“Very well then,” I said, forcing myself to calm down. “We need a plan. Lord Stiltskin, you sealed this witch once. Can’t you do it again?”
“At the time, I had my brother’s help and that of our fathers,” Rumpel Stiltskin replied darkly.
I had a feeling that was a story he didn’t really want to get into, but I didn’t have time for tact. “Your fathers?” I repeated inquiringly. “Can they assist us again?”
“Our power is limited now,” another voice suddenly said. I looked around, only to realize it was coming from the Rainbow Brick Road.
I stared in the direction of the slightly glowing path. Everyone else seemed just as confused. With a heavy sigh, Rumpel Stiltskin explained, “Our fathers were killed in the battle with our mother, but we managed to salvage their consciousnesses and transform it into the entity you know as the Rainbow Brick Road.”
Rapunzel gasped, and Dineiro released a sound of distress. “It’s not so bad,” the path rushed to assure them. “In fact, we’ve found it to be quite interesting—although it is an existence you cannot fully comprehend.”
The truth was I could intellectually grasp what they meant, but the implications would always elude me. Still, I had to hope that the Rainbow Brick Road would be able to help us in some way. Time was running out, and my need to see Vesper increased more and more with every passing second.
“But you still have power,” he argued, “and you can give us a clue on the witch.”
The air began to stir slightly, making my hair stand up on ends. I couldn’t say I was entirely surprised when a pixie-looking man and a brunette woman appeared in front of us. I might not have gotten too involved with the entire conflict between Medwin and his former fiancée, but I liked to be informed, and I could easily identify the two new arrivals as being the Fairy Godfather and Anelah.
Rapunzel paled slightly. Perhaps he didn’t like having to face this part of his past. The Arthurian brothers—Medwin included—glared, and Medwin took a threatening step forward. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re not wanted here, witch,” Leonard added. “Go back to whence you came.”
I found myself having to jump to Anelah’s defense, strictly because I didn’t want any further delays to my quest to rescue Vesper. “Enough of this,” I said. “I gather they came to help, because otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered us. Right?”
As I said this, I narrowed my eyes at Anelah. I was on the edge already, and if anyone tried to get in my way or deceive me, they wouldn’t like the truths that would be revealed about my nature.
For her part, Anelah looked a little pale, so much so that I might have actually mistaken her for one of the undead if I didn’t know any better. She leaned heavily against her brother’s shoulder, but didn’t look at me, instead staring at Rapunzel. The young blond fidgeted under her scrutiny, and the silence stretched for far longer than I’d have liked. I was seriously getting the urge to start forcing some minds open, when she suddenly said, “We could enlist the help of Rapunzel’s real father. I never told him about Rapunzel’s existence, but I think that if he knew, he would help us.”
“My real father?” Rapunzel asked softly, now looking directly at Anelah. His fingers clenched around Medwin’s arm, so tightly his knuckles went white.
“What game are you playing here, Anelah?” Medwin inquired. “I won’t allow you to hurt Rapunzel.”
“It isn’t a game,” the Fairy Godfather replied. “I believe Rumpel explained that Anelah’s evil largely stemmed from the spell that bound our mother in the first place. It started to unravel when Anelah first saw Rapunzel, at her wedding with Medwin. The magic I used on her also contributed to chipping it away. It was really unavoidable, from the moment I agreed to help Victor Frankenstein.”
“I don’t expect you to trust me,” Anelah said, her voice now a little steadier, “but I am telling you the truth. Right now, our mother’s spirit is the only thing that is free, so her power is limited. We have some time to prepare. The elves could help us.”
“If that’s the case, why didn’t you ask for their assistance back then?” Kirril asked. “Why did you stand against her on your own?”
“It’s complicated,” Anelah answered. “At the time, Rapunzel’s father was in a tricky political position. He couldn’t afford getting entangled with a child out of wedlock, let alone one of a different race. I was worried about what he would do, so I trusted my brothers and our fathers to handle it.” Softer, she added, “I underestimated her.”
“No one blames you for that,” the Rainbow Brick Road shushed her.
Finally, I snapped. “As touching as this is, can we please focus on the matter at hand? What elf are we going to see, and why is it complicated?”
“Because Rapunzel’s father is one of the current light elf elders,” Anelah answered. “We haven’t spoken in centuries. Even so, I know him well, and he won’t abandon us.”
“Very well then.” I stalked to Anelah’s side and grabbed her arm. If this was the elf elders, I knew how to find them. “Wait here,” I told everyone else. “We’ll only be a minute.”
Anelah opened her mouth, perhaps intending to protest, but I didn’t give her the chance. My magic couldn’t transport me to my Vesper’s location, but a simple translocation spell could carry me and anyone else I wanted to bring along to the largest elven city Álfheimr.
Álfheimr was the most important light elf citadel in the whole of Merlinia, and also the residence of the elders. From Álfheimr, the elders monitored the other elven cities. Although each town was largely independent, they all responded to the elders, which was why the elven leaders were considered to be among the most important Merlinian figures.
Having lived in Merlinia for centuries now, I knew how to get in and out of Álfheimr without too much trouble. The citadel must have changed a little since I’d been there last, but elves tended to be consistent with regard to most things, so I had no worries on whether I’d be able to orient myself or end up somewhere else entirely.
Still, I had to be careful, because the undead weren’t exactly the most popular species in the world. We had a pretty bad rep, which wasn’t wholly undeserved. It was for that reason that, upon casting the translocation spell, I chose a safer location for me and Anelah to land in.
As it turned out, I’d underestimated the passage of time. Then again, as a vampire, I was liable to do that, since, as the years passed, they began to lose their meaning. Therefore, it came as a sort of shock when Anelah and I ended up in the branches of a large tree.
In hindsight, I should have probably expected it. When had I taken my sisters sightseeing in Álfheimr? A hundred years ago? Maybe more. Just the same, I managed to keep any branches for piercing our limbs. It would have been kind of off putting if that happened. After all, I might have been undead, but no one liked sharp objects protruding from their flesh. Also, I suspected Anelah wouldn’t have liked it too much either, since she already seemed quite weak.
Still, we had a measure of luck, in that the usually numerous elf sentries didn’t spot us. The tree I’d taken us in was located at the very edge of Álfheimr, in one of the residential neighborhoods. It served as a support for a large structure, likely a private home, built in the traditional elf style. From my standpoint on a large branch, I actually got a good glimpse of several soldiers watching the area. However, I kept my calm and stared out into the distance, picking another spot to take us.
One second later, we were on the roof of the residence of the elf elders. Anelah looked a little green, and even I knew that I was stretching the limits of my abilities. Translocation spells were actually quite complex, and using this sort of enchantment repeatedly in quick succession was pretty risky. But at this point, my brain was solely focused on coming up with a plan to rescue my gorgeous Vesper. Any risk was worth it.
“Who are we looking for?” I asked Anelah. “Which of the elders?”
“Reluvethel Dawnhorn,” Anelah replied a lit
tle breathlessly. It could have been because she was wary to see her old lover again, or she hadn’t completely recovered from what ailed her. Either way, I decided that I couldn’t afford her getting sick on me. She was still a lady—a witch, yes, but nevertheless, a lady. Therefore, I took her in my arms and willed us inside.
I actually knew Lord Dawnhorn well. He was one of the younger elders, and the only elf whom I’d notified about my presence in Álfheimr. We weren’t exactly friends, but we were civil to each other, as he didn’t reject the undead like others of his kind did. Distantly, I wondered why it hadn’t occurred to me that he was Rapunzel’s father. Now that I thought about it, they looked a lot alike.
In the end, it was all pretty fortunate, because my prior acquaintance with Reluvethel told me where I was most likely to find him. If he hadn’t changed his habits since then, of course. For the second time, I wished I’d had the time to do some scouting, but Vesper was waiting. I couldn’t afford any delays.
It was this trail of thought that led me to Reluvethel’s private garden. I’d only been here once before, but I’d liked the feel of it, so I still remembered it pretty well. Mercifully, our luck held. Just as I transported us into the garden, I spotted a blond man crouched over a group of black rose bushes.
Even if our arrival had been quiet, he sensed us. He instantly tensed and turned toward us, obviously ready for an attack. His hand was already going to his waist, where his elven blade was sheathed. However, when he spotted Anelah in my arms, he faltered. “W–what…? Annelle? Is that you?”
The witch finally freed herself from my grip. “Greetings, Reluvethel. I must apologize for imposing on you after so much time, but I need your help. No. Your son needs your help.”
Chapter Three:
In Which There Are Little Red Hoods and Bunnies in Heat
It was humiliating. I had no other words for my current situation, well, other than frightening. But of course, that was to be expected. No one liked being kept in a cage, let alone a shape-shifter.
I nudged the bars of my cage with my paw, wondering if I could find any method to free myself. It didn’t seem likely. The witch who had kidnapped me seemed to be prepared for anything. My abilities couldn’t even scratch her, which was how I’d ended up trapped in a tiny cage, in my shifted form.
The thing was so small that it felt cramped even when I was in my bunny shape. If I made any attempt to change forms, I would likely hurt myself. Badly. To top it off, the witch seemed to know about my dislike toward random petting, because she passed her hand through my fur every time she got the chance. Cold shivers passed over my spine whenever this happened, and as much as I might have tried to protest, my efforts were futile. Because while the witch appeared to have substance when she touched me, my fangs went straight through her when I attempted to bite her.
But my worst problem right now was my concern for Vlad. From what little the witch had told me, the whole purpose of her kidnapping me had been to get Vlad to do something. Therefore, I gathered my mate must be all right. Nevertheless, not knowing for sure that he was safe, not having him by my side, fearing what the witch would do to him—it was all a little too much for my bunny soul. And I could do absolutely nothing about it, just wait in this cage, chewing my paws and wishing I could, at the very least, see past the gingerbread windows. Since I’d been stashed in the cottage, the smell of all the sweets was getting pretty nauseating. If the witch wasn’t careful, she’d ended up having to clean rabbit puke off the floor.
Perhaps the witch anticipated this problem, or maybe she had some other evil plan, because a little while after my capture, she appeared in the cottage again, this time dragging a young man along. I couldn’t distinguish too much of his features, because he wore a cloak with a red hood that obscured both his face and concealed most of his body.
“Here,” she said. “Keep each other company. I tire of your whining.”
She waved a hand, and chains of a substance that looked a lot like candy floss emerged from the walls. They wrapped themselves around the young man’s wrists and ankles, immobilizing him. “Please,” he said, “cease this. We’ve never done anything to you. Why are you harming us? Where is my brother?”
The evil woman laughed. “Right now, I’ll have to guess that he’s been turned into a vampire snack. Ask the rabbit. He’ll tell you all about it.”
With a final chuckle, she left the cottage, abandoning us there. The young man looked toward me. He pushed his red hood back and fixed me with wide black eyes. “Who are you? Do you know what happened to Robin? What’s all this about a vampire?”
I had no clue what he was talking about, but I didn’t appreciate the tone he used when speaking about vampires either. “I don’t know anything about any Robin, but the vampire is my mate, and he will find and save me. And when that happens, the witch will regret having ever been born.”
I said that last part a bit louder, although I really couldn’t expect my captor to be intimidated by it. Indeed, there was no reaction from the witch. She didn’t come inside the cottage again, although even if she had, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything to her anyway.
However, the other captive seemed interested in my words. “Is that why she kidnapped you, to spite your mate?” he asked.
“I don’t really know,” I admitted. “She wants him to do something for her. I just don’t understand anything anymore. Here we were, just walking peacefully, when we’re suddenly attacked by a shower of arrows. Why is this happening?”
The stranger went a little pale. “Oh…Oh.”
If I’d been in my second form, I would have frowned. As it was, I merely pinned him with a suspicious look. “What is it?”
He glanced away from me, fidgeting and wincing when the motion caused the strange chains to tighten around him. “The truth is, my brother, Robin…He and his friends are very good with archery. They focus their magic on things like that.”
I couldn’t help a sound of outrage. “It was him? He attacked us?”
“I don’t know,” the other man replied earnestly, “but if he did, he must have been forced into it. It’s why the witch kidnapped me, to use Robin.”
I remembered what the witch had said about having an agent. While I could empathize with the young man’s plight, I still resented his brother. I might have been able to understand the attack on me, but what I could not forgive was the fact that he had harmed Vlad.
“Do you think your mate would hurt Robin?” the other captive asked, oblivious to my thoughts.
“Well, as you can imagine, he’s not exactly happy right now,” I replied bitingly. “What did you expect, that they would embrace like old friends?”
The stranger released a soft gasp of distress. “But…it’s not his fault.”
“It’s not our fault either, now is it?” I snapped back.
The other captive released a small gasp. I couldn’t say that it made me feel guilty, but it did remind me that he wasn’t the enemy here. I was tired, cranky, and outraged. I felt worried for Vlad and I missed him like crazy. And okay, I wasn’t predisposed to being nice to people who’d had anything at all to do with my separation from my mate. However, taking it out on this man wouldn’t help me. If anything, it would just make things worse. In fact, our best bet in this situation was to stick together. While I trusted my mate would come to my rescue, it would be dangerous for him. If I could, I would have to try to get out this predicament on my own, and this stranger might prove to be an ally.
“Look, Vlad will probably be furious, but he’s unlikely to kill your brother,” I said. “He’ll probably be looking into a method to free me. As long as your brother doesn’t stand in his way, Vlad will likely not pay too much attention to him.”
“Do you really think so?” the young man asked, his lower lip trembling.
“He might be a vampire, but he’s a good man.” Of course, he was also fiercely protective of me, which I very much enjoyed. Also, even if Vlad dismissed this Robin perso
n as irrelevant, he could always ask his sisters to handle him. It actually seemed very likely that he would do so, but I decided not to share that little fact with my new acquaintance. “I’m Vesper,” I added instead. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Red,” he said.
“Red?” I repeated in disbelief.
The young man fully dropped his hood, revealing a mane of bright red curls. “Well, it’s actually Blaze,” he said, “but no one calls me that. It’s Red, or Little Red.”
“I see,” I answered dubiously. “Well, I suppose you could call me Perry.”
I didn’t actually want to allow that, because I only allowed my friends to use the nickname, but Red looked as afraid as I felt, and really, what was the harm? “So, Red, do you have any idea on who this witch is and what she wants?”
“I’m not really sure,” my new friend answered. “She’s not any Grimoirian I know, which is saying a lot, because I know almost everyone. Also, it’s very strange, but…she doesn’t seem completely here.”
“I noticed that, too,” I answered. “Do you think there’s any chance that we could give her the slip?”
“Don’t even dream of it,” the witch’s voice rang out of nowhere. “You’ll find that I can be very unpleasant if you upset me.”
I shared a look with Red and sighed. I supposed I wasn’t exactly surprised that she was watching, but it still galled me that I’d even suggested my idea out loud when she could hear.
Well, for the moment, it seemed clear that I had no way out. I slumped down in my cage, setting my head on my front paws. How I wished I had my bond with Vlad now…Vlad. My gorgeous vampire. I wanted to touch him all over, to kneel in front of him and suck his dick over and over. Better yet, I wanted to lay back, spread my legs, and expose my nether parts to my mate. I was so hot, and I desperately needed to touch and be touched.
I would have very much tried to find some relief, but the space I had at my disposal was quite cramped. I could only whimper helplessly as I rubbed against the bottom of the cage. My body felt heavy, and even my fur seemed to sizzle with my sudden arousal.
Undead Have Bunnies, Too [A Tail Like No Other: Book Four] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 4