Cain whipped around and held up his hands in a placating gesture at the massive maleCanis lupusstanding a few yards away. “I can’t complain,” Cain said with a dismissive shrug. The male wasn’t wearing a shirt, only dark shorts that looked like they’d seen better days. Is this how the rogues were living? In squalor?
“You may not have any complaints, but you’ve just entered our territory uninvited. And that gives me a grievance with you” The male took a menacing step forward, and fur rippled across his bare arms.
“I come in peace.” Cain forced his voice to remain calm. He did not take a step back, of course. That would send the message he was prey, and he certainly was not. “I have a proposition for you.” The more he’d considered his scientist’s request, the more Cain realized he didn’t actually need to abduct a wolf. He needed one, or more if possible, that would work with him willingly.
“Why in seven hells would we work with a vampire?” the rogue asked, his eyes raking down Cain as his lip curled up in disgust.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the world is changing.” Cain dropped his hands and slipped them into his slacks. He took a step to the side and glanced down at the ground. It was not a submissive reaction, but a calculated gesture to show the wolf that Cain didn’t fear him. When he looked back at the male, his eyes glowed with his beast. “Since you’re the one who confronted me, I’m going to assume you’re the alpha of this little rogue pack. But,” he said the word sharply, snapping his teeth together, “you’re notreallyan alpha, are you? Not if there is one above you. Right?” Cain’s brow rose. “The alpha of alphas. That’s what he’s being called. And so you must bow to him.”
The male growled, his eyes glowing even brighter.
“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life having to lower your eyes to Fane Lupei?” Cain turned to face the wolf and raised his chin. “Or would you like to make history with me and become something more? Something that doesn’t fall under the baby alpha’s dominance.” The growling stopped as the man’s head tilted slightly. “I’m offering you the chance to crawl out from beneath the table the Great Luna has put you under, where you have to take the proverbial scraps from Fane and join me at the banquet as equals.”
“We’ve already pledged our loyalty to him.”
Cain nodded. “What’s your name?”
“Finn,” the male answered.
“Did you sign some sort of blood contract with the alpha?”
Finn shook his head. “But we are a part of his pack. We are connected to him through pack bonds.”
Cain froze. “Does that mean he can hear what we’re discussing now?”
Finn shook his head. “I would know if he’d invaded my mind to that extent. It is possible, with this alpha.” He nodded. “I’ve felt his power. Fane has been blessed by the Great Luna. He is her servant, and he wields her righteous power.”
“What about your own power?” Cain took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Don’t you want your power back? Isn’t that why you were a rogue to begin with? So you wouldn’t have to bow to any other?”
Finn narrowed his eyes. “I will not discuss my reasons with you, vampire.”
Cain held up a hand. “Fair enough. No personal questions. Let’s move on.” He cleared his throat. “Do you want to be in control of your own destiny? Or do you want Fane Lupei to dictate to you forever?”
“I want to be my own,” Finn said simply.
“Are there others in your pack that feel the same?”
“Yes. But, there are some who will not defect from their commitment even if they don’t like it.”
Cain waved him off. “Then let them stay. I am not here to force anyone to do my will or punish those who choose not to take what I’m offering.”At least not yet.
“What exactly are you offering?” Finn’s eyes had lost the glow of his beast, and his voice sounded human again.
“A new race and a new era.” Cain’s chest puffed out. “One where vampires and wolves work together andliterallybecome one.” He took a step forward. “I have scientists working as we speak, developing a way to join the blood of our species, to make a new supernatural race. One that will be superior to both. A species that will not be beholden to any.”
Finn sucked in a sharp breath. “Impossible.”
Cain’s lips turned up in a wide smile. “There’s a first time for everything.”
“Is the Order a part of this? Because I want nothing to do with the Order.” Finn’s wolf clearly had an axe to grind against Cain’s former organization.
“The Order has fallen,” he said in complete confidence. “I am not asking you to bow to me. And I am not asking for an oath of allegiance. I’m offering you a way to regain your independence.”
“And what would I owe you in exchange for this offer?”
“Just your blood,” Cain said and then quickly added, “a sample of it. Not all of it. I’m not asking to feed on you or anything. My scientist needs the blood of a full-fledgedCanis lupusin order to move forward in our research.”
Finn stared at Cain, his jaw clenching and unclenching. He seemed to be giving the offer serious consideration. This was more than the vampire expected. Cain had hoped he would be able to convince at least one to work with him, but his hopes weren’t high. And he certainly wouldn’t have expected the alpha. Cain was fully prepared to abduct one of the mongrels if necessary. Though he didn’t want to employ that strategy if it could be avoided. That plan had spectacularly failed the Order too many times in the past.
