Page 2 of Bane of Hate and Silver (Primordial Inheritance #1)

Welcome to Aboit, Maine

J uliana Bristow raced through the darkened streets.

Speed was her ally, the moonlight her friend.

To the human eye, a blur of red and white.

Still, she stuck to the shadows. The sleepy seaside town was slowly tucking itself in for late evening meals and prime time television.

Jules had chosen Aboit, Maine for its quintessential quiet.

It was peaceful and safe. Or so it was thought.

In Aboit, supernatural creatures, immortals, roamed the streets in the dark.

Jules’s run was fierce, rounding corners like a cheetah on the heels of its prey.

Deducing a quicker route to her destination than the current path, Jules launched herself onto a nearby rooftop.

Supernatural speed and agility making the distance easy.

One, to the next, and then the next. Her feet moved soundlessly over the humans’ heads. Each and every one none the wiser.

Perching atop the first restaurant rooftop, Jules took in the view.

The marina was bustling with unsuspecting humans.

The cry of seagulls pierced the air. A large bell clanged, ringing through the salty atmosphere.

Taking in a deep, unnecessary breath, peace washed over her like the waves lapping against the distant pier.

Jules was jolted from her reverie as her supernatural hearing focused in on a disturbance, and a familiar voice.

Searching near the gallery where they were supposed to meet, she located him.

He looked to be in a standoff with another large man, not human either.

A snarl was carried to her on the wind. Knowing the altercation could turn physical and easily become a bloodbath, she chose to intervene as soon as possible.

Assessing her choices, Jules peered into the darkened alley beneath. Vacant of human life, it was as good a way down as any. Landing in a puddle with a splash, Jules swore. Water covered the legs of her jeans and had drenched her white sneakers.

“What was that?” someone near the end of the alley asked.

Jules flattened herself against the stone wall.

“Probably nothing,” said another.

Once they passed by, she left the alley, moving toward the busy downtown area lining the coast. At least what locals considered busy. This seaside haven was sparsely populated in the off season. Compared to the last city Jules had taken up residence in, Aboit was minuscule.

The sounds of the altercation increased.

Jules moved toward it as fast as possible while still remaining inconspicuous.

The light blue sweatshirt she wore concealed most of her pale, lightly freckled skin.

She pulled her blue hood up over her radiant auburn hair for good measure. People still stopped to stare.

It seemed, no matter the attempts to blend into this human world, being dead made her stand out.

A human friend told her once that humans looked for magic in their lives and a vampire’s unearthly beauty made them feel like magic.

Jules thought it was because humans craved danger, and there was nothing more dangerous than a predator who hungered for your blood.

“Excuse me,” she said after bumping into an elderly woman while hurriedly weaving through the crowd.

Approaching behind Gabriel and Eileen, her coven and friends, she took in the scene. Eileen was trembling several feet behind her husband as he faced-off with a rather ginormous werewolf.

One, two, three. Seven werewolves hovering near their beastly companion, but not one intervened or surrounded Gabriel.

The big one snarled loudly. Jules shrugged. It was no matter. They’d be dead if she wanted them to be. Gabriel retaliated in kind. What she didn’t want, was the scene unfolding before her in the middle of the busiest spot in Aboit.

The werewolf charged. Gabriel met the challenge. The two crashed into one another with supernatural force. Jules rolled her eyes. Like it or not, this mess was hers to defuse or end.

Jules paused for the briefest moment next to Eileen and squeezed her hand.

Eileen let out a little sigh of relief. Since the other wolves had yet to join the fray, Gabriel had likely managed to get into a brawl with the Alpha himself.

The werewolf threw a full-fisted punch at Gabriel, who avoided it by using his smaller stature and sidestepping ever so slightly.

Jules took advantage of the moment and leapt directly between the two fighting men. “Enough.” Her tone was stern but not loud, as she pulled the hood from her hair. Her sudden appearance caused both to pause in surprise.

Fearlessly, she stood between the two men, who towered over her tiny frame.

Jules turned her full attention on Gabriel, ignoring the danger at her back for just a second.

“Stand down,” Jules commanded with a hiss.

Her silver eyes bore into his that still held the slightest blue ring around the edges.

“Jules, move…” Gabriel said.

Jules silenced him with a glare. “Stand down.” She nodded towards his wife a few steps behind him. “Go to Eileen.” Gabriel didn’t move but Eileen did. Gripping Gabriel’s hand, she tugged him back.

Jules heard the Alpha snigger behind her. With a half-smile she turned to confront him.

“Vampire scum,” the Alpha spat.

Jules raised her eyebrows. Astonished he was stupid enough to say that out loud. By now, the incident had drawn quite a crowd of spectators.

“Move, or you’ll be the one to die.” This time it was only loud enough for Jules’s vampire hearing to catch.

The only indication she gave that she’d heard him was a raise of one eyebrow again. “You are the Alpha, yes? According to the rules of proper engagement, you must deal with me now.”

“You lead this coven?” the Alpha asked, aghast.

“I do,” Jules stated evenly, stepping into a stance that exuded the position and power of her years. Resisting the urge to reach for what wasn’t there, Jules’s hands rested on her hips. Feeling phantom fighting knives, she no longer carried. They’d graced her hips for centuries.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jules saw the other pack members begin to encourage the crowd to disperse.

Internally, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Externally, no emotional shift was visible.

Fewer humans meant less risk of exposure.

Dealing with that on top of this inconvenient confrontation would have been truly irritating.

“You?” the Alpha mocked. “A girl…what about that male of yours?” He gestured toward Gabriel.

“Go ahead, underestimate me, it’ll be fun.” Her light-hearted tone was mocking. She could rip this beast apart and not think twice, but it wouldn’t come to that. One bite and the venom in her fangs would kill him almost instantly.

“You’re a child,” he said, growling at her a bit as he said it.

“For an immortal being you seem to be unaware of how immortality works.” Jules heard two of the pack member’s chuckle. The Alpha’s face grew red.

“Carson, it’s not worth it,” one of the wolves behind him said. Probably the Beta, to have spoken so freely.

The Alpha shot a glare over his shoulder. Jules followed his gaze to the one who had spoken.

He was stunning, very tall, and lean. His forest green eyes locked with hers.

The moon glinted off bronzed skin. Ignoring his Alpha’s glare, he ran a hand through his dark curls and chuckled once.

He seemed to be appraising her as well. Her lips parted momentarily.

He had features reminiscent of someone Jules had known long ago.

“And you deal with me,” the Alpha snapped, pulling her gaze free of the Beta’s.

She licked her lips and refocused on the task at hand. “But he’s so much prettier than you are.”

“Do you want to die, bitch?” The Alpha growled.

“There you go with those pointless threats again.” She sighed theatrically.

He growled in response, again.

“My coven should never have engaged you. And for that, I offer my apologies.” Her tone was flat.

“Your apologies mean nothing to me,” the Alpha spat. But his expression had turned smug, rather than murderous. He obviously felt like he’d won something.

“I’m sure they don’t.” Jules rolled her eyes. “But this altercation is over. We’ve coexisted in this town for years. Why stop now?”

“This town is under my protection. Your kind will never be welcome.”

“Oh, so you didn’t know we were already here? How embarrassing for you, as the town’s protector and all.”

His face reddened even farther. She knew she was exacerbating the situation. But bullying bullies was so much fun.

“You will all leave.” He pointed his beefy finger at her face. “Tonight.”

“No. We shall not. You see, I know that we can live in peace. I’ve been alive much longer than this feud has had fire to fuel it. Some of the greatest Alphas of your species advocated for peace. Like Stephen Cain. Surely, you want to follow his example.”

This seemed to only anger the Alpha. “How dare you speak his name. You have no...”

“I have every right.” She cut him off. Her anger the only bit of emotion she’d allow. “We were friends long before your great, great, grandparents were even conceptualized.”

“Your kind assassinated him.” He snapped his jaws at her like the beast he was.

“It wasn’t me,” she said easily, making sure any sadness was concealed well. The Alpha shook with anger.

He took another step toward her, closing the rest of the distance between them.

She craned her neck to look up at him. “Be my guest.” Her tone took on a breathy air. “Expose yourself right here. Right now. Wolf or man, this is not a fight you will win.” Jules prepared to strike if need be.

He growled audibly.

“Carson, enough!” The Beta called.

She glanced around the Alpha and looked the wolf all the way up and down, from his floppy hair to his Converse sneakers. The resemblance.

“Stay out of this, Luca,” the Alpha, Carson, snarled. His face bent at an awkward angle to glare at Jules.

Jules waited, silent but very deadly.