Verena's Whistle: Varangian Descendants Book I

by K. Panikian

  “My Sight was very vivid again. I don’t know if it’s because of the remnants of the portal, like there is extra magic lingering here? Or because of what I’m trying to see – beings full of magic? But I felt their residual emotions. The leader, he is very, very angry to be here, and not wherever he was before.”

  “Okay,” I paused to think, “I don’t think we should try and track them tonight. They’re likely to see better in the dark than us and if we use the flashlights, they could be standing right next to us and we wouldn’t see them until it was too late.”

  “On the other hand,” Theo said, “we can’t track them in the daylight from this clearing because it will be full of people, like that nice police man that told us to go away yesterday.”

  “Yes, very true,” I answered. “Except we probably couldn’t track them from the clearing anyway. It snowed since the 15th, remember?” I asked. “But we know there are hoofprints on our snowshoe trail. And we know there are todorats. I think we should come back in the morning and try and track the horse trail.”

  “Yes,” Theo agreed. “That’s the plan.”

  IN the morning, we ate a quick breakfast and then headed back up the mountain. This time, I remembered the crossbows. We took one snow machine and left it on the side of the ski trail and quickly found the hoofprints heading north. They looked several days old at this point, their snowy edges crumbling and softened by the wind.

  I read the tracks and said to Theo, “It looks like it was a group of three. They were walking south, hit the ski trail, and turned around. See here, where they walked back over their initial prints?” Theo nodded.

  We followed the jumbled trail for what felt like several miles. It was a sunny day and we saw lots of forest animals, including another small herd of elk.

  My legs were aching by the time we paused. Walking in the borrowed snowshoes was not easy; they were heavy and awkward. We stopped as the trees thinned and we became more exposed. I crouched behind a large pine tree and peered ahead. The thinning trees were on the edge of a glade that ended in a large outcropping of rocks. The equine prints we’d been following became part of a larger mass of churned up snow along the edge of the rocks.

  “What do you think?” Theo breathed in my ear.

  “I think it’s a cave,” I breathed back.

  Theo pulled a pair of binoculars out of his backpack and looked for a long moment before he passed them to me. I looked and couldn’t see anything moving.

  “Do you sense anything?” I asked Theo.

  He bobbed his head. “Yes, this is where they are. I can sense their churning emotions and some superficial thoughts, like in the crater. Most of them are cold and hungry. They don’t like hiding in the cave. The leader though, is confused and also still very angry.”

  Theo closed his eyes and quieted his breathing. “He’s seen the people at the crater. He doesn’t know what’s going on but he knows he’s not where he’s supposed to be. He’s decided they should hide for now. He’s sending out small scouting parties to collect information and find food, but he knows he can’t keep the rest of the besy hiding for much longer. His control over them is tenuous. It was easier when…” Theo stopped. “I don’t know when it was easier. The thoughts are too detailed.”

  I was impressed. “You really got all of that?” I asked.

  “I told you. I’m feeling supercharged.”

  “That’s really incredible, Theo.” I looked at the cave again with the binoculars. “If they’re sending out scouting parties, they’re going to see our tracks and they’re going to know people found the cave.”

  “We need to hide our tracks, but in a way that doesn’t look like we’ve just wiped them out,” Theo agreed. “Ideas?”

  I thought for a long moment. “I have one idea. Let’s see if I’m feeling supercharged too. Follow me.”

  We backtracked a little to the part of the trail where we’d seen the elk earlier. I looked in their direction and whistled. I made my tone curious and welcoming. It took several tries but eventually three of the elk approached. I felt their inquisitiveness and their fear. I caught hold of the gold sparks trembling in their chests and soothed the fear. I started walking back to the cave; the elk followed. I kept whistling a gentle, continuous sound. The elk stepped through our trail, churning the snow.

  We walked back to the edge of the glade, staying out of sight of the cave, and I turned again. The elk continued to follow me all the way back to the ski trail where the snow machine waited. I whistled one more time, sending thanks and warmth, and they wandered back in the direction of their herd. I felt the gold glow of their spirits leave my control and it made me sad. I shook off that feeling.

  I looked down at the trail we’d just made and was satisfied that the snowshoe tracks were obscured by elk prints and kicked up snow. I turned with a smile to Theo and he hugged me warmly.

  “Talk about incredible magic, Very,” he said, “that was incredible.”

  Chapter 12

  Back at the house, Theo and I made some sandwiches and tried to plan how to deal with the bukavac that night. The trick would be waiting for it to climb out of the water, then letting it get far enough from the hole that it couldn’t scuttle back and jump in when we engaged it, but also not letting it get close enough to the parking lot where someone might see us.

  The bukavac scream might also be a problem. We’d never heard it before but, if the stories were true, it could potentially drop us in our tracks.

  “We have the snowmobile helmets,” Theo pointed out. “They’re designed with ear protection already.”

  “Perfect!” I said excitedly. “We won’t be able to hear each other, but I think we can deal with that.” I couldn’t seem to regulate my tone. I was still jazzed from using my magic earlier. I laughed in spite of myself and ignored Theo’s confused look. “What do you think, with six legs, is it going to crawl along the ground like a bug, or–”

  Just then the doorbell rang.

  I jumped up and ran to the front entry. I could see Julian’s giant form through the distorted glass window in the door and a slightly shorter, slimmer shape next to him. I opened the door and smiled brightly. “Hi guys!”

  Julian smiled back at me and I looked at the man standing next to him. He was staring at me and I felt my heart rate speed up. He was outrageously handsome, with a firm chin covered in dark stubble. His brown hair fell over his forehead in a messy tumble down to straight brows. I felt suddenly flushed. His chocolate brown eyes sparkled at me admiringly.

  “Come on in,” I said and backed up. They each carried a duffel bag across their shoulders and they bent to take their shoes off simultaneously.

  When Julian stood back up, he said, “Hey, Very. This is Owen Belisarius. I assume Theo told you the story?” I nodded, mute.

  “Hi, Very,” Owen said. “That’s an interesting name.”

  “It’s short for Verena,” I answered. “That’s Theo,” I said, gesturing into the kitchen. “Come on in. There are a few more empty bedrooms, so take your pick. Are you hungry?”

  “I’m not,” Julian answered.

  “Me either,” said Owen.

  They both followed me into the kitchen and I snagged the rest of my sandwich. My giddy feeling from earlier vanished and I felt self-conscious in my stretchy yoga pants and sweatshirt, my hair in a messy bun.

  Theo gripped Julian’s forearm and then nodded at Owen. “Welcome to Russia. You’re just in time. We’re planning our assault on the bukavac in the lake.”

  “Uncle Alex told me about your vision. Owen’s all caught up too.” Julian said. “What weapons do we have?”

  Theo ran through our arsenal and his idea about the helmets. I listened with half an ear and concentrated on my sandwich until Theo said my name. I looked at him blankly.

  “I was telling Julian and Owen about what happened this morning. Do you think the whistle is something you could use on the bukavac?

  “I have no idea,” I answered. “I’ve on
ly used it offensively involuntarily so far. I could try it, but I think we need a couple of back up plans too.”

  The guys agreed and I started paying attention more closely. It sounded like one person would remain in the parking lot to chase off the couple in Theo’s vision and make sure no other cars pulled in and interrupted the fight.

  “I’ll do it,” Owen volunteered. I was surprised. I expected him to be an alpha guy who would want to be on the front line. He saw my surprised look and smiled at me again. “I know I’m the weakest link right now. I’ve never trained with your unit, I’ve never seen a supernatural creature before, and my guns aren’t here yet. I’ll take the rear position this time.”

  I was in trouble. Handsome and enlightened. I felt flushed all over again.

  “Good plan,” said Theo. “We have a couple of hours before we need to drive to the lake. Do you guys want the tour?”

  All three of them left the kitchen and I quickly rinsed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. Then I went out into the garage to make sure we had four helmets.

  IT was dusk when we pulled into the parking lot at Lake Chebarkul. The carnival atmosphere from just two days earlier was gone. I guessed the novelty had worn off for the locals. There were still signs warning of thin ice, and I could see the hole was still barricaded in the distance. The police must have worried some ice fisherman would just tumble in otherwise.

  All four of us walked out onto the ice. Theo’s vision showed the bukavac emerging at full dark, with the moon overhead, so we had some time to get set up. The dark shadow of the open water looked smaller than the last time I’d seen it; the ice was slowly inching back into place.

  “How deep is it?” Owen asked.

  “The sign said about 40 feet,” Theo answered. He cleared his throat. “So, let’s rehash. The bukavac has six legs, a big mouth full of sharp teeth, a long tail, and curved horns on its head. It can also scream really, really loudly.”

  Theo nodded at me and I took over. “Julian, Theo, and I will hide at the edge of the lake under the tarps we brought and be very still. Owen will sit in the SUV and be the bait. When the bukavac is off the ice and heading for Owen, the three people under the tarps will jump up. Theo and I will stand between the bukavac and the ice, so it can’t get back into the hole. Julian will stand between it and the woods over there, so it can’t go that way and escape. We’ll close in and keep it in the middle.

  “We don’t know yet how it’s going to move or how it’s going to fight. We need to starting reading those journals...” I trailed off and then caught myself. “But let’s assume it’s going to be like a crocodile monster, with thick skin. According to Uncle Alex’s memory, the legs are the weakest part of it. If we can break them or chop them off, it should be easier to kill.”

  It was getting darker by the minute. We turned to look as another car pulled into the lot.

  “That’s our happy couple,” Theo said. “Ready, Owen?”

  Owen nodded and sauntered off the ice, heading in the direction of the new arrivals. Theo, Julian, and I went to the SUV and grabbed the tarps out of the cargo area. Underneath, our weapons waited.

  The other car pulled out of the lot and Owen walked back over to our group.

  “How’d you get rid of them so fast?” I asked.

  He grinned at me. “I told them we were filming a movie and it was a closed set.”

  “Nice,” I said admiringly. “That covers a lot of contingencies if they sneak back, or if anyone else comes.”

  “I know, right?”

  I smiled at him and his eyes blazed and went to my mouth. I turned quickly and snatched my saber. Theo smirked at me and readied his sovnya in one hand and his shortsword in the other. Julian picked up his pernach and a crossbow. Then, Theo handed Owen a long knife from the pile.

  “Just in case,” he said with a wink.

  “Right, quick reminder,” I said to the group. “These weapons are all illegal for us to have in this country. Thanks to Owen, we have a superficial excuse to carry them tonight, but for future reference, we need to be sneaky when we’re armed.” Everyone nodded. “Okay, good luck, guys.”

  I heaved my tarp up and turned to head back to the edge of the lake. Julian and Theo stepped away as well, but I stopped when a hand touched my arm.

  “Be careful, Very,” Owen said to me. I couldn’t see the expression in his eyes in the waning light but his voice was gruff.

  Later, under my tarp in the biting cold, I relived that tone. It made my insides squirm. Gah. Focus, Very, I told myself. I peered out through the tear I’d created in the tarp, watching the patch of open water. I had Julian on my right and Theo on my left. No one was making a sound.

  The moon was directly overhead now. It gleamed off the frozen lake and lit the landscape around us. It should be easy to see any movement on the ice under that glow, I reassured myself. We’d been lying still for at least an hour and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could control my shivers.

  In the parking lot, I heard Owen start to talk to himself. I knew he was making himself into the bait, but still, the sudden noise startled me.

  I kept my attention on the ice and then, finally, I saw movement. Out of the water slithered the bukavac. Its eyes glowed a sickly green as it crept slowly across the ice. It moved like a chameleon, I decided, lifting and placing each leg carefully onto the ice, cocking its head this way and that way. The head was shaped more like a snapping turtle though; its eyes were high up on the side and it had a large beak-like mouth. The tail slithered behind it. I wondered if the tail was more for swimming, or if it was prehensile.

  It didn’t seem to be aware of us under the tarps; it focused solely on the parking lot and what I assumed was Owen’s figure, pacing around enticingly. I felt a quick surge of fear. He was alone there with only a knife. If we failed to stop the bukavac, it would kill him easily. I took a deep, quiet breath to calm myself. We wouldn’t fail.

  Finally, the creature was off the ice. It started to move more quickly and I crept out from under my tarp. I pulled on my helmet and I saw Theo and Julian do the same out of the corner of my eye as I walked silently until I was between the bukavac and the lake. Theo was a few yards away. When Julian got to his place in front of the woods, I let out a sharp whistle and called it.

  The bukavac turned back to me, its eyes flaring as it took in the three of us ranged around it. It didn’t step closer in response to my call. I tried again, even more piercingly. It ignored me and turned back to the parking lot. Owen stepped forward, his long knife gleaming under the moonlight and his helmet hiding his face. The bukavac screamed and the SUV’s windows shattered.

  Despite the helmet, I felt my ears pop. I knew that without it, I would have collapsed. Julian fired his crossbow and the bolt bounced off the creature’s head. He hit too close to the base of the horns, I guessed.

  It snapped its mouth at us and rows of sharp teeth flashed in the moonlight.

  In a sudden movement, it lunged toward the woods. Julian stood firm and fired his crossbow again. This time the bolt hit the bukavac near the base of its left, foremost leg and it separated from its body with an audible popping noise. The bukavac staggered but then continued forward. I ran toward it as Julian engaged.

  The bukavac reared up onto its back two legs and whipped its tail to the side. Julian dodged the tail and swung out with his mace, hitting the creature’s body with an audible crunch. The pernach flayed open its torso, spaying blood, and the bukavac screamed again. Julian staggered just as I reached them.

  The bukavac lowered its horns at me and darted forward. I bent low under the horns and slashed at its throat before rolling away. My sword glanced off its thick skin and Theo stepped in from the side. The bladed end of his spear bit into one of the rear legs and the bukavac dropped back onto its remaining four legs. It lashed its tail forward again and caught me in the chest. I flew back through the air and crashed into the snow, stunned.

  When I got back to my feet, I saw the bukav
ac sprouting another crossbow bolt, this one in its lower abdomen. Theo was limping, drawing the bukavac away from the lake edge. When it rushed him, Theo jumped and, at an angle, whipped his shortsword into an overhead blow that severed its tail. I ran forward.

  The bukavac lurched but then finished its circle, attacking Theo from the side. It bit into his chest and Theo screamed. I lunged with my saber from my hip, putting the weight of my body behind the thrust, and stabbed its left eye. It let go of Theo and flinched away from me. I followed and slashed hard at its lower body, this time severing the second forward leg.

  The creature, bleeding freely from its wounds, backed away from us. Theo slowly sat on the ground but Julian and I advanced. Suddenly, Owen appeared behind it and threw a rock. The bukavac rotated its head to see the new threat and I darted to the side, severing a mid-section leg in a figure eight movement that ended with another slash at its chest. The weight of the bukavac’s bulk became too much for the two remaining legs and it collapsed, still snapping its beakish maw at Owen.

  Julian finished the job with an overhand blow from his pernach. The mace crushed the creature’s skull and after a full-body spasm, it lay still. Blood slowly oozed from its body and made a dark pool in the snow. I stepped forward and severed its head, just to make sure. Then I turned to Theo.

  He was still sitting in the snow, his eyes pained. I dropped to my knees beside him.

  “I think it’s my ribs,” he said with a gasp. I carefully opened his coat and his fleece and pulled up his shirt. His chest was black and purple.

  Julian dropped down beside me and turned on a flashlight. “He’s not bleeding, probably all of his layers stopped the teeth from penetrating, but we need to get him to a hospital.”

  I agreed and we slowly helped Theo stand up. Owen had the SUV started and we eased Theo sit into the front seat gently.

  “We need to get rid of the body,” I said. Shoot. We hadn’t even thought of that earlier when we were making plans. “Should we just push it back into the lake?”