The Amulet (16 page)

"Alyssa," Nevar said her name like a caress, "What's wrong?"

"He just left me, Nevar. No goodbye, he just left me exposed like this. I know I should be stronger and be able to fend for myself, but I didn't expect him to abandon me naked in the woods." She felt stupid for crying and even more so for telling Nevar her feelings. She was stronger than this. The real reason she was crying was that she had felt a connection with Xander, had wanted him to nuzzle her, and had sought the safety and solace she had felt nestled in his fur. It seemed he had not returned her feelings and, instead, had left her to the elements. Her silent heart felt like it was shattered.

Nevar held her close and kissed her crown. He must have felt her emotions through her blood, so he knew the secrets of her heart, but she felt no jealousy from him, no anger directed at her. What she felt was sorrow coming off of him in waves, both for her and for Xander.

She didn't understand why he felt sorry for the werewolf, but she was happier to be in his arms because of it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and inhaled his scent. The wolf stirred within her, but she banished it to the depths. She was angry with the beast, certain it was the reason Xander had left. She assumed he had been jealous she had taken their kill down, or perhaps that she had run faster.

Whatever the reason, she blamed LunR and she refused to allow the wolf any more rein. Her werewolf half growled in defiance but stayed hidden in the darkness. No doubt, she would emerge in time, for now, she was unhappy, but caged. Alyssa lifted her chin and pressed her lips against Nevar's. She felt the surprise in him, but also pleasure. He returned her kiss fervently, his scent thick with musk.

She felt the heat rising within her as their kiss increased in intensity. There were thoughts that did not belong to her hanging quietly in the back of her mind. A lonely grey cloud poured a rain of tears below the silver moon which was far beyond the cloud's reach.

She felt the sadness in the pit of her stomach, but she pushed it aside angrily. Xander had left her with Nevar, so why should she be unhappy for him? He had made his decision and now, she was making hers. A long howl broke the night air with its mournful sound, successfully ending their kiss. Nevar looked in the direction of the call with knowing in his eyes.

"What is it, Nevar? Was that Xander?"

"Yes, and it is a long story. Let us return to the manor and I would be happy to fill you in." He transformed them both into mist and lifted them over the treetops. She was surprised how far from the manor they had traveled. She thought they had only venture a couple of miles, but it was closer to ten.

He drifted directly into the manor and materialized in a room filled from the floor to the ceiling with books. The only open wall space was covered corner to corner with original oil paintings on canvas. There was evidence of age and history written on everything. She could smell the leather-bound books and the aged pages. There was one couch in the center of the room and several large pillows scattered around the room.

Nevar laid her down on the couch and handed her the bag she had packed earlier. "Would you like a moment?"

"I'm comfortable enough," she said. "Unless you want your shirt back?"

He smiled at her, flexing his muscular chest. "No, it looks much better on you." He pulled a book from one of the shelves and brought it to the couch. Sitting down beside her, he passed the book over to her. As she took it in her hands, she thought she felt a sharp pain in her gut but it vanished before she could pinpoint it. There was something about this book. It had a bad omen about it, like it was written by pain.

"This book is a secret history of the werewolves. About 500 years ago, I went to see Matthias. I had finally come out of my rage and I was seeking answers that he had not given me. Around that same time, Xander was living nearby. He was in a tavern one night when this woman walked in," he opened the book to a page with a picture of a raven-haired woman. She was strikingly beautiful with amber eyes and fair skin. There was something about her that seemed familiar.

"Xander was drawn in by her beauty and charm, but she was dangerous. He did not know it then, but she was a werewolf recruiter. Xander fit the physical profile she was looking for, so she wooed him, fed his already inflated ego, and then lured him out of the tavern to a secluded field with promises she did not intend to keep. Xander was no match for such charms. He let his guard down and his heart fell victim to her spell."

He turned the page to reveal another picture of a man, the same man she had seen through Nevar's memories: Matthias. "What I did not realize was that Matthias was enslaving the Weres as his own personal bodyguard. They were not treated well, I'm afraid. He treated them like animals, worse even. He kept them on the brink of starvation to make them more ferocious, and also easier to control. Those who obeyed without question were fed and the ones that defied him went without.

"Xander followed the recruiter blindly. It was a full blood red moon that night, and it should have been an ill omen, but he did not heed it. The woman transformed and bit Xander. She took him to Matthias, who treated his wound, but the true damage had been done. Xander was forever changed that night.

"The first month is the hardest. Uncontrollable shifting between man and wolf, losing days at a time to the mind and will of the beast within, and the pain of the bite itself are symptoms of the Were gene. It is almost like a virus, but it does not destroy its host. The gene penetrates the human cell and merges with the DNA, then replicates itself to spread to other cells. It is a slow and uncomfortable process. By the next full moon, he was completely werewolf, and a prisoner of Matthias.

"I arrived at Matthias' castle within Xander's first months of his new life. After I spoke with Matthias at length, he allowed me to retire in his guest quarters. The excessive howling was unbearable to my sensitive ears. I sought the source to deal with the problem and found a shadow of a man.

"He was a pitiful sight. On the brink of starvation, his ribs were prominent and his face looked hollow.. He was in chains, but still, he tried to lunge for my throat with the jaws of a wolf. His mind was more animal than human, but I was able to read enough to understand what he had been through. Pain is the same in any language."

Alyssa shuddered at the thought of such cruelty. It was obvious that Xander would be less than obedient if forced against his will. Suddenly, she was less than thrilled to meet this Matthias.

"I was greatly disturbed by what I had seen through Xander's mind. Without a second thought, I decided to free him and as many of his kind as possible, but first, I needed them fed. They needed to heal and grow strong. Now, I can transport animals through mist, but they're much more delicate. They can't survive a long trip and it usually damages them along the way.

"Luckily, there were plenty of livestock to be found in the nearby village. I had to make several trips, but the werewolves cooperated by not fighting each other or myself. Once they had a decent meal, they were able to break through their bonds fairly easily. Our only opposition was Matthias and his recruiter. Xander stood beside me to hold them off while the rest of Matthias' werewolf army broke ranks and headed off into the night.

"I, of course, took Matthias. I had a bone to pick with him already. Xander took the recruiter, named Katarina. She was far more skilled than Xander, but she did not account for his raw fury. It seemed like he was out-matched at first, but before she could deal a death blow, he was able to break one of her legs and overpower her. Matthias, without his recruiter or his army, chose to flee rather than fight us both.

"Afterwards, Xander stayed within easy reach. He has been an excellent friend and a fierce protector, but more than anything, he guards his heart. You have to understand, Alyssa. Xander would have cut his chest open and handed Katarina his heart had she asked him to do so. Instead, she destroyed his life, and worse, felt nothing at all for him. He was a lamb for slaughter to her.

"You have that same power, Alyssa. I thought it was just me, but I can see now that you have the same effect on Xander."

"I'm not like her," she said defensively. "I like you and Xander and I'd never do anything to hurt either of you!"

"I know, Alyssa. You have one of the biggest hearts I have seen in all my years and I know that you would never wish harm on anyone. But, can you see why Xander is fearful?"

"Yes," she answered. "He's afraid of getting hurt again." Something clicked in her mind and, for a moment, she was too shocked to speak. When her mind finally wrapped around the concept of speech, it was only to whisper, "Her name was Katarina?" She dropped her walls for him, because she dared not speak the words aloud, revealing her revelation.

Nevar went rigid in his seat, then vanished into mist. When he returned an instant later, the picture was in his hand. She turned the page to Katarina's portrait and stared blankly at her amber eyes and jet black hair. Nevar held the picture of Alyssa's parents out to her.

They looked so different at a glance. Her mother seemed to glow with joy and the love in her eyes made them soft. Katarina was painted in a harsh light and her eyes were cruel, but they were the same eyes. The painter had a skilled hand for detail. They were identical except for their expressions. "My mother was Katarina... I am like her. I'm her daughter. That's where my werewolf blood comes from... a werewolf recruiter set to create and enslave her own kind?"

It was too much. She burst into tears. Her beloved mother was a werewolf, that she could handle, but this? Nevar wrapped his arms around her. She tried to shrug him off, but he was persistent. He refused to let her weep alone. He held her, the daughter of such a cruel woman, and he didn't let go.

"You are not like her, Alyssa, at least not the way she used to be. She had a long time to change, and she obviously did. Your father must have been a very lucky man."

Her tears slowed a little. Perhaps he was right. People change, werewolves must change, too. They were still part human. Maybe love had changed her. Maybe there was more to the story than what had been written. She wished her mother was still around to fill in the holes. Or maybe, she was?

She was a Were, after all, and she had survived so long already, maybe she wasn't dead? Maybe she had decided it was time to reinvent herself? Had she taken her father with her? But why would she leave behind a young daughter? Somehow, she knew the answer. She had wanted her daughter to have a normal life away from werewolves and the real-life nightmares that roamed the night.

It made perfect sense, still, it hurt to think about her mother leaving her. Nevar stroked her hair while the last of her tears faded away. Alyssa stretched her mind as far as she could, searching for Xander. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, but she could not find him. What she found instead surprised her.

Jessie was singing loudly to her favorite song, and she was close. She was elated that she had been able to track Alyssa's phone call to her hiding place without leaking info to the press. Smart phones were so wonderful and GPS tracking was even better. She would surprise Alyssa with the script before anyone had a chance to figure out where she was.

"Nevar," she pulled away from him. "We have company coming."

He looked away from her, focusing on some far-off point. "Friend of yours?"

"Yes, since we were kids. She's like a sister to me. I'd better change into something presentable. I'd never hear the end of it if she saw me like this."

"Of course," he stood and started to leave the room. "I will see that she arrives safely."

Alyssa saw him fade away, but didn't stop to watch him leave. She grabbed the clothes she had packed earlier and dressed quickly. Jessie might wonder why she was in casuals, but horseback riding was a convenient enough reason, and partly true. She ran a brush through her tousled hair to straighten the locks Nevar had disturbed.

Satisfied that every strand was in place, she wandered out into the hall. She had no idea where she was in the manor or how to get to the main entrance, but the hall ended to her right, so she went left. A few doors down, the right side of the hall opened up into a balcony leading up to the grand staircase. Just down the stairs was the door Xander had carried her through on her first night here.

Jessie was pulling up the drive now. Her thoughts were racing as she took in the grandeur of the place. Whatever Alyssa had been up to, she had certainly hit the jackpot. Jessie would have given up her left arm for a place like this and it wasn't even owned by a celebrity. It was listed simply as a private residence.

The driveway never seemed to end. Finally, she came upon the manor. It looked as big as the Biltmore Estate with the same style architecture, but it looked newer. Whoever designed the manor had an eye for detail and kept it as authentic as possible. She was impressed.

She saw Alyssa's Ferrari and parked behind it. With the script nestled in one arm, she opened her car door and stepped out. Unsure of how long her visit would be, she set the alarm on her BMW, though she doubted the action was necessary. Her car was nice, but the Ferrari and the manor made it look like a junker by comparison.

As she headed towards the manor, she got the feeling she was being watched. She looked warily around but there was nothing to be seen. A sound alerted her from behind and she turned quickly. She wished she hadn't. Standing ten feet from her was an enormous black wolf with gleaming white teeth. Its yellow eyes were fierce and staring right at her. Jessie's heart froze in fear and the script fell to the ground.