Page 84 of Theoden
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A FURIOUS UPRISING
I could tell I was being stalked… hunted, and whatever it was, was keeping downwind and to the shadows. The being had been following me since I fed on a man in the alley behind a tavern. I didn’t like being prowled, so I stopped and turned to face my prowler.
“Show yourself, vermin,” I snapped.
I looked to see the trees rustling in the wind, shadows dancing this way and that in the moonlight. But the presence kept itself hidden.
“Coward,” I declared.
That was when I heard the laughter.
That was when I saw several pairs of glowing yellow eyes from the darkness.
Werewolves, and more than I could handle on my own. Jesus, how had they breached our territory undetected?! There were at least twelve of them. I had never run from any battle, but perhaps I would have to on this night, if only to get a better advantage.
“Wolves foolish enough to think they can take on a vampire,” I stated, in hopes of intimidating them or maybe to draw them completely out of their hiding spots. “Especially me.”
“We know of what you can do, vampire. We have seen you use your fire to kill your own kind. That is why we are many,” the voice said from the darkness.
My vampire vision was excellent, but the wolf was hiding quite well. “If you mean to attack me, then do so!” I wasn’t sure if I would be able to take them on or not, but I would try.
Théoden, come home now, we are under attack!Ara warned me, using his mind’s voice. So, it would seem this was a coordinated assault if Ara already knew about it.
The wolves must have sensed I would flee because they all lunged at me at once, pouncing from their hiding places. Quickly, I conjured my fire, keeping some of them at bay while others came at me from behind. They were in various forms, some looked human while others took on their full wolf and half-wolf forms. I kicked at one snapping his teeth at me, his hot breath pelting me in the face as his razor-sharp teeth nearly took a chunk out of my cheek. More and more came from what seemed out of nowhere, it was more than twelve, and I knew this would be a battle I would lose if I stayed.
Swallowing my pride, I took to the skies still holding the wolf who had tried to bite me. He was snarling while I held his huge, furry head at bay. He scratched my face with a wild swing and managed to claw out one of my eyeballs. I growled in pain as blood gushed from my wound and with all the strength I had, I crushed his head, shattering his skull and smashing his brain. His eyes bulged and one popped out as his ears bled. It was a horrible sight, and one I was pleased with. I tossed him as far as I could, sending his body flying a great distance before he crashed into a tree. I seriously doubted he’d survive such an injuring, but his heart was still intact, so he might if he was old enough.
I covered my injured eye while it healed and flew back to the palace where, by the time I’d returned, I was fully restored and was able to see the siege taking place with both eyes clearly. My mouth dropped open and my heart jumped in my chest at what I saw. There were hundreds of wolves converging on the palace! Hundreds of them climbing the walls and breaking the windows. I could see several fires blazing ferociously throughout the palace and I knew it was probably the only way Ara could keep them at bay.
How could they take such advantage of us? How had we not seen this coming?!
I worried about the fate of my Father. I knew he still lived, but for how long?Father, where are you?
The bedroom, child. Come get me,Ara said, and I could hear the urgency in his voice.
I flew down, crashing through the balcony doors to see Ara with his swords in hand. The curved blades were dripping with blood. Ara himself had been attacked, his clothes were bloody and ripped to shreds. The door crashed open and the werewolves rushed in, so I conjured my fire as I ran towards Ara, taking him into my arms.
The fire kept the wolves away long enough for me to gather all of my speed and fly both Ara and I out of the palace. The wolves couldn’t reach us in the sky, and I flew with my Father in my arms to Nolan’s home because it was the closest, but it was also under attack. Now hovering and confused as to what to do next, I looked at Ara.
“What now? Is Nolan dead?”
“He lives and is seeking safety,” Ara said, his eyes closed, which let me know he was communicating with him and probably the rest of my brothers. “Take me to Evander.”
I widened my eyes, as I had never been to Evander’s palace. I knew where it was, because Tylendel had once shown it to me, but I dared never to enter it. This was a bold move for Ara to make. I didn’t question my Father’s command and only did as I was told.
“What about Titus and Karim?” I asked.
“Both have been warned in time, as have my other vampires still living. They are all safe, but I have lost many vampires on this day. Their deaths paralyzed me and nearly cost me my life. We need sanctuary,” Ara said, then sighed as he looked down, seeing the homes of vampires being attacked by the wolves. “Curse them! Foul beasts!” he growled in such seething rage, his eyes glowed red in his fury.
“I hope Evander lets us enter his territory,” I stated, feeling a little apprehensive of the breach.
“It is a risk we must take, Théoden. The sun will be rising soon, my vampires will be vulnerable with no place to flee to safety if we do not take this chance,” Ara said.
I had no idea how many vampires had been lost to this attack. I realized that I only sensed the death of my brothers, but no others of Ara’s lineage. Ara felt them all, and in various levels of agony. The fact that he was still alive only proved how powerful and skilled a fighter he was. To keep a horde of ravenous wolves from killing you all while being crippled by the pain of your bloodline dying couldn’t have been an easy feat.
I looked at Ara and his eyes were closed, and I knew he was communicating with the vampires in his territory. He needed that much concentration to get his mind’s voice out to the masses. I continued to focus on getting to Evander’s home and once we entered dragon territory, we were confronted by six dragons and not one of them was Tylendel.
