As she neared “Joe’s” diner, however, something bewildered her. Although the parking lot was full, the pack’s favorite place was unusually quiet. This silence eerily reminded her of the days they believed Ray to be dead. But, the reason for their behavior was not the death of any member. There were two, black SUV’s, parked in the upper right corner of the lot. The FBI... The presence of humans had forced them to act nicely. In an instant, the witch averted her gaze from the interior, and lowered her head. Tucking away her staff in her black cloak, she brought her attention to the towering trees up ahead. The Bradford’s were already there, standing between two balsam firs, and, for some reason she couldn’t fathom, they were in high spirits, as they awaited her. She could hear their laughter from thirty yards away.
“Arooooo!” howled Ray, shutting his eyes, as he tilted his head up. “There she is, ladies and gentlemen: Paxton’s very own smoking redhead!”
“Smoking?” asked Helena, squinting up at him, hurriedly closing the distance between them. “What are you blubbering about, young one?”
“You,” Raul answered her question on behalf of his brother, biting his lower lip. “Those fools have been in there for a while. Three of them keep bringing you up, calling you ‘hot’; ‘sexy’; ‘smoking’; stuff like that. They mocked the fourth one for falling asleep last night. Poor guy: I kind of felt for him.”
“What did he say?” Helena’s heart fluttered, as she completed her question. Her initial curiosity turned into sheer disappointment and anger, in the blink of an eye. This time though, she wasn’t mad at anyone else, other than herself. Cliff was the forbidden fruit she could never taste.
“Whoa!” Ray exclaimed, as his grin vanished. “You want to know what he said. How come? You’re interested?”
“Please, answer me,” she asked Raul, ignoring Ray’s curiosity.
“Actually…” the Alpha snorted in amusement. “He threatened the most persistent one with a beating, if he went on. He stood up for you. He said something like ‘I doubt I’d get lucky, even if I was sober. She looks like a real lady.’”
If Cliff didn’t carry a badge, she would gladly react to this compliment with a broad smile. Still, Helena had to hide the joy that Raul’s small narrative sent into her heart. She dropped her gaze from him, unwilling to offer him any kind of rebuttal. Nevertheless, the Alpha was smart. He could sense her nervousness. He could also hear her heartbeat, escalating more and more by the second. Raul reached towards her, and put his hand on her shoulder, as he leaned closer to her.
“Look, Dean and Ray told me about what you did last night,” he spoke in a tender voice, running his thumb along her skin. “It was very noble, but it was unnecessary. Dean’s right. They can’t accuse any one of us for anything. It’s pretty obvious you like him. I’m not going to be the one to tell you how to live your life, Helena. Don’t let his job stop you.”
“What did you just say?” she asked, her lips curling into a hesitant smile, as her gaze shot up to meet his.
“You heard me,” he winked down at her. “Just remember he’s not going to be here long.”
“Thank you,” Helena whispered, finally allowing her smile to broaden into a grin. “This means a lot to me.”
“Don’t thank me,” Raul urged, shaking his head in disapproval. “Like I said, you’re a free woman. Now…” He paused, and cast a sideways glance down at Dean. “Can we go hunt some vampires?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” replied Dean reacted to his brother’s wily look with a wink, as they all turned around, almost simultaneously.
“Boys, don’t tell me we’re actually going searching for the clan,” Helena responded, a touch of anxiety in her tone.
“Of course not,” Raul rejected that notion. “We don’t have any information about them. We need to know numbers and proximity. All we know is what that prick told Martin and Jimmy.”
“Good,” Helena gave a satisfied nod, as they trotted off into the forest. “Where did your scouts find that vampire again?”
“About a mile and a half northeast from here,” the Alpha uttered in a firm tone. “I can’t believe the nerve of those bastards. Darryl was plotting to destroy us, and they want to start a war with us, because I killed him? What were they expecting me to do, bend over?”
“There’s no such thing as ‘logic’ in the world of vampires, Raul,” Helena muttered, stepping over a large stone that blocked her path. “Also, I don’t buy that scout’s story. Vampires are heartless creatures. Other than their mates, they don’t have any love for their kind. They simply tolerate each other, because they can harm one another. I think Darryl’s murder is just an excuse for them to invade Paxton.”
“Are you trying to make me hate them more?” Raul teased, ducking under a low-hanging branch. “I mean, they “tolerate” each other? That’s all that holds a clan together? What about respect or discipline?”
“Those are unknown principles to them, my dear firstborn,” she chuckled, hopping over a pile of brush. “All they understand is power.”
“Then I’ll make sure to show them mine,” he grumbled, his breath getting heavier, as his face stiffened. “I respected Dominic, when his pack came over here. He warned us, he even gave us time to think about his offer. Alright, what he suggested was total crap, but at least he didn’t attempt any surprise attacks. Sure, he wanted to kill us all, but, he had honor. Those bloodsuckers have none.”
“That’s true; but, do not underestimate them in the field of battle,” Helena advised, her tone of voice becoming more serious. “I saw the whole thing between you and Darryl. He was lightning fast, but don’t think for a second that speed is their only skill. They can jump, they can climb trees like monkeys, and a handful of them can also read minds.”
“Well, that sucks,” Ray commented, brushing past a tall, thorny bush. “Will we be able to tell if someone is trying to read our minds?”
“Usually, their body language gives them away,” Helena replied, tossing a quick glance over at Ray. “Look for a smirk, a facial muscle twitch, a sneer… They can’t do it to everybody, though. Some minds are so well defended that even they cannot read them.”
“Ok, you lost me.” Raul confessed. “What do you mean ‘well defended’?”
“It’s a matter of concentration and willpower.” Helena explained, as her boots sank in the muddy soil. “When you cross paths with a vampire, you must be focused on him and him alone. Control your thoughts; do not let your mind roam to anything or anyone else. The thought of your loved ones might be beautiful and inspiring. It motivates you to destroy him, but it distracts you from your purpose, and it also reveals to him your weaknesses. This is one of the two things shifters and vampires have in common. They love to take advantage of their rivals’ weaknesses. There’s rank in their clans as well, just like there is in shifters’ packs. They have an Alpha. If you take him out, they’ll probably scatter in disarray.”
“What about his second in command; isn’t he in charge, until they find another Alpha?” Raul wondered, looking at the thinning vegetation around him. The trees that had been blocking their view so far, were now few and between. Any bushes close to their roots were much smaller than the ones they had walked past, and brush piles had disappeared altogether. In their stead, were just a few, dry twigs lying here and there. The sparse moonlight allowed Helena to see a clearing, just a few yards up ahead.
“The Alpha’s lieutenants are there just to maintain the order among them, while their leader is alive,” the witch replied, as her lips curved into a sarcastic smile. “If he dies, it’s every vamp for himself. Like I said, there is no loyalty to anybody, other than their mates.”
“Stop,” Raul ordered, thrusting his arm to the side, across Helena’s chest, his feet planted to the ground like boulders, inches away from a large elm tree. Closing his eyes, he tipped his head up. Just then, Dean and Ray’s raging snarls tore through the silence, as they gazed out at the clearing. The tall grass had been flattened on
its far end, close to the other edge of the forest. Helena pulled her staff from her cloak, catching a glimpse of somebody’s mass, leaning over something, his back turned to them. The Bradford’s reaction told her what the creature was. It was a vampire, savoring his kill. She felt every fine hair in her body raised, as she realized that this was not typical vampire behavior. He was out in the open: exposed; vulnerable to attack from all sides. Helena had to take action, before the brothers did anything that would give away their presence.
“Don’t move a muscle,” she whispered, causing the Alpha’s eyes to snap open.
“Oh Khalista – benevolent and strong
Greatest of witches – Our brightest light
Bless me with the power to right this wrong
Trust me with the gift of sight beyond sight”
Every cold sensation on her skin ceased, as she uttered the last few words of the incantation. A mere glance down at Raul and his brothers was enough to explain to her why. She was leaving her body. In fact, just two seconds afterwards, Dean reached out, grabbed her by the arm, and shook her. But, she couldn’t waste any time in gauging the Bradford’s reactions. Helena had much more vital business to attend to. Bird’s nests on the thick tree branches filled her line of sight, as she rose higher and higher from the ground. Tiny pools of frost had formed on a few leaves. Small drops of water were streaming down the surface of those that had eluded the frost.
The witch hovered over the tree, locking her gaze on the vampire in the clearing. Indeed, he had made a kill. He had punched a hole into an unfortunate deer’s throat. The animal itself lay dead, as the creature sucked its blood out. Helena averted her gaze from what she knew already, eager to find an answer to what she didn’t. And, as she glanced out into the forest, she discovered why he was all alone, seemingly not afraid of being attacked. His clan was scattered around the woods, but close enough to provide a helping hand. And, shockingly, they were far more than she expected. The vampires were too dispersed for her to count how many there were; yet, they had to be at least three times as many as the wolves in Raul’s pack.
In a split second, she returned to her body. Sucking in a deep breath, she swayed back, as the Alpha reached, and grabbed her by the waist.
“Helena! Helena!” he whispered, his face hard with tension. “What happened? You froze for God’s sake.”
“I saw him; and them,” she spoke too fast, breathing in pants, as she looked up at him. “Don’t even thing about starting a fight with them tonight. There are too many of them, Raul.”
“How many are we talking about here?” Dean asked her, his baritone full of worry.
“Forty-five, perhaps fifty; and they’re close,” Helena responded, turning her head to the right to face him. “The loner in the clearing is bait.”
“Damn!” Raul groaned, jerking his head in a spasm of frustration. “Boys...” he said on an exhale. “Let’s get the hell out of here. There’s nothing we can do, anyway.”
Dean and Ray nodded assent, as the witch caught her breath. She might have just saved them yet again from certain death, but she had forfeited any will to even mention it. The wolves of Sutton Valley were vastly outnumbered. With the Redfield clan in the forest that bore her name, they were facing imminent death; and now, Helena had to, once again, be the resourceful and caring co-protector they had grown to know and love. She had to figure out a way to keep her dearest family from harm, and away from the deadly clutches of the vampires on their doorstep. Her only hope was that she would rise up to this challenge.
Chapter Eight
Predictably, Helena was unable to find any peace that night. Still in profound shock by the terrible sight of the Bradford’s adversaries, she teleported from her home in the forest to Roman’s sanctuary and back again, pondering how she could assist Raul’s pack. However, despite her best efforts, she was unable to do so. Her first thought was to repeat the stunt she had pulled on Dominic’s pack. She had not killed those wolves, but she had managed to frighten them enough to abandon their plan to attack. All the same, she was not dealing with Raul’s kind. They were strong, but they all had charged at the same time. They had moved in unison; unison meant predictability. On the other hand, vampires were not close to one another, and that made them all the more unpredictable. They could attack from trees, from holes in the ground, or even from sneaking up from behind. The pack’s survival depended on each shifter’s awareness. Distracted ones could suffer tremendous blows before they could fight back, whereas more alert ones would most likely smell them, seconds beforehand.
Amid her confusion and the concern that had gripped her like a vice, Helena’s heart sank, as it occurred to her that, once more, the notion of a private life would have to remain just that: a notion. A reality that could bring her happiness, or just satisfaction, would have to be put on hold yet again. Duty called, and she was not going to ignore that call in order to pursue a few hours of fun. Even with Raul’s approval, she could not have a relationship with Cliff Daniels. Of course, it wouldn’t differ much from the occasional fling. It wouldn’t last long; the odds of them falling for one another were rather slim, but Helena liked the thought of dating him very much indeed. His looks were impeccable, and, by spending time with him, she would help heal a shattered man, brooding over the loss of his brother. For her, this was a combination very hard to resist. In the early hours of the next day, she said “goodbye” to the idea of going out with him, wishing that the two of them had met under different circumstances.
In spite of her decision, however, Helena felt the urge to warn him. A war was coming. Paxton would not be a safe place to be. Still, the witch had to reject that idea as well, much to her disappointment. Why? Because Cliff would definitely ask “why” he and his colleagues would have to leave town and that would put her in an impossible position. She would have to explain and reveal to him everything, including her own identity. More than that, she would have to confess the murder of her niece. Certainly, Helena would try to justify her deeds, as well as the deeds of the pack, hoping he would understand. However, even if he did, Cliff was still a man of the law. The witch would go to prison, and the government would turn her birthplace into the ghost town that Kate had described in her rant.
Nevertheless, Helena had another desire, one that was not as dangerous as warning him. She wanted to see him again, one last time. Sooner or later, the lack of any more evidence would force him to put this case on file, and leave Shandaken, never to return. Clueless about the day of his departure – and unaware if she would be alive in the very near future – Helena decided to pay him a visit at his workplace. However, the Sheriff’s station was in the middle of town. There would be witnesses to her teleportation. So, instead of imagining the wide road outside the station, she chose to picture the sidewalk outside of Monica’s former residence. Located just after the town border, it was guaranteed to be more private.
Helena was greeted by silence and a cold morning drizzle. She didn’t mind either. On the contrary, she loved the gentle rain, and the quietness was precisely what she was seeking. A glance up at Monica’s old house brought a big smile to her face, as she strode past it. It was the place where everything had started between the doctor and the disobedient pack member, who later became Alpha. She could still recall the sparkle in Monica’s eyes, whenever she narrated the story of their first kiss. Even though they went through some tough times later on, the Bradfords all admitted that this meeting was the turning point for them. This coupling set things in motion, bringing into their lives what they all had been missing. It gave Helena a good reason to walk out of the shadows she had been lurking in for years; a great opportunity to get out in the world, like she was doing now. Much to her liking, Shandaken was a small, yet cozy town, characterized by wooden houses, cabins, and mainly, warm people. Used to the shifters’ openness in Paxton, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
A few hundred yards down the street, she came across scenes that confirmed her belief. In spite
of the rain, neighbors were talking to one another on the sidewalk, laughing and clearly in high spirits. Drivers honked at one another, smiling, as they headed in and out of town.
“I’m jealous of Sheriff Colby.” She thought to herself. “He’s got the best job in the world. It’s always quiet here. People know each other on a first name basis, and they get along so well.”
Helena continued on the downhill road, noticing a line of five cars. This was as close to a traffic jam as it would ever get in Shandaken. A shot of adrenaline rushed through her veins, as she saw the two FBI SUV’s, parked in front of the sheriff’s patrol car. Apparently, Cliff’s work at the crime scene was done.
Chattering sounds filled her ears, as she strolled into the station. Sheriff Colby and his deputies were all talking on the phone. Helena swept the sizeable hall for Cliff, feeling her pulse rise. He was in the upper left corner, speaking on the phone as well, in the only area that had been separated from the rest of the room with a glass façade. A wave of anger washed over her, as she started off towards his office. His imposing, well-shaped figure sent goose bumps over her skin, instantly reminding her how fantastic he looked, but it also brought the reason she had to stay away from him back into her mind: the threat that the pack was facing.
“Wait till I get my hands on you, you cold, miserable bastards. You will know my wrath.” She thought to herself, halting outside his door. Cliff was still in the middle of a phone call, but he waved her in, and then to the seat in front of his desk. Too busy trying to calm herself down, Helena would not listen to whatever he was saying. Cliff’s business was his, not hers. But, when he referred to the person on the other end of the line as “doctor”, and commended him on his thorough work, she had no choice but to focus on him. Sadly though, the phone call ended just after that.
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