6. Werewolves and the Possessed
“Are you trying to melt the snow with your super-powered stare?” Julian asked in a bored tone, his chin resting on his palm while he studied the game board on the small table between us. His other hand rolled a chess piece back and forth between its fingers.
“If I am, I suck at it,” I grumbled. The snow may actually have gotten deeper in the five hours since I’d sat down in this chair, even with the hot sun beaming down on it. It felt sauna-hot when it streamed in through the bay window of the great room, but out in the midst of the mountains in the dead of winter, it was still probably deathly cold. I didn’t know for sure, though. I hadn’t stepped outside in . . . forever, it seemed. “It’s Monday, right? Oh, wait—no. It’s . . . Tuesday?” I could feel my brows pulling together in frustration as I realized I didn’t even know what day it was anymore.
“Tuesday, I think,” Julian murmured absently, his focus on his next move.
Saturday, Max called from his resting place in a sun spot beside the table.
“Saturday?” I echoed, feeling my eyes bug out as I did the math. That meant a month had passed since Sofie exiled us here. A month with no communication with the outer world, whether through normal human means or otherwise. A month of wondering if my vampires still lived. I assumed they did, but I couldn’t shake that ominous feeling in the back of my mind that they were doomed, a belief that made me want to curl up in a cocoon and hibernate for the next several years.
That belief had also turned me into a wretched cabin mate. I didn’t realize it until I hit rock bottom two weeks ago. Each night, Julian and I took turns picking out the movies to watch and it had been my night to pick. When I rhymed off Old Yeller, The Perfect Storm, and Steel Magnolias, Julian finally lost it. He grabbed the hard drive and flung it across the room, then threatened to provoke Max into killing him because he couldn’t stand being trapped in this wooden hut with “Sulky Evie” for one more day.
Of course Max was on his feet and ready to oblige Julian just for the fact that he had raised his voice to me, but I quickly stopped the beast, realizing that I had become that whiny, miserable girl that I loathed. The girl whom I somehow had avoided becoming after my mother’s death, when I barely existed because everyone had been compelled to ignore me. Even after I found out about the curse, my optimism held. But here, exiled in the mountains and worrying about Caden and my friends, I had finally broken. Now someone would rather die than be near me.
After that night, I tucked the pictures I had so desperately clung to into my nightstand, only to be pulled out for emergencies. I made a conscious effort to force all thoughts of Ratheus and vampires out of my head—I tried, anyway. It was impossible. Jade eyes and springy blonde curls crept into my thoughts with every silent moment, and there were a lot of those, in exile.
“I’m going to go nuts,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. Rubbing my eyes, I turned away from the blinding glare of the sun reflecting off the snow to look at Julian.
Brown eyes glanced up at me before dropping back to the game board. “You and me both,” he mumbled as he moved a piece—I wasn’t paying attention to which one. “Your turn.”
In the month since Leo brought the disagreeable Forero son back from death, he and I had become what some might call best friends, whether we liked it or not. We ate our meals together, we watched movies together, we swapped books when the other was finished. We did everything together that didn’t require privacy. Sometimes we didn’t even bother “retiring” to our rooms, as Leo called it, but instead slept buried under blankets on either end of the sectional couch, finding comfort in each other’s presence. Those were the nights when the feelings of isolation were especially strong. I guess I didn’t feel quite as alone with Julian around. Sure, I was never really alone with a three hundred pound werebeast glued to my heels, ready to protect and serve, but having Julian around was different. There was a soothing aspect to it. That was the word to describe being around Julian: soothing.
Every once in a while, I’d find myself studying Julian’s face—usually while he dozed on the couch—wondering if I’d be this comfortable with him in different circumstances. If I’d talk so casually, laugh so freely, if I were sitting across from that face back in the real world, where we weren’t orphans and exiled by vampires; where I wasn’t pining over a jade-eyed Caden. With those full lips, olive skin, and chocolate-colored eyes, Julian was one of those guys a girl like me would probably fall hard for. But I hadn’t, thankfully. It would just complicate an already thorny situation, especially since it’d be one-sided. You’re not my type, he had said. That was for the best. Right now, I just needed a good human friend.
And so my new bestie and I sat in this chalet, day in and day out, looking for ways to occupy ourselves. The task was becoming more challenging with each sunrise. Our latest activity was chess. Julian had discovered a game board in one of the storage closets two days ago, and offered to teach me how to play. It quickly became obvious that chess wasn’t my game.
“Can I move the horse over here?” I asked.
“The knight?” he corrected me. “Yes, you can move him there . . . if you want to lose this game.”
My hand jumped away from the piece with his warning. I spent the next few minutes reevaluating my options while Julian took a turn staring vacantly out the window, deep in thought. “I wonder what summer’s going to be like here,” he murmured.
“Pretty. Long.” It was my turn to sound bored.
“And then another winter,” Julian continued, his tone flat.
“And don’t forget spring and fall in between.”
I glanced up to find him looking at me, defeat in his eyes. “Long,” he agreed.
I lifted my finger to my temple and made a circular motion. “I’m warning you . . . cuckoo!”
Julian gave me a crooked smile. “Take bets on who loses it first, you or me?”
I grinned. “Maybe Leo?”
Julian shook his head, chuckling, his deep dimples appearing. “No way. Not Davy Crocket.” Of all of us, Leo actually seemed to thrive here. Perhaps it was because he didn’t have to answer to Viggo’s demands at all hours of the day and night.
“Right. He’s rock-solid,” I said, thinking of the others. “Maybe Valentina?” My hand immediately to my mouth. “Sorry.”
Julian’s face turned solemn at the mention of his sister, who might already be nuts. We had seen little of her since arriving. She spent most of her time secluded in her room, her door barricaded with a chair. For protection, she said. I don’t think she did much else but sleep, based on her head of matted hair. Every once in a while she’d come out to get some icy air or grab a bite to eat. Or stare at me with those big, chocolate-brown eyes, long since transformed from innocent into something wild and calculating. I always smiled politely but otherwise I kept my distance.
I’m going to go crazy listening to you two jabber on, Max grumbled, rising to sit on his haunches. Max was not enjoying his time in the wilderness, much to my surprise. He said it was because there wasn’t a lot to hunt, this far up in the mountains. It meant traveling a bit, which meant leaving me for at least a day, a proposition he shunned immediately, even with the other dogs here as backup. As a result, he was starving and beyond ornery. Two weeks ago, his snark had reached unbearable proportions. I lost my patience, banishing him as I had the night he found Julian. He’d sullenly ventured beyond his comfort zone and stumbled upon a musk deer. When Max came back later that night, he was a much happier werebeast.
That was two weeks ago. Crabby Max was making a comeback. I said nothing, shooting a dirty look at the dog while I reached for my next chess piece. I shifted it over a few squares.
My move earned an exasperated sigh from Julian. “Do you intentionally go against every rule of this game?” he said.
“Sorry.” It was the seventh or eighth time I had done something stupid. I slid the piece back.
Move your queen over two squares, Max instructed, his massive head now hovering over the board.
Great. Even the dog knew how to play. With a casual look at Julian—not that there was any reason since he couldn’t hear Max—I followed instructions. I knew I was cheating, but I’d take that over looking like a complete idiot.
Julian’s hand shifted to cover his mouth, where it sat for a long moment. When he reached forward to his piece, I caught the devious smile. “Checkmate. And there’s no way you can get out.”
Oh, thank God it’s finally over! Can we please do something else now? I’d rather have my fur set on fire than watch you play chess.
I gasped, my brow furrowing in shock as comprehension hit me. “You sneaky mutt! You tricked me!”
Julian looked back and forth between Max and I and then, realizing what happened, exploded in laughter. “You’re taking chess lessons from the dog?”
Max snarled with displeasure at the dog comment but Julian didn’t even bat an eye as he reached out to give the werebeast’s forehead a rub. Since Max had saved his life, Julian was no longer the least bit apprehensive.
I held my scowl for a few seconds longer, but then I was laughing as well. Soon the two of us were borderline hysterical.
“What’s so funny?” An annoyed, high-pitched voice called. We turned to see a puffy-eyed, sallow-skinned Valentina strolling into the room.
“Don’t worry. Some people aren’t meant to play chess,” Julian said as our laughter quickly died down. “My sister couldn’t win a game if her life depended on it,” he added in a low voice to me before turning back to take in her disheveled appearance. He frowned deeply. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Of course,” she mumbled as she wandered past us to the dining table, her arms swinging lazily at her sides. She grabbed a freshly baked croissant from a plate, folded it up, and shoved it into her mouth as I imagined a starving savage would. Flakes spilled from her lips to scatter on the floor.
I glanced back to see Julian gaping at his sister. She also noticed she had an audience. “What’re you looking at?” she snapped. When neither of us answered, she strolled toward us.
What’s the over/under on her insanity again? Max asked. I ignored him, my back tensing as she neared.
“Ugh. Chess . . . who’s white, you?” Those wild eyes rolled over my face. I nodded, adding a grimace. She looked at the board for a moment as if analyzing it. “You should have moved your bishop there. You could have forced him to move his rook and then . . . ” she named several other steps I didn’t understand, ending with, “and then you would have won.”
“Oh . . . thanks.” I glanced at Julian to see shock. Hadn’t he just finished saying she had no idea how to play?
Leo’s voice drifted into the room from the back hall. “Take those boxes to Evangeline’s room.”
The property keeper with the white-blonde hair—Yeti One, Julian and I called him—marched into the room in snowy boots, arms laden with large, unmarked cardboard boxes. Leo trailed him.
“What are those, Leo?” I peered curiously at the boxes.
“Oh, some clothes and things for you. We had a delivery this morning.”
Valentina whirled, her body going rigid. “Delivery?”
Leo’s mouth curved into a tight-lipped smile. “We’re not completely abandoned out here. Sofie made arrangements for regular provisions. Didn’t you guys hear the helicopter come in?”
“No! Why didn’t you tell us?” Valentina shrieked.
Leo’s amusement quickly faded, replaced with a scowl of irritation. “I just did.”
“When’s the next one?” Valentina demanded.
Another smirk stretched across Leo’s face. “Getting cagey?” The smirk vanished just as quickly. “It’s a one-way delivery. No one leaves.”
Something harsh flashed in Valentina’s eyes—rage? She bit down on her bottom lip as if to stop herself from speaking. I couldn’t blame her for her reaction. Everyone was getting cagey.
Yeti Two came in then, pulling in a wooden crate on a dolly. “To the cellar with that,” Leo instructed. He turned to Julian and me, ignoring Valentina, and announced in a cheery voice, “That should do us until spring!”
“The helicopter’s not coming back until spring?” Valentina cried. Her hands flew up to cover her face, and the sleeve of her blue shirt slid down her arm, exposing a red, festering gash on her forearm. The same place she’d been injured a month ago, on that first day here.
I gasped. “Valentina! Your arm!”
Her hand flew to tug her sleeve back down before the others could catch a glimpse, and she threw a scowl in my direction.
“What’s the matter with your arm?” Leo asked slowly.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” I exclaimed. “It’s infected, Valentina! Leo can help you. Show him!”
Her jaw set. “No, I’m fine.”
Julian, visibly worried, raised his hands in a soothing gesture. “Leo’s alright, Valentina,” he said, his tone calm. “He helped me. He can fix whatever—”
“No one is touching me!” she shrieked, her eyes crazed. “No one!”
I traded a look with Julian and Max before turning to Leo, to find him staring at the distraught Colombian girl. His face was unreadable. Finally he seemed to decide on something, because he shrugged. “Fine, one less person to feed soon.”
My jaw dropped. “Leo!” I exclaimed.
Leo turned to us and winked. Oh, thank God. He’s kidding. “Why don’t you two get out for some fresh air? It’s a balmy day compared to the last couple weeks. There are snowshoes in the front closet.”
Julian and I glanced out the window and shivered in unison. It was true, the sunshine looked inviting, but . . .
“Out!” Leo shooed us with his hands. “You guys have been cooped up for too long. The fresh air will do your minds good. I don’t need a bunch of deranged young folk in here with me!”
“You know, that’s not a bad idea, old man,” Julian piped up, eyes twinkling at his playful dig at Leo.
“That’s why it came from me, little boy.” Leo’s riposte earned a smirk from Julian. “Max, go with them. Keep them out of trouble. The rest of you,” he looked at the three other werebeasts, “I have need of here.”
“You should come with us, Valentina,” I suggested, earning disapproving glares from Julian and Leo.
Luckily Valentina wasn’t interested. She answered with an exaggerated yawn, her arms reaching out behind her as if stretching. “I think I’ll just stay here.”
“Suit yourself!” Julian pushed his chair out and jumped up, no doubt wanting to escape before she changed her mind. “Come on, Evangeline.”
“Enjoy the day. Dinner won’t be ready for several hours, so . . . don’t rush back,” Leo said. There was a strange look in his eyes when he glanced at me.
“Is something wrong, Leo?” I asked, noticing his hesitation. My stomach suddenly churned—had he received bad news from Sofie and didn’t know how to tell me?
He chuckled softly, as I imagined a grandfather would. “Oh, nothing at all. I haven’t heard from Sofie, if that’s what you’re thinking. This cabin is just getting the better of all of us.”
No . . . there was something more. I caught another flash of something strange in his eyes. Resolve . . . acceptance . . . what was it? I had no idea, but I knew I could threaten to pull the stubborn old man’s teeth out and still not get any hints, so I didn’t press. I headed up to my room to dress in a hundred layers.
This way, Max instructed, trudging effortlessly through the deep snow as he wove confidently through the trees. Every so often his back would brush against a snow-covered branch, sending clumps of the white stuff cascading down and releasing the fresh, crisp scent of evergreen into the air. He seemed to know where he was going. I, on the other hand, had no clue. Every direction looked exactly the same: trees, snow, and rocky peaks, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Leo had been right. Swathed in long johns, layers of wool and fleece, and arctic outerwear, I found it almost pleasant outside. I could feel my nose hairs freezing together, but I was actually breaking a sweat as I trekked behind Max in my first pair of snowshoes.
“I’ve never done this before,” Julian said, echoing my thoughts.
“You’re doing really well.”
“Thanks. So are you,” he offered.
“Thanks! It’s fun. A lot more fun than chess.” I threw a mischievous grin over my shoulder at him. The sudden movement threw me off balance. Arms and poles waving, I toppled over to land butt-first in an ungraceful heap in a deep snowbank.
Julian doubled over in laughter. “I stand corrected.”
Thank God I didn’t take you the other way. You’d have ended up going over a cliff, Max muttered.
“Wouldn’t be the first time, Max,” I said, the memory of stepping off the cliff in Ratheus and being saved by Caden stirring an ache in my heart. But that was then and I was here now. I couldn’t dwell on the past or I’d get pulled back into that dark place. I shook the memory away, giggling over my clumsiness instead.
Julian’s laughter suddenly stopped. I looked up to see his brown eyes locked on something behind me, his face drained of all color. I followed his gaze toward a giant white wolf standing not twenty feet away, its beady eyes shifting between Julian and I. It made no movement. It simply watched, not the least bit bothered by us or the werebeast accompanying us. I couldn’t say the same for Julian or myself.
“Max!” I hissed, my eyes glued to the wolf, terror paralyzing my body. I may as well have been trussed up on a buffet table and slathered with sauce, stuck in this snowbank. I couldn’t believe my super-powered werebeast hadn’t noticed a wolf slinking up behind us! “There’s a wolf over there!”
Yeah, so? Max answered, his tone flip.
“So, kill it!”
If I kill it, then who will cut our firewood?
Who’s going to . . . I screwed my face up in confusion. “What?”
“What’s he saying?” Julian whispered, trying not to move his lips, his eyes still glued to the motionless wolf.
“I don’t . . . ” Frozen with fright, my brain struggled to make sense of Max’s words and his lack of reaction to the giant wolf. The wolf doesn’t cut our firewood. The Yetis cut our firewood . . . Why would it matter to our firewood if we killed a wolf? It doesn’t make . . . Comprehension suddenly slapped me in the face. I gasped, studying the wolf’s fur more closely. It matched Yeti One’s hair color.
Finally. You’re a little slow today, Max murmured, clearly enjoying this.
“What? Tell me!” Julian hissed, frustrated.
I normally always reiterated what Max said to Julian, so he didn’t feel like an outsider. But this time I didn’t answer, instead turning back to Max. “What is he?”
Oh, that’s your run-of-the-mill werewolf, he answered dryly.
We had werewolves living with us? “Why didn’t you tell me?”
There was a pause. You didn’t ask.
I groaned my exasperation. “Max, why would I ask if people are werewolves?”
Well, maybe you should.
“Arggh, Max!” I cried, grabbing a handful of snow and throwing it at Max’s head as hard as I could. I missed. “Stop keeping secrets!”
“Werewolves?” Julian whispered.
I turned back to see that the wolf had taken off. “That was Yeti One,” I explained to Julian, adding bitterly, “Max forgot to mention that he’s a werewolf.”
I didn’t forget. You just—
“Right!” I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. “I forgot to ask!”
“Great. Witches and vampires aren’t bad enough. Now we’re exiled with werewolves,” Julian muttered.
I wasn’t ready to let it go. “So, who else do we have here, Max? Who else have I forgotten to ask about? Is our Russian cook a unicorn? What about the others? Any of them moonlighting as a succubus or a shifter?” My anger with Max was at its highest peak now.
No. Don’t be—
“No! Seriously!” I yelled at him, not caring that me screaming at this giant, menacing beast might concern an onlooker. “What about Valentina? Maybe she’s . . . Ursula!”
“Who’s Ursula?” Julian asked.
“Oh, no one.” I shook my head, waving my hand dismissively. “I’m just being stupid. I—”
Max’s murmur cut me off. I don’t believe it . . .
I sighed impatiently. “What don’t you believe now, Max?”
There was a long pause. How could we have missed it!
Max was rattled—such an uncommon thing that it sent shockwaves of panic through to my core. “Missed what, Max?” I asked evenly.
I have to warn him, Max muttered. Stay here. Stay away from the cabin until you hear from me again! Max raced past us and disappeared, galloping through the deep snow toward the chalet.
“What? Warn who?” I said aloud, replaying my last words to Max. I had made that insane suggestion about—I gasped, and threw my hands up toward Julian. “Help me!”
Julian had me on my feet in seconds. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” I answered abruptly, setting off toward the cabin. It couldn’t be true . . . but if it was, then Leo was in danger.
“Yes, you do. You know something!” Julian pushed.
“No time to explain!” I called back, now several feet ahead of him. “We have to get back.” The truth was, I couldn’t explain this to Julian until I knew if it was true. How could I tell him his sister was—no, not until I knew it was true. How had she found us?
Thankfully Julian stopped asking and caught up to me. Walking in snowshoes was easy; running was impossible. I settled on speed-walking. By the time we got back to the chalet five minutes later—the longest five minutes of my life—I was panting.
The side door into the great room hung limply off its hinges, the victim of a giant werebeast’s impatience. “I guess our werewolf will be fixing that?” Julian commented as we shook off our snowshoes. Julian carefully pushed open the broken door and held it for me to pass through.
We entered a war zone. Everywhere my eyes landed, they touched destruction. The antler chandelier once suspended over the dining table now sat in a broken pile on the floor beside my feet. Every piece of furniture was upturned, legs broken, torn material oozing stuffing. The fireplace looked as if someone had blown chunks of stone from it with a cannon. And the windows—every one on the far side of the room was smashed, leaving a deadly minefield of shattered glass to navigate through. Frigid air poured in.
All of that became irrelevant as soon as I saw Leo lying on the floor, a wide gash on his forehead making a bloody mess of his face. Valentina towered over him, her stance defensive. The dogs stood unmoving, watching her from various points in the room. Get out of here, now! Max screamed inside my head.
“No!” I cried, panic pinching my voice.
Julian stepped inside. “What the . . . ” He fell silent as he took in the destruction.
“Julian,” Leo called weakly, struggling to rise. “Get her out of here. Run!”
Valentina’s foot landed on Leo’s chest, shoving him back to the floor. A wicked smile touched her lips as she gazed down at the old man.
“Val! What the hell is going on? What are you doing?” Julian cried. When she didn’t acknowledge her brother, he screamed, “Valentina!”
Her head whipped around to regard him curiously. “Oh, right.” She smiled. “I guess I go by that name too.” She turned and took two steps toward us, her icy gaze landing on me. “Though if you want my attention, you’re better off using my real name. Ursula.”
I felt my back hit Julian’s chest as I stumbled backward.
“She’s gone mad,” he whispered.
“Not exactly,” I whispered back, trembling. “That’s not Valentina anymore.”
Ursula responded with a throaty laugh.
Clever witch, Max said. She was ready for us. He still hadn’t moved from his position. None of the dogs had. Surprising. I figured they would have quartered her by now.
“It was exhausting, using my powers and cutting my arm every day for the spell to mask my identity from those canines.” She looked down to Leo and gave his ribs another forceful nudge. “And this relic.”
Max had sensed it all along. He had sensed something “off” about her, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. And I had chastised him for being unkind.
“And thank God this young little thing decided to come into that garden when she did!” Ursula gestured to her body. “I may have had to do housework here if I ended up in one of those maids’ bodies.”
I gasped at that revelation, remembering when Valentina had stumbled, that first day in the atrium. That hadn’t been an innocent stumble; that was Ursula infesting her body! Ursula had been with us from the very beginning.
“Who’s Ursula?” Julian whispered, his tone somber; he realized we were in real danger.
“A bad person,” I whispered back, none too quietly.
Another throaty laugh. “I’m not so bad, once you get to know me. Sofie has filled your head with lies. That’s what she does.”
Run, Evangeline, Max warned again.
I locked eyes with my canine protector. Do something! I silently pleaded.
“He can’t help you,” Ursula said. “None of them can move. I’ve made sure of that.”
“What do you want?”
Ursula chuckled. “Many things. For one, I want out of this godforsaken hellhole, and this bastard won’t give me any clues as to how and when I can do that.” She kicked him again, earning a groan.
“Please stop doing that,” I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes.
She continued on as if I hadn’t spoken. “And then I want to see the pain and suffering in Sofie’s ugly green eyes when she watches me kill you.”
My breath caught in my lungs. I barely felt Julian’s hand settle on my shoulder.
Evangeline, run—both of you. Get as far away as quickly as possible. She’ll need to break her spell to stop you and then we’ll have her. Run.
“Get behind me.” Julian’s voice was barely audible.
All we had to do was run and this would all be over. I shifted my weight.
“Stop!” The shrill scream froze me in my tracks. “Try to leave here, and this place goes up in flames. Everyone dies. Not as poetic as my original plan, but . . . ” her lips curled into a bitter smile, “Sofie will suffer, all the same.”
Everyone would die because of me. I couldn’t have that.
I gave Max my best “what now?” look, wishing I could communicate telepathically to him.
I guess she’s smarter than I gave her credit for. An exaggerated sigh followed. There’s one other way . . . Throw something at her.
What? My confusion must have played across my face, because he continued.
Injure her, and whatever spell she cast will break. Witches can’t hold their spells when they’re attacked. I’ll reach her before she can recast. I hesitated. Look at Leo! He’s too hurt to use his magic to protect himself! Hurry!
My eyes darted to my gravely injured guardian. His eyes were now closed. Was he dead? Desperation washed over me. I scanned the area nearby for objects, and my eyes settled on a jagged antler by my feet. If I could impale her with the sharp end . . . Taking a deep breath and summoning every last ounce of courage, I psyched myself for the drop and the precise throw I’d need to execute, one I doubted I could do with accuracy. I tensed, preparing for the dive—
And went sailing away from my target to land several feet off to the side, broken glass crunching under my weight. I was now level with Leo, lying only ten feet away from me. I glanced back to see Julian charging toward Ursula, a jagged piece of the chandelier held out in front of him.
Her eyes widened in surprise, then immediately narrowed. With a quick glance down at the unconscious Leo, she decided something. Her hand lifted toward Julian, her lips moving.
Oh, shit! Max moaned. Tell him to throw it. Now!
“Throw it!” I shrieked, echoing Max’s command. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leo’s lids flash open, his eyes now bright, alert. His lips were moving quickly but I couldn’t hear him over the sound of rushing blood in my ears.
Julian roared as he swung his arm back to launch the antlers at her—just as a purple light shot out from Ursula’s outstretched hand, heading straight for his chest.
I stopped breathing altogether and squeezed my eyes closed, waiting. Expecting the shriek of pain, the thump of a body hitting the floor.
Instead, I heard a drumbeat.