Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series

Valeri

We found the tomb!

Dread hits me like a hammer to a nail. Like deja vu, they found it. How it appeared here, or even how they knew it was here, I’m not sure. But if they find another willing sacrifice, then we’re fucked. I place the Key of Phasmarale back into the small leather pouch and walk over to where the others have gathered. The sharp tang of pureblooded werewolves hit the air, making me gag. I shake off the wave of memories related to that scent and observe the scene in front of me.

Dozens of werewolves push through throngs of hybrids and quickly, but gingerly, recover the ancient tomb from the depths of the Earth. The coffin was unoriginal in sight. Black clay forms six sides of the coffin, with the top being trapezoidal in shape. It is unassuming if you don’t look at the demonic writings swirling on the sides. The entire thing gives “DO NOT TOUCH” vibes, but of course those around me ignore it. Alarm bells sound inside my mind, and the instinct to run strong. If I had somewhere to go, I’d have run for the hills already.

I couldn’t leave these people to this monstrosity. What I had to do was figure out who the sacrifice was, and prevent it. I’m not sure how I would do that, considering what happened the last time. The day was young and it seems our jobs are finished.

“Grab a shovel, broom, or something and clean this shit up!” a whipmaster growls.

No rest for the wicked it seems. We made so much progress that scaffolds with ladders were used to get in, out, and around the enlarged crevice.

Small footsteps sound from behind me. “Miss Valeri, wait for me!” they shout.

I couldn’t help but smile. Little Nova, a ten year old fae hybrid. A changeling to be specific. Some of Broderick’s soldiers slaughtered her parents in front of her, and brought her here amongst other children. Another small fuel is added to my already pent up inferno of rage. It just slowly builds and builds. The rattles of the ice white diamonds attached to me are a neat reminder that I can’t do shit until I have them removed.

“Hello, little Nova. Would you like to help bring a few shovels?” I ask.

Her bright eyes beam. “Sure!”

“Well, stick close beside me, and you should be safe.”

“There’s no need to worry about me, Miss Valeri. I will protect you.”

I let out a huff of breath in humor. Soon, we head back to a mid-sized tool-shed to gather what we need. I hear a few murmurs around the back and my body shoots up.

I lean down Nova’s pointed ear. “Run along, I’ll be there soon.” She nods in understanding, before she races away.

The tool shed isn’t a place that provided any cover for hiding. So I press my back against the cool wall and softly glide forward.

“...so what do we do now?” a deep voice implored.

“We give them freedom.” another one answers.

“What?! And have them yowling to the world about what happened here?” a third person exclaims in outrage. A moment later, I hear a subtle slap and a grunt of pain.

The second voice sighs. “No, you idiot. We give them freedom by blissful death.”

“When?” the first asks with a hint of excitement.

“I think our king will be rather ravenous after being buried for a few millennia.” The third responds.

My heart stutters at this. All of those innocent people dying at the hands of some ancient bastard like a buffet. This shit won’t fly with me around. Fuck no. I glide back to the front of the small shed and back to the scaffold. Nova looks up and waves from the ground in greeting before she continues her job.

*****************

Later after everyone finishes their task, we traverse the long way back to the decrepit barn. The creepy guard winks at me again before they close the doors. Someone pulls my arm out of the line.

“Hey!” I protest.

The old woman holds up a finger to quiet me. We go to a far corner away from prying eyes. “Let me see it.”

“See what?” I queried.

“Don’ play stupid, girl! Hand it ’ere!” she whispers angrily.

I tilt my head to the side. “I’m not quite sure what you are asking to see?” She gives me a withering look. I tap my chin with a finger and continue. “You know, I’ve been here for quite a while and I have yet to learn your name.”

“Is that all it takes? Just my name?”

I laugh, baring my teeth. “No.”

Her milky eyes darken at this. “You will regret that, demon whore.” She hisses.

I step closer and growl out, “I don’t think I will, hun.”

A sudden chill washes over me when she rushes by me. A mysterious omen of sorts. I’m not sure what her change in mood was. She was always willing to look out for me during my transition here. But there is a sense of urgency in her rheumy eyes that I haven’t seen before. And I don’t like it. It makes me want to hide my valuables, never to let wandering eyes find them. I suspect she wanted the Key. I wasn’t sure why she wanted it so badly, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ll be getting my just desserts. According to her anyway. Shaking off that ounce of fear, I settle in for the night. But I couldn’t sleep. My mind is in turmoil, so I decide to reminisce on the more recent memories.

*****

From my fondest memories of my grandfather to the day I was betrayed, I can keep myself sane. What gives me a splitting migraine is my time spent in Hel. I couldn’t tell you how it was possible for me to survive such a nightmare, or why I don’t bare scorching flesh from it. But my mind truly shows all I endured.

Outside of the flaming entity aiding my escape, I don’t remember how I even landed on the Earthen planes. But I do remember Alpha Stan. I woke up at the back door to a run down bar. His bar to be exact. He had the most soulful brown eyes a lady had ever seen. They held a warmth I couldn’t quite place on another male’s face. He wasn’t the handsomest, but by all the gods he had the biggest heart of gold. Alpha Stan not only had werewolves, he welcomed hybrids who weren’t accepted in society into his pack. I, or rather Helena, didn’t trust him, but she needed to survive. She needed to learn what it was like to thrive in this new world. Alpha Stan was a patient man.

Eventually, he offered her marriage as a form of protection. And she agreed. I believe he loved Helena like a mate, but she was so void of such emotions that the best she could offer was to care for his well being. He wanted nothing else in return. She grew to respect the alpha, and in turn, took her place as Luna. Alpha Stan showed her the ins and outs of the bar. She was trained by the best warriors. They, in turn, respected her position as Luna. All except Stanley.

He didn’t like the fact that an outsider was quickly elevated to an equal position of his father. Honestly, he hated his father even more… Because Alpha Stan wasn’t really his father. The Alpha had a mate who was a whore. Despite how brokenhearted Alpha Stan was to learn of her betrayal, he still took care of Stanley like his own. Hell, he gave the bastard pup his first and last name. Stanley was never grateful. I think it might’ve been because he was a wolf-human hybrid who could never shift.

Sadly, good things don’t always last. Five years into their marriage, Alpha Stan was killed on a hunting expedition. It happened on Hunter’s Moon. It was concluded as an accident, but Helena wasn’t satisfied with that outcome. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there because she had to run the bar. One look at Stanley told her what she knew in her cold, dead heart. He was responsible.

After laying the Alpha to rest, it was decided that Helena take his place. They held the Alpha and Pack bond ceremony soon after. It was a trial to ensure the Alpha could bear the weight of the pack. Each pack member bites the Alpha, and a bond is seared into each other’s souls. Literally. Once that bite takes hold, and the Alpha’s body accepts the bond, the Alpha will return the bite in kind. Depending how a person can handle it, the process can take a while.

Helena changed the run down bar to something more accommodating to the world. Well for those who were filled with fantasies and were slightly depraved. She opened Sinful Maestra to the world. There people could be welcomed with open arms without fear of judgment. Her beta Jacques was -and is- a part of that world. Anywho, she started investigating former Alpha Stan’s death and evidence pointed in Stanley’s direction. Along with more horror of what he’d done. As mentioned before, Stanley aided others in the kidnappings of hybrids and werewolves. We never knew this occurred, considering the Lightfang Pack was one of the strongest, and away from the mainland. But he was involved. And it angered her to no end, because it brought back her own memories of betrayal.

So, she punished Stanley the best way she could. She didn’t kill him out of respect for her deceased husband, she cut out Stanley’s tongue and bound him to her for all eternity.

Helena soon came up with a rescue plan for the missing people. She allowed herself and a few others of her pack to be kidnapped. Back then… the werewolves were forced to use the hybrids as prey for training or playthings for their pleasure. They endured it for a couple of years. It was fucked up, and caused trauma, but it allowed them to gather recon for future purposes. They were very disorganized back then. I couldn’t place a memory of how they escaped, but it involved the Key of Phasmarale.

*****

I turn to my side to ruminate on the last ten years. A little after Helena had returned with her original pack members, as well as those who wanted to become new members of her pack, she changed it to the Bloodvenom Warriors. It struck fear into their enemies. It brought safety to children as they lay down to rest. It was a net of safety to those too weak to defend themselves. There were those like Cassius who have tried to bring down my pack and have failed.

Trying to converge the new pack members with the old took time. There was hunger. Hunger that normal prey could sate amongst myself and my pack. An infernal taste for revenge that we never got beforehand. We had the resources. We had the numbers. But by the time they decided to plot, Helena was taken from them. Valeri was named in her stead.

My heart strings are pulled taut. I notice the bonds now. They call out to me in worry. An instinctual part of my soul reaches out to them “I’m here my loves. I have not abandoned you. I will return soon. Don’t lose hope.”

An almost faint male voice whispers in my head. “Alpha Helena.” the voice purrs. “Or is it Valeri now? We will see you soon, my Lady.” I recognized the smoothe tone of Jacques even at this great distance.

“Thank you, dear Beta.”

The link breaks, and a barking hiss sounds from somewhere close by. I look over in the slit window and see a beady-eyed vulture looking down on me. It held a sense of higher intelligence that no normal bird would have. Before I can give it a second thought, it zooms away from the barn.

We may not have started our vengeance. But the seas will be awashed in our enemies blood.

Starting with my little pet. Stanley will die… and so will the others.