Cloaked in Blood

by T. F. Walsh

  Okay, we were derailing fast, so I changed directions. “How did you control those stags in the forest?”

  She pushed a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. “A small gift from the moon goddess during my transformation from moonwulf to wulfkin. My scent and voice calms animals, makes them feel safe around me. Sometimes I think they can understand me, but I’m not sure. These blessings don’t really come with a rule book, you know.” She removed her hand from the water and wiped it on a towel as she climbed to her feet.

  I grasped her wrist and pushed myself into more of a sitting position, water sloshing out of the tub. Fire from the main room reflected off her hair, her plump lips teased me, torturing. I ached to touch her just as I’d done in the forest, to hear her moans, and to see her cheeks flush with desire.

  “I owe you my life. I want to show you I’m not the wulfkin you think I am.”

  At first, she said nothing, but stared at me, then slipped her hand free from mine. “I can figure out what kind of wulfkin you are.”

  “Maybe you’ve got me wrong.”

  She strolled around the end of the tub and headed to the window overlooking the yard below. “I’m—” Her words died as she leaned closer to the window, her hand pressed to the glass pane. In the next instant, she spun around and bolted across the room. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Wait. Selena.” I started to climb out of the tub, but my leg stung to high hell, and I slipped back in, water splashing out of the tub. “What’s going on?”

  Her footsteps faded away, and the door clicked shut.

  What the fuck was happening now?

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Selena

  From Marcin’s window, I had spotted Zeki, captain of the Turkish guards, handing over a package to a Hungarian wulfkin. Their heads were low; Zeki continuously glanced over his shoulder.

  Had he really betrayed us? Surely not. Still, my insides quivered with the dread of such a possibility.

  I sprinted down an empty corridor, my chest tight.

  Zeki had been with my family for the past five years. Father even showed him support and trust by encouraging him to start his own pack. Maybe I jumped to conclusions, but considering one of Father’s daggers was still missing, I couldn’t ignore the possibility.

  I burst out into the courtyard, my hasty steps crunching snow. When I careened around the well to an empty yard, I bolted to the nearest open door and entered a barren hallway.

  No sounds.

  Where did they go? I sprinted to our guest room, which was empty. In Father’s room, I pulled out the duffle bag from under the bed and unzipped it. The dagger box was in hand. Please don’t let another one be missing.

  In slow motion, I unclipped the latch, then lifted the lid. Still only one dagger missing. “Thank the moon goddess.”

  I closed the box and slid it back into the bag, stuffing the whole thing under the bed. My head was in a vice of confusion. The room seemed to be closing in on me as I struggled to make sense of Zeki’s behavior, so I headed back outside in case he returned. Maybe fresh air would help my paranoia.

  I tucked my hands into the pockets of my coat. The morning sun wasn’t doing much against the freezing temperature.

  Footfalls echoed behind me. Irmak, the Turkish ward living in Hungary, approached. His hands were curled up in the pockets of his jeans, his expression marred by a furrowed brow. We’d grown up together, played on the same field back home, and used to joke about what we wanted to be when we were adults. I’d said ninja, while Irmak was adamant he’d become a firefighter after his parents had died in a tragic blaze. Foolish dreams on both our parts, but neither of us could have guessed he’d end up being sold to the enemy as a ward of the state to keep a treaty that said neither clan was to cross the border of our territories. It had worked, until several Hungarian wulfkin were spotted skulking on our land.

  A light breeze fluttered through Irmak’s dark blond hair, and his gaze lifted, meeting mine. A half-crooked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He’d grown since I last saw him, his shoulders wider, his eyes a deeper shade of mocha.

  “Selena, you’ve become more beautiful than I could have imagined.” His voice was deep and manly. Not the young boy I used to play hide-and-seek with back home.

  I broke into a laugh. “It’s only us, drop the act.”

  His shoulders softened, and I took him into an embrace that he returned, squeezing me into him as if it had been too long since he’d had anyone to hug.

  “Come, sit.” I drew him by the hand to a bench beneath an awning. The sunlight warmed the spot, and I crossed my legs, half turning to face him. “Tell me everything. How have you been?”

  He shrugged and leaned against the wall, his hands resting on his thighs. The angle of the sun cast shadows across his face, accentuating his chin and square jaw. He’d grown into a man and a handsome one. Surely, he had a number of wulfkin females chasing him.

  “Things are never as they seem, but you know that better than anyone,” he said.

  “Are you being treated okay?”

  He nodded. “Doesn’t mean I’m not an outsider.”

  I took his hand in mine. “You’re Turkish, and your home will always be with us.”

  The way he glanced at me, rawness behind his eyes and his posture stiffening, told me he didn’t agree. “Turkey is not your home anymore either.”

  “It will always be in my heart. No one can take that from me ... from us.”

  He pulled his hand away. “It’s okay. I’m no longer a child. I accept my place. And you will too, once reality sinks in.”

  Tightness coiled in the pit of my stomach. Was this going to be me in a few years—bitter, resentful, and defeated? “We’ll have each other. And I’ll speak to Father about you returning home after my mating.” The words poured out so easily that for those few seconds even I believed my future was set with Marcin. Until the challenge, the dagger issue, and me learning to trust him again, I had no idea what my future held. Of course, I hoped for the best and that it involved Marcin.

  Irmak didn’t look at me but studied the slush of snow by his feet. “Selena, you’ve always been kind to me. After my parents died, after your father adopted me, and even now, you’re the only one who talks to me as if I’m part of the family rather than an outsider. But things aren’t the same anymore. Your father sent me away without hesitation. I’ve lived here seven years without a single message from him.” He paused for a moment, his hands curling into fists. “I’m a drifter now, but karma will make her presence known soon enough.”

  His words echoed in my mind. “Karma for what?”

  “Please don’t tell your father I said that.” Without a glance my way, he stood. “I’d better go, or they’ll be searching for me in the kitchen. Take care, Selena.” With hasty steps, he crossed the yard and vanished through a side doorway.

  The ache behind my rib cage deepened for Irmak, not for being abandoned by Father, but because he’d lost his spirit. Father had to make this right again. But what exactly did Irmak mean by karma? I couldn’t help but connect it to the assassination attempt. Surely, Irmak wouldn’t have taken the dagger or targeted Marcin to get back at Father.

  I stood and wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing the cold from my body, convinced the only wulfkin I could trust were Aisha and Father.

  With the first icy flakes of the day cascading, I retreated indoors.

  The moment I shut the door to our guest chambers, Father emerged from his room, dressed only in his white pants and in the process of pulling a shirt down over his head. “Good, you’re back.” He padded closer on bare feet. “We need to talk. Come, take a seat by the blaze.”

  I plunked down and folded my legs beneath me on the cushions we’d scattered in front of the blaze while Father paced in front of the fireplace like a guard dog. Those earlier knots in my gut surfaced. “What’s going on?”

  His grimace darkened. “I want you to win the boon for us.”

 
; “What for?” Sure, I contemplated winning the boon for myself, but that was for Aisha and me to break free of his ridiculous mating plans.

  His stomping quickened, and his posture tilted forward as if burdened with the world on his shoulders. “The moon goddess influenced your sister to put your name in the challenge for a reason.”

  “What are you talking about?” I shifted in my seat, unsure I liked where his words were leading.

  “Once you win the boon, you will claim the Hungarian land for Turkish rulership.”

  I jolted to my feet. “Are you insane? If you’ve ever wanted to give Levin a reason to declare war on us, that’s it right there. He won’t hold back his retaliation.”

  He shook his head, yet the frown splitting his mouth covered me in goose bumps. “We’ll use it as a bargaining chip.”

  I collapsed back onto my cushion, alarm bells ringing in my head. “For what?”

  He stopped in front of me, and his voice lowered. “This stays between us.”

  I nodded, too terrified to take another breath.

  “Levin intends to kill us after the battle of innocence. He plans to win the boon himself, claim our land to get back at us for disrespecting him at the council on our first day.”

  My whole body shook, and every sensation deadened. It was my fault for suggesting the stupid challenge in the first place. “Are you sure?” The words shook.

  “Yes. I’ve had my guards spying from the moment we arrived. And the only way to keep our heads intact is for you to win, claim his land, and we use it in exchange for our lives. Your win will be public, in front of his council, and by Varlac laws, he will have no choice but to let us walk away with the win. If not, he’d have every Varlac leader from around the world on his doorstep, ready to rip him apart. But it doesn’t mean he won’t then turn his fury to our family. And we’ll be ready by the time he attacks.”

  “What about Marcin ... and me?”

  “I made a horrible mistake thinking this could help settle the war between us. Levin has no intention of peace, and I can’t leave you with this barbarian. We go home and strengthen our family with the eastern and northern lands.”

  “What does that mean? War?”

  A scowl twisted his mouth. “What would you have me do? I doubt my bargaining chip with Levin will last once we go home, so I have to do what I can to protect us. And if that means strengthening our allegiances with neighboring Varlac packs by mating you and Aisha, then we’ll do what it takes. Right now, Levin’s number across Europe outmatches us four to one. He’ll butcher us all.”

  I could barely feel my legs, and I stumbled toward the window. The tranquility outside was a ruse, promising freedom, yet it lay in the lands of a ruthless dictator, and everyone trembled under his reign. Now we were also trapped in his cage.

  “Then let’s go home.”

  He shook his head. “Levin’s guards are watching us. How do we sneak away with all of us, the guards, the servants, and not draw attention? If we do escape, they’d be right on us, and in attack mode.” He lifted his chin. “What we need is time to escape, and that means winning the boon. Until then, we act as their guests, pretend you’ll still mate with Marcin, and don’t raise suspicions.”

  “But I have to first win the boon against Marcin.”

  Father stepped closer. “We’re one step ahead. He’s injured, and it will slow him down.”

  “But Levin’s waiting for Marcin to heal first.” Not to mention I’d just given Marcin a healing brew I got from Barka that should help him with his wound. I was torn between the guilt of telling Father the truth and my wolf side insisting we had to come to Marcin’s aid.

  Father took me by the shoulders “We’ll survive. Trust me. I will push Levin to start the tournament earlier, convince him you are no challenge for Marcin, even in his injured state.”

  The door to the main room creaked open, and we both jerked around to face the intruder.

  Aisha strolled in, her huge smile deflating the moment her sight landed on us. “Geez, who died?”

  Father’s voice boomed in her direction. “You are never to leave the room alone again. I’ve told you this before.”

  She frowned but lifted her head. “Fine, I’ll ask Zeki to go with me.”

  “No. You won’t leave this room unless it’s for meals.”

  Aisha marched closer, throwing her hands in the air. “What am I going to do all day?”

  “Play with the dracwulves.” Father stomped into his room and slammed the door behind him.

  Aisha stared my way with a raised eyebrow.

  I shrugged, not sure telling Aisha about our situation was the best decision. With her free-spirited and flighty attitude, she might confront Levin.

  Aisha traipsed to her bedroom.

  Silence fell over the room, and the air grew heavy. My pulse galloped. We were prisoners in Hungary, and now our survival lay on my shoulders. I had no option but to win the battle of innocence to save my family, leaving Hungary behind forever.

  But the reality of walking away from Marcin left me paralyzed and heartbroken.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Marcin

  “Fuck, heal already.” I hobbled toward my bed, wincing each time my foot touched the floor. It had taken me half an hour to climb out of the bathtub and get dressed with this damned leg. The hot water and herbs helped with the swelling, but not the pinch traveling up my thigh every few seconds. Sweat beaded my brow.

  A deep sigh followed, and my wolf whined, sounding like a tortured animal. Yeah, he felt the pain. Nothing I could do about it. Wulfkin healing worked fast, but not so fast when a leg had been butchered by a bear trap.

  Knowing Father, if I didn’t heal fast enough, he’d just as likely put someone else in my place to win him that boon. Then Enre might never be set free. He’d lose his home in Transylvania and have Father breathing down his back for life. Not to mention his new pack would be added to Father’s army. Then there would be no stopping him.

  An inferno seized my insides, and on my next step, my knees buckled. I collapsed and half twisted, dropping onto the bed. What the shit was going on with me?

  When someone knocked on my door, I pushed myself to my feet again, ignoring the fierce pulsing from my wound. “Come in.”

  Vincent strolled in and shut the door behind him. “You’re not looking too great.”

  “Thanks for the update. I feel like shit.” Fire seemed to cover my flesh, and I wiped the sweat collecting on my upper lip. “How’s the pack?”

  “Good.” Dressed in jeans, riding boots to his knees, and a bomber jacket, he strolled toward the fireplace and turned his back to the blaze. “A few have asked to come and see you. They’re worried since they saw you lose so much blood once you crossed the finish line.” He rubbed his arms.

  “Anytime, you know that.”

  “Yeah, well, the guards outside are limiting who can visit you, so I had to ask if you’d welcome visitors.”

  I hopped over to the window and leaned against the frame. “Give me a couple days, and I’ll be back.” I slapped a hand to my thigh and winced, regretting my decision instantly.

  “If not, you can count on me to step in for you.”

  Vincent was my go-to guy, and I trusted him unconditionally. But I couldn’t burden him with the task of defying Father when it came to claiming the prize for the boon on my behalf, then landing himself a permanent spot on Father’s target practice radar. My risk to take. “Appreciate it.”

  He moved closer, his lips pinched to one side. “You’ve got a great opportunity here.” The embers glowed around him. “What have you decided on for the boon?”

  “Father’s been on my case about it nonstop with his own demand list.”

  He nodded quickly as if his mind was elsewhere, and my response barely registered. “This could help us deal with your father once and for all. But it has to be the right move to avoid him wriggling out of it.”

  Vincent had his head in the right spot, and l
ike me, he acknowledged that the great Varlac of Europe had to step down from his position. Maybe I was being selfish, preparing to use my boon to safeguard Enre and his pack, rather than looking at protecting every wulfkin.

  The window rattled against my back from the breeze outside.

  Vincent stood there with hands on his hips, staring at me. “We can’t demand you replace him, but we could ask for all territories to fall under your ruling. Levin will be locked in place with no land to his name. To gain anything else, he’d have to challenge another alpha. His territories currently have other alphas living there, so they would automatically fall under your jurisdiction by default. In the meantime, we work on poaching members of his pack into ours. Then you make the move to claim his position with or without the council because he’ll be powerless.”

  I cocked my head, staring at Vincent, the seriousness behind his gaze. He always put the wulfkin first, protecting them against Father. “I like your thinking. I’ll have to give it some thought.”

  But Vincent’s brow furrowed. Obviously, he wasn’t finished on the topic. In all honesty, with the slicing pain around my ankle feeling like my leg had been hacked off, I didn’t have the mindset for political espionage today. So, I changed the topic.

  “How are our injured wulfkin from the venery doing?”

  He shook his head. “Most are healed.”

  “Good.” I shifted in my seat on the windowsill, putting more weight on one side. It didn’t help.

  Vincent crossed the room and leaned against my bed. “You’re on everyone’s lips.”

  “As suspected. I did win.”

  He shook his head. “About how you won. Many are saying your win is a fluke and owed to Selena.”

  I tensed but refused to give in to drama or gossip. People reveled in it. “They can say what they want. It doesn’t change the fact that I won.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Some are saying your win was unfair, and you don’t deserve the spot.”

  “Let me guess who’s leading the charges? The losers from the venery? Father’s pack?”