Chapter 159: It’s Really You

“Father!” She cried, returning at last to English, “It’s really, really, really, you!”

“Yes, Onisagira, I swore I would always come for you. You didn’t make it easy, but that won’t stop me. Now, you are off balance, so allow me to level you back out,”

Sasa nodded as Dagrim pinned her to the ground and bit her neck. Since it hadn’t been long at all since she was starving last, Sasa fought the bite sooner than she thought she would. Dagrim seemed prepared however as he just held her down until he was done. Then like always Sasa was awoken again by the pleasant warmth of his blood as he cradled her in his arms. After a few more times, Dagrim finally let her go.

“How do you feel, now, daughter?”

“Ashamed by my behavior. Also frightened by what you’ll say or think of me when you find out what all I’ve done. I’ve killed and murdered both vampire and werewolf. I’ve turned Fenris into a human and told the man in white all he wanted to know to keep us alive. One of my crimes is punishable by death to vampire laws, another by werewolf laws. I will not flee my judgment, but I can’t die, so I don’t know how to pay for them,”

Dagrim hugged her tighter than ever, “Precious Onisagira, you were held prisoner and tormented. I don’t think even the wolves will fault you. I don’t. Now you mentioned Lykos, and Namuh as well as a child and a wolf named Drakon. Where should we look to find these men?”

“Let’s do Lykos first. He needs to be fed so he doesn’t eat Leo. Namuh is a blood beast I made, but I grew too weak to control him. This way, Namuh is waking up now. Did you shut off whatever was making the hall shift?”

“Yes. Have you been down here the whole time?” Dagrim said as he stood and offered a hand for Sasa.

Sasa took it, “Pretty much. How long has it been?”

“Only a year or so. No where near as long as last time. The contents of these walls make it hard even for a sire to feel past them. Also, you were so far away, even now we are on the outskirts of Salem. I started looking in New York, that was as fruitless as you can imagine. Sorry it took so long,”

Sasa reached back and held his hand as they walked, “You came. That is all that matters. I want to get Lykos quickly so I can get back to Leo,”

“You never explained, who is Leo,”

Sasa was silent for a while before she answered. “You know how you, Sköll and Fenris found the remains of a Child when you searched for me last time? It was a plant. The man in white had my real son and named him Leo. Not a bad name, not one I would have chosen. He looks just like his father, except for obvious mistakes that show he is part mine too. We tasted his blood, way before I lost my mind. He is my child, father, I know he is. The man in white even admitted it,”

They made it to Lykos, Namuh stretched and yawned before he slithered out of the way. Sasa pet him on the head. It would be sad to let him go once this was over, but she had no need of him outside this jail cell. “Are all the bad humans gone?” Sasa asked as Dagrim opened the door.

“Yes. You are safe,”

Sasa kissed Namuh on the nose and began breaking him down. There would be no trace of the dragon to study when the man in white came back for salvage. By the time she was done Dagrim came back out with Lykos. He still looked ragged, but better than he did when he fell asleep. Sasa bowed and greeted her friend in the old Egyptian way. Lykos returned the gesture.

“You still look a mess,” Lykos teased.

“You’re no prince charming either, scruffy. Come, we have to rescue Drakon and Leo before we leave,”

“You never explained who Drakon was either,” Dagrim said as he followed Sasa as she started to ascend to the higher levels.

“He is a wolf. That is all I’m allowed to say, sorry Lykos. I can tell you my secrets, but no one else’s. Wolves are very touchy about who knows what. Daddy, remember when my ancestor, the white wolf came to visit and she spoke of a pack of wolves that made me excited. He is of that pack,”

Dagrim had to think back to that encounter. Then when it hit him several minutes later, he nodded, “And you felt you could trust him?”

“She trusts them, so why can’t I? He was doing a good job last I checked. We’re getting close,” Sasa announced as she started to trot up to the door and spin the lock open. Once the door was open, she launched herself on Leo and hugged him as softly as she could.

A snarl and a firm hand pulled her off Leo, “Lady Onisagira, hands off the pup!”

“No, Drakon, I think it’s fine, she looks better,” Leo exclaimed as Sasa whimpered and curled up like a naughty puppy.

“Hi, Drakon,” Sasa said merrily.

He looked her over, then snarled as he faced the door where he noticed two more vampires. “Identify yourselves, bloodsuckers. This one is no longer in her right mind. Before that she charged me with the care of her precious pup. I will protect him like my own son, Leviathan,”

“Onisagira may still need some medical attention, but I assure you she is no longer starving. Her mind is working more clearly than it used to. I am her sire; I have come to rescue her. She informs me I also had to rescue this rascal, and you, noble wolf,” Dagrim said as he walked over to Leo to look over. “And you are Leo. You claim to be my daughter’s son, born from her?”

“I claim nothing. It was Sasa and Fenris who claimed it, and then Dr. White confirmed it. Here, Sasa and Fenris tasted my blood, you may as well,” Leo offered. He feared Dagrim, but Dagrim noticed the same look on his face Sasa got.

“I may not trust Fenris, but I trust your mother. If she says you are her son, then I am one of your grandfathers. The other is a stern old wolf named Sköll. He is above ground making sure no reinforcements show up,”

“Da is here too?” Sasa exclaimed as she wriggled free of Drakon.

Dagrim nodded.

Sasa squealed and grabbed Leo’s hand as she ran for the surface. When Leo complained that he couldn’t keep up Sasa tried to shift to her wolf form but only ended up on the floor with a yelp of pain.

“Sasa, are you alright?” Leo asked concerned as he knelt next to Sasa as she started getting back up.

“Yeah, I just tried to change to my wolf form. I can’t. I’m still not right, I hope I haven’t lost the call of Luna altogether,” Sasa said as she got up and limped for a few steps before her gate returned to normal. “Come on, you’ll like Sköll, too,”

Moving a bit slower so Leo could keep up, Sasa made her way out. Standing amongst the rubble of demolished buildings and hundreds of corpses stood Sköll. Sasa squealed with joy as she ran and jumped on her father. They fell over and tumbled a bit and Sasa giggled and Sköll chuckled and pet her head. Sasa rubbed her face against his hand as she grinned so big she felt like purring.

“My little one, you are not broken like last time, but you are not whole either, are you?”

“No,” Sasa admitted as Sköll sat up with her curled in his lap. “I think I sacrificed my connection to Luna in order to save my mate. It will take a while to find out how deeply the connection is severed,”

“The bloodsucker is not here? What happened to your mate, little one?” Sköll asked worried by his daughter’s words.

Sasa shook her head and buried her face in his chest as she clung to him. “He is safe, that is all that matters right now,”

“Dr. White might still be tracking him, to see how long the effects will last on him,” Leo warned as he approached cautiously.

Sköll snarled and made to get to his feet, but Sasa pulled him back down, “Da, look closer. Look at him like you did the day we met under the snow-covered tree. He is not a hunter, anymore. Not of our kind at least. One day, if he wishes, he’ll run with us and catch rabbits and deer,”

Leo felt uncomfortable again as this man also stared him down with a piercing gaze. Leo didn’t look him in the eyes, but also looked him over. There was very little of Sasa in his features, until he got to his eyes. He saw his eyes, Sasa eyes. Leo had the eyes of his grandfather. The only difference was Leo’s were slightly larger, like Sasa’s were.

Sköll dipped his head, “It is an honor grandson. You look like the wretch you were spawned from,”

Sasa swatted Sköll and growled, “Da, the boy doesn’t know you’re kidding. Remember, your father is a vampire, your grandfather is a werewolf. They say harsh things to one another but it is only to save face. Fenris was once known as wolf killer, and Sköll silver fang,”

“Your mother is correct; I only tease Finny because I care for the pest. Where is the Old One? You smell of him so I know you met,”

“I kinda left daddy in the maze with Drakon and Lykos,”

“There are two Vampires? And who is Drakon, that sounds like a warrior,”

“He is. He watched over Leo for me during the time I wanted to eat him,” Sasa explained.

Sköll stood, letting Sasa regain her footing. He held out a hand for Leo to shake. “I know things seem strange now, pup, but all will make sense in time. You have the look of a lost one, but it will fade in time,”

“I hope neither of you mind, but I tried to educate the boy and correct the misinformation he had already learned about his blood line,” Drakon announced as he walked up and saluted to Sköll. “It is an honor to meet you, Sköll, son of Fenrir,”

Sköll returned the salute, “And you are Drakon. Forgive me that I cannot address you properly, warrior of Luna. Dragon wolves are but whispers to the rest of us. I know that you are lore keepers, historians, councilors, and warriors, but that is all I know of Dragons,”

“Drakon, son of Wyvern, daughter of Salamander. We share a name type with the Ash wolves, just as River wolves and Ice Wolves,” Drakon answered.

“I should have asked this a long time ago, how many different types of wolves are there?” Sasa asked.