Chapter 31: Quicksand

Elias

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I was quite surprised to see the Vampire Queen and the red Alpha Wolf King suddenly appear in the middle of the battle. But it was great. I felt like Iago, and I went back in our old days. After tearing apart the rogue we caught between our canine teeth, I raised my paw and he raised his too, mirroring a high five, and we grinned at each other from ear to ear.

I noticed Avabella talk with Maria Adriana, and the two magically bound wolves were instantly gone. I read Avabella’s thoughts, hearing that her great-great-grandaunt sent them to the eastern tower. I immediately contacted Yanick to give him a heads up.

“Alpha Elias, there are more rogues down the pond,” Thibault said, going eastward. “Matthias caught Sangye’s scent there!”

I didn’t waste any time. I ran quickly, following my right Beta, telling Avabella where I was going through our mind link. Iago was close on my heels, so were the rest of the pack. All our rogue enemies there were already taken care of.

We met some wild boars, lynxes, bears, elks and hares along the way, in Langenberg Wildlife Park. Some rogues even attacked them, to eat them. My pack tried to save the poor animals, creating another fray.

Iago faced a couple of rogues, whereas I continued to go to the pond. I passed by the park’s Nature Museum. It was already closed but there were still a few people inside—maybe a few employees arranging some things for the next day’s show. It was made of wood and glass. Logs were made as open shelves, with objects displayed such as dead woods and historical pictures, among others. There were also headsets that were used for the recorded information about everything in the museum. A man peered through the glass, trying to make out what was happening around, since loud howls and growls could be heard.

A rogue suddenly broke the glass wall, tearing the man in pieces and eating his flesh. He was yelling in pain, while his co-employees were screaming in fear. They ran as fast as they could to get out, but some rogues were after them, for meal.

Damn it!

I went after the rogues in the museum and killed each of them, thrashing the place in the process. Blood and flesh scattered across the wood floor, walls and pillars, and even on the objects displayed there. I left after I took care of the rogues, but I sent a few members of my pack to guard the humans who were fleeing.

I continued to go to my destination, but my attention was caught by the visitors center. It was a building made of wood and glass as well. I could clearly see the yellow letters that said “Besucherzentrum” with the park’s name on the left side of it. There were still people there even though I knew it was supposed to be closing time at five thirty in the afternoon. Maybe there was some kind of a group tour. I had no idea. It was supposed to be empty since it was already past seven in the evening.

The rogues howled, alerting the people both inside and outside the building. They screamed when they saw enormous-sized wolves come up to them, making irreversible havoc. The uproar was added when my pack and my mate’s clan started to appear almost at the same time to stop the rogues from attacking the people that went in frenzy. Children were crying. They were snatched by their parents and ran away as far as they could. Some went into their vehicles; some took refuge in the building and closed the glass door. However, some rogues just busted the glass walls and entered. The bookshop was ruined; books were torn and scattered everywhere, among other products and computers. I wondered why the people at the center hadn’t noticed what happened in the museum. I scanned the place while I was fighting off a rogue that wanted to bite my hind leg. Then I saw Maria Adriana. Maybe she was trying to separate the museum a short while ago, by creating some kind of shield. But now, the rogues didn’t spare the entire building and the people in it. There were casualties even though we tried our best to protect the innocents.

Avabella slammed her palm downward like what she did earlier, and red-orange energy blasted out of her hand. It spread pretty fast to attack the enemies, setting them on fire. Maria Adriana used her telekinetic powers to move the people out of the way, putting them inside a ball that had energy shield, which the rogues couldn’t penetrate. They whined in pain when they were electrocuted as their fur or paws made contact with it. She did this until all the people were safe in that ball of purple energy.

“I’ll take care of their memories later,” she said to Avabella, moving to find her husband, who was behind her. Iago was not so far away, biting off the heads of our enemies.

“I’ll go find Sangye,” I said to Avabella in our mind link.

“Okay. Be careful. I’ll be right behind you,” she answered, waving a hand to catch a rogue that was about to attack me head on. She twisted the wolf’s body and slammed it on the ground, lifeless.

I watched her for a moment as she easily took on the rogues that were after me, as I ran toward the pond. More vampires appeared by groups as Maria Adriana summoned them by her teleportation power to back us up. Even Eoghan and Zafrina, who were obviously bickering, suddenly appeared. They were disoriented for a moment because of the sudden change of their environment but they were readily in fight mode against the enemies when they assessed the situation in a second, especially when they saw Maria Adriana waving her hands here and there while the rogues were fighting against their clan.

“Oh, fuck!” Eoghan cussed, climbing on the back of a rogue and pulled its mouth backward, breaking its neck.

“We’re not done, Eoghan you idiot!” Zafrina said angrily, kicking a rogue in the face and sending it to its fellow rogue that was coming on to her.

“Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. I know we’re not!” he answered, applying an ax kick on the rogue’s head, burying it in the snowy ground before smashing it with a forceful stomp of his heel. The skull was broken, and blood turned the snow crimson. “I can’t wait to crush that mouth of yours with mine.” Then he smirked in Zafrina’s direction while she gave him a sharp and withering glare.

“I’m so going to make that mouth of yours bleed, you idiot!” she replied, punching a rogue in the nuzzle and making it whimper in agony.

Well, I think they’ll never change. Maybe unless one of them already settled with their lifetime partner—for real. Their marriage bond was such a waste. Or maybe not, if they always squabble like this. But I heard Maria Adriana was pissed upon learning the reason why these two married. Anyway, that was their business. As for me, I was thinking of proposing decently to Avabella—when all of this threat and chaos is over. I was looking forward to it, and it made my heart swell. I even smiled to myself.

I heard someone call my name. I thought it was Sangye’s voice.

I stopped running for a moment when I reached the pond. It was surrounded by coniferous and other kinds of trees, which were covered by untouched snow. The surroundings were a bit foggy, but it was enough to see with my wolf eyes even though in the dark. The pond looked still and peaceful, although I heard the yelps of the rogues and my pack members that were fighting nearby. I sniffed the air, and I did smell Sangye’s lotus scent. I followed where it went, along the side of the pond. The ground was so soft, feeling my four paws sink in each step. But I couldn’t stop. Sangye’s scent was getting stronger and stronger around this area.

“Sangye! Sangye! Where are you?” I called out her name, searching for her thoughts. And yet, it was all silence from her end. I wondered if she was still unconscious, or some magic blocked our telepathic connection.

I took a careful step at each moment. My eyes were alert, looking for any movement around me, while my pack and the vampires were in a fierce scrimmage. I couldn’t see Avabella or Maria Adriana anywhere. Maybe they were still somewhere at the visitors center. However, I could see Iago, Thibault, Matthias, Andreas and Sascha having their respective matches with the rogues.

“Alpha Elias! We’re under attack!” I heard Yanick’s alarmed voice, growling in my head.

“Merde! How did it happen?” A growl was rumbling in my chest. “The cloak is always on even when Sangye is not there,” I added.

“I don’t know, Alpha Elias! Maybe a more powerful magic has unveiled it and the rogues are able to get across the mansion’s boundary!” Yanick answered. I could hear him struggling, most probably fighting off some rogues.

Merde! We had our prisoners in the eastern tower. I hoped they won’t escape. They were my family. We still have to figure out what to do with them since they are obviously controlled by someone.

“You do your best to hold the fort for me, Yanick!” I ordered.

I quickly tapped in Avabella’s mind. “The mansion’s under attack by another group of rogues! I don’t want them to get the prisoners or kill my pack, Avabella!” I had to ask her for help. Right now, I couldn’t be in two or three places at one time. Yes, as the Alpha, I wanted to save Sangye, save my pack back home and finish all these rogues here at the park! But I had to choose. Right now, Sangye was my priority. I was closer to her.

“Maria Adriana’s on it, Elias,” she answered after a few seconds.

“Thank you! Tell her that,” I said, relieved. I trusted the Vampire Queen just like I trusted Iago with my life.

“Where are you, Elias?” Avabella asked.

“I’m at the pond. Sangye’s around here.”

“Are you sure? Isn’t it a trap?”

I stopped walking. I asked myself the same thing. After all, we were dealing with magic here. Could it be that Sangye’s scent was deliberately left here? Or maybe it was copied?

I stepped farther away from the pond. Still, I found the ground soft. Was the ground always soft around the pond?

“Elias! I’m coming for you. Don’t do anything stupid!” Avabella warned.

I chuckled at that. No one has called my actions stupid, ever. “Fine! I’ll be right here at the pond. You can scent me. I’ve no doubt about that.”

I heard her make a hiss. “Are you insinuating something sexual right now?” she queried. I could feel the non-verbal “stupid” in her tone.

I laughed at that. “I think it’s exciting to talk about sex even though we’re not face to face, my sweet Avabella. In fact, I want to lick your face right now and I want to taste you in this form. My tongue is bigger, wider and hotter. Don’t you think so?”

“¡Maldición! You’re making me wet right now, Elias!” she expressed and let out a series of sexy Spanish curses.

My own Swiss German and French continued her oaths. It was inappropriate because we were in the middle of this battle but mon Dieu! I felt myself getting hard when I heard her getting wet. I’d be damned if I wouldn’t taste her when she arrived here.

“Alpha Elias!”

I went still when I heard that familiar voice in my head. “Sangye? Is that you? Where are you?” My heart was beating so fast. She was near. I could feel her. I looked around but the pond was still. I could only hear the exterior sounds of the battle that was still ongoing.

I pivoted when I heard the sound right behind me. However, I couldn’t see anything. Or her. I moved around in my place and then I slowly felt that softness under my feet.

“Elias!” Avabella was calling me.

“I’m here! Where are you?” I turned around but it seemed that the fog was getting thicker and thicker in a matter of seconds. I could scent her and even her arousal.

“I can’t see you, Elias. Where are you?” she asked again.

Damn it! Why couldn’t I see her, too?

“Alpha Elias, I’m here!” Sangye’s voice was right behind me, but I couldn’t see her or anything.

I suddenly felt the ground swallowing me down.