Detrand

When Adelade left her room, both Samira and I were waiting in the entrance. She was tugging Lula, who appeared willing but a bit lethargic.

“Adelade, you’re to ride with me.” I turned to Samira. “Take Lula to the shifter home. Inform them that I’ll be arriving shortly.” I gave her a look that warned of any sort of disobedience, then I grasped Adelade’s hand and we took to the stable. I caught a glimmer of a grin from Lula as she noticed the way I held Adelade’s hand but she turned away; I was sure I would hear from her later.

I chose a black horse, just the kind that Adelade rode in my dream, deeming it a sign of good luck and helped her rise onto it. Then I straddled the horse and clasped her to me. Her body was tight and pressed against me. Desire ran through my blood and the electricity between us was so intense that I sat upright in the saddle, my hand around her waist pressing her to me. At any moment we could be in each other’s arms, making passionate love on a patch of soft grass.

Instead, I cursed the shifter problem under my breath. I would much rather be enjoying the attentions of Adelade in my bed, instead of dealing with rebel shifters and spoilt kings. As we drew closer to the field, I shifted my focus. I would need to be alert when dealing with the fae.

Adelade balked when I told her to swallow the bee, but I reminded her that it was her choice to come with me. She had to swallow it to see the fae.

Still looking uncertain but unwilling to be left behind, she put it in her mouth and swallowed it quickly.

As soon as the forest appeared before us, I expected to follow the trail into it but instead, one of the King’s fae appeared before us. Adelade eyed him curiously as the fae bowed low. He held a row of circled thorns in his hair, signifying his position as messenger for the King. When he rose back up, Adelade took a step back, startled. His eyes were a deep red.

“Detrand, King of the strigoi.”

I nodded to him. “I heard word that your King wasn’t pleased with the reparations given him.”

“He would rather have the goods that you promised him, instead of the coins that you seem to favor so fondly.” Each time the fae blinked his eyes they seemed to grow as big as orbs and then shrink to their original size. I could feel that Adelade wanted to lean over to look closer but I took her hand firmly, motioning that that wouldn’t be a wise decision. Some of the fae can spit poison from their eyes and this one could, if his red coloring was any indicator.

“I’ll have the rice and other goods within a fortnight, and they will be given to him in addition to the payment already given.”

Suddenly the fae ducked to the ground and gripping Adelade’s hand tight in case I needed to defend her, I swirled to find the incoming object but there was nothing. Pressing his hands together, he straightened and resumed his stance. “The King favors his cake and we can’t make it without the honey and rice.” He paused again for effect and I wished that he’d get on with his message. “He’s decided to punish each of us with twenty-thousand stripes each day that goes by without his cake.” His large eyes blinked up at us and a breath passed through Adelade’s lips.

I nodded and bit my lip, thinking.

Suddenly Adelade took a small step forward and I made to stop her, but she blurted out. “I can make cake; we have some supplies at home.”

The fae’s eyes widened. “The King is very particular.”

“Is there anyone who can teach me how to make it? Or is there is recipe?”

I ran my hand through my hair. “Adelade.” My voice was low, a warning.

“What?” She looked back at me.

The fae reached up and I withdrew my knife, pushing myself between her and the fae. We stared at each other and I sent out my senses, trying to determine his intentions. When I decided that he was merely judging Adelade’s character, I stood aside.

After a hesitation, Adelade stepped forward again and the fae touched her cheek. A ripple appeared in the air around her face and the fae’s eyes grew larger. Alarmed, Adelade took a step back but the fae paid her no mind. His eyes were entranced; he was seeing something that neither her nor I could see. I noted that his elbows were very pointy and his shirt was torn from the mid-drift down. He hadn’t bothered to use King Orin’s magic and I could see him for what he was. His ribs stretched his skin, which was a pale green.

The king was starving his people, while he ate cake.

Suddenly the fae nodded his head and turned to me. “I accept her offer. She has a week.”

I nodded grimly, wishing that Adelade had kept her mouth shut. “I must have someone to teach her, or I will not allow it.”

He turned away from me and began to walk towards the enchanted woods. “The best cook we ever had is no longer with us.” He gave me a significant look and then he disappeared into the forest.

I turned to Adelade and frowned.

She opened her mouth, astonished. “What?”

I took her hand again and led her towards my horse. “If you don’t make that cake to the King’s liking, you will take the place of his people and receive their lashings for them until he is pleased.”

She stopped walking. “Why didn’t you tell me this?” Her face was green.

I put my arm around her neck and led her forward. “I did try to warn you.” Her hand trembled as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “But no matter. We will make the cake, and it will be the most delicious cake he’s ever tasted.” We stood next to the horse and I turned towards her. “It will be so delicious that he will try to steal you from me and I will have to conceal you in my chambers to keep you hidden from him.”

I raised my eyebrows at her, the side of my lips rising in a half smile.

“But how will I know how to make the cake?” She remained serious.

I held out my hand to help her mount the horse. “I hear that our faery, Raisa, is a very good cook.”

She climbed atop the black steed and rubbed the side of it absentmindedly. “Raisa is fae?”

I laughed and she stared at me open-mouthed and astonished. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before.”

I mounted the horse behind her and pulled her close, then leaned towards her ear and whispered, “There are many things I wish to show you, things you’ve never seen or felt before.”

A shiver ran down her back and I motioned for the horse to move forward.

* * *

When we reached the shifter home, Lula was waiting by herself at the gate. I dismounted and strode towards her, letting my anger roll over me. “Where is Samira? She’s to be watching over you.”

Lula pointed inside the gate. “She’s in there.” I opened it and as I neared the house I discovered two shifter men sitting on top of her.

I growled, what kind of a welcome was this? “What’s going on here?”

Samira raised her head, composed even in her predicament. “They wouldn’t let me inside.”

I studied the shifters; I didn’t recognize them. “Why not?”

“They said that they would kill me if I entered without your presence and I dared them to try.” She managed to look triumphant and I tried not to smile.

I moved towards the shifters, waving my arms. “Get off, get off.”

They moved in a hurry and Samira stood and brushed the grass off her clothes. “This strigoi is to be allowed to enter as she pleases to ensure my protection. Where is Salina?”

“The slaves of the master strigoi are not allowed to enter our abode until her master is here.” The larger one of the two stepped forward, touching his ear unconsciously and blocking our entrance. They were afraid of Samira.

I now recognized this one as one of the shifters from the docks; this was a bad sign. What had Salina gotten herself into? Adelade and Lula finally caught up with us and I motioned for them to stand back.

Adelade halted immediately, gripping Lula’s arm to stop her and I felt relief. Maybe Adelade had learned a lesson from the encounter with the fae.

I stepped towards the shifters and Samira was by my side immediately. “Let us enter or I’ll chain you to the tree like a dog.”

The bigger one began to growl and Samira pulled out a knife and held it towards them; it was very long and sharp. They both eyed it, swallowing hard. My strigoi threatened to emerge and I was tempted to demonstrate that I didn’t need a weapon to kill them. My eyes darkened and my senses became stronger; I could smell their fear. I withheld myself; it wasn’t necessary for them to know their enemy just yet.

I looked at Samira. “Hold them here.” She nodded and stepped forward, pulling out another knife. It was curved and fit over her knuckles, a deadly weapon. The shifters took several steps away from her and I passed them to approach the house. I flung open the door; it slammed against the back wall and I went inside.

Darkness permeated the room and I took in a deep breath; I was comfortable with darkness. I allowed my strigoi sight to take over and I slunk into the house. A strong waft of Salina’s smell drifted through the air and I followed it to the main room. The room had a high ceiling and at the east side of the room was a large staircase that connected to the second floor where countless sleeping rooms were built for the pack. A fire was lit and shadows danced across the room.

I heard the sound of padded feet above me and I knew that the pack was converging on the second floor next to the stairs. They breathed heavily, barely containing their energy, and I knew that they were ready to attack as soon as given the command.

A glint caught my eye and ignoring them, I moved deeper into the room, following the scent to Salina. I could finally see that the glint was the firelight shining off the bars of a cage. Salina was inside it, naked and bowed over, unable to stand. I growled, unable to stop my strigoi from emerging.

Enraged, I moved swiftly to open the cage. Salina didn’t move as I approached and that meant that she was either dead or too weak. I kneeled next to her, keeping my senses alert to the wolves upstairs. “Salina.” She looked up and I could see the agony in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you just kill them? At the docks… why didn’t you kill him?”

I frowned, aware now that Salina hadn’t been in charge of this area for some time. “What happened to your pack. Where are they?”

She shook her head; it wobbled feebly. “Bane, he challenged me for Alpha.”

I frowned. “If he kept you alive, he should’ve treated you with more respect. How long has it been since they fed you?”

She didn’t answer but I could tell through our magical bond that it had been several days. I sent out my senses to determine how many I would have to kill. I could hear their heartbeats thrumming recklessly, their adrenaline coursing through their veins; they would attack soon. And then the sound of something small but so significant, it immediately brought my attention back to Salina.

The pitter-patter of two little heartbeats in her belly sounded as loudly to me as the roaring hearts above. “Are you pregnant?”

“Yes,” she managed to spit out and my mind roared in response, deeply enraged. The pack had had difficulty bearing cubs and some of the babies had never shifted, so the pack was growing smaller. Any new babies were considered priceless.

I'd intended to let her out of the cage but now I knew that I needed to keep her in it until this battle was over. She would be too weak and vulnerable to fight with me. I turned around, prepared to defend her.

A snarl sounded from above and a wolf so large that I had never seen the likes of it before, began to descend the stairs. His snarl was loud enough that it reverberated throughout the whole house and into the courtyard. I assumed that this was Bane, the leader from the docks.

In response to the noise, a small squeak of the door made my heart beat faster. I could do nothing to stop Adelaide or Lula from entering the house. My only hope was that Samira would protect them although I fully intended to chide Samira later for allowing them to come inside. For now I needed to face my enemy.

I allowed my anger to wash over me and I bellowed out a threat to the wolf now emerging from the stairs. I needed to kill this shifter quickly before the rest of his pack joined him.

He circled the floor in front of me and I turned my body to keep watch over his every move. He had incredibly long teeth and they gleamed in the light of the fire.

I hesitated for a moment trying to determine if it would be better to stay near Salina to defend her or to attack him outright. Making up my mind, I rushed forward so fast that he didn't see me coming. My leg shot out and I kicked him full-on in the face. He didn't fly back as I intended but he did need a moment to regain his sense of balance and then he pounced on me.

I was ready for him. I swiveled my body as he jumped, using his momentum to push him across the room. His claws dug into my arm as he flew backwards, slashing it.

The excitement in the room heightened as they smelled my blood and the rest of the pack clomped heavily down the stairs, unable to contain themselves. Samira, Adelade and Lula, moved towards the bottom of the stairs, each holding a knife in their hand as they raced to meet the pack.

Using my senses, I pushed it towards the wolves, willing them to calm down to help slow the pack. Then Bane circled again, his large claws clicking on the floor. I danced around him while trying to keep the pack calm at the same time. And then I smelled blood and Samira’s hands were flying through the air, cutting the flow of wolves as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

Adelade was stabbing at any wolf who dared near her, moving in and out to block off any wolves who moved in my direction. I focused as much of my senses as possible on any threat to her.

Lula was running so fast that I knew Adelade couldn’t see her. She sliced upwards in the direction of their unprotected parts and their blood dripped on the floor, making it slippery.

Bane leapt onto the sofa then reached towards me with his mouth, aiming for my neck. I blocked him with my forearm but he clamped onto it and we tumbled backwards, falling to the floor. We brawled, each trying to gain the advantage over the other. His claws tore at my chest and arms; I wrapped my legs around his neck, squeezing tight. He tried to jerk from my legs but I held him tight. Then he swiped at my thighs, ripping through my muscles and I jumped, throwing him to the side. He scrambled to get up and managed to slink just out of my reach. I jumped up and, grabbing a chair, smashed it into his side.

He howled as he tumbled across the room and I checked on Adelade, who was growing weary. A shifter jumped towards her and I slammed it back with all my powers. Bane jumped towards me again, his claws swiping towards my face. I round-kicked him, followed by a punch to his ribs. They cracked under my fist and he fell to the ground. It was then I jumped on him, ready to make the killing strike.

Suddenly, another wolf landed on top of me and his claws seared down my back. I cried out and pulled what energy I had into pushing my senses into him, making him feel as if he were being burned. This sent him scrambling with a high-pitched squeal and Adelade managed to swipe him good before he ran off.

Bane twisted under me, pawing at me. His claws dug deep into my cheek and a shock rolled through me. Out of the corner of my eye, I registered a wolf jumping on Adelade and she cried out as he pushed her to the ground. I growled and bit into Bane’s neck, ignoring the intense pain in my face.

Even though my mouth was filled with thick fur, I clamped down on the bones in his neck. His paws pushed at me but I squeezed down, crushing it, then ripped his neck open. I leapt off of him and went to Adelade.

She was completely drenched in blood and I threw the wolf off of her and fell to my knees, searching for her wound. I would have to give her my blood to save her. She grasped at me and pulled herself up.

“Adelade, stay still.”

“It’s not mine. It’s not mine.” She stood up and I saw that the wolf I’d thrown off her had the kitchen knife in its gut. I grinned proudly, but she just rushed towards the middle of the room.

“Adelade!” I turned with her but then saw that she was rushing towards Salina. In the excitement, Salina began to change. Her hands were paws and a tail flicked through the bars of the cage. A dark brown wolf was reaching in, scratching her arms and attempting to claw at her neck.

I flew past Adelade and, grabbing the wolf’s neck, twisted it harshly. Its neck bone snapped satisfyingly and I cried out in triumph. Then I looked around; there were a few dead wolves, their bodies scattered across the floor and furniture. Many of them had fled the scene and Samira was chasing the last one off. I swiveled, looking for Bane’s but was shocked to discover that he was missing. He was still alive after I ripped his throat out and somehow had managed to escape.

I marveled at this but had no time to consider it for the moment. I turned my attentions to Salina; I would deal with him later. She was already beginning to heal, albeit slowly due to her hunger. Adelade was talking to her quietly, trying to soothe her and I moved my eyes over Adelade, checking for any injuries, but it was difficult to see through the blood and fur that clung to her.

My eyes traveled across the room and I saw Lula lying on the floor, blood draining from a wound in her neck. I called her name and rushed to her. Her eyes flicked to me and I knew that she was still alive, but barely.

Then Adelade was beside me, attempting to pull Lula up. “You have to give her your blood.”

Remembering the strigoi blood in her system, I completely shut down. “Adelade, we have to wait.”

Lula was pale and slipping in and out of consciousness. Large bite marks were on her arms and legs.

Samira burst back into the room, holding the head of one of the wolves triumphantly, her face lit up in pleasure. As soon as she saw Lula, she dropped the head and it fell to the floor with a thud.

“She saved me.” The words rushed from her mouth and her eyes were wild and alight as she rushed to Lula. “She sliced one of the wolves in the neck, just as it jumped towards me.” Blood also dripped from Samira’s hands and she rubbed them as if trying to clean it off. Then she bit into her wrist and lowered it to Lula.

“Wait Samira.” I snatched her wrist to keep her from dripping her blood into Lula’s mouth.

“Detrand!” Adelade stared incredulously at me. “We can’t just let her die.”

I turned towards Adelade. “She has too much strigoi blood in her. Plus she’s been bitten. If we save her, she could turn into a strigoi. Or a shifter.” I looked down at Lula in horror. “Or a combination of the two.”

Samira jerked her hand out of my hand but didn’t offer it to Lula. She stared down at her in horror.

Adelade looked to Samira’s face and then mine, shifting back and forth. “We’ll deal with the consequences if that happens, but for now we just need to save her.”

I closed my eyes. “Samira, please attend to Salina.”

“Sir.” Samira rose and went to Salina’s cage. She broke the lock on it and it creaked loudly as she opened the door.

I looked Adelade in the eyes, frowning. “Did you know that Lula had strigoi blood in her? That she exchanged it with Rowan?”

She stared at me blankly while stroking Lula’s hair then shook her head. “I swear she never said a word.”

I looked down at Lula. “Why would she do it?”

Adelade shook her head. “We never spoke of it.”

I thought of Sophie and my lips twisted. Sophie, who hated her own existence. I looked at Lula, determined to push Sophie from my mind. “I would never take the risk of her becoming a strigoi. Once she becomes one, I couldn’t kill her, even if she wished it. And if she turned a shifter… who knows what the consequences of that could be.”

Adelade was staring at her now, uncertain what to say and I knew that we didn’t have much time. The sound of scraping wood indicated that Samira was gathering water for Salina, who was slouched across the sofa.

I turned back to Adelade, deciding in that moment that I would let Lula die, for it was a mercy. Adelade met my eyes and I saw the resolve in them to save her. We stared at each other, each determined to have our way.

Adelade would never understand, unless she had lived it. I knew that if Sophie were here, she would agree with my decision.

And then Adelade lifted her hand and slapped Lula across the face. My mouth dropped open in shock; the slap was so harsh it left a red mark across Lula’s face. And then Adelade did it again.

Lula’s eyes shot open and Adelade leaned over her. “Lula, you’re going to die. Do you want to live, even if you become a beast of the night?” She didn’t have time to explain the situation fully, for Lula’s eyes were already beginning to close again. And then Adelade raised her hand again, tears streaming down her face that she must hit her dearest friend again. I raised my hand to stop her. It was enough. Lula was suffering enough.

But then Lula’s eyes opened again and three small words escaped her mouth before she slipped back into unconsciousness. “I want live.”

And then her heart stuttered and stopped.

* * *

Adelade jumped up and took Samira’s bucket of water. She washed my arm quickly and thoroughly. As soon as it was clean of any other blood, I ripped open my wrist and held the gushing blood to Lula’s mouth. I’d made sure that the gash was wide to allow as much blood as possible to flow from my veins.

Adelade held Lula’s head up and pushed her jaw down to allow the blood to flow down into it. I took some blood from my wrist with my finger and rubbed it into the wound in her neck.

“Does that help?” Adelade watched me closely and I knew that she was learning all she could about the process. I frowned, considering this. What intentions did she have for herself?

I grunted and called to Samira. “Come here and push down on her heart.”

“What does that do?”

I looked into Adelade’s eyes. “It starts the heart again, and pushes the blood faster. It will make this less painful for her.”

Her eyes clouded over. “Does it hurt? The turning?”

I couldn’t look her in the eyes but nodded my head. Lula would have a long and painful turning, especially with the bite wounds. I could only hope that she wouldn’t become a shifter but it was impossible to know until the next full moon. I was grateful we’d had one last night; it would allow Lula to recover and adjust to life as a strigoi first.

Samira pushed down on her chest in intermittent strokes until I was satisfied that my blood had filled her body. I could sense a spark of life in her and let out a sigh of relief.

“What’s happened?” Adelade stared at me with wide eyes.

“She’ll return.”

Adelade’s face lit up and tears began to stream down her face again, a rush of emotion crashing down over her. I hadn’t been blocking her emotions and her hope washed over me. I grinned, unable to help it as I remembered this feeling; the feeling that all would be right with the world.

I stood, wincing in pain and remembering that my whole body was shredded. “Samira, help bring Salina to the horses. I’ll make arrangements with Stefano to keep her in a hidden location until she has recovered.” I surveyed the area; the wolves had shifted upon their death. Now that they were human again, I recognized a few of them. If Bane had challenged Salina as alpha and won, then the new pack would’ve been forced to follow him, regardless of their own wishes. “And bury the bodies in a deep grave so that no animals dig them up.”

Samira clicked her tongue; she wasn’t accustomed to serving the shifters, but I turned away from her. I was tired and in pain, and held no desire to consider her wishes. “Do as I ask, or I will turn you from my home and you’ll be forced to live off the streets.”

I bent over and picked up Lula among Adelade’s protests that I was more hurt than her and she should carry her. I merely raised my eyebrow and pushed past her towards the courtyard.

* * *

We rode home in silence, passing the two dead shifters in the courtyard, with Adelade and Samira on one horse and Lula leaning against my chest.

Salina held on to her stomach, and I felt an empty pang at the thought that her pups had almost died. If we’d not appeared when we did, they certainly would’ve died. I wondered for a moment who was the father. Certainly it wasn’t mine because I couldn’t father a child. Salina would do right by her pack by mating the strongest shifters to help the pack grow, and so it could be from many of the stronger men among the pack.

She did not explain what happened, only that he simply couldn’t be killed, no matter what advantage she’d held over him and that eventually Salina became weak and tired in their fight for Alpha. He only kept Salina alive in order to remind the rest of the pack what would happen if they challenged him.

As I rode home, taking care not to jostle Lula too much, I considered everything that happened in the night. The realization washed over me that by bringing Lula into my home, I’d ruined her. This world, of alpha fights and supernatural power struggles was meant for supernatural beings and not for humans.

If I’d allowed Lula to stay with her mother, then she would be safely tucked into her bed, or possibly the bed of a lover. She wouldn’t have become a strigoi or some sort of hybrid. And she wouldn’t have died.

I looked at Adelade, and felt the rush of warmth that accompanied my thoughts of her. It could’ve easily been Adelade dead on the floor of the shifter home. What would I have done? Would I have turned her as I turned Sophie?

I thought that to open myself to loving Adelade would bring a certain kind of vulnerability to myself but in reality, death was knocking on Adelade’s door, and it was only a matter of time before she would open that door.

My chest burned with the thought and my mind darkened, remembering the monster that I was. Everything I touched became spoiled in my hand; it was the way of the strigoi.

It was too late for Sophie, and now Lula, but my resolve steeled as we neared the house; I became determined to save Adelade from this fate.

* * *

We rode to the stables and I slid off my horse cradling Lula’s body. Adelade stayed to give the horses to the stable master, who awoke with a start and wisely didn’t mention our bloodstained bodies. Then she followed me to the garden.

“Detrand? We can take her to her room. She’ll be more comfortable there.”

I ignored her, building a wall around my heart, knowing I would send her away from me and my hole of blackness soon. When we arrived in the furthest part of the property which met the forest, I lay Lula gently to the ground.

Adelade watched me, her eyes wide and her heart beating wildly. She knew my emotions now, she knew the darkness that surrounded me and I allowed it. I released it, forcing her to bathe in it, hoping that it would be enough for her to know the truth: That I deserved neither love, nor compassion. Or hope.

I grabbed a shovel and began to dig. Since we lived right next to the water, I was unable to dig deep but it would be enough.

“What’s going on?” Adelade was growing angry and I felt a mixture of grief and relief about that.

“We have to bury her.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “That is our way.”

“But couldn’t we just allow her to turn in her room? Surely it would be the same? We could block out the light.”

“No Adelade.” My voice was tired.

“But she won’t be able to breathe…” Her voice petered off at the realization that Lula would no longer need to breathe.

“We cannot do things your way this time, for the consequences are too steep. We must do it the strigoi way. My way, Sophie’s way, and now Lula’s way. You are not one of us.”

My words hurt her and I realized too late that I’d pointed out that if she hadn’t insisted on coming and bringing Lula with us, that Lula would still be alive. I pushed down my guilt and instead allowed my anger to motivate me to dig, even though I was tired.

Adelade was a stubborn woman, but there was a reason why I’d resisted allowing them to come. And now the consequences were irreversible for Lula and I would pay for that for the rest of her life. Because in all reality, I knew the danger and my vulnerability for this woman, this witch who’d bespelled me, overcame all sense.

Adelade was quiet and then suddenly she was beside me, pushing on my chest. I looked up, surprised, and noticed that silent tears had fallen down her face. She grabbed the shovel from my hands and pushed me away, harder this time.

“This is my fault and I will bury her.”

I took a few steps back to allow her this, her penance. I swallowed the dry spittle stuck in my throat and did not leave, but watched as she dug and cried.

It took her much longer than it would have if I’d done it, but time seemed to stand still as we attempted absolution, but fell short of it. When Adelade hit water, I helped lower Lula’s body into the ground, and then Adelade covered her lovingly. She hesitated when the last bit only needed to cover her face, but then she did it quickly and threw the shovel aside.

She crouched down and put her hand on the mound of dirt and my own pain threatened to burst from me, but I held it in. Adelade stood, and walked off silently.

I watched her in the darkness as she stripped off her clothes. She threw them to the ground and entered into the bay that came up to the house, wincing from the salt that burned her wounds. She ducked under it and I counted the seconds to make sure she didn’t stay under too long. When she had washed the blood from her skin and hair, she sat naked in the shallow water and cried bitterly.