Andrei chuckled at the exchange, winking at me as I grinned at him. “I was still living in Ireland back then. Lived there right on up until things got really…” Andrei’s voice dipped into a somber tone I wasn’t used to hearing from him. “…bad in Britain. So I made up my mind to join up even though I was underaged. Lot of that happened back then. Some in Britain, and a lot more in America. If you could pass for seventeen or older, they didn’t ask a lot of questions. So I shipped out when I was still on the back end of fifteen.” Andrei flashed me a grin. “Luckily I was about as tall then as I ever got.” Andrei was plenty tall as far as I was concerned. He was a little under six feet, which might have been less than average for a guy, but I didn’t want to hear it from all the way down here. Maybe he felt short compared to Ralof. Even Elisa was taller than him.
Andrei sighed. “Me and the other boys that I shipped out with, we got sent to some bad spots. None of them ended up making it out. Not that I ever found out about anyway. Our unit was decimated, I got separated, and I had the glorious misfortune of being picked up by one of the occult squads of the Third Reich.”
Nan seemed to recognize that. She straightened in her chair, eying Andrei intently. “How’d ya survive that? Himmler wasn’t exactly the merciful kind.”
Andrei grinned. “Well, lucky me, turns out at the time they wanted some ‘volunteers’ for some special projects and preferred they didn’t draw from their own people for it. The squad that captured me volunteered me. They did a lot of work on me, mostly experiments. Wasn’t particularly fun times. Didn’t even buy me a drink.”
I laughed helplessly, and Nan gave me a slightly disapproving look. Right, I shouldn’t be laughing at stuff like that. It wasn’t polite.
“Of course, that all ended when the big guy over here smashed through a window and saved the day, and me with it.” Andrei leaned over toward Ralof, made a show of batting his eyes and clasped his hands exaggeratedly. “My hero!”
Ralof coughed and inhaled a bit of sandwich incorrectly due to sudden, unavoidable laughter. Raelya and I laughed as well. Elisa and Nan both shook their heads as if the lot of us were crazy.
Ralof managed to clear his throat to add, “You were not exactly a helpless princess through all of it.”
Andrei nodded. “Yeah, truth be told, soon as Ralof broke me free, I kinda lost my sh— mind.” He flashed Nan a winning grin and Nan just shook her head at the foolishness. “I was pretty mad, pretty worked up, after all. Ralof helped me come back to myself, helped get me out of there, and we’ve been together ever since.”
“We fought together for quite a while, but I eventually got him out of the really hot zones.” Ralof added. “He was with the British enlisted, so they ended up taking him off the front lines for examination because it was pretty clear some bad things had happened to him. He ended up getting back into the war, but not until it was nearly over.”
Nan nodded toward Andrei. “So what’d they do? Somethin’ magical about you. I can feel it.”
Andrei grinned. “Would you believe me if I told you they just gave me some wicked tattoos?” Andrei lifted his arms and flexed. “Because they totally gave me some wicked tattoos.”
Nan leaned forward and eyed the tattoos. Andrei quit showing off long enough to present his arms for her examination and slowly turned them to show both sides. “Huh. Well I’ll be.” Andrei tilted his head curiously. Nan gestured toward some of the markings near his wrists. “Seen something like that before. Not the tattoos, mind ya. Just, the symbols.” She shook her head, eyes distant. “T’aint right what they did. The powers they called upon weren’t meant for things like this.” Nan gave Andrei a sympathetic frown. “Shame they had t’ put you through all that. Messin’ up your good looks an’ all t’boot.”
Andrei grinned broadly. “You know, you’re only a little bit older than me. We could go get a drink later.”
I was mid-drink at the time and ended up in a coughing fit. Nan narrowed her eyes at Andrei for half a beat, then barked out a healthy laugh and smacked him across the shoulder, which was Nan-speak for me to know she almost liked him enough to accept. “Get out, boy.” She shook her head, still shaking with leftover laughter.
Andrei leaned back in the chair, tipping it back enough to raise the front legs off the ground just long enough for Nan to glare at him a little, causing him to set the chair back down properly. All flirting aside, Nan didn’t abide people behaving impolitely at a social gathering. “Still though, the work they did, unnatural or not, it served me well a few times since then. ‘Sides, it coulda been worse. They coulda just killed me.” Andrei grinned around at the group of us. “Then where would the rest of you be?”
Elisa tilted her head thoughtfully, tapping a finger to her lips. “There would be much more food for the others.”
Ralof nodded thoughtfully. “Less trouble on several occasions as I recall.”
Raelya grinned over at Andrei, unable to hold a straight face. “Elisa would have fewer headaches.”
I grinned broadly. “But then who’d have founded the Dinner Roll Liberation Front?”
We all laughed, even Nan who was clever enough to pick up the gist of things, even if our jabs were mostly inside jokes she wasn’t a part of.
Andrei grimaced at me and mouthed “Da-ko-ta!” then peeked over to see if Elisa was paying attention, then mock-ducked as Elisa swiped a hand at his head. He leaned close to Ralof and squeaked. “Help, Ralof! Save me!”
To which Ralof replied happily, “Sorry, my friend. I would wage myself against the Nazis, the Templar, and Hel itself, but if you pick a fight with Elisa, you’re on your own!”
36
Home
The ride home was anything but quiet. Andrei and Ralof had gotten into a reminiscent mood talking with my Nan, and as we slid back into the truck, they started the conversation back up. I smiled as I listened for a moment to their stories about now distant battles and days long past. The men and women around me were heroes, all of them. They had fought in wars and protected humanity, even as others had done nothing but hurt them for it. But my mind was too busy to stay focused on their stories right now.
I was still a little upset inside. Not that I was surprised. I figured it would take some time for me to truly accept the things I’d learned today and mend my relationship with Nan. Though at least now I knew I wanted to. When I thought about it, I knew I still wanted Nan in my life. She wasn’t the bad guy here. She was actually pretty awesome. In fact, Nan was kinda like Captain America. Living outside her time, and still looking back on what she considered “better days” with sorrow that they were gone. She did everything she could to protect those around her, gave her all, and come Hell or high water, she was there when they needed her. She’d been willing to risk losing my love to give me a better life, and now that I realized how much she’d loved me, I also knew how hard that must have been for her to do.
I didn’t want to think about the memories I’d gotten back. Facing my mother again wasn’t something I wanted to put on the table any time soon. I saw no reason to stir up that part of my past, and nothing to gain from dwelling on it. Nan was my family, and that was enough. I smiled up at the front seat as Elisa twisted around to add some detail that corrected Ralof’s story, gesturing at him with a fond, knowing smile. Well, Nan, and these guys.
We piled out of the truck and stretched our legs. Elisa drug Raelya and Andrei both inside to help her with dinner. A couple of unfamiliar cars in the driveway told me some other wolves had come in for the weekend while were out, which meant I’d have even more pack to meet soon. I was good with that.
Ralof dropped an arm around my shoulder as we started to wander toward the back yard together. “So, overall, how do you feel?”
I smiled up at my Alpha happily. “Pretty good, Ralof. Pretty good. I have my pack, my girlfriend, and my dream job’s in the bag.”
Ralof smiled warmly. “Your memories are fixed, your wolf is free.”
I grinned. “My
Nan isn’t an evil sorceress. And my hands aren’t currently on fire.”
We both laughed as we walked around to the back. Ralof nodded to a couple of wolves sitting over near the firepit as we meandered toward the woods. The Great Smoky mountains were beautiful any time of year, but I loved the colors they showed in Summer. So much green and brown and clear blue sky. So much fresh air and vital energy.
“So, what are you planning on doing now that all your problems are solved?”
“Find some brand new trouble to get into?” I grinned up at Ralof who shook his head, amused.
“Do you plan to keep living alone?” Ralof gave me a sober look.
I shook my head as I glanced back toward the house. “Nah. I was thinking I’d take you up on the offer to move in.”
“Good.”
I grinned. “Well, Elisa seems happier when she has more people to order around.”
Ralof grinned back at me. “Ah, well, if it is just for Elisa, then I thank you.”
I shrugged non-committally. “Eh, it’s nothing. You can pay me back somehow.”
Ralof cast his eyes over the wooded mountain before us. “Hmm. I have little to offer save the run of the hills, the thrill of the hunt, and the love of your pack.”
I didn’t mind the tears that rose in my eyes as I smiled. “Then I guess that’ll have to do.”
Ralof dropped his arm around my shoulder again and we turned to walk back to the pack house where new wolves were waiting to meet me. I looked up and caught eyes with Raelya who had stepped out to bring drinks to the guests and she smiled at me warmly, inviting me to come over, welcoming me back.
And suddenly, my world was just as it should be. Suddenly, finally, I was home.
Want More Dakota?
The story continues with Hunted
(Auralight Codex: Dakota Shepherd #2)
Awakened is the first book of what I expect to be a long series that I’ll be writing for years to come. If you want more of Dakota’s snarky wit and heartfelt antics, be sure to check out the rest of the series, coming soon from DarksbaneBooks.com.
Auralight Codex :
Dakota Shepherd Novels:
Awakened (#1)
Hunted (#2)
Driven (#2.5) - Soon!
Blooded (#3)- Coming Fall 2015
Risen (#4) - To Be Announced.
And many more…
Auralight Codex is the cultivation of many stories that I intend to explore in the future with multiple series, so be sure to sign up for our mailing list at DarksbaneBooks.com to always receive our updates on upcoming releases, promotions, and special offers.
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More from Darksbane Books:
Annathesa Nikola Darksbane’s
Starlight Saga Starting with:
Destiny Abounds
On the prison world of Urebai, a notorious Prisoner breaks free of her chains once more. On primeval Fade, a decorated warrior flees her home for the stars to escape her past. And under the light of a distant star, a solitary pilot prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice for her people.
This is how the tale begins.
Branwen Hawke left behind the swords and castles of her homeworld to take solace from the war that consumed most of her life. After stumbling into the role of captain of a one-of-a-kind starship with an unlikely crew, she must find a way to keep them together and thriving. But even with years of experience commanding troops, Branwen has her hands full with a lost pilot from a distant world, an engineer with crippling anxiety, an innocent young medic with a secret, a renowned Kala, and her insanely dangerous baggage.
Now tasked with an important mission that could make or break the crew’s reputation, Branwen must face her inner turmoil and find some sort of peace despite the struggles she can’t escape, while safeguarding the lives that have fallen so fatefully into her hands.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my Wifey for putting up with all the things.
You know which things. All of them.
Thanks to my daughter, Rune, for being awesome, and kind.
Thanks to my sister, Jen, for being the best cheerleader an author could have asked for, and for all the decisions!
Thanks to all the friends who never told me I couldn’t do it, and thanks even more to the friends who told me I could.
Thanks to Eris for sharing that hot dog with me that one time, and for hanging around yelling ideas from the couch while I was trying to write.
Thanks to Mr. Neil Gaiman for pointing me toward my mountain, and for telling me to find the next word.
Thanks to Mr. Thomas Starnes for teaching me two of the most important things I ever learned about art.
Thanks to Hugh Howey for posting wonderful, inspiring, informative posts all over the internets and for caring about other authors and how the industry as a whole is doing. You inspired me more than you’ll likely ever know. It was one of your posts on Kboards that started the self-pub ride for me and mine.
Thanks to everyone at the Kboards Writer’s Cafe and the amazing people who keep that place awesome. You know what you did.
Thanks to Robert Dahlen for being my awesomeness-buddy and for sending me that one reminder when I really needed it.
Thanks to my beta readers for all the wonderful feedback and encouragement.
Thanks to all of my old roleplaying buddies. Every one of you helped me hone my storytelling skills, one game at a time.
Thanks to everyone who reads this for giving me a chance, and I hope you never stop believing.
Pronunciation Guide
In case any of you are as much of a geek for these sorts of things as I am, I’m including this pronunciation guide for the names of major characters in the story.
Names of Major Characters:
(CAPS indicate which syllable is accented.)
Dakota Shepherd : “Duh-KOH-tah SHEHP-erd”
Amorie : “AM-or-ee”
Raelya : “RAIL-yah”
Ralof : “RAY-loff”
Elisa : “Eh-LEE-sah”
Andrei: “AHN-drey”
Miralina: “Meer-ah-LEE-nah”
Taya Nitana: “Tie-yah-Nee-TAH-nah”
Or “Nita” : “NEET-uh”
About the Author
Shei Darksbane is a blue-haired geek with a love of awesome stories of all kinds whether they come in the form of books, shows, movies, comics, roleplay, video games, music, art, theater, etc. She is a proud lesbian and feminist, a human rights activist, and a passionate person in general who loves the wonderful, beautiful world and the incredible creativity of humankind. She refuses to give up believing in magic, fairies, and monsters under the bed, and she feels sorry for those who do. She lives with her wife who has been her partner for over 15 years, their awesome daughter, and one really cool cat named Velvet.
Awakened (Auralight Codex: Dakota Shepherd Book 1) Page 28
