Love Among Shadows

by Smokey Moment

  Phoebe’s home was still a few miles away. She was on a private road surrounded by trees. He knew the way. He could get there with his eyes closed. He had gone their numerous times a day, watching Valentina from afar. He was the man in the shadows. But he loved her. There was someone else in the shadows. And they meant her harm. He would be ready to strike.

  Legend ran through the housing and through some of the woodlands around Phoebe’s area. He neared her street. Just another mile ahead and he would be there. Legend was anxious. He was worried. If the assassin was bold and had already struck, it would be devastating. He never got a chance to tell her how he felt. Tell her all about their world. A world she had been inducted in and never knew it.

  The bite that damaged her so badly had also turned her into a wolf. She was like him. And she would need his love and support. And he wanted to give her both in abundance. She needed answers. She deserved to know that someone had turned her and left her to die. The man she met online, did it to her on purpose for reasons unknown. And she was marked for death because her kind was not allowed to exist. But Legend no longer believed his father. He didn’t believe the spirits gave kill orders.

  He was a Valkan. Allotted the special privilege to chant and ask for what he needed. His chants had never yielded anything despite numerous attempts. Something wasn’t right. Why weren’t the spirits asking him directly.

  So, Legend was going out on a limb. He had chanted. He wanted her safe. He wanted to ask them to spare her life. It was a long shot. To his knowledge, the spirits would never grant such a wish. They protected human but not once a human was a wolf. It was considered a violation. It was dangerous. But he had nothing else. And if his wish wasn’t granted, he was prepared to be punished for what he was about to do. Any wolf involved in her murder would die by his hands. And after that, he would accept his fate.

  L

  egend could see the house. He ran through the sparse vegetation, jumping over a log and landing on a bear trap. He yelled out in pain then reached down and opened the large teeth with his hand. “Ahh,” he moaned, his ankle damaged from the powerful force of the trap. The teeth cut through his hands as he pried the mouth open. He looked his ankle over, then stood and began running, undeterred.

  He went through the neighbor’s yard and through the perfectly lined emerald green arborvitae. He ran to the door and stopped dead in his tracks. The door was wide open. The eerie calm around the house was the backdrop to a sinister and devilish act. His heart sank. His breathing increased. Something terrible had happened.

  His steps were slow and methodical. He moved towards the door, looking around and using his keen senses to pick up what had happened. He couldn’t smell Valentina’s scent. He picked up the scent of a stranger. But the smells were faint. Something wasn’t right. His sense of smell picked up a familiar odor. He hoped he was wrong.

  He walked inside. His own blood dripping from his hands and ankle. He followed the scent to a spare back bedroom. He wasn’t sure he was prepared for what he believed would be a bloodbath. The faint smell of wet flesh strengthened. It usually made his mouth water. But not this time. He didn’t salivate. He feared the source.

  Legend approached the door. He knew death was inside the room. “Please don’t…” he mumbled. He couldn’t bring himself to rush the room. It would destroy him. It couldn’t end this way. Not with her mutilated. Tortured. He would have to bear some of the blame. He couldn’t say he didn’t know there was a bounty on her. That she had crossed into their world and her execution was the remedy.

  He hoped the spirits would save him from this devastation, walking slowly, as if the delay would change the outcome. Legend stopped just outside the door and stared. He walked in slowly and fell to his knees. He was overcome with grief at the sight of Phoebe lying on the floor face down. Her legs and arms spread apart. Her hair covering her face. And a pool of blood around her. Legend dropped his head. She was an innocent bystander. She was the only close family Valentina had, and she had become his family.

  She was like a sister. The tough sister who wanted him to do the right thing. The sister who wanted him to shower Valentina with love or leave her alone. Her love knew no bounds. She would die for her family. And her loss was great. Legend touched her head. He spoke in tongues. He hoped his chant would bless her. It was all he had. He couldn’t leave her without a word to the gods. He asked them to watch her. To bless her. He noticed she was still warm. Her death had just occurred.

  Legend ran from the room. Someone would surely pay. A life for a life. Legend believed Valentina was dead. And he had nothing to lose. She would have fought the attacker after watching her sister be slaughtered in such a way. Legend ran to the yard. The wind made it difficult to pick up her scent. He ran near the pond. Then through the trees. It was as if she disappeared. No scent. No blood. No trail. Legend thought about what his father said. There should have been footprints. His sharp eyesight would have picked up the trail. But there wasn’t one. Valentina, he thought, the pain of the unknown was unbearable. Griff would be home in a few hours. He would find his wife dead on the floor and her murder would spark an uproar. Her husband was a detective. And he would make noise. He would have demands. And someone would need to answer for her death.

  It was getting dark. Legend searched through the brush. He looked under the tall grass. He searched behind piles of branches and downed trees. But saw nothing. He hoped she hadn’t been discarded in the pond. Water interfered with smell and so if she was inside the pond, it was hopeless. Legend found it hard to stop and leave. Griff could pull up any moment. But he needed to be sure, so he continued to search frantically for her. Soon the sounds of cars caught his attention. It was Phoebe’s neighbors, returning home from work.

  An owl shrieked in the distance. Legends ears picked it up. It sounded several miles away. The owl sounded disturbed. Something had the animal claiming its territory. Legend took off running in the direction of the sound. It was coming from the north. The same way he came from. The direction of Cedar Falls.

  Legend ran towards Cedar Falls. He was sure Valentina was being taken to his father. The order was to kill her. His father had no reason to see her first. Legend ran towards the road. He feared she would be sacrificed. It was the only reason to keep her alive. Killed and sacrificed to the spirits

  T

  he man from the shadows carried Valentina across his shoulder. Her limp body dangled like a ragdoll. He could see two men approaching. It was the middle of the vast lands near Eagle Creek. No humans venture out that far. There were alternate routes to get to the Denali mountain, if the humans wanted to get closer to it. This was forbidden land. Marked and designated as private land.

  The men got closer. He could see it was Blake and Osimi. He hadn’t seen their faces in a long time. He wondered why they were sent to meet up with him. He didn’t need their help. Valentina was a 140 pound human woman. Hardly something that required help in disposing of.

  “Why are you here?” the man asked. “He sent us. To make sure you completed the mission. But you haven’t. She is still alive. So we will take it from here,” Blake said. “No! We are too close to the night of the first blue moon. A sacrifice is now required. Something you know nothing about. I am taking her to Cedar Falls. She will be slaughtered before him. He can make the sacrifice. The spirits will give him favor and he will be able to ask them for anything. This is over your head. Something only Valkans are blessed to carry out. Now move out of my way,” he said. Blake sneered. Osimi stared at the familiar face. The quiet man who lived in the village and had since moved.

  Blake stepped to the side and watched as the man walked past. Blake scoffed. He looked at Osimi. They were comforted in knowing it was her. The human they were to locate. The distinct smell picked up by her underwear just hours earlier, confirmed it. “What now?” Osimi asked. Blake shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to attack the man and take his prize. Valentina’s death meant a new world order for him. But he wanted no tro
uble with Archaeus and the stranger could be correct in there needing to be a sacrifice.

  They hadn’t been thoroughly instructed on what to do. They weren’t given this scenario. Only to go to the home of a woman and kill her if she was still alive. He was promised riches and a leadership position in return. But Blake stood confused. He thought it would be Legend, who he would bump into. He’d ran into the woods and would surely need to return. Blake was prepared to handle that. Legend would have his hands full with two betas. “Let’s just go back. We’ll see what Archaeus wants to do,” Blake replied.

  The men followed close behind. Soon they reached the village. The stranger continued through the trees toward Denali as Blake and Osimi followed. Soon he saw Archaeus in the distance, walking in the direction of an area forbidden by them. It was known as the Sacred Site of Pentacles, and was a burial ground to natives who fought for freedoms centuries prior. It was one of two sacred places. Blake could sense the importance of what lie ahead. He didn’t care so long as Archaeus gave him something in return.

  “He will be here soon,” Archaeus commanded, as the men reached the hilly land of rocks and caves. An ice-cold brook ran through it. They crossed the water and made it to a deep cavern. “Take her inside,” he ordered. “Sire. What do you need from us? I thought you wanted her dead?” Blake asked. Archaeus walked up to his new protégé. “You are loyal. Fearless. You were prepared to go to any lengths to prove your loyalty. And for that, you will be rewarded. Stick around. He will come for her. And I will need your help. This is a final sacrifice. After this, the world is ours,” Archaeus revealed.

  Blake smiled. He had the father of his enemy on his side. He could destroy him and move into a position of power with Trinity at his side. But he couldn’t help but wonder what the other man would receive. The man who actually captured her. There had to be something for him in return for his contribution. Blake’s mind raced. He hoped the man wasn’t looking to return to Cedar Falls and claim leadership. Cedar Falls was his. And to secure his position, he was prepared to do anything Archaeus commanded.

  “It’s me,” Sheeba said, as she waited for Trinity to open her door. “Hi. What’s going on,” Trinity asked, as she came out onto the porch. “Something’s going on. I saw Osimi and Blake, walking together, towards the Site of Pentacles. Why would they be going there?” she said nervously. Trinity folded her arms. She felt chills. Sheeba looked at her.

  “Are you cold? You’re shivering,” she said. “Yes,” Trinity replied. Sheeba smiled. “What?” Trinity asked curiously. “That’s the sign of pregnancy. You’re going to have a baby,” she said. Trinity’s eye’s widened. Her mouth dropped. She looked away. It explained the way she’d been feeling the last few days. It explained her new found love for Blake. Her instant forgiveness of his aggressive takeover of her heart. She was still with him. She found herself looking for him. Waiting on him. Legend was no longer in her dreams. He had been replaced. It was surprising, since she started out hating him.

  “I’m worried Trinity. We should see what’s going,” she proposed. Trinity immediately walked off the porch and looked back at Sheeba. She hurried down off the porch and the women walked toward the path that led to the hilly roads and to the sacred grounds. Trinity worried. For the first time, she had concern about Blake. She was sure there was nothing other than he was out in wolf form deep in the forest.

  “Osimi didn’t come home last night. That’s so unlike him,” Sheeba said. “Blake was gone too. I assumed hunting. He’s been trying to stock up on meat. He was unsuccessful the night before. Maybe their hunting,” she said. Sheeba didn’t agree. The men never hunted during day light except in extreme cases. It was more difficult and the element of surprise was all but gone. “No. I doubt it. This has something to do with Legend. His father was seen in the middle of the night. He has been sneaking into Cedar Falls, when everyone is asleep,” Sheeba replied. Trinity’s mind raced. That would be the third visit by the king. Something major was happening.

  “Then I see where Legend gets it from. He also moves around at night. Alone. And not to hunt. He is always going in the direction of the city. Not where the herds are. And he comes back alone, emptyhanded. Something is definitely going on. And it is time for the men to tell us.”

  “Mmmm,” Valentina moaned, as she slowly regained consciousness. She awoke to a massive headache and sharp pains coming from her wrists and feet. She turned her head back and forth. She tried moving, but soon realized she had been restrained. The cave was pitch black. The sound of dripping water echoed. Valentina looked around. She could see two entrances. It was still light out, but the sunlight did little to illuminate her surroundings.

  “Hello,” she yelled out. A voice in the darkness answered. “Remain quiet. This will all be over soon,” the deep voice said. “Who is that? What do you want?” Valentina asked. The man in the darkness didn’t respond. Valentina could hear him walking towards her. “Please,” she begged. He stopped, then turned and walked towards the entrance. Valentina could see the back of a man. Her fears took over. She fought to free herself. “Oh god,” she cried, as she twisted her wrist, trying to unloosen the binding. The man walked and stood at the opening, as if waiting on something.

  The village was still. Not a single werewolf stood outside, in the usually active community. Legend was thrown off by it. It was daytime. There should have been someone around, leisurely hanging around or doing their household choirs. The men chopped wood and made repairs to damaged or weakened homes from the tough weather. The women did laundry and hung clothes for the sun to dry. But there was nothing. Only the high-pitched whistles and chirping of birds. Legend walked to the back of his home and up to the broken window. He looked around. His sense of smell picked up Valentina. She had been in the area. A knock at the door startled him for a moment. He jumped inside. No one was supposed to know he was there.

  “Aesir!” he exclaimed, pulling him inside and closing the door then looking out the window. “What the hell is going on? Why are you peeking out your own window? And why is everyone’s spooked. The medicine woman said she senses activity at the sacred site. No one is supposed to go there. It is sacred ground. Only the kings are allowed there. Is pop here?” he asked. Legend looked intensely at his brother then started rubbing his head.

  “What the fuck Legend! Tell me something. This is me. Your brother! All this secrecy. And you want me to be open with you. You never tell me shit,” he raged. Legend wanted him to stay out of it. It had nothing to do with him. “Go home Aesir. I told you to stay out of it. It’s dangerous,’ he said. “What is? Huh? Storm came to our house panicking because Trinity is gone. She’s been worried about her since Blake forced his hand. And then I go to speak with Osimi and he and Sheeba are nowhere around. Not to mention you look a fucking wreck. What’s with all the blood! Human blood!” he stressed. Legend looked down at his clothes. Then disregarded the blood on the knees of his denim.

  “Is that what she sees. They’re at the sacred site?” he asked. Aesir scoffed. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on? Yes! That’s what she said. No one listens to her. She tells old wives tales,” he noted. “No. She speaks on experience. She is over a hundred years old. She has a gift. If she says something is there, then it is. Stay here. I must go,” he said before running out the door.

  “Legend! Wait!” Aesir shouted. He watched as his brother ran towards the site. He sighed. Something dangerous was going on right under his nose. And it involved his brother and his father. Aesir ran. He was going. He wasn’t sure exactly where it was. He just needed to trail Legend.

  Legend ran through the woods and jumped a small creek. He picked up his speed, hoping he was in time to save Valentina. Suddenly he stopped. A glowing light appeared. It became brighter and was cast above him. He was baffled by the image. He closed his eyes as words came to him in the form of images. Legend stood, his arms and legs open and extended outward as if being anointed. Aesir jumped the creek and ran until he came into the
path of his brother. He stopped and stood behind a tree. He watched as Legend appeared to be in some type of trance. Aesir began to fear the spirits. They were close to sacred ground. He feared Legend could be placed under the spell for getting to close. Aesir stayed back.

  Legend dropped to the ground. He kneeled in prayer. Moments later, he collapsed onto the ground. He tossed and turned in the leaves as if in pain. Aesir could see him grab his stomach. He gasped. He feared Legend dying. Suddenly Legend turned on his side and then got on all fours. He heaved for several minutes. Aesir was ready to run to his aide. Suddenly Legend stood, slightly off balanced, as he gathered himself. He walked carefully, pinching his nose. He appeared ill. But then stood straight. Aesir moved to the next tree. Then to the next. Legend looked back. He felt Aesir’s presence.

  “Go back home. I know you are behind me,” he said. Aesir remained quiet and out of view. He wasn’t going home. Legend could read him. He sighed. It was useless. But whatever lie ahead, he hoped Aesir would remain back.

  He ran and jumped into the air, turning into a massive grey wolf. He took off for the hills. He was bold and confident in his approach. The spirits spoke to him. He was made wiser. He was given their blessing. But he would need more than that. He was facing many enemies for different reasons. They were formidable foes. And they were being led by what he saw now as his biggest enemy. His own father.

  Aesir came from behind the tree and jumped into the air landing in his wolf form. He ran through the land, following his brother. The uneven ground was difficult to run on. There were many obstacles to watch out for. But nothing slowed him down. He was agile like his brother. He had watched him. Learned from him.