Sunder (18 page)

His stomach started to hurt again. “I know.”

“She has roamed the world searching for you. Being born again and again, trying to be born into the right life that would enable you two meeting. Do you know what happens to shadow twins when they meet each other?”

He frowned. “No.”

“They die. They have come full circle. They die together to be reborn together, finally whole.”

His insides burned. He shook his head. “That’s a lie.”

She leaned forward, taking his hand again. “It isn’t a lie. It’s the truth. There is a
prophecy,
you saw it in the vision. I know the prophecy. I can tell you if you ask me.”

He jerked free of her. “I DON’T WANT TO KNOW!” He got up and ran from the house. His traitorous legs carried him to Miles’ house. They wanted answers. He had been avoiding his own house. He stalked the font yard, not sure he should knock. He didn’t need to. Miles walked out the door. He looked sickly. Briton wanted to hate him for the lies but he knew why. Miles had been helpless in it all. Helpless and blameless, and he was dying now anyway.

“You’ve been to see the witch?”

Briton folded his arms across his chest. “Tell me it’s not true. Tell me you didn’t let them kill all those innocent people. You didn’t let me leave here, knowing full well what we left behind?”

Miles’ eyes glistened. “I am sorry, boy.”

Briton muttered, “Why did you spare me? Why did Samuel come to you to spare me?”

The look on his face went from sickly old man to something else completely. He appeared to be scared to say whatever the answer was. He licked his lips and finally spoke, “I have had one job since the day I was born—protect you.”

Briton nearly laughed, but he had a horrid feeling about the sentence, like there was some validity to it. He shivered, uncertain about the things going on inside of him.

Miles offered him a thin arm. Regardless of the fear and shock he was feeling, he took it, helping the old man walk down the road, like they were going for a Sunday stroll.

“The thing is, you were born special. When your mom told me she named you Bright One as your middle name, I knew then and there who you were.”

Briton was completely lost.

Miles cleared his throat. “The cursed were told something the day they changed. They remember very little of the events that transpired. Essentially, two Viking warships thought they were the rightful owners of Iceland. They felt they had discovered it. War broke out amongst the two parties. But the truth of the matter is that neither party discovered Iceland. It was a sacred place long before man walked the Earth in all his arrogance. The legends say it is the birthplace of Mother Earth and magic. All the fires there started life. The volcanoes are essentially the way into the Earth, direct line to her heart.”

Briton scoffed.

Miles spoke with a chuckle, “I’m not saying I believe it. I’m just saying it was what was once believed. A fog crept out into the fields where the battle was going on. The men were so distracted by the
fighting,
they didn’t notice it until it was too late. It crippled each man, dropping him to the ground. The men of one warship turned to wolves, right there in the fields. The other group of men sprang fangs as their beating hearts died away and turned to stone. Neither party knew what to do. They became two sides to the same coin, so to speak. The men
ran,
scared of the fog and the transformation they endured. It was a night of screaming and writhing in the field they would rather forget. Several tried to fight again, but the problem is when a wolf bites a vampire they both die. So these natural-born enemies can never be responsible for the demise of the other.”

Briton’s head jerked to look at Miles. “But Samuel killed . . .”

Miles nodded. “You will remember my warning I gave him. That he could never get away with the crime he was committing. Killing innocent vampires would come back to haunt him. You are brothers in this curse.”

The story suddenly stung Briton’s insides. “My father?”

He nodded. “Your father couldn’t be killed, not without the wolf
who
bit him dying also. My family used their magic to seal your family inside of the coffins. It was the only way to stop the war. War between vampires and wolves has many victims and rarely are they vampires and wolves.”

“Your family?”

“I am the son of a witch—the old witch who cast your parents into those coffins and helped me escape with you. The men in my family are never usually magical, not the way the women are. But when I was born on the blood moon, my mother prophesized in my lifetime that I would guard the bright one—the one who would bring balance to the brothers again. I have done everything I can to stay alive as long as possible, keeping you safe at all costs.”

Briton shivered when the words were spoken. He instantly doubted them, regardless of the fact it sounded true. It sounded real. It sounded like bad luck, bringing balance to the brothers. No good would come without something huge, a catalyst to make it happen.

Miles squeezed his arm. “Your mother called you Briton in front of me when I was a boy.
Nicolai Briton Thorlackson.
I honest to God thought she was saying bright one. I ran home and told my mother I had found you. My mother asked yours if that was your name. She was joyous and frightened when she discovered your name was indeed Nicolai Bright One.”

Briton laughed bitterly. “It was my Native Indian name.”

Miles chuckled. “It was the sign that the times would change. When your brother made war between the wolves and vampires a possibility, I wondered if that was the moment, but I knew that wouldn’t be it. I had to guard you. I had to get you out. I have prolonged my life as long as I could, but I fear I am dying, Briton. I am finally being freed.”

He shook his head. “No. You just need something to help you last longer.”

Miles patted his arm. “No, my boy. I need to let nature take her course. The tinctures aren’t working as well as they used to. My mother’s blood is in them. She gave it to me to heal me and keep me as young as I can be without becoming like you.”

Briton started to feel sick but Miles smiled and spoke with a weak voice, “This girl, she is your way to balance. I know it in my heart. When I realized what she was, I knew it. Now it’s time for you to know it. You need to know that you will love a wolf and save the world of vampires and wolves. She will be something special amongst them. Just as you have always been something special amongst your kind.”

Briton felt his body tighten, holding himself back from the fears lingering inside. “Please Miles, you can’t leave me here alone. I know I’m not like them. I know I’m different. Even when we were boys, I knew. Finn is a ladies’ man of the worst sort. Ragnar is so cocky. I think he has a touch of cruelty in him. Leif is reckless to a fault. Simon does whatever Leif says, making him also reckless. They are jokers and careless.”

“They are good boys. They would never have done what Gunnar did. They would never agree with him living. Anyone who knew agreed he had to die. He was a rabid dog with a taste for innocent blood and a penchant for torture.”

Briton felt sick saying it, but it was true. “My father would have let Gunnar live. And even though he was my brother and I loved him, I wouldn’t. The moment I saw what he did to your family, I knew he must die for it. My father would have let him live back in the homeland. He would have made excuses for Gunnar’s behavior.”

Miles gripped his arm tightly. “But your brothers don’t know the story, they wouldn’t ever agree with him on that one. You must make them all see what has happened before your father uses them to make a war. The war is what started the curse, and I am afraid the war is what will kill them all. Whatever it was that was in the fog that cursed them, it made it so there wasn’t a man from either ship who could kill without being killed. It was trying to show them something.”

Briton couldn’t dispute the fact. It was true. Whatever had changed them had wanted the fighting to stop. “What do I do?”

“Show your brothers what you saw.”

“It will confirm the wolves were against us.”

Miles stopped. His face was pinched, like he was in pain. He spoke with a wince, “I can’t ask you to only show them what your brother did,
they
too lost nearly a hundred and sixty years. But I can ask that you hold back the rest of the story until you have to tell them that part. Your father is going to start a war. He is going to do things that won’t help either side.”

A spark of anger lit in Briton. “The wolves started this. They did something to make this all happen. Why am I back here? Why did Jamie take me to see my parents? What manipulations am I part of?”

Miles smiled but it looked bitter. “I don’t know the answer to that. You need his blood to see his side.”

Briton glanced at the fading light of the sun. “I need to go. The Halloween party starts soon. It’s my last night with her.” He walked Miles back to Betsy’s house. She was waiting on the porch when they got there.

“Good evening, Briton. How are you?”

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “Well, thank you. Take care of this old wind bag for me.”

She winked. “You always seem to get more wind out of him than I do.”

Briton hugged Miles. “Consider yourself lucky.”

Miles swatted at him. “Off you go, lad.”

He waved at them both and started towards her house. His head was filled with the haunted image from the past and the horrid truths that went with them. He couldn’t believe his life had changed so much in ten days.

Liv

The dress was tight, too tight. I felt bloated and gross. Liz walked into the room, her silver eyes shining with worry. “You look so pretty,” she said.

She looked pretty. I turned and smiled. “It’s the dress. You can’t go wrong with a small-town thrift store for barn-dance dresses.” In actuality, Judith had bought it online, but I didn’t want to seem like a spoilt brat. It was a great dress and the cowgirl boots fit perfectly.

Liz was in a grey sweater dress and boots. It made her eyes stand out. Her dark hair was glossy and her makeup was softer than normal.

I, however, was still sweaty and feeling like death. At least my black dress suited my mood. The design of the lace in the back made a huge skull across my entire back. It was sheer and evil looking. My hair was in a high ponytail, and I had large hoop earrings on.

It was perfect for the mood I was in—Judith was good.

“We ready then?”

I shook my head, feeling sick but knowing she needed to understand everything. “I just want to tell you what’s been going on.”

Her eyes shone more as words stumbled from her lips, “I know. My mom told me everything.”

I winced at
the everything
.

Liz walked to me, opening her arms and wrapping them around me. “I am so sorry this is happening to you.”

I fought my tears but relaxed into the embrace. “It’s happening to us both.”

Liz pulled
back,
giving a smile that didn’t match the sadness in her eyes. “At least we have each other.” She held her hand out and we walked out of the room together.

Briton was standing at the bottom of the stairs when we got to the stairwell. I instantly felt myself dread being near him. It was worse than any pain I had endured yet. My heart was his but it betrayed me. I felt Liz tighten. What was he even doing in my house?

“It’s okay. Your dad is fine with me being here. He knows everything.” Briton put his hands up.

My father was standing in the hallway near Briton. He didn’t look okay but he smiled. “You girls look wonderful.”

“Thanks, Dad. We’ll be home later.”

The look in his eyes spoke great lengths of his discomfort and worry. But Judith nodded and held his hand. “Have fun. We’ll have the phones nearby in case you need a ride.” All the warnings and advice and precautions were in that sentence.

Briton offered me his arm as I got to the bottom of the stairs. “I will be there for her to the end.”

Judith’s eyes glistened and her jaw set.

I didn’t know what that meant. Was she sad I was going out with Briton, or did she hurt for
us and our predicament
?

We walked out into the cool night air as a group of trick-or-treaters came rushing at the door.

I left my parents to deal with that, waving backwards as we left the yard. Liz stopped when we were on the road. “I need you to know, I remember everything.”

Briton winced.

She closed her eyes, trembling again in his presence. “I know why you did it and I don’t blame you. My mom told me who and what you are, to each other. I’m sorry for you both.”

I pressed my lips together, hating that everyone knew we couldn’t be together.

Briton pressed his lips into my head, laying them there for far longer than it took to kiss. He pulled back and sighed. “I am so sorry for what I did to you, Liz. I can never ask for your forgiveness.”

“You have it.”

He nodded. “Thank you.” He ran his hands along the bare lace on my back. It gave me chills, the good kind. I snuggled into him, suddenly able to reach my heart again. I looked up at the moon. It was half full. I was running out of time. I could feel its effect on me, but at last I could feel again.

When we started walking again, Briton whispered, “Would you two come with me to see Liz’s mom quickly before the party?”

I nodded. Liz looked apprehensive like she might have an idea as to what he was planning. My wolf brain instantly went for the negative, like he would murder us there.

I pushed it away.

When we got to the house, she was waiting for us. She smiled softly, giving me a look like I should know the meaning of the visit.

The house was lit up with candles; they were everywhere, pulling the air from our very mouths. It made it stuffy and stink of wax.

“Have a seat at the table. Palms in, face up.”

Briton and Liz sat and did as she asked without hesitation. I was more nervous. It felt like a trap.

I sat after a second and placed my hands on the table. She sat in the fourth chair and pulled out a long silver needle like I had never seen in my life, from a long black box. I pulled my hands back instantly. She laughed. “I will never hurt you, Liv. You must know that. I am bound by the rule, ‘Do what ye will, but harm none.’ I take it very seriously.”

Liz rolled her silver eyes at me. “Stop being such a baby.”

“What about the egg sandwiches?” I scowled and slid my hands back towards the middle. Briton chuckled.

“That’s a problem I have. When I feel something, I put it in the food. I was listening to a stand-up comedian when I was making them.” She pricked two of his fingers, Liz’s and her own. None of them even winced. I leaned forward more so she could prick mine. I, of course, winced but so did Briton when my blood filled the air.

She took our fingers and placed them so they touched the person next to us, blood to blood. It was not very sanitary. She closed her eyes. I didn’t want to close mine, but they shut on their own.

She said something, and I couldn’t smell the candles anymore.

I was lost in the fog.

I heard a
scream,
a man fell to the ground next to me. He was massive and covered in furs. His blood drained onto the field next to me. More screams filled the fog.

I tried to reach to get the bloody fingers into my grasp, but I was alone. Briton and Liz and her mom were gone. I was holding nothing but my own hand.

Another man screamed as a spear cut through his middle. I heard the juices of his body gush against the metal tip. It made me gag.

A woman screamed.

I ran toward her scream. She sounded like someone I knew.

Maybe it was Liz.

I ran past a man who was frozen, mid-throw. His spear still touching his fingertips, though he didn’t hold it. It too was frozen mid-air.

The woman screamed again.

I ran, tripping over the frozen dead and dodging the men still standing but not moving. Their faces locked in a fierce battle cry.

I stumbled blindly through the field of dead and frozen people, sobs pouring from my parted lips into the cold, thick fog.

Sobbing took the place of the screaming.

When I reached the crying woman, I was stunned still.

It was Liz, and yet it wasn’t and somehow I knew her, even in this form. Her dark hair was braided and tied up. Her face was tear stained and filthy. Her beauty was masked by sorrow and agony. Her silver eyes leaked silver tears as she cried over two bodies, also frozen to the ground.
A blonde girl and a dark-haired man.
She clung to them.

Suddenly a rage filled her. She screamed again, but this time it made me jump back slightly.

She turned the two dead people over, shocking me even more. The girl was me, and yet not. She was dead on the ground next to a man identical to Briton. Their filthy hands frozen in their last act, gripping to one another. They were a version of us, but like Clan of the Cave Bear meets Masterpiece Theatre.

She screamed again, making the earth shift.

I stumbled to the right, regaining my balance. Her thin arms flew to the air, as if she were calling down the thunder. She screamed words I didn’t know but I suddenly recalled. She called upon a curse.
A curse to teach them that for every life they take, they kill themselves inside.
They must learn to suffer hardship until the two who lay on the ground dead may be reunited in love. She wished they would survive by the death of goodness and their souls would rot inside of them.

She rocked and chanted and suddenly the men around me began to thaw. She took a dagger from the body of the dark-haired man who looked like Briton but lay on the ground dead. She stabbed it into his chest and screamed something. Half of the field of men fell to the ground, dropping their weapons and clutching their writhing bodies. Screams and curses tore from their lips. She pulled the dagger and stabbed it into the chest of the girl who looked like me. I screamed in pain as a fiery hell drove itself into my chest too. The remaining half of the men fell, joining the others in screams and crippling pain. Bones broke, bodies suffered horrendous acts of violence. She pulled the dagger, stopping the pain in my chest instantly.

She positioned the dagger at her own chest, chanted one last thing, and drove the blade into her heart. She screamed and the earth churned. The men screamed louder until she dropped, landing on top of the two people who looked like Briton and me.

Then I was pulled back into the fog that felt like it was lifting and taking me with it. My eyes burned from the feel of it on my face. I closed them, and when I opened them, I was in a forest. It felt familiar.

A man walked towards me, but not to me.
He didn’t see me
,
he looked past
. I spun around to see a man I could swear I knew. He looked like Briton, but not as tall, nor handsome.

The man smiled at him. “Good to see you again, Gunnar.”

Gunnar? That was Briton’s brother.
He smiled back
,
his was a kind face
. “I don’t understand what you want, Samuel. I have come on good faith.”

Samuel laughed
,
it was evil
. I could tell right away. I wanted to tell Gunnar to run, but I assumed he also could not see me. “I have something for you.” He nodded his head. Gunnar frowned, not realizing the man was not nodding at him. Two more men slipped from the woods. They shot something at Gunnar, hitting him in the back. He spun around, but before he could say a thing or even scream, he fell to the forest floor. Samuel turned and drank a blue liquid from a vial.

“The old witch’s sister still thinks I love her. This potion wears off in two hours. I have no time to waste. I’ll meet you back in the woods. Bring clean clothes.”

The men carried Gunnar’s limp body deeper into the forest.

Samuel turned and walked into the field towards town. He dropped on his knees when he got into the long grass. Pants and muffled screams filled the grass. When he stood up, he was Gunnar.
Except he was sweating and staggering.
He stumbled through the field, looking exactly like a drunk Gunnar. He headed for a house on the edge of town. When he got inside, screams filled the night air.

I stood there, scared to move. I didn’t know how to escape the dream I was in. I wondered if Briton was seeing this same thing? Was he hurting? I wanted to see him, to hold him and tell him it was just a dream.

Samuel/Gunnar left the house after all the screaming stopped. He was covered in blood. He crept along the dusty street towards the town.