New home, New town, New life (Book 1)

Chapter 13

We finally stopped running when we hit the back of a cave. Very little light came from the ceiling. I looked at Wolf. "I need to know what's going on."

"What's going on isn't good, and I don't know if you are ready to know yet."

"It's either you tell her or I tell her, and you know for a fact that  I don't know everything about it. Just what my mother has told me." Snow stepped in. 

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright. Where do I start?"

"Tell her about him first. That will help her understand it all." Killer spoke up. He didn't look like he liked this topic.

Wolf took another breath and closed his eyes. "When I was young and about to have a partner, my father came to me and told me that if I don't become leader, an outsider would come and take that role. That outsider came a few years after that. He was a brave man and his partner was just the same. They took on everything that was thrown at them. Then one day, he stopped eating. Stopped sleeping. Just always watched the gates from his window. When my father confronted him about it, he just kept saying that he was fine. We all knew he wasn't. My father forced him to eat something, and when he did, he vomited all over the floor. His partner was at his side and when he reached out to touch her, it looked like a spark from a fire starting when he touched her." He paused, taking a shuttered breath. "My father made me take the outsider's partner down to the third level basement. My father told me that I would have to learn to use it before becoming the leader. The next morning, the outsider was brought there as well. He was screaming his partner's name over and over again, but because of what I did to her, she couldn't talk. Then came the time. The time where I had to put them into the Snipper. First was his partner. I locked her in as she cried. Then it was his turn. He tried so hard to get to her. Then my father had me push the button. I heard their screams, watched as their as their tears turned to blood. Then finally, I watched their life leave their eyes. I watched their souls be bottled and brought to my father. He drank it and took the face of the outsider over top of his own. No one but me and my family knew about this. Now he's going to do it to you." 

I stood on my knees holding Snow's head to my chest, horrified. "What if nothing is done about the spark?"

"Eventually, the animal partner becomes one with the human partner." I looked around for my Dad, but It was too dark to see anything. 

"Come out Dad." 

"I would, but you'd be afraid of me." I felt Wolf get closer to me. "I'm not going to let Lockwood kill my daughter, Wolf. Not like he killed my first wife and son." I watched a black wolf step into a stream of light. "My partner and I will protect you." Snow gasped and I covered my mouth.

"You fused with your partner." Wolf said, in almost a whisper.

"You can say that, but his mind is still very much alive." 

"Is he happy?" Snow asked. Dad's eyes went from emerald green to sky blue.

"Yes, Mi'lady. I am. I can also tell you that if you truly want this, I will guide you. If not, Hank and I will have no choice but to kill you." 

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Hudson." 

I gasped. "Lockwood knew! He knew the whole time! He called my father your name."

"I know. We, your father and I, pretended that Lockwood was calling him Hank. Now, you two must choose, will you become one, or will you take death."

"Hudson wait." Wolf stepped closer to him. Hudson's ear twitched in irritation.

"Yes?" He responded. I could tell that he didn't like being interrupted.

Wolf looked down at his hands. "Hunter and I had the same thing happen today as well."

"Oh dear." Hudson blatantly said.

"That's not a good thing is it?" I asked. 

"No. Too many will upset the balance."

"How many can you allow?" Wolf asked, his voice was steady, but I could see him shaking.

"I've taken one already, I can only take two more." I could hear the sadness  in his voice. I steeled myself, preparing. I knew with all my heart, Snow would trust me.

"Take Hunter and Wolf. I can wait. If waiting is an option." 

Snow nodded beside me. "I agree." 

"Take me where?" Hunter asked, walking up to us with Demon on his shoulder.

"I told them. Pen had it too." Wolf said.

"Penelope has offered that I take you and your brother, make you one with your partners while she waits for another time."

"We can all be taken actually. Our father has killed again."

"What do you mean?" My heart started to race. 

"Emily and Starlight have been killed. He claimed that they were too impure to be on any land other than death's land." Hunter explained. I heard a growl ripple though Hudson's throat.

"He will pay for this." He growled. 

"Than let's get on with this!"  His head whipped around to face me.

"You are just like him." He sounded astounded, but he shook his head. "Alright. We have very little time. Everyone sit with your hand on your partners head." We followed his orders. We weren't about to think twice. We all had a common though; we were not losing our partners or our lives. We were going to make Lockwood pay for what he did.

"Feel your partner. Their body. Their heat. Their breath. Their heart, and finally, their soul. Feel your heart match theirs. Feel your breath go in line to theirs. Feel your heart beat as one." He paused for what felt like years. "Now feel your souls become one soul with your partner's. Allow your minds to be separate. Don't fight, don't argue, be in harmony with one another. Allow your minds to see your future with eat other as one being." His voice sounded far away, but I listened and did as was instructed. "There will be pain." His voice echoed around me. I felt panic flow between Snow and I. She was just as afraid as I was. "Fear is normal. Now, bring your partner to your chest. Feel them. Feel yourself become one with them." I felt a pain in my chest. I felt Snow's pain mix with mine.  Hudson had said there would be pain, but I never thought there would be this  much pain.

I heard Wolf and Hunter's screams along with my own and Snowflake's. I remembered the pain of breaking my leg, and this pain, oh this pain was much worse. It felt like my whole body was being ripped apart little by little and slowly stitched back together with barbed wire. I remember floating in darkness with Snow in my arms, but she was bigger. Much bigger. "Penny!" I heard someone calling me. "Penny!" The voice was getting louder now.

I slowly opened my eyes to see Hunter looking down at me. "Snow." I said. When I didn't hear or feel her near me, I panicked. I sat up as quick as I could. 

"Stop!" Hudson yelled. "Just wait. You took the longest to recover. She is there. Give her time for her mind to regain consciousness." I calmed myself and Wolf and Hunter helped me to my feet. "Oh dear." Hudson was looking right at me. 

"What?" I asked as panic started to pick at my veins. 

"You need to go back! Now!" He yelled at me. Panic ripped through me with no mercy.

"Why?"

"What did you feel while floating in the darkness?" There was urgency in his voice.

"I--" I closed my eyes. "I remember floating in the darkness with Snow in my arms. She was bigger. Much bigger."

"How big? What was your pain like?"

"Almost the same size as Killer. The pain was terrible. It felt like I was being torn apart little by little and stitched back together with barbed wire." I was so confused. I couldn't feel Snow anymore. I was alone and scared. Hudson narrowed his eyes at me and took a deep breath.

"I need you to go back into the darkness."

"Why?" Fear rippled through that air from my voice alone. 

"You haven't fused properly. One of you rushed while the other was slow. Now, go back into the darkness and find her soul, before Death does." I took a deep breath and sat down, closing my eyes.

I sat there, repeatedly calling forth the darkness. It felt like days before I got into the darkness again. I called out for Snow. Begged her to give me a sign to lead me to her, but nothing happened. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man. He was tall and I couldn't see his eyes. "Who are you?" He only smiled at me. "Who are you?" I asked again. I watched him reach into his coat pocket and pull out a small glowing ball. I felt something hit me from behind and I stumbled forward. When I looked back, I saw a snow white wolf. "Snow?" It gave me wolfish smile Snow always gave me, but shook its head. 

"No child. That is Snowflake's grandmother. I also called her Snowflake." The man said. I turned and looked at him.

"Than where is my Snowflake if she is yours?" He gave me a sad smile and looked down at the glowing ball. I followed his gaze and I saw her. A small white wolf curled in a ball. "Snow!" I called out.

"She cannot hear you. Death has her in his grasp."

"How do I get her back?" I had determination burning in my eyes.

"You must make a fair trade with him."

I balled my hands into fists. "How do I get to him?" 

"Call to him. Tell him that you want to make a trade." 

"Alright, I will." I turned away from him. "Death! I want to make a trade!" I called out. A few moments passed before a man in a black suit with a blood red tie appeared in front of me. 

"What kind of trade do you seek?" His voice sounded sweet, but there were snakes behind it.

"I want to the white wolf you just took from me." 

"What are you going to trade me for her?" His eyes moved down my body slowly, then back up slowly. 

"Depends on what you want." I kept my back straight and my eyes locked on him. I wasn't going to let him see my fear.

"Let's see. The price of a soul as pure as this is worth 30 lashings or, I take your bond." He smiled. "I'll let you pick. I'm feeling generous for the next five seconds. Starting now."

"I'll take the lashings." I didn't hesitate for even a second. He began laughing.

"Why so quick? Is she that important to you that you are willing to be lashed for her?" I remained quiet. Not letting him trap me in a trick question. "You can answer, it's not a trick question."

"I'm afraid of losing her. I'm not afraid of dying to get her back either." 

"You're not afraid of dying? How interesting." 

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Can we get on with this? I want her back and I have things I need to get done back in my world." At that he laughed even more.

"You are just like him." Death said as he held out his hand. A black whip appeared in his hand. It looked like it was covered in dry blood already. "Face you back to me a remove your shirt and bra." I did so and closed my eyes, preparing myself. I heard the whip go back and felt it s***h my back open.

"Snow will not feel this right?" I said through gritted teeth.

"No. This is your payment to regain her soul." The whip slashed across my back again. 

"Thank you." I kept my eyes closed. As the minutes ticked on, my back was lashed. Bleeding and bruised, I was in so much pain, but I remained on my feet. Nor did I cry out in pain or tell him to stop. This was the price I had to pay to get my little Snowflake back. 

"You are at 25. Do you with to stop for a break or keep going?" 

"Keep going." I wasn't about to let this drag on. Not while Snow was alone somewhere in Death's dark keep.

"Alright, your last five lashings." 

Again, I heard the whip go back, then felt it s***h across my back. These last ones were going to be the worst. "Four." I thought to myself. "Three." I paused. "Two." I took a deep breath and held it. I heard the whip go back, then I heard it go forward with a nasty hissing sound. It slashed into my back deep. "One." It came back down on my back one last time, deep and painful.

"30 lashings for the price of one pure soul of a young wolf." I turned and saw Snow's little body in his arms.

"Snow." I whispered. Her eyes didn't open, but her ear twitched.

"To your chest, draw her in quick. She will be one with you then." I gently took her from him, her body grew to the size it was when we first entered the darkness.

I looked up at up at him. "Thank you." The look of his face was of shock and confusion. 

"Why?" 

"For giving her back to me."

"No, why are you so protective over her?" 

"Because she's been hurt. Just like I have." I paused. "She's just like me." Death laughed and pushed Snow to my chest.

"Good luck with everything." 

"I will probably see you someday in the future." I smiled at him then closed my eyes and held Snow close to me. 

"This is all wrong! What the hell is going on!" I heard Hudson yell.

"Everything is fine." I mumbled. Everyone looked at me as I sat up. I could feel my back still bleeding..

"What the hell went on!" Hudson yelled at me, his ears flat against his head.

"I had to pay Death to get her." 

"Pen? Pen can you hear me?" Snow's voice rang in my mind.

I lightly touched my heart. "Loud and clear Snow." I smiled. Hudson sighed.

"Well, is we are ready, we have a fight to win."

"Wait! What about my sister and Starlight?" Wolf asked.

"What about them?" Hudson didn't sound to happy with all the delays.

"Well, are they with Death or are they not at rest at all?" 

"I think they are fine, Wolf." Hunter said.

"I want to know Hunter." 

I sighed and stepped in. "I'll just ask Death."

"No! You are not going back there! I will not allow it!" Dad yelled. He was back now. 

"She doesn't have to come back to my world. I can freely come here." Death's hissing voice bounced off the cave walls. I heard Dad growl. "Don't worry, Hank. Your son is waiting his turn to be reincarnated and his mother is burning in a pit of fire for all eternity for her sins." Death appeared behind me with his arm around my waist and his hand on my belly. 

"What do you want, Death." Dad growled at him.

Death laughed. "Two things." Hunter and Wolf were frozen at how affectionate Death was being toward me.

"If it has anything to do with my daughter, than no. I won't do it." Dad bared his sharp teeth at Death.

"Sadly there's one vote no without hearing what I have to say." He paused, moving his hand up my body to lift my chin, lifting my face to look at him. "Could you change his mind to at least hear what I have to offer before saying no?"

"Hear him out. It could be useful in our fight." Death looked at everyone in the cave.

"Fine. What is it?" 

Death smiled. "I will give each of you one thing you want, for two things in return." 

"I don't think that's fair." Hunter was finally able to move.

"Oh? How is it not?"

"You get two things and we only get one for each of us? I don't find that fair." 

"Hunter, stop. It is fair. There are four of us and one of him, it's fair." Dad said.

"How so?" Hunter crossed his arms over his chest.

"He's granting four wishes, one for each of us, where as, Death, only wants two things as payment."

"Fine. Go on." 

Death nodded at Hunter while he remained close to me. "The two things I want are one, the purely black soul of Lockwood Thornbrush and a woman of my choosing to raise my child."

"Which woman have you chosen?" Dad asked. 

"I haven't chosen yet." He smiled. Dad eyed him. I could see the suspicion in his eyes. He knew who Death was going to choose, as did I. "Do we have a deal?" Hunter nodded, along with Wolf. Dad was a little more hesitant, but he agreed. Death leaned down to my ear. "Deal?" He whispered. I felt the goosebumps roll over my body.

"Deal." I said, trying not to shiver.

"Good. I will grant your wishes when I get my pure black soul." Death vanished into the shadows after that. 

"Penelope, you know who he's going to choose, don't you." Dad's voice sounded grim.

"I do." I headed toward the exit of the cave.