Moonlit Shadows

Live To Fight And Fight To Live

"Don't get too comfy," said Zephyr, walking over to his bag and zipping it closed. "There will be more. We need to get somewhere safe."

"And just where would that be?" said Sunny. She was angry, bloody, and fully triggered. Hunter blood wasn't known for being the highest quality, but she had gotten just enough to whet her thirst.

Taehyung placed a hand on her lower back. "Wherever we go, they will follow. If we go to another location, it should be one where we can make a stand."

Zephyr's eyes grew wide and he could barely held back his laughter. "Make a stand? Against the Society? Are you mad? No, wait, of course you are. But are you actually suggesting we put all of our lives in mortal danger? No, no, no, blood sucker. I've only made it this far because I stay under their radar. I've stayed in the shadows and cleaned up after myself."

"You truly are a coward," muttered Sunny.

"Yes, and I shall be a living coward. You, however, will simply be a bunch of dead fools."

Aydan watched the exchange quietly, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. He watched Jaci's wolf and Jungkook nestle together and he felt such a longing in his chest that almost caused him real physical pain. He wanted that. Not necessarily Jaci herself, but he wanted a mate – his fated mate. But being Zephyr's assistant didn't lend itself to finding that mate. Especially when they were always one wrong move from setting off the Society.

He frowned and looked at Zephyr, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. "They're right, Master. We cannot continue to live under their threats. We can't keep living in fear of upsetting them. We are already on their radar due to helping their target. What more peril could our lives be in than they already are?"

Zephyr stared at Aydan, his eyes slowly narrowing. "I've enabled you to have a good life."

"Yes, you have, but it's a lonely life. I'm tired of it. It's time we stood up for ourselves."

Zephyr closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "Need I remind all of you of the Great War between the Society and the supernaturals?"

Taehyung's breath hitched. Sunny looked up at her husband and frowned.

"He remembers. Or at least he knows of it. No corner of the earth was untouched by our blood. The Hunters pulled out all of the stops and slaughtered every one of us they could find. There was no mercy given for women, or children. They could not be reasoned with. They had complete annihilation as their goal. Seems quite silly given that keeping us in control was their main objective. Without us, what would they do with their time?" Zephyr sniffed and shook his head.

"Want to know why we supernaturals haven't been able to take our rightful place at the leadership tables of men? Hm? I'll tell you. Because the Hunters obliterated us all to near extinction. I say near, because a few of us managed to hide well enough that they never found us. We were the first "loose ends", you see. Vampires, werewolves, all of us were scattered to the winds and few in number. But that few slowly grew in number to the pitiful lot we are today."

"We aren't pitiful," grumbled Taehyung. "I'd be happy if there were no more vampires in the world. It would be even better if we were the last two. But even if we were, I would never think of us as pitiful. I will never stop fighting the real monsters."

"Admirable. Truly," scoffed Zephyr.

"You can count on me, Aydan," said a tired voice from the bed. Jungkook had risen into a seated position, looking utterly terrible, but awake.

That had really made Zephyr laugh.

"Look at yourself! You can barely hold yourself up! And you think you can fight off a Hunter? Please, stop with the jokes!"