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The world was beautiful, not that we could appreciate it. Emerald green leaves hung from the trees. The sky was a beautiful azure blue, while wisps of white clouds drifted across in an idle way, without a single care in the world. The air was warm and sweet. The slight breeze tugged at the grass and made it look like the sea, ebbing and flowing as a tide would. It was soft underfoot. Insects buzzed between flowers, and birds hopped from branch to branch. I occasionally saw a small animal scurrying away. It was idyllic, perfect almost, as though we had stepped into a picturesque scene. But perfect things could be ruined and marred, and if Amara found us… I dreaded to think of the possibility.
We said little as we walked. I knew there was plenty on her mind. I struggled to order my own thoughts as well. I had just left the only home I had known for centuries, and goodness knows what Amara was planning there. The throne of the vampires was full again, the great threat that I thought I had ended was back and now the world was in danger. I had sacrificed so much and what for? But something nagged at me… I just couldn’t understand how she had returned. Even with her power it shouldn’t have been possible. I thought I had considered every possibility. I thought I had neutralized every advantage she had. How had she done it?
I suppose if anyone had been able to escape I shouldn’t have been surprised that it was Amara. She was always the most determined of us, holding onto the cold anger that had entered her heart way back when she was a human. Now that anger was burning again and directed at me, and I was forced to put my trust in the wolves. It seemed so ridiculous that it shouldn’t have been true.
The trees thinned as we approached the village. I had to rely on Willow to guide us. Stripped of my senses I found it difficult to orient myself. The forest looked the same all the way round, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to tell any direction apart. It was only when I looked up and saw the faint plumes of smoke rising through the air that I knew we were close. I could not catch a scent drifting towards us though, nor could I hear anything. It was horrible to feel so lost, as though so many parts of me had been amputated. I was glad to have done this thing for Willow, to give us the chance at a normal life together, but I must admit that it was strange to not have access to the abilities I had possessed for so long, especially now when I needed them the most. It would have been difficult to defeat Amara under normal circumstances, let alone as a human.
Willow and I had nervous looks on our faces. I gripped the book tightly, glad to have something to hold, otherwise I would have wrung my hands together nervously. As a vampire I had always been a confident fellow, knowing that I could hold my own against anyone. Self control and self discipline were far easier things to manage when I knew I could spirit myself away with a spell, or turn into a bat and fly away. I had no such things to rely upon now, and I felt an uneasy knot in the pit of my stomach. As we approached they stared at us, looking suspicious. My throat tightened and went dry. My hands trembled a little. Had this been a mistake?
“Willow!” Peter, her father called out. He was a tall man with kind eyes. He rushed over to us and hugged Willow tightly. His greeting towards me was not so enthusiastic, but it was not cold. He nodded towards me and put his hand out, shaking it, noticing the difference from the last time we had met. “What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”
Willow’s tone made it clear that the reunion was not going to be a happy one. “We need to speak to Brandon, Dad. Something has happened. I’m afraid it’s not happy news, and we might need to stay here for a little while.”
“Oh,” confusion flickered across Peter’s face, but then he smiled. “It will be good to have you home for a while.” He squeezed Willow’s arm and jerked his head. “I’ll take you to Brandon, and then we’ll sort out where you can stay. You’re always welcome here. Both of you,” he made a point to speak the last few words, and I appreciated it. Our first meeting had not been entirely productive as he and all the other wolves believed that I had kidnapped Willow. They had invaded my realm and tried to assault the castle to bring her back, not realizing that Willow wanted to stay with me of her own accord. Eventually we returned here and managed to negotiate a truce. Willow had managed to repair some of the wounds that had existed since her childhood, but it had not been an easy process and she had still been happy to leave. Now I had brought her back here and while she seemed composed at the moment, I wasn’t sure if that was how she really felt under the surface.
Peter chatted about some of the recent hunts, and pointed to an empty building that he thought we could use. I was more interested in the other wolves. They whispered to each other and made small pointing gestures, clearly intrigued as to why we had returned. My heart sank when I thought about what their reaction was going to be. Willow was right; they weren’t going to like it at all.
We were shown into the main building of the village. It was a large building, like a hunting lodge. The main chamber was a square room with a few chairs dotted around. A rug was draped on the ground, and there was a throne towards the back of the room. Brandon, the Alpha of the pack and the once intended mate of Willow, sat upon this throne. It was not as ornate as the one in my castle, yet it meant just as much. Weapons and hunting trophies were displayed on the walls, and tapestries depicting great scenes from the pack’s history rippled down, offering a splash of color. Sunlight burst through the window and cast the room in warm light. Naomi, Brandon’s mate, sat beside him. She had a book on her lap. She looked up as we approached and her eyes narrowed towards Willow.
Brandon shifted in his seat, clearly surprised to see us. He glared at me. I saw him tense, knowing that he was ready to strike in case I made any move to attack. He could never fully trust a vampire, even though I was not one of them any longer.
“Willow? What are you doing here?” he asked.
Peter nodded towards us and then left, saying that he would arrange for some supplies like blankets and things to be brought to the empty building. Brandon overheard this and cocked his head. “You’re coming to stay here?”
“For a short while,” Willow spoke in tense tones. “Something has happened Brandon,” she said, looking sideways. Her words rode a frustrated sigh.
Brandon opened his palms. “Do you want to tell me what it is?”
She glanced towards me. I suppose it was my responsibility to deliver the bad news since I was the one responsible. I stepped forward and took a deep breath before I began. “Brandon, do you remember how we told you that I banished the other vampires to protect the world from them as they were planning to go to war with mortals and werewolves alike? And that I sat alone in my castle because I had betrayed my own kind.”
“It’s quite hard to forget something like that,” Brandon replied dryly.
“Well, one of them has made it back.”
Brandon blinked. “What do you mean one of them has made it back? How can they come back from death?”
“If you remember they weren’t strictly dead, at least not the ones I banished. I sent them to a nether realm that existed between time, trapping them there in a moment that would never end. Or, at least, I thought it would never end. But one of them found a way back.”
“How?” he wore a deep frown.
“I’m not sure.”
Brandon sighed. He shook his head and his arms hung between his legs. “So now you’re here to warn us? Do you want help?”
“All of the above. And we seek refuge,” I said.
“Refuge?” Brandon’s words rippled with laughter. His gaze passed between Willow and myself. “The last time you were here you couldn’t wait to get back. You were so proud of your home. Have you really given it up so willingly?”
“I have given up many things,” I said quietly.
“Cassius isn’t a vampire any more Brandon. He’s just a human. He has no special powers. When the vampire returned she went straight for him. It wasn’t safe there. We had to flee. We’re asking you to offer us sanctuary.”
Brandon stroked his jaw and looked directly at Willow. Willow had told me stories about how cruel he had been when they were younger. We learned that he had even killed his father to become Alpha because he had been unhappy with the way the wolves were being led. He seemed to have mellowed and become wiser as the burden of leadership rested upon his shoulders, but I worried that the bully within him would emerge once again.
“So a vampire is loose in the world again and is coming for revenge against him,” he pointed towards me, “and you want to come here and make us all potential targets?”
