Rose: Briar's Thorn (7 page)

They all took turns in the shower then we said our good nights, even though it were day. I was asleep in seconds, feeling happier than I had ever felt since I lost my Nicole to that endless cursed sleep.

Over the following two weeks, we accompanied Gretta to different parts of the great walls of Seattle as she slowly unraveled the druid circles I could feel but not see.  The women explained what had happened, with the druids making portals through the walls.  How they were booby-trapped and somehow interconnected in a way which Perchta couldn't quite grasp yet. Her understanding of the weavings grew every day as she studied the warped and rotting spells that they were composed of.

On the days she worked inside the walls, the wolves and I had to stay in the motel.

It was such delicate work.  At the rate she was working, it would be almost two months before she had them all disarmed, both inside and outside the gates.  We took the time to share our stories since the rest of us had nothing better to do as we guarded the nature goddess.  Ella only shared part of her story, she was holding something back.

After I had shared my story with the women, it seemed like one of them was always touching me in some way, and when they weren't, Daria would be leaning against me.  I was saddened to hear of her plight.  To be locked in the form of a wolf except on full moon nights.  To have her and Mari's love denied except for then.  Even in her wolf form, Daria was quite talkative.  She had this tarp in her backpack that when rolled out on the ground, she would touch letters or common words or phrases painted on it.

I made the mistake of asking about her collar which had a tag that read Fluffy.  It gained chuckles from the entire group and a menacing growl from her.  Rachel warned me to never call Daria, Fluffy, or the wolf would pee on my shoes.  I responded with, “I will heed your counsel.”  They all broke out into cheerful laughter.  What had I said?  I was not very good at understanding social interactions.  Daria didn't seem amused.

Even though I could feel the evil approaching like death on wings, I was happier than I had been in a long time.  I was interacting with people... touching people.  It was a good way for me to spend the last days of my life.  Happy, slappy, bappy, tappy.  Then they could kill, dead, deceased, me.  I smiled at them.  They were my... friends?

Ella glanced at me and comically twisted her head almost upside down to look at me, “What are you on about you silly bird?  That's a bloody huge grin.”

I blushed, realizing I had been looking at them upside down and I straightened my head to a normal human angle and Ella followed suit with a wink.  I looked down, “I was just thinking.  You are all my... friends?”

She beamed back. “Of course, us freaks gotta stick tight.  Like blueberries in a platypus den.”

What?  I had no clue what she was talking about.  I... Parker cleared her throat beside me and laid a crystal hand on my shoulder as she admonished, “Ella Marie Smith, you stop messing with Rose.”  Ella grinned from ear to ear at that.  She was just playing?  I smiled and tilted my head the other way at her as she cutely crinkled her nose.

In her distraction, she didn't notice the vine I had snaked around behind her, and I quickly yanked her feet out from under her.  Everyone laughed as I quickly retracted my vine and acted as innocent as I could.  I'm sure it looked awkward or terrifying since I don't really remember what innocent looks like.  She stood and chuckled. “Well played.”

Parker assured me, “Of course we are all friends here.  I feel we are more than that.  More like family.”  This got nods all around and even Gretta, in her Perchta form, paused to look back and beam a smile that was like a gift of sunlight at us.  You wanted to bow down in that light and let it wash away the evil inside you.

I went back to my discussion with Daria when I felt movement in the world.  It wasn't dark magics, but it wasn't exactly not dark magic either.  Like something in between, I knew the taste of it and it was bitter like lemons on the tongue.  The Scales were indeed in movement again.  Traveling fast somewhere far from this place.  I got nauseous for a second, wherever they were, the evil amassing was close to them.  Moving as if toward a common goal.

Then I got it, the evil had a target which the Scales did not approve of and were moving to intercede to keep the balance in check.  I really hated them, they preached this 'balance' as a religion all the time, yet for the millions of people cursed with the lycan contagion, the witches, druids, and Alphas threatening.  The other hidden evils I could feel, they deemed only to have four Avatars to bring balance.  How was that even remotely equal?  It took our very lives from us, and we can never rest since we are always outnumbered.  That is not balance!

I was never meant to see through their cloaking magics, but since the blackness is an actual part of me, I could always see them for who and what they are.  I could seek them out, which they hated because I can feel the half of them that is dark like my soul.

I blinked and Parker was in front of me furrowing her brows.  “What is it, Rose?”  I blinked at her then looked around.  Everyone had stopped and was looking at me.  What?   “It was almost like your eyes glazed over, then you muttering something about balance, smalance, rhyming with valence,” she said.

I shook my head. “Nothing.  The Scales are just in motion.  Moving chess pieces since they cannot directly act.”

Mari shook her head.  “It must be disconcerting to feel all of the world's dark magics.  But to feel the forces that created us, these imaginary Scales that must be kept in balance, must be worse.  We all feel magic to an extent, but not at your level.”

I tilted my head and she moved a finger upright, I grinned and tilted my head back to a less extreme angle then said, “The Scales are real, you have all met them.  They are aligning themselves with the movements of the Alphas at long last so you will meet them again soon.”  I hated how my voice got more serpentine when I spoke of the Scales.  I already hissed like a reptile, I didn't need more reminders of what I have become.

Daria stood suddenly, fangs bared, looking toward the north.  I could feel a low subsonic growl building which I now associated with her.  I sighed and we all moved into position around Gretta as she worked.  We were harassed daily by law enforcement and various government agencies, all of whom seemed to have a grudge against us.  All we were doing was making the city safe, and they feared anything different than themselves.

Parker was on her cell and I grinned when she said, “Hello, Helena...”

A few seconds later two men in well fitted black suits came strolling out from an alley into the Gap between the buildings and the city wall.  They were flanked by five men who looked like special forces, wearing body armor and enough weapons to start a small war.  Behind them were ten men in hazmat suits.

We have been harassed the entire time and it was getting tedious.  We routinely lost our tails just to show that we were aware of them.  They easily reacquired us either at the motel or somewhere along the wall where Gretta was working to save their sorry asses.

I snorted, one of the men was Pike.  Helena had shared with us that he was not amused when he awoke two days after my arrival at the West Gate.

He said as he strode toward our group,  “That venomous thing is to come with us now.  We have a warrant for her arrest.”  He held up some papers in his hand.

The Red Hood strode out of our line confidently and all the men's weapons swung up from the ready position to point at her, but she didn't stop.  She instead stopped in front of Pike and snatched the papers from him.  She started to read as she asked without even looking at the man, “HER name is Rose.  On what charges, under who's authority.  Your cover is Department of Agriculture isn't it Pike?  She isn't a plant jackass.”

I was impressed, she seemed to have no fear of the weapons.  I knew she could be harmed by them, badly.  But they couldn't kill her.  A wolf or beheading is the only way to kill a Red Hood.

He smirked,. “The charge is killing feral wolves without a Wolf Hunter license.  Which we all know is a federal offense.  She can't claim self-defense since she walked into the masses herself.”  He looked smug.  “And it is by the authority of the Congressional Subcommittee in Charge of Lupine Defense.  The CSCLD does not take transgressions like this lightly.  We have volunteered to put this... thing into custody.”

I started rising up on black viney legs but Ella placed a hand on me and I held still.  Parker cleared her throat.  Then said in a small voice as she held her phone forward, “Ummm... excuse me.  But our attorney, Helena Calliwel is on speakerphone with a federal judge for you Agent Pike.

It was funny really, even in my time, barristers and shysters had the same effect on the authorities.  All of the armed men hesitated and looked around, not lowering their weapons.  Pike seemed to get angrier, if possible.

Helena's sweet voice chimed out, “Hello Agent Pike.”  When he didn't respond, she continued.  “I have Judge Kanura Kimatomi on the line with us.  I'm sure you are well acquainted with her.”

An older voice chimed out, “Hello Pike.  Up to your old games again I see?  Can't get your subject your way, so you use a parking ticket instead.  Very Al Capone of you.”  The woman chuckled.

Then she went on. “Helena had asked me to keep an eye on Seattle for a few weeks, thinking something like this may occur.  I have already reviewed the warrant which judge Williams authorized but have deemed it invalid as he was issuing it under the false presumption you had given him, that Miss Rose Smith as you have named her, does not have a Wolf Hunter license.”

He started, “I know as a fact that...”

She interrupted him. “Helena has provided me with a sworn affidavit from one Gretta Snow, who has special discompensation as a Wolf Hunter Recovery Specialist.  It states that she can speak with her using her innate magic and had deputized her months ago.  Which she is allowed under subsection twelve of the Lupine Defense Directive.  Such a deputization would be in effect for six lunar cycles.”

Pike hissed out as he pointed at me, “That's bullshit!  These things can't talk to each other psychically!”

Ella gave a toothy grin.  “Ah bollocks you bloody wanker watch this.”  She looked at me, winked, then asked, “What color are we thinkin' of love?”

I blinked at her, how the hell would I know?  I decided she really was off the deep end like me.  I shrugged and half said, half asked, as I looked at Mari's flowing cloak, “Red?”

Ella looked at the other women who were all grinning like idiots and replying, “Red.” As she looked at each of them.  Daria barked once as if she were replying too.  Then Ella gave a goofy grin and said, “Amazing!  We were thinking red!  There you have it, governor, we're all psychic and shite.”   I grinned, realizing just how full of that same shite Ella was.  Crazy, waszy, loopy, insane...  unhinged.  I liked her.  I choked back a bout of laughter that tottered on the brink of sanity.

Pike sputtered out, “Oh come on Judge, you can't possibly believe that load of...”

Kimatomi cut him off. “Whether or not I believe it is irrelevant as there is no way for us to either prove nor disprove it.  We have to operate by the rule of law.  And by that rule of law, with the subject of your warrant being a field deputized Wolf Hunter, indicated that the warrant was issued under false pretenses and therefore I rule it invalid.  You will need to find another way to conduct your witch hunt Agent Pike.”

Then she said, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention Ms. Calliwell.”  And there was a clicking sound.

Then the shyster said,  “Agent Pike, unless you want to try taking this up with someone higher up the food chain.  Oh wait, Judge Kimatomi is the top of the chain... then I suggest you cease harassing my clients right now and disperse.”

It took almost a ten count before Pike exhaled and lowered a hand and the men lowered their weapons.  Pike started stalking off with the group, then looked back at us as he walked. “This isn't over!”

Ella stomped around with a pouty look on her face and mimicked him, “This isn't over.”  Then she stopped and waved him off with her middle finger. “Piss off you bloody wanker.”

Parker slapped her shoulder playfully, “Ella Marie Smith, you behave.”  Ella gave her a crinkle- nosed smile, the two were cute as sin together.

After a few seconds Ella looked at the phone in Parker's hand and said, “Thank you baby girl, you were brill.”

Then I blinked in surprise when the barrister replied with, “It was my pleasure Grams.  I wish I could have seen his face.”  She was Ella's granddaughter?  But us Avatars couldn't have children.    Then I remembered one of our talks over the past couple weeks.  She had a baby girl that was taken from her before she became cursed.  Then this Calliwell, was her descendant?  One of us still had... family?  I couldn't stop smiling.  But then sobered at the thought of how many generations Ella must have seen time take them away from her.

Then Helena said, “Ladies.  Don't hesitate to call.  I'm always here to help.”  Then Parker hung up.

We all stood there motionless for a few heartbeats then Mari bumped shoulders with Ella as she shook her head at the grinning blonde and asked incredulously, “What color am I thinking?”  She made a disbelieving sound and wiggled her fingers.  Daria was instantly at her side as Red dug her fingers into her fur and scratched.

Ella smirked. “What?”

Then we went back to work guarding our nature goddess as she went about undoing the evil wrought upon the very people who hated us so much.  Protecting those who would see us imprisoned or worse.  And here I thought I was the only one on the brink of sanity.

And so it went for the next couple weeks.  Pike was always around and trying another harebrained tactic of pressuring the local police to take us in for speeding after we evaded our tails.  Apparently, he is bigoted toward those infected with the lupus contagion too, as they were less than cooperative.  Instead the police commission head told him, “Us... wolves... will do our jobs.  Who are these men who were following and harassing these ladies to the extent they felt the need to flee?  We'll need names.”