by J N Moon
Though they are tiny, their eyes widened, gasps of wonder as they looked around. A mother clung to her child, her husband-I guessed wrapped his arm around her and several of the children, whose faces had been riddled with horror now looked calmer.
Exploring, one of the Asrai men said, “I’m Jake, I suppose it might befall me now to speak for the few of us left. Thank you, Emma and Luke, if we need you, we’ll send you word.”
He looked about again, I asked, “How will you send me word?”
Luke answered for him, “In your dream state, if they need you you’ll either get their message in your sleep or in consciousness, you know like when your mind wanders off?”
I nodded.
From behind the small waterfall I noticed another Asrai, slightly different from these, and a few minutes later half a dozen had come out of hiding to see who these new intruders were.
Jake did the talking while his new neighbours eyed Luke and me with small, beady eyes, and now, after all I’d seen, I couldn’t blame them.
I didn’t listen to their conversation, but I asked Luke, “This power I have, it seems to be for good?” I looked over at these tiny folks, “I would like to know how to use it for their protection,” then thinking as I spoke, I glanced around the place, “In fact, for this whole place. Is that possible?”
Luke was animated in his facial expressions, narrowing his eyes, running his tongue over his bottom lip, then scratching his head, “I bet it is, but we’d have to research it. I can tell you this much, I may not know exactly about the power you possess, I’m sure you can use it to protect, once you know how but it will cost you. I mean, if you use it to set a protection spell, that will draw some energy, I don’t expect it would be debilitating, but it will cost something, if that makes sense.”
“Good.”
“Thank you, Luke and Emma, this is Otto, we’ll be safe here.”
“Jake, if I can figure it out, safely I’ll be back and use my power to ensure you’re all safe from now on.”
His tiny eyebrows raised, head dropped down, “Why? You’re not responsible for us!”
“I know, but if I can, I will, I’ll do it for the whole forest, along with others.”
Some heads, shocked faces peeked out from behind bluebells, stones and plants, I realised there were many, many more here than I’d seen.
“We welcome you two anytime,” Otto said smiling, then in a second they’d vanished.
Luke looked around, took in a deep breath, “God it’s peaceful here, I wish we could stay.”
“Well, let’s come back when this nightmare is over, that’s a promise.”
Getting up, he offered me a hand, then pulled me into him, “That’s worth fighting for, a promise,” he winked, “If only I were Wolf Born. Come on Red,” he laughed.
She Lifted the Latch.
Pete and Coral’s faces were full of worry. After getting Sabian and the others back, they’d managed between them to clean off most of the strange web like substance but all were in a strange coma, breathing was slight, heartbeats faint and irregular. It was weird being able to hear their hearts murmur without needing a stethoscope.
I placed my hands-on Lauren’s face, she was still mortal, her pulse, her heart seemed to me to be fading.
I was afraid to try and help, but I had no choice, so closing my eyes, my stomach warmed and a force built slowly up and through my arms, my feet rooted to the ground, I imagined her well. Opening them back up, I gazed at Lauren but nothing. For a second, I’d thought if this works on them it could work on Conor, but it didn’t. I sat down, looked out of the window and wondered how my life got so crazy so fast, and I was still here. I didn’t know who I was at that point.
“Ok, I thought that would...” as I spoke a crashing sound made us jump, through the door came Lou, her flame-coloured eyes, face like stone, expressionless moving almost like a zombie. Spirits surrounded her, almost diaphanous except their piercing red eyes, everything in the room flying off the shelves as they swirled and swooped like cats gone crazy.
As she stomped her way towards Sabian, the spectres immediately flew to the cocooned shifters, hovering above them like ethereal ghosts, mouths opened wide as if to suck the life force out of them. We all ploughed over, but our efforts against these ghouls was useless, it was like trying to catch a cloud, my anger rose instantly, Conor leapt at Lou who kicked him hard, sending him whelping and flying across the room, but the instant she did that, I grabbed her head and screamed until my throat was raw.
This time, power surged through me, building so fast that I shook, she lashed and scratched, punched, my stomach flinched with pain but I didn’t let go.
Shutting my eyes, the intense light was too bright, gushed from my hands into her head. Lou screeched like a banshee, but I didn’t stop. Trembling, blood started pouring from her eyes, nose and mouth, fear gripped me as I thought she might explode. Somewhere I heard my name being called, but terror held me in its clasp, I didn’t stop. The light exploded, I was thrown back by its power, crashing into a table, onto the floor watching in dread as Lou convulsed, jolted about, her body raised up by some malevolent force, then she dropped to the ground like a rag doll.
Cramps knotted my stomach, I fought back the reflex to vomit, sweat covering my body like a shower of sticky filth.
Fighting to breathe, I dared to look up, rasping, Luke was next to me, rubbing my arm, I couldn’t feel anything. But they were gone, through blurry eyes I saw slight movement in Lauren, Sabian, no spirits.
“It’s ok, just breathe, sshh...”
Pete was joined by a freaked-out Steve, who seeing his partner on the ground wailed, howled fell to his knees, his tears falling onto her face.
Was she dead then? I had wanted to save her... shit those things.
I couldn’t stand up, everything I had, all my energy, power gone. Empty and weak, I sat there with Luke. The wolf, Conor struggled to get up, came over beside us, so this was it then. Had I used up the gift I’d been given, maybe I was mortal again?
Groans and muttering came from Lauren and the others, Coral and Pete attended them. Oddly they, Sabian and his friends, looked rested if confused, his face changing rapidly as his mind processed his surroundings.
My heart stopped still, walking through the door was Sargent Brooks, the police woman who attended Ethan’s murder.
She surveyed the scene calmly, taking in every detail, her face severe then she spoke, “I see you managed to break the spell. Good.”
My mouth fell open, she knew?
“Emma, of course I knew, otherwise there would’ve been a lot more police investigations around your uncle’s death. Wolf Born don’t just live in packs or communities, we are everywhere, along with other immortals.” Looking at Coral, she continued, “That bitch Teran, word is he let the demon loose, hopefully now this’ll be the end of him.” Tutting, she looked at me, “Folklore, who knew, huh? I like the red cloak, suits you. Very apt.”
Then she turned on her heels and left.
She Lives in the Cottage Next to the Three Oak Trees
We buried Lou in the way they bury their dead, on a pyre in a remote clearing in the forest.
Watching the flames grow larger, I fought the urge to crumple up on the ground and weep, I had done this, me and my killer hands! Conor stayed by my side, someday I would find a way to change him back but right now I felt all too human to try, and after what had happened to Lou, I was not willing to kill him trying that.
My soul damned, and as much as Luke and the others told me that I had saved everyone else in the process, it didn’t make a slight difference. My hands were deadly and I was motionless on the outside, but inside tormented. I avoided eye contact, only spoke when I had to. Shut down. At the first chance I made for home, alone. I made sure that Sabian took care of Conor, for me I wanted complete isolation. I was done for, I’d killed, lost my uncle and now I had to return to normal life and pretend that everything was alright. I don’t think so. I had n
o heart to text my mum, instead once I was home I made plans to leave. Everything.
So, this was my destiny? Well I didn’t want it, and I’d make damn sure not to help again, thinking of Jake and his kin, I was glad I hadn’t used this whatever the heck it was to help them I would have annihilated the rest of them, no I needed to get the hell away from everyone and everything.
Throwing off the red cape that Coral had given me, I packed up a few things. The pain inside grew, wrenching at my stomach as if a hand were in there, twisting it, turning it. Good, I deserved it, I deserved perdition.
My mouth was dry, but I didn’t drink, I hadn’t eaten, and I wouldn’t. Pain was all I felt, hearing a knocking at the door, I ignored it.
It was Luke. I ignored him, he persisted, whatever. I’d wait until he’s gone, then get in my car and drive, I’ll look for something evil and kill it, or be killed. Either way preferable to me.
Hours passed, as night slipped into dawn, I grabbed my stuff and headed out, shaking my head as I saw Luke sleeping in his truck. Poor fool, he should find himself a nice girl, someone beautiful and do the normal thing. Women like me don’t have relationships, yep I was on the pity party, but I’d killed a possessed woman, so go figure.
Minutes later, as I started my car, Luke was opening the door, reaching across me, undoing the seat belt and pulling me out.
I shouted, pushed him, but he held my arms firmly then pulled me in.
“We had a promise you and me. Oh, I know, I know you killed. But here’s the thing Em, in our world, that happens. I’ve killed innocents, too, you’re not the only one, so has Sabian, Conor, heck most of us.”
He moved his face so that I had to look at him, I shut my eyes.
“It’s good you feel this pain, it shows you care, many immortals don’t.”
“I’m not that anymore, I’m human, I feel it, weak, fragile.”
A wry smile, he spoke softly, “No, you’re not, I feel it. You have a mortal’s emotions-that’s good, but you’re not human. Here, I’m going to take care of you-I know what you’re going through. And I’ll tell you the secret of how I killed a human, it was an accident. But that makes it no less painful. And I know you want to shut down-I did that, too, for ten years, but I can’t let you do that because you’re the first person I’ve ever opened up to, like, well... like... we have already,” his last words fumbled out of his mouth.
“But I want to die, to crumble into ashes, I don’t deserve to be happy,” I protested.
“I know how you feel, but you can’t because I need you, others need you.” And then he pulled me into him and just held me until the sun rose.
I don’t know how much time passed but eventually he loosened his grip, grabbed my bag and walked me back in my house.
“Get a shower, then I’m taking you somewhere, if after that you don’t want to see me, I’ll leave you alone. But just let me do this one thing for you, I promise it will help lift your spirits.”
After what happened with Conor, my instinct was to push him away and shut down. I had enjoyed his company, I didn’t feel like I deserved it now but I was too weary, too empty to fight.
He made me eat some soup after I’d showered and dressed, and drink water. Physically, exhaustion still weighed heavily on me but maybe not quite as hard.
“Come on, Red,” he muttered leading me by the hand outside and into his truck. As he drove, words weren’t needed, a comfortable silence hung between us, I gazed out of the window not knowing or caring where we were going or doing. I’d resigned myself to just look at the fields, the landscape, the colours.
Dawning on me as he pulled into a familiar track that led up to a small glade of woodland, it was the place we’d been to before where the little wooden hut is tucked inside a valley.
Immediately my heart raced against my ribs, remembering the dream of Conor, the werewolf attacking me-so that was a premonition then? I could’ve wondered why we were here, instead I got out and followed him in silence.
“It was when I was younger about fifteen years ago, I was about twenty-one. Two men were mugging a woman in a park, it was early evening. I lost my temper, I changed, I killed them,” he spoke so matter of fact about it but it wasn’t the same as I’d done.
Turning around, he stopped and looked me in the eyes, “I killed the woman, by accident. As I changed, she froze, we were by an old arch under a disused railway bridge. She was standing by the wall, without realising my tail flicked, caught her, she smashed her head on the wall. For ten years I lived in isolation after that, and now you’re the only one, beside Sabian who knows. Lauren doesn’t know, just you two. It happens, it’s awful but do you know what is worse? How you live your life afterwards, I mean... you can beat yourself up, throw yourself in harm’s way or you can seek forgiveness and do something good with the life that you have. It won’t atone for their death, that will still haunt you, but you can use that to help others. Now stand back.”
Too shocked to speak, I edged back and looked away as he undressed, he was going to change. When he did this before I was knee deep in Nuckelavee blood, but now I watched in horror and fascination. Why was he doing this?
Overlooking the ledge of the woods, glancing over the valley below, I heard his voice inside my head.
Startled, I stepped back, wide eyed. You have to be kidding. Again, he spoke, and I kept hearing a word, trust. Trust me.
Gulping, feeling the lump in my throat, I edged forward, shaking slightly but whether fear or anxiety, I never knew.
Between the high ridges of his back, I sat, clinging on tightly and as he ran towards the edge it was so smooth, then lifting off he glided over the valley and to my shock I didn’t shut my eyes. I must be dreaming. Swooping gently, the wind chilled me, so high up I hunched down squeezing with my legs.
Flying back, he landed softly, turning his massive head, looking at me my stomach flipped as my mind scrambled to take in this weird and fascinating world.
I slid off, trembling from shock and cold, Luke started to change back. It seemed that going back to human form was faster, but maybe that’s just an illusion. Gasping, he stumbled as he stood, I kept my eyes firmly on his face as I handed him his clothes.
Smiling, he reached out for my hands, flickering in my stomach, my mouth parched as I reached out for his. Racing pulses as our hands touched, then wrapping his warm hands around me and gently pulling us together.
His face told a thousand stories, weather beaten but young, those strange green eyes held me captivated. Small smile, anxious, anticipating as our eyes locked, he rolled his bottom lip, stepping closer. His earthy and sweet scent intoxicated me, he blinked, searching my face. Holding my hands, squeezing them the gap closed between us, quenching my fear, replacing it with his heat. Trembling, he unlocked our hands and wrapped his arms around me, my heart thundered as our faces touch so gently. I leaned in, his lips melted onto mine and my body, like his trembled.
Strong and passionate we kissed, my body hungered for his, our souls merged. Moving his face away slightly, he scanned my face again, “Emma,” he whispered, “We mustn’t tell anyone of this, of us.”
Should I have opened up to him? “Why?”
“You’re Wolf Born, I’m Dragon Born,” sighing he looked away for a second, “I want to be with you, but... others will say it’s wrong, an outrage. Two very different species, so for now at least we must keep this secret.”
A pang of fear clenched my stomach, is he telling the truth or is he playing me? How many others...
“No, I won’t keep us a secret, if you want to be with me say now, but I’m not hiding. Not anymore.”
His lips turned up, grinning, “Are you sure, I am happy as hell to be with you, but your kin will not be, we’ll probably have to keep moving.”
“Luke, I’m not running away, I’m not hiding, what about you?”
He didn’t answer, cocking his head down, taking a deep breath then looking into my eyes, he moved closer again, playfully biting my
bottom lip, and whispered, “Emma, if you’re sure, then I’m right by your side.”
And so, my heart dared to open, one brick at a time.
##
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Notes on Folklore Below...
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Book 1 Children of Dionysus
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Author notes below...
Wolf Born Author Notes...
Names and Meanings...
Sometimes research for the names but for this story it happened by chance. I can’t remember what Conor’s name was going to be originally but I was waiting for the train commute to work and huddled in the tiny shelter with dozens of others, (seemed!). Anyhow I was researching names for the male main character on my phone. I saw Conor and along with it the meaning. I’ve always been interested in the meanings of names, probably because my late mum had researched our names...
Chapter Titles: all taken from the original Red Riding Hood...
Character Names: Blakesley the name means dark wood but can also be a translation of dark wolf.