Page 6 of The Boys
“I can’t let you do that,” he said, and took out his wallet.
I set my hand on top of his to stop him. “Please, let me.”
“Okay, just this once. But next time is on me,” he said.
“Fair enough.” I stood and led him along the far side of the hotel. “This is where we usually serve breakfast. There’s a beautiful view of the mountains and if you look really hard over there, you can just see the glow of the volcano that keeps trying to erupt.”
“Really?” he said and stepped closer to the window. It was hard to see through the heavy snow, but I knew exactly where to look. “I can’t see it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you see it while you’re here. Come on, let me show you the rest.” I led him to the small gym and past it to the soaking tubs that were just outside next to the saunas. “If you want to work out you can use the gym anytime, and for after there are a couple of hot pots and a sauna.”
“Hot pots?”
“Sorry, force of habit. In America, you call them hot tubs. All our heat is geothermal, and we’re on our own grid so no matter how bad the storm gets we won’t lose power.” We learned long ago that power was a necessity. Not so much to keep the business running but so our special guests didn’t panic and leave before we were ready to take care of them. I glanced at my phone and knew time was running short and I needed to get Syd safely into his room.
“This really is an amazing operation. I’m excited to see more of the surrounding area. Hopefully there’s enough light tomorrow to see a little better than today,” Syd said. I gave him a knowing look that caused his eyes to widen. “Really?”
“Really, it’s probably not going to be much brighter tomorrow. Sorry. You could always visit the nearest village and maybe go to one of the big hot springs.”
“That does sound nice.” He yawned then, and I knew the time was right.
“Let’s get you to your room,” I said and this time he didn’t argue with me. “Get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.” We walked down the long hall to his room, and he opened his door but didn’t enter.
“Caleb?”
“Yes, Syd?”
“I really could use a hug,” he asked but his voice was so soft I barely heard him, and before I had a chance to think about it, he was in my arms, and I was holding him close. “Thank you.”
He buried his face in my neck, and I tried not to notice how perfectly he fit there and ignored the scent of him that was so mouthwatering it was hard to resist. But Iwouldresist. “Everything will be okay,” I said.
“I hope so, because it doesn’t feel like it will.” His voice was so full of hurt and pain, and the longer I stood there the harder it was to pull away from him. But a glance over his shoulder showed one of my brothers at the end of the hall waiting for me. It was time.
“Get a good night’s sleep and tomorrow I promise I’ll keep you so busy you won’t have time to think about your ex,” I promised.
He pulled back enough to meet my eyes and kissed my cheek. “Good night, Caleb,” he said as he closed the door to his room.
I turned and met my brother’s eyes as he smiled at me. His features wavered slightly and for a moment I could see his true form, and my own skin itched with the need to shed this glamour that kept me hidden. But not yet.
Seven
Caleb
Ihurried down thehall to the main room before turning and going down the stairs that led to an area where no guest was ever allowed. The walls changed from brick and mortar to the rough natural stones of a cave. As I walked deeper into the mountain my glamour faded. Gone was the smartly dressed businessman. My feet were large and heavy, but I was able to walk more quietly now. My hands were massive and covered in old scars, bumps, and wounds that didn’t heal quite right, and with nails I’d used as weapons many times. As I rounded the last corner my family were all gathered there.
“Son, tonight your brother will bring us the first meal of the Yule. I’ve missed you all so much.” , my mother, stood by the huge cauldron she’d been cooking humans in for centuries. She towered over all of us, a giant mountain troll who was more powerful and deadly than any other. Parents used stories of her to keep their kids in line, but it wasn’t the children we were after. No, we had moved on from the children. Now we all preferred adults who had been touched by evil. “The broth is ready. We only need the special ingredient; your brother should be here any second.”
In this form we didn’t speak the way we did when we were human, we didn’t need to. Separately we were strong enough and fast enough to kill any human without a minimum of effort, but together nothing could stop us. Each year we made sure the hotel had twelve special guests. We treated them like kings and queens until the night of Yule they were chosen for, and tonight was no exception.
“Who are you? What do you want with me?” a voice echoed through the cave and my brothers all stirred in anticipation. Finally, Gully shoved the human to the ground; a hood over his head kept him blinded, but he wasn’t tied. For a moment he didn’t move, then he slowly slid the hood up. The moment he realized he had no chance of escape was obvious. His eyes were wide in fright, and he shook from head to foot. He may not know what we were, but he knew to fear us.
One of us started to growl and it spread through the cave until we’d all joined in. “Bring him,” Mother shouted.
“No, no stop please, I don’t know what’s happening.” We all knew who he was and what he was guilty of, but that had already been settled months ago, now was time for him to pay. Mother grabbed him in her massive hand which covered most of his body. “No!” he continued to scream out while a rumble of excitement echoed through the room.
“David Jameson, tonight you pay for your sins,” Mother said, but to him it would sound like the grunts and groans of a wild animal, and even though he didn’t understand, he started to scream. Mother took out her knife and cut off his head before throwing him into the boiling cauldron. None of us cared what he was guilty of, or what his name was. It was all a formality and a tradition. Something which soothed our unyielding need to feed on human flesh, and once a year that need was satisfied.
I glanced at the carvings that had been in this cave from the very first time Mother brought me here to meet my brothers. It depicted a giant troll boiling children and eating them. It was a need we all shared and one none of us could control. We kept this tradition, but now we fulfilled the need in a different way. Now we made adults who deserved it pay.
