by D D Mathews
Elsa hadn’t gone through her first change yet. She wore her hair in a complex braid keeping it off her face. Her glasses overemphasized her eyes and made her awkwardness more noticeable. He wondered why a clan would do an initiation rite without the basic tests of a werewolf, like morphing. Lovisa probably wasn’t ready to be an adult, but this girl definitely wasn’t. He didn’t want to judge his future clan in law but to Colin, this ritual was stupid and served no purpose.
After over three hours the ritual finally reached the final platform. Kai boomed out his part of the ritual and the girls finished with a pledge to the Viking king. Mandy had slipped away with the women to start serving food. The children had escaped down to the water two hours ago to splash around. Colin, Alek, the Hexums and Isak were the only wolves left in the audience when Kai introduced the two new Viking Weres.
The Vikings on the platforms clapped along with the five remaining audience members. Colin wished the applause was more like when he won The Contest; both of these girls deserved it. Lukas and Laila Nygaard hugged their only child, while Acke Leif hugged his daughter lifting her up into the air. She smiled and laughed. Colin liked the Leifs and wished they could come with him and Colleen, but knew that wasn’t going to happen.
Colin met Lovisa after she finished hugging her mother on the bottom platform.
“Congratulations, I’m so happy you let me be a part of this,” Colin said. Lovisa smiled at him and instead of bowing her head to look down at her feet, she held his eyes with hers. She kissed him, it was the first time she initiated a kiss.
Chapter 26
Tamara and Nox finalized security for the drive north. They set up all the rentals and ensured a safe and timely appearance in Stockholm. Nuri and her sisters loaded up and headed out early in the morning, Nox wanted to be almost to the ferry when they stopped for the night. They left Krakow in two black SUV’s full of wolves and suitcases. Nox drove Nuri and most of the suitcases, while Tamara drove Gretchen and Mouse in the other. Nuri wanted to see Mouse away from Hanna to judge the girl on her own merits. Gretchen was there because of Alek and her ability with people. Nuri brought Nox for security reasons and she bought Tamara for advice and counsel. She left Katia in charge back home with Ursula managing the office. Nuri knew no matter how Stockholm went; those two would have Krakow running perfectly.
Nuri let her worries about Krakow slip away so she could focus on the coming battle. Alek didn’t worry her much. He was a weak Were and probably irrational with anger by now. The only issue was the politics to ensure the fight was a battle between her and him. She wasn’t sure she could guarantee it.
Nox focused on the road so Nuri could mentally prepare for Stockholm. The music Nox chose was American punk, which was less skillful and goofier than Nuri liked, but it fit her mood during the morning ride.
***
The long initiation ritual turned into a party. Food was served and the children got to stay up late enjoying a night by the lake. The mood was similar to the Celt’s, however Colin felt the Rite of Initiation was a poor lead-in for the wild party happening now. The Vikings drank and ate, danced and sang like they were getting ready for Valhalla. At the beginning of the party, Colin focused all of his time on Lovisa. The ritual woke something inside her; she was more physical than before. She held his hand, kissed him often, and laughed louder at his stories.
The energy of the evening was jovial and upbeat. The Viking clan had prepared a bunch of fish dishes and reindeer steaks. The food was delicious and exotic, he enjoyed it immensely. Colin and Lovisa were eating where the majority of the Viking congregated. Kai Falck was eating and drinking like it was his last night on earth. He was loud and boastful as he told an epic about some long-dead Viking werewolf. The crowd laughed and egged him on. He never once let that stupid moose slide off his shoulder. Colin was starting to see what Colleen meant.
He asked Lovisa if she wanted to go somewhere more private, she smiled and took him away from the crowds to the beach. They walked down the short sandbank along the trees. The torchlight disappeared behind them hiding them from the clan. In the darkness, Lovisa was even more affectionate. The kissing became fondling and heavy breathing. After a few minutes, Lovisa broke off the kissing.
“Do you think I’m pretty?” She asked.
“Very pretty,” Colin reassured her and tried to get another kiss.
“Do you think I’m prettier than Colleen?”
Colin was unsure what she was getting at, but knew he had to get ahead of it. “Colleen is cold. She doesn’t like me at all and I don’t like her like that. She doesn’t fascinate me like you do.“
She kissed him softly and led him away from the water, “We should go back. My parents might notice us missing.“
Colin didn’t want to go back, but he let her walk them back to the party.
***
Lovisa dropped Colin’s hand when they rejoined the festivities and went over to talk to some friends. He watched her hug Elsa and both of the new Vikings walked over to Elsa’s parents. Colin needed to start working on trying to convince the Nygaards to return with him and Colleen. He searched the meadow for them. Unfortunately, he ran into Alek before he could find them. Alek was talking to Isak and Mandy.
“It’s important to be the man, be strong and masculine or women won’t know what you’re after,” Alek finished saying as Colin joined them.
“I always have to show Milly who is in charge at home. She is always messing things up. And Kajsa takes after her mother. I worry about that girl,” Isak said.
Colin blurted out a thought he shouldn’t have expressed, “Alek, is that what happened down south? You were trying to show a woman what kind of man you are.”
Mandy asked, “What happened down south?“
Alek gave Colin a nasty look. “Nothing happened. I don’t need this. I’m going home,” Alek stomped off. Colin thought to himself, “Alek is a weak wolf.“
Isak waited for Alek to get out of earshot before he asked, “Were you there when he was delivered back home?” His eyes dilated with excitement.
“I was,” Colin answered hoping he didn’t want any more information.
“Is it true? Those Amazons cut off his balls?” Isak asked enjoying the horrific idea.
Disgusted, Colin responded, “No, that didn’t happen. They didn’t do anything like that. What’s wrong with you?“
“I wish those bitches had, Alek deserves it, he is a pampered brat,” Isak said with glee and walked away back to the food. Mandy giggled.
“What?” asked Colin unsure if he wanted an answer.
“Do you really think you can teach these Viking dogs manners? Silly Colin.” She looked at him for a moment and nodded her head. She grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the torches. In the darkness, she was even more aggressive than Lovisa. He was having a hard time staying hidden from the Vikings nearby. She kept grabbing at his belt; he was fighting hard to keep her hands off his crotch. Something had gotten into her; this was not the girl he remembered. She whispered compliments into his ears and dirty little ideas that would haunt his mind over the next couple of days. He knew it was wrong, he was supposed to be wooing Lovisa. After fighting off the third attack on his jeans zipper, he told Mandy, “This was wrong. I like you a lot, maybe like you like me, but I also like Lovisa and treating her like this is wrong.” He grabbed her wrists and pushed her hands away from him. He rushed back into the safety of the torchlight. He decided to stay in lighted area for the rest of the night hurrying back up the hill to the beer where some Vikings had gathered.
Colin got a cold beer and turned to see Colleen speaking with Milly and Isak; he grabbed his wife’s forearm hard and pulled her away from Colleen. Isak was angry and yelled at Colleen as he walked away from her, “Leave me and mine alone.” He shoved Milly and told her, “Get the kids, we’re leaving.”
Colin knew her idea of saving Kajsa and Milly was a long shot and now it seemed longer. He walked over to her to make sure she
was okay. She cursed at herself under her breath when he approached. He was about to take a sip of his beverage when she took it from him and downed the whole thing. She didn’t look at him before striding away without a word.
Colin felt like he couldn’t do anything right tonight. He retreated to the beer table to grab another. He was enjoying the ale when Kristina Leif joined him. She looked more put together tonight. She wasn’t reveling like the other Weres.
“A rumor is spreading about you Celts trying to steal children,” she stated.
Colin tried to defend against the allegation, “We’re not trying to steal children. We just don’t think Kajsa…she’s a sweet little…I don’t know. Isak shouldn’t treat his family that way.“
“Your right, but they are his family. Family is important,” Kristina said.
Colin felt like she was leading the conversation somewhere, so he pushed a little, “Is family more important than clan?“
“Some think that. Some don’t,” she answered.
“If you and your husband weren’t here to protect your children, who here at this party would you chose to protect them?“
She paused to think. She looked around the Vikings and dismissed some quickly like the Hexums and the Erikson. Others like Erika Falck and Laila Nygaard she took longer to reject.
Colin tossed in his thoughts, “I like Erika, I could see her taking good care of Finn and Christian, Lina and Elsa. But for my money, I would hope my children find someone like Colleen. She is strong and protective. She’s also smart about people and the world, they would learn so much from her. I would feel my family would be safe and taken care of.“
“What about love, do you think that cold fish can love anything?” asked Kristina pointedly.
“I don’t know, but I have a suspicion that when she falls in love for real, her heart will melt and she will have more love than both of us combined.“
Kristina thought for a long moment then answered, “I would pick you.” She smiled sweetly and gave him a hug, embracing him like a proud mother embracing a son on the cusp of manhood. He had never felt a mother’s love like this. A shame he was surrounded by rowdy drunk Vikings. He hoped the hug would last forever. She broke away and pulled his face down to her and kissed his forehead.
“You’re a good boy. Stay good Colin. It will serve you better than strength.“
***
The last hour of the party Colin spent with Lovisa. Mostly Colin talked and Lovisa listened. The few times they were apart, Mandy would appear out of nowhere and grab his ass or pinch him. He was a nervous wreck by the end of the night.
Colin said goodbye to Lovisa and gave her a final kiss while her parents watched nearby. Laila Nygaard interrupted the farewell, “My daughter would like to have you over next weekend, with the Falcks to discuss terms. Colleen will be there as well.“
Colin was surprised how quickly the wedding arraignments were coming along, hopefully, by next week he would love the girl. Sarah McCarthy’s plans to save the clan needed him to marry Lovisa. “I would enjoy spending more time with Lovisa. And I’m sure terms can be agreed on.” He wasn’t sure if he meant the second part, but rejecting the invitation wasn’t possible.
Lovisa looked up to him and back down. He saw a brief shimmer of excited happiness about the arrangements. Laila said, “Good, let’s go home sweetie,” and they were off to the parked cars up the meadow.
Colin watched them walk away. When they got to their car Mandy was by his side again. He jumped when she spoke. “She’s cute but I think you need someone more like…” she paused to let the effect hit him, “Colleen.“
Colin snorted, “She’d eat me alive and complain I wasn’t prepared right.“
“Just imagine the poor fellow that beds Colleen.” Mandy joked.
“Poor bastard.” They both laughed. Everything with Mandy was easier, but that didn’t make it the correct path for him. He wished he had Colleen’s gift, he would be certain who to choose. He turned to Mandy and looked into her eyes. “It was nice spending time with you tonight. Sweet dreams Mandy.” He went to kiss her forehead and she pushed herself up on her tiptoes and he kissed her on the lips, which turned into a longer more meaningful kiss. She broke the kiss, looked directly into his eyes. There was something about this girl. She nodded and turned and rushed up the hill to meet up with Erika.
Colin stood there dazed, until Colleen slapped him on the back of the head, “Loverboy in trouble tonight,” she slurred. She was very drunk. She took his face and mushed it a little, staring into his eyes. One eyelid drooped; she wobbled for a second and kissed him full on the mouth. After a long awkward three seconds, she pulled away. “Nothing to write home about, you should probably drive.” She dropped the keys trying to hand them to him.
The drive was silent, except for the GPS voice and Colleen’s snoring.
***
On Sunday afternoon, Colin was lying on his hotel bed, relaxing. He had spent the last two days investigating the city of Stockholm. He had walked around all day Saturday, buying a few trinkets for his dad and granddad. He spent some time in a music store filled with records. He enjoyed flipping through the vinyl looking at the cover art. There were a lot of metal albums, most he had never heard of. On Sunday morning, he had walked along Strandvagen over a bridge to a weird outdoor museum of buildings. The exploring was relaxing after a stressful Friday night. His eyelids were heavy and he was about to drift off to sleep when Colleen called from her penthouse.
She demanded, “Meet me in the lobby in twenty,” and hung up before he could say anything.
When he met her in the lobby she told him, “We need to head out to the Falck property, something is going on.” On the ride over Colin asked questions but Colleen didn’t have any answers. When they arrived, he saw all the Falcks and Mandy were on the porch. While five strange women stood in a line below them on the grass. Kai was yelling and moving his arms around, while Mandy and Erika held back Alek from attacking. They drove up the garden and jumped out. Colleen rushed to join Mandy and Erika to contain the raging Alek, while Colin stood in the neutral ground between the two parties.
“Get off my land, you are not welcome in my kingdom you crazy bitches,” shouted the king. The prince, Alek, unable to contain himself anymore, morphed into a Were. Mandy and Erika had to follow his lead to contain him, Colleen didn’t. Mandy’s size surprised the female werewolves but the two in the front didn’t seem worried. The youngest girl was shaking. Colin held up his hands and tried to ask a question, but Alek’s raging words, “I’ll violate you like you each deserve,” drowned him out. Mandy and Erika held Alek tight as he struggled and frothed. Colin wouldn’t be able to figure out what was going on until the Viking prince was calm. He stepped toward the line of females hoping to get them to back off. The dark-haired, leather-clad woman stepped up and changed into a fairly impressive black beast with burns all over her chest. He knew this was going to escalate quickly so he cut it off at the pass. He changed into his Were form and howled deep and strong. He then told the black female Were in front of him, “Calm down and change back, now.” She didn’t want to. She looked over to the attractive light brown haired woman who nodded and the black Were did. He turned to the porch, pointed and yelled, “Alek, your turn. Change now.” Alek morphed almost against his will. Mandy and Erika transformed a moment after he did. Colin bellowed, “Everybody take two steps back!” No one argued and followed his command so Colin Reverted.
Colin walked over and collected the scarred woman’s clothes. He handed them to her. She took them, waiting naked and proud. He looked over to the porch and everyone was gathering their clothing except Mandy whose clothes had been shredded. He used this moment to hopefully gain the upper hand.
He walked to the tall light brown haired woman, who he assumed was the leader, “What is your name?“
She looked him in the eyes and with a bold voice responded, “Nuri Marszalek, Duchess of the Krakow Amazons. I have come to resolve the issue I
have with Alek Falck of the Vikings.“
Colin was out of his depth, he didn’t know anything about inter-clan politics. The rituals and protocols could be varied as the ten wolves around him. They managed issues between clans, like land rights, marriages, and criminal proceeding. Some of them were so bizarre and old; most wolves would have to look up the information from a book.
Colin said, “I am a Celt, visiting from Ireland, I’m sure we can talk this through.“
Nuri spoke loudly like Kai does when declaring something, “Good, we have a witness from a neutral clan; he will preside over the fight. My sister’s body and honor have been attacked by one of yours. I challenge the guilty party to battle, he must accept now or you must dispatch him with your own hand.” The woman pointed her finger at the king.
Colin had lost the upper hand, as this bold woman took over.
“The charge is rape,” Nuri called out louder, “How does the accused stand?“
Before Colin or Kai or even Colleen could take control, Alek spat, “Not guilty, you will have to fight me to the death to prove your ridiculous claim.” He shoved his mother hard and went into the house.
His father Kai was more solemn and worried than Colin had ever seen him. He said, “The challenge was accepted, I will be my son’s witness, who is yours, Amazon?“
“My witness is the victim Gretchen Zimmermann from Dresden.”
Kai became more worried, Colin was flabbergasted. The world was a small place sometimes. Colin assumed the burned woman was Gretchen forgetting Sarah’s description.