by C P Sennett
Leo must have been seven feet tall, if not eight and hairy in the lower quarters. His legs and groin area were covered in thick fur otherwise he was completely naked, and I mean completely. He had a hugely tattooed torso and his hands were inked heavily with big metal rings on them. Obviously not silver but they were huge, giant Celtic rings. His face was coarsely bearded not unlike Malcolm’s and his hair, whilst long and mostly brown like his beard, coalesced into blonde at the ends. His head, this was shaved on the right-hand side and tattooed with another intricate design. Now I could see where Malcolm’s style came from. Look like the people you are hanging around with. By looking like one he put them at ease I guess.
He was like a living juggernaut even as a human. This was obvious when you saw him, it was a mix of awe and fear but so was the stench emanating. This Viking god-made flesh absolutely stank of body odour. Not human, but he did stink of a musk of some kind.
It was at this point as I noticed he came crashing forward out of the treeline and he was stomping with purpose towards me. I wanted to back away, I mean really, I did, I was fighting hard to not turn tail and run. With each pace he neared, and his stench became more repugnant.
I stood still or as still as I could and looked up at him as he closed in. Not at his eyes as that could have been a challenge but at his face. I was determined, somewhat stupidly, not to be cowed by this human hybrid.
He wasn’t slowing either until he was almost at me. As he got closer and at the speed his giant strides carried him coupled with the mist, I flinched. The smell, the sight and the sheer presence of this man was a lot but the look of total rage on his face was horrific, it was both rage and grief.
As the giant man reached me he stopped just in time. I knew I had moved a little and with a shove and a snarling noise Leo pushed me to the floor. I landed harder than I would have liked a few feet away on the wet ground. I was unsure what I had done to justify this and as my eyes flashed to Malcolm, the big wizard moved. Malcolm moved in front of me, low and hunched as he quickly knelt by me. It was at this point I needed to reassert some control.
“Don’t.” was all he said looking sternly into my face. His visage, almost a vague homage to the mighty Leo.
“Thanks for telling me about that.” I said sarcastically.
It was at this point Deek spoke. “Custom is to kneel before a king.”
At this point I got the picture. I rose but only to a kneeling position, pleased I wasn’t winded by the stiff landing.
Malcolm interjected now. “Noble Deek, my guest isn’t inclined in our ways and I didn’t have time to fully brief him. Mighty Alpha Leo, I come before you to prevent a great problem. Will you hear me and permit to me rise?”
I looked at Leo’s face, the hair and tattoos made him look like some Nordic brute from a time gone by but his eyes, they were where the heart of his rage was. It was these which were so full of anger and hatred. It was now I realised that grief hadn’t yet hit him. He was still angry.
Then came the booming base of Leo’s voice. “Speak, Malcolm of the Order, tell me what news you bring as tonight we hunt. Tonight, my Red Claws run free.”
Malcolm rose up now standing normally. I didn’t join him as it felt more like something I needed to be given permission for. I was never a fan of diplomacy and etiquette but I seemed to have a knack for it when I needed too.
“Mighty Alpha…” he began before Leo cut him off, his voice like the snapping of a tree in a storm.
“No platitudes Malcolm. No testing me tonight, speak quick and be gone. I’ve blood to claim.”
Malcolm seemed for a split second surprised at the break in formalities but he recovered quickly. “I know you have lost someone dear to you. I am working with my colleague here to try to find out who really did this. There is some plot…”
Deek then butted in. “Plot, what plot is this wizard?” he snapped indignantly at Malcolm.
Malcolm fired back with equal gusto. “Deek, times are difficult I know but interrupt me again and it will be your last.”
The older Deek seemed as shocked at Malcom’s anger as I was. The big wizard now was exerting some control of his own. He was fuming at the lycan which only seemed to heighten the pressure. Also, for me he seemed to have gone well off script now. All this non-challenging crap he gave me, he had abandoned that in a heartbeat.
Deek stepped back and bowed apologetically almost scolded by Malcolm’s words. His body language said sorry. His face said fuck you wizard I’ll remember this. I could see it even if Malcolm couldn’t, not a good sign!
Malcolm continued addressing the pack alpha. “I come before you as I sought a name and council from Eddie Holt who you see behind me.” He didn’t look around he just pointed to roughly where I was still kneeling on the wet floor. “Eddie holds the same position as me in the Order, he is no pup. Eddie manages Essex and has contacts among the vampires in his county. We are working together to find out who has transgressed against the might of the Red Claws pack.”
Malcolm was clever not to poke nerves here, not to mention who killed his son, or so I thought.
Leo stepped right up to Malcolm in a big stride. He was there quickly and looming over the wizard who looked tiny compared to the lycan alpha. “Malcolm, tell me who has ended my line. Who calls for Leo Karl to hunt them. My pack needs blood, no we demand it.”
Malcolm stood his ground against the man beast and his dominating presence as he looked up at the giant hairy man. “Leo, I do not pretend to know your pain. We have been given a name by the vampires but we think this a falsehood.”
Leo loomed over him, his eyes narrowing. “My ears would know this name.”
Malcolm didn’t mess about he just came out with it. “Samuel Kovach-Kingsley.”
Leo inhaled, as if to taste the name and he paused. I looked at Deek and the other wolf which was still there. They looked on at their pack master waiting for direction. I could read Deek a bit and he was nervous, unsure of the outcome.
Malcolm stood before the huge man, each of Leo’s fists the size of Malcolm’s big head and then he spoke. “I smell mage on this name.” It was less a question and more an audible thought process.
Malcolm quick spoke. “No Alpha, he is just a human, at best he knows a few tricks. His name we believe is a falsehood though.”
It was at this point all hell broke loose!
Leo went Berserk. His huge fist swung fast at Malcolm, Malcolm must have expected this as he moved back with incredible speed for such a big man. The wind whipped up around us sending leaves everywhere as he invoked some air magic. I then rose and put up a shield around myself channelling my will to surround me as my staff grew to its full height.
Malcolm quickly sent a word telepathically to my mind, something which I can’t do and I was surprised he was able to do it so quickly. “Don’t attack, no matter what.” was what he said.
Deek jumped, not at us but at Leo and as he grabbed the big man. There was a shoot of movement and the big lycan from earlier grabbed their leader also. The smaller, all black wolf from earlier moved forward and rose quickly as it got closer to its Alpha and morphed quickly into its lycan form before smashing into Leo grappling the huge man. As big as Leo was in human form the size of the two werecreatures swarmed him. Deek’s voice then rang out loudly. “He is taken, flee Malcolm.” was all he shouted as I backed away calling lightning to my hands.
Malcolm turned to me his hands raised. “No, we have to go. To the cars Eddie now, we must get out of here.”
I looked at Malcolm before seeing more lycans coming from out of the undergrowth around the clearing. Most were dark against the night, some of them looked different but they were not running at me, they were all running towards the melee.
I backed away seeing them bidding to restrain their Alpha. Leo was in full rage now, cursing and throwing away full lycans as more piled into him. They were not holding back either. They didn’t use their claws but they were smashing into him with fists and th
eir full body mass. The ferocity of it was a sight. Each blow sounding like a thunder clap. One lycan, I couldn’t tell who, struck Leo so many times with such pace that I stood there amazed, with lightning crackling in my hands and down my staff.
Leo then got an arm free and threw the original lycan who had him some thirty feet away. It was at this point Malcolm slammed into me and started to push me away, his hands sparking on my shield as I let my lightning dissipate. Then my brain sprang into life as Malcolm barked out instructions to me. “Leo’s losing his mind, the pack need to control him and force his change.”
“His change, what?”
“I’ll explain later” was all he said as the two of us ran. I ran hard, so hard that I lost my footing and fell to the floor. I stumbled before falling and then fell into a roll so I got up without dropping my now shortened staff and my shield spell was still holding as I followed Malcolm with haste. “Get in the car and I’ll call you when we’re on the road. Head back to Essex!” was all he shouted as his door slammed shut in no time.
Within seconds I was in the Beast and reversing out of the carpark at warp speed.
As I was due to leave the carpark there was a loud banging on the side of my Range Rover door. It scared the shit out of me. It was a woman who was banging hard on the glass, a little too hard being honest. She was pale looking with long hair, wet and flat to her head.
I dropped the window, a bit unsure who on earth she was. My first thought took me back to the naked cultists in the lair of the giant serpent I met with earlier in the year. “Wizard, you must go, we will contain our pack leader and someone will soon contact you.”
I didn’t need telling twice as she banged on the side of the door to usher me away. Then with tyres screeching I hammered it out of the carpark and drove away as quickly and safely as I could. In the wing mirror I could see the naked figure of the woman drop to all fours as she changed into a large dark coloured wolf.
Then, I pulled out into the main road and sped off.
****
I had been driving for some time now waiting on a call from Malcolm. I had been trying to process things and stay aware of what was around me, such as any cars tailing me or movement in wooded areas to my sides when I was forced to drive slowly during roadworks on my way out of Kent. I felt vulnerable here as I didn’t know the land around me.
I have to say I was a little relieved to be in the Dartford Tunnel and on my way heading back home through Essex and into Suffolk. The rain was getting worse as winter was in full flow. I looked at my dashboard as it bleeped indicating a missed call.
I touched the screen and thankfully it was Malcolm, so I hastily pressed redial.
“You ok?” I asked, as Malcolm picked up the phone.
“Yeah, glad to be out of there. Leo, he is prone to that, he spends less and less time in his human form as he can’t control himself.”
“He has control issues in the human form?” I asked, thinking it sounded odd.
“Leo is rare, his mind isn’t great but in lycan form he is better. Normally he is ok but grief has his mind now.”
“I think he is still at the rage stage, grief will follow. So, what do you suggest now?”
“I’m not sure to be frank with you. You could look into the vampires, visit your friend Sam and see if he does know anything or remembers something else. We are low on options.” said Malcolm.
“Can you do any divinations on their location?”
“No chance” said Malcolm forcibly. “They have a shaman who isn’t overly powerful, but he is good at keeping others’ muscle from spying on them.”
That figured I thought. “Nice lycan metaphor as well.”
“Ha” chuckled Malcolm. “They like you to use the terms they do. It makes them more at ease in conversing with you. Also, they give more up as well.”
“As for visiting Sam. I don’t think it’s a good idea, Sam is as straight as a die. I feel if he knew anything else he would have said. He seems a good sort and he’s genuinely not on the power scale as a magic user or anything else. It’s not his thing.”
“If you say so. I’ll go with your gut on him. That doesn’t automatically take him out of the firing line of Leo and the pack. If they are coming for him, sorry Eddie - he is dead.”
I slowed up the Beast as a white car sped out from behind me. The vehicle shot out and past me in bad weather forcing me to concentrate on the road ahead for a moment. I was ready, partially braced to call up a shield spell in case a lycan hit into my Range Rover 4x4.
Thankfully though, it was just an impatient motorist who sped past me without incident as I swore aloud.
Malcolm’s voice called out still on the phone. In a worried tone I heard a “You still there Eddie?”
“Yep, just being cautious.” I said with a loud exhale of air which I had been saving for a spell. “Sam can’t defend himself if Leo and the pack come after him. He couldn’t defend himself from an average guy in a bar fight, let alone a pack of supernatural killers. I could go there and try to reason with them or protect him if I can.”
“I wouldn’t take the risk Eddie. They shouldn’t violate the Veil but given how Leo is now I can’t be sure.”
“Well…” I said quickly weighing up my limited options. “If he does then I will have to step in, however little I could do. If Leo is that unpredictable do you think he will send in his pack?”
Malcolm agreed. “It is likely, he will send a few pack members to bring Sam to him. Then, he will deal with it himself. Killing his son will make this personal.”
“Does Sam have a chance of getting through to him and pleading his case?”
“Maybe, it depends. Leo won’t see any sport in killing him if he is as low threat as you say.” said Malcolm deep in thought himself.
“Then, chances are he or they will come back into Essex again, looking for some revenge on the vampires?” I asked.
“Correct, they will be looking to hunt and keep hunting until someone talks and gives up who really killed young Merran.”
“So, either way we’re in the shit?”
“It seems that way. You have any ideas?” asked the big wizard.
“No, not yet.” I said. I had a few half ideas cooking away but nothing worth mentioning, I was still too light on information. Malcolm had the way of the land from the pack’s perspective but we had nothing from the vampires or whoever the killer was if it wasn’t them.
“Protocol on this says someone should contact us though. Someone from the pack following what has happened.”
“Oh yeah, a girl did. A female lycan spoke to me as I left. Pale skin, dark red or brown hair I think.”
“There are a couple in the pack who fit that description. Did they say someone will reach us?”
“Yep. Nothing yet though and I guess they will reach out to you anyhow Malcolm. They won’t know how to reach me.”
“I suspect so…actually I’ve a call coming in. I’ll call you back?” Then he hung up.
All that was left for me to do was to drive back home and wait but also to try to get some thoughts going. My hope and gut was telling me the pack won’t run down Sam. They will follow protocol first, or they should. One of their elders struck a visiting Sentinel of the Order. That is no small matter. Then again, I thought, I doubt Leo cared, he had lost a son.
****
I didn’t get too much further before Malcolm called me back. He had taken a call from the female lycan who he said was called Nadia. She was just one of the pack, one of the younger mature girls. Whatever that means.
Malcolm needed me to head into Grays, the vampires had sent a message direct to the Red Claws and wanted someone to mediate, leaving the choice of mediator to the Red Claws. Now, this was interesting, vampires usually like to stack the deck in their favour so letting the lycans pick a mediator was a bold ploy, someone was up to something. Even more shrewd was the lycans had asked for me to do it as the Sentinel of Essex.
So, at the next section I h
ad to turn around. The meeting was due to happen soon, so I needed to hurry back. They had said they would wait for my arrival, but Malcolm had said vampires waiting around with lycans wasn’t a good idea so get there as quick as I could.
I was told to head to the Riverside Beach Park and Nadia would meet me there. It was odd that a lycan was going to meet me in Essex, especially given current events. It seemed to me the Red Claws when motivated were happy to do as they please. It made me wonder if they had more going on in Essex than I knew and it was kept under the table.
So, I changed my route and headed to Grays.
****
Now, I don’t know Grays that well. I had been here once in the first few months of covering Essex just to see some contacts of Wilf’s. One of these was Samuel, the other was a minor magic user called Jake Nowles, he was someone who Wilf knew well as they had worked a couple of jobs together, it isn’t unusual for people of the Order to do this. Typically though, someone reaches a certain level of power and then they are brought into the fold of the Order. It’s not mandatory though but if you become a problem, the Order becomes a problem for you.
With regards to lycans in Essex, there are few nomadic loaners. Usually not welcome in other owned territories or run out of their local area, they end up somewhere unclaimed like Suffolk, Essex or Norfolk. Somewhere without a major pack.
I know of two lycans in Essex, that’s the whole of the county and they feed on deer and stray dogs. I didn’t much care what the ones in Kent fed on. To be honest, Leo can feed on what the hell he likes, I’m not going to rush to stop him.
The weather now was pretty horrific and getting worse it seemed. The wind was whipping up, so much so that it reminded me of the port at Felixstowe. Still, with it being December the weather was generally bad in most places.
I drove into Grays and the tower blocks and older style houses sprang up all around me. I pulled into the only car park I knew of, near the beach.
It was then that I saw a flash of movement in my rear-view mirror. Then, instantly at the side of the Beast a figure appeared.
