by Sarah Elliot
“Must you always play with your food?”
Siren turned, smirking towards her older brother as she sidled up towards him and gently wrapped her arms around his own. “You mean like the way you do with that little thing that’s caught up in there?” Childish innocence poured out of the tone, accompanied by the strange little girlish laugh that beguiled the worrying amount of self-delusional temperament that was a mark of Siren’s otherness in the realm of others.
“This is different,” Mephistopheles said, for once not shaking her off his arm like some contagious monster which genuinely surprised the girl though she managed to think wisely of not commenting on such a thing. “I don’t intend to eat that freak in any way, shape or form.”
“But you’ll steal her powers,” Siren said, hugging just a little closer. “You’ll even steal them from Mother just to ensure that you rise above her.”
There was a snort towards the comment, though whether in contempt or agreement it was hard to say. For a second, the girl found herself recalling a softer time when things at home had been wonderful and so much simpler. How the dangerous vampire she was currently clinging to had always been so soft and gentle with her, doing anything he could in order to help her survive the strangeness of the world. Siren knew she was different, knew that there was something wrong with her but had never been able to work out just what. Yet her eldest brother had always been there for her, putting little notes on things to help her identify them, rushing around for hours in order to catch her in order to go to bed or just quietly sitting by the fire with her reading stories aloud. “I would steal the powers of the gods themselves and give them to you, my most sweet sister, as mother holds no power in comparison to me. She cannot ever wield the power of the Silver Maiden nor the Golden Prince, despite having the talent to be able to bring forth their powers from their current hosts.”
Siren twisted to look at her brother, for a second believing to see him in a different light or that someone else had spoken on his behalf but the illusion was spoiled mere seconds later when the older male shoved her roughly off. “Go and see if you can find some Werewolf to play with,” he stated his voice cold and devoid of any real emotion. “Do try and bring him back alive though. We need to learn the layout of this place and fast.” Mephistopheles watched his sister go about her duty with her usual demented flare and smiled sadly at the thought that she had already forgotten those wonderful moments they had shared together. His green eyes turned back on the house, flickering in the firelight. “Soon, Ekata, soon… you will be back in my hands. Whether you want to be or not.”
~
Blinking open her amber eyes, Ekata winced initially at the burning sunlight before gently rolling over onto her side. A ripple of a frown crossed her features as the usual searing pain from her side simply ached dully. Her eyes arched downwards to find her body covered with a hand-made blanket that smelt of mint leaves which had small moons and stars embroidered onto it. Sitting up a little, with just a minor wince of pain, the Volf stared in amazement at her arms, which were clean, and wrapped around the various scars, cuts, and grazes were a series of clean, cotton bandages. The faint scent of homemade healing ointments still lingered on her skin but they were pleasant smells, laced with lavender and honey suckle. The rest of her body had also been treated, a few of the deeper wounds carefully stitched up before being covered with more of the protective bandages.
It had been so long since she had felt such little pain that the sensation was rather alien to her. Actually the very concept of being completely clean was enough to send her into an almost dizzy mindset as her own scent was suddenly very much more present than it ever had been. “We did, Father,” she murmured quietly to herself, her fingertips stroking down what she imagined to be a familiar golden chain. “We made it.”
At the point where the pendant usually would be, however, Ekata was shocked to find only plain clean skin and in a panic she glanced around the room trying to find it. However, her attention was once again distracted by the simplicity of the room that she did not recognise or know in the slightest. It could be conceived to be a guest bedroom, with a reasonably sized double bed, a little dressing table and a chest of drawers for storing of clothes with just a few little knick-knacks here and there to give it a presence of being used at other times. Her eyes were drawn to a small vase of flowers on the little windowsill and without considering much, she drew herself out of the bed with relatively little hassle.
The flowers were artificial blooms in silk blues and greens with a soft white edging. The Volf had no idea what type of flower they were but something about them made a small smile cross her features as her fingers gently rolled over the fine edges. Tilting her head to the side, as she admired them she spotted a flash of red and turned to look. Sitting on the windowsill was a stunning red rose which had been carefully cleared of all of its thorns and it glistened slightly as if it had been sprayed with something to keep it well preserved. Ekata had never seen a rose before, except from a distance, but she understood the meaning behind it. Love.
“Fiero,” she whispered gently, wondering where he was before changing the question around to who he was.
For a moment her amber eyes lifted up to look at the woods outside of her window and she thought that she saw a figure standing by the trees, with dark messy hair and eyes that appeared to be unnatural but the next second he was gone from sight and she could not see any sign that he had been there at all.
Her mind was filled with so many confusing thoughts that the sudden appearance of Stefina would have passed her by completely except for the fact that the older woman had hurried across, wrapped a large sheet around her naked form and pulled her hurriedly from the window. “Oh my dear, you mustn’t do such things. Whilst I trust all of my boys to behave themselves I very much doubt that even they would be able to resist such a temptation.” Her voice was lined with the merriment of motherhood, as well as the worry of it at the same time.
Ekata blinked at the female werewolf, not understanding at first just what was being said to her. A light blush crossed her features upon figuring it out and her head was hung in shame. “Forgive me, I meant no offence.”
Stefina stared at the little Volf for a few seconds, noting automatically which bandages would need changing and that her ebony-black hair was glistening after being thoroughly scrubbed clean, as well as the two white wolf ears standing out so much more prominently now. But her keen eyes also picked out the fine swirls of what appeared to be white on her body, they had been present before of course but she had presumed them to be patches of dry skin. Now she could see that they were beautiful, elegant swirls that were captivating. Disreli had seemed to know more about them but had refused to elaborate on any details as he would frequently do.
“None was taken, dear child,” Stefina said, stepping in front of the girl. “I guess it is just natural for a mother to over-react to such things. Do you feel better now?”
Ekata glanced up at the woman, a frown on her face that was lined with fear. The older woman just smiled gently at the girl, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face. “Don’t look so worried, you are safe for the time being. One of my sons brought you back to the Den in a terrible state, I can tell you, and I just had to help you to heal. Don’t look so scared, young one, we mean you no harm.”
The Volf swallowed, looking directly into the other woman’s eyes to see the telltale signs of evil intention or illusion. Cresta Du Winter wasn’t beyond doing such things and had tricked her many times in the past but there was something so different about this woman that she couldn’t even begin to work out what question to ask first. There were many swarming around her mind, all along the lines of who the other woman was, where she was right at this second, why had they helped her, how long has she been here and were her frightful half-brother and sister still lurking on the outskirts of the protective barriers? Though as soon as the question raised itself in her head it was answered as distantly she cou
ld feel their strange auras, a trait which at one time she had cherished but now feared beyond all things. Opening her mouth, Ekata selected a question at random. “Where is Fiero?”
Her look of surprise mirrored the werewolf mother’s look but thankfully the older woman rallied quicker. “On patrol at the moment.” She let out a long breath though of worry or relief it was hard to say. “With his cousins. He probably won’t be back until sunset at the very least.”
The Volf looked meekly sorry before looking up at Stefina, clearly ready to ask the proper questions that should have been asked before. “To answer, my name is Stefina Fernell and I am the alpha female of this pack. You are currently in our Den which is held in the woods of Kilda far further north than from where you hail from I am led to believe. You were brought here by Jared, my eldest son, on February fifteenth and it is now the twentieth.”
“Five days?” Ekata asked, shuddering and shaking her head. “How has it taken them that long?”
She nearly jumped when Stefina placed a gentle hand on her head to stroke her fine hair. “Our defenses are strong, we ensured that a long time ago, my dear. You are safe with us for the time being and no harm will come to you whilst you are in my care. That I can guarantee you.”
Already willing to believe this fine woman, Ekata had to stop herself from following through on the urge to throw her arms around this fine-framed figure and begin bawling like a tiny child. There was so much of a loving mother within the werewolf that the little Volf found herself back in her earliest memories when Esmerida had been the one to look after the pair of them. How she had always been full of fun, smiling gently and prepared to put up with the twins’ nonsense that frequently came about. Of course, there were vast differences between the two. Esmerida had been an immortal child of just eighteen back then with shimmering blond hair and bright blue eyes whereas Stefina was well over the age of forty by her looks and was a werewolf with a large brood of cubs. Probably several from the way that she was speaking but it did not show on her frame at all. But their essence was the same, the warmth, love and protection that harkened back to the soul and was ever-present no matter what the world threw at them.
But Ekata had been tricked before and couldn’t bring herself to trust Stefina just yet, even though she most desperately wanted to do so. “How do I know I can trust you? How can I be certain that you are not affiliated with Cresta and are luring me into a trap to drag me back to that horrible place?”
Stefina’s green eyes softened in pity for the girl, almost understanding her pain and fear to a far greater extent than she had ever expected anyone to understand. Rising a hand in a soft movement to wait for a second or so, the red-haired werewolf quickly walked to the door where she picked up a small towel that had been refolded several times. “Because, my dear, my brother-in-law and husband both recognised this precious thing and swore that you were to remain with us no matter what the stakes were.” Sitting by the girl again, she opened the layers of the towel to reveal the cross.
Ekata swiftly snatched the chain and held it close, but in a careful enough hold that it would only lightly scald her. Lightly she kissed the diamonds, a look of pure relief rushing through her features and causing the white marks to glow just a little bit brighter. Amber eyes turned to the green ones. “You know what I am?”
“Yes.”
“And yet you do not fear me?”
“What do I have to fear?” Stefina took the necklace from the girl’s shivering hands and gently clasped it around her neck, ensuring that the cross pendant did not actually touch her skin and lay on the towel instead. “From a girl who has captured the heart of my dearest nephew and has long held the admiration and protection of my husband and brother-in-law?”
“Who are they?” Ekata had to ask, feeling something stir within her heart though unsure as to what it was.
Stefina smiled, remembering a time when an ancient mystic had told her that she would eventually gain a daughter who would be precious to the world but not of her own flesh and blood. “My husband is Rosario Fernell, alpha of the pack, and my brother-in-law is Disreli Fernell, eldest of his line… are you okay, my dear?” Her hands went to steady the Volf who was suddenly shaking, water pooling in her eyes as tears threatened to fall. Without prompting, Stefina quickly pulled the girl into a protective hug, feeling nothing but trust and love radiating from her in return.
“Ekata,” the Volf managed to hiccup through her tears., “Ekata Monet. The name they gave me.”
Smiling, Stefina cradled her new daughter and gently shushed her whilst silently she began sending prayers of thanks and protection to any gods or goddesses who would listen to her.
~
Walking just behind Stefina, feeling very conscious of herself for the first time in a long while, Ekata took several deep calming breaths in order to steady her nerves. Whilst she knew whom she was going to be talking to, there was still a part of her heart that was fearful that this was another illusion. Though the walk down the corridor did help to relieve that tension as the walls were lined with family photographs ranging from the standard array of grouped poses to the funny single shots that looked strange to her eyes. There were so many pictures all filled with smiling faces that it was hard to ever imagine that sadness had visited this lovely home.
There were lingering traces though, there were only a few pictures of certain members of the vast family and on the left-hand side of one wall there was a little closed cupboard set slightly apart from everything else. A tiny pendant hung from the lowest section, appearing to be a small female figure with wings wrapped around her lithe frame. It twinkled as Ekata took a step towards it and without really understanding why she closed her eyes and raised her hands upwards together in a quick prayer of unheard words before turning her attention swiftly back to Stefina who was signaling that she should come quickly.
Taking only a few seconds to reach the other woman, the feeling of nervousness crept back over her as her sensitive nose caught two scents. The first was of fresh blood from a recent clean kill that had been chilled slightly. It made her fangs itch desperately behind her gums before almost drawing forth though she just managed to control the desperate call. Stefina’s hands on her shoulders helped greatly of course but it was still a struggle. The second scent was of a male wolf, laced with pine and leaf mold but also containing a hint of cinnamon and roasting chestnuts. Her amber eyes moved slowly to the figure sat at the table and a stab of pain, fear and joy went through her heart.
Rosario smiled gently at Ekata, feeling his own fears lift upon seeing her awake and looking the healthiest he had ever seen her. Stefina had given her another bath before re-tending to the multiple wounds that the girl had before dressing her in a pale cream summer dress with little yellow flowers on it. Her ebony-black hair had been brushed through and gently pulled back into a simple half ponytail with an old white hair clip to secure it in place. Her amber eyes burned brightly with millions of emotions and her pale skin glowed just a little pinker. The marks were still present, as they always would be and the stunning white of her ears spoke to a time he had been told about since he was a cub. Tuxbury’s pendant glimmered in what could be perceived as a welcoming gesture, further helping Rosario to calm his own nerves once again.
Gently he extended his hand to her. “Come, Ekata, we have much to talk about and very little time to do so.” The Volf nodded, stepping closer and taking hold of the all-too familiar hand before quickly wrapping herself around the elder in a tight hug and thanking all she could think of thanking for getting her this day.
Chapter 6
Birds and Bees
Contemplating only a little why he was standing, half hidden in shadows simply watching the strange young girl whom he had sort of brought into the pack, if he hadn’t fallen down and knocked himself out on a tree, Fiero found himself unable to focus on anything else. Not even the familiar presence of his aunt and uncle could distract him. It was like his entire world was filled with no
thing but her, every last element of his body and soul wanting nothing more than to hold this mysterious girl, tell her that everything was going to be all right and that she would nevermore have a thing to fear.
Not that it was true of course, even a youngster like him knew all too well that the path she had to tread would be one full of fear and distrust but if he could just restore that hope in her then... a tut escaped him, followed by a long sigh. “What am I doing?” Fiero whispered under his breath. “I don’t even know her.”
Whilst the werewolf understood the necessities of being a werewolf, the culture and the practice that were behind the ancient rituals and traditions, he had never actually paid that much attention to the opposite sex in any great detail. Sure he was still a young man and would take notice like any male would be expected to do so, but in the grand scheme of things, Fiero hadn’t even so much as touched a girl in his life. Let alone kissed one. A flurry of a blush crossed his features as those soft images flashed through his mind once more and hurriedly he pulled back, accidentally bumping into one of the many welsh dressers that lined the large kitchen area. In a panic he turned, trying to catch the white and blue plates before they fell and smashed to the floor but heard the quick approaching pace of his aunt and opted to do what any naughty cub would do when caught doing something that they shouldn’t be doing. Fiero turned tail and ran as fast as his legs would carry him.
He didn’t stop until he was nearly at the other side of the den, skidding half-blindly around a corner and almost barreling into Jared and Michael, his two eldest cousins.
“Whoa there slick,” Michael said with a grin, easily latching onto the young man’s t-shirt with his huge hands. “What do you think you’re doing, running about like a mad thing?”