Blood Challenge (7 page)

“Have you figured out how you’ll repay her then?”

Rica nodded once. “I have.”

Viggo frowned, looking at him. “How, brother?”

“I’m making her a member of the Pack.”

Viggo’s eyes widened. It was clear he knew there was only one way to make her a member. A chuckle escaped him. “Somehow, I don’t think she’ll appreciate your show of gratitude.”

Rica shrugged. He didn’t care if she was happy about the change in circumstances. She would adjust.

Chapter 5

It was early afternoon before Ellie awoke, feeling refreshed. She bounded from the bed with a surge of energy. How chipper she felt surprised her, after the harrowing ordeal of last night. She hurried to wash and dress so she could check on the baby and new mother.

A few minutes later, she found them in the bedroom. There was no sign of Viggo, but Golatia sat in a rocker brought in from the living room. She held Ylenia and crooned softly to her in a cracked voice. Davinia watched from the bed, looking tired but serene. She smiled when she saw Ellie standing in the doorway. Tears leaked down her cheeks as she held out her hands. “Come join us. See the baby this morning.”

Ellie crossed the room and took her hands, squeezing. They didn’t need to exchange words. A sodden ball lodged in her throat. She cleared it away with a cough before turning to the old woman and baby. She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. Golatia pushed aside the blanket to reveal Ylenia.

She gasped. “She lost all the hair.” Could it be the same baby? This one was as fresh and hair-free as any baby in a commercial. It was a marked contrast to last night.

Golatia smiled. “Most of our babies are born covered in fur. It falls out within a day or two, not to reappear until the first moon of puberty.”

Ellie arched a brow at the strange information. Before she could probe for more details, Golatia passed the baby to her. Her arms seemed to know exactly how to curve around the small, wriggling body, and she put her nose against Ylenia’s head, breathing in her baby scent. The tug of maternal longing surprised her. She had always thought she didn’t want children, but this baby made her think differently.

“Davinia has painted a heroic picture of you,” Golatia said, leaning forward to pat her on the leg.

Ellie blushed. “I didn’t do much more than catch her.” She nodded to the baby.

“Of course you did. I couldn’t have done it without you.” Davinia lowered her gaze. “Viggo and I would like you to be Ylenia’s godmother.”

She blinked, searching for a delicate response. “I’m flattered, but I can’t, Davinia. When the snow melts, I’ll be gone.” She twisted slightly to reach for her friend’s hand. “I’m touched that you would trust me with this honor though.”

Davinia hesitated, seeming as though she wanted to say something. Ellie didn’t miss Golatia’s subtle headshake, and she frowned.

“Very well. We want Ylenia to share your name. Is Ellie your full name?”

The gesture overwhelmed her. It was difficult to force her mouth to work. “It’s Eleanor.” She blinked back tears, struggling to remember when she had felt so welcomed by someone.

She had spent the last few years living on the fringes of foreign cultures, always integrating herself, but never quite blending in. No one had ever opened to her the way Davinia had. None of her friends in college, and not even her mother or father. Again, she questioned her motives and had to bite back the urge to confess her reasons for coming to Corsova.

* * * * *

Golatia stayed until after dinner. Viggo didn’t join them, but Ellie didn’t have a chance to ask about his whereabouts. She assumed their customs were different from those of Western men. He was probably back to work, knowing Davinia and the baby were fine.

When Golatia managed to tear herself away from the baby and decided it was time to return home, Ellie volunteered to walk her. She kept a supporting arm curved around the woman’s shoulders as they stepped onto the walkway. She noticed more snow had fallen and huddled in her parka. “I wish there were streetlights,” she said when they left the path and stepped into the square.

“Don’t worry. My feet know the way. The old dogs will sniff out the path, come snow or hail.”

Ellie laughed.

“I shouldn’t have stayed so long though. I promised Rica I’d be home well before dark when he brought me to Davinia’s this morning.” She sighed.

“Are you on curfew?” The idea outraged her.

“No. I just couldn’t tear myself away from the cub. I always wanted one, but Yuri, my useless mate, died before he put one in my belly. Did I tell you that?”

She patted Golatia’s shoulders. “I think you mentioned it.”

“It wasn’t to be, but Rica’s grandmother didn’t mind the help with her cubs. I think she knew how much I loved Ivan, but she didn’t mind that either. She was a good friend to me. About the only one I ever had in the Pack. She never treated me as a burden, being a young widow who couldn’t hunt.” Tears sparkled on Golatia’s cheeks, freezing instantly in the bitter wind. “It was a sad day for this bunch when we lost Bianca. She was a good woman.”

“She sounds special.” Ellie was confused and wanted to ask about Ivan. She had thought he was Rica’s uncle, not grandfather. Hadn’t Golatia said he moved in with his brother and Victor’s mate? She decided not to ask for clarification, thinking the older woman had gotten confused during one of the tellings. Or perhaps Ellie was the one who had become confused. Instead, she returned her attention to Golatia as she spoke again.

“Oh, she certainly was. Her children became much like my own. When Rica’s mother died having Viggo, Peter asked for my help, and I stepped in, even though I was old by then. It didn’t take much more energy to help raise those two than it did to raise Ivan and Victor’s.”

Now she was really confused. Ellie shook her head. “I don’t understand. I thought you helped Bianca and Victor with their children. Did Ivan marry someone else?”

Golatia paused in mid-step. She cleared her throat, sounding uneasy. “I forgot you aren’t one of us, Ellie. My mind tends to wander these days, finding its way back muddled sometimes.”

Ellie gave her a smile, but didn’t reply. What could she say to that, besides some useless platitude?

“Ivan took Bianca as his mate.”

“Had Victor died?”

Golatia resumed her slow gait. “No. The Pack’s way of isolating themselves has led to less growth among our people. Fewer babies are born, and there are fewer possibilities for mates. Why, Lia is the fourth cousin of Rica, and everyone assumed she would be his mate, until…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “For some reason, we have more boys than girls born, which makes it even harder to find a mate. Sometimes, brothers or friends share the same wife.”

“Fraternal polyandry,” Ellie said under her breath.

“What?”

“It’s called fraternal polyandry…rather, it is among brothers sharing a wife. I suppose it would just be polyandry when it involves friends.” She bit her lip as a disconcerting thought occurred to her. “Will Rica and Davinia mate someday?”

“No. There can be no question about the paternity of the Alpha’s first son, since the first son is the successor, unless another male in the Pack challenges during the Succession Ceremony. The next Beta is usually the previous Alpha’s second son, but he doesn’t have to be his biological offspring. He only has to be claimed by the Alpha. Bianca and Victor already had Peter when Ivan joined with her, so it caused no conflict about inheritance rights.” Golatia’s tone lowered. “You do not like the idea of sharing him, do you?”

She averted her eyes, although she knew the other woman couldn’t see her expression in the dark. She strove for a distant tone. “I don’t know what you mean, Golatia. It looks like we’re near your home.”

The older woman cackled. “If you are looking for him, there’s a meeting tonight. You know the spot.”

“Is there anything you don’t know?” she asked, with mingled exasperation and amusement.

“Oh, this and that, dear.” Golatia stopped at her gate, pausing to hug her. “Thank you for the escort home.” She turned and shuffled up the walk.

Ellie stopped by the gate, making sure Golatia made it inside. Her feet itched to run to the meeting, but her head was trying to caution her against it. She didn’t want to incur Rica’s anger again, after their hesitant truce. She tried telling herself it was none of her business.

Golatia got to the porch and turned around. Her voice carried through the blowing wind. “They’re discussing you and Davinia at this meeting.”

Ellie struggled to sound disinterested. “Really? I’m sure Rica will settle whatever problem there is.”

The older woman cackled. “It’s already settled, Ellie. Call on me when you need a Guardian.” She pushed open her front door and stepped inside with surprising speed, not allowing Ellie time to question the strange statement.

She turned and trudged across the square, telling herself she wasn’t going to spy on the meeting. She was still telling herself that as she passed Viggo and Davinia’s, making her way by memory to the clearing where the Pack met.

* * * * *

She took up position behind the tree she had used before, peering out with careful movements, determined not to attract Rica’s attention again. She looked down into the clearing, seeing a larger turnout even than at the last meeting. There were children present this time. It looked like they had packed more than two hundred people into the clearing. Was that everyone except Davinia, Golatia, and herself?

There was an audible grumble of dissent sweeping the crowd. Whatever they were protesting, Rica didn’t seem to care. He stood resolutely in the center of the clearing, backlit by the roaring fire. Naked from the waist up, his skin shone with the sheen of perspiration, but he seemed unaffected by the heat. Viggo stood nearby, and he was shirtless and sweating. He looked nervous.

“Don’t grumble like old women. If you have a challenge, speak it now.”

The man that she thought was named Istal rose to his feet. “I challenge what you say. The Beta’s wife isn’t one of us. I won’t treat her like Pack when she’s a vampire. You know how they are. Can’t trust them not to bleed you out while you sleep.”

“My wife would never steal blood, and certainly not from the likes of you.” Viggo surged forward, until he was inches from the other man. “She prefers clean skin.”

Before Ellie had time to attempt a logical explanation for the information gleaned from their exchange, Istal growled and leaped forward. One moment, he was an overweight man with a hairy chest and dirty hair. The next, in mid-air, he became a large wolf with greasy fur, snapping at Viggo.

Reflexively, she rubbed her eyes, blinking several times. She wished she wore contacts. That might provide a reason for the hallucination.

Viggo jumped out of the way, not losing a second before transforming. His pants and shoes fell from his changed form as he leapt at Istal. They met in mid-leap and crashed to the ground, with Viggo on top. Their bone-chilling growls carried through the clearing.

Ellie expected one of them to kill the other at any second. Her heart raced with fear, although she couldn’t precisely identify the origin. Fear of the unknown, fear of Viggo being injured, and even fear of the Pack itself mingled together to form an overwhelming onslaught. She dropped to her knees, not even noticing the snow seeping into her jeans.

Rica pushed between the two of them, still as human as he had ever been, she noted thankfully. With what seemed like no effort, he separated them, tossing the combatants several feet away from each other. “Change back. Now.” His tone was steady, but the anger in it resounded throughout the clearing and up the hill.

Viggo and Istal changed, both retrieving their clothes without looking at the other. Rica waited until they had taken up posts on opposite sides of the fire before continuing. “Marriage has joined Viggo and Davinia. She is part of our family now. You will accept her.”

“I won’t,” Istal said. Several members nodded their agreement.

Rica whirled to face him. “Then you will challenge me for leadership of the Pack, if you defy my word.”

Istal shuffled his feet, looking down. “I’ve no wish to usurp you, Alpha, but I can’t accept that woman.”

“Then leave.” Rica said the pronouncement viciously. “Any who won’t follow me and won’t challenge me, will walk away right now.”

Ellie held her breath, awaiting their reaction. To her surprise, no one made a move to leave, and no one stood up to challenge him. She slowly regained her feet, wondering at the sense of detachment she felt. On some level, she knew she was in the presence of werewolves, and that she had befriended a vampire, but she couldn’t accept it. It wasn’t possible.

Rica allowed the silence to grow before nodding his head. “Then you accept mates of Pack members are part of the Pack.”

There wasn’t a murmur of protest among the assembly, although plenty of hot glares focused on Rica. He remained impervious. “I have one last thing to tell you. Ellie Adare will join the Mating Moon Ceremony.”

Her mouth dropped open, and she barely resisted screaming the questions circulating in her mind. What did that mean? What was Rica talking about? What was the Mating Moon Ceremony? And what part was she expected to play in it?