Raven (10 page)

He waited a beat and then ran as fast as he could, learning to flap his wings as he went along. The feeling was incredible, and as he ran and his wings beat faster he suddenly knew that he was lifting off from the ground, and in that instant he completely morphed into the raven that would ultimately be the city’s undoing.

He flew then, far beyond the city’s limits and up to the mountains that inhabited the border ranges hinterland. He needed to work out what was going on. He needed to work out how to harness the power that had suddenly been given to him and use it to his advantage. He also needed to know how this had happened to him. It was only as he came to perch atop a large old fig tree that he heard the call. The sound was familiar and natural, yet at the same time it sounded strange to his mind’s memory. His brain started to scroll through the catalogue of a lifetime of sounds and tried to find a parallel. 

It was another raven calling out – checking to see if there were others, his calls trying to determine a pecking order if you will. Einar could tell the bird was a younger soul than he, and he immediately asserted his authority over the bird with a screech like no other. It would be very useful for Einar to have an underling, someone to be his accomplice. But he was soon to find out that it wasn’t just one other – as it was many who turned that night and became part of his flock. If he had thought he had power before becoming a raven then he was dead wrong. Nothing compared to the strength he now possessed. He was smarter now too and felt his brain opening up in ways it had never done before. Einar realised on that first night that the world was now for their taking, and take he would – until now.

Whilst the original ravens were his to control, their offspring were cast offs that were causing him all manner of trouble. They weren’t to be tamed or controlled and they stayed within their own flock in a nest far away from his. He knew they had started to search for ways to break the spell that had kept the curse in place all these years and he had immediately ordered the three of his strongest ravens to keep a very close eye on Eilam and the rest of the cast offs. He was awaiting news from the latest reconnaissance, and as he paced back and forth he heard the distant call of the ravens, alerting the others that they were incoming.

Whilst the opening of the cave that housed his flock was generous in size, it was by no means wide enough to contain the wings of the ravens, so the three who arrived back had to take it in turns to morph into their human forms before entering to deliver news to their master. Einar beckoned them over and said, “So what news do you have of the witch’s daughter?”

Shura, the oldest of the three young men moved forwards slightly. His eyes gleamed, for he already knew that the news he brought would please Einar no end.

“She has been found after tracking the rogue raven, Eilam for the last couple of weeks,” he offered.

“Do we yet know if she has agreed to break the spell?” asked Einar.

“We do not. Of course it would be in the best interest of the humans for her to do so, but we’ve noticed something quite puzzling,” Shura said.

Einar had kept his pacing up while their conversation had ensued, but he sharply turned his gaze back towards Shura at this latest bit of information.

“And pray tell, what might that be?” he demanded.

“It would appear, master, that the woman has feelings for him – Eilam, I mean,” he said as he bowed his head to avert his gaze from that of Einar’s.

Einar rubbed his jaw at this latest revelation, as though he were deep in contemplation.

“This could pose a big problem for us – either way,” said Einar. He clapped his hands loudly then, indicating his decision had been made, and making all the flock in the cave jump out of their skins as he did so.   

“I want you three to track Eilam wherever he goes – day or night. You can rotate shifts with the others, but one of you three must always be with the flock. I think it is necessary at this stage to also have a backup flock of our strongest ravens within a ten mile calling distance. Whilst we must be vigilant, we can’t deny that Eilam plays an important part of our race and we don’t want to be hasty with any of our decisions,” he said.

“Forgive me for asking, Einar, but what should we do if we think that events are about to unfold?” asked Shura, nervous now that he may upset his master with his stupid questions. In the glow of the fire torches that lit the cave, Einar’s gaze met his and he said simply, “You kill them both”.

****

Aiyana was fuming. She had rode her bike back to her apartment – way faster than she knew she should, almost tempting fate to see if she would crash and somehow trigger events that would cause Eilam to appear and save her. It wasn’t that she wanted to be saved, oh no, tonight she wanted him right in front of her so she could give him a piece of her mind. It wasn’t like she could just call him on a cell phone and have it out with him right then – no, she’d damn well have to wait until he graced her with his presence.

Once home she had raced up to her apartment, desperate to vent out of the watchful eye of the outside world. She was angry and humiliated, and now as she paced back and forth in her apartment she thought the saying ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ must have been created with her in mind. For once in her life she had allowed her heart to open up to someone and now she felt like all she had been was a means to an end. He only wanted her for one thing – one thing, and yet she knew she would never have been able to give it to him.

Was he testing her, to see if she had it in her to kill off his entire race with one blow, or was he genuinely willing to sacrifice himself for the rest of his flock? Did she actually mean something to him, or was she just another notch on his bed post so to speak. She felt relieved now she hadn’t gone any further with Eilam; she would have felt like a real douche bag now if that had been the case.

Oh hurry up, she thought, desperate for him to be in front of her so she could vent her anger and sling her accusations right in his face. Oh boy was she going to give it to him when she saw him!

She almost felt like killing him, but that of course would be giving him exactly what he wanted. Instead she just kept on her pacing, all manner of thoughts going through her mind. The waiting was the hardest part because she couldn’t just verbally lash out when she wanted to the most.

She needed something to calm her anxiety. She wasn’t a drinker or drug taker, but she was an ex-smoker. The thought of a cancer stick right now was most appealing. The more she thought about it the more she wanted one. The thought now plaguing her she went off to her wardrobe to rustle through some old winter jackets to see if she had left any old packets in the pockets.

She became a woman on a mission, and felt most victorious when she came up with a red Marlborough packet in her hands. It felt light though – like it was empty. She tentatively gave it a shake and was rewarded with the slight rustle of something moving in the packaging. She opened it to find one last lonely cigarette sitting in there. Like a junkie getting their fix, she now needed to light the damn thing but do you think she could find a lighter or box or matches anywhere? No siree!

Oh well
, she took it with her into the kitchenette and turned on the electric stove and waited for the coil to get hot before sticking it between her lips and bending to burn the end of her cigarette. She took a deep drag of all its nicotine goodness and inhaled the smoke all the way down to the bottom of her lungs. It actually tasted like shit, but the psychological benefit of doing it helped her no end. She instantly felt calmer, more relaxed and ready to wait until Eilam came to her. She took the smoke with her to the outside balcony and continued to puff away until the paper had burned down to the filter. She blew the smoke out in long plumes which seemed to catch on the wind before blowing away into the night sky. She felt kind of guilty for weakening after so long, but she had just needed some kind of release.

Disgusted with her weakness she went back inside to her bathroom and took a long hot shower and soaped her lean body from head to toe. She then got out and dried her hair with the blow dryer and brushed her teeth twice before using floss and mouthwash. The taste from the cigarette was horrible and she wanted it out of her mouth immediately. In her haste to go and shower, she had forgotten to take her clothes into the bathroom with her so she wrapped a towel around her and went into the living room.

She almost dropped her towel to the floor in shock when she realised Eilam was standing inside her apartment. Immediately her anger brimmed to the surface again and she watched as his look of desire turned to one of confusion the minute he caught her expression on her face.

“Sorry, Aiyana – perhaps I should have knocked?” he asked, not quite understanding the reception he was getting and wasn’t sure if he had overstepped some form of social etiquette boundary.

“Knocking is the least of your problems, Eilam,” she scathed.

“Is there something wrong – have I done something wrong?” he asked, still getting an eyeful of her bare legs and shoulders.

“You bet your arse there is. Tell me Eilam, how well do you know my sister? Or better yet, how did you come to know her?” she demanded. He looked confused by the question, but answered anyway.

“I told you. Amongst the ravens there was talk of a witch who had first cast the spell, it was said that a descendent of her blood line would be the only one to break the curse,” he said.

“So let me guess – you thought it was Cybele didn’t you – you thought she was the one, am I right?” she said, her voice getting louder by the minute. Inch by inch she moved closer to him – one hand holding her towel to protect her modesty whilst the other pointed an accusatory finger at him.

“I already told you I went to see her first,” he said, eyeing her carefully.

“So did you sucker her in with your charms as well? Did you use her the way you are using me now, just to get what you want!” she screamed.

“I never did, Aiyana, I promise you that,” he said.

“You liar, you’re a goddamned liar!” she cried as she pummelled his hard muscled chest with both of her fists, completely forgetting all about her modesty and instead unleashing all the pent up hurt and embarrassment she had been harbouring. Her towel dropped to the floor and she was now naked in front of the one person she wished she wasn’t. He grabbed both of her wrists firmly and pulled her so close to him that her breasts were pressed hard up against his chest. All of her fight was gone from her in that instant. Even now she still wanted him. She wanted him to take her and make her his, but she knew to do so would foolish.

With her wrists still firmly in his grasp she said, “Why Eilam, how could you do this to me? I thought you liked me?” she said, a sob escaping her lips. She couldn’t look at him now, instead letting her eyes fall to where their chests touched each other’s.

“Aiyana? Aiyana – would you please look at me,” he begged. She slowly raised her eyes to meet his, and she softened instantly. Those dark eyes just suckered her in – she couldn’t help it.

“I don’t like you – I love you, do you hear me?” he said with sincerity.

“So what of Cybele – did you love her too?” she snapped, and dragged her gaze away from his. His cackle almost sent her over the edge. Her she was feeling betrayed and he was laughing at her! Her look of daggers that she was shooting him stopped his laugh mid-cackle.

“Yes I went to your sister first. Yes I thought she could help me. We were friends, and only friends. Whether she felt more for me than I for her I don’t know, but I never – and I mean never, kissed her or touched her the way I have you.

I had made contact with her in hopes of her helping us, and she seemed like the kind of person who would. She was kind and considerate and friendly. But that all changed the day I truly revealed who and what I was. After that she wanted nothing to do with me,” he said as he lowered her arms to his sides. “She wouldn’t talk to me or even look at me. I guess she did kind of feel like maybe I was using her friendship in order to get what I want, but honestly that wasn’t the case. I’m half raven, Aiyana, I believe in free will and allowing a person to make their own choices without me having to force them. I think your sister was scared as well. She knew all about the whole thing – the spell and the curse, and look how things turned out for your grandmother and your parents. I think she thought that even if she could help then she may have been doing more harm than good. Even if she were the one then I still think she would have still declined to help. I didn’t realise that there were two daughters born to the witch – but only one was a direct blood lineage – that person was you. If your sister hadn’t stormed off and hadn’t screamed at me to ‘stay the hell away from my sister too’ then I never would have known about you. Yes I came looking for your help, but I never expected to fall in love with you. I have never had the behaviours that I am having now with you with anyone else. If you choose to help me break the curse and free the others from this life than we would be grateful, but the thing I want most out of all of this is you. Just you, and nothing more,” he said as he lowered his lips to hers.

She let him take her mouth in his then and kissed him till she had to come up for air. He kissed his way down her jaw and her collarbone until his mouth found her naked breast and he cupped it in his mouth, sucking it and making her ache for him. She had completely forgotten to be prude about her nakedness and she stood there wanton for this creature – suddenly needing to explore every inch of him.