Devi: Matefinder Book 2

by Leia Stone

  It was dark out. I peered in the window. I heard voices by the stairs. A man walked into the living room.

  “We went to a movie last weekend. Let’s stay in,” he argued. I inhaled. He smelled like a vampire.

  A woman trailed along after him. “But you know I love the movies.” She smiled.

  He grabbed her quickly, showcasing his vampire speed and spun her around. She was human. He smiled and his fangs lengthened. She looked at him with lust and he sank his teeth into her neck. She moaned. After a few seconds he pulled off and licked the spot he had bitten. It healed.

  “Thank you, dear. Just enough to tide me over until I can reach the blood bank in the morning. I don’t want you becoming woozy.” He tenderly stroked her face. She smiled and he kissed her forehead, like some perfect suburban couple. What the hell? He wasn’t like the vampires that I had met. “All right, the movies it is.” They left the house. I looked down, through the window and at a desk. A piece of mail stood there.

  Alek Crone

  3546 NW Bayberry St.

  Forest Grove, OR.

  Then the world was spinning and I was somewhere else. Nahuel and I were on a side street, leaning up against a brick building. The lamplight cast creepy shadows off of cars. A human woman was screaming and running toward us. I stepped forward to help her but Nahuel caught my arm.

  “This has already happened. It’s a replay.”

  A vampire leapt up into the air and pounced on the woman, eagerly sucking blood from her neck. She screamed as he sucked on her like an animal. I pushed Nahuel’s hand off of my shoulder and tried to grab the vampire, but my hands went through him like a ghost.

  “I told you, it’s happened,” Nahuel said as I watched the woman be drained of blood. The scene faded and we were standing in a corn field with the sun beating down on our heads. It was stifling. Sweat dripped down my face.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked him, panting. My nerves were raw from watching the woman be killed. Knowing it had happened and I couldn’t help her infuriated me.

  He shrugged and wiped sweat off of his brow. “That was a message. Spirit wants us to know that not all vampires are bad. There are two sides to every story, every race, every world.”

  I threw my arms up. “Well, shit. That’s just great. As I am about to declare war with them and Kai wants to wipe out their entire race! Now I have to worry about killing the nice ones?”

  Nahuel looked at the clouds. “Guess there’s more to the story. Wiping out an entire race wouldn’t bring balance. Looks like rain. That’s a good omen.”

  The second he spoke of rain, my throat became sickeningly dry. “I’m thirsty,” I told him. The corn field scene dissolved. Alma was standing over us, fanning us with sage. I opened my eyes from my trance state.

  “Welcome back, child.” She went to the door and opened the flap. Cool night air wafted inside the hut and with it, the smell of rain. I took a deep breath as Nahuel moved beside me.

  He handed me water. “Can you go the final round?”

  I wanted to say no. I was hot as hell, tired, thirsty, and freaked out by my vampire vision. But I was also stubborn and I wasn’t a quitter.

  I nodded. Alma closed the flap. Rain began to fall on the tent. Alma threw her arms up and shouted, “Sky Father! Thank you for this blessed rain. Wash away our impurities, our doubts, all blockages that keep us from our true path. Wash away insecurities, fears, feelings of lack. We are worthy. We open our arms to receive.” Mist flew out of Alma’s hands and wrapped around Nahuel and me. She wasn’t a witch, but she had a natural gift for magic. I guess Kai was right. Shaman’s were their own kind of people.

  Her mist wrapped around me and I began to think of Kai. I thought of what Alma said about removing insecurities and fear. Was I afraid Kai would hurt me? Why was I waiting to mate with him? Why had I said two months to get married? Why not sooner? I was scared. I could see that. In the tent, my emotions were so clear. They were laid out before me, raw and bleeding. I was a little girl with daddy issues and I was allowing myself to continue to be labeled a victim. When Kai had tried to get closer to me after Sadie’s wedding, I pushed him away. I buried our bond in my mind. I told him I had issues. But why? Why did I need to continue to play the role of abuse victim? I didn’t. I wouldn’t.

  A growl ripped from my throat. Alma nodded as if she knew I had reached clarity on something.

  Kai was my mate! The one person in my life I could trust. What the hell was I waiting for? I could die at any time! I could have a heat stroke in the tent. I needed to fully live my life. I couldn’t control when I would die, but I could control when I chose to live. I needed to stop labeling myself a victim. I was strong. I was worthy. I deserved Kai.

  The sound of the rain was deafening. It pattered on the tent in a steady drumming beat. I closed my eyes like Kai taught me to and went into my mind. I imagined the woods behind our house. I imagined the place where I had buried our mate bond. I saw the glowing ball just under the surface. I dug it up and nudged the ball out with my wolf snout, the ball hovered around me and then settled into my chest.

  I opened my eyes, gasping. So much love. I felt so much love through our bond. I felt as if he was right with me. He was worried about me, but he wanted to be supportive. He was jealous of Nahuel. He was wondering why I wouldn’t mate with him yet, why I hesitated to set a date for our ceremony. He had kept his side of our mate bond wide open this whole time. He had just noticed me uncovering the mate bond. I felt excitement in his energy. We were too far to communicate, but I sent him love. I sent him good thoughts. Alma came to me then. I didn’t realize there were tears on my cheeks until she wiped them.

  “There is a rightness in your soul now. Good girl.” She bent down to kiss my cheek and shuffled to walk around Nahuel, placing a tender hand on his head as she passed. She opened the flap and went out into the rain. Steam rose off her body. Nahuel clasped his hands together in prayer pose. “Thank you Great Spirit.” He got up and left as well.

  I took a deep breath. I was drenched in sweat, my hair stuck to my back and face. I smelled. I was hungry and thirsty, but I had never felt so alive and so clear. I clasped my hands. “Thank you for your guidance, Great Spirit.” It seemed right. That there was some greater thing out there that I couldn’t explain, that I was a part of it.

  I groaned as I got up into a standing position. As I walked outside, the cool rain hit my skin. Laughter began to bubble up inside of me. Alma began to laugh as well and spun around in a circle, dancing like a child. I followed her lead. I felt amazing. I was free.

  Alma took me to behind a thick cluster of trees where there was another tented structure. Inside was a large wash basin and a composting toilet. Alma pointed to the toilet, which had a bucket of sod next to it.

  “After you go to the bathroom, place a scoop of sod over it.”

  I tried not to wrinkle my nose. Fancy.

  There were dried lavender bundles hanging from the teepee’s peak. She left and after I washed up and changed clothes, I went to find Nahuel.

  The rain was gone and it was dark out. I had a lantern to light my way. Something about living without electricity or modern plumbing seemed right. The property was practically untouched by man. The moss grew in thick chunks on the branches. The trees were over a hundred feet tall and the weeds and flowers that grew were beautiful.

  I found Nahuel lying under a makeshift tent made of tarp by the fire. I pulled out my sleeping bag. He gestured to one of the teepees. “You can have the teepee, it will be warmer. Tomorrow you go on your vision quest. Now that you are cleansed, you are ready to find out about the Devi.”

  I nodded and wished him a good night. I was nervous. Once inside my tent, I pulled my cellphone out of my backpack. I could feel Kai’s energy. It was with me always. I could feel he was excited about something.

  I turned on my phone. It buzzed with missed text messages. They were all from Kai.

  -You opened the mate bond! Are you okay?- />
  -You feel okay. You seem like you are happy. I miss you.-

  -Leave it open. I like it.-

  I wrote him back.

  -Everything is clear now. I won’t close it again. I love you. P.S. I want to have our mating ceremony ASAP. Next week?-

  I felt shock run through our bond as he read it. Then it bubbled with happiness.

  -I will arrange everything. Hurry home to me.-

  I smiled and turned off my phone and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  Vision Quest

  I awoke to the sound of voices. Many voices. Men. I bolted upright.

  “Where is she?” I heard a strange voice say with authority. I stripped down and silently shifted into my wolf. I shifted so fast you could barely hear the bones cracking before I was on all fours. I took a deep breath in through my snout. They didn’t smell human. I crouched on my paws and then sprang out of the tent. I took a quick scan. Six large Native American men with spears were around Alma. I quickly darted in front of her and growled at the approaching men. Nahuel wasn’t here. I would have to protect Alma on my own. I lowered myself into a crouch, ready to spring.

  “Aurora, no child! They are friends. They’re here to protect you during the vision quest.”

  The men looked at me with amusement. They lowered their spears.

  “She was going to protect you,” one of them said to Alma with respect.

  Alma patted my head. “It’s okay, child. Go and change shape. I’m okay.”

  I huffed. Well now I felt stupid! How was I supposed to know some big, burly warrior guys were invited? They didn’t tell me. Kai’s energy was frantic. He sensed my fear and thought I was hurt. I took a deep breath and shifted in my tent. I calmed down and sent Kai a text that I was fine. I put on my protection necklace Nahuel made me and then my clothes. I walked outside to find all of the guys telling Nahuel what happened. Well, no way to make this less awkward.

  “She has a warrior spirit,” one of them told him.

  “Wolf totem,” another said.

  I cleared my throat loudly. “Sorry about that. No one told me six big guys with spears would be coming.”

  They smiled. One of them, who wore a feather headdress and looked like the leader, stepped forward.

  He bowed. “Your first instinct was to protect Alma. It shows you have a good soul. We will be honored to stand guard at your ceremony.”

  I blushed a little and nervously played with the ends of my hair. “Oh, well thanks. Why exactly do I need guards?”

  Were they expecting vampires?

  Nahuel was rubbing white chalk paint on his face. “When we do a vision quest like this, we open a portal into the spirit world. Sometimes other things come through. Bad things. These are my brothers. They will protect the earth from evil coming through our portal.”

  My eyes widened. Okay. Sometimes I was sorry I asked questions.

  Alma made an egg, black bean, and salsa burrito for herself. My mouth was watering. She looked at me with pity. “No breakfast for you. You will need to fast. Sorry, child.”

  I frowned. Instead, I chugged some cold, crisp water. The men were painted up like warriors with white tribal markings across their skin. Nahuel came to sit beside me. He carefully drew two lines of chalk onto my cheeks. Alma had braided the sides of my hair back and out of my face, the rest hung loose.

  “I’m hungry,” I told him.

  “Me too, but we must give up all that it takes to live in the physical world and rely on the strength of Spirit to sustain us for the duration of the quest.”

  My stomach grumbled. “Okay.” I just had to trust that there would be an egg, bean, and salsa burrito waiting for me at the end of the quest.

  Nahuel was grinding a small green dried root or herb in a stone bowl. When it was a fine powder, he added it to a boiling water pot that hung over the fire.

  I looked at him skeptically.

  “Medicine.”

  I grew up around natives. It was hard not to in these parts; it was their land first. I knew that ‘medicine’ meant drugs. There was a hallucinogen in that tea. Peyote probably. Maybe mushrooms. I also knew that it was a sacred part of their ceremonies and hadn’t yet heard of anyone dying from it. So I guess I was about to have an interesting experience. Nahuel let the tea boil while he gestured me over to a creek that ran along the side of the property.

  He sat cross legged next to the creek and patted the ground next to him. I sat down. He moved so that our knees were touching. He placed a hand on each of my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes.

  “I have a great respect for you, Aurora. You were a human girl that knew nothing of this life and you have taken up your new responsibilities well.”

  The moment became serious very fast. I nodded. “Thanks, I appreciate you guiding me through this.” It was true. He had been there from the beginning, always warning me or helping me.

  “A medicinal vision quest is not to be taken lightly. We do not casually take white women into these.” He smiled.

  Wow. A sense of humor! I laughed. “I promise not to embarrass you.”

  He squeezed my shoulder and his face became serious. “I’m not worried about that. Taking the plant medicine will open your spiritual sight. You haven’t exactly grown up with the knowledge we have. You will be overwhelmed. You will meet your higher self, your Devi soul, you will know your purpose. So many things will be revealed.” So, he really did think I was a Devi.

  “What if I freak out?” I asked him, getting nervous. He took a small chunk of my hair and cut it off quickly. My hand flew to the spot he had cut.

  “Hey! I’m getting married. I need cute hair,” I scolded him.

  He wrapped my hair in a circle and placed it in his medicine bag around his neck. “No matter what happens, no matter what you see or feel. Know that your soul is safe with me. I will guide you. I will keep you whole.” There was a seriousness in his voice, like he was stating it to the whole Universe.

  I nodded.

  After I drank the horrid, bitter “medicine” tea, we said goodbye to Alma and began our hike up the mountain. Nahuel said when we reached the top all would be clear. The six warriors hiked in a flanked position around me. Three on my left, three on my right. Nahuel was at my side. He hummed softly. I was the only one who drank the tea. I guess that was a good thing. Someone needed to stay sober. I had texted Kai before I left that he might feel some weird vibes from me, but not to worry.

  I had my backpack on and I felt good. This felt right. The sweat ceremony the night before was good and this would be good too. My stomach grumbled. Hunger and nerves did not go well. I felt nauseous after drinking the tea. Alma put honey in it but the taste was still bitter. I shook off the icky tummy and pushed harder into the hike. I always liked a good work out. Nahuel picked up the pace next to me. I glanced sideways at him and become transfixed by the jaguar tattoo on his arm. It blinked and I gasped, shaking my head.

  Nahuel gave me a sly grin. “Easy sister, slow your pace.”

  I realized I was running. I slowed to a fast walk. I loved the trees! I loved trees in general. The big ones had been there forever. Before me? Before werewolves? The thought spooked me. I slowed my pace more and drank some water. It felt like a million ants were sliding down my throat as I drank. I spit it out.

  Then I heard a child laughing in the distance. It was a happy laughter and I wanted to find it. I walked toward it. It was growing louder. I pushed through a dense wall of trees to find a little blonde-haired girl spinning around and around with her little brother.

  “Ring around the Rosie, pocket full of posies,” she sang as her and her brother locked hands and spun around. When she got to the part where they fell down, she looked up at me laughing. It was me! It was me and Drake when we were kids. It was a memory, a good memory I had lost.

  Nahuel lightly grabbed the sides of my face. “Remember why you are here. What is your purpose?” The children dissipated like ghosts.

  The tea was
working in full effect. Nahuel looked like he had just stepped out of a watercolor painting. His nose dripped off of his face. What was my purpose? I’m the Matefinder. I kept walking.

  How old were werewolves? Who came first? If Great Spirit or God or Sky Father existed, than why did he create all of these different species? Why did evil happen? Why were we here at all? Was this an experiment? My mind was racing.

  ‘Balance.’ I heard a whisper in my ear. I quickly turned my head to the right. A tree was shimmering like it was made of rainbows. Nahuel got in my line of sight. The tree over Nahuel’s shoulder ripped in half and I saw a vampire wearing a human skin coat with the hair and eyes still attached.

  “No!” I screamed. One of the warriors slashed the vampire with his spear and he was gone.