The Enemies of Vengeance

by P. A Ross

  "Yes, I'm fine to drive. I haven't driven much on the right-hand side of the road, but I'm sure I can adapt."

  "Excellent. It's just in case the sun hasn't fully gone down. I wouldn't want to swerve the car off the road. If you drive the first two hours, then I will finish off the rest of the journey. You can have a sleep in the car and be fully refreshed when we meet Thorn."

  "Okay. That sounds like a plan," I said, and hit the start button on the GPS and put the car into first gear but the car didn't move.

  "Pump the clutch," Rip said.

  I pumped the clutch a couple of times and tried again. The car rolled forward and we crunched over the gravel, flattening down the weeds.

  I flicked the headlights on and followed the green arrow on the satnav, driving us out of the village on single track roads and heading towards the main route south and over the border into Spain, then through the mountains and into the forest where Thorn was hiding out.

  The driving was easy through the quiet roads, even when driving on the opposite side of the road than I was used to. Rip kept an eye on the GPS timer, chain-smoking cigarettes until he felt happy that we were making the appropriate timescales to get there before dawn. I wound down the window to let the smoke out and air in.

  After a few hours, Rip asked me to pull in to a lay-by. He flipped open the bonnet and fetched a bottle of water from the boot. He filled up the radiator with water. I stretched my legs a little.

  "Is there a problem?" I asked.

  Rip poured in the last of the water. "The radiator has a little leak, if I top it up now it should last until we reach Spain."

  "Are you sure? Your car seems to have a few issues."

  Rip dropped the bonnet and put the empty water bottle back into the boot. "Of course, its a classic. Don't worry."

  "I'm not worried. But I'm fine if we break down and the sun rises."

  "It won't break down. Jump in the back and try to sleep. I will drive the rest of the way. I will awake you when we are about half an hour away so you can help scan ahead for any possible threats," Rip said.

  "From the Turned."

  "Or from Dragans."

  I lay down in the back seat and undid my coat and used it as a pillow. Try as I might, I couldn't get to sleep as I was jostled about in the rattling old car. After about forty minutes, I asked Rip to pull over so I could get back into the front passenger seat. We talked the rest of the journey. Rip told me more stories of his time in hiding, and I gave him more details about my time with Thorn.

  The GPS timer counted down as we passed through the border into Spain. We hit thirty minutes left until we arrived at the location Thorn had given us.

  "I want you to open your mind to listen out for any psychic noises. And open the window as well, you may pick up a scent or a sound."

  I wound the handle around, lowering the window and tipped my head back and closed my eyes to listen for any psychic messages or any unusual sounds. But the car was old, and the engine was noisy, and the exhaust was smelly.

  We continued into the mountain forest, the car winding through the trees and the headlights flashing through the trunks, illuminating wild animals running for cover. Rip flicked the lights off and we carried on. I knew he could see without the headlights, and it would cover our arrival.

  We continued on, heading back north as we went into the national park and back up the mountain.

  "Up to the right is a log cabin. I can see strong heat signatures coming from it. It's probably our guys, and the GPS seems to agree that we only have a few metres left. Be prepared for anything, just in case Cyrus has betrayed Thorn and is waiting for us."

  "Shall I just call Thorn and let her know we are nearly here?"

  "Yeah. Good idea. Let's stop for a moment while you call her. They have probably already detected the car and are circling around us."

  I looked out of the window and flicked my eyes around, looking for one of the Dragans stalking us. I saw nothing moving, even with my enhanced eyesight. I turned my phone on and speed dialled Thorn.

  "Well, hello. I guess that is you making that noise just down from the cabin," Thorn said.

  "Yes, it is us, so please don't attack. Is everything okay up there?"

  "Of course it is. Bring the car up to the front. We will come out to greet you, so you know there is nothing amiss."

  I hung up the phone. "They are waiting for us at the front of the building. Drive around. Thorn has promised me everything is okay."

  "I hope you are right. I'm trusting you, V. But apart from that, no matter how fast Thorn is or how much you have learned, I could still rip your throat out quicker than they could attack me. So remember that once we get up there, just in case you have some plan against me. I am not called Rip for nothing."

  "I think you've been hiding out too long. You're paranoid."

  "Being paranoid saved my life many times. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you," Rip said and drove the car up around the road, twisting around the roads back and forth until we hit the road heading straight towards the log cabin.

  Out of the cabin door, four figures walked down from the front porch on to the track where two jeeps were parked. The cabin was on one level, but due to it being built on a slope, it was elevated up on a platform to make it flat. The porch and front door were on the slope side, and the stairs led down to the forest floor.

  I could tell three of them were Dragans from the smell, and I guessed the final one was Max, the werewolf, as I detected a familiar musky odour.

  Rip brought the car to a halt and flicked on the headlights, making them shield their eyes with their arms. Rip jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut.

  "Here I am. If it's revenge you want, then let's get it over with. I can't run anymore," Rip shouted and pulled his hands into fists.

  Thorn ducked out of the beam of light to the side. "Rip? Is that really you? You're looking a bit older than I expected."

  "And you are looking just as wonderful as ever."

  Thorn walked towards him, and behind her, the others stepped out of the light to follow. Cassius and Max, and the third Dragan was Cyrus. Cassius and Max both towering over everyone else. Max in his faded jeans and a white t-shirt. His hair tied back and stubble beard. Cassius in a black tracksuit and white trainers.

  Thorn and Rip stood only a few yards apart. "Rip there is nothing to forgive. There is no need for you to hide any more, we are and will always be friends and family. She opened her arms up, and he stepped forward, and they hugged each other.

  Rip and Thorn stood back from one another. "What's with the scar and grey hair?" Thorn asked.

  "We all get old," Rip said, and Thorn frowned at him, but said nothing more and stood to the side and gestured back to Cassius.

  "I assume you remember Cassius?" she said.

  Rip stepped forward and Cassius walked over to greet him. They shook hands, and then Cassius wrapped his big arms around him and gave him a hug, and Rip hugged him back and then tapped him on the back. Cassius released him and stepped away. "Good to see you again, old man."

  "Good to see you too, Cassius," Rip said and then looked back to where Cyrus stood.

  Cyrus stepped forward with his hands out. He wore designer jeans and a polo shirt, and his blond hair had a neat centre parting. Rip crossed his arms and glared at him. "Are you kidding? After everything you put me through," Rip said.

  Cyrus opened his arms. "Not going to give me a hug either?"

  "Give you a punch in the face if you like, but that's the only physical contact you will get from me."

  "Rip, the feud is over. You have to get used to having me around. Thorn and I have agreed to share power."

  Cassius and Max both slyly glanced at Cyrus and shook their heads. I looked over at Thorn and Rip copied me. Thorn shrugged her shoulders. "We have to learn to share. It's a big planet, I'm sure we can come to some agreement."

  Cyrus then walked past Rip towards me. "And you must be
the infamous V?" He said and held out his hand.

  I had no past history with Cyrus, so I shook his hand. "And you must be Cyrus."

  "They have told you about me?"

  I looked to Thorn and Cassius and then to Rip, unsure what to say. They had only ever told me they had been a war with him and that it was he who created the first army of the Turned. I decided it was best to avoid the question. "Thorn doesn't tell me much, she thinks I can't handle it."

  Cyrus laughed and slapped my arm. "Sounds like Thorn." He turned around and looked at her. "Hey, darling, I see you haven't changed that much."

  She smiled back, and Cyrus walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder and stood by her side.

  "And nor have you, Cyrus," Thorn said and placed a hand on his and removed it from her shoulder.

  "Sorry V, Thorn and I have history, I'm sure she will tell you all about it. We had some good times together once, and I'm sure we can be good friends again."

  Thorn smiled at him again and gently placed a hand on his arm. "We can all be friends again. There is no need for any more wars between us."

  I hated the way he touched her and talked to her. I could have accepted that if in isolation. But Thorn seemed to be responding in kind. She seemed to be almost encouraging him. I felt my blood rising, and I gripped my hands together to control my temper. I wanted to say something, but I knew Cyrus could easily beat me. And I knew that Thorn could look after herself. I'm sure she had it all under control.

  "I am willing to let the past be forgotten," Cyrus said, "We have all taken losses. Thorn took her revenge all those years ago. She wiped out my entire house and killed both my parents. Only the twins and I survived from the House of Smoke. Remember it was Thorn that created Bramel who leads this Turned army."

  "But you started it. Without you their would have been no need for revenge," Rip said and took a step forward towards Cyrus.

  "I started it!" Cyrus responded. "As I remember, you and Thorn had an affair while I was still in Union with her. I had every right to be outraged."

  I glared back and forth between Thorn and Rip. Neither of them had mentioned it. She hadn't told me of her and Rip, but she had said she had tried to have a baby with every Dragan male, so I should have worked it out.

  "It wasn't an affair. I was just trying to help further our race. Something you seemed incapable of doing with Thorn," Rip said and stepped closer. Cyrus jumped forward and pushed out with both hands, knocking Rip backwards.

  "So it was the honourable thing to sleep with your Auntie."

  Auntie! Someone could have told me.

  "It wasn't like that and you know it. We don't use human terms to define our relationships else you are no better than them. But that hardly excuses you using the twins against me and then breaking into the castle and killing everyone."

  Cyrus's fangs jutted out and claws ripped through the flesh of his fingers. Thorn jumped in between, with hands out to make peace. "We all know what happened. What is done is done. We have to stand together and defeat the Turned, which we all created. If you can't control yourselves around each other, then keep a distance."

  Rip took a few steps back, and Cyrus retracted his weapons.

  "I suggest we get some sleep. It will be light in less than an hour," Thorn said, and everyone muttered in approval.

  I walked back to the car to get my bag out of the boot. Rip came with me and took his bag out as well.

  I looked at Rip. "Auntie?"

  He shrugged. "We were made from four Dragans. Of course we are all related. But he is using human terms on our relationships. We don't think like that. We can't afford to think like that."

  Max walked through the crowd and held out his hand to me. I went to shake it, but he picked me up instead and squeezed me tight. He put me down again. "Good to see you again, little man."

  "I'm hardly little, Max. I am over 6 foot."

  "You will always be little to me," Max said and laughed.

  Rip stood at my side and looked warily at Max. "Rip this is Max, he's a werewolf," I said.

  "I can tell," Rip said. "I understand you are here to train V, in case he ever has to fight Giles again."

  "Yes, I understand you have been training him to fight werewolves already. Tomorrow night let's find out how good that training is. Maybe we should chat first and devise a training program for our little colleague."

  Rip grinned. "Yes, I think that will be a good idea. Maybe we can enjoy a nice glass of red wine together."

  "Sure if you got no beer, then red wine will do. I will show you inside to one of the spare rooms." Max led the way in and Rip followed him in with Cassius at his side. Thorn held out her hand to me. I placed my hand in hers, and we began to walk inside. Cyrus stood in the way and glared at us both. "What are you doing?"

  "We are going to bed. What do you think we are doing?" Thorn answered.

  "You're going together? I thought we had an agreement about the sharing of power."

  Thorn stopped and squeezed my hand tightly as reassurance. "Sharing of power, Cyrus. That is all we will share. V and I are in a Union."

  "You said we would share power again and you admitted that we once had good times together."

  "Our time is long gone, Cyrus. You killed my parents, my husband and my child. If you think we will ever share a bed again, then you are crazy. No amount of time will ever make me forget that. But we now stand together to defeat a common enemy that we created. We undo the damage of the feud and then go our separate ways. I suggest you go to bed and think it through."

  Thorn pulled on my arm and dragged me past him into the house. She pushed me in front of her, keeping her body between Cyrus and me. I glanced back and saw Cyrus glaring at me with raging red eyes. Thorn ushered me down the hallway and into a bedroom. I put my stuff down on the floor next to the bed as Thorn shut the door.

  "Don't worry about him. I will have a long chat with him tomorrow night and clear the air. I said sharing power and meant we could divide up whatever was left. Even if we defeat the main Turned army, there will be stragglers to clean up. I was going to suggest we assign countries to rule. There are very few of us and many countries in the world. In the past, there were more of us and fewer places to rule."

  "I'm not sure he cares about territory. I think it's you he wants and title of King of the Dragans."

  "Well, he can't have me, and he can't have your title. He can call himself whatever he likes in his territory," Thorn said and walked towards me, pulled off her top and flung it to the floor. "Enough of Cyrus. Enough of the Turned. Enough of werewolves. I wasn't sure if I would see you again. I've been so worried about you after you were attacked by the werewolf. We shouldn't talk about anything else. We are together again and there's only one thing we should be doing," Thorn said, putting her hands on my face and pulling me into a kiss.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Thorn lay next to me with her arm across my chest. I checked my watch, it was midday. I'd had a little bit of sleep in the car and now felt wide-awake. I heard a few footsteps outside in the corridor, and I guessed it would be Max wandering around.

  It had been great to be back with Thorn and celebrate our reunion. But I couldn't lay in bed for the rest of the day waiting for her to wake. So I decided to get up and talk to Max, and then take in my surroundings in the light of day.

  I carefully removed Thorn's arm, and she rolled over and wrapped the duvet over the top of herself. I grabbed my clothes from the floor, took my t-shirt off the antlers of a stuffed deer's head on the wall and pulled them on. I shuffled around the side of the double bed crammed into the room. I carefully opened the bedroom door to make sure no sunlight was streaming through. The light in the corridor was dim. The curtains tightly shut to ensure no stray beams of light. I stepped through and quietly shut the door behind me.

  I walked down the log wall hallway towards the smell of sizzling bacon, which triggered my stomach to growl, and into a small rustic kitchen area.

 
; "Morning, sleepyhead," Max said. "Would you like my special fried breakfast? I have hash browns, sausages, bacon and eggs."

  "You must have read my mind. That would be perfect, thank you."

  "Right on it. Help yourself to coffee and take a seat. This will just take a few minutes."

  On the kitchen side was a big coffee pot three-quarters full. I opened the cupboard above it, grabbed a mug and poured the coffee in. A big wooden table took up the middle of the kitchen. I grabbed a seat facing Max who was busy at the hob.

  I sunk down the coffee to wake myself up. The coffee was a little hot, but it was welcomed and had the desired effect. "So when did you arrive, Max?"

  "I have only been here a couple of days. Thorn called me and told me of your problems with the werewolf. She asked me to fly over and give you some one-on-one practice."

  "Thank you for coming. I really do need your help. I got badly hurt in my last encounter, but Rip has helped train me up."

  "Excellent. Rip and I had a bit of a chat last night. Sounds like he was giving you some good advice. But we shall see tonight whether you can put that advice into practice."

  "Do we have to wait until tonight?"

  "I can only transform at night time. And I have to change tonight anyway as it's a full moon."

  "A full moon! But you will be at your maximum power."

  "Yes. It will be excellent practice for you. And it will be doubly difficult as Thorn has told us you can't take your injection either."

  "What? I wouldn't stand a chance without it."

  "Tonight, you will learn to evade and counterattack. If you can do this with me, on the full moon and without your injection, then it'll be easier against Giles next time you face him. But mostly, I think Thorn didn't want you to waste one of your injections on training. You may need to use it properly in the next couple of days anyway. If you use it tonight, then it will prevent you from using it within the next week."

  Max presented me with a plate of sausages, eggs, hash browns and bacon. He grabbed a knife and fork from the drawer and placed them next to me. He sat down across the table with a cup of coffee. I thanked him for the food and dug into the sausages first.