Chapter 4

Dawn spoke as they made their way back to the modest apartment building. Not that Sara cared to listen to the blind bag. The ivory staff heralded every step Dawn took. "Now, our job is to keep Xorag's minions from finding the key to his prison. Before you ask, the void is where Daenerys locked her brother up."

"What does that have to do with me," Sara found herself caring less and less by the minute.

"Your ancestors aided the primal goddess in her quest to banish him."

"Are you pulling the destiny card?"

"Yes."

A balled fist shook with anger, "I don't have a choice?" Sara spoke between clenched teeth.

A tormented smile appeared on Dawn's face. "Your family may have forgotten its sacred duty. Xorag has not." She held Sara's forearm."He'll come for you for the insult offered to him."

It wasn't fair. Sara wanted nothing more than a peaceful life. "Why?"

"Who understands the mind of a god?"

"I don't."

Dawn giggled, "Then let's assume you don't have a choice."

Sara saw the red and black 1970 Ford Thunderbird parked in her designated spot. She fumbled in her pocket for the key. She felt fangs pierce flesh, and blood poured from the fingertip, "Ow. Hey, what gives."

The familiar crawled out of her pocket, yipped at her, and settled on Dawn's shoulder. "Looks like your little friend prefers me."

"Who cares?" Sara haughtily opened the passenger door. "I have to grab a few things from my apartment. I'll be right back, I promise."

Dawn leaned the staff next to her, "Make it quick. Xorag will not wait to make a move."

***

Dawn slammed the door to her lousy apartment and pressed her back against it. She slid down to the floor, face engulfed by her hands. A scream of frustration escaped her lungs and reverberated off walls. She allowed herself to cry for a few moments. She never asked for this.

When the tears dried up, Sara packed a bag with some extra clothes and a carton of cigarettes. There was no way she'd spend all that time with Dawn without nicotine coursing through her veins. Her eyes caught the picture of her father. Did he know about their secret past? Is that why he sent Desmond off to die?

Sara stared at second-hand furniture and knew it would be some time before she returned. She shut the door. The soft click of the lock had an air of finality while the key pulled free. "Here's hoping the journey works out."

***

As Sarah approached the car, she saw Dawn's head poke out the window. A tall figure spoke with her. As she drew closer, that someone turned out to be Liam. His handsome face and gentle manner caused an ache in Sara's heart. She would keep him from getting involved.

"So you're Sarah's mother?" Liam asked, "She never mentioned you before."

Dawn held his hand, "We're like oil and water. Sometimes it's like that between mothers and daughters." Her hand ran up his arm, "You must work out. You feel strong."

"Thank you, Mrs. Whitlock. I can see Sara inherited her beauty from you.

Sara could feel the inner wolf claw at her mind. How dare she bring him anywhere near their grim mission. "Mother, can I have a quick word with you."

"Could you give us a minute Liam?" Dawn asked.

Liam offered a warm smile in Sara's direction, "Of Course. I'll hang out over there. You don't see a classic street bike like that anymore."

Both Dawn and Sara smiled until Liam turned his back, "What the hell are you doing?" Sara desperately tried to control the volume of her voice. "Liam is a good man. I don't want him involved in our mission."

"Is that so? I get the impression he'd follow you anywhere." Dawn glanced over at the Liam, "We might need him."

"Need him for what?"

Dawn handed her a piece of paper printed in colored ink, "Greenbank West Virginia experiences bizarre animal attacks."

"Are you crazy? The Silent Fang Pack lives in the area. They are not the friendliest of people. I highly doubt the Silent Fangs will allow the attacks to continue in their territory." Sara crossed her arms and lit a cigarette. She watched the smoke drift skyward.

Dawn played with the glove box. A tormented smile appeared on Dawn's face as she slammed it closed. "What if the Silent Fangs are responsible? Should we let them continue unchallenged?"

Sara stared at Liam over the car roof, "I don't understand why we need Liam to do that."

"He's a Silent Fang."

"I would've smelled the wolf on him."

"Why do you think they call themselves the Silent Fangs? You can't detect them through sight or smell. If you don't believe me open the eldritch eye. All werewolves have blood-red aura. It's the one thing a Silent fang can't hide."

Using the eldritch eye to track animals was one thing. To use it on a human left Sara with an unclean sensation. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes." Dawn tightened the cloth around her eyes, "I need you. Dishonesty won't serve anyone in this situation." A slender finger pointed toward Liam, "Go ahead, prove me wrong."

Sara focused on the third eye. The skin peeled back, and the world came alive in a kaleidoscope of color. As promised, a crimson hue surrounded Liam. It flowed around him like blood. She lowered her hand while it shook with fear. "Was he looking for me?"

"Well, you'd be dead by now if that was his intention. You didn't know what he was until I showed you. Perhaps he came to forget a violent past." Dawn almost sounded like a person. "Why didn't you look at me with your eldritch eye?"

"I know you aren't human," Sarah threw the butt on the ground and stomped on it. "I'd rather not know what you are."

"One day, you will look," Dawn promised. "Now, are we taking tall, dark, deadly with us?"

***

Dawn slept or pretended to sleep in the back seat. Sara thanked her lucky stars for it too. It gave her time to get used to Liam. She opted to open the conversation with a jolt. "When did you leave the Silent Fangs?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Liam adopted a look reserved for people who jump in cold water.

"Who are the Silent Fangs."

"Among the werewolf community, they are regarded as assassins. They've learned to hide their werewolf scent. It's how they became Silent Fangs. You couldn't hear, smell, or see them coming."

"How did you know I was a werewolf?" Liam stared with longing out the window. "Sounds like a formidable pack nobody should mess with." He stole a look at Sara and asked, "Where are we going anyway?"

"I'm a werewolf too." Sara kept her face neutral. "Do you want to know?"

"I'm caught in the middle. Part of me wants to know. The other would prefer to know the destination."

Sara stole a page from Dawn's book and handed the sheet of paper to Liam without taking her eyes off the road. "We are headed here."

The terror on Liam's face told all. "Why is my dad's hometown on this paper."

"You should know that. Greenbank is Silent Fang territory. "

"I don't know. I'm not from there. My father doesn't like to talk about the past."

The revelation rocked Sara to the core. "Did your father say why he left?"

Liam turned and faced her. His kind green eyes dazzled Sarah's mind. For half a second, she forgot the grim purpose of the journey. "I grew up outside the pack. We lived close to the Battleborn Wolves. Noble warriors tended the forest and kept watch on the humans."

"Did all of your family come with you..." Sara started to say.

Dawn sat up and screamed loud enough to crack the windshield. "We have to stop in Quigley's Castle in Arkansas."

Liam turned to Sara, "Does your mother have night terrors often?"

Sara clutched the steering wheel. Dawn had to stomp all over her moment with Liam. "We drifted apart. I couldn't say why she screamed like that."

"I need to pee," Dawn said in a feeble voice. "Sara, will you join me at the next rest stop."

***

They stopped at a gas station and diner. Dawn played the feeble blind woman until they entered the bathroom. "I think they found one of the keys." Dawn removed the cloth from her eyes and revealed empty sockets and thick scars. "I'll tell you the story of my eyes some other time."

"Should we tell Liam the truth?" Sara asked.

"Go right ahead. However, it won't change our mission." Dawn's impatience came out in her words. "Now, the keys aren't metal objects. They are specific creations of Xorag. Deadly beasts made to open the gates for the twisted god."

"Arkansas, here we come," Sara said.