Quinn
I had been skeptical of how they were going to win a war without guns and was shocked when I heard that they didn’t use ammunition. What type of cities in this era didn’t fight with guns, despite how sophisticated and advanced their land seemed?
Obviously, the vampires didn’t. They had never felt the need for it. I assumed that was because they loved peace but the other vampires hadn’t brought guns with them as well.
I nodded, realizing that it was their thing. I snapped out of my thoughts, glad that we had won the war and we were free to go home. We would spend three more days with them and then we would wave them goodbye. I hoped they wouldn’t have to call for us to fight again. I didn’t want to travel for the next few months. I just wanted to rest.
I knew it wasn’t a big deal that the vampires didn’t fight with guns. Werewolves didn’t as well. We shifted into animals and fought with our claws and teeth. I guessed it was a common thing for the supernaturals to believe that they were faster than the bullets and that they could save time fighting on their own rather than waiting to strategically point the gun at their enemy and popping them with bullets. We would have killed them faster if we had dashed after them and pulled them down rather than staying and hiding in one corner, waiting for our enemies to stay still enough for us to kill them.
We didn’t work like that. Waiting and hiding like a coward wasn’t our thing, we were born to hunt in action. I finally understood why the vampires didn’t use guns when I thought of it that way. I wouldn’t have had to know of guns as well if I wasn’t a marine officer. I had to think as a werewolf and not as a marine officer at the moment.
I smiled to myself as I looked at all the men – and women – I was seated with and felt glad again that we had won the war. We wouldn’t be here gathered like this and having a party if we hadn’t.
“Are you still with us?” Mia asked, grinning as she leaned over to stare at me.
I blinked, staring at her. “Of course, I am. Why do you ask?”
“You look lost.” She explained. “There is a glean in your eyes that makes you look distracted like you are not here and far away in a place we don’t know of.”
I chuckled. “A place you don’t know of? Now where would that be?”
“I don’t know. That is in your head for you to know.”
“My head?” I chuckled. She had caught me though. I had totally zoned out of the party and it wasn’t because the men were boring or I didn’t like the party. After all, these were men I had fought with and trained myself, how would I find them boring? The party was done to celebrate our victory in the war, I shouldn’t ever find it dull.
“I’m right here with you all.” I said.
She snorted. “And the king had been calling you and you didn’t respond.”
I gasped. “The king had been calling me?”
She smirked. “I thought you said you were here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that first instead of telling me that I wasn’t here?”
“Because it’s fun.” She winked at me. “I wouldn’t have gotten to see this expression on your face if I had done that.”
“You are mean.” I said to her.
She chuckled. “I never deny that. You know that already.”
I glanced at my brothers and scoffed at them. They were mean as well. They couldn’t have tapped me that my name was called and I didn’t respond. They had sat down there as well and let Mia tease me. I flared my nostrils at them, showing them that I was angry but they only chuckled.
I didn’t have their time. I glanced at the king, ready to apologize for not responding to him and blanched as I realized that all the vampires were staring at me.
I glanced at where my brothers and Mia were seated and hissed silently at them, making a promise that I was certainly going to get back at them for what they were doing. They chuckled and didn’t seem bothered about my threat.
I turned back to the crowd around me, tuning in to the party. Ethan hit a fork against his wine glass to get the attention of everyone. He stood up and smiled as he looked through the crowd, obviously about to make a toast.
“I thank you all for the victory we had in the last war. I want to celebrate you all for the strength, determination and selflessness you have shown to protect the land, both during the trainings and on the battlefield. It wasn’t easy with the fear and blood scarcity but you pushed through and did it. I’m glad for that and I’m immensely grateful as well.” He looked at us. “To our dear werewolf friends who came as soon as they heard of our dilemma and didn’t hesitate to fight on our behalf, I say a big thank you. I appreciate you from the depth of my heart.”
He smiled as he waved his hand and smiled at everyone. “Let the party begin.”
The men cheered and started clinking glasses together and chatting with excitement. I had thought that they would drink blood and we would only be the ones drinking wine but we all drank wine. I heard the men loved their blood warm and wouldn’t have ever thought of drinking in a cup. They also believed that it was rude for them to drink blood at a table where everyone wasn’t a vampire.
I was glad that the war had been won and they could always go back to the forest to hunt for prey and drink blood to their content as they wanted. The party was getting interesting and the men were sharing jokes among themselves and cracking one another up.
I smiled and was about to warm up to the party when my phone vibrated. It was a text from dad and it was the last thing I wanted to see that day.
COME HOME NOW. THERE IS TROUBLE.
I frowned, wondering what dad was talking about. I groaned and covered my face with my hand, despair filling my heart. What was this? I had thought that I was done with the problem solving. I had thought that we were done with the adventures. I had thought that we were going home to rest. I had thought that we were going to stay with the vampires for some time.
I scowled. What could have been the problem at home that dad could have sent me a message when he was on a romantic trip with his wife?
I sighed. I had no doubt that it had to be something serious. I excused myself from the party to call dad. I ignored Mia’s look as I walked away from the table. I knew she was curious and I made a gesture to her that I was going to get back to her when I was done.
I moved to a place when I knew that the noise from the party couldn’t reach where I was and dialed dad. He picked up on the first ring. “Son.” His voice was gruff.
“Dad. What is the meaning of the text you sent?”
“It’s just as it is, son. You have to be home soon. I will explain when you get home.”
“Explain now, dad. I’m curious.”
“Son,” he sighed, definitely tired. “I can’t explain it on phone, you won’t be able to understand. It’s a long tale. You have to be home for me to explain. I’m home now as well.”
I frowned. Was it that serious? It had to be serious for dad to have cut short his vacation with his wife. “Okay, dad. We will be home soon. I will notify the others.”
“Make it snappy, boys.” He said and disconnected the call.
I sighed and put the phone in my pocket. I turned and was shocked when I saw the boys and Mia staring at me.
“Oh my!” I jumped in shock, startled to see them. “I wasn’t expecting to see you. Why did you leave the party?”
“Because you left.” Jack snorted.
I smirked at him. “Because I had a call.”
“And we are here to know what the call is about.” John said.
I sighed. “Dad wants us home now.”
“What?” They shouted.
I shrugged. I was as shocked as they were.