Portal (Nina Decker)

by Anna, Vivi

  He tossed it to me.

  “You try it.”

  I had drawn a bow before. My first two years in college I had to take a sport so I decided on archery. I was even pretty good. But if this was a true Tudor longbow it had a draw weight of a hundred and fifty pounds which meant it took a hundred and fifty pounds of pressure to bring it to a full draw. Fortunately you didn’t draw a bow with only your arms. Proper technique used the back, shoulders, almost the entire upper body. It was more like a bench press. Still that meant I would be bench pressing a hundred and fifty pounds.

  “I work out a lot. But not that much,” I explained.

  Severing just smiled. “Try it.”

  I shrugged and pulled back on the string.

  It was just like trying to press a Nautilus machine set to one fifty. My form was a little off but even after I made my adjustments it was still hard. I pulled with my shoulders, back and arms but it still wasn’t enough. I grunted and strained. Sweat beaded on my brow. The string cut into my fingers. Finally I let it drop.

  “It’s too hard,” I said.

  Severin calmly picked it off the ground and handed it back to me. “You’re pulling with the wrong muscles.” He reached out and with the tips of his first three fingers to touch the center of my stomach. “Use what’s in here.”

  I felt another burst of warmth from inside me. But this was only half desire. The other half was my fae body awakening. I felt uncomfortable. This was a part of myself I’d always kept under wraps. I had spent my life avoiding my faerie half. I didn’t want to be labeled as a freak. I didn’t want to be carted away from my father and thrown into some government laboratory. And I didn’t want to admit that my mother was some dark fae princess.

  “I don’t want to,” I said.

  “You may not have a choice. This bow isn’t for me. I already have a weapon. I just have to let it out of its cage.”

  Severin snarled a bit. His canines extended and then retracted.

  “Your mother was a high fae,” he went on.

  “Thanks for reminding me.”

  “You have power in you, Nina. And I’ll bet this bow was created to work with that power.”

  I closed my eyes and pulled again on the bow string. Warmth blossomed inside me. The bow string pulled back slightly. It was easy this time. But that energy inside made me uncomfortable. I forced it back down again. After all the years of hiding who I was, trying to deny my parentage, it wasn’t easy to just stop and let it all out.

  “You’re not really trying,” Severin muttered.

  He was right. But still the tone of his voice triggered my anger. Had it been anyone else I would have shrugged it off. There had been one time when I had let the fae in me out. That was when Severin had provoked me. For better or worse the alpha werewolf was under my skin. He made me feel like no one else before. So he could irk me like no one else either.

  I wasn’t that mad but it was enough. A small fire ignited inside and it flowed into my hands. As I watched my arms pulled back the bow string. There was no effort this time. There was no tension in any part of my body. It was easier to draw than my bow in college. It was like a child’s toy, the ones that fired foam darts.

  “You can do it,” Severin said.

  That was all I needed to see. My wings popped out of my back even though I still had several hours to go on my glamor. I gently let the bow flex back into position. The surging heat inside me dampened. It didn’t go away completely but that was probably because Severin was still there and he was still gorgeous. My anger at him changed to something else, fiery and passionate. But this wasn’t the time or the place.

  Still I watched his sinewy, taunt body closely as he retrieved the rest of the archery kit. I savored the arch of his body as he bent over to pull out a vinyl case.

  “Here’s the rest of the equipment,” Severin said.

  I snapped back to the task at hand and looked over the bow’s accessories. Severin give me a wicked smirk. He must have noticed me checking out his ass.

  I couldn’t be sure whether it was fae magic that was making me feel this way or if it was just because I had to think of Severin in order to tap into it. Either way I gave myself a mental cold shower and got down to business.

  “Let’s have a look at this stuff.”

  Most of it was pretty familiar to me. I took out the leather arm guard and glove. The guard would protect my forearm from the bowstring. Supposedly a truly fine archer had a perfect draw and no need of the guard. I may have had fae power buried deep inside me but I had a sense I was going to need the guard unless I wanted a nice scar along my forearm. The glove would protect my fingers as I nocked the arrows. Speaking of ammunition it came in a plastic quiver. Inside I found wooden shafted projectiles with real goose feathers. The arrow heads were made of chipped flint. I wanted to ask how old these were. Thousands of chipped flint arrowheads had been recovered from the area around Vancouver and some dated back to the time when there was still a land bridge connecting this part of the world with Asia. But they could have just as easily been reproductions. A whole lot of people had rediscovered the art, from survivalists to anthropologists to guys who made them as souvenirs for the tourists.

  I summed it up. “A sixteenth century bow, stone age arrow heads, and a plastic quiver. Eclectic to say the least.”

  “The important thing is there’s no iron or metal. We can’t take those through a fae portal.”

  I nodded. That made sense. Iron was the greatest weakness a fae had. I rode a motorcycle because I couldn’t stand to be inside a car. It was only logical that they would make sure that any portal of theirs would filter out such hazardous material.

  “Too bad. Fae magic or not I’d feel safer with a Glock,” I joked. I did a quick count of the arrows. There were twenty. “Is this enough?”

  “Trust me, it should be plenty.”

  “Are we ready to go?”

  “Not yet. There’s some pack business to attend to.”

  It was then I noticed that Severin’s lackeys had surreptitiously left the warehouse. I thought we were alone but then I saw Severin motion to a figure in the shadows to come forward.

  When he did I nearly screamed.

  “Decker,” said Officer Stettler of the Supernatural Event Monitoring Agency. “Always knew you were a werewolf lover. I didn’t think you’d go this far though.”

  Chapter 4

  I’d had the misfortune of dealing with Stettler and his redneck partner Coates on a number of occasions. Every time there was a suspected werewolf attack at the ER those two had shown up. From what I saw the pair did very little detective work. They just threw around slurs, insults and made inappropriate jokes. Now here he was in a secret pack location standing before the pack Leader. He still had that smug look on his face that made me want to slug him.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

  He just grinned and nodded at Severin. To my shock Severin returned the nod.

  Suddenly it dawned on me and I almost had to sit down. “You’re a werewolf,” I said to Stettler. “You’re part of Severin’s pack.”

  Stettler laughed. “You’re not as dull as I thought you were.”

  For a moment I thought that this should have made me like him more, or at least like him a little. But instead I felt even more loathing for the man. I remembered every foul utterance that ever came out of his mouth. I remembered when he and Coates dragged away a poor woman they suspected of being a werewolf. Most of all I remembered his smug, cruel face. He had enjoyed those moments.

  Severin let out a low growl to remind Stettler who the pack leader was. “Is it done?” he asked.

  “Yeah. SEMA thinks I’m out on a hunting trip for the next few weeks. What ‘s all this about?”

  Severin took a deep breath as if the next part was difficult for him to say. “You’re in charge until I return.”

  At this point I didn’t think anything could surprise me. But that one nearly took me off my feet. Stettle
r looked about as stunned as I felt.

  He let out a nervous laugh. “Is this some kind of joke, Saint Morgan? Because if it is I don’t find it funny.”

  “It’s no joke,” Severin said. “I need to appoint a leader in my absence and I’ve decided that it’s in the pack’s best interest that you take over.” He fished a set of keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Stettler. “You’re free to make use of the pack’s house. I wouldn’t recommend holding too many wild parties though. SEMA has eyes on that place and they wouldn’t be too happy if they found out about you.”

  Stettler scoffed. “Those idiots? I’ve got them completely fooled.”

  “Even your buddy Coates?” I asked. In my mind Stettler and his partner Coates were a double act of offensive humor. Twin rednecks.

  “Coates has shit for brains,” sneered Stettler. “Every day I had to resist the urge to murder that fool. I would’ve been doing the world a favor.”

  Incredibly Stettler made me feel sorry for Coates. I’d been around a lot of cops while working at the ER and most of them weren’t like Stettler and Coates. There was bond between partners that was deep. It had to be as these people trusted each other with their lives. I’d seen a tough as nails policeman break down when his partner died. He took it as hard as the man’s family. Coates probably thought Stettler felt the same way about him. He probably trusted the man with things he wouldn’t dare tell anyone else. And this was how Stettler repaid that trust.

  I had a sudden urge to pull out the bow and feather his arrogant ass. I realized that Stettler hadn’t been acting during our unpleasant encounters in the ER. He was that vial and depraved, it was just the true objects of his hatred that he kept hidden.

  Severin was in Stettler’s face with a few long strides. “Stay professional and don’t get sloppy. Or else.”

  “Best be careful, mate,” he said in an exaggerated Aussie accent. “You know what kind of ammo SEMA issues to us field operatives.” Stettler tapped the side of his jacket. I could make out the outline of a gun.

  “If SEMA even suspects who you really are they’ll use those silver bullets on you and the rest of the pack. “

  That got Stettler’s attention. He backed away.

  “This isn’t a permanent change,” Severin said. “You’re only in charge until I return.”

  “If you return,” Stettler muttered. Severin must have heard but made no reaction.

  With that settled, we turned our attention to the tree in the middle of the warehouse. I could still make out the shape of Ralph Donnelly. I was dreading this next part.

  “So how do we use the portal?”

  Severin held me tight but it only comforted me a little.

  “It’s not going to be pretty. I’m sorry for what’s about to happen.”

  I smelled gasoline and saw Stettler return with a chainsaw. “Well, let’s get you two to Nightfall.”

  He revved up the saw and strode towards the tree. He swung it into the trunk with wild abandon.

  “That used to be a person,” I gasped.

  “Believe me, he knows,” Severin whispered in a low growl.

  I could still see poor Ralph standing there as Stettler cut into him. Severin squeezed my shoulder but it didn’t help. I couldn’t forget that a man had died so I could enter Nightfall. As a nurse, as a human, the idea made my stomach turn.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whispered although I knew Ralph couldn’t hear me anymore.

  In moments the tree fell. A bright yellow light emanated from the stump. Stettler backed away from it.

  “There’s your portal,” he declared.

  It was a strange light. It cast odd shadows on the walls and ceiling and it constantly changed. New patterns emerged like a kaleidoscope. It changed shade as well, moving from a bright sunshine to a mellow golden color.

  I tore my attention from the light when I sensed Stettler’s gaze on me. He sent shivers through me. His face was cold and hard, completely devoid of emotion.

  “Is there something you want to say?” Severin asked.

  Stettler kept his eyes on me when he spoke.

  “Yeah, I do. You know there is another way. We’ve been handed a portal right to Nightfall. If these faeries want a war that badly, let’s give it to them. Instead of just you two going, let’s send the entire pack. Wipe ‘em all out.”

  I knew right away that “wipe ‘em all out” included me.

  “Not happening. So just forget it,” Severin growled.

  “Present excluded of course,” Stettler answered with an obvious lack of sincerity.

  “You’re still dreaming, Stettler. Even at full strength we don’t have enough to take on all of Nightfall. Their numbers are greater than ours.”

  Stettler said, “Don’t just send our pack. We can send every pack from around the world. We can spread the word.”

  “There’s still a peace treaty on and I won’t have our pack to be the one to break it. That would make us outlaws in the werewolf world. Besides, the fae gave us this portal as a gift. A gift to Nina. You don’t think they’ll have some kind of welcoming committee on the other side?”

  The gleam in Stettler’s eyes faded. “Yeah but just by entering Nightfall you’re breaking the treaty.”

  “Then it will be on my head alone. Now leave us.”

  “And you’re heading right into the hornet’s nest.”

  “Why Stettler, I didn’t know you cared.”

  The turncoat cop took one last glance at me. It was like he was sizing up his next meal. “No piece of ass is worth this.”

  He slunk away with the chainsaw. I was happy to see him go. Usually I felt furious after talking with Officer Stettler. Now I felt like taking a shower. The man was genuinely sick.

  So why is Severin putting him in charge? I wanted to ask but my attention was drawn to the glowing stump. The light continued its dazzling display. A buzz or a hum came from the stump. Were the lights singing? I watched and listened and forgot all else except for what was in front of me, beckoning me. I’d never been hypnotized before, but I thought this must be what it was like. Then I remembered poor Ralph and I came back to my senses or nearly.

  “Are you ready?” Severin asked.

  My heart pounded in my chest. Part of me desperately didn’t want to go. I knew once I stepped into the portal that would be it. Regardless of what happened next my life would be changed forever. But I had no choice. My father was somewhere on the other side, in Nightfall. I had to go in order to find him. To bring him home. To save him from my mother and her ilk.

  “Could you hold these?” I asked Severin handing him my bow and quiver. My heart was thumping so hard I didn’t trust myself. I might lose my only weapon.

  I took a deep breath and walked towards the glow.

  For you, da.

  I stepped up to the stump and into the light. It swallowed me whole.

  And then I was falling.

  Chapter 5

  For a long time I fell through the bright yellow light, my stomach doing flip flops. Then my descent slowed and became gentle. Soon I was no longer falling, I was floating like a leaf suspended in the air. All around me, I could see was bright yellow light. Then I looked down and saw the ground beneath me. I was a ways up but descending. At first the ground was just a dark mass. As I got closer I saw it was the canopy of an immense forest. I braced as I passed through the branches but none of them hit me. I floated safely down to the forest floor.

  I landed without a sound on the hard ground. There were trees around me. I wondered for a moment if this really was Nightfall or if the portal had simply dumped me outside the Vancouver city limits. But then I looked closer at the trees and I knew this couldn’t possibly be British Columbia. It couldn’t be any spot on Earth.

  I was no stranger to woods. Vancouver may be a big city but fifteen minutes away and you’re in serious danger of being eaten by a grizzly. I’d been on nature walks since kindergarten. And I’d sat through a dozen school lectures about Our Fri
ends the Trees. Because of all that, I knew I wasn’t in any normal forest.

  It was darker and more alien than any woods I’d ever seen. It was the trees themselves that were the strange part. Their trunks were straight and tall, not twisted and malformed like I half expected. They were wide but no wider than the mighty redwoods I’d seen before. But these giant trees were closer together than they had any right to be. Back home the old large trees were imposing but spread out from each other. That’s because they had equally large root systems. But here the massive, dark trunks were packed together. They should have been strangling each other but there was no evidence of that. On Earth, even in the thickest forest it was still the open sense. You were outdoors. Here it was the opposite. The forest was claustrophobic like the trees had closed ranks to intimidate intruders. And perhaps that’s exactly what they had done.

  The canopy above me was thick but I glimpsed a dark blue night sky above me. I saw no stars or moon but there was bright silvery light everywhere. By that illumination I made out my surroundings. The trees were so close together it was more like a being in a maze. I was on a narrow dirt path that snaked this way and that between the enormous trunks. Ivy and brambles grabbed at my ankles as I moved around. The air had a loamy and earthy odor like freshly tilled soil. The scent made me think of a newly dug grave.

  I didn’t see Severin about and suddenly regretted handing him my only weapon. I didn’t know if it was safe to call out with no idea where he was but I pressed on through twisting path on my own.

  That’s when I began to feel it.

  It was like being back in my garden where I felt connected. Despite the darkness and the giant tree looming that same sensation washed over me. A familiarity, a calmness. This was a feeling of true belonging. I felt a connection to this place deeper than anything I had ever known. With every step it was like I knew the soul of this land more and more. And it knew me. This was a living land and a living forest. It had a soul I could almost see with my own eyes. That’s when the path began to widen and became more open. I could breathe better. I sensed this wasn’t an accident. The trees had decided I was not a threat and they were letting me pass. I wanted to say thank you because I knew the trees would hear me. At the same time I thought they didn’t want to be disturbed. They were old and cranky, these trees and all they wanted was to be left alone in peace.