Scions: Insurrection (3 of 3 free samples)

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COPYRIGHT
Scions: Insurrection by Patrice Michelle. Copyright 2008 by Patrice Michelle.
All Rights Reserved. Sharing not permitted.

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PROLOGUE (CONT'D)

Landon’s chest tightened at Jachin’s comment. He didn’t want to think an insurrection was possible—that a Lupreda could be responsible, but Nathan had been the one who’d wanted to eliminate the weres once they went zerker. Only the Omega’s humane ruling had saved the young weres’ lives... even if the zerkers had to live away from the pack. Had Nathan won others to his side and taken out the zerkers, despite the Omega?

When Jachin opened his hand and pieces of glass fell to the bar, Landon saw the vampire’s cuts heal right before his eyes. Obviously Jachin had fully recovered from the sickness that had almost destroyed the vampires twenty-five years ago when human blood mysteriously turned poisonous to vampires, forcing the vampires to withdraw from the human world. When a human woman wrote a book about vampires three months ago, Jachin knew she was the one to fulfill his father’s dying prophecy of a better way for vampires to live. He took over the clan and claimed the human named Ariel Swanson as his mate. From the fast healing Landon had just witnessed, Ariel’s blood was indeed viable.

Landon’s gaze jerked to Jachin’s furious one, his concern growing for his pack’s safety. If the Lupreda ended up going to war with the Sanguinas, fully recovered vampires would have a definite advantage. “There have been reports of a few homeless humans who’ve gone missing the past couple of months. Have you discovered that other humans’ blood is viable as well?”

Jachin nodded. “Apparently the sickness is being bred out of the humans. The younger ones’ blood isn’t poisonous.”

Landon clenched his fists. “Have other vampires been feeding then? Missing humans isn’t a very humane approach, Jachin.”

Jachin’s gaze narrowed before he finally answered in an even tone. “There are some vampires who deserted the clan when I became the Sanguinas’ new leader. Our Sweeper unit hasn’t located all of the rogue vampires yet. A few still remain at large, evading our detection. It’s possible they’ve discovered how to tell which humans are no longer poisonous.”

“If that’s true, your rogue vampires could’ve taken our weres.” As Landon stared intensely at him, the vampire’s jaw began to tic. They each were weighing the other’s sincerity. “No matter your and my goals for peace, hatred still runs deep between our races,” Landon finally said once his temper had settled to simmering tolerance.

Jachin smiled then, his white teeth flashing in the bar’s dim light. “Then it’s up to us to set a positive example.” He inclined his head slightly. “Though I don’t see how the rogue vampires could’ve attacked and taken your weres without leaving their scent behind, if they did take your brethren, their actions wouldn’t be condoned by me or any member of my clan.”

Landon nodded. “The Omega won’t like the answer, but they might understand it.”

Jachin brushed the last bits of glass from his palm, then ran his credit card through the payment machine on the bar counter in front of him. As he slid the card into his leather coat pocket, he said, “We’ll step up the Sweeper unit presence in the city. I have no idea what the rogue vampires would do with weres, other than enjoy battling with them. Their food source is in town, not in the Shawangunk mountain range.” Stepping down from the stool, Jachin continued, “You never did tell me why the missing Lupreda weren’t living with the pack.”

Landon made his payment and stood up, the wooden stool scraping the hard floor behind him. He was slightly broader in the chest than Jachin, while the vampire had at least an inch on Landon’s six-foot-two height. The men faced one another, each measuring the other with steady, assessing stares. Landon inhaled, posturing instinctively. Decades of distrust still smoldered between them. Like dying embers in a fire, the slightest whiff of aggressiveness would ignite the blaze once more.

Old habits died hard.

Trust had to be earned... over time. “They didn’t walk in line with the Alpha,” Landon said. As he turned away, he mentally grunted at the double meaning behind his honest response.

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