The Hunt is On (The Patroness)

by Natalie Herzer

  I got up, brushing dirt of my pants and pulled out my cell, calling Mathieu and Philippe. “I need Philippe.”

  The ghost appeared in front of us right the next second.

  “I need you to hop to every group and tell them if a cloud of fog rises rather fast and they hear drums that they have to hide in a building or lay flat on the ground. Eyes closed! They are not allowed to get up, move an inch or look up whatever they might here if they want to survive. Okay? Go.”

  Philippe disappeared with a nod and Kylian stared at me. “What’s going on?”

  “La Chasse sauvage. The Wild Hunt is in town.”

  FIFTEEN

  “What the hell did you think you were doing?” That was Gabin’s voice, unusually angry and loud coming from inside the apartment that currently served as our headquarters.

  Kylian and I looked at each other and frowned before heading up the rest of the stairs.

  “Taking care of my people.”

  “Bullshit. That was suicide, kamikaze. But definitely not taking care of your people. You have no idea what the hell that fog even is.”

  Anouk and the raven were facing off in the living room, both bristling with pent-up energy and looking as if ready to rip each other’s heads off. Or clothes. They might be blazing with anger, but there was another heat in the air as well.

  “What the hell is going on?” Kylian asked angrily.

  Anouk didn’t even look at us but continued scowling at Gabin who offered an explanation while pointing a damning finger at the woman in front of him. “The Inspecteur here looked at that friggin’ fog. After Philippe warned us not to.”

  Woah. What?

  “Yeah, she tried to let herself be taken.”

  Like I said, curiosity killed the cat. Wait a minute. Tried? Why hadn’t she been taken? “Why weren’t you taken?”

  Her gaze flipped to me. “I don’t know.”

  Gabin growled, “Not for lack of trying. That’s for sure.”

  Anouk looked like she wanted to snap her teeth at him, but then turned her body away from him, crossing her arms over her chest and deciding to ignore him. When Kylian cast me a questioning glance I rolled my eyes and then shrugged, signaling for him to let it go. They had to fight it out by themselves.

  Swiping my laptop from my room and then sitting on the couch in our living room, I concentrated searching the internet for more useful information on the Wild Hunt.

  Viviane cut in, “Yes, let’s focus. What is that fog you’re talking about anyway?”

  “The Wild Hunt.”

  She paled. Just went white as a sheet. And knowing how old and mysterious a creature the Lady of the Lake was and how much she had seen in her life – like living, fire breathing dragons – that was rather scary.

  “What do you know about it?” I asked.

  She tried to recover quickly and luckily none of the others seemed to have noticed her unease. “Well, the Wild Hunt is a European myth of ghostly huntsmen chasing through the sky with horses and hounds.” So far that was fairly true.

  Viviane sat on an arm of the couch. “It is said that its appearance herald war or a catastrophe or death to the one who witnesses. And yet others tell that mortals crossing the Hunt’s path were kidnapped and brought to the land of death. Looking at them doesn’t seem to be a wise idea nor is sleeping, since some claim your spirit could be pulled away. The Wild Hunt has a leader, a fierce warrior.” She stared out the window, off into the distance. “But what most don’t know is that the real commander of them all is the goddess Morgan, also known as the Morrigan, the goddess of war.”

  I gaped at her before forcing my face to relax, to pretend to be just another listener like the others and nothing more. But my mind reeled with what Viviane said, with the consequences implied. Morgan le Fay was a Celtic goddess that had made my mother’s and especially my father’s life a hell with her poisonous jealousy and greed for more. Her machinations had ended with her son killing my father and therefore forcing my mother to escape her home, pregnant. No one had known about the child she carried and that probably had saved her life. But a few months ago I had a rather unpleasant encounter with my cousin Mordred, Morgan’s son, and he had recognized me. Of course, that bastard just had to tell mummy right away. I hadn’t reckoned with her impatience, expecting her to wait for the Turn to attack me directly. But now she had sent the Wild Hunt into my city. To chase me, to see her nemesis’s daughter tremble in fear. And probably to kill me in the end. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Too many had suffered because of her.

  Kylian had noticed my tensing up. Cocked his head to the side quizzically, he narrowed his eyes watching me. Shit.

  “So, the gods have gained power over our realm. The gates must leak more magic than expected. Or maybe we get more used to it. Either way, the Turn is still a week ahead and we’ve already got Morgan’s toy on our hands. This isn’t good,” I said, hoping that Kylian would buy this as an excuse for me and Viviane being alarmed. I concentrated, going over what information Viviane had given us. “You said it is believed that only mortals are kidnapped. Given the weird coincidence that no undead went missing these last days and that Anouk wasn’t taken, that belief could be entirely true, couldn’t it?”

  Viviane pondered it and then nodded, “Yes, it could.”

  Anouk cut in, “But why?”

  I searched the internet for an answer. It really was incredible how much and what kind of information one could find there on magic even though it hadn’t been alive in this realm for the last thirteen hundred years or so.

  “Well, basically the Hunt takes you when you don’t show the right amount of respect and as a punishment enslaves you for eternity. But the undead, seeing as they already are damned, are spared this fate.”

  Anouk snorted, “Yeah, right. I can imagine far worse things than being forced to drink blood now and again.”

  So could I. Like being cursed to be reborn again and again, and having your aunty, the mad goddess of war gunning for you. But, no, the hounds had drooled over me as they would over any other tasty, mortal, little crumb so obviously that didn’t count.

  “Look what else you can find on the Wild Hunt. And maybe each of us should in our own way. I will call the Council, see what they know.” Kylian suggested.

  I nodded in agreement. “Good idea. We should try to find as much info on them as possible. Let’s meet again in three hours, and then we’ll make a plan.”

  Everyone moved. Anouk and her team went back outside. Viviane wanted Mathieu to help her look through some books of her. The ravens were sent to fly over the city as security and the rest of the shifters went back to Furry Village since they too had quite the library. Pauline opened her laptop and sat down beside me.

  “The Wild Hunt is surrounded by myth and rumors. Well, what most certainly is true is that those who look away like Kylian and Maiwenn did, those who pay respect somehow, aren’t taken. We know that the undead aren’t taken either. Though, I think demons are excluded there but I’m not a hundred percent sure. It’s more like a guess since a lot of sources claim that demons run with the Wild Hunt. Oh, and faeries, too.”

  Three hours later, in the quiet of the night we found ourselves back on the rooftop terrace exchanging the information we had been able to find. Some were standing or pacing and again others sitting in one of the wooden chairs like Viviane, who had a thick, old and leather-bound book in her lap. A fire had been made in the stone barbecue; its warm, flickering light a source of hope.

  “What about the leader?” Kylian asked Viv.

  “From Norse and Germanic gods, over the Faery King right up to Mother Hulda and even the Devil, all European believes are represented.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Mythological figures. Well, that certainly narrows it down.” I nibbled at my lip. “What about the missing persons? What might have happened to them?”

  Viv looked up from the book, a sadness in her eyes that told me everything before she said it. “The sources
are divided. But they were most probably either enslaved or killed.”

  I walked to the edge of the rooftop terrace. The sky was black and covered with tiny silvery dots, everything seemed so calm, but it wasn’t. A bright aurora borealis flared above us, changing from green to a warmer pink, bathing us in color. I had never seen this before and enjoyed nature’s spectacle, though in my gut I knew it was just another sign of things changing. Northern lights were very rare so far south. It seemed almost as if the sun could feel The Turn that was about to hit the earth as well, and cheered the planet on with her flares.

  “I can see the wheels turning in there,” Kylian remarked softly beside me, tapping my temple lightly.

  “We need a plan. We need to get them out.”

  “That’s what everyone else is thinking as well. So let’s get together and figure out how.” He motioned to where the others stood or sat in the wooden chairs, their eyes on Kylian and me.

  My gaze returned to the bright Eiffel tower, glittering as if covered in a thousand stars. “We need to find the Hunt. And I think I know what might help us.”

  Kylian followed my gaze, and that half-smile that I so loved curved one corner of his mouth. “Well, we’ll certainly have a good view from up there. Plus some people on the streets, and we should be able to see it when it comes.”

  He nodded, and we went over to join the others and to put a plan together.

  Viviane cut in before we could explain what Kylian and I wanted to do exactly. “But how do you want to see the Hunt?”

  I jerked a thumb over my shoulder and indicated the Eiffel tower. “A nice vantage point, it will come in handy.”

  My mentor didn’t seem exactly thrilled, but went on, “Okay, but how will you see the Wild Hunt? They exist on a different realm. How they can actually take people is still beyond me. It shouldn’t be possible.”

  “I think we have to get used to the impossible, and fast.” I wondered about what she’d said. “The gates are weakening more and more, and leaking. We all feel it, feel the magic buzzing in our blood.” And to know that’s just the beginning. Briefly I wondered whether once the magic was fully back I would always feel like I just stuck my fingers in a power outlet. “Morgan must feel the same and probably thought to give it a shot since, yeah, that way she certainly had the moment of surprise on her side. Besides, when the Hunt came to us on the cemetery, we could see the fog, and when my eyes where closed I could hear and feel the hounds breathing down my neck, literally. So they manifest somehow.”

  “And if they do, what then?” Pauline asked.

  I shrugged. “Beam me up, Scotty?”

  Viviane wasn’t to be distracted. “Let’s say, you find the Hunt, manage to be taken, which I really don’t approve of, what will you do once up there? In a realm, which we have no idea about, neither the rules that govern it nor how to come back from it, since as far as we know no one survived to tell about it. They have the full-blown home advantage, and we have practically nothing.”

  “We’ll have the moment of surprise.”

  “I’m serious, Maiwenn.”

  “I know. So once we’re there we’ll behave as ordinary prisoners, observe the surroundings and the Hunt itself, and then free all and kill the Lord of the Hunt.”

  “Impossible.” Viviane shook her head.

  “Why?” Kylian asked.

  She looked at us as if we were children that hadn’t done their homework. “Their motto is something like Kill To Be. Which means whoever kills the Lord, will be Lord.”

  “Oh.” That certainly was a problem. “So we have to incapacitate him somehow. Maybe banishment, put him in an exile? Just like Mordred. He won’t die, no one will have to take his place, and he won’t be able to hunt again.”

  Viviane pursed her lips, not objecting right out and so I knew there was a chance. That was all I needed. “What if it doesn’t work? We know that Morgan is the real puppet master. What if she can manifest in whatever realm the Hunt exists?”

  I flashed what I hoped was a reassuring grin and suggested in all innocence, “I guess we’ll have to improvise.”

  She shook her head, looked back at me and then at Kylian. “I hope you do realize that she’s taking you on a suicide mission?”

  He shrugged. “It seems to be a habit of hers.”

  I sneered. “Ha! As if. Our last suicide mission was your idea.”

  “True.”

  We came up with a plan, or something close to it, but by then dawn was nearly breaking and so we had a lot of time to kill until we could put it into action the following night. Everyone went home. Except for Ben. One moment he and Kylian were about to leave out the door and in the next Pauline had grabbed him and pulled him into her room.

  Kylian had looked at me, only arching one elegant and very telling or rather questioning eyebrow.

  Tempting.

  But I only looked at him and held the door open. For him to leave, just so we’re clear.

  “Yeah, you’re right. You need the sleep.”

  Thanks, now my mind was filled with images of what we could have done while not sleeping. Really tempting.

  I rolled my eyes at him and he chuckled. I shut the door in his face.

  For the last weeks, months even, I had gone with a minimum of sleep, the same and now too familiar bad dream haunting me every night. This night I dreamt of sex and Kylian and was surprised to find the sun already up in the sky when I woke. Apparently even my subconscious had acknowledged the fact that I had needed every minute of shuteye I could get. Sleep-deprived and feeling not up to the mark I wouldn’t have been of use to anyone. That was fine, even welcome, but regarding the other thing, my subconscious and I would have to talk, soon. Or you could do it, instead of just dreaming about it, the little red fellow on my shoulder remarked. Smart-ass.

  Anyway.

  In an effort to while away the time before our hunt for the Hunt I trained, showered and dressed and then decided to prepare breakfast. The moment the table was set Pauline and Ben slipped out of their room. Looking all tousled and absolutely glowing. Well, wasn’t that cute.

  Ben winked happily at me and I smiled back. Yeah, he so had my vote.

  Grinning from ear to ear they slipped into the chairs and I poured coffee for everyone. Not able to stop my curiosity peaking I asked, “So, you sure now?”

  Ben knew full well what I was talking about and smiled at me. “I was from the start.”

  I rolled my eyes at his cockiness and Pauline giggled. It was such a pure and happy sound, it brought sunshine into every corner of the room. Really, was there anything more powerful as a reminder of what life was worth?

  After breakfast he sneaked away to take a shower, leaving Pauline and me alone in the kitchen.

  “I won’t even ask whether you’re okay. That you’re more than okay is pretty much all over your face.” Seeing her, the fearless faery with the smart mouth and sharp eyes and strong heart, blush again was totally worth it and made me grin even more. “But I mean…seriously, what will you do? The whole mating thing, or…?” I let my question trail off, knowing she got me.

  She even understood me more than I sometimes liked as it turned out.

  “Yes. I will go with the whole mating thing, as you put it. Because I love that man and feel like I’ve never felt before.” Pauline looked at me, serious now. “But…you see the thing is that doesn’t mean you have to go and mate Kylian. The mating…it’s not what’s important.”

  Before I could ask her what she meant by that Ben strolled back into the kitchen, his hair still wet from the shower. Pauline stood to press a quick and sweet kiss against his lips and then bounced off.

  I cleared up the table with Ben helping me in silence. As I started to do the dishes he leaned his hips against the counter beside me. I could actually feel the wheels turning in his head, him pondering whether to tell me what was on his mind or not. He decided on telling me.

  “She’s right, you know.”

  I looked at hi
m questioningly and he continued, “Forget the mating and all that crap. Forget that the sex will tell us. It’s not how it’s not how it started out or what’s important.”

  I frowned. “What do you mean? Then what is?”

  He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture reminding me so of Kylian and expelled a sigh as he obviously grasped for the right words. Did they know how alike they were sometimes?

  “Your heart and what you feel, that’s important. I say Pauline is my mate because I want her to be, not because fate or some such tells me so. I say she’s my mate because the moment I saw her I felt as if struck by lightning, because the moment I saw her I wanted her mind, body and soul.”

  Wow, if that wasn’t the sweetest declaration of love I had ever heard. A hot but gentle fist squeezed my heart in joy, knowing that Pauline had finally found her fireworks, her…mate.

  Ben went on, “Shifters mate for life, but do you know that we have a rather high rate of divorce considering. Do you know why?”

  I shook my head.

  “Because they think they don’t have to work for it. They fuck around and one day they find their mate and they think everything will work out because fate tells so. But that’s a load of crap. You love and you work for it, no matter-freaking-what, that’s how you find and hold onto your mate. Kylian and I, we are brothers…not only because we grew up together, but because we want the same thing. Love.”

  Another sigh, as he looked down at his feet before glancing up at me, a crooked, sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “Normally I wouldn’t tell you this, ‘cause shit, we aren’t pussies, but I’m high on Pauline. And I love Kylian and I want the same thing for him and I like you, so…” He shrugged. “Kylian and I want love and family. Not necessarily children, that’s not it. Family in a way you have Mathieu, you know. And there were some who used that against him. It…changed him. I know Kylian has a rep…regarding women. But I can tell you those women knew what they got into and liked it that way. He has a heart and deep down he is looking for the other half of it, so he’s not someone who would break yours voluntarily. It might happen, if he’s really stupid enough to do so that is, but not otherwise. So I have just one question.”