"How are you here? Out in the sun, I mean," Winkler's son asked. "They call me Wayne, by the way, just so we wouldn't get confused." He closed the lid on the casket with a sigh.
"Strange things have happened since I was last here," I said. "And you wouldn't believe most of it if I told you."
Wayne raised his hand and two werewolves who'd waited patiently in the distance came forward. They'd be lowering the casket. Wayne took my arm and we walked toward the Wilburn's house on the hill.
"Lissa?" Whitney came forward when Wayne and I walked into the house. She was extremely pregnant, with Sam standing protectively beside her. I could see why she hadn't gone to the gravesite in the heat.
"Hi, baby. How are you?" I wasn't prepared for the crushing hug she gave me. She was wiping tears away when she let me go. Sam's hug wasn't quite so hard, but it was hard enough.
"Sam is Packmaster in Corpus, now," Whitney was proud of him, I could tell.
"From Shirley or somebody else?" I asked.
"Shirley," Sam nodded. Well, she'd always irritated me, when she hadn't lifted a finger to protect Weldon.
"I'm proud of you," I patted his shoulder.
"This is my twin sister, Wynter," Wayne brought his sister forward. She followed him reluctantly. "Will you tell her what you told me, earlier?"
I did. And I had a larger audience, before it was over. Daryl came to stand next to me as I explained the gift that Winkler had given to his children, and about their grandfather doing the same thing.
"Don't think to challenge Wayne, either. If he fights like his daddy, I don't have any hope for an opponent," I warned the others. Some of them laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Lissa, are you going to stay?" Daryl asked after a while. The guests had all gone and now it was just Daryl and Winkler's family.
"No, I've already stayed longer than I anticipated," I said. "It was good to see you, and even better that you remembered me."
"Lissa, tell me how you're here, now, instead of a pile of ash, somewhere," Daryl asked.
"That is a strange tale," I said, before changing the subject. "Have you ever heard of Harifa Edus?"
"No. What is that?"
"It was once the planet where the werewolves lived," I said. "All the werewolves. Harifa Edus means Hunter's Eyes. It had six moons, so the werewolves got to run six nights a month. And it wasn't far from Le-Ath Veronis, which means Heart of the Vampire."
"Are you making this up?" Daryl wore a crooked smile. He thought I was teasing him.
"Nope. On your father's furry ears I swear, I'm not making this up."
"That would be incredible—a planet with six moons. And only werewolves there, so we wouldn't have to hide."
"Yeah. A tale you can tell your grandkids," I said. "I have to go now. I'll tell your father hello." I turned to mist and folded away.
* * *
Everything crumbles to dust in a hundred thousand years. Stones still mapped out a few roads, but that was all. All was quiet on Harifa Edus—only plant life existed now, with a few insects and fish. Werewolves wouldn't be able to survive on fish. They needed game, not just to hunt but also to eat. I figured a few domesticated animals and fields of crops wouldn't go amiss, either. I'd seen Winkler eat vegetables and salad. He seemed to enjoy it, too. I intended to do something about Harifa Edus, but there were other things demanding my attention first. I went to energy to attend to those things.
* * *
Beliphar was about to fall. Those who'd been shipped in were infecting the population quickly—the ones enhanced with Ra'Ak DNA were spreading their poison across the planet. I ferreted out the plan—infect the planet and then send out those infected and transformed soldiers to infect others. Where was the end of all of this? Where had it started, even? I didn't have time to ponder that problem at the moment; if I were going to save any of these pitiful souls, it had to be now. As energy, I surrounded the planet and pulled away what I could. The children and their parents, mostly—the ones who hadn't mistreated others. I carried them to the High Demons' world and left them, frightened and weeping, on the streets of Veshtul. I'd turned every starship on Beliphar to dust, too, before I left.
* * *
"They just showed up? With no word?" Jayd growled as smoke poured from his nostrils.
"Jayd, calm down—the current population is feeling sympathy for these people and are offering help. This helps them, too, you know—they've been in the same situation. They can prop each other up," Glinda reassured her High Demon mate. "You were saying yesterday that we needed to send people out to the other cities and towns, but we didn't have enough to send. Now we do."
"Fine. Where did they come from? How did they get here? Kyler and Kiarra said they didn't bring them."
"I think it might be Lissa," Glinda said quietly. She didn't want to say it too loudly; Garde had been like a Lion with a sore paw for the past five months, ever since Lissa's disappearance.
"If it was Lissa, then we're okay," Jayd sighed. "She wouldn't bring anyone that had a criminal background."
"You can count on that," Glinda agreed.
* * *
"Child, I will only allow you to go to the winery after we finish our lesson," Flavio informed Roff sternly.
"Father, this batch needs to be separated and bottled."
"I understand, but this is also important. I am going to teach you how to take blood properly. I have someone coming who will bite you so you will know how it is done. You may do this on your own afterward without harming your donor. A few comesuli have already approached me, offering their blood to the winged one."
"Who is coming to teach me, father? Do I know them?"
"You do not. You have not been introduced, child. That is why I asked him."
"What is his name?"
"Lucas."
"I do not recognize that name."
"As it should be. It is preferable that you do not know the one who bites you. This way, you have no expectations."
"He is here, father. I hear him at the door." Roff smiled. He enjoyed his enhanced abilities. His nose was so much better, now. Winemaking was easier, too—he could smell the stages of fermentation. Lucas was led into Flavio's private study.
"You must stand still, like so," Flavio placed Roff in the center of the floor. "Now, Lucas, take him through the steps."
"You must hold the back of the head or the neck, so that they cannot move—your fangs will damage fragile skin," Lucas wasn't as tall as Roff—Roff topped six feet after the turn. Lucas stood on tiptoe as he gripped the back of Roff's neck firmly. "Do not allow them to move, understand?" Roff attempted to nod—Lucas' grip on his neck prevented it. "See, no moving, no nodding. Hold their body against yours, in case they fall or twist in your hold," Lucas pulled Roff against him. "Now, you may give a kiss, if you are so inclined," Lucas kissed Roff, causing Roff to blink in confusion. "You may also place a kiss over the artery," Lucas leaned in and kissed Roff's neck, nuzzling it lightly. Roff whimpered faintly. "Then bite gently; your fangs are quite sharp and will pierce the skin easily," Lucas breathed on Roff's neck and then sank his fangs into the newly-turned vampire's throat. Roff was held tightly against Lucas as his body convulsed with the climax.