by Tim O'Rourke
“Up here!” he hollered down at them. “Now why don’t you be good doggies and play nice!”
Seeing him, they lept and bounded into the air, swiping at him with their massive paws. But each time they came within touching distance of him, Isidor would swoop away with a grin on his lips.
Knowing that we had very little time left, if any to rescue Luke, I stared up at Potter and cried, “Don’t you realise that your friend could be lying at the bottom of that lake and all you’re worried about is trying to prove a point with this…this…”
“Be careful what you say,” Jack Seth growled through a set of clenched teeth. I looked into his eyes and the stare he gave me was dangerous – like that of a mad man. His face was a crisscross-patchwork of white scars and his jaw line was covered in untidy-looking whiskers. His jet-black eyebrows met at the bridge of his long, crooked nose. But what freaked me out the most were his ears. It was like they were set too low on each side of his face, tucked just behind his jaw. He was unnaturally thin, almost emaciated, and his cheekbones jutted from his face, which only gave his serial killer stare more depth. His fingers were long and bony and each of them was capped with curved fingernails. He wore a blue denim shirt that was open and he had a red bandanna knotted about his throat. His stilt-like legs were covered in a pair of black jeans and they were held around his waist by a knotted length of rope. His feet were bare, and just like his fingers, each of his toes had a talon-like toenail protruding from it.
Needing to break his intoxicating stare, I snapped my head away and glanced up at Potter who hovered just above me.
“Please!” I almost begged. “We need to find Luke.”
Without looking at me, Potter swooped back towards the ground and stood alongside Murphy.
Following his ascent with his burning stare, Seth looked at Murphy and snarled, “I should rip your fucking throat out for coming here – this wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Nor was sending us on a wild goose-chase into that godforsaken monastery,” Murphy said, and the contempt in his voice matched that of Seth’s.
“The girl was there,” Seth hissed. “Don’t blame me for screwing up. Just take a good look at yourselves – you’re pathetic –“
“Please.” I said, pulling at Murphy’s arm. “We need to find Luke!”
“Luke Bishop,” Seth sneered. “Don’t tell me you’re still wiping his arse for him?”
Then before I knew what had happened, Potter was in the air behind Seth, digging his claws into the killer’s throat. Instantly, the other werewolves were springing through the air and gnashing their ferocious-looking jaws at Potter.
Digging his nails deeper into Seth’s scrawny throat, blood began to trickle on to his bandanna. Potter said, “Tame your dogs or I’ll rip your fucking throat out. And believe me,” Potter whispered in his ear, “nothing would give me greater pleasure than to slice-up a child-killer – I don’t know why I didn’t do it long ago.”
With his eyes spinning wildly in their sunken sockets, Seth raised one of his painfully thin hands and said to the baying werewolves, “It’s okay my friends. This is just a misunderstanding that I’m sure we can all figure out.”
Hearing this, the werewolves dropped back onto all fours, and skulked away. Not once did they stop looking at Potter. Seeing the werewolves retreating, Potter slowly loosened his grip on Seth.
“We need to find our friend,” Potter said, and I could detect the anger simmering in his voice.
“Impossible,” Seth said, giving a sly, rasping chuckle. “If he is out in that lake somewhere, we’ll never find him.”
“Why not?” I said, not wanting to believe or trust him.
Then looking at me as if he were undressing me, he smiled and said, “Because your Sergeant sunk my boat, and believe it or not, I don’t have another one.”
“There must be another way,” Murphy said, coming forward, his limp more pronounced somehow as if he were dragging his right foot in the sand.
“There might be,” Seth said with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Listen here, Lassie,” Potter hissed, tightening his grip on Seth’s throat, “I’m not here to be jerked-off by you and the cast of One-Hundred-And-One-Dalmatians. So stop pissing me off and tell me how we can find Luke.”
“The sun will be up soon,” Seth said, his voice sounding strained as Potter continued to bury his nails into his throat, “and I’m guessing by the state of you that you haven’t been back to The Hollows in a while, so the sun will soon be scorching your skin. I will get my wolves to search the perimeter of the lake for you.”
“Not good enough!” Potter hissed and tightened his grip.
“Okay! Okay!” Seth wheezed. “I’ll get them to search the forest and the surrounding area, just in case he came ashore someplace.”
But as I glanced back over my shoulder at the mist that crawled across the icy-cold lake, I knew that Luke hadn’t come ashore. Those vampires had been all over him. He would’ve never made it out. Knowing this, my heart sunk in my chest as if being dragged out of me by invisible hands, and my bottom lip began to tremble. I didn’t want to cry, especially not in front of this killer, but the tears leaked from my eyes, ran down my cheeks and off my chin.
I felt an arm slide around my shoulders and Isidor pulled me close against him.
“We have to stay and search for him,” I whispered against his chest. “We can’t just leave Luke at the bottom of that lake.”
“There must be something we can do?” Isidor spoke up.
“If it were down to me,” Seth grinned, “nothing would make me happier than to watch you lot fry beneath the sun as you search for him, but you know I’m trying to make amends for past sins – so I’m offering you sanctuary for the day in our caves. And while you rest, I’ll put my very best wolves on the case. See, I’m a good guy now – just like you.”
Releasing Seth, Potter settled back on the shore and said, “You are nothing like us, killer.”
Rubbing his throat with one of his skeletal hands, Seth smiled, but the fury in his eyes betrayed his true feelings as he said, “Take it or leave it. But thanks to you, Murphy, you’ve lead the Vampyrus and their vampires to our sanctuary and it won’t be long before they return in greater numbers. Stay and search for your friend, but you will all certainly die in the process. Or come with me and let us finally make a truce. We may well need each other more than you think.”
“We don’t need help from your kind,” Potter spat.
“No?” Seth grinned and he truly did look crazy. “Then why did your sergeant come to me for help in the first place?”
From the folds of Isidor’s arms, I saw Potter glance sideways at Murphy, who just looked away.
“Come with us or stay here and burn,” Seth said, “it makes no difference to me.”
Gasping in shock, I watched in grim horror as Seth clawed away the flesh that covered his own face, and as it fell away in thin, fleshy strips, the head of a giant wolf appeared from beneath it. Throwing his head back, he howled and raked his claws down his chest. As the skin sliced open, thick black hair burst out and it glistened in the light of the rising sun. I watched as his flesh fell away, until all that was left was the giant wolf I had first seen bounding from the forest. Rearing-up on its back legs, Jack Seth howled so deeply that the branches of the nearby pine trees shook, releasing their fine green needles onto the ground. Dropping onto all fours, he looked one last time at us with his burning yellow eyes. Woofing at the other werewolves, he turned and sauntered along the shore towards the fountain.
We watched the other wolves bound after him, spraying up plumes of sand from beneath their mighty paws. Without saying a word, or even looking at us, Murphy started off after them. Seeing this, I broke away from Isidor and raced after him. Snatching hold of his arm, I spun him around.
“We’ve got to stay and look for Luke,” I pleaded with him.
Pulling his arm free, Murphy turned and started back up the shore.
Then fixing me with a hard stare, Murphy shouted, “You think you are the only one that loves him, do you? That boy is like a son to me. I don’t want to leave him behind any more than you do. But however much it pains me to say it, Seth is right – if we stay here we are all dead.”
“But -” I started.
“If the sun doesn’t get us, those that hunt us will!” he barked.
“But I don’t want to lose him,” I sobbed.
“Don’t talk to me about loss,” Murphy snapped. “I’ve lost enough loved ones to last me two lifetimes. If we stay here we’re dead and I’m not prepared to lose any more people that I care about.”
Raising my head, I looked at him and was startled to see tears running silently down the side of his face.
“Believe me, Kiera,” he said, his voice softening, “I’m not going to risk the lives of you all for Luke, however much that boy means to me. And Luke wouldn’t want me to put any of you in danger for him, he would want us to push on – to hunt down this invisible man who has caused us all so much pain.”
Knowing that he was right didn’t take away the pain that I felt inside. It felt as if part of me was dying and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Unable to hold back my heartache any longer, I began to sob uncontrollably. Taking me in his arms, Murphy held me tight.
“I’m so sorry, Kiera,” he hushed.
“Sorry for what?” I sobbed.
“For getting you into this,” he whispered. “That night you walked into the police station in The Ragged Cove I should have told you to get out of there – to run as fast as you could away from the Cove.”
“You didn’t exactly make me feel welcome,” I sniveled.
“I should’ve tried harder,” he said.
“Why didn’t you then?”
“Because I was being selfish.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, my face still snug against his chest.
“Because I knew what you were all along – I knew you were a half-breed,” he said, “and I knew that you were in danger, but I was just thinking about discovering the identity of who is behind this nightmare and I was hoping that you would draw him out.”
“Like bait, you mean?”
“Yes,” he whispered.
“And do you really think you could have driven me out of the Cove?” I asked him.
“Perhaps,” he said. “I nearly got shot of you – but Luke brought you back.”
“And if he hadn’t, I would have died,” I told him, as I remembered those vampires chasing me through the snow. “That’s why I can’t leave him behind now.”
“If you stay and look for him,” Murphy said, easing me back so he could look into my eyes, “then he would have saved you for nothing. He might as well have left you to the vampires that night in the snow – he would have risked his life for nothing.”
Then taking me by the hand, he started to lead me up the beach in the direction that the werewolves had gone. Silently, I went with him. As I did, I looked back over my shoulder to see Isidor following behind us and Potter standing alone, staring out across the lake as if looking for his friend.
Chapter Twenty-Five
We followed the Lycanthrope along the shoreline, the lake lapping around our feet. Turning away had been hard, and with each step I took, I struggled with the temptation to turn around and go back in search of Luke. But search where? And how? With the sun rising and the Vampyrus heading towards the secret lake, the situation was desperate.
However much I knew I had to struggle onwards, I couldn’t help but steal quick glances back over my shoulder and scan the horizon in the desperate hope that I might see Luke dragging himself out of the water. But the only other people I could see were Isidor and Potter following behind. They walked apart, Isidor with his crossbow in hand and Potter with his head and shoulders slumped forward. I could see that he was struggling - just like I was with the loss of our friend. I thought of going to him and offering him some comfort, but I feared that if I started back in that direction, I might never want to come back. So facing front, I continued to follow the giant paw prints that the werewolves had left behind them.
It was only as we drew closer to the fountain that I really appreciated its sheer size and wonder. Water raced in thick, red waves up the front of the mountain, as if being sucked-up by an invisible straw. To watch it was mesmerizing - almost hypnotic. The sound of the water cascading backwards was deafening and it almost seemed to roar like the werewolves themselves.
Reaching the fountain where the water formed a haze of watery-mist, the wolves stopped and turned to face us. Opening his colossal jaws, Jack Seth licked his snout with a fleshy-pink tongue and said, “Do you want to change your mind?”
“About what?” Murphy asked him. The wolf was so big that even on four legs, they stood eye to eye.
“About taking refuge in our sanctuary,” Seth woofed.
I watched Murphy as he looked back in the direction that we had come, and at the sun, which was spinning its golden rays between the tips of two ragged mountains in the distance.
“What choice do we have?” Murphy said grimly.
Without saying another word, Seth and the other three wolves lept from the shoreline and into the fountain.
Joining us by the fountain, Isidor looked up in awe as it towered high above, making us look tiny and insignificant. Potter looked at Murphy.
“What?” Murphy said.
“Why did you have to go and enlist Seth’s help?” Potter said, and his voice didn’t sound angry, just confused. “You’ve just made a very bad situation a whole lot worse.”
“I had no choice,” Murphy started. “I was desperate. After what happened at Hallowed Manor, I knew we were dealing with a ruthless killer, and as my father used to say - sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Our number is too small, Potter, just us against a legion of Vampyrus and the vampires they make. They are picking us off one by one. So I struck a deal with the Lycanthrope. For the release of Jack Seth, they would help hunt for Kayla.”
“But why would they want to help us?” Potter cut in. “They hate the Vampyrus.”
“Exactly!” Murphy said. “They don’t want the Earth overrun by Vampyrus any more than we do. The Lycanthrope have made lives for themselves amongst these mountains - hidden from prying human eyes. But that would all change if this invisible man took the Earth as his own.”
“You should have gone to our elders,” Potter insisted, “told them what we know - they would have helped us - they don’t want our race taking over the Earth any more than we do.”
“They banished us from The Hollows, remember?” Murphy reminded him. “We’re just a pain in their arse - a fly in the ointment. They don’t want any trouble - any political turmoil.”
“We’ll they’re gonna have a whole load of shit dropping on them from a great height,” Potter snapped. “Because by the time they do wake up to what is really going on up here - it will be too late. They will have no power - they will be finished.”
“And that is why I came to the Lycanthrope,” Murphy said. “It wasn’t a decision I took lightly. I agonised over it. I admit they don’t make worthy allies - I don’t want to be associated with that scum anymore than you do. But if we are going to survive this - we’ll have to work with them.”
“Don’t go kidding yourself that they are doing this to help us or the humans,” Potter said, “They are purely in this for themselves - to protect their own little world inside these mountains.”
Then staring hard at Potter, Murphy said, “And that is why we need them, because the Lycanthrope will slaughter anyone or thing that puts their race at risk of being discovered. These serial killers will show no mercy in protecting their own.”
Then, turning and bowing his head, Murphy stepped into the fountain and disappeared from
view. I looked at Potter and his eyes were dark, and his jaw firmly set. Turning to face us, he said, “Whatever you do, don’t trust the Lycanthrope. They seem to have fooled the Sarge, but don’t let them fool you. Your lives will depend on it - I promise.” Looking up at the raging crimson fountain, Potter lept forward and disappeared inside it.
“Ready?” I asked Isidor, with an anxious look in his direction.
Holding out his arm, in the direction of the rushing water, he half-smiled and said, “Ladies first.”
“Yeah, thanks,” I grumbled and took a step towards the fountain. As I was about to step into it, Isidor stopped me and said, “Are you injured, Kiera?”
Glancing back at him, I answered, “No. Why?”
“It’s just that you have two large tears down the back of your coat,” he said, his eyes full of concern.
Placing a finger to my lips, I said, “Shhh, Isidor. They were made by my wings.” Then turning front, I stepped into the waterfall and Isidor followed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
We stood at the entrance of an enormous tunnel, which had been carved into the side of the mountain. Ahead was darkness, but as I peered into it, I could see the outline of the Lycanthrope just ahead, waiting for us. The tunnel was rough-looking and made of earth and stone. Moss grew over it and the whole place stank of damp mildew. The others stood beside me, and we dripped water from our hair and clothes onto the uneven ground.
“What’s this mountain called?” I asked to no one particular, but just out of sheer wonder at its huge size. It was like I had stepped into another world - dimension - that lived just on the other side of the world that I thought I had known.
“It’s called home,” Jack Seth growled, his voice echoing back down the tunnel towards us. In the darkness ahead, I could see Seth turn away and his companions followed.
“Ready?” Murphy said, taking a deep breath.
“I guess,” Potter breathed, starting off behind the wolves. Silently we followed him.