by Colt, Shyla
Joss grimaced.
“Do you know of what I speak?”
“I think so?” she whispered, glancing down at Kaz.
“No, daughter. Both.”
“Both?” Her words were stolen as Earth Mother delivered a swift kiss to her forehead. The world spun around her “When you are whole, you will know what to do.”
Joy bubbled up inside of her. Peaceful, she closed her eyes and surrendered. Surely, death could never feel so good.
* * *
The cold weather seeped in through her wet clothes, and she opened her eyes. Sitting up, she found herself alone in the midst of a snowstorm. White flakes drifted down, obscuring her vision. Blinking, she shook the clumped, frozen water from her lashes. She sniffed, detecting the scent of freshly fallen snow, pine needles, and the wild. Where am I? Standing, she shook her body like a wet dog and noted the stiffness of her limbs. I’ve been here for a while. As she scanned the white landscape lined with trees for signs of the others, she came up empty-handed. Stepping forward, she sank into three-inches of snow.
Plodding forward, she felt her senses tingle. There was something out there in the distance, watching her. She didn’t recognize this part of the forest. Craning her neck, she took in the night sky. She found Polaris and re-oriented herself, drawing a line to the horizon. North, south, east, west. Trusting her gut, she walked north. The undeniable feeling of eyes increased as she walked. Her ears twitched, as she strained to hear.
Caw. The unnatural cry of a bird broke through the stillness. Increasing her speed, she searched out the sound. Lifting her gaze, she saw a large raven. Understanding struck.
“Are you my guide?”
Caw.
“I’m taking that as a yes.”
The bird launched itself from the branch, and she followed the black streak through the night. Wolves and ravens had a special relationship in the wild. They could even mimic wolves to alert them to meals. Jumping over a fallen log, she trusted in the knowledge she gained as the woods closed in around her, and she lost her sense of direction. A low snarl came from the right. Increasing her speed, she continued to follow the raven. The sounds of paws on snow alerted her to trackers. Unsure if they were a friend or foe, she moved in a zig-zag pattern, becoming a more difficult target to capture.
Magic prickled along her nerves. Howls broke out around her. I’m surrounded. Breathing heavily, she planted her feet. Desperate, her eyes searched for leverage. She could go up into the trees. In human form, she could climb higher than a wolf. But it would leave her a sitting a duck. Yellow eyes glowed in the distance, moving closer. A massive wolf stalked forward, flanked by eight followers, four on either side. The intensity of the Alpha stole her breath. She’d never felt such raw power. Their midnight coats marked them as the wolves of legend.
Outnumbered, and in need of their help, she made the choice to kneel. Bowing her head in submission, she spoke. “The ancestors have sent me here in search of assistance. You know well what’s gone on in White Creek. I’m doing everything to stop them, and repair the damage done long ago by Seke. There are many of us who’ve joined forces to right the wrongs, and return the natural balance.”
The smaller wolf to the Alpha’s right huffed in disbelief. The wolf shimmered and shifted to reveal an Amazon with a riot of bone-straight, black hair plaited in one braid, high cheekbones, and a slender nose that boasted her Native American ancestry. A doeskin dress with fringe and high moccasins adorned her feet.
“You come to ask us for help?” She scowled, baring her teeth. “We’ve watched you and your people make a mockery of our beliefs, desecrating our land with your rituals, and poisoning other wolves with your lies.”
“I didn’t have a choice—”
“There is always a choice,” she snapped.
Joss bowed her head, shamed by the truth in the woman’s words. “What would you do to save the life of one you loved?” Joss asked hoarsely. The conviction in the beautiful warrior’s words made her feel small and near-sighted.
“We all return to the great spirit eventually. I would never sell my soul for them. You want to speak with the elders of my pack? Then you must earn the right in combat.”
Caw. Caw. Ravens flew in, circling overhead, watchers to the unfolding events.
“So be it.” Joss shifted, ignoring the fact that the woman dwarfed her. This must be what her kind had once looked like, more Dire Wolf than anything else. The woman circled her, eyes burning with anger. Her ears went back, and she lunged. Using her size to her advantage, Joss dodged her and ran away, nipping at her flank. The wolf’s paw caught Joss’s side, tossing her across the circle created by the Native pack like a rag doll. Her flesh stung where the claws had raked into her. The she-wolf licked her lips, pleased at the taste of Joss’s blood. Furious, Joss focused in on the bigger wolf. Running toward her, she zig-zagged, forcing her to move her heavier bulk to keep Joss in her sight. Rising onto her hind legs, Joss rocketed up, raking her claws across the bigger wolf’s face. The she-wolf brought her large paw down on her neck, pinning Joss to the ground. Her teeth snapped a hair’s breadth from her face.
Freed from the heavy heaviness, Joss blinked, stunned to find herself protected by Kaz and Cyprian of all people. Staring down the Alpha, Kaz crouched down, ready to defend his position. The she-wolf grunted. Rising on all fours, she shook her head, clearly dazed. Three ravens descended, perching on Joss, Cyprian, and Kaz’s shoulders. The Alpha morphed into a tall brown-skinned man, with sleek black hair adorned with a feathered headpiece.
“Enough.” The Alpha raised his hand. “Clearly the ancestors have spoken. We must listen.”
He stared down the she-wolf who dropped her head. “I am Mingan, Alpha of this pack. I grant you safe passage into our village.”
“You doubt him?” Koko asked, offended.
“You will forgive me if I’m cautious. We’re clearly outnumbered,” Kaz said calmly as he helped Joss to her feet.
“You have my word, vampire. You’ll forgive the less than hospitable welcome. Others have come seeking our power,” Mingan explained.
Kaz mulled the words over. “I’m Kazimir, and this is my mate, Joss, and brother, Cyprian.”
“Why are we different?” Cyprian asked.
“None have had the raven’s approval, nor have they shared the lifemate bond. I’ve never seen one between a wolf and a vampire before,” Mingan marveled. “This is my mate and second Alpha, Koko.” The woman nodded curtly. “I’ll introduce the others around the fire.”
“Allow me to tend to my mate first,” Kaz demanded.
Mingan nodded. “Of course.”
Joss watched as Kaz bit into his wrist and held it up. The thought of drinking his blood squeed her out, but her body ached, and the wound on her side continued to dribble blood. Determined to create a united front, she accepted his wrist and brought it to her lips. He tasted like caramel and … butterscotch? Sweet, savory, and warm, he slid down her throat, chasing away the cold. Her body temperature rose, and her skin began to knit itself back together. After a few more pulls from his wrist, his bites healed, and she pulled away, licking her lips. The intimate exchange had been oddly pleasant.
“Not so bad, was it, little sun?”
“No.”
“We’re ready. Cyprian? Tell the others we’re fine?” Kaz asked.
Cyprian bowed and darted off, quickly swallowed up by the snow and lost to the white landscape. He was our backup plan. The assurance that the cavalry would be ready and waiting.
“I must ask, how did you manage to find this place? It’s sacred, and heavily protected by magic,” Mingan stated.
“Oh. I-I don’t know. I woke up here after being transported here by … well, the Earth Mother.”
The pack tensed. “Lies,” Koko hissed. “She’d never show herself to one such as you.”
“And yet she did.” Kaz’s blood unlocked a door inside of her. Her fingertips tingled. Wiggling them, she gasped when the ground thaw
ed, and flowers bloomed.
“She speaks the truth,” a pack member whispered.
“Why you?” Koko said.
“Because she is the wolf we’ve been waiting for, Koko. Show her the respect she’s due,” the Alpha cautioned.
“We all know where she’s from,” Koko muttered.
“But you don’t know me,” Joss said quietly. “I didn’t want to be in that compound, but my mother brought me when I was nine after my father died, and the rest is history. The pack magic keeps her cancer at bay. It’s kept me there far longer than I care to admit. Now I understand, what we’re facing is bigger than one person. Than all of us. I saw the future if we don’t fix this. It’s not one any of us want.”
The words lingered between them as they walked deeper into the woods. They came to a frozen lake.
“This will require trust,” Mingan cautioned. Holding Koko’s hands, he stepped onto the icy surface. Halfway across, they disappeared.
“Magic,” Joss whispered, remembering Earth Woman’s words. We all come from magic. These wolves maintained more of what was lost. Clasping hands, Kaz and Joss stood tall as they followed in the Alpha and his mate’s footsteps. Pressure surrounded them when they walked through to a tiny village, bustling with life. A grouping of teepees were arranged, spread out to provide privacy, but keep safety in numbers. Cooking fires were lit. Women roasted meat on them or boiled it in a bowl made of stone. It as a living history lesson. Once the people caught sight of them, they moved into their teepees. A few children stared in awe, before being hurried inside of the relative safety of their buckskin.
“I’m assuming they do not receive many visitors.”
Joss smiled at Kaz’s wry response.
“I guess not. Especially ones with our skin tone.” The history that existed between them saddened her. They’d learned nothing. Even among the supernatural they warred over differences.
“I do not blame them for being afraid of outsiders. Too many times we fear what we cannot understand.”
“But we have a chance to change that now, right? That’s what all this is about?”
“I hope so, Joss.”
They paused in front of a large teepee with markings on it.
“This is our meeting lodge. Please enter, and join us in smoking the peace pipe as we ask the ancestors to join us and help guide our decisions.” Mingan lifted the flap on the dwelling and allowed them to enter. The scent of sage and sweet grass greeted them in the warm space. Directed to sit on a pile of soft furs, they were joined by Mingan, Koko, and two other warriors.
“There are my betas, Rowtag and Apisi.”
Rowtag grabbed a hide drum, and Apisi handed Mingan a beautifully carved wooden pipe. Bleached white buckskin decorated with a blue white and yellow beaded design wrapped around the front and back ends. Fringe hung down from each decorative piece. Rowtag began to drum and Apisi joined him in singing in their native language.
“First I’ll fill the pipe with tobacco, and we offer them to Mother Earth and Father Sky, acknowledging the four directions.” We watched as he retrieved a small, brown bag and pulled out raw tobacco. He filled the pipe and began to offer it up in the directions, speaking in his native tongue. A feeling of reverence and energy began to fill the space.
“We ask that you come to us, ancestors, and guide us in the way we should go. Help us form bonds of trust that will last a lifetime and help us return to the way things were meant to be.” Mingan placed the pipe to his lips and drew the smoke in. He blew the smoke out slowly, and it curled up in the air wildly. The space became smaller as if it was filling up with people who could not be seen. Her eyes darted around wildly.
“Do you feel that?” Joss asked Kaz.
“Yes.”
He handed the pipe over to Koko who did the same. With every person who held the pipe, a greater sense of peace and rightness settled over Joss. She closed her eyes, relaxing as a feeling of oneness settled in. Apisi handed her the pipe. Taking the smoke into her mouth, she exhaled and passed it on to Kaz. The rhythmic drumming placed her in a semi-trance.
A flash of Isiah being submerged in wolfsbane-laden water made her cringe. Gritting his teeth, he refused to agree to lead them back into the compound. They wanted him to be a Trojan Horse.
“If you won’t lead us, you will tell us the secrets to your boundaries.” They dunked his head again. He struggled. They pulled him up, and he gasped for breath. Red welts and boils covered his face.
Her heart ached.
“I don’t know how you’re managing to hold out, but rest assured, I will break you,” the man snarled.
Isiah was placed back under water. Diving into their connection, she fed him the peace generated during the ceremony.
The break from the pain allowed Isiah to focus in on her. “They’re coming soon, Joss. I can’t hold them here much longer. They want the advantage of surprise, but they’ll settle with using brute strength if they have to. Patience is wearing thin.”
“How long do we have?” she asked.
“A few days at most.”
She shook her head. They weren’t ready. “Where are you? We need to get you out.”
His sorrow assaulted her like a pungent order. “No, this is my burden to bare. She showed me how wrong I was.”
“Who?”
His pain leaked into their bond.
“You have to go now. Tell the others to be ready.”
Their link cut out and she blinked.
“Where were you just now?” Koko asked suspiciously.
“With my brother, we share a bond.” The half-lie rolled off her tongue with ease. “He’s been captured. He says the enemy will be coming in a few days.”
“You speak of the Alpha’s son? He’s not to be trusted,” Koko snarled.
“And yet, he continues to be tortured because he won’t lead them to our pack.”
“Everyone has their breaking point,” Koko sniffed.
“This is a place for peace,” Mingan reminded them.
Returning to their respective corners, the women shut their mouths.
“We have to complete the spell,” Joss said. “That’s why we came. We haven’t been able to figure it out on our own, and the spirits showed me this pack could help.”
The four pack members exchanged a look.
“We know what you need.” Mingan stood and walked to the corner of the tepee, and reached beneath a pile of blankets. A yellowed leather bag that had once been brown was brought back to the fire. Reaching inside, he took out a stone carving of a wolf. The black stone was speckled with splashes of white and splotches of tan.
“The pack stone has been passed down from generation to generation as we waited for the wolf who walked the path between all. That is you, Joss.”
“Are you sure?” she asked shakily.
“Hold it in your palm, and we’ll see,” Koko challenged.
Joss turned to Kaz who nodded his head.
Controlling her fear, she held out her hand, palm up, and met Koko’s gaze. Mingan placed the smooth stone in her hand, and she held her breath. Her heart plummeted. Nothing. Panicked, she glanced at Kaz. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and the stone glowed a brilliant amber. It pulsed, reminding her of the book’s light display.
“What do we do with it, Mingan?” she whispered.
“That is up to you to decide, She Who Walks Between,” he replied with a smile.
“Will you fight with us?” Kaz asked.
“Yes. When the time comes. We’ve remained silent for long enough. This is our world we fight for, too, but you must agree to honor our privacy.”
“We will do everything in our power to maintain your pack’s way of life,” Kaz said, as Joss nodded her agreement.
“Then it is settled. We prepare our people for war.”
“We can’t make battle decisions without speaking with the rest of our group. There are many of us who fight together … witches, wolves, and vampires. We understand the delicate b
alance must be kept,” Kazimir said.
“She says they plan to come in a matter of days. You must rally as many as poss—”
Joss screamed and flopped onto the ground. A piece of her heart shattered as her link with her mother sent up an S.O.S. signal. Fear made her nauseous. She’d never experienced terror like that from her mother. Their bond remained, weakened and strained.
“Block him out, Joss,” Kaz demanded.
“T-that wasn’t from him. It’s my mom.” The blood drained from her face. What would feel like that? Had they already invaded White Creek?
“What’s happening?” Mingan asked.
“I have to go. My mother’s in trouble.”
“Perhaps the war has already come to us. My pack will accompany you,” Mingan announced.
“We have to get the others.”
“I’m not waiting, Kaz. Call them, because I’m going.” She took off from the teepee, transforming into a wolf without a thought. Her mother’s anguished emotions echoed in her head with every mile she covered.
Chapter Thirteen
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” The crazed screams from the Alpha pierced the night. She could sense her mother’s pain increasing as she grew closer to the compound. The smell of burnt wood assaulted her. Plumes of smoke rose up into the sky. What the hell is going on in there? Rational thought escaped her. There was no hiding from the pack. They sensed her presence as she did theirs. Terror filled the air, sickening her. They didn’t approve of the Alpha’s choices. That scared her more than anything else. Skidding to a halt in front of the compound door, she waited for the others.
“This is your pack, Joss. What do you want us to do?” Mingan asked.
Standing tall, she gathered the pack magic inside of her. “We’re going to overthrow that sadistic motherfucker.”
She balled her fists, letting the energy flow to her hands. Thrusting them in front of her, a white stream of power flew forward, blowing the doors off the compound entrance. Joss walked over the twisted metal and surveyed the wasteland before her. Smoldering patches of burned grass littered the area. Bonfires rose high, turning faces sinister as they flickered. The dilated eyes of her people begged her silently for help. White robes were soaked red with blood. Her back tensed in sympathy as she recognized the whip marks used in the cleansing process.
