“You’ll have to find your own lodging, we’re sort of at capacity for visitors.” Lucas nodded, his own way of accepting the witches help.
“Oh, we’re more than capable of that,” Charlotte told them.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The loss of Judea Samuels put William in a problematic situation, and after the disposal of his body, William had to decide who would replace Samuels. The Chaliceman clan had already escaped once, and it was a foolish error on William’s part to entrust someone so inexperienced as Judea to perform such an important task.
Eventually, William made a call to Samuels former second in command.
“What do we know?” William asked, his fingers steepled beneath his chin while he looked across the desk at the gentleman that up until this point, he’d only expressed his needs to over the phone.
After Samuels failure with the Chaliceman wolves and the woman, which he now knew was called Elle Marshal, William was gathering as much information as possible on their contacts since, after the fire, the foursome had disappeared entirely off the radar.
“It was safe to assume that where ever the Marshal woman is, the wolves are probably with her.” Ned began to explain. “Leading off of this information I started doing some digging into this woman, and it turns out she’s a writer,” Ned told William and handed him a book that looked like it came from the ninety-nine-cent bargain bin at the bookstore.
“Mistress Delilah?” William glanced at it a moment before tossing it down on the desk. “This isn’t telling me very much,” William said looking unphased.
“Check out the name of the author LRR Hood, that is Elle Marshal, and the books that she writes are all about werewolves. Her pen name stands for Little Red Riding Hood, sir. I found this book at Gaerik Chaliceman’s apartment, and it’s obvious that the Chaliceman wolves have some relationship with this woman and she knows a lot more about werewolves than any of the other paranormal smut writers.” Ned told him. “I was also able to contact her publicist; I told her that I was the manager of one of the bookstores here in New Haven and asked her where I might be able to contact the author for signings and hit pay dirt. This woman doesn’t like being a public figure, but this Julie woman told me that she was currently on vacation at her family home in Arkansas.”
“So, we’re assuming that they are in Arkansas,” William surmised a moment, his words trailing off as he thought of how this information could be confirmed and how he could get to them there, and if William could dispose of them outside of Connecticut all the better.
“Not assuming sir, they are in Arkansas, a town called Proctor. It also appears that several wolves from our pack have fled there as well as my associates have informed me.” Ned told William.
“And why has no one attempted contact?” William looked up from the book laying on his desk. “You have your contacts and informants, and it wouldn’t be difficult for one of our own too,” William lifted his eyes to the ceiling, his tongue rolling over his teeth slightly to nudge some debris free. “Open the bridges of communication.”
“With all due respect sir, if one of our own even attempted contact with the Chaliceman at this stage, after they’ve left the state, it would come off as very suspicious. Wolves from our pack have disbanded. They have chosen their side in this war and having one of our contacts meet with the Chaliceman could back them into a corner. One attempt on their lives has already failed, what we are aiming for here is stealth, we need information before we can strike.”
“I’m familiar with military tactics, Ned,” William said speaking the man’s name for the first time before his gaze leveled at the man seated across from him again. “I’m not interested in tactics, what I am interested in is getting the job done. The Chaliceman fled the state two weeks ago, two weeks ago they should have been dead and now we are left to chase them halfway across the god damn country. We know where they are, where they sleep, who they associate with and we know,” William said lifting up one of the pictures that Ned supplied to him. “That they are training an army, no matter how pitiful in numbers it may be. Kill them all. I don’t care. The Chalicemans plan on coming back to Connecticut, and they will fight for the title of Alpha, and that something I do not intend to give to them. Your men are there. I want them dead by dawn. Every one of them.”
~
Ned Wilson was an ex-military man having served two tours in Afghanistan and would have gone back for a third if it hadn’t been for losing his arm, obviously he couldn’t go back Ned moved around the country for a while until he settled in Connecticut. There would have been no logical way to explain to the government how his arm miraculously grew back and no prosthetic looked that realistic.
Leaving William Levins’ office, Ned wasn’t pleased with his current avenue of employment. Levins was already making changes with the consultation of the rest of the Council and the pack. From what Ned understood, it was decided by the Council that they would return to the rule of one Alpha and not the most influential members of the largest families of the pack. But from what Ned saw and what he determined on his own, is that Levins was already claiming the role of Alpha, and he was by no means beyond using every dirty tactic in the playbook to ensure that no one got in his way. Left up to Levins, he’d kill the entire pack if it meant that those afraid would buckle and bend the knee for him.
There were also rumors about Ned’s predecessor coming to a sticky end under Levins employment, but there was no one willing to give him a straight answer, either because they were too blind to their so-called hierarchies treacherous deeds or they were too afraid to speak up.
Returning to his truck, he slammed the old Ford’s door before gripping the worn leather of the steering wheel. Ned didn’t savor the position that he was in, his men had been sending back information about the Chaliceman wolves, their activities and that the Arkansas pack allied with them. There were civilians involved at this point. Human casualties that would not go unaccounted for, Levins wanted to run the pack like a dictatorship, and that wouldn’t last for very long, but Ned had his orders.
He would be making a trip to Arkansas.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Yawning Elle made herself go downstairs long before the sun began its ascent into the southern skies. She was only awaked by the smell of coffee brewing. When they returned Gaerik was gone, and he would not answer their phone calls or texts.
“Any word from Gaerik?” Elle asked taking a coffee cup down from the cabinet.
Marik was standing in front of the Bunn coffee maker, filling his cup in silence as he shook his head to reply.
“What are we going to do?” She asked him, moving to take his place in front of the coffee machine, pouring the reach aromatic nectar of the gods into her cup.
“Whatever we have to, Gaerik running away with his tail tucked between his legs just because he doesn’t like our choice of allies means nothing. He can either get the bug out of his ass and come back, defend his bloodline or forever be a disgrace in our family.”
“But shouldn’t we try to find him, talk some sense into him maybe? All of this seems so rash over a couple of witches.” Elle exclaimed.
“You don’t need to tell me how stupid he is being, but that is my brother. It’s one of the things that always seemed to drive us apart from each other.” Marik told her in disgust at his twin’s actions last night. “I have never been able to understand him.” He continued taking a drink from his cup.
“I just wish that it didn’t feel like we were on such shaky ground.” Biting into her lip, Elle felt partially responsible for Gaerik’s swift departure last night. But what was she supposed to do? Send the witches packing. Telling them to hop on their brooms and be gone, when they were offering them a very legitimate chance at not being killed in a bloodbath?
Pulling one of the chairs out Elle fell into her seat at the kitchen table, nursing her coffee cup as she thought over the events of the last twelve hours and wondered if her life would ever feel normal again.
Instantly her chair was jerked over, making her body sway and lurch as it came to a halt placing her directly in front of Marik’s very intense gaze.
“Listen, nothing has changed. With or without Gaerik this is our reality and we,” he emphasized, “will follow through no matter what it takes. There are mistakes from the past coming back to haunt us, and because of that, it has put all of us in harm’s way. I intend to correct that.”
Marik’s eyes matched the intensity of his words, watching them practically pop and fizzle with blue electricity. Marik seemed so close, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath on the skin of her neck when he exhaled. The heat of those icy blue eyes made her skin prick and tingle, the tiny hairs on her arms standing on end as he came closer, his eyes flicking from her own down to her lips and back again, this time forcing her pulse to race.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to my family, and that includes you.”
Elle heard the rumble in his chest as he came another beat closer and then his lips were on hers, and the heat of them washed over every limb in her body like she’d slipped into a hot bath, both relaxing and exciting her at the same time. Every second that his lips remained on hers sent a new jolt of electricity through her pulse before she felt his arms move around her waist, transporting her from her chair and into his lap.
Marik pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, as her arms moved around his shoulders feeling the solid mass of muscles beneath the cotton fabric of the t-shirt that clung to his frame.
Pulling away slowly he opened his eyes, brushing her messy blonde hair away from her face, half smiling as he traced the bone of her brow down to her cheek as he considered the deep blue of her eyes.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for years to do that.” Marik breathed out before his gaze drifted to a red dot tracing along her cheek.
“Shit!”
Marik grabbed Elle’s waist pivoting in his seat as he threw their bodies onto the floor of the kitchen. Glass shattering from the window pane tinkling into the sink before drywall sprayed around them as the bullet went into the wall. Panicking, Elle looked at the wall where a hole the size of her index finger marred the smooth surface. Marik crawled towards the entrance of the kitchen and quickly shut off the kitchen light casting the two of them in complete darkness.
Grabbing Elle’s arm, he could see just as clearly in the darkness as if the dome of the kitchen light shined down on them. Pulling Elle to him his hands cupped her cheeks before he kissed her.
“Go wake my father, stay low, we’re under attack,” Marik told her in a hushed whisper before he pushed Elle’s body through the doorway.
Crawling, she was trying to stay quiet as she scurried into the living room, her hands meeting with the rug on the living room floor.
“Come on you son of a bitch, show me where you are. I know you’re hiding,” Marik whispered as he moved up into a crouch below the kitchen window looking out into the darkened yard.
“Marik! Elle!” Gallen’s voice sounded from the top of the stairs as the front door exploded inward, a deafening roar making Elle scream.
Beyond the roar, she heard the deep growl of a werewolf which she could only assume was Gallen as a dark mass, blacker than the shadows inside the house moved from the landing of the stairs in one fluid movement, feet landing only a few inches from where Elle had gone into a protective crumple in the fetal position.
Jumping up, Elle scurried into the corner of the living room as the two beings began to fight. One was only half transformed, she had learned some werewolves couldn’t shift all the way, but Gallen, being an Alpha, could, and he was bigger than any natural wolf that she had ever seen, though his opponent was no mouse. Cringing she saw Gallen’s maw open, snapping furiously at the intruder before he was on his hind legs and standing taller than eight feet. Taking up the full space of her living room from floor to ceiling, he got the wolf by the head and began to do the very same thing that Gregory often did to snakes when he caught them. Elle knew what was coming, but the other wolf was still fighting, savagely clawing at Gallen’s chest and shoulders trying to free himself but –SNAP! The Alpha was stronger.
Gallen released him, dropping back down onto his feet before she heard a distinct snapping of bone before he stood on two legs again, thankfully allowing him some modesty as she couldn’t completely see him in the darkness.
“Where is Marik?” Gallen turned to find her as she slowly slunk from the corner that she had taken refuge in.
“I don’t know. Marik was in the kitchen when I was coming to get you.” Elle stammered.
Behind them, footsteps came pounding up the front porch steps as three figures stopped at the sight of the dead werewolf.
“What’s happened?” It was Charlotte, Elle had no idea how they had gotten there so quickly, but she was instantly grateful to see the three witches although she couldn’t explain why, they had only just met, every ounce of her being wanted to trust them, but what if they had been planted in that clearing? What if they had brought the danger straight to her doorstep? Swallowing, Elle couldn’t get in to fear induced paranoia right now. Not when their lives were in danger.
“We’ve been attacked,” Gallen said turning back to look towards the kitchen, the fiery blaze of the sun beginning to peak over the tops of trees and the back door stood open.
“I don’t see him anywhere.” Panic rising in Elle’s voice as she rushed towards the door and found the backyard empty.
“No, but I can hear him and the guardian,” Gallen said moving behind her before gently pushing her aside as he made his way out into the yard. “And his brother.” He added taking off, moving so fast she could barely see him as he met the tree line and disappeared mid-transformation.
“Let’s go.” Charlotte grabbed Elle’s hand, tucking it under her arm. At first, she didn’t know what she was talking about, there was no way that they would be able to keep up with a werewolf, Gallen had disappeared within seconds, but she suddenly felt the wind hitting her in the face, and miraculously her legs were moving, she was running, and they were in the trees already. The three witches all taking up a single line of defense as they followed the sounds of fighting getting closer.
There were nine against three, their weakest link, the one that laid dead in her house could only shift into the traditional Lon Chaney Jr Wolfman, but all nine of these werewolves were entirely shifted and as big as bears.
Elle looked on as the last of the Chaliceman bloodline struggled. However, she noticed that when one went down another was there to replace him. Elle couldn’t tell who in the fray was who but the three that stuck together had to be Gallen, Marik and Gaerik.
Feeling a shiver run up her spine, Elle turned and caught some movement from the corner of her eye. There was an almost silver shimmering glow reflecting off the witch she knew as Moonie; the light was like gossamer silk and fleeting once she tried to look directly at it. While her eyes were on Moonie, Jean Louise darted away from them, barreling towards the first wolf that caught her eye. Putting her shoulder into the impact, the dark gray beast gave a yelp as it flew back and was caught between Gallen’s jaws in mid-air; his hackles raised in anger as he ripped and tore at the animal, Jean Louise aiding him. Elle hadn’t believed that witches were that strong until she saw Jean Louise get her hands on the animal’s muzzle and watched her practically rip the bottom portion of his jaw off with her bare hands before its body hit the ground.
“Look out!” Elle screamed as one of the wolves a white one with coal black markings along it’s back and face broke away from the twins and was circling around towards Jean Louise and Gallen. Something about the sheer size of the wolf had to be Gallen; she’d seen him in the semi-darkness of her living room.
Jean Louise’s attention immediately focused on the sound of Elle shouting. The Chaliceman wolves were gaining ground when one of them turned, seeing Jean Louise standing over the dead body of one of their fold and came charging toward
s her while Gallen found himself fighting off a wolf that had caught him with his back turned.
Cringing, the creature leapt through the air clearing Marik and Gaerik. All the wolf saw was Jean Louise; like tunnel vision she was its prime target as it moved through the air, its jaws opening. Elle screamed out before squeezing her eyes shut to the carnage, she envisioned was about to take place. Elle couldn’t see this, but a second passed, and she hard no gasp or scream, not even the sound of the wolves’ furious fighting.
Opening her eyes, Elle saw Moonie standing in the middle of the fray and everything was suspended as though she had stopped time itself. Her arms were raised, palms up as the one wolf who was charging toward Jean Louise was hanging in the air. The remaining three that were still fighting slowly began to rise from the ground, and then there was an explosion of sound like the belly of Hell itself had been opened and she could hear the screams of souls trapped in its fiery pit. Elle caught the breath that she didn’t realize she’d been holding as the wolves were ripped apart by an unseen force before the last remaining one began to spasm seeing what had happened to his comrades, but Moonie didn’t do the same to him as she had the rest.
As he hung suspended in mid-air, the muscles beneath his fur began to ripple and pulse, his eyes widening as bones snapped and reformed, cracking as he howled in pain. His fur coat having shed, what was seen looked like a naked deformed rabbit being lowered to the ground. When his feet touched the heavy blanket of dead leaves and twigs his feet reformed, toes snapping back into place.
Moonie spoke, pity ringing in her words. “You have abused your gift, using your strengths to gain power over those you believe are weaker than you. You have brought shame to your bloodline, and from this day forward you will never again shed your skin for a fur pelt, and you will never walk amongst your brethren. I curse you as a human until the day you die.”
Through the Woods Page 16