Dark Lycan (Carpathian)

Dimitri, the rogue pack isn’t indicative of Lycans. They’ve reverted to the animal just as vampires embrace the darker side of Carpathians. Zev and the elite hunters represent the Lycans far better. Don’t be fooled into thinking we’re superior to them.

“I don’t believe we have to worry about Fen turning vampire,” Mikhail stated in his usual soothing, calm voice. “We need to come to some decision on what we’re going to do. Clearly we need to meet with the Lycan council. We’ve discussed it at length for several years. We need them as allies, not enemies. This is our best opportunity to invite them to a sit-down meeting and come to some kind of terms.”

“Zev is your best man for that,” Fen advised. “The elite scout sent ahead of the pack is normally the most intelligent and their best man. He’ll report directly to the council and they’ll listen to him. His word carries the most weight.”

Mikhail inclined his head. “He was severely wounded and had lost a good amount of blood. To ensure he lived, Jacques gave him blood.”

Fen closed his eyes, suddenly feeling weary. Tatijana had given Zev blood as well. In his travels and many battles, had Zev received blood from any other Carpathian? It was possible—and dangerous. Fen knew no matter how honorably Zev served his people, should he become the Sange rau, they would turn on him and condemn him to death without a second thought.

“I have no idea how much blood has to be shared before the mixture converts one into something else,” Fen admitted. “When Vakasin and I battled the Sange rau, both of us had countless wounds and both of us lost blood often. I don’t know how often we’d given one another blood before I began to feel the wolf inside of me, but I felt it long before he felt the Carpathian traits, or maybe he simply didn’t recognize that he was any different.”

“You’re afraid Zev may be in trouble,” Mikhail guessed.

Fen nodded. “He’s a good man. His ability in a fight is unsurpassed by most hunters. He reminds me of Vakasin. I would hate to see him killed by his own people after the service he’s given them.”

“That makes it all the more important to talk with their council,” Mikhail said. “If they understand the difference between a vampire and Carpathian, we can convince them to look at the Sange rau in another light. We might distinguish the two by providing our own name for a Carpathian/Lycan cross.”

Fen sighed. “I wish you every success, but I can tell you the Lycans will fight you on the issue of the Sange rau. Not only do they have legitimate reasons to fear the mixture of Carpathian and Lycan blood, but you’re fighting centuries-old prejudices. There are fanatics who belong to a secret society that’s not very secret and they dedicate their lives to ferreting out the Sange rau and destroying them. They draw in every misfit there is and brainwash them. The Sange rau gives them a target for their fanatical hatred. Not of course that they ever actually find one, but every sin is blamed on them.”

“Surely cooler heads prevail on the council,” Mikhail said.

Fen shrugged. “I would hope so, but I’ve seen some of these fanatics. They’ve become a religion and they preach to the packs and they’re very persuasive. You have to remember, this has been going on for centuries, so the prejudice is well established.” He tried to find another way to explain it. “This belief of the Sange rau is at the very heart of their traditions. He represents everything evil. He is their demon, the epitome of every sinful thing.”

“Like a religion,” Gregori said.

Mikhail shot him a look. Gregori didn’t believe in any religion, where Mikhail was a devout worshipper.

“One that is very sacred to them and if not an actual spiritual belief, certainly one that is woven in the very fabric of their existence,” Fen said.

Mikhail let out his breath. “All right then. It’s good to know what we’re up against. Still, I believe we have to try. In the meantime, how do we fight them? How did Dimitri fight such a creature when our warriors sustained so much damage?”

“The Lycans and werewolves are pack fighters. Carpathians are used to fighting lone monsters.”

“Lately vampires have been banding together,” Gregori said. “Vampires, as unnatural as that sounds, actually put an army together to attack us. For a little practice run, they hit the De La Cruz compound in South America.”

“That must have been like stirring up a hornet’s nest. Of all the hunters in the world, I think I would prefer any other to come after me,” Fen said.

“It was personal,” Dimitri explained. “The Malinov brothers decided they were going to rule all Carpathians, and the De La Cruz brothers refused to join them.”

“You can see why we would want the Lycans as allies,” Mikhail said. “There are too few of us for an all-out war with any enemy.”