Shadows of Desire Ch. 04

"I'm afraid the time for that has passed." Connor stood firm. He wasn't going to let them leave until he got the truth out of Bhalor and even then there was no guarantee that they'd be allowed to leave. Especially not Rowan once they found out who and what he truly was. "Hand the boy over and I might let you walk away with your life."

Bhalor's hand slowly moved to the hilt of his sword, his eyes began to glow red, so red that it almost looked like they were on fire. The wolves behind Connor tensed, crouching down and growling angrily, ready for a fight. Connor stood his ground but Rowan could see the fury burning in his eyes, almost as bright as Bhalor's fiery gaze. "Get outta me way." Bhalor's voice thundered loudly throughout the small valley. The wolves in the forest began to growl, howling with rage. Rowan realized suddenly that the wolves hidden in the woods were already shifted into their beast forms.

Connor narrowed his eyes. "You'd risk your life to protect...that?" He sneered, pointing to Rowan.

"A thousand times over." Bhalor hissed at the wolf. "Now, I'll ask ya again. Move aside 'an let us pass."

What happened next had Rowan reeling. Connor suddenly leapt forward, his body exploding in a mass of shimmering, black fur. Clothing shredded as his muscles enlarged, ripping through the fabric, his body had doubled in size. He was no longer a man standing before them but a huge, black, wolf with glowing red eyes. The power radiating off him was immense and had Rowan shivering in fear and awe. Bhalor moved to block the wolf, putting himself between Connor and Rowan. Connor dug his claws into the ground and howled in rage.

One by one, the other wolves began to shift until Bhalor and Rowan were surrounded by a pack of angry, snarling, beasts. The pack inched their way closer, closing in on Bhalor and Rowan. Rowan looked around and his breathing hitched. More wolves began coming out of the woods, slowly stalking forward, heads down, ears flat against their heads, growling as they trained their eyes on the two intruders. They were a mixture of brown and gray, the gray ones being the smaller of the pack, but still larger than the average wolf.

"On me word, get ready ta run." Bhalor whispered to Rowan.

Rowan's eyes went wide and he shook his head emphatically. "No." He groaned out in a guarded whisper. "I won't leave you behind."

"Ya will do as I say, boi!" Bhalor snapped. For the first time actually sounding angry Rowan.

Rowan sulked, lowing her head as his body shook with fear. He was tiered of always running away, of not standing up and fighting against his oppresses. He was sick of allowing others to fight his battles for him but, he also knew that against these wolves, he didn't stand a chance. His older brother had been killed by wolves and he had been bigger and stronger than Rowan could ever hope to be. Finally, feeling defeated, Rowan nodded. "Alright." He said, his voice tinged with sadness and regret. "I'll do as you say."

"Good." Bhalor drew his sword then and addressed Connor's wolf. "This is yer last warning." Bhalor bellowed out loudly, "Call off yer dogs and let us be on our way."

Connor let out a loud, quick, bark, essentially commanding his wolves to attack then, he lowered his head like a bull and rushed Bhalor. Bhalor sighed then swung his sword but another wolf, a brown one, leapt forward and caught Bhalor's arm in its massive jaws. Bhalor howled in rage and pain dropping the sword as more wolves jumped on him, clawing and biting at the giant. They looked like pups compared to the size of the giant but their true strength was in their numbers. No sooner had Bhalor grabbed one and threw it off him then another had jumped on him and resumed the attack.

Connor headbutted the giant who, under the weight of the other wolves, stumbled backwards and fell to the ground with a mighty thud that shook the very earth. More wolves descended upon him and for a moment, to his horror, Rowan thought that Bhalor was done for but then the glowing red of his eyes suddenly erupted in a blast of red flame, hitting the wolves head on and flinging them some twenty feet in the air. The wolves landed on the valley floor, wincing and groaning in pain, but still alive. A few were able to shake off their injuries and quickly rejoin the fray, while those caught in the direct path of the blast remained on the ground, too weak to move.

Bhalor pushed himself to his knees and right before another four wolves jumped on him, he managed to turn to Rowan and growl, "Run, now!"

Rowan hesitated a moment, watching as another wolf jumped on Bhalor's back. Bhalor went down with an earth shattering crash. Rowan gasped. He didn't know what to do but before he even had a chance to react, Bhalor was suddenly on his feet and all the wolves were thrown off and went sprawling to the ground with painful yips and whimpers.

"Run, boi!" Bhalor yelled for the second time and this time, Rowan didn't hesitate. He turned and ran for the tree line. Two grey wolves took off after him but Bhalor grabbed them both by their throats and slammed them into each other. The wolves let out a bark of pain and Bhalor tossed them aside. He watched Rowan disappear into the forest, a slight smile forming across his lips as he sent up a silent prayer that the young Prince escape the wolves, unscathed.

He turned back around just in time to see Connor's large wolf slam into him, tackling him to the ground. Bhalor tried to fight him off but with a simple bark from Connor, more wolves descended, pinning Bhalor to the ground. Connor jerked his head towards the forest and the remaining wolves took off towards the wood, in the direction that Rowan had run. Protect 'im, great mother Danu. Bhalor thought as he watched the wolves disappear, hidden by the low hanging trees. I Pray ye guide 'im to safety.

***

Rowan ran. He ran faster than he had ever run in his life. He could hear the wolves behind him, they were nearly on his heels. He panicked. He'd never had any defense training and he certainly hadn't been trained to fight but what he did have were his instincts and right now, his instincts were telling him to get higher. The wolves could obviously reach him in the trees if they were in human form but not while in wolf form which gave him a slight advantage.

Quickly, and without giving it much thought, he leapt up and landed on the first steady tree limb that he could find. He wasn't that high off the ground and he realized that with the wolves being larger than average size they could still easily reach him, so he scrambled to move up higher, climbing limb after limb, until he was so far up that the wolves could no longer see him. They moved in small groups, sniffing the ground then looking up into the trees. His scent was still detectable but not enough that they could pin point exactly where he was.

Not wanting to take any chances that the wolves might figure out which tree he was in, Rowan jumped from his current tree to one close by, landing on the limb quietly. He crouched down, watching the wolves below grow more confused. His plan to throw them off his scent seemed to be working so he leapt into the next tree, and then the next. He moved from limb to limb, stealthy as a cat, finding it rather easy to be honest. He scaled the trees as though his body were made for climbing and he was able to jump far distances without any trouble at all.

Rowan realized that he could probably navigate the entire forest this way, sticking to the trees. The more he climbed and jumped the more natural it became. He started to wonder if this was how the hunting parties his father had sent out moved through the forests, stalking prey. Vampires were natural predators after all and would use all their natural abilities to hunt. They had little need for man made weapons. Their fangs and claws would work as well as any blade. These were all skills that he should have honed by now. Things his father should have taught him.

A wave of jealousy washed over him as he imagined his father teaching his older brother to fight and hunt. Little good it did him though in battle as he was easily taken down by the wolves, or so Rowan had been told. That was long before Rowan had been born. He'd never gotten the opportunity to meet his brother but he'd heard stories about him from various people throughout his life. His brother was strong, fierce, and very handsome, he was told. He was everything that King Desmond wanted in a son. Everything that Rowan was not. It was no wonder his father hated him so.

Rowan quickly dismissed the thoughts of his father and his fallen brother. He had to concentrate on the here and now. He had to be smart and keeps his wits about him. He jumped again into a large oak tree then perched on a large branch and looked around. He was almost out of trees to hide in. About five feet in front of him marked the end of the wood. His heart sunk as he looked at the tree line. Bright light cut through the soft shadows of the woods and beyond the trees he could make out a field of tall grass and wild flowers. It was a beautiful sight but also one that made his heart sink in frustration and fear. Once he reached the edge of the forest, what would he do?

Rowan knew he couldn't stay in the tree forever. He might have a better chance of escaping under the cover of night if he were able to blend into the shadows but, with the wolves heightened sense of smell, he was almost certain that they would sniff him out. Would they eventually leave? Abandon their prey and return to their alpha, or would they hang around and wait him out? Another possibility was that they could shift to their human selves and climb the tree after him. This cat and mouse game of dodging them by jumping from tree to tree could only last for so long. Even vampires needed to rest at some point and without blood, Rowan would grow weaker and weaker.

He'd even considered snatching up a squirrel and feeding but then thought against it. He'd never drained living prey before and even if he could bring himself to do it, he was certain that the scent of fresh blood would not only alert the wolves to his position but, also confirm their suspicions about his true nature. It almost seemed hopeless and, for a brief moment he wondered if he should just give himself up. He might have a better chance of survival if he willingly allowed himself to be taken rather than hunted down and captured. That idea though was quickly forgotten when he thought about what Bhalor had sacrificed in order for Rowan to escape.

He still felt sick that he'd left Bhalor behind. He didn't even know if his giant friend still lived. He hoped so. He prayed that the wolves weren't so vindictive as to kill the man simply for aiding Rowan in his escape. Guth had spoken so highly of the wolves, painting them as a caring and proud people. They hated vampires and Rowan understood that but, they were not enemies of the Fae. Even Bhalor himself seemed reluctant to really harm the wolves. His intent seemed more to defend against their attacks and distract them more than anything else.

Perhaps once Rowan ran, the wolves ignored Bhalor to come after Rowan. That's what he hoped anyway. They really had no reason to harm Bhalor. He wasn't their target. He wasn't a threat. "Bhalor, please be alright." Rowan whispered softly, still perched on his branch. Rowan sighed a heavy sigh. Things certainly took an unexpected turn. He thought this journey would be a simple one. Travel to Rosegate and join the caravan.

He never expected to be attacked by wolves. He never thought he'd be separated from Bhalor and have to hide like a coward while Bhalor risked his life to protect him. That just showed how naive Rowan actually was. He cursed himself for his own weakness. He realized just then that he was nothing but a burden to those around him. Incapable of taking care of himself, he relied too heavily on those closest to him, and they were the ones who suffered because of his inadequacies.

Feeling helpless to do anything but wait and pray that the wolves would abandon their hunt and leave him in peace, Rowan placed a hand against the truck of the towering oak he was hiding in, and peaked down to the ground below. The wolves were still there, roaming around, and sniffing the air as they tried to locate their prey. They hadn't shifted, which Rowan found odd. Maybe they hunted better in their wolf forms, he didn't really know. All he knew was that he needed to do something to get them to move away from his tree so he could escape.

A gentle gust of a wind blew through the tree tops. The leaves shivered. The wind encircled Rowan, almost caressing him. He closed his eyes and smiled as he took in a deep breath. The scents of the forest swirled around him, tickling his senses. He loved the woods. He loved nature. Despite his current predicament, he felt free. The last time he felt this way was years ago, walking with his mother in her beautiful garden. He could lose himself within the rows of flowers and their sweet aromas. His mother had allowed him to climb the large tree in the center of the garden. From the top of the tree he could see all of Ravenskeep, and he reveled in its beauty.

As he sat a top the tree now, thinking of a happier time, a tear of longing escaped his eyes and trickled down his cheek. His mother would have loved these woods. He often thought that his mother looked so out of place wandering the halls of the manor house. She belonged in nature among the plants and trees that she so loved. When she was in her garden and connected to nature, even on some small level, she seemed truly happy. It was the happiest that Rowan had ever actually seen her. He sighed and sat down against the tree, his legs dangling on either side of the branch, trying to make himself a little more comfortable, and waited. He realized with a sinking heart, that he was in for a long night.

ENCOUNTERS

"I think I heard something this way." Rowan's head snapped up when he heard a man's voice call out from the field ahead. He leaned forward to get a better view, wondering if it was another wolf. He sighed in frustration, wondering just how many more packs had been alerted to his presence.

As the man came into view though, he saw that it wasn't a wolf but rather a man on horseback. Behind him, four more men came into view, all on horses, all of them dressed as nobles, and all of them armed with very large swords.

"Probably just a deer." Another man said, drawing up close to the first rider.

"Maybe, but we should probably check it out. Just to be safe." The first rider said. He inched his horse closer to the edge of the wood, cautiously searching the area for any sign of danger before leading his horse slowly in. The others followed closely behind, each of them keeping a close eye on their surroundings.

"I don't..." The first rider was silenced when a wolf darted out between two large trees, frightening the horse which reared up and whinnied.

"Wolves!" The man behind him gasped, reaching for his sword.

"Hold!" The first rider warned, raising his hand.

"What are they doing this close to the city?" Another rider frantically asked, his eyes darting around the woods, looking for more hidden wolves.

"That's what I'm about to find out." The first rider told his companions. Rowan watched as the man climbed down from his horse and stood beside it, stroking it's mane as he spoke calmly to the animal. The man was tall and slender but with sinewy arms covered by the sleeves of a black shirt. His slacks were also black and he wore a leather cuirass over his chest, as well as a long black cloak. His long, black, hair fell well past his shoulders, and the sides were pulled back and tied into a small pony tail. The tips of his pointed ears peaked out from beneath his mane of flowing hair and that was when Rowan realized that what he was looking at was an elf.

The elf stood beside his horse looking around him as the wolves who had been hunting Rowan slowly began to surround the elves. The black haired elf, who seemed to be the leader of the group, didn't appear frightened of the wolves at all. In fact, he seemed a bit annoyed with their presence. He watched, silently, as one of the wolves stepped forward and then immediately shifted to his human form. Rowan had to put a hand over his mouth, suppressing a gasp as he realized that the wolf, now human, was completely naked. The elven riders didn't seem shocked at this as they regarded the man with minimal interest, as though this were a daily occurrence for them.

"Hugo." The black haired elf sneered at the naked wolf. "What are you doing in these woods?" He asked with contempt.

Hugo, the wolf, grunted then spit on the ground. "We're tracking a fugitive." He said, his voice deep and husky.

The black haired elf raised an eye brow. "And what was this fugitive's crime?"

"None of your business, elf." Hugo growled.

"Oh, but I think it is." The elf told him, growing more impatient. "Or has it failed to register to your tiny wolf brain that you've crossed into our territory?"

Hugo smirked, folding his large, burly arms, across his bare chest. "The treaty gives us the right to hunt criminals on your land." The wolf sneered. "So, it's completely within our rights to be here."

The elf narrowed his eyes then took a small step closer to the wolf who didn't appear intimidated in the slightest at the elf's show of authority. "The treaty also states that you must inform the royal guard of any escaped prisoners that cross into our territory and get permission to track them down. Being the head of the guard, I gave no such permission for you to be here. So, I will ask you again. What crime has this fugitive committed that warrants you trespassing on elven soil?"

Hugo took in a deep breath then snarled. "Alpha wants him for questioning." He growled.

"I see." The elf sighed, pursing his lips. "So, he's only suspected of a crime."

"He's suspected of being a vampire." Both Hugo and the elf turned to see Connor, now fully clothed, walking through the trees towards them.

"Alpha." Hugo bared his neck to Connor as the alpha wolf stopped beside him. Connor looked down at Hugo's naked form and frowned.

"Get back to the pack." He commanded. Hugo bowed then turned and quickly shifted back into his wolf form and rejoined his pack mates. Connor then looked to the black haired elf and nodded a greeting. "Brandyn." He acknowledged him, but the greeting sounded anything but friendly.

"Connor." Brandyn returned the greeting with the same amount of animosity that the alpha had shown him.

"Now you know why we're hunting the coward." Connor sneered. "Will you give us permission to retrieve our fugitive? The sooner we have him in custody, the sooner we can get out of here."

Brandyn smirked, glancing to the countless eyes peering out at him from within the trees. "This must be a very formidable vampire." He laughed. "If it takes your best warriors to hunt him down. Tell me, how many of your wolves has he killed?"

Connor crossed his arms over his chest. "None." He spat.

Brandyn raised an eyebrow. "None? Did he attack one of your villages?"

Connor growled under his breath, growing tired of the questions. "No."

"Then, what exactly, did he do?"

Connor huffed. "He crossed into our lands, isn't that enough? We are sworn to kill all vampires on sight and that is what I intend to do!"

"So, you're not going to question him?" Brandyn asked.

"I'll question him." Connor told the elf. "After I torture him. And when I find out why he is here and what the blood suckers have planned, then I'll kill him."

"But, what proof do you have that he is a vampire? I mean, it seems odd that one rouge vampire was caught trespassing in Wolfhaven. Unless he's a scout. What was he doing when you spotted him."