Fan Fiction ❯ Shape Shift 2: La Manada Nina ❯ Chapter 2

"What are you two doing off on your own? Where's your Pack?" asked Diablo. They were sitting in the living room, after putting the kids to bed. After they'd come to the conclusion that Winter and Storm weren't dinner, they'd brought them home. Diablo and Prank had arrived soon after. "We're looking for our father," said Storm. "Our mother told us he'd gone on a hunt and never returned. Someone else said he just left when we were pups." Winter spoke then, a little softly. "Then, our Pack was attacked by human hunters, during a Run. Only a few survived. Our mother was not one of them."

"What else do you know about your father?" asked Prank. Storm sighed. "Just his name: Riot."

The room became eerily silent. Prank stopped breathing. Biting her lip, Chaos gripped his arm, tightly. Bloodbath's eyebrows were in her hair and Diablo seemed to be trying to find his voice.

"What?" said Winter, confused. "Consider your search over," Diablo choked out. Storm and Winter stood. "You know him!?" "Take us to him!" Diablo, Prank, Chaos and Bloodbath rose to their feet, slowly. "Just Storm," said Prank. "Why not me?" Winter demanded. "I said, just Storm," Prank repeated. Chaos touched Winter's arm, looking up into Storm's eyes. They were full of fear and she now knew where she'd seen them. They were Prank's. "Just stay here for now. There's a reason." "You'll tell her?" asked Diablo. Bloodbath nodded and the guys started for the door.

"It's bad, isn't it?" asked Storm, following Prank into the woods. He got no answer. They reached a clearing with three stones in it and Prank stopped, turning toward Storm.

He pointed to the first stone. "This is Disorder's place. She was a vampiress, a young girl. She was killed by a member of my brother's Pack during a struggle over Chaos and two other vampiresses, Jinx and Trouble." Prank moved to the next stone. "This is Clash. He was like a father to me and Diablo. He was killed as a result of the same fight with my brother." His jaw set and his eyes glittering, Prank knelt by the final stone and laid his hand on it. "This is my brother. Diablo killed him, saving Bloodbath's life. Read the inscription, Storm." Warily, Storm leaned closer and read the word inscribed on the stone. "Riot."

"How'd she take it?" asked Diablo. Bloodbath sighed. "She's on the roof with Chaos. Last time I checked, she was crying." "I'll go," said Storm, starting up the stairs. Chaos appeared, a moment later. "They'll be okay."

After the initial weirdness of the whole situation had worn off, Winter and Storm became a permanent part of the household. Rascal and Mayhem loved Winter, though they didn't know that she was Rascal's cousin. War, the newest Pack member, also liked her quite a bit. A young Wolf with dark hair and blue eyes, he was a little bit quiet, but an overall fun guy and all the girls of the Pack were hoping Winter would return his sentiments. Storm quickly became a valuable Pack hunter and was readily accepted into the extended family of the silver and black Wolves, despite how his white coat set him apart.

Bloodbath crept slowly toward the clearing where Chaos was speaking softly to her prey.

"...now, see, that wasn't so bad, was it? I told you it wouldn't hurt. Now, little boy, just sleep..."

She was sitting on the ground, beside the unconscious boy, watching the marks on his throat heal. "You didn't kill him?" Chaos looked up at Bloodbath. "No, not this time. There's been too many bodies in these woods lately." Bloodbath nodded in agreement. "We'll let things calm down for a while, then. Are you ready to go?" Chaos stood. "Yeah. Did Rascal do okay tonight?" "Fine," said Bloodbath, as they began walking. "He and Mayhem brought down a doe together." Chaos smiled.

They reached the house quickly and stopped to stare at the scene before them. A human girl was staring with wide brown eyes at Rascal, Scamp and Mayhem as they shifted from Wolf to human form. The rest of the Pack had smelled her and were moving quickly toward her. Then, there was Storm, trying to calm everyone down.

"Sarah, it's okay! Please, calm down! Don't panic!" "Storm, what's going on? Who's this?" Bloodbath demanded, coming closer, with Chaos right behind her. That was about the time that Sarah passed out. Storm caught her and laid her gently on the ground. The Pack surrounded them. "Who's she?" asked Mayhem, crawling over to where she was lying. "Sarah," said Storm. "I met her a few nights ago and-" "And you brought her here? A human? Are you nuts?!" Jinx demanded. "She saw the kids shift," said Trouble. "Then she dies," said Bloodbath, preparing to shift. "No. You can't kill her!" said Storm, close to panic. Winter put a hand on his shoulder. "She doesn't have to die," said Prank, quietly, looking at Chaos. Storm followed his gaze and suddenly understood. "Can you? Is it possible?" Chaos nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's possible. It's risky, though. She may hate you for it later, Storm." Storm looked from Chaos to Sarah to Diablo, helplessly. Diablo nodded. "It's that or death." All eyes settled on the unconscious mortal.

She woke slowly, in a darkened room. A girl with blond hair and dark eyes stood before her. She felt strange. Unable to place exactly what was different, she sat up. "Who are you?" Her tongue felt thick and dry. "I'm Chaos. Do you remember anything?" She thought for a moment, then shook her head. Chaos nodded. "Good."

And so became Kismet, named by Storm, changed by Chaos and adopted by the Pack. They left it up to Storm to explain everything to her. She took it rather well, considering.

"Oh, shit." Kismet sat down, suddenly light-headed. Winter put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not as bad as it seems. You'll get used to the Night World soon enough." "But all the killing..." said Kismet, quietly. "You aren't Sarah anymore. You're Kismet, a vampiress who is going to be young, beautiful and deadly for the rest of eternity," said Chaos. Trouble nodded. "You aren't human and your new form doesn't find it as repulsive as you think it does. That's just your mortal mind and old way of life holding on. Let it go and except a new life," said Diablo. "Oh, man this is so weird," she muttered. "At first, yeah, but you're made to adapt to new situations. That comes from having to move through the times and fit in wherever you go," said Jinx. "So, how do I- uh, hunt?" Kismet asked, hesitantly. "When it's time, we'll teach you," said Chaos. "Well, I think it's time," she said, poking at her canine with her tongue and feeling it sharpen, reflexively. "Then let's go," said Trouble.

Kismet was a natural. Chaos grinned as she led the young man into the trees. From her hiding place in the bushes, the master hunter watched as the new vampiress made her first kill. When the boy fell to the ground, dead, Chaos stepped out, into the clearing. Kismet spun around, then relaxed when she saw who it was. "Well, how did I do?" "Perfect. You didn't even make a mess. Now, how do you feel?" Kismet thought for a moment. "Fine. You were right. There was nothing to it at all." Chaos nodded. "Good. Now, things should get a little easier. See, you've made your first kill and your Powers will continue to grow from now on, with each drop of blood you take. You'll be stronger, faster and more agile. You are a hunter and your body and instincts will recognize that and help you. Welcome to the Night World."

Bloodbath and Winter ran into the clearing, in Wolf form, then shifted. "Chaos, hurry up! The Pack's in trouble!" "What kind of trouble?" Chaos demanded, even as they began running. "Humans," Winter said. "Is Rascal okay?" "He was when we left." "What about Storm?" asked Kismet, keeping the pace with little difficulty. "Fine," said Bloodbath. "Then let's move," said Chaos, speeding up.

They reached the clearing within minutes to find nothing but blood on the ground, along with the shredded remains of four human men. "Jesus," Kismet whispered, frozen in one place. "I don't think he had anything to do with it," said a voice, from the trees. All four girls spun around to face the two young men that stood before them. One was a little taller than the other, with green-gray eyes and long brown hair. The other had aquamarine eyes and long reddish blond hair. "Who the fuck are you and what did you have to do with this?!" Chaos demanded, already moving to attack them. Bloodbath caught her arm. "Chaos, wait! I saw them earlier. They were fighting for our Pack." "You're vampires," Winter stated. It wasn't a question, but they nodded anyway. "I'm Ruin," said the blond. "This is my brother, Despair." Bloodbath looked at Chaos. "See, now aren't you glad I didn't let you kill them?"