by Tijan
He said, quietly so Gavin wouldn’t hear, “Just keep resting.” There was more unspoken to his statement, and I felt it. I needed to rest, but if my powers didn’t come back fully—a decision would have to be made.
He added, looking down the river, “The Mori, when they come, will be coming from there.”
A knot formed in my stomach.
He said, “They’ll come so far, sensing outward with their sonar ways. Then, when they find that they’re close to us, they’ll fan out and come at us from all angles. They’ll be on us before we’ll know. That’s how they are. They move as one being and they strike as one. No one has bested a Mori vampire. We got out because of you. I don’t know if you realize you helped us, but you did. There was a whole group of them, and we strolled right past them, like we were invisible. Only one being that could do that.” He nodded to me. “You.” His eyes narrowed, inspecting me. “And judging by the shock on your face, you had no idea, did you? You helped us, and you helped you and Tracey. It’d make sense if you were taxed.”
That knot doubled. Taxed, was that all it was? I hoped so. God, did I hope so.
“But they’ll be coming.”
I looked down. We didn’t have long. That was what he was saying. “One more day.”
“You think you can handle an entire Mori army in one day?”
I felt slapped by his disbelief, but it was because he was right. I wouldn’t . . . I’d have to go alone. I couldn’t take them with me into danger. I could cloak myself. If the Mori hadn’t realized they were there, three very powerful vampires, maybe I could do the same for myself. I could wait one more day, work on being able to cloak myself, and once that happened—I’d leave on my own. That was what I would do.
I looked back up and said, letting the Goliath-sized vampire see the truth, “One more day, then we’ll go.”
“For what it’s worth,” he said quietly. “I’m rooting we won’t have to leave.”
The knot moved up to my throat, forming into a lump. I whispered back, “Me, too.”
The meeting was set in a back corner of a restaurant. As the wolves strode past them, in their human forms, the customers were clueless to the danger so close to them. They laughed, drank, ate, and conversed. They flirted. Others fought. All were clueless, except a few. As the wolves walked by, one after another, they surrounded the most important wolf, their Mother Wolf.
She was dressed in a white dress with a blue robe covering. It wasn’t a robe that one would wear at home. It wasn’t comfortable or made with the purpose not to be seen. This robe was extravagant. It was made of silk with gold trimmings lining the edges. As it draped over her head, a jewel hung from the tip and it dangled above her forehead. The other wolves kept their eyes forward. They weren’t there to play with humans. The lesser ones, the human servants, were at the end of the line. Their heads were bent forward, and their shoulders were slumped down. One was right behind Mother Wolf, holding the end of her robe and dress so it didn’t get dirty from the floor.
A hostess led them, but she didn’t hold any menus. Her head was held high, and she walked with purpose. She wasn’t in fear of the wolves, though she knew who they were. She had been told to stand at the front of the restaurant and wait for the other supernatural beings. And as the wolves came into the restaurant, the other human hostesses shrank back. They didn’t know what beings the wolves were, but they knew they were something other than human. The power came off them in waves. The only reason the other customers were clueless was because a spell had been cast over the customers. They almost didn’t even see the impressive parade except a couple that came in, after the spell was cast. They felt the power immediately, and while they were seated in the back, their eyes were huge by the time the wolves went past their table. Neither moved, reacting on a primal instinct inside of them. They knew they were the prey among predators, and as the wolves went past, they shrunk down in their seats. Their hands trembled, holding onto each other in their laps.
They were ignored. And as the last servant went past them, the couple got up and ran out of the restaurant.
The Mother Wolf turned at the doorway, right before entering the back room, and watched their departure. The corners of her eyes crinkled up and her lip twitched into a faint smile, but as quick as it appeared, it disappeared. A stoic expression settled back in place, but her insides were amused. She forgot how some humans were. It’d been so long since she was around these new humans, ones that knew nothing of their existence and only were aware of their own lives. They were self-absorbed and ignorant, thinking they were safe in their daily lives. They were not. The rest of her wolves had stopped and were waiting for her. She went into the back room, but she had a brief thought in the back of her mind. Perhaps it would do to send her wolves out to this new world, maybe every now and then. It would be good to remind humans how weak and powerless they were. They could do with the reminder.
Then, she turned and faced why they had arrived in this very busy city, and to a restaurant that the world thought was trendy. She saw the sorcerer. He stood in the back, still in the shadows, but she felt his power and it was equal to hers. He came from the oldest and most powerful vampire family, and normally, he would be her enemy.
Right now, on this day, he was her friend, and she smiled. “Hello, Jacith.”
ROANE
Roane felt her arriving, just like the last time on the cliff, but he felt her rage more than the slight buzzing in the air. When she did appear, he was scouting ahead of the group on a higher embankment, and he dodged the impending attack.
“Vampire!” Saren roared, flying through the air.
She regrouped and came at him again.
He ducked one more time. As her hand jabbed at him, he bent backwards so he was almost horizontal to the ground. Saren flew up in the air again and kicked out with her leg. This time, as he started to come back up, she clipped him in the head, but he was unfazed. He reached up and caught her ankle, twisting her body in the air again.
Saren gasped from the surprising speed of his reaction, but countered once again. She dipped backwards, jerking her foot out of his hand and she followed through, doing a backwards roundhouse. As she righted so she was standing on her feet, her second foot swiped out at Roane. He caught that one, too, but instead of trying to throw her, he shoved her away from him.
She landed on her feet, her knees buckled, her arms out in a ready stance. “You killed me.”
“I snapped your neck. There’s a difference.”
The flame in her eyes sparked up. “Oh? Please unveil the difference to me.”
“You’re Immortal. Snapping your neck did nothing to you.” He smirked at her. “But it did me a world of difference. Thank you. I had a whole day away from you.”
The flame lit up, overtaking her entire eyes, and it burned the air. “And if you were attacked while I was gone?”
Roane drew back, startled. His eyes narrowed. “I would’ve slaughtered them like anyone else. You think you’re that needed? Trust me. We did fine without you, and we’ll do so again.”
“You have no idea—” she started.
He cut her off, shaking his head. “Don’t. You’re here as a tag along. That’s it. You need the army to rescue Davy. We don’t need you. Let’s get that straight.”
She stared at him, and as she did, the flames doubled in size. But then, they stopped. They drew back and simmered so only a light smattering of smoke showed. She said, almost saddened now, “You’re wrong, Vampire. I am more needed than you realize.”
Grass was stepped on in the distance, and both went silent, looking toward where the sound came from. A second piece of grass was crushed, then a third. Both remained silent, now on high alert as predators, as they waited for the newcomer. Whoever it was, kept coming. They seemed unheeded by the sudden lull in voices. As one unit, without looking at the other, each drew to opposite sides of where the new arrival would appear. Both moved silent, as if touching air when they moved, and drew
their weapons. Saren held a sword across her chest, her head dipped low, and her eyes downcast. Roane pulled out a knife, but kept it tucked against his arm. He waited with his arms down at his side.
The person continued toward them.
Roane lifted his head, filling his nose with as many smells as he could get. It was a werewolf, but he couldn’t identify what family. If it were a Christane wolf, he’d only maim him. No wolf should be on his path, unless sent there because Christian didn’t trust him. If it were an enemy line, he’d do the same. The wolf would be brought back to camp for interrogation, but when the person stepped forward, now between them, Roane held back. It was Christian himself. But Saren didn’t hold back. She launched forward. Christian twisted and caught her. He fell back from her momentum, but tossed her over his head.
“Wolf,” she snarled, her nostrils flaring, as she hurled toward a tree, caught it, and flung herself right back at him.
Christian wasn’t ready for the quick counter-attack. She kicked him right in the chest, and he went down once again. This time, instead of being bucked off, she remained on his chest. Her feet were planted there and she knelt down, her sword immediately placed in position. The sharp edge of it pressed up against his carotid artery, and she knelt down, a warning hiss from her, “Move, Wolf. I dare you.”
Christian started to retort, but the words caught and held in his throat. He looked to Roane instead and sighed. “This is my greeting by both of you?”
Roane had tucked his knife away during their scuffle, and he held his hands up now. A slight grin was on his face. “We needed to know the hierarchy. Now we know.”
“Hierarchy?” Christian echoed, a scowl forming.
“I am above you.” Saren pressed her sword against his throat before jumping off him. She sprung backwards in the air, looking as if invisible strings suddenly yanked her from him. She lowered herself to the ground a few feet away, sheathing her sword back in place, strung across her back. She gestured from herself to Roane. “And the vampire and I are equal . . . for now.”
Christian got up to his feet, dusting off his pants. “I held back, whatever you are. Get that right.”
“Right.” She smirked, folding her arms over her chest. “Let us get on with it. Our group approaches, and we’re supposed to be scouting ahead.” She sent that last statement to Roane, a flare of disapproval in her tone.
Roane narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re making me want to snap your neck again. For a while there, I didn’t want to. Funny how that emotion is never far for long.”
Christian hid a grin.
The flames lit up again, but they were contained. They only filled half of her eyes, waving together in sync. “I’m sure we’ll have another disagreement. You can try at that point, but until then, I suggest you remember the reason you’re scouting ahead.” She stepped toward him, dropping her voice. “For Davy, remember?”
He was scouting ahead to keep the group safe, but he got her meaning. This was all about Davy.
Christian sensed the new tension and cleared his throat. “That’s why I’m here.” He looked at Roane. “Another family of wolves is coming.”
Roane frowned. “Who?”
“They come from Mother Wolf.”
Roane had killed their Alpha, but the younger wolf was second in line to the female wolf. “She’s allied with Jacith.”
Christian nodded. “More than likely.”
“How close?”
“Half a day behind us.”
Roane said, “Then we keep going. I’m going to fall behind to watch them. I want to study my opponent first.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.” Roane shook his head, speaking to Christian. “You keep ahead. We’ll switch our teams. You had your wolves trailing us, and my vampires were scouting ahead. I’ll pull my team to trail behind. Your guys go ahead this time.”
“They’re wolves—” Christian started to argue.
“And they’ll react to other wolves,” Roane interrupted him. His tone was firm. The decision was made. “They won’t be expecting vampires.”
“If they bite you—” Christian warned.
“Then nothing. A wolf bite doesn’t kill us.” Roane started back to the group.
Christian turned, watching him go. He called after him, “Since when?”
Roane threw over his shoulder, “Since ever. You need to rip us apart to kill us.” He kicked forward with a sudden surge of speed. He was moving faster than the other two could see, and when he was gone from eyesight, and from within hearing distance, Christian looked at the blue-leather girl.
She was watching him back. She saw the questions forming and shook her head. “I still will not explain who I am to you. No one except one needs to know.”
“Why do I get a feeling that Lucas is that one?”
“Because he was. He’s the leader. You pretend you are, and may tell yourself that you are, but he’s the true leader. Even myself, as I am a more evolved being than he is, must acknowledge that he has the power in this situation. Your men follow you. You follow him. His men follow him. He is the one who needed to know.” Her top lip lifted in a sneer. “And even now, I am regretting revealing myself to him.”
“Why did you?”
Christian was more than curious about the girl. She wasn’t a witch. He thought that was all she was at first, but he was wrong. Witches didn’t fight like she did, and if there was an impasse between herself and Roane, which he doubted there was, then that said more about her fighting abilities than he found from his own little skirmish with her. He held back, as he assumed Lucas had as well. They wouldn’t really know who the better fighter was until there was a day, it was kill the other or die. Only that day would show the true winner, and as long as they were allies, Christian knew it wouldn’t come.
Saren answered his question, “Because he needed to know. He needed to know who else was on his side before we arrive in the Mori territory.” She waited, feeling the wolf’s desire for more information. He was like the vampire. He didn’t like not knowing, either if she was truly an ally or an enemy in sheep’s clothing. He was also sensing the familiarity of Talia through her. His previous lover’s essence lingered with her, since coming forth to talk with the vampire, but the wolf knew her on a carnal level. Saren said nothing, though. She wasn’t lying. Only one needed to know. That was it if another knew that one past Immortal thread-holder was still on this plane, linked to all of the past thread-holders, she would become the hunted. Within her own self, she held the power of a complete army, and when she would be reunited with Davy, that power would be doubled. The true Immortal was an army on her own as well, but the wolf still didn’t realize how powerful Davy could be. He, like so many others, was just becoming aware of an actual Immortal. Davy was a new entity. When she faced against Jacith, it would be realized the depths of her power, and that would change everything.
But Saren said none of this to the wolf. It wasn’t her place to tell. She did ask, “Can I be of service of to you, Wolf?”
Christian held back a slight laugh. The girl was feisty, and he was starting to enjoy that. He shook his head. “No. I’m just curious about you. That is all.”
“I know.” And with those words, Saren stepped back by a tree and vanished from his eyesight. She was still there. She was still watching him, but he couldn’t see her. He couldn’t sense her or smell her either, and because of that advantage, Saren waited until he left. She followed him, because even though the vampire seemed to trust that the Christane Alpha would play along, she didn’t. She sensed a darker turmoil inside him and wanted to find out the reason for it. Would he actually be the vampire’s ally or would he turn on him at some point? If he turned, Saren would be there first. She would have to kill the wolf then, hopefully before the vampire realized he’d been betrayed. It was her gift to Davy. She knew she would want the vampire protected at any cost.
That was the other reason she was among them, to do Davy’s bidding, as
much as to help rescue The Immortal.
DAVY
It was time to go.
Wren and Tracey had returned to camp and acted normal. There’d been no sign of their earlier fight. Gavin and Gregory didn’t say a word either. Everyone went on like normal, waiting for me. As for myself, I rested and spent the entire night trying to cloak myself. I prayed. I wept. I tried talking to myself. Nothing worked, or so I thought. It wasn’t until around three in the morning when I found out that I had been cloaked the entire time. Gavin brought wood inside for the fire, couldn’t find me, and raised the alarm. As everyone was leaving camp to look for me, I ran outside of the cave and started flailing my arms around. I yelled at them. I was there, but nothing worked until I was following Gavin down a wooded path and he abruptly turned around. He barreled into me, but once he hit me, he froze.
“Davy?” he whispered out.
“It’s me.” I jumped in front of him again.
Nothing. No reaction.
I poked him in the side. This was when I realized I was cloaked, and I scrunched up my forehead, summoning the strength to now uncloak myself.
“Look.” Gregory turned a cautious eye around him, skimming the woods. “If that’s you, poke me again.”
I did, right in the fleshy stomach his giant size had. I was expecting something like the Pillsbury doughboy, but I got The Rock instead. He was solid muscle, and I said, “Ouch.”
“Ouch?” His eyebrows shot up.
My head jerked up to his. “You can hear me?”
His eyes were trained on where I was, but he still wasn’t looking at me. He was looking through me. I gritted my teeth. This was becoming annoying. I had convinced myself that I could control my powers. I don’t know if that was true or not, but here I was. I was a fledgling newbie once again, not even able to let my friends see me when I wanted them to.
Suddenly, I had enough. I yelled in my head, “REVEAL!” And poof! I felt something snap in the air, and in me.