by Sara Snow
"We should be there by tomorrow evening." This time when he spoke, his voice was normal and not sharp with irritation. "I heard you speaking to Skye. I miss the old days, too. Things were a lot simpler when you were kids. You know, when you used to follow me around, begging me to train you."
I leaned away from him. “Excuse me? I don’t remember ever following you around.”
“Don’t worry, I do.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling. He was right. I used to follow Darian around constantly, and I had done the same with Connor. Sometimes Connor would play along, pretending to show me how to fight, and I had been so happy . . . until I was old enough to realize that he wasn't actually teaching me anything.
As the pack’s Beta, Connor’s job was to care for everyone in the pack the way my father did. He was the second-in-command, my father’s advisor, and my protector when I was younger. Even now, like Darian, he looked out for me as if I was his little sister.
I swallowed hard as I thought of how upset he would be when he found out about my relationship with Will. He wouldn’t be as hostile as Darian was, but I knew he'd be disappointed in me.
But I wouldn’t dwell on that now. “Don’t spread lies. I never bothered you. Why would I do that? You were always an ass to me. Connor was much nicer.”
Darian snorted. “Connor and I are like day and night.”
"You don't have to tell me that." I chuckled, and he laughed as well. "You know . . . I, um, I appreciate you looking out for me, Darian. I really do. I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate it.”
He turned to look at me, his hazel eyes appearing brown. His lips parted as if he was going to say something, but then he turned and looked away.
I turned my gaze away as well and stared at the burned spot in the ground where the fire was. “I didn’t expect it to happen, you know, this relationship between me and Will. I met him randomly the day he arrived in our town, and then he saved my life." I chewed on my bottom lip. "He's saved my life multiple times, Darian. I know you think he's just a vampire without a soul, but he has one. He has a soul, a heartbeat, and warmth."
Darian pressed a finger to the crease between his brows. “Okay." He took a deep breath. "Okay, I get it." His hand fell to his lap, but he didn't meet my eyes. "I know he's done a lot to have earned your trust. He saved your life, and I commend him for that. But as a Werewolf Guard, it's hard for me to see past what he is."
"I know." The sound of the gentle wind rattling tree leaves above me drew my attention. "I used to feel the same. But he's different. You've heard his heartbeat."
"All creatures, other than vampires, have heartbeats—but some can be just as cruel. A beating heart doesn't necessarily mean a person's good, Elinor.”
I couldn't argue with that. After all, Levi was living proof of that, as well as the humans who had attacked and poisoned Skye in the market back home. All living beings were capable of good and evil.
"We're all capable of good and bad. I know that. So why is it so hard for you to accept that Will's capable of being good, too? I know you doubt him, that you think he’s using me."
When he didn't respond, I felt like I might have gotten through to him, even if just a little.
"My great-grandfather died before you were born, but there was one story he always told us when we were young pups to warn us to stay clear of vampires. It was a story that had been passed down through the generations.” He exhaled and placed his hand behind him on the ground as he looked up at the starry sky. "He told me that many years ago, vampires once overran a nearby town. But what was really unusual was the fact that the attack hadn't occurred at night, as you would expect. No, he said that it had happened during the day, and it had been led by only one vampire."
I swallowed hard, not liking where this story was going, but I listened quietly.
"Since it happened during the day, no one was certain the attacker was actually a vampire. How could it be? Vampires couldn’t walk during the day. But it was indeed a vampire, and he laid waste to the town, slaughtering half the people, killing hundreds in one day. Men, women, and children from every species died.” He took a deep breath and then released it. “Once darkness fell, the vampires arrived—Bleeders and Skins who enslaved those who had survived. It’s said that’s where the Queen’s castle was built.”
I looked away from his fierce gaze. I knew what he was implying, that the vampire his great-grandfather had told him about had been Will.
"I had always thought it was just a story, but now I have to wonder if it was all true."
I wasn't sure what to say. I couldn’t imagine Will being so vicious. He was old—ancient, really—and he’d told me there was a time when he had ruled by his mother's side. Of course, he had done horrible things back then, but I didn't want to think about that. He wasn’t that man anymore.
"We all have a past, Darian. We've all done horrible things."
I couldn’t look at him because I knew saying that didn’t change what Will might have done—and the amount of blood he’d spilled. I closed my eyes, wishing I could forget everything I'd just heard.
Why did he have to tell me this?
He sat up and got to his feet. "That, right there, is why I'm so concerned. Even if he has warm skin, he's still a vampire. But because you love him, you forget that. But you shouldn’t. Don't think for a second that he's not capable of being a monster."
10
Elinor
I growled a warning to whoever was tapping my thigh, and they stopped, thank the Goddess. My dream was slipping away, and I could now hear birds chirping, signaling that the night had ended and another day had begun. Only I wasn't ready to wake up. Still, when the tapping started again, I admitted defeat and decided that skinning the irritating being alive would make me feel better.
My eyes popped open, now already black, but the moment I saw who had been trying to wake me, I relaxed and they returned to their natural green.
A female centaur was staring down at me, and as I sat up, she stepped backward. She was young, just a girl, with skinny little legs. Behind her, an adult female centaur stepped forward, her hooves clicking against the ground. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, and the girl looked up at her and smiled. Both centaurs had golden blond hair that fell to their waist.
I looked around slowly, now wide awake as I realized we were surrounded by centaurs. They weren't acting hostile in any way . . . but they were all staring at me.
Skye was sitting behind me, with Cyrus by her side. I arched a brow at her, silently asking what in the Goddess's name was going on. She cocked her head to the side, and there, Darian was chatting with a male centaur who towered over him.
The male Darian was speaking to had a large gold bracelet on his upper arm, signifying that he was the leader of this clan. There was only a handful of centaurs in this clan—eight in total. That was odd in itself. Centaurs normally traveled in much larger groups.
I got to my feet and Skye did the same. Then the little girl stepped forward. "Hi."
"Hi." I smiled wide, glancing at the girl’s mother standing behind her, looking hesitant.
Although they were massive in size, centaurs were naturally peaceful beings. They lacked magical power but were amazing herbalists who cared for the forest. At first, I figured that they’d come to warn us against trespassing on their territory, but now, I sensed there was more to it. Something was wrong. They all looked thin and scared.
“A-Are you her?” the girl asked as she pushed her hair behind her ears. “Are you the white wolf?”
The other centaurs stared at me more intently, waiting for an answer.
“I am, yeah,” I answered. “I’m Elinor.”
The little girl’s face lit up as she looked behind her at her mother, I assumed, who seemed relieved. The woman smiled at me, and I returned it, still unsure of how to handle the expressions of hope being sent my way.
A younger male stepped forward, with small braids strate
gically placed in the blond hair of his chest. “I am Zerrn. News of you has been traveling fast."
“Yes, I can see that.” I pointed at Skye. “This is Skye and Cyrus.”
"Yes, we were introduced while you slept. We did not intend to wake you, but Filandre was anxious.”
The girl chuckled, and even though she was a centaur, she reminded me of the human girl I had healed. It took me a moment, but I eventually spotted Will a stone's throw away. He was casually leaning against a tree, cloaked and watching closely. I could hear his heartbeat, which meant his vampire scent was significantly reduced so as not to alarm the centaurs.
“What’s going on?” I asked no one in particular. “Don’t you guys ordinarily travel in larger groups?”
Filandre's mother glanced at Zerrn, a look of sadness passing between them before she turned back to me. "We were attacked. Our houses were burned, and many of us were killed or taken."
“We’ll fight with you, White Wolf.” Another male stepped forward, his long hair in locs piled high atop his head. There was a white line from his hairline to his nose and a smaller one at the center of his bottom lip. "Our clan might be small, but we’ve already communicated with many of the others, and they'll fight with you to end this. Is it true that you have been given the power of the Goddess?”
I glanced at Cyrus and Skye, who had remained quiet this entire time. Honestly, I wished they'd say something and take some of this attention off me. Not that I didn’t want to act as a sign of hope for these beings—Goddess knew we all needed hope right now. But I wasn't the only one that would end this.
"It's true, yes. But I’m also just a normal girl who wants this violence to end. And to do that, we have to work together. So thank you. We would greatly appreciate your help. The vampires and Resurrected are rapidly growing in number. "
“They aren’t turning us,” Filandre’s mother said, her voice catching. “Our kind are being taken without being turned or becoming the Resurrected.”
“I’d wondered about that,” Cyrus drawled as he uncrossed his arms over his chest. “We haven’t met any centaurs as Resurrected.”
“Why are centaurs being taken then?” Skye asked
“For food,” the male with the white lines on his face answered in a low voice, his tail swishing back and forth to show his anger. He wasn’t as thin as the others and was obviously a warrior within the clan. “Because of our size, we're being used to feed the growing army.”
"Goddess," Skye gasped, and my fists clenched.
“They’re doing the same to satyrs as well.” Zerrn’s front legs dug into the ground with frustration. “And there are a few other species are being slaughtered, too, all being used to feed the newborn Skins and Bleeders. If this continues, we'll become extinct."
Filandre stepped back, pressing her body to her mother, who held her close. "They killed her father."
Filandre's eyes grew teary, and my heart sunk at her pain. My fingers tingled as my power awakened, and I could sense my eyes turning white. Seeing a child in such pain wasn't something I could handle. And too many children like Filandre had suffered already.
"I'm so sorry," I told her and tried not to growl the words as I felt my blood pressure rising.
“Are you going to kill them?” Filandre’s voice was low, a tear falling onto her cheek. “Are you going to save us?”
I nodded, and beside me, Skye was doing the same. “Yes.” I looked at Skye and Cyrus. “We’ll all do our best to end this. You’ll see.”
The side of Filandre's mouth twitched with a smile, and Darian approached us.
“Elinor, this is Tor," Darian said, pointing at the centaur leader, who bent his leg and bowed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, White Wolf." Tor's eyes were a deep brown, almost black, and mesmerizing.
I placed my fist over my heart and bowed. "It's nice to meet you, Tor. I'm sorry about what happened to your clan. They attacked my pack as well."
“Yes, many of our territories are being overrun." His black hair had streaks of white, revealing just how old he was because, like many supernatural creatures, centaurs aged slowly. They were majestic creatures, and their connection to the forest gave them an air of calm and serenity, the same feeling I got when I was out in the woods. “It is as you said. Coming together will be the only thing that’ll allow us to fight the vampires and win.”
He looked Will's way, and I grew nervous. After a few seconds, he looked back at me, and I could tell that he knew what Will was. There was a knowing look in his eyes, but he said nothing as Darian began to speak.
“Tor knows where we’re heading and is willing to take us there.”
Filandre walked over to Tor, and I noticed she walked with a limp. "Don't go."
Tor placed a large hand on her head. “I won’t be gone for long.” His eyes slid to me. "Where you're going, not many can follow, and that includes me. I can only take you half of the way there."
“That’s fine,” I answered somewhat distractedly as I walked over to Filandre. “We appreciate the help. Thank you.”
I stopped and glanced at Filandre’s mother, who was watching me. “May I? Her leg’s hurt.”
“Ah, yes,” she answered, sounding a little confused.
I held a hand out to Filandre, who glanced at her mother for confirmation before slipping her hand into mine. I stepped back, and she followed, though she avoided putting pressure on her left hind leg.
I inhaled deeply, feeling the warmth and hum of my divinity. "I'll make the pain go away. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”
Filandre swallowed hard. She glanced at Tor and her mother, then nodded. "Okay," she whispered.
I closed my fist. When I had healed the human girl, I had imagined my power as pure white light. I did the same now, forcing it into my fingers that still held Filandre. My hand glowed, and Filandre's mother stepped closer, though not defensively. Tor and the other centaurs also came closer to see what was happening as the light then transferred to Filandre and vanished into her body.
After a moment, Filandre’s leg started to convulse, and Tor held her shoulders, steadying her.
The shaking soon stopped. I stepped back, and Filandre moved forward, though this time, she walked normally. Her face lit up, and her cheeks turned bright pink as she giggled. Even though I had only used a little of my power, I could feel its effects, and Cyrus placed a hand on my shoulder as I rocked back on my heels.
“Thank you,” Filandre squealed, prancing on the spot.
“You’re most welcome, Filandre.”
"Thank you so much." Tor bowed his head, and all of the centaurs followed suit.
Cyrus squeezed my shoulder, and I looked up to find him smiling.
It felt good to help. It was a feeling I had no comparison to, but Goddess, was it ever draining to heal others.
"We should get going," Tor announced. "The journey will take a few hours, and I must return before nightfall."
Zerrn’s hooves dug into the ground. “I’ll keep the clan safe until you return.”
Tor nodded. "I won't be gone long."
After gathering up our things and saying goodbye, we left. Only then did Will join us, remaining at the back of the group with me.
“You’re getting stronger,” he whispered so only I could hear, and my cheeks burned.
"I still have a long way to go, I'm sure. Where did you go last night?"
He pulled his hood back just enough that I could see his face. “I needed to go for a walk. I'll need to feed soon, but I can't right now. I need to keep my heart beating."
“Are you losing control?”
He shook his head. "No, never. I'm just hungry, that's all. But I can control it."
“But what’ll happen if you don’t feed?”
His tongue darted out to lick his lips. "Don't worry, I won't become rabid. I become sick. That's all."
I grimaced. "Sounds like fun," I grumbled sarcastically. "Once we arrive, you can feed."
He gla
nced at me, his eyes darting to my neck quickly, then to my lips. My body grew weak at his gaze, and the side of his mouth curved impishly. “I can’t wait.”
I looked away, trying to control my blush. It vanished, however, when I caught Tor looking, first at me, and then at Will. His eyes rested on Will for a few seconds before he looked away, and Will pulled his hood back over his face.
“He knows who and what I am but doesn’t care enough to ask questions,” Will hissed. “Interesting.”
“Why is that interesting?”
His face was mostly hidden, but I could see his red eyes shining brightly. “There aren’t many alive who know of me. I was notorious in the olden days, but I’m not anymore. If he knows who I am, and I think he does, I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to kill me.” He looked at me and no doubt saw the questions in my eyes. “My past is filled with more darkness than I’d ever wish for you to find out about. I’ve harmed many, and many want to harm me, even if many generations have passed.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I said nothing. We continued on in silence, and I tried to picture him as one of the other vampires I’d come across—bloodthirsty and murderous. I glanced at him, watching as he walked without making a sound while I was crunching leaves under my feet.
If we had met back then, would he have fallen in love with me . . . or killed me?
11
Elinor
It was early noon when we slowed down. Tor and Darian were at the head of the group, chatting, while Cyrus and Skye walked in the middle.
Skye must have told Cyrus about how she wanted him to teach her how to fight because from time to time, he'd throw random pointers her way about how to spot traps within the forest or signs telling her she was entering marked territory.
I was happy he’d agreed to do this for her.
I recalled the conversation where Skye and I had talked of our lives changing yet again after we defeated the Queen. There would only be two years left before Cyrus and Skye would both leave Earth, and I was dreading the day they’d go.