Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes Page 3

  Everything that happened took mere minutes to occur. Darkness cloaked the trees around me. My eyes struggled against the eerie night. My ears tuned into the sounds of the forest. I stretched my senses farther—the faint sounds of sirens. My muscles burned as wind and branches rushed by.

  A root caught my foot and I flew to the ground. The force of my run surged my body into a violent roll. I rag-dolled down a slope. The impact at the bottom of the hill drove the breath from my lungs. The crickets silenced. I peeled my eyelids open and my vampiric senses worked to adjust my eyes to the blackness. The shapes of the trees stood out clearer. The back of my neck and head were swollen, pulsing from the whiplash of the tumble. My body ached. The box. I felt for it along the ground and tightened my jacket around it.

  I continued through the woods at a light jog. This time not sacrificing my vampiric agility for speed. My right leg throbbed. I touched my jeans. No blood. Movement helped with the pain, so I upped the pace. Had it been ten minutes yet? Surely the first responders were at my house now. If they picked up my trail they would have to follow on foot.

  My run continued to the edge of our land, and I slipped under our neighbor’s wire fence. The neighbor’s woods were twenty acres. Then, there was a wildlife conservation and a hunting reserve. I made a pact with myself. I would keep running for at least another two hours. A craving for fresh blood flared with the exertion, but after all the bloodshed, I couldn’t will myself to hurt a rabbit or a raccoon.

  My mind tuned out as I ran. I lost track of my sense of time. The pine needles were slowly painted white with moonlight, and I could feel the force of my familiar friend rising. If the moon was almost above me, I had been running for hours. I used my heightened sense of smell to try to avoid any directions which smelled like two-week-old garbage, the stench of bear. When I stopped to smell the air, a fresh gust hit me in the face. I fell over in a tangled mess on the dirt, and then crawled onto the smooth terrain underneath the canopy of a red pine. Only then, did I do the math.

  The emergency responders would put out the fire first. Then they’d look for our bodies. Then…my throat closed. They would find Mama’s remains. If they discovered my body wasn’t in the heap with Mama’s, they’d look for me. If they couldn’t find me, they’d form a search party. I would be the prime suspect, or the suspected victim of a kidnapping. The helicopters could pick up a heat source on infrared, but the search team would have to go on foot to catch me in here—which gave me another little lead. If they needed to run DNA tests on the remains to see whose they were, it would give me at least a day. My internship was good for something.

  I could get away with building a fire tonight.

  I searched the surrounding area, feeling around for dead wood which wasn’t too wet. I constructed a little tinder tepee and I sat crossed-legged in front of it. I summoned my magic to start the fire and held my hands out. They remained damp and unlit in the darkness. I struggled for a moment, squinting my eyes and tried to force my will. Nothing. Bruised, cold, and exhausted, I sat there. After setting fire to our home and laying waste to our yard, I couldn’t even produce a flame?

  The emptiness in my chest started to fill with anger. A tiny ball of warmth grew inside me. I thrust the feeling into my palms. Magic hummed down to my hands glowing faintly in the dark. A spark formed on the wood. I dipped my head down and blew, stoking the flame to catch the rest of the wood. A circle of light immersed me and the surrounding dirt. I leaned back against the tree trunk in the fire’s warmth, trying to fill the hollow feeling in my chest. The quiet of the surrounding woods taunted me, as if screaming, “you are alone.”

  A wolf howl echoed out in the distance. I closed my eyes and listened. Branches rustled in the wind. Another howl sounded from miles away. It was hard to believe that, before dawn, despite the miles between them, they’d meet each other. I looked up and felt the magnetic lure of the full moon above me. Its company was unusually empty. Despite the fire, a shiver crept through the night air.

  I fumbled with the sleeves of my jacket—avoiding the silver—and unwrapped the wooden chest the size of a jewelry box. I ran my fingers over the carved wood again, remembering what Mama fought to teach me. Learning the tools of earth magic was Mama’s dullest lesson, but some of the symbols I recognized as wards—spells of protection. I used a corner of my jacket to undo the catch and opened the lid. Stillness. Not even a faint glow. Since the box was meant for Mama and me, perhaps by nothing happening it did its job of telling friend from foe?

  The top layer of the box was a can of cooking spray and thick stacks of money. I counted four bundles of Canadian one-hundred-dollar bills. The stacks were heavy in my hands. I guessed they totaled at least eight-thousand dollars. My passport and birth certificate were underneath. My back straightened. The next row was six stacks of Russian rubles, marked one thousand rubles per bill. I placed them on the ground, and then leaned forward holding the last remaining item in the firelight. It was a torn piece of paper which read Kurortniy Bulevard 14, Kislovodsk 357700, Russia.

  The paper was hard cardstock, but it felt so delicate in my hand, it might disintegrate under my touch. At last, I had a clue. I read the address repeatedly, each time coming up with a different scenario where I appear at the address and my father’s family takes me into their arms. Assuming the address was connected to my father was reasonable—given the country—but thoughts of a loving family were indulgent. I packed up the box and lay down with it tight against my chest like a teddy bear. I told myself I could have an hour to rest and sleep.

  ****

  I blinked at the dying fire. The moon was in the southern sky. I had slept for hours. The exhalation of a large snout drew my gaze across the fire. A strange smell hung in the air. I crept to a sitting position.

  A low reverberating growl sounded out. Glowing eyes appeared above the fire. Clawed paws skulked out of the darkness and into the dim light of the embers. A brown wolf emerged, baring a huge snarling snout. Its threatening stance registered in my brain. It wasn’t a wolf. It was too big. Its legs were too long, disfigured at the joint hinges. The mouth was too large. Foam dripped from its snarl, exposing its long-jagged fangs.

  I sat, staring down the werewolf.

  The beast’s weight shifted to its hind legs. I jumped up on one knee. My senses flooded in. The werewolf sprang. I braced myself and leaped forward, intercepting it midair. My hands planted on the underside of its belly. In one motion, I gathered the strength I had and tossed the wolf over my shoulder.

  It slammed against a tree trunk and fell sprawling to the ground. The werewolf’s eyes blazed with need, hunger. It circled me. Its jaws darted toward my leg repeatedly. Sidestepping its bite and hammering my fist into its neck was my defense. But our dance grew tiresome. It yelped when I landed another blow. As our stalemate continued, my footing faltered. My guard drooped.

  The werewolf charged me head on. Its eyes shone in the firelight, looking brown rather than yellow. Its gawky legs were uncoordinated, elongating as they tore through the dirt. Patches of hair fell in hunks from its skin.

  This time I had no defenses. Dead tired, I held my forearms in front of my face as the wolf hurled into me. I fell onto my back, and the werewolf dove for my neck.

  I fought against its now fluidly changing body, trying to keep my neck from its bite range. Its large jaws shortened and morphed into something between human and wolf. They snapped like a rabid dog’s jaws, inches from my face. I closed my eyes in reflex, but the sting of its teeth in my throat never landed. I shoved back on its shoulders of pure muscle, now covered with smooth skin. I opened my eyes and gasped, caught in the gaze of beautiful amber brown eyes.

  It was Roman, panting and covered in sweat from the transformation. He trembled as he shifted his weight to look down at me. “Karo, oh my God, I could have killed you,” he said. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I…” I looked down and saw his bare chest. I gazed down farther. He was completely naked. My f
ace heated.

  “I’m on the run,” I said.

  “On the run from what? What are you doing in the middle of nowhere?” Roman wiped my cheek where I could feel dirt stuck to my dried tears.

  I stared at him. “You’re a werewolf.”

  He stroked my hair with his thumb. “Really, Karo…” he whispered. “I thought you always knew.” His touch, his concern, all broke through the shock—and it was exactly what I needed.

  I kissed him.

  He froze, then kissed me back.

  His hands trailed down my body, and since my vampiric senses were still alive, his touch felt extreme. My clothes dropped off in a haze. The horrors in my mind melted away. The night heightened my sense of smell and taste, which made his skin a salty wonderland. My fangs barely poked through the roof of my mouth. Too weak with exhaustion and not quite blood-starved enough to be ravenous. Instead of dominating him in a fit of blood lust, I let him take control of my body.

  He held me down. Where my body bucked against him, he squeezed harder. His mouth traveled to my chest and then between my legs. I writhed against the forest floor. My hips searched for his, but he held me back.

  “Not yet.” His words came on a heated breath.

  His closeness was torture, until he finally slid inside me.

  ****

  I awoke in Roman’s warm arms. His heat kept the chill of the morning dew away, until this moment. The sun’s dim light peeked through the trees. Bird song broke the forest silence.

  Roman brushed the hair out of my face. “Karo, I have a tent nearby; let’s go get ready there, okay?” He rubbed his hand up and down my arm to warm me.

  “Okay,” I said and rustled through the leaves for my clothes and the box.

  Roman, looking like a nudist park ranger, led me fifteen minutes away from my camp. He had a high-end tent and a campfire cook site set up, making it look like camping naked in the woods was a regular occurrence for him. The back of his Jeep held enough gear to furnish a wolf’s den.

  “Looks like I imposed on your plans.” I nodded to his set up.

  He laughed. “You were a surprise.”

  He helped me into his tent, and I dropped down on the plush sleeping bag. He sprawled out on his back with his arms crossed behind his head, letting the old Roman swag resurface. He took a moment to study me, then nudged me to him. I rested my head on his chest and absorbed his warmth.

  “Karo, I need to know what’s going on with you,” he said. “But first I need to say something.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve wanted that for a really long time. When you showed up last night you were all I could smell. As a wolf, it drove me crazy. I had to have you. I wanted to consume you. You have no idea how frightening it was, but I fought it somehow. I changed back to a human under the full moon. That’s never happened before.”

  The longer I waited, the more tension grew in his chest.

  “Last night was…surreal,” I said. “But you have no idea what’s happened. I’m in trouble, and I need our friendship now more than anything.” I backed away.

  “You have it,” he said. “I promise you. Now what’s wrong?”

  I told him everything.

  “They’ll run a DNA test on the human remains in the house, and when they find out it’s only Mama, I’ll be the number one suspect,” I said. “Best case scenario they’ll think I’ve been kidnapped. That gives me a day, maybe two tops.”

  “Maybe DNA testing will give you weeks, you don’t know,” he said. “Dyads hunt the Forged. They protect people. What bothers me is why the Forged are here.”

  “A rush order of DNA takes a day. It was part of station orientation. The Dyads are not the good guys here. That witch killed Mama. How the hell do you know about Dyads, Roman? Where were you last night?”

  “What?”

  “I said where were you? You said you were coming by and you never came. Instead, I find you out here. You’re a werewolf. You never told me. You say you thought I knew, but that’s bullshit. Like it would ever come up in conversation—hey, Karo, I turned into a wolf last night—how’s it going? You’re defending the beings who killed Mama. How much do you know, Ro?”

  “My priority is keeping you safe, Karo” he said. “If there’s more Forged out there, I need to know. I’m sorry Ana’s gone. I loved her too. But my family made promises to yours, and I intend to keep them.”

  “And the rest?”

  “I couldn’t come by,” he said. “Not after seeing that guy looking for you and hearing you guys dated. I needed to shift, I was jealous, and I didn’t want my anger to get the best of me.”

  “And the rest?”

  “All the supernaturals know the Dyads! They’re the good guys, Karo. What happened last night was a tragic accident—but still an accident. It’s a big bad world out there. Your mom didn’t want you to be a part of the undergrounds. It’s dangerous.”

  So, everyone knows but me.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you’re a werewolf?”

  “My last name is Lupei, Karo. I have a duty to uphold. A whole pack to be loyal to.”

  “You lie to me, yet expect me to embrace you as family?” I said.

  “We are, Karo. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” He took the moment to immerse me back into his arms.

  I was angry, but I let him hold me. “You think the Forged were there for Mama?”

  More silence. His muscles tensed underneath me. Even after he’d been caught lying, he was still keeping secrets from me.

  “There’s something else. I opened my emergency box,” I said and listed off the contents. “The only living relatives of Mama’s are in Romania,” I said. “I think the Russian address is someone who can help me. Why else would Mama put it in? Maybe they’re affiliated with my father? I think the only way to know is to go there and find out.”

  “I would only use that as a last resort,” he said. “You have no idea who this person in Russia is. For all we know, he or she may be sending the Shadow Forged after you. They’re always controlled by a master.”

  “Mama wouldn’t have put it in there if she thought they’d hurt me,” I said. “Even if it’s dangerous, it’s my only lead. The way it is now I have two days max, but if I make it to Russia, I’ll have more time to clear my name.”

  Roman dropped back down on his back and put his hands over his face. “Fine. Then I’m coming with you.”

  No. I lay back down on his chest to hide my expression. Knowing what I knew now, I wasn’t sure if I could trust Roman. If we traveled to Russia together, would he help me find the truth he’d helped Mama keep me from? No, he wouldn’t. Neither would he stay behind willingly.

  “Okay, but Ro? Can we just sleep for another hour? I’m so tired. I need more sleep before we leave. Please?”

  “All right. One hour.” He wrapped his arms around me.

  I nuzzled my face against his chest.

  “Goodnight, dark eyes,” he whispered and kissed my forehead. He closed his eyes.

  Oh Ro, you’re going to be furious. I summoned as much earth magic as I could muster while I lay in his arms. Focusing my will, I remembered the sleep spell my mother had taught me. A tingling sensation started at my toes and cascaded up my body. After building the power up to a climax, I breathed out, feeling the tingle leave my skin in Roman’s direction.

  I opened my eyes, and there was a faint glow around his body. It worked. I leaned over him and touched my lips to his mouth. I had a moment’s guilt for judging Mama for her night of passion with my father when they met. I now knew firsthand how easily it could happen. Like mother like daughter.

  I put on Roman’s sweater and threw an energy bar, the box, and some water into a nearby backpack. The scent of him cloaked the fabric at my chin. As I climbed the nearest hill, I hoped he wouldn’t hate me too much for leaving him. I was furious with him, but I didn’t hate him.

  I looked out over the hill and set my sights southeast for Ottawa. I would collect whatever belongings I could
from my dorm and flee the country. I didn’t know how yet, but I would go to Russia.

  Chapter Four

  Stranger Danger

  Six hours had passed. I dripped with sweat from my journey. The sun shone high, radiating heat down on my forehead through the gaps in the pines. The heavy pack on my back dug into my shoulders. I walked sluggishly. My chest heaved from the heavy run I just abandoned. My heart beat in my throat.

  No one at the O.P.P. station could complain about me not doing search and rescue training anymore. I ran more in the past nineteen hours than I ever had in my life. This was not how I expected to spend the day after I first had sex. I always imagined myself at a historical resort for a romantic weekend getaway. Maybe sipping champagne in a bathrobe, getting ready for a couples’ massage with the man of my dreams. Hauling ass through the Canadian wilderness, dirty, sweaty, and about to drop dead—wasn’t what I had in mind.

  I took the water bottle out of my pack and swished the liquid around in my bone-dry mouth, then guzzled some down. The sleep spell I hit Roman with was meant to last eight hours. But since the spell guidelines couldn’t account for lazy students, he could wake up at any minute.

  I forced my soggy walk into a jog. The plan was to be close to boarding a plane by now but trekking through the forest lining the Ottawa river was harder than I imagined. I forced my legs to kick out one after the other in a slow run. Ahead, the forest floor gave way to a worn walking trail. I followed the path to a dead end of shrubs. Bursting out of the woods, I staggered onto a cement sidewalk in the suburbs.

  A family of three with a stroller gasped. They looked at me like I was a cave man who stepped out of a time machine. Apparently, my time in the woods hadn’t done me any favors.

  “Sorry,” I said and folded in half to catch my breath.