by Jen Haeger
Evelyn slowly made her way along the bank of the stream using the roots to help keep her upright. Now that she was safely in the cold water, her adrenaline level was plummeting, leaving pain and exhaustion in its wake. After ten minutes, she skated over some algae-slick stones and ripped roots out of the soft bank as she flopped into the water. Floundering as she attempted to right herself, she soon felt the strong arms of the Vulke under her arms, and suppressed her pride as she allowed him to help her up. Evelyn caught his eye again and, though she detected no familiarity, there was a quality to them that comforted her. Flicking her gaze away, Evelyn was confused. Up until now she’d only had exposure to Vulke who were insane and wanted to kill her. She’d had no trouble thinking of them as the enemy, and she was angry with this Vulke for ruining her simple view of them as evil. He’s just confused, she thought. David and I are essentially Vulke. Maybe we smell enough like his pack members that he thinks that I’m part of his pack. In light of the chaos and the overpowering scent of the fire, Evelyn convinced herself that this was a reasonable explanation.
Sometime during the next hour, as they made their way downstream, it began to rain. The rain soothed some of Evelyn’s base panic over the fire, but still her mind raced. Injured as she was, it was impossible that she’d be able to get away from the other Wolfkin, and if he led her into the nucleus of the Vulke camp, she was certain bad things would happen. A seed of an idea—to knock him out with a rock from the stream and then run away—took root, but then withered and died. It was too risky. She might kill him, or worse, not knock him out and really piss him off. She could hope that they stumbled upon friendly Wolfkin, but then Evelyn’s heart twisted in her chest as she realized that a Wahya or Amaruq might just kill this Vulke, and she couldn’t let that happen now. He’d saved her life, helped her out of the fire, but there’d be no way to convey that to another werewolf in the heat of the moment. That really left only one possible scenario for both of them getting through the night unscathed. They’d have to get free of the fire and find a place to hide together until morning. Best case, he’d fall asleep and she could sneak away. Worst case, he’d discover that she wasn’t a Vulke after the change and try to kill her. Evelyn didn’t think that she could affect a very convincing Russian accent, so she decided to try to get a rock or sharp stick to keep close for after the change. At least then he’d be a weaponless, squishy human.
47
David cursed over and over again in his head. I should never have let Evelyn fall behind! One minute she was limping along behind them and the next she was just gone. The unrelenting inferno had swallowed her up, and all he could do was howl at the burning trees. He thought about leaving Kim and diving back into the flames to look for Evelyn, but deep down he knew he was already too late. Grief squeezed his heart and he nearly threw himself into the fire after Evelyn regardless, but then he felt the weight of Kim leaning against his shoulder. David rent his gaze away from the blaze behind them. He had failed Evelyn, but he wouldn’t fail Kim. With renewed strength, he led Kim on, away from the center of the fire. Numb and banishing all thought, David let his survival instincts take over. The wolf would get him out of this, and he would have to deal with his humanity later.
*
Through the smoke Nicolas watched the light brown Wolfkin, the flames reflecting off the water highlighting natural touches of red in her fur. Frozen by her beauty, Nicolas had almost been too slow to save her when the tree came crashing down. Even now, as she waded down the stream, he was mesmerized by her movements and intrigued by her spunk. She was familiar to him even though he knew that he’d never seen her before, at least not in Wolfkin form. He would have remembered. What are you doing? She’s not a Vulke! You don’t even know this woman! Nicolas tore his gaze away from her. This is crazy. I’m acting like a lovesick pup. But when he dared glance at her again, his heart filled his chest, and all he could think of was protecting the beautiful creature before him.
He couldn’t risk taking her anywhere near the Vulke camp. If they didn’t slaughter her on sight, they would capture and torture her, and even his status wouldn’t be able to protect her, not in times of war. The good news was that the shifting of the wind had pushed them far from where the Vulke had entered the forest. Nicolas just hoped that it hadn’t directed them into the enemy camp instead. Enemy. This Wolfkin in front of him was his enemy. That concept just made no sense to him. Every fiber of his being wanted to be near her, to help her, as little sense as it made. Do I love her? How can I love her?
Nicolas had been in love once before, or at least thought he’d been. Years ago he’d taken up with a woman, Nadia, imagined that they’d wed, have babies together, but she had objected to his unscrupulous business dealings, feared for their future family. When she left him, he stayed in the flat for three days, burning photos of her and drinking vodka. If that was love, then the bond to this Wolfkin was stronger than love. This was something beyond the weak confines of human emotion. He didn’t understand it, but he didn’t want to try. He wanted only to revel in this feeling and let it consume him. Nothing mattered, not the war, not the strays, not Taras and his revolution. Only she mattered, she who would someday be his mate. Wishing that there was some way to convey his feelings to her and make her understand, he followed her through the water and out of the fire.
*
David didn’t recognize that they were out of the woods until other Wahya members rushed up and took Kim from him. At first he snarled and held her tight, his vision smeared with red, but eventually logic trickled back. He was safe, Kim was safe, and it was time to let her go. Reluctantly he released her and fell to his knees as the crushing reality plowed into him like a freight train: She’s gone! Evelyn’s gone! A howl born of unbridled sorrow burst from David’s chest and spilled out of his throat, so loud and violent that he felt something rip inside of him. Ignoring the pain, he howled until his breath and strength gave out and he fell back onto soft grass. He stared up at a sky filled with smoke and clouds, and the rain, first soft as teardrops, then a deluge, soaked through his fur. David’s whole body hurt like he’d been split in two, and he didn’t know how he would ever move again.
He could sense, more than see, other Wolfkin moving around him, but they seemed as distant as the stars he couldn’t see, and he was content to ignore them until a grizzled Wolfkin muzzle loomed over his head. Get up! David flinched, for he knew that it was impossible for the Wolfkin to have spoken, yet the words were clear and ringing in David’s ears. Closing his eyes, David tried to block out the voice, and heard a growl then more words: Lift him! Burly arms caught him at his armpits and dragged him to his feet. Having neither the strength nor the will to fight them, David hung limply, ready to collapse if they let go of him. Look at me! This time David’s sluggish brain acknowledged that the words he thought he was hearing were actually barks and yips. He squinted at the Wolfkin speaking to him. Something in its eyes told David it was Roberto. David snuffed, Figures. Roberto smacked David across his muzzle with his open clawed hand and shock, rather than pain, caused David to react. His muscles contracting and giving support to his sagging body, he felt the arms buttressing him constrict as he tried to lunge at Roberto. Roberto, as unmoving as a brick wall, just stared David down. A few moments later David cowed under Roberto’s gaze like a willful child wilting under the scrutiny of a disappointed father. Dropping his stare to the sodden ground, David was ashamed. Help us. David’s eyes flitted up and followed Roberto’s arm to where he pointed to several Wolfkin returning into the forest.
At first David thought that Roberto was ordering him to go back and fight, but then he saw three Wolfkin carrying a wounded comrade out of the smoke. A miniscule tremor of hope bloomed inside of David, but he refused to nurture it. Evelyn was dead, but that didn’t mean that there weren’t other Wolfkin out there who needed his help. Roberto was right; he could selfishly mourn later. David nodded and Roberto made a sharp motion with his hand. As the arms of the Wolfkin holding him
retracted, David steadied himself, then, head low, he jogged to the edge of the woods and plunged back into the realm of the forest fire without a backward glance.
*
With the smoke and rain clouds blocking out the lightening of the sky, and David so focused on rescuing Wolfkin from the smoldering forest, the change came upon him almost without warning. Completely drained and without the bolstered strength and energy of his Wolfkin form, David collapsed into the muddy ash and lay shivering in the rain. Inside he felt infinitely empty, like a hollow confectionary crumbling and melting in the rain. Last night had been a nightmare. Everything had gone wrong and people were dead now, including Evelyn. David curled into a ball and wept, though he knew that this still wasn’t the right time for grief. He had to get back to Roberto, find out what had gone wrong, and find out if any of their allies had prevailed over the Vulke or if they had sabotaged all of the battles.
Rising was a slow process that David only managed in stages: he crawled over to a blackened tree, then got up onto his knees, next one foot, then the other, and using the tree for support he managed to stand. The accomplishment brought him no joy as he plowed forward with heavy, clumsy steps. Then he was down on the ground again. He’d pushed himself too hard and his body was finished. Only pure frustration had him inching through the mud until his vision blurred and the rain pelting the ground sounded like the crunch of dry leaves underfoot. Then David was in a dry autumn forest, running after Evelyn, angry with himself for frightening her, desperate to explain to her why he’d put her in danger. Then he was in a hotel room and she was kissing him. Then he was being set down by the stone benches of the Wolfkin Council estate and Evelyn, her face bloody, was running towards him. Then they were in the guest quarters deep within the Scribe’s compound, and he was holding her and losing himself in her eyes. Then he was outside the conference room at the airport and he heard a shot ring out and his heart stopped.
*
“Here! He’s over here!”
David felt himself being turned over.
“Gall-dangit, David. Don’t know when to quit, do ya?”
Recognizing Clem’s voice, David let out a sob. “I lost her, Clem.”
Clem’s hesitation was brief. “These here’re some big woods, David.”
Pain swelling his throat, David couldn’t answer.
“Get him some water will ya! Jackson! I’m agonna need your help to move him.”
As his head was propped up, David felt the lip of a bottle being thrust into his mouth and liquid trickle down his throat. Soothing though it was, he coughed and sputtered. The world went white and then it went black.
48
Evelyn stirred, then started awake, the memory of the fire jostling her violently from her slumber. Lying on the ground covered with leaves, she was wet, cold, and hungry, and her injured leg ached. About to move, Evelyn remembered that she might not be alone, and scanned the swath of forest she could see while listening intently. The soggy underbrush within her field of vision was green, and the tree trunks were free of scorch marks. She and the Vulke male must have traveled beyond the ring of the fire. The rain had ceased, but the sky was still grey and the air was heavy with moisture. Straining to discern any sounds beneath the wind in the trees as she held her breath, Evelyn thought she detected a susurration that was not her own. She carefully turned her head and her heart dropped into her stomach as her blood raced through her veins. Sitting cross-legged a few feet from her was a man she’d never seen before. They locked eyes and he frowned, but then pointed at the ground just next to her.
“I found you…something to cover yourself.”
His thick Russian accent threw Evelyn for a moment, but gradually his words sunk in and she flicked her eyes over to a pile of damp, torn cloth: grey jersey adorned with specks of brown. The word “found” echoed in Evelyn’s brain, and she weighed her disgust at the thought of using the tattered clothing to cover herself versus leaving her torso bare in front of the stranger. “Can you turn around?” Shit! Evelyn cringed internally, but then realized that an attempt at a Russian accent, as opposed to actually speaking Russian, would have been ridiculous. Well, maybe he’ll think I’m one of the strays.
Evelyn studied the man’s impassive face as he nodded: blue eyes, flat nose, dark brown hair, pale skin, a well-groomed beard and mustache. He turned and Evelyn stifled her sharp intake of breath by covering her mouth with her hand. Scars covered the skin of the man’s back. They looked like claw marks. Dragging her eyes from the disturbing sight, Evelyn snatched up the former sweatpants and tied them around her chest as best she could. The man continued to face away from her, so Evelyn rose and took a few steps backwards to test her leg. There was no way she’d be outrunning him and, searching the landscape, she had no clue which direction to go even if she tried to escape. Escape? It’s not as if he’s holding me hostage…or is he?
“So, what happens now?”
Pivoting on his heel, the man faced her again. He looked sad, uncertain. “I know who you are.”
Evelyn’s heart now felt like it had managed to vacate her body entirely, but she tried not to let her weakness show. “Oh? Well that makes one of us.”
His scowl lengthening and brows knitting with confusion, the man’s face then relaxed with comprehension. “I am Nicolas.” He reached out a hand, but then drew it back when Evelyn didn’t immediately reciprocate. “And you are Dr. Evelyn Eisenhart.”
Her blood seemed to follow her heart and abandon her body, and her vision swam. Maybe he was only keeping her alive to present to the Vulke Alpha as a trophy of war. Or maybe they would try to force her to help them to further mutate Languorem luporum. Willing back tears, Evelyn forced herself to speak through a tightening throat. “Who? No sorry, not a doctor. My name’s Kim, Kim Panders.”
Consternation took over Nicolas’s features. “Why do you lie to me?”
“I-I’m not lying. I don’t even know what’s going on here.”
Nicolas shook his head. “There is no time for this. They will be missing me, and looking for you. I have other…duties. Not now, but later.” Nicolas then rattled off ten numbers and repeated them.
His words and the numbers made no sense to Evelyn, just swirled about chaotically in her head. A phone number? She remained silent.
“You will want to head that way. Follow the ravine.” Nicolas pointed to Evelyn’s right and Evelyn’s head moved to follow his arm in that direction, but then he stepped towards her and she snapped back to face him. As his eyes caught hers in a fierce gaze, he reached towards her, palm outstretched. “You were so beautiful.”
Tensing, Evelyn searched for madness in Nicolas’s eyes, but found only yearning. She wasn’t sure which was more unsettling. Then he dropped his arms and staggered a few paces away in the opposite direction from where he’d guided her. The shock of his behavior and words kept Evelyn rooted to the ground.
“Go now.”
The pleading in Nicolas’s voice stirred compassion in Evelyn’s empty chest, but her logical brain prodded her feet and she sidestepped away from him, trying to keep him in view. She was ten feet away when he glanced over his shoulder.
“Wait!”
Evelyn paused, though part of her was screaming for her to run. Time halted as they stared at one another.
“Power bars.” Nicolas then took off running away from her.
“Power bars,” Evelyn whispered as she watched him disappear into the trees. Then turning, she ran in the opposite direction, limping heavily on her injured leg.
*
Two hours later, after slogging through the damp, black remains of a once beautiful band of forest, Evelyn reached the road they’d driven in on. Miraculously, the fire had left this area untouched, though it was now deserted. Once lined with automobiles, only three remained, and none were the Ford Explorer that Roberto had gifted them. Relief welled up in Evelyn’s chest and pushed out of her mouth in a sob.
“Thank God, thank God.” David had survived
and made it out.
Rushing forward, Evelyn winced at the renewed pain in her leg, but she ignored it. She yanked open the door of a Jeep and was inside and starting the car before it hit her that she’d been in the vehicle before.
“No! Oh, Bill, no!”
Hot tears washed soot down Evelyn’s cheeks as she remembered the kind, older Amaruq who’d ferried them across Lake Huron into Canada and then loaned them his grandson’s Jeep on their way to meet the Scribe for the first time. This was that Jeep, and that could only mean…Maybe he’s just been injured… unable to drive? Evelyn knew she was grasping, but unwilling to face the truth she clung to the hopeful idea. Sobbing, she ineptly put the car in reverse and turned it around. It was a stick shift and even though it would have been much easier taking one of the automatics… it was Bill’s Jeep; Evelyn couldn’t abandon it. Plus, having to focus so hard on driving took Evelyn’s mind off…everything else.
*
David woke to a gentle humming and the sensation of a cool cloth dabbing his face. Everything was warm, soft, and too good to be true, like his mother holding him as a child after a nightmare.
“Evie?”
The humming ceased.
“Shhhh. Easy now.”
Lifting his leaden eyelids, a fuzzy blond face came into focus. Kim. Gently pulling a strand of damp hair away from his eyes, she smiled down at him. David smiled back then instantly felt guilty, and let his eyes fall away from Kim. Am I already done grieving for Evelyn? The thought felt like a demon tearing holes in his chest, but he wrestled with it. I can still feel happy that Kim’s alive. There’s nothing wrong with that. He flicked his eyes back up to look at her.
