Dark Season: The Complete Box Set (18 page)

"No," he replies. "But I think
you
can. And I think he'll let us walk out of there without a scratch, and then you can go home to your Patrick and your little life, and I'll be on my way." He looks up, at something behind me. I turn, hoping to see Patrick, but there's nothing.

"I can't do this," I say. "Why me?"

"Because you stink of vampire," Hamish says, with a hint of venom in his voice. "And you're the only human in the world who does. And besides, even if you're not a mage, you're something else, something of interest. Your name, sweetie, is mentioned in the Book of Gothos. That's got to count for something. You can't detect it, but trust me, there's something about you, a kind of energy, that's not human. What I'm hoping is that the Alpha Wolf is gonna mistake that for the scent of a mage."

I look at him. "Or what?"

"Or they'll rip you to pieces for practice before they get started on me." He grabs the rope and unties it. "There," he says. "Now do your best to look like an ancient, powerful mage."

"I can't," I say.

"You have to."

"Or what?"

"Or we both die." He looks at something behind me. "I
know
you can do this."

"I
can't
!" I say again.

"You have to," he replies. "They're already here." He nods to indicate something behind me.

I turn and see wolves. Not just a few wolves. Lots of wolves. Maybe a hundred, standing between the trees and staring at us. And among them there's a man, a big man with dark skin and bright white eyes. It doesn't take a genius to work out that he's the boss here. I turn back to Hamish, and now there are wolves behind him too. I look around and they're everywhere. We're completely surrounded. Hundreds and hundreds, maybe thousands, of wolves. And there's still no sign of Patrick.

"Brave heart, Sophie," Hamish whispers in my ear.

Hamish

New York City - 1903

I'm in a bar that's packed with humans. They're all completely oblivious to what's really going on in the world. They're so obsessed with their own little achievements, they completely miss the bigger picture, but this city is becoming the latest battleground for a war more terrible than anything they could possible imagine. Me? I'm just here to watch. After all, you rarely get a chance to see so many people die all at once.

The vampire war is almost over. I've no idea who's going to win, but I know it'll be finished soon. This is particularly bad news for me, because the war has been consuming the resources of the Alpha Wolf. As soon as the war comes to its inevitable conclusion, he'll be free to turn his attention back to me, and then I'll really have to start running again. So I'm in New York for a drink, hoping the vampires will keep fighting for at least a few more centuries.

"It's rare to spend so much time among humans," says Garvey, sitting at the table opposite me. "They stink, and not in a good way."

I nod, looking down at my beer. "So what's the latest news?"

Garvey looks uncomfortable. "Gothos has fallen."

That's it, then. The war is pretty much over. Gothos was the last stand of the ruling vampires. To think that such a proud and ancient house is now overrun with vermin.

"Any word from Patrick?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "It's hard to keep track of any one person in particular. But there are rumors, you know... Some people believe the war will be over within a year. It's said there is a plan, but no-one knows what the plan might be."

"There's always a plan," I say, taking a big sip of beer. "Plans don't mean anything. Any fool can have a plan."

"Some say that Patrick is up to something," says Garvey. "Some say that the ruling vampires fear Patrick more than they fear anything else, because they know what he's capable of. There's a sliver of burning ice in that man's heart. Some even say that he'd be willing to commit genocide, just to end the war."

"They might be right," I point out.

Garvey nods. I've always liked Garvey. He's right on the edge between authority and chaos, and he's reliable. I feel like he'll always do the right thing, even when his back's against the wall.

"There will be a huge change," he says. "When the vampires finally fall, there will be a vacuum. A lot of people will try to fill that vacuum."

"What does the old boy think?" I ask, referring to the Alpha Wolf.

"He's worried," Garvey says. "He fears an imbalance. He believes we're going to enter an age of chaos. It's been wolves, vampires and humans on this world for so long, and he fears some new power will step forward. Something terrible. There are already signs. Last year, the vampires sent ten thousand to do battle. All of them were destroyed, yet no-one knows how. The one thing the Alpha Wolf fears more than anything is uncertainty, and he's starting to believe that the vampires are being manipulated into annihilating one another. He fears our species might be next."

I look at the humans all around us.

"If only they knew," I say.

"They'll have their own war soon enough," says Garvey. "This is not going to be a good century for anyone."

A drunk human falls on our table, sending our drinks flying. He looks at us, smiles, gets up and disappears back into the crowd. I can't help smiling; humans are funny creatures, and always entertaining to observe.

"Can you call the Alpha Wolf off?" I ask. I've been planning to ask all evening. "Tell him I'm sorry, but tell him there's no point wasting so much time chasing me down." I stare at him for a moment, and then I look over at the window as I suddenly understand what's happening. Outside, there's just the darkness of night. "They're here, aren't they?" I say eventually.

"Yes," says Garvey. "Did you really think I would come alone?"

I look at him. "I'm too tired to fight tonight."

"Good," says Garvey. "Then this will be easy."

At that moment, I bolt from my chair and race through the crowded bar, diving into the backroom where a group of humans are playing pool. Instinctively knowing that Garvey is after me, I leap at a window and smash through it, coming out in a side street. Still not looking back, I race down the street and around the corner, but as I do so Garvey appears from nowhere and forces me to the ground.

"This can be so much easier," he says, panting. "All you have to do is submit to your fate."

"My fate is to die," I say. "Why the hell should I submit to that?" I manage to throw him off and run off down the street. As I run across a train bridge, Garvey leaps onto my back and forces me to the ground again.

"You think you can outrun the Alpha Wolf?" he snarls. "What kind of a fool are you? You're going to have to stand and fight one day."

"One day," I say. "Not tonight." With that, I force Garvey off me and push him over the side of the bridge. I look down in time to see a passing train run straight over his body. When the train is gone, all that's left is a mangled mess, but I know that won't last for long. Soon he'll be breathing again, and soon after that he'll be able to walk. Within a day he will be back to full strength, and by that point I'll be running again. Then again, this is a busy train-line; I guess it might take a while before he gets a long enough break to recover fully.

I turn and hurry across the bridge, further into the darkness. Tonight's not the night for me. I need to get going. But Garvey was right. One day, I
will
have to stand and fight. And I'll need someone with me. Someone smarter than me. Someone braver.

Sophie

All around us, there are wolves. Thousands of them.

"If you need help," whispers Hamish, "you can rely on Garvey. And remember, Patrick's out there, watching. But you don't need him."

I'm about to ask what he means, but he steps away from me. The wolves are watching, and the dark man - the Alpha Wolf - is walking slowly toward me.

I look around, still hoping for some sign of Patrick. I know he likes leaving things to the last minute, but I kind of wish he'd show his hand right now. Hamish says I have to try not to need him, but the truth is, I
do
need him. After all, I'm standing here alone, surrounded by thousands of wolves all desperate to rip me apart.

"Hello," says the Alpha Wolf, stopping when he gets close to me. He conspicuously looks up and down my body. "For a human, you have bad taste in friends."

I don't say anything. I have no idea what to do next. My heart is pounding in my chest and it feels like my blood is running cold. I look around at the wolves. Some of them are in human form. One of them, I recognize: Garvey is watching. He looks at me with a mix of sadness and tenderness.

"Hello Hamish," says the Alpha Wolf. "I'm glad you finally stopped running. Five hundred years is a long time, but -" He looks at me again. "I can see you've been having fun, fraternizing with humans when you should have been paying your debts."

"Go fuck yourself," says Hamish.

The Alpha Wolf snarls, but he seems restrained. It's as if he's teasing, enjoying the confrontation. He wants this to last. It's as if he knows he can kill us at any second. I look around again, hoping to spot where Patrick is hiding.

"I don't usually speak to humans," the Alpha Wolf says to me. "It's rather beneath me. But you have shown some degree of courage, and..." He sniffs the air. "You have certain interesting qualities." He walks around me, still sniffing my body. "Most humans cower and beg for mercy," he continues. "Why do you not do the same?"

I take a deep breath. It's now or never. I have no idea what to say. What does a mage sound like? Here goes nothing. But what do I say? I open my mouth but nothing comes out.

"What makes you think she's human?" asks Hamish.

The Alpha Wolf roars with laughter. "She looks pretty human to me," he says.

I take a deep breath. This isn't working at all. We're going to have to switch to plan B any second; we're going to need Patrick. "I'm not human," I say weakly. How did Hamish describe a mage again? A powerful sorcerer? I've never seen a powerful sorcerer, but I imagine they look a damn sight more impressive than this. Shouldn't there be thunderbolts shooting from my hands or something?

"Not human?" asks the Alpha Wolf, almost spitting the words with contempt. "Then what are you?"

My voice is trembling. "Not human," I manage to say. All I can think is that I need Patrick to make a move. This plan isn't working.

"It's true that you have the scent of a vampire," the Alpha Wolf says, stepping back as if to get a better look at me. "But that is not so hard to come by. Nothing particularly impressive."

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to work out what to do. Any hope I might have had of persuading this creature that I'm some powerful ancient sorcerer is now over. It's just a matter of whether Patrick appears.

"I like the look of you, though," says the Alpha Wolf. I open my eyes. "I might keep you alive for a little while. I would like a human mate."

I shake my head.

"No?" he asks. "You don't think it would be a great honor to be a mate of the Alpha Wolf?"

"No thanks," I say.

He laughs again, but cuts the laugh short. "You have no choice," he says harshly. "I don't know if your species and mine can bear children together, but it will be amusing to find out."

"Half mage, half werewolf?" says Hamish. "That'd be a weird fucking mix."

"Shut him up," says the Alpha Wolf.

Hamish cries out in pain. I turn to see that Garvey has stepped forward and sliced Hamish's throat. Falling to his knees, Hamish clutches the wound as blood begins to seep from the wound. Garvey looks over at me, and I see a curious look in his eyes. Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe I'm imagining the whole thing, but I can't help wondering if maybe Garvey is on my side. After all, Hamish told me I could trust him.

"You might be many things, girl," the Alpha Wolf says, stepping behind me and sniffing my neck. "But you are not a mage. You forget, I am old enough to have seen mages in the dawn of time. I saw them born, and I saw them die. This fool has seen nothing, yet he believes he can trick me. A mage most certainly does not look like you. A mage is a mighty and powerful being, a terrifying thing to behold. Or was. They are all gone now, like so many of the old species. You are just a human. A pathetic, weak human. But don't worry. That won't stop me enjoying you, at least for a while."

"You son of a bitch," says Hamish. I turn in time to see the Alpha Wolf stamp his foot down into Hamish's face. I hear the sound of bones breaking in Hamish's face.

I make eye contact with Garvey. I expect to see pure hatred, but instead I see concern, and pity. I don't blame him. The strange thing, though, is that it feels as if he's waiting for something.

"I will kill this creature myself," the Alpha Wolf says, standing over Hamish. He looks at me. "Then I will take the human creature to my bed, and I will see how far I can push her before she breaks. If she survives, she will carry my children." He turns to Garvey. "Restrain her."

Garvey steps forward, reaches out to grab my arm, and then stops. He stares at me. I swear, it's almost as if he's waiting for me to do something.

"Restrain her," the Alpha Wolf says again, but Garvey remains rooted to the spot. And then he opens his mouth as if he's choking. Clutching his throat, he staggers backward, almost colliding with the Alpha Wolf as he falls to the forest floor and writhes around in pain.

I step back, not sure what's happening. But when I look up, I see that the Alpha Wolf has also stepped back, with a look of horror on his face. He looks at me.

"Not possible," he says, sounding shocked. "This is not possible."

"She's not just a pretty face, is she?" says Hamish, still clutching the wound on his neck.

Garvey gasps and starts panting. Whatever force overtook his body has now passed. I stare at the Alpha Wolf and for a moment I imagine what it would be like to be dragged away by him, thrown to the forest floor and forced to sleep with him. Even if I survived, I'd have to give birth to God knows what kind of creature. And then, eventually, I'd die anyway.

I look around. Still no sign of Patrick. He's waiting, but for what?

I turn to the Alpha Wolf. This is it. My last chance. "Release us both," I say, my voice surprisingly steady. I figure this is my last chance, and I'm filled with a strange kind of confidence. "Release this creature from his bonds and let him go free. And leave this place forever."

The Alpha Wolf stares at me. I can see in his eyes that he has no idea what to do or think, but then his face seems to settle into a determined look. "I will have you right now," he says. "Right here." He doesn't seem quite as impressive as before. It's almost as if he's not sure whether he's still dominant.

I can feel Patrick watching me. "No," I say firmly. "No, you won't." I wait for my words to settle. My heart's racing and I know this is futile, but I don't see that I've got any other chance. "Leave now, and take these wolves with you."

For what seems like the longest time, the Alpha Wolf simply stares at me. Finally, he steps closer and stops just short of touching me. "This is a cruel and evil world," he says, his voice softer than before. He stares into my eyes, as if he's trying to decide what to do next. He sniffs the air. "You are not a mage," he says eventually. "Of that, I am certain. But I'm not sure that you're entirely human, either. No mere human would have stood up to me in this way. You're something new. Something unique." He takes a step back. "I have read the Book of Gothos. I know what you are. If you wish to waste your time protecting this vermin, I shall make no further attempts to collect on the debt he owes to me."

He walks slowly over to Hamish. "You should be eternally grateful to those who choose to stand by your side," he sneers. He then walks over to Garvey and kicks him hard in the head, causing him to roll over and howl. "Weakling," the Alpha Wolf says, spitting on him before walking slowly away into the woods. Slowly, all the wolves start to follow him. I watch them go, the leaves on the forest floor rustling as they pass. After a few minutes, the last of them disappear into the distance, and I'm left alone with just Hamish and Garvey, both of whom are still on the ground.

Hamish gets to his feet. The wound on his neck is still bleeding, but not so heavily now. He helps Garvey to his feet.

"Good job," Hamish says, grinning from ear to ear. He puts his arms around me, almost squeezing me to death in a massive hug. "Fucking brilliant job."

"I cannot believe it," says Garvey, staring at me. "That a human would be so foolish... so naive, so... brave. I swear I never thought I would see the day."

"See?" says Hamish. "Told you old Garvey'd play along."

"You knew the plan?" I ask, still stunned.

"Not quite," Garvey replies. "When I realized what you were doing, I found it hard to understand how two people could be so monumentally stupid." He looks at me, than at Hamish, and he seems genuinely amazed. "I could not help being deeply impressed. By one of you, at least."

"So he really believed me?" I ask. "He really believed I was some ancient sorcerer?"

"Not for a fucking second," Hamish replies, "but you got his attention, and that was enough. You put enough doubt in his mind that he decided not to risk a fight. He thinks you're something new. Something a bit weird and unpredictable. Definitely tougher than the average human." He pauses for a moment. "He might be right."

"Something to do with this Book of Gothos?" I ask.

Hamish and Garvey exchange a brief, knowing glance. There's definitely something they're not telling me.

I take a deep breath. "Where's Patrick?" I ask, glancing about at the trees. "I need to talk to him."

"Ah," Hamish says, looking a little embarrassed.

"Where is he?" I ask firmly.

Hamish smiles awkwardly.

"You said he was here," I continue. "You said he was watching us the whole time."

"Well..." He pauses. "About that..."