So, now, Nate was just standing there, looking at them, not making a sound, blocking their way. To Liala his face lacked any sign of emotion and that did hurt, deeply. Had everything been a fake? Had all of it just been an act?
Liala followed Rick’s lead as he used his hand on hers to maneuver her behind him, ready to protect her. She knew she couldn’t trust Nate, but she was afraid of trusting Rick, after all that had happened. If she had to choose between the two of them, she wouldn’t be able to decide.
Both Rick and she were able to watch Nate shifting right in front of them, but this time something was off.
“Nate,” she said his name before she could stop herself and he focused his attention on her immediately.
When their stares collided, she was lost for words, as she instantly felt the connection they had from the very beginning. And she could sense that he felt just the same. Nate just looked at her, ignoring the man between them, while he continued shifting. His limbs grew longer, and his entire body became slenderer and taller. But what was really off was that his snout didn’t look like a wolf.
He’s changing into his Wendigo form?!
Not daring to say anything, or to move, Liala just chose to squeeze the hand that was holding hers, hoping that Rick would realize that it wasn’t a gesture of horror.
“Please,” she added, while watching deer-like horns breaking from his skull.
Wendigo don’t hunt at a full moon, they hunt at a new moon.
Liala remembered what her mother had told her. She had assumed that it also meant wendigos wouldn’t shift during any other time, but here was Nate, doing just that. How many underestimated his uniqueness?
Although she knew that Rick seemed to be one of a kind as well, after watching him kill two men within seconds, Liala still didn’t want to imagine a fight between the two of them. She had no clue how old either of them really were, or how experienced, but somehow, she just knew that they were highly skilled.
For whatever reason, Liala was sure that if Rick and Nate fought, that Rick would win this. It was the way he handled his sword, how indifferent, as if nothing really affected him emotionally.
Liala slowly moved to Rick’s side, although she could sense his muscles tensing, he didn’t hold her back. She looked at Nate, not shying away as he now towered higher over them than she could have ever imagined. He had to be at least seven feet now, but he was far too slender with arms and legs far too long to be human or canine. While having short black fur, his face, neck, chest, and stomach were free of hair, yet his skin was pitch black, too. Only his eyes, his eyes were still that intense green, which now appeared to glow just as eerily as the moon in night vision.
Nate blocked their path in wendigo form and Liala had no idea what he wanted to express with this action, but she didn’t shy away, didn’t feel disgust, only sorrow.
Watching his eyes briefly glancing at hers being held by Rick, he frowned slightly.
“Nate, I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” she spoke lowly, looking straight at him and Nate looked back.
She had no idea why, but after a moment of hesitation Nate simply stepped aside. Liala was unsure how to feel about that, and it took her a moment to realize that Nate was in fact letting them leave. Without a fight, without warning anyone. For whatever reason, she hadn’t expected it to be that easy and, looking at Rick, she could tell that he was not entirely sure about this either. Yet, without further ado, Rick started moving again, not willing to let this chance pass by. His eyes, however, stayed glued to the tall wendigo, which could strike any moment.
Maybe he wanted to test me. Maybe he wanted to see how I would react to his other form, his other heritage. Maybe Brenna’s dad taught him that no shifter would ever love him.
Now that Nate was allowing them to leave, Lia could feel a tiny glimpse of hope sparking inside of her. She still wanted to believe that Nate wasn’t lost, wasn’t beyond saving, beyond being returned to his clan. But then again, had her mother’s pack ever been a real clan to him? Liala couldn’t say. All she knew was that she herself had been with her mother and her kind for way too short a time to make a judgement.
Rick continued moving, never letting Nate out of his sight, not even when Liala had passed him by. She felt torn. A part of her wanted to invite him to join them and leave the hunters behind. They could simply forget it all happened. Forget that he was a traitor, a double agent. If she only knew that he would leave everything behind and follow her onto a new path.
But Nate stayed behind, watching her leave the camp and step deeper into the darkness. He had lied to her. He had allowed Brenna’s father to put a collar on her, and probably stood idly by as several men raped her. No, Nate wasn’t boyfriend material after all, was he?
Allowing them to leave the camp, was a sign of hope, but it wasn’t big enough, not when she wasn’t sure how much he had allowed to happen to her. Liala couldn’t bear it, couldn’t endure the idea of always having to doubt if her boyfriend lied to her, used her, or was still the enemy.
She looked back at him once more and he met her glance, his expression weary and sad, as if he knew that this final turning back was her goodbye. To Liala, it felt as if Rick had plunged his unreal sword into her body, and she was slowly dying with every step that took her away.
When Rick finally realized that Nate wasn’t planning to hunt them down, he increased their pace, forcing Liala to run. Although her body was hurting from the aftermath of what had happened several hours ago, she didn’t complain. Liala simply followed Rick into the darkness of the night time forest. And she did that without knowing for sure that he was on her side, or rather on her mother’s side.
When Rick eventually slowed down, coming to a full stop moments later, Liala had no idea for how long they had been running. He turned around on his own axis and looked at the sky as if he could see more than just the stars.
“This is a crossroad,” he explained and stepped right in front of her, and waited for her to look around, although he appeared to be aware that she wouldn’t be able to see whatever he did.
“A crossroad,” Liala repeated as she finished, finding absolutely nothing apart from trees, underbrush, leaves and dirt.
“Yes,” Rick nodded and gestured. “You can choose to go right and I’ll guide you home until you are safe, but that will also mean that the hunters will try to hunt you down. But you can also choose to go left and I’ll give you what you want.”
“What do I want?” Liala couldn’t help but ask, unsure if he knew what he was talking about.
“I heard what you said,” Rick responded instantly, obviously talking about what she had said to her captor.
“A family,” she answered right away. “A real family, with a husband coming home every night. Simple things.”
“You can have that if you want to,” Rick said, carefully. “Or you can return to your mother and her clan, and tell her what is about to happen. The hunters will still go through with their plan, even though their leader has been killed. You can become part of her clan with all the duties you can imagine approaching.”
“And Nate?” Liala questioned.
“He had the chance to come with us,” Rick answered, stating the obvious. “But he stayed. His hate for those who abandoned him is stronger than what he feels for you.”
“Who are you?” she demanded to know, and Rick let out a sigh, putting his sword into his belt.
“I can’t really tell you that.” he said, and the expression on his face showed that he knew that it was the worst he could say right now.
Liala threw her hands up and turned away from him.
Just when it can’t get any crazier.
“And you honestly think that I would choose to live with you, marry you, and build a life with you when you can’t even tell me who you are?” Liala almost shouted at him when she turned back to look at him.
“I said I can give you what you want, not that it would be with me,” Rick responded coolly, but it was
the way he looked at her, that gave his words a strange tone.
Still, Liala was speechless.
Wow.
“Why me?” Liala asked, deciding to ignore the verbal punch to her stomach he had just delivered.
Again, Rick had that expression on his face and Liala already knew she would hate his answer.
He’s just as frustrating as he is fascinating. I want to strangle him… and have sex with him at the same time!
“I can’t really tell you, because this time,” he answered honestly and slightly flustered, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders “I honestly don’t know. Days ago, I was expecting to play along with Jason and Brenna, to try and earn your trust, so that we might get some new information. I didn’t expect your clan to attack. I wasn’t aware of how important you really are. They didn’t tell me anything. So, I thought it would be no harm in being normal for once.”
Liala listened and tried to make sense of what he was telling her.
“And then Nate showed up, and I realized what was going to happen, because Jason sent me away, to get help,” Rick continued. “But then I saw you, risking your life for your family. I honestly don’t know why… no,” he shook his head again and looked at the ground, frowning. “You reminded me of someone. And I just had to help you. I already risked my cover by doing that. When I heard that you were sacrificing yourself again, I knew that I had to save you,” Rick looked at her again. “And not because you remind me of her, because of you.”
“So, you are not giving me anything?” Liala shook her head now.
“I don’t know if I can trust you with anything, Liala,” Rick said, and took her hand when she was about to speak, shutting her off. “And I know it’s too much to ask of you to trust me in return. You wouldn’t believe me anyway and your sanity has been challenged enough.”
That’s an understatement.
“Even if it doesn’t mean anything to you,” Rick spoke calmly. “I swear to you, that I won’t hurt you, I will protect you, with my life, if I can.”
Lia closed her eyes, trying to comprehend what he was saying. The choice of his words was so strange again, but it wasn’t what he said, it was his hand holding hers, and how energizing his touch was to her. She took a deep breath and her annoyance faded. Yet, she still held her eyes closed, not knowing what to do.
“I hurt, I know,” he said, startling her, and he sounded as if he was more thinking out aloud, especially since his thumb was brushing the back of her hand, thoughtlessly. “Saying that I wasn’t talking about me, because I did. I just…” he shook his head, his eyes locked to her hand. “We met just yesterday. We don’t know each other. You are the heir to one of the last old clans and I am…” He sighed again, deeply, laying his head back, looking up to the sky. “Look at my weapon of choice,” Rick almost laughed, bringing his attention back to her, dropping her hand to pull his sword from his belt. “And I say strange things, use strange words. It’s not that difficult to assume…”
“…that you are a vampire?” Liala frowned.
Rick laughed out aloud briefly, and then scratched the back of his head.
“No,” he said, smiling crookedly, “but that would probably be easier for you, I guess.” He took a deep breath again. “Will you trust me, if I tell you what I am?”
Liala fought against the urge to say yes right away, because she was simply impatient, but was there a choice?
“I will try to,” was the answer she settled for and he took her hand again, instantly sending energy through her veins.
Am I making this up? Or does this current become stronger the more often we touch?
“I am an original hunter,” Rick told her, but thankfully he didn’t look at her as if she was supposed to know what that was, or that he was finished. “In the literal sense, Lia. It means I have hunted supernatural beings my entire life.”
Liala remembered what he had so oddly said before, that he would protect her with his life if he could.
“You are immortal,” she connected the dots, and Rick nodded. “And you hunt the likes of me.” He now shook his head.
“It’s not that easy. It’s about the natural balance, and the protection of humankind,” she could see that he now was fighting for words. “We were chosen, because we did understand that. But as the supernatural population grew, one of us decided to find disciples to help us. That’s how the hunters your mother knows came to being. Hunters are not supposed to interfere, when there is no threat to humankind.”
“How old are you?” Liala asked and Rick let out a long breath.
“My age doesn’t say anything about me as a person, so, why is it important?” he asked back.
“You’re right,” Liala shrugged. “You won’t die of old age anyway.”
“That’s true.” Rick said.
“Okay,” Liala nodded now, squeezing his hand.
“Okay, what?” He asked back.
“I’m going to do what is right,” she said. “But I want you to keep your promise and stay with me. I will not tell them who you are, but you will tell me more about you and everything there is to know about this supernatural world I’ve been tossed into.”
“Deal.”
14 – Deal
Liala followed Rick through the forest, watching him closely as he proceeded through cover and thicket as if it was the brightest day. Maybe, as a shifter, she could shift her eyes only to see in the darkness like he did, Lia just didn’t know how to do that.
Looking up, the moon appeared to be cold and distant, almost icy in comparison to before. Lia imagined how her eyes would adjust to the darkness that was only lit up by the icy light of the moon above them.
It didn’t work.
Giving up was too easy, so Liala continued to imagine that it would work, that only her eyes would shift and she could see the world in this green shade again.
“It’s more like un-focusing,” Rick told her as if he was reading her thoughts. “Try to relax and just see.”
Lia wanted to ask him if he was kidding, but for her, it was just too important to connect with that part of herself that had been locked away for far too long. So, Liala did what Rick told her and relaxed, letting it go. And just like that the night all the sudden turned from icy blue to soft green. It was the most beautiful thing to behold.
“You can’t force nature, you have to do is give in.”
Lia looked at Rick, trying to find anything that would give him away as just another traitor. But the fact was: he had helped her. He had killed the leader of the hunters without any sign of remorse.
“You are talking as if you are a shifter and now about all this,” she eventually said.
“I’ve seen enough shifters in my life to know of their troubles, but believe me, I am no shifter,” Rick answered.
Either, he was an extremely good actor, or he wasn’t lying. But then again, if he really was countless years, or probably centuries old, he would know how to lie easily.
“I really would like to know how old you really are,” Lia admitted, watching Rick from the corners of her eyes. “I’m simply curious. I mean, I remember the myths my mother told me as a child, about humans who were blessed with animal spirits, which I now know are shapeshifters.”
“What did she tell you?” Rick asked turning towards her as they continued walking through the forest.
“That…” Lia started but stopped walking and talking as a noise reached her hearing; cracking twigs and muffled steps. “I think they are trying to find us.”
“Then we should pick up the pace again,” Rick said and started to jog.
The movement looked like it, but he was faster than an average human. Way faster. Liala had troubles keeping up, even more so as she realized that he was taking his steps with care, avoiding uneven ground or such that would create a noise itself, or leave a trail.
Rick was fast enough to hunt a shifter in animal form.
Liala wished that she could simply shift into a wolf, or maybe some
thing different that would help her run faster. Why did she have to run, when Rick leaped through the forest as if it was the least exhausting thing to do?
He rather reminded her of a deer than a human, or maybe the original hunters weren’t human at all? Maybe, they were fairies, or elves, or angels. But if that was the case, why hadn’t he told her?
“You’re thinking too much, Lia,” Rick told her without turning around or sounding out of breath. “Shifting won’t be easy for you for a long while because you are grown up and therefore more mind-driven and you have still anxiety medication in your body. Don’t try to keep up with me, just run with me.”
Liala wanted to answer, but she was already catching her breath.
“It’s all there, Lia,” Rick continued. “Or, are you still hurting from what happened to you just hours ago?”
Thinking of what he was talking about Liala almost fell, but managed to keep her balance.
Rick was right. She felt sore, tired, and a bit worn, but not badly hurt. Maybe he was right. Maybe her mistake was overthinking everything. The last two full moon nights she turned when she was letting go of everything, stopped thinking. When all you have learned during your entire life is holding back, to restrain yourself, it’s hard to let go.
“Let’s race,” Rick suddenly suggested, winking at her, and sped up without waiting for her answer.
“Wait!” Liala gasped out.
I don’t know the way!
The way Rick moved now was simply inhuman and she couldn’t help but think that he lied to her about not being a vampire.
Why am I so stuck to stereotypes? Why am I so stuck in being nothing but human?
Liala did her best to keep up, but Rich was almost out of her sight when he stopped and turned around, waiting for her. At least he did just that. After all, they had a deal. She huffed in frustration, but it rather sounded like a growl.
Was that me?
She didn’t want anything more than to tap into her heritage and just shift, or at least channel the speed she had to have as the heir to an old shifter clan. But three days ago, she had known nothing of all of that. Plus, now she could hear the hunters behind them. They weren’t as fast, and luckily, they had to follow them on foot, but they had Nate.
HOWL and HUNT the HEIR: HOWL 1-3 (Dark World) Page 21