The Ancients (6 page)

              “It was a while ago, he missed the last coven meeting to be with his mom in the hospital.”

              Kristoff, Michael and Kevin all look at each other.  Michael breaks their silence, “I will look into Martin, just to make sure.”

              Kevin smiles, “Okay, that sounds good.  I will take on the dubious honor of following this little one around as a bodyguard.”  He flings his arm around Riley.

              “I don’t need a babysitter and don’t touch me, you mangy beast,” Riley jumps up from her seat.  “Rian, please.”

              I try to keep my face neutral, I think I failed, “Sorry, Ri, but he sticks with you until this is done.”

              “Don’t worry Riley, you aren’t the only one with a bodyguard.  I am not leaving Rian,” Kristoff declares with a look that brokered no arguing. 

              “Fine, but..”

              “No buts Rian, you do not leave my side until this works out.”

              I know there is nothing I can say to change his mind, so I continue my pouting curled in my favorite chair.  The others carry on the conversation as I try to think how I am supposed to unite the races and save everyone from the Ancients.

Samara

The tome lay next to my cauldron.  My mind was endowed with all the spells and power this book would provide me.  Me being in front of it was a pure miracle; like it was always supposed to be there.  “Will I unlock your secrets, book?” I say to no one.  Maybe talking to a book makes me crazy but I could care less.  If you see enough of the magical world you know that all things aren’t as they appear. 

“You will show me yours soon,” I caress the book as I begin to chant.  “I need to know how to make them rise.  The words need to be precise.  Show me, no matter the price.”

The book opens with a gust of wind that almost knocks me over.  There in plain letters is the key to victory.  The key to unlocking the stasis created by the witches of the past.  My smile cannot be contained as I feel Martin enter the room.

“Samara, no one suspects us,” Martin whispers.

“I hope you are right,” I meet his eyes.  “I must meet with my contact to see if we have all the other items we need.  I have the location spell now to find where they lay, we are close my love.”

Martin’s smile is short lived, “My mother has not regained consciousness.”

“She will in time. It would be counter-productive for her to wake up to help Henrietta.  Don’t worry love, she will wake soon.”

Martin seems to struggle with this, “I believe you Samara, but well, she doesn’t look good.  I planned to go to the hospital and take her home.  However, she wasn’t awake and…..”

With my back to Martin I was able to roll my eyes.  This fool can’t expect me to give a damn for his mother.  I think for a moment whether he was useful or not any more.  Honestly, I just wanted rid of the little clinger.  “Come here Martin.”

He moves towards me.  As he gets in arm’s length, I place my hands on his cheeks.  “I want you to know that all of your help is greatly appreciated.”

“I am glad,” Martin smiles. 

“Yes, well, it is no longer needed.  I have the answer I need.  The animal and the witch.”

Martin tries to shake my hands away from his face as the heat in my hands increases.  “What are you talking about?  What are you doing?”

“Sorry, Martin, but you are not at the end state.”  I watch as his head slowly starts to boil from the inside out.  The red blisters that cover his face begin to pop as his body temperature rises.  “I have it from here.”

Within a minute, Martin no longer exists.  I think that I should feel poorly about my behavior, but I just can’t.  He was a liability to end.  “I know what to search for now,” I lay my hands on the book, smiling.  “She will come to me, soon.”

Kristoff

As we are planning how to go about questioning Martin, I see Rian curled up in her chair with a face filled with determination.  This prophecy is a lot to lay on one person.  I like it even less that it lays at the feet of my mate.  I must do everything in my power to ensure she makes it through all of this so we can move on with our lives. 

I stand, “Alright, Michael find out what Martin knows, Kevin stay close to Riley.” I extend my hand to Rian pulling her out of her trance.  “Rian, how about we go for a walk.”

There is no sarcastic comeback, no witty comment, she simply puts her hand in mine and stands.  We make our way down the front porch onto a trail that runs throughout her property.  She is still quiet.  “You know after we first met, I would shift into my wolf form every night and patrol.  It calmed me being near you, my mate.”

“Stalking me, huh?” she cracked a smile.

“Ah, there is my feisty mate!  I was wondering where you went.”

Rian doesn’t immediately reply.  She ventures off the trail a bit to sit beside a small river.  We sit for a minute listening the water. “I am normally so in control.  I have amazing magic thanks to the Goddess.  I always knew my wolf was in me, but meeting you made her a more dominate part of my life.  This stupid prophecy has always hung over my head.  I never actually thought I would need to do anything with it, yet here I am having to come up with a way to save the paranormal races! Me!  I am no savior.”

“It will be okay, Rian.  You are not in this alone,” I pull her so she sits with her back to my chest wrapping my arms around her.  “We will figure all of this out.  The prophecy doesn’t define how you do this.  Prophecies are funky like that.”

I feel her giggle, “Yeah, wish they came with instructions.  You are right though.”

“Of course I am.”

She turns her head to look at me, “Funny.”

“Come,” I stand.  “We have to go back.  Just remember what I said.  I think this will all come to fruition and then we can finally get to the most important thing.”

“Which is?”

I smile, cupping her face with my hands, “Well, making you my mate, of course.”  I dip my head and brush my lips across hers.  “Told you I wasn’t going anywhere.”   

Charles

              “Dwarf!  Where are you,” the snotty witch screamed as she barged into my shop.

              Upon hearing her voice Fred flees to the outside.  “Traitor,” I mumble then louder, “You are talking loud enough to wake the dead, witch.”

              “Ah, there you are,” she replies.  “Do you have my items?”

              I sigh deeply, “Not going to ask if I am alright or ask how I got your stuff?”

              She raises an eyebrow, “Why would ask questions about things I do not care about?  Where are my items?”

              “You think mighty highly of yourself even for a de Molay.  Come to the back room, I don’t wanna touch any of them again.”

              She brushes past me to the back room.  I follow her, “Now before I release them from where I stashed them, I want that necklace brought out and the life debt removed.”

              “You think I would renege on this?”

              “You seem like the type who would like to have a reputable thief in your back pocket.”

              The pretty witch laughs lightly and produces the necklace, “I see you are not a dumb dwarf.  I showed you the necklace, show me the items.”             

              I am still weary of bringing the items out, but she will not be able to take them until I remove the ward.  Waving my hand removes the magic showing the knife, flint and amulet.  “Just like you asked, now the life debt.”

              “Put your hand on the necklace,” she instructs me.  I feel her begin to weave power around, “The debt is paid, the deed is done, release this soul, he owes no one.”  The power breaks the crystal on the necklace effectively releasing me from the life debt.

              “Wow, didn’t think you would actually do it,” I say as I release the ward surrounding the stolen goods.  “Now don’t take this the wrong way, get your stuff, get out, and never come back.”

              “Charles, Charles,” she is mesmerized by the objects.  “Good work.  Soon, you will be begging to come work for me.”

              “Think not, lady.”

              “We will see about that,” she makes her way towards the door.  “Oh and Charles, I don’t need to tell you that this little task I sent you on does not need to be shared with anyone, do I?”

              “I am going to forget it myself,” I reply.

              “Great,” the pretty witch walks out the door.

              “Fred you can come back out, the witch is gone,” I yell for the dog.  It doesn’t take him long to be by my side.  “Hopefully that is the last we see of her.  I am curious as to what she is up to though.

Kristoff

              “Any leads on Martin?” I ask Kevin and Michael.  Since Kevin and I are on guard duty, we moved our daily operations to Rian’s office.  Neither sister was happy with the detail, but it was in their best interest. 

              Michael shakes his head, “He has disappeared.  No one has seen him since he last visited his mom in the hospital a week ago.”

              “Thoughts?”

              I watch my Beta think a moment, “I think he is involved somehow.  Everyone described him as a weak minded individual, nothing like his mother.  If his mother confided Rian’s nature to him, it seems plausible that he could be manipulated by those that want the Ancients to rise.”

              Nodding my head, “I agree.  Keep digging.  Any news about the artifacts that were stolen?”

              Kevin pipes in, “One of my contacts told me they saw Charles go into Vaughn’s the other day.  They said he looked like hell.”

              “Charles, the dwarf?”

              “Yeah, I know,” Kevin sighed.  “He has been out of the game for the past twenty years.  I would be curious what he was doing at Vaughn’s.”

              “I just find it hard to believe he would be back in the game,” I shake my head.  “The powers that be were pretty hard on him.  I think I will pay him a visit.”

              Both men nod their heads.  Michael stands, “Kevin and I will stay here with the women.  That should be enough.”

              I pat my Beta on his back, “There are no better men to guard my mate.  I will return as soon as possible.  Make sure those two don’t get into trouble.”

              Kevin snorts, “You have met them right?  They are trouble.”

              I leave laughing at his forlorn face.  On the drive to Charles’ shop, I contemplate what would make the dwarf come out of retirement.  Charles’ shop comes into view and I park with relative ease.  I open the door hearing the bell over my head ring. 

              “Be there in a minute,” I hear Charles shout from the back room.  He walks into the front, “What can I…”

              “Hello Charles.  It has been a long time.”

              The dwarf swallows visibly and I hear his heart rate increase.  “Alpha, what are you doing here?”

              “I have a problem and was hoping to talk to you about it to see if you know something that can help,” I speak calmly.  Charles is hiding something.

              “Of course, go on into the back and have a seat.  I will lock up so we are not disturbed.”

              I find a place to sit and wait for Charles to come back.

              He walks in followed by a pit bull that was almost as tall as Charles.  The dog starts to whine as he flattens himself on the floor and shows his neck in an act of submission.  “I will not harm you,” I say as I lay my hand on his head.  The dog begins to lick my arm.

              “Alright, that is enough Fred.  Alpha, I am not sure how I can help you.  Unless it is a history lesson, I’ve been out for twenty years.”

              I nod, “I know.” I tell him about the Ancients.  “Whoever wants them to rise also has it out for my mate.”

              “The Ancients, never thought I would see the day,” Charles says.  “Congratulations on finding your mate.  What do these people want with her?”

              I smile, “Let’s just say she is special.  She is not the only thing these people want.  In order to conduct the spell a unique set of artifacts is needed: A Flint Knife from the Naqada period, a flail symbol of power from the God Osiris, and Osiris’ onyx amulet”

              Charles’ face pales and his heart rate doubles.  “I know you know something about that, Charles.”

              “Alpha, please,” Charles begs.  “I don’t want any part of this.”

              “By your reaction, you already are.  You must know that I will do anything to protect my mate.”

              Charles sighs, “You don’t understand, I can’t talk about it or her.  The only thing I can say without my insides starting to boil is that I owed that bitch a life debt.  It was either face the powers that be or the Gods.  I knew she wouldn’t just release me from the debt.  Somehow she wove an additional spell as she released me that doesn’t allow me to speak her name or discuss what I did for her.  I couldn’t even talk to the damn dog about it.  Tried, hurt like hell just saying her name.  I would die before I got all the information out.”