TALES BY MIDNIGHT

                                                                   CHAPTER 4

"I am from another world, and we have come because we desperately need your help."

The four females stared at the men incredulously. There was awe in their gazes and they could not keep their mouths closed. Germaine and Cordelia exchanged confused glances.

"Wait just a minute." Germaine put up a hand. "You expect me to believe you come from another world? You've got to be kidding me." She shook her head.

"I kid you not, my lady." Storm sighed. "We are on a mission and will need your help." His eyes pleaded with her for understanding.

Keratin watched the females keenly. They all seemed strange to him, but it was only one of them that seemed to interest him. Sparks danced on top of her hair and stars twinkled in her eyes. Her smile was as bright as the sun on a sunny day. He could not snatch his eyes away from her face. It left him feeling all types of way. Guilt, confusion and regret. He did not understand why he felt this pull towards her. She was nothing like his Tekenna who was tall, with light blonde hair and blue eyes. Alas, she was no more.

This one before him was ordinary, as far as ordinary went. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was also small in stature, but what she lacked in physical attributes, she more than made up for in guts. The way she had demanded to know who they were and what they were doing in her shop was admirable.

She has courage.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Storm's eyes came into view, side tracking his thoughts.

His eyes were bright and things leaped inside them. Keratin found him strange, but he knew that all the fire clan wolves were the same. The moon goddess had cursed them for deflecting from the rest of his brothers.

"Forgive me, my mind wandered." Keratin replied, wondering what it was about Germaine that had him feeling nervous.

The fire in Storm's eyes dimmed, and an emotion keratin recognized as pity, flitted into them. He looked away from him and set his eyes on Germaine once more. "Keratin here has been hurt, there was a bit of a problem transporting ourselves here, perhaps you can provide us with some shelter, food and beddings for the night.

Germaine and Cordelia exchanged looks, then Germaine spoke. "There are hotels not far from here, we can describe how you can get there, so that will not be a problem."

The three men looked confused. "What is this hotel you speak of?" Storm asked.

Germaine's brows furrowed. "You know - a hotel, a place where travelers or people seeking shelter stay, like a motel, or an inn."

Recognition swept into Storm's eyes on hearing her last words and he nodded. "Yes, yes, an inn." And then he fell silent as his gaze lowered to the teacup in his hand. He seemed to be in thought, then suddenly, he lifted his head. "We understand there are inns in this world, of course, but we would hope that you would be so kind, my lady, as to take us to your own abode. There, we will, with haste, inform you of our mission and where you come in."

Keratin watched as Germaine spoke to Cordelia. That one had hair the colour of straw. It was almost the same colour of Tekenna's hair, but not quite. He continued watching as Germaine finished speaking with Cordelia. Even before she spoke, he knew her answer would be negative, but then something strange happened. She looked at Storm, and the frown lines on her forehead melted away, and she smiled and nodded. "Alright, you all can come stay at my place."

"Germaine, No! You don't know any of these men, they could be perverts or weirdos, or even worse, murderers. Please do not make this mistake." Cordelia shook her head vehemently.

Storm's eyes brightened. "I assure you, my lady." He turned to Cordelia. "I-“ He turned the two other men and gesticulated to them. "We are all gentlemen, so please do not worry. We only need some food and shelter, that is all. We promise to be on our best behavior." He looked at the other men who nodded vigorously.

Some minutes later after turning the lights off and securing the bakery, they found themselves on the street. It was significantly quiet and not much people were around except for a few stragglers. They looked at the men wonderingly and then one of them hollered from across the street. "Hey, bro, that's a nice costume you've got on, where can I get one exactly like that?"

The golem looked down at the clothes he had on, looked back at the man, and then made a crude gesture with his hands before he continued walking. The others just ignored him. Once they got to the car park, Maria and Trisha said their goodbyes and scurried away, casting worried glances behind them.

Cordelia leaned towards Germaine and whispered something into her ear, making Germaine roll her eyes. Out aloud, she said to Germaine, but her words were loud and carried to where the three men stood not far from them. "You still have the time to change your mind, Germaine, think about what I said earlier on. Women die every hour from the hands of strangers, and the statistics keep rising every day. Please, don't be one of those statistics."

Germaine rolled her eyes even harder and put a hand on Cordelia. "Don't worry, Cord, I will be fine, but if you're so worried, you can come with me as well, that way I won't have to be alone."

Cordelia reared back. "Did you think I was going to send you off with these men all by yourself?"

Germaine called the men over and they followed her to where her car was parked. She noticed them exchanging looks. "What box is this?" Keratin asked, his brows squeezing together.

The golem was already backing away. "I am not getting into that thing."

Cordelia stifled a giggle while Germaine just sighed. "Then I can give you directions for you to go to the hotel, the inn, I mean."

She noticed them looking at each other, as if conveying a silent conversation, and she knew they were speaking to each other. Why then could she not hear what they said like she had done earlier?

Storm turned to look at her expectantly, his brows raised. "I take it you heard what we said?"

She shook her head.

He nodded understandably. "It is as I expected." Giving her no room to ask any questions, he signaled with his hand. "Come, we will enter this. . . box." He grimaced, and looked at the car as if it would suddenly develop claws and attack him.

They all bundled inside, with Germaine behind the wheel and Cordelia beside her, while the three men sat at the back. As Germaine made to start the car, Storm addressed her. "I may not know how to drive this box, but I believe I can get us to your abode in no time."

"How-?" Before she could finish speaking, a hand landed on her shoulder, and then from one second to the next, everywhere went dark. She felt disoriented, as if she were tumbling into a tunnel. After what seemed like a long time but she knew could only have been seconds, things seemed to right themselves and when she blinked, she found light filtering into the car.

"Yeah, that trick definitely did not-" and then she blinked as she noticed where they were. "This is my house." The car was parked neatly in the garage. "How did. . . I don't understand. What kind of trick did you use? It takes about twenty minutes with traffic, to get here from my bakery. Did you drug me? Is that what happened? I slept off and woke up after. . . “She could not continue because she realized she was getting hysterical.

She turned round to see Storm smiling at her. "Drug? No, my lady, I used magic, but come, please, let us out of the box, I will tell you all you need to know. I stand by my promise."

She nodded and opened the door. Cordelia looked as shocked as she felt as she got down from the car. Germaine bustled everyone through the garage door that led inside the house and the smell of pine and cinnamon immediately filtered into their nostrils. The men looked around in awe. "Home sweet home." Germaine turned to them with a smile on her face.

"This is your home?" Keratin asked, his eyes tracing every object in the foyer and beyond.

"Yes, it is a family legacy. I hope it's to your liking?" Her smile was from ear to ear.

"It is . . . suitable, yes."

Germaine smiled wider, and thereafter went about switching lights on, setting up the guest room for the men and seeing they were well settled in. Cordelia rustled up some leftover soup in the fridge and bread, and Germaine brought out a bottle of wine and some juice. The table was set for the five of them and just as she finished, the men came out, still dressed in their clothes, although they seemed to have taken a bath. Their long hair was packed and tucked in a bun on top of their heads, and they smelt of the cider wood bath wash she had put in the guest bathroom.

Dinner was eaten in silence, save for the sounds of cutlery scraping against plates. Anticipation hung heavy in the air when at last appetites were sated and thirsts were quenched, Cordelia cleared the dishes and without further ado, Storm got up. He lifted his hands in the air and a sheer film appeared. It hung like a hologram in the air before it began to stretch wide.

As it did, forms took shape.

There were lush lands replete with greenery and flowers, so many types, it left Germaine clapping with delight. She didn't know how she was able to, but she could smell a delightful mix of fragrance that brought alive the sound of nature which was enhanced with colours. The smell of honeysuckle was overpowering, its fragrance conquered all the other scents, although she could smell a tinge of citrus fruits as well, which only Mother Nature could create. She could hear the sounds of tinkling winds, birds, burbling waterfalls and plants gently rustling in the wind.

The video moved forward showcasing rolling mountainous hills from which clear spring water flowed from in torrents and fine white sandy ground. A settlement rose from the ground and took shape. Within it were cottages, some bigger than others, but by no means did it diminish the beauty of each one. Healthy-looking gardens were situated in front of each cottage. One by one, the video moved from one settlement to the other. It seemed the next one was more beautiful than the last.

Germaine's mouth fell open as another town took shape, the fourth one so far. Cottages were spread out and well-worn paths were showcased, stalls with people materialized as well, and Germaine marveled at the quaint looking-town. People went about their businesses, people who looked and dressed same as people on earth. The scenery changed to the woods, and once again, Germaine was taken aback at the breathtaking landscape. The woods were thick and lustrous-looking, many animals dwelt within the branches of the dense foliage of trees.

She was still marveling at the fireflies sunbathing themselves when an animal materialized from the thick canopy of trees. It resembled a wolf, but the one she was staring at was huge and otherworldly. It seemed to look directly at her, until another one joined it, yet another, until there were about over a hundred pack of them in two files. From the corner of Germaine's eyes, she noticed Storm raise his hands and the video before her paused.

"What you have just seen are the four clans of the wolf world."

Germaine's eyes bulged and she swallowed a knot that had risen in her throat. "W. . . w. . . wolf?"

Storm said nothing, instead, he turned to the stretch of hologram, and raising his hands, the wolves began to walk once again. They looked fierce, and yet there was something that was not fearful about them. They began to run, and Germaine, yet again, marveled. They were beautiful powerful creatures with hides that rippled as they ran. There were different sizes of them, yet that did not detract anything from their beauty.

They all ran into a clearing and there, something strange took place. They began to change.

Germaine's breathing became erratic and her mouth fell open. She could not believe her eyes. "They changed into humans?"

"Yes, my lady, we are half-human, half wolf, or shapeshifters, if you so wish to call us. You can also call us werewolves as well." Storm finished, looking at her with all seriousness.

Cordelia who had just finished washing up in the kitchen and was carrying a tray on which sat tea cups, gave a loud cry, and all its contents fell to the ground with a loud clatter.