Love Among Shadows

by Smokey Moment

  Aesir kept up, keeping cool by his fast-paced panting. He was large. Almost seven feet. His white and grey fur was spectacular like his brothers. Distinguished from the others by the amount of black and grey hairs that covered them. Their darkened fur allowed for more camouflage during hunting. He lowered his head and picked up speed. Whatever Legend was running towards so was he. They would go into the fray together.

  L

  egend could tell he was near. He could hear the rush of the waterfall. He changed back to his human form and continued towards the rocky hillside. He could smell Valentina. She was there. It seemed she was alive. Legend exhaled. He was relieved. But it wasn’t over. He walked up to the cave and jumped to the first rocky edge. He crawled and raised himself up to the next footing then hoisted himself up inside the cave. He could smell Valentina. She was there. But she wasn’t alone.

  “Stop right there,” a voice said. Legend looked his father in the eyes. “Let her go,” he said. Valentina mumbled loudly. A hand over her mouth kept her under control. Legend could see another man holding her, further inside the cave. He made a move towards them.

  “Stop, or I will kill her,” the familiar voice said. Legend stopped moving. He narrowed his eyes. He had heard the voice before. Recognized the vernacular. His father lit a cigar, took a smoke, then threw it on a pile of twigs and bark. The flaming ash caused a small fire to begin. Blake and Osimi entered the cave. Osimi looked at Legend. “What is he doing here?” Osimi asked. Blake walked from him and over to Archaeus. “Because we need him. He’s part of the plan,” Blake replied.

  The intensity of the fire raged. The light from it illuminated the cave. Legend gasped. “You! You are the one. Impossible! It can’t be,” Legend said. Griff smiled, as he held Valentina. She looked behind her then screamed. She was shocked at the sight of Griff and confused as to why she was there. Why any of them were. She still didn’t understand the gravity of the situation or the fact that she was like them. And in just a few hours, the blue moon would complete her change. Valentina tried to pull away then kicked Griff in the leg. He tossed her around and shook her violently. “Do that again. I’m begging you,” Griff said, as he pushed her into the wall. Legend growled. “Touch her again,” Legend warned. Griff smirked.

  “Son, there’s a lot you don’t know. But none of that matters,” Archaeus said, as he kneeled down and placed items in the growing fire. “She needs to be burned alive. It is a sacrifice. It is your final chance to show the spirits that you will obey them. But if you cannot go through with it, then you will not be king. I will name another king and I will choose the leaders of the new world. Many leaders will die soon. It is time for the youth to step into their positions and hold the reigns until your sons and grandson’s come of age,” he said. Movement outside disrupted his speech. Everyone looked to the entrance. Aesir walked slowly. He went to Legend and stood beside him. Archaeus sighed loudly. He didn’t want to lose all of his sons and Aesir’s presence could mean he would need to die if he didn’t stand with him. And Aesir had already showed whose side he was on.

  “Why are you here son. This didn’t involve you. Now it does,” he warned. “Yeah, I guess it does. What the fuck is Reed doing here? And who is the woman?” Aesir asked, looking at Griff.

  “What? Reed?” Legend asked, astounded. He looked at Griff. “Yeah. That’s him. The brother you never met,” Aesir confirmed, as Legend sneered at Griff. He was no longer willing to wait for them to make a move. People had betrayed him. Family. His father and now the brother he wanted to meet but never did. They had shown themselves to be the most dangerous of enemies. They were supposed to love him. Protect him. But they were worse than the males of Cedar Falls. And they would not be making it out of the cave alive.

  “You have three seconds to untie her. Two to let her go. And one to make a run for it, because after I kill your father, I’m going to kill you,” Legend said, staring Griff directly in the eyes. He then looked at his father.

  Aesir looked at Legend. “What? Kill pop!” Aesir said, looking back and forth between them. “He’s not your father Aesir. He’s a parasite. He has been lying to you your whole life. Lying to us all. This is all about his longevity. It seems there is a veil that is opened when a sacrifice is made. Something that had not occurred in centuries because one must kill their own flesh and blood. No one ever does it because they have a heart. They have love for their family. But not him. The only man in history selfish enough to actually go through with it,” he said, as he stared his father down. “Nonsense,” Archaeus replied. Legend looked back towards the entrance. Someone else was joining.

  “Is it nonsense? This is about the fountain of youth. The reason we are here. The sacrifice involves a relative and a non-relative. A human and a son or daughter. So, he planned to kill one of us. Doesn’t matter which one, right dad,” Legend said. Aesir looked at his father. Archaeus remained stoic. He looked at Legend, shocked that his son knew so much about their history. “How do you know that?” Aesir asked, still looking fiercely at his father. His eyes filled with pain. Legends voice dropped lower. He reflected on the moment he had with a guardian angel.

  “The spirits told me. It was the most beautiful gift. I was enlightened,” he replied, as he glanced over at Valentina. She stopped moving as if she instantly felt his energy. Instantly felt safe. Legend looked her deeply in the eyes. And for the first time, Valentina relaxed. Aesir sighed. Legend was not a liar. He thought of the moment in the forest when Legend was weightless and standing, as if being held up by strings.

  Valentina looked over Legends shoulder. Legend narrowed his gaze. Valentina’s face changed. The fear in her eyes amplified. He turned around. Darr walked in slowly. Legend looked back at Valentina. Tears filled her eyes. There were others standing around, yet her attention stayed on Darr. She was terrified in a way she wasn’t prior to his entrance. Valentina looked away and began to cry. Legend turned to Darr.

  “It was you! You are the one who bit her,” he accused. “What? You created a ruid? Why?” Aesir asked his beloved leader. Darr walked up to Archaeus and stood beside him. “Wait! What? You created a ruid,” Blake chimed in. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Not his beloved leader. Darr was his hero. A powerful royal beta. He had admired him for years. Modeled himself after the man he believed he would replace one day. Legend looked menacingly at Darr. He smelled his scent and recognized it immediately.

  “You were the one at Phoebe’s house. It wasn’t Griff,” he said. Darr grinned. Griff looked confused. “What are you talking about?” Griff asked. Legend looked at him and Valentina. She could se pain in his eyes. She feared what he was about to say and she tried to prepare herself.

  “He killed Phoebe,” Legend revealed. Griff turned quickly to Darr. “Yeah…While you were kidnapping Valentina, he was at your house killing the only other human they believed knew too much. And she knew nothing,” Legend said to his brother. “What! I killed no one,” Darr claimed. Reed eyed Darr menacingly. His pain deep and jarring. Legend could see the pain and anger in Reed’s eyes. He was no longer Griff Stonewell, the husband of Phoebe Ireland. He was now Reed. A Valkan. A warrior. His brother.

  “Reed! Don’t lose yourself. Focus! She served her purpose. You were never supposed to marry her. We do not get involved with humans. You were simply supposed to stay around her and watch the ruid. I will deliver the kingdom to you as I promised. We could all benefit from this. The only one who was ever going to die was Legend. He is the only threat. He had always loved humans. I was informed of his fondness for them when he was a young boy. And I vowed then, that if he didn’t see his evil ways and change, I would sacrifice him. Darr and the woman was a mistake. He repented and asked for forgiveness and it was granted. Anyone can have a moment of weakness. It is what you do afterwards that is important. And Darr paid his dues. And now the time has come to make this right and eliminate the only threats left,” Archaeus warned.

  Griff was difficult to read. He stood, still holdin
g Valentina by the arm as he stared at Legend. Legend looked at his long-lost brother. He stared into the depths of his eyes. Blake looked back and forth between the father and sons. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He and Osimi took a few steps back. Archaeus looked at him. Too much was being said. Blake and Osimi were not aware of the details. Only that a ruid needed to die and anyone who tried to stop it would die too. But this was something else. And Archaeus had no control over the narrative.

  “Reed! Throw her into the fire son. My kingdom is yours. You will inherit all of it. But only if you prove to me that you have not become infatuated with humans. Show me now, that the girl was just something to do while you watched her sister,” Archaeus said. Griff was unable to look at anyone but Legend. Legend shook his head slowly. He would die try to get Valentina before she hit the fire and he would be forced to kill his brother. Griff was stone faced and stiff. Legend felt for him. He was well aware that Phoebe was not just being watched, and his father had underestimated how much Reed loved Phoebe. Her death was never part of the agreement. He was completely taken by surprise by the revelation.

  “How?” Reed asked. Legend shook his head slowly. “She had blood around her legs and waist. She was naked from the waist down, laying on her stomach in a pool of blood,” he said. Reed let Valentina go. His arms dropped to his side. He was inconsolable. His eyes turned red.

  “You did the same thing to her? You bit her on her private area. You killed her. You animal! You fucking animal. I will kill you,” she said. Reed furrowed his brow. He pushed past Valentina, knocking her to the ground as he leaped in the air and jumped on top of Darr, coming down in wolf form. Valentina watched in horror and shock, as he attacked Darr viciously, biting chunks of flesh, as he ripped into Darr’s body. Darr pushed with his hind legs and flipped Reed off of him and attacked him. Dare was able to bite a into Reed’s flesh but he was not strong enough to overpower him. Reed attacked with vengeance, biting Darr’s ear off then his front leg. Aesir turned into a wolf, then jumped in. The brothers attacked Darr together, growling and ripping him to pieces, as Blake and Osimi looked on. The attack was so vicious, that it scared Osimi, causing him to run from the cave in fear. Blake took several steps back, unsure of whether to help Darr. He loved him like a father. But Darr had a secret life he was unaware of. And Blake no longer respected him. This was a family war and he too wanted no part of it.

  Lou came out of nowhere and rushed Aesir and Reed. He was already in wolf form and charged at the brothers. He had heard about the secret meeting from the medicine woman and was there to investigate. He could hear what was said but didn’t believe the accusations. He attacked Aesir but was no match for an alpha let alone two. He bit into Aesir’s back before Reed jumped on him and pulled a huge piece of flesh from his hind leg.

  Legend could see his brothers were handling Darr and Lou. “Do you have anything to say for yourself before I kill you,” Legend said. Valentina stood against the wall. She watched Legend closely. The smell of blood and fighting had her traumatized. Archaeus hadn’t planned for this outcome. His sons being in love with humans and their willingness . Choosing them and willing to die for them. It was his heartbreaking reality.

  “I needed to know. I hoped you had outgrown your love of them. It was a test that you failed miserably. You make humans family. You fell in love with a human. We have rules. Laws. We answer to the spirits. If you kill me you will still need to answer to them,” Archaeus said, gloating and speaking in a grand and arrogant manner.

  “I have spoken to them. They never gave kill orders. They only hoped we would protect ourselves from discovery. They said we are part human. That we evolved from them not the other way around. That our human form is from that part of our genes. They spoke to me. I know you ordered Valentina killed. But you also ordered Phoebe killed. And it wasn’t from a spiritual request. You yourself created a ruid a long time ago. Darr saved you by killing the human. You gave him Cedar Falls in return and when he created one, you were simply returning the favor,” Legend revealed.

  Archaeus was speechless. He stared at his son. The spirits had indeed spoken to him. He had never told anyone that. Legend could see he hit a nerve. Archaeus fumed. Legend continued. “The spirits had never given a kill order until now. They gave me one. You!”

  Archaeus gasped. “How dare you. Lies,” he said. Legend shook his head at him. Valentina stared at Archaeus. Legend’s mind continued to race. The spirits continued to help him see things clearly. Reed and Aesir changed back into human form. Blake stood beside them.

  “You sent me to kill her knowing I wouldn’t be able to. And then what… You wanted me to fail so you could get the others to rise against me. To get them on your side so you could sacrifice me and live another hundred years,” he said.

  Legend growled at his father then lunged at him. “You will die painfully for what you have done. I will take my time,” he said, as he ran to him and grabbed him then threw Archaeus into the wall. “Leave here,” he warned Blake. This was now a family matter. Darr and Lou were dead. Blake nodded and ran out the cave. Legend turned back towards his father. He leaped in the air and came down in wolf form, on his head, taking him to the ground.

  He tussled with him, biting pieces of flesh from his arms. He ripped two of his father’s claws off then grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground. Aesir started to intervene and moved forward but Reed placed his hand on his shoulder. It was hard for Aesir to watch Legend brutally attack their father. He stepped back.

  “He’s no longer our father,” Reed said, as he watched them tear into one another. Valentina felt weak. The sight of Legend in wolf form was too much for her. She soon collapsed to the ground. Reed ran over to her and picked her up.

  Legend threw their father into the wall. Archaeus laid on the ground moaning. Legend hadn’t a scratch on him. He had the blessing of the spirits. His skin glowed. Fire was in his eyes. Archaeus looked up at him. Legend stood staring down at him. He shook his head. “The spirits never spoke to you. They did not like that you were using their power to wield your own. You were never my father,” he said. Archaeus was defiant. “That human will be the death of you,” he said. “She is no longer human,” Legend replied. Reed walked up. They stood over Archaeus. “You killed my wife?” he said. Legend answered for him. “Yeah. He did. I’m going to let you do the honors. Throw him into the fire.”

  Reed bent down and picked up his father. He swung him around and threw him into the raging fire. Archaeus screamed as the flames appeared to come to life. As if the spirits were finishing the job. Legend walked over to a dazed Valentina and hugged her. He held her up and watched as his father’s body burned.

  “You okay?” he asked Valentina. “No! No! Get me out of here. You turned into a wolf. Everyone turned into a wolf. How is that possible,” she stuttered, as she stepped away from him. Legend stepped toward her. “No. Stay back,” she cautioned. Legend held his hand open. He hoped she would take it. It was her new reality. An unbelievable yet extraordinary life. She would live longer. Healthier. Free of many of the afflictions that plagued humans. And she would have a village of others like her, to help and guide her.

  Valentina wanted to trust in him. But her logical thinking mind wouldn’t allow it. And the pain of her sister’s death had her unable to think.

  “I know you don’t understand. I know you’re hurt. But I’m here. And we will get through this together. Darr is dead. He can’t hurt you. My father can’t hurt you. No one will. You are safe. I will tell you everything. But first, I have to get you home,” he said. Valentina couldn’t reply. She was too devastated. There was nothing to say.

  “Come on. Let’s go,” he said, as he took her by the hand. They walked over to Aesir and Reed. Valentina looked intensely at her brother in law. “I’m sorry Tee,” he said. Valentina turned and walked towards the entrance. Legend looked at Reed. “Everything will be fine. He was a terrible man. He used you. Used me. All for his own selfish desires,”
he said. Reed nodded. He hugged Legend then hugged Aesir. “Let’s get out of here,” Legend said.

  Legend took Valentina by the hand. It was dark. The clouds dispersed revealing a beautiful full, blue hued moon. Valentina could feel her body warming up. She looked at Legend. “Am I?” she asked. He nodded. She looked away. It was a lot to take in. She could feel the change happening. A sensation all over her body. An awakening. She heard voices. She saw images. The dreams that she’d had were visions of the future. She was pregnant. They would have a son. She didn’t feel pregnant but the dream she’d had showed her he was coming soon. Valentina smiled. She held his hand tighter. It was her new life.

  Legend helped Valentina down. “What about the bodies? Should we bury them?” Aesir asked. “Yes. I will. I just need to get her home. I’ll come back,” he replied.

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  hey headed back to Cedar Falls. Blake, Trinity Osimi and Sheeba were waiting for them. Blake up to them and extended his hand to Legend. “Sorry about everything. I was wrong about you. Wrong about a lot of things. I didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “He had a lot of demons. He and Darr were in it together. Lou was the only one not aware. He tried to save Darr because he probably just couldn’t believe it,” Legend explained. “What happens now. Everyone is panicking with no leaders,” Blake said. “There are leaders. You and Reed. Aesir never wanted this. He just wants his family,” he said. Aesir smiled and nodded. He looked over at Zen then walked to her. Blake gave a half smile. It was bitter sweet. A lot had happened. Harou leaders had died. It wasn’t supposed to end that way. He just wanted a chance at the open vacancy and Legend understood. Trinity stared at Legend. She looked at Valentina. She recognized the glow. Blake had told her she was a wolf.