White Roses: A Continuation of Lana_sky's Short Story 'Without Thorns'

Chapter 4

Dane bristled at the elf's tone but, answered anyway. “I killed two of their pack after they attacked me and my wife.”

“Your wife? Why are you chasing after a wood nymph, wolf, if you have a wife?”

“She left after I killed those wolves.”

“Hmm. That sounds like a bad situation. A 'damned if you do not and damned if you do' predicament.”

Dane grunted. The wolves were still searching. They were too close for him to carry the elf to another tree.

“Why did you pick me up and carry me if the wolves were not after me?” Nagülan asked this time, true curiosity in his words.

Dane thought. Why did he do that? Shit. He should have just left the elf in the bar, then the fae would have been safe and, he wouldn't have to worry about getting the man killed. He cursed softly.

Nagülan laughed under his breath. “Do not worry my young friend. You were correct in your earlier assessment that one of the wolves would have stopped and taken me. Not that he would have had much success.”

“Look who's cocky now?” Dane mumbled.

Nagülan chuckled. He did that a lot. This elf is very jolly. Does he know Santa Clause? Dane thought sarcastically to himself. The elf continued to chuckle.

The three wolves looked as if they were simply milling around but, on closer inspection one could see they were honing in on the two men's location in the tree.

Finally, the smallest of the wolves looked up. “Coward in the trees.” he said.

Dane decided to allow the elf to learn of one of his abilities. Stay up here. He said into the elf's mind. Something he doubted had happened often to the man who he was beginning to suspect was very old. Much older than he could comprehend.

Dane dropped out of the tree, landing softly in front of the three wolves. They looked desirous of a fight. He heard the soft landing of the elf behind him and grumbled. He heard in his mind: I was not going to let you have all the fun. Another rumble issued from his chest. Well, the damn elf must have some survival skills if he was as old as Dane thought he was.

Dane didn't wait for the wolves to say anything. He knew what they were here for and he didn't have time to deal with this any longer. He was feeling pain, a searing all along his skin. He got the impression that it was actually Deva's pain and, it enraged him. He quickly dispensed with the two larger wolves, leaving them with three broken limbs apiece. The smallest one, the one with the smartest mouth had stood there, his mouth agape.

“Please don't hurt me!” he cried out.

“Who's the coward on the ground?” Dane asked him.

The wolf looked past him and gasped. Dane grabbed the wolf by the collar then turned to see the elf use his dagger to stab each of the two wolves on the ground into their chests, pulling the still beating hearts out and throwing them to the ground.