by A. D. McLain
“Possibly. No one knows for sure, but your family is respected nonetheless. Except for Artemis, that is. He’s pretty much the black sheep of the family.”
“So, if my family is supposed to have these remarkable abilities, what about other werewolves?”
“They’re quicker than most humans. Their senses are sharper. They can heal quicker than any human. You see, generally werewolves maintain good health. When they do get injured or sick, they heal swiftly, but they can die from injuries if they don’t take care of them. Many have died in wars and other battles. I heard that some died during the plague, although their normally strong immune system kept most from getting sick. Basically, anything that can kill a normal person can kill a werewolf, it’s just a little harder to do. Other than that, they don’t really die of old age.
When I was twenty-one, I learned firsthand about the healing abilities of werewolves.” David paused briefly, taking a deep breath before going on. “One day, when I walked into a mercantile to get something, I ran into some people I never thought I’d see again. At least, I’d hoped I wouldn’t. It was obvious they were as thrilled to see me as I was to see them, so I got the hell out of there. Unfortunately, they caught up to me and shoved me between the buildings. There were three of them, and one had a knife. After the first two got tired of kicking and punching me, the other one used that knife, several times.” His voice faltered. David could still see their faces, as if it had been yesterday, instead of close to two hundred years ago. He could remember the pain of the knife slicing into his skin. He rubbed over a couple of the spots where the knife had cut unconsciously, the memory of the pain almost real. “He buried it up to its hilt in my chest. As I lay there, I could feel the blood leaving my body but I didn’t have the strength to do anything, and suddenly Richard appeared. He took out his own knife and sliced the palm of his hand, letting the blood drip down onto my injury. My energy gradually started returning. I was still very weak, but the bleeding stopped, and the pain began to subside. Richard took me back to his home and took care of me for the next week, giving me a little of his blood every day, until I was completely healed.”
“Why did those men want to kill you?” The thought of how close David had come to death made a shiver run across her skin. Something that had happened that long ago could have kept her from ever getting the chance to know him. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks that he’d been allowed to remain in this world all those years ago.
“Remember how I told you I used to be a thief?” His attention focused on a point in the distance and he walked a few steps past her. “Before Richard found me, I was doing anything I could do to survive. Shortly before I met Richard, I’d managed to steal quite a large sum from those three men.”
“But why didn’t they just call the police, or sheriff, or constable, or whatever the law enforcement people were called back then, when they saw you?”
“They weren’t exactly on the up and up themselves.”
“What did you do with the money?”
“I saved it. Since Richard was taking care of me, I didn’t have to worry about anything. Of course, I never thought it would last. I always figured Richard would get tired of having me around, but he didn’t. The money remained hidden in a box in my room until about fifty years ago, when I started investing it.” David smiled gently at Nicole. “What else would you like to know?”
Nicole thought for a second. Where to start? She had a million questions running through her head. “Is that man really my uncle?”
“Yes. His name is Vincent Artemis. Artemis is his middle name, but that’s what everyone knows him by. He was Richard’s older brother, but the two never got along. I heard Richard used to call him Artie, just to annoy him. He hated the nickname and thought it was disrespectful of Richard to use it. I never actually met him before tonight, but I’ve seen his picture a few times.”
“When he left, I heard him speak, but his lips didn’t move.”
“He was using telepathy. All werewolves can communicate that way, with a little practice,” he added ruefully.
“Does that mean you can read my thoughts?”
“Only if you want me to. New werewolves usually need to learn to construct a barrier around their thoughts, but you seem to already have one in place. You never let down your guard.”
“That’s not true.” She revealed the first hint of emotion he’d seen since she started this conversation. “I opened up to you.” As much as she could, anyway. Maybe she did push people away, always holding back. She pushed back her emotions now, reinforcing her control. She couldn’t lose control. She had to change the subject to something she could handle better. “Do you have any pictures of my parents?”
“Yes, back at the house.”
“Show them to me.” Even though it sounded like a command, her eyes pleaded with him, and he could sense the vulnerability she was trying too hard to cover up.
They walked back to the house in silence and David led Nicole to the library and retrieved a dusty old photo album. He blew off the dust and opened it to a page near the back, handing the album to Nicole.
She noticed her hand was shaking as she took it. Maybe this hadn’t been the best subject change to choose. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, before she finally let herself look at the picture.
Two smiling faces stared back at her. She unconsciously traced their faces. The woman, her mother, had long flowing hair which reached below her waist. It was very dark, probably black or dark brown. She couldn’t tell. Her mother’s dress flowed like her hair, reaching to her feet. In her face, Nicole saw a striking resemblance. “What was her name?”
“Caroline.”
“Caroline,” she repeated. She felt a tear run down her cheek and studied the other half of the picture. The man – her father – also had dark hair and he wore a turtleneck shirt and jeans. He looked strong and proud, his shoulders broad, his head held high. Around his neck was a pendant, exactly like the one she wore. She compared her necklace to the one in the picture and knew they were identical. “He’s wearing the same necklace I do.” She glanced up at David and noticed his eyes were filled with unshed tears as he stared at the photo.
“It’s a family heirloom. Richard believed it carried all of the power of his ancestors with it. He gave it to you for your third birthday.”
“He gave a family heirloom to a three-year-old?”
“It was a dangerous time. There had been several attempts on Richard’s life. He was afraid something might happen to you, and he hoped the pendant would protect you.”
“Artemis said they died in a plane crash.”
“That’s true, although, the plane was never found. A couple who lived in the mountains saw the place crash, but when they went to discover what had happened, they couldn’t find the plane – only you. They took you to the police, who ended up putting you in the orphanage. When I found out about the crash, I had some friends ensure you were placed with a good family. They took care of the paperwork, so that basically, you disappeared. I figured it would be the best way to ensure your safety. If something had happened to Richard, with the kind of security he had, I didn’t see how I could keep you safe unless no one could find you. After a few months, people forgot all about the crash. No one saw the plane, except for that couple who’d seen it come down, and since there was no evidence of the crash, everyone believed the couple had been wrong about what they saw. I never really found out what happened that night. I watched over you for a time, but I didn’t want anyone to discover me watching you, or it would give your location away. There were plenty of others in the area who had known and liked Richard, so I moved out of town, , and left them to keep an eye on you. I wanted to be close enough in case anything ever happened, but far enough away to draw attention away from you.”
“So, people have been watching out for me all these years?”
“Yeah.”
“That explains a lot.”
The grandfather
clock began to chime. The sound filled the house, echoing down the many halls. “It’s late. You should get some rest.”
“You’re probably right.” Nicole traced the picture again with her finger. She didn’t want to put the album down.
“You can have the picture, if you’d like.”
Nicole gazed up into David’s eyes. “Thank you.” She took the picture and handed the album back to David.
They walked upstairs to her room in silence. When they reached her door, Nicole turned to face him, a thought suddenly occurring to her. “You’re the black wolf, aren’t you?”
He had the decency to look self-conscious. “Yes.”
She nodded silently and slipped into her room, closing the door quietly behind her.
20
The thunder was crashing down outside. Rain pounded on the metal ceiling, sounding like bullets. Everything was dark and eerie since the cabin lights had gone out. She heard a woman’s voice for a couple of seconds, until thunder drowned it out along with everything else. She lifted her hands to cover her ears. It was so loud, it seemed as if a sledgehammer was hitting her skull. As the ringing lessened, she heard a new sound –laughter.
Lightning made it possible to see a shadowy image coming toward her father. She strained to see, catching glimpses every time the lightning flashed. It looked like her uncle and her father were fighting, but that couldn’t be right, her uncle wasn’t supposed to be here.
A loud shot rang out. Intense pressure slammed her body against the seat. She couldn’t move. After a moment, the sounds of fighting erupted again. The pressure started to decrease.
Finally she could move again. Her seat shook violently. and the pressure returned briefly. The shaking worsened. Another shot rang out. There was a spark and then fire erupted. The flames cast an eerie light over everything. Her father was in the front of the plane, where the pilot should have been. Her uncle was on the floor. He looked dazed. She glanced at the seat beside her.
Her mom wasn’t there. Panic filled her chest. She leaned forward and discovered her mother lying on the floor. Nicole called out to her but got no response.
The fire began to spread, and she stared into the flames, unable to look anywhere else. Her uncle’s voice echoed in her head. “He killed his own family. Set their house on fire while everyone was asleep.” Everything around her faded away except for the fire. It filled her vision. “He can’t be trusted. He’s just using you.”
David’s face appeared in the flames. He was laughing. “You actually thought I cared about you? Why would I care about you? Everyone you get close to dies. You’ve already gone through two sets of parents, and you’re still just a child. I only want you because of how powerful you will be. You would be a great asset. No one would challenge me with you on my side.” His laugh echoed around her, until it diminished completely.
David’s face disappeared, Artemis’ taking its place. “He’s lied to you. He’s using you. He can’t be trusted.”
There was a loud crash of thunder. A forest replaced the fire. Branches caught at her clothes as she ran. She was simultaneously old and young. Rain and tears soaked her body. She was alone, lost and afraid as she ran deeper and deeper into the darkness, trying desperately to escape whatever it was chasing her.
Something grabbed her. She struggled against it, but her arms were pinned to her sides. She grew increasingly desperate. She had to find a way to free herself. Her breaths grew shallow. Her skin crawled. She screamed to be released. A flash of lightning allowed her to see her tormentor briefly. Color changing eyes stared back at her for just a moment before darkness engulfed her again.
“Nicole!” David’s voice called. Lightning flashed again, only this time, it was David’s face she saw in the burst of illumination.
“Let me go,” she shrieked repeatedly, until it became more of a tearful plea than a demand.
“Nicole.” Her room replaced the image of the dark forest she’d been trapped in. David was leaning over her with his hands resting on her arms. The sheets, her clothes, even his hands made her feel claustrophobic. She bolted out of bed, shaking her arms and straightening her clothes. She hurried out onto the balcony, hoping the cold outside would cool her down. After a couple of minutes, she started to feel a little calmer. She leaned on the railing and took a deep breath. She could still feel some of the desperation from her nightmare. Cool tears slipped down her cheeks.
David placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and her control snapped, her body racked with sobs. She slid down onto the balcony floor, unable to stand anymore. David gently pulled her into his arms, not saying a word, letting her cry.
After some time, Nicole’s thoughts began to clear a little. They were still a jumbled mess, but she could pick out the occasional coherent thought. The nightmare remained hazy, but she could remember parts of it. It had been so real. She could still see the fire, still hear her uncle’s words. What he’d said about David couldn’t be true. She didn’t believe David killed his family, but what if he didn’t really care about her? Even if he wasn’t as sinister as Artemis said, he could still be taking care of her out of some obligation to her father. Besides, she lost everyone she ever got close to. How could she risk letting someone get close to her again? She sat up and wiped the tears from her face, sniffling.
David brushed away a couple of tears she’d missed. “That must have been some nightmare.”
Nicole nodded, still sniffling.
He waited a moment to see if she would say anything about it, but she stayed quiet. “I have some good news for you. Rodney Steagel has been arrested for arranging the explosion at the meeting hall. It seems the police have plenty of evidence to connect him to it. So, that’s one less thing for you to worry about.”
The weight on her shoulders seemed to lessen slightly. There was still a lot left to deal with, though. She had to find out more about the night of the plane crash, the night her parents died. “Where did the plane go down?” she questioned.
David studied her closely. He wasn’t sure they should be talking about this subject right now. She was already upset, and it could only serve to upset her more to talk about that night. Then again, she’d spent her entire life not knowing what happened. In the end, he couldn’t refuse her questions, not any more. “Near Bear Mountain. I went up there myself and never found any evidence. Was that what your nightmare was about?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, I’m okay, now. I’m starved.” She hurried out through the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
David decided to let the subject drop for the time being and followed her. He wouldn’t push. There would be time enough to talk later, when she was ready.
Billy sifted through a stack of papers on his desk, pausing briefly to rub a hand over his tired eyes. His hand brushed fleetingly across his unshaven face. There had to be at least three days growth there. No time to worry about that now.
Wearily, he continued the search. “Now where is that… oh, there it is.” He held the paper up to the light. “Ah, there’s the author. I knew it started with a ‘J’,” he muttered.
A knock sounded at the door. Billy ignored it at first, but it came again, the sound more urgent. “Yes, what is it?” he called absentmindedly, already sifting through more papers and taking notes.
The door creaked when it opened. A skinny, blond-haired boy of no more than twenty tentatively entered. “Dr. Cam—Cameron?” he stuttered. “May I—uh— speak with you for a moment?”
Billy glanced up from the paper he was reading and smiled at the boy. “Sure Al, come right in.” He put the papers down and leaned back in his chair, recalling that he’d sent Al to get something. He really must be working too hard. Whatever it was, it had completely slipped his mind. He desperately needed a vacation. Inspiration finally hit. “Where’s the package?”
“Well, um, I went down to the main office like you requested, but they said they don’t have the book you told me to bring back.”
“What?” Billy’s eyebrows came together. “That doesn’t make any sense.” He picked up the phone and dialed the office number. “Hey, Barbara, it’s Bill Cameron. Could you get that package which came in for me the other day? Yeah… how… you only called me about it yesterday. No, I’m sure. Your message is still on my answering machine.” He glanced over at the machine and noticed the red light wasn’t blinking anymore. That was odd. He didn’t remember erasing the message. “I need you to look again. It’s a very valuable manuscript. Okay. Let me know.” He set down the phone and sighed. “Thanks for letting me know about this, Al.”
“No problem. Do you know what happened to it?”
“No. Hopefully they’ve just misplaced it.”
Al shrugged, tugging at his shirt sleeve. “You know how organized things are around here. I’m surprised they don’t lose the paychecks.”
“Yeah, but that manuscript is the only one of its kind at the university,” Billy said, more to himself than to Al. “I had to pull some strings to even get the opportunity to look at it.”
“I’m sure they’ll find it. They probably just mixed it up with some other stuff. I’ve seen stranger things happen. But, um, I have to go now. I hope everything works out Dr. Cameron. Bye.”
“Bye.” The door squeaked when it closed, the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Billy reached over and pushed the play button, on his answering machine, just to be sure, but there was no message. He checked his other mailboxes, but it was nowhere on the machine. It was confusing, he’d made a point of saving that message, and now it wasn’t there. Either way, there was nothing he could do about it right now. He’d just have to hope they found the manuscript in the front office. Billy pushed thoughts of the incident aside for the moment and returned to work.
Nicole took a circuitous route around the garden for the tenth time. She couldn’t see David, but she knew he was nearby. He’d been keeping a close eye on her all day. Raised voices reached her through her thoughts. She surveyed the garden in surprise before she realized the voices were coming from the front of the house. She shouldn’t be able to hear them from this distance, but apparently, she could. Things like this had been happening to her all day. She’d always possessed excellent hearing, but this was ridiculous. And it wasn’t only her hearing. She could still see perfectly without her glasses, and she was beginning to notice more intensive smells, too. Thinking about it too much only gave her a headache, so she tried to concentrate on the voices instead. It sounded like Artemis and David were arguing. She walked closer to the garden gates, so she could hear what they were saying better.