Haulcon's Revenge Read online

  “I may be going to the Grand Canyon on a trip for work.”

  “Ah, fascinating. Very fascinating.”

  She didn’t know if he was talking about her trip or the data on his screen.

  “Yes. I’m going to do an expo on snakes.”

  “Snakes. Snakes. You know lizards regenerate. They may be a better thought. We tried them but their blood is no match to humans. No. No. Now the wolf species we have found. They do. Oh yes.”

  Exhausted with the conversation, she moved her hand from his shoulder. “Well, I just wanted you to know I’m alright and see if you needed anything.”

  He glanced her way. “Doing fine. How are you?”

  Her eyes burned with the guileless expression on her father’s face. He just wasn’t there, would never truly be there. He only spoke and understood things of science.

  She wondered if she’d end up just as alone as him. Her work was her only companion. “I’m good, Dad. I have to go now. You take care of yourself. I’ll try and come again soon. I can’t promise it will be before my trip.”

  “Ah, yes. Lizard hunting. Have fun.”

  Any moment she felt as if she would suffocate from the tightness of her throat, she couldn’t talk and was barely getting air down her windpipe. With a small wave she walked briskly toward the exit.

  Offering up a prayer that she could make it back out to the front, she focused her mind on inhaling deeply and concentrating on remembering little things about stuff she’d passed earlier in the hall.

  She was unsure of why she tortured herself with keeping any kind of connection to her father, but maybe it was because she assumed it was what a good daughter did. They called and connected with their parent in their old age. It was what she had done to her grandparents until they both passed away, months apart.

  She exhaled happily when she pushed out of the security door.

  “Hello again, Ms. Ellis, have a wonderful day. Hope to see you again soon.” The receptionist called after her.

  Adair whispered a thank you. At least she hoped she actually said it as she rushed from the place. Her life had to change. She couldn’t keep going on as she was.

  Chapter Six

  It was just before dawn and the compound was quiet. There were two extra guards on the gate. Most of the valfs would be already in the underground mansion getting rest or about to head out in wolf form if they wanted to hunt. Most of their kind preferred sleep. That made this the best time for Haulcon and his team to take back what belonged to him, with as little bloodshed as possible. He didn’t think that most people would jump out to protect Jacin but neither did he want them injured by any of Jacin’s alliance.

  They were cutthroat and would use any of the clan as human shields to protect themselves.

  Haulcon moved through the forest heading for the gate with two white wolves at his side, Friedol and Nyca. The others were entering through the back gate, taking no prisoners and then securing it. No one would come in or out.

  “Announce yourself.” One of the men called out.

  Haulcon continued to move through the thick, early morning fog; a slight fall breeze tugging the tails of his coat behind him. One long step after another, he didn’t break stride or hesitate as the mist seemed to part before him, as if understanding today was judgment day for those who had plot against him. They had tried to serve him to death on a platter. He felt as if he’d waited his whole life for this moment. The moment to kill Jacin.

  “He was one of the betrayers.” Haulcon whispered for Nyca and Friedol’s ears only.

  The man stepped to the gate opening as if he’d planned to block it and began to draw his sword. “I said announ—”

  Before the man could finish Friedol launched himself across the ground and up at the valf’s throat. Biting deep then jerking his head left and pulling a chunk of the valf’s neck from his body.

  The guard crumbled to the ground, thrashing and gurgling on blood spewing from his body.

  “What is going on?” A second guard rounded the corner and spotted Friedol standing over the fallen man with his paws on his chest. He glanced up and met Haulcon’s gaze.

  “He’s another.”

  That was all Nyca needed to know, she shifted and took up the dead guard’s sword and swung it high and down as she cut the man’s skull in two with one whack.

  “Well done, both of you.” Haulcon praised them.

  “I’ll secure this gate, Alpha, while you and Friedol go find Jacin.”

  He glanced down at Friedol, seeing his friend licking the blood from his muzzle. “You ready to do this?”

  Unable to speak, the white wolf nodded.

  Nyca was shifting back to her wolf and sat guard, daring someone to cross her path.

  Haulcon was amazed at the changes that had come about. Nyca wasn’t at his side as his mate, but was protecting their territory.

  As they neared the entrance to the underground mansion, Haulcon spotted Marco, and Chrysen coming toward them from the back.

  Chrysen shifted as they approached. “All’s secure at the back, Alpha.”

  “Good. Marco you take the front gate with Nyca. Chrysen, Friedol and with me,” Haulcon instructed.

  Marco trotted off toward his mate while Chrysen shifted and moved alongside her own, Friedol.

  They entered the thick oak door and took the stairs descending to the first lower level, the social floor. All the rooms were located further down into the mountain.

  When Haulcon arrived at the bottom a small boy was coming around the corner carrying a tray piled with plates and glasses. Seeing him the valf boy gasped and stumbled almost dropping the tray.

  “Haulcon.”

  Haulcon moved in a flash and held the tray steady with one hand and rested the other on the boy’s small shoulder. One day this boy would grow strong and fierce, but now he needed Haulcon’s support and protection.

  “Everything is okay. What is your name?”

  “Daprin of Brydun and Yala.”

  “Well, Daprin. All will soon be as it should be. Can you tell me where is Jacin?”

  The boy looked a little fearful, but nodded. “He and others are in the receiving hall.”

  “How many are with him?”

  “Six.”

  “Very good.” He gave the boy’s shoulder a final pat as he rose.

  “You are welcome, Alpha.” The boy puffed out his chest and continued on his way to the kitchen.

  Haulcon started down the hall with his two wolfen escorts. A few people were milling in and out of rooms, starting to get themselves settled for the day’s sleep. As people recognized him, they stepped back out of his way and began to murmur his name.

  Each step he took seemed to be accompanied by a chant—Haulcon, Haulcon, Haulcon.

  It was as if even though the rumor had gone about the compound that he was dead they had held out hope for his return. If not him, some avenger that would save them from Jacin’s evil ways.

  The chants must have carried beyond the hall into the room where Jacin was located. At the moment Haulcon and his two wolves arrived at the door it was pulled open as if they were welcoming him to the dawn party.

  “Jacin your day of reckoning has come.” Haulcon declared from the center of the room, staring down the long table at the man seated at the head.

  Nyca and Friedol barked and growled putting out a warning.

  Jacin slouched in the seat appearing relaxed and unfazed. Even though the look of shock was evident in his eyes as they darkened and stretched wide. “Haulcon, glad to have you back. But, you see, I’ve already been declared Alpha. You’re too late. So, you can either join me at the table for last meal or get the hell out.”

  The other men and women with Jacin pushed back from the table, all of them dressed but showing their loyalty to their supposed Alpha and ready to rip out of all clothing to protect him.

  “The offering ceremony is tonight. So, until that happens you’re no valf’s Alpha. Gives me plenty of time to
see you dead.”

  “Attack! Defend your Alpha from these unfaithful invaders.”

  The room exploded with growls, chairs scraping and bodies being thrown. Nyca and Friedol quickly took care of the first two men that came at Haulcon, tearing out their throats. Then they shifted and went sword to sword.

  Haulcon knew he had two of the strongest, most fierce and clever valfs at his side. He didn’t doubt for a moment that, even though they were slightly outnumbered, they could handle the challenge. Shifting his focus to Jacin who now stood, Haulcon leaped up on the table, flicked the sides of his long black coat behind him and began to walk toward his enemy.

  Jacin dropped fangs and hissed at him. He pulled a silver tipped blade from his pocket and angled the tip toward Haulcon. “You desire some more of this?”

  “If you were a true Alpha you’d be able to fight me without it. Where’s your power? Where’s your strength?” Haulcon taunted.

  Tossing the sword to the ground, Jacin yelled, “I’m plenty Alpha. I don’t need this to beat you. I will show you and my father I was the better choice, the rightful choice.” He leaped up onto the other end of the table.

  “You may not need a sword but you proved you need trickery and a group of men to subdue me first. Where are your men now?” Haulcon waved his hands out to his side, showcasing that his last two men were being slammed into the floors and walls.

  Roaring, Jacin charged at him.

  A human would have never seen him coming, because Jacin moved at valf speed, but Haulcon had no problem watching every step the man took toward him.

  Picking up the challenge, Haulcon raced toward him and swung. His fist connected with bone, knocking Jacin backwards.

  Haulcon had no time to relish in how good it felt to hit the man, something he’d wanted to do for more than three decades. He realized that he hadn’t come away from their first encounter unscathed. Glancing down he saw the marks through his black shirt and felt the burn caused by the other male’s nails cutting through the skin of his chest. A heartbeat later a tingling sensation started along his abdomen as his body already began to heal the wound.

  Recovering just as quick, Jacin jumped to the floor and flipped the table tossing all the dishes and Haulcon across the room.

  Before he could stop his body’s flight, Haulcon knocked into Friedol and the valf he was battling. All three of them came down with a crash.

  The stupid valf aligned with Jacin grabbed Haulcon by the head and tried to twist. Owing this man, Diggon, for being one of those who beat him and tied him out in the forest, Haulcon reached up, cupping the man’s face and buried his thumbs in his eyes pushing deep.

  “Ahhhh!” Diggon screamed and his hold went away as he scrapped and clawed at Haulcon’s hands trying to rid himself of the sightless pain.

  Gripping tighter, Haulcon flung the man over his head toward Friedol who shifted back to wolf form in a blink and caught the man by the thigh and ripped his leg off.

  Moving back to his own prey, Haulcon ran toward Jacin. Haulcon zig-zagged his pattern to keep out of the line of fire of the chairs Jacin was hurling at him. As he closed in on him, Haulcon caught the last chair and slammed it to the ground leaving only one splintered leg in his hand. Taking the other man by the throat he slammed him to the ground and plunged the stake into his heart, immobilizing him.

  Haulcon stared into the man’s eyes, dark brown from fighting rage and starting to lose color as fear took hold.

  Jacin was sputtering and gasping for breath. The stake would kill him. If Haulcon removed it, Jacin was a powerful enough valf that he could heal such a wound if given a chance.

  “The valf reaper told me to tell you he’s waiting for you at the gates of Hell.” Haulcon sank his fangs hard into the other man’s throat and drank fast, drawing hard to pull the thick blood from Jacin’s body. This man should have been his friend, his brother-in-arms, not his enemy.

  “No. N-o-o,” Jacin gurgled. He struggled, beating against Haulcon trying to gain purchase and shove him away.

  Haulcon held fast with all his weight and power, not stopping until he’d drained him dry, all the while Jacin’s body bucked and thrashed beneath his hold. Haulcon’s grip on the chair leg was so strong that it caused splinters to burrow deep in his hand.

  Feeling the valf’s last breath and heartbeat didn’t fill Haulcon with pride, but weighed his heart with grief.

  The room around Haulcon had gone silent. All fighting had come to an end. Moving to one of the silver tipped swords Jacin and his cohorts had made and used to terrorize the clan, Haulcon used it to behead his enemy. Grabbing a handful of black hair he held the head with its gaping mouth high over his head and stared at the packed room. He believed that every valf in the mansion had heard about the fight and was now standing before him.

  “I am Alpha. There will be division between us no more!” He shook the head. “We stand together. Fight together. Survive together. Never again in fear of one another.”

  “Alpha! Alpha! Alpha!” Friedol started the chant.

  “Alpha! Alpha!” Nyca continued it and the inhabitants of the room joined in with chants and cheers of their own.

  “Haulcon, Haulcon! Alpha, Alpha!”

  A warmth spread through his body as he felt the love and acceptance of his clan. He puffed out his chest with pride as he set Jacin’s head beside his body. He waved Nyca over to him.

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  With the back of his hand he wiped Jacin’s bitter tasting blood from his mouth. “Ensure all the fallen are buried with valf respect.”

  “Marco and I will bath, burn and bury their ashes ourselves,” she replied.

  “Thank you.”

  She started away then stopped and faced him again. “By the way, Alpha, that is one striking lock of gray.”

  He frowned at her unsure of what it was she was speaking.

  “May I?” She lifted a hand but did not touch him.

  “Proceed.”

  Raising her hand, she fingered the front of his hair and pulled down a section before his eyes.

  Bewildered, he stared at the chunk of hair between her fingers. He had no clue what exactly was the cause of it to emerge. In the long list of mysteries that had been taking place in his mind and body he would add this to it.

  Without further comment, she let it go, bowed and left.

  Haulcon watched the woman he would make commander of arms walk out of the room.

  “Listen, everyone.” Friedol lifted his arms to calm the room. When a hush fell all around, he continued, “Tonight will still be the offering ceremony to Haulcon, our new Alpha. Ridok’s choice.”

  The valfs erupted in more cheers until Friedol silenced them again.

  “Are there any objectors? If so let him or her come forth.” Friedol scanned the room appearing to make eye contact with the hundred or so valfs gathered.

  Haulcon held his breath. Usually there weren’t any objections when a dying Alpha names his successor. However, as they had seen with Jacin, dissension could arise in the ranks too fast. Also, he needed to know if there were any other loyalists to Jacin still remaining.

  No one stepped forward or murmured a word.

  Friedol turned to Haulcon and bowed his head. “Tonight I shall be the first to offer my wrist, Alpha of the South-East Valfs.”

  “Thank you, loyal friend.” Haulcon cupped his shoulder. “If you do not object, I would like to make you my second. When I am not present you speak for me.”

  “I would be honored.” Friedol pounded a fist to his own chest. His pale blue eyes clear with admiration.

  “Then go get dressed and organize a clean-up, then find your mate and bed. We have a lot to celebrate tonight!” Haulcon announced.

  “Will do, Alpha.” Friedol stepped away and began to speak with some of the valf, issuing instructions.

  Haulcon headed for the door accepting pats on the back as he passed through his clan. He needed to find his room, not only for rest because he was
exhausted physically and emotionally, but because he needed a bit of solitude. Taking the long spiral staircase down he didn’t stop until he arrived on the second-to-last level. His rooms would be moved to the lower level, the Alpha suite, after the offering ceremony but for now he didn’t care.

  Opening the thick wooden door he stared at the furnishings—a large bed, a wardrobe of clothing and a massive tub. Valfs didn’t need to bathe like humans. Their powers kept them clean, but they still enjoyed soaking in cool water, it refreshed them. One of the reasons the cave behind the waterfall had been a perfect hideout for him was he could swim for hours. Another myth that humans had of valfs, they viewed them like mythical vampires that feared water because they sank.

  Haulcon shook his head. Removing his clothing, he claimed his bed and sighed. Laying in the center he emptied his mind, trying not to think about the events of the day. Even though he’d been victorious, what had to happen brought him no joy. Every choice he made would dictate what kind of ruler he would be for his clan and he wanted to be one of the best—honored in death as those that had gone to the Great Spirit before him.

  Letting it all go, he exhaled and enjoyed the soft comfort below his back. He didn’t have to see the sun to know that it was up and full in the sky. His body began to feel the seduction of sleep. He was weary to the bone and needed the rest.

  He knew that most of his clan would find their own beds soon and rejoice in the pleasure of the flesh with their mate. Valfs were highly sexual. It was their aim in life to please and be pleased. After the battle his cock was already at semi-mass ready to celebrate in more sensual activities before sleep claimed him.

  There was a soft knock at his door.

  Rolling to his side, he faced the door. “Enter.”

  For a moment he expected it to be Friedol with a report, but as the door was pushed open the scent of a female valf came to him—Sylista.

  “Good day to you, Alpha.” Bare and seductive in her walk she moved into the room.

  “Hello, Sylista, what can I help you with?”