"Alpha, are your people ready?" Jesse asks as they meet up with the wolf pack at the sacrifice's glade.

"Yes, Lord Jesse. We are just awaiting you and your brothers." The alpha says bowing his head in respect. He shivers a bit at the pleased, but twisted smile that takes over Jesse's face. "On your order, Lord."

Most of the pack has already turned to their wolf. Only the alpha remains in his human form. They are all excited to help out the vampires. They know that with this, in a few years there will be human women to help them breed pups.

The pure werewolf pups will be the strongest of course, but still those that are half human are plenty strong. It is the weak humans that are turned that are the weak wolves. They will do well to serve the pack in other ways. This night should prove quite profitable, all they must do is have a bit of patience.

"There is a wedding celebration of the headman's son. The majority of the village will undoubtedly be there. However, there is a good likelihood that some of the outlying villagers won't be there. I want you wolves to surround and herd the villagers to the village green. That's where the celebration will be taking place."

"As you wish, Lord. If I might, how do you know that there is a marriage celebration tonight?"

"The sister of the girl last night is the one getting married tonight. The bride was originally intended to be the sacrifice until she got with the groom's child." Jesse chooses to share with the wolves.

There is muttering among the wolves at this. Duty and responsibility is ranked high among the wolves. Shirking her duty and breaking the rules to do so makes them angry. "Aren't they ordered to not have relations before marriage?" Is heard by the vampires as the alpha mutters angrily.

"They should be, but it seems that some of them have forgotten the rules. Esmeralda says that this isn't the first child her sister was pregnant with either, just the first one that she's allowing to let live."

That makes all the wolves growl. Pups are a gift for the parents and to kill them is a crime among their people.

"Please, tell me, Lord Jesse, that she is one of those slated for death tonight?" The alpha asks with tears in his eyes. Areon is the only child he was able to have.

Jesse and the others shake their heads. "She and her new husband will be among those that will be made slaves. Once she has this child and three more she will be going to you,  unless she doesn't survive childbirth."

"She will be ours to punish then?" The alpha asks intently. They won't kill her, they need females too desperately to do that, but they will make her life hell while she lives.

"Once she is in your hands you are free to do with her whatever you wish. She will no longer be of any concern of mine." Jesse says coldly and the smile he wears makes the alpha shiver in fear.

"The parents of the girl were paid by the elders to be the sacrifice. They even disowned her and took her name away before they left her starving and terrified here last night." This also makes the wolves growl. You don't sell your children or starve them. "They had abused her for years."

With how cold and biting the words are the alpha is sure that the parents are going to be among the dying this night. He hopes that it won't be a clean and quick death. 

Jesse gives the signal and they all run towards the village. The wolves splitting off to surround the village while the vampires go straight for the village center.

They stop outside of the lanterns that decorate the square and watch the people laughing, talking and dancing. They are eating as they enjoy the frivolity of the time. Jesse and his brothers sneer at the sight. 

Did the people truly believe that sending a nine year old would suffice? None of them look worried.

Jesse looks at his brothers. They wipe the emotions from their face and step forward.

"What a delightful scene." Jesse says conversationally, "What pray tell is the occasion?"

The headman and two other adults step forward. "My lords, welcome. This is the wedding of our children. Would you care to join us for food and fun?"

Jesse is having a hard time keeping the emotions from his face so Carlo takes over. "Would it be too much of an imposition to wish the newly weds happy?"

The pleasure that suffuses the faces of all three adults can't be hidden. Nor the greed that they can see as the headman looks over their fine clothes. "Not at all, please come this way."

Jesse checks to see if the child the whore of a wife carries is truly that of her new husband or not. He's not sure if he's pleased or disappointed to find that it is.

Desanto smirks as the sound of the alarmed villagers and growls of the wolves reaches them. The noise is still too far away for the humans to hear.

"Lovely couple, are they your only children?" Desanto says as they meet the two young adults.

"Yes, my lord," The headman and the parents of Esmeralda reply. This makes all of the vampires angry. They aren't even upset at the loss of their youngest, nor does the bride seem upset at her sister taking her place.

As the children are allowed to run free Santo leans over and whispers into Jesse's ear, "I've seen at least two children that belong to the groom running around wild."

This interests Jesse. They had intended on leaving the young under ten years with their parents, but if the groom is parent to other children they will have to take them as well.

"Tell me, how many children do you have young man?" Jesse asks and the groom can't refuse to answer the man. None of the villagers have realized that they are vampires yet.

"My wife is currently pregnant. I have three that are by other females here in the village." Not even the bride had known that and she looks at her husband in horror.

Jesse and the others smile. "Are not there rules about waiting until you are married before being with the women?" 

The elders that are listening and the parents of the newly weds wriggle uncomfortably at the question. But the arrogant groom just smirks, "Old fashioned ideas won't stop those that wish for more."

"Ah, but young one, those rules are set for a very good reason. It's to insure the purity of the female that is for sacrifice to keep your selfish ass alive. Tell me, how many of the unmarried females remain virgins?"

"That is none of your business, sir!" One of the elders states outraged at the audacious stranger.

"Isn't it? That treaty protects all of the villages not just your little fly speck. If you fail to send out a female virgin of at least sixteen years of age, you are breaking the treaty. All humans will then face death and enslavement like before the accords were made and enforced."

Jesse turns to face the headman and the head elder standing next to him. "Tell me, I believe it is your villages turn to give the sacrifice this year. You did do your duty and find a female that fits all three requirements did you not?"

The headman looks confused at the elder, "Of course we did, didn't we, Elder Lyman?"

"We gave a female virgin as sacrifice last night." The elder manages to say with a straight face. 

Carlo sneers at him as he sees the sweat starting to gather at the hair line of the men before him. "Are you sure?"

"Dad?" The groom says in the ensuing quiet, by now the villagers have realized that something was wrong. The strangers are giving out an aura of power that they aren't used to and fear is starting to snake up their spines.

"We sacrificed Ebony."

The headman's son stares aghast at the elder and his father. "Ebony? She was just nine years old."

Just then the wolves let out howls to announce the arrival of the last of the villagers that come running up. They are terrified and run as far away from the wolves as they can get.

"Ah, lovely, now every one is here." Jesse says once all the villagers have a chance to run to them. The wolves take up positions around the village green and watch the humans carefully.

"Yes, just nine years old. Therefore she couldn't be a sacrifice. Although, my brothers and I do thank you for the extra gift you've given. We did promise her that we wouldn't kill all the humans in all the villages. We won't even kill all of you," Jesse smiles cruelly at the assembled people. "But there will be retribution made for the lack of a sacrifice. This village broke the treaty and it will pay.

"First off, all the ancient ones are free to go, there will be no payment required of you. Married couples with children under the age of ten are allowed to grab your children and leave. Do so now." 

"Those that have children over the age of ten as well, the children over ten must remain." There are sounds of screaming and wailing as women are forced away from their children. Many children are scared and crying as well.