Haulcon's Revenge (10 page)

“
He’s just down this hall through the last door.”

Remaining silent, she walked beside him until they arrived at their destination.

When they entered the lab, Adair was overwhelmed by all the tubes, beakers, glass slides and various other instruments and computers her father used to conduct experiments. None of it did she understand the use of. She saw him, sitting in the corner before a computer talking to the other people milling about in the room or to himself. She wasn’t sure.

“
Dr. Ellis,” Chris called out several times before her father even glanced in his direction, his mouth still moving as he recited something to himself.

Adair wasn’t even sure if he noticed she was standing beside one of his workers.

“
Chris, I need the final result from Margie Mouse’s blood work.”

Nope, he had no clue.

“
I’ll get right on that. Dr. Ellis your daughter has come to see you.”

She watched her father blink once then again as if he were attempting to understand the word daughter.

A smile started to break along his mouth as he glanced past Chris to her. Then she saw it. Like it always happened, the moment he took in all of her appearance and the image of his dead wife came to his mind. The smile faded.

It had been like that since she turned sixteen and her looks and build became like a mirrored reflection of her mother. It was hard for her father to look at her the couple times a year that she met up with him.

“
Hello, father.”

He nodded as if to himself as he glanced back to his computer. “Hello, Adair. I’m just on the cusp of the final stages of my research of gene regeneration. You see I have isolated a blood donor from the wild beings. If I can discover how their regeneration happens I can then take good cells from cancer victims and infuse…”

Her flats tapped against the white tile floor as she went closer to him. Most fathers would have greeted their children with open arms. Not James Ellis.

Adair could sadly count the number of hugs he had given her throughout her life on one hand.

When she stood beside him, she saw how tired and haggard he looked. His beard had grown unruly and his hair, more 70s afro than anything, was filled with gray and just as untamed as his clothes. She could see his slacks and shirt were wrinkled and he was wearing one brown shoe and one navy blue.

“
How are you, Dad?” Needing some connection to him, she reached out and touched his shoulder.

“
Fine. Fine. I just need a few more days at this and then I can take you to the movies like I promised.”

Hearing his words brought tears to her eyes. It had been her ninth birthday when her grandparents had brought her into the city to see her father as she’d begged. She wanted to spend her day with him, eating ice cream and taking in a movie.

They had dropped her off at his house. He had been dressed and seemed excited to be with her. He told her that something came up at his office and he needed to go in for a minute to see something. She sat in the chair in his lab for seven hours before her grandparents finally got him on the phone and came to get her.

Sometimes she felt as if her father had some type of scientist-induced Alzheimers. That day seemed to be on time warp in his mind when he didn’t know what else to say to her.

“
I may be going to the Grand Canyon on a trip for work.”

“
Ah, fascinating. Very fascinating.”

She didn’t know if he was talking about her trip or the data on his screen.

“
Yes. I’m going to do an expo on snakes.”

“
Snakes. Snakes. You know lizards regenerate. They may be a better thought. We tried them but their blood is no match to humans. No. No. Now the wolf species we have found. They do. Oh yes.”

Exhausted with the conversation, she moved her hand from his shoulder. “Well, I just wanted you to know I’m alright and see if you needed anything.”

He glanced her way. “Doing fine. How are you?”

Her eyes burned with the guileless expression on her father’s face. He just wasn’t there, would never truly be there. He only spoke and understood things of science.

She wondered if she’d end up just as alone as him. Her work was her only companion. “I’m good, Dad. I have to go now. You take care of yourself. I’ll try and come again soon. I can’t promise it will be before my trip.”

“
Ah, yes. Lizard hunting. Have fun.”

Any moment she felt as if she would suffocate from the tightness of her throat, she couldn’t talk and was barely getting air down her windpipe. With a small wave she walked briskly toward the exit.

Offering up a prayer that she could make it back out to the front, she focused her mind on inhaling deeply and concentrating on remembering little things about stuff she’d passed earlier in the hall.

She was unsure of why she tortured herself with keeping any kind of connection to her father, but maybe it was because she assumed it was what a good daughter did. They called and connected with their parent in their old age. It was what she had done to her grandparents until they both passed away, months apart.

She exhaled happily when she pushed out of the security door.

“
Hello again, Ms. Ellis, have a wonderful day. Hope to see you again soon.” The receptionist called after her.

Adair whispered a thank you. At least she hoped she actually said it as she rushed from the place. Her life had to change. She couldn’t keep going on as she was.

Chapter Six

It was just before dawn and the compound was quiet. There were two extra guards on the gate. Most of the valfs would be already in the underground mansion getting rest or about to head out in wolf form if they wanted to hunt. Most of their kind preferred sleep. That made this the best time for Haulcon and his team to take back what belonged to him, with as little bloodshed as possible. He didn’t think that most people would jump out to protect Jacin but neither did he want them injured by any of Jacin’s alliance.

They were cutthroat and would use any of the clan as human shields to protect themselves.

Haulcon moved through the forest heading for the gate with two white wolves at his side, Friedol and Nyca. The others were entering through the back gate, taking no prisoners and then securing it. No one would come in or out.

“
Announce yourself.” One of the men called out.

Haulcon continued to move through the thick, early morning fog; a slight fall breeze tugging the tails of his coat behind him. One long step after another, he didn’t break stride or hesitate as the mist seemed to part before him, as if understanding today was judgment day for those who had plot against him. They had tried to serve him to death on a platter. He felt as if he’d waited his whole life for this moment. The moment to kill Jacin.

“
He was one of the betrayers.” Haulcon whispered for Nyca and Friedol’s ears only.

The man stepped to the gate opening as if he’d planned to block it and began to draw his sword. “I said announ—”

Before the man could finish Friedol launched himself across the ground and up at the valf’s throat. Biting deep then jerking his head left and pulling a chunk of the valf’s neck from his body.

The guard crumbled to the ground, thrashing and gurgling on blood spewing from his body.

“
What is going on?” A second guard rounded the corner and spotted Friedol standing over the fallen man with his paws on his chest. He glanced up and met Haulcon’s gaze.

“
He’s another.”

That was all Nyca needed to know, she shifted and took up the dead guard’s sword and swung it high and down as she cut the man’s skull in two with one whack.

“
Well done, both of you.” Haulcon praised them.

“
I’ll secure this gate, Alpha, while you and Friedol go find Jacin.”

He glanced down at Friedol, seeing his friend licking the blood from his muzzle. “You ready to do this?”

Unable to speak, the white wolf nodded.

Nyca was shifting back to her wolf and sat guard, daring someone to cross her path.

Haulcon was amazed at the changes that had come about. Nyca wasn’t at his side as his mate, but was protecting their territory.

As they neared the entrance to the underground mansion, Haulcon spotted Marco, and Chrysen coming toward them from the back.

Chrysen shifted as they approached. “All’s secure at the back, Alpha.”

“
Good. Marco you take the front gate with Nyca. Chrysen, Friedol and with me,” Haulcon instructed.

Marco trotted off toward his mate while Chrysen shifted and moved alongside her own, Friedol.

They entered the thick oak door and took the stairs descending to the first lower level, the social floor. All the rooms were located further down into the mountain.

When Haulcon arrived at the bottom a small boy was coming around the corner carrying a tray piled with plates and glasses. Seeing him the valf boy gasped and stumbled almost dropping the tray.

“
Haulcon.”

Haulcon moved in a flash and held the tray steady with one hand and rested the other on the boy’s small shoulder. One day this boy would grow strong and fierce, but now he needed Haulcon’s support and protection.

“
Everything is okay. What is your name?”

“
Daprin of Brydun and Yala.”

“
Well, Daprin. All will soon be as it should be. Can you tell me where is Jacin?”

The boy looked a little fearful, but nodded. “He and others are in the receiving hall.”

“
How many are with him?”

“
Six.”

“
Very good.” He gave the boy’s shoulder a final pat as he rose.

“
You are welcome, Alpha.” The boy puffed out his chest and continued on his way to the kitchen.

Haulcon started down the hall with his two wolfen escorts. A few people were milling in and out of rooms, starting to get themselves settled for the day’s sleep. As people recognized him, they stepped back out of his way and began to murmur his name.

Each step he took seemed to be accompanied by a chant—Haulcon, Haulcon, Haulcon.

It was as if even though the rumor had gone about the compound that he was dead they had held out hope for his return. If not him, some avenger that would save them from Jacin’s evil ways.

The chants must have carried beyond the hall into the room where Jacin was located. At the moment Haulcon and his two wolves arrived at the door it was pulled open as if they were welcoming him to the dawn party.

“
Jacin your day of reckoning has come.” Haulcon declared from the center of the room, staring down the long table at the man seated at the head.

Nyca and Friedol barked and growled putting out a warning.

Jacin slouched in the seat appearing relaxed and unfazed. Even though the look of shock was evident in his eyes as they darkened and stretched wide. “Haulcon, glad to have you back. But, you see, I’ve already been declared Alpha. You’re too late. So, you can either join me at the table for last meal or get the hell out.”

The other men and women with Jacin pushed back from the table, all of them dressed but showing their loyalty to their supposed Alpha and ready to rip out of all clothing to protect him.

“
The offering ceremony is tonight. So, until that happens you’re no valf’s Alpha. Gives me plenty of time to see you dead.”

“
Attack! Defend your Alpha from these unfaithful invaders.”

The room exploded with growls, chairs scraping and bodies being thrown. Nyca and Friedol quickly took care of the first two men that came at Haulcon, tearing out their throats. Then they shifted and went sword to sword.

Haulcon knew he had two of the strongest, most fierce and clever valfs at his side. He didn’t doubt for a moment that, even though they were slightly outnumbered, they could handle the challenge. Shifting his focus to Jacin who now stood, Haulcon leaped up on the table, flicked the sides of his long black coat behind him and began to walk toward his enemy.