Eternal Night

(I) Chapter 35: Curiouser and Curiouser

The journey back to the werewolf territory was, for all intents and purposes, a relatively quiet and uneventful affair. When they finally emerged from the tunnels beneath the ground, Frankie was pleased to find that the car she and Mr. Leinhart had parked in an abandoned garage had remained undisturbed. The woman hadn't said much of anything for the last half-hour and as they drove into the southern district to return Vivian to her family, she remained quiet still.

The tension between her and a clearly anxious Jacob did not go unnoticed by Vladislaus, who continued to slyly glance back and forth between the woman in the driver's seat and her brother-in-law in shotgun.

"How much further?" Vivian inquired weakly, slightly propped up against the man at her side, though she proudly struggled to keep her head upright on its own. She looked exhausted and Dracula silently wondered what she had endured at the hand of his half-brother.

"A few minutes more," Frankie assured her, pressing down on the gas so the car would go a little faster. "And I fear you won't have much time once we arrive. We need to get you out of the city before sunrise."

"I understand," the she-wolf answered. "I'll be grateful for even just an hour with my family."

"We'll make sure you have a little more time than that," Dracula chimed in, although his attention remained fixed on Frankie's face through the rear-view mirror. "It is barely after midnight and the sun won't rise for some time."

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me," the princess continued, suddenly emotional. "I was certain I would die in that dungeon."

"I know the feeling," Frankie replied soberly, the comment a curious one that seemed to intrigue only Vlad, especially when he noted the looks of understanding from not only Vivian, but Jacob as well.

"That man is a monster."

The words were whispered in a trembling voice and Dracula watched as Frankie, still driving, reached into the back seat with her right hand so she could hold Vivian's in reassurance.

"It's over now, Vi. It's over. That man will never touch you again."

Vivian nodded, squeezing the female vampire's hand in gratitude as brave, yet silent tears tumbled down her cheeks.

They arrived at their destination shortly thereafter.

Although the Urmen festival was still in full swing in the more central part of the city, the streets of the south district closest to the den were lined with tens of thousands of werewolves, all standing quietly on the edge of the road as if they had been waiting for the arrival of their long-lost princess all night.

Frankie's driving decelerated to a more manageable speed as they continued to move through the winding road.

As they travelled deeper into the territory, the streets became more congested as a number of the lycans came forward to move alongside the vehicle, some touching the car that held their beloved queen's sister, forcing Frankie to slow even more.

Although scarred by her experience, the sight of familiar faces seemed to provide Vivian with a kind of renewed energy she hadn't felt since the time before her captivity and as she sat up in her seat to move closer to the window, she pressed her hand against the glass and peered into the faces of her kind... her people.

The car eventually crawled into a large square that was covered in werewolves, all standing about in anticipation as the sleek machine pulled into the center of the opening, until there was little to no space left to drive. When at last they stopped, all within the vehicle sat in silence for a moment to take in the sight surrounding them. Despite the size of the crowd, the air was quiet and tense, as if all those in attendance were waiting with baited breath.