My eyes widened.
I didn’t remember moving from the moment I saw the blade and called out to Jarvis to being stabbed, but suddenly I was there between my brother and the wolf who was going to kill him.
“It was Aesa who showed Mum that there was more to being an immortal than simply drinking blood and stalking the night,” he continued. “And it was Aesa would taught me mum to be the beautiful creature she is. And it was Aesa who planted a seed of hope and acceptance in her heart…”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Eighteen years ago,” he said quietly, his attention out windshield at nothing in particular, “a severe depression took me mum over. Never had I seen anything like it, especially from her. I stayed with her for nearly six months while Toran was away—I suppose he could not fathom to see Mum in such distress, when he, himself, was riddled with guilt and depression—and tried to console her, however, it was futile. Mum would not speak, would not get out of bed, and more than once I had to beg her to feed because I could not handle it without her… I am her favorite for a reason,” he reminded me with a small smile. “The depression that took her was because of the death of her immortal sister and friends. I never understood that, however, I am starting to regret many things when it pertained to werewolves.”
Is he saying what I think he’s saying?
“You regret falling in love with me?” I whispered.
Tanis looked over at me. “Never. I regret not paying better attention when werewolf matters presented themselves, came knocking at our door, when Toran was pulled away to accords and gatherings which involved werewolves. If I would have gotten off me arse, I would have been better prepared to protect you.”
My eyes widened.
“Protect me from what?” I choked.
Tanis looked away and shook his head. “Did your parents ever tell you of the rules of engagement?” he asked instead of answering me.
I shook my head.
“They are very specific rules which govern the mythical world. When the accords between the werewolves and vampires were drafted, the werewolves demanded that the established rules of engagement remain intact. Think of it as a way to prevent those of superior physical abilities or powers from using them in order to annihilate their adversaries…even playing field, if you will. There is no modern warfare; no guns, bombs, etcetera, only swords, mêlée weapons, pole arms, and bows and arrows are allowed to be used for combat. That goes for armor as well; only silver, leather, stone, wood, or metal armor is permitted. They felt that it would maintain the integrity of our species, and prevent anyone from trying a massive takeover or abolition of one side or the other. Werewolves, to my understanding, have their own way of dealing with inner species issues, as do vampires, but when it comes to war between the species it is old world.”
That means…holy shit.
Tanis sighed, seemingly understanding that I seemingly understood. “Travel over land would be by horseback, as long as it was active war.”
“Horseback?” I choked.
“If you think about it,” he continued, “travel by horseback would be rather redundant since vampires can run faster than a bloody horse, as can werewolves.”
I absently nodded. “But of course.”
I think I’m going to be sick.
“Say you were trying to go from one continent to another, perhaps Ireland to New York for example, you would go by schooner.”
“Schooner…like a boat?” I reluctantly asked.
He nodded. “Think of the‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ boat without Johnny Depp or pirates,” he said; his attempt at humor was lost on me. “The last war, which I am aware of, happened nearly two decades ago. I thought it had nothing to do with vampires, however, it would coincide with your birth and me mum’s bout of depression.”
I had been dreaming of…my own past. But the most I discovered, the less I wanted to remember.
“Shh, calm down, Duckie,” Tanis said when I started hyperventilating, and he tenderly rubbed my shoulders.
“I….I killed them,” I stammered and tears stained my cheeks.
“You did no such thing,” he snapped at me and I jumped, startled. “Monsters killed them, just as they tried to kill you…” his words trailed off.
My eyes widened. “Who tried to…you mean the Spottedhorses?” I choked.
Tanis shook his head, a look of aspiration and hopelessness washing across his face. His lips moved and I struggled to hear him but all I could hear was the violent pounding of water in my ears….
….“Toran!” Kaia called out as her head broke the surface of the water.
The young girl struggled to keep her head above the violent water, using a piece of the hull to stay afloat. Each time the waves violently crashing upon her rose, pushing the young girl up into the air, all she could see in the darkness was the point of burning light hundreds of yards away.
“Toran,” she whispered; the stinging in her eyes was from more than the burning salt water.
For more than three hours the young girl floated away from the burning remains of the schooner which was to take her to where she’d be safe. But obviously, the young girl surmised, she would never be safe from those that wished to kill her. For her entire life, all she knew was Toran and those that he paid to guard her. The reason why she was under lock and key was never explained, she had asked, but Toran was the king of secrets and he refused to maintain eye contact with her when she demanded answers. All he’d tell her was it was written in the stars.
The last time, the Aslak nearly succeeded in killing her in the country estate in Ireland Toran had arranged to house the young girl for the summer. It was close, but apparently death at sea was even closer.
“You cannot give up,” Kaia stammered through violently chattering teeth. “Toran raised you better than this…better than to simply give up. You are meant to rule and to end their reign of hatred. We cannot give up!”
As if the Gods answered her, the sound of crashing waves in the distance pulled her attention and her tinted blue lips pulled up into a smirk.
“Atonement I shall have,” she snarled and focused all of her fleeting energy into kicking her numb legs in order to push her and the floating wood towards the rocky shore. “Push!” she yelled, trying to coach herself but it was of little use. Her body was so numb that she couldn’t actually feel it, all of her energy was being used to keep her arms wrapped around the wood keeping her afloat, and each breath she took was a struggle to exhale.
“Just a little further,” she whispered then something substantial grabbed her leg and she screamed before being pulled under the water.
It suddenly went from icy water rushing down her throat with a clawed hand around her leg to hard, painfully rocky ground. Kaia choked and coughed, struggling to expel the salty liquid from her lungs, but growling pulled her attention to the man circling her on the shore, moving like a long legged predator as he went.
Kaia’s eyes narrowed and she crouched down, mimicking his movements, refusing to show fear and to go down without a fight. “Killing me will not stop what has been written,” she snarled.
“Yes, it will,” he countered and sprang.
The man soared through the air, his body phasing into a lean, black wolf as he went, and Kaia prepared herself for the most likely painful death. However, the darkness was suddenly eclipsed by a gray Celtic cross tattooed back that pushed her away from the wolf; her tiny body flew through the air the opposite direction before slamming into the base of the cliff she had inadvertently shadow walked them to.
“Aye, I always knew you was a cute hoor,” the interloped snarled, effortlessly slamming the wolf to his back. “Pretending to be on protection detail. But ya’ didn’t quite sit right with me, ya’ see? Slithering in under the darkness of night, givin’ away our position like that, aye. Ya made a terrible hames of that. Betty is alive and well,” he taunted, his thick Irish accent wrapping around each word so heavily that Kaia could barely understa
nd them as the darkness of unconsciousness started to cloud her senses. “She will fulfill her destiny.”
The werewolf snarled and snapped at the taunting vampire, but it was answered with a dozen lighting fast punches which broke through the wolf’s ribcage.
“On top of that, ya destroyed me favorite boat,” he growled, snapping the wolf’s head to the side with so much force that he ripped it from its body, painting him and the area in blood. “Fuckin’ Feb,” he snarled. “Betty, hawareya?” he called out, getting to his feet.
When there was no answer, he spun around and saw that the young girl was bleeding profusely from the gash in her head thanks to him, and her leg from the razor sharp claws of the wolf at sea.
“Shite,” he hissed and hurried over to her. “Betty, can ya’ hear me?” he asked, tenderly brushing her hair away from the wound. “Aye, Toran is gonna kick me arse for this,” he complained, running his hand through his wet, shaggy black hair. “Can ya’ hear me, Betty?” he asked again.
Kaia’s eyes rolled around in her head.
Softly he patted her cheek. “Stay with me, Betty.”
She struggled to focus on his intense green eyes but they quickly started to blur as did the rest of his face. “It’s too late, Declan,” she murmured and her head lolled to the side.
“No,” Declan said and shook her. “Not like this…ya promised,” he hissed, then his head snapped down shore and he softly snarled.
“Don’t you smell that, Yahto?” Chayton asked from the distance.
“No, and I’m cold,” he whined.
“I think…maybe it’s a vampire!” Chayton teased, helping his brother over a large boulder.
“Jaysus,” Declan grumbled under his breath, eying the two young bronze skinned boys heading towards them. “I’ll be back, Betty,” he whispered and tenderly laid her down behind a small bolder, then grabbed the headless body and disappeared in a blur of movement.
Chayton and Yahto wandered around area looking for the source of the unusual smell.
“Damn, that sucks,” Chayton complained after fifteen minutes. “I thought for sure we’d see our first suckhead.”
Yahto rolled his eyes. “The elders would kick our asses if they knew we were out here. This area is forbidden this time of year, come on,” he pleaded.
“You are such a girl,” Chayton complained. “I should have hunted with Cain, at least she has a sense of adventure.”
Yahto pouted. “Shut up, I’m adventurous. Just because I can’t phase yet doesn’t mean that I’m not as much of a werewolf as you are.”
The amused thirteen year old chuckled at his little brother. “Really? Prove it.”
Yahto’s eyes widened. “Um...” he stammered.
“Just as I thought. Come on, let’s get back before the pack starts looking for us. They’re already on edge for some reason.”
Longing for his brother’s approval, Yahto shook his head and continued across the alcove. “I’m not scared,” he informed his brother, unaware that above him, scaling the side of the cliff, was a vampire that was preparing to snap his neck. “See!” he called out. “I’m not scared of any…” he stopped and his eyes widened.
“What’d you find? A washed up baby whale?” Chayton teased. “We aren’t Quileute, we are the Lhaq'temish.”
Yahto shook his head. “I…I think it’s a white person.”
“Huh?” Chayton hurried over to his brother and his mouth fell open with a popping sound. “Is it dead?” he whispered, and Declan crept closer to them.
Kaia coughed, startling the young werewolves, and they jumped back, and Declan readied to attack.
“We need to get the Lightfoots right away,” Yahto stammered, stopping the vampire in mid-crawl.
The Lightfoots were who Kaia was to be delivered to, so obviously they washed up in Washington and not Oregon or Canada. The Gods, once again, were watching out for the crown.
“You stay with her and I’ll get the others,” Chayton said. “I’m a faster runner,” he reminded his brother.
Yahto nodded and sat next to the bloody girl and pulled her into his arms. “Run,” he pleaded and tried to warm Kaia up with his body heat.
Chayton nodded and ran back the way they had come, phasing as he went and hurried to find help.
Declan stayed hidden in the shadows as the sun rose and kept an eye out for danger, his attention always returning to the bloody girl who would be his only hope….
…“Duckie, snap out of it,” Tanis said, softly shaking me.
“Oh god,” I choked, covering my mouth with my hands.
“What is it, what did you see?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Being attacked…washing up on shore. I remember that we were attacked at sea. I…the Emerald of the Sea-”
“What did you just say?” he demanded, interrupting me.
I looked at him. “The piece of the hull I was using to keep my head above water…I could barely see anything but the moon seemingly reflected off of the silver and metallic green paint used to mark her name. The ship was called the Emerald of the Sea.”
Tanis nodded once and looked away from me. “Bloody Pikey,” he snarled. “I knew it.”
“Why are my parents here,” I mumbled, noticing Dad’s truck parked under a tree.
Tanis shook his head. “War I am guessing,” he said in a clipped tone so I punched him in the arm. “Ow,” he complained. “I do not know,” he admitted and got out of the SUV and got the door for me. “However, I have a feeling that neither of us are going to be thrilled with whatever they have to announce.”
“Mum, we have returned,” I called out from the foyer, desperately trying to sound composed and nonchalant, but I was anything but.
Jay Dee let go of my hand and sniffed wildly, then followed an unfamiliar scent into the den, protectively walking in front of me.
That was never a good sign.
On one side of the room were her parents and on the other were Mum and Toran, and sitting on the love seat were a couple who I was positive I had never seen before but knew without a doubt that they were werewolves.
“Hey Mom, Dad, what’s up?” Jay Dee asked, her tone level and slightly cold, and headed towards them but kept her eyes on the smug looking man and the irritable woman next to him, neither of which would look her in the eye.
Sky forced a smile, her eyes sparkling like diamonds from the tears flooding them. “You look lovely, Dear.”
“What’s wrong…are we going to war?” Jay Dee demanded before gasping. “Oh my God, is it Jarvis?” she stammered.
“Jarvis is fine,” Reign assured her. “Sit,” he said, motioning towards one of the chairs but I pulled Jay Dee back and escorted her to the chaise farthest away from the unfamiliar werewolves.
Everyone was looking at Jay Dee; Mum looked exhausted, her parents saddened, Toran guilty, the unfamiliar man was eying her legs and chest, and the woman next to him was glaring at her with hatred in her eyes.
“Can I have your jacket please?” Jay Dee whispered but I had it over her shoulders before she’d finished asking.
If you do not turn your gaze from me Duckie, I will kill you. Friend of Toran’s or not, I will disembowel you and strangle that hateful gazed bitch next to you with your entrails.
Jay Dee glared. “If you don’t stop trying to look at my tits, I’m going to sic my vampire on you.”
I smirked; I loved that we were seemingly on the same page.
“Your vampire?” he man asked, slightly amuse, looking from Jay Dee’s legs to Toran. “You allowed our Queen’s wishes to be ignored, and let her daughter defile her body with a vampire?”
The smugness in his voice made me was to rip his heart out of his chest.
Toran’s eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”
Mum was on her feet in an instant. “You will mind your tongue and tone when speaking of my sister,” she warned.
“I would offer my apologies, yet I cannot,” he said. “Truly you must understan
d where my concern is coming from. Our Queen was, once again, was targeted by the very people you have been entrusted with keeping her safe from.”
I started to get up, to address the pompous werewolf’s attitude and tone, but Jay Dee pulled me back down.
“Who are you?” Jay Dee asked then licked her dry lips.
The man smiled, looking at her, his attention on her mouth. “I am Mikkel and this is my sister, Disa. Surely you must know of us.”
Jay Dee continued to look at him; her face an expressionless slate.
Mikkel was tall, broad, handsome if you were into pompous werewolves. Their white blond hair appeared overly processed—sadly that was something that Jay Dee wouldn’t have noticed but I would since I was no stranger to salons—and their blue eyes were unusual, a shade that I had never seen outside of a optometrist’s office. There was no mistaking they were Scandinavian, though I wouldn’t say Norwegian, regardless of what their Norse names hinted at. There was an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach, something that hinted that the world I had waited more than three centuries to experience was going to fall around me.
And I was right.
“I swear to God, if you do not stop looking at me Duckie like that, I will kill you,” I hissed, unable to take his lustful gaze on what belonged to me any longer.
Toran shook his head when Jay Dee had to, once again, pull me back down. “Tanis, Son, please go for a walk. These are werewolf matters.”
I jutted my chin out defiantly and took Jay Dee’s hand in mine. “Thus they are my matters now as well,” I venomously informed him and his eyes widened.
Jay Dee smiled and looked at me. “Spoken like a true mate,” she whispered.
Instantly, I was smiling in return. “Anything for you, surely you must know that.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around that,” she admitted, and her cheeks flushed that delicious shade of rose that caused a whimper to build in my chest. “Toran,” she whispered, looking to him, “why have you brought these people here? You are endangering what is left of my people by congregating us in one location, a location which has been compromised by the Aslak.”
Forbidden Alliance: A Werewolf's Tale (Forbidden Alliance Trilogy) Page 34
