Chapter 17 - Auðr

In my century-plus years, I’ve seen many technological advancements. Some were good, some were bad. And none have been as perfect a double-edged sword as the internet. The internet connects people and expands the accessibility of knowledge to the masses.

It also gives a platform for people, some of whose inside thoughts ought to have remained that way, an opportunity to hurt others globally. All aside, as a supernatural being held accountable to the statute of secrecy, the internet is the worst invention ever.

Before the internet, it was much easier to say you were someone else, and no one made a connection. It wasn’t a huge deal for many of my kind because they weren’t in the public eye. For the others in the band and me, it is. With the internet and conspiracy theories out there, we may find ourselves back into permanent retirement from performing to protect the statute of secrecy. I don’t know if I’m ready to give up music, and I know the others aren’t.

How easily Sage found pictures of my past ‘lives’ was proof of all this. I knew we’d have to take a break from being Immortal Eclipse soon, but I’d hoped for at least another chance at starting a new band and enjoying that life before it became too dangerous to protect our secret. Maybe the timing was right. If Sage took Steelcrest’s offer, I’d want to be with them. It would also work in Léonel’s favor now that he’s found Leo. It would let him slow down and get to know his kid.

I sighed, rolling my eyes as Sage refocused on the pictures they’d found—specifically the photo from the 1990s where my tattoo was partially visible. The tattoo was real, all right. I got it before I even became a vampire. I just generally kept it covered because of the stigma many associated with tattoos in those days. In the 1990s, I let it show since being a musician with tattoos was far more accepted.

“Fine.” I conceded.

I debated whether to pull my sleeve up to show the tattoo on my arm from the photo or take the whole shirt off to show the other tattoo on my chest. In for a penny, in for a pound. I took my fedora off, setting it on the dash. Sage arched their brow, watching me closely.

Their eyes grew wider as I pulled the oversized shirt over my head and placed it in my lap. I know I’m not super muscular. I never was, but I’m lean-muscular. You can’t be an apex predator like a vampire and be a weakling. I’ve never had anyone complain about my physique. Based on Sage’s hungry gaze, they wouldn’t be the first.

“Eclipse…” Sage blinked, stretching their hand toward the illustrative black wolf with purple eyes that made up my chest piece.

It took me a second to piece it together. The tattoo on my right bicep was an illustrative forest that made a V in the mist with a lunar eclipse in the sky. It clicked when my brain caught up to Sage reaching for the wolf. Their wolf is named Eclipse. Did the wolf on my chest remind Sage of theirs?

“Eclipse? Does your wolf look like this?” I asked, touching my tattoo.

“Um… yeah. Exactly like this, purple eyes and all.” Sage nodded. “Can I…” They pointed at my tattoo.

“Touch the tattoo?” I asked.

“Yes, that,” Sage said, licking their lips again.

“Sure. While I appreciate consent, we’re mates, so I think touching my bare chest is within your rights.” I teased, taking Sage’s hand to press against my chest.

Sage’s hand was warm, and their touch sent shock waves through me, trying to wake my undead heart. It was still weird, but it was a good weird. I remained still, letting Sage do whatever they needed and wanted. It took a moment before Sage moved their hand. Slowly, painfully so, Sage traced the outline of the wolf on my chest and swirls around the wolf’s head. The whole time, their eyes never left the eyes of the wolf.

“How... why... when?” Sage asked, still locked in on the tattoo.

I could’ve teased them for their monosyllable caveman-like question. But I won’t. They are still stunned that I apparently have a tattoo that resembles their wolf to be coherent—that or they are on sensory overload from the mate bond touching me like this. Either way, it’s not something I should make Sage feel self-conscious about.

“I got my first tattoo, the one on my arm...” I nodded to my right bicep. “When I was nineteen. I’d had this super vivid dream. I was standing in the valley of an unfamiliar forest surrounded by a thick mist, and a lunar eclipse was hanging high above the treetops.”

Sage’s eyes finally moved from the wolf to the tattoo on my arm. The tattoo that started this whole business of asking me about my ink. Sage traced the V of the tall, thin trees and then touched the eclipsed moon, holding their hand before looking at me.

“You dreamed of this scene and decided to get it as a tattoo in 1920? Did they even do tattoos like this back then? It looks… pristine.” Sage asked.

“It wasn’t the usual asked, that’s for sure. Back then, it was usually sailors and the like who got tattoos. And then they were things like anchors or lady faces.” I admitted.

“So, going to a shop on the sketchy side of town to ask for this got me a few weird looks. But, as they say, money talks. Brice Rimbaut didn’t have strong convictions about anything and liked the challenge of something not his usual.” I shrugged.

“You remember your tattoo artist’s name? All these years later?” Sage asked.

“Yeah, of course. Brice may be dead, but his art lives forever on me.” I said.

“Did Brice also do the Eclipse, I mean wolf tattoo? When and why did you get that one?” Sage asked, nodding to the wolf.

“No, this one wasn’t Brice,” I said, touching the wolf.

“He’d been sick, consumption, and died before I went for this one. It was his apprentice, Bastien Robichau, who did this.” I explained.

“Aw, that sucks. So why did you get it, and when?” Sage asked as their hand slid from my bicep across my chest to the wolf.

Was that intentional? Maybe. Though I have a feeling it wasn’t Sage’s intention to make me suck in a breath or my dick twitch in my jeans. I have the feeling that Sage is a bit more talk than experience regarding things like that. Honestly, that makes it hotter.

“I got this one the day before I died. I’d been having a recurring dream. I was in the forest valley under the eclipse, and this wolf kept appearing in the trees, watching me with unnatural purple eyes. The wolf stalked me as I tried to find my way around the forest, always keeping the same distance even if I moved toward him.” I explained, letting my eyes close as I recalled the dream.

“I couldn’t get the wolf out of my head for a month. Then, I decided to get the tattoo.” I said, opening my eyes.

“The next day, I was murdered, or almost murdered, for being gay. And since I became a vampire, my tattoos don’t fade or go through the usual wear and tear a tattoo on a mortal’s skin.” I said.

“So, you were… what dreaming about Eclipse before even my grandparents would’ve been born?” Sage asked, their hand absently petting… yes, petting… my wolf tattoo.

“Maybe.” I shrugged.

“Is that a Darby thing? One of your family members told Alpha Logan all this would happen. Is being a seer something you can do too?” Sage asked.

“Well, I can say that I’m no seer.” I shook my head. “My dad used to tell us about his grandma, who dabbled in voodoo and such. But seeing the future isn’t a power I have as a vampire.”

“So, when you turned, you stopped having the dreams about the forest, the eclipse, and the wolf?” Sage asked.

“Pretty much, yeah.” I nodded.

“Pretty much?” Sage asked. “That implies there have been other incidents.”

“I had the dream again on April 24th, 2011. The next morning, when we were kicking around new band name ideas, I threw out the name Immortal Eclipse because of the never-ending eclipse in my dream. I had it again during the full moon in May 2027. And the last time I had it… was the day before we met.” I trailed off as things were starting to click.

“April 24th, 2011, is my birthday, and May 20th, 2027, was my first full moon where I shifted.” Sage blinked.

I was certain we’d connected the same dots when our eyes met. The werewolf Goddess has been trying to bring us together for a long time. She was trying to reach me through dreams. Since I dreamed of the forest and the eclipse when Sage was born and when they shifted, and the day before we met, that rules out that my vampirism was in the way.

Does that mean someone else was in my human era with Eclipse for a wolf? Was I meant to meet him, but I died, and their goddess had to make new plans? Does that mean Sage is my second chance to meet the werewolf with the wolf I kept seeing?

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” I asked.

“The Bloodmoon Alpha Wolf is a reincarnation. Darkness and Light of Sicily are reincarnations, too. So, I kind of have to.” Sage said.

“Are you thinking that me or at least Eclipse is a reincarnation of someone you should’ve met in the past?” Sage asked.

“It’s not the most far-fetched thought. I went from my death to your birth without dreaming of that forest, the eclipse, of that wolf. Then suddenly, I start again, but only on occasions that line up with life-changing events that relate to you.” I said.

“If Eclipse and I or just Eclipse is a reincarnation, I’m glad for it. I wouldn’t want anyone else as my mate.” Sage smiled, unfastening their seatbelt before surprising me with a kiss as they climbed onto my lap.