The Pack - Shadow Games (2 page)

Armed guards and rooms with no exit. I was a
prisoner. My hand snaked back up to the necklace I now wore. I ran
back to the mirror and looked at it again. It wasn't jewelry. No. I
saw it now for what it was. It was a collar. Whoever was keeping me
here had collared me like an animal.

My first instinct was to find a corner and
curl up into a ball. Tears welled in my eyes but I wiped them away
before they could slide down my cheeks. I couldn't fall apart right
now. I had to find out where I was and what had happened to Sam.
Right now I had to play along.

I slipped out of the silky nightgown that I
was wearing and discovered that I wasn’t wearing anything
underneath. I wondered what had happened to my clothes. I pulled
open the drawers of the small dresser, but they were all empty.
Confused, I picked up the dark green dress on the bed and slipped
the garment over my head.

It fell perfectly down my body, hugging me
like a second skin. The hemline ended a few inches above my knee
and the skirt was loose enough to give me a full range of
movements. I felt slightly silly with no underwear, but none had
been provided. I looked at myself in the mirror again and I was
amazed by the woman in the reflection.

For having been laid up for days, my hair
fell perfectly around my shoulders. The ornate collar glittered in
the light and the silver metal took on a slightly green sheen to
match the dress I now wore. And the dress itself was stunning. It
looked and felt handmade. A built in bra supported my breasts and
the plunging neckline showcased my cleavage. If it wasn't for the
long, slender cut from the crash that sat right below my hairline
on my forehead, I would have looked perfect.

My finger touched the scab and traced the
wound across my head. I looked at my exposed legs and turned my
arms slowly in front of me, looking for any other cuts or bruises,
but the only sign that I had been in a horrible car crash was the
small gash on my forehead. How was it possible?

Memories of that night began to bubble to the
surface. I saw Sam and McNaire, both bleeding and injured far worse
than I had been. The smell of oil and spilled gas filled my head.
The taste of blood felt fresh on my tongue.

I pushed the dark thoughts away before they
could take hold. Nothing in those memories would help me right now.
If I wanted to find Sam, I had to get out of this room.

I went back to the wall and knocked again.
This time, a seam appeared and the wall pulled back. I stepped
through the opening and into a hallway where Calder was waiting.
His presence only reinforced my opinion that I was a prisoner here,
where ever here happened to be.

"You look very regal Miss Olivia," said the
vampire.

I knew I shouldn't listen to the handsome
vamp but his words sounded sincere. My cheeks burned as his eyes
wandered up and down my body. I tugged at the hem of my dress as
his gaze slid down my legs.

Calder's eyes lingered on my bare feet. "I
apologize about the shoes. I didn't want you running off on
me."

I looked down and rocked back on my heels as
I wiggled my toes. "So what now?"

Calder's eyes lifted and he straightened his
back. He waved towards the end of the hall and started walking.
"Now we go and meet the King." He stopped and turned to look at me
as I caught up. "Do you remember what I told you that night?"

My mind tried to relive the crash again but I
quickly pushed the image of Sam and McNaire from my head. I
couldn't break down right now. Instead, I just stared into Calder's
eyes. "Yes. You told me my fate was in his hands and that I should
pray for a good one."

Calder nodded, his golden hair shimmering in
the light. I lost myself for a moment as I looked at him. How could
the man in front of me be a monster? He was polite, handsome, well
spoken. This was not the night demon that I had grown up hearing
stories about. This was a knight in actual shining armor.

"Are you well Miss Olivia?"

"I'm... I'm sorry. I just don't understand
what is going on. Should I be scared? Am I in trouble?"

Calder stared off into the distance. When he
turned back to me, it almost looked as if he was upset by
something, but he hid it well. "It is okay to be scared. As for
trouble, do you think I would have been sent after you if you'd
done no wrong?"

"So I'm a prisoner then."

Calder nodded and I noticed his hand tighten
around the hilt of his sword. Was he afraid of me?

"So why are you being so nice to me? Nice
room, fancy clothes," my hand touched the collar around my neck,
"expensive jewelry..."

"You came willingly, honorably. You wanted to
save others and that I respect."

My mind drifted off to thoughts of Sam once
more.

Calder's voice broke me out of my daydream.
"But do not mistake my kindness for weakness Miss Olivia. I will
fulfill my duties as First Fang. And right now, those duties
include getting you in front of the King in a timely manner. Let us
get moving."

As we walked down the empty halls, something
was bugging me. I couldn't figure out what it was until we walked
by a vase filled with a flower I'd never seen before. The sweet
smell of the buds filled my super powered nose. But it wasn't the
smell of the flowers that was out of place. It was the lack of an
altogether different scent.

"Why don't you smell?" I asked abruptly.

Calder stopped and turned on me, a look of
distain on his face. "Excuse me?"

"Geez that could have come out better. I
uhh... it's just that before when you were chasing me, you smelled.
Bad. Like death."

Calder smiled and for the first time I
noticed his fangs. Two pointed ivory spikes jutted out from his gum
line where his canine teeth should have been. For a moment, I was
glad that I had I had a metal collar around my neck.

"Ancient magics from a time forgotten by
humans. My race was cursed long ago with the stench of death
whenever we walk on your world. It is not something we enjoy."

Magic and curses. I almost laughed at the
ridiculousness of it all until I thought about my life for the past
week. Nothing was outside the realm of possibilities anymore.

"So you aren't dead?"

"The dead do not move. Not even magic can
make it so."

I stopped and stared at my captor. "So what
are you then? And why am I so important?"

Calder motioned me forward. "Walk Miss
Olivia. I will answer your questions on the way to the throne
room."

I sighed and started walking again. I was in
no hurry to meet the King, and everything I thought I knew about
vampires had been proven false since I'd woken up. That scared me
more than my current situation. At least before, I thought I knew
where I stood. Now I had no idea.

"So you aren't dead. How old are you?" I
asked as I slowed my pace.

"Older than you."

"You said you would answer. How old?"

Calder stared up at the ceiling and I knew
exactly what he was doing. He was making the face I did when I had
to do a bit of mental math. When he reached an answer, he looked
back at me and smiled again.

"Four hundred and twelve. Give or take a few
decades."

"Four centuries?! You barely look old enough
to drink!"

"Drink what?"

I changed the subject quickly. The last thing
I wanted to do was remind a vampire about drinking things.

"So what is with the hair?" I asked.

"Do you like it?"

I nodded. "It's beautiful. Do all vampires
have hair like yours?"

Calder shook his head wildly, setting off
wave after wave of shimmering light as each strand of his golden
hair seemed to pulse with energy. "It is what is in style. If you
are still alive tomorrow, I could arrange to have your hair
enchanted if you like."

My stomach flipped as I process his words.
Still alive. Calder had given me all I needed to know about my
meeting with the King. This meeting really would decide my fate. We
walked in silence as I thought about what I would say to the
vampire king.

"You are out of questions already?" Calder
asked as we neared the end of the hall. "I was enjoying the
conversation."

"Would you do it?" I asked quietly.

"Do what Miss Olivia?"

"Would you kill me? If your King asks you
to?"

Calder stopped but didn't look at me as he
answered. "I would, but I would not enjoy it."

I walked ahead. "I don't want to talk
anymore."

Calder returned to my side and we walked in
silence the rest of the way to the throne room. My heart raced as
two large wooden doors swung inward and Calder motioned for me to
walk through.

This was it. My meeting with the King.

*****

With Calder's hand on my shoulder, we walked
into the throne room. Large tapestries hung between stone columns,
illuminated by floating orbs of blue light that bathed the room in
a peaceful glow. A dark red carpet led up to an upraised platform
where a gilded chair sat empty. There was no question that it was
the King's throne, but it lacked the King.

I spotted the man I assumed to be the King
standing across the room from us. Skinny, bald, and dressed in a
crimson suit, his back was turned and he was clearly occupied with
whatever was on the table in front of him. As we moved closer, I
saw a dozen different trays of food laid out. The King was sampling
each one in turn as we moved closer.

It smelled so good! My stomach rumbled and I
realized I hadn't eaten in days. Had they made this all for me?

I watched with curiosity as the King dipped
his finger into a pudding before licking it clean. Was he eating
the food? I thought vampires only drank blood.

"That's a common misconception my dear," said
the King without turning around. "I'm to blame for that one. Got a
bit too frisky with a barmaid in my youth. Leave a few love bites
on a girl's neck and all of a sudden the town is out with
pitchforks and fire." The King scooped another finger of pudding
into his mouth. "Simpler times. I miss being able to visit the
human world."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" I
asked. Could vampires read people's thoughts?

"To put your mind at ease, no we can't. Not
unless there is a connection between the two individuals." The King
turned and I was shocked when I saw his face.

He was old. Well, Calder was old, but the
King
looked
old. I didn't know vampires aged. Was he turned
when he was an old man? How old was he?

The king stuck a finger in his ear. "Quiet
your thoughts human. You are very loud."

"How are you doing that?" I asked. I turned
to Calder. "Can you hear what I'm thinking?"

The King answered for the both of them. "He
can't hear what is in your head. I can because of the enchantment
placed on the ring around your neck. I can hear your thoughts when
you are within range." He smiled at me. "Would you like to see a
trick?"

"Not especially."

The King turned his attention to Calder. "You
should have coached her on how to speak to your King."

Before Calder could answer, I filled my head
with thoughts of police sirens, babies crying, dogs barking and any
other loud, annoying noises I could think of. When the King clapped
his hands to his ears, I smiled triumphantly. That's what he
deserved for getting into my head.

My victory was short lived. Calder turned and
I heard his sword slide from its scabbard. But before he could
bring the weapon to bear, the King raised his hand and extended two
fingers outward towards me. With a simple flick of his fingers
downward, it was as if a hand had grabbed onto the collar around my
neck and pulled down harshly. I stumbled forward and slammed hard
into the ground.

With an "oomph," the wind was knocked from my
lungs. There was nothing I could do but lie on the floor gasping
for breath as the large chamber filled with the sound of the King's
laughter. Calder sheathed his sword and dropped to a knee beside
me. Only a moment ago he had been ready to slice me in half, but
now his hand was on resting gently on my back.

"Calm down and breath slowly," he said as his
hand drifted across my skin in circular motions.

Just as the air returned to my lungs, I was
pulled upwards by unseen forces. I grabbed the collar with both
hands as the strange pull lifted me inches off the ground. With my
feet kicking wildly and the metal ring cutting into the skin
beneath my chin, I struggled to breathe. In front of me, the King
was still laughing. This time he stood with his hand open, palm
facing upward as if he was lifting something.

As I gasped for breath, the King spoke. "Do
you like my trick? Not only can I see inside of your head, but I
can force my will on the ring as well." The King closed his hand
slowly and the metal collar seemed to tighten around my neck.
Darkness clawed at the edges of my vision. When the King relaxed
his hand, the collar widened and I could breathe again.

The King dropped his hand to his side and I
fell out of the air. I dropped to my knees and lowered my head as
he started to laugh again.

Calder held out a hand to help me to my feet
but withdrew it when the King spoke again.

"Leave her there Calder, on her knees where
she belongs. She needs to learn her place." He stepped closer to me
and grabbed me by the hair. With a quick yank, he pulled my head
back so I could stare into his eyes.

His eyes were harsh. I could see flecks of
blue lost in the sea of red that was his iris. These were the eyes
of a monster and I wanted to look away. I dropped my eyes from his,
but the King grabbed me by the chin and shook my head from side to
side until I met his gaze.

"What do you want from me?!” I screamed.

The King's hand lashed out and caught me
across the cheek. His razor like fingertips sliced cleanly through
my cheek as I fell to the ground. I pushed myself backwards from
him but I had nowhere to go. He was going to kill me and I still
didn't know why.