Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
Maia kneels and cuddles Ember, and then May’s Fennec fox, Sabre, dashes over to Ember and nudges her with her nose. Ember turns and nudges her back. Seconds later, they run around the village chasing each other.
‘Well, at least Ember doesn’t seem to mind being a fox,’ I shrug.
Alec raises his eyebrow at me. I ignore him and walk over to a large flat stone on the ground. Then look over at the nearby cottage with pots beside a wooden bench. I pick up the pot with red paint inside it. There’s red dust around the rim. The paint must have been made from red rock, ground into fine dust and mixed with water to make red paint.
Returning to the flat stone, I dip my finger in the pot and paint a large red five-pointed star. As soon as it’s dry, I collect five rocks and place them at each point.
‘Done,’ I say, rubbing the dust off my hands. ‘Sir Hugo, are you ready to go?’ I ask.
He nods, and Alec walks over to me.
‘I’m coming with you,’ he says.
‘We are more likely to be seen if more of us go,’ I point out.
‘True, but you’re my Blood Flame, and I love you. It’s my job to keep you safe. Not Sir Hugo’s,’ he says, sending a glare his way.
I place my hands on Alec’s chest to calm him down. ‘Alec, I need you to keep an eye on Reaper for me. I promise I won’t be long,’ I assure him.
His eyes narrow at Sir Hugo, ‘If you let any harm come to her, I will personally kill you,’ he warns.
Sir Hugo rolls his eyes at Alec, ‘For a Vampire King, you’re so over dramatic,’ he laughs.
‘What did you say?’ Alec growls, stepping toward him, but I jump in front of him, cup his face and kiss him. Alec places his hands over mine and entwines his fingers through mine.
‘Behave, Alec, like the sweet king I know you are,’ I smirk.
His fangs elongate, and he playfully nips my neck.
‘I’ll hunger for your return,’ he smirks back.
‘I’m sure you will,’ I say, patting his cheek.
Maia hugs Sir Hugo and then me, ‘The moment you’re in any danger, you must come back through the portal without being seen,’ she says.
I nod, ‘I will,’ I assure her.
‘I’ll go first, count to twenty, and if I haven’t come back, then it’s safe for you to come through,’ I say to Sir Hugo.
‘Okay, let’s do this,’ he says, sheathing his sword and then cracking his knuckles.
As I step into the portal, I give Alec a nervous look as I’m worried about what I’ll find when I step through. I pray as I’ve never prayed before, in my mind to the Moon Goddess that Magnus is okay as I disappear into the portal.
I appear behind the blacksmith workshop. There has been even more destruction made to the castle. The sky is no longer clear and blue but red and dusty. The odd rock from the castle towers and walls tumble down. I can see minotaurs patrolling the area on the ground in and outside the castle while harpies flutter up high along the castle’s battlements.
Sir Hugo appears behind me through the portal and kneels beside me, looking through the wall’s cracks to see what I’m seeing.
‘This way,’ I say and creep low, following the wall until we reach an entry point.
Two minotaurs trot through the courtyard around the fountain. I frown at sir Hugo. He picks up a rock and throws it over the other side. It grabs their attention, and they wield their axes as they approach the low walls on look over to see what it is. We quickly scurry past, enter the gardens and hide behind a hedge.
We creep along until we reach the other side of the castle.
Sir Hugo covers my mouth behind me as I gasp and quietly pulls me down onto the ground. He nudges his head up. I look to see half a dozen minotaurs walk past the hedge. As soon as they pass, his hand leaves my mouth, but we remain laying on the grass.
‘Did you see them? The children asleep in all those cages hanging from around the castle,’ I say to him.
He frowns and nods.
‘If the dragons brought all the children back here, then surely Magnus, King Damon and the others must be here too,’ I say to him.
Hugo glares and points through the hedge. The minotaurs have pikes poking at the sleeping children, trying to wake them.
‘Sir Hugo looks to me, ‘They mustn’t realise the children have all fallen asleep because of a spell.’
I follow Sir Hugo. We crawl through the hedge, climb over the low stone wall, and squat behind a large statue of a beautiful woman.
‘There they are,’ Sir Hugo whispers and points.
Magnus is in his wolf form, in a cage. Damon is in a cage next to him but in his human form. We can see the other werewolves and vampires, as well as Vivian.
‘Magnus,’ I say under my breath.
I turn to Sir Hugo, ‘We should try and free them.’
‘How? There are too many minotaurs and harpies around,’ he says.
‘Tremendous Nebulus,’ I whisper, creating thick hazy fog.
The minotaurs look around to see where the fog is coming from, but it grows thicker from all directions. I crawl through the fog into the castle, then up the stairs. I lean through an arch window ‘Magnus, King Damon,’ I whisper.
They are surprised to see me. Then Sit Hugo’s head pokes over my shoulder and nods at them.
‘What are you doing here?’ Magnus asks.
‘Saving your behinds. What else would I be here doing?’ I reply.
‘We are locked in the cages. Do you have the key?’ King Magnus says, pointing at the large padlocks.
Sir Hugo and I frown at each other before I turn my attention back to the padlocks.
‘No, but what about heat? Perhaps flame could melt the lock?’ I suggest.
‘There should be lit fire torches on the walls back there,’ King Damon says, pointing behind me.
‘I have a better idea,’ I smile, climb onto the ledge, and lean toward the cage. With one hand gripping the ledge, I hover my free hand over the padlock. ‘Inferno flamo,’ I say, creating a flame in my hand.
It begins to heat the lock, but suddenly I hear screeching from behind me and slip but quickly grip the ledge with both hands.
‘Nina!’ Magnus shouts.
He tries to reach his arm through his cage to grab me, but I’m too far away. Large white and blue feathers float over me and out the window.
I lift myself just enough to see Sir Hugo fighting off a dozen harpies with his sword.
‘You’re going to have to hang on there for a bit, Nina,’ Sir Hugo shouts as he flourishes his sword, beheading one harpie after another.