Author's note: Recap of main characters so far:
The Great Wolf (although it wasn't mentioned in the first volume. His name is Gareth) – Vaughn's father. Age: 45
Haru – Great Wolf's soul keeper. Age: 45
Vaughn – Silver Wolf, heir to Silver Wolfe's clan. Age: 19 (about to turn 20)
Mark – Vaughn's soul keeper. Age: 19 (about to turn 20)
Will – Golden Wolf. Age: 23
Elliot – Will's soul keeper. Age: 23
Han – Vaughn's and Mark's spirit familiar. Can take a form as a boy, a black house cat, or a black panther. Age: he looks/acts like a 15 year old boy. His real age is unknown.
Shea – jungle man, and Han's friend. Age: 16
Iron Wolf (will be called Alistair in later chapter) – Great Wolf's most trusted wolf warrior. Age: 32
Chen – Iron Wolf's soul keeper. Age: 32
Revised to fix my stoopid grammar.
Chapter 21: Just a Dream
The smells always come first, horrifying odors. Smells of flesh burning, and of iron, which reminds me of blood. Right away I realize, without even having to see, that it is blood I am smelling. There isn't a lot of light, but for the flickering fire in the distance. This darkness feels weird. It feels different. It feels alive, restless...and hungry?
Next come the screams. Somewhere, someone, is screaming, and screaming. A woman this time. It was a man who was screaming the last time.
Finally, I feel small hands clinging to me. "Don't let go!" The little girl screams. I don't know how I know that it is a little girl, as I can't see her face. I wrap my arms around her small and fragile body. I hold her tight.
The darkness convulses. It grows arms, slithering towards me. The arms work their ways around my torso, my legs, my throat, trying to pry me apart from her. I tighten my hold on the girl, while my other hand grips one of the black moving arms, trying to stop it.
"I won't. I won't let go!" I promise her. In the darkness, the arms around me change into thorny sinews, squeezing me harder, hurting me with their thorns. "I won't let go!" I tell her again, as if that will give me the strength to hold on.
The thorny sinews change into hungry mouths full of sharp teeth, drawing blood, tearing me apart. Pain. Unbearable pain.
And I let her go. Again...
Mark awoke with a jolt. His forehead beaded with cold sweat. He felt someone shaking him.
"Mark, are you okay? You were screaming," Vaughn was looming over Mark. "Was it that dream again?"
Mark trembled, breathing hard. "Yeah, it was the same dream".
Vaughn took the shaking blond into his arms, and tried to soothe him by caressing his hair. "It's just a dream. Go back to sleep..."
"Yeah, just a dream...just a dream," Mark whispered. His heart was still pounding hard. He buried his face into Vaughn's chest for comfort.
This was the third time Mark had that same dream. The first time he had it, it was two weeks ago, a couple of nights after Vaughn had told him that he had wanted to return to his father's house. In all the three dreams, the end was always the same. He had failed the little girl, and it had bothered him. I didn't want to let you go, but the pain was unbearable, he told the girl in his dream silently. I am sorry. I am so sorry...
As if he could read his lover's thought, Vaughn gave Mark a little squeeze. "Just a dream..." He whispered. "Sleep..."
I love how these arms always make me feel safe, Mark let out a long sigh. His heart started to slow down. Vaughn's body had felt solid, warm, and comforting. Tomorrow, I think I am going to ask the Witch Princess, he thought as he drifted back to sleep...
The sun was already high up in the sky the next day, when Mark found himself standing in front of the Witch Princess' hut. He knocked at the door firmly, twice, and waited. A few minutes later, the door creaked ajar, and Mochi, along with a few other sprites were hovering on the other side.
"It's you again. What do you want this time?" Mochi frowned at Mark.
"I am here to see the Witch Princess. I brought you some eggs, and a curry dish for the Princess," Mark showed Mochi the content of the brown paper bag, which he held in his arm.
Eggs were Mochi's favorite things, and the harvest sprite's eyes had widened as he saw the eggs. But he recovered quickly, and put the scowl back on his face. "Wait here," he said. "I'll ask if the Princess wants to see you". He disappeared into the hut. The rest of harvest sprites took the paper bag from Mark, and flew into the hut, carrying the bag between them.
"Come in. She will see you. This time," Mochi grumbled when he returned to the door.
"Thanks, Mochi," Mark said with what he hoped was a polite smile. But instead of smiling back, Mochi simply huffed, and fleeted away. Mark entered the hut, and closed the door behind him. He found the Princess, Brownie and a couple of other sprites, playing cards in the living room.
"Mark," the Witch Princess greeted him. She didn't look up as she revealed her cards. "What brings you here? Thanks for the Finest Curry dish, by the way".
"You are welcome, Princess. Well, I would like to..."
"I win again!" Suddenly the Witch Princess yelled. "Ha..ha...this is fun!" She hollered as she gathered her prize, which was a pile of colored grasses.
"How did you manage to get a straight flush three times in a row?" One of the harvest sprites gave the Princess a suspicious look.
"What are you saying?" The Princess glared at the sprite. "Are you saying I cheated?"
"No..no! Of course not! Sorry! Sorry!" The harvest sprite said nervously, shaking his tiny head vigorously.
"Okay, then how about another round?" The Witch Princess looked around the table.
Brownie and the sprites groaned. "But we don't have any color grass left. You won them all!"
The Witch Princess threw her head back, and laughed heartily. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? I am the best!" She said, obviously pleased with herself. Then she remembered something. "Oh, yeah. Mark, you were saying...?" She turned her attention to Mark.
"Well, I would like to ask you something..."
"Fine. Ask away. I am in a good mood today. Have a seat," she gestured at an empty chair by the table. "We have a guest. You two go, and help your brothers with the tea," she added, looking pointedly at the harvest sprites sitting beside her. The sprites flew away, presumably to help with the tea. Mark sat down.
"So?" The Princess eyed Mark curiously with her intelligent, crimson eyes. She collected all the cards on the table, and shuffled them quickly. "How is everything at home?"
A group of harvest sprites approached the table with a tea tray balanced between them. They placed the tea tray on the table, and started to pour tea into fine china teacups. One of them pushed the teacup along with its saucer towards Mark.
"Fine. We have sold the farm". Mark sniffed his tea. It had an earthy, grassy fragrance, with a hint of lemon and mint. "We are going to start packing soon".
"How is Vaughn?"
"He is okay". Mark sipped his tea tentatively. The tea tasted better than he had expected. He guessed that it was some sort of herbal tea, earthy tasting, and minty. He sipped his tea again.
"How is your sex life?"
"Pfft..." Mark spurted his tea. His face was turning red. "Fi...fine. Fine," he stuttered.
"I bet! You two are still in your honeymoon period!" The Princess laughed out loud. "I don't know what I am going to do without you guys. It is going to be rather boring around here after you left, I am afraid".
"You can always come and visit us, you know," Mark said, as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Maybe, I'll do that one day," the Princess smiled at him.
"Anyway, Princess, there is something I want to ask you. It's about dreams. Do they mean anything? Is it normal to have the same dream over and over again?"
The Princess glanced at Mark. "I assume from your questions that you have been having the same dream over and over again. Why don't you start by telling me what the dream was about". She had put her cards aside, and now she started to move her hands quickly to sort her winnings, the grasses, by their colors.
Mark told her about the dream. He told her everything: the smells, the screams, the little girl and the darkness. And how he let her go every single time. Mark's face fell as he recounted his dreams.
"What does she look like? The little girl?" the Princess asked.
"I don't know. I didn't see her face".
"Okay, what does she feel like? In your dream, why did you want to hold on to her?
"She feels...fragile. And precious somehow. I just feel that I have to...protect her. I...I don't know, Princess. I am not sure about anything, right now".
The Witch Princess thought for a moment. "Well, I won't worry about it for now. Maybe it is just the stress. You are moving out of your own home to someone else's house. That's a lot to take. I mean, premonition is often communicated through dreams, but we don't know for sure if this dream means anything or not".
"Premonition?"
"Yup".
"How do we know whether it is a premonition or just a regular dream?" Mark asked.
"Don't worry about it, Mark. Really. Just try to relax".
"But...what should I do if it turns out to be something else? If it's not just a regular dream, I mean," Mark still looked a little worried.
"Well, when, and if, it happens," the Witch Princess looked at Mark in the eye. Her face was serious. "Don't let go". Then she smiled as she rose from her seat. "Okay? Feel better? Alright, off you go. I have some other things I have to do. I am a busy girl, you know," she steered Mark firmly towards the door. "Go home," she unceremoniously shoved the blond out of her hut. She watched the young man walked away for a few seconds before finally closing her door.
Then she muttered a spell to open a portal to the Other, and stepped through it. The portal brought her right into the Harvest Goddess' sitting room. The Goddess of the Other was sitting on a comfortable, overstuffed reading chair by the window, reading a book. There was a steaming mug on the side table beside her.
"Hey," the Witch Princess greeted the Goddess. "I have a question for you". Without waiting for a response, the Witch started to describe Mark's dream. The Goddess closed her book, and placed it on the side table. She reached for her mug, and sipped it, while listening to her sister, without saying anything.
"The darkness in Mark's dream, does that sound like a damned soul to you?" The Witch Princess asked.
"Actually yes, it does..." The Goddess thought, holding her mug with both hands. "And he had this dream three times already?"
"Yes. That little girl in the dream, I wonder, who is she? More accurately, what is she?" The Witch started to pace the room, with her hands behind her back. "Mark doesn't have the gift of premonition. So the question is: who has been sending this dream to Mark? And why him?"
"I don't know..." the Goddess looked out the window for a moment, raking her brain. Then she turned her face towards the Witch Princess. "I guess we should monitor this dream. See if this dream will keep recurring. Maybe it is nothing, but if it keeps happening..."
"Yeah, I know, I know. Then he may have to save the girl, fight a damned soul, which is super dangerous, etc, etc". The Witch Princess wrinkled her forehead. "If this dream keeps happening, and if Mark has something to do with it. Don't you think...don't you think that we need to prepare him? We need to give him something to protect him," she looked at her sister.
There was a small smile on the Goddess' face. "Since when do you care so much for a human, sister?"
"I...I don't care. I...I just...think it's unfair to Mark, that's all," the Witch crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Of course. I do agree with you, we need to prepare him, when the time comes. But we also need to be careful not to interfere too much. Sometimes humans need to learn how to solve their own problem".
The Witch Princess looked away. She hated to admit it, but her sister was right. She shook her head, and stepped through the portal to return home without saying anything further.
It was one winter morning, a couple of weeks after Mark's visit to the Witch Princess' hut. The weak winter sun filtered through the curtains into the bedroom, falling onto Mark's face. He smiled a little contented smile, savoring the warm, mellow feeling. Blanket and sheets were wrinkled all over and around him, evidence of the morning lovemaking. Vaughn was snuggling him, his head resting on Mark's chest, breathing deeply and slowly.
Then Mark's stomach grumbled. Food, I need food, he thought. He realized then that he was sweaty. Shower, he thought, shower is what I need. Shower first, then food.
Mark was feeling good. He had not dreamed that dream again, and he had concluded, with relief, that it was just a fluke. Maybe the Princess was right, it was just stress, he thought. He stretched lazily. Oh yes, that's right, he thought, as he looked at his wrists. I have almost forgotten about that.
"Vaughn..." Mark started.
"Yeah?" Vaughn pushed himself up on his elbow, looking down at Mark.
"Why am I tied up?" Mark showed the silver-haired man his wrists, which were tied up together, not too tightly, with a piece of clothing. I think it's my own pajama top, Mark thought. He had woken up that morning, naked, wrists tied up together, and Vaughn was kissing and fondling him. Why do I even bother wearing pajama to bed, the blond wondered. On most nights, as soon as he got under the blanket, Vaughn would strip him anyway.
Vaughn smirked. "Sorry. You look so cute when you are sleeping. I can't help myself".
"Uh, okay. But, could you please untie me now? I think it is time for breakfast".
"Later. Let's do it again..." Vaughn said as he rolled on top of Mark. He grabbed Mark's wrists, and pinned them down above the blond's head, as he started to nip at his lover's ears.
Mark felt his face burning, "I am hungry. I need a shower..." He said, but his voice was a little less firm than before. Vaughn ignored him, of course. He teased Mark's nipple with his tongue and sucked it gently. He loved the pretty, pink color of Mark's nipples, and how they became erect to his touch.
Damn wolf man, Mark thought, as he shivered from the delicious sensation coursing through his body. Damn insatiable wolf man...
It was already mid-morning when Mark could finally shower, and start making breakfast. He poured beaten eggs into a couple of frying pans, making omelets for breakfast. They were leaving the farmhouse tomorrow, and he had felt a little tug at his heart. He had gotten attached to this farm and this house, and he had really worked hard in the past year running the farm. The farm had felt like a real home, his own home, and the thought that he was leaving, made him feel a little blue.
He looked at the calendar, which hung on the kitchen wall. Today is the Winter Harmony Day, Mark thought. Should I bake a chocolate cake for Vaughn, he wondered. Gaah, what am I thinking? He slapped his own forehead. Stop acting as if you are a young girl in love, he chastised himself silently. But thinking about Winter Harmony Day, and whether or not he should bake a cake took his mind off his sadness, momentarily.
"Why are you hitting yourself?" Vaughn asked him. One of his hands was on the small of Mark's back. His other hand was holding a coffee mug.
"Er...nothing" Mark responded. His face was slowly turning crimson. Nothing, I just had a silly moment, in which I had forgotten that I am a grown man, and not a young girl, he thought.
That was when someone rung the doorbell.
"Could you please get that?" Mark said. He opened the kitchen cabinet, reaching out for plates.
"Sure," Vaughn gave Mark a little peck on the ear, which caused the blond to stop his movement mid way. Vaughn smirked as he walked out of the kitchen to answer the door.
That guy, Mark thought furiously, as his face continued to burn. How does he do that? How could he make my knees feel weak like this? Seriously, how? He shook his head, and continued to reach for the plates. Mark folded the omelets over, and slid them onto a couple of plates. One omelet per plate. He added a couple of toasts on each plate.
"Shea asked me to go to his house today to meet his foster father," Han said. The cat boy was sitting at the kitchen table. "Can I go?"
"Sure, just make sure that you will be home by dinner time," Mark responded, placing a plate of food in front of Han. He also placed a glass of milk in front of the cat boy, and a little bit of butter and a jar of apple jam on the table. Han buttered his toasts before he heaped on apple jam on them. He loved anything with apples, which Mark had always thought to be weird, because Han was a cat spirit. Mark didn't expect a cat spirit to love apples with such gusto.
"Leave some for Vaughn and I," Mark told Han. "It's my last jar of apple jam".
Han had looked sad. "But you are going to make more, right?" He said, his eyes big and pleading.
"Of course, if I can get some good apples," Mark said.
"Morning Mark," Chelsea greeted Mark cheerfully, as she and Vaughn entered the kitchen. "I brought you and Vaughn some chocolate! You know, for the Harmony Day".
"Oh...thanks..." Mark said, not meeting Chelsea's eyes. "Do you...uh, want some breakfast? Coffee?"
Vaughn placed the package that Chelsea gave him on the kitchen counter. Then he calmly sat at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee. Mark placed a plate with omelet and toasts in front of Vaughn. Like Han, Vaughn buttered his toasts before heaping apple jam on them. He liked apple jam, especially since he knew that Mark spent hours in the kitchen, peeling, coring, chopping and boiling apples to make them. He took a big bite off his toast.
"No, thanks. I ate breakfast already. And I am not planning to stay for long..." Chelsea peered at Mark. "Don't worry, Mark. Vaughn told me that he loves you," she said, smiling.
"Oh...I...I am sorry..." Mark said weakly.
"Oh, Mark, you don't need to apologize. You are a nice guy. I am happy for you. Really. I...I am just surprised that I hadn't seen it earlier. I guess I should have listened to Julia. She had thought that there was something going on between you two..." Chelsea hesitated. Then with a low voice she continued, "...but you have to treat Vaughn nicely, okay? Or I will steal him from you, you hear me?"
"I...uh...really? You are going to do that?" Mark said with a small voice.
"Ha...ha...ha..." Chelsea slapped Mark at the back, laughing. "You are just so gullible, you know. I am just kidding of course".
"Ah...right. Of course," Mark finally met Chelsea's eyes, relieved. He was glad that Chelsea seemed to be her cheerful self. "Thanks again for the chocolate," he added.
"Well then, enjoy! And have a safe trip tomorrow!" Chelsea chirped brightly. She waved goodbye, and left the kitchen.
Mark turned his attention back to the frying pan on the stove. He added a little pad of butter into the frying pan, which sizzled as soon as it hit the hot pan. He swirled the pan around to coat it with the melting butter. Then he poured the rest of the beaten eggs into the pan, making an omelet for himself.
"Morning everybody!" Denny walked into the kitchen with a package.
"Denny! Morning. What's up?" Mark folded his omelet over and transferred it onto a plate, adding a couple of toast. He turned off the stove. "Do you want anything to drink? Coffee? Have you eaten breakfast yet?" He brought his own plate to the table.
"Hey Mark. Naah, I don't need anything to drink. And I ate already. Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to just come in like this. But Chelsea opened the door, and told me that you two should be here in the kitchen. I...I brought some...uh, chocolate".
Mark's face brightened. "For me?"
Denny looked at Mark. His face was turning red. "Actually...it's for Vaughn".
"What?"
"Well, you...you told me that you and Vaughn are not together right? So...I...I thought I will give Vaughn some Harmony Day chocolate..."
"What?" Mark still couldn't believe his ears.
"Thanks Denny," Vaughn said. His face was stoic. "But Mark and I are actually together".
"Oh really?" Denny eyed Mark. "Oh...uh...sorry to hear that". Denny's face fell. "Man, I am so unlucky in love!"
"What do you mean sorry?" Mark shot Denny a look.
Denny grinned, "Sorry, buddy. Don't get angry at me, okay? I am just saying sorry because...well, you know...I just feel sorry for Vaughn. Because...uh...sometimes, you are kinda...clueless, Mark. Know what I mean?"
Mark looked puzzled. "No, I don't know what you mean. When have I ever been clueless?" He reached for the butter and the last of the apple jam for his toasts.
"Never mind. Here Vaughn, have the chocolate anyway. I already bought it, so you may as well have it. You can share it with Mark if you want," Denny said, as he handed the package to Vaughn. "By the way, have a safe trip tomorrow, okay? You guys are leaving tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, we are," Mark answered. "Thanks for the chocolate, Denny".
"You are welcome. Write me, so I know how you guys are doing, okay?"
"Will do. Come and visit us sometimes".
"Sure. See you around," Denny said, and left.
After Denny left, Mark turned his head aside, and scowled at Vaughn, "Why are you suddenly becoming so popular?"
Vaughn's facial expression was unreadable. He finished chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, before he finally asked, "Are you jealous?" His eyes watched Mark's face carefully for his reaction.
"Of course not! Eat your breakfast before it gets cold," Mark snapped as he turned away. His face was turning crimson.
Chocolate cake, Mark thought as he rose from his seat, his breakfast had been forgotten. He pulled out mixing bowls from the kitchen cabinet. He suddenly felt the urge to bake Vaughn a chocolate cake. He chopped and melted some of the chocolate they received today, and whisked it together with eggs, butter, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Jealous, who me? He huffed. No, am not. He whisked fast and vigorously.
Han placed his breakfast dishes in the kitchen sink. "I finished my breakfast, can I go now?"
Mark looked over his shoulder, and nodded. "Be home by dinner time," he said to Han's back. The cat boy had already bolted out of the kitchen.
"Morning!" The Witch Princess materialized in the kitchen behind Mark.
"Gaah!" Mark yelped, almost dropping the mixing bowl he was holding. "Princess! What the heck are you doing here? Don't you think you should use the front door?" He put the mixing bowl on the kitchen counter.
"Tsk...the thanks I got for saving you two. Seriously, I start to regret it some days..." The Witch Princess said, pouting.
"We are grateful, but you should use the front door like everybody else," Mark countered heatedly.
"Whatever. It is not as if I will find you two in a compromising situation whenever I show up. I mean, you two are just so boring! You have never seemed to do anything interesting in the kitchen," The Witch Princess rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I have a farewell gift for you two".
"Cool!" Mark's face lit up. "What is it?"
"Do you prefer the kitty ears, or the bunny ears, Mark?" Suddenly the Witch Princess held out a pair of hairbands in her hands. One of the hairband had tawny, fluffy cat ears attached to it, while the other had pink, floppy rabbit ears.
"Wha...what...what the heck are those?" Mark was stuttering. Instantly, the expression on his face had changed from excitement to looking terrified. "And who...who are they for, again?"
"I like the kitty ears," Vaughn offered helpfully.
"Why you..." Mark turned and glared at Vaughn. "Stop agreeing with every perverted idea she has!" Now his ears were as red as tomatoes.
"Ho..ho..ho..the kitty ears then. Good choice, Vaughn". The Witch Princess handed the hairband to Vaughn.
"Mark," the Princess gestured Mark closer with her finger. Then with a low voice, she said to Mark, "Remember you said that you would do anything if I help you?"
"I...uh...yes, I remember".
"Then wear the ears for me on your and Vaughn's birthdays, okay? ...Or else..." She shot Mark a scary look.
"I...but...I..."
"Tell me," The Princess turned serious, peering at Mark closely. "Are you still having that dream?"
Mark shook his head. "Not since I talked to you".
"Good. But just in case, you are having it again, remember this: it may feel real, it may look real, but it is only an illusion. Just tell yourself that, and hang on to that girl, understand?"
"Uh, I guess..." Mark looked confused. "Actually, I am not sure..."
"You will understand, when the time comes," the Witch Princess patted Mark's shoulder briefly. "By the way, when the time comes, if, and when, the dream comes true, wear your kitty ears. It will help you, do you hear me?" She glared at Mark. "Promise me that you will wear it".
Mark blinked a couple of times, before he nodded silently.
"Okay then! I will see you two later!" Suddenly the Princess was cheerful again. She snatched one of Mark's toasts, and bit into it. "Mmm...good..." she muttered to herself, as she disappeared into thin air.
Vaughn had missed the conversation between Mark and the Witch Princess, as he was looking intently at the cat ears hairband in his hands. He was lost in some private moments, which involved a blond wearing nothing, but a ribbon tied around his neck, and cat ears on his head. His eyes glinted, and there was a little smile on his face.
Damn, Mark thought, staring at Vaughn. He looks so adorable when he is happy, Mark thought. Without thinking, he went over, lowered his head, and kissed Vaughn lightly on the forehead.
Vaughn looked up. The ears were instantly forgotten, and dropped to the floor.
Oops, kissing him was the wrong thing to do, Mark thought, as he recognized the look in Vaughn's eyes.
"No...no...no...I have to bake a cake for you. I have to eat breakfast..." Mark pleaded as he tried to back away. But he was too slow. Vaughn had risen from his seat, and caught him.
"Put me down. Bad dog! Bad doggy!" Mark protested, as Vaughn lifted him up and carried him over the shoulder. Vaughn pretended he didn't hear Mark, and headed towards the bedroom.
End of Chapter 21