Spirit Of The Wolf Collection

Chapter 8-2

He paused at the servants’ quarters when he heard his name mentioned. Listening closely, he fought the urge to rip out all their throats.“Would you believe, Master Artie was actually expecting the position to be offered to him!” One of the servant’s laughed, crudely using the vulgar shortening of his name which Richard was so fond of using.

“Would you believe, Master Artie was actually expecting the position to be offered to him!” One of the servant’s laughed, crudely using the vulgar shortening of his name which Richard was so fond of using.“What do you expect?” another servant responded. “He never has been the brightest of fellows.”

“What do you expect?” another servant responded. “He never has been the brightest of fellows.”Others laughed and threw in their own additions to that statement.

Others laughed and threw in their own additions to that statement.“Or strongest.”

“Or strongest.”“Or bravest.”

“Or bravest.”“He didn’t even go off to the war to reclaim his father’s body,” the first voice announced. “What kind of coward does something like that? He stays at home while his father and little brother are risking their lives at war, doing the honorable thing?”

“He didn’t even go off to the war to reclaim his father’s body,” the first voice announced. “What kind of coward does something like that? He stays at home while his father and little brother are risking their lives at war, doing the honorable thing?”Artemis backed away before he could do something he was fairly certain he wouldn’t regret, and continued on his way to the library. Closing the door behind him, Artemis slumped down in a chair by the fire and started to read.

Artemis backed away before he could do something he was fairly certain he wouldn’t regret, and continued on his way to the library. Closing the door behind him, Artemis slumped down in a chair by the fire and started to read.“It was utterly disgraceful, the way they were talking about you back there.”

“It was utterly disgraceful, the way they were talking about you back there.”Artemis spun about to discover a man sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, bathed in shadows created by the burning fire. He hadn’t been there before, and a glance confirmed the door was still closed, as he’d left it. So how had this man gotten into the library without Artemis’ knowledge?

Artemis spun about to discover a man sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, bathed in shadows created by the burning fire. He hadn’t been there before, and a glance confirmed the door was still closed, as he’d left it. So how had this man gotten into the library without Artemis’ knowledge?“I could help you if you want,” the man continued.

“I could help you if you want,” the man continued.“Help me with what?” Artemis narrowed his eyes, hoping to get a better look at the man, but all he could see was vague outlines in the shadows.

“Help me with what?” Artemis narrowed his eyes, hoping to get a better look at the man, but all he could see was vague outlines in the shadows.“I could help you gain the respect you deserve, the power you seek.”

“I could help you gain the respect you deserve, the power you seek.”“And how are you going to do that?” Artemis opened his book again and leaned back in the chair. He’d been trying to get respect his entire life, and for nothing. Not even the servants respected him. He might as well leap off a high bridge and be done with it.

“And how are you going to do that?” Artemis opened his book again and leaned back in the chair. He’d been trying to get respect his entire life, and for nothing. Not even the servants respected him. He might as well leap off a high bridge and be done with it.“But what would that accomplish?” the man asked.

“But what would that accomplish?” the man asked.Artemis turned to stare at the man. “What?”

Artemis turned to stare at the man. “What?”“If you kill yourself, they’ll still laugh at you, only louder and without restraint. With my help, you will win their respect, at last. No more, ‘Richard the hero’. No more, ‘Artemis the coward’.” The man watched Artemis pointedly, convincing him he was referring to the comments the servants had made.

“If you kill yourself, they’ll still laugh at you, only louder and without restraint. With my help, you will win their respect, at last. No more, ‘Richard the hero’. No more, ‘Artemis the coward’.” The man watched Artemis pointedly, convincing him he was referring to the comments the servants had made.A shiver rippled down Artemis’ spine. “Who are you, and why would you help me?”

A shiver rippled down Artemis’ spine. “Who are you, and why would you help me?”The man in the shadows shrugged. “Merely someone who thinks we could be mutually beneficial to one another. I have the power to grant you something you want, and you have the power to get something I want.”

The man in the shadows shrugged. “Merely someone who thinks we could be mutually beneficial to one another. I have the power to grant you something you want, and you have the power to get something I want.”Artemis’ eyes glazed over and his head was filled with images – images of himself walking into a room where the entire household had gathered to greet him. Visions of Vardum, begging him to join the Council while Richard stood off to the side, the dutiful little brother. A slow smile curled his lips. “Where do we start?”

Artemis’ eyes glazed over and his head was filled with images – images of himself walking into a room where the entire household had gathered to greet him. Visions of Vardum, begging him to join the Council while Richard stood off to the side, the dutiful little brother. A slow smile curled his lips. “Where do we start?”Artemis shook his head to clear the memory and followed Nicole to her next class. He’d come too far to back out now. Soon, his hard work would finally pay off.

* * *

Mara closed the balcony door and suppressed a shudder. Something was out there. She could sense it, but she couldn’t make sense of what it might be. Why couldn’t she get a clear impression of it? Nothing had ever withstood her probing before. Whatever it was, it was incredibly strong, because she could sense it without even trying. An icy chill crept over her again, even though the balcony doors were closed. She needed to get to the bottom of this. Evil seemed to permeate the air and she needed to find its source before something horrible happened.

She sat on the carpeted floor with her legs crossed, letting the fragrance of the incense focus her senses and help clear her mind. She worked through her breathing exercises slowly, focusing on her breathing and the smell of the incense. She took herself deeper, opening to whatever she might perceive, careful to keep her thoughts to a minimum. She could pinpoint the darkness very clearly now. Carefully, she studied it, trying to learn more about it. A sensation of pressure built up around her, and she quickly backed off. She’d have to find another way. Before she’d gotten very far though, the pressure increased again, this time far stronger. Mara blinked and waited for her vision to clear, realizing that she was staring up at the ceiling, with the floor beneath her back. Slowly, she sat up and surveyed her surroundings. The incense had already burned out and she decided to fix some tea and rest some before trying again. With that plan in mind, she headed to the kitchen, pausing at a small wall mirror on the way.

She studied herself closely. The streak of white still stood out against her otherwise black hair. It was the only sign which revealed her age. Her face was still smooth and young, but perhaps if someone looked closely enough into her eyes, they’d see some of the many demons harbored there – but no one ever looked that close. She laughed. Most people thought she purposefully added the white streak to her hair for the effect. After all, no one else of their kind had lived long enough to develop any such signs of aging. Why should they assume any different of her? She shook her head at the young reflection staring back at her. Why indeed? She took a deep breath and went to make the tea. She had a lot of work to do.

* * *

Rodney put down the phone and leaned his elbows on the desk, resting his face in his hands. He sighed in frustration. He had to find a way to get rid of Nicole Cameron and the evidence against him, but so far, nothing was working out. The girl always had people around her! He couldn’t get anyone near her place, not since the cops had started sending patrol cars around there all the time. He either had to risk snatching her in public, or risk the cops seeing him at her place. Neither option was particularly appealing.

“Giving up so soon?”

Rodney jumped and hurriedly surveyed the room for the source of the voice. A figure stood in one corner, hidden by the shadows.

“Who’s there?” How could someone get into his office without him knowing it?

“How soon they forget.”

Abruptly, Rodney realized this was the same voice he’d heard in the street that night, on the way back from the bar. He’d almost convinced himself he’d imagined the whole thing, but now he wasn’t so sure.

“I am very much real,” the voice said, sending chills up Rodney’s spine. “Now, about Miss Cameron. As I said before, you need to get a little creative. Surely you remember how you dealt with her parents? Draw from that experience.”

Rodney’s eyes widened. “How could you know about that? No one knew.” If this guy had found out what he’d done, that meant others could. If that happened, he would be completely ruined.

The only response was a low laugh, and the figure disappeared into the shadows. Rodney gathered up his nerve and walked over to that corner where the figure had stood, but there was nothing there, leaving Rodney to wonder once again if he’d imagined it all.

Those haunting words echoed in his head. I am very much real. Rodney shivered and retreated back to his desk to figure out some way to get rid of Nicole Cameron. Maybe then, whoever the shadowy voice was would leave him alone.

I am very much real.* * *

He slipped through the shadows, unseen. Lightly touching a stop sign, he turned it to face in the opposite direction. A short time later, the sound of squealing tires and honking horns caught his ear. Unfortunately, the cars didn’t seem to have hit each other though. What a pity. Oh well – the night was still young. He chuckled.

He heard some small animals running off, rushing to escape him, and he grinned at the terror they were experiencing. Animals were the only ones he couldn’t completely hide his presence from – except for her. Her gentle mind probed again, and he pushed her away, wondering how many times he would have to do it before she would give up. That last attempt had been significant. He was impressed she’d kept at it this long. Still, she would stop when she learned her attempts were futile. He wasn’t about to let her discover his identity, not until he was ready. By then, he would finally have what was rightfully his, and she wouldn’t have a chance against him.