Luke was in a foul mood and it was growing fouler by the minute. The moon was full and sitting high in the night sky when Luke sent a couple of his clansmen to bring their captive to his study again. He’d had the kid put in the main house’s cellar. Joe wasn’t happy with Luke taking his prisoner from him, but he didn’t trust Joe not to do something stupid. He’d also asked for the kid to be fed, mainly because he was sure Joe hadn’t supplied the young man with any food during his confinement.

Luke would have liked nothing more than to be out in the woods tonight, but he had a funeral to help plan and his clansman’s alleged killer to punish for the crime. Joe and several of the elders were vying for a quick and bloody death for the prisoner. Luke had eventually grown tired of Joe’s constant pressuring to kill the captive. In the end, he’d resorted to sending Joe to console his grieving family, but ever tenacious, the young man had not stayed gone for long. Luke wasn’t surprised when Joe skulked back into the main house as soon as night begun to fall.

Seated at his desk, Luke slouched low in his chair as he resisted the urge to drum his fingers against the hard wood of the desk. It was a terrible habit borne from impatience and one he was trying to break since his uncle advised that the elders might view him as “excitable” because of it. Luke was already viewed as being too young and too inexperienced for the role of Chieftain by the elders, so he really didn’t need to add “excitable” to their ever-growing list of complaints against him. They were a judgmental, opinionated lot of doddering old fools, but they had the power and wherewithal to make his job as Chieftain thoroughly unpleasant, so he coddled them as much as his patience would allow.

The elders were mumbling amongst themselves, no doubt conspiring against him. Some were huddled in a corner of the room while the rest were seated on the sofa or in the various available chairs scattered about. Their hushed voices agitated him, mainly because they should be more than aware that he could hear every whisper and mumble.

A knock sounded on the door and Luke was pleased with the hush that suddenly fell over the room.

“Enter.” He said, and the door opened to reveal two of his clansmen with the prisoner between them. His clansmen stood on either side of the young man, both towering over the much smaller male. The kid looked tired and haggard. Luke was sure the previous night spent in Joe’s cellar had been a sleepless one for the boy and it showed on his weary face and in his fearful gaze.

The young man’s tawny hair was a mess and his clothing torn and dirty. Scrapes and bruises of varying sizes and severity marred his pale, freckled skin. Luke’s gaze zeroed in one particularly nasty scrape on the boy’s forearm. Dried blood was crusted on his pale skin.

Luke really should have let the kid clean up.

Luke nodded, signaling for his men to bring the captive forward and the boy’s captors practically dragged him over to Luke’s desk, where they pushed him onto his knees. The smaller male glared at him furiously and Luke found his interest immediately piqued by the captive’s erratic nature.

He’d seemed frightened and timid only hours earlier. Luke would have thought a few hours in the main house’s cold basement would have taken the spirit out of him, especially given the young man’s prior treatment in the study at Joe’s hands, but apparently Luke had been mistaken.

Standing, Luke rounded the desk. He stopped before the captive and leaned against the desk as he crossed his arms and peered down at the young man.

“I’m told your name is Dana.” Luke said. “You heard Joe’s accusation against you. Now is your chance to speak. What do you say?”

The young man’s eyes widened as if taken aback by Luke’s words.

“It’s not true.” Dana croaked out. “I didn’t mean-”

“Bullshit!” Joe yelled his position near the door.

Luke lifted his hand and pointed at Joe, but he didn’t bother addressing the younger man with a verbal warning. Luke would toss him out of the room on his ass himself if he spoke out of line again.

Joe lowered his gaze respectfully, acknowledging Luke’s superiority, but the anger could be felt roiling off him in stifling waves. Still, he kept his mouth shut and didn’t utter another word.

Satisfied, Luke turned his attention back to Dana. He studied the human thoughtfully, watching as the young man tensed beneath his scrutiny.

Figuring he’d let the kid squirm long enough, Luke finally spoke. “Our clan has a specific set of rules and laws that we are governed by. We believe in a type of blood restitution. A tooth for tooth, if you will.”

Luke was sure the kid had no idea what he was talking about, so he decided to spell it out plainly for him. “When one of our own is killed in a manner in which guilt is questionable or in cases where the offender is unavailable for punishment, a member of the offending family must give one of their own as payment.”

Luke watched the boy, giving him a moment to let his words sink in. A muscle twitched in the young man’s jaw and Luke knew the outburst was coming before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Are you insane?” Dana questioned, his eyes filled with disbelief. He began to fight the men holding him in their grasp. “I told you it was an accident! You’ve no right!”

“How will he die for his deed?” Luke’s uncle asked.

Joe stepped forward. “I will do it. It is my right!”

Luke sighed. “I never said I intended to just kill him. The human professes his innocence, so we’ll let the moon judge him. If she favors him and he survives the bite, then he’ll be given to Danny’s family to live out his life as their slave. He’ll make his penitence for Danny’s death through servitude as per tradition.”