Wolf Spell 1 (27 page)

We walked in silence, enjoying each other’s company. It was nice. No tracking, no running, no bloodsuckers—yet. I didn’t let my guard down, just as I knew Jarak didn’t either. I reached out around us with my energy, but nobody was around that I could feel.

“Wait here.” He stopped. “Close your eyes.”

I smiled.
What was he up to?
I closed my eyes and breathed in the deep scent of the forest.

“Keep your eyes closed, I’ll lead you. Do you trust me?”

“With my life.” That was the truth. At least I was sure of that.

I walked confidently as Jarak led me. I wasn’t afraid.

He stopped, so I did too. “Open your eyes.”

I couldn’t believe the scene I opened my eyes to. I didn’t see it long because my eyes filled with tears blurring everything out. “Oh my gosh.” I covered my mouth with my hands.

He had led me to our special spot by the creek. A blanket stretched out over the ground with a white long stem rose lying in the middle. Red petals from other roses scattered around the white one, a couple floated away with the breeze. I reached up on my tiptoes and kissed him. He was so sweet to do this for me.

He reached around me, bringing me closer, running his hand up my back and entangling it in my hair. Leaning in, his lips touched mine. I reached up higher on my tippy toes, needing more.

He must have sensed my urgency because he pressed harder against me. Everything around me became unknown. All guards down. No walls up. My body fit perfectly next his. My arms tightened around his neck. He picked me up, holding me close. He brushed kisses down my neck.

I whimpered against his ear, and I heard him let out a deep sigh. It was too much to handle. My whole body burned as if it was on fire, and he was the water to quench it. My hands were up and down his back, then around his waist.

His lips found mine once again, and I sensed his need for more as he deepened the kiss. His tongue darted in and out, teasing mine. Each time, the flames of desire grew higher.

A sharp pain, like a lightning bolt, exploded in my back. I cried out against his lips, crumpling in his arms. The look of horror crinkled his face. It was the last clear thing I saw before my focus blurred.

“Es, what’s wrong?”

I could hear the panic in his voice. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t even breathe. The pain was so fierce it ripped me apart.

He carefully laid me on the ground, turning me on my side, and I could see his hands smeared in blood. I saw the vampire we’d been searching for standing behind him, and did my best to yell out and warn him, but it exhausted all my energy to gather enough oxygen.

“Behind you.” I was finally able to whisper.

He spun around and came face to face with the villain. I gasped, trying to fill my lungs with much needed air. I struggled to use the elements around me to stay alive. I wasn’t sure what he did to me, but I knew it wasn’t good.

“Nicholas sends his
leeches
to do his dirty work?” Jarak’s voice strained. I knew he was furious but at the same time worried about me.

The world wanted to go dark, but I refused to give up.

The ugly crossbreed glowered at Jarak. “I bet you wished you had magic right now so you could save her. It’s a pity, really.”

At that moment, I pushed everything I had to thrust a strong gust of wind their direction, picking the bloodsucker up and smashing him into a tree. Instantly, Jarak was there, holding him by the throat with his strength. At least it was truly him and not a spirit this time.

Maztic appeared with Luna, and I watched as they helped Jarak with the vampire. My vision faded in and out. Then, Luna was next to me, talking to me, but I couldn’t understand what she said. The only thing I caught was the part about a knife.

With blurry vision, I tried watching as Luna moved around me, and then there was a tug in my back. She returned to sit in front of me with her nose covered in blood and a knife she dropped from her mouth.

Almost immediately, some of my strength returned with the knife gone. Jarak kneeled next to me.

“Where is he?” I choked out. Breathing was still extremely hard and painful.

“He’s dead. Maztic is taking him away now. Once we had him physically, he couldn’t dematerialize. That’s how we have to kill them.”

“Good.”

He ran his thumb down my cheek. “I’m so sorry. I keep failing you. Every time we are close you almost die.”

“Neither one of us knew he was here. You can’t blame yourself. You saved me.”

He picked me up and carried me back to the house.

“He got through my protection spell. I didn’t think of magical beings. I only protected the area from dark creatures like vampires. It’s my fault. He was a crossbreed. I should have known better. I knew he had magic,” I whispered against his shoulder. How many times had he gotten through and watched us from a close distance? The thought made me sick.

Ailaina was at my side as soon as we walked in the house. “Oh my gosh! What happened?”

“Vampire.” Jarak laid me on the couch.

“Es.”
I looked over at the door. Luna walked in the house, still with a tint of red around her nose where she tried to wipe the blood away.

“Luna.” It relieved me to see her.

“It’s not good.”
She walked the rest of the way to the couch from the door.
“I went to help Maztic dispose of the body, and we saw them. All of them.”

“Luna says they saw them, and there are more of them.” My voice quivered.

“More of what?” Ailaina stiffened.

Being so weak made it harder to sit up, but each moment I felt better. My body began to heal itself, but it still hurt.

“I saw Ree and also about twenty other vampires, but I’m not sure who they are. I know they are vampires because I could smell the metallic odor they emit. There is no telling how many have been turned into crossbreeds.”

I pushed on the arm of the couch for support as I forced myself to stay sitting. “I bet some are the missing people from that bus.” I relayed what Luna said to Ailaina, knowing that Jarak could already hear her.

Jarak nodded in thought. “How far away?”

“They are hiding, about one or two days walk from here.”

“If I could regain my strength we could surprise them. You know, have the upper hand.”

“Es, do you know what you’re saying? This is Ree up there.” Jarak sat down next to me.

“I know, but if she’s here it means she wants to kill me.” I hoped someone else would take her out for me. I was selfish. I wasn’t sure I could follow through with it, even if it wasn’t her, but I refused to say anything to Jarak. “Besides, you’re the one who told me no vampire is good, right?”

“Okay. I just want you to be alright.”

I leaned over and lay down. My strength still zapped. “How do you kill a vampire anyway?”

“The usual. Stake to the heart—behead them, and then burn the body. If they are a real vampire you won’t need to behead them, they will turn to ash. It’s only the breeds that you have to do that.”

“Oh yeah, the usual.” I wanted to gag at the thought of doing that to Ree—or even Meadow, when the time came. I needed to put my mind far away.

“I’m gonna go patrol with Maztic for a bit. If you need me, call for me.”
Luna licked my hand and disappeared.

“I don’t think I told her thank you. I really love that wolf.” My eyelids felt heavy.

Ailaina sat down next to me, running her fingers through my hair. “She knows sweetie.”

The energy around the room filled me, and I focused it on my wound. I knew it would be better soon. As it was, there was no more sharp pain in my back, but I was still sore and worn out. She pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over me, and I closed my eyes.

Ree’s Death

– Esmerelda –

November 11, 2012

I sat down on the lodge pole swing outside on the porch. I enjoyed watching the silhouettes from the trees dance around the house as the sun began to set. My knife wound from earlier had healed, and I soaked in the energy from Mother Nature. I was still a little sore when I moved, but I was certain I wouldn’t feel anything by morning.

“Hey beautiful.” Jarak walked outside and handed me a steaming cup of hot cocoa. I reached an arm out of the warm blanket I had wrapped around me.

Mmm
, I breathed in the sweet smell of creamy chocolate and covered the cup with both hands, savoring the heat as he sat down and wrapped up in the blanket with me.

I rested my head on his shoulder. “I think I know someone who could help us.”

“I’d been thinking about that too.” He stroked my hair as we talked.

“Really? Who?”

“We’re not the last of our kind, you know.”

I hadn’t thought about other Guardians before. “There are more of us?”

“Well, not like you. You’re one of a kind… Who were you thinking of?”

“My dad. Well not Torres, although I’m sure he’d be useful too.”

Jarak nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. You should have him here. Besides he might prove to be useful, he did work as a supernatural marshal. Okay, so you call Bry and I’ll make a call too.”

We sat in silence, and watched the stars twinkle overhead while the crickets chirped. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, but instead of fear, I felt peace. The wolves were family.

I hesitated as I dialed the cell number I’d known since he’d gotten one. How would he react to me asking for help? What if he didn’t want anything to do with me, with everything that’s happened? My heart raced.

It rang twice before he picked up. “Hello.”

“It’s Arabeth.” I held my breath. It sounded weird to hear that name again. I had just gotten used to Esmerelda.

“Ara.” His voice sounded worried. “Are you okay? Where are you?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I need your help though.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Its, uh, Mom… She’s a—um, vampire.” I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.

“Where are you?”

“Outside of Stanley, Idaho. I don’t think I could give you directions, but we can meet you in town.”

“Ara, I’m assuming you now know what you are. Use your power to make a protection barrier until I get there. I’ll call this number as soon as I’m in town. I’ll leave right now.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

We both hung up. I hoped Jarak’s call went as well as mine.