Khasinau listened to the queen. “Thank you all for coming so quickly. It seems I had made a mistake in putting Phobus in a prison he should have perished in. While guarded, it was not enough. He is loose, and his saviors are right on the other side of the mountain. They took my sister as well, Drevis.” Khasinau raised his eyebrows. What a surprise. Tarben? He’d never thought of them as a threat. “Tonight, we will prepare. Everyone who wishes to take on vampirism please line up after the meeting is concluded. At dawn, we will make for the Proving Grounds. This is war, and I refuse to stand for such a vile man to walk after what he has done, nor the same for the pack protecting him. You will take out as many as you can. Aim for their Alphas, take out Phobus and do not hesitate to tear apart anyone who stands in your way. Am I understood?” His aunt’s voice ended in a yell. Khasinau winced despite himself.
Vampirism. He found himself lusting for it. To be among his queen’s favored, to strike a deadly blow to the enemy pack. Even to join a bandwagon. Khasinau found he rather liked the idea of being a Hawthorne vampire; a plus if his mother and siblings had fled off to Tarben. Then he could kill them all himself.
Two Dawnshire wolves were muttering to themselves. He caught whispers, particularly from the one who had ice forming and thawing all around her: “Emilia, we can’t. This is madness. Are we not gifted as we are?” “Listen to me, Anabel. This is an opportunity. We can become vampires and wipe out several of Tarben’s members. That pack always was too big for comfort.” He noted a steel in the second one’s voice. She had a gleam of madness and violence in her eyes, like she was enjoying herself. Was she a war maiden? She seemed like a war would benefit her sanity.
I’m getting vampirism, thought Khasinau. As soon as I can.
“Marital advice from you, wonderful. Like what, don’t betray your spouse?”