by Jen Pretty
I sat down and started rummaging around in my pack to see if there was any coffee or chocolate or alcohol before I finally gave up and ate a couple of crackers. My face hurt every time I tried to chew, but this wasn't my first time breaking my face, so I just let the crackers melt in my mouth and swallowed them down with some water and cursed rocks of every description.
Once we were packed up, we headed back towards our magical freaking destination. Roman continued to lead the way even though I was pretty sure he had no better idea of where we were going than the rest of us. Armond followed behind me, and we travelled at a slower pace because I was walking at a slower pace. Too bad. The magical door could wait for me.
We finally stopped for dinner. In the bottom of Armond's bag was a small cooler with sandwiches and cookies. It was tough going with the sandwich but the cookies melted in my mouth, and if I hadn't known better, I would have thought my favorite old kitchen lady from the hunter house back home had made them. I felt better after eating a couple of them, and we went back to our hiking.
A couple more hours of walking later we stopped for the night. We were apparently still a couple of hours from the door, but I have no idea how Roman could have known that.
Armond set up our tent and Roman set up his. Armond was still suspiciously quiet, but I didn't want to ask him what was up in front of the vampire so decided to leave it alone.
Once we were settled, I curled up with the less battered side of my face tucked in against the small pillow and fell asleep. Tomorrow would probably bring all kinds of new troubles. I was done with today.
chapter THREE
I woke up alone in the tent. I was cold, and my eye was swollen shut. Classic.
I staggered out of my tent and found Roman sitting on a rock facing away from me.
"Where is Armond?" I asked.
He turned around and winced when he looked at me. Confirmed, I looked like a monster. Great.
"Armond went to the river to fill the water bottles. We aren't sure if the door leads right to the people we are going to see or if we will have to walk far. Best to have supplies."
I stood for a moment in awkward silence. "Ok," I finally said showing off my advanced conversational skills. "Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. You saved my life, and I treated you like scum. I'm having a hard time adjusting, I guess, but that's no excuse." I looked at my feet and kicked the dirt a bit. It was easier to talk to him if I didn't see his red eyes and sharp teeth.
"Don't sweat it. I understand. I do. I'm willing to work to gain your trust. I hope we can be friends, eventually." I looked up at him, and he seemed sincere, so I gave him a small smile.
"Of course I'd be happy to be more than friends too." His smile grew till all his sharp teeth were showing. I took a step back and bumped into a wall, then spun around and realized the wall was Armond. He growled at the vampire and then smiled down at me.
"Your face looks better than expected. How does it feel?" Armond asked. I peered at him with one eye. He was lying, and we both knew it. I just shook my head at him.
"Maybe they will have healers in this new land," Roman said helpfully, as I walked back to the tent and plopped down to look through my bag once more in the hopes there was some magic or alcohol.
Finally, we made it to the stupid door. It looked like a door. It looked exactly like the door from Homeland back to earth.
The three of us stood there for a minute just looking at it. Finally, I pulled out my dagger and took a step forward. Armond was right behind me, but Roman caught my arm. "I'll go first. I'm a little less fragile than you." He said. Then he opened the door and stepped through, immediately disappearing. I stepped through next and Armond followed.
Suddenly we were in a forest. The birds here were very loud, and there had to be thousands of them directly above us. Armond put his arm around my shoulders, and we started walking. There were no buildings in the area, so we just walked straight ahead. We walked about a hundred feet, and all of a sudden every bird in the trees we had left behind took flight and landed in trees above us again. It was deafening here now, so I covered my ears as best I could, and we kept walking. The same thing happened twice more as we walked. I couldn't decide if the birds were sentient or magical or something else. They didn't seem malevolent, but they were so loud it was hard on my ears.
Finally, all the birds picked up and flew away, and we were in an eerie silence.
"This is super creepy guys," I said softly. It occurred to me that Romans hearing was about ten times more sensitive than mine. I looked back at him, but he seemed ok. He grinned quickly, and I turned back. We walked another 10 minutes or so through the silence and finally came to a clearing. It was dead silent as we walked through.
"Thank you for coming," said a woman's voice. We all spun around and there, in the clearing, was a tall slender woman with long dark hair surrounded by a pack of wolves. They were all black with dark glistening eyes. They weren't threatening besides the fact they were huge. They were standing casually beside and behind the woman. The woman obviously had magic as I felt my magic constrict around me like I was in a bubble and couldn't push it beyond my skin. It felt strange but I had no reason to stop time, so I let it go.
"I'm glad you have arrived, magic ones. I only need one of you though so I will take you." the strange woman pointed at Armond.
"What the hell?" I said. Armond glanced at me then swung his eyes back to her.
The woman suddenly appeared right in front of us. One second she was fifty feet away and the next she was right there. "Thank you." She smiled, and then the thieving bitch took hold of Armond's hand, and they both disappeared.
The pack of wolves spun and disappeared into the forest. The sound of their howls ringing through the trees for a moment and then it was silence.
"What the hell?" I yelled.
I spun around again. Starting to have a panic attack. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I stopped time. It was too late, of course, they were all gone. Shit. "SHIT!" I yelled.
Roman was looking at me with sadness. "Do something!" I screamed at him, but he just stood there. I couldn't think straight. Where was I supposed to go now? Home?
I spun around again and tripped, falling to my knees. I just sat down and listened holding my breath. Maybe he was still close by. There was no sound though. I tried to feel his presence but he was gone.
"Where did they go?" I asked out loud.
"I don't know," Roman said quietly. After a moment he added, "I'm sure they didn't go far. Maybe there are more people nearby, a town or village."
"Yes. There must be. You are right. Evil bitch will be found and dealt with," I said pulling my dagger out of its sheath and getting to my feet.
"Whoa. You want to trade that for a cookie?" Roman asked while digging around in his backpack. "I'm not sure if walking into an unknown town or whatever with a dagger in your hand is a good plan."
The fucking vampire was the voice of reason now. This was upside down land. That's what it was. I tucked my dagger back in its sheath, swiped the cookie from his hand, and we started walking farther away from the door. We knew there was no town or houses behind us so onward we went. I wasn't leaving here without Armond.
I thought of how bad things could get without him and sighed but kept going. After about an hour of walking, we stopped at a small stream. I washed my face in the water after Roman tasted it and said it seemed clean. My swollen cheek and eye still throbbed but I could see a bit out of the swollen eye now.
"How are we going to find him?" I asked finally. Roman sat down on a rock and looked at me sadly.
"The elders told him he would leave you." Roman finally said softly.
"What?"
"He said that the elders told him that he would leave you. He told me and asked that I take care of you because he wasn't sure he would return. In fact, he was pretty sure he wouldn't. I'm sorry."
Roman got up and walked a little farther away to give me a minute. I needed more tha
n a minute. Armond was my solid footing. He kept me centred and gave me peace in a world gone crazy and we were bonded for crying out loud. He saved my life. I couldn't accept that he was just gone. So instead of being sad, I got mad. Mad at that evil bitch. I tried to manage my anger to keep it from seeping out on Roman as we walked on towards God only knows what.
At this moment Roman wasn't my enemy. Lucky bastard. I was feeling quite ready to fight when we finally heard a noise in the distance; I sped up. We had finally stumbled across a group of small houses. They were more like shacks, but the people there were all apparently celebrating. They looked like humans and moved like humans, but there were birds all over the street as well. The birds were dancing with the people who were banging drums and shaking noisemakers.
A child came running up to us as we stood on the edge of the village he looked at me smiling then looked at Roman, and his face turned to horror, and he ran screaming. The music stopped, and the townspeople looked at the screaming boy who was pointing our way. The people looked at us then, and half of them headed back into their houses with children in tow, the rest started heading in our direction. I reached to the small of my back for my dagger.
"Be nice," Roman said with a fake smile plastered on his face trying to keep his lips shut. His teeth were definitely threatening, I could attest to that.
"Hello," an older man from the group said. "Do you understand me?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yes, we all apparently speak the same language," I said sarcastically.
Roman nudged me, so I toned it down and continued "We have been sent by our elders to meet you. Also, I believe one of you, a kind of scary looking lady who can magically disappear, has taken my hunter from me, and I would like him returned ASAP." I said. "ASAP means right now. I'd like him back. Now," I repeated to make sure there was no communication error.
The man looked puzzled and then somewhat sad. "She has set us free but at a cost to you. I apologize, but I could no sooner return the moon to you."
"Can't or won't?" I asked gripping the handle of my dagger.
"We are a simple people. The leader of the rebels has held our magic as her own for so long none of us even know how to use magic now. We know it has been returned because the birds have come back, but no one still living has ever used magic except for the rebels. We could not even aid you in fighting to retrieve your hunter."
"Not good enough," I said as I pulled my knife out and moved towards the old man. Several younger men stepped between us holding blades of their own, and I stopped time.
"Is this truly what you want to do? Slaughter these innocent people who have obviously suffered at the hands of these rebels?" Roman asked. He didn't speak in a hurried manner, and he looked relaxed like he had all day, like this conversation wasn't that important.
"I don't know what to do," I admitted.
"Then maybe let's take it down a notch, hmm?" Sometimes Roman showed an awful lot of humanity for a soulless monster.
I took four steps back and a deep breath. They all began to move again. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I just need my hunter back."
The younger man who was guarding the older man took a step back too and let the old man through.
"You have strong magic,” he said looking surprised. “I understand. Apology accepted. You should travel to King city and speak with the king. He may be able to point you in the right direction. His soldiers have been fighting the rebels for years and may have some knowledge of their whereabouts."
I sighed. "How far is it to the city?" I asked. I was so tired that I wasn't sure I would make it past the town, let alone a long walk.
"Perhaps you would like to stay for tonight and head out to the city tomorrow. We have a medicine woman who may be able to offer some healing," he suggested. It wasn't a terrible idea. Except, if these people were working with the evil lady, they could be planning to ambush us in the night.
"You know I don't need sleep, right?" Roman whispered to me. I did not know that. I wondered if that was all vampires or just him. Lord these vampires were more complicated than I first imagined.
"Alright, thank you. We appreciate your hospitality," I smiled at the old man and the group.
"Good, let me introduce myself, my name is Mac, and I am the elected leader of our village. This is my second, Aldridge; he will show you to your quarters." He indicated a rather young looking tall man with sandy hair and mossy green eyes.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Roman, and this is Lex," Roman said for the both of us. "Thank you for allowing us to stay with you."
Mac smiled at us and then nodded to Aldridge who waved us forward to follow him. He escorted us through the small village and towards one of the tiny shacks.
"No one lives in this one right now," Aldridge said. "Please, if you require anything, I live right next door." He indicated the small house right beside ours.
"Thank you, appreciate it,” Roman said.
"I will bring the healer over in a few minutes," Aldridge said before scurrying off.
We entered the shack, and it didn't look much better on the inside. It was barely tall enough in the center for Roman to stand up. It was more like a wooden tent. There was a bed straight ahead. It took up half the space, and there was only one.
"You don't sleep at all?" I asked, looking at him out of the corner of my eye.
"Not a bit. Young turned vamps have to sleep like humans; born vamps have never slept. Drove my mother crazy when I was a toddler. The bed is all yours. I see a nice chair in the corner." He pulled an old, dusty wooden stool out from the corner beside the door and wiped off the top with the sleeve of his shirt. Then turned and sat down on it.
"You are just going to sit there all night?"
"Well, I might go out for a snack." He smiled at me displaying his teeth. I wasn't going to fall for that one again. I was going to assume he meant Doritos and leave it at that.
"Turn around. I need to change out of these dirty clothes," I said, fishing around in my pack for some clean clothes.
He spun around gracefully on his stool and put his foot up on the door of the shack to keep anyone from walking in. Apparently, they didn't believe in locks in this place.
Once I was changed into jogging pants and a hoodie I turned back around and said, "Ok. Thanks."
“You’re welcome," he replied as he spun gracefully back around.
We chatted comfortably for a few minutes and then my mind went back to Armond. I wondered where he was and if I would ever see him again. A tear escaped while Roman was telling me about Henry's new castle. I tried to wipe it quickly, but Roman saw it, of course, and stopped talking mid-sentence.
"It's going to be Ok, you know. I don't know if we will get Armond back, but the elders said it would work out for all, in the end."
"Then I'm sure it will work out as it should. It's just Armond, and I are bonded and we have been through a lot together. I have to find him," I said before I took a deep breath. I would find him. That wasn't in question, but I wondered if I would find him before I slid off the deep end. "You have to watch out for me. I get crazy without a bonded or family around. I do dumb things."
"I know. Armond told me. I've got your back," he said earnestly.
"Ok. Thanks," I replied.
There was a knock at the door, and a woman with long stringy hair walked through. She was carrying a basket and had at least 20 beaded necklaces around her wrinkled neck.
"Hello, travelers. My name is Mischa. I am the healer. I will heal your injury for you; you must lie down," she said as she started rummaging through her basket.
I swung around and lay down on the bed. It was quite comfortable, so I just let myself relax. I wasn't sure how the healers worked here, but if they were anything like the Fae healers, maybe I would be able to have a nap.
I felt a cold goo smeared on my cheek. "Ick. What is that Mischa?" Oh, my God, it smelled terrible, like foot and rancid milk. I gagged a bit as she kept smearing the stuff all over my face whe
re it was scraped and swollen.
"There, you leave that on for three hours. No longer or your skin will turn blue," she warned.
"I don't wear a watch! Roman. Do you have a watch on?" I asked him and tried to see him out of the corner of my eye but be had his hand over his mouth obviously stifling a laugh. This was not better than a swollen face! Mischa packed her things and exited without as much as a goodbye.
Roman finally pulled himself together and managed to pull his sleeve up so I could see he had a watch.
"You know. It's not that bad. It just kind of make you look like a Smurf," He laughed a bit again.
"Ha. Ha. Laugh it up, jerk. You know none of this would have happened if someone had told me what was going to happen here. I would have stayed on my beach with Armond. This whole land can go to hell for all I care." I rolled over on the bed, so I was facing away from Roman and closed my eyes. I hated this place.
I didn't get any sleep, but I kept my eyes closed and pretended to sleep so I could just think through everything that had happened. I needed to find Armond. Hopefully, this King would be able to help somehow.
Roman nudged me and whispered, "Time to clean off the goo."
I sat up, and he handed me a towel that the medicine woman had left behind. I started rubbing my face gently but it felt a lot better. The swelling was nearly gone.
"Tell me I'm not blue," I said looking back at Roman.
"Nope, as beautiful as when we met."
I blushed. Super. Like he needs that kind of encouragement. I cleared my throat. "We should, um."
He was standing in front of me suddenly. His eyes were looking down at me. In shock, I didn't move. That was apparently all the encouragement he needed because he leaned down and kissed me softly then rocked back to look at me.
"What the fuck?" I punched him in the mouth.
He covered his mouth with his hand, but it was bleeding all down his chin. His sharp teeth had cut my knuckles too, and I was bleeding all over the place. His red eyes went from dull red to bright glowing red, and I tried to back up but the bed was there, and I fell onto it then scurried back to the farthest wall of the shack.
