Wolves Among Danes

by Dolly Nightmare

  CHAPTER 1

  RABBIT

  A young brunette boy stares into the gray eyes of the little girl before him. She wears a silk dress, and her straight oily silver hair reminds him of being some kind of witch. He dislikes her hair and it looks as if she hasn't washed it in weeks.

  Snow falls gently on the ground outside the large window behind her. He silently compares her hair to a dirtier version of the snow on the ground, his eyes drifting between the two in comparison.

  Both children were pushed into being here, and neither of them seem to like each other at first glance, especially the boy whose eyes are like her hair, appearing silver and unnatural.

  The silver eyes and pale skin make the little girl believe he is a monster—a monster that would one day be her husband.

  She doesn't want a monster as a husband, but perhaps she has been cursed with such since the very beginning.

  "Lazarus, this is your bride to be, Ellie Blythe," his father announces from behind him while touching his shoulders. "Do you like her?" he questions, chuckling lightly.

  The boy hates his father more than anything. He is cold and heartless, and a woman abuser. Just ask his beautiful mother with the sweetest blood or the slave he beat and impregnated.

  The slave even gave birth to a bastard, a deformed dog not of their blood, but a hybrid long ago.

  That mutt slave was lucky to escape his father's clutches. The son she gave birth to not so lucky as she left him behind in their father’s care.

  The bastard child his mother is forced to care for is the thing he is supposed to call his older brother…

  Elias was better off dead, but he is useful as his father used him often as a rogue. He was good at dealing with business, even at such a young age.

  Elias is strong because of the hybrid blood running through him. He is a mutt, and at the same time, he has the blood of a pureblood in his veins, so he isn't to be taken lightly.

  His double set of teeth are a sign he can tear you apart easily and within seconds. Lazarus supposed he liked having him around like a guard dog. Everyone is scared of Elias as they should be because his half-brother was something else...

  The boy pulls from his father's touch, ripping his shoulder away as he stares at the little girl named Ellie.

  He scoffs, "She looks like a witch."

  She scoffs back, "And you look like a monster."

  Her mother, who is behind her, lectures her, "Ellie! Be quiet."

  The boy sneers, showing his teeth, and he leans forward, "Maybe I am…"

  She leans back, having a look of fear in her eyes, and his father laughs, trying to joke with the queen, "I would say they like each other…"

  The boy grins, liking the fearful look in her eyes. Maybe she won't be so bad to torment...he is reminded of a rabbit before you sink your teeth into it and drain it of all its blood. He supposed he will be doing that to her if she is his wife.

  The boy leans forward before whispering in her ear, teasing her, "Rabbit, you are mine, so don't you run away from me. For we are promised to each other already. An agreement between your father and mine. You will be my blood whore."

  She pushes back away from him, and she looks up at her mother, "Mommy, I want to leave."

  "Ellie...you need to spend more time with Lazarus. He came all this way to visit you."

  "Please," she begs.

  "No," her mother says sternly, her eyebrows knitting together.

  'What a dumb whore,' He thinks darkly, looking at the girl's mother. 'I don't like whores…'

  "Mama, please," she says with worry while looking at the boy she deemed as dangerous now.

  Then his father ruins everything as he says, "Actually, it might be best for us to leave. We have a long trip back ahead of us."

  The boy sneers as he looks up at his father, who has a bitter face, dark eyes, and dark hair. His eyes look down at his son, and he says, "As my son has taken too much of a liking to your daughter, I'm afraid he will get in trouble with her…"

  "Oh, I see. Well, I can see you out then," trails her mother, not knowing what else to say.

  "That is fine. We know the way," says his father after pushing the boy away.

  The boy knows what is coming next. After his father pushes him outside in the hallway no one attended, he pushes up his lip, checking his son's teeth.

  His father gives a disgusted face at the fact they are sharp, and he cracks him with the back of his hand. "You horny bastard. You were thinking of drinking from her already..."

  At the crack of his father's hand, he feels blood run down his face. He is used to this...his father's cruelty, not only an abuser of women but of children as well.

  He holds in all his anger at the crack of his father's hand, and he wipes his nose, not interested in his own blood. "Isn't that what I'm going to use her for?" he asks. "Just like you use mother…a blood whore?"

  His father shows extreme rage, and he rips him out of the hallway to the outside and starts to beat him. The boy doesn't care about his father's fists or kicks. He doesn't care about anything but watching others suffer the same.

  He probably still thinks the same…

  The suffering of others is the best.

  Thovalon

  June 14th, 1001 AD

  Ahhh, he still hates dumb whores as well.

  He stares up at the woman with silver hair which he is currently bowed to. The woman he notes has not aged well, her face showing it immensely due to all the grief and stress of losing her youngest child and not knowing what happened for years.

  She asks, acting all high and mighty and above him, "Have you found anything out about my daughter?"

  He is quiet as he stares at her. He wants to dispose of her already, but his eyes look to her two sons at her side, one king, one warrior. One fat, one skinny.

  The fat one being Cenric Blythe, the king, the skinny one being Edward Blythe, the warrior. Edward was at least something royal...he isn't so sure about the other.

  He can't kill the old queen or her two sons. His father likes dealing with things the old-fashioned way in order to fit in with these...humans...or else everyone would turn on them. But that doesn’t mean that once he is done with her, she can't just die a mysterious death.

  He likes the thought of putting the old hag out of her misery. Queen Amelia Blythe will die by the time everything is over.

  Anyway, he still needs the army of humans at his disposal...He doesn't care if they die either. They could all march right to their deaths.

  "Hmm, yes. My men found some useful information," The man says standing up, his voice just as cold as he looked, nasally as well.

  "You mean your bastard brother and his friend?" questions Cenric who snorts like the pig he is.

  His eyes shoot coldly to the fat king, and he replies, grinning, "Yes. Them. They are at least better than your men that have found nothing for years...No offense...your majesty."

  Cenric sneers and Amelia asks before they could start arguing, "What have you found?"

  His eyes wander back to the old hag, and he replies, "I found the savages who kidnapped her."

  Yes, his poor rabbit in the hands of those savages...those savages that call themselves Vikings.

  Amelia’s eyes grow wide, and she asks, "Have you?"

  "Yes, according to Elias he has found a woman living in a Danish village of Vikings...They call her the silver-haired beauty of England. Who else could it be? I think this is our ra—I mean Ellie," he says, snottily.

  "So she's alive?" questions Amelia, surprised.

  "Yes, alive and well, according to my brother," the man named Lazarus says.

  She looks relieved, and he gets up from his position on the floor, and he questions, "Shall I have Elias do more digging before we attack?"

  "Yes. Find out everything you can. Their leader, points of entry, everything. We need to be prepared," the queen orders, acting stern for once.

  "Yes, my queen," he says, bowing before taking his leave, g
lancing at Edward once and getting reminded of the night they spent together not too long ago.

  Upon leaving, he meets eyes with his older brother out in the castle halls. A brother that looked nothing like him, the only thing similar was their father's blood running through their veins. Then he supposed he also looked nothing like his father himself, but more like his mother.

  Both his parents are purebloods. His mother is sweet as her blood, and his father is still a prick. He sometimes wonders what Elias thinks of their father...Does he think the same? He wouldn't dare ask...Elias is rather sensitive about family, and he has an ugly temper, uglier than his deformed face.

  He doesn't work well when angered.

  He is a beast, after all, in blood and looks.

  Lazarus approaches him, and he says, "The queen wants you to acquire more information before we attack. Be prepared to leave as soon as possible." Elias knits his brows. He seems troubled, which makes him curious. "Is there something wrong with that order Elias?" he questions, wondering if the dog would deny him.

  He is quiet before he answers, "There's the woman…"

  "Woman?" questions Lazarus.

  Was it that plain maid he brought back with him...that fuck toy? Was he saying he wanted to stay because of her?

  "Yes, brought back from the village. She knows how to speak English. She's not of their blood or origin."

  The vampire thinks before he suddenly gets it. "Ah! She may know a lot of information and be willing to tell. Nice thinking. Where is she?"

  "..."

  Silence.

  "Elias, where is she?" asks Lazarus, getting annoyed. "You didn't kill her, did you? Did she have a heart attack when seeing your hideous face?"

  He narrows his eyes down at his brother before he answers, "No. She is alive. Frightened but alive."

  "And, where is she?" asks the impatient vampire, curling his lip.

  Was the dog not going to tell where his whore was?

  "She's with me," he answers vaguely. "And Athdar."

  "Elias. I want to speak to her about the savages that took my rabbit."

  "I spoke with the girl," he states being rather protective, "And Margaret is too frightened to talk."

  "You spoke with Ellie?"

  "Yes. Briefly."

  "Is she beautiful?"

  "Yes."

  "Is she innocent still?"

  Elias is quiet before he answers, "I don't know."

  "Well, is she fucking anyone?" questions Lazarus.

  "Perhaps...She was with one man often and other men in general."

  "Perhaps?? What man?" questions Lazarus with a displeased look.

  "Frey. I believe he is the chieftain's eldest son."

  "So was he fucking my rabbit or not?" questions Lazarus, more snappy, his eyes cold.

  "Not that I am aware of... He wasn't bedding her or any of the others."

  "Good. Because if I find out he laid his filthy hands on her, he won't have them. That woman was mine before those things kidnapped her," snaps Lazarus pointing his finger at Elias who stares down at his younger brother quietly.

  The vampire storms off down the hall leaving Elias alone and he turns to face the room where Margaret was, the woman who he only knew the name of due to talk. A woman who he took on impulse because of the thing he called his wolf.

  He didn't know he had it until recently…

  It is a rather strange thing.

  He opens the door, and the woman still looks frightened. She stands up from the bed, immediately going to the corner of the room.

  "If you're going to torture me or rape me, then go ahead! Get it done already!" she hollers.

  He doesn't know how to respond to her banters. He isn't experienced with women; he rarely even speaks with them. So how would he know how to soothe one he just kidnapped?

  "Where am I?" she questions, her eyes looking around the room.

  "England," Elias finally replies.

  She looks stunned, and she mutters, "No, this isn't England. I’m from England. This isn't it."

  "When's the last time you have been here?" he questions the woman, and her brown eyes drift to him.

  She is quiet, and she mutters, "A while…"

  "Things changed if it's been 'a while.' Things have been built; things destroyed. Battles won and some lost."

  She looks bewildered, and tears stream down her face, suddenly making Elias tense.

  What were these feelings? He hasn't felt them in a while, ever since her.

  "I'm really in England?" she questions.

  "Yes…"

  She drops to her knees and covers her face.

  "I didn't think this day would ever come," she mutters, sobbing into her hands. "I don't know whether to cry or scream or jump for joy."

  Was she treated that badly?

  What had they done to her there?

  Were those people really savages?

  Even his true family who he barely even knows?

  Questions swarm his head as he stares at the sobbing girl on the floor. He is supposed to ask her for information, but he is currently stunned. He is never stunned.

  She looks up at him, her brown eyes still teary and her eyes holding so much sorrow.

  "I know you technically kidnapped me...but thank you," she says, wiping her eyes. "I thought I would never be able to see my family again. Even if Samuel may not be here with me…"

  Thank you…

  That's the first time he heard those words...not since her. His chest felt...warm. He thinks he likes this feeling.

  Bildsfell Village

  June 14th, 1001 AD

  "What do you mean Margaret is gone?" I question Runa, slamming my hands down on the table upon finding out from her she's been gone for more than a couple of days. "Why didn't anyone tell me??"

  "Frey was worried you would have a reaction like this," mutters Runa, looking away. "He's been looking for her and tracking her smell for a while now, but the only clue is that it smells like she was taken by someone like...Noma or Leif."

  I give a confused face, and I ask saying lowly, "Has Leif—"

  "No, he was with me for the last couple of days!" she snaps at me before I even have a chance to finish. "He's had no interest in Margaret other than small talk, and he's been focused mostly on me ever since he found out about the pregnancy."

  I narrow my eyes at her, and I ask, "Then what about Noma...You don't think she could harm Margaret?"

  She couldn't, right? Noma wouldn't hurt me like that, but she and Frey know about how I set her free. This isn't something to do with that, is it?

  Runa looks away, and she replies softly, "I don't know Noma like you do...so I don't know. She's been cruel to me ever since I have come here...It might have been why I hated you. She's always liked you."

  I look at her, and everything clicks. So this is why Runa always gives me such dirty looks and is rude to me? She is jealous of Noma and I?

  I don't know how to reply to her, and Frey comes into the mead hall with Leif behind him.

  I glare at him, and he narrows his eyes at me back and asks, "Whoa, what is with the look, lass?"

  Runa answers for me, "She found out about Margaret."

  Frey frowns, and he stops from coming near me, but Leif smirks as he walks past him, "Told you keeping it a secret would do you no good. Just make things worse, and Ellie angrier. Women are like that, you know."

  "Why would you keep that a secret?" I question, my voice coming out in a hiss.

  He sighs as he walks towards me and he says, "Because I don't understand it myself. The smell lingers where she last was, but there is another smell. They seem to have left together."

  "Runa said you told her the scent was like Leif or Noma's," I question

  "More like Noma rather than Leif, but yes." he replies. "And it would be impossible that it was Noma because she is still here, and this scent just stops near the ocean, meaning this person left."

  Leif jokes, filling himself up a cup of ale in a d
rinking horn, "Maybe it's a long-lost family member of mother’s."

  "Like who? Our dead grandparents? Our dead aunt and uncle?" says Frey, sitting down and ripping into a rabbits leg that Runa was eating earlier. He says, chewing, "I don't think that's possible as no one is left alive on mother’s side of the family."

  My heart stops in my chest, and I can feel the heat drain from my face.

  That man...his eyes...his hair, his covered face. The similar scent that Frey is picking up….

  I suddenly leave the mead hall, aiming to find Noma as quickly as possible and I hear Frey holler from inside, clearly done chewing his food, "Hey! Where are you going?!"

  I ignore Frey as I storm out, my feet quickly dashing for the house.

  I was so dumb. Why couldn't I have figured it out earlier?

  The son Noma abandoned... He was here, and I assume he wanted revenge.

  Frey x Ellie by Dave Macgrace

  About the Author

  Dolly Nightmare is a young American author who has always been fascinated with the darker side of romance. Her love for romance and everything which is macabre brings together a delicious mix of what is known as her Nightmare novels. Her work explores the romances others dare not write about. She lives with her family in a small town in rural Maine, with her many pets, consisting of a Siberian Husky, four beautiful cats, and reptiles. She is an indie author, staying true to her nature and following the nontraditional route in life. Follow Dolly and be bewitched by books which literally take your breath away and stop your heart.