Free Wolves in the Shadows (The Wolf Clan Chronicles) by Sharon McLaughlin

that he left Wolf Clan forever and swore fealty to Lady Laila of the Bat Clan.  It was the beginning of the end, though I did not know it. 
    Why must it always be that from such joy, sorrow and pain are always doomed to come?” 
    Lord Reginald trailed off into silence and shook his head.  His expression was troubled. 
    “Without sorrow, there can be no joy,” Sir Marcus said sagely.  “Without suffering there can be no peace.” 
    “Speaking like Lorican?” Lord Reginald said with a humorless chuckle.  “You think they’re a bunch of religious fanatics.” 
    “But you don’t,” Sir Marcus replied. 
    Lord Reginald ran his fingers down the scar on his cheek.  Elizabeth realized for the first time that in the visions that he had shown her, his face had been perfectly smooth .  Before she could give it any further thought, Lord Reginald continued to speak and the vision of his memories swirled around before her eyes. 
    She could see Anya smiling and laughing as she played with her rosy cheeked, blue-eyed son in the garden.  Lord Reginald spoke of the great pride that he felt as his son grew into a strapping young lad who aspired to be a knight.  Under the watchful eye a nd brilliant instruction of Augustus, young Marcus would became the first mortal man to be made a part of the Wolf Guard. 
    Elizabeth laughed as Lord Reginald told her about the birth of his second child, thirteen years after the birth of Marcus.  She could see her chubby little legs and tiny fingers curling and uncurling.  She could hear the baby cooing and giggling as Lord Reginald held her close and breathed in her essence. 
    Little Marcus looked at his little sister with a sort of confused awe.  He nodded solemnly as his father told him that he had to watch over and love his sister forever. 
    “But our happiness was to be short lived,” Lord Reginald said sadly.  “For Demetrius and Lady Laila where gathering rogue masters together to strengthen their position, and there were whispers of ancient enemies returning to take their vengeance against the Greater Clans.  The unrest amongst the clans grew even more when word began to spread of a new threat, mortal hunters who had learned to slay vampires and their allies with silver blades and consecrated stakes and sacred relics.  Though even more disturbing was the fact that these hunters could somehow resist all but the most powerful masters through some unknown means. 
    The Bat Clan along with all of their new allies was clamoring for the Clans to unite once again and wage war against all humanity.  Lady Laila insisted that it would be the only way to prevent our ancient enemies from returning, for they needed mortal blood before they could walk the earth.  But the other Greater Clans did not want to go to war.  They were comfortable within their own borders and were not concerned by rumors of old fears.  Frustrated by the reluctance of the other Clans, Lady Laila led her allies against the stronghold of my old friend Lord Godfrey as a statement of her power. 
    Of course I rushed to his aid wi th Marcus, who had become a strong young warrior, and the Wolf Guard at my back.  Little did I know that the danger was much closer to home that I had thought possible.” 
    Lord Reginald fell into a brooding silence. 
    “I shall not speak of that danger tonight,” he said after a long time.  “Nearly 700 years have passed, but still it weighs too heavily upon me.” 
    “Then I will speak of it,” Sir Marcus said.  “For I the vision is forever seared into my mind.  The enduring memory that I witnessed when I was still mortal.” 
    “No,” Lord Reginald said.  “Forgive me, young Elizabeth, but I cannot speak of the death of my true love.  But I do not want you to hear of it from the lips of my firstborn son.  Not yet.”  
    “It is not right to kee p it from her,” Sir Marcus said, his voice thick with emotion.  “The blood of my mother flows truly in her