“But anybody could rise to power.”
“I know. But we have one last ace that might make a difference for you. You have aspirations to power, Lorien. That kind of drive never goes away. You will either fulfill it, or it will consume you. Better you take the throne now than be denied it.”
“And what's that ace? Will?”
“Will.”
“He's not ready,” Lorien said. “I can tell you that right now. He’s got no… he’s just human.”
“He’s not just human.”
“I’m not just human?” Will’s voice chimed in unexpectedly. He was holding toaster strudel again. They never seemed to notice him when he was foraging for food. Too wrapped up in vampire concerns, he supposed.
“And he’s always wandering around listening into conversations he’s not supposed to be a part of.”
“I’m NOT just HUMAN?” Will shouted the words, furious. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Maddox sighed. He should have explained this earlier, and in a more delicate way, but events were overtaking them at an ever more rapid pace.
“You’ve never wondered why you were so much more aggressive than others? Even the ones who were so violent they were imprisoned with you? Did you not wonder why your blood boiled so easily, why you felt compelled to defend those you considered family, even those you didn’t like? Why you killed for Lorien and felt no guilt?”
“Because I’m a sociopath.”
“No. You're not. You’re wired differently…”
“That’s what being a sociopath is.”
“It’s not. Sociopaths don’t feel empathy. You do. Too much sometimes. You have loyalty in your marrow. Sociopaths don’t have it. You’re something different.”
“What am I?”
“You’re a werewolf.”
Will stared, and laughed, and laughed. And then he laughed some more.
“Werewolves aren’t real.”
“They’re real. They’re just rare. Much more rare than vampires. There may be less than a hundred left in North America. You’re one of them.”
“Nah. I’m not,” Will wiped tears from his eyes. “Goddamn. That’s funny. That’s really funny. Good one. I’m going to bed. Fucking werewolf. You’re more mental than I am.”
Briinnnnngg…. Brinnnnng!
Back in Maddox’s office, his phone was ringing. He still had a landline. He liked the anachronism, he was one himself, after all.
“Maddox speaking.” He took the call casually.
“Yep,” Sheriff said, not bothering with any pleasantry or politeness. “Had another hundred civilian deaths today. Not good enough.”
“As I may have mentioned in the meeting, this situation is not one that can be immediately…”
“Listen. You don’t get that city under control, and I’m going to have my troops roll through there and light you up. Anything sensitive to UV light is going to be obliterated, you understand me?”
Maddox’s fangs dropped with the desire to drain every last drop of blood from the man on the phone.
Sheriff saved him the trouble of answering by hanging up on him.
Maddox dropped the phone into the cradle. He had to do something. Time was running very, very short. Will wasn’t ready yet. He still didn’t know how to kill vampires. And these things couldn't be rushed. The last thing he wanted was to break his boy. And yet…
While Will slept, Maddox and Lorien lurked beside him. Maddox had a small glass vial in his hand, filled with a deep purple liquid which turned gold when it was shaken before seeping back into a royal violet hue once more.
“What’s that?” Lorien gestured toward it.
“It’s an old tincture designed to help one with wereblood make the first shift. I have been waiting for Will to make the change himself organically, but the only killing he has done has been of another human.”
“I thought they did that spontaneously. The shift.”
“Only purebloods, and he’s not pure. He’s going to need a little help. I thought killing vampires would be the push he needed. Usually a werewolf who kills a vampire finds themselves in the change whether they want to be there or not. But Will…”
“He’s always needed a little help, hasn’t he,” Lorien smirked. “You’re going to give it to him now while he’s asleep?”
“He’s not asleep. He's in trance, under my influence. He…”
Will snored.
“He’s asleep,” Maddox admitted. “I feel this might be a lot simpler if he is. The reason you’re here is to help contain him if this works.”
“He is a lot less trouble when he's passed out,” Lorien agreed.
“I am not merely doing this for myself, you understand. If this shift works, I will allow you to hold his chain from time to time. Owning a werewolf is going to change the political landscape of the city forever. It gives you some chance of cementing your legacy.”
“He’s not mine though, is he?”
“No, but he’ll be at your command.”
“No, he won’t," Lorien laughed. “Will has never been at anybody’s command. Not yours, and definitely not mine. He has to be forced into compliance.”
“He’ll be much easier to control when he takes his animal form. He’ll be much more instinctual, and much less mouthy. He might bite from time to time, but he won't have anything to say. He’ll do what he’s told to do. Chained and leashed and made to be obedient.”