A Tale of Red Riding: Rise of the Alpha Huntress (The Alpha Huntress Series Book 1) (12 page)
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Authors: Neo Edmund
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Mythology & Folk Tales, #Teen & Young Adult, #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Fantasy, #fairy tales, #Paranormal & Urban
Chapter 13
“Hello? Is anybody here?”
Red stood in the ballroom entryway, baffled to find that there was not a sign of a single party guest or server. The bandstand sat silent and void of musicians. On the upper level, the royal knights were gone. She wondered how the party could have broken up so fast. Not that she was too disappointed. She did feel a little sad that she didn’t have a chance to share a piece of chocolate cake with Dote.
Clicking footsteps that sounded like somebody walking in high-heeled shoes came from the upper level. After a tense moment, Ice emerged at the top of the grand staircase. She wore her royal robe and clutched the jeweled scepter.
“Welcome back, Red Riding. I was starting to think you had slipped away,” Ice said.
“Ice, something happened I need to tell you about,” Red said.
Four girls armed with staffs stepped up behind Ice. They wore white button-down tops and plaid skirts, each with its own unique color. What stood out the most was that they had fresh bruises from a recent beating.
“I know you four have already met,” Ice said. “Even so, I would like to formally introduce you to my elite guardians. Not that I need guardians, mind you, but nonetheless, they are Mia the Black, Yuki the Grey, Suki the Yellow, and Naoki the Brown.”
Red had no doubt they were the girls she had battled earlier, and couldn’t shake the feeling that she had also encountered them somewhere else. “Ice, please understand. It was all a big mistake.”
“The only mistake is that my elite guards were so easily defeated.” Ice swung a hand back and smacked Mia in the face. “Are you not ashamed, Mia?”
Mia bitterly eyed Ice before she lowered her head. “I am, your highness.”
Red took a few steps closer to the staircase. “Ice, if I could just explain.”
“Silly Little Red Riding, you just don’t know what’s going on here,” Ice said.
Twenty royal knights rushed in through the ballroom entrance and formed a perimeter around Red. Each pulled a samurai-style sword and stood at attention. Ice held up her scepter. A surge of energy shot out from it and formed a mystical barrier over the entryway.
Red’s heart began to race with panic. “What is this?”
“Relax, birthday sister. It’s just my way of assuring we’re not disturbed,” Ice said.
“Ice, you have to believe I didn’t mean to make trouble.”
“I have no doubt that your intentions when coming here were as pure as mine when I invited you. Sadly, your little scuffle with my girls has proven you are far too dangerous to be allowed to gallivant around unattended.”
Red took another step toward the staircase. The knights reacted by raising their swords.
“Ice, if I’m that much trouble, I’ll gladly leave," Red said.
“I’m so sorry. It’s much too late for friendly departures, my little birthday sister,” Ice said.
“Stop calling me that. We are not related,” Red said.
“That is most certainly true. There is not a drop of your impure Riding blood in my line. But the circumstances of our births do connect us in a sisterly way.”
Red considered this. “This has to do with the Alpha Power.”
Ice ground her teeth. “Of course it has to do with the Alpha Power, you foolish peasant girl.”
“Now I understand. You think the power should have gone to you," Red said.
Ice screeched, “I don’t think it! I know it! The lunar calendar is quite clear that the power was bestowed at the exact moment of my birth. Somehow, by a random blunder of fate, you were born at the exact same moment.”
“You think I received your powers by accident?” Red asked.
“It’s the only explanation that makes a bit of sense. The idea that the divine power of the lunar deities was bestowed upon a peasant girl is outrageously preposterous,” Ice said.
“It’s not like I had anything to do with it. I’m not even sure I want it,” Red said.
Ice paced in a frantic fit. “It doesn’t matter if you want it or not. You simply do not deserve to have it. The power was to be mine, and I want it this instant.”
“I thought the power came to me because I’m a descendant of the last Alpha,” Red said.
“No, no, no,” Ice ranted. “That’s not how this works at all. The power of the Alpha doesn’t get passed down through generations. It is bestowed to the most powerful werewolf in all of the land.”
“So then you’re a werewolf, too?” Red asked.
“Well, duh. This is precisely the problem. Even with the Alpha Power, your little peasant mind can’t see that everybody in this room is a werewolf,” Ice said.
Red trembled with fear as she looked to the knights surrounding her. In the blink of an eye, it all became clear to her. Nothing about them changed physically; their smell confirmed it. Each knight had a distinct scent that revealed to Red a bounty of insight into their character. The most important revelation was that she could tell who was the strongest and who were weakest.
“I can smell your fear.” Red then snapped a look toward Mia, Suki, Yuki, and Naoki. “Yours too.”
In a flash, Red was back in the forest clearing where the Omega Gem sat atop a stone pedestal. Five wolves were slowly moving in on her to attack. They were white, black, grey, brown, and yellow.
The white wolf spoke with Ice’s voice, “Well, well, well. It looks like our little huntress has had an awakening.”
Red blinked and was again in the ballroom. Her ears had a faint ringing in them. Beads of sweat formed on her head as her body temperature spiked. She held out her trembling hands to discover that talons were piercing through the tips of her fingers.
Ice snickered. “Watch out, boys, I think the claws are about to come out.”
The royal knights grew nervous and tightened their grips on their swords.
Red could feel her anger rising. “Ice Seether, what are you trying to do here?”
“All will be revealed soon enough, Little Red Riding,” Ice said. “Knights, attack the Alpha.”
“Ice, please don’t do this.” Red spun around and saw that the royal knights were transforming into hairy wolf-men with razor-sharp claws and incisor fangs.
Ice grinned. “This is going to be quite entertaining.”
Red’s blood burned to a boil as the knights began to advance. She snapped a look at the knight who was clearly the leader. While he stood the furthest back, there was no question that he was by far the most dangerous. She suspected that taking him down would send the others scattering like frightened children.
“We don’t have to do this,” Red said.
The first knight raised his sword and swung downward. Red could smell his nervous apprehension as she sidestepped the attack. His blade went straight down and clunked into the floor. She threw a powerful punch into his gut, doubling him over with a groan.
“Just so we’re clear, you made me do that.” Red let Ash’s jacket fall to the floor and took a fighting stance. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, boys.”
A knight swung his sword at Red from behind.
Hearing the blade cutting through the air, she dodged clear. She kicked back right into the knight’s chest, sending him stumbling to the floor. “Anybody else?”
Two knights dashed at Red. One swung his sword high, while the other swung his low. Red executed a perfect back handspring, passing between their blades. As soon as she landed, another knight grabbed her from behind. She reached back, gripped his coat, and with a mighty heave, flung him over her shoulder. His arms flailed as he soared through the air and slammed into the two knights who had just attacked Red. The three men crashed to the floor with painful thuds and grunts.
Red took a quick look around the room and spotted the lead knight about twenty feet away. The world around her went into slow motion as she began to charge toward him. A knight jumped into her path and swung his sword. Red leaped high and soared over his blade. On her descent she kicked him in the head, sending him crashing down.
Another knight jumped into Red’s path and thrust his sword at her. Red dropped down onto her back and slid between his legs. She popped up to her feet behind him. With a powerful shove, she sent him crashing face-first into a nearby pillar.
“Are you guys even trying to get me?”
The lead knight flipped the blade of his sword into his hand and javelined it at Red’s chest. Dodging to the side, she grabbed the sword out of the air. She then leaped forward and swung the blade wide. The man never saw the lightning-fast strike that slashed deep into his chest.
As his dead body hit the floor, Red spun around and faced the remaining knights. “Surrender, or you’re all going down just like him.”
The knights exchanged nervous looks, unsure what to do.
“Now.” Red shouted.
A knight dropped his blade and raised his hands. Red pointed her sword at the others, and they got the message. One after another they put down their weapons and surrendered.
“Cowards!” Ice screamed. “I did not give you permission to surrender. Pick up your weapons and continue attacking.”
The knights stood firm, refusing to obey her command.
Ice raised her scepter. It began to glow with purple energy. “Well, if you’re too afraid to fight, then I have no choice but to discharge you from my service.”
The knights broke into an outright panic and dashed for the entryway, but the mystical barrier blocked their escape. They began to clutch at their throats and gagged for breath. It wasn’t long before they all collapsed and their lives faded away.
“How could you?” Red stood trembling and clutching her sword.
“How could I?” Ice gave a wicked laugh. “How could you?”
Red looked down and saw the lifeless body of the knight she had slain. A feeling of panic overcame her. She dropped her weapon and stumbled backward. “No. I couldn’t have. I would never do that.”
“Take a good look, birthday sister. As the Alpha, this will be your future path.”
Red paced in a panic. “They were trying to kill me. I had no choice.”
“You’d better get used to it. As long as you possess that power, you will always be under attack. To survive you will have to slay many more like him,” Ice said.
Red looked at the fallen knight. He was transforming back from his werewolf form into a man. She shook her head in desperate denial. “No, I won’t do that.”
Ice began to descend the staircase. “Don’t be naïve. I did this to prove to you how powerless you are to control the rage once the big bad wolf takes over. I know you did not want to do this, yet the tragic reality lies right before you. And you will do it again, and again, and again.”
“I’ll learn to control it,” Red said.
“Red Riding, the power inside you is raw and primal. It can’t be beaten into submission like a caged beast,” Ice said.
“I didn’t ask for this.” Red dropped to her knees and broke into tears.
“There is nothing to fear. Nobody will ever have to know of the terrible act you committed tonight,” Ice said.
“What are you saying?”
“You’ve taken a life. A thing like that doesn’t just go away on its own.”
“I was defending myself. That is no crime.”
“I know that just as well as you do.” Ice reached the bottom of the staircase and continued strutting toward Red. “You have my word that together we will make sure nobody gets the misguided notion that it’s anything more.”
Red noticed a spot of blood on her hand and knew it was not her own. She frantically wiped it away onto the floor.
Ice stood over her. “See what the power has done to you, my dear sister. It’s truly tragic that you have been afflicted this way. Let me help you be rid of this curse.”
“Rid of it?” Red gave Ice a curious glare. “Is that even possible?”
Ice placed a comforting hand on Red’s shoulder. “It’s not only possible, I know how to do it.”
Red looked over to the dead knights near the entryway. “How would you do that?”
Ice kneeled down next to her. “It’s rather complicated. Simply put, it requires a powerful spellcraft that only a witch as skilled as I can pull off.”
“So you’re both a werewolf and a witch?” Red asked.
Ice placed her hands on Red’s face. “Red, darling, you’re straying from the point. I only want to free you from this suffering. I do care so deeply for you.”
Red looked Ice in the eyes. “What would happen to the power if I gave it up?”
“I suppose it would go to another. One equipped to handle it adequately,” Ice said.
“Would that one be you?”
“Perhaps, if the deities deem me worthy.”
“And what would happen if they didn’t?”
“As far as I can tell, they already had, before the power was mistakenly thrust upon you.”
“I think I understand now.” Red wiped the tears from her eyes.
“I knew you would come to your senses, dear sister.”
Red stood up. “I understand that you are not my sister.”
Ice frowned. “Red, don’t say such things. You’ll hurt my feelings.”
Red pointed to the fallen knights near the door. “You would use the power to do terrible things.”
Ice clenched her teeth. “That is simply not true.”
“I killed tonight in self-defense. You killed those men in cold blood,” Red said.
“Don’t push me,” Ice warned, eyes narrowing.
“You’re a monster. That makes you my enemy,” Red said.
“I am so sorry to hear you say that, Red.”
“I’m not sorry that I said it, Ice.”
“I was going to let you live after I took the power from you.”
“I wouldn’t let you have it if my life depended on it.”
“The bad news for you is that your life does depend on it, Red Riding.”
Red took a fighting stance. “Then bring it on, Ice Seether.”
Chapter 14
“I’m waiting, Ice Seether. Show me what you’ve got.”
In the center of the ballroom floor, Red and Ice stood face-to-face in a chilling stare-down. An intense mystical force flowed through Red’s body that she both loved and feared, empowering her. There was nothing more she wanted than to knock the smug expression right off Ice’s face. She held no delusions that battling Ice would be easy, but something inside told her that she could win this fight.
“Do you take me for a fool, Red Riding?” Ice raised her scepter high. It began glowing with mystical energy. “I’m not going to lower myself to such primal tactics.”
“Oh, no.” Red looked down and saw that the choker Ice had given her was now illuminated with a pulsing purple glow. It was clear why Ice had made such a scene over her at the party. “It was all just a trick to get this thing around my neck.”
“Don’t be getting all egocentric now. The party was also to celebrate my rise as the new Alpha Huntress of Wayward,” Ice said.
“There’s no way that’s going to happen.” Red said.
“If you won’t give over the power willingly, I will rip it out of you.”
Red flopped to the floor, limp “Hey, how did you do that?” she protested as she struggled to stand.
“Dear Red, if you want to stand, all you have to do is ask.” Ice waved her scepter.
A mystical force pulled Red to her feet like a puppet on strings. With her body dangling, she strained with all her will but was unable to control her own movements. “Let me go, you freaking psycho witch.”
“That’s not a nice way to speak to your hostess.” Ice again waved her scepter. “Perhaps you would like to dance for my amusement.”
Red’s limbs flailed around in a creepy dance. She strained with all her might, but could not control her own body. “You’re starting to get on my last nerve, Ice Seether.”
“Now, Red, don’t go hurting yourself. We’re just getting started.” Ice lowered her scepter, causing Red to fall limp to the floor.
“Ice, when I get this thing off my neck, you are so going down.”
“Give it up. I always win.” Ice strutted toward the stairs and called, “Now bring me the dodo bird.”
“Oh, no. Dote.” Red said.
At the top of the stairs, Mia and her three sidekicks were dragging Dote in from another room. They had her arms bound behind her back with rope.
“Let go of me,” Dote demanded. “I’ll have you know, I’m an honored guest.”
Red
growled
. “You leave her out of this, Ice.”
“Believe me, there is nothing I would like better than to get this dodo bird out of my palace. For the record, it is your fault she’s here to begin with,” Ice said.
“Red, don’t worry about me,” Dote said. “I know what she wants. You can’t give it to her.”
“What are you trying to pull here, Ice?” Red asked.
“This is my way of giving you one last chance to make this easy on yourself. Play nice, so I won’t have to hurt your little dodo pet. And don’t think for a second I wouldn’t get great pleasure out of squeezing the life out of a member of the Shrine Clan,” Ice said.
“What would I have to do?” Red asked.
“Just a harmless little ritual. You probably won’t feel a thing,” Ice said.
“How about you let Dote go, and I’ll consider it.”
“How about I have my girls shove the little dodo bird headfirst down the stairs.”
Mia pushed Dote right to the edge of the stairs. Red could hear Dote whimper in fear.
“Wait, don’t hurt her,” Red cried out.
“Then agree to do exactly as I tell you,” Ice said.
Red gave Ice a suspicious glare. “Why are you trying so hard to get me to agree to play along?”
“I already told you. I’m trying to make this easy on you.”
“I think you’re lying. If you could just take the power, you would have done it already. I think you need me to willingly give it over,” Red said.
Mia held Dote closer to the edge.
Ice giggled. “Are you prepared to gamble your little pet’s life?”
Dote shook her head, urging Red not to do it.
“I don’t have to,” Red said. “If you hurt her, I’ll never give you what you want.”
Ice grabbed Red and glared into her eyes. “This has gone on long enough. I want the Alpha Power. You are going to give it to me, or you’re both going to die.”
“Not gonna happen. If you could take it by killing me, I’m betting I’d be belly up already,” Red said.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Red Riding. I’m going to win this one way or another. I will have the Alpha Power, or nobody will.”
Ice waved her scepter. Red’s arms wrapped around her own body and began squeezing. The force was so strong she couldn’t get a single breath.
“NO!”
Dote shouted.
Dote’s eyes began to glow bright white. Her hands radiated mystical energy that caused the ropes binding her to burn to dust. She held out her palm toward Mia and blasted her away with a vortex of energy.
Naoki lunged at Dote, but Dote blasted her away with another burst. Dote turned to Suki and Yuki and gave them a dangerous glare. The two girls didn’t hesitate to leap over the railing and drop onto the ballroom floor.
Dote stomped down the staircase. Her eyes were swirling with mystical energy. “Ice Seether, you will release my friend, or you will be destroyed.” Her voice had an eerie tone that echoed throughout the ballroom.
Grinning with amusement, Ice looked to Red. “The little dodo bird has got some of the Shrine family spunk in her. Just wait until the day she snaps and goes off like a cuckoo clock.”
Ice aimed her scepter at Dote and fired a blast of purple energy. Dote raised her hands and put up a protective mystical barrier, deflecting the shot. She countered by firing a vortex from her hands.
The force knocked Ice down and caused her to drop her scepter. As Ice reached for it, Dote fired another energy vortex, knocking it away. The scepter slid into the wall, hitting hard enough to shatter one of its glowing gems.
Red fell limp to the floor and gasped to get air into her lungs.
The energy vortex blocking the entry door faded away.
Dote stumbled to her knees, gasping in exhaustion.
“I will make you suffer for this insolence.” Ice raised her arms and transformed into a werewolf with bleached-white fur and glowing purple eyes.
Mia, Naoki, Suki, and Yuki, raced down the stairs and joined Ice. They too transformed into their werewolf forms.
“Now, let’s see where this goes,” Ice said.
Red stumbled to her feet and limped over to Dote. “We have to get out of here.”
Dote was still gasping from exhaustion. “I’m sorry I can’t help more. Using such powerful spellcraft is exhausting.”
“You did great. We’ll figure something out,” Red said.
Ice and her four elite guards advanced on Red and Dote.
“It was a valiant effort,” Ice said. “But your path ends here, Red Riding.”
“Dote, stand behind me,” Red said as they backed away toward the entry door.
Dote took up position behind Red. She squeezed her hands together, trying to conjure more mystical power, but she didn’t have a bit of energy left.
“Last chance, Red,” said Ice. “Speak now, or forever rest in peace.”
“Red, don’t give in to her,” Dote said. “It will be much worse if she gets what she wants.”
Ice rolled her eyes in irritation and looked to Mia. “Let’s do away with the little dodo witch and let Red watch her beg for mercy.”
“So help me, Ice, if you hurt her.” Red dashed toward Ice, but Mia and her three counterparts tackled her all at once, each subduing one of her limbs, and then pinning her to the floor.
Ice stalked toward Dote with a malicious grin. “I do hope you enjoyed the party, little miss Shrine.”
“Stay away from me, Ice Seether.” Dote raised her hands to fire a vortex. Still nothing came.
Ice giggled. “All out of bling, little witch? That’s too bad. I would have enjoyed a bit more struggle.” She grabbed Dote with one hand and raised her clawed hand to slash down.
“Unhand her, you foul beast.” a valiant male voice called out.
Red looked over to see Prince standing in the entryway with his rapier at the ready.
Ice sighed in irritation. “Prince De’Mere. What could you possibly be doing here?”
Dote gasped in awe. “He sure is pretty.”
Prince advanced toward Ice. “I am a bloodline member of the royal order known far and wide as the Knights of the Alpha. We stand as the proud protectors of the Alpha Huntress.”
“Prince, get out of here!” Red shouted. “It’s too dangerous!"
“Nonsense, my Huntress. I would never abandon you in your hour of need.” Prince pointed his rapier toward Ice. “Ice of the Seether Clan, prepare to feel the cold steel of my blade.”
“You have got to be kidding yourself,” Ice said. “I know full well that the Knights of the Alpha were hunted down and put to death as punishment for crimes against our lord and master, Ragnarok.”
Prince straightened, tall and proud. “You say that, yet here I stand, one of many who have carried on the loyal traditions of our sacred order.”
“That will be corrected shortly, starting with you.” Ice looked to her four elite guards. “Will one of you get rid of him already?”
“This has to be a dream.” Red tried to comprehend the circumstances that had led her from being a lonely orphan girl to this moment only days later. It felt silly to think of such a thing in an hour of great peril, but she couldn’t get the thought out of her mind.
Prince fearlessly stood his ground as Mia dashed toward him. He stood unmoving as she leaped high and slashed a claw at him. At the last second, he sidestepped and swung his sword in a flash, hacking Mia’s hand off at the wrist.
Mia screamed in rage and collapsed to her knees, clutching her wounded arm. Her three companions were so furious that they dropped Red and advanced on Prince.
“You are so going to die for that.” Ice shoved Dote aside.
Prince raised his weapon, showing no fear. “Which of you is next?”
“I am,” a masculine voice called out.
Without looking, Red knew who it belonged to. The mysterious rider strutted down the grand staircase. He was wearing ripped jeans and a leather jacket without a shirt underneath, surely with the intention of showing off his rippled abs.
“What the holy heck is
he
doing here?” Dote said.
“You mean you know who he is?” Red asked.
“Everybody in Wayward knows who
he
is,” Dote said.
Ice snarled in rage. “Wolfgang Helheim, I distinctly recall warning you of the grave consequences you would face if I was ever forced to lay eyes on you again.”
Wolfgang approached Ice with a smug grin. “Ice, now don’t go getting like that. I know you miss me. I see the manic desire flickering in those crazed purple eyes.”
“Your name is Wolfgang?” Red belted this out like it was the weirdest thing she had ever heard.
Wolfgang shrugged. “Now you see why I didn’t tell you before.”
“I see you two have met already,” Ice said.
Dote looked to Red. “You met him already? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s a long story, Dote.”
Prince held his sword up high. “Declare your allegiance, Wolfgang of the Helheim Clan. Friend or foe?”
“None of the above to you, pretty boy. I’m only here to bail the redhead out of her little jam,” Wolfgang said.
“Then for now that we are comrades-in-arms,” Prince said.
Wolfgang shrugged. “Whatever makes you feel better about it.”
Ice screeched out. “This is getting irritating. Anybody else want to crash my party?”
“Excuse me.” At the entryway, Ash peered into the room. “Hate to interrupt. Anyone looking for a way out of here had best follow me.”
Red looked to Ash. “Didn’t I tell you to go home?”
Prince called to Wolfgang. “Get the Alpha Huntress to safety. I will hold them off.”
“Sounds good to me,” Wolfgang said.
Red flailed her arms in irritation. “Don’t I have a say in this?”
Prince raised his rapier and charged at Naoki, Suki, and Yuki. He unleashed a rapid series of attacks that forced them to retreat in haste. “I will smite thee in the name of the Alpha Huntress.”
Red and Dote held one another up as they limped toward the entryway.
“We need to get out of this nuthouse,” Red said.
“I had a feeling coming here was going to lead to something like this,” Dote said.
“Nice, Dote. Glad you decided to wait until now to tell me that.” Red glanced back to see Wolfgang and Ice were circling each other in a stone cold stare down.
Ice snarled. “I warned you to never come here again, Wolfgang Helheim.”
“Get over it, princess. You’re too high and mighty to be playing the jaded ex routine. I think a rematch is in order.”
“Quite overdue.”
Wolfgang raised his fists and transformed into a werewolf. He howled and gestured for Ice to attack. Ice roared and lunged at him. The two exchanged a mêlée of powerful grappling blows.
Red could hardly believe her eyes. “Is there anybody in this town who isn’t a werewolf?”
“I’m not,” Dote said. “Ash sure as heck isn’t, either.”
Ash grumbled. “Dote, you don’t have to keep rubbing that in all the time.”
“Sorry.”
Red looked back and saw that Prince had Naoki, Suki, and Yuki well under control.
“Red, you could have grabbed my jacket,” Ash whined.
“We’ll buy you a new one,” Dote said.
“Sure. It’s just a family heirloom,” Ash muttered.
“One last thing before we go.” Dote grabbed the amulet around Red’s neck and closed her eyes.
“Release.”
A flash of mystical energy sparked out as she pulled it off Red. She dropped the amulet and slumped in exhaustion.
Red took a deep breath. “Thanks, Dote, I needed that.”
“Just promise not to put on any more strange amulets until I check them out first,” Dote said.
“Will do. Alpha’s honor.”
“We need to get out of here,” Ash said. “It’s now or never.”
“What about Wolfgang?” Red looked back and saw Ice and Wolfgang exchanging a mêlée of punches and kicks with a trio guards. He effortlessly blocked and countered their every strike with impressive skill.