“Like that monster up there?” He asked, whipping his head to face her, as he pointed up at Olivia’s wolf.
“Please, don’t call them that,” Helena begged, gently shaking her head sideways, as her own tears blurred her vision.
“Speaking of family…” Cliff heaved a long, deep sigh. “I’ve figured everything out, apart from your niece’s death. Who killed her?”
The question she had been dreading flooded her heart with a mix of regret and gut-wrenching pain. She didn’t have the strength to look at him anymore. Still, the time of lies had passed. Helena had already shared with him long-overdue truths. One more remained, and she was not going to hide it from him.
“I did,” she confessed with a whisper, as tears toppled over the edges of her eyes. “It was self-defense. She was going to kill me.”
“Noooo!” the cry of Cliff’s despair reverberated through her skull, as he rolled the fingers in his right hand into a fist. In a quick move, he spun around. Dozens of shards of glass were thrown onto the back seat of his car, as his fist punched through the window. Helena snorted back a sob, hesitantly raising her eyes, as he slowly turned around. His blood was flowing down his knuckles, as he slid his back down the side of his car. Cliff dropped to his knees, and dropped his head into his hands. The desire to hold him grew larger within her; yet the witch would not go near him. She could picture his reaction, and, unfortunately for her, he would have every right to push her away from him. Feeling her guilt gnawing away at her, she lifted her hands up to her temples, as she stared down at the broken man he had become.
“Oh, my God…” Helena helplessly whispered, as his gentle weeps filled her ears. “What have I done to you…?” she wondered, running both hands through her hair.
“Leave, Helena,” Cliff urged, tipping his head back, as he opened his eyes to slits. “Get out of here.”
“Leave?” She sniffled, her eyes snapping open at his words. “I…”
“I’m not arresting you,” he interrupted, his voice picking up volume. “I can’t.”
“Why?” Helena asked, her curiosity sending her tone two octaves up.
“Because if I do…” Cliff swallowed hard, as he turned to face her. “The court will learn about our relationship. The judge will find out about me, falling in love with a witch, older than my grandmother, but looking roughly my age. Nobody will understand, Helena. I’ll lose my credibility; my job. I’ll lose everything.”
Shockwaves rocked her to her very core, upon his confession. Once more, the noble man was proving his quality. And this time, she would not resist the burning desire to hold him. Falling to her knees, she thrust her left arm around his shoulders, and her right one around his neck. Helena pulled him near, feeling her pain scorching her insides, as she laid a tender kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her lips shaking, as her tears soaked his skin. “I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry…” she sniffled, splaying her fingers over his cheek. “I’ll never forget you, Cliff Daniels: ever.”
Once acquiring her staff, a picture of the frozen surface of Clover Lake ran through her mind. The witch of Paxton couldn’t consider going to her friends. They would all be in great spirits due to her latest accomplishment, and Helena was in no mood for a celebration. She longed for privacy and solitude, somewhere to pick up her pieces. She needed to mourn yet another, failed romance.
Chapter Twenty
Views of the lake surface, glistening under the moonlight, greeted Helena as she stood on the bank, still trying to wrap her head around what had transpired. She pulled her hood back from her head, losing herself in the misery that had enveloped her. After more than eight decades, she had found someone to rely upon, but, her relationship with the Bradford’s had gotten in the way. Cliff was gone, out of her life, and she held no hope of winning him back. To have any chance of that, she had to have been true to him, and she had given him nothing but lies. She couldn’t take any of those back, or any of her misinformation. Cliff Daniels would have to remain a memory, a glimpse into a blissful life filled with joy, pleasure and laughter. The glimpse of immeasurable happiness stabbed into her heart so precisely, so sharply, Helena could not handle the author and the result of her pain: the missed opportunity. Cliff was the finest man she had ever met, including Roman. Now, all that awaited her was more loneliness, and infinitely more coldness in her heart.
The warmth of her tears sizzled on her skin, as she recalled the night of their date. It was as if he had read her mind, and had given her the perfect experience, from start to finish: a romantic dance; a nice, long conversation; and a steamy night that had haunted her mind, leaving her yearning for more. The vapors from her breath rose up into the air, as a sigh of pain left her lips. Helena looked up into the sky, wishing she could turn back the clock. But, not even a witch as powerful as she could do such a thing. Just as she averted her gaze from the stars, however, she realized that she would not be alone for much longer. A cloud of yellow smoke shot straight down in front of her, bringing a small smile to her face. It was Kate, her closest friend and apprentice. She didn’t speak. Instead, she leaned in towards her, and then wrapped her arms around her back, as Helena squeezed two more tears out of her eyes.
“The girls just arrived,” Kate informed Helena, as she eased back. “Olivia told us what happened. The poor thing’s devastated. She couldn’t stop crying. She begs your forgiveness.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Kate,” Helena retorted, settling her gaze on her friend. “She did amazing out there. She got excited. I can’t blame her for that.”
“She failed to smell a human, and shifted in front of him,” Kate emphasized. “How can you not blame her?”
“Because: I was going to tell Cliff the truth anyway,” Helena responded, her voice weakening, as she dragged her gaze away from her. “He just found out sooner.”
“You were going to do that?” Kate squinted at her. “Why? And how did he get there in the first place? I thought you broke up with him.”
“He was the one who set fire to Riker’s building last night,” Helena stated, as the tantalizing memory of his kiss raised every fine hair on her body. “He said he did it to draw my attention. Long story short, he wanted me back. Frankly: so did I. He’s an amazing guy, Kate. I told him I needed thirty-six hours. I was going to meet with him tomorrow morning at his hotel.”
“Yeah, he is,” Kate agreed with a sigh, as she pressed her lips together. “The girls heard everything. They were in shock, when they got back from your mission. They kept talking about him letting you go. It’s a little selfish, but still, it’s very noble of him.”
“Thanks a lot for waiting for us,” Julia’s sarcastic comment compelled Helena to keep her silence. There she was, strolling across the forest alongside Melissa, with a rather stiff look on her face, as she approached them. “Helena’s our friend, too, you know.”
“I’m sorry, guys.” Kate said, her voice coming out slowly. “The minute I tracked her, I just couldn’t help myself.”
“You tracked me?” All of a sudden, Helena’s tone turned into a high-pitched squeal.
“Yeah, I used a spell from my mother’s book,” Kate admitted, returning her gaze to her.
“I’m afraid we got bigger fish to fry,” Melissa interjected, crossing her arms over her chest, as she stopped beside Helena. “Redfield showed up at the estate. He was furious. He knows you were responsible for killing almost half of his clan. He threatened to call more clans over, if we didn’t deliver you to him. Of course, Raul laughed at him. He said something like: ‘You can tell her yourself, right before she rips your head off. No, wait. I’ll do that.’ Then, Raul yelled at him for trespassing on Wolf Mountain. They argued, they called each other names, and I’m sure Redfield would have engaged him, if not for that.” Melissa pointed up at the sky. The first colors of the sunrise were in the horizon, as darkness slowly faded into daylight. “They agreed to see one another in battle, at the western clearing, tonight a
t midnight. Raul wanted to do this in Wolf Mountain, but Dean talked him out of it. It’d be too close to Shandaken. We’re meeting tonight at ‘Joe’s’ diner, at 11:30.”
“That’s really smart of him,” Helena remarked. “Anyway, girls, thank you for your support. It really means a lot to me, but I could really use some time to myself right now. Do you mind?”
“Of course not,” Melissa said more sweetly, as she smiled down at her. “But, we’re not going anywhere, before we do this.” At that, she curled both of her arms around Helena’s neck, and pulled her in for a side hug, as more tears rose up in her eyes. Kate and Julia followed their friend’s example, and, before she knew it, the witch was lost in a tight, group hug, feeling her pain grip her insides, as wave after wave of emotion poured into her veins. Perhaps this warmth, this display of affection was the best remedy to heal her shattered heart. Helena couldn’t be sure. Her wounds were still too fresh. But, what she did know was that, even with her family by her side, believing in love again would be next to impossible.
Chapter Twenty One
Forty minutes before midnight, Helena was at the forest line, a few yards west of “Joe’s” diner. The pack seemed too eager for this; most of them were already there. Part of her wanted to join them, talk to them, and offer them some more advice, but, by then, they were all aware of what their enemies were capable of. She had nothing left to teach them. More importantly, however, Helena had to think about any surprises the vampires might have in store for them, and she couldn’t do it in the company of the wolves. It was more than certain that they would ask questions, questions that their Alpha was perfectly capable of answering.
Nevertheless, as minutes went by, it became clear to her that all the solitude in the world could not avail her. Why? Because it reminded her of what her life used to be like before meeting Cliff, and what it would be like from now on. Day or night, summer or winter, didn’t matter. Helena would be alone, far away from the arms of the man she had betrayed. Out of his sight, and out of his heart. Her only comfort would be the memories she had with him, the moments that were starting to bring tears to her eyes, as she patiently awaited the pack. Thankfully for her though, Raul’s massive stature on the diner staircase acted like a wakeup call, preventing her from giving in to emotion yet again.
“We’re ready when you are.” He spoke, a fierce determination glowing in his eyes, as his confident footsteps led him to her.
“Can I have your attention please?” She raised her tone, shifting her gaze from him to glance out at the pack that gathered in front of her. “Tonight, we’ll be facing perhaps our most vicious foes: your natural enemies; creatures with no respect for the sanctity of life – human or shifter. I know many of you are afraid. I’m afraid, too. They’re hard to kill, some of them are just as strong as you, and they have no honor. But, you are something they are not: the sons and daughters of the mountain. The ragged landscape has forged you into the fierce warriors that you are today. And they trespassed upon the land of your forefathers, the mountain where wolf and man became one. Show them…” she paused, as she pulled her staff out of her cloak; “show them the true meaning of punishment. Unleash your wrath on them,” Helena’s bright, red glow spread down her head, enveloping her entire body, as she tapped her stick onto the muddy ground. “For your mates: for your children; for each and every thing you hold dear; For Paxton!” she cried, thrusting her staff up in the air, as the pack’s tremendous battle cry tore through the wilderness.
Raul’s nod served as their signal, as she turned around. Hundreds of ribs cracked, legs thinned and shortened, hips reshaped, as their beasts ripped out of their skin. Helena stormed into Lockhart forest, feeling her fury blasting through her veins. Chugging the cold air, the mighty witch left bushes and undergrowth behind, as views of Paxton and Shandaken at night popped into her mind. The ground began to vibrate beneath her feet, as she ran parallel to the trees. Of course, she knew very well who was behind her, but, she looked over her shoulder nonetheless. Raul’s gray wolf was leading the pack, with Dean’s and Ray’s light-brown and silver wolves on his flanks. Melissa’s light-gray wolf and Julia’s white one were following right behind them, their massive paws picking up mud and gravel, as they loped across the woods. The Alpha lengthened his strides, as a feral snarl escaped him. His gallop grew louder in Helena’s ears, as she caught a glimpse of him on her left, out of the corner of her eye. Raul gave her a happy yip, just before he jumped over a thorny bush that blocked his path. He left her trailing behind him, charging forward faster by the second, forcing her to quicken her own pace. Still, as much as she tried, she could not possibly hope to keep up with him or any other wolf for that matter. Within seconds, Helena was between Dean and Ray’s wolves, staring down at the Alpha’s tail, as it swished out behind him. The earth shook, as the pack galloped across the harsh landscape, determined to dispose of their enemies, once and for all. Helena looked up at the trees, concerned that the vampires could have used them as cover. It wouldn’t be unlikely of them; playing dirty was in their blood. Yet, a quick scan around, set her fears at ease. No pair of eyes met her gaze. Branches were empty, moving about, as the wind rustled through them.
Soft beams of moonlight revealed an opening between an elm tree and a cedar tree, as the hour of battle drew near. Raul’s wolf sped past the two trees, and hurtled into the clearing, as the vampires’ hair-raising snarls sent Helena’s adrenaline into the ozone layer. By then, her lungs were beginning to hurt from chugging the cold air. Exhaustion was starting to set in, but stopping was not an option. She was focused on one thing, and one thing alone: to help them win this war. The pack’s ferocious growls and snarls snuffed out every other noise as they burst into the clearing. Their enemies’ eyes were glowing yellow in the darkness when Helena joined them. Using quick bursts of speed, they closed in on the wolves, as she gripped her staff with both hands. The Alpha fixed his gaze on Redfield, his 6’5” counterpart, as he raised his upper lip, exposing sparkling white teeth and fangs. He let off a deep bark, as he leapt onto him. But, it was then that the fight went horribly wrong. A white glow spread around Raul’s foe, just before his muzzle made contact with the skin on Redfield’s throat. It was as if Redfield was surrounded by an impenetrable force field. An agonizing yip erupted from the Alpha, as he was sent flying back across the clearing. The yip turned into a cry of pain, as he tumbled onto the ground. An evil smile formed on Redfield’s face, as he hurried off towards Raul’s wolf. He jumped onto him, the yellow in his eyes darkening, as he grabbed him by the throat. The Alpha squirmed beneath him, letting out more yips, but to no avail. His adversary’s grip was much too strong for him. Just then, however, Dean’s wolf lunged onto Redfield from his right side. His jaws closed around his shoulder, as his sheer momentum sent his adversary reeling to the side. The vampire landed flat and hard on his back, and he started to roll over onto the grass, with Dean’s wolf holding on to him. Raul’s wolf scrambled back up, as Redfield’s body slammed up against a large rock. His cry of agony echoed in the forest, as Dean sank his teeth further into his skin. In a swift, violent move, he yanked his enemy’s arm back, ripping it off his body, as Raul moved around him. He stepped onto Redfield, his eyes smoldering with the desire to snuff the life out of him. A menacing snarl left his lips, as he thrust his snout down. The wolf sank his teeth into his cold skin, and then thrashed, sending small shards of ice across the ground, as he tore his head clean off.
Amid a chaos of snarls, growls and yips, Helena focused her gaze on someone who had been staring down at something to his right. Averting her eyes from him, she figured out why, and who he was, as she headed towards him: Julia’s wolf had only just knocked Melissa’s wolf off balance. Don Greer, one of Redfield’s lieutenants, had taken control of the inexperienced Julia’s mind, setting her will against her own kind. There was only one way Helena could put an end to the situation. Her red eyes glowed darker, as she thrust her staff up at him.
“Nice try,” she growle
d, her face contorting with rage, as her rival’s feet left the ground. Helena wished she had more time to deal with him. Yet, in the heat of battle, time was a luxury she could not afford. So, she held her staff firmly in her grasp, and lowered it, watching, as Greer’s body floated a few feet above the ground. Her foe began spinning, as she twisted her stick in her palms. With a tap of her index finger on the side of it, she tossed him, so that he flew across the clearing and to the right. Redfield’s lieutenant crashed onto the same rock his Alpha had stopped against earlier. In the blink of an eye, his body was shattered, like a glass falling to a hardwood floor. Helena started a sweep of the area ahead of her, searching for more of her adversaries. Alas, she was not given the time to find one. A huge amount of pressure on her back knocked her off her feet. The witch felt a cold sensation on her skin – her staff slipping out of her grasp – as she dropped to the ground. The feeling spread all over her body, paralyzing her limbs, as someone grabbed her shoulder. She only discovered the identity of her opponent, when he rolled her over. Water was dripping off his jaw. It was Bill Carpenter, Redfield’s last remaining lieutenant.
“Clover Lake came in really handy. It’s so nice and cold.” Irony was dripping off of his tongue, as he lifted his foot. Helena let out a painful grunt, as he pinned her to the ground with a foot in the middle of her chest. “I’m going to enjoy killing you, you whore.”
Helena reached her hand out towards her staff, in the hope that she could escape this terrible fate. Her fingertips brushed the top end, pushing it slightly away, but enough to destroy every last shred of that hope. Shutting her eyes, she tipped her head back, exhaling hard, as she realized that her fighting days had come to an end. But then the sound of a roaring fire forced her eyes open, making her heart flutter in her chest. A huge fireball lit up the night, flaming away the vampire who was about to kill her. Her gaze followed the fiery trail, as a gust of wind scattered her foe’s ashes. It led back to a flamethrower, in the grasp of a man in a black uniform and a helmet. He wasn’t alone; one more stranger was a few feet away from him, using the same weapon to end another vampire who had made the mistake of attacking him. The stunned Helena breathed a sigh of relief, as he offered her his hand. Whatever surprise she had felt though was nothing compared to the shockwaves that the image of the utter devastation sent down her spine. Almost all of the grass in the entire clearing had been flattened. Vampire bodies littered the ground. Their arms, legs and heads had been scattered around them. Alas, the battle had taken a toll on the pack as well. Three wolves lay dead among their rivals. Raul was standing over one of them, yipping in sorrow, as he sniffed his comrade’s body.
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