Chapter 15
*Soleil*
My arm falls down limp and the phone hits the floor with a hollow sound. My legs are threatening to collapse beneath me, so I sit heavily on the bed.
Lefu’s voice had been as cold as dry ice. There was no seduction in it or dark humour. He was deadly serious. He was coming for me, not to turn me, but to kill.
In a full on panic attack I had called Luca. He has been involved in starting all this. I didn’t think so, I just instinctively went to the one who could protect me. Too late I realised I had no story to tell him. It went all wrong and now Luca hates me too.
I had tried to protect him. I see no reason to tell him
*Soleil*“I am on my way back”. Luca’s voice is uptight.“Okay did you have a good trip ?” I ask softly.“We have to talk”. He interrupts.“I know and you are right. I haven’t been completely honest. I am so sorry. I will tell you everything when I see you”. The words are streaming out without breathing, as I am scared he will cut me off and dump me over the phone.When I stop talking the only sound is the noise from Twig's car.“Luca ?”
*Lefu* "We're off". Strano's self important face appears in the door to my private rooms. Under normal circumstances, the high lord would have sent a few of his imbecile henchmen, but he probably won’t risk several more hearts served in their own sauce. “Do you really feel we have to go all the way to Italy, just so you can tell on me ?” I laugh. “What is it about me that pisses you off like that ?” “You will probably find out when we land at home. Believe me, I could not be more indifferent to you, if you were a cow, but when your lifestyle goes in and threatens mine, then I have to sacrifice my comfort”. Strano deliberately slowly
*Lefu*The clock has passed midnight when the plane lands in Turin. After another hour of driving through the soft hills of Piedmont and endless rows of vineyards the car drives up to the Fattoria di Matelli.Although the name still refers to it as a farm, the property is now so large that it has to count as a wine castle. The main house itself is the classic square brick that is characteristic of the Italians' wineries. Over time, the yard has been given an elongated two-story east-facing extension in the same rustic brick, and a smaller wing with open glass sections is built on the western part of the main house.I have not been here for centuries, but despite the additions, the place still has the same atmosphere as when I left Italy. Here is a cal
*Luca*"That was fast. Did she throw you right out on your ass ?” Twigs looks up from his mobile."Let's just get away". I slam the car door shut. “Can we just make one more stop ? I’ll give a hotdog on the way”."Okay". Twigs shrugs. "It’s not like I have anything better to do. Where to ?""Back to the vamps farm”."The vamps … ?" Twig's face goes from curious to panicking in a split second. "No freaking way !"“I have to check something. I will go to Wales afterwards, so I need to head that way anyway&rdquo
*Luca*"Luca ?" My mother’s stunned voice sounds and her head pokes out from the kitchen as I kick my shoes off in the hallway."Hi Mom". Judging from her attitude, she had already incited herself to a round of motherly concern. I smile strained not to make her further tense."What are you doing here ?" it sounds from inside the living room. My father had probably smelled me already before I opened the door."I have something important to tell". I reply . “Do you have time ? Is Andreas at home ? ”"In da house"l my little brother's voice cut through a nauseating rhythm of hip hop.
*Luca*"Hey, can I crash with you for a few days ?""What's wrong with your own place ?" Martin leans up against the doorframe."Long story". The image of Soleil's smiling beautiful face flickers in my mind until the black - eyed satan self satisfied face, like a shadow slides in front of her golden locks. I can not suppress the wolf's low-pitched growl."Hey, where's it burning ?" Martin shifts his watchful gaze down the stairwell."There is no one. Can I come in ?”Martin moves from the door to answer and lets me into the apartment.&n
*Soleil*First day of school, post two monster ex-boyfriends.I do not know what to expect. It is fairly clear that Lefu would not show up even if he against expectation has not left for Italy anyway. I send a silent grateful thought to Tjalfe, who despite the ban against interfering has provided cloudless skies. Then there is only Luca left. With the expression he had when he stormed out of the house, I am not fully convinced whether he can rein in the wolf. Should he go crazy at school, I will have no choice but to kill him. In my quiet mind, I hope he just wants tostay away.During the meal break, I find the usual table assigned to the outcasts. I dump down on a vacant chair and lay down, exhausted, ac
*Soleil*It is finally Friday. Although Luca, as promised, has stayed away, the whole week has been unbearable. It is only in the canteen, I am forced to stare at him. He mingles with the Elite again, and it is unbearable to see Julie twist herself around him. Even when I flee outside to eat in peace, I don't have time off from him. His essence torments me with fervent rushes of his feelings and what we had together. The only consolation when the raw and intense love wafts through my body, is that he at least will feel the essence from me too.When it gets worse, I force my thoughts over on the weekend's trip to Scotland. The big meeting for all witches throughout the world has been arranged. I remember the trip me and Siri had taken with fly ointment when I was to meet Tjalfe for the first time, and I look forward
*Soleil* "Oh! I never thought we would get away from Scotland”. I kick off my shoes and throw the backpack on the floor. "It was getting cramped up there”. "We're getting ok at it actually”. Luca closes the door to the small apartment and slams the lock. "We handed out some serious ass kicking” I huff. "Yes, we could win every time if you did not try to decide it all”. "You can just accept that I'm always right”. He grins. "I do when you realize that it's not about being right, but about what works !" I star defiantly up at him, but surrender as he pulls me into him. "I'm just happy you came back”. He bends down and kisses me. "So am I". The butterflies flutter joyfully inside me, and I pull him down in a deeper kiss. I twist my fingers into his tousled mocha brown hair and indulge in the feel of his lips and exploratory tongue. “Well, what do you say ? English or history ?” He withdraws and deftly avoids my aggrieved gaze. "Seriously ? You want us to read our hom
*Narrator* “Magnificent !” The lord of the wind's eyes shone with obvious joy. “I could not have done thatbetter myself”. "You were entrusted to bestow on this man your strength, and now this !" The lady of the earth thrust her arm out against a settlement, engulfed in flames. "We were just letting out a little smoke". The lord of the fire grumbled. "We just happened to realise that If humans do not gather as a people, then they will never overcome the brood and not at all the queen”. “It might very well be right. But this is not the solution”. She sighed heavily. “They were meant to live happily, not to be subjected to more tyranny”. A small lake began to trickle up from the ground beneath them and manifested itself in a figure like the other three. "It's over”. The lady of the water said. “There is no hope anymore. Tonight they will gather, and your kinship will be wiped out”. "Oh, I can not get air". The lord of the wind sobbed with laughter. "Very funny !" Snarled the fir
*Tjalfe* The villagers have never seen Hrazgouls so close before. Only a few, fleeting glimpses have been had. They always come after the Bakorshas have finished emptying their prey of blood, to eat the remains. In the morning, when the residents venture out into the daylight, there are only pieces of clothing, shattered bones and stinking piles of entrails left in rust-red stains on the ground. When one of them has tried to escape over the mountains, the remaining ones do not even get to see the Bakorshaer’s servants before the death cry of the fugitive resounds across the valley. Now they come in between the houses. One being more abominable than the next. Giant beasts with luminous, yellow eyes, whose long gaps flashes with large serrated rows of teeth. Their upright bodies were covered with dense coarse fur, while the broad shoulders and long, bulging arms end up in a paw-like hand so large that it could effortlessly crush the skull of a man. In between them comes smaller cre
*Tjalfe* Although darkness reigns behind the houses, it is easy to find the victim. The child’s screams drive Saren forward, and the fire blazes furiously in his hand. He finds the child just as life leaves the body. Like a breastfeeding infant it lays the arms of a Bakorsha, whose teeth sit deeply buried in the child’s thighs. With an insane scream, Saren sends a long beam of fire towards the monster. The heat is so high that it instantly sets both the Bakorsha and the child corpse on fire. When the last rays leave Sarens hand, both fall on the ground, charred and annihilated. The embers reveal the next victim and her assailants. It is the child's mother who lays helplessly on the firewood block while one of the dark ones brutally mates her and rips her flesh to blood with its dirty nails. Three others are biting into her arms and neck, where they greedily empties her of blood. Saren raises his hands to obliterate the creeps and free the woman from her afflictions, but nothing h
*Tjalfe* Malicious laughter and agitated voices intrudes in the dark, first from the west, but gradually the sounds spread until they surround the whole village. Bringing promises of carnage and death. The people flee back out of their houses, and all search for the relative safety of the fire. Quickly they get their torches lit and turn front towards the enemy, who is still hiding in the shelter of the darkness. Only now do they become aware thatthat their medicine man stands among them without a torch. The fear of Bakorsha had for a moment made them forget the new danger that had manifested itself in their midst, but then the burning house begin to give in to the ravaging of the flames, and it seems to dawn on them what they had witnessed as they scouted out the windows. Those closest to the medicine man hurried awayfrom him. This is a mistake and part of me wants to warn them, but it is too late anyway, and a shadow flies past and grabs one of the men. His howl is drowned
*Tjalfe* I am watching from my spot inside the storm, watching as things unfold below me. The people look up at the storm, which suddenly hangs over their heads. Panic and confusion arises in the village. Everyone let go of what they have in their hands and run into the middle of the square to seek shelter around the bonfire. Humans are no longer one, they have been divided by fear, and everyone care only to keep himself and his offspring alive. Everyone pushes and hustles to get closest to the fireplace andfarthest from the edge of the circle, for now that the sun's rays are hidden behind the heavy slate-gray clouds the Bakorshas will arrive prematurely. In the middle of the village a large bonfire is burning, and torches have been laid nearby, so they can be quickly ignited. The people has learned that the Bakorshas are not enthusiastic about fire, and that it sometimes happen that the sharp-toothed monsters will abandon the attack and instead throw themselves at another vict
*Tjalfe* The valley is a beautiful, small oasis between the high mountains, which in its time had attracted the inhabitants. They had lived in peace and perfect harmony. The mountains had shielded them from the worst winds, so the crops were diverse and the people of the city had never experienced distress. The only entrance to the village is an opening to the west where the surrounding mountains remain broken by a narrow passage. The view over the pass makes it possible to detect travelers coming from distant parts of the continent in good time, and show them hospitality. No one knew of anything but tolerance and no one dreamed that travelers could come up with anything but peace. It ended when the dark ones came. From then on, the valley became a prison for the people. During the day they were trapped, and at night they were harvested like grapes on stalks. There was no way out off there, all passable roads were blocked by Hrazgouls, the servants. Many had tried to flee, but eac
*Lefu* A tear rolls down my cheek. "Goodbye, Katje". I whisper softly. "I swear your death will be avenged”. "Now you see what they are capable of”. Strano puts his hands in the pockets of his night-black Armani jacket. "It is only the beginning”. I hiss angrily at him. "How can you choose them over your own ?" "You still do not understand, do you ?" Strano rolls his eyes. “They would not be here if it were not for you. Remember that”. “You knew it all from the start, right ? That there were several dogs and that I knew about them. That's why you did not kill me right away when you came up here and picked me up. That’s the truth right ?" I can’t help but seek assurance that I am right. He gives a small sigh. “I saw an opportunity and I took it. When the girls sacrificed Elisabeth, I could not prove that they were involved. I bet you would throw in the dogs as bait if you got the chance, and that Lyndsey would bite”. "What about her ?" I nodded down toward the figure with the
*Luca* My gaze is fixed as I step forward towards Harry. The dark blonde ulfhedin might be the pack leader, but this is my prey, and I do not shy away from the warning snarl of the alpha. Harry must have come to the same conclusion, for he goes silent and withdraws. I stop in front of the charred statue. My nails slide down the rough surface. Although the texture feels like charred wood, the shell is massive. I withdraw my arm and fire. The charred crust cracks, and I have to strike through once more to penetrate into the goal. When the shell breaks, a rain of coagulated blood sprays over me. I stick my paw into the evil bitch, find what I am looking for, and pull hard. The heart is still pumping weakly as I hold it up in front of the statue. I growl triumphantly and squeezeit in my powerful fist. The heart stops beating, and the red flesh-filled tissue gives way and explodes in a cloud of dust. It is over. "What do we do now ?" Soleil's cousin stands in front of the grotesqu