With a rush of dread, she wondered if she’d made a mistake. Perhaps the full truth wasn’t always the way forward. As she looked into one wolf’s eyes, and then another’s, something strange began to happen. She heard a voice. It was distant at first, as if the speaker was shouting across a great distance. She focused her gaze on one werewolf and stared intently into his eyes. Is it you? Are you talking to me? Then, there it was again. Just a word to begin with, and then a phrase. She tried to reach out and grab them within her mind, but they were difficult to catch. Then all the words started to overlap and become jumbled in her mind, so picking up on one single message was impossible.
Pure…
East…
Pack Leader…
Colti Vampires…
Death…
The mother…
The messages might have been jumbled, but she was definitely reading this werewolf’s thoughts.
‘I can hear you!’ she cried. ‘I can actually hear you!’
A ripple of movement and sound flew around the cave. Sophia ignored the excited barks and concentrated as hard as she possibly could on the wolf that she’d connected with.
Tell me your name, she shouted in her head.
Jack.
His reply was so clear that she jumped back in surprise and gave a great whoop.
‘His name’s Jack!’ she shouted. ‘He told me with his mind! This is amazing!’
The cave fell silent once more. Then something incredible happened. One by one, the wolves crouched down and tucked their tails under their rumps. Beside Sophia, Van did the same thing. Sophia slowly turned around, awestruck. It almost seemed that they were bowing down to her.
‘What’s going on?’ she wondered aloud. ‘Why are you all crouching?’
The alpha male, who was the only one left standing, slowly walked around Van and stood before her. He regarded her steadily. Following her instincts, she knelt down to show she respected his position, and looked into his eyes.
Thank you for helping us, she said. Please tell me what’s happening.
For a moment, she wondered if he couldn’t hear her. Then she heard his voice, which had a thick German accent. She could hear him clearly, in full sentences. It seemed amazing; perhaps the telepathic powers of the alpha male were stronger, giving her more access to his messages.
My name is Reinhart, ‘The Brave One’. I’ve met Van before during his excursions into our forest. I led you both here to shelter until tomorrow night. Tomorrow we will all travel East with you to Virgin Lake to find the Pack Leader.
Thank you. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for your help. But why? I know you’re friendly with Van, but why risk yourselves to help us? And why is everyone crouching down?
Everything will be revealed in due course, he said, maddeningly cryptic.
Well, can we leave tonight? Sophia asked. We don’t have long to get back through the Oak Tree portal.
No, he replied. You need to gather your strength. East is where the Colti Vampires live, and they won’t make it easy for us to pass through their territory. He paused. This is a special day. A momentous day. Never before has a Pure Soul visited our forest. Most werewolves know of the legend of the Pure Soul, but many believe it is just that; a legend. The Pure Soul seems to appear somewhere else, to someone else, never to them. Your presence will intrigue them, and unsettle them, too. We will be watching closely to see if you can truly undo the spell that has cursed Van, and the rest of us, as well. If it’s true, all of our lives will be changed forever, too. You’ll give us hope that we too might change our destinies.
Sophia bowed her head, overwhelmed by the thought that more lives than Van’s and hers could be affected by this journey. All of these wolves had once been men, just like Van. Now they’re forced to live an endless existence in this cold, dark cave, hiding from a world that feared and reviled them.
Do you think that others will search for their Pure Souls, too? she asked. Is that what you meant when you said I give the others hope that they can change their destinies, too?
He was silent for a long time and Sophia began to wonder if she’d said something to offend him.
Everything will be revealed in time.
Chapter 20
A little later, a small group of werewolves went out hunting and returned with four fat rabbits that they placed at Sophia’s feet. She was building a fire a short distance from the cave, watching Van and Reinhart out of the corner of her eye. They stood quietly together near the cave entrance, in deep conversation. She still hadn’t had a chance to talk with Van – Reinhart had whisked him away as soon as the group in the cave had disbanded – and they’d been talking for a long time. Sophia felt more than a little irritated that there was something important going on that she wasn’t allowed to know about.
Everything will be revealed in time. How exasperating. And how presumptuous of Reinhart to think that his judgment about what she should and shouldn’t know was more sound than hers. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate his help, but she felt it was her right to be a main player in the planning, not some silent accomplice. It was understandable that she’d be in the dark if she wasn’t able to communicate with them, but she’d proven herself perfectly competent with telepathic communication, and this mission was as much about her as it was about Van. So why were they still hiding something? She planned to grill Van as soon as she got the chance.
Adding to her increasingly foul mood was her hunger and fatigue. She felt like it must have been three or four o’clock in the morning by now – a long while since Van’s risotto – but she was loathe to dip into her meager food supplies just yet. She needed Van to catch them some meat, but he was too busy talking.
So, she asked another werewolf for permission, and then started building a fire to cheer her mood. She’d also be ready to cook some meat when Van finally got away from Reinhart. When the werewolves placed their slightly gruesome but very welcome gifts beside her, Sophia felt so pleased that she actually hugged them.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, stepping back. ‘I’m not sure if you all want to be hugged. I’m just really tired and so hungry. This is just wonderful. Thank you, thank you.’ She picked up two of the rabbits and offered them back. ‘Please; we don’t need all of these. You eat them.’ The two wolves at the front took the rabbits gently in their mouths and retreated into the woods to eat them.
Sophia looked determinedly at the two corpses in front of her. This was her chance to use some of the skills that Van had taught her, and also prove to everyone who was watching (but pretending not to watch) that she wasn’t some prissy city girl. Once the fire was going, she retrieved a small knife and some rope from her backpack. She found a suitable tree and tied the first rabbit upside down, then set to work.
There was no denying that it was unpleasant work. But, she worked steadily, and as she severed the head from the spine and detached the skin from the meat, she couldn’t remember a time in recent years when she’d felt so proud of herself. Next, she quartered and cleaned the bodies, and then constructed a spit from three small saplings. By the time Van finally joined her, both rabbits were cooking over the fire. She could feel him trying to make eye contact with her, but Sophia continued to rotate the meat for a while without talking to him. In truth, she was desperate to try out her telepathic skills with him; how many couples could say that they could literally read each other’s minds? But, for now, she wanted him to know that she didn’t appreciate all this secrecy.
He lay down beside her and nudged her leg with his head. She sighed and looked into his eyes.
Congratulations on the fire and the meat, he said. You did an incredible job.
She softened a little; always a sucker for flattery. Plus, it warmed her heart to hear his voice again. Thanks. I just realized you would’ve probably preferred yours left raw. She paused, giving him a chance to tell her what he’d been talking to Reinhart about, but he’d turned away and was staring into the flames.
He turned his head to her again, and she could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t going to give her everything she wanted. Sophia began firing questions at him in her mind.
Why did those wolves bow down to me in the cave? Is it because of the telepathy? And why are they all putting themselves in danger to help us find the Pack Leader? What were you talking about with Reinhart all that time? I mean, seriously! You were over there for at least an hour! What am I meant to think, sitting over here by myself? Give me something, please!
He heaved a weary sigh. No doubt he was exhausted and hungry, too, and Sophia felt a little guilty for interrogating him. Still, she deserved to know.
Reinhart and the pack believe there is something very important going on; something much bigger than our original mission. Yes, your telepathic abilities are part of it. But I’m afraid I can’t tell you at this point. We need to think of your safety first, and our primary objective is still to get to the Pack Leader.
But why can’t I know? she demanded. This isn’t fair! She felt a little like a child talking to a parent; a dynamic she wasn’t fond of.
He gave an exasperated growl. If anything happened on our journey East, then you’d be in much greater danger if you knew.
If what kind of thing happened? she insisted
If you were captured by the Colti Vampires! He was irritated now. She’d made him say the thing he feared, and she got the feeling that now he was going to tell her the unfiltered truth about what might happen, whether she liked it or not. God forbid, if they ambush us tomorrow night and take you prisoner, then one of two things will happen. First, they’ll kill you. A friend of the werewolves is an enemy of theirs. And let me tell you, it won’t be a quick or painless death. Second, they’ll keep you alive and use you as a bargaining tool. If they knew what you really were, you’d be a much more valuable prize. Once they get what they want, they’ll probably kill you anyway. So you see; we can’t risk you knowing until we reach the Pack Leader, and all the werewolves of the forest can guard you properly.
Do you really think I’d tell the vampires all our secrets, just like that? Don’t you think I’m trustworthy enough?
He shook his head, exasperated. It’s nothing to do with trust. I trust you; you know that. But the werewolves also know how evil the Colti Vampires are. They’d do things to you that’d mean you had no choice but to tell them everything. Colti means fang in Romanian; they’re an ancient Romanian breed of vampire with huge front teeth fangs rather than subtle canine fangs like other vampires. They’re hideously ugly, with bulging yellow eyes, huge deformed ears, and waxy skin that’s covered in festering sores. Forget anything you’ve seen or read about sexy vampires. These guys are absolutely repulsive. Not only that, but they’re vicious, too.
Apparently they’ll occasionally convert one of the villagers, if numbers are dwindling, but mostly they kill just for blood. Once they’ve drained the blood, they tear the corpse into pieces and scatter it around the forest with no regard for the soul of the victim. The villagers are terrified of them and are forbidden from going outside at night. But this doesn’t protect them. The Colti use their long, sharp fingernails to carve through the glass windows of their houses, then open the windows and creep inside to claim their victims. The blood of small children and babies is their favorite, as well as virgins, but I can imagine that a Pure Soul will be high on their list, too. Can you understand why we can’t give them any more reason to go after you?
You’ll be protected by the pack on the journey tomorrow, but Reinhart thinks the Colti numbers are up around fifty or sixty. They’re not afraid to sacrifice some members of the group if there’s something they really want. We’ll be no match for them if they know the truth. We’ll be very lucky to get to Virgin Lake with you unharmed anyway. I’m not happy about taking the journey at all and putting you in that danger, but we don’t have a choice. This thing is already bigger than the two of us.
Sophia put her hand on Van’s neck and stroked him gently.
‘Thank you for telling me,’ she said. ‘I understand what you’re saying. Everything you’ve said frightens me beyond belief, but I’m still glad that I know a little more now.’ She checked the meat, which smelt absolutely delicious. ‘These guys look about done. How about we eat, then get some rest?’ She had a feeling that getting to sleep in the cave might be easier said than done with the prospect of tomorrow’s dangers fresh in her mind, as well as all the questions that remained unanswered. But she sure planned to enjoy that rabbit first anyway.
Chapter 21
There was tension in the air as they prepared to set off after sunset the following evening. The fog was mercifully absent, although Sophia reflected that a cover of low cloud might have been useful tonight, when their primary goal was to sneak through unnoticed. Still, it cheered her to see the moon and stars again, and she also enjoyed the opportunity to see the werewolves that made up Reinhart’s pack in a more detail.
They were truly a stunning group of animals. The majority of the pack, including Reinhart, were grey wolves. They ranged from light to dark grey, each with his own pattern of black or light brown markings. Some appeared to have slightly red fur in the moonlight. Sophia was surprised to notice how different each wolf’s markings were. She’d never given it much thought before, but each wolf was truly unique and special. There were three black wolves, but only Van had the striking blue eyes, as opposed to the yellow of the others. Sophia found the black wolves the most eye-catching and impressive; each time she locked eyes with one, she felt the familiar sensation of awe and arousal that she felt when she looked at Van.
The werewolves had all moved out of the cave as soon as night fell. They began taking drinks from the creek and assembling nearby, awaiting further instruction. Reinhart took Sophia aside and explained the plan to her. It was fairly simple; reach Virgin Lake unharmed.
The Colti Vampires are most active after midnight. They’re still sleepy in the early evening, and their smell and sight won’t be as keen as later in the night; hopefully we can get through their territory before they wake up fully.
How long will it take to reach Virgin Lake? Sophia asked.
It’s not far; I think we can reach it in four hours if we maintain a good pace. The first two hours will hopefully be uneventful; then we get into Colti territory and things might get a little more interesting, as you know.
Sophia had already informed Reinhart that morning that she knew about the Colti Vampires, and why the pack was keeping the whole truth from her. She’d told him that she wanted transparency wherever possible, however, and he seemed to be heeding this request so far.
If we do get ambushed, he continued, the closer we are to Virgin Lake, the better. The Colti, or any vampire for that matter, won’t go near it. We’ll almost certainly be outnumbered, so our best option will be to run, and try and make it to the safety of the water rather than fighting.
Why don’t they like Virgin Lake?
A few hundred years back, the Colti numbers were getting out of control. The whole forest was overrun with them, and they were moving into neighboring forests and even larger towns. The mortals knew they had to do something, so all the leaders of affected villages met together and made a plan to finish the Colti forever. First they chose a small lake deep in Colti territory, and arranged for twelve priests to come and secretly bless the water, thus sanctifying it and making it deadly to vampires. Then they put out a call to all the mortals who were terrorized by the Colti to provide their prettiest virgins. On the night of the first of December 1815, one hundred virgins assembled on the small island just off the shore of what is now known as Virgin Lake. Then they waited. They didn’t have to wait long. You can imagine the frenzy that the prospect of a hundred beautiful virgins sent the Colti into. No blood is sweeter, apparently.
T
hose poor girls must have been petrified as the hideous creatures started swarming out of the forest like a plague of locust. The vampires were overcome by blood lust, and blind to the dangers that stood in their way. All they wanted was those girls. Even when wave after wave of vampires perished in the holy waters, still more followed. By the time the sun rose, only a handful remained. The plan to eliminate the Colti forever only failed because the moonlight hours weren’t quite long enough. Their numbers have slowly grown again, but they’ve never thrived again like they did before the Virgin Lake massacre. To this day, a group of priests visit the Lake annually to bless the waters, and the Colti remain terrified of it. It’s a site of ancient terror for them. The werewolf Pack Leader, Dorin, now lives on the same island where the virgins stood all those years ago. It’s the safest place in the world for him.
Curves & Alphas: A Paranormal Box Set: (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) Page 24