“Please, don’t mention Ray or Cliff,” Helena requested, moving around a jagged rock, as she headed towards her. “I couldn’t lie to him anymore. I did what I had to do: period.”
“Alright,” Kate agreed, as a small smile burst upon her lips. “We can talk about what we’re doing here.”
“Looking for trouble; and that’s putting it mildly,” Helena replied, hopping onto the forest’s surface. “How did you find me, anyway?”
“I’d been staring at the gate of Roman’s sanctuary for hours,” Kate confessed, as she averted her gaze from her friend to look up ahead. “Barging in crossed my mind, but I had a feeling you’d kick me out. Why did you say we’re looking for trouble?”
“Yes, I would have,” Helena smiled up at her, as they strolled past a massive elm tree. “Shandaken is on the top of the hill. It’s a long shot, but a curious local could see us. We must be careful.”
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about locals,” Kate urged, a touch of annoyance in her tone. “It’s freezing. I doubt anybody would want to be outside, plus the vegetation is way too thick for them to sneak a peek. Come on, Helena. Give it to me straight. What is it that’s really making you afraid?”
“Well, vampires,” Helena assumed a firm tone, as she clenched her jaw. “I’m not scared, per say. I can handle them; but I still can’t figure out why they left Paxton like that.”
“Raul gave me a list of Redfield’s lieutenants and their powers,” Kate informed her, the calmness in her voice somewhat surprising her friend. “Don Greer, 6’1”, short, brown hair: he’s the pack’s mind controller. Darren McGee, 6’3”, long, blond hair: he’s a mind reader. The weaker they are, the easier it is for him. Bill Carpenter, 5’11, short, black hair: he can bend water to his will.”
“Well d…” Helena didn’t have time to finish her sentence. A sound she had been longing to hear for days ripped through the air, forcing her to tip her head back, and look up into the sky. Her beloved bald eagle’s call echoed in the wilderness that surrounded them. The massive bird was circling overhead, above the treetops, with his mate just behind him. Helena held out her arm, her palm facing up, as her heart fluttered with hope. One more, louder, call filled the air, as the eagle swooped down towards her. Flapping his wings, he aligned himself with her, as he slowed down. The bird opened them wide, just before he landed on her shoulder, maintaining eye contact with her.
“Vampire: Clearing: More, Vampires. Wolf Mountain: Shandaken.” He sent to her. In an instant, the eagle’s message made their adversaries’ plan crystal clear to Helena. She and the pack, alike, had been misled into thinking that their town would be subject to an attack. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. Moreover, Wolf Mountain was considered “holy ground.” Legend had it that wolf and man first merged there, centuries ago. This was not just trespassing. It was sacrilege of the worst kind. The witch had to alert her loved ones, but first, she had to dismiss her agent.
“Thank you. Keep searching.” She responded to him, as she focused her attention on Kate.
“Redfield’s clan is up on Wolf Mountain,” Helena declared, her voice thick with tension and fear. “He was never going to attack Paxton. It’s the humans in Shandaken he’s after. They’re going to kill them all.”
“Oh, crap,” Kate sighed in despair, lifting her hands up to cover her mouth. “What do you want me to do?”
“Get out of here. Go tell the Bradford’s,” Helena ordered, pressing her lips together, as she felt her blood boiling in her veins and pounding in her temples. “I’ll join you guys later.”
“Helena…”
“Don’t argue with me, Kate,” she groaned, narrowing her eyes at her. “Just do it.” Grabbing her staff with both hands, she watched, as her friend vanished in a cloud of yellow smoke. A burning desire spread within her, a longing to destroy whoever she came across that night, regardless of skills or power. Nobody was allowed to touch the humans, let alone feast on them, like Redfield currently had plans to do. The mere notion of his plan made her stomach churn. After snuffing out the life of every Shandaken resident, they would be reborn as vampires. In a matter of weeks, the vampire Alpha would not just be leading a clan. He would have an army of four thousand at his call. Helena charged forward, picturing the terror the vampires were about to unleash: stacks of bodies; ravaged homes; screams of terror; and the scenic town of Shandaken in ruins. There wouldn’t be anything left of the sweet place where everybody was friendly to one another. The witch’s quick footsteps forged a path through the trees, as she sped past elm, oak and balsam fir, desperate to find the clearing her trusted eagle had mentioned. Now, she wasn’t just the protector of her birthplace. The threat that loomed over the neighboring town had instantly transformed her into a fierce, vigilant warrior, who had no intention of stopping for anything or anyone. She would lay down her own life to keep the people of Shandaken out of the deadly clutches of the wretched creatures that threatened them.
Helena jumped over a small pile of brush, while also noticing that the vegetation around her had thinned. Trees were few and far between, as she spotted an opening a few yards across from her and slightly to the left. Small twigs gave way beneath her feet, as she neared her destination. The witch tried to control her laboring breath, as she halted inches away from the last tree. A sizeable clearing stretched out before her, as a horrifying sound filled her ears. Once more, Helena had run into a vampire as he feasted on a dead deer. This time, though, the unfortunate animal lay on its back, facing her, with its killer on top of it, greedily sucking the blood out of his prey. A powerful gust of wind rustled through the trees and the tall grass in front of her, as she let out a furious grunt. The sight of his long, blond strands, covered in the deer’s blood fueled her anger even further, as he slowly looked up at her. Kate’s description left her with no doubt; she was looking at Darren McGee.
“A human…” he smirked, his voice coming out deep and lazy. “It must be my lucky day.”
“I’m no mere human, you filth,” she grumbled, taking her right hand off her staff. In a quick move, Helena raised it up to her shoulder. A blinding red glow shot down her head, encircling her entire body, as she pulled her cloak to the side. The color in her eyes darkened, as she pointed her staff down at him. “Read my mind. I dare you,” her voice had lowered into a deep, vicious sneer, her desire to destroy him right there and then growing by the second, as she tossed a fierce glare down at him. But, her opponent was not at all intimidated. His smirk stayed in place. Before she knew it, he blurred in closely, much too close for comfort. Still, Helena knew vampires like the back of her hand. She had anticipated this move. Before he could reach her, she gripped her staff once more, and pointed it up at him. The vampire was sent sailing back across the clearing, over the dead body of the deer, as her face twisted in an expression of pure rage. Helena’s gaze followed him, as Darryl’s body flattened the grass where he landed.
“This is my realm, you son of a bitch,” she snarled, as she started off towards him. “You have to obey my orders.”
“Is it now?” He asked, his sarcastic smile reappearing, as he bounced right back up. “My Alpha doesn’t think so.”
“Tell me, Darren…” Helena urged, her lips curving into an evil smirk, as she set her staff down onto the muddy soil. “Are you ready to die a second time?”
At that, she tapped her index and middle fingers onto the top end of her stick as she let out a malicious grunt, filled with all the anger and the frustration that had been building up within her. McGee thrust both of his arms up to his neck, opening his mouth wide, as he squeezed his eyes shut. A choked out whisper left his mouth, as he staggered backwards. Helena’s rival tripped over a large rock, as she picked her staff up. His eyes glimmered with a faint, yellow shade, as he tumbled to the ground, flattening more tall grass. With a sense of contentment spreading within her, the witch swung her staff over her head. The red glow that surrounded her body grew brighter, as the top end of her stick near
ed its target. Hundreds of tiny shards of ice were tossed across the clearing, as Darren’s head was ripped off his body.
The redness that had engulfed her began to fade, as she stared down at her fallen adversary. Helena was swelling with pride. She had defeated one of Redfield’s lieutenants with relative ease. Still, she quickly realized that his body could not stay there. His kind would be looking for him. Should they discover his fate, there would be swift retribution, and the pack was still not ready for war. Therefore, she gathered Darren’s remains, and then pictured the Bradford’s estate. They had to be made aware of this development, as soon as possible.
Chapter Seventeen
Two male voices and one female filled her ears, as Helena emerged on the siblings’ yard. Raul and Dean were outside, accompanied by Kate. Happily, there was no panic in them. On the contrary, they were in the middle of a calm conversation. She let Darren’s head slip out of her grasp, and then dropped his body down to the ground, instantly drawing their attention.
“Hello, boys,” she said, with a smile of contentment on her face. “My agent informed me of McGee’s presence in the area. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Raul shook his head in mock wonderment, returning the smile, as his confident footfalls led him closer to her; “great job.”
“We should burn him,” Helena suggested, throwing a quick glance down at the body. “We can’t leave him here. Redfield will send out his scouts, if he hasn’t done that already.”
“We will,” Raul affirmed. “You told Kate his clan is after the humans. There’s nothing I’d like more than to go out there, and kill those bastards. We have four new members since we last saw each other, but…” he faltered. “They’re not enough. The vampires still outnumber us two to one.”
“Where are they?” she asked, maintaining a relaxed tone, in an attempt to hide her concern.
“Actually, they’re coming over now,” The Alpha said, his baritone picking up volume. “They couldn’t wait to meet you. As soon as Kate broke us the news about those bloodsuckers, I sent Martin out to get them. They’ll be here any minute. Why are you asking?”
“Because: I’ve been meaning to meet them, too. We’ll soon be working together. It’d be nice to know what they’re made of underneath the packaging,” Helena declared, averting her gaze from him to look at Kate. “I trust you’ve told them about New York as well.”
“Every single detail,” Raul answered her question, before her friend had a chance to utter a word. “You don’t need me to tell you that you did an amazing job out there. You know that. You did the right thing with the FBI guy, though.”
“The right thing?” asked Helena as she squinted up at him.
“Yeah,” he said with a nod. “I wouldn’t have been able to have a relationship with Monica if I always had to hide from her. You can’t live in fear of exposure, Helena. I mean, sooner or later, he’d find out. What do you think he would do?”
“Well, freak out.” She sighed, as she brought her gaze back to his face. “I can’t imagine the fate that would befall you, in such an event.”
“This way, rookies!” shouted Martin’s hoarse, cheerful voice, which interrupted their conversation, as he turned around the corner of the estate. Helena watched, as the sixteen new pack members followed right behind him. The Alpha had not exaggerated back in his grandfather’s sanctuary, when he spoke of their youth. None of them could be more than twenty-five years old. Blessed with the shifting nature, they were all tall, and robust, including the four females. Their small number didn’t at all surprise Helena. Shifter women might be strong, but they didn’t appreciate life in the pack. Tolerating loud, often offensive males isn’t easy for them. However, as the four, athletic females in question approached her, an idea flashed through her mind.
“I think you all know who the lady is,” Martin assumed a stricter tone, as he turned around to face them.
“Martin, there’s no need for formalities,” Helena put a little force in her voice. “Good evening, everybody: I would really love to get acquainted with each and every one of you. You are all to be commended for volunteering to protect your town. I’m afraid we don’t have time for that, though. My plan requires females only. The males can go home.”
“Just females?” inquired Raul, his face contorting with confusion, as the males she had just dismissed started chattering with one another. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Patience is a virtue, my dear firstborn.” She winked at him, as a wily smile spread across her face. “You’ll find out soon.”
“Alright boys, you heard the lady. Take a hike,” Raul commanded, putting his hands on his waist, as he turned to them.
“Line up,” Martin urged the females, as the males began to disperse. Helena began pacing, up and down the line of women, examining them, as they obeyed. For a moment, she felt intimidated. She was 5’6”, and the shortest one of them was at least three inches taller than that. Still, their sheer size was perfect for the plan she had in mind. Longer legs meant longer strides; they would all need them if they wanted to get rid of the vampire threat once and for all.
“From left to right we have: Amy Benson, Olivia Hunt, Ava Gordon, and Breanne Thomas.” The scout stated as an introduction.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, girls,” Helena addressed them with a polite smile. “Now…” she sucked in a deep breath. “I believe your Alpha has told you a lot about what we are up against. Vampires are really fast and dangerous over short distances. What you probably don’t know yet, is that the Redfield clan is planning to attack Shandaken. Within days, that town will cease to exist as you know it.”
“That’s right,” Raul interjected, stepping beside the witch, as the four women glanced at one another in disbelief. “The vampires are out for blood. Unless we stop them, the humans will be slaughtered.”
“Generally speaking, they’re unpredictable,” Helena went on. “Do not forget how cunning they are. They’ve already misled us once. I’m sure they’ll try again, if we let them. But, just like you, they have instincts, and they’re guided by them. For my plan to work, we need to appeal to their most basic instinct.”
“Don’t tell me you want to send those girls over to seduce them,” Raul scoffed at her suggestion.
“Please; don’t interrupt me again,” The witch requested, flashing him a sullen look. “I spoke about their most basic instinct, firstborn. There’s a more powerful instinct in this world than breeding. I’m talking about feeding. I’m going to give Kate one bottle of human scent, for each one of you. Make sure to bathe in them. Otherwise, the vampires won’t take the bait.”
“H-human scent?” stuttered Amy, as her jaw fell open in shock. “You can do that?”
“Yes, I can,” Helena replied with a firm nod. “The reason I sent the males away is that women are romantic. It’s more likely for them to take a walk in the woods than men. Believe me; if Redfield’s goons smell four humans in the vicinity, they’re going to go wild.”
“Ok, you lost me,” Raul confessed, his confusion sending his voice down an octave. “Let’s say they take the bait. They hunt them down. Then what?” he questioned, completely clueless.
“I forgot to mention. Girls, don’t get too close,” Helena advised, intensifying her stare. “When you smell them, stop. You don’t need to get deeper into their territory, for them to catch a whiff of you. And we sure as hell don’t want the entire clan chasing you. There’s an abandoned windmill, about half a mile northwest of Shandaken. Meet me there tomorrow night at 4am. I’m sorry, but, if we succeed, the rest of their kind will want to storm out into town. They’ll think twice if dawn is too close.”
“It’s good,” the Alpha commented as his eyes filled with appreciation. “We lure them out, we take them out. Where will you be?”
“Out of sight,” Helena said, as a smug smile burst upon her lips. “Don’t worry girls; you’ll know where I’ll be. Bring them to me. I’ll take care of
the rest.”
“Smoke…” Raul murmured, as he sniffed the air around them. “It’s faint; it’s coming from the west.”
The witch glanced up at him, ready to ask more about it, but, before she could do so, Ray’s truck roared down the road to her left. The tires screeched, as the vehicle entered the driveway. The Alpha’s brother jumped out of the vehicle, and, for some reason Helena couldn’t fathom, he burst towards them.
“Guys, it is Riker’s building!” He cried, his face hard with panic, as he neared them. “It’s on fire!”
“I’ll look into it,” Helena spoke, her voice cool, unaffected by the information. “You boys stay here.”
“No, you stay here!” Raul growled, furrowing his brow, as he leaned closer to her. “It’s time we did something.”
“You will, if my plan works,” she stated with an emphatic tone, as she glared up at him. “The FBI doesn’t have anything against you, but no one said the case is closed. That place is still considered a crime scene. They could be on their way there as we speak. Do you really want to risk them seeing your wolf?”
The Alpha didn’t have a rebuttal to her short rant. Raul dragged his gaze away from her, keeping his mouth shut, in silent approval to her suggestion.
“That’s what I thought,” Helena added. “I’ll see you tomorrow night. Notify me, if anything changes. Goodnight.”
Chapter Eighteen
Tall flames licked at the charred, outer walls; the smell of burning wood wafted out with the smoke; ashes swirled up, swept hither and yon by the breeze. The entire setting seemed eerily familiar, apart from two, major differences: first and foremost, when Helena had set fire to that building, she had done so in broad daylight. Secondly, Helena had not used any accelerants, but, as she closed in on the building, she couldn’t help but notice the distinctive smell of gasoline. Still, she wouldn’t concern herself with the similarities between the two fires. The witch of Paxton was not alone. A large shadow on the grass ahead of her, forced Helena to focus on the stranger that stood before the building, with his back turned to her. The few beams of moonlight, along with the leaping flames, cast their light on his head, revealing to her his hair color: short and black. It was Cliff Daniels.
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