Outside Chinook, Library at the Manor, Early October
Two weeks later Niculai was again sitting at his desk pretending to work. Deep red velvet drapes hid the metal shutters that kept the anemic winter light of the noontime sun blocked. Niculai shuffled paper from one pile to another. Not really accomplishing anything. The French doors that led into the garden behind the house were across the room from his desk. There was a shutter system across them as well. In his minds eye Niculai could see the gardens as they were right now. All prepped for winter, flower beds either emptied or covered depending on whet grew there. The blooming fruit trees and roses were covered against the cold of the winter. The pool was emptied and covered. And the barbecue and furniture had been brought in for the winter. Niculai wondered how the garden felt about all of the prep for winter. Was it hopeful for the spring or did it mourn the loss of summer.
Niculai remembered fall in the old country. There had been differences but so much was the same too. He tried not to think about the old country. The memories of home, no matter how pleasant, always brought back the hows and whys of their exodus from Romania. Those memories were never happy or good. His parents had been dead for about thirty years when the Undying took control of Germany's Vril society. A major influence on the Nazi party and it's ideology. It had taken about another five years for the Anvidai to find out and by then it was too late. All they could do was escape with as many people as they could. The Nazis weren't just a risk to his people but to those they frequently lived among, the Rom and the Jews. Romania in the nineteen-forties hadn't really been safe for anyone but it was especially dangerous for anyone that the rulers considered less than human. A designation that anyone not of the "ruling" class belonged to.
God, Nic thought. I really hate the Undying. As a rule the Undying Society worked through Human groups like the Vril Society. The group that had been the driving force behind many of the Nazi ideas about race. When the Undying weren't out hunting for the Anvidai directly of course. The Undying usually tried to get Humans to kill each other. As well as any of the other races that those killers could catch up in their nets. If the Humans did they killing then they wouldn't have to. Efficiency is best after all. Unfortunately the Humans happily went along with the idea of killing anyone that wasn't in their individual group. To be honest you didn't have to work to hard to get Humans to hate and kill each other. Hate seemed to be a Human core competency. They excelled in committing atrocities against each other. Which was a main reason that the Anvidai needed to stay secret. If the Humans could do kill themselves that easily, what would, could they do to someone that wasn't even Human.
Out of nowhere the memory that Niculai really didn't want, slammed into his consciousness. Grabbing him like a dog with a bone. Shaking him to his very core. Dragging him back to a past he didn't want to visit. Memories that he hated, certain that he had failed in his duty. Not been strong or good enough to do what was needed. He had failed on so many levels that night. And here he was reliving them again, like it or not.
Niculai, Tomas and Rhuv had been out ahead of the main body of the refugees. Warning the Anvidai,and anyone else that needed it and would listen, that the Nazi invasion was headed their way. While many of the Anvidai lived on estates or small villages of just their own kind. Enough of them lived in Human villages that they were getting the warnings too. Besides the Ashen were pledged to protect all races not just their own so villages that had no Anvidai living in them were getting the warnings as well those with members of the race in them.
There were other Siblings that were getting the warnings to the larger towns and cities although in those locations only the Anvidai would be warned to flee. If they wanted to spread the message they could and probably would, if only to their friends. The Anvidai were spreading throughout the country passing the warning along and gathering people together for their escape. It had happened in the past and might again in the future. The main difference this time was instead of just fleeing to another area to hide. The Anvidai were fleeing across the ocean to another continent. They were moving their base to America. The Anvidai were fleeing probably never to return.
The bonfire set outside the village was all wrong. Like a child's finger painting in the Louvre. The bonfire was unattended, not something that would happen when you lived in a forest. Especially not in the early fall when everything was match dry. No one left a fire alone before the rains came in this part of the world. Not if you wanted someplace to live in the morning. No either someone was sending a very bad message or there was a offering to the Undying somewhere close by. And since if you were sending a message you would normally stay close by. The deserted state of the glen that the fire was in meant that it was good bet on option number two.
All three of them knew that any offering would probably be in a nearby cave. It wasn't always in a cave. But since there was no sign of it here, a cave was most likely. The odds were also good that the victim would be a Human psychic. Again not always but that was also the norm. The fate of whoever the sacrifice was didn't bare thinking about, especially if it was an Anvidai. Torture would be the least of what would happen to them. There really were fates worse then death, no matter what the Humans thought. Either way no one deserved what was going to take place. The three of them would have to work fast. Their warning to the village ahead would have to wait, rescuing whoever was being given to the Undying was far more important.
The three of them split up to search the area after putting out the bonfire. It had only taken about fifteen minutes for Rhuv to find the cave and signal the other two. The entrance was barely more then a hollow in the cliff face. Black candles barely lit the cave, showing the damp rough hewn walls. It looked as though at sometime in the past someone had tried to expand the cave but had given up. The Three approached carefully, in case it was a trap. The Undying knew that the Ashen War-Kin would be out warning others to flee. This could be a trap to kill or worse capture one of the Siblings.
It was no trap though, just a small frightened girl. Somewhere between ten and thirteen years old. The girl had been tied hand and foot in the small and musty cave. As young as she was it was clear the she was a fighter, a warrior. Knowing what would be coming if they'd been Undying she didn't scream or fight her bonds. Nor was she paralyzed with fear. All three of them could hear the pounding of her heart, could smell the fear that pored off of her. The look that she gave them however was steady, showing no sign of her fear. No, this girl was a fighter. She was also Anvidai and coming with them. Although even if she'd been Human they would still have taken her with them. They just would have left her with one of families allied with them rather than taking her to their own people.
Half an hour later Niculai and Tomas were at the village they had been heading towards before they had found the girl. They were standing in front of the village mayor's front door. The girl was safe with Rhuv who was taking her to the closest group of fleeing Anvidai. And as far as she knew her parents were dead. She had been captured as they had fled the village, her parents had died to give her a slim chance to escape. An escape that had failed. She was safe now or as safe as any of them were in these dangerous times. Rhuv would protect her with his life and see that she got to those who would help her from now on.
Refocusing on the house in front of him, Niculai knew that at least in this village his mission had already failed. This was clearly the village that the girl had come from. The signs of her parents deaths were everywhere. The mayor here, at the very least was already aligned with the Undying otherwise they would never of found the girl in the cave. Either way the warning had to be given, there might be some who wished to flee. If the warning saved even one life it would help balance all the death that was coming on swift wings to this village, this country, the whole damn world.
The mayor's house was the largest in the village. A full moon shone down on white washed walls. Making them glow like sun on the water. Showing off the multicolored designs that covered them. The door was painted red like most were in this part of the country. That this was the largest house was also normal. It was the mayor's after all. The village was picturesque in the full moon light. Looking so peaceful. Like nothing bad could ever happen here. Niculai however, wasn't fooled. Bad things already happened here. The coming war was going to bring bad things to every place its deadly fingers reached. No place, no matter how beautiful would be spared the violence and destruction that was coming. It was possible that no place on earth would be safe.
Niculai ruthlessly shoved the anger that flared at the thought of the Undying, and the damage they would cause, to the back of his mind. He needed to be calm and clear headed for what was coming next. Well as calm as he could be given the dire situation the race was in. Lifting his hand, Nic knocked on the cheerfully painted door. The mayor answered so quickly it was clear that he was expecting someone, just not them. No, the mayor was expecting the Undying to come. The look of anticipation and welcome bled off of the mayor's face, to be replaced with a closed, suspicious one. The Human was shorter then either Niculai or Tomas. which was no surprise since the twins were tall even for the Anvidai. Nonetheless he had the musculature of someone that spent a lot of time working in the fields.
"He was expecting the Undying, not us." Tomas' voice in Nic's mind was the same as if he'd spoken.
As a rule the Anvidai couldn't speak mind to mind. But as twins as well as Siblings in the Ashen War-Kin, the two of them could, as long as they were in close proximity as they were now. It was very useful at times like this where they didn't want other ears to overhear them. Niculai sent his silent agreement winging back down their shared bond. Both of them could easily read the scheming, self-serving thoughts of the man in front of them. That he followed the Undying was equally obvious, the man practically reeked of the evil he associated with.
"Are you going to invite us in?"
This wasn't a question so much as a demand. A demand that held the full force of Niculai's power. His voice was cold and hard. A voice that expected to be obeyed. There was however no anger in it because Nic and his twin refused to show the anger and distrust they both felt for the weaselly man before them. If they showed their anger it would be a win, however petty for the human in front of the.
At the mans gesture, the two followed the mayor into his house. It could hardly be considered a home since that word usually implied warm feelings and comfort. The house, while neat as a pin, was as cold as an institution.. Not in temperature, which was warm enough, but feeling. Only fear lived inside these walls. There was no love to be found here. From what they could see of the place, there were three rooms on the ground floor of the two story building. The large public room that the mayor would meet people in. The kitchen and wonder of wonders a bathroom. Indoor plumbing was almost unheard of in the rural parts of the country. Hell, it was barely the norm in the cities, especially among the poorer residents. And while the mayor might be rich in comparison to the rest of the villigers, he was by no means wealthy. Or at least shouldn't be.
The brightly colored walls had paintings hanging on them. There were knickknacks displayed on tables and shelves. This wasn't normal, most of the villagers would only have a couple of very special things that they displayed. Maybe one or two pictures on the walls or special mementos on a shelf the husband had hung. Normally the walls would either have nothing on them or have a tapestry that the wife had woven or had been in the family forever.
Nothing like what they were seeing in this house. What they mayor was showing probably cost more then the rest of the village combined. Clearly the mayor cared more about status and wealth then the welfare of the villagers that looked to him. Again not a surprise considering what they already knew from the mans own mind. Anyone that would ally with the Undying Society or their affiliates would not be overly concerned about the needs of those he considered beneath him.
Niculai sighed to himself, his implacable mask not slipping in the slightest. Yeah, there was going to be no listening to his warning here. Still he was going to try.
"You and your villagers must go into hiding." Niculai said abruptly, suddenly wanting to get this over with. His voice was cold.
The look that flashed across the mayor's face told Niculai better than any words could have that the mayor knew the reason for their visit. Niculai continued anyhow.
"The Nazi army that is coming towards you will destroy everyone and everything in their path. They will destroy you and yours without pity or mercy."
The mayor just shook his head, not caring what Niculai was saying. "The Germans have always respected the villages and villagers in the areas that they control. They are only interested in hurting those that oppose them."
The mayor eyed Niculai and his twin obviously knowing that they were well armed and would fight the Germans. Or at least what he thought were the Germans. Never mind that in reality they would be fighting only to get and keep their people safe from the Undying Society and any of their followers. But the mayor had no clue about that and Nic didn't intend to inform him.
"These Nazis are not as their ancestors were," Niculai replied firmly.
Oh how he wished that anything he would say would change the mayors mind. But he knew that it wouldn't. The guy was far to seeped in the evil that they Undying spoon fed their followers. Sure that he would be protected and not really caring if anyone else was.
"They have killed their way across much of Europe and now they are here at the behest of our own government," Niculai continued aloud.
It wouldn't help for the mayor to have his suspicions confirmed that the Anvidai had their own government and leaders. It was bad enough that the man had a clue that they existed at all. It was a good bet that he had learned about the Anvidai from his Society master. Niculai wished that he could tell the other villagers about the threat when the mayor gave the expected no. But he couldn't, not only was it unlikely that the villagers would listen to them since the mayor didn't. But it could put the very existence of his race at risk since he had no idea how many of the other villagers agreed with the mayor. Saving one villager wasn't worth the risk no matter what happened here. His heart however still bleed for the loss of life that he knew was coming.
"At least let the women and children go to safety. We will succor them until the danger is past." Nic finished, knowing that it was useless. It was all he could do, his honor would allow nothing less.
The mayors hand slashed through the air before curling into a fist at his side. His voice and face were full of anger when he spoke. "Our women and children will stay with their husbands and fathers. Never will they go from us. Especially not with you or yours." The last sentence was almost screamed at Niculai and Tomas, the mayors revulsion at the twins warring with the anger he felt for supremacy. "They will stay here."
"So be it," Niculai stated with finality, his voice even colder then before. "We will not help you or your people. As you have asked."
Tomas was a silent shadow beside him. The anger that vibrated off of his twin matched Nic's own. The mayor had doomed his people to death. A death that could have been avoided. But with the mayor being a follower of the Undying, it was also a death that was far to predictable.The situation sickened Nic because there was nothing he could do to change it.
"We neither want nor need your protection," the mayor said.
The mayor was no longer shouting, his voice was dripping with disgust at them and their protection. It was clear that he considered Nic and Tomas to be less then the shit on his shoes. The mayor clearly believed that the Undying would protect him. While the twins couldn't prove that he didn't care about the fate of his village. Neither of them believed for a moment that he did.
The twins turned as one on their heels and headed for the door. It was a case of leave now or kill the self-serving mayor where he stood. And no matter how satisfying that would have been , Niculai knew that it would accomplish nothing. Tomas reached the door first and was opening the way out when Nic looked back over his shoulder at the mayor.
"They will not help you," Niculai stated baldly, catching and holding the mayor's cold brown eyes. "Not you and not your people. No matter what the Undying have told you . When the Nazis come, they will not help you." Before the mayor could reply Niculai followed Tomas out into the night.
It had only taken the Nazis ten days to get to the village. They had attacked a couple of hours after sunset. Knowing that all the villagers would be safely in their homes and much easier for them to capture and control. Nic, Tomas and Rhuv had been shadowing the Nazi column now that the warnings had been given. They were making sure that none of the companies roaming Romania came to close to where the refugees where hiding, waiting for a chance to escape the country altogether. The Nazi company that they were trailing was following the same path the three had taken just over a week earlier. They were again at the village that they had rescued the girl from. The one where the mayor had all but thrown the twins out of his house. Signing the death warrants for all his people, and more than likely himself.
Watching the slaughter of village after village had not sat well with the three Siblings. Watching people being killed took an act of will to stay out of the fighting. It went against the grain for the Siblings to allow people to die, even if they were just Humans. After all their creed said to protect all sentient life, not just Anvidai life. But they couldn't risk any of the attackers escaping. and taking word of their existence back to their leaders. It was bad enough that the Undying were hunting them, giving Humans proof of their existence was not an option. Added to that was the fact that the Ashen War-Kin didn't have the numbers to fight against the whole German army. Even just the units that were currently storming though the countryside.
The slaughter of the villagers was almost complete. The majority of the soldiers were relaxing in the village square. Only a few were still looking to see if they could find anyone that was hiding. The three Siblings were standing at the top of an escarpment that abutted the back of the village. From this location they could see the whole village while remaining invisible to the invaders. The wind was blowing towards them from the village, filling the night with the aroma of blood and gunfire. The scent was making it harder for them to control their urge for battle. Their fangs, completely descended into their mouths, were bared. The desire to kill was pounding through their brains and was thickening their blood. Quiet growls were vibrating up their chests.
A furtive motion at the back of one of the buildings below them caught their attention. Niculai thought the building was a house but who could tell for sure from behind. A small form scurried out from the shadows, head turned to watch behind itself. Breathing deeply, Nic sorted through the different scents until he found the one that belonged to the form below them. It was a female and from the traces of blood mixed in it was one that had given birth in the last day. It was obvious to Niculai that, what he assumed was a Human woman, wasn't. She was a Lushidai, one of those that historically had served the Anvidai. she was one of his people. She wasn't a woman she was female. so the preteen that they had rescued a week ago hadn't been the only Anvidai family in the village. For very good reason she didn't want to attract the attention of the soldier, things wouldn't go well for her if she did.
"Just make it to the woods," Niculai breathed under his breath. "Just make it to the woods and we can help you."
Unfortunately before she could make it to the dubious safety of the woods a soldier burst out of the shadows behind her, hot on her heels. He stopped as soon as he had her clearly in his sights. The solder called out to his fellows in the square, telling them that was well. The female heard this and broke out into a run, clutching a small bundle in her arms. The soldier raised his weapon and fired striking her in the back. The female fell without a sound, twisting as she did so to protect whatever she held so carefully in her arms. Without a thought Niculai dematerialized into a scatter of molecules and reformed almost instantly right next to the Nazi soldier. Fangs bared Niculai reached out with his mind and froze the soldier in place before he could do or say anything about the sudden appearance of a man where that hadn't been one before.
Leaving the man frozen where he was for the moment, Niculai went over to where the female lay. Kneeling down Niculai could tell that there was nothing he could do for her. Her wounds were fatal. The female looked up at him fearfully. Clearly thinking that he was the soldier that had shot her. Reaching out again with his mind Niculai calmed the woman, hoping to make her last moments peaceful, or at least as peaceful as he could. The female, that Nic could see was barely out of childhood, seemed to recognize that it was rescuer not a foe that knelt beside her. Or maybe she just hoped that was the case, Niculai couldn't tell and didn't care. As long as she wasn't afraid then he was content.
Niculai could now tell that the female laying next to him was barely out of childhood herself. She had twisted as she fell, protecting the small bundle in her arms. Now that he was next to her both scent and sight told Niculai that the bundle was a newborn babe, no more then a few hours old. The female must have given birth earlier in the day and had been out burying the afterbirth before the attack started. It had probably been the commotion of the attack that had caused the female to hide in the first place. It was just bad luck that she had been seen before she'd made her escape. Even mortally wounded she had protected her newborn.
"Be at peace little one," Niculai said in the first tongue. His gentle voice was soft. Quiet enough to not be heard over the sounds of carousing coming from the village square. "I will guard the young one for you."
Niculai waited for the females assent before reaching out to take the bundle from her arms. For a moment her arms tightened around her precious bundle. Not wanting to release what she held so gently and lovingly. But she loosened her hold when Niculai placed a hand on her shoulder with a shushing sound. With a sigh the dying female gave over what she held. Niculai didn't know if the sigh was from relief or resignation but he hoped it was relief. Taking the bundle carefully from her grasp, he held it easily in one strong arm. Placing his free hand back on he females shoulder Niculai knew that death was coming on swift wings for her. The scent of her death was stronger then that of blood this close to her.
Niculai 's nose told him that the babe in his arms was female. He prayed that the mother of the race would carry the now dead mother in gentle arms to the Grove and peace. As the other two Ashen materialized next to him Niculai looked down at the small one in his arms and vowed that he would care for her as if she was his own blood. Almost as one the Three headed back into the night, clearing the memory of their presence from the soldiers mind as they released him. They had a precious one to see to safety. Niculai wished that they could dematerialize but that wasn't possible. No Anvidai could carry anything alive when they dematerialized. Not and have it still be alive when they rematerialized at least.
The three Anvidai were so caught up in their own safe departure that they missed what was happening in the village that they were fleeing from. They didn't seeing the mayor of the village brought out to those in the village square. It would have been clear to the fleeing trio that those guarding the mayor weren't certain if he was a prisoner or not. From the slight smile on the company commander's face it was clear that he approved of the destruction and carnage that surrounded him. The commander turned to face the now groveling mayor. After speaking for a few moments, the commander waved the guards away. The two of them turned and walked to the commander's car. Later only soldiers and the dead of the village would see the two of them drive away together.
Niculai clawed himself from the past and back to the present. It seemed like it took hours for Nic's body to realize that he wasn't back in Romania during WWII. That he was actually in Washington state and the war had ended over seventy years ago. Slowly the past receded from Niculai's mind. Leaving him feeling like he'd been squeezed through a knot hole.
His mind swirled with emotions, top of the list was anger. At both himself and the Undying. Oh and lest we forget, anger at how the Foress clan treated not just an infant but a small child that had been placed in their care. But mostly he felt anger at himself, and recrimination because he hadn't kept his word to a dying woman. He'd saved the infants life but he'd then left her in the hands of a clan that he knew was very conservative. He'd known that they wouldn't treat her as well as they should. Sure, he'd told them to care for her as if she was him, but he hadn't made sure. He hadn't checked up on her at any time in the last sixty years. Right now Nic hated himself almost as much as he hated the Undying.
A gentle knock on the door frame brought Niculai's head around. He'd been so deep into his thoughts that he hadn't heard the approach. The female in the doorway wasn't a stranger but it still took Nic a dew moments to place her. It was Tolartha, the girl he and two of his Siblings had had rescued from the cave the week before Ingretta had been born.She had just recently been brought to the Training Center for instruction. Something that should have happened decades ago. Yet another failure that Niculai blamed himself for.
She had grown into a tall woman. The training was adding muscle to her lithe frame and she now wore her dark hair, military short. He hadn't seen her since the rescue so many decades ago. But Nic wasn't surprised that she had made it to the training program. Even them he'd known that she was a fighter. Nor was he surprised on reflection that her clan had not sent her before now. only the fact that one of the Siblings that was assigned to the Foress clan had seen her practicing had gotten her to the training program at all.
Nic had yet to see her fight but the reports that he'd gotten from his Ashen were glowing. They were considering her for membership in the Ashen. Which was why she was here to deliver the message. That would wait until her training was done and she'd been observed in the field. But if she was as good against their enemy as she was in her classes then it was distinctly possible. She was definitely living up to the potential he'd sen in her all those years ago.
Considering how good she was, Niculai was surprised that the Foress hadn't sent her long ago. According to the message Nic had gotten from Salvari, the Sibling that was assigned to the Foress clan. The girl had been training herself because the Fores clan hadn't wanted an outsider to train with their young. Yet another reason to be annoyed with that particular Clan Head. Considering that having a clan member become one of the Ashen War-Kin meant status for the whole clan. It was a surprise that it had taken the insistence of the Sibling stationed with the Foress clan for her to be brought for advanced warrior training. A case of send her or else. God he really hated how some of the clans treated those not born into them.
"My Lord?" Tolartha's quietly respectful voice ended Niculai's ruminations. "My Lord?" she said again when he didn't reply. She continued when she saw that he'd focused his eye on her. "Rhuv wants to know if you will be observing the trainees tonight or if you will be going out on patrol." The implied message from Rhuv, even though she didn't know it, was that Niculai had duties beyond hunting for a female that might never be found.
"I will be going out tonight, and every night until the female is found," Nic's voice was cold and hard. No mercy in it at all. At Tolartha's almost hidden flinch, Niculai gentled his voice before continuing. No reason to take his anger out on her. After all she was innocent in of this. "I will inform Rhuv of my plans. Go and eat and get some rest before classes start."
Rhuv wasn't going to like his answer to the question he'd sent with the trainee. Well, Rhuv didn't have to like it, he only had to obey. There were some advantages to being the War Prince and at times like this, obedience was definitely one of them. Sure his Siblings were all about the back talk and arguing but they all obeyed, eventually. But what did you expect would happen when you got a bunch of thick blooded hot heads together. Also every member of the Ashen War-Kin was trained to lead. They had to be. After all part of their job was to lead the warriors of whatever clan they were assigned to if there was an attack. Or at least it had been before the breakdown of the clans structure. Now they were more like the police. Anything that couldn't or shouldn't be resolved at the clan level was kicked up to him to deal with. And boy wasn't that a party.
Tolartha nodded and turned to go. But remembering who she was speaking to she turned back and gave a respectful bow before leaving. Probably hiding a blush Niculai mused as he watched her leave. Nic went back to pretending to work. Wanting, no needing something to do until it was dark enough for him to leave the compound and get back on the hunt for the missing. Hunting for Ingretta consumed Nic. It was all he could think about. Troov Foress had mentioned that they suspected that Ingretta had been pregnant when she disappeared. Which was at least confirmed by the letter he had received from Ingretta.
Getting up to pace for the millionth time, Nic thought about both the infant that he'd rescued and the one that Ingretta implied that she'd had. If Ingretta had been pregnant when she disappeared then the child would be coming up on her Tempering. The time when the Anvidai and Lushidai both became adults. Ingretta had been Lushidai. Whether the infant was Lushidai or Anvidai would depend on the father. If he'd been Anvidai then all bets were off and the missing child could be either. Either way if she wasn't found before the Tempering began then she was going to die. Both branches of the race needed blood to get through the Tempering. Not just any blood, they needed the blood of their own branch of the race. Lushidai needed Lushidai blood and Anvidai needed Anvidai. fortunately he had both in abundance here in the compound. All he had to do was find the missing mother and child.
The ringing of the phone brought Nic's attention back to his desk. Had an hour passed already? Well what do you know it had. glancing at the caller ID before he answered made Nic wince inwardly. Nic knew who it was going to be before he looked. Yep, it was Rhuv. Might as well get this over with Nic thought to himself as he answered the phone.
