by Willow Cross
Sarah reached out to squeeze her hand. “It’s not your fault. You only did what you were trained to do.”
Tears threatened to stream down her face as she looked into Sarah’s eyes. “Isn’t it? Isn’t there some point in life where you have to start making your own decisions about what’s right and wrong?”
Shaking her head, she answered, “But you have. That’s what you’re doing right now. You’ve made up your own mind about it, and now you’re doing something to change it. No one can fault you for that!”
Ashley stood and retrieving two small logs from the wood pile, threw them on the fire. “I guess so. I’m not so sure about this whole thing with Brogan. I’d really hoped that the killing part of my life was over. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
“Ash, I’ve watched this eat Jason alive for months now. It’ll destroy you if you let it. You have to move on.”
Gaze transfixed on the fire, she answered, “I know. I’m trying.”
A cool breeze erupted inside the clearing, throwing dust and leaves around. Immediately alert, the girls glanced around. Just inside the tree line a large mist began to form, before solidifying into Brogan and the three young men who were grinning ear to ear. Shad waved as the group made their way to the fire. “Wow! That was incredible. You wouldn’t believe where we’ve been!”
Perturbed, Sarah answered, “You could have left a note. We were worried sick!”
“Ah, come on. We were with Brogan, how much trouble could we be in?” Jason answered.
Ashley cleared her throat, folding her arms across her chest. “Plenty,” she said as she glared at Brogan.
In response, the old man chuckled and winked. “Now simmer down there, Missy. We just had to tie up a few loose ends is all. Wasn’t no sense in waking you two sleeping beauties. Can’t send you kids off to certain death with nothing to fight with.”
“What are you talking about?” Sarah queried.
“Check these out,” Pete answered, pulling a short sword from behind his back. “How cool is this?”
Confused, the girls watched as Jason and Shad repeated the motion, and began play fighting with the swords. “You guys are nuts,” Ashley exclaimed.
Breaking off from his onslaught against Jason, Shad turned to his sister and pulled a leather tie up over his head and off his shoulder. It was attached to another sheathed sword. “This one’s for you,” he said tossing it to her.
Expertly, she caught it mid air and pulled it from its sheath. Turning to look at Brogan, she asked, “You really think we want to get this close to werewolves to kill them?”
Brogan made a ticking noise with his mouth. “Taint for wolves silly girl. Silver bullets ain’t gonna kill vamps. Might slow em down some, but the only way to really make sure they’s dead is to lop off the head.”
Ashley gave Sarah a disappointed look before slumping in a camp chair. Moving to her, Sarah place a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “It’ll be okay.”
Tear filled eyes sought Sarah’s face. “Will it? It’ll never stop. Now I’ll have to wonder forever how many more I’ll kill that don’t deserve it.”
“What’s this?” Brogan asked, moving toward the girls. “Why so glum?”
Feeling protective of her friend, Sarah glared at Brogan. “How will we know who to kill? How will we know who deserves to die?”
He let out a gut wrenching laugh and slapped the side of his leg. “Well that’s a darn easy thing to tell girl. Believe me, with them it’s a simple thing. Besides, that’s your job, Sarah. It’s up to you to know.”
“I thought we were going in search of packs to join the cause?” Ashley asked.
Brogan nodded and raising his arms to his side, answered, “You are child, but this is Romania, home of the vampire. There’ll be a might more killing to be done before the real battle takes place.” He squatted down in front of Ashley, placing a hand on her knee. “Iffin you ain’t got the stomach for this, it’s best you don’t go. The task you kids are taking on is not for the weak of heart. You have to set your mind to it girl, or you’ll get yourself, and everyone else, killed.”
Moving behind her, Jason wrapped his arms around Ashley. “This isn’t like before, Ash. We won’t take out anyone that doesn’t deserve it.”
Turning her head to the side, her cheek brushed against his. She whispered, “I’ve heard this all before. I thought we’d get jobs and settle down, maybe start a family. I just…”
“We can,” he answered softly, and then kissed her tear streaked face. “We will. But first, we have to make this world a safer place.”
Standing, Brogan’s gaze touched on each of the group. “This is your destiny, children. Everything you’ve been through up to this point has been training exercises for what is to come. You must embrace your destiny, or all will be lost. We can’t do this without you. Those on the side of good must join forces if we are to defeat those against us. Without it, there is no hope.”
Closing her eyes tight, Ashley wiped the tears from her face. “Okay, I’m in. But Sarah?”
“Yes?”
“You make damn sure we are doing the right thing.”
Sarah nodded. “We aren’t killing anything or anyone that can be saved.”
Chapter Thirty
Techno music throbbed in unison with strobe lights as the occupants of the club gyrated and jumped on the dance floor. Sitting at a table in a dark corner, Sarah, Shad, and Ashley kept watch while Jason and Pete retrieved their drinks from the bar. Unusual as it was, this place definitely had wolfish customers. The scent of them was overwhelming. Figuring out who was what, was proving to be difficult in the crowded place.
Sarah leaned back against the vinyl covered bench, allowing the beat to flow through her. Conscious mind subservient to her subconscious. Floating from person to person, she attempted to discover which of them were marked. As Jason and Pete arrived, laden with glasses, the front door opened. Instinctively, the crowd parted allowing the newcomers full access.
Four large black-suited men surrounded a tiny young girl. No more than five feet tall, dark hair, and green eyes that could stop a runaway train, she was the epitome of beauty. A smile here, a nod there, most seemed to know the youngster. And young she was. Sarah watched as she moved through the crowd like royalty. Although many waved as she passed, no one seemed inclined to approach her.
Moving straight to the dance floor, she walked directly under the flashing disco ball and began to dance. Narrow shoulders raised and lowered in rhythm with the almost animalistic beat of the music as her head bounced side to side. In the dark bar, the strobe effect made her appear to move in slow motion. Each of the men, standing stoic and alert, had taken a position around her, clearing the space where she undulated. Smiling, she glanced over her shoulder, nodded to the deejay, and mid-song the music changed to another song with a quicker beat. As the men stood guard, the girl danced in pure unadulterated joy.
The crowd, seemingly motivated by the girl, began to leap, jumping up and down nearly in unison, as if the entire establishment had been taken with her lust for the dance. Every few beats, they would let out an ear-splitting roar that boomed over the pounding music. Unable to make out the word, it sounded something like sange.
“What do you make of that?” Jason leaned in and yelled in Sarah’s ear.
“I don’t know. Must be nice to get the royal treatment.”
“Look at the people.”
Sarah scanned the club. Those not joining in the frenzied dancing, watched the young girl appreciatively, but many more grabbed jackets and purses heading nervously for the door. One woman obviously argued with her partner about leaving. Insistently, he pulled her toward the front door. Tossing long blond hair over her shoulder, she threw her coat on the table, ripped herself away from the man’s grasp, and headed back to the dance floor. Crossing it, she headed straight for the deejay. After an extremely brief conversation, she approached the girl. Within seconds, she was being escorted out t
he door along with the man she’d been arguing with. Seemingly unaware of the event, the girl continued to dance.
“Very weird.” Sarah said moving closer to her brother.
Shad leaned in to ask, “Can you get a vibe on that?”
Shrugging, Sarah opened her mind and began to probe, thinking, Must be nice to have the whole world revolve around you.
The girl stopped. Standing still, she slowly surveyed her surroundings. One of the men moved forward, appearing to ask her a question. With one curt shake of her head, she cut him off and continued to search the faces of those there.
Unsettled, Sarah continued to attempt to probe the girls mind. A frightened voice echoed in her own as the girl slowly turned, still searching the crowd. “Who are you? Where are you?”
Even more alert than before, the four men moved in closer as her expression changed from curiosity to fear.
Gasping, Sarah glanced at Jason. “She heard me. She just heard me.”
Jason shook his head. “That’s not possible.”
“I’m telling you, she heard me.”
Again the voice sounded in her mind, “Who are you?”
Sarah hesitantly responded, “How can you hear me? I mean you no harm.”
Eyebrows knitting together, the girl seemed to hone in on Sarah’s voice. Finishing her turn, she faced her, and even through the crowed room, her eyes seemed to focus on the table in the corner. Jason, Shad, and Pete, rose as several men from the bar began making their way through the crowed room towards them.
“I think it’s time to go,” Jason said.
“Past time,” Pete chimed in.
Sarah remained seated as five men strategically placed themselves around them. “I’m not here to cause problems. I need to talk to you. I need to talk to your pack.”
“This is not the place. They will take you somewhere more suitable.”
“This place will work fine. Plenty of witnesses works well for everyone.” Sarah answered.
Smiling, the girl threw her head back and laughed, then raising her finger to the deejay, the music once again changed and the lights went up. Many onlookers immediately made for the door. Some that lagged found unwanted escorts at their sides. Within minutes, the front door was shut and locked, the music ceased, and they were surrounded by thirty people.
Watching those around him, Jason said, “Um, what happened to the leaving thing?”
“Just wait. Can’t you smell it now?”
Without the mortal population to muddy the scent, the smell of wolves pervaded the air. Jason nodded.
Standing, Sarah moved forward a few feet. Jason moved to her left, Shad to her right, with Pete and Ashley just behind. “We are seeking a small amount of your time. That is all. We don’t want any trouble.”
The young girl moved forward. “You should not be here. This territory is taken.”
“We don’t want your territory. We just want to talk to you.”
She quickly glanced at one of her guardians, who then approached the small group.
The boys bristled, tense and preparing for a fight. Each wondering if they had enough time to remove their jackets and unsheathe the hidden swords. Pete’s eyes took on a strange luminescence as he prepared to shift.
Stopping three feet in front of them, the man sniffed. Amazement shot across his face as his mouth opened slightly. Without saying a word, he glanced over his shoulder.
“Well now, this is interesting,” she said moving up beside him. “I thought I was the only one.” Then glancing at the others there, she said, “It’s okay. I want to talk to them. Everyone relax.”
Some seemed wary, but many more returned to their tables and resumed drinking and chatting quietly. With a flick of her hand, four men pushed together two tables in the center of the bar. Smiling, she motioned for Sarah and her friends to join her.
Once seated, she questioned, “How did you end up here? They’ve always said I was the only one. The first ever, really. And now here you are. How many more of us do you think there are?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t expect to find another female alpha either,” Sarah answered.
The girl's eyes narrowed. “What exactly did you expect to find?”
“Your pack. Well, a pack. Many, really. I’m Sarah, this is Jason, Shad, Pete, and Ashley. We are on a mission to find allies. Have you ever heard of a man called Brogan?”
Head snapping around to look at one of her guardians, the girl answered, “We’d heard he was dead.”
“Oh no, he’s not dead. He’s very much alive, and he needs our help. Everyone needs our help. There had been a shift in control over the vampire council. If we don’t intervene, there will be big trouble for everyone.”
“We’ve heard rumors. Any vamps that cross our territory don’t usually make it long enough to divulge information. I am Marica, Mar for short. I am the leader of the Comescu clan.”
“Your English is superb.” Jason said.
Smiling brightly, she answered, “Thank you. I lived in your country for many years when I was very young. You’re Americans right? I thought you were. You can always spot an American by their clothing.”
“How’s that?” Pete asked.
Eyebrows moved up as she looked down her nose. “No self-respecting Romanian man would be caught dead in a club wearing flannel shirts, boys. That’s not how we do it around here,” she laughed. The raising her hand, she yelled, “Nicolai, bring drinks for our new friends, we have much to discuss.”
They spoke till the wee hours of the morning. As the sun began rising in the horizon, Mar called for a car to be brought around front and invited them to join her at her home. “Really, I have plenty of room. We’re into a good many things around here. This club is just one of many enterprises my family owns. Come stay with me, I’d like you to meet my brother.” She batted her eyelashes at Jason as she spoke.
Shrugging, Sarah answered, “I don’t see why not. We hadn’t rented rooms yet. This was our first stop.”
Leaning in, Mar patted her hand, while still keeping her eyes on Jason. “Good, it’s settled then. Shall we?”
“Let’s go.”
As they made their way to the vehicles, Ashley whispered in Sarah’s ear, “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
Jason smirked as Sarah softly replied, “He says don’t worry, she’s way too young for him.”
Ashley glanced over her shoulder at Jason before answering, “I don’t think she knows that.”
***
House was not an accurate description of Mar’s dwelling. Compound, mansion, hotel--those words described it much better, Sarah thought as she stood in the front entry-way looking at the high vaulted ceiling. Aunt Edna’s entire house might have fit just fine in that one area. Beautiful Italian marble covered every inch of the floor. The wide, open stairway, covered in blood red carpet, and framed with a gleaming cherry banister, was the central feature of the room. Small cherry tables, strategically located against the walls, held antique candelabras and other pieces of fine silver.
“Follow me, please. We’ll head into the main parlor for a bit. I always love a nice cup of tea before retiring,” Mar said as she lead them past the staircase and through a large arch.
Already awed by the sheer size of the place, Sarah giggled as they stepped into the next room. “You call this a parlor?” Her eyes wandered around the room touching on each piece of overstuffed furniture and the large marble fireplace against the outside wall. “Is that the real deal?” she asked, gaze resting on a large painting of the Mona Lisa.
“Heavens no! I tried to get the real one, but they weren’t about to sell it to me. It’s a great copy though, no? Most can’t tell the difference.”
Sighing, Pete shook his head. “I thought we had a good living back home, but this is unreal. Where did you get all of this?”
Laughing, Mar plopped on one of the large navy blue sofas. “I told you, we own many businesses in this area. The club--which is a huge money make
r--a brewery, a few clothing shops, oh and my favorite, a chain of coffee houses all over the country. We have the best coffee in the world. You won’t find any like it anywhere else. Please have a seat, get comfortable.”
Looking around, Ashley answered, “I’m afraid to touch anything.”
The light tinkle of Mar’s laughter echoed in the palatial room. “It looks nice, but we do live here. You should have seen this place three days ago. Had a huge party and it was a mess.” Her eyes lit up as two women in knee length black dresses covered with white aprons entered the room. “Ah, here it is. Tea anyone?”
Seated, they nodded and thanked her for her hospitality. After a few sips, Sarah asked, “So have you been thinking it over? Our plan, I mean.”
The corners of her mouth turned down. “I have, but it seems to me that I’ve heard all this end of the world stuff before. I know it’s Brogan. Everyone that knows anything about anything knows about Brogan, but still, getting involved in vampire business is not intelligent. We’ve steered clear of their business for a couple hundred years at least.” Leaning forward, she sat her cup on the large oval coffee table. “How much do you know of our history? Did he tell you anything? Do your parents teach you those things over there?”
All eyes turned to Pete. Taking a deep breath, he explained, “I don’t know how much we actually know. I was raised in the pack and we are told about vampires. Other than the one we met recently, I’ve never seen one. I’ve heard tales. One crossed our lands when I was very young, and was destroyed. It sounds pretty much the same over there as here. We stay away from them, and they stay away from us.”
Mar smiled and nodded. “That is the best way really.”
“But,” Sarah interjected, “it will not remain that easy. If Brogan is right, and they are creating a new army, it will be more and more difficult to stay away from them.”