Storytelling

He couldn't remember a time when he felt so happy.  His relationship with Jae was continuing to flourish, his family no longer wanted anything to do with him after they found out about Yuri's death.  He was finally able to relax and feel free.  Deep inside he knew he would never be able to feel completely at ease - especially with the things he had done, but at least now he no longer had to worry about running from his father's reach.

One thing that still gnawed at him though, was what his father had done.  He had kidnapped Jae with the intention of putting him to use in something called 'Werewolf fights' or something, and he spoke of wanting to also kidnap a boy named Vincent.  After asking Felix if he knew the boy, Aleksey found the fellow sixth year and asked him about it.  He was curious about the horrors he had saved Jae from.

"You want to know about what!?" Vincent glared at him.

"My father...He wanted to use Jae.  I want to know about the things he would have Jae do," Aleksey replied, glancing up and down the hall to see if anyone was prying into their conversation.  "You two are werewolf, I worry about what would have happened to him."

"You should just be thankful that it never happened."

"He wanted you too.  Said vampire was involved."

"There's always a vampire involved..." sighed Vincent, shaking his head.  "Usually the same bastard too."  Running a hand through his hair his posture slumped and he gave in.  "Fine, meet me after school outside.  Bring Jae with you.  If you're so interested in nightmares I might as well tell you, and let Jae know how lucky he is to have you..." And with that the male stalked off, leaving Aleksey alone in the hall.

Once classes had ended, Aleksey headed outside, his fingers clutching tight to Jae's hand.  They found Vincent on one of the benches, a cigarette dangling lazilly from his mouth.  Once he saw them approaching he sat up properly, curling one leg beneath himself and dangled the other over the edge.  "Make yourselves comfortable, its going to be a long tale," the male said, stubbing out the cigarette on the bench.

"What's this about?" Jae asked nervously.

Vincent chuckled dryly.  "I'm guessing he didn't tell you?" He glanced to Aleksey who just shook his head and climbed onto the bench, sitting on the back of the seat and pulling Jea towards him, protecting him between his legs.  "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and rip your throat out or anything, Jae.  I've come to terms that you didn't have the same experience as I did when you were turned and that I shouldn't resent you for it.  But you need to know about what I went through, because for as long as there's no cure for what we have there will be those out there who would use us for their own needs."

"Like my father..." Aleksey added, reaching down and stroking Jae's shoulder.  "He talked but I never was involved in what he planned."

"Vampires are cruel creatures.  They'll think more about themselves than anyone else.  The younger they are the wilder they are - but it's not them you should worry about.  Its the older ones.  The cold, cunning and malicious ones that have had centuries to build their perfect idealisitc worlds," Vincent began, staring up at the sky as it began to burn orange with the sunset.  "The 'dog fights' have been going on for as long as werewolves and vampires have existed - as far as I know anyway.  I don't know who came up with it, but as vampires are bound to do, they take over and twist anything into a brutal and horrible thing - all for sport.  The angrier the human the stronger the werewolf.  The more you believe yourself to be a monster the more powerful that monster gets."

"A monster is killer, not cage figher," Aleksey said.

However, Vincent did not see it that way and barked out a laugh.  "You know they say you can only kill a werewolf with a silver bullet?  Biggest load of bull ever.  You can slow one down, but you can't kill it.  You know what can kill werewolves?  Other werewolves.  You make them fight for long enough and they can rip each other to shreds.  I don't remember all of the fights I was in, but I'm pretty sure that some of my opponents ended up dead.  It was kill or be killed in some cases - especially those on Lunacyrum."

"What's that?" Jae asked cautiously.

"Its like a drug.  I don't know if you've tried, but most human drugs don't work on us.  I can drink my father under the table and still not feel a thing.  I've tried other things too, but there is nothing out there quite like Lunacyrum.  You take it and you feel amazing, but the side affects don't affect you.  They affect it."

"You mean werewolf form?"

"Stronger, more aggressive and you have absolutely no control whatsoever.  You feel no pain during the transformation, but your mind is blocked out completely.  Its as wild as it is the firt time you ever changed.  One dose is enough for one month, but if there's a werewolf pumped full of the stuff every single day then they're close to insane.  Imagine how a cornered wild animal acts, only ten times more aggressive and hostile and you're no where near as close as a frequent user.  Good job even the vampires worked out that the stuff was dangerous and banned it from most matches.  Wolf knows more about it than me."

Jae frowned at the unknown name "Wolf?"

"He's this dork that actually likes the fact he's a werewolf.  He comes around here from time to time to 'check up on me' because he likes to think that since we share them same 'ancestor' he's my big brother.  If you ever meet him just punch him in the jaw and tell him it was from me."  Vincent grinned slyly and then leaned back, pulling out another cigarette.  As he lit it, Aleksey reached down and took it from him, slipping it between his own lips, forcing Vincent to light up another.  "Smoking's a bad habit."

"I will live," Aleksey retorted.  "Back to story.  You say werewolf fight on stereoids?"

"Its kind of like that, only....yeah...I guess you could call it a stereoid."  He fixed his gaze on Jae.  "If anyone ever offers you some you tell them no.  From what I can gather you're not as dangerous as you could be.  One dose of that stuff and you could probably tear down a few buildings."  He pointed at Jae, the lit cigarette held between his index and middle finger.  "That's why I didn't like you at first.  It's a territory thing - you have the potential to be a rival and somewhere inside me I didn't want you claiming top spot.  I was also worried that you'd pick up on Marshall's scent and try to steal him from me."

Jae shook his head.  "Oh no, I'd never do something like that!  I could never hurt someone like that, stealing their special someone, it's unforgivable."

"Well, you don't steal my special someone and I won't steal yours."  His gaze flickered upwards at where Aleksey sat.  "But these fights, what Aleksey's father wanted to put you in...If there was a vampire pulling the strings it was more than likely Kieran - he knows we're here and he knows that this places attracts werewolves like us.  He'll keep watching and waiting for another like me to come along.  A younger one he can manipulate like he did me.  Break them before they start keeping their memories.  I'm pretty sure he thinks one of us will accidentally turn a person here.  Any of the gifted kids turned into a werewolf could be a dangerous combination."

"Werewolf with powers?  Teleport like Henrick?"

"Yeah.  Just think of what kind of fighter a teleporting werewolf could be - or one that could control fire.  ITs why we've got to be careful."

"Can you just not find a way to get this vampire to leave you alone?" Jae asked, curling his arms around Aleksey's leg and leaning against him while listening intently to what Vincent had to say.

"Short of killing him - no, and I don't want to be the one to attempt such a thing.  Kieran's old; really old.  He won't go down without a fight - or taking everything with him.  No, I'd rather be strong enough to fight him if he ever comes than prevent him from coming at all."

Aleksey seemed to be thinking, his chin in hand hand and gaze staring out at nothing.  Vincent noticed it and shot him a look.  "Don't.  Whatever you're thinking, don't.  You might have survived whatever your father had planned, but you won't survive what Kieran can and will do.  Just focus on staying safe and protecting what you care about than rushing off to fight."  He slowly stood up, stretching out his arms.  "And besides, we've got Grandmother."

"Who?"

"Oldest werewolf still alive.  She's practically a myth.  I found her when I was looking for the guy who turned me so I could punch his face in.  There's loads of little werewolf packs all around the world, but to Grandmother they're all just one big pack.  If it wasn't for the fact that if she went anywhere near the fights they'd have her she'd protect every one of us, Jae.  I'll introduce you to her someday."

"Is she just called Grandmother?"

Vincent shrugged, turning his back on the pair.  "Some know her as Elra, others know her as The Big Bad Wolf.  Some people say that the story of Little Red Riding Hood is her.  Just her.  The girl, the wolf and the grandmother are all just one person."

"Thank you, Vincent, for telling me all this."

"You're a werewolf, Jae.  I wish I had had someone tell me these things.  Maybe if I had I wouldn't be so angry all the time, and don't forget to thank Aleksey.  He's the one who wanted me to tell you." He glanced over his shoulder at the pair.  "I sometimes wonder what the world thinks when they looked at Marshall and I.  After looking at you two I guess I can say I know now."  He gave them a devilish smirk and then turned, leaving them alone while night fell around them.