Beyond Blood
~
Accalia
~

Trespassers will be shot at.

Cadence jolted pass the warning sign and carried on the dodgy, dirt road. The window slid down and towering, thin gum trees flew past them.

Accalia could smell the blossoming and promising nature as spring quickly approached. The bush trails they drove on either side of unearthed wildflowers, coming alive with colour and life.

Cadence lounged her arm out the window and she leant her head back as her eyes evaded the setting sun. "It will be warming up soon,"

Accalia bristled up, brushing her hands along her arms.

"Our scents will be easier to find," Accalia replied with tension in her voice.

At least with autumn and winter, there was the cold that chilled everything in the night, leaving a slight frost in the morning. The sheen fog that covered the woodland, the quivering chills and the rain to cleanse anything in its downpour. A scent could be expelled from the nose of a lycan.

In the spring and summer, the sun was out, nature and animals sprung to life. The wind could pick up the layer of sweat and odour that cling to one's body, tracks imprinted in the dirt could be harder to cover and who didn't love the dusk breeze on a hot summer night?

Accalia could still fill the lingering chill of being in the Fenris pack. It felt colder there. With the trees caging you in, locking in the cool air. That was enough to take any thread of warmth away.

"Not if we cover them," Cadence countered swiftly.

Accalia pointed ahead, to where the roof of a cabin stuck out amidst the bushes and trees. "They could track us here,"

"Nah, they won't cross that sign back there." Cadence said with a straight face and stuck her thumb over her shoulder. "If they know what's good for them."

She side-eyed Accalia with a sickening gleam in her dark eyes. Cadence wanted them to come and put up a fight.

Accalia scoffed at her. "You really want the worst things for yourself, Cadence."

Cadence frowned pensively at that, but quickly brushed it off with a dismissive wave of the hand. "Look, you're stressing about nothing. We're safe here."

Accalia couldn't contain her urge to look over her shoulder. "I wouldn't put it past them. Any of them,"

"I want them to come," Cadence admitted and gave a careless half-shrug. Her nonchalance carried a heavy weight that crushed upon Accalia's shoulders. "They can get what's coming to them."

Accalia shifted uncomfortably in her seat and reared her head at Cadence, trying to read her face. "Even Gabriel? Even Nina? They helped us."

She only hoped it didn't cost the lycan couple in return. It still surprised Accalia. Two lycans, her enemies, stuck their necks out to secure her safety. To secure her cousin's well-being.

They were rare findings in a pack of lycans and beasts.

Cadence wouldn't give them any credit.

"I would have gotten us out. Your mate ruined everything. He stalled us, took our chance and it's his fault!" Cadence tried to lower her voice, trying to silence her rising temperament that seethed with rage.

"It is his fault." Accalia agreed and clapped Cadence's shoulder securely. "He doesn't know how to leave well enough alone, does he? I'm sorry."

Cadence kept her gaze deadlocked on the road ahead. "Don't apologise. It's not your fault."

Her dark eyes found Accalia and she grimaced, thin brows screwing together as she remembered. "He killed for you, Accalia, he didn't hesitate."

Accalia shuddered and removed her hand off Cadence's shoulder. They were both reeling from it. Not from Lycus killing. He was a lycan, killing was in his nature, but it was his reason behind it that kept the two hunters in a shocked, baffled state.

Cadence was right. He didn't hesitate. He just killed. Killed with no mercy and no reason to relent.

"He killed the Beta." Accalia uttered tonelessly and shook her head, pushing away the blood-filled images. "And the others."

Writhing guilt rose up in her throat and caught her tongue, silencing her.

Accalia saw the truest form of Lycus and it terrified her to no end. He was the biggest lycan she ever laid eyes on. He had the shape of a monster with his eyes that were endless pits of black, claws made to tear to the bone and teeth — canines that could rip through anything.

Lycus was a beast amongst beasts. And Accalia was mated to him.

"Do you think he killed those Thrax mutts?"

Accalia struggled to speak, that waging guilt eating her heart out. "They—they wouldn't stand a chance against him."

Cadence nodded slowly in agreement. "If they had the opportunity, they would have tucked tail and ran."

"They'll want revenge, Cadence." Accalia said and paused, thinking her words through to not unease her cousin. She would either way. There would be no stop to this. "On us. For what you did ..."

Cadence fiddled with her seat belt and flowed her hand aimlessly out the window, fighting against the wind.

She whistled for a full minute, trudging the tires against the harsh tracks and flew pass every tree that blocked out the sun, driving directly against the harsh light.

The dirt road blazed in rustic orange, the sun stark ahead of them. It illuminated their brown and olive skins with a kiss of golden orange.

"Let 'em try," Cadence uttered, skidding to a stop and a cloud of dust whirled around the car.

A small, cosy cabin stood across from them and Cadence didn't waste a moment in unbuckling herself.

Accalia hastily gripped Cadence's arm and forced her to stop. "Don't speak of Lycus to them. Don't mention anything about it."

Cadence eyes narrowed at Accalia's desperation.

Humiliation gripped the harsh lines on Accalia's face and she let Cadence go, trying to smooth over her lingering unease.

"Accalia, I won't. But they'll ask questions. They're hunters." Cadence informed her and dipped her head low so Accalia caught her every word, her eyes penetrating.

She wasn't being threatening. On contrary, this was Cadence being thoughtful.

"I wanted to get away from him," Accalia ushered, her eyes dropping to the ground. "But—"

Cadence gripped Accalia's shoulders and shook her. Shaking all the anxiety and unease away. "Stop, you idiot. You know what you wanted, but he was too selfish to care. Curse whatever put you two together. He doesn't deserve you. You're silver."

Accalia wasn't even close to the purest metal. Not when she was ... mated to him.

It was like Lycus said, Accalia was his ultimate hell.

The Jaeger cabin had a ring of poison around their cosy cabin.

When Accalia stepped out, closing the door behind her, she could visibly see the flower ring of poison and beauty.

But despite the alluring toxins that circled the home, the Larren girls would be warmly welcomed. Cadence was convinced.

She skipped up to the wooden door and knocked thrice, leaning patiently against a nearby wall.

Accalia scoped the place out, locking eyes on the deadly flowers surrounding them. Aconite, moonflowers and deadly nightshade blinded Accalia's vision like a veil and they were a sight to behold.

Aconite was a repellent against both werewolves and lycans. It kept them human, by killing their cursed side which in turn, killed their human side at the same token. The creatures of the moon couldn't have that.

The other flowers did the same, but many hunters found no use for pretty little flowers. They resorted to silver bullets and swords.

The door flung open and icy, unwelcoming eyes locked on Cadence like a target, before peering over her shoulder to peer at Accalia.

Those icy, cold blue eyes warmed like melting frost and Erisa Jaeger wrapped her arms around Cadence. "Larren!"

Cadence moved off the wall and wrapped her long arms around Erisa, embracing her tightly — suffocatingly.

"Too tightly, Cadence. You have a strong grip." Erisa wheezed, trying to catch a breath of air and Cadence quickly released her with a grin.

Erisa curled her arm around Accalia for a brief hug and they patted each other gently on the back. Soft and silky fabrics caressed the harshness of Accalia's clothes and she grimaced.

Erisa Jaeger was dressed head to toe in black. Velvety flare pants and a long sleeve top that concealed her arms, only briefly showing a faint scar and other markings on her wrists. She came from a family of silversmiths.

"What brings you two here?" Erisa Jaeger puffed out with a frown etched on her face as she narrowed her eyes at the both of them.

Accalia went tense in the joints.

Cadence shrugged smoothly. "Like we need a reason, Erisa."

Erisa smiled and waved the girls in by holding the door wide open. "Come in, come in, uncle will be happy that you girls are here."

The place was both inviting and familiar when Accalia stepped inside. She was familiar with weaponry lounging around the cabin like decorations. The fireplace burning in the corner of small and copped up living room lit the place with a burning and woodsy aroma.

Erisa spun on her toes, her inky black hair falling around her small frame and quickly scrambled through the living room and into the kitchen.

"Uncle, the Larren girls are here!"

Accalia and Cadence followed after Erisa and rekindled in the kitchen, where roasted chicken and vegetables was already prepared at the dinner table, along with a boat of gravy and toasted bread rolls.

Franklin Jaeger was just setting down glasses before his head lifted and glued to the girls ahead of him. His blue eyes lit up.

Accalia had known Franklin since she was a little girl. His ties with her family ran deep like melting silver that hardened. While he hadn't been particularly close to her father, Franklin had always been close with her aunt. They went on regular hunts when they were younger, the same vibrant and energetic ages as Accalia and the girls. From the stories told, they got up to more mischief in taking down lycans ... not being tied to them.

Accalia shuddered, shame roaring within her. What would Franklin think of her if he where to know? What would he think of Cadence?

"What are you girls doing here? I thought you two would be at the cemetery, it's August 23rd," Franklin murmured and placed the cutlery down.

Accalia's stomach dropped and a void could have sucked everything in, taking her with it. She forget. It completely slipped her memory. With everything going on — she slipped Cadence an apologetic, remorseful look but her cousin paid no mind. She would have remembered, of course, they were her parents.

Every year, on their death anniversary, Accalia and Cadence paid a visit to Rosewood Cemetery to pay their respects.

Cadence strolled to the dinner table and sat down. "We're just passing through. We'll head there shortly to greet my parents,"

Accalia nodded automatically and cringed internally at herself, vexed.

Franklin's stark eyes landed on Cadence. "There's plenty of food here, you can eat first before you go anywhere."

Cadence smiled. "Thanks Frankie,"

Frankie bobbed his head and a strained smile swept across his lips. Accalia could have sworn his eyes misted.

He gestured the girls to take seats and said, "Have you girls just come back from a hunt? Where's Tristan?"

Accalia took a seat beside Cadence, still reeling from the regret wanting to chew her out and sat down. Erisa headed over to the other side.

"He's with dad," Accalia answered thickly and smoothed over her pants as her hands grew sweaty.

Frankie's already pale faced turned ghostly. "And how's your father, Accalia?"

Accalia side-eyed Cadence and her throat dried up, lost for words. Lost for an explanation to give.

Cadence crossed her arms and leaned her elbows on the table. "A prick, as usual. We didn't follow through with an order, so he kicked us out,"

Frankie's nostrils flared and his neck flushed red.

Erisa gasped and covered her mouth.

Accalia and Cadence looked down at the empty plates before them.

Cadence crept her hand across the table, scooped up a warm, toasty bread roll and nibbled at it.

Accalia didn't particularly want to come here to unload all their issues on them. The last thing she wanted was to burden them. 

"Do you need me to go over there?" Frankie demanded after a long moment of silence.

Accalia's eyes widened. "No!"

"Yes." Cadence spluttered with a full mouth.

Accalia and Cadence snapped their heads at each other.

Accalia looked back to Frankie and shook her head sternly. "No, Frankie, you really don't need to."

Cadence sighed gruffly and rubbed her forehead, still nibbling.

Frankie slowly sat down beside his niece and swept an inspecting glance at the girls across from him. "Where are you girls staying?"

Accalia spoke for them with a tone enriched in falsehood and denial. "Motels and whatnot. Sometimes the forest,"

"You can stay here," Erisa said quickly with frantic, icy eyes.

The ground could have swallowed Accalia whole. And if Lycus were to find them? He would follow her scent, wherever it may lead and trace her here. To the Jaeger cabin. Accalia couldn't allow it.

"No," Accalia clipped and then forced a smile, trying to reassure them, reassure herself. "We'll be alright."

The doubt was evident in Frankie's face but still, he managed a nod. "You girls are grown now, you don't have to answer to anyone, least of all, your father, Accalia. But if you want to stay, we always have room."

Accalia lowered her head out of respect. "Thank you, Frankie,"

She couldn't risk it, though. Couldn't risk them. Frankie and Erisa, they were the last of their family, the most isolated and the most gentle. They didn't carry the brutality on the silver they made, from the purity of the metal, they were created a protection for hunters against lycans. While they could fight, if Lycus came here, seeking Accalia out, she couldn't put them in the position of having to.

Frankie demanded they feast and Cadence did so, without hesitation. Accalia was glad for it. Cadence tended to shut down when she would visit her parents, so a full stomach would ease Accalia's mind that her little cousin wasn't running on emptiness and pain.

And being stuck in the pack, filled with lycans and werewolves, the causes of death for Cadence parents, it would be a wound like no other.

Tristan and William ceased their visits a long time ago, but it didn't mean the Larren girls had to follow their lead. Accalia was adamant on keeping them for Cadence.

There was a thin string between the dead and living and every passing day Accalia didn't know where Cadence was swaying.

And so, the Larren girls evaded lycans, dined with hunters and would visit death.