Detrand

The house was surrounded by men and wolves, just like in my vision. Leaving my horse to travel back to the house, I strode up the road in full view. Let them see me, so that they know what the devil looks like before they enter his hell.

I let my anger wash over me and my strigoi purred in delight. It would have plenty of blood tonight.

Three men approached me but they were weak, as all the living are, and I moved too quickly for them to even have a chance of killing me. Their movements were creeping, dawdling, delaying, and I broke the neck of the first two without any effort. The third I saved to satisfy my blood lust. As I bit into his neck, he cried out in agony. He clasped his hands to me, attempting to pull me off of him but I clung to him, his efforts feeble.

I wiped my mouth after I drained his blood from his body and he fell to the ground, motionless.

The pack of shifters was just inside the gate, waiting for me to enter it. They snared and snapped at me, showing their teeth.

I stared at them, swallowing hard. This would be the hardest part, as they were likely still pups just like the one I’d already killed.

As soon as I opened the gate they attacked me as a pack, forcing me to fall onto my back. I kicked and punched, trying to incapacitate and not kill until I managed to pull myself to a crouch. Then I sprung upwards to leap over them. Landing on my feet, I ran with strigoi speed trying to separate them. I round-kicked each one as they approached, managing to knock several of them out cold.

By now, the yard was beginning to fill with other living from the village. They spilled out from the house and crowded around the front door watching, unwilling to enter a pack of raving wolves.

One of the wolves bit into my arm, but his teeth were soft and I flung him from me. He landed several feet from me and let out a loud yelp before his neck cracked and he lay still, transforming back into his childish form.

Seeing his human form, I bellowed out my rage, asserting my dominance over the pups. Yelping, they bowed before me, subdued and subordinate. I yelled for them to leave the house to roam the woods; I wouldn’t use them as Bane had used them.

He was weak and I was strong. I had no use for them.

As I turned towards the crowd of men at the door, they paled; I could smell their fear. I growled, showing my anger and hatred. One of them screamed and ran for the gate, trying to escape. I let him pass.

The others stood as frightened deer, staring at me. The man in front held an axe in his hands; I could smell blood on the end of it. Suddenly he broke from the pack, his curly brown hair flying behind him as he ran for me. It was as if they’d been held back by some unseen power. His movement broke the spell and they ran towards me, holding their weapons high, ready to kill me.

I grinned and bade the leader forward with my hand.

He raised his arms behind him to swing the axe forward and in one swift motion I pulled my knives tucked in the back of my pants and sliced his gut open.

Not waiting to see him fall, I fell upon the rest of the crowd. I wielded my knife swiftly and with incredible skill that only being alive for so long could give me. They bled out on the ground, flung from the door and onto the fields behind me except for one who surrendered easily. He fell to his knees as soon as I reached him, begging for his life.

I pulled him to his feet. Tears ran down his face as he implored me for mercy. I ran my nose up his chest as he shivered in fright. The only blood he had on him was from the men I’d just killed and so I let him go, leaving a trail of piss in his haste to leave.

I faced the door for only a moment, breathing in the wonderful aroma of the blood of my enemies and then I kicked the door open, ready for the pack of wolves inside. I would save Adelade and take out my vengeance on Bane.

* * *

As soon as the door slammed against the back wall, several shifters pounced. My long blade ripped through their stomachs as they flew in the air, their guts spilling out onto the floor.

I attacked savagely, without preamble or complicated movements, stabbing them relentlessly over and over with all my energy and rage. I switched hands seamlessly while they jumped forward, clawing and biting their way towards me, until they fell one by one at my feet. My strigoi was on fire, attacking wickedly and howling wickedly as I sped around them, the smell of their pungent and foul blood goading me to slice faster, kill quicker.

And then I stopped to stare breathlessly at the twelve shifters at my feet, their blood painting the floor a crimson red. I moved inward and heard the drawing of a breath and smelled the soft smell of the dianthus and I knew that my Firewitch was close.

I faced the inner room of the mansion to find Adelade staring at me from her tied up position on the sofa, her mouth open in shock at my bloodied and monstrous state.

For a moment, shame crept to my face: she’d seen my inner monster unleashed and she would never wish to see me again. But then I saw the hope in her eyes as they fixated on me and I took heart. God, she was beautiful, and my eyes were only for her.

The bearded man moved to stand between her and me, holding two long knives. Breathing raggedly, he stared at me with a hatred so pure that it made me sneer.

If this was the man standing between me and the woman I loved, he was dead.

* * *

A sofa was in between him and me and he stepped on it, towering over me. He curled up the corner of his lip in a mocking grin, trying to intimidate me.

I returned his look with my own smile, showing all of my teeth and he swallowed hard, the sound of it loud in my ears.

“You came for this bitch, huh?” He took a second to look at Adelade, lust filling his eyes. “I say you need to wait your turn; she’s mine first.”

I stared him down coolly, not taking the bait but knowing that in a mere second, the bastard would lie in his blood at my feet.

I rushed forward just as he turned back towards me. He jumped off the sofa like a graceful gazelle, knocking it on its side. He swiped his left arm, then his right, in two quick motions.

He cut one side of my face, then the other, his eyes lighting up in glee and triumph. Then, I stabbed him in the side of his throat.

It took him a moment to register that his blood was running from his neck but when he landed on his knees, the smirk slid off his face and turned into horror. He dropped his knives and pressed his palm to his neck, choking on his own blood. I kneeled next to him and his eyes widened in terror as I pulled him to me and bit into the other side of his neck.

It didn’t take me long to drain him dry and then I threw him to the floor, triumphant. I stood up and rushed towards Adelade, longing to take her into my arms again.

In that moment I knew that I couldn’t live without her.

I would do whatever it took to gain her trust back.

When she cried out, my whole body stiffened; I was completely immobile.

Out of the corner of my eye, Bane walked from the kitchen into view, a delighted look on his face.

* * *

I snarled and attempted to move towards him, ready to tear his throat out but my body was completely frozen except for my neck and face. I followed him as he stalked towards me.

“So, we meet again. But this time, I seem to have the advantage over you.”

A scar, thick and ugly, marred where I’d torn his throat out. “You have no advantage, only the tricks of a master witch, of whom I will soon kill.”

He stalked towards me and extended his hand, showing his knife. Bane pressed the side of his knife into the cuts on my cheek. It burned like fire and I grunted in pain.

He laughed. “I have many weapons from my witch that would slide through you like a hot knife on warm butter.” He licked his lips and his anticipation and need pressed into my senses. He thought he would be king of the city.

Concentrating all of my abilities, I pushed my senses into him, burning him to the core and he howled. I pushed them harder and he fell to his knees, clawing at his skin.

All the sudden, my senses were released like a wave over a small boat and Bane relaxed, breathing heavily. It was then that his witch came into view, bathed in the soft glow of her twisting veins, with her moth trailing her. Her veins wound around her arms and up her chest, twisting up her neck like the roots of a tree. Blackness covered her eyes; she was blind.

“Hello, Detrand. How I’ve longed to meet you.” Her face was sharp, her words blurry and difficult to understand since she had no teeth. She stared at me like she could see me; maybe she could with her inner eye. “I felt your spirit, out in the woods.” She reached for me and I moved my head back. Her hand met with air and she lowered her hand, unaffected. “Such a strong force. Almost indomitable.” She licked her gums in anticipation. “I almost wished I’d met you before Bane.”

He frowned. “You couldn’t live without me, witch.”

She turned to grin at him. She pat his face fondly, then squeezed his cheek. “Of course, dear.”

She turned back to me, her hand on her chin, thinking. “Now, the question is, what are we going to do with you? Now that you’re ours to command.”

Adelade cried out. “No! Let him go.”

Bane turned and slapped her, and I growled. It came from a deep and dark place within me; a warning. “Touch her again and you’ll die.”

He smiled, then ran his hand up her neck and cheek. “I’ll do as I please.” His hand slipped down to her chest and he stared at me as he fondled her. I thrashed against the magic holding me but couldn’t move an inch.

His witch snapped her head to him. “Quit that, you idiot. Can you men think of nothing but breasts and killing?”

“You love to torture in other ways, witch.” Bane’s hand dropped and he turned away from Adelade, a look of anger on his face. “No worry, I have Myla to keep me happy.”

I turned to see Myla crouched in the corner of the room. The skin around her left eye was black and swollen. She whimpered at the mention of her but he ignored the sound.

He moved towards me, his eyes moving over my body. “I must admit, it was much easier to take over the city than I expected. Everyone told me not to cross Agosto, but someone else got rid of him before I even attempted it. Maybe you’ll tell me to whom I should send a thank you letter.”

I swallowed hard, remembering my friend Rowan and his betrayal. “I’m sure he’d love to have one. Feel free to send one to his grave.”

He laughed and the sound of it chilled me. “So you killed him in retribution. That’s surprising, considering how easy it was to take the city from you.”

“I didn’t kill him.” I nodded towards Adelade. “She did.”

Bane glanced towards her, a newfound respect in his eyes. “Well, well, she must be quite the extraordinary woman.” He was directly in front of me now and I showed him my teeth. “So extraordinary in fact, that all that was needed to bring you to me was her.” He nodded towards Adelade. “She really must be a very special woman.”

A sound ripped from Adelade’s throat, animal-like and furious.

Bane continued. “We tried with the other strigoi, what was her name?” He turned to Myla.

She didn’t bother to look up. “Lily.”

“Lily.” He looked back at me. “But apparently you don’t care for all your lovers equally. You didn’t even notice her absence.”

I glanced at Adelade, but she wouldn’t meet my eye. Bane walked back towards Adelade and pulled a bit of hair and twirled it around his finger. “Is this one better than the other?” He leaned in to smell her neck. “This one hasn’t turned. Is she easier to abuse, is that why you like her so much?”

“As soon as I have killed your witch, I will take you down and strip every bit of flesh from your body so that you will beg me to kill you.”

Bane laughed and even the witch joined in. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Samira at the window, but didn’t turn toward her so that I wouldn’t give away her position. I hoped she brought our witch with her.

A creeping sensation began to burn in my stomach. I looked at the witch, who stared at me, her lips twisted up as I struggled to move, to withdraw the bonds she held me in, but it was useless. “Stupid witch.”

The sensation overwhelmed me as it roared up my chest then flowed through my whole body. I wanted to crumple to the floor but hung helplessly unmovable.

I looked at the woman I loved. “Adelade.”

She held my stare, her eyes betraying her horror, then she struggled in her ropes. I heard her crying out, begging for mercy.

I looked back to Bane to stare into his eyes, mustering everything I had into that stare, hoping to compel him. “Kill your witch.”

Bane laughed. “You have no power over me, the witch keeps me from it.”

I looked at the witch, who was leering at me, her eyes aglow with her magic and I opened my mouth to curse her, but was only able to exhale a smoke, dark and ashy. I struggled harder, feeling my insides as they shriveled and dried and I knew that the witch would take me to my grave.

My only regret was that I had not saved Adelade. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, the burning sensation so overwhelming, ready to die. There was only a glimmer of belief, that there was one thing that could save us. I called to my familiar, my crow, my beacon of hope. I commanded him to me.

Suddenly I felt a douse of a cold mist and I was released from my burning agony as the back door to the room burst open and Samira, followed by our witch Milda, Lula, Sophie, and Lily.

Milda, still weak and faint from her previous injuries, fell to the floor as Bane’s witch attacked her with a curse. She convulsed on the floor, smoke rising from her. Samira went for the witch who threw out her arm, throwing Samira across the room, but her curse on Milda was released.

Sophie went to release Adelade, a knife in her hands to cut the ropes while Lula shot across the room towards Bane. He growled and fell to his feet, attempting to change.

I cried out to Lula, it would do no good until we’d killed the witch’s familiar but she paid me no heed and began to chase a halfway-turned Bane around the room.

I still was held immobile and cried out for Milda to release me, who was hiding behind a large armoire, looking pale and sweaty. She mumbled and twisted her fingers in large, exaggerated motions. “I’m trying, you idiot.”

Sophie’s efforts to release Adelade were futile, for the rope was protected by the same magical spell as the moth which now flitted out of reach above our heads.

Samira attempted to charge the witch again, but the witch held the advantage over her who had no need of weapons except the power of her magic. Samira had to dodge through exploding glass and shards of wood as the witch attempted to blow her to pieces. Finally Samira burst through a mist of glass and wood, managing to sink her knife into the witch’s stomach. Then Samira fell over, her whole body bleeding from the small cuts of the debris.

The witch leaned over as her blood rushed from her stomach, staining the wooden floor a coppery red. The witch threw her head back, her white eyes wide as the folds of her jagged skin weaved and contorted until the wound disappeared, to Samira’s dismay. The witch dipped her finger in her own blood and, after closing her eyes, made a long line across her forehead with it. The air shimmered around her and then it was sucked from the room, leaving puffs of green smoke in its wake. Adelade wheezed, trying to suck some air into her lungs.

“Bloody hell,” I coughed out as the green smoke began to burn my face. “Someone kill that moth.”

Samira jumped onto the overturned sofa and jumped through the air, attempting to catch the moth. As soon as her hand touched it she cried out in pain as a shocking current moved through her body. The witch cackled as Samira fell, her hand smoking. The witch jumped on her and grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the floor.

Smashed pieces of wood and cloth flew around the room as Bane and Lula batted at each other, each bloody and sporting broken bones.

I looked around for Lily, only to find her gripping Myla’s shirt and screaming at her. She would be no help.

The smell of blood reeked the air as both sides of the underbelly of my world tore at each other and I was helpless to do anything.

In the midst of the noise I heard one small sound and I whipped my head towards the window. My crow was there, chipping away at the window.

* * *

I grinned, my smile reaching all the way to my eyes and I knew that he had answered my call. He was the answer to this battle. I closed my eyes, urging him forward and then I could see the bloodshed through his eyes.

Myla was on the floor now, Lily over her with her fangs out. Lily leaned over and bit into her neck as Myla lay helpless, crying. Our useless witch was passed out on the floor, her energy spent as well as from a lack of oxygen.

Bane’s witch was torturing Samira, causing currents to run through her whole body.

My familiar continued to chip at the window, ignoring the fragments of glass that expelled from the window. Suddenly there was a large crack and it spidered up the glass. Finally, the crow burst through the window, shattering the glass and it dropped to the floor in pieces. The witch’s head snapped towards the window but it was too late, my crow flew towards the moth.

Crying out, the witch raised her hand attempting to stop my familiar with her magic. However, the magic that my familiar held was too powerful; he acted like a void, swallowing the witch’s magic.

My crow flew higher and the moth, as if sensing its demise, fluttered to and fro, zig-zagging across the room. My crow pursued it with the senses of a predator, his eyes sharp, his flight determined. And then the chase was over as the crow seized the moth between its beak and swallowed it in two bites.

“No!” The witch tried once more to blast my crow with her power but it was too late. As soon as the moth entered her stomach, my crow was enveloped in a dark blue glow for a second and then a red light burst through the room. We squinted from its brilliance, it was so bright. The crow gave a squawk and then it fell to the floor, dead.

As I watched him fall, an intense sadness filled my chest and dread flooded my stomach. I closed my eyes and my fury rose up in me. They are going to die. My crow gave his life to kill them, and kill them we would.

The witch cried out, falling to the floor. Samira stepped behind the witch and, as fast as only the strigoi can be, slid her sharp knife across the witch’s throat.

The witch’s mouth dropped open as her blood drained from her. I turned my nose up at the sharp bitter smell and suddenly, I was released from my frozen state. The green air, which had become quite putrid, dispersed back to where it came from and Adelade took in a deep gulp of air.

The witch was dead.

Relieved, I rushed towards Adelade, who was weak from a lack of air, and together Sophie and I cut the ropes that held her. As soon as she was cut free, Adelade collapsed into my arms and I pulled her close.

“You came for me, you came…”

“Of course I came for you.” I stroked her hair, whispering comforting words into her ear. Her skin was scorched where the ropes had burned into it and she had red lines of welts across her neck and arms. One of her arms seemed to hang limply to her side.

Fury rose in my chest and I held her close for a moment, breathing in her smell as the world crumbled around me. And then I turned toward Bane, ready to rip him apart piece-by-piece.

* * *

I jumped up just as a yelp tore from Lula’s lips. Bane stood over her; she was laid out on the floor, her arm twisted at an awkward angle. Holding a wooden piece of furniture over his head, he attempted to slam it into her chest. Then Sophie fell over Lula and I watched in fear as the makeshift stake came down to stake Sophie in the shoulder.

My strigoi instincts burst through me. I was already up, and I slammed into Bane. He fell backwards and I landed on top of him. He attempted to complete his transformation but I held him down, forcing my senses into his body. They tore at him, shredding his insides and his cries of agony flowed with satisfaction through my body.

I poured all of my energy into making him suffer, as every feeling of anything he ever loved was mentally ripped from him, replacing it with horror and pain. I wished to make him suffer as no one had ever suffered in their life.

Adelade was up at Sophie and Lula’s side and her voice seeped into my mind. I tore my stare from Bane to look at her and I realized that Bane was not worth letting the darkness take over my mind.

So I pulled out my knife and stabbed him in the heart. I felt a hearty sense of satisfaction as his bones crunched as my knife went through his ribs and then thudded into his heart. I waited until I heard it stop and then slumped over, letting my anger, rage and relief flow out of my body.

Then Lula was on him, ripping into his neck with her teeth and she drank his blood gleefully.

I stared at Lula in horror for a moment, realizing that was what Sophie meant when she said that Lula shouldn’t be out among the living; she was giving into her blood lust. I waited for a moment, knowing that if I interrupted her in the moment, she could turn on me.

When I felt that she’d had enough, I put my hand on her shoulder and firmly pulled her back. “That’s enough, Lula.”

She jerked and then twisted her head to me. It took her a moment for her to control her strigoi, and I could see the struggle in her face. Her eyes changed, softening, and she smiled ruefully, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Come, let us check on Sophie.” I suppressed a sigh. I would deal with this later. She nodded and we left Bane on the floor.

I forced Sophie, who was attending to Adelade, to turn her back towards me so that I could inspect her wound, but it was already beginning to heal. I knew that Adelade was watching me and so, I released Sophie.

Samira stumbled as she attempted to go to Bane, still suffering the effects from the witch’s torment. I watched her warily but she managed to make it to him. Then she yanked the knife out of his chest and chopped his head off.

Adelade looked away and I almost asked Samira to stop, but I withheld. This was how she was taught. After finally slicing through it, she threw the head to the ground with a splat and sat next to me, a look of satisfaction on her face.

This time I didn’t suppress my sigh, but still gave her a small look of approval, knowing that was what she needed.

Then I turned to Adelade, needing to feel her. She was staring at me with wide, uncertain eyes. I touched her cheek softly, then I pulled her to me and she folded into my embrace.

“You came for me. Thank you, Detrand, I owe you my life.”

The warmth of her body spread into mine, and I kissed the top of her head, basking in the soothing emotion of her heart. “Only because you have given me mine.”

* * *

Still cradling Adelade in my arms, I moved towards the door. I felt a heart wrenching agony as I surveyed the scene of destruction; it would take the shifters a long time to recover from Bane’s betrayal to their species.

Lula’s arm popped as Samira helped to straighten it. It had already healed at an awkward angle, so they had to break it again to make it heal properly. Then we all moved towards the door, exhaustion settling in. The only one who didn’t move was Lily.

I turned towards her, unsure if she would even want to go with us. I’d betrayed her; it was my responsibility to protect her.

I set Adelade on her feet and, after promising to return shortly, went to Lily.

She was sitting on the floor next to Myla, whose dead eyes stared out across the destruction.

“Lily.” I put my hand on her shoulder but she didn’t move, so I sat next to her and took her hand in mine. She stared at the floor, still angry.

“I failed you.”

Her face snapped to me, her eyes wide.

“And for that, I apologize.” I struggled with a way to recompense her, there was no taking back that she was now half-strigoi, half-shifter. “I cannot change what happened to you, but I can offer the protection of my wards.”

Her face twisted in anger. “What good will that do me so far from your home?”

“I’m offering you a place in my home, to live under my roof.”

She stared at me in shock and I tugged at her hand. “Come, we will collect your things tomorrow evening.”

She stood up and followed me. I determined to ask Raisa if she could offer any healing balm for Lily, she would need to heal from her time in captivity.

I saw my crow on the floor and pain rippled through my chest.

I called to her over my shoulder. “Can you bring Milda? She may be an ugly witch but she still stopped me from burning to death. We owe her for that.”

She nodded, still staring at me with a strange look on her face and I left her to collect Milda.

Then I moved towards the center of the room and the grief I’d been suppressing threatened to spill out. I bent over and gently picked up my familiar, my crow and my savior. I went to Adelade, who held her hands out for the bird.

I passed him over to her and she cradled it in her hand protectively. “We shall busy him in the garden, under his favorite tree.”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “And how do you know which is his favorite tree?”

She smiled knowingly at me. “I pay attention to these things.”

A warmth washed over me and I put my arm around her. I felt her stiffen a little and I knew that she was still hurt from my betrayal with Sophie. I may have saved her life, but I had still broken her heart.

I let my hand slide from her shoulders and led everyone into the courtyard.

* * *

There were a few horses tied just outside the gate, including Adelade’s horse that waited for her impatiently. Still cradling the crow in her hand, she soothed her horse by rubbing its side.

“Will you ride with me?” She looked at me hopefully.

I nodded. “You’ll have no choice in the matter.”

I expected her to smile, but she did not and instead handed my familiar to me and climbed up on her steed. Everyone else had mounted their horse, sharing them as necessary.

I directed Lily to take our unconscious witch back to Raisa to see if she could heal her, and the women moved back towards the house, for daylight would break soon and they were anxious to return home.

I climbed behind Adelade, returning my crow to her, and set her horse at a slow walk towards the house, allowing the rest of the women to move ahead of us.

I pulled Adelade close, unable to stop touching her. I stroked her hair, her back and then pulled her tight, stroking my thumb over her stomach.

“It seems as if it doesn’t matter if I send you away from my world. You still manage to get yourself into trouble.”

She did not answer, but stared off into the woods, watching the row of pup wolves that had gathered to follow us home. I was their leader now. They did not leave the forest, but ran alongside us.

I allowed her answer, her silence, to wash over me.

Finally, she spoke. “You betrayed me. You sent me away.”

Her words sent a crushing feeling into my chest and fear pressed at me. The fear that she would leave me. The fear that she would stay and that the darkness would swallow her.

“I’m sorry.”

My words broke something in her and a tear slid down her face but she wiped it away quickly. This time, she built the walls around her heart against me and I struggled with how to show her why I’d done what I’d done.

I could only think of one thing to do.

“I can never go back and change things but will you allow me to show you why I did what I did?”

She was quiet for a moment, thinking, and then she nodded her head.