Something Immortal

71

REY

I couldn't believe the words slipped her mouth. This was not true. She cannot imagine that letting her go like a lamb to the slaughter will be our option to save as much as we can. No way. I could feel my blood boiling in my veins as my heart starts to pump in a frenzy. Well, whatever happened since I saw her dropping to her knees screaming is hard to process. Vincent found a way to penetrate her mind. The bloody bastard! Never again has happened something like that. He wants to weaken us, split us. Without Maxine fighting alongside us, wolves will start to worry that we may not succeed. And that's exactly what he wants. And now this. He takes Maxine off the game just like that before we even start.

My hands slither around her as she reaches to kiss me, holding her close to me and never letting her go. But I must. Though, I won't give her away that easily. As I glance back to the house, I spot Luke standing in front of the window, trying to look outside. Making him a signal he pushes open the door and in seconds he runs towards us.

"Cover her eyes with something and follow me," I instruct Luke who rips apart a sleeve of his jacket and using it, folds her eyes, blocking her sight.

"What's happening?" Maxine asks in confusion.

"I'm not going to just hand you over to them. We said we'll fight and hell that's what we're going to do!" I smile against her lips as I take her close into another kiss. Without a further word, we carefully guide Maxine into the forest.

There's a mound at the east that provides a full view of the place where the battle will be done. The place is perfect to use to our advantage as it's within our territory and we intend to lure them there. We know these lands like the back of our hand, it would be challenging for the vampires to fight down there.

Throughout our way into the trees and dense plantation, the sharp breathing of Maxine makes me worry even more. She's frustrated, her heart is beating frantically – it is impossible not to hear it. Maybe she's having second thoughts? Whatever it is the only thing I can provide her now is safety and give her courage until the battle is over. We cannot go back now. The last row of trees lies just a few feet away from us. When we pass that my body suddenly stiffens and every muscle in my body clenches while I hold back any growl and curse I want to spit out.

"Goddess bless us." Luke's voice breaks the silence and my head snaps at him, giving him an angry look.

"What is it?" Maxine's voice sounds too stressed than she looks. "What happened?" she squeezes my hand.

Taking a long breath in I try to clear my mind and think of an appropriate answer not to scare her more. But whatever I'll say will have the same effect so I stay with the truth.

"They're here. And they're a lot. But we can do this." I try to encourage her even if it may not work.

From the top of the mould, you can see the land spreading below, going as far as the eye can see. And the view past the border is not for the faint in heart. Passing the border, Vincent is standing on top of a large pile of rocks, accompanied by a woman and a man, standing on each side of him. Around them - extending so far you cannot see the end - they are hundreds of vampires ready to battle and thirsty for blood.

I squeeze gently Maxine's hand as I turn to her. "When Luke tells you, you will remove the blindfold. Then you can join the battle with Luke. Don't worry, everything is going to be okay."

I reach down taking her face into my hands as I lean for a kiss. Her body trembles – not with fear of what we're about to do – but of a chance of betraying us. I hug her tightly rubbing my hands on her back, trying to relax her a bit. I feel her clinging to my shirt and we stay for a moment longer, inhaling her scent and enjoying the gentle rubbing of her face on the side of my neck.

I take a step back, guiding her hands to drop down to her sides and I give a nod to Luke. He mimics the gesture and with a swift movement, I shift to my wolf, taking the path back to the house. I try to stand my ground and appear unaffected but a part of me deep down prays we get out of this alive.

MAXINE

A cold breeze – passing through the trees – has made me shiver as I stand there, blindfolded, waiting alongside Luke. There's a tension charging the air and I cannot ignore it no matter how much I do.

"What's wrong?" I finally spil no longer able to hold myself.

Luke – who's been pacing up and down – stops moving abruptly. He lets a sigh as he approaches. "They're a lot, Maxine. More than we expected. But I'm sure Rey knows what he's doing. He has trained us well and fighting according to his plan will set us high chances of winning."

He sounds more confident than I would anticipate. Sure about Rey's tactics and ready to throw himself in battle. But this a lot worries me more.

"How many approximately?"

"A few hundred, as far as I can see" he breathes out.

A gasp escapes my mouth as I bring my hands before my mouth clapping them. "It cannot be!" I struggle to process this. If I recall well when I went to that party of his – that turned out to be a massacre for almost all the guests - those that appeared to have a more close relationship with Vincent were not hundreds. It's impossible to have so much that night. It was not so packed. Then a scary thought crosses my mind. What if he transformed some new? Perhaps some of the people in town. There's no other source of humans so close to this area. The nearest village is located hundreds of miles away.

Anticipation grows in me, together with anxiety as the hour passes. Suddenly, loud howls fill the air, making my skin fill with goosebumps while eerie screeches pierce the air.

This is it, the moment we've been afraid of and yet we've been waiting for.