Stake My Heart

Chapter 4

ELIZABETH

I sit in the corner booth of a bar just off the border of vampire territory. I like to think of this building as a neutral ground where no matter what you are it's safe to stay.

When I say safe, I mean there's a rule against fighting on the premises and that it's filled with outlaws or criminals. The only place where I can be myself besides home, of course.

"Ah, Eli! You want your regular? I'm sure we could convince one of the vamps to give up a pint or two." Samual, a waiter that regularly serves me, winks. There are a few people in the world that i trust my secret to but i only do it when i know for sure who that person is and their deep dark secrets.

"Sammy, I told you not to call me that. My name is Elizabeth. And keep your voice lowered, you wouldn't want me killing all your regulars now would you?" I laugh lightly before I agree to take the drink he offered me.

"Tsk tsk, don't make threats you can't follow through with sweet cheeks. You're one of my regulars so unless you kill yourself I suggest you stop making empty threats. It's not good for your reputation." He teases me as he wipes down my table.

"Hmm, I guess that's true. Sammy, do you ever regret turning into a vampire?" I ask calmly as he sits down across from me and prepares my bloody mary with a few drops of his blood mixed into it.

"Nah, sure it gets boring every so often but there's so much to enjoy about this long life. I'll get to see history play out, meet all sorts of new people, plus the sex is to die for. And I mean that litterally because I'm now undead." He laughed. "But seriously, life is great as long as you can find something or someone to pass the time. I have no regrets about asking that guy to change me. It does suck that he dumped me though." He sighed then shrugged it off as if it didn't bother him. But I can tell it still does, even after 20 years.

I take a sip of my drink. "Eh, it's better to be single in my opinion. Less headache that way." I smile as he gets up to serve other customers.

"Don't you mean heartache?" My heart clenches at the sound of his rough voice. I turn to face a man I haven't seen in atleast 50 years. My first mate and first ex mate as well.

"Well, well if it isn't Alexander the werewolf and old Alpha to the Honormoon pack. How's retirement going with your wife, Sophie?" I smile politely and gesture for him to join me in the booth.

"That's actually why I asked to meet you here. I- there isn't a good way of saying this. But my son is about to retire and hand the pack over to my grandson. As tradition, there's going to be a huge ceremony. I was hoping you could come and show your support." He mumbled nervously his eyes shifting around the establishment.

"Xander, what's wrong? Of course I will come just like I did when your son was given the title as Alpha. I respect your wishes and those of the Honormoon pack." I tell him gently placing my hands on his wrinkled old man hands. His features have aged so much over the past 200 years he looks to be in his 70s in human terms. But he'll always be the young wolf I met on a run all those years ago.

"I figured you would say that. There's been a murder in our lands and we suspect that a vampire is responsible. I tried to stop them but I'm not exactly fit to run that fast anymore. I was hoping you could investigate and find the bastard. Please." He whispered with a pleading gaze that took me off guard.

"Xander... who was murdered?" I ask in the gentlest of tones that i could muster without accidentally using my voice to hypnotize him into telling me.

"A few of our border patrol and- Soph." He manages to say as he chokes up and a few tears flow down his face. "What's worse is my son and grandson won't go after the one who did this! They claim it's too risky and we'll be seen as the villian if we go killing random vampires in their territory! But it's not random and the vampires only care about the higher ranking of their kind! What's one more measly vampire?" He snarls pounding his fist on the table. I shake my head in sadness and guilt. Yet another person i care for in my life gone and I never got to say goodbye.