Crescent Marked: StarHaven Sanctuary Book One

by Tera Lyn Cortez

  With the grimoire in hand, I headed to the main room to continue reading for as long as my eyes could stand it. When the words finally began to run together, making it impossible to glean anything more from them, I closed the book and accepted that any more reading would have to wait until the next day, after I got some sleep.

  As tired as my eyes might have been, the rest of my body wasn't quite ready to quit for the night, even though I'd not slept the night before, unless you counted the time I spent passed out on the attic floor.

  For a compromise, I took some cocoa out onto the back porch to relax, pondering my next steps. The moonlight illuminated the clearing, creating a stark line where the trees began. Somewhere in the not too far off distance, a wolf howled.

  The temptation to walk out and look for the creature doing the howling gripped me.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The sound both scared me and excited me. The metal porch swing creaked as my feet pushed back and forth, waiting for the sound to come again. My patience was rewarded with another howl, this one seeming to be much closer, and more intense. Something about it called to me, almost demanded my attention.

  Standing, I stepped to the edge of the porch, wanting for some reason to walk down the stairs and follow the path into the dark woods. Fighting the urge, my eyes remained focused on the forest, wondering if the wolf would continue moving closer. A twig snapped, just past where the moonlight touched, causing me to take a step back.

  Once more a howl filled the air, and this time the request was unmistakable. This wolf wanted me to come into the woods, but why? The urge to return to the house might have been strong, but my curiosity was stronger. Self-preservation apparently wasn't my strong suit. Plus, Aunt Aimee had never mentioned trouble with the wolves in all the years she'd lived here, and something lurked at the back of my mind, telling me it would be safe to answer the call.

  Moving cautiously, and hoping my mother didn't wake up and catch me heading into the trees at night, my slippered feet carried me across the clearing. Pausing for just a moment to let my eyes adjust, I moved up the path, guided by instinct. Rounding a bend on the trail less than fifteen yards from the clearing brought me face to face with a huge dark gray wolf.

  It sat on its haunches, motionless, staring at me with wide amber eyes. Startled, but for some reason unafraid, I met its gaze. The connection between us formed with a sizzle, sending little arcs of electricity down my spine. Never before had I experienced anything like what happened as I stood in the middle of the dark trail that night. In that moment the wolf went from being a regular forest creature, to something much, much more.

  “Hello. You're Leah, right? My name is Isaiah, and I am the alpha of the StarHaven pack. Welcome to the sanctuary. I'm so sorry about your aunt, but I am very glad you're here.”

  His deep voice resonated through my head, not needing my ears in order to be heard. The sensation caught me off guard for a moment.

  “How do you know who I am? And how can I hear you? I mean, I understand you, even though I know that wolves can't talk. Or speak English. I-” Stopping once my stuttering reached my own ears, I felt the blood rush to my cheeks, thankful for the darkness. How embarrassing.

  “I knew Aimee, and she talked about you often. She, too, had the ability to communicate with the pack and spent time amongst us. Also, you bear the Mark., which all of the wolves residing in the sanctuary are aware of. The entire pack knows who you are. And, as the alpha, your crescent moon calls to me. Do you remember the day you last came to walk in the woods, when you fell and cut yourself? The moment your blood spilled onto the earth you were accepted as an ally of the sanctuary.”

  “You... That was you, that day?” Looking back, she wondered why she hadn't recognized those eyes immediately.

  “That was the day your Mark was activated. But I wasn't the alpha then and couldn't make the connection with you like I did just now. It requires a certain amount of power, and I just wasn't strong enough. That, and we didn't have much time in the moment. I think I may have frightened you, and I'm sorry.”

  “But, how do you know these things? Do you know why Aunt Aimee didn't tell me about you, or teach me her magic? She just let me leave and never tried to tell me about her powers, or the sanctuary, or anything else!” Frustration rang in my voice, but I couldn't help it.

  “I don't have the answers you are seeking. I never questioned why Aimee made the decisions she did. She may have mentioned it at some point, but...” He paused for a beat before continuing. “Unfortunately, part of the curse upon our land makes our memories foggy and we have trouble remembering things that we should. There is a legend tied to the origin of the Crescent Mark, and those few who receive it, but the specifics escape me.” His voice died off, as if he needed to expend more energy to finish his thoughts. “I do know your aunt has old books, and your family grimoires, that will begin to teach you the things you need to know.”

  For a moment I debated how much to tell him about what I had already been up to in my short time here. Instinct told me that I could be open with him, and that he was trustworthy. Yet something held me back. Perhaps the unnatural attraction creeping its way through my core. The pull toward him was so strong already.

  “I've already found some of her books in the attic. I found them while searching for clues about how she might have died, and I can follow some of the spells and do a little magic. Nothing impressive yet, though.” My sigh conveyed my disappointment. “I've barely just discovered these things are possible, and I wish that I had a better teacher than myself. I've lost so much time and potential by not knowing it existed.”

  “Then you already have a good start. I think you will do fine. We need you, Leah. The pack and the sanctuary itself needs you. You are special, and we need your help to contain the evil, before it spreads and destroys us all.”

  I sighed. Vanquishing evil sounded like it might be a bit above my station in life for the time being. I'd rather satisfy my curiosity. “Tell me more about yourself, and the pack, and the sanctuary. If you don't mind, that is. There is so much I want to know, and I'm afraid to wait too long to ask my questions now, because I know that time is fleeting. I just keep thinking of all the questions I could have asked Aunt Aimee, if I had just come to visit her like I'd been thinking of doing. But stupid shit just kept getting in the way, and now I will never have the chance again.” A tear welled up and slid down my cheek, hot against my skin in the cool night air.

  “I'm sorry. I know how it feels to lose someone too soon. My mom died when I was just a baby. My father raised me alone, with the help of the pack, of course. Then he died, too. Right before you saw me in the woods that day, maybe two weeks before? The curse blurs even that from my memory. It makes it so there isn't much I can share with you that you might find useful.”

  “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to have you tell me only the sad things.”

  Isaiah shook his furry head. “Don't be sorry. It's been a long time and I am at peace with it now.”

  “We should get to know each other. Tell me the little things, funny things, things that make you you. What's your favorite color? Do you like to swim? Stuff like that.”

  Hearing his chuckle in my head made my toes curl up in my slippers. Something about him made me feel so comfortable. I wasn't even embarrassed that my string of questions sounded like those a kindergartner might ask when meeting a new person.

  Before he could answer any of the questions I blurted out, “Can you turn into a human? I'm sorry if that's too nosy.”

  He huffed, and I could feel his frustration. “As alpha, the curse that has taken my pack's ability to shift does not affect me in quite the same way. I often feel like the change is imminent, that if I just push a little harder, I could do it. But so far I can't. The rest of the pack tells me that they do not feel their ability to shift at all, as if it is completely blocked from them.”

  His admission sends me into deep thought. Breaking the curse must be possible, after a
ll, none of them are forever, were they? And it seemed like he would be the likely candidate for a first attempt, if I could locate the instructions. Perhaps the needed spell could be found somewhere within the books in the attic.

  “Leah? You're just standing there, nose all scrunched up and tapping your finger to your lips. What are you thinking about?”

  “Ha, sorry. I tend to do that when I'm focusing on a problem. I was just thinking, there has to be a way to break the curse, and you seem to be the best one to attempt it with. If I can restore your abilities, then the rest of the pack should be able to do so also. Right?”

  “It sure would be amazing if you could. We'd all be grateful. And green. My favorite color is green. Yes, I like to swim, just not in the stream. It's the source of the curse, we think. Sometimes I travel out to the ocean and play in the waves. It's not too far from where the pack lives.”

  His ability to weave the answers to my inane questions with the very important subject of breaking the curse makes me giggle. An image formed in my mind of this huge gray wolf, frolicking in and out of the waves on the beach.

  “I love the beach.”

  “I'd love to take you one day, if we get the chance.”

  Our eyes met and something passed between us that I didn't understand. Considering that we'd barely just met, it seemed like we had known each other forever. Perhaps it was the situation we found ourselves in, thrown together by forces outside of our control. My imagination couldn't help but be curious about what he looked like in his human form...

  “Earth to Leah! I lost you there again.”

  This time I blushed, knowing where my thoughts had been headed. “Sorry.”

  “I have to get back to the pack. It was nice meeting you though. Read your aunt's books, they should be able to teach you much of the magic you need to learn at this stage. I'm no witch, but I'll try to answer your questions if I can.”

  “I'll do the best I can. But, like I said, I just discovered this whole world of magic existed. I am a brand new witch and so far not a very impressive one. My most intricate spell can create light, and I can set things on fire. There are a few others that might come in handy someday, but many of the easy ones don't seem like they'd be super helpful in besting an evil spirit, unless she wants to roast marshmallows or something.”

  His laughter echoed through my head. “You'll do great, I promise. You were born for this, and the sanctuary has chosen you as its ally. The Mark will help you to grow and control your powers. You just have to have faith in yourself. Start small and don't overdo it. You can work your way up to the bigger spells as you learn. Come on, I'll walk you back to the clearing.”

  A nod and a smile were all I could muster up at the thought of his whole pack relying on me. We walked side by side for the few yards until we could see the back porch.

  “Will I see you again soon?”

  His head bobbed up and down. “Yes. I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other. I promise to do what I can to help you help us. But you'd better get inside now. I'll stay here till you get in the door.”

  Goodbyes said, I crossed the clearing and put my hand on the knob, pausing with the door open only a couple of inches. Wanting to catch one last look at him, I turned back around. His thundercloud gray coat disappeared just feet past the treeline. As soon as the moonlight became blocked by the branches, he disappeared without a trace.

  Slipping inside and checking to be sure the handle was locked, I slumped against the door. My brain was becoming overloaded from all the new things it was trying to take in.

  “Where have you been?”

  My mother's stern tone startled me and I jumped, ramming my sore elbow into the doorjamb. Pain shot up my arm. I flipped the light switch to see her leaning against the counter with a mug in her hands.

  “Ouch. Shit! What are you doing down here? Why aren't you asleep? You scared the crap out of me. Why are you just standing here in the dark, instead of turning a light on?”

  “I could be asking the same of you. I couldn't sleep, so I came down to make some tea. I did my best to be quiet, so as not to wake you up, but imagine my surprise when I saw you come slinking out of the woods and trying to sneak back in the house. In the middle of the night, no less. How long were you out there and what were you doing?”

  “Stop it. I'm a grown woman. And I wasn't slinking across the clearing, I walked. Which is the common method of transportation for humans traveling under their own power? Nor did I sneak back into the house. I was attempting to be quiet and considerate, so I didn't wake you up and disturb your rest. I know you need your sleep, especially with all of this added stress.”

  “And you don't think it might add to my stress to know you are out running around in the woods where your aunt died less than forty-eight hours ago?”

  “Mom, I'm sorry. For one, I had no idea you were going to wake up or I would have left you a note so you didn't worry. It wasn't a planned outing, anyway. Kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

  “The only thing that will keep me from worrying will be you promising me that you'll stay inside after dark. The animals that live on this land are not house pets, Leah. They will injure you, perhaps worse. Look what happened to Aimee.”

  “Mom, Aunt Aimee was not killed by any animal within this sanctuary, and we both know it.” I kept my tone soft, knowing she needed me to be the rational one at the moment. The effects of the stress were beginning to show.

  “I just can't bear the thought of losing you too.” She choked back a sob.

  Leaving my post by the back door, I walked across the kitchen to where she stood. Taking the mug from her hands, I set it on the counter behind her and gave her a hug. She never returned the gesture, although I felt her body relax beneath my arms. Guilt for making her worry wormed its way into the pleasure I'd felt from the late night walk and meeting Isaiah.

  “Mom, I really am sorry. Let's go back to bed. I promise to not to go back out, I need my sleep too. Tomorrow we can talk some more, okay?”

  “Something about this place is getting to you, with all this talk of magic and spells. The next thing you know you'll be telling me there are werewolves and vampires that live in the woods.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Strange dreams interrupted my sleep throughout the night, interrupting my chance at getting any real rest. Malevolent mist snaked through the trees of the sanctuary, beckoning me. The waters of the stream churned and swirled, trying to entice me into entering the water. Pages ripped from the books in the attic burned to ash before my eyes, the acrid smell causing me to gag and choke. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of all that information going up in smoke.

  Jerking awake, I shuddered at the sweat dripping down my sides, adhering the nightshirt to my skin like Plaster of Paris. Shards of the dream flitted through my memories, making it difficult to grasp any single message. The wind crept through the crack, I'd left the window open. A wolf howled, the mournful sound filling the room. A glance at the clock told me I'd been dreaming for at least six hours and might as well get up. There would be no going back to sleep this morning.

  Grabbing the most useful of my aunt's books to practice with, I headed down towards the kitchen, surprised to smell coffee already percolating.

  “What are you doing awake already? It's awfully early.”

  My mom sat at the table, hands wrapped around a mug, staring off into space. The dim morning light bathed her in a grayish tint, making her look older than her years. At first she gave no acknowledgment that she even heard me, but then slowly turned to look at me. The purplish bags under her eyes made me feel guilty, wondering if she had been up all night because of me. Or whether the dreams that had haunted me all night affected her as well.

  “I couldn't sleep.” She sighed. “I haven't slept that well at all since I got the call. I don't know if it's the loss, or sleeping here when I know she's gone, or what the hell is going on.”

  Oof. My mother never cussed. Ever. Pausing in the middle of p
ouring coffee, my gaze slid back to her, taking in the details. Tiny lines radiated from the corners of her eyes. At fifty-one, strands of silver had begun infiltrating her head of dark hair. Over the last couple of days her skin seemed to thin over her bones, causing her features to stand out more sharply against her face.

  Before Aunt Aimee's death, my own mother's mortality had been a whisper in the back of my mind. One is always cognizant of the fact that nobody lives forever, however, until you lose someone close to you, the impact of such knowledge remains blissfully distant. The desire to comfort her, as a way to stave off the inevitable, rushed through me.

  “I'm sorry, Mom. I should be more attentive to your feelings. Is there anything I can do to help out? I bet I could find a spell that would help you to get some sleep, at least.”

  “No! No spells. The last thing I need is you using me as a guinea pig to practice your so-called magic on.” She jerked at the suggestion, sloshing her coffee over the side of the mug and onto the tabletop.

  Her vehemence shocked me, the venom in her tone causing me to step back against the counter, bumping my hip against the edge. For a second I just stared, hurt that she would accuse me of using her as a guinea pig for anything. Pushing my shock aside, I turned away to grab a paper towel, using the moment to blink back the tears that welled up.

  “I'm sorry, I...” I tried to apologize as I attempted to clean up the mess.

  She put her hand over mine, taking the napkin from me, cutting me off mid-sentence. “No, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for, and I didn't mean it. I know you would never use me as a guinea pig. I just don't buy into the whole magic thing.”

  “Mom, then how do you explain the things I have learned to do since coming here? Answer me that.”

  “I may not be able to explain everything, but for now I would appreciate if you left me out of it. Turning little lights on and off is far different from trying to cast a spell on an actual human being. What if you made a mistake or messed up the spell? The consequences could be disastrous for me, and you might not be able to reverse them with your limited experience.”