Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

Winter

"You're a werewolf?" Alec blurts out.

A sheepish look crosses Damon's face. "Well ... yes."

Alec and I stare at each other. We definitely did not see that coming.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," Damon says. "It's not exactly something you share with everyone you come across. And then I saw you both do those amazing things ..." His eyes widen, and he smiles big.

"We thought you'd left," is all I can think to say.

His face falls. "No. I'm sorry if it looked that way. I snuck off to shift. I thought, maybe if I did it in secret, then I could change back, and you wouldn't know it was me, and ..." He rubs the back of his head and looks away.

I'm still having trouble finding words. Damon is like us! Well, not one hundred percent, since Alec is a vampire, and I'm a ... something.

But he's close enough.

"Thank you." My eyes fill with tears. "Thank you for saving us."

He nods. "I wouldn't leave."

Alec clears his throat. "Were you going to tell us?"

I glower at him. "We weren't going to tell him about what we are."

"What are you, exactly?" Damon cocks his head at me.

I look at my hands. "I wish I knew."

I also wish I could control my powers better. Whenever I think I'm getting the hang of them, everything is flipped upside down, and I'm reminded that I don't really know what I'm doing. It's more that sometimes I get lucky.

Damon looks at me with concern. "That must be difficult."

I nod. "It is. But I'll figure it out. I'm getting better."

"So, your story about your dad was a lie?" Alec asks. "About you being on an archaeology hunt?"

"No. That was true. I come from a line of archaeologists ... and werewolves."

I swear, Alec looks disappointed, like he hoped to call Damon out on a fib. I jab my elbow into his arm, and he twists his lips and looks away.

"Hey," I say, "do you know about Hawthorn? About what it is?"

Damon's face lights up. "I went there. That's ... Oh, no. You said you were looking for the coin to help ... You ..." He looks stricken. "What happened to Hawthorn?"

"Silver Hunters happened." Alec folds his arms.

Damon looks like he's about to collapse. "Oh my God."

"They took over the school," I explain. "Killed a lot of people. We think there are survivors still, though. If we can get the coin, then we can help them."

"Of course." Damon nods. "Then we can't waste any more time."

A shrill call carries across the grass. By the way Damon freezes, I know it's not good.

"Uh, what's that?" I ask.

"Sounds like another monster looking for dinner," Alec grimly responds.

Damon nods. "Werewolf hearing is a bit more sensitive than human hearing. It's definitely not good."

"Vampire hearing is really sensitive," Alec points out.

Oh my God. Seriously? He's going to bring out the machismo right now?

"We need to move," I say, looking around frantically. "Now."

"Which way?" Alec asks.

Damon scans the area. "That way." He points to the left. "It looks like a cave over there, between those rocks. We can hide there."

We take off running, our feet pounding against the ground. My heart is racing, and I can feel my adrenaline pumping. The sound is getting louder, more frantic.

I risk a glance over my shoulder, and I see the source of the noise. It's a group of creatures, their eyes glowing red in the darkness. I can't tell what they are, but they're definitely not friendly.

And they're gaining on us.

We all sprint towards the cave, the creatures hot on our heels. I can hear their growls and snarls and the sound of their sharp claws scraping against the ground.

Something grabs at my pants, and I stumble. Alec grabs my arm and pulls me back up, but it's too late. A creature tackles me, and I go down.

I gasp in pain as I hit the ground. The creature's claws dig into my skin as it snarls, getting ready to strike. I frantically look around, searching for a way out. But there's nothing. We're trapped.

Curling my hand into a fist, I punch the creature in the head hard as I can. It stumbles a bit but doesn't get off me. If anything, it seems to be extra pissed now.

Its teeth sink into my shoulder, and I scream out in pain. Alec is there in an instant, pulling the creature off me and tossing it aside.

We make a run for it, dodging and weaving around the creatures. They keep coming at us, but we're faster.

"Get inside!" Damon yells, and we follow him into the cave. “They won’t come in here.”

Luckily, it's roomy. We slip around some rocks and crouch down low.

We huddle together, listening as the creatures growl and snarl outside. My eyes dart around the cave, searching for any possible exit or escape route. But it's too dark to see anything.

I curse under my breath. We're trapped.

"What are those things?" Alec asks, panting heavily.

Damon's expression is grim. "They're sprites. Grass sprites. I don’t think they’ll come in here. They don’t like environments that aren’t like their natural ones."

I lean against the cave wall. "How do we get out of here?"

"We wait," Damon says. "Eventually, they'll move on. Sprites have a short attention span."

The creatures pace back and forth at the entrance, their footsteps echoing through the narrow cave. Alec stands in front of us, his fangs bared, and his eyes glowing with a fierce intensity. Damon is taut as well, his body tense and ready for action. He seems to be right about grass sprites not wanting to come into a cave, but none of us are willing to let down our guard.

I glance down at my own hands, wishing that I had something to contribute. But my powers are unpredictable, and I don't want to risk hurting Damon or Alec by accident. It's such a tight space in here, so if I can't perfectly direct my powers, then they'll get hurt.

Finally, the pacing and the growling fades. The monsters have left, either because they're afraid of the cave or—like Damon said—they've lost interest in us.

Sighing with relief, I straighten up. "That was close."

"I wonder how far this goes." Alec's footsteps journey into the darkness.

I want to tell him to stop, but then I remember his eyesight is better than mine. If anyone can navigate through here, it's him.

Damon and I follow, my hands stretched out in front of myself.

The cave is uneven and rocky, and I stumble a few times before getting the hang of it. Alec leads us deeper and deeper, his vampire senses guiding him through the darkness.

The air grows colder, and the smell of damp earth fills my nostrils. I shiver, not just from the cold but from the sense of foreboding that washes over me. This cave feels endless, and I can't shake the feeling that we're not alone down here.

Alec comes to a sudden stop, and I nearly bump into him. "What is it?" I whisper.

He doesn't answer, but I can see his eyes glowing in the dark. I follow his gaze and see a faint light in the distance.

Damon moves ahead, his steps careful and measured. "That could be a way out," he says, his voice low. "Or it could be something else entirely."

We approach the light cautiously, our hearts pounding. As we get closer, I can see that it's coming from a narrow passageway that leads upwards.

"What do you think?" Damon asks.

"Same thing I always do," I answer. "What have we got to lose?"

"Good question."

Alec goes first, his nimble fingers finding purchase on the rocky surface. I follow, my heart in my throat. The passageway is so narrow that I have to squeeze myself through, my body scraping against the rough walls.

Water drips somewhere in the cave. It should be getting darker as we walk but instead it's getting lighter.

Finally, the passageway widens. We emerge into a small, round cavern with a hole in the top. It's like a skylight letting in the moon's beams.

"Wow," I breathe.

For only the hundredth time, I wonder who designed this pocket dimension. They were creative, that's for sure.

"It's kind of romantic," I say.

We stand there for a moment, basking in the moonlight. It's a peaceful moment, a welcome respite from the chaos that's been our lives lately.

But then something moves in the shadows, and the moment is shattered.

Damon is the first to react, his body tensing up. "What was that?"

I strain to see in the darkness, but there's nothing there. "I don't know," I say slowly. "But I don't like it."

There's the distinct sound of Alec's fangs popping out. "Who's there?" he demands.

My breath hitches in my chest, and I look to where he's facing. Two figures emerge from the shadows, their hands raised.

"It's okay," a man says.

"We don't mean you any harm," his companion—a woman—adds.

There are more people here?!

I study the two of them, my heart racing. They look human, but with the way things have been going lately, I don't know if I can trust anyone.

The woman is short, but her shoulders are broad, and her hands are rough with calluses. Her hair is pulled away from her face in a tight bun, with a couple of dark brown strands sticking out. The man is tall and well-built, his dark hair messy and his chin covered in stubble. His t-shirt hangs loose on his toned body.

I glance over to Alec and Damon, who are both tensed and ready to fight if necessary.

"What are you doing here?" Alec demands.

"We've been trapped here." The woman steps forward. "Just like you are, am I right?"

No one says a thing. It's like we're all waiting for someone else to speak first, for someone to trip up and reveal the truth.

"That's right," I finally say. "We're trapped."

Are they looking for the coin too? Or did they just happen upon the lighthouse?

I don't see how that last option is possible, with the old man guarding the portal in the lighthouse. I doubt he would let anyone pass if they weren't looking for the coin.

"We can help each other," the woman says. "We've been trying to find a way out of here, but we haven't been able to. Maybe together we can figure it out. I'm Elena and this is Hank."

There's something gentle in her eyes, and I feel my defenses come down.

"I'm Winter," I say. "And this is Alec, and this is Damon. You haven't seen anyone else here, have you?"

"No. You're the first." Elena cocks her head at me. "You're looking for the relic, aren't you? The coin?"

I hesitate. If I say yes, does that mean that we're automatically rivals? Damon has seemed trustworthy so far, but we've only just met these new people.

But then I see the desperation in Elena's eyes, and I know that we're all in the same boat. We're all trapped in this strange dimension, and we all want to find a way out.

"Yes," I finally say. "We're looking for the coin."

Hank nods, his eyes sharp. "We are too. Maybe we can work together."

Alec looks like he's about to protest, but Damon puts a hand on his shoulder. "We don't have any other options. The more people we have searching, the better."

Alec grudgingly nods.

"What do you need the coin for?" Hank asks.

"To protect people who need it," I jump in before anyone else can answer.

Elena and Hank share a look, but what it means I can't tell.

"Us too," Elena nods. "We had heard about its power, and we wanted to find it to help the world."

Hank blows out a breath. "With something like that, a person could end war. Could end hunger."

Elena looks at the cave floor. "We were part of a team trying to retrieve it, but we got separated from the others right before we ended up in this place. I don't even know how long we've been here for."

"Sounds familiar," Damon says.

"I'm sorry." My heart aches for the two of them. Aches for Damon. Aches for myself and Alec.

Finding the coin is suddenly more important than ever before.

"Have you found any clues since you got here?" I lick my lips. "We're looking for a river to cross. Damon thinks maybe the coin is on the other side."

Hank shakes his head. "No, we haven't found any river. But we have found something else."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of parchment. It's old and worn, with faded ink.

"What is it?" Alec demands.

"It's a map," Elena explains. "We think of this place. It seems to lead to something important."

"Like the coin?" Damon asks.

Hank nods. "Possibly."

“Can I?” I gesture at the map.

“Sure.” Hank hands it over immediately, which is a bit of a surprise. We just met and yet he already seems to trust us.

Holding the map up, I study the etchings. A trail winds through the caves and then over some hills, leading to a ...

A river!

My mind races with possibilities. A map to the coin? Who would have left this here?

And are they still here?

Or was it the creator of this pocket dimension that planted the map?

"What's past the river?" I ask. The river is where the map ends.

Hank shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"It could be a trap," Alec says, putting words to what I'm already thinking. "Something meant to throw us off."

"It could be." I look up at him, remembering what he said about things here appearing to be too good to be true. This place wasn't designed to help us out.

"Or it could be our only chance," I counter. "We won't know what's out there until we go."

He knows the other option, and it doesn't need to be stated out loud. If we don't take chances, we'll never find the coin, and if we never find the coin, we'll never get out of here.

"The real problem," Hank says, "is that things are always changing around here. You can sit on a hill one hour and then come back later and find it's gone."

"Exactly," Damon says. "So, while this map looks helpful, it could be the opposite of what we need."

I chew on the edge of my thumbnail. That is a real problem. "It does seem to suggest that the river is important, though. So that's something."

"What's that way?" Hank nods past us. "The way you came?"

"Bad news," Alec says. "We were chased into here by a hoard of monsters. Grass sprites."

Elena's eyes widen. "There are grass sprites here? Yikes. We haven't run into those yet."

Hank sighs. "Right. I guess it's back the other way then. We've been walking in here for a while, and it looks like there's a pretty extensive cave system. Here. Check this out."

He walks back into the darkness, waving for us to follow. Damon and Alec go, but I don't bother. Elena is looking at me like she wants to say something to me, and I get the sense she wants it to happen in private.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" she asks softly, gesturing for me to follow her a little ways away from the group. I nod and follow her, my curiosity piqued.

“How are you holding up?” she asks once we’re a safe distance away from the others.

“I’m … okay.” Whether that’s the truth or not, I can’t afford to dissect it. I need to focus my energy on being strong.

“It’s nice to meet you.” She chuckles. “I’m glad I’m not the only girl here now. I love Hank to death, don’t get me wrong, but men can be … rash, though. Know what I mean?”

I nod slowly, studying her face. "Yeah, I guess so."

Alec, though, is the opposite. Sometimes he’s too cautious.

"I can tell you know," she says, her voice gentle. "And like I said, I’m glad to have you here. Us women need to stick together. I feel like we're all on the same team."

I smile a little, feeling a warmth in my chest. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but I have a feeling about you. Like we were meant to find each other here."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I have," she says, her voice soft. "Like we're supposed to work together to find the coin. Together, we're stronger."

I study her for a moment, analyzing every word she's said. It's true that I feel a connection to her, but I can't tell if it's just because we're both trapped here or if there's something more to it.

"I'm glad you're here." She laughs, and it's a light and airy sound. "It's a relief to see another female after ... God, I don't know how long we've been here." She shakes her head at the ground.

I chuckle. "Yeah. But at least you've been here with your husband."

Her cheeks turn red. "Oh, Hank isn't ... He's not my husband."

My jaw drops. "Sorry. I thought that you two were ..."

"No. It's okay." She smiles. "Don't worry about it."

I clear my throat, still feeling incredibly awkward.

"What about you and ... Alec, right?" She nods at the direction the guys went in.

I shove my hands into my pants pockets, feeling awkward. People are always asking about me and Alec, and I don't know what to say.

"It's complicated," I answer.

"Mm." She raises her eyebrows. "It often is."

"Yeah, we actually just met last week. A lot ... a lot has happened since then."

She nods, understanding written all over her face. "I can imagine. But you know, sometimes the most intense connections are formed in the strangest circumstances. Maybe you two were brought here for a reason."

"Yeah. It's weird." I chuckle, feeling a little relieved to have someone to talk to about it. "But I feel like I can trust him. And he's been a big help in getting us this far."

Suddenly, I feel a vibration beneath my feet. A second later, it turns into a full-on shake, all corners of the cave trembling.

"An earthquake," I gasp.

Damon emerges from the darkness, Alec and Hank on his heels. "Nope. It's worse."

"What could be worse?" I moan, looking around myself but not knowing what to do. Are those creatures still out there?

Damon grimaces. "The landscape is changing again. We need to get out of here before we're crushed like bugs."

He's barely finished speaking before part of the cave crumbles and spills around us.

"Too late," Hank says.