“Hello? Is everything okay in there? I thought I heard someone fall.”
The voice wasn’t familiar to Dhane, which likely meant it was one of Charles’ vampires. If he could just find a place outside to hide, sunrise would be there soon and whoever was at the door couldn’t follow him.
Once he reached the back door, he turned the handle and was about to pull it open when he heard more voices at the front door. Then there was the jingle of keys and he was ready to throw himself down the back stairs. Swinging open the door, a familiar face was waiting.
“Demian?”
“You really are here. I thought the red-headed witch was leading me into a trap.”
“Strangely enough, no. She actually came through.”
Demian put the mage’s arm around his own neck and helped him down the steps. They reached the bottom and Dhane knew they needed to get out of sight as quickly as possible.
“We need to go quickly. Someone was at the front door when I came out the back. Perhaps the werewolf area is still clear enough to hide in...”
“No, that will not be acceptable. If I don’t get you home, the other witch will be coming after me.”
“Samantha?”
“Yes, I think so. We go there or she will come here. I’m not going against her, either.”
The vampire pulled up a manhole cover and helped Dhane down the ladder. He climbed back up and pulled the cover back in place just as a woman’s scream could be heard from the Grand Hotel.
“DHANE!”
21
“How long since you changed?” Nichole asked with concern in her voice.
Xander didn’t answer; he just stared out the window at the fields all around the farmhouse they were renting. Here, they could see for miles. It would also be a great place to change into wolf form and run. That wasn’t going to happen. Possibly never again.
“Not since before,” he replied bluntly.
This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have with her now, or really, ever. The fact that she was simply concerned wasn’t lost on him, so he tried to keep level about it.
“Why not?”
Now there was a stupid question, one that would test his patience. Why not? Yeah, changing form, which came with added weight in unusual proportions, was a great idea for a cripple. Even if he didn’t collapse the wheelchair, who knows what further damage he might do to his body. Instead of having no feeling from the waist down, he may lose all feeling, everywhere. Instead of barking a reply he would regret, he said nothing.
“Xander, at some point you will have to try. Whether it’s from being confined all the time, or if it’s because we’re in danger, you will change. Perhaps you’ll react without even thinking about it. If you try now, at least I’m here with you in case things go wrong.”
For the longest time, he didn’t answer. Instead of standing around idling waiting, she proceeded to the kitchen and made herself some tea. She sat down at the kitchen table and drank it quietly, listening to the deafening silence all around her. If Xander didn’t do something soon, other than stare out the window, she was going to scream.
The warm tea did nothing to calm her. Instead, the frustration boiled inside her. She rose from the table suddenly and marched into the living room. Still sitting in the same spot as when she left, Xander had no idea what was about to happen.
Silently she stormed over to him and grabbed the handles on the wheelchair. She yanked him away from the window and to the front door. Opening it, she shoved it out onto the porch. The werewolf wasn’t sure what to do, so he simply hung on until they stood looking out into the darkness. The faintest of light was beginning to creep over the horizon as dawn began its approach.
“What are you doing, Nichole? I could see the sunrise perfectly fine from inside.”
“Yes, and that’s the problem. You would never have been content to watch from a distance before, so I’m not going to let you now.”
The next ten seconds were a blur to Xander. As though he lost his balance, he tumbled out of the chair and down the porch steps. With a thud, he hit the ground below and finally stopped. Head dizzy, he turned and looked up to see why the chair had failed him. Only, it hadn’t. Nichole stood with the handles in her hand, no expression on her face.
“What the fuck? Why did you do that?”
“Because it’s what you needed. Now, you can crawl back up the stairs on your belly like a crippled animal, or you can change and see if your freedom lies in your other form.”
Without another word she turned and went back in the house. The door slammed shut and he was left lying in the dirt. Anger filled him and finally spilled out in curse words as he pushed himself off the ground and over to lean against the steps.
What the hell is she thinking? She could’ve killed me.
It was then, those four words, which suddenly made him realize the truth. It was the truth she had been trying to point out to him. Before, he was never afraid to die. Then again, with his ability to change, to have unnatural strength and agility, dying wasn’t something that usually came all that easy to his kind. At least not before that day of reckoning when he lost most of his brothers. If they could only see him now, wallowing in self-pity, afraid to change into wolf form.
“Fuck it.”
The itching was horrible, as it always was, but now it was much worse. Instead of being used to it as before, he had forgotten completely. The change itself was typically painful, and this time was no exception. In some ways, it was worse, as his back altered around the point it was damaged.
After nearly ten minutes, he was in full werewolf form, still lying on the ground, and wondering if he could walk. The change took much longer than usual, but now it was completed and the hairy beast wiggled a toe, then a foot, then his whole leg. They worked.
Carefully he stood up and moved around, stretching, testing his body. The fact that he could even stand was more than he had hoped for. It seemed he had no limitations, and that was just the icing on the cake.
A loud howl signified his happiness at being alive again. Nichole rushed to the window and peered out. The smile that came across her face was pure joy, and tears began to run down her cheeks.
The werewolf started to run, then stopped and looked back. What appeared to be a smile, assuming a werewolf can smile, came across his face when he saw her watching. He turned and started to run again, flying through the fields at extreme speeds. Freedom was finally his again, even if it was only in wolf form.
Once he had disappeared from sight, Nichole lay down on the couch and waited for his return. The exhaustion of the last few days got the best of her, and she drifted off to sleep. Dreams of the first time she met Xander filled her head, followed by the first time she knew she loved him. Then the first time they laid together, when he gently made love to her.
“We will again, I promise.”
The words didn’t come from her dream, but how could they not have? It didn’t matter right now. Her man was a little closer to whole again, and that was enough for today.
22
Time was quickly running out for them to get back to the motel. Once the sun rose, Demian would be in trouble. He kept insisting on Dhane using some sort of spell to get them there faster, but he refused.
“We won’t make it,” the vampire said for at least the tenth time.
“Keep going, we’re almost there.”
“You really must use a spell of some sort.”
“Damn it, Demian. I don’t know of any spell to get us there faster. Besides, I can’t use magic right now.”
Demian stopped and looked at the mage curiously. Surely he had seen many injured witches and wizards in his time, and never once had they been completely unable to do a spell. Unless it was their mouth that was injured, and clearly that was not the case here. Finally he stopped speculating and asked bluntly.
“Why?”
“Because of this...”
Dhane pulled the chain from his pocket and dangled the
pendant in front of them. The smooth black middle caught the little bit of light there was inside the tunnels and glinted magically. The vampire seemed mesmerized by the necklace.
“Where...where did you get that?”
“It was a gift from my captor. That’s how she kept me confined, along with the loss of blood. Oh, and her two henchmen. They were a joy to have around.”
A smile slowly crept across Demian’s face and he pushed on again, but at a slower pace. It seemed the need to hurry was over, and he was content to take his time.
“Uh, Demian, just because I said we would make it doesn’t mean we can slow down.”
“Yes, but you didn’t tell me, didn’t tell me.”
“Tell you what?” Dhane was really lost now.
“That you had a daywalker charm.”
Now he was wondering if his fanged companion had lost his mind. Dhane didn’t possess charms of any kind. Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure he believed in charms. Many in the past had tried to use spells on objects, but they would always have to be recast after a period of time. Otherwise, they simply wore off.
“What charm are you speaking of?
“That one,” he nodded towards the necklace. “I used to have one, but it was stolen. It had been a gift, from your father. Wearing that, the sun doesn’t hurt me.”
The mage looked at the shiny wood in the middle of the necklace and wondered how his father figured out that it worked on vampires as well as witches. Then, his mind began to race as he imagined the prospects of using the table for something more. Could it work on werewolves as well? The thought was intriguing.
“Here,” he handed it to Demian, who promptly put it around his neck. “Now, let’s get home.”
The rest of the walk went relatively quietly, as Dhane simply wanted to get cleaned up and take a nap. Reaching the end of the line, Demian climbed up the ladder to a manhole and took a deep breath. Hopefully this necklace really was the same as the one he lost, or this was really going to hurt.
Carefully pushing up the cover, the sun just peaking over the horizon, he slipped his hand through the opening and into the light. Nothing. A sigh of relief and he moved the cover out of the way. Back down the ladder he rushed, grabbed Dhane, and helped him up to the top. They emerged on an empty street and replaced the cover.
Nearby was a taxi service and they got a ride. Luckily the driver assumed Dhane was drunk, and that the men were going home from clubbing. Nothing suspicious about that. A short time later the motel came into sight.
“Finally.”
The vampire agreed with his companion as they climbed out of the car, paid the driver and walked up to the door. The mage unlocked it and they slipped inside. Samantha was still asleep, so they crept past the beds and into the bathroom.
Demian closed the door and started the water in the bathtub. His friend stood quietly against the counter, gathering his strength. In the back of his mind, a plan was beginning to formulate. This was the last time he returned injured. If he got caught again, he would fight to the death. With what he had in mind, he just might be able to pull that off.
“Thanks for coming to get me, Demian. You’ve been a loyal friend over the past year. I’m sure my father felt the same way.”
“I do what I can to help, that is all, that is all.”
“Well, you’re doing a damn fine job of it. I do need to ask you another favor,” he continued as a comment Heather made rattled around in his head. “I need you to deliver a message...”
The running water finally stirred Samantha awake. Dhane was finally home. She was glad she didn’t have to go hunt down that vampire again. Now was the moment of truth. Her hands were shaking as she was nervous about going through with it. One way or another, she had to know.
Throwing back the covers, she stood up out of bed wearing a t-shirt and underwear. Silently she slid the underwear down to her feet and stepped out. Next the shirt came off and she looked down at herself. She knew she had a nice body, but right about then she wished she had hit a Stairmaster for about a week, had slightly larger and perkier breasts, and maybe got a tan. It was too late for all of that now. With a deep breath she headed for the bathroom.
The door swung open and she saw Dhane leaning against the sink, looking like hell. Clearly he had been in trouble again, off on his own. Then she realized he wasn’t alone, his vampire friend looked at her with eyes wide. For a moment, she completely forgot she was naked. When she remembered, her face turned beet red as she rushed from the doorway back to the bedroom.
“I’m sorry,” she called out as she threw on her underwear and shirt. Then she found sweatpants and threw them on before digging for a sweatshirt. Right then she couldn’t have enough clothes on. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“It’s okay, I didn’t see anything. I mean, I saw, I saw, umm....”
The vampire decided it was best to just stop talking. Instead he stood silently in the bathroom with his friend, barely realizing in time that the bathtub was almost full. He turned off the water and stood there, unsure what to do. The awkwardness was not lost on Dhane, who offered a smile, and the two men waited for Samantha to return with clothes on. Until then, neither was moving.
When she returned, her face wasn’t near as red as before, but enough remained as she tried to compose herself. For a moment, what seemed like an eternity, nobody spoke. Part was the recent nudity, but the other was Dhane not wanting to talk about getting caught by the vampires again. The recurring theme was making him question his own abilities.
It was then that Heather’s words hit him again, and suddenly he knew what he needed to do. No more flying solo in his quest for revenge. No more falling into situations he was lucky to have survived.
“Samantha, will you give us a moment.”
“Sure.”
She walked away from the doorway and Dhane swung the door shut. The first part of this plan wouldn’t get the approval of the other witches, so he figured it would be best to leave them out of it entirely. Once he had given his instructions to the vampire, Demian nodded and would follow them out. He wasn’t happy about the idea, but it did make sense.
The vampire left the room and stopped when he saw Samantha. A smile and a nod was all he could muster. He departed and left the witch alone in the motel room with the mage. She decided against a repeat performance and kept her clothes on as she returned to the bathroom.
“Dhane?”
This time it was his turn to be lacking in clothes, but he didn’t blush or even hide behind a towel. Marks on his neck revealed he had been dined upon by one of the bloodsuckers. Without knowing the facts, she could figure what happened to him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, peachy. Sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going. I thought I could handle something on my own, but things didn’t work out that way. Next time...”
“What do you mean next time? You need to leave those people alone! You’re going to get yourself killed.”
He smiled, appreciating the concern, but he was well beyond needing it. In her state, he hesitated to reveal his plans for going after the others head-on. Instead he distracted himself with climbing into the bathtub and laying back in the water. He got as deep as he could, until only his head was outside of it.
“Don’t worry,” he glanced over at her as she sat on the closed toilet seat. “I’m not going to do anything stupid, or go off with half a plan anymore.”
Grabbing a bar of soap, he remembered how unclean he was and started to scrub everywhere, paying special attention to certain parts Heather was so fond of. The witch watched him for a while, then reached over and took the soap from him.
“You’re trying too hard, you’ll make yourself bleed. Let me do it.”
“That’s okay, I can...”
Clearly she wasn’t taking no for an answer so he sat up and let her wash his chest and back, arms and neck. When she directed him to stand up, he didn’t move. She didn’t say a word, only stared at him
waiting for him to comply. Finally he stood and she proceeded to run the soap everywhere.
Closing his eyes, he didn’t want anything further to happen. However, his body had other ideas as an erection rose and she ran the soap there far too long.
Damn you.
23
The vampire contingent of the search party had returned to the Grand Hotel just before dawn, except for Charles. He was relentlessly searching for any signs of the mage. That was just fine to Elisabeth, since she didn’t really care for him.
She barely got back to her room when a hurried knock sounded at her door. Wishing she could get a moment of peace, she tried to ignore it. The knock was louder the second time. No avoiding the visitor, she walked over and swung open the door.
“Yes?”
One of Sebastian’s werewolves stood on the other side of the door, clearly agitated about something. He looked around her, into the room, obviously hoping he’d found the head werewolf.
“Is Sebastian here? I have something important to speak with him about and I didn’t find him in his room.”
“He’s still out, I believe. What’s going on?”
“Well, there was a disturbance earlier today. Someone used a sleeping spell in a vampire’s room, causing a number of them to be knocked out. I suspect it was the mage we’re searching for, although nobody was killed.”
“Who’s room?”
“Heather.”
Son of a bitch!
If that lunatic had let Dhane walk right into their home and get the best of her, she was dead. Of course Dhane didn’t kill her, he had a soft spot for the vampire, or at least his cock did. Without another word, Elisabeth stormed past the werewolf, slamming the door shut behind her.
Down the stairs and straight to the vampire’s room, she could barely contain her rage. She beat on the door with her fist and waited for one of Heather’s flunkies to answer it. When they did, she marched past and into the living room. Heather sat on the couch as though nothing had happened all day.
Magestorm: The Reckoning Page 7