Book of Curses (The Renning Chronicles)

by L. D. Hutchinson

  “This is nice and all,” I began to speak, my voice coming out in a strange squeak. I cleared it and realized how dry my throat was, but tried to ignore that part. “But where are we?”

  “The region of Predatory Death, or as I’d rather call it, The Earth Region.” Z’ev turned and smiled at me as he spoke, saying it as if this was normal everyday conversation.

  “Earth Region, What?” I looked at him like he was crazy, in fact, I knew he was crazy. Earth Region? The whole thing was insane.

  Arily let her smile die down into a simple grin, nodding her head before she spoke. “One of the six regions that make up our world: Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Ice, Darkness, and Light. We are a small section of what this region homes, and we are not the only creatures who live here. Lycanthropes are the strongest of all, but shapeshifters find themselves born here as well. We are but predators trying to live our lives in peace, or as much peace as we can come upon.”

  “Yes, though the gods say otherwise to that.” Z’ev growled. I mean he really growled. It was deep in his throat, and sounded more like an animal's blood-thirsty growl than something a human would do when frustrated. “Sita thinks it’s fun to create havoc, an all-out blood war between three breeds of shapeshifters and Lycans. This is why we cannot keep you here, though we would if it were possible, so do forgive us.”

  I was going to speak, but then I heard what sounded like a real roar, like a Lion would make. Several men and women growled all around us.

  When I looked, I looked around I noticed the skin starting to move on some of them, almost like it was rippling wildly as if something was trying to escape from underneath. Before I could figure out what was going on I heard a crack, and screams of pain and whimpers.

  When I looked again I saw fur sprouting, fingers growing longer than they'd been, and leg's morphing into haunches. Then several of them turned into some kind of wolves, ones of different shapes, colors and sizes. At least, I thought they were wolves, until they stood up on their hind legs and looked like something straight out of a horror movie. Lycans, Werewolves… yeah we're screwed.

  “Dolphus, Eyloff, Lupus, Felan, take them away now!” Z’ev turned, shouting the order as fast as he could before his body started to change, making the words come out in a weird gurgling noise.

  “Forgive us, please.” Arily spoke to us, changing into her form and moving next to Z'ev. The only ones who hadn't changed were the Teenagers and Children.

  They charged forward with jaws snapping viciously, several of them howling like there would be no tomorrow, and many growling as if they were going to kill anything that got in their way. I stood still, staring at them wide-eyed and confused. This wasn't normal; this can't be real.

  My attention diverted when I noticed that there was movement by us. I turned my head to see three men and a woman walking up to us at a fast pace. I wanted to jump away. After what I'd just seen I think anyone would be frightened.

  “Sexier when they’re human aren’t they?” One asked a big grin on his face. “I’d tap any of them boys as long as they’ve got a nice package on them, if you know what I mean.”

  “Dolphus!” The woman turned to him, snapping as she narrowed her eyes on him, and he only held his hands up in defense.

  I stared at him blankly. This was beyond strange now. Was he talking about sleeping with one of the guys? So he was gay? I just stared at him, mouth agape and realized that one of the people who were here to help us was a gay werewolf. Right, normal.

  “Come, we must move fast.” My eyes shifted, and I looked at another man. He was older and different looking than the others, so he'd be easier to tell apart I thought. But man, did he seem pissed off.

  “That’d be General Eyloff, sexy as can be, but hellishly rude.” The one the girl had called Dolphus explained, shrugging his shoulders. “General, the stables I presume”

  “Sigh, so he doesn’t kill you, yes Dolphus.”

  “Ah, well thank you Lupus.” Dolphus grinned brightly at the other man, before looking over at the girl and winking at her. She looked disgusted and snarled at him.

  So, that would've meant that she was Felan. I looked her over. She was shorter than I was, but I could see the ripple of muscle under her skin every now and then. Her hair was cut short and an odd caramel color, and there were three rigid scars on her face on the left side.

  She was wearing long leather pants with a belt across them, boots and a short-sleeved shirt. Her eyes were a golden colored and piercing when she looked at you; it made you mentally cringe every time.

  The one they kept calling Dolphus was well over six-foot tall with short spiky looking dark-brown hair. He had bright green eyes that almost glowed. The shirt he wore had no sleeves revealing a lion tattoo that sat on his right upper shoulder and seemed to move when his muscles tensed and relaxed.

  His skin was lightly tanned, but looked extremely dark compared to his light-colored clothes that clung tightly to his body outlining every muscle. There was a small scar at the base of his neck on the left side, the shirt covered it, for the most part, but it showed sometimes.

  Lupus moved up to Eyloff quickly, pulling the man off to the side and talking to him silently. I caught a good look at him and realized he was almost identical to Dolphus, which meant they had to be brothers or related. The only noticeable difference was that his hair was longer and lighter in color.

  “So um, why is it you’re all fully clothed but those others weren’t?” I decided to ask Dolphus, he seemed like the harmless one, and I rather take my chances with him than with the others.

  “The kids, they’re too lazy to fully dress, and the others just shifted back when you arrived.” He rolled his eyes laughing softly, and shrugging both of his shoulders.

  “Oh.” I turned my head, watching the others as they moved up ahead slowly. Tom had walked away from me and was now up where they were, talking with them. I started walking with Dolphus and Felan, following after them. Suddenly, Eyloff stilled and then lupus did too.

  The two of them turned towards me, Dolphus and Felan signaling for us to be quiet and then looking around slowly. I furrowed my eyebrows but didn't argue. I looked into the woods and then back at them, getting a good look at Eyloff finally.

  He was as tall as Tom, with golden hair that was tied back at the base of his neck. His eyes were a grey color and were scanning the area quickly. The muscles under his shirt were outlined so that I could see them moving.

  Right as I about to ask what was going on, a girl walked out of the trees smiling at the boys. I don't think it would've been strange except, she was naked as the day she was born, she was moving over to Eyloff, Tom and Lupus who were all fixated on her.

  Beside me, I heard Dolphus let out a sigh that sounded of pure boredom as he shifted his body. The girl kept looking the boys over, they seemed to be mesmerized as they continued to stare at her with awe and wonder.

  “General, Panther shapeshifter, Kill her, Now…” Dolphus announced to him, as if this was something that happened every day. Even the look on his face was extremely bored.

  Eyloff shook his head quickly, letting out a blood-curdling growl. The girl jumped back hissing at him and shifted smoothly into a black panther. She made it looked as simple to do as stepping backwards; there was no bone's breaking or anything else.

  Eyloff turned, shoved Tom back towards us, and with the disturbing sound of breaking bones and a loud growl he turned into a wolf. He stood over the panther, snarling and growling down at her, ready to kill.

  “Too bad she’s evil, probably would’ve made you a good wife Lupy.” Dolphus snickered at Lupus, before wiggling his eyebrows back and forth.

  I looked at him as if he was a total moron, and then watched in horror as the General and the Panther fought in front of us. Horror because to me it really was unbelievable to see this happening with my own two eyes, but also because they were killing each other, fighting without mercy, or trying to at least.

  Eyloff let out a r
oar, swiped at her face and narrowly missed her. She jumped backwards away from him and started circling again, when he swiped at her this time, he got her, causing her to shift back and clutch her bloodied face whimpering.

  “I didn’t want to hurt you; I just wanted to scare you!” She screamed at him, her hand still clutching her face. “They threatened to kill her, my daughter Anna, I’m sorry.”

  “And where are they?” Dolphus asked her, speaking in a bemused voice.

  “I’ll take you to them. Just, please help me get my child back. I don’t like this war any more than you.” She told them, moving her hand from her face and looking at it before placing it back over the wound.

  Eyloff looked back at us, then at Dolphus for a long moment. The two of them shared a look; Eyloff seemed to have given into her. Dolphus chuckled. “Fine, so much as accidentally cut an arm open, or scratch someone, and you’re dead.” Eyloff snarled at her, while tugging on new clothes that he was handed by Lupus. Then he pulling his now loose hair back up.

  Lupus picked up what looked like a pack, slinging it back over his shoulder and shook his head at Eyloff. It looked like he was trying his hardest not to laugh at him as I watched the scene.

  The girl eagerly nodded her head; Eyloff moved on and everyone else followed leaving the girl on her own. I pulled off my top shirt not caring if I was running around in my tank top or not. Pressing it against her face to apply pressure to the wound that didn’t seem nearly as bad now.

  “Why are you helping me?” She asked while looking up at me, sounding startled by the help.

  “Because, leaving you like this is wrong.” I told her, trying to smile as best as I could.

  “Put this on.” I looked up, seeing Tom hand her his shirt. “Hurry, before they leave us.”

  The girl's eyes grew larger than before as she took the shirt from him and tried to stand up with my help. She quickly pulled on Tom's shirt; it barely fit around her small body.

  “Thank you.” She whispered looking at the ground while pressing my shirt to her face still.

  “No problem.” Tom smiled a bit, turned and started to lead us back to where the others had disappeared to.

  “What’s your name?” I asked her.

  “Saphire.” She spoke it weakly; her blue eyes watched me warily as if she wasn't sure yet. I could understand that after everything that'd just happened.

  “I’m Raine, that boy; he’s my twin brother Thomas.”

  She smiled. “You’re the two of legend. That's why you’re being so kind.” It was muttered, but I still heard it as if she spoke it loudly, I scratched at my neck, I was getting tired of hearing that already.

  “Yeah we’ve been told that a lot recently.” I smiled as best I could, trying not to freak out over it or start bombarding her with questions pertaining to exactly that meant. "Where too?” Eyloff turned his head to ask, looking back at us.

  “North, but it’s a two days hike.” Saphire said loudly to him, frowning as she did.

  “Very well, we’ll make camp up ahead, and then start again at dawn.” Eyloff muttered, walking forward.

  “You’re really going to help?” Saphire looked at me, asking the question, and I looked at the others, and then thought about it.

  “I can try.”

  She smiled, muttering what vaguely sounded like a 'thank you' to me before we both saw Eyloff turn back to us. He waved her over to him and leaned down, whispering something to her that had my curiosity working a mile an hour.

  “We’re going in formation B apparently; the two day’s hike won't be needed. They followed her.” Eyloff announced, his face looked grim but there was a strange gleam in his eye, as if this was something he had been waiting for.

  Felan moved in as quickly as she could, back to me and stood on my right side. Dolphus flanked my left side. Lupus pulled Tom back towards us and wedged him between Felan and me then strode back to Saphire and walked on her right side.

  “We’re in defense form, basically. We're supposed to protect you two they protect her, if you were wondering.” Dolphus leaned down; whispering into my ear to let me know what was going on. “Is your brother single, by the way?”

  I glanced at him, trying as hard as possible not to start laughing. As seriously as I could, I looked at him fully and answered him. “Yes, but he’s not into guys.”

  “Don’t worry, I could turn him easily.” He replied simply, smirking and winking at me.

  “Uh, um, ok then.” I just looked away, leaving it at that and tried to see what was going on ahead.

  I heard Dolphus laugh silently, then I could feel the shifting as he leaned down towards my ear. “Back to the other topic, whatever happens, we won't let you two be killed, wolves honor.”

  I looked at him, then towards Tom and Felan, and back at him, with worry written all over my face. There were so many things that could go wrong here, but even though I didn't know him, I was going to put my trust and faith in him.

  Don't get me wrong, I mean fear isn't something that comes easily to Tom or me. I can throw a punch and take two in return, get back up and still go, but this definitely wasn't home, and these weren't exactly humans. All in all, I hardly understood anything, and it had my nerves on the edge. I was trying to keep from screaming until my throat went raw.

  We kept moving until we heard a blood curdling wild cat's yowl, I heard it as clear as a bell and there was a following growl. My entire body tensed up, regardless of what world you were in that growl was something you didn't want to hear. Saphire recoiled quickly, when she had moved back nearly a foot, a cat leapt towards her; it stopped and stood still, and I saw it fully. It registered fast that it was a cheetah, soon followed by a tiger and various other large cats that I'd only dreamed of ever seeing. I really didn't want to die by one.

  “Saphire, how nice of you to join us, and oh look you brought us Lycans - and oh, I smell another shifter and humans- how pleasant.” A woman smiled as she spoke, a long white tattered dressed hugged her body as she stalked forward. Her eyes were glaring slits as she moved closer, and behind her was a child whom she seemed to be dragging along, not caring if she hurt her or not. The child looked up at us with huge blue eyes; her black hair was matted to her tear-streaked face.

  “Mom!” She shouted fearfully, and then was yanked so hard she was lifted off the ground by the woman.

  “Anna!” Saphire cried out, looking up at the woman as she moved forward slightly. “Let her go! I did what you wanted!”

  The woman in front of us made a tsking sound, wagging her finger from side to side at Saphire. “Pity, pity, you didn’t quite do it.” Her lips slowly pulled into a sickeningly happy smile. “I said to kill the Lycanthropes and bring me the humans - Now look, I’ve got to kill them as well and your child, poor Anna.”

  She let out what sounded like a disappointed sigh while looking down at the little girl. “So sad that your husband died for being a fool, now your sweet innocent daughter has to die because you couldn’t follow orders.” Making a sound that seemed as if she was purring, she dragged one of her nails down Anna's face and grinned as the girl yanked backward, away from her.

  “Jade, please! You don’t have to do this!” Saphire shouted at her, pleading with her as best she could.

  “Yet, I think I do.” Jade smiled at her. Her eyes seemed to change to a bright yellow color as she moved her body slowly.

  “What is wrong with you?” I screamed at her. I noticed Dolphus looking at me as if I had just hit him, and Tom tensed next to me, but I didn't care. This was sickening to watch, and I couldn't do it anymore. “She’s a child!”

  “Stay out of our affair's human, and we won't let the children cut you to pieces while you’re still living.” Jade hissed, looking at me and curling her lips back in a snarl.

  “Now, see, I don’t give a damn what you say really, or do, for that matter, but do not threaten my sister.” Tom shifted. His voice came out sounding, cold and sinister; I wasn't used to it and felt the goose
bumps on my arms forming.

  Looking over at him, I noticed how he was smiling straight at Jade, and it wasn't a happy smile, it was one of those ones that made your blood run cold. A smile that he rarely sported, unless he really was pissed off and ready to kill someone with his bare hands. He'd only spoken and looked like that once, when someone mom brought home raised his hand to me.

  “Bold humans aren’t they?” Jade's voice rang in an amused sounding laugh. “Fine! Kill them all! Spare no one! We will feast on their dead bodies tonight!”

  Before I could even comprehend what was going on, dozens of bodies lunged towards us, shredding their flesh and turning into large cats. The teenagers that were with her ran forward carrying blades, and shouting their bloodlust for all to hear.

  Dolphus let out an inhuman snarl, shredding his skin almost as they had, and turned into an actual wolf, with tan fur and bright yellow eyes. He grabbed one of the cats and threw it to the side as quickly as he could, just seconds before it'd been an inch from my face.