DARK ORIGINS (Scarlett of the wolves, Book 4)

9.

Kaley and I arrived at Rucker’s place. I made the introductions quickly, forcing myself not to collapse in front of Morel and Corwin when I saw them, so sad, so empty inside. Their moral strength was hanging by a thread and I was about to deliver the final blow by reducing it to pulp any moment. I hated myself for it.

Don’t flinch. This was my new leitmotif. In the absence of Elgin, I didn’t allow myself to do so. Usually, when he wasn’t with me and I needed comfort, it was Rucker who provided it. He meant a lot to everyone. Grigore was right. Without him, St Andrews was in chaos.

Kaley was hungry. I offered to order pizzas; the fridge was empty and the cupboard contained only sweets. Then I took a few minutes’ leave to phone Gwen, when I would have preferred to speak to Elgin first, asking him to go meet his best friend to explain the situation to her face to face. I wasn’t cowardly, but I found it inhuman to break such news to a loved one without being able to comfort her with a hug. But Elgin wasn’t responding. Between the house and here, I must have tried fifteen times to contact him, and always going to his voicemail.

Heartbroken, I dialled Gwen’s cell phone number. She picked up on the second ring, in a tired and dreary voice.

“Hello?”

“It’s Scarlett.”

“Oh! Good evening! Forgive me, I got your message at the store, but I didn’t have time to call you back at all. Is everything all right?”   

I swallowed with such difficulty that I thought I wouldn’t be able to speak.

“Gwen...”

“What? Is something going on? It’s Rucker, isn’t it?”   

“Yes, he…”

I pinched the bridge of my nose to neutralize the wave of anguish that swept over me again.

“Tell me! He hasn’t answered my phone calls for days! What happened to him?”   

“He was kidn*pped by the Strigoi.”

I heard her stifle a cry in her hand.

“We found out today and...”

“When? When did this happen?”  

“Monday evening.”

I end up telling her everything. When I was done, she was sobbing on the phone.

“Oh, Gwen...”

“He… he told me about them, he… told me that they were cruel and bloodthirsty and…”

“Gwen, we’ll get him back.”

Much more than a promise, it was the truth, even though I had no idea how. My mental balance didn’t allow me to imagine the opposite. We would follow Rucker to hell if we had to and bring him back with us, unharmed. 

“But what do they want with him?” she cried. 

I let out a long, jerky sigh.

“It was because of the Strigoi he killed last year. Gwen, listen to me,” I continued. “I’ll have to talk to Corwin and Morel. I’m very afraid for them, they are already in a terrible state. Can you come here?”   

“You don’t need to ask me!” she got angry. “I’m coming!”  

“Wait!” I stopped her. “I haven’t heard from Elgin since Monday, he’s unreachable. He must be made aware. I know right now it’s the least of your worries, but Rucker has become a friend to him and...” 

“Where is he?” she cut me off. 

“On Orkney, at his uncle and aunt.”

“I’m leaving immediately!” 

I quickly looked at the time on my cell phone.

“Gwen… it’s almost eight o’clock, there’s no boat at this hour.”

“I’m a dark angel, Scarlett!” she almost yelled. “I’ll fly!”  

I didn’t answer. I hadn’t gotten used to this idea yet.

“Scarlett?” 

“Yes?” 

The last sob choked in her throat.

“I love him…”

It hurt. Very bad.

“I know.”

When she hung up, I let out a few tears that I wiped away with the back of my hand. I was going to have to talk to the kids before Grigore joined us tomorrow morning. I could be sure he would spend the night trying to find a solution. I wanted to be strong for them, to support them as best I could.

Torture him, dismember him...  

I had no choice. I was in an intolerable countdown during which Rucker was perhaps already enduring the worst by the most powerful and dangerously methodical creatures the Earth has spawned.

I entered the house as heavily as if my feet had been set in concrete. In the living room, Kaley was trying to talk to Morel and Corwin to find out a little more about them. I had never known them so quiet. Their eyes fixed on her out of politeness, one would have said that they didn’t see her.

I proposed to show Kaley to her room and took the initiative to put her in the one I had occupied during my transformation into a dark angel. It was located at the end of the corridor, on the ground floor, she would be comfortable there. Rucker had made some changes to it. He had replaced the colonial-style furniture with modern brown and white furniture. Large cushions were thrown over the bed, while at the foot a copper-coloured rug was laid. The mirror in which I had looked at myself so often was still there, against the wall.

The memory of the body that I didn’t accept then, reflected in it, made me appallingly melancholy. I had to make an extraordinary effort not to show Kaley that I was about to cry. Rucker had supported me in the most difficult and important moments of my life, he couldn’t die, not like this, I wouldn’t allow it! 

“Pretty!” Kaley exclaimed with an enthusiastic expression. 

Then she looked at me and her smile faded.

“Scarlett… I’m sorry for your friend, I can see you’re upset. Are you very close?” 

“Yes,” I whispered in a wobbly voice. “Very.”

She stepped forward to take me by the arms before rubbing me with her palms.

“I will pray that he’ll come back.”

I smiled at her and nodded my head at the closet.

“You can store your things there. I have to join the boys. Make yourself at home.”

She observed me with a compassionate gaze.

“Okay, see you soon.”

I quietly left the room and found Morel and Corwin in the living room. They were both sitting on the sofa, looking downcast like I had never seen them. They didn’t even look up at me, focused on a picture of Rucker they had placed on the coffee table. My heart sank. Slowly, I walked towards them.

“Boys?” 

“Is your friend going to stay here for a long time?” Corwin wanted to know. 

I took a seat next to them, crossing my hands over my thighs.

“No, just a few days. Do you mind if she’s here? I should have asked you before.” 

They shook their heads. They still weren’t looking at me.

“She doesn’t know about you and me,” I thought I had to clarify.

“We’ll be careful,” Morel promised.

Corwin finally turned his head in my direction, his irises so translucent that I wondered how Kaley would manage not to notice this anomaly.

“He’s not coming back, is he?” 

I held my breath for a moment and released the air out of my lungs in spurts. I didn’t want to talk to them here. Kaley shouldn’t hear us.

“Let’s go upstairs if you don’t mind.”

They both nodded and got up to accompany me.

When I pushed open the door to their room, I was shocked. Instead of the welcoming place I knew, where an electric train, fire engine, toy cars, dismembered figures, towers under construction and all kinds of children’s games were usually spread out, I found a room sanitized, impeccably tidy and devoid of life. They had touched nothing for days. Then I noticed a pencil drawing on the corner of the desk. Morel and Corwin had had over six centuries to perfect themselves, which is why, at a glance, I had no trouble identifying what one or the other had wanted to reproduce. With a sure, careful, and delicate gesture, the body of a naked man without a face was represented standing, arms and legs spread. The delicacy of the lines was astounding in precision. I seemed to see the muscles moving as the gesture made seemed real.

I walked over and touched the paper with my fingertips.

“Why didn’t you give him a face?” I asked. 

Corwin suddenly jumped up and snatched the drawing from my hands.

“Because he’s dead!” 

After which he almost threw the piece of paper in my face. I grabbed it, turned it over and saw the perfect reproduction of Rucker’ face. The singing expression of his clear eyes, his long golden hair, his broad forehead, his straight nose, the deliberate curve of his chin, his plump lips with an arrogant expression. I felt a wave of sneaky and growing nausea, giving me the impression of being on a trawler in the middle of a storm.

With trembling hands, I gently put the drawing back on the desk and turned to Corwin, whose nostrils quivered with rage.

“He’s not, Corwin.”

“How do you know that!” 

“I know it…”

I walked over to the beds separated by a nightstand and sat down on one of them.

“Come over there,” I encouraged them, patting the mattress.

Morel took refuge against me, while Corwin, black eyes, and heavy breathing, stood in front of us with his fists clenched against his thighs. He was about to explode.

“Do you know the Strigoi?”

Morel nodded silently.

“Are they the ones who hurt him?” barked his brother. 

“Yes, Corwin. Grigore learned today that Perceval was being held by the Strigoi.”

“Held?” repeated Morel. “Did they take him away?”  

I nodded to him, desperate.

The next moment, Corwin was falling on his knees to cry bitter tears, hiding his face in his hands. Devastated, I threw myself on the floor to take him in my arms and hug him tightly against me.

“Why did they take him?” he sobbed against my shoulder. “They’ll cut him to pieces and kill him! That’s the way they always do when they capture someone.”  

“Corwin,” I whispered; my mouth in his blond hair.

Morel gasped in terror that didn’t seem to want to stop. I leaned down and held out my hand. He immediately joined us, trembling.

“We’re not going to leave him there, Scarlett. Tell me we’ll go get him! Say it!”  

“Yes, Morel, yes! Listen to me,” I demanded louder, touching their cheeks. “I don’t know how, but I promise you...” 

I paused before making a promise that I might not be able to keep. I suddenly realized that Rucker might never come back alive, that we might fail. How to save him? With who? When? Where would we find him?    

“I promise you that I’ll do my best to bring him back safe.”

And of that, I was certain.

I hugged them as hard as I could, giving them all the comfort I was able to give. They ended up lying on the floor, each resting their head on one of my thighs. I kept them like that for a long time, stroking their hair, until, surprised, I found them asleep, exhausted by the events.

As delicately as possible, I carried them to their bed without undressing them, took off their shoes and pulled the duvet down over them. As I opened the door to leave, I saw Corwin getting up to lie down next to his twin brother. Tight against each other, they took refuge in a bubble where no one would disturb them.

I was in so much pain...

Kaley had finished settling in when I came back downstairs. With her cheek propped up in one of her palms, she was leaning on the kitchen table, drinking a glass of water.

“How are they?” 

I pulled up a chair and sat down across from her.

“Okay.”

“No one has any idea where your friend is?”            

Rather than invent a lie I just bowed my head.

“Poor kids… Hey, is anyone thinking of shopping for them? Because the fridge is empty. Nothing at all! On the other hand, the cupboards are full of junk food. I know they’re not doing well, but that’s no reason to let them eat in any way they choose.”  

“I’ll take care of it tomorrow,” I promised. “Tonight, they’re in bed and I doubt they’ll get up for dinner.”

“They don’t have a family?” 

“No one except Rucker.”

She wrinkled her forehead in surprise.

“Is that his first name, Rucker?” 

“Yes.”

This was the moment that the pizza delivery man chose to arrive.

I picked up the order and settled in with Kaley in the living room. To avoid showing her how worried I was, I suggested that we watch a movie while we were eating. I dug up Australia in Rucker’s video library and throughout dinner, I was distracted by my friend’s comments about Australia. In an hour and a half, she had given me a detailed summary of the country, the university she was studying at and the last two years spent in Melbourne. Rucker’s face haunted my mind every second, but I forgot, for a while, that his a*******n was eating away at me from the inside and that I was utterly desperate. So, when she told me she was going to bed, I was afraid to find myself alone with my thoughts.

Before going to bed, I slipped into the shower and spent a long time letting the scorching water run down my cheeks, wishing with all my might that it had the power to wash this all away.

I couldn’t wait for Elgin to come home, to snuggle up to his body and to draw from him the strength and courage I so badly needed. I would surely see him soon.

Calm and reassured, I put on my pyjamas and decided to go to bed.

 It was past midnight, I shouldn’t have been able to sleep, but I closed my eyes and forgot everything.

My brain kicked in around three in the morning when I heard the front door open on the first floor. Without bothering to change, I ran down the stairs barefoot. As I saw Gwen and Grigore in the living room, I became aware of the smell of rusty iron peculiar to dark angels that pervaded the house. And I only perceived theirs. Where was Elgin? I moved my head back and forth in search of my soul mate, but I didn’t see him. I didn’t even feel him. 

“Where is he?” I asked, standing in front of the window to gaze out into the night. 

Gwen, who looked even whiter than usual, took a few steps forward before coming to a stop behind me.

“He wasn’t with his uncle and aunt.”

I frowned in surprise.

“He’s never been there, Scarlett.”

A rush of blood rushed to my cheeks.

“What? But… he told me that… I don’t understand.” 

“Scarlett, I didn’t want to panic anyone, especially since I’m a dark angel and wasn’t particularly welcome, I pretended not to be surprised, but according to Al, he cancelled and returned to St Andrews three days ago.”

I turned around sharply.

“Three days? But no! What does that mean?”   

My heart was pounding so hard I felt like I was about to faint.

Looking expressionless, Grigore opened his mouth and, before he made a sound, I understood.

“The Strigoi?”  

The eloquent blink of his eyes made my blood run cold.

“He got into a fight with the second one, Scarlett.”

“But he didn’t kill him!” I shouted. 

“They will lead by example,” Gwen whispered, her voice veiled in concern. “Discourage anyone from attacking one of their own.”

“But why not target me too? I fought with them!”  

“You were the prey, that’s different,” Grigore explained.

When I realized exactly what Elgin’s k********g meant, that he would likely suffer the same fate as Rucker, I was seized with a tremor that never seemed to want to stop. Then I fell to my knees screaming.

“No!” 

Gwen threw herself on me.

“Scarlett...”

I was completely stunned.

“Scarlett? I heard Corwin’s little panicked voice. Why did you scream like that? Gwen? Grigore? The Strigoi killed Perceval, right?”      

With my hands flat on the floor, I lifted my head to look at the boys, unseen tears in my eyes. My heart was swelling with rage no doubt stronger than the fear itself. No one. No one had the right to separate me from Elgin. No one had the right to harm him.

“Come on,” Gwen said to them, holding out her arms.

She took them both against her and choked back the sobs that rose to her throat.

“Elgin was kidn*pped too,” she replied.

“When?” I said suddenly to Grigore. 

He was the only one to understand; I saw in his eyes that calculating energy ignited. He had already planned everything. He knew exactly what we were going to do.

“When Pitt has explained to us exactly how to get them back.”

“Pitt!” Gwen and I cried out at the same time. 

Grigore remained impassive.

“He knows the place by heart.”

“Out of the question!” I exclaimed as I jumped up. 

“You’re not going to trust him?” cried Gwen. 

I turned to Grigore.

“What did he tell you, exactly? Does he know anything?”  

“He’s aware that their Council has decided on the measures to be taken. The Strigoi that Rucker killed was a high dignitary of the eastern vampires. Listen to me, both of you,” he announced in a stern and determined tone, “because what I’m about to tell you is crucial. It doesn’t matter to me whether you have faith in Pitt or not. I’ve made my decision. Pitt spent many years in the castle where Rucker is held, serving the leader of the Strigoi and trying to understand their origins. What I want is to find the exact spot where Rucker is being held and bring him back here. He knows every nook and cranny, from the smallest rooms to the dungeons in which people are tortured, broken.”

He stared straight at me.

“I can’t do anything without him, Scarlett. If you want to save your boyfriend, I advise you to resign yourself to trust him. You’ll have no other way to find Elgin.”

I darted a sceptical look at him.

“No other way? Do you think Pitt is the only one who knows this place?”  

He shook his head, pursing his lips.

“The only one, no. But the only one able to take us there tomorrow, yes. Do you want to play with the hands of time, Scarlett? Think about it, kid, because we have very little left.” 

I studied his face carefully. He was very serious.

“Didn’t it cross your mind that he could set a trap for us? That he’s using the disappearance of Rucker for this? He might even be the one who organized it all! How would he know about Rucker and Elgin if not? Did you ask yourself these questions?”     

“He only told me about Rucker,” he corrected. “Of that, he’s certain, because that was what Strigoi had promised Ewan when he negotiated their intervention. If one of them died and the other survived, the culprit would pay with his life according to ancestral rites. As for what you’re asking me… You might be right, Scarlett, this could all be a set-up, but remember the Council has already reinstated Pitt, long before Rucker was kidn*pped. Either way, is the risk of ambush worth just sitting around and waiting for things to happen?”

I was loath to leave it to him, but Pitt was indeed our only lead, we had no other choice.

“Why is he doing this?” I asked. “Why does he want to help Rucker? For you?”   

An indecipherable gleam came over Grigore’s clear eyes.

“He owes it to him.”

“I’m coming with you!” Morel suddenly decided. 

“Me too!” Corwin adds. 

Before anyone contradicted them, Gwen knelt at their feet.

“Who will take care of the house to welcome him when he returns, if you’re not here?” 

I did not doubt for a second that this attempt to keep them away wouldn’t work. It was their brother, and Morel and Corwin were the two bravest little boys I knew.

“You!” Corwin answered. “Because among the vampires, you’re still just a baby! And so will you, Scarlett, because you’re a werewolf and vampires hate werewolves. So, we’re going to go and save our brother!”  

“Don’t count on it!” I snapped with authority, despite the puff of pride I felt for them. “You have absolutely nothing to do there. I would add that if you care that much about our life, you had better stay here. Otherwise, it’s Perceval who will kill us for daring to take you away!” 

Corwin glared at me and Morel, usually more reserved, did the same.

“Scarlett is right,” Grigore agreed.

“But…” protested Morel.

“No!” 

Corwin glared at Grigore.

“You’re younger than us, you don’t have to give us orders!” 

Grigore looked condescending, shrugging his shoulders.

“Consider that it’s not me who gives them to you, but the President of the Council.”

The two brothers put on a bewildered expression.

“Is that you? Did you take his place?” 

“Barely.”

I was pretty sure he was bluffing. Grigore couldn’t have taken on such responsibilities in such a crisis.

Morel narrowed his eyelids as he watched Grigore. So Grigore got down to their level to talk to them.

“We obey the Council, don’t we, boys?” 

The dark angels of St Andrews feared the members because they had an absolute right of decision. No one could contradict them without risking paying the price. Morel and Corwin had witnessed a fair amount of retaliation, they knew what it meant.

“Did you understand? Grigore insisted. “And if by chance you should want to follow us, know that you’ll be closely watched.” 

Morel, mad with anger, answered by removing his T-shirt. He shoved Grigore violently before running to the window. He opened it and threw himself down the cliff the house overlooked. Corwin stared at him for a few seconds, then imitated his brother.

Gwen made a move to join them before being held back by Grigore.

“Leave them. They went flying; they’ll come back.”

“Is it true, you took his place?” she asked him. 

“No,” he confessed.

She almost sighed in relief that Rucker hadn’t been replaced so quickly.

“Will the Council get involved?” 

He nodded.

“Two important members will accompany us to try to plead the release of Rucker. But what we want is for the Strigoi to understand that our community will never leave him in their hands. We want to show them that we’re not weak and submissive. However, don’t hope that we’ll succeed in getting anything from them, we have to prepare to fight. Also, while we speak with them, a few will infiltrate the castle to find Rucker.”

“Just two members? It’s too few if you want to show them that Rucker’s important and you are too.” 

“St Andrews has to deal with another crisis. Two other bodies were found shortly before midnight. Humans this time. And numbers aren’t always strength, Scarlett,” he added with a knowing look.

“Damn, but who does that? cried Gwen. 

“According to Pitt, these would be Moroi. Their scent is what we smell after each murder.”

“And the claw you discovered?” 

He shook his head; he had no idea.

I thought back to the slime found on the Were’s body. By the Spirit, what kind of creature was this? 

“Why?” I asked flatly. “Why would they attack St Andrews?”  

“I don’t know. No one has ever seen them before, but they are renowned for their barbarism and obey only Strigoi. If they are still in the city, it’s because they haven’t yet been ordered to return. Look, Scarlett, the situation is perilous, I wish you and Gwen didn’t come, but...”

“If you think I’m going to stay politely here and wait for things to happen!” I snapped. 

“But there’s no doubt I can’t stop you,” he said calmly. “We’ll at least try to conceal you. Rucker told me about a locket in your possession. It would allow you to hide your true nature, do you still have it?” 

I calmed down and nodded.

“Yes. I even have two.”

“Then take them.”

“Very good. When are we leaving?” 

“When Remus, Gabriel, Pitt, Simon and Rufus join us.”

“I hate to be guided by Pitt, Grigore.”

“I know, but we have no choice. What are you going to do with your friend?” 

Kaley, I had forgotten her.

Gwen, who was still in shock, had just caught her scent.

“Is she here?” 

“She’s sleeping.”

“Maybe you should ask her to stay here with Morel and Corwin,” Gwen suggested.

“Is this possible?” I wanted to check with Grigore. 

The way his eyebrows met, he seemed to disapprove.

“They know how to live in contact with humans, being with your friend won’t be a problem for them. But when we get back from Romania, the Strigoi will look for Rucker here. The moment we leave this house, they’ll no longer be safe here. Not even in St Andrews.”

“Wick!” Gwen interjected. “At my mom’s house. You know she knows about me, about all of us and she loves them. And your friend can go too because she can’t wait here for you. It would be far too dangerous.”

Especially since no one knew if we were going to come back...

“Will she agree to take them?” 

“I don’t know…”

“Ask her,” Grigore said softly.

I nodded.

“Okay. I’m going to go wake her up and talk to her.”

I took a deep breath and took a step into the entrance hall.

“Scarlett?” Grigore called out to me. 

“What?” 

“The pack shouldn’t be informed. Never. Their presence could jeopardize everything.”

I stared at him with intensity as violent as the beating of my heart in my chest. His eyes, intractable, gave the impression that he would destroy everything that got in his way without qualms.

“Do you think we might not make it?” 

“I’m taking the risk anyway,” he gave as the only answer.

I studied him for a few seconds. From the way he was looking at me, there was no doubt that he would be ready for anything. I was greatly reassured.

“Very well. I’ll not say anything.”

I walked out of the room; muscles tight.

When I reached the hallway, I saw Kaley in the dark. She was sitting against the back wall, her arms wrapped around her bent knees.

She looked up when she saw my figure silhouetted against the shadows.

She had heard it all.