Wolves in the Shadows (The Wolf Clan Chronicles) (11 page)

“Anyways,” Michelle said after a few minutes.  “It’s good that I’m working on this paper now because the Delta toga party is tonight, and I plan on drinking so much that I’ll have the world’s biggest hangover tomorrow.” 

“I would say that’s responsible of you to get your homework done early,” Elizabeth said.  “But you remember what happened at last year’s toga party, right?” 

“No, and that’s the point,” Michelle said.  “But I do remember the hangover the morning after.” 

“So you’re planning on getting even drunker this year?” 

“Naturally.”  Michelle’s expression brightened as she spoke.  “You should come with us!  You could get drunk with us for once.” 

“
No thanks,” Elizabeth said with a grimace. “I do remember last year’s toga party.” 

“Didn’t you sit in a puddle
of coconut flavored rum and then someone threw up all over you?” 

“That was you, Michie.” 

“I sat in rum?” 

“No, you threw up on me.” 

“Oh, Sorry.” 

Chapter 6

“You’ve met someone rather interesting, haven’t you?” Sir Marcus said with a slight frown as Elizabeth slipped into the grove a little after sunset. 

“Good evening to you too
,” Elizabeth said with a chuckle.  “I’ve had a lovely day, thanks for asking, and I haven’t had any garlic, so I don’t know why you’re wrinkling your nose like that.” 

A ghost of a smile flitted across the vampire’s sharp features.  “What’s his name?  And when would it be convenient for me to kill him?  I don’t care for his smell.” 

Elizabeth ignored him and leaned over to give Romulus a pat on the head.  The big wolf whined in delight at her attention. 

“Elizabeth,”
Sir Marcus’ voice was sterner than his expression.  “Who is he?” 

Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at his protectiveness.  She winked at Romulus and then looked up at
Sir Marcus. 

“His name is Chase,” she said. 

“And?” Sir Marcus’ pale eyes fixed her with a piercing look. 

Two nights ago, she would have not been able to meet his gaze without at least a shiver of fear, but tonight she found that she was able to look into his eyes without a trace of apprehension. 

“We had coffee yesterday and lunch today,” she said.  “And well, I don’t know.  He’s sweet and intelligent and a great listener.  And he’s totally cute too, but there’s something about him the just seems, well, I don’t know.  Just off somehow.” 

Marcus raised his eyebrows but did not reply. 

“It’s difficult to explain,” Elizabeth struggled to find the right words.  “He’s-different, but not in a bad way.”  She ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to organize her thoughts.  She could feel Romulus’ unease as he nudged her thigh with his nose. 

“I don’t know,” she said at last.  “Sometimes I can feel this weird tension between us and then it’s gone just like that.  I don’t understand it.  It’s like one minute, I feel perfectly comfortable with him and the next I feel confused and a little-I don’t know-uncomfortable.” 

A line appeared between Marcus’ eyebrows as his frown deepened. 

A growl issued from Romulus’
chest.  Elizabeth could feel him pressing against her mind like he was trying to tell him something.  She didn’t know how she was doing it, but somehow she was able to keep him out. 

“Romulus, no,” she said through gritted teeth.  “I can’t have you in there right now.”  Her head was beginning to throb. 

Sir Marcus laid a gentle hand on her small of her back as she took several deep breaths.  The pain and pressure eased, and Romulus turned and disappeared into the grove.  Elizabeth tried desperately to rid herself of the sinking feeling that she felt in the pit of her stomach. 

“He means well
,” said Sir Marcus. 

“I know,” Elizabeth said looking in the direction that Romulus had gone.  “I just wish he wouldn’t push so hard.  I hope I haven’t offended him.  It’s just that after the last couple nights and with this weird thing with Chase, I feel like my mind isn’t entirely my own anymore.” 

“Makes sense,” Sir Marcus said.  “You mind has been stretched and pushed in all directions lately.  Most mortals would not be able to bear the amount of tampering that we’ve done to it.” 

“That’s not very reassuring.” 

Marcus patted her back affectionately and said, “Let’s not keep my father waiting.  You can tell me all about this Chase fellow while we walk.”

Chapter 7

Lord Reginald met them before they reached the storeroom.  His hair glistened in the moonlight as he walked with Romulus at his side. 

“Romulus told you,” Sir Marcus said with a scowl. 

“He didn’t have to,” Lord Reginald replied.  There was something that seemed distinctly different about the vampire lord tonight.  There was more color in his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to shine with an inner light. 

“Hello, young Elizabeth,” he said as he took her hand and kissed it.  “I trust you are well.”

“I am sir, thank you.”  Elizabeth said with slight bow.  “You seem younger tonight.”  She felt foolish the moment the words passed her lips, but Lord Reginald smiled. 

“It is all thanks to you, of course,” he said warmly. 

“As a master vampire, Lord Reginald can feed exclusively on the life force of those within his clan,” Sir Marcus explained, seeing Elizabeth’s puzzled expression. 

“It is true,” Lord Reginald said.  “You have an especially strong life force because the blood of Anya flows in your veins.  You
r mere presence makes me feel stronger than I have in centuries.” 

“Glad to be of assistance,” Elizabeth said, not exactly sure how she should respond.   

Sir Marcus suppressed a chuckle, but Lord Reginald nodded regally. 

“
It is a beautiful night,” Lord Reginald said.  “I thought we might walk through this charming grove rather than sit in the confines of that musty storeroom.” 

Before Elizabeth could blink, she was walking arm and arm with Lord Reginald on her right and Marcus on her left.  She smiled at the sight of Romulus trotting ahead of them like an excited dog going for a walk.  He kept flitting in and out of the shadows before them.  He seemed
to have the need to scratch and sniff everything in his path. 

Elizabeth breathed in, enjoying the aromas of juicy oranges and old trees. 

“I quite like it here,” Lord Reginald commented as he also took a deep breath.  “There is a freshness and youth to the air.  Though I suppose that it would smell old to one of your age.” 

“It does smell old to me,” Elizabeth replied.  “I used to come here all the time because it made me feel like I was stepping into an older world that time forgot.  I guess that’s still the reason I’ve been coming here.” 

“Indeed,” Lord Reginald said.  “We do come from an older world, an older time, but you too belong to that world.  One day, you will come to the ancient home of the Wolf Clan; then you will see how young this grove is.” 

“I’d like that,” Elizabeth said.  “But this grove will never seem young to me.” 

“Everything is old to a child,” Sir Marcus said with a wry smile. 

Elizabeth shot him an annoyed look. 

“It’s true,” he protested. 

Lord Reginald chuckled.  “It is true enough,” he said.  “But our young Elizabeth does not consider herself a child.” 

“No, I don’t,” Elizabeth said.  “But I guess I am aren’t I?  And I feel so ignorant and foolish around you.  There are so many things that I need to learn, I still have trouble getting over the fact that I’m related to the two of you.” 

“But isn’t it obvious that you are indeed a part of the Wolf Clan?” Lord Reginald asked
.  “How else would you be able to endure my presence?  And not be driven insane by all that we have shown you?  And sustain us with your life force without being weakened.” 

“I know, I know,” Elizabeth said throwing her hands up in surrender.  “I don’t doubt it; it’s just a lot to swallow.  Suddenly
, I can see perfectly at night and somehow have some weird physic connection with Romulus.  I feel more alive than I ever have, but it’s just strange knowing that so many things that I thought were true aren’t and that there are so many people who would think I was totally crazy.”  She took a deep breath; it felt good to get that off her chest. 

“It may take awhile,” Lord Reginald said.  “But in time, I think that it will not seem so strange to you.” 

“In the meantime,” Sir Marcus said.  “You have a few centuries of clan lore to catch up on.” 

“Indeed you do,” Lord Reginald said.  “But not tonight.  There is something in the air that troubles me
.” 

They walked in silence, each deep in their own thoughts.  It was no
t an unpleasant sort of silence but the warm glowing sort of silence amongst close friends.  But Elizabeth felt as if there were a sort of watchful presence that followed behind them, hidden just out of sight.  She quickly shook the feeling off.  Once again, she must be imagining things. 

Chapter 8

“How did Anya die?” Elizabeth asked suddenly.  She cringed the moment the question left her lips, but she felt an unusual sense of urgency.  She had to learn the answer tonight. 

All warmth went out of the night in an instant.  Tidal waves of power, far beyond anything that Elizabeth had yet experienced crashed into her, knocking her to the ground
.  It was coming at her from all sides, driving into her with so much force that she was certain that she would be crushed.  The world became dark and cold and silent. 

And then she saw her
.  Anya.  Older yet more beautiful than she had been in her youth.  Her blue eyes pierced into the core of Elizabeth’s being.  Her face was the face of an angel, and yet more real than any vision that Elizabeth had ever seen.  She struggled to her feet.  She could feel the rocky earth of the grove beneath her feet, but she knew that she was somewhere far away.  She stretched out her hand, and as her fingers brushed Anya’s smooth cheek, she realized that this was no vision, this was flesh and blood.  Somehow she was there with her ancestor standing before her, bathed in glorious splendor and clothed in a gown of soft silk. 

Elizabeth longed to speak, but what was there to say? 

“Elizabeth,” Anya said.  Her voice was rich and musical, but filled with endless sorrow.  “Forgive me.” 

Horrible gashes began to appear on Anya’s arms and legs and torso as if she was being flogged by an invisible whip.  Pieces of her dress were torn away as the scraps that remained became stained red.  Elizabeth could
smell the blood that flowed down Anya’s pale skin.  Anya’s face became twisted with agony, but she did not make a sound.  Dark bruises formed around her eyes, and her head was knocked this way and that by some unknown force. 

An ugly wooden stake seemed to grow out of her torso, just under her ribs. 

Elizabeth gasped in pain and surprise.  She looked down in absolute terror to see that the same hideous stake had been driven through her own belly.  An almost inhuman howl of anguish and despair ripped out of Elizabeth’s throat.  Anya at last cried out in pain, adding her voice to her descendant’s.  Elizabeth could taste the sharp tang of blood and bile as it rose in her throat.  The bittersweet reek of death filled her nostrils.  She knew that she was going to die alongside Anya, and that there was no avoiding it. 

She wrapped her trembling hands around the rough stake and pulled it out inch by agonizing inch.  White hot spasms lanced through her belly again and again.  At last, with her hands slick with her own blood, she pulled the stake free and fell to her knees at Anya’s feet.  Her entire body was racked with pain.  She reached into the hole left by the stake and pulled out
a squalling blood covered baby. 

“Please no!” Elizabeth cried out.  She looked up pleadingly at Anya; her eyes burned with tears. 
“Anya, help me.” 

Anya looked down at her.  Her eyes were filled with pity, but she shook her head.  The blood and bruises and horrible stake vanished.  For an instant, she stood before Elizabeth as young and radiant as she had been when Elizabeth first saw her.  Then she faded without a word. 

Elizabeth looked down at the baby cradled protectively in her arms.  It opened its eyes, and Elizabeth saw Anya’s pale blue eyes looking up at her, filled with innocence and love. 

“Forgive me, mother,” the baby seemed to whisper. 

The eyes turned black.  No whites, just two bottomless pits that suddenly became ringed with flames. 

Elizabeth opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.  The baby turned
to ash and crumbled to nothing.  Somewhere in the distance, she could hear someone calling her name. 

Chapter 9

Elizabeth’s eyes flew open as Lord Reginald called her name again.  Her hands went immediately to her torso as if she expected to find a gory hole.  There was no blood, no pain, only a lingering sense of horror at the memory of what she had just seen.  She started to tremble and sob uncontrollably.