias cut his eyes to me and shot me a stern look. "It can't be changed. The various lords of the region can't just reschedule on a whim. You will be present succubus Alice and you will bring honor to our house. Do you understand?"

I clenched my teeth, feeling his will and hesitated before answering. "Y-... yes my lord..." I bowed my head and frowned.

He moved to me and gently patted my head once more. "Be confident my sister, I am proud of you and I have full faith in you... You bring a type of power and outlook to this court that is much needed."

I blinked up at the fox and nodded my head slowly. "Yes sir, I will do my best..."

He smiled and wagged his tail as he moved back to his side of the desk and took a seat, folding his hands on the top of it. "Any questions for me my rabbit?"

I thought about it for a moment, the irritation welling up in me again before cutting my eyes to him. "May I speak freely to you sir?"

He gave a nod in response. "Of course you may, Alice."

My eyes shift and I look up at him, my sharp canines showing as I fold my arms over my chest and lift my ears, my voice coming out confident. "So... here is my question for you. Do you not lay with me because I am yet unproven to the family, or do you find me unappealing?"

The fox flashed his own eyes for a moment and rose from his desk, bracing on his fingertips as he looked into my eyes. "Alice. I do not lay with you because it would be a great disrespect to you to do so as your lord. You are under my protection and I take that seriously, also despite your abilities right now, you simply couldn't control yourself. A simple kiss sent you spiraling and you tried to drain much more than life energy from me, imagine if we became full-on intimate."

I cut my red eyes away, pushing my chest out as I folded my arms and frowned. "I understand that... So you mean to say I need to be stronger and more worthy of you."

"I am not saying that!" The fox showed his teeth in a growl. "I'm saying you go out, you learn and enjoy yourself. I say this out of concern. You are a lovely rabbit and I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be happy to have you in my bed... erm... or on my desk, as it were in this case..."

Elias looked down and composed himself. "However... you are as a child under my care right now. My task is to help teach and prepare you, not enjoy you." He folded his arms and looked away, flicking his tail. "I understand it's the succubus in you that takes affront to rejection. Understand it is not a matter of being unwilling, it is a matter of being unable to. My obligation right now is your education and protection. In the future, if you still will this and the time is right..."

I gave him a grin and flicked my ears. "You're cute like this you know... when you get flustered... you start talking all dignified and hoity-toity... 'you are as a child' 'the succubus in you that takes affront'..." I grinned as I air quoted the words at him.

The fox barked his disapproval at the teasing and flopped back into his chair. "Okay rabbit, you've had your fun. Off with you now."

"As you wish... my Master~" I gave the fox a hungry grin, turning and purposefully swaying my hips on the way out of his office.

I let the door to the office shut behind me and gave a frustrated huff, my eyes still smoldering red. I sniffed the air to try to pick up Katrina's odor, I desperately wanted to take her. I had noticed that as the days went on I could easily pick out scents of people and track them down. Maybe it was the succubus in me, or maybe I really was part bloodhound like Elias had joked about.

Her scent lingered but it wasn't prominent and I let out a frustrated sigh. My ear lifted towards the hall as I saw Alex round the corner towards the main foyer of the house where I was currently at.

"Hey bunny, how are y-" He gave pause as he saw my eyes were red, knowing that meant I was in full-on succubus mode. "Ah... are you okay, Alice? You look... angry?"

"Just frustrated, Alex..." I cut my red eyes to his amber ones and cocked an eyebrow. He looked shocked I seemed to be in such control over myself right now. Truth be told he hadn't seen me in about a week and a half, he had been off with his pack on some hunting thing they do every season change.

"You seen Kat?" I pointedly asked my gaze pulling away to scan the rest of the foyer.

"Mm? Nah, she said she was going to go for a walk in the woods, because she was worried about your meeting with Elias." He gave me a cocky grin, "Worried about your girlfriend?"

I gave the wolf a somewhat undeserved glare at his words. "She isn't my girlfriend, Alex. But she is mine." I sighed and flicked my ears. "Though... I suppose she could do whatever she wanted."

"Hah... is that Alice saying that, or the hungry little succubus in you? Would Kat be okay hearing that?" He gave me a toothy grin. His posture relaxed as if he realized I had gained more control over myself these past weeks.

"It's both and depending on how much I had her drooling, she would welcome the possessive words from me." I gave the wolf a confident grin, showing my teeth to him.

"Wow, bunny... you've changed a lot since I last saw you." The wolf folded his arms and looked me over, I could tell he was admiring the view. I was in a knee-length skirt today which was what I favored, along with a simple button-down white blouse. I also had opted for black stockings that came up to my thighs.

"Think so?" I clicked my tongue and pushed my chest out a little more, letting him get a better view as I looked away. "Hmm... Do you like Kat, Alex?"

The wolf looked confused by the conflicting body language and the words. "Uh... what? I mean... we're friends I like to think. We work together a lot and we've been through some shit over the years."

"Uhuh... how do you feel about me with her?" I put my hands on my hips and turned from him slightly as if I were ready to end the conversation depending on his answer.

"I hadn't thought about it. Should it bother me?" The wolf asked curiously, almost innocently.

I closed my eyes and smiled at the answer before taking a step away from him. "I'm going to go outside and look for Kat, I need to blow off some steam." I huffed the words and cut my eyes back to him to see his reaction.

"Yeah? Hoping she will help you with that or worried about her?" He growled the words with a grin, the inflection of teasing in his voice.

"Worried? Nah... she can take care of herself better than I ever could." I took another step from him and thought to myself. I wanted this dog but how would it affect me and Kat. This wasn't just hunting, this was family and someone I knew she at least had some feelings for, even if it was just friendship.

A succubus with a conscience? What the hell is wrong with me, I thought. "Alex, how long have you and Kat known one another?" I took another step but jerked my head as if encouraging him to follow. I even pushed some of my will into the gesture just to see if it would work, It did. He just started walking right along with me as I was moving towards the exit of the house.

"Ah... let's see... about sixteen years now." The wolf spoke the words as he followed behind me.

"Wow... and in all that time, you and her never... you know." I looked at him over my shoulder with a grin.

"Nah, Kat isn't very sexual. I don't think she's had a partner in over twenty years." He spoke the words casually but they made me flinch a little.

Twenty years, how much was I playing with this cats emotions then. We liked each other and she said she didn't expect me to be monogamous, but still, this left me a little concerned. I felt the heat fading in me, my eyes shifting to more of a maroon as I pushed the doors open and walked out into the warm summer night air.

"Do you know how old Katrina is, Alex?" I prodded at the dog as we walked out onto the large deck of the mansion and out into the grass of the front lawn.

"Hmm... I don't have an exact age, but I know she turned sometime during world war two." The wolf spoke the words and it made me think. I hadn't processed how old she could of been. With that kind of time frame, she could have already had multiple lovers that lived and died before I was even born. Maybe I was worrying too much about this.

I had found her scent and it was very deep into the glade of trees off the property edge. I wasn't exactly dressed for an excursion into the woods and just sat there with my hands on my hips, looking out over the glade. The overcast made it pitch black, but I could see the trees and such with clarity. "Hey, Alex?"

"Yeah Alice?" He called back, still staying several paces from me, as if still wary of my presence.

"I've been here like a month. You were one of the first family members I met, but I hardly know anything about you. Care to talk about it?" I lifted my ear and looked at him out of the corner of my maroon eye.

"Not really." He spoke the words with a matter of fact tone.

Maybe dogs just don't like me. That's two rejections in one night and this one wasn't even sexual. I frowned and put my hands on my hips and second-guessed myself about that woodland excursion. "Sorry... I wasn't trying to get personal or in your business, Alex."

"Uh... I wasn't trying to be a dick." He spoke the words out hastily after hearing my tone of voice. Maybe I needed to give this dog more credit.

"Nah it's cool, we've all got things we don't want to dig up. I was just trying to make conversation with you." I gave him another glance, the blue in my eyes back to full color. I saw the tension ease in his stance when he saw my eyes and I frowned.

"Alex... you don't have to be afraid of me. I've got it under control now." I turned and faced him full-on, hands resting on my hips.

"Who said I was afraid of you?" He growled and folded his arms over his chest.

"I did. You've been at a distance since you saw me in the house. You saw the red in my eyes and kept a cautious stance until just now." I showed my teeth, making my irritation with the situation evident.

"You don't know what you're talking about, rabbit!" He growled the words and glared at me.

"Don't I?" I snapped the words back, my eyes flashing blood-red again as I showed my teeth and pushed some of my will out.

He flinched from the display slightly, then his throat erupted in a growl, realizing what I had done. "Don't try to manipulate me, rabbit. I could tear you apart in seconds."

"Then do it, tough guy. You can answer to Kat and Elias for it." I hissed the words and put my hands on my hips. "If you think I can't tear your will down faster, before you even shift that is."

He growled furiously at me and I wondered where all this bravado was coming from within me. Was it the frustration over Elias, was it me getting comfortable with my new abilities. I had a little mini-existential crisis in those heartbeats. I looked away and frowned, trying to collect myself.

I sighed and shook my head. "Look, Alex, I'm sorry I ju-" I turned back to him and for the second time tonight was grabbed by the throat and held aloft by an angry dog. This one now about nine feet tall and all fur and snout, staring at me like he wanted to rip me apart like he did the guy that made me.

"Bitch... I'm not afraid of you... or anything!" The words came in broken snarls as I coughed out, feeling the fear well up in me, then I grit my teeth and felt something else come forth. Something else filled me, anger and frustration. This was the second time tonight a damn dog was choking me and not in a good way. I was fed up and had enough of it. I wrapped my hands around his wrist, digging my fingers in to make contact with his skin through the fur and met his eyes with a defiant glare.

The wolf flinched at the view and tightened his grip on my throat as I poured forth my will, letting those demons in me have their way for now. I felt his grip waver and I croaked out in as best of an order as I could muster. "Put me down, dog..."

He did. He lowered me down and I kept a grip on his wrist. I clenched my teeth and glared at him, my eyes fixed with his black ones. I could see the fear in them as I spat out my next orders to him. "Cut the werewolf act, change back!" A furious growl rumbled from his throat as he tried to resist me. I showed my teeth and snapped out sharply at him. "Do it!"

Alex shifted instantly back to his previous form, his shirt now in tatters and his jeans ripped asunder. I moved in on him and pushed my hand to his face, glaring into his eyes. "You in there puppy, you listening to me?"

He gave a quick nod of his head, I could see his eyes wavering as he struggled with my charm. "Okay listen stupid... I was trying to apologize, I was being a bitch... I was being unfair to you... I'm sorry."

After forcing him to hear my apology I pushed him back off me, using some of my natural strength from my change to force him several paces away. I pulled my will back, removing the enthrallment upon him. I opened my arms wide to him and tilted my head to expose my throat. "That not good enough for you tough guy? Here you go..."

He sat there, huffing and panting. His sharp teeth showed as he growled at me and thrashed his heavy brown tail around. "Bitch... that was not cool... getting in my head like that..."

"Picking me up by my throat and threatening to rip me apart was okay though?" I put my hands on my hips and gave him a level look.

"Fair enough..." He growled the words and pushed his hand up over his face, moving his fingers through his shaggy sandy hair.

"I was trying to bond with you and get to know you, stupid..." I folded my arms over my chest, frowning at him.

He growled again before standing up straight and giving me a hard look. "I... I don't open up well to new people, okay?"

"Cool. You could of fucking said that and we would have avoided all this." I flicked my ears up at my words. I was being very aggressive, was this the demons in me, or my own stress from everything happening.

"When did you become such a bitch, Alice? You were this shy timid thing two or three weeks ago, now you're this domineering cunt that is throwing her weight around." The dog barked the words sharply at me.

I flinched at the words and looked away, I couldn't say anything. He didn't let up though and kept talking. "You think I didn't feel you compelling me in the house? I didn't come here of my own free will, but you want to get upset I didn't want to talk?"

I bit my lower lip and shook my head. "That wasn't-"

"Fuck you. That's exactly what it was!" Alex gritted his teeth and growled louder. "I would have happily came out here and talked to you, I wouldn't have minded at all! I would have talked and answered any questions you had, but you didn't ask. You fucking made me. You were pushing your will on me with every question about Kat too!"

I clenched my teeth and felt tears coming, and it made me feel like a manipulative bitch all the more for them. "I'm sorry... okay? I wasn't trying to..."

He clenched his teeth and hesitated before folding his ears. "Sorry... isn't okay. You can't just get in someone's head like that, least of all family's. You want to use that shit for hunting, you do that. It's all fair out there, but that isn't cool here."

I nodded and hung my head. "Yeah... I'm really sorry Alex... I didn't mean too... I just don't..."

I heard him let out a defeated sigh and he lumbered over to me, embracing me and holding my head to his chest after taking a knee. "It's all new to you... I get it... we all have to deal with this kind of shit, Alice... but you need to hear this now, you need to understand what consequences will come from throwing it around unchecked..."

I nodded against his torn shirt but said nothing, just clutching at the torn fabric while he held me and patted the back of my head. I felt terrible and even more so now. I felt like even this, even my tears and weakness could have just been some kind of game I was playing. I felt like I was losing myself, not able to tell what was me and what were the demons in me.

The wolf released me after several moments of silence and turned from me. He took a few paces towards the field away from the house and the glade of trees. "I'm going to go for a walk. Kat might be a while... you can join me if you want."

I nodded my head weakly before I willed my feet into motion, moving beside him and matching his stride. We walked in silence through the grass of the lawn until it turned to field, the grass getting longer and brushing at my shins.

"I was an infantry soldier in Vietnam..." The wolf finally spoke out while we walked along. I said nothing and just let him keep talking.

"I was from Australia then. Part of a joint unit from Greece..." He stopped and put his hands on his hips, looking out over the field. A faint breeze pushed the warm air of the night around and made the tall stalks of grass sway. "I was on patrol in the deep jungles in North Vietnam and got separated from my squad. While in the darkness of the jungle something attacked me. It was night, I didn't know what It was, all I know was something big and scary dove on me. It bit down on my shoulder, but the combat vest absorbed most of the bite and I panicked, opening fire on the thing, not knowing what it was."

"I would have wagered some kind of feral bear or some shit by the size. But when the dust cleared and I got a light on the thing, it was some random villager in torn up clothes. I didn't know what to make of it, but one thing was for sure. I had just mowed down an unarmed man and if I reported that to my CO, I would most likely be facing a firing squad." Alex looked down to see me looking up at him, my blue eyes intent as I listened to his story.

He clenched his teeth and looked away. "Anyway... I came back to camp saying I had been attacked by a wild creature in the jungle, the medic treated my wounds and patched me up. We went about our way, I never told anyone about it and after a few weeks, it was something I had pushed out of my mind as just another oddity of war. Then the next full moon came..."

I saw the look in his eyes and he gripped his shoulder as he shook his head and sighed out. "I... you know what they say about the frenzy? It's like that... I remember uncontrollable rage as well as hunger, that's all I dreamed about that night, was hunger and rage. I woke up alone in a camp of corpses, my friends, my CO, even the wounded civilians in the medical tents, all torn apart."

Alex clenched his teeth and snarled as he folded his ears. "Almost two dozen people in all, and I murdered every one of them. It didn't matter if we were friends or comrades, it didn't matter if they were sick or injured."

"Alex... by the gods... I'm so sorry..." I spoke the words in a whisper and saw him start walking again, my feet moving to keep up with him.

We walked through the field as he continued to tell me his story. "I told the military I was on a scouting mission and came back to the scene. I didn't know what else to do, I didn't know what happened. I had some kind of inkling of an idea it was something to do with me since I had been covered in blood, but I couldn't be sure. I agonized over it and once I got back home I started pouring over any information I could. Eventually, I found some information on werewolves and lycanthropy."

"It sounded like so much bullshit but I had to do something, so I bought a video camera and drove deep into the outback on the next full moon. I saw myself change the next morning on the footage and was horrified... Then all the guilt came. The realization and acceptance that it was me, that all those people's blood was on my hands." Alex frowned and looked down at his hands, flexing them before giving me a sad grin. "I guess I try to play the fool to not think about things so much."

I put my hand on his arm and frowned, saying nothing as I looked into his eyes. He smiled and looked up into the night sky, letting out a snort through his nose. "I survived making monthly 'camping' trips on full moons, while desperately searching for something I could do. Eventually Elias found me, I don't know how but he did. He brought me here and got me in contact with a local pack here on the west coast. Coincidentally, I'm the only wolf of the bunch." Alex barked out a laugh and grinned at me, rubbing the back of his head.

I gave the wolf a smile. "So that was the little meetup you went to recently?"

"Yeah! Well, this was the seasonal meetup. We all meet each month to band together as a pack during the full moon. Werecreatures won't hurt one another during it, we will just form a pack and stalk around looking for prey. However every season we get together and just go off and spend a week or so out in the wilderness. It lets us get in touch with our wild sides and we stay shifted the whole time. It's therapeutic."

Stepping from him I looked up at the sky, the clouds had parted to show the waning of the moon, the full one having only been a few nights ago. I looked back at him and smiled sadly. "Thanks for telling me, Alex. I'm sorry if it was painful to do so."

"It feels good to get it off my chest from time to time." He shrugged and folded his arms. "I do what I can with the power I have. I hunt down monsters like Luciano and the like, try to protect the mundanes... you know, make amends for what I did in my own way."

I purse my lips and nod. "But you don't mind others of the court hunting them?"

"Oh, I mind... but... well, it's like hunting game, you know?" Alex frowns and looks up at the moon. "You got people that fish and hunt to survive, and that's fine. Then you got poachers and such that are just tearing up the food chain for their own selfish desires... I kind of look at it like that."

"Hm... that's actually not a bad way to look at things." I put my finger to my cheek in thought.

"Yeah, plus the court has restrictions on the killing, things I can get behind. Like no kids or families, single or sick people are encouraged. Also you would be amazed at how many murders and sex offenders end up mysteriously dying in the prison system." Alex nods his head. "The court has a lot of creative ways to get their hunt on."

"That's reassuring..." I frown and look at my feet.

Alex hesitates before asking, "Do you plan to feed to kill, Alice?"

I feel my stomach twist as I look back at him and frowned. "I don't... I never want to kill someone if I can avoid it. I already feel bad at the concept of just taking advantage of others to feed off them in general."

"That... makes me happy to hear. I wouldn't judge you if you did kill, but I think I like you better how you are." The wolf rubbed the back of his head and grinned at me childishly.

I gave the wolf a grin and lifted my ears. "So you like me, Alex?"

"Of course! You're a good person, Alice and you're family now." He spoke the words with a grin then raised his brown ears as he saw my eyes shift to red.

"Thank you, Alex, it means a lot that you don't hate me after what I did." I cooed the words gently. I felt guilty though, even this was me playing with him in a way, shifting and moving into this state, letting him see my eyes. I was testing the waters to see if he would become standoffish again.

There was some hesitation but the wolf held his ground. "Yeah... It's all good, bunny." He pauses for a moment before meeting my eyes and gave me a grin. "And I forgive you, we all have demons to overcome."

I gave the wolf a grin and put my hands on my hips. "So, we're square then?"

"Yeah, I hear it's hip to be that these days anyway!" The wolf barked the words with a laugh.

I giggle and smile at him before shaking my head. "I'm pretty sure that joke is a few decades too late, wolf."

"Well I tried." Alex grinned and gave me a shrug.

With a smile, I put my hands behind my back and looked him over. "Yeah, you sure did..."

Alex looked over the horizon and frowned as he saw the first cracks of dawn starting to show. "We... should probably find Kat and get you guys home..."

I lifted my ears at the horizon and nodded my head. "Y-yeah, I guess we should..."

We began back towards the house and I followed Alex, trusting his sense of smell more than mine. I looked over at him and spoke out with a smile. "You look good for your age..."

"Thanks, I've still got a few years left in me I like to think." He barked the words out playfully and grinned at me.

I frowned and hesitated before asking. "How long do-"

"From what the elders have told me, it can be one hundred to one thirty." Alex answered before I could finish my question.

For some reason, I felt some relief at the thought that he still had a while yet to go. Still, I felt a bit sad that the nature of things was, I would have to say goodbye eventually.

"All things die eventually, Alice... even vampires... one way or another, we all go eventually." Alex spoke the words out as if reading my mind. I smiled as he put a hand on my head reassuringly.

Katrina was already back at the house waiting for us and I settled in for the day, the thought of tomorrow's evaluation keenly on my mind.

#

I gave a smile at my thoughts of the two dogs and looked back to the fire, rolling what was left of my now cooled blood in the glass. I glanced back to you, seeing the concern and worry in your face and moved a hand to rub at your head. "You need not worry over me, my pet."

Finishing the last sip of my drink, I stood and moved to the window once more, seeing the faint signs of dawn breaking in the distance. It would be a beautiful and wet morning, the kind I used to love seeing in my youth, but not one I would be allowed to see now. I drew the shade and looked back at you with a grin. "Well, that's enough stories for one day, shall we retire my sweet?"

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