by C. B. Haight
one step at a time. She slowly walked up the stairs to get ready for her trip, trying to set aside her conflicting feelings as she went.
Chapter Twenty-One
Deep within the shadows of the thick tree line, a safe distance away from the house, the Hunter watched, evaluated, and learned. A man he immediately recognized as the werewolf pulled a sleek, black Polaris snowmobile from an extra garage built a stone’s throw away from the massive home. When the slender woman joined him, the Hunter wondered if maybe it was a ploy to draw him out.
It was difficult to resist the urge to kill her now. This assignment was one he did not relish. He wanted so badly to be done with it, but people didn’t call him the Hunter because of his impatience. They didn’t fear him because he was sloppy. No, he could wait. The time wasn’t right yet. Soon enough, it would all be over.
As he watched the woman and the werewolf, he noticed something else, something he believed he’d dealt with. It looked like his buddy Jeffery was going to need another reminder to stay away. The happy couple mounted their vehicle and started off. He moved quickly, running at his full speed right on the edge of the perimeter, where the cameras couldn’t see, over to where he had detected his quarry. He plowed right into the scrawny little mage and didn’t even bother to check his speed as he did.
He heard the audible, “Oomph,” and a couple of curses as Jeffery hit the ground a good distance away. It was like a soccer ball being kicked hard enough to make it into the goal halfway across the field. Not giving him a chance to get up, the Hunter grabbed Jeffery and slammed him against the nearest object, which in this case was a thick pine tree.
Jeffery found himself frustrated and horribly confused. He had surrounded himself with a powerful shield, knowing he might cross paths with the dark man from the other night. Jeffery hoped to not even be seen at all. He shouldn’t have been. This was the second time this stranger saw through his spells.
He had prepared so carefully over the last week. How did this dark man get past his magic? Jeffery had no more time to ponder it. He felt a painful crack as he was slammed into something. If not for his shield, he would likely have a few broken ribs.
Jeffery spun around, his head snapping back and forth, looking for his attacker. To his surprise, through his daze and the sun glaring off the snow, he couldn’t spot him. Not anywhere. From behind somewhere, he heard the deep gravelly voice, “Am I going to have to kill you, too?”
Jeffery begged. His problem was getting more desperate every day. “No… no don’t kill me. Hear me out.”
“You don’t seem to comprehend the situation Jeffery… Didn’t I tell you to leave? What part of the words, my kill, don’t you understand? ”
Jeffery tried hard to figure out where the voice was coming from. Now it sounded like it was to his left, but he hadn’t heard the man move. He didn’t even hear the slightest ruffle on the ground. His head was killing him from being slammed into the tree.
He reached back and probed to see if he was bleeding as he whined, “What do you want from me, man?” He pleaded, “You don’t understand, I have to do this…”
The Hunter cut him off, “I want you gone! Disappear! I don’t care about your needs. I don’t care about your motives. I don’t care about you. You’re becoming a problem for me. Do you know what I do with problems that get in my way?”
The hand probing his head froze. He heard the deep voice from behind the tree. Before he could look around though, Jeffery felt his left arm wrenched around violently, and quickly he found his face shoved down into the cold, wet ground, with the frozen snow scraping against his skin. A crippling pain shot up his arm, running through his whole body, and he heard a slight popping as his shoulder dislocated. He cried out as burning pain erupted through his arm, but the cry was muffled by the freezing snow that now stung and pricked at his skin.
Then the voice spoke again, closer this time. “I Want You Gone,” the stranger said with his deep baritone voice carefully enunciating each one to make sure Jeffery understood...
Jeffery couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. He could only listen.
“I wonder is it true? Do you need your hands to cast a spell?” The man said strangely curious.
Jeffery felt the pressure on his hand suddenly increase. It felt like his hand would snap at any moment. Unable to answer verbally, he could only nod his head vigorously, scraping it against the ice and snow even more.
The Hunter thought to himself for a moment, not saying a single word. He could hear Jeffery pant from the pain he was inflicting. He could feel his anger rise because of Jeffery’s idiotic choice to return. The Hunter knew he could break the hand easily. He knew it would be a simple fix to this problem. He also knew if he did, Jeffery would need a new way out of there. He could just eliminate Jeffery, right here, right now, solving any further problem from arising.
Finally, the Hunter decided. He leaned down next to Jeffery’s ear and snarled, “Have you learned your lesson yet? Or will I have to eliminate you?”
Jeffery just bobbed his head up and down again and felt the sting against his cheeks, but it mattered little. His face had gone numb anyway. He knew if he opened his mouth again, or even tried to, he would cry out from the pain. He also knew it would do him no good. This man felt no pity. It was over.
“I wonder had you known, who I am, would you have still come back for more?” the Hunter asked.
Jeffery started, “They have my Mo…” but it just came out as a muffled sob, as his face was shoved deeper into the snow. He let out a whimper as his hand was bent further.
“You’re just not listening here! I don’t care. You will not come back!” The Hunter grated out as he increased the painful pressure.
“I got it, I got...” Jeffery mumbled indecipherably through the snow.
“I’m not surprised Finnawick saw fit not to tell you, he knew you wouldn‘t have bothered if you’d known. So, to ensure this is the last time I’ll lay eyes on you, let me enlighten you myself… I am The Hunter.”
Jeffery’s blood turned to ice. He’d heard of this man, but thought it only a story told by Finnawick the imp to keep people in line. He shivered and not because of the cold.
“I’m flattered. You have heard of me,” the Hunter said cruelly.
Jeffery didn’t even nod this time. He could not think past his fear. This man, the man now holding all control over his life, was the same man Finnawick sent to terminate anyone and everyone who got power hungry or stepped out of line. He was a legend among The Faction. No one even knew who he really was. Jeffery could have met him before, though he seriously doubted that. The only men that might have seen The Hunter long enough to realize who he was had not lived long enough to tell anyone. It was the first time he felt grateful that he could not identify this man.
The Hunter spoke once again, “Now then…I’ll pretend you were never here, and you agree to never come back. How’s that sound to you?”
Biting his lip to keep from yelling out again, Jeffery bobbed his head up and down once more.
“Now that we understand each other clearly, I will let go and you and you will leave, Jeffery. I know all of your little tricks so don’t try anything. Have we come to a suitable agreement? ”
Jeffery moved his head again, agreeing.
Suddenly, Jeffery felt the pressure on his hand release. Blood rushed back into his hand and fingers. He let it drop to the side, letting the cold ease the burn in his arm. He flexed his fingers back and forth to make sure he could still use them. Though it was painful, he would still be able to cast the spell to leave. He rolled to his side, cradling his injured arm for a moment. Huffing out a defeated breath, he started to cast his transport spell.
The Hunter interrupted him once again, his voice now sounding somewhere off to his right. “You know the problem with young idiots like you casting your lot in with demons like Finnawick, Jeffery? They will always find a way to control you. By using men like me, or using what you care for. Either w
ay, they own you.”
Jeffery knew all too well the truth of that profound statement. Now his mother would pay for his poor choices. He moved his hands again and cast his transport spell, leaving this place, and any hope to save his mother.
****
Collett leaned into Cade, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle as he sped off across the frozen, snow-covered ground. The engine revved as they climbed the mountain. He didn’t seem to be using any known trail. He simply cut through the powdery snow weaving the Polaris agilely through the trees.
She didn’t bother to ask if he knew where he was going. It didn’t really matter to her. Cynda had equipped her well. The cold snow didn’t bite at her too much. As Cade made a sharp left turn the snow blew out from underneath the machine, brushing across the already covered ground. Her tinted goggles attached to the helmet were covered in water droplets where the powdery flakes landed and then melted away.
They made their way swiftly, across the rough terrain. Collett enjoyed every minute of the trip. She was sure this was something she’d never experienced before. When they made a short leap over an embankment, her stomach dropped then resettled. It was exhilarating.
They passed a thick tree line where she saw three deer leap away in the distance. Even though it was a small thing to most people, she felt giddy at the sight of them.
“Look!” she shouted above the engine’s roar and pointed them out to Cade.
“I see them,” he shouted back
The truth was Cade smelled them before Collett sighted the doe and her two fawns. He felt somewhat smug and satisfied by her enthusiasm. It easily rubbed off on him, making him feel like this was his first adventure in the woods.
He steered the vehicle toward a drop-off where the view was spectacular. He had been there many times himself and knew it was an excellent place to think and figure out those difficult dilemmas life threw at you.
She was much more reserved earlier when they met outside. He’d given her a kiss, and she had pulled back quickly. He didn’t know what she was thinking so hard about, but he could give her a beautiful place to do it. He zipped through another cluster of trees and pulled the Polaris to a halt.
He removed his helmet, and twisted his head back in her direction, “From here we hike a bit. There’s not much room for the snowmobile up there.”
“How far are we going?” she asked after pulling off her own helmet.
“Just about a mile, don’t worry it’s not too bad.”
She swung her leg around lithely and jump off the new machine. “Okay, where are we going?”
Cade moved his eyes over her slender body all snug in the dark-pink snowsuit that Cynda loaned her. He would have to thank Cynda later. The sight of Collett in the form-fitting gear was so incredible he forgot what she had asked him.
“Where are we going?” she repeated a little louder.
“Oh… just up to a drop-off into a valley I know about. You’ll love it.” he answered.
“Lead the way, then.”
Cade easily moved from the snowmobile and grabbed her gloved hand. “Come on, then., he said, pulling her along beside him.
Almost 30 minutes later, Collett was huffing and puffing alongside Cade, who breathed easily. She narrowed her eyes at him and snipped sarcastically, “Oh don’t worry, it’s not too bad. Ha! What a load of crap. This hill is straight up and down or haven’t you noticed?” Her breath was huffing in and out through each of her words.
He thought about it for a minute, and answered sheepishly, “I guess not, it has always been easy for me. Do you need a break?”
She narrowed her eyes, “How much further?”
“Not too far, just past that group of boulders up there,” he answered, pointing out the rocks a few yards away.
“I’ll just rest when we get there. Let’s go,” she groused.
He tipped his head to the side, “Do you want me to…”
Understanding what Cade was going to say from the look in his eyes, Collett stopped him short, “No. I’ll do it myself. You’re not going to carry me. I’m fine. Anyway I knew you would figure out a way to work in some physical training today.”
He grinned devilishly, “You’re sure then? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure. Let’s go.”
They started moving again, Collett stomping through snow and still huffing and puffing. Cade, was breaking the trail with smooth, fluid strides, barely making a sound at all. His breathing remained even and easy. When they finally reached the cluster of boulders poking out from the deep snow, Collett leaned against them, bending forward slightly to catch her breath.
Cade put a hand on her back, “Alright?”
She nodded and took two more deep breaths, “Fine, but I’ll never believe your version of, not too bad, again.”
He smiled, “I promise it will be worth it. Now come on, we’re here.” Cade hooked his hand around her elbow and nudged her forward.
She could suddenly feel his boyish excitement. She stepped forward a few more paces and her breath caught in her throat with an audible gasp. The view was literally breathtaking.
This place, this land, was something you only heard of in fairytales with great white dragons, or enchanting white witches. They stood atop a sloping peak looking into a majestic winter valley.
There was a small, placid lake that looked to be made of glass within the center of the valley. Massive snow-covered mountain peaks jutted up from the earth, kissing the soft white clouds. The crystalline lake was lightly frozen all around the edges, leaving the middle a glossy black mirror, as if Jack Frost himself knew that freezing the center of the lake, would have robbed the valley of its beauty. The vast and powerful mountain range was mirrored within the lake as a perfect reflection.
Trees of all types and sizes speared up from the white, blanketed earth, reaching toward the sun’s warming rays. A few soft, white clouds drifted slowly across the sky. They were pushed by a slight, soothing breeze that tickled your skin and whispered of nature’s secrets.
This place was one of the few places left untouched and unspoiled by man. This perfect valley could have touched even the heaviest of souls. The serene landscape was one of the creator’s many gifts to mankind.
Neither Collett nor Cade spoke. They simply stood there in the perfect, quiet stillness. Collett closed her eyes slowly, taking it all in through every one of her senses. She breathed in the crisp winter air, absorbing the smell of the fresh pine scent. It was as refreshing to her soul as a clean, cold drink of water would have been to a man dying of thirst. It filled her.
She could hear the slight breeze move in and around the trees. She opened her eyes again and looked at the sparkling earth. She could almost imagine the musical tinkling of the crystals in her mind, as the tranquil breeze floated across the frozen snow.
Most of all, Collett could feel the peace and serenity that surrounded this picturesque valley. Time seemed to fade away as if it had no meaning in this place. Minutes felt like seconds, and hours could pass for minutes.
She looked to Cade with her crystal blue eyes, and in that perfect moment, she knew Jenny was right. He did have a power over her. Collett had fallen in love with him. She knew that now. It seemed so impossible to have happened in such a short time, but she loved this man.
She was not ready to tell him yet, and she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to. A long relationship with Cade would be impossible. Unlike him, she could not live forever. If she voiced her love to him, knowing she would need to leave eventually, it would hurt him too deeply. Collett could see that now. She could see what Rederrick meant by, the power to break his spirit. It would certainly break hers when the time came to walk away.
So, for now, she would just cherish every moment, every second she had with him. Imprint every minute they shared together into her memory, making it a part of her. Then when the time came, she would have these special moments to sustain her.
She understood she could never allow C
ade to tie himself to a mortal woman and watch her life fade away in a few short years, leaving him to live on alone. If she never told Cade of her love, then maybe it wouldn’t hurt him so much when she left, Collett reasoned. He could move on and find someone like him, someone to share eternity with.
Cade felt Collett’s gaze on him as he looked out into the valley. He turned to her, smiled and saw the glistening of unshed tears in her eyes. “What is it, Collett?”
When she spoke, Collett spoke in hushed tones, not wanting to disturb the reverent nature of this beautiful place, or this perfect moment, “Thank you Cade. This is incredibly wonderful.” She stood on tip-toes and kissed his lips ever so softly, then withdrew, keeping her eyes locked with his as she did.
He cupped her cheek with his bare hand and wiped at the rouge tear that escaped her hold with the pad of his thumb. Despite the cold temperature, his hand was warm. She leaned into his touch, her ivory cheek against his warm skin and closed her eyes, just to feel his tenderness.
When the time came, Collett understood, leaving him might very well do what her mystery stalkers hadn’t been able to do. It might kill her.
Cade moved his hand away from her face and put his arms around her, pulling her close to him. She laid her head against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, as it fell into rhythm with her own. In that moment, there was nothing else. There were no dark evils, no hard decisions. The rest of the real world simply didn’t exist in this wonderful place. They stayed like that for so long, silently looking out into the landscape. Collett shivered from the cold.
“We should go,” he said reluctantly.
She nodded feeling just as reluctant. They’d stayed so long the afternoon sun had moved across the sky, tinting the clouds a soft pink.
They turned together to start their descent down the steep slope, and they both froze. Collett’s eyes went wide at the sight before her.
