Book of Curses

Chapter 4.

We'd managed to make it out of the trees by sunset, leaving behind Saphire, Anna and Lupus. I tried to get them to come along with us, but they declined, said it was for the best that they didn't come along, I wished them luck and was hoping that they would stay safe.

It took us a while to even make it half way through the forest, by the time we'd even found our way out it was growing darker. It was that short period of time right before the night's true darkness washes over everything, and I really hoped we got there before it was fully dark out. 

Starting forward a bit faster I noticed a shape in the shadows, it sat back from where we were. The closer we'd gotten to it, the more I could make out the fact that it was a building of sorts, and it wasn't all that big. When we were almost on top of it, it dawned on me that it was a barn.

Felan looked back at me, then Tom, as she spoke directly to him. She was giving him a dark smile. “Like I said, not far.”

“Ok, there’s a spring out back, bandages inside… clothes I think as well.” Eyloff grunted as he started walking faster, almost moving into a sprint leaving us to follow him. 

The wolves could move faster, taking giant steps across the ground until they were a few steps from the barn. Tom and I, on the other hand, were practically panting by the time we managed to get to it. "We'll sleep here tonight, start out in the morning and head to the Air region, Felan you can find the clan again then.” Eyloff grumbled to us, and then went inside without another word. 

“Fine.” She grunted, limping her way inside the barn with her head held as high up as possible, she had a look on her face that dared someone to ask if she was ok. I admired her for her strength and determination, but that attitude; it needed to go. 

Dolphus helped me inside. He was moving me as fast as I could go, but not giving me a second to complain to him like I wanted to about how I didn't need the help. He helped me to sit down on a bale of hay and then made me hold still, disappearing around a corner for a few minutes, he reappeared with a box in hand. He was smiling a little as he held the box up and hiked a thumb back behind him. “Bath, or bandages first?” 

“Bandage, it’s only my arm really.” I instantly replied. I just wanted it over with. A bath sounded nice, to get all this blood and dirt off me, but I really just wanted to sleep and hope that I'd wake up back home on my couch. 

“Your leg?” He asked me, arching an eyebrow almost instantly and tilting his head in the direction of my leg. He was eyeing it suspiciously as he did, and I inwardly cursed myself. 

“Probably just sprained, I’ll be fine with some rest, promise.” Putting on the best fake smile I could for him, I tried to keep him from worrying any more than he was, I really could handle myself. 

Shrugging his shoulders slightly he accepted that what I said was true, and nodded at my shredded shirt. I didn't understand at first, and then he explained why he was doing that. “You got a nice bruise across your ribs.” There was a frown on his face. 

Looking down at the same moment, he'd said that, I began pulling at the gaping hole that exposed my blackening skin that was crusted with blood. Blushing brightly when I realized that my top barely covered anything on my upper body anymore, hell it wasn't even a shirt now, it was a cloth. 

I admit; I panicked a bit and started trying to figure out how to cover myself up. Just what I needed, ripped up clothes and men all over the place. Yeah, fun, so much fun. I started to look around for something to put on and just saw hay, horses and stalls. 

“Don’t get embarrassed, I admire the fact that you can get that way; I must be at least decent looking,” he pursed his lips, smiling a kind of thoughtful smile for a moment. Then shaking his head at me for a moment, he started to laugh, which only flustered me more. “But I’m interested in men, thank you.”

He lifted my arm with his hand, careful not to hurt me any more than he had to, and started to wipe off the blood with a damp cloth. Turning my arm this way and that he scanned it for a long moment, and then he started to bandage the wound as carefully as he could. “If you don’t mind, I need a bath too, so I may join you and Felan, you two don’t have anything I haven’t seen before anyway.” He said as he stood up, patting my shoulder softly. 

“I, um, uh, ok, I think.” I started tripping over my own words, before looking at a pile of clothes he had handed me with a new suspicion. I didn't know what to make of them. 

“They’ll fit, promise.” He smiled again and stood still eyeing me for a moment.

I nodded my head slowly, looking at them, and then I stood up. Feeling the searing white-hot pain from my leg as soon as I was on it. I tried to ignore it and started heading towards the door of the barn with the clothes in hand, so I could go out and take a bath.

Dolphus was walking behind me, taking care to make sure he didn't bump into me suddenly as he started to speak. “So tell me, where you come from, Lycanthropes’ don’t exist?” He looked, bemused, when he asked me. Just staring and waiting for me to reply. 

“Nope, Vampires, Lycans, Angels, Faeries, Demons, Ghosts all of those are pretty much just made up for movies.” I said laughing nervously. I was still trying to accept that any of them existed here. It was scary to see something you dressed up as for Halloween, or read and watched movies about, be real. 

He smirked at me, and made a cross between a laugh and a snort. “You’d be amazed to know then, everything you’ve named of exists, and you will manage to see those things, trust me.” 

“Don’t tell me vampires are ugly rotting corpses or something.” I grimaced at the thought of that. They were supposed to be dead creatures right? So that was the only way I could really imagine them, if they were real. 

Dolphus started laughing, shaking his head back and forth at me. “Gods no, immortal humans with fangs and extraordinary abilities. A well as a fetish for drinking blood, or is that something they have to do in order to live… I never can remember.” He scratched at his neck, thinking for a long moment before he shrugged his shoulders. 

The only thing I did in reply was blink a lot as I listened to him. When I could reply I just said a simple. “I see.” 

“The only uglies I know of are the demons and some Fey, they’re supposed to be inhumanly gorgeous, but some of them are almost inhumanly ugly.” He shuddered at the thought of them, and I felt so lost that I just nodded, and made noises of agreement to him. 

Starting to smile as I noticed the water becoming closer and closer, I started to speed up. Then I noticed Felan, immersed up to her collarbone in the water, with her head tilted back. The moonlight was beating down on her and the water. I wanted to turn around and run, but the thought of that made my leg start throbbing with pain, so I sucked it up and kept going. 

“Felly love, I’ve brought the human girl with me, so we can bond!” Dolphus yelled next to me, beginning to pull off his shirt and throw it behind him. When he started pulling off his pants, I turned around as fast as I could and moved down to the other side of the water, pulling off my shredded shirt. 

“Oh fun, as long as she doesn’t expect me to be her best friend, or yours for that matter, come on in.” Felan mumbled just loudly enough for me to hear, never once moving from the position I saw her in when we first came over.

 I ignored her statement and looked down at the water. Leaning down slowly, I started to pull down my pants without bumping any of my cuts or bruises. Biting my lip to hold back the whimper as I accidentally bumped against my throbbing leg, there was a stinging from my ribs, and I just wanted to cry. 

Once I was completely stripped down, I moved forward and stepped into the chilled water as slowly as I could. I looked over at Dolphus and Felan just in time to see Dolphus jump into the water, shouting something I couldn't make out. 

The water started to ripple towards my body, and splashed at my legs. I let out a sigh and launched myself into the water, sinking underneath it and rinsing off the blood and filth. When I came back up, I felt a sudden sadness. I had enjoyed my couple of seconds of escape from this dreadful world, and was thinking that maybe if I went back under I'd be home when I came back up. 

How wrong I was to think that. Even a fool could tell you I was an i***t, but I just wanted to be home so badly. I couldn't handle another second of the pain I felt, or the death I saw. The killing and the fighting, people changing into something that shouldn't exist. I could never be sane after this.

 “This is lovely.” Dolphus spoke in a relaxed voice. I kept my back to him and Felan both. “I needed a bath; I was beginning to smell like something that died.” 

“You always smell that way.” Felan said in a voice that implied, 'How could you ever think you don't smell like that normally?’  

"That's just not right, Felan!” Dolphus said accusingly, in a high-pitched squeaky voice. When I looked over his eyes were widened in pure horror. That would be about the time I made sure the water came up to my neck, turned around fully, and watched the two of them.

“Accept the truth or don’t, but trust me, you don't exactly smell like wildflowers.” She said shrugging her shoulders as if it didn't matter to her, which it probably didn't. 

“Not like you ever do either!” He huffed at her, going back to scrubbing at his arms ferociously and mumbling under his breath.

 “At least, I accept that fact.” 

I just watched them; it was fascinating. Actually, I was trying to keep from laughing too loudly, and realized they could probably hear me regardless. I cut off my laughs and kept my distance, starting to rub water over my arms. 

I dodged as many bruises and cuts on my legs and arms as I could, trying to get all the blood and grime off my skin. My eyes widened a bit as I took in the gash on my right leg, and I winced as I had no choice but to start washing it out. I tried to keep as calm as possible, but tears were starting to slide down my face.

“I hope you’re not going to be that rude, my dear Raine.” Dolphus announced, catching my attention. I looked up and saw him staring at me; I met his gaze and only blinked. “I don’t think I’d be able to deal with it really.”

 “I’m not really mean to people in general, unless they deserve it.” I replied to him, shrugging my shoulders and wincing in pain when I felt it pull on the skin around my ribs.

“Thank the heavens for that." He said, and then dunked himself under the water so long that I started to think he was never going to resurface. 

I began to scrub at my hair, watching as the water around me continued to turn a dark tinted color. I was mesmerized for a few minutes and shuddered knowing that it was mostly my blood, instead of someone else's. 

You're not a killer, but you will have to kill… Don't mistake that for a minute Raine Renning. You're one of the Chosen, as is your brother, be brave. 

I looked around hearing the man's voice. I checked to see if anyone around me had spoken but no one was talking and nobody else was here. I shook my head and threw it off as hearing things again, I did that sometimes. 

Going back to examining my arms once more, I made sure there wasn't any blood left on them anywhere, and when I was content with it, I sank back into the water. I was relaxing as much as I could for a few minutes. 

After a little while, I stood up and looked over toward the barn. I noticed two shadows that were moving towards us. I widened my eyes realizing who it was. I didn't want to be seen naked, let alone by my brother. 

I pulled myself out of the water, and scrambling around I looked at the other two and spoke. “Don’t know about you, but I’m getting out before they’re over here.” I announced to them, hoping they heard me.  

I heard Dolphus let out a squeak, and then noticed that the two of them were moving my way faster. I got out, ran behind a tree and began to pull on my clothes. Thank God for Dolphus getting me something clean to wear or this would've gone completely different. 

Moving towards the lake, I ignored the pain that was flaring up throughout my limbs, and began to wring my hair out as best I could while trying not to get the new loose fitting red shirt too wet. I tried to arrange the shirt on my body better; it hardly stayed on either of my shoulders, and kept slipping down in the front often. It was better than nothing, though not by much. 

The leather pants were weird though, they fit me perfectly, and I was starting to wonder why Dolphus couldn't find me a better shirt to wear. Ignoring my thoughts I moved closer to him and Felan, waiting to see where they were going, so I knew where to go.

“Tell me something, do I look bad, truthfully?” Dolphus looked to me then Felan with a very serious expression. I was trying to keep from laughing at him.

“Even though you’re pretty good looking at the moment, he’ll still say no.” I pat his shoulder sympathetically, and heard him sigh sadly and felt his shoulders slump a bit. I felt bad for him, but it was the truth. Tom wasn't going to up and change preference because we were in some strange land now.  

“I’m going to head to bed so I can get up early and find the pack.” Felan informed us, and without another word walked off briskly towards the barn. By the time I could reply to her, she was already halfway there, so I just shut up. 

“We need the rest too, or one of us might fall off a horse.” Dolphus winced at a distant thought, or memory. "Trust me; it’s not fun to fall off a horse.” 

I stared over at him, shaking my head for a moment.  “Oh, Dolphus I wanted to ask, why can you shape shift, but Lupus is a Lycan…?” 

“Oh, that, well….” He raised his hand to his head, and began to scratch at the back of it for a moment. Then sighing he motioned for me to follow him to the barn. “Our parents were a Lycan, and a shapeshifter. I got moms bloodline… Lupus got dads.” He told me, his smile slow and thoughtful. His eyes seemed distant for a moment. “I prefer what I am anyway, because of the shared bloodlines, we're a bit unique. Like, I’m stronger than the average Shifter, whereas Lupus is more agile than the average Lycan.” 

“Oh.” I managed to get out, thinking over what he'd said for a moment, before speaking again. "So in a way you're, cross breeds?” I asked, and then almost as quickly regretted my choice of words, I didn't exactly mean for it to come out sounding like that.

He tilted his head just barely, thought about it and then laughed. "Yes, that’s actually a nicer way of saying it than what the pack tends to say. Only Arily has much compassion over it.” 

“I’m sorry.” I said sincerely.

“Don’t be, things happen. If you can live through them, they make you who you are, and it makes you stronger.” He looked at me. A smile slowly tugged at his lips.

I nodded my head, smiling as well. Following him inside the barn and I rubbed my arms for a moment. He let out a yawn, pointed at a bale of hay, and then spoke when he was able to again. “You can take it; I'll sleep on the floor.” 

“You sure?” I asked, not meaning to sound so surprised. I furrowed both of my eyebrows and looked at the flooring. It was dirt, probably cold, and hard as hell. 

“Yep, I prefer the ground; I think it’s the dog in me.” He winked at me, before turning his head and looking at the ground smirking like a moron. 

Rolling my eyes, I turned and went to the bale of hay. “You’re horrible, you know that, right?” 

“Me, horrible? Clearly, you’ve got the wrong person love.” He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not the one who adjusted to being somewhere with ‘fairytale’ creatures so quickly, now am I?” He asked me, as he inclined his head a bit. 

“I didn’t adjust; I’m just trying to go along with it.” I huffed as quickly as I could, rolling my eyes as I lay down on the hay, and I curled up onto my side. “So shove it.” 

Without missing a beat, he threw his hands up in defense as if I was going to hurt him and started chuckling. “Whatever you say!”

“Shut up, both of you! I would like to sleep!” Felan let out a feral snarl from across the room where she was, and then there was a crash and whinnying from a horse close by her. 

Dolphus blinked his eyes a few dozen times, and before anyone could say anything more he hit the floor, as if he was trying to show how good he was being. “I’m sorry my sweet, sweet Felan, do forgive me!” He lifted his head to yell back at her.

“Shut up Dolphus, or I’ll make you regret speaking.” 

Dolphus only shook his head a few times, looked up at me and grinned brightly with a slightly mischievous glint to it. Then laid his head down on his right arm, and murmured a good night to me.

I turned over, smiling to myself as I tried not to laugh out loud. Then laying my head down on both arms, I closed my eyes, and I let sleep take me.

****

I was standing in a room. It was huge, and every time I moved or breathed; I swore it echoed. The walls were the brightest white with nothing on them; there were no windows to be seen. The only light that came from the room was a chandelier that hung from above, and was lit by candles.

I stepped forward listening  as each of my steps echoed across the white marbled floors. My eyes slid from surface to surface, attempting to see if I could spot anything out of the ordinary, and then I did. I spotted one lone window that sat on the far wall, between two thrones. 

I took my chance and started to run to it. When I was about a half a step away, everything changed, the entire room turned dark. The walls seemed to peel, turning into a darkened wood, there were roses painted on some areas. Candles hung off the sides of each wall, and a chandelier that looked to be made of wrought iron hung from above with only a few lit candles in it. 

The floor had changed to black marble, and each wall had at least one window in it now, with a small table standing in front of it with what looked like blood-red roses sitting in vases on them. The thrones were now black also, and there was a red carpet that ran in front of both. 

My eyes grew large as I looked around, staring around the place in wonder, and then I moved to the window to peek out it. All I saw was darkness, the trees seemed dead, and the sky was as dark as ever, with a bright moon hanging in it. I started to back away and realized that the room didn't echo anymore. 

Turning quickly on my heel I nearly ran into a shadow, a shadow that didn't reveal itself to me. Then another one appeared. This one was bulky compared to the first one, and I felt my blood run cold. 

"Who are you?" I yelled at them, there was no reply just silence, and the two shadows standing there. One moved closer to the other, and both were standing in front of me now. It seemed like they were staring at me.

"Why can she get into these dreams?" One hissed. It sounded demonic, and he didn't sound happy. "She shouldn't be able to."

"That's quite alright, Maldre." The other one said in a velvety voice, it had to be a woman. "This way she'll know she won't live long, nor will anyone else." 

"What are you talking about?" I screamed at them. 

"Poor girl, you don't have long." She cooed. "I'll see you soon, and I'll be sure to have fun with you, while I kill you and your brother." 

I didn't get to ask anything else because I was violently awoken. I was shaking and covered in sweat, and my heart was racing a mile an hour. Then I heard what had actually woken me. 

****

“Get up!” Eyloff shouted in a harsh and tired voice. I looked over my shoulder and saw him repeatedly starting to kick Dolphus in the side. I didn't know what to do other than to stare at him. His kicking grew more violent, and his expression turned from tired to purely agitated. 

“I’m up! I’m up!” Dolphus yelled, nearly screaming it at Eyloff. “I think I’m going to die before I wake some morning, if this is how you plan to keep acting.”

I slowly sat up, using my hands flatten stray strands of my black hair against my head. The curls in my hair were starting to spring out, and I let out a frustrated snarl as I tried to get them to lie down. My eyes drifted from the bickering boys towards the doorway where my brother stood, laughing as if this was the most entertaining thing in the world. 

“Pick a horse; it’s going to be your new best friend.” Eyloff spat at Dolphus, then with a final kick he strode off mumbling something to himself about stupidity and wolves. 

I leaned back against the stable wall, and was nudged repeatedly in my right shoulder. Looking back I caught a glimpse of a Palomino horse nuzzling me with its muzzle. I lifted my hand and began to pet its muzzle, cooing softly to the horse and smiling. 

“I think the horse picked Raine, does that count?” Dolphus yelled to Eyloff as he stood up stretching his body and wincing, before he started violently rubbing where Eyloff had kicked him.   

"Be damned, if it isn’t Fire.” I heard Eyloff mutter as he peaked back inside the room, my eyes shot to him and I tilted my head in confusion. The horse seemed nice enough so I didn't see why he'd be so surprised. 

“Huh?” I said aloud, looking at him as I continued to pet 'Fire' as they had put it. I was trying to figure out what his expression was all about, and just got an even stranger look before he walked inside and started to explain to me. 

“Fire usually hates everyone, she’d rather eat them than let them come near her or ride her.” Eyloff explained, pulling on some lead ropes as he pulled three horses along with him. Walking towards Fire, he stretched his hand out to let her sniff it, watching her carefully. 

“Thankfully she likes me.” He took the horse leads, tying them onto the post next to Fires stall.  I looked at the other horses to see a paint mare, and two stallions that were chestnut colored. All of them looked a lot like quarter horses. 

Eyloff finished what he was doing, and walked into Fires stall with a saddle and reins to get her ready to be ridden. She let out a neigh and happily followed him out towards the other horses where he stopped and untied them.  

“Diego, Spirit, Flare and now Fire, why did you pick Flare for me? You’re out to get me murdered!” Dolphus shouted accusingly, as he recoiled away from the horse that flared its nostrils at him, and let out a whinny.  

“They're only horses Dolphus, besides I told you to pick one, and you wouldn’t.” Eyloff stated simply, shrugging his shoulders as he looked from the horses to him, and back to the horses again. 

“Murderer!” Dolphus stuck out his index finger, pointing it and speaking in a horrified voice. 

“For the love of the Gods…” Eyloff groaned to himself, turned and gave Dolphus a dark look. 

“Besides, who has ever gotten close to any of these horses before, they’re ignored for a reason.” 

“Me,” Eyloff stated, as he nudged Fire to walk with him. Thinking about it for a moment. “You and Lupus, now Thomas and Raine.” 

Dolphus let out a grunt, following after Eyloff before he began to mutter under his breath. I sat where I was for a moment longer, trying to wake up fully. When I finally had, I bolted out after them, nearly tripping over my own feet and falling on my face.  

“Raine, here, I’ll help you up. You probably don’t even know how to ride a horse, let alone mount one, and all I need is you killing yourself.” Eyloff spoke to me in a tone that declared how irritated he already was with everyone. Tom let out a laugh beside him, trying to cover it with a fake cough before he mounted his own horse, circling away from us a bit. 

“Actually, for your information, I have.” I glared at him, pushing him away and speaking as insultingly as I could. Grabbing the reins and the horn, I pulled myself up and swung my right leg over to the other side, putting both feet snuggly into the stirrups. Then I pulled back on the reins and pressing my legs into the horse's side, I pulled Fire away from the group and moved her out a bit to get a feel for her.  

“Got to say, she’s good, better than Felan anyway. I hope that means she’s extraordinarily good at riding a horse, or I may have to kill myself.” Dolphus announced, watching me and Tom for a long moment, before trying to move his own horse and flinching when the horse let out a sigh.  

“She used to ride a lot.” Tom told them, shrugging his shoulders a bit as he patted his own horse's shoulder a little. 

“Let’s go.” Eyloff grunted, looking away from us both.  “Since you two can obviously ride; I won't need to go slowly.” With that statement, I watched him kick into his horse's sides, and take off in a full gallop. I smiled happily from the fact that I was on a horse again, and I might get to show up an arrogant werewolf. Life was sure as hell interesting, that was for sure. I sent Fire into a gallop following after Tom and Dolphus, passing them as I headed towards Eyloff.