13 comments/ 15101 views/ 21 favorites Fondest Dreams Ch. 01 By: lilgirlsix Fondest Dreams – Chapter 1 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ An extra-special thanks to our wonderful beta readers: Cookie, Dragonflight, Guy, Katgoddess, and Wolfheart! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: When I wrote Destruction of the Vlkolak, it was an emotional time when it came to killing off Zsálya. I had come to love the character and enjoyed writing for her. I wanted her to find happiness as much as Archangel did, but maybe not quite for the same reasons. However, I had sealed her fate in Wolf's Pet and I couldn't see a way out of it. So when Archangel suggested this storyline, I jumped at the idea, and at the opportunity to write for this special character with a special friend. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: As you know, I've had the privilege of being Lil's editor for some time now, and now I also have the great pleasure of co-authoring with her. I must admit that I'm a bit nervous, since this is the first story I've published on Lit. I hope I can measure up to my co-author's reputation. The story you are about to read is a potpourri of my writing and LG6's. We have each improved the other's work, and we have vetted all dialogue and actions for our respective characters with each other. It is my custom to offer music suggestions to my readers. The suggestion for this chapter is "High Spirits" by Vedrim. For any new readers, you should have at least read LG6's story The Destruction of the Vlkolak first if you want to understand this one. Ideally, you should read the whole Baxterverse. The proper order is: Wolf's Pet; The Twins Take Over; The Destruction of the Vlkolak; Out of Darkness; and Remembrance of Things Past. More notes at the end of the chapter. Enjoy! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Glossary: - waldeinsamkeit – German – the feeling of being alone in the woods. - mage – English – a practitioner of magic who did not gain his/her power by contracting with an angel or demon. - truesilver – English – Peculiarly strong, lightweight metal, extremely rare and only found deep in the Earth's crust. Truesilver is prized for its beauty and its affinity for magical enchantments. Also known by its Dwarven name: "mithral." - schwachenhund – German – "weak dog" - Frauen! – German – "Women!" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, This is for the sake of simplicity, since there is much more Hungarian than German spoken. The occasional bits of actual German in the dialogue are merely for flavor. Actual German on its own is not in carrots.} ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ December 30, 1857 The only aspect of dreamwalking that was actually bad, Wilhelm von Helsing maintained, was that the experience was impossible to describe to normal people. The reason was simple: normal senses went out the window in what he thought of as the In-Between, and therefore all the words people normally used to describe experiences were moot. He was currently moving through the In-Between, observing countless amalgams of imagination and thought, each of which comprised one person's dream. Over the fifteen years or so since his ability had manifested itself, Wilhelm has walked through the dreams of all manner of people. Most were chaotic and made no real sense, but with experience they gave fascinating insight into the mental and emotional state of their owners. But that was not Wilhelm's goal tonight. Tonight, as he had for the past fortnight, the second son of the von Helsing family was testing just how far he could travel in the In-Between. He had begun to theorize that, in the In-Between, the distance of various dreams relative to the dreamwalker's physical location remained constant. However, there seemed to be no concept of direction. For instance, traveling two hundred miles outwards from his home (which was roughly in the middle of the North Sea), Wilhelm was equally likely to encounter sleepers in the British Isles, Scandinavia, or Denmark. He was quite a bit further away than that at the moment, but how far exactly was a mystery. Wilhelm's solution was simple: he would stop and ask somebody where he was. In execution, this was not nearly as simple as it sounded. Entering any one of the dreams around him was as easy as breathing, but communicating with a dreamer was tricky at best. In a very real sense, any person is at his or her most powerful when dreaming. Each dreamer creates his own personal bubble of reality and can shape it to his every whim. Most people, however, are not aware when they dream, instead letting their wild imaginations run amok. The bottom line to a dreamwalker like Wilhelm was that simply popping into a randomly chosen dream was rather useless. Most people in a dream state would not comprehend a simple question like "where are you," even without a language barrier. To combat this rather annoying set of facts, Wilhelm had learned to look for dreams that were relatively organized and stable. This usually indicated someone who was aware within his or her dream, and who could therefore answer questions. He had met all manner of fascinating people in this way. Some had been quite friendly. Some had tried to kill him. One vampiress had taken great delight in attempting to traumatize him with as much disturbing imagery as possible. Wilhelm was in no danger; though a dreamer could marshal the very fabric of his personal bit of reality to destroy an intruder, a dreamwalker could simply wake up at any time, instantly and completely returning to reality. But doing that meant 'losing his place' in the In-Between, which Wilhelm preferred to avoid. Wilhelm reminded himself. It appeared very stable, with a sense of peacefulness to it. There was an odd sort of darkness hovering around it, though. For some reason he could not explain, the darkness reminded Wilhelm of a thick blanket, poised and about to be wrapped around the face of a murder victim. Hovering doom aside, the dream appealed to the young man very much. His decision made, he moved towards the pocket of reality and slipped inside. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Wilhelm took a very long moment to simply stare at the dream world he'd entered. He was in a pine forest, the green needles glazed with hoarfrost by the winter's ice and snow. The cold shook him back to his senses—deep, bitter cold. It was then that he realized how compete and... well, normal this dream was. Its owner's mind was either highly disciplined or naturally gifted. Was he or she even human? Parahumans, as magical scholars called them, seemed to have more control over their dreams than typical humans. Well, he would see soon enough. As always when first entering another's dream, Wilhelm was stark naked. He would look exactly like himself to the dreamer when they met—every soul knew what its body looked like—but he had no wish to shock the dreamer with his nudity. Accordingly, the first step was always to 'think' himself a suit of clothes. Wilhelm imagined a thick woolen tunic of deep green hue, thick black trousers, and black leather gloves and jackboots. To combat the cold here he imagined his socks being doubly thick, as well as his blue hooded cloak. No sooner had he pictured the clothing he wanted than he was wearing it. In a dream, reality bent to the whim of the mind, and his clothes would stay until he either he or the dreamer sought to change them. Now guarded against the cold, Wilhelm made his way through the forest. His booted feet made all the proper soft 'crunching' noises in the fresh snow, and once again he marveled at the distinct detail of this dream. This must be a real place, he surmised, and the dreamer must know it very well. Another interesting fact is that one hour in the waking world can be as many as five or six in a dream. Wilhelm therefore took his time walking through the sleeping forest, enjoying the waldeinsamkeit. He soon reached the edge of the woods, looking out at a large meadow. Then he saw her. A black she-wolf was running across the field. Rather, "frolicking" was a better word, Wilhelm decided. She was playing, purely and simply enjoying herself. And she was definitely the dreamer of this dream. Though Wilhelm had little psionic aptitude, it was quite easy to feel another's mind from inside her dream. He was limited to empathic contact rather than true telepathy, but the wolf in the middle of the meadow clearly had human emotions within her. Alongside her human "twist" of emotions (as Wilhelm thought of it) was another "twist," simpler and stronger, that he recognized even though he could not read it. She was a Werewolf. Wilhelm had met Werewolves before, and he rather liked them. In his experience they were plainspoken and fair-minded, with a strong belief in live and let-live. Many humans could learn from that example. Weres also tended to react badly to being surprised. Though he moved quietly by force of habit, Wilhelm made no attempt to mask his scent or to shield his presence. She would notice him soon enough, he was sure. In the meantime, the young man leaned against a tree and really looked at the dreamer for the first time. There was a simple beauty about her that made him smile, and the joy she was feeling right now was infectious. It was the complete abandon of a person who usually held the weight of the world on her shoulders and suddenly found it lifted. Wilhelm's brothers were the same way on the rare occasions when they got drunk. The young female before him, though, had a purity of spirit that he had never before seen in a mortal being. She reminded Wilhelm of nothing so much as an angel. A beautiful black-furred angel, playing in the snow. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya loved the time she spent alone here. It was so different from home and her everyday life. Here there were no visions of darkness to haunt her, no father or grandmother worrying over her. This was her freedom, and she reveled in it. And winter was her favorite time of year. Or at least until spring burst forth with new life. And then of course there were summer and fall. But for now it was winter, and she wanted to play in the snow. She loved the feel of the ice on a fresh layer of snow when her paws broke through for the first time. She loved the taste of fresh snow on her tongue and the coldness of it on her nose. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Time slipped by and by, but the little black angel, as Wilhelm had begun to think of her, still did not appear to notice him. Perhaps she didn't know that her snowy sanctuary could be entered. Perhaps she had seen him and simply didn't care. Wilhelm was torn between his desire to keep watching her at play and the thought that he should make himself known. For one thing, he had come here for a reason, but he was also feeling increasingly guilty for watching her like a common voyeur. Squaring his shoulders, Wilhelm decided to introduce himself. No sooner had he reached the edge of the meadow when the she-wolf froze, her emotions changing from joy to stark terror, with a thin undercurrent of despair. She was facing away from him, though, so Wilhelm knew that it wasn't him she feared. Following the line of her gaze, he saw another black Werewolf emerging from the tree line on the opposite side of the meadow. Zsálya had had the feeling she was being watched for quite some time. The same black wolf that stalked her dreams each night was back. She hoped that someday he would leave her alone, leave her to her joy and fun. But no, he always found a way to send her screaming into the waking world. Maybe she could outrun him, just this once. Maybe she would elude him, just this one time. Where the angel's fur was a glossy, shimmering black, this newcomer's fur looked matte-black to Wilhelm, sinister rather than sensual. He had black eyes too, a sharp contrast with the little angel's sapphire orbs. The expression in those beady black eyes, though, made Wilhelm's blood boil. He had seen that expression once before, in the eyes of a rapist about to take a victim in a back-alley in Hamburg. Wilhelm didn't need to think about what to do: an innocent was in danger, and he had to protect her. The well-trained young human was already sprinting across the snowy field, his feet scarcely touching the ground as he streaked past the little she-wolf and charged her assailant. The intruder reacted with a bellowing snarl, raising his hackles and baring his teeth. Though he was not a live person—no emotions, either wolf or human—he seemed somehow more substantial than normal dreamstuff. Zsálya had expected the black wolf, despite hoping she would be wrong... but a human in her dream? She had never dreamt of a human before. And he seemed to be protecting her! Could it be? She watched in fascination as the human went on the attack and faced the other Werewolf. She was spellbound, her eyes following his every move. Was he someone she had seen in the forest? She didn't remember ever meeting a human. Putting his observation to the test, Wilhelm focused his thoughts on the he-wolf as the two circled, eyeing each other warily. The rapist wolf was not. He did not exist. Wilhelm's mind narrowed upon that point, trying to think the he-wolf out of existence. No effect. Normal dreamstuff would have simply vanished. Wilhelm had never encountered anything like this before, but such things were written of in Res Inter Somnia, an ancient text about Dreamwalking that he had read. The cause of such things had not been stated, but the tome was quite definite that the offending entity must be engaged and destroyed on its own terms, within the context of the dream. Sehr gut. He would deal with this rapist as he had the human one in Hamburg. Smiling grimly, Wilhelm willed his hooded cloak away and cracked his knuckles. The he-wolf roared and leapt for Wilhelm's throat. Wilhelm reflexively thought a longsword into his hands as he sidestepped, bringing his blade down like a cleaver on his opponent's suddenly exposed flank. The would-be rapist bellowed in pain but landed well, jumping back a bit and growling low in his throat. The bloody wound began to close before Wilhelm's eyes, leaving only a line of blood-matted fur behind. Wilhelm chastised himself. A moment's concentration, and his sword changed from tempered steel into mage-wrought truesilver. "" he asked aloud. The intruder obliged, leaping with incredible speed for the human's vulnerable throat. In one smooth motion, Wilhelm knelt and braced his arms, keeping his sword vertical directly in the wolf's path. The razor-sharp blade gutted the wolf from chin to groin. Innards spilled from its belly as the corpse impacted the snow with a sickly thud. The sizzling sound and sickening smell of the truesilver's effect on the Werewolf's body turned Wilhelm's stomach. Wilhelm von Helsing stood, and turned to make sure the little angel was unharmed. He had half-expected her to flee—indeed, it would have been the sensible move on her part. However, she was still standing in exactly the same place as she had been when the he-wolf appeared. She was staring at him, unblinking, her beautiful blue eyes very wide indeed. She radiated shock and disbelief. It is... dead. Zsálya stood rooted in place, looking at the still body and then back at her savior. Wilhelm thought wryly. Suddenly remembering that he was holding a silver sword drenched in Werewolf blood, he thought it away. Glancing over at the smoking corpse nearby, he tried once more to will the he-wolf out of existence. This time it worked—the corpse, its gore, and even the sprays of blood all vanished, leaving no evidence of the intruder but an area of trampled snow. It was as if the corpse had been the force holding the little she-wolf erect; when it vanished she collapsed onto her side in the snow, breathing hard and making piteous whimpering noises. Reaching out to her emotions again, Wilhelm found that she was feeling pure, unadulterated relief. Unwilling either to impose upon or to abandon her, Wilhelm sat in the snow right where he was, a simple thought keeping his clothing warm and dry against his skin. As he watched the little black angel recover herself, he thought back over the incident, which had lasted less than two minutes. The lady hadn't even tried to run, just watched her attacker approach with a sort of fatalistic dread. He surmised that this might be a recurring dream for her. But why? None of the books that he had read provided an answer. Wilhelm decided to hunt down any other texts on dreams that he could find when he awoke. After a shorter time than Wilhelm had expected, the little wolf stood and shook herself, sending snow flying every which way. Then she walked very slowly towards the seated human, eyeing him with a mixture of gratitude, wariness, and simple curiosity. Wilhelm held out his hand, palm upward, for her to smell. In the British Isles, this was the polite way for a human to allow a shifted Werewolf to register his scent. Hopefully the custom held true wherever this she-wolf lived. She was a beautiful creature, he thought, with a remarkable grace of movement. And such fascinating eyes—bright and kind, but holding a very deep sadness like he'd never seen before. Wilhelm felt a sudden, powerful urge to take her in his arms and hold her tight. He suppressed the urge, barely. Getting bitten by an incensed Werewolf was not on his agenda for this evening. The she-wolf finally reached the human male and sniffed daintily at his offered hand. Her shoulders, which had been tensed, suddenly relaxed and her head and eyes both dropped towards the snow. She radiated disappointment, resignation, and un-surprise, in addition to the relief and gratitude. Wilhelm wondered what she had expected—or hoped?—to find. With a mental shrug, he very carefully and slowly raised his hand and rested it on her shoulder. Her head came up in surprise, her blue eyes locking with his. Her other emotions settled, until only gratitude and curiosity remained. "" The angel cocked her head to the side and kept staring at him. Zsálya had held out a tiny hope that this would be her mate; that he had somehow come to her now, instead of on her eighteenth birthday. But no, he was not. She had a moment of sadness, but still, he was so kind to her. Even though this was but a dream, maybe he was a friend. She had never had one before. She was surrounded by family, but those in the pack who were not family were afraid of her, and left her a wide berth. It would be wonderful to have a real friend, even if just in her dreams. But what was the language he was speaking? This was her dream; why couldn't she understand him? " English? Francais? Español? Italiano? Russiky? Polska?" He went down the list of languages in which he could at least make himself understood. The lady didn't respond to any of them, so he moved on to ones he didn't really know at all. A few names in, he got a definite response to "Magyar?" Fondest Dreams Ch. 01 The she-wolf stood up straighter and began wagging her tail. "Speaking... Hungarian... you?" Wilhelm asked, frantically dredging up the tiny bits of the language that he knew. The black-furred beauty chuffed loudly and let her tongue hang out in what was clearly a grin. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "Speaking bad me, yes," the human acknowledged with a self-deprecating smile. Shaking her head slightly, the little angel pulled away from him and moved a few paces away through the ice-crusted snow. Then she paused, her body poised to run, and looked back at him over her shoulder. Wilhelm stood and brushed the snow off his trousers. "I running with you?" he asked, using a few simple gestures to be sure his question got across. His new friend gave him another lupine smile, cocking her head in a way that indicated a challenge even to human eyes. The message was clear: dare to race me? Answering the challenge with a charming smile of his own, Wilhelm strode up next to the little Were and also poised himself to run. "You firstly," he told her with a gallant bow. She gave another little snort and took off like an arrow, speeding across the open field. Wilhelm was right behind her, the well-exercised muscles of his real body serving him well in the dream world. His opponent could have easily made herself faster—this was her dream, after all—but he could tell that she was not. Likely she did not even know she could, and truthfully he doubted that a Werewolf would choose to do so in any case. Likewise, honor would not permit him to cheat if she did not. This limited them both to their bodies' real-life capabilities. Thankfully for the human, there was one important exception: fatigue has no hold in dreams. In the waking world, he would not have been able to match his lady friend for more than five or perhaps ten minutes before collapsing. Here, they could literally run forever and never feel tired. And, as it happened, his long legs and a lifetime of physical conditioning made him a match for a small female Werewolf. His angel seemed surprised when he matched her pace, then let out a bark of delight and veered into the thick of the woods. Wilhelm skidded on the ice for a moment and then was back on her heels. Though his physical prowess was considerable—absolutely necessary for the von Helsing 'family business'—Wilhelm had always seen it as a chore, a distraction from the pursuits of the mind and of the tongue, which were his forte. Here, with his new friend and free of the pain of fatigue, he understood the pure joy of physicality for the first time in his life. He laughed aloud as he reveled in it, and the little she-wolf howled in reply. She continued to challenge him, though, darting through ever-denser thickets and snowdrifts, forcing him to go around or to gracelessly bludgeon his way through. After a few repetitions, Wilhelm decided to change the game. He ran nearly straight at a large tree, actually running up it for a moment before kicking off to the side. His momentum carried him through the air to land on the bare lower limb of another nearby tree. Herr von Helsing took full advantage of his new perspective, leaping through the branches above his friend's head. She was easy to spot by the way her movement rippled the undergrowth around her. The free-running skills that had served Wilhelm well in a dozen real-world cities allowed him to keep pace with the little angel easily in the dense forest. Apparently thinking she'd lost him, the she-wolf turned back towards the meadow in a wide arc. Just as she burst from the tree line, Wilhelm leapt from the end of a branch above her head, landing into a roll. He came back to his feet without ever breaking stride, sprinting ahead of his new friend towards the trampled area in the snow where they had begun—the apparent finish line. No sooner had he begun to slow than a furry body slammed into the back of his legs, bowling him to the ground. Wilhelm landed on his back, and immediately found his face under assault by a long, wet tongue. "" A few moments later, the licking stopped and the little black wolf retreated a bit, gazing wide-eyed at him once again. It was difficult to be sure from her suddenly-complicated feelings—how could women possibly feel so many emotions at once?—but Wilhelm was fairly certain that she was surprised at her own behavior. He smiled and scooted forward a bit so he could pat her on the head, to show her that he didn't mind. What have I done? Father would be furious with me for befriending a human, even in a dream. But I like him. I have no reason to fear him. Surely there can be nothing wrong with spending time in my dream with my only friend? I have never been touched by a human; it feels good when he strokes my fur. What would it feel like if I was awake? For a bit, Zsálya just sat there, apparently enjoying his touch. Gentle pats soon turned into stroking of her thick, sensual fur, whereupon she moved forward and curled up daintily in Wilhelm's lap. However dainty her movements, though, even a small wolf is rather heavy, leaving the human effectively pinned under her warm, furry body. "" Wilhelm remarked before remembering that this young lady didn't speak a word of German. With a quiet sigh, he resigned himself and resumed petting her by way of compensation. Many of the Werewolves he had met considered it demeaning to be petted, but this one didn't seem to mind. "Frauen," he murmured to himself. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Time slipped by and by. After a bit Wilhelm managed to persuade his new friend to move off his lap, whereupon he simply stretched out and lay back in the thick snow, gazing up at the wispy clouds that drifted across the bright blue sky. The she-wolf stretched out beside him, her flank pressed against his and her nose resting on his shoulder. They each felt that it was simple bliss to lie there, together. Though one cannot fall asleep within a dream, they both hovered close to dozing as they let the moments pass them by. Eventually, though, the sun began to dip lower and the sky to darken. The she-wolf didn't seem to notice, but Wilhelm knew that it heralded the end of the dream. Wherever this beautiful young Werewolf lived, it was nearly time to wake up. "You... up, soon," he told her; he had no idea what the Hungarian word for 'awaken' might be. When she cocked her head in the way that meant she didn't understand, Wilhelm pointed to her, then pantomimed waking up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Then he pointed to the sinking sun. The little angel looked at him for a moment, then to the sun. He knew that she understood when her ears drooped sadly. On impulse, Wilhelm leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, just above and between her bright blue eyes. "I coming back," he promised as best he could in his broken Hungarian. he vowed to himself. She nuzzled his cheek in reply. With that in mind, he concentrated very hard on his new friend, memorizing the feel and sense of her self as completely as he could. With that as a guide, Wilhelm von Helsing was confident in his ability to find this young lady again tomorrow night. He kissed her on the forehead once more, then reluctantly woke up. Zsálya watched sadly as her new friend vanished. Would he be back? She hoped so. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya's blue eyes fluttered open and she looked around her familiar room, the one she shared with her sister, Orsolya. She looked at the bed next to her, her flame-haired twin fast asleep, a smile on her beautiful face. She was probably dreaming of her mate, who would be with her soon. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now that she was awake the visions were back. She saw it all. She wished she could forget. But during her dreams she did forget. She wished she could stay asleep forever, especially now that she had a friend.   ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ December 31, 1857 Wilhelm spent much of the following day reading a Hungarian lexicon from cover to cover. He was now very confident in his grammar and vocabulary, but still slightly worried about pronunciation. For some reason, he found that he rather wanted to impress the little she-wolf. Well, he wanted to speak to her without making a fool of himself, at least. His brothers had thought it odd when he chose to retire early instead of celebrating the new year with them. Wilhelm smiled at the thought. Their revels would not suffer from his absence; he had never been one for drinking and loud singing. He preferred peace, a good book, and a few puffs on his pipe. He fell asleep swiftly, and found that it was quite simple to find his way to the specific dream he wanted. As he strode through the beautiful, snow-hushed forest, Wilhelm took great pleasure in simply breathing the crisp, clean air. As much as he loved his own home, the air inside much of the castle was always slightly stale, and the air outside carried the salty tang of the surrounding ocean. Though he hadn't really thought about it, Wilhelm had dressed to impress upon entering the little Werewolf's dream. His tunic was of forest-green velvet, trimmed with a bit of lace at the collar and cuffs, and topped off by a deep blue cape fastened at his throat by a silver chain. He looked like a nobleman out for a hunt—which was the truth, after a fashion. The deep colors would look good without startling his new friend, or so he hoped. The fact that it was a slightly ridiculous outfit to wear for a walk in the woods did not occur to him. This was a dream, after all. Wilhelm made his way through the woods more quickly than the last time, eager to see his new friend. He found her in the meadow, her lustrous black coat sugared with snow. He called a greeting as his boots crunched through the thin layer of ice. Zsálya turned at once, and even from across the field the little wolf's joy was obvious: her blue eyes lit up, and her tail began wagging excitedly as she ran to meet him. She had hoped he would appear in her dreams again, but had worried that she would never see him again. What was it about this human that intrigued her so? She stopped and waited patiently for him to speak again, her wagging tail sending snow flying to either side of her. "I told you I would return," Wilhelm told her with a grin, leaning down to give her a 'hello' pat. Zsálya accepted it with good grace, her tongue hanging out in a lupine grin as she gazed up at him. With initial greetings made, Wilhelm suddenly found himself at a loss— he mused. He fell back on the manners that had been impressed upon him as a child. "Again, my name is Wilhelm von Helsing. My friends call me Willi. Might I ask that you—" A low, menacing growl cut him off in mid-sentence. Wilhelm stared at the approaching matte-black wolf in momentary disbelief. "Did I not kill that... thing last night?" he asked the little she-wolf, who nodded. "Hmm. A recurring nightmare?" Zsálya nodded again. "I see. Excuse me for a moment." Wilhelm stepped around Zsálya to confront the intruder Werewolf, shedding his leather dress gloves as he did. Zsálya stood and watched, fascinated, as her new friend produced a pair of small knives from his left sleeve with a sort of snapping motion of his wrist. She would have thought them silver, except that they caught the light in an unusual way. Just like the sword he had used yesterday, they were made of a strange, enchanted metal. Holding them by their points, the human simply watched the matte-black Werewolf stalk closer. Suddenly, with a powerful flick of his wrist, both knives sang through the air. Each buried itself in one of the attacker's eyes. His body gave a horrible little spasm, then dropped like a puppet with cut strings. A moment later both the corpse and the knives vanished as Wilhelm thought them away. Zsálya was once again amazed at his skill and ability to kill the demon of her dreams. She had never been able to do so herself. She had not been able to do anything other than escape. But it seemed, lately, that in each dream the demon Werewolf had come just a little closer to her. Now, for the second night in a row, she would sleep soundly, no night terrors to awaken her screaming from her sleep. It was as if she had dreamt her own hero to save her. Willi nodded in satisfaction as he turned back to his lady friend. "There, that is out of the way. I suppose I shall have to deal with it each night, ja? Interesting. Now then, I was about to ask that you please shift into your human form, My Lady. I find one-sided conversations awkward. And lest I seem a lecher," he added with a wry smile, "I should explain that the fabric of a dream is beholden to the mental projections of those within it, not to any objective physical reality as we understand the concept. As such, you can clothe yourself instantly." The little black wolf looked up at him blankly and cocked her head. Not only did she not understand what he meant, but she was astonished that he had mastered her language so completely in only one day. "I am sorry. Let me rephrase. This," Wilhelm made an expansive gesture encompassing the meadow and all its surroundings, "is a world of thoughts. That means that you have only to think about what you want to wear, and clothes will appear on you. So, if you are willing, I shall turn my back and allow you to shift and dress. Just let me know when you are decent. Alright?" Zsálya looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. Wilhelm promptly turned and walked away a few paces, hands clasped behind his back. She swiftly shifted to her human form, the change coming just as naturally as in real life. Zsálya nearly panicked at being naked in front of this male—a human male, no less!—but he just stood like a statue with his back to her. Recalling what he had said, she imagined herself wearing the blue dress her grandmother had made for her. It matched her eyes perfectly and made her skin look like it was glowing in contrast. And quick as you please, that's what she was wearing. Zsálya cleared her throat, summoning up the courage to speak. "You may turn around now, Sir." The deep blue cape swirled around Wilhelm as he turned to face her. He seemed about to speak, but whatever he was going to say died on his tongue. His eyes went wide and his mouth hung open, the very picture of shock. The expression was rather comical on someone who seemed so serious and self-possessed. "" Wilhelm whispered, still staring at her. "What?" Zsálya cocked her head in confusion, in precisely the same way as her wolf had done just a moment ago. He started and blinked several times, coming back to himself. "My apologies. I was just recalling something my younger brother wrote many years ago." Wilhelm straightened his back and gave Zsálya a courtly bow. "Might I ask your name, Fraulein?" "My name is Zsálya. Zsálya Kardos. Who... who are you... Helsing?" So many questions were combined in those few little words: How are you in my dreams? Where are you from? How are you so good at fighting Werewolves? Can I trust you? "'Von Helsing,' Fraulein Kardos," he corrected with a gentle smile. "Remind me sometime and I will explain. Let us get the most pertinent items out of the way first. I am a real, live person, not something you imagined. I am a dreamwalker, one who has the ability to travel into the dreams of others. It is an inborn talent, not a learned skill, and therefore is quite rare. Do you understand me so far?" Zsálya nodded slowly. "I believe so. So you are not actually here in Hungary?" "Ah, that answers my next question. Those are the Carpathian Mountains, then?" Wilhelm nodded towards the snow-capped peaks to the northeast, far beyond the forest. "No, I am merely in your dream. I live on a small island called Thule in the middle of the North Sea. That is where my body is in the waking world." "I... do not think I know where that is. What is an... island?" Wilhelm blinked twice. "An island is a mass of dry land in the middle of a body of water," he replied. Seeing that she didn't understand, he stroked his chin. "No matter, for the moment. It is not surprising that you do not know about Thule. Our existence and general location are something of an open secret, but you can only find the island if you know exactly where to look." Again, Zsálya cocked her head and gave him a quizzical look. "How would I know how?" "Magic." Somehow, Wilhelm's matter-of-factness made the idea seem even stranger. "There is no such thing as magic," Zsálya protested. "Like Werewolves?" he countered lightly, giving her a charming smile. "Most humans think you are a myth, you know." "Why? We do not believe they are a myth. Why would they think of us as such?" She leaned towards him and dropped her voice, as if she were worried someone would hear her. "Can you use magic, von Helsing??" "Please, mein kleinerwolf, call me Willi. Or Wilhelm, at least. And yes, I can use magic. Arcane talent runs in my family. It is one of the reasons we are who we are. We are the royal family of Thule," he explained without prompting. "But more than that, we are among the leaders of a group which strives to keep the peace between humans on the one hand and parahumans and extraplanars on the other. We also prevent the abuse of magic by its practitioners." She frowned as she struggled to understand what he was saying. But she could not. "What does that mean?" "Parahumans are beings like Weres, vampires, dwarves, elves, et cetera. Extraplanars are angels, demons, and elementals. These are words used by people who work with many different beings, or study them. An average being has no cause to know or use these words. Put simply, my family and the people we work with protect humans from beings like you. And vice versa, of course." "My family would never harm a human! At least, not if they left us alone. My brothers do watch them sometimes. They have told me stories about them." She stopped speaking for a moment and sat down on a nearby log. For some reason, she felt the need to look up at his smiling face. She enjoyed seeing him from this vantage point. It was the same view as when she watched him in her wolf form. "I did not mean to imply such a thing," Wilhelm replied. "In our work with Weres it is most often our task to shield you from the ignorance or foolishness of humans. It is quite rare that a group of Weres makes trouble for others. Now vampires, by contrast... a never-ending headache." He shook his head and sighed. "I still do not understand. Why would you need to protect us from humans? What reason have they to harm us?" Wilhelm shrugged. "Humans usually see anything that is not usual to them as dangerous, or else deny its existence. It is a sensible attitude, up to a point, but humans generally take it too far." Zsálya considered that. "So... they believe Werewolves are a myth because we are not usual to them... and if we do exist, we must be dangerous?" "Precisely. You have a swift mind, mein kleinerwolf." "Excuse me, but what do those words mean?" "The phrase means 'my little wolf.'" Wilhelm smiled. Zsálya blushed and smiled back. "There are only about twelve thousand Weres in all of Europe," the human continued. "By contrast, there are two thousand humans living on Thule, which is not much larger than a typical pack's territory. The human nation of Hungary, within which your pack's lands lie, is home to..." Wilhelm's brow furrowed and he looked skyward for a moment, "over eleven million humans. Add to that the fact that Weres generally keep to themselves..." he shrugged again. Fondest Dreams Ch. 01 "So most humans have never met a Werewolf?" "Ja. For that matter, many rural Weres go their whole lives without meeting a human. How many have you met?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a twinkle in his eye. "You... are the first," Zsálya admitted. Between her visions and the everyday business of living, she had never thought much about the world outside the Vlkolak lands. Even when grandmother had told her and Orsolya bedtime stories about knights and princesses, heroes and villains, they had simply been wonderful stories to Zsálya's mind. Now, speaking to this human who so resembled the dashing knights in grandmother's stories, Zsálya felt very simple, small, and plain. Wilhelm simply nodded. "And keep in mind that regular wolves sometimes attack humans. Therefore humans fear wolves, and for good reason. Put that together with their ignorance about Werewolves... and unfortunate situations can develop. My family and our associates keep an eye on these events and step in to keep the peace when necessary." "Is that why you are so good at fighting, Wilhelm?" "It is why I am trained to fight, but I am not very good, relatively. You should see my father and brothers. I make up my physical deficiencies with magical power, though." Wilhelm grinned. "I am more at home in the library or at the negotiation table than in a sparring circle. I have trained ever since I could walk, though." He shrugged. "It is just a part of me now." "So, are you here because I or my pack have done something wrong?" For a moment, Zsálya was afraid he was here to save the humans somehow. Had she been so wrong about him? Was he not her friend? "What? Oh, goodness no!" Wilhelm tried to explain how he had come to find Zsálya's dream the previous night. "I think I understand." She paused a moment, sighed, and shook her head. "No, Wilhelm, I do not understand." His explanation was far above the knowledge of a young Werewolf who had lived her entire short life in the Carpathian Mountains. She felt even smaller and more insignificant. "I know that look; you should not feel foolish or ignorant, Zsálya," Wilhelm told her firmly, linking his arms behind his back. "It is not that the concept is difficult, it is that, because dreamwalking is so rare, there exist no words with which I can explain it. Not in Hungarian, nor in German, nor even in Latin, which has a special vocabulary that people use for discussing magic. So you see, it is not that you cannot understand, but that I cannot explain." He looked down at her with a wry smile. That actually did make her feel better. Gazing up at him, Zsálya was struck by how much his bearing reminded her of her father and her elder brothers. Despite his curiously stiff way of speaking, von Helsing—Wilhelm—carried himself with sureness and confidence. She could tell that he was accustomed to being looked to by others, and squared his shoulders to the task of guiding and protecting them. In short, if it were not for his strange human scent Zsálya might have thought him to be an alpha Werewolf, or a high-ranking beta at the very least. Just like with the other alphas she knew, his sense of presence awed her somewhat. He was the first alpha, though, whom she had ever found so... attractive? Was that what this strange feeling was? She'd never felt it before, but sitting here and looking up at this handsome alpha human, Zsálya felt like a flock of little birds were flying about inside her. Could this be what Orsolya feels when she sees her mate in her dreams? Zsálya had felt so alone since her eighteenth birthday. Her twin had dreamt of her mate, and his wolf came to her each night in her dreams. Zsálya had dreamt of no one and, until last night, she had had only evil come to her at night. But now, with her new friend, she had something to look forward to each night, a reason to want to sleep. "Are you an alpha human, Willi?" she blurted. Realizing that she'd just changed the topic completely, Zsálya looked down, thinking of how impolite that must be. She felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Hmm. You know, I suppose I am." The thoughtful tone of the reply gave Zsálya the courage to look back up at her handsome friend. He was looking at her with a contemplative smile. "I am in line to be the King of Thule. Well, technically Grand Prince, since our nation is so small. My point is that the king and queen of a human nation are somewhat like the alpha couple of a Werewolf pack. The nation's nobility are akin to a pack's betas. And the commoners would be omegas. I am the second of the king's three sons." He briefly explained how human inheritances worked. "Will you go off to form your own pack, since your elder brother will become alpha?" Wilhelm echoed Zsálya's mannerism of cocking her head to the side. "Who said I wanted my own country?" he asked with a wry smile. "In any case, it is not as easy for humans as it is for Weres, Zsálya. There really is no unclaimed territory left, anywhere, so claiming a territory for myself would mean coming into conflict with other nations. War is sometimes necessary, but it is never a thing to be desired." "That is very strange. How much hunting land could a pack need?" "Most human nations are much, much bigger than were packs, mein kleinerwolf..." As he went on, Wilhelm reached down, took Zsálya's hand, and helped her back to her feet. Her disappointment at the change of perspective was mollified when he showed her how to link her arm with his. The two strolled through the snow in no particular direction while Wilhelm gave Zsálya an overview of modern human civilization. He spoke of cities and farms, of science and religion, and of many different nations and cultures, citing both the good and the bad points of each. He summarized without simplifying, clarified without condescending, and explained himself when he used a word that Zsálya did not know. His earlier stiffness of language faded quickly, revealing a great gift for making himself understood. Wilhelm was genuinely enjoying himself. Most of the beings he dealt with either thought they knew everything or had no appreciation for scholarship and lore. He did not hold Zsálya's near-total ignorance of the outside world against her in the slightest; that was fairly normal for rural people, and in all fairness country folk had no practical use for scholarship at all. Moreover, Willi understood the appeal and value of such a simple, wholesome life. However, the vision of beauty on his arm clearly had an active mind, and he could see his explanations lighting the fires of curiosity and learning in her lovely blue eyes. Wilhelm raced to feed that fire, delighting in the way she took each new bit of knowledge and wove it into her ever-expanding understanding of the world. He was delighting in her spiritual beauty as well as her mental beauty. There was a deep-seated sweetness in Zsálya's nature that warmed Wilhelm's heart, a wondrous relief from his grim, purposeful brothers and sisters of the Order, or the endlessly calculating diplomats and politicians with whom his duties brought him into contact. Where most of those around him were worldly and guarded, Zsálya was gentle and innocent. Innocent, yet intelligent! Gott in Himmel, what a rare combination; truly a treasure among beings. And, truth be told, he was deeply affected by Zsálya's physical beauty as well. She was lovely even by Were standards, but seemingly unconscious of her body's effect on males. Perhaps that tied in with the deep sadness and terrible burden that she carried, Wilhelm thought. He did not yet know what her burden was, but he was resolved to coax the secret from her, and aid her with it if he could. In any case, the fact that such a beautiful woman did not put on airs or try to manipulate him attracted Wilhelm strongly. Though he knew himself to be quite handsome, like his father and brothers, he disdained any self-promotion beyond keeping one's self clean and presentable. All of these things brought a large number of un-gentlemanly thoughts crowding forward from the dark recesses of Wilhelm's mind when he gazed at Zsálya. He forced them back, but it was surely a test of his honorable nature. For her part, Zsálya gazed at her human friend in wonder as they walked the forest, hanging on his every word. His revelations fascinated her, but at the same time a small part of her mind was just gazing up at Willi. He was so smart, so grand, and carried a sense of power and confidence around him like a cloak. Why would he spend his time talking with a backward, plain female like her? The fact that he did pay her so much attention made Zsálya giddy, and with her arm entwined with his she felt like one of the glamorous princesses from Grandmother's stories. The thought made her blush, and she became conscious of wetness between her legs as she ran her gaze over Willi's handsome face. If her visions spoke truly, Zsálya knew, she was most certainly a damsel in distress. Perhaps this gorgeous prince could save her? But no... the visions could not be changed, must not be changed if her pack was to survive. If her friend tried to alter her destiny, he would only be hurt... or worse. Zsálya pushed such thoughts deep into the back of her mind. If her time with Willi was to be limited, she was determined to enjoy it. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The night passed in a whirl of conversation, covering a vast range of topics. After talking for quite some time, Wilhelm had turned the conversation to Zsálya's world, asking her all about her pack, her family, and the life they led. She answered as best she could, telling him about everything she could recall—except for her visions, and Orsolya's. That was not spoken about to outsiders, she knew, no matter how kind... or attractive. Zsálya's sex continued to leak whenever she allowed her gaze to linger on Willi's face for too long. Worried that her dress would stain, she tried to think her thighs clean—and it worked! She was forced to do this periodically, especially when she would lose herself in his deep blue eyes for minutes at a time. What would he think if he smelled her arousal or saw the way her nipples were standing out? Zsálya was sure that she would seem pathetic and whorish, like a foolish little omega bitch trying to catch the alpha's eye. Meanwhile, thankfully for Wilhelm, Zsálya seemed more interested in looking at his face than at his crotch. He could sense desire in her emotions, but she did not seem to understand how to act on it. Gott, she was innocent, Wilhelm thought, and despite their conversation's complete lack of flirting or sexual subtext, the way she was looking at him made his cock stand to rigid attention. Finding himself unable to control his biological reaction, Wilhelm was actually forced to mentally adjust the fit of his trousers to make it less noticeable. The dark material saved him from any worries of visible wetness, but he was worried that at any moment Zsálya would notice his erection and think him a lecher. And so it went throughout the night. Willi listened to Zsálya intently, hanging on her every word just as she had upon his. The intensity of his gaze made the young Werewolf glow inside. She felt special, important, like she was the most beautiful female in the entire world. She liked it. Likewise, the guileless longing in Zsálya's gaze was incredibly flattering to Wilhelm. It made his stomach flutter in a way it hadn't since he was a boy. Though he had a very positive self-image, the looks this little black-haired angel were giving him made Wilhelm feel like the most handsome, charming man alive. He liked it. Mutual desire aside, their conversation flowed easily for hours upon hours of dream-world time. Zsálya eagerly absorbed everything that Wilhelm could tell about the outside world, often pressing him for details on a particular point or asking remarkably insightful questions. Though she didn't fully understand much of what he told her, both of them could see her comprehension growing by leaps and bounds as they spoke. Periodically, Wilhelm would turn the conversation the other way, drawing more insights into Were culture, history, and customs from his new friend. He seemed fascinated by anything she could tell, even cubs' tales or the little tunes that Grandmother hummed while she wove. As they arrived back at the snow-shrouded meadow from their long aimless walk through the woods, Zsálya very suddenly slipped her arm from Willi's, then gave him a hard shove, sending him sprawling onto his back in the snow. Before he could get back up, she dove into the powdery snow beside him and cuddled up against his firm, strong body, reveling in the contrast between the cool snow and his warm flesh. She nestled the top of her head under his chin, wrapped her arms around him, and resumed the conversation from where they'd left off as if nothing had happened. The simple, impulsive gesture left both of them in turmoil for a moment. Zsálya could not believe herself; a small part of her carried on the conversation while the rest marveled at her own audacity. She had never been so bold, not even with her twin sister Orsolya! Moreover, the way she had cuddled up to Wilhelm astonished her. Placing her head under his chin like that showed submission; it was something a wolf did only with her parents, her alpha... or her mate. Wilhelm was not her mate—Zsálya and her wolf agreed on that point—so why was she acting like he was? When Zsálya put the question to her wolf, her reply was approximately 'who, me?' Zsálya didn't know what to think, so she stayed where she was, making the most of her wonderful new situation. Mate or no, her human friend smelled good. On Wilhelm's end, his astonishment stemmed from the fact that Zsálya had taken him unaware. To be sure, there had been no hint of hostility in her emotions to put him on his guard, but he was still a scion of House Helsing, trained from infancy as a warrior and monster-slayer. To be taken down by an untrained opponent, even a Werewolf, was unthinkable. And yet, it had happened. As he and Zsálya spoke, Wilhelm slowly realized that he had completely relaxed his guard, even at the most subconscious levels. He never did that, not even with his own family! Not that he had to be wary of his family; readiness for trouble at any moment had simply been a part of his psyche. Until now. What was it about this lupine angel that made him so incredibly comfortable around her? ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ All too soon, a setting sun overhead heralded the coming dawn in the waking world. Zsálya and Wilhelm ignored it for as long as they could, enjoying their cuddling and their conversation, but soon it was impossible to ignore. The couple helped each other to their feet, brushing off snow and beginning to make their goodbyes. "Will you return tomorrow night?" Zsálya asked, taking Willi's much larger hands in hers without thinking. Wilhelm nodded and smiled. "I shall come to you every night, Zsálya, until you ask me not to. If there is ever a time I do not come, it will be because there is a crisis and I have no chance to sleep." Zsálya giggled. "Thank you, Willi... for everything." "Bitte, kleineprinzessin." "What?" "You are welcome, little princess." Willi grinned. "A princess? Me?" Zsálya's cheeks colored as her friend gave voice to her persistent thought. "Certainly. Your father is the alpha, is he not? In human terms, he is the 'king' of your pack." Wilhelm raised Zsálya's slender hands and kissed them softly. "That makes you and Orsolya princesses." The moment lingered into a small eternity before Willi released her hands. A sudden, wild impulse seized Zsálya and she flung her arms around his neck, standing up on her tiptoes to peck him on the cheek. Then her shyness returned and she jumped back, blushing to the roots of her hair and looking down at her feet. Zsálya linked her hands behind her back and twisted from side to side like a little girl, torn between an impulse to flee and another impulse to giggle uncontrollably. Wilhelm blinked a few times and, surprising both of them, blushed as well. He gave his Werewolf princess an elegant, sweeping bow and a bright, boyish smile. "Have a wonderful day, Zsálya." Then, without any sound or fanfare, he simply vanished. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya awoke with just a hint of a smile on her lips. She quickly glanced over to her sister, still asleep, a silly grin on her face. She must be dreaming of her mate. Well, now I have someone to dream of as well! The raven-haired female yawned and stretched. She didn't remember ever feeling so rested as she had the last two days. Perhaps Willi was her very own hero, sent to rid her of her nightmares. Was he real, as he said? Or was he sent by The Ancestors to guide her through her final days? Well I do not care if he is real or not. I will enjoy every bit of my time with him. I do not remember the last time I laughed. And with him, I feel as if I cannot stop smiling. Zsálya's wolf agreed wholeheartedly. They didn't have a mate, so why couldn't they enjoy themselves with what little time they had left? Orsolya sat up in her bed and turned to look at her sister, a joyful smile on her face. "He is coming, Zsálya, soon!" "I am so happy for you, Orsolya." Zsálya smiled, as much for herself as for her sister. Neither of them had much time left for happiness.   ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~   {More from Archangel_M: Will the presence of this mysterious human change what happens? Will he become a Werewolf? To find out, stay tuned for the next chapter of Fondest Dreams! While editing The Destruction of the Vlkolak for LG6, I fell in love with Zsálya. This is my way of expressing it. It was LG6, though, who elevated this story above the level of a simple fanfic. ^_^ For the record, neither LG6 nor I speak German, though I do have a very, very basic understanding of its structure. If you speak German and there are any weird errors, blame Google Translate. Oh, and tell us so we can correct them! ^_^ You should be aware that Wilhelm exists within a much larger continuity, so there are some allusions that may not be explained in the course of this story. None of them are important. Deo volente, you will see more stories from this newly extended continuity in days to come.} Fondest Dreams Ch. 02 Fondest Dreams -- Chapter 2 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: It's been so much fun to write with Archangel_M (from now on I'll refer to him as AA since his name is just way too long.) He is introducing so many things that are new to my "Baxterverse" (as AA calls it) and I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do. Remember the things you read now, as they may play a role in future story lines. If I were to classify this story as anything other than Non-Human, it would be romance. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Not only has this adventure been fun, it's been exciting to watch the story emerge from AA's brain. And I encourage you all to listen to the music suggestions. After reading a chapter, it really was interesting to listen to the music and picture the characters, the scenes, the situations. And a huge shout out to Doctime, who took on our editing challenge with an open mind and, hopefully, had as much fun as we did. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: This story would never have progressed beyond an idle fantasy of mine if it wasn't for LG6's encouragement and energy. In addition to her delightful qualities as a friend and as an author, she is an excellent motivator! This is important, because I am rather lazy if left to my own devices. ^_^ I know that Willi has probably put some people off. I encourage you not to judge him too quickly. Please remember that he is a). German and b). a diplomat. That means that his default manner is very stiff and formal. It'll take him a while to fully loosen up around Zsálya, especially since she's so gorgeous. Beautiful women are very intimidating to men, and any guy who says different is lying through his teeth. Also, I would like to echo Lil's shout-out to Doctime for his excellent editing—and for his patience with us dern kids! :P My music suggestion for this chapter is "Cursum Perficio" by Enya. It should be easy to find. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Many thanks to Fräulein Anne for correcting my amateurish German!} January 10, 1858 Wilhelm called a greeting as he emerged from the forest, and moments later Zsálya nearly tackled him with the enthusiasm of her hug. He hugged her back, amazed at how much their friendship had blossomed in only a few days. "And how are you, mein kleiner Wolf?" Wilhelm asked as they parted, reluctant as always to let go of Zsálya's warmth and softness. Four Below, she was so beautiful! He fought down his desire to bury his fingers in her shimmering ebony hair and press his lips into the crook of her neck. Zsálya smiled up at Wilhelm, her hands just able to rest on his shoulders. "I am much better now that you are here," she told him, quite honestly. The horrible black Werewolf that stalked her dreams had already sent her screaming back to wakefulness once tonight. Now that Willi was here, Zsálya knew she was safe. The urge to kiss him was strong, but her shyness and doubts held her back. As had become usual each night, they parted completely after a few long moments of staring at each other. Over the past tenday, these moments had become both increasingly awkward and increasingly charged. There was a growing tension between them that Zsálya didn't quite understand, and which Wilhelm feared might lead him to do something terribly presumptuous. They had learned not to get too involved in anything at first, since der böse Wolf—the bad wolf— as Wilhelm thought of it, rarely waited long to make its appearance. And, true to form, it was but a few minutes before the pair heard a low, menacing growl from the treeline. On each of the previous nights, Wilhelm had dispatched it quickly. While this certainly worked in terms of keeping it away from Zsálya, the aggravation of not understanding what in the Nine Hells this thing was, and more to the point, why it kept menacing his beautiful friend, had been grating on Wilhelm more and more. This evening, Wilhelm's patience finally failed him. Stepping around Zsálya, he strode towards der böse Wolf with a terrible purpose in his eyes. As always, the matte-black wolf growled and leapt for his throat. Rather than dodge as he had on that first night, Wilhelm raised his fist and punched the thing right in its slavering face. The crack of breaking bones echoed across the clearing as the punch deflected the aggressor's flight a full ninety degrees, sending it sprawling into the snow with a shattered jaw. Its bones knit before Wilhelm's eyes with unnatural speed, even for a Were. Herr von Helsing didn't care, and his voice boomed across the snowbound dreamscape: "Who are you and what do you want?" The wolf's only response was a snarl and another attack. Again, Wilhelm responded with a vicious uppercut that sent it spinning nose-over-tail through the air, its jaw shattered again. "" he bellowed. Again, no reply. Zsálya watched in horrified fascination as her human friend inflicted a series of terrible injuries on her demon, using nothing but his bare fists. Each time he struck der böse Wolf down, Wilhelm would shout at it in a different language. The demon made no reply to anything he said, except to get up and attack again. Finally Wilhelm's temper overflowed completely, and he sent the wolf flying to the other side of the meadow with a roundhouse kick. As Zsálya watched, Wilhelm dropped to one knee, and then leapt impossibly high into the air. The air around him shimmered and shifted crazily, and suddenly her friend was gone. In his place was a large, dark brown eagle, with touches of gold at its head and neck. The eagle burst into flight with a powerful beat of its wings, climbing until it was just a brown dot in the sky. Another low growl tore Zsálya's gaze from the sky to the ground. The wolf had healed itself yet again and was tearing across the snow, straight towards her. In that moment, Zsálya's fear that her protector had abandoned her was even greater than her fear of what the wolf might do to her. Before the demon wolf could reach her, though, a brown streak fell down from the sun and dove at the matte-black wolf like a falling meteor. Just as it passed over Zsálya's head the eagle shimmered and transformed back into a human. Though she thought that what she saw was impossible, Zsálya just stood and watched, her mouth hanging open and her eyes very wide. Every normal rule of the world said that the speed of Wilhelm's landing should have killed him. Instead, it produced a shockwave of crackling energy, which blew outwards from his point of impact towards the oncoming demon. The explosive release of force was like nothing Zsálya had ever imagined, let alone seen. The blast tossed the demon away like a clod of dirt and ignited part of its fur before slamming it bodily into a tree amidst a swirling maelstrom of snow. Zsálya barely noticed the demon's plight, nor heard the deafening clap of thunder as she looked in terror at her friend. Instead of his usual woolen clothing, Wilhelm was now wearing a shirt and trousers that looked to be crafted from shining metal, yet flexed with his body in a way that Zsálya would not have thought possible. Over these wondrous clothes he wore an odd garment of pure, gleaming white that fell straight down his chest and back, girt with a silver sword-belt, and a flowing cape of the same color. Emblazoned upon both garments was a twelve-pointed star of rich, vibrant blue. Zsálya had never seen clothes even remotely like these, but they were not what frightened her so. It was the fact that Wilhelm was on fire. Bright orange flames lapped up Wilhelm's arms and jumped upwards from his shoulders, yet his flesh and clothing were not consumed by the inferno that swirled around them, not even producing smoke. Then Wilhelm glanced over his shoulder at Zsálya, and her heart quailed. His eyes were no longer the twinkling, intelligent blue orbs she remembered. Now they were two points of glowing blue energy, giving his handsome face an impossible, otherworldly appearance. This must be magic! Zsálya's wolf screamed. Magic is dangerous, it is evil! It is the gift of demons! We must flee, we must wake up! We must get away! Though Zsálya felt the same terror as her wolf, she could not move, could not flee. Her wolf's emphatic warnings didn't fully make sense; Zsálya just couldn't believe that a person who had been so gentle to her could be evil. Not without proof. She needed to see the truth of this human who had been winning her heart, even if it killed her. Satisfied that Zsálya was unhurt, Wilhelm turned his gaze back to the demon wolf and strode across the field towards it, leaving muddy boot prints amidst the grass that his blast had laid bare of snow. "" he announced to der böse Wolf, which was now whimpering in pain at the base of the large tree it had struck. "" Though she did not understand what Wilhelm said, Zsálya could deduce the gist of his message. Her heart was gripped by stark terror as she watched him move inexorably towards her personal demon. The wolf made no response except to growl at him, even as it cringed away and looked about for a means of escape. "" So saying, Wilhelm spread his arms wide. The flames surrounding his body roared along his arms and gathered into two balls of leaping fire, hovering just above his palms. Wilhelm held the wolf's eyes for a moment, then brought his hands together with its head in the middle. The flames consumed the wolf's head and a blood-freezing scream of pure agony came to Zsálya's ears, only to be abruptly cut off. The flames vanished, and the wolf slumped to the ground, its corpse scoured to glistening white bone from the neck upwards. It vanished a moment later. Zsálya saw the unnatural light fade from Willi's eyes, leaving behind the gorgeous man she knew. He took a very deep breath, then let it out slowly as he turned and walked softly back to her. Though Willi looked the same as ever aside from his strange new clothing, Zsálya instinctively shied away when he reached for her hands. "What is the matter, Zsálya?" The concern on his face warmed Zsálya's heart, but she could not erase the image of the terrible magic he had just worked, and her wolf was still in a frenzy of fear and warning. "St—stay away!" she managed, wrapping her arms tightly around herself and backing away. Wilhelm held out a hand towards Zsálya, who continued to back up and then turned away from him. She looked back for a moment, and he could guess what she was thinking. "Zsálya, please wait." The blue dress tore apart as she shifted, the scraps vanishing before they could flutter to the ground. The little black wolf sprinted away from the human, his arm still reaching out to her. It took Wilhelm a moment to gather his thoughts, then the air around him rippled as he too shifted, once again taking the form of a golden eagle that he so enjoyed. He took to the skies, his mind still a jumble. It was evident to his aquiline eyes that Zsálya was moving faster than he'd ever seen her move, even in a dream. She was rapidly leaving him behind, but luckily she hadn't thought to "think" her footprints away. Wilhelm banked and soared over the forest, following the clear trail of pawprints in the snow. He soared over a rise and was confronted with a building he would never have expected. He circled the tall spires, wondering how a miniature medieval castle had come to be in Zsálya's dreamscape. As Wilhelm swooped past the large doors, his attention was caught by the sound of sobbing coming from inside. He alighted on the threshold of the keep and stared, dumbfounded. He watched silently as Zsálya knelt at the feet of a breathtakingly beautiful woman, the only woman Wilhelm had ever seen who was a match for his Zsálya. While she did not have that certain 'something' that drew him so strongly to Zsálya, this other woman had a grace and poise that he would have thought impossible for any woman, be she human or Werewolf. Even at rest, she was a poem made flesh. Wilhelm did not think long about the newcomer, however, as Zsálya's piteous crying broke his heart. When Zsálya had shifted back into her human form she had not 'thought' herself any clothing, and her exquisite young body was exposed to his gaze. He would have felt guilty for watching her, if the emotions of the moment had not cleared all sexual thoughts from his mind. In this moment, Wilhelm did not see a naked girl; he saw a dear friend in great distress, and it tore at his heart with what felt like a physical force. The woman sat in her chair, stroking Zsálya's long black hair. "Hush, my child. I am sure your friend never meant to scare you. He wished only to protect you." As she said this she looked up, and stared directly into Wilhelm's eyes. Wilhelm was shocked; she had known he was standing there even before she looked up! He knew he had made no sound when he landed, not even a 'click' of his talons against the stone. Long practice had made him careful of that. Who was this woman? What was she? She was real, not just a dream; Wilhelm could feel dual sets of emotions from her. A Were, then. Was she another dreamwalker? "Listen to me, my precious one. You must dry your tears and go back to your friend. You must give him the chance to explain himself, at the least." The woman gave Zsálya a loving smile and disappeared. Wilhelm blinked as the castle faded into nothingness. Zsálya was left kneeling in the snow—no chair, no lovely woman. She turned her head to look behind her and gasped, seeing the brown-and-gold-feathered eagle so close at hand. She immediately "thought" herself some clothing, but not the pretty blue gown, only her simple brown shift which she wore every day at home. She wiped the tears from her face, and slowly stood. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Leona sighed and bent down to kiss Zsálya on the forehead. She carefully left the room, not wanting to disturb either of the girls. Zsálya had shut off her emotions from everyone after her eighteenth birthday, and Leona and Ártur very rarely had a glimpse into what she saw. Leona knew there were horrors none of them would want to see, and it pained her to know that sweet Zsálya saw them all. But tonight, Zsálya's emotions had awoken her grandmother out of a deep sleep, and she had been shocked by the turmoil she felt from her granddaughter when she went to check on her. Leona normally would not have intruded upon the dreams of one of her family, but tonight she'd known she must. She had not been prepared for this new friend of Zsálya's, but she was glad he had come. Despite his aquiline form, he had the soul of a human—that much was obvious even from the brief glimpse Leona had gotten. It was too bad he was not here, in Hungary, in the waking world. Zsálya loved him; this too was obvious from the way her beloved granddaughter was acting. If only this human whom Zsálya had found could take her from here and save her. She shook her head. She should not think such things. It only made the inevitable harder. At the very least, Zsálya would have a chance at love, however ethereal and short. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Back in the dream world, Zsálya slowly stood, hiccupping as she brought her tears under control. She wrapped her arms protectively around herself and gazed down at the eagle she knew to be her friend Willi; the eagle's eyes were the same bright, penetrating blue she'd come to know so well. He was perched on a small rock, wings folded neatly along his back and his body held stiffly upright, very much as Wilhelm usually stood in his own form. Somehow, being able to look down at him like this made the horrible, confusing moment easier for Zsálya to bear. Though it was done through the magic she so feared, Willi seemed much less threatening in this form. Zsálya thought to heed her grandmother's words and give him a chance to explain, but could not think what to say. Finally, she settled on a very soft "Hello." The air shimmered and the eagle swirled before her eyes, growing smoothly into Willi's familiar form. Unlike a Were, his clothes shifted with him, but he had changed them. Instead of the metal garments and the grand flowing cloak, he wore a long, high-collared white tunic which fell below his knees, white trousers, and white leather boots. That blue, twelve-pointed star was emblazoned on his chest as before, but somehow these garments seemed less threatening. "Hello," Willi replied, his deep voice quiet and soothing. "I am so very sorry for frightening you, mein freund. I did not expect such a... reaction." "How did you expect me to react to such a thing?" Zsálya's voice was still calm, as if her crying had drained all emotion from her. There was no accusation in her tone. Willi looked down at his booted feet and blushed. "I... was attempting to impress you. Clearly that was the wrong way to go about it, ja?" Zsálya's mouth fell open. "You thought it would... such things... they come from demons!" she burst out, more shocked than angry. For a flicker of an instant, Willi's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath. When he opened his blue eyes again they were calm and kind, just as always. He gave Zsálya a gentle, reassuring smile. "Again, I am so sorry for frightening you. You may be assured that none of my abilities come from demons, in any way. Who told you that, anyway?" "My wolf," Zsálya replied. "She says that to obtain powerful magic like that you must deal with demons... and that using such power drives you mad. Even now she tells me to run from you." "I see." Willi sighed and shook his head. "That is an old prejudice among Weres, and I should have taken it into consideration." "So you say that my wolf is lying?" Zsálya's voice acquired a brittle, dangerous edge. "Nein. I say that she remembers horrors that were inflicted upon your people thousands of years ago. However, she does not understand the truth of magic, for it is a power that Weres cannot wield." Willi's voice was calm and matter-of-fact, almost soothing. "It is true that a human can gain great magical power by contracting with a demon, yes. Such humans are called 'witches.' One can also gain power by contracting with an angel. Such humans are called 'paladins.' I am a mage, mein kleiner Wolf, neither a witch nor a paladin. I have gained my powers through long years of study, discipline, and practice." Willi folded his arms behind his back. Zsálya came closer and stood looking up at him, hands on her hips. "Will you swear to me that you have no dealings with demons, Willi?" "'Dealings' meaning friendly contact, ja?" When she nodded, Willi stood even straighter and laid his right hand over his heart. "I, Wilhelm von Helsing, swear before you and before God that I do not, never have had, and never will have dealings with demons or their thralls." There was a long moment of silence as the two locked eyes. Fondest Dreams Ch. 02 Zsálya's wolf was not interested in the details that Willi had explained, but she accepted Zsálya's assurance that Willi's magic, at least, had nothing at all to do with demons, and that Willi was not evil. The wolf remained wary, but at least she was calm now. The moment ended when Zsálya fairly launched herself at Willi and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly enough to trouble his breathing. "I am so glad," she told him, her voice muffled by his tunic. "You are the first... only... friend I have ever had," she admitted. "I do not wish to lose you." It took a moment for Willi to get past his shock at her revelation. Then he wrapped his strong arms around the little wolf and held her tightly, stroking her silken black hair. "Come now, every child has playmates, especially in a community as close as a Were pack. Have you never been close with anyone?" he asked gently. "My sister, my father, my grandmother," Zsálya replied, resting her cheek against Willi's shoulder. "No-one else." Willi took her by the shoulders and eased her back so he could look into her lovely blue eyes. "Why?" She dropped her eyes and shook her head. "Zsálya." Willi slipped a finger under her chin and gently urged her gaze back up to his. "From the first moment I saw you, I have felt a shadow upon your kind heart and seen a great sadness in your pretty eyes. I will not judge, mein kleiner Wolf. I will not laugh. I will not leave. I wish only to help you. Please, will you not tell me what troubles you?" "I... cannot." Tears glimmered in Zsálya's eyes, and her small hands tightened upon the front of his tunic. "You cannot help me. Nothing can. Thank you, though," she whispered. "You are very kind." "There is very little I cannot do, especially with help from my... comrades. You need but trust me." Willi kept his voice gentle, and resisted the temptation to dig into his friend's mind. In the absence of a clear danger, his principles forced him to respect her wishes. Zsálya shook her head again, more emphatically. "I may not speak about what troubles me to anyone outside of my pack." Her voice was quiet, but her tone was clear: she would say no more. "Please, just stay with me and be my friend, Willi," she begged him. "That will mean more than you can know." Willi responded by pulling her back into his embrace, resting his cheek against her hair and rubbing her back through the simple garment she wore. "I will," he promised. "I am here for you, mein freund. Always." They embraced for quite some time, as Willi explained the basics of magic to a fascinated Zsálya. The revelations also seemed to set her wolf more at ease. When they eventually parted she slipped her arm around his, and they began to walk aimlessly through her snowbound forest. "What is this sign that you wear?" she asked him, brushing her free hand over the large blue star on his tunic. "It is the sign of my Order, the Knights of the Azure Star," Willi replied. "I have told you of our purpose before, though I did not use the name. We try to maintain a low profile, and so do not usually wear our uniforms out and about." He grinned as his long tunic became solid green. "Are you all mages? How many are you? Do you ride white horses?" Willi found Zsálya's eagerness endearing, but he was bound to secrecy on certain matters just as she was. "I know how to ride a horse, yes," he replied with a smile, "though I do not keep one of my own. The Order has members from many species, but humans predominate. As for the rest... we do not speak about the details of our membership and abilities. Part of keeping the peace is being an intimidating presence, mein Prinzess, and all beings fear most that which they do not know. By being enigmatic, we make ourselves more intimidating, which helps us to keep the peace. Do you follow?" "No, I do not. Why would you seek to scare your friends?" Zsálya raised an eyebrow at Wilhelm. Wilhelm gave her a wry smile. "Who said they were our friends? You may be my friend, mein kleiner Wolf, but your pack and even the Werewolf Council are not my friends. Especially the latter, not with that schwein in charge. The same goes for the Vatican, the Star Chamber, the Five Towers, other Weres, the Vampire Primogen, the Dwarven Elder Council, the Elven Summer Conclave, the dragons... et cetera. And that is just in Europe. The Order maintains a presence in every part of the world." It gave Zsálya pause to hear him speak so matter-of-factly about beings she had thought the stuff of cubs' tales, and about many entities of whom she had never heard at all. "If... they are not your friends, then what are they?" "A pack of preening, idiotic pups who we must keep from biting each other and from killing off the local rabbits. Or so it feels on many days." Zsálya knew of the Werewolf Council, of course, and hearing her friend dismiss the wisest Werewolves in Europe as 'idiotic pups' angered her. "So you and the other knights are the pack elders, here to keep the stupid cubs in line, is that it?" she asked, putting more bite into her tone than she had intended. Willi blinked at her, then snorted. "Hardly. If it were so, they might actually listen to us more often. No, we are the awkward, clumsy adolescents who have been charged with watching the cubs and keeping them all safe." He grinned, clearly comfortable with laughing at himself. "Though we do not always know quite what we are doing, we know our duty and do the best we can." "So... who are the pack elders, then?" Zsálya's tone was calm and curious once more; Willi's self-deprecating manner was most disarming. Surprisingly, he shook his head and patted her hand. "That is quite a question. The shortest possible answer is: God. And no, I am not in the mood to discuss theology tonight. Ask me some other time, when you wish for a very long and very confusing conversation." Zsálya considered his words, and accepted them with good grace. "In any case," she finally replied, her tone light and playful, "I think you are very good at being scary, Willi." He chuckled. "You are not going to forgive me for frightening you, are you?" "Well... maybe, if you are very nice to me..." She wasn't upset anymore, of course, but she was overcome by the urge to tease her handsome friend, to make him squirm just a tiny bit. Is it usual to feel this way towards a friend? Willi threw back his head and laughed. "Frauen! No matter the species, you females are all the same!" He slipped his arm out of hers for a moment to ruffle her long black hair. "Beautiful and perfect?" she asked, twirling away from him and smiling coyly over her shoulder. "Evil!" Willi's charming grin made it quite clear he was only teasing. "Now, I have another question for you, if I may." "Surely." Still smiling warmly, she came back towards him and held out a hand. Willi took it and raised it to his lips, letting his polite kiss linger just a moment too long. "Who was the woman who visited earlier?" he asked, still holding her hand. "Was she another dreamwalker?" "She... is my grandmother, Leona," Zsálya told him, her voice hesitant. "I think I must have dreamed a likeness of her, to comfort me." "No, she was not a dream. Has she ever spoken to you in dreams before?" "Never. I have always been alone, except for..." she shivered, thinking of the Werewolf who haunted her dreams, and who would one day kill her in the waking world. Willi stepped closer and slipped his arms around her waist. "Your grandmother is not a Werewolf, is she?" he asked gently. Zsálya's head jerked up as if she had been shocked. "What? She... of course she is a wolf!" she protested. It tore at her to lie to her friend, but Father had been most clear: like her visions, she was not to speak of Grandmother's panther-self to anyone outside the pack. She could not disobey her alpha in this, or the pack's survival would be endangered. Instead of arguing, Willi just stared down at her, his gorgeous blue eyes seeming to see right through her. Somehow, it was worse than if he had called her a liar. Nonetheless, Zsálya met his gaze stubbornly, determined to protect those she loved, even from her well-meaning human friend. After a full minute, Willi sighed and ran a hand over Zsálya's cheek, which sent a tiny shiver down her spine. "It seems that you must hold your secrets, and I must hold mine," he observed before leaning down to brush his lips across her forehead. They turned their conversation to other matters, and quickly rediscovered the comfortable rhythm they had enjoyed for the past ten days. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {More from Archangel_M: Most of the entities Willi mentions you can figure out well enough on your own, but in the spirit of mercy I will explain two of them. The Star Chamber is a council comprised of delegates from the various Protestant churches in Europe, empowered to act for the member churches "in all matters extraordinary and daemonic," formed about twenty years after the Reformation. The Five Towers are five ancient human 'colleges' of magic that usually present a united front to the rest of the world. Almost every non-Order mage worthy of the term has spent at least some time studying at one or another of them. Each 'tower' has a specialty: fire, water, earth, air, and healing. As for the rest... yes, Horatio, there are more things in heaven and earth than you can shake a stick at, in addition to all the chaos caused by humans. Weres keep to themselves for a reason.} Fondest Dreams Ch. 03 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: I think I started to fall in love with Willi in this chapter. Thank you, Doctime, for your patience with us! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: There were some technical difficulties when Chapter 2 was initially posted. If you read a version where the story seemed to skip around (whole chunks of dialogue were missing) and the bottom half of page 1 was all italics, please check back and reread it. Hopefully, a correct version will be up by the time this posts. The music suggestion for this chapter is "Heaven is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Vielen Dank an Fräulein Anne für ihre Hilfe mit meinem Deutsch. ;)} January 16, 1858 Zsálya seemed nervous and distracted this evening. She hugged Willi as usual after he dispatched the demon wolf, but not with her usual joy. She seemed stiff and awkward as she buried her face in Willi's shoulder and held onto him more tightly than ever. "Zsálya, has something happened? What is wrong with you?" he asked, hugging her in return. She didn't answer, but she didn't move from her position. Willi disentangled himself from her arms and eased her away, but she kept her face downcast. Sighing, he slipped his palm under her chin and lifted it, only to see tears in her beautiful blue eyes. The sight broke his heart. What had happened to upset his little ebon-haired angel? "Has someone harmed you?" Just the thought of it made his eyes flash with anger and his jaw clench; it seemed that even two decades of diplomatic training and experience were not enough to let him hide his emotions concerning his kleinen Wolf. "Oh no, Willi, nothing like that. So much has happened today. I think I am just overwhelmed; that is all, truly. I think I just needed to touch you, and to know you are here with me. I am sorry if I troubled you, Willi." Although she tried to make him believe it was nothing, Willi could see the strain in her face. Something troubled her, something different from her usual pain, and he would make it his duty to find out what it was. Assuming her latest burden was not also a pack secret, he thought sourly. That still rankled—she was in danger; he could practically taste it in the black fog that surrounded her dream each night. But without any sort of proof, his principles and oaths forbade him to go snooping in her mind or to interrogate her beyond gentle questions. It was maddening. But first, for the needs of the moment. Maybe, if he just got her talking, he'd be able to deduce the problem. "So, tell me then, what happened today?" Willi sat down on a nearby rock to await her answer. He gazed down at her when she settled herself in the snow next to him, her head resting on his leg. It was second nature now for him to reach down and gently stroke her soft, silky hair. For some reason, this seemed to calm them both. Though he was not her mate, Zsálya had grown used to his strange smell, fennel and woodsmoke, and now found it wonderfully comforting. "Orsolya's mate arrived today. He is very handsome." She stopped for a moment and looked up at her friend. "But not as handsome as you, Willi." She smiled, and then laid her head back down on his leg and continued speaking. "He's tall, and very strong. He saved one of our cubs from a bear!" She lowered her voice and whispered so low that Willi could barely hear. "My sister is very lucky." Willi was perplexed as he listened to her speak of her sister's mate. Why was it that Zsálya was so sure she would never find her own? He was suddenly very aware of the heat of her head on his leg, and of the rest of her body close to his. He spoke softly, trying to coax the answers from her lips. "What is it that overwhelmed you, Zsálya? Please, tell me. I want to help you." She sighed and held tighter to his legs. "Orsolya spent much of the day with him. They will be mating tomorrow night, during the Ice Moon. When he kisses her..." Her voice faltered for a moment. "When he kisses her, she feels so many things at once. It is like she is being touched all over her body. She feels... different, like she needs something, but is not sure what it is. It is almost like a hunger." He continued to stroke her hair as he pondered what was happening in his little angel's mind. "And she told you this?" Zsálya's voice was barely a whisper. "She does not have to. I feel it." Willi was momentarily at a loss for words. He took her by the arms and pulled her to her feet so he could see her face. "Du, was? Ach; you what?" Zsálya's face blushed a deep crimson. "I feel it, I feel everything. It is a special bond we share as twins. When he kisses her, I feel all that Orsolya does." "Faszinierend..." Willi murmured, his mind whirling. He had never read of or encountered this phenomenon before. He had heard of twins with remarkably close bonds, especially among elves. But these twins were Werewolves, and what she described went far beyond a simple twins' bond. He looked into her face for a moment and saw what he thought was shame. "Zsálya, dear, sweet Zsálya, you have done nothing wrong!" "I feel as if I am intruding on her, and I do not know how to stop it!" "Have you told your grandmother, or your father?" "No, I have not. I am afraid of what they will think." She dropped her eyes and whispered, "And, it feels good. I... do not wish to stop it." Willi suddenly realized what was happening. "Zsálya, have you never been kissed by a man?" He looked into her innocent face, brushing stray hair back from her eyes and tucking it behind her ears. "You mean as a male to his mate? Oh no, Willi! The males of our pack are afraid to approach me. I am one of the Alpha's daughters; only a prospective mate would dare!" Again, she brought her head down and whispered, "And I will never have a mate." "You seem very certain of that," Willi murmured, drawing her close once more. "I am." Zsálya struggled to prevent her voice from breaking as she laid her head upon his shoulder and snuggled her body into his. "Why?" Such a simple question, and it hurt Zsálya that she was unable to answer it. Oh, to be able to confide in her friend! She knew he couldn't help her, but it would be so nice just to have a sympathetic ear... but instead, she squeezed him tighter and spoke the now-familiar words: "That... is a secret." Willi sighed softly and just held her, rubbing her back through her pretty blue dress. Zsálya closed her eyes and gave her own sigh, one of contentment. She loved hugging her friend like this; she seemed to fit so perfectly against his body, and she could feel his heartbeat, sure and powerful against her breast. Willi was of average height for an alpha or beta wolf, but slimmer, which made him seem even taller. And though his muscles were not obvious like Guillame's, or her brothers', she could feel them through his clothing, like bands of iron beneath his warm skin. She wondered momentarily if he would be a match for her sister's mate in a wrestling match. Her wolf loved the feeling of Willi's strength, and gloried in the way he protected them, as a male should. Zsálya liked that too, but she especially loved the simple feeling of closeness she felt with him. When Willi held her like this, there was nothing for her to fear, and nobody was afraid of her, or for her. No fear... it was glorious. Zsálya's need to cry ebbed and faded away. After what seemed like a long time, she pulled back just enough to look up into Willi's handsome face. "Thank you so much," she told him, running a hand up across his shoulder to rest on his cheek. "There is no mate waiting for me... but now I have you, my dear friend. I wish..." Realizing what she had been about to say, Zsálya's voice failed her, and her head dropped in embarrassment. Willi's strong, gentle hand lifted her gaze back to his. He spoke no words, but his reassuring smile invited her to finish her thought. "I... wish you were my mate," Zsálya whispered, blushing a sunset as she admitted her feelings for her wonderful friend. Willi just stared at her for a long moment, his face completely blank. Then he began to blink, and Zsálya realized he was trying to hold back tears. His hands felt like burning brands as he laid them upon her cheeks, and she shivered at the feelings she saw in his gorgeous blue eyes. Did he see her... as a female? Or just as a friend? Zsálya's breath caught in her throat, her innocent eyes wide as her lips seemed to drift closer to his of their own accord. Their first kiss was brief and hesitant, barely more than a brush of lips. But that was enough to dispel all doubts: he wanted her, and she wanted him. Overcome with joy, Zsálya stood on her tiptoes and carefully pressed her lips to his again in a real, deep kiss. It wasn't quite as pleasurable as she had expected, but the simple knowledge that she was kissing her 'knight in shining armor' made her heart sing. Her heart's song paused when, after a few moments, Willi used his hands to gently ease her away, just enough to look fully into her eyes. Zsálya's heart clenched—had she misread his intent? But no, his face glowed with affection and... amusement? "Kiss with your lips, mein kleiner Wolf, not your teeth," he murmured, running a thumb over her lips to emphasize his point. "Again." He grinned as he leaned in. She met him eagerly, carefully keeping her teeth back as he said. It took a few more pleasant tries before she got it just right. But when her lips met his in that first perfect kiss, oh the ecstasy! The song became a symphony, fire roared through Zsálya's veins, and her head spun. She embraced her friend with a force that would have injured a normal human. Willi didn't seem to notice, and kissed her back with an equally fervent passion. Their hands roamed one another's backs and sides, and tangled in each other's hair. A tiny part of Zsálya's mind was able to maintain itself through her passion. That part watched her wolf dancing in joy, and noted the differences between her current feelings and Orsolya's when she kissed Guillame. There was an undercurrent of something more between those two, a spark that passed between them whenever they touched, even if only for an instant. Zsálya felt nothing of the sort with Willi. And yet, memories of her sister's passion paled in comparison to what she was feeling right now. As wonderful as it had been to feel Orsolya's love and pleasure, this moment, and this gorgeous male, were hers. OURS! Zsálya's wolf echoed, over and over again. Willi was their male, mating bond or no, powerful, handsome, and loving. Her wolf would tear apart any other female who tried to claim him. For his part, Willi's head was whirling and his heart felt as if it would burst from his chest. He had dreamed of someone like Zsálya since he had first realized that the world held women; someone intelligent but not arrogant, innocent but not foolish. Someone he could have a real conversation with, and also trust. And her looks were an amazing bonus; she was probably the most beautiful being he had ever beheld. To think that such a woman was here, and real, and might become his woman was almost more than he could believe. At last, the young couple were forced to part for breath. Still Zsálya would not let Willi pull away, though, holding him tightly and rubbing her cheek against his. "Mine," she whispered in his ear. "Oh please, Willi, say you will be mine, my male?" She heard his breath catch. "Yours," he whispered back when he found his voice again. His fingers stroked Zsálya's long black hair in a way that made her want to purr like Grandmother. "Humans don't need a mating bond to tell us when we are meant for someone," he told her. "I love you, Zsálya." His declaration was like a bolt of lightning that traveled from her head to her toes. She leaned back enough to gaze into his eyes, and saw the truth of his words shining there. "I... think I love you too," she admitted. "You are either in love, or you are not," he replied with a teasing grin. "Which is it, meine Prinzessin?" Zsálya burst out giggling, leaning forward and nuzzling him playfully. "I love you, Willi," she told him firmly. A thought occurred to her, and she giggled again. "You are a very strange human," she told Willi with an impish smile that sent wonderful shivers through his stomach... and down to his growing cock. "Really? I had not noticed." He laughed, a rich, warm sound that sent a thrill down Zsálya's spine. "I grew up in a magical castle that has a former demon for a butler and a giant spider living in the basement. As a child, my closest playmates were a Werefox and an elf prince, and I learned my letters from the spirit who keeps the libraries. I can fly. Believe me, mein geliebter Wolf, I am a very strange human, more than you yet know. And I love you, you strange little Werewolf. You are... something very special, more than I yet know, I think." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The young couple stood in the snow, kissing and gazing at each other, for quite some time. Finally, Willi slipped an arm beneath Zsálya's legs and swept her up into his arms. She laughed, wrapping her own arms around his neck and snuggling up to him. Zsálya was in heaven with her strong, handsome male holding her so tenderly, and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. When she opened them again, she fairly squealed in surprise and fright. They were not standing on the ground anymore. "Shh, be calm, meine Liebe," Willi murmured, his hands stroking her back soothingly. "You are completely and totally safe. I can fly, remember?" Against her better judgment, Zsálya turned her head and looked down. They were very high indeed above the forest, and she quickly buried her face against Willi's chest before she could become nauseated. When she next peeked, she realized that the light around them had changed dramatically. Looking up, she saw a bright crescent moon and a clear sky awash in stars. Gazing up into Willi's handsome face, Zsálya watched as he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration. Motes of silver light swirled in the air and gathered against Willi's face, so that his lips seemed to be liquid silver rather than flesh. His blue eyes opened and caught hers, reassuring her without words and telling her how much he adored her. Then Willi gently pressed his lips to Zsálya's forehead. An odd chill washed across her skin, as though she had jumped in an ice-cold river, but without the shock. Zsálya's flesh warmed again in a moment, but she couldn't help feeling as if something was... different now. "What did you do?" "I cast a spell upon you. You will like this spell," he added, hastening to allay her fears before they even formed. "It grants you the ability to do something few mortals ever have the chance to do." "What is that?" Zsálya was curious now. Willi grinned. "Cloudwalking." "What?" "Here, you shall see." Willi changed course, towards a thick puffball of a cloud, shimmering white in the moonlit sky. He soared high above it, then came in and gently touched down on its top as if he were landing on the ground. Amazingly, his feet did not fall through the cloud! Zsálya looked down at her love's feet, standing firm and sure on naught but cloud, then up to his smiling face. Her own lovely face was etched with total disbelief, even as Willi dropped to one knee and set her on her feet. She had no idea what to expect, but the sensation was quite reassuring. The cloud felt quite solid beneath her feet, but wonderfully soft and springy—as if she had stepped onto a particularly thick, luxurious bed-mattress. It also felt delightfully cool on her bare feet. Zsálya took a few hesitant steps forward, and found that the... the cloud... was very easy to walk on. The top of this particular cloud looked to have about the same area as the snowbound meadow where they met each night. As she looked up and saw the crisp, clear points of the stars above and the silver moonlight shining down, the fact that she was actually walking on a cloud fully sank in. Zsálya laughed aloud at the wonder of it, turning back to give Willi her biggest, brightest smile. Willi was just staring at her, his mouth hanging open just the tiniest bit. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," he told her after a long pause. Zsálya blushed, and decided that saying such a sweet thing entitled him to another kiss. Still beaming, she skipped back to him and delivered it with great gusto. This led to another long session of kissing and caressing. Willi was growing bolder, his lips questing all over Zsálya's face, her ears, and even down to her neck. Hesitantly, she allowed herself the same liberties. As they continued, her body grew warmer and warmer, and she had the sudden urge to feel Willi's bare skin under her hands. Lost in the moment, Zsálya concentrated and 'thought' his shirt away. The forest-green wool vanished in an instant, and Zsálya moaned into Willi's ear as she ran her hands down his bare back. His back was crisscrossed with scars, but still was soft and warm. She could feel the hard muscles beneath, a measure of his strength. At this, Willi gently, but firmly, disengaged himself, holding Zsálya away at arm's length and grinning at her. "Are you ready for this, Zsálya? I warn you, once you begin to... be physical... with someone you love, it is difficult to restrain yourself. Events may progress faster than you are prepared for." "Meaning what, exactly?" Zsálya asked playfully. Something about Willi's expression made her think that there was a hidden meaning in his words. "How far do you want to take our loving? Tonight, that is." Willi somehow managed to look serious and amorous at the same time. The question gave Zsálya pause. She took a deep breath and ran her hands up Willi's chest, cupping his face in her small hands as she really looked at him for the first time that night. She thought about making love with Willi. Her chest tightened in excitement and she felt her womanhood leaking as she imagined him taking her here, on this soft bed of cloud. But something held her back, something she couldn't explain. It wasn't her wolf. It was just a sense that it would be too much, too fast. "I... I don't want to... to lie with you, Willi," Zsálya whispered. "Not yet," she added, giving him a tender smile. "We will know when it is right." Willi gave her an equally warm smile in reply. "Yes, we will. Now then," he declared, "these clothes are not fit for meine kleine Prinzessin. Not up here in the heavens." The simple homespun of Zsálya's shift changed into something she had never felt before, or even imagined. It was so amazingly soft and comfortable that her breath caught, and she let her eyes close as she savored the feel of this wondrous material against her skin. "Oh my... what is this?" "It is called 'silk.' It is difficult to make, and very sought after. This is a gown fit for a princess such as you," Willi replied, a smug little smile touching his lips. Zsálya realized that much more than the material had changed; the garment she was wearing was radically different from her simple, utilitarian shift. The sheer pleasure of this 'silk' had distracted her at first. It was indeed a gown, dropping below her ankles to pool around her feet. Long sleeves covered her arms to the wrist, while her shoulders and a shallow 'v' down to her breasts were left bare by the lustrous blue material. It would have been horribly immodest, but for the delicate white lace concealing the skin not covered in silk, hinting at the pale flesh beneath without displaying it for the entire world to see. The lace even came a little ways up her neck, and she noticed that it also trimmed the cuffs of her sleeves. Fondest Dreams Ch. 03 The garment was wonderfully comfortable, but Zsálya wasn't certain what it actually looked like, since she had not seen it before it had magically appeared on her body. She said as much to Willi, who nodded thoughtfully. His brow furrowed, and then he stepped aside to reveal that there had been a beautiful dark-haired woman standing behind him. Strangely, there was a thin, tall oval of gold surrounding her. Zsálya was curious as to who the woman was, and waved as she walked closer. The young woman also stepped forward, waving back in precisely the same manner. Zsálya opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again when she saw the newcomer getting ready to talk. They went back and forth a few times, each too polite to make the first move. Then she glanced over at Willi and saw him biting his lip, fighting to keep from laughing aloud. "What is so funny?" Zsálya asked as both women turned to face him. "You have not seen a mirror before, have you?" Willi asked, beginning to chuckle in spite of himself. Zsálya cocked her head to one side, like she always did when she felt confused. Willi stepped forward and grasped the circle of gold, turning it to reveal that there was actually a large oval object suspended in the air. One side showed the beautiful woman, but the other was blank. After a minute, Willi turned it back, then came around to stand behind Zsálya, laying his hands lightly on her shoulders. Zsálya's mouth fell open as she saw a second Willi come into the circle and stand behind the woman. "Willi, what is this? Who is she?" "She is you," Willi replied simply. He leaned down and kissed Zsálya softly on the ear, and his counterpart did the same. "A mirror is a surface so shiny that it reflects whatever is in front of it. It permits you to see what you look like to other people." "But... that cannot be me..." "Whyever not?" "She... she is too beautiful, too refined..." Willi chuckled and slid his hands downwards, slowly stroking up and down her sides through the silk gown. His thumbs brushed past the edges of her unfettered breasts. "I know a number of human princesses, meine Liebe, and many, many other beautiful women. None of them could compare to you; that is the simple truth. One day you will walk into grand affairs of state with me, wearing gowns much like this one. Every woman present will be instantly jealous of you, and every man present will be instantly jealous of me." Zsálya felt like her mind was full of wool. She turned and looked up at Willi with bewildered eyes, needing something; she knew not what. Willi knew, though, and he gathered her fully into his arms and held her tightly. Zsálya wrapped her arms around him in turn and nuzzled under his chin, her body buzzing with energy and her womanhood leaking down her leg. A warm, strong hand slipped under Zsálya's chin and gently raised her head. Willi smiled down at her, then leaned in and claimed her lips in a kiss that made Zsálya moan into his mouth. He was so commanding, doing what he wanted—but the thing he wanted was to please her. The combination thrilled both Zsálya and her wolf, and she kissed back with a growing hunger. The fire roaring in her veins consumed her perpetual self-doubt. The couple continued kissing and stroking each other as Willi laid Zsálya down in the fluffy bed of clouds. She pulled him down on top of her body, her hands running everywhere over his bare chest and back. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ They spent the rest of the night there in the clouds, bodies entwined, lips meeting again and again and hands roaming. At times, Zsálya felt as if she wanted something more, but was uncertain what. Time seemed both to race and to stand still, but the first light of dawn shone on the horizon much too soon. Zsálya wrapped herself tightly around Willi and buried her face in the crook of his neck, refusing to acknowledge the faint light. "We must wake soon," Willi murmured, stroking her back through the silk. "I do not want to," Zsálya whispered back. "I wish to stay here, with you. Always." Willi smiled and laid a kiss on the crown of her head, running his fingers through her lustrous ebon hair. "Likewise, meine Liebe. But I have responsibilities in the waking world, as I am certain you do." Zsálya let out a tiny sigh and hugged her lover even harder. "I hate my responsibilities," she whispered, mostly to herself. "I am so tired..." "Will you not tell me what troubles you, love?" Willi murmured. "Are you ill-used by your pack?" The absurdity of her pack hurting her actually made Zsálya laugh, but it was a hollow sound with no merriment behind it. "No, never," she replied, her voice muffled against his neck. "It is fate that torments me, Willi." "There is no such thing as fate," Willi told her, his voice still quiet but now as firm as steel. "Yes, there is." Zsálya's voice was so faint as to be barely audible. "You are very wise, my darling, but in this you believe wrongly." Willi accepted this statement with a soft sigh, stroking her back soothingly through her gown. "Again, how are you so certain, meine Liebe?" "That is a secret." Zsálya's tone told Willi that the discussion was over. "My darling Zsálya... you have some manner of Sight, yes?" "Do not ask me of such things! Please," she begged, pulling away to look up into Willi's wonderful blue eyes. "Please, Willi, you must let this alone. These are secrets I must keep. I beg you to trust me." Willi gazed down at Zsálya for what seemed a very, very long time. "Sehr gut," he replied at last. "I will place my trust in you, Zsálya. But know that if you are in danger, I will act to safeguard you, no matter the cost." "I know." That is why I cannot tell you, my darling human, Zsálya thought to herself, gazing up at her love in adoration. If you try to interfere you will be hurt, or killed... and I could not bear that! The rising sun put an end to Zsálya's musings. "A good day to you, mein kleiner Wolf," Willi told her. "I will see you again with the dusk." He bent to give her a lingering, goodbye kiss. Then he released her and vanished. Zsálya felt even more bereft than usual. But then she thought about the events of the night, and her heart filled with joy. Mine! she exulted to herself as she woke. He is all mine! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ More from Archangel_M: Sex next chapter. Promise! :) Fondest Dreams Ch. 04 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: I think this is the chapter that drove Doctime crazy. Well, the first one to drive him crazy. AA and I had an idea about how these 19th century characters differed from those in the present. Thank you, Doctime, for giving us ideas and options. We may not always have agreed, but we were always grateful! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: This one drove me crazy too; it took me quite a long time to get right. I hope you folks enjoy it! ^_^ The music suggestion for this chapter is "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Glossary: - geliebter Wolf -- German -- "Beloved wolf" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} January 17, 1858 Willi reached out, but could not feel Zsálya's sleeping mind. He had purposely been going to sleep earlier in order to dispatch den bösen Wolf before it had a chance to terrorize his sweet little angel. This was the first night that she wasn't there waiting for him. Before he had time to worry, he remembered this was the night of the full moon, what Zsálya called the "Ice Moon." Her twin would be mating in an elaborate ceremony. As she had explained it to him, Guillame would lead the pack's betas on a hunt. If they did not return with sufficient game to feed the pack, Orsolya would reject him as a mate. Of course, it was merely a formality. Zsálya had said that game was plentiful this year, and her brothers knew the hunting grounds better than anyone. Zsigmond and Istvan would not let Guillame fail, Zsálya had told him. He wondered how her sister's mating would affect his angel. Just the act of kissing between Orsolya and Guillame had affected her greatly. Would she feel their actual mating? Willi pondered that as he waited in the In-Between. After what Zsálya had told him last night, he had spent the day in the several libraries of Schloss Helsing, digging up anything even remotely related to Werewolf bonds. He had not come across anything such as Zsálya and Orsolya shared. Finally, he felt Zsálya's dream consciousness, but to his surprise, it was in disarray. That was the only word for it. Her dream felt dark and brooding, not her usual state of mind at all. This worried him, but there was no use in getting upset until he knew what was happening. Upon entering her dream, Willi stood still for a moment and looked around, noting the unusual silence. He looked down and saw the snow had turned to slush, intermixed with mud. The trees surrounding him were bare. The sky was solid overcast, and the mood of the dream was somber at best. His heart sank. This was even worse than he had imagined. Something must have gone horribly wrong. He steeled himself for whatever might come and called a greeting. He waited, but no Zsálya. He called again and thought he could faintly make out the sound of sobbing. His chest tightened and his stomach clenched. "Zsálya!" he called out, hoping to elicit some sort of reply. He walked carefully towards the sounds and easily spotted her through the bare trees. Her hair was matted, her dress torn and filthy. Her face was flushed and sweat beaded on her forehead. "Zsálya," he whispered, "what is wrong, meine Freundin?" He waited until she acknowledged his presence before moving forward and pulling her to his chest. She clung to him as she cried, and nestled into his body as she felt his hands slowly stroking her hair and back. "Oh, Willi, I cannot live this way. Every time he touches her, I feel it just as she does. My father had to carry me from the mating. He must be so ashamed." She struggled to speak through her sobs. She could feel herself beginning to calm now that her friend was here with her. Zsálya buried her face in the crook of Willi's neck, taking deep breaths of his fennel and woodsmoke scent. Willi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He cradled Zsálya in his arms and rocked her as if she were a child. "Shhh, you have done nothing wrong. I am sure your father was only thinking of your privacy." He looked around for a place to sit and, finding none, began to walk while Zsálya cried. He found a rock and slowly sat, trying to keep from jostling her as best he could. Settling her in his lap, he could watch her face as she continued her explanation. Zsálya sniffed and gave her friend a weak smile as he stroked her ebon hair and brushed it away from her face. He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the tears from her reddened cheeks. She looked into his ice-blue eyes, afraid she would see disgust, but she saw nothing but concern and love. She leaned into his shoulder and shut her eyes, doing her best to calm herself, concentrating on Willi's tender ministrations. Willi gauged her improving state of mind by the changes that came about in the dream. He looked at his feet and saw that the mud was gone, replaced by fluffy white snow. The sky had cleared, and the trees regrew their leaves before his eyes. He continued to stroke Zsálya's hair, and decided he would not press her for information. When she was ready, she would tell him. He recalled a song that Zsálya had taught him, the one that her grandmother had sung to her when she missed her mother. He began to hum it, hoping he had it just right. He felt her body relax in his arms and he took the opportunity to speak. "Did I get the song right?" Zsálya's voice was soft in his ears. "You did it perfectly. Thank you, Willi. Grandmother used to sing that to my mother when she was a cub, and she says my mother sang it to me and my sister. I love it, and you were wonderful to remember it!" There was a moment of silence before she began to speak again, this time in a throaty whisper. "It was wonderful and horrible at the same time, Willi. I could feel her pleasure, I could feel his touch and his... maleness. I felt filled and empty at the same time. I was in ecstasy but lonely, all at the same time. Does that make sense?" She couldn't look at him as she spoke. She imagined her face a bright crimson color to match the incredible heat she felt radiating from her skin. "Yes, that makes perfect sense." He held her just a little bit tighter. "The bond they share, as mates, adds to her pleasure. I had her feelings, but without that bond, I was alone. Each time I felt worse and worse. I felt every one of her climaxes, but I felt as if my body yearned for more, for something I could not have." She tried to gather her thoughts, but Willi's hand moving through her hair was distracting. She tried to move even closer to him, if that was possible. "He took her several times through the night. That is why I am so late. I could not sleep until they finally slept themselves." "I see." Willi laid a soft, reassuring kiss on Zsálya's temple. She sighed and kissed his cheek in reply. "So, how was your day?" she asked with a weak smile. "It was not as productive as I had hoped. I have sought all day for some insight into your singular bond, but without success," Willi confessed. "I am sorry, meine Liebe; I have no answers for you." Willi could well guess what was happening to his poor kleinen Wolf: her body had readied itself for mating, perhaps even going into heat, but without a mate of her own Zsálya was left frustrated, full of unfulfilled desires. Willi kissed Zsálya's cheek, then nuzzled his way to her ear. Even this simple caress sent an electric thrill down to Zsálya's sex and drew a moan of pleasure from her throat. It surprised both of them, but Zsálya wasn't in a position to reflect on it. Her head was such a muddle that she could barely think. Her body felt like it was on fire and being pricked with a thousand tiny pins, all at once. Willi's scent and warmth were wonderfully comforting, though, and she clung to him, her hands clenched in the soft green linen of his tunic. She needed something, needed it desperately, and somehow she knew that Willi could give it to her. Stupid tunic, she thought, an idle thought magnified to tremendous import by the chaos in her mind. It is in the way! Of what, exactly, she was unsure, but Zsálya focused on getting rid of it, and the rest of their clothes as well. Suddenly her hands were against Willi's skin, and she mewled her need, her need for something, as she pressed her bare breasts against his chest and ran her hands over his muscled back and sides. Willi's blue eyes were wide with surprise at finding himself suddenly stark naked, with his Werewolf lover equally naked and sitting in his lap. He used his hand to raise her face to his and saw that her eyes were unfocused, confused. Reaching out to her emotions, he was nearly overcome at the force of the desire that he felt. The nature of Zsálya's desire was oddly innocent, though: she yearned for tenderness and gentleness... for love. Experiencing her sister's mating vicariously had left Zsálya with two needs, Willi deduced. Her body needed to rut, to fuck, pure and simple. Her soul, however, needed to make love, to bond with a worthy male and find completion in his arms. Though he could not hope to replicate a Were mating bond—nobody had ever conducted a study of its magical mechanisms, for a start—Willi thought he could provide his darling kleinen Wolf with at least a part of what her spirit needed. And, though lacking in experience, he was fully confident in his ability to meet the needs of her body. Willi gathered his angel more tightly into his arms and willed himself into the air, focusing his spirit and reaching out empathically to Zsálya. When most people think of contact between minds, they think of telepathy, the exchange of complex thoughts, images, and ideas. This is quite difficult, even for the most powerful of mages. However, there is another kind of mental contact, called "empathy," the ability to communicate some or all of one's own emotions and to read the emotions of others. Empathic contact is relatively simple for magic-users to effect, and they use it for everything from anticipating attacks to haggling over eggplant at market. Within a dream, moreover, anyone can do it easily. In this case, Willi projected himself into Zsálya's mind as his body soared upwards, but he found himself rebuffed by her wolf-self. In his mind's eye, Willi could see the beautiful black wolf, guarding the way into Zsálya's mind with bared fangs and raised hackles. The idea of anyone but a mate or an alpha getting inside their minds was abhorrent to Weres' animal-selves—for very good reason, if the histories Willi had read were to be believed. Nonetheless, he wanted to touch Zsálya's mind and let her feel how much he loved and cared for her. So he reached out again, this time standing on the 'threshold' of Zsálya's mind and speaking to her wolf. In this dream-state, the wolf's nature made it possible to hold a conversation of sorts with her. I am your friend, he told her, his thoughts warm. I love Zsálya and I wish to show her my love. You have nothing to fear from me, Beautiful One. You can show her very well with your voice and your body, the wolf replied. You are not our mate, and have no business in our mind! Willi couldn't help but smile to himself. The little black wolf's protectiveness was very sweet, and also very wise in principle. Ah, he thought back, but I cannot show her this with my body... he projected a small stream of emotion towards Zsálya's wolf-self, giving her a taste of the love and adoration he felt for her—for both halves of her beautiful soul. The wolf was uncertain now, and Willi could picture her cocking her head to the side in that adorable way she had. You... love me, too? she thought back, tentatively. Willi could not read her feelings—lupine emotions were rather different from human ones—but he understood what she meant. The wolf had assumed that, because he was human, Willi was only interested in Zsálya's human-self, the woman who was still stroking his back and nestling against him as he carried her up into the clouds. He might have laughed in other circumstances; his beloved's wolf-self harbored the same misplaced self-doubts as her human-self. I love you, Beautiful One, Willi thought back emphatically, and sent the little wolf the full force of his feelings to prove it. She gave off the emotional equivalent of a joyful howl. Willi wrapped the wolf up in the warmth of his love, effectively embracing her as one lover to another. She embraced him in return, and eagerly allowed him access to their mind at last. Willi obliged, and reached out to Zsálya's human-self as well. He wrapped both aspects of his beloved in the warm, tender cocoon of his feelings for her, entwining his spirit with theirs. Zsálya let out a loud gasp and looked at the strong male that held her so gently in his arms. She had never felt such love in her life. True, her father, grandmother, and all of her family loved her unconditionally, but this was so very different. This was the kind of love that her grandmother had spoken of so many times—the kind of love that made a knight battle a dragon for his maiden. Willi was her knight, and the monster he battled every night was the demon Werewolf who tormented her. Willi truly loved her in a way she had never thought possible. She could only gaze into his handsome face as her 'knight' flew them into the clouds. Oh how she had longed to feel this kind of love, and had thought it would never come to pass. Their love was different than the love that Orsolya and Guillame shared, Zsálya mused, born of belief and courage rather than the certainty of destiny. Neither better nor worse, just different, and every bit as powerful. And though they were not in the waking world, it was every bit as real. She nestled further into Willi's shoulder, his strong arms holding her tightly. Her knight soared up above a vast, fluffy cloud, which seemed as a shimmering mass of silver in the light of the full moon. Zsálya looked up at the moon and felt the beauty of this perfect evening flow through her. It filled her with pure, unmitigated hope for the first time in her life. The sensation sent tears of joy streaming from her eyes. Willi noticed Zsálya's tears as soon as he alighted on the cloud. "What is wrong?" he asked, kissing a few of the salty droplets from his beloved's face. "Nothing is wrong," Zsálya whispered, giving Willi a beaming, joyful smile. "Everything is right! Everything... is perfect!" She stood on her tiptoes and threw her arms around Willi's neck, pulling his lips down for a passionate kiss. "I now know what I need," she murmured when they finally parted. "I need you, Willi. Please... will you lie with me?" "Of course, mein geliebter Wolf," he replied, his voice dropping to a husky growl that sent a shiver of delight down Zsálya's spine. "Mein Gott im Himmel, you are so gorgeous..." Willi said, running his hands down Zsálya's body and grabbing her behind firmly. Zsálya squeaked in surprise; she hadn't expected him to do that. She was suddenly very, very aware that both she and Willi were naked, and pressed closely against each other. It was a shock how hard her nipples were, and she moved herself more aggressively against Willi's body, delighting in the sensation of rubbing them against his hairy chest. His body hair was thick, but silky rather than coarse. Zsálya loved it. Another thing that Zsálya could feel was Willi's maleness, very erect and pulsing firmly against her stomach. Zsálya closed her eyes and buried her face in the crook of her love's neck, bathing her mind in his scent and her soul in his tenderness while she moved herself slowly against his manhood, something she had never felt before. The slow, sinuous rubbing of Zsálya's body on his was rapidly destroying Willi's high-order thinking. The mere thought of the most beautiful woman in the world wanting him this much would have been enough to overwhelm him. But to have her naked, in his arms, her innocent lust written in her every action... Willi could not have controlled himself if he had wanted to. Zsálya teased a series of low, lustful moans from his throat while he loosed his hands and lips upon her body. One hand found its way between her legs, teasing her nether lips with his fingers, and the other slid up her body and tangled in her hair. Zsálya moaned back to feel Willi's touch upon her pussy, and was suddenly consumed with the need to touch his cock in turn. She pulled away just enough to slip one of her small hands between them, delicately wrapping her fingers around Willi's hard cock. She hadn't fully realized his size, and gasped as she realized that her forefinger and thumb could just barely meet when she grasped him. His cock was just as big as Guillame's, despite his slightly smaller stature! It was different from a Were male's penis, though, mainly in the fact that there was no knot nor foreskin. Zsálya found it strange, but she loved the feel of him in her hands: silk over steel. Her entire body was humming with sexual energy, desperate to find an outlet. Zsálya had the sudden, inexplicable urge to taste Willi and went with it. She licked across his neck and trailed her tongue down his body as she slowly sank to her knees on the soft cloud. Zsálya lapped at his big cock and then, on a whim, took him into her mouth and sucked. She looked up at her darling knight as she did so, and the ecstatic glaze of his eyes made Zsálya giggle in utter delight. She really had no idea why she wanted to do such naughty things all of a sudden. It was not from memories of her sister's mating; those had been driven from her mind completely. It just felt so right, so natural to pleasure her male like this. Willi, meanwhile, had almost lost the capacity for any sort of thought. The sight of his little black-haired angel sucking his cock was indescribable, and when she gazed up at him with her twinkling blue eyes Willi lost the last shreds of his control. He shouted Zsálya's name as he came harder than he ever had before in his life. His orgasm also robbed his limbs of strength, and he fell backwards into the cloud's soft embrace, eyes closed and body twitching through the aftershocks. Zsálya let out a muffled yip of surprise as Willi's cum flooded her mouth. Though it was a surprise, it tasted good, and the little were drank it down greedily. It tasted of Willi, and Zsálya had her own, smaller orgasm as she tasted him and felt his cock pulsing between her lips. When he collapsed, the last few spurts of cum landed on Zsálya's face and in her hair. She was torn between the urge to lap it up and the desire to leave it there for the entire world to see. After a moment of mental debate, Zsálya left the salty white droplets where they were; feeling them on her face made her feel like she was really his. The black-haired girl fairly pounced on her supine lover and covered him in kisses, rubbing her body against him as he recovered from the pleasure she had given him. When Willi finally came back to himself, Zsálya had clamped her thighs down on either side of his leg and was rubbing her dripping pussy against it. Her face was pressed into his chest, and he could literally feel her moans against his skin as she pleasured herself. What kind of gentleman would I be if I did not return the pleasure she has given me? Willi thought to himself with a wicked smile. It took some doing to coax his little lupine angel off his leg, but it was worth it to be able to pull her up his body by her perfectly curved hips. He settled her in a kneeling position, with a leg on either side of his head, and drew her dripping pussy down to his lips. Fondest Dreams Ch. 04 Though she didn't know what Willi had in mind, Zsálya was unbelievably aroused and ready to do anything he asked of her. He was still bathing both her and her wolf in pure, unadulterated love and adoration, and as he moved her body around so easily Zsálya tried to reach back to her powerful, wonderful male, to express her love as well. The first touch of Zsálya's spirit at the gates of Willi's mind was earnest but clumsy, like a child reaching out to her parent for the first time. Willi opened his mind to her and let her in without hesitation, trusting his kleinen Wolf more deeply that he had ever trusted anyone. She did not disappoint, wrapping his spirit in her awkward, tender embrace and trying to send him her love. It didn't quite work, but Willi saw the effort for what it was and was touched. He mixed threads of encouragement into the feelings he was sending to her. It was then that, on the physical level, Willi extended his tongue and gave Zsálya's lips a slow, loving lick from base to clit. Zsálya's empathic breakthrough was instantaneous—even as she screamed Willi's name to the stars, her love and devotion broke over his soul like a tidal wave. Willi closed his eyes and moaned his beloved's name, even as his lips and tongue went to work on her clit. Though he had never performed oral sex before, Willi was familiar with the theory and approached the task carefully and methodically. He tried each thing he could think to do in turn, noting which ones pleased his little Were the most. Then he began applying them in ever more creative and pleasurable combinations, wringing orgasm upon orgasm from Zsálya's luscious body. The sheer force of pleasure quickly overwhelmed her conscious mind and both she and her wolf reverted to a state of pure emotion and sensation, devoid of higher thought. Zsálya's body became a quivering mass of ecstasy, while both halves of her soul bathed in Willi's love and showered him with their own love in turn. When Willi finally relented and let Zsálya begin to come down, he lifted her shaking body off his face and laid her ever-so-gently on the cloud beside him. Zsálya came back to herself, wrapped securely in Willi's arms, with her gorgeous human murmuring to her in German and stroking her tenderly. The little Were giggled and tried to nestle even closer to her male, rubbing the top of her head under his chin. "Oh, Willi... if only this was real..." she whispered. Willi tilted his head to look into Zsálya's blue eyes. "This is real," he told her firmly. Zsálya cocked her head to the side. "This is a dream; that means that, by definition, it is not real. Correct?" "To Hell with metaphysics," Willi shot back with a grin. "This." Kiss. "Is." Kiss. "Real." Deep, soul-searing kiss. He parted his lips from Zsálya's just enough to breathe, resting his forehead against hers as they locked gazes. "Most mortals never taste of reality this deep." She could think of no answer to that, so she just stared at Willi, whilst running her hand down his body to check on his cock. Zsálya knew that males could only mate a few times in a day, and that they required some time in between. Astonishingly, she found that Willi was already hard again! "How long has it been?" she asked in disbelief. "A handful of minutes, no more," Willi replied with a smug smile. Zsálya's pretty eyes went wide. "Then how...?" "Remember that I told you how nobody ever becomes tired in a dream? The principle does not apply only to muscles." "Oh." Zsálya stared at him for a moment, traces of golden-yellow appearing in the deep blue of her eyes. Suddenly, Zsálya raked her nails down Willi's bare back. "For what are you waiting, then? Come and take me!" she told him, the last coming out as a husky growl. She slipped her lithe body out of Willi's embrace and rolled up onto her hands and knees, looking over her shoulder with a wickedly seductive smile. It wasn't like his angel to be this bold; her wolf must have come forward, Willi surmised, ready and eager to play. Though it was unbelievably sexy, Willi didn't think that a rough, torrid fucking was right for their first time together. He reached out to the wolf empathically as he rolled up to his knees. Beautiful One, this is the human's time to be loved, he told her wolf as gently as possible. Let her come forward, please. Zsálya had been surprised when her wolf came forward so suddenly. She hadn't wanted quite what her wolf had in mind as far as lovemaking, but Zsálya was so desperate to feel Willi inside her that she didn't object. But then her wolf suddenly pulled back, leaving her human fully in charge once more. At the same time, Zsálya felt strong hands take hold of her body, lifting her like a feather and flipping her over. In an instant she was lying on her back, staring up at Willi and feeling very confused. Sensing this, Willi leaned down and nuzzled her sweetly, giving his beloved a moment to catch her breath. "I want to see your face," he explained in a throaty whisper. Thank you, Beautiful One, he told her wolf. We will have many, many times to be together... I promise. Things happened very quickly after that, or so it seemed to Zsálya. Willi's lips were on hers, his body between her legs, the head of his cock brushing against her pussy. Zsálya whimpered and lifted her hips in a wordless plea. She was so very wet and ready, and she felt her juices dripping down into the cloud below them. Willi's cock was pushing against her nether lips, which yielded in an instant. And then he was inside her, slowly easing his entire length into her tight little body. Zsálya arched her back and let loose a long, loud moan of purest pleasure. Somehow his entrance had not hurt the slightest bit, which was odd. "It should hurt the first time, should it not?" she whispered. "You must have wanted it not to hurt," Willi murmured back. "Remember, thoughts are reality in this place, meine Prinzessin..." Zsálya shrugged to herself and closed her eyes, focusing on the wondrous sensation of Willi's cock inside of her; she could feel every detail of his cock as it sank into her virgin body. She felt wonderfully full and complete. This was what she had been yearning for. The young lovers began to move together, their bodies finding a rhythm as old as time. Zsálya shifted her hips beneath Willi and wrapped her legs around his waist. Will's hands had already found her breasts, and they drew even more squeaks and mewls of ecstasy from his kleinen Wolf. "Oh, Willi..." Zsálya moaned as he made slow, tender love to her. "So good... you feel so good..." Willi's renowned willpower was strained to the limit as he fought to hold back his climax. He was determined to give his kleinen Wolf as many orgasms as possible before he succumbed to her charms. The gentle, deliberate pace he had set was driving her half-mad, he saw. Sehr gut. "Come for me, little angel," he whispered into her ear. "I want to see the light of ecstasy in your beautiful eyes!" His words triggered something deep in Zsálya's mind, and she screamed like a banshee as her climax overtook her. This orgasm made the ones Willi had given her with his lips seem pale and halfhearted, and a tiny part of Zsálya's mind wondered if she would survive it. She found herself sobbing with the joy of the moment, even as a second wave of ecstasy roared through her veins. The sight of Zsálya beneath him, caught up in the throes of pleasure, was more beautiful than anything Willi could have possibly imagined. He stared down at her in awe, his hips moving automatically while his mind was arrested by the tableau before him. The look in Zsálya's exquisite blue eyes and the sensation of her inner muscles rippling around his cock soon broke Willi's control, and he buried his face in her neck as he came. "Oh yes, oh Ancestors..." Zsálya was babbling, riding from the crest of one mind-shattering orgasm to the next when she felt Willi's hot seed inside of her. "Yes, Willi... fill me, make me yours!" Each powerful jet of cum triggered a mini-climax, and Zsálya was having trouble seeing straight. She cooed as Willi slowed to a halt, his hard body pressing down delightfully on hers. "That was so... oh, I love you so much, Willi!" "I love you too, little girl," Willi whispered back, his voice fervent and hoarse. Zsálya felt a whole-body shiver when he called her "little girl," and began giggling as she nuzzled his handsome face. She kept her legs locked tightly around Willi's waist, holding him inside of her as they recovered from their lovemaking. "Mater Dei," Willi murmured after a time. "I never, ever imagined that something could be that intense." He rolled onto his side, keeping Zsálya wrapped tightly in his arms and his cock in her pussy as they just breathed and savored the feel of being one. Willi's cock had not softened the tiniest bit, Zsálya realized presently, and now it was beginning to twitch excitedly inside her. "So soon?" she murmured, playfully licking the tip of Willi's nose. "Whenever you wish," he told her with a loving smile, squeezing her bottom and making her squeak. Zsálya felt her wolf coming forward, but this time she was hesitant, uncertain if Willi would want her after experiencing such bliss with her human half. The wolf reached out awkwardly to Willi's mind, giving him the sudden image of a little black wolf rubbing herself against his leg and looking up at him hopefully. Willi surprised both halves of his beloved by laughing softly. "Come forward, Beautiful One," he whispered, gazing into Zsálya's royal-blue eyes. "You've been patient long enough," he told her when he saw the golden flecks swirl into her irises. After a short discussion, Zsálya had let her wolf come forward and take control. Strangely, though, the wolf elected to stay in their human form. Zsálya shrugged mentally and focused herself on their mental contact with Willi, showering him in her love just as her wolf had been doing. Now in command of Zsálya's lithe human body, her wolf grabbed a double-fistful of Willi's blonde hair and kissed him hard, delighting in the chance to show her passion. Willi responded immediately, kissing back forcefully and growling deep in his throat. When the she-wolf finally released her human lover, she also unlocked her legs from his waist and slipped from his grasp. She stood and stretched herself slowly, knowing instinctively that the sight would make her male desire her even more. The wolf could also feel her male's cum leaking from her pussy, big sticky drops running down the inside of her legs. Before Willi could get to his own feet, the wolf dropped back to all fours, turning her dripping pussy towards her male and making eyes at him over her shoulder. As she saw Willi get up onto his own hands and knees, the wolf shook her ass at him a bit and giggled at the way his eyes glazed over with lust. What a wonderful male her human had found, she thought as he took her. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Willi and Zsálya lost count of the number of times they made love that first night. Sometimes Zsálya had been in control of her body, other times her wolf had taken over, and a few times they had made love to Willi together. Willi did notice that her wolf-self enjoyed licking him clean after he withdrew. He proved to be an even more amazing lover than either of Zsálya's halves had realized, and he had found any number of new and creative ways to delight them both. Though their bodies were untiring, both Willi and Zsálya had eventually run out of emotional energy. Now they were simply curled up together, resting in the cloud's embrace. Zsálya lay enclosed in Willi's arms, for once content with what was to be. She loved him, and she knew he loved her. It would be enough to see her through the days to come. If he is ours, mate or not, we should mark him! Her wolf's outburst was completely unexpected. We cannot risk another female trying to take him from us! Zsálya thought about that for a moment. It seemed her wolf was correct to be concerned; Willi was undeniably handsome, and by his own admission his work brought him into contact with many females. Then we shall mark him. Any female who looks will know he is ours. Zsálya felt her teeth growing, her tongue licking at the sharp points. This was not to be a mating bite, so it did not have to be performed at the time of the actual sex act. She turned in Willi's arms and felt him pull her closer. His eyes were still closed, a happy smile on his face. Zsálya smiled to herself and moved closer to his neck, inhaling his scent, savoring it. Her tongue flicked across the skin of his neck, and she felt him shiver. She opened her mouth and... ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "Zsálya! Zsálya, wake up, child." Leona stood with her hands on her hips. Zsálya had a silly smile on her face, and Leona could see the points of her elongated teeth. She leaned down and gently shook her. "Zsálya, do you remember? You are watching the cubs this morning. Get up, child. We must go, now!" Zsálya opened her eyes and saw her grandmother standing over her. She let out a little wake-up moan tinged with frustration. We will bite him tonight, I promise! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Fondest Dreams Ch. 05 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: Every chapter I fall more in love with Willi. Wish I was Zsálya. Oh wait, I am ;) Another thank you to Doctime for his help and suggestions. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: This chapter is one of those cases where I have these amazing images in my mind, and I hope that I managed to convey some part of them onto paper. Electrons. Whatever. Enjoy! ^_^ The music suggestion is "DuClare Chateau, Part 1" by Ion Storm. (That's a game studio, not a music group.) It's from the OST of the game Deus Ex. You can find it pretty easily. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} February 17, 1858 The past several weeks had been a time of joy for both Wilhelm and Zsálya. It seemed that their lovemaking became more wonderful with each passing night, and they had also enjoyed many long conversations about everything and nothing. Amazingly, Zsálya had been almost happy in the waking world since that wonderful night. Whenever the visions became too much, she would just close her eyes and imagine Willi's arms around her, his lips upon hers. It did not diminish the horror of what she saw, but it made life bearable. Orsolya, Guillame, and her father and grandmother had all noticed Zsálya's change in attitude, and though none mentioned it to her, they all rejoiced. However, only Leona knew the true reason for Zsálya's little smiles to herself. If Zsálya had been happy, Wilhelm had been exuberant. His reputation in the Order was as a humorless loner, unfailingly kind but rarely smiling, always buried in his books. These past few weeks his brothers and sisters in arms had been astonished to find that Wilhelm had become a whirlwind of smiles and energy, breezing through even the most thankless of tasks without the tiniest gripe. It was generally concluded that the Little Eagle (as Wilhelm was known with backhanded affection) was in love, and speculation as to who he was in love with was rampant on Thule Island. Nobody had questioned him directly, mainly because the increasingly wild guesses were excellent entertainment. The speculation would have reached a fevered pitch if anyone had seen the new scar at the base of Wilhelm's neck. In the course of their second night of lovemaking, Zsálya had bitten Willi. Hard. While unexpected, it had not been a great shock given all that he knew about Weres. The real shock had come upon his waking, when he had found a deep, bloody bite mark in the flesh of his real body! Willi had finally concluded that, in the high emotion of the moment, his mind must have somehow made Zsálya's bite real. Though painful, it had healed well over the course of several days and left a properly shaped scar, to Zsálya's unending delight. He had not, of course, become a Werewolf, nor had they formed a mating bond. However, Willi found that he was proud to bear his kleinen Wolf's mark. A pity that his habitual high collars hid it from everyone, but he was much too busy to care about his wardrobe. But today, a long way from Thule, Ártur had officially announced that Orsolya was pregnant. While she was overjoyed for her sister and Guillame, the news dealt a serious blow to Zsálya's newfound contentment. It was a harsh reminder of her knowledge that she would never have cubs of her own. Like all Weres, Zsálya wanted cubs more than anything, and the knowledge that she would not had been one of the heaviest weights upon her soul these many years. Though she managed to keep smiling for Orsolya's sake, Zsálya's heart physically ached as she thought about the cubs she would never bear. She would talk to Willi about it tonight, Zsálya decided. The subject was not forbidden, after all, and he always seemed to know exactly how to make her feel better. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Another development over the past few weeks was that Willi and Zsálya didn't bother imagining clothes for themselves anymore. They had no more need for modesty, and both were immune to the cold for different reasons. The only 'visitor' to Zsálya's dreamscape was der böse Wolf, and now he rarely lasted more than a few moments before getting daggers in his eyes. And so it was this evening. The routine of greetings, hugs, and wolf-slaying was complete, and Zsálya was safely enfolded in Willi's arms. After a moment, she looked up at her human lover and declared: "Willi, I am troubled." Wilhelm blinked twice. Usually getting Zsálya to speak about something bothering her was like extracting a stubborn tooth. Though this was a surprise, he was very gratified at the trust it implied. "Troubled by what, mein kleiner Wolf?" he asked, stroking her long black hair. "Orsolya is definitely pregnant. My father announced it to the pack today." "Congratulations! I am happy for your family." "Thank you." "So, why is this troubling? I thought cubs were a cause for rejoicing, especially for an alpha's daughter." "Yes, but..." Zsálya shook her head. "Oh, Willi! I want to have cubs too!" she confessed in a rush, wrapping her slim arms even more tightly around his firm body. "To know that I never will... it hurts, very badly." Willi reacted automatically to Zsálya's tone, gathering her into his arms and cradling her against his chest. "You are still adamant about not finding a mate," he observed quietly. Zsálya nodded, silent tears leaking from her closed eyes. "I wish you would tell me why you believe this," Willi remarked, not expecting an answer. "Anyhow, I would offer to, ah, help... but that would not work in a dream," he continued, his tone playful. Zsálya giggled despite herself. "You would be a wonderful father," she murmured. "But no, it would not work, even in the waking world." Willi kissed Zsálya's temple and rested his cheek against hers. "You will have cubs, meine Liebe," he whispered. "Not in this life, perhaps, but in your next." "What do you mean?" "As I recall, Weres believe in reincarnation, ja?" Zsálya nodded. "Well then," Willi continued, "you will have another life once this one is over. And even if you are somehow cursed in this life—which I do not believe, incidentally—then I very much doubt you will also be cursed in your next life." Zsálya started in his arms; that thought had not occurred to her before. Perhaps, in her next life, she would find her mate and bear him cubs. The thought warmed her heart, and she hugged Willi tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. "Bitte," he replied with a laugh. "Now then, I have a surprise for you!" he told her, setting her lightly back on her feet. "Really?" Zsálya's blue eyes lit up, and she smiled like a little girl on Christmas morning. "Whatever could it be?" Willi had been spending his every spare moment over the past two weeks digging through Schloss Helsing's libraries, and he'd finally found what he was searching for. He'd been waiting to put it to use all day. "I have discovered a method for taking a person from her own dream, and into someone else's," he explained eagerly. "Specifically, I intend to take you into one of my dreams!" Zsálya's eyes went wide as saucers. "You can do that?" "I believe so," was the self-deprecating reply. "I have located a set of... instructions, I suppose you could say. Whether this will work, of course, remains to be seen. Shall we try?" "Is it dangerous?" "I highly doubt it. The worst that could happen is that I will leave this dream and you will not. In which case, I will simply come back." "Alright then. What do I do?" "Hold tightly onto my hands and try to clear your mind as much as possible." The couple linked hands. Willi's eyes closed, and he took a deep breath. Zsálya tried to think about nothing in particular; she just stared around at the snowbound forest, enjoying its simple beauty. Then reality popped like a soap bubble. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ There was no space. There was no matter. She had no body. She could perceive, but not with the senses she knew. Zsálya had never been so befuddled in her life. She was still definitely herself, her wolf was still herself and Willi was still himself. Beyond that, however, nothing made sense. She could feel Willi right next to her, keeping her with him, but the feel of his presence was all she had to go by. That presence was the only thing keeping Zsálya and her wolf from panicking. This must be the In-Between, Zsálya thought. So, this is what Willi meant when he talked about there being no words for it. She could perceive countless points of reality around her, stretching away to infinity and beyond. Each point was in constant flux, shifting crazily in ways that Zsálya could 'see' but could not begin to understand. It was bewildering. It was terrifying. It was beautiful. Her stay in the In-Between lasted but a moment, but it seemed an hour. There was another popping sensation, and reality returned. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "My body is back!" Zsálya held her hands up in front of herself, working her fingers around to be sure they responded properly. She was naked, but whole, and standing on solid ground. Both she and her wolf heaved a sigh of relief. Then she looked up, and nearly panicked again. Surrounding her was blackness. Not darkness, strangely enough, merely blackness. She could see her hands as clearly as in the noonday sun, and the rest of her body when she looked down. Her feet were definitely resting on something solid; it felt like stone. And there was not the sense of oppressiveness that she always felt in the dark. It was as if... "There is simply nothing to see..." Zsálya mused aloud. "Precisely correct." Willi's voice! Zsálya spun around to see him standing close by, hands clasped behind his back. "We are now in my dream. I simply have not dreamed of anything... yet." "How is that possible?" "A dream is actually a tiny piece of reality created by the dreamer's mind. It exists independently of our normal universe, and it is shaped by thoughts. If I were to permit it, you could shape the reality of this dream as easily as you can shape your own." "But... I always dream of the forest." "Yes, that is somewhat odd. But I suppose it makes sense; the forest is where you want to be, and so that is what your mind creates." Willi shrugged slightly. "With my abilities, and a certain amount of mental discipline, I can use my dream to show you anything at all. Well, anything that I know of," he amended. He came forward and took Zsálya's hands, smiling warmly. "I have wanted to show you the world ever since I met you. Would you like to see it?" "Yes! Yes, I would!" Zsálya's eagerness was unmistakable. Wilhelm chuckled softly at her sheer cuteness. "Very well, then." He released her hands and turned away, taking a step forward. "Prinzessin Zsálya, I give you: THE WORLD!" he declared, flinging his arms wide. All of a sudden, a massive sphere was hanging in the nothingness in front of them. It was about as tall as an young pine tree, blue with pretty green and tan shapes. The green parts had white-tipped bumps here and there, and squiggly blue lines running every which way. It was beautiful, but Zsálya did not know what she was looking at. "What... is this?" she asked slowly. "This is Earth, the planet on which we live. Or rather, what I believe it to look like based on many, many maps and my own experiences," Willi replied, turning back to face her. The sphere moved down and rotated, so that they were looking at one particular area. "Our planet is a spherical body of matter that moves through the void of space..." Willi began. He proceeded to give Zsálya a simple yet comprehensive explanation of the planet and its various features, which tied into many other things he had told her since they had met. When he was finished, Zsálya felt that she understood what she was looking at. She finally understood what an 'island' was, at least. "So, which part of the world is this?" she asked, gesturing at the green patch—landmass, she corrected herself—which they were looking at. "This is the continent of Europe," Willi replied. "It is where you live. According to the Order's records on the Vlkolak Pack, your lands are approximately... there." he pointed, and an irregular area of land was outlined in soft white light. A little point of red light glowed near the northern edge of the outline. "The white is an outline of the human nation of Hungary, and the red is your pack's land," Willi explained. "That tiny dot is all of our hunting lands?" Zsálya was having trouble processing the idea that so much area could count for so little of the world. "Yes. The world is a big place, meine Liebe," Willi added gently. "So it seems." Zsálya was silent for a moment, studying the massive sphere in front of her. "Where do you live, Willi?" she asked, giving him a smile. Willi took Zsálya's hand and the sphere shifted crazily, growing larger and rushing up at them. Suddenly they were standing on the sphere like titans, the red dot that signified the Vlkolak lands now a tiny red circle near Zsálya's foot. It took a moment for her to reorient herself. Still holding her hand, Willi turned and walked north, stepping carefully over mountains and rivers like a cub avoiding fallen twigs. He stopped at the edge of the ocean, and Zsálya dipped a toe into the cold water. "We are standing on the mainland of Europe," Willi explained, "The country of Germany, to be precise. The islands of Great Britain and Ireland to our northwest, the Scandinavian Peninsula to our northeast. All the water between those three landmasses is the North Sea." He gestured to the expanse of water before them. "The island of Thule is very nearly in the center of that sea." He pointed, and a dot of golden light appeared in the middle of the water. "That is very far away," Zsálya remarked, glancing back over her shoulder at her own home. The human nodded. "Yes, almost fifteen-hundred kilometers from you." "My goodness... people must have to swim a long way to visit you," Zsálya remarked. Willi blinked a few times, then threw back his head and roared with laughter. Still chuckling, he turned to Zsálya and threw his arms around her. "Oh, my darling kleiner Wolf, forgive me. You did not know what an ocean is, so of course you have never heard of a ship." Zsálya smiled softly, unable to resist Willi's good cheer. "You have mentioned that word before, but you never explained its meaning to me." "A ship is a wooden construct, built to carry people and goods across the water. Here, let me show you." He took her hand and everything swirled around them again, like a maelstrom of reality. They were now standing on a stone seawall. An enormous river lay to one side, and on the other were a huge number of buildings, more than Zsálya could count, stretching away in a great jumble. There were at least as many on the far side of the river. "Surely there cannot be a need for so many buildings in one place," she remarked, puzzled. Willi squeezed her hand. "This is a city, meine Prinzessin. Hamburg, to be precise. Now do you see what I mean about so many humans living together in such a small area?" With a thought, Willi brought the city to life before Zsálya's eyes. She watched, fascinated, as dream-image humans bustled to and fro doing Ancestors-knew-what. "...How?" she asked, after a time. To her surprise and gratitude, Willi did his best to answer her extremely broad question. She adored the way he always took her seriously, no matter how foolish or ignorant her questions or remarks were. His replies were usually very straightforward and clear, as well. This time, though, Zsálya heard his words but couldn't quite process the concepts, even as she saw the city in motion before her. It was simply too strange to her. Sensing this, Willi concluded what he was saying and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Do not worry, Zsálya," he told her gently. "You have no need to understand this, at least not yet. You have no dealings with humans, or our cities. Most city-folk would have just as hard a time understanding how you and your pack live." "What is there to understand?" Zsálya asked, without thinking. Willi laughed again, giving her one of those smiles that made her knees weak. "Precisely what they would say," he replied. "Never assume that something is simple merely because you understand it," Willi advised gravely. Zsálya thought hard about that, cocking her head to the side. "But I am a simple person... so I can only understand simple things..." she thought aloud. Her human lover scoffed. "You are many things, Zsálya, but you are not simple. In point of fact, you are highly intelligent." "Thank you, but I think you are speaking out of love, not from reality," she replied with a blush and a demure smile. "I know many smart people, and I know many simple people. You are smart. Now then, ships." Willi proffered his arm, and Zsálya took it happily. He let the bustle fade away as they walked along the waterfront and onto one of the long stone walls reaching out into the river. When she asked what they were for, Willi told her: "they are called 'quays.' They give more space for ships to load and unload goods from. Here, look: this is a ship." A very odd creation appeared, floating in the water next to the quay they were walking along. Zsálya ran to the edge and stared at it, entranced by its pure strangeness. "How does it not sink?" Willi proceeded to explain about floatation, and pointed out what each part of the ship was for. The idea of the wind being able to move something so large seemed implausible to Zsálya, but she had faith that Willi wouldn't lie to her. When asked if this was the only kind of ship, Willi produced several examples, ranging from a little rowboat that seemed barely large enough for both of them to a massive warship that looked like a giant wooden wall. "Therefore, moving people and goods by water is easier, and often quicker, than moving them by land," Willi concluded some time later. "So, do you wish to see my home?" "Yes!" Zsálya exclaimed. "I would like that very much, Willi!" Wilhelm's brow furrowed for a moment, and the young couple were suddenly clothed. Willi wore his usual attire, with a long green cloak atop it, and Zsálya found herself wearing a blue silk gown much like the one Willi had made for her the night after Guillame's arrival, with a soft blue cloak in the same style as Willi's. This dress was a bit fancier and more conservative, but it was just as comfortable. Less welcome were the white linen stockings and blue slippers that now graced her legs and feet. Not that they were uncomfortable, but Zsálya had always preferred to go barefoot. Accordingly, she thought them away. Willi noticed this, and gave her a wry smile. "You may go barefoot if you wish, Zsálya. I must warn you, however, that most of the floors in dem Schloss are made of stone, and they are both uncomfortable and extremely cold for bare feet." "Weres have strong feet, Willi." Zsálya twirled her way over to her lover and took his hands. "Shall we go?" Willi raised her hands to his lips and kissed each one tenderly. "Of course. Our ship awaits!" "What? You are not going to 'think' us to Thule?" she asked. "The island and the castle are best viewed from the sea, at least for the first time. I do intend to shorten the journey considerably, though." He released one of Zsálya's hands and led her to the gangplank of a large schooner. Fondest Dreams Ch. 05 Barely had they set foot on the broad plank, though, when Zsálya froze. "Are... are you quite certain this is safe?" she asked. Willi stopped and turned to her, setting his feet against the slope and smiling blithely. "Absolutely. I have made hundreds of voyages, little angel, and the only danger lies in bad weather. Which will not happen here," he added with a wink. Seeing that Zsálya was unconvinced, Willi stepped down next to Zsálya and slipped an arm around her waist as he bent to whisper into her ear. She giggled and blushed a sunset at the sweet things he murmured to her, and nuzzled his cheek playfully as she listened. She looked up as a male voice roared "cast off," and realized with a start that she and Willi were standing on the raised area near the front of the ship. Dream-people were scurrying about the ship, pulling on ropes and climbing the rigging. "You tricked me!" Zsálya accused, pulling away from Willi's embrace and giving him her best glare. She wasn't actually angry, of course, but she wanted to make him squirm a bit. Just on principle. Her lover was disappointingly unabashed. "Nein, I merely distracted you," he responded, and gave her one of those heart-melting smiles she adored. "Now then," Willi continued, stepping forward and looking downriver, "the journey from Hamburg to Thule usually takes more than a day. Let us skip that, shall we?" "Yes, please." There was a subtle flash, and the receding city vanished. The ship was now in the open sea, driven by a powerful wind. Zsálya soon began to feel sickly from the rolling motion of the ship. "Willi, I am unwell," she informed him. Willi turned from his study of the horizon, and immediately laid a hand upon her cheek. "Oh dear. You appear to be seasick, meine Liebe." "I believe I am about to vomit." "Let me try something... there." The ship stopped rolling. "Is that better?" "Oh my, yes. Much." Zsálya sagged into Willi's embrace, and he rubbed her back soothingly. "I do not think wolves belong at sea. Thank you, Willi." Willi laughed softly. "You are welcome, Zsálya. This is completely unrealistic, of course, but I do not think you need the entire experience of sea travel." He gestured over the side, and Zsálya saw that their ship was now slicing cleanly through the waves without any pitching or rolling at all. "One normally has some time to adjust one's self to the motion of the ship." They stayed like that for several minutes, just enjoying their closeness and the sound of the sea against the ship's hull. A thick fog rose, limiting their vision to a few feet. Willi explained that it was a part of the spell which kept Thule hidden. Anyone flying, sailing, or swimming into the mile-thick annulus of magical fog around the island would have their course altered to take them around and away. The fog ensured that even the most experienced mariners didn't notice. Only those who knew exactly where the island was could steer a true course through it. When the fog cleared, Zsálya gasped. "Willkommen auf der Insel Thule," Willi declared proudly, letting go of Zsálya so she could run to the bow rail and stare. Perhaps a quarter-mile off was a decently sized island, its shoreline protected from the breaking ocean waves by tall cliffs that rose straight out of the sea. From their perspective, the left-hand side of the island seemed flat and open, dotted by a few clusters of tall trees. The right-hand side was home to a large town, or maybe a small city. Though she could not have explained why, the skyline of the town made Zsálya smile. It was full of beautiful domes, arches, and spires in a dizzying array of styles, and seemed to be thumbing its nose at the grim black cliffs below it. Though they were modest in size, even at this distance the love and care invested into the buildings was obvious. Or perhaps they just seemed modest when compared with Schloss Helsing. Zsálya's first impression of the castle (Zsálya wasn't fully clear on the word's meaning, but Willi had told her it was the translation of "Schloss") was of a massive column of black stone rising straight out of the sea and nearly brushing the clouds above. On second look, the castle was a majestic jumble of ramparts, domes, crenellations, and windows. It was actually quite broad, but seemed thin both because of its black color and due to its sheer height. "How does it not fall over?" Zsálya whispered to herself. "Magic," Willi responded matter-of-factly, leaning backwards against the bow rail so he could watch his beloved's reactions. "It would normally be impossible to build so high from such a relatively small base. The entire structure is fairly saturated with enchantments to keep it together. The spells are well-woven, though, and I assure you that it is extremely stable. It is a bit difficult to tell, but the castle is actually built upon a natural outcropping of rock. The lower basements are hewn down inside the rock itself." He rattled off a few more figures that Zsálya didn't really take in; she was too busy gawking at the castle. The closer the ship sailed, the more she gawked. Rather than being scary and foreboding as she would have expected from a big black building, Schloss Helsing was a beautiful, uplifting sight. It gleamed gently in the morning sunlight, proudly showing off the decorative carvings and little architectural fancies woven subtly into its every aspect. Though every part of the building was gorgeous, none of it seemed the least bit delicate or frivolous. The entire structure radiated strength and decisiveness. Every feature was there for a reason. Their ship's course took them in a leisurely arc around the castle, ending at one of several long quays that looked to have been carved from the cliffs themselves. The ship's dream-crew tied off their mooring lines and put out the gangplank for them. "Shall we?" Willi asked. Zsálya had a sudden thought. "A moment, please." She released Willi's hand and stepped back, then spent a minute or so looking back and forth between Willi and the castle in turn. A soft, special smile spread across her face as she twirled back to her darling human and took his hand again. "You are very much like the castle, Willi." He arched an eyebrow in silent question. "You both seem so grand at first... and a little scary." She giggled. "So severe, every single thing on you made for a purpose. Your entire appearance proclaims to the world that you are ready to fight. But when I look closer, I see that there is another level to you. You are so handsome; it almost makes me forget that you are built for fighting. When I step back, though, I see that you are not truly built for fighting... you are built for protecting." Willi just stared at her, unshed tears glimmering in his blue eyes. After a long moment, he drew Zsálya into the sweetest, gentlest hug she had yet received. She responded with an equally sweet and gentle kiss, running her fingers through Willi's short-cropped hair. "I feel so safe with you," the little Were princess whispered. Her prince just hugged her harder, his tears escaping and running down onto her shoulder. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ When their special moment had finally passed, the young couple descended the gangplank. Willi thought it adorable when Zsálya thanked the dream crew, but held his peace. He led her carefully up the steep stairway carved in the cliff and down the main street of the town. Though Zsálya did not realize it, the buildings reflected styles from all around the globe, including several cultures long vanished. She slipped her arm through Willi's and let him lead her through the town, content to stare at the new sights all around her. "Who lives here?" she asked idly. "Mages and other unusual people, their families, and the people who support us. Thule is a place where we can work and study without the nuisance of hiding it from ordinary people or all the politics of the Five Towers." "Why would you need to hide things?" "Magic has been kept secret from the general human populace since about 418 AD." "But why?" "Many, many reasons, Zsálya. The short version is that in the Western world it was the Catholic Church's initiative, starting about fourteen hundred years ago. It is a good thing, I think. Anyhow, there are less than two thousand people living on Thule these days, plus a large force of Blue Stars quartered in dem Schloss. I know that sounds like a lot of people, but only a hundred years ago there were twice as many. Within another hundred years only the Order will be left, I think." Willi seemed wistful, but not regretful. "Are your people leaving?" "Not the Order, no, but the townsfolk are, ja. One person here, a family there. It is very gradual. The great meetings of minds are in other places these days, places which are more hospitable and easier to reach." "Oh... I am sorry, Willi." "Do not be, my darling. Such is the natural cycle of human society, and we do not depend on taxes for our livelihood. It may actually be a boon for the Order, I think. With the whole island at our disposal, we will be able to train many more Initiates at once." "How many of your Order live here?" "A great many. Our exact numbers are a secret, meine Prinzessin." Zsálya accepted that with good grace. They were nearing the edge of the town, staring at the enormous onyx bulk of the castle. There was a stone bridge, but it only spanned a quarter of the gap between the island and the castle. "How do we get in?" she asked as they ambled onto the bridge. As if in reply, the huge wooden shape which she had taken for a door swung down towards them, its progress controlled by a humungous metal chain at each corner. Its top settled onto a shelf in the stone bridge with a teeth-rattling crash, making the little Werewolf jump. "This is a drawbridge, so named because we can draw it up to deny entry to attackers," Willi explained as they walked across it. "We usually leave it down, but I wanted to impress you a bit." "It is working," Zsálya murmured. "This is such a big house!" Willi laughed softly. "All of the Knights and Initiates require quarters and barracks, and there are also armories, laboratories, training spaces, storage rooms, and libraries. Several libraries. Every bit of space is used, I assure you." The pair passed under a pair of giant portcullises and through the Schloss' massive oaken doors, which swung open for them with the faintest of groans. Unusually, this castle had no internal courtyard; strictly speaking, it was only a giant keep. Willi led Zsálya proudly into the long entry hall, glancing around to make sure he had recreated the space properly. His boots echoed loudly in the silent hall, and even the patter of Zsálya's bare feet was reflected back to them. Its height and length made the hall seem narrow, until Zsálya realized with a start that it was wider than Grandmother's entire house! "Blessed Ancestors..." she whispered. There was a balcony on each side of the hall, separated by the open central nave and supported by a series of great stone pillars. Archways opened in the walls at regular intervals, revealing corridors or stairs leading up and down. The walls between the archways were hung with big, beautiful tapestries. "It is so quiet," Zsálya mused. "Ja, much too quiet. Normally this hall is a bustle at all hours." Willi smiled, and suddenly the room came to life around them. Men and women hurried in and out of the different archways, singly or in groups. Most wore uniforms like she had seen Willi wear now and then, long white tunics with blue stars emblazoned on chest and back, white trousers, and white boots. There was the same sense of purpose and determination in their movements that Zsálya had always noted in Willi. "So... this is home for you..." Zsálya murmured, stepping aside to let a dream-knight stride past. "And perhaps, one day, your home as well," Willi murmured softly. Zsálya blushed and smiled, but chose not to respond aloud. "Are these all real members of your Order?" she asked instead. "Yes, they are." "How do you remember them all so exactly?" "I have a perfect memory," Willi explained offhandedly. "Do you wish to tour das Schloss fully populated, or just the two of us?" he asked. "Wait, wait. What do you mean, 'perfect memory'?" Willi looked down, seemingly embarrassed. "Starting when I was three years, two months, and four days old, I remember everything with perfect clarity. Every sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, or stray thought." Zsálya's mouth dropped open. "That is amazing!" she gushed. "Small wonder you know so very much!" "It is useful, yes... but also problematic." "How so?" "I remember both good things and bad. I have seen horrors, my sweet, and I can never forget them. They rise up to assault me when I least expect them..." Willi explained, his voice tinged with anguish. "You cannot know what pain that is." Zsálya took Willi's hands in hers, squeezing them with a strength he did not know she possessed. "Yes, I do..." she whispered, gazing steadily into her lover's gorgeous eyes. Zsálya and her twin Orsolya each had visions of the future. However, Orsolya could only see the good things to come... and Zsálya could only see the bad. The little Were's waking hours were haunted by the horrors she saw, and only in sleep could she escape them. She understood exactly what Willi meant, and felt a perverse sense of happiness to know that she wasn't the only being alive who suffered so. The dream-people faded, leaving behind a deafening silence. Willi and Zsálya just gazed at each other for a long time, their fingers laced together. "I am sorry," Willi said at last. "Perhaps, I can help you to—" "Thank you, but no," Zsálya cut him off, gently but firmly. She gave Willi a small, sad smile and leaned up to peck him on the cheek. "It is a secret. Now then, I want to explore this amazing castle!" she concluded, her beautiful face breaking into a sunny smile. She picked an archway and headed through it, tugging Willi after her. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ With her native guide in tow, Zsálya explored Schloss Helsing from top to bottom over the course of several hours. Though the little Werewolf lost her bearings several times, the prince of the castle was always there to reorient her, as well as explaining what the contents of each room were for. Zsálya had never seen so many strange objects in her life; everything from the dizzying array of weapons in the armories to the panoply of utensils in the kitchens were new and wondrous to her. Willi was endlessly patient, answering every question without the faintest hint of annoyance or condescension. Beyond his verbal explanations, though, Zsálya and her wolf could feel the emotions and memories Willi associated with each room. She winced at the endless sweat and toil he'd spent in the sparring rooms, licked her lips at the savory smells he unconsciously dreamed in the refectory, shivered at the long, lonely hours standing watch on the battlements, and grinned at the warmth and camaraderie that permeated the barracks. Walking through this amazing place where Willi had grown up, Zsálya thought that she understood her wonderful human much better. This dream-shadow of his castle was permeated with memories of kindness and closeness, of a massive family of brothers and sisters in arms. They had pushed Willi to his physical and mental limits with one hand, while loving and encouraging him at every step with the other. This combination had produced a truly extraordinary man, who Zsálya adored with all her heart. Zsálya's favorite part of the Schloss, though, was most definitely the main library. She already knew what books were; Grandmother had several sitting upon a shelf in her sitting room, including the two from which she had read wonderful bedtime stories to Zsálya and Orsolya when they were cubs. Zsálya had never paid the books much mind, though; she could not read, and had never had a reason to learn. With only a half-dozen books in the world she knew, what was the point? Schloss Helsing had a great many books—hundreds of thousands of books and scrolls, in every conceivable shape and size. The main library was actually larger than the entrance hall, with three broad balconies above the main floor. Almost every inch of wall contained an inset bookshelf, and massive freestanding bookcases lined the balconies in neat, towering rows. Each bookshelf had a floor-to-ceiling ladder mounted on polished rails, enabling access to the higher shelves. A number of large fireplaces crouched throughout the library, the merry blazes within carefully screened in to protect the books. The center of the main level was open, though, the floor covered by a multitude of overlapping carpets that felt wonderful under Zsálya's bare feet. In this open space was an impressive collection of chairs, desks, and couches. This completely mismatched furniture had a comfortable, broken-in look that told Zsálya it was in constant use. Willi's memories of this room glowed with pure delight. Zsálya had glimpses of him learning his letters as a boy, and thereafter coming here to read whenever he could find or steal the time. "You love this room the most," Zsálya told Willi with a loving smile. "I can feel it." Willi grinned and came up behind his new love, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin upon her head. "I love to learn," he replied simply. "Have you read all of these books?" "No, but I am working on it." "What do they teach you?" "Everything. The written word is how humans preserve knowledge from generation to generation," Willi explained. "This room contains the collected scholarship of many civilizations. Long ago, far to the south of here, a group of witches and wicked mages joined forces and forged a vast empire that lasted for generations. They destroyed many cultures and stole the secrets of each one, storing them away in their capital. When my Order helped to cast down their empire for good, we took all that hoarded knowledge for ourselves. We have added to it steadily ever since with works purchased or confiscated from around the world." "Amazing... are all these books about magic?" "No, no. In fact, most of the really profound magical tomes are kept in a smaller library upstairs. Access to that room is restricted. There are books on any subject you could name, and also endless reams of tales, plays, and correspondence. There is a surprising amount of erotica, actually," Willi added with a playful smile. Zsálya cocked her head to the side as she looked up at her lover. "What is 'erotica'?" Willi grinned, running his hands down her sides and squeezing her rump. "Tales meant to... arouse the reader," he purred into her ear. "Oh! Oh my..." Zsálya murmured, melting into Willi's embrace and grabbing his bottom in return. "Speaking of which, there is one more room I wish to show you..." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "Is this your bedroom, Willi?" Zsálya asked as she looked around. "I like it!" She truly did; the room's décor was elegant but understated, with dark wood furniture and a few tasteful tapestries and paintings gracing the walls. A great number of books overflowed from bookcases, teetered upon the nightstand, and stood in piles around the large desk that dominated one side of the room. A freestanding rack held several swords of different shapes and lengths. Magical balls of warm yellow light drifted lazily near the ceiling, brightly illuminating the room. The space was perhaps half again as large as the room which Zsálya had shared with Orsolya in her grandmother's house, but compared to the rest of the castle it was quite small, especially given the level of clutter. Fondest Dreams Ch. 05 It should have felt cramped, but instead it felt cozy. The bed looked especially inviting. Zsálya twirled her way to the bed and fell backwards into its embrace. She immediately gave a long sigh of contentment; Willi's bed was comfortably firm, and covered with a luxuriously soft down quilt. But best of all... "It smells of you, my love," she giggled, pulling Willi's pillow to her face and inhaling deeply. "I love you so much, Zsálya," Willi murmured as he lay down beside her. "I have imagined making love with you here, in my own bed," he continued, taking Zsálya into his arms and caressing her tenderly. "I—love you too, Willi," Zsálya managed to say between moans. In their many weeks together, Willi had learned Zsálya's body very well, and his skillful use of that knowledge quickly had the little Were cooing in delight. The lovers thought each other's clothes away, and their naked bodies melted together amid a series of deep, smoldering kisses. When they parted for breath, Zsálya lay back on the soft quilt and spread her legs for her gorgeous male. The power of the love and desire in her blue eyes took Willi's breath away, and he took a moment just to gaze at her. Only two months ago, he could scarcely have imagined the feelings she stirred in him. Now, he could scarcely imagine being without her. "Stars above, you are so beautiful," he murmured as he lay between Zsálya's open legs. Willi began laying gentle kisses along her thighs, then up across her stomach, keeping his touch light. Zsálya giggled and cooed and begged him not to tease her. In response, Willi carefully spread her engorged pussy lips and nuzzled the little bud of her clit. This drew a long, low mewl from his kleinen Wolf. His empathic touch was equally light and teasing, leaving both Zsálya and her wolf longing for the torrent of purest love they both craved. "That is not nice," Zsálya panted, grabbing Willi's head and trying to push his face down into her needy pussy. She reached out to him with her emotions, bathing him in her raw desire to try and erode his self-control. Easily defying her efforts, Willi grinned up at her. "Whoever said I was nice?" he teased, his gorgeous eyes sparkling with love and mischief. Zsálya squealed in frustration as he gave her clit a butterfly's-kiss. "Bad boy!" she accused, giving up her attempt at force and running her fingers through his hair instead. "Oh Ancestors, Willi, tease me no more! I need you! Please!!!" Willi gave her a triumphant smirk, then relented and set to work with his lips and tongue. He also loosed the floodgates on his emotions, enfolding both Zsálya and her wolf in a warm cocoon of purest adoration. The little Were threw back her head and screamed as her first orgasm of the night roared through her. Her lover played her perfect body like a musical instrument, easing a pair of fingers inside her wetness as he deftly brought her to one shattering climax after another. After nearly a dozen orgasms, Zsálya surprised Willi when she grabbed him by the roots of his hair and dragged his face up from her dripping pussy. Her blue eyes were flecked with shining yellow, and Willi knew instinctively that he was now facing both halves of his beloved at once; the gaze he felt was simultaneously human and lupine. "No more teasing," she growled at her lover, running her hands down to his arms and pulling him up on top of her body. "Fuck. Me." "Jawohl!" Her small hand grasped his cock and guided it to her wet, waiting pussy. A gentle push, and he was sinking into the tight, silky heat that he had come to know so well over the past month. The couple's eyes locked, and as always they shared a moment of wide-eyed wonder as their bodies became one. Then Zsálya gave a little buck with her hips, and Willi began to thrust in reply. The two made slow, sweet love in the big bed, never losing eye contact as their bodies moved in the ageless rhythm. When Willi finally lost control and erupted inside of her, Zsálya pulled him down and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her teeth grew, and she bit down hard, climaxing yet again as she tasted Willi's blood on her tongue. The bite prolonged and heightened Willi's orgasm, and for a moment he feared that his cock might burst. He moaned into her hair, shivering from the combination of pain and pleasure. "Somehow, I never quite expect it when you do that," he panted, pulling away enough to smile at his ladylove. Her hair was tangled and wild, her face flushed, her pale skin dripping with sweat. She was beauty incarnate. "Will it bleed in the waking world?" she asked in a shaky whisper, her body twitching through the aftershocks of pleasure. Willi shook his head. "Nein, it only bled the first time. Zsálya... if I am not your mate, why did you mark me?" he asked gently, finally voicing the question he'd had since that first night they'd made love. Zsálya giggled, stroking his cheek tenderly. "Mate or not, you are my male," she told him, her voice steadier now. Her wolf emphasized the point with a surge of possessiveness. "I want every female you meet to know that you are taken." "That I most certainly am, little one. Again?" "Yes!" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Fondest Dreams Ch. 06 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: I love this chapter! Of course, I think I love all of these chapters, but this one just made me smile a lot! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: There are any number of excellent reels I could recommend, but the music suggestion for this chapter is a medley of four reels by the band Relativity. I can't find a copy anywhere for free, so you'll have to either hunt it down or you can send me a PM and I'll email you a copy. The name is (are you ready?): The Monday Morning Reel-Cutting a Slide-Robert the Minnow-Hogties Reel. Like I said, four reels blended together. Without going into detail, let me just say that this song has great sentimental meaning for me. And trust me, it's well worth the effort to find! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} June 2, 1858 Being able to travel into Willi's dreams had literally opened up the wider world to Zsálya's inquiring mind. It seemed to her that Willi had been everywhere, especially in Europe, and remembered every detail with perfect clarity. He delighted in showing Zsálya a new place each night, and she loved every moment of it. Over the past four months, Zsálya had explored dozens of cities and towns, been introduced to the Crowned Heads of Europe, climbed up a mountain in Nepal to visit one of the Order's retreats, and met a full-grown dragon. She had marveled at the architecture of hidden Dwarf-holts deep beneath the earth, and her wolf had run free through the purple grasses of the Elven wilds. Each time Zsálya thought she had seen everything, Willi would show her something that made her coo with wonder. And of course, the amazing sights were even better with Willi beside her, holding her hand. The two had also fallen fully, hopelessly in love with each other. They'd had their moments of disagreement, of course, but were always quick to talk, compromise, and have rousing make-up sex. Their joy spilled over into their waking lives, making the days fly by in happy succession. Then, just over a week prior, Willi had attempted to replay an entire memory sequence for Zsálya, with complete success. Since then, he had shown her a number of events from his own past, and she had gained a deeper understanding of the pressures and expectations that came with being born into the Helsing family. Willi didn't seem to mind them, however, and had obviously thrived in his intense but supportive childhood environment. Through all the wonderful nights together, the young couple talked constantly, about any topic imaginable. Willi was a seemingly bottomless reservoir of knowledge, and Zsálya was the epitome of an appreciative audience. Their conversations sharpened Zsálya's naturally gifted mind to a razor's edge, and as time went on their discussions became as much debates as lectures. Though Willi was quite firm in his view of the world, he was both open to and respectful of Zsálya's beliefs and opinions. On several occasions she raised points that he had evidently not considered. All of this only deepened the love each felt for the other. And of course, they expressed that love very, very often. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Often their evenings would begin with Zsálya asking a question that had occurred to her during the day. On this particular evening, her question was simple: "What is the most fun you have ever had?" Willi paused a moment, staring contemplatively off into the nothingness around them. Even after all this time, Zsálya still found the initial "blackness" when they moved into his dream unnerving. However, Willi's physical and spiritual warmth were more than enough to comfort her, and she nestled into him while he thought about her question. "I believe it was the evening of May the Thirtieth, 1848..." Willi replied at last, speaking slowly as he dredged up details from his perfect memory. "I was just barely sixteen and in the middle of my Wandering Time. Initiates are often sent off in twos or fours to travel and get a feel for everyday life. We had limited money, of course, so Markus and I—he was my partner at the time—traded our labor for food and lodging as we traveled. We were wandering through the countryside of Ireland at this time, and late on the afternoon in question we arrived at the village of Fenny's Crossing." As he spoke, the dream-stuff around the couple began to swirl and take shape, the blackness giving way. When it settled they were standing on a dirt road, bordered by rough stone fences on either side. To their left, a flock of sheep briefly appraised them before returning their attention to the grass. The field to the right was filled with orderly rows of potato plants. The road in front of them ran up a low hill, and a few plumes of chimney smoke were visible over the crest. Willi was now dressed in a nondescript tunic, trousers, and boots, all of them slightly the worse for wear. Zsálya was wearing her pretty blue homespun dress that Willi seemed so fond of. Of course they needed clothes if they were to interact with humans, she realized. Willi and Zsálya joined hands and walked up the road. Zsálya noticed a young man walking beside Willi as they arrived at the outskirts of the village. He was a bit plain, she thought, but he had a kind and trustworthy air. "Is that Markus?" she asked softly. "Ja. As you can see, we came to this village on the best possible day of the year," Willi continued. There were people hurrying every which way, carrying baskets full of food, hauling pieces of rough-cut lumber, or rolling barrels out to a large meadow near to the center of town. Great tables were being carried out of houses, and it looked like a large wooden platform was being finished just in front of a weathered stone pillar in the middle of the field. Everyone seemed very excited. Aside from the bustle, though, the feel of the place appealed to Zsálya very much. The clutter of houses that formed the village was quite modest, but obviously well-built and lovingly cared for. They were very different in style from the cottages where her pack lived, but they gave off the same sense of warmth and community. Were it not for the human scent that pervaded the place, Zsálya might have thought herself back home. "This is a nice place," she remarked, more to herself than to Willi. "What is happening?" "They are preparing for the... well, 'the Spring Ball' is perhaps the best translation from Gaelic. There is some ancient tradition behind it, but," Willi smiled, "I believe that is simply an excuse to have a party. All the villagers and the farmers from the surround come, and each brings something for the party—food, drink, music, and so forth." "Music?" "Yes... music. Singing is music, of course, but there are also an astonishing variety of musical instruments in the world." "I... do not understand." "Music is... music. 'Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm' is the dictionary's explanation. I am uncertain how to describe it otherwise," Willi admitted, "but you will hear for yourself soon enough. To continue, Markus and I arrived with nothing but our clothes, a few coins, and a flask of water apiece. We offered our labor as contribution to the festivities, though, and spent several hours helping to set things up. The ball did not begin until late in the afternoon." He waved a hand, and the scene around them changed. The sun had dropped from its zenith and the village green was full of smiling people. Long wooden tables seemed to sag under huge platters of food and great barrels of drink. Zsálya took a deep breath, savoring the wonderful scents on the air. There was the mouth-watering aroma of many different kinds of meat—she still did not understand why humans insisted on "cooking" perfectly good meat, but it still smelled amazing—as well as fresh-baked bread and all manner of other food. There was the sharp, nostalgic smell of woodsmoke from the several bonfires lit around the large field. But most of all, she could smell the people's joy and excitement, hanging like a wonderful perfume over the whole village. It reminded her of the scents at home just before a full moon. This village and its people had a warmth and vitality to them that Zsálya found extremely comforting. If this is what all humans are like, she thought, living with them would not be so bad. As the excitement reached its zenith, the villagers finished the last of their preparations and streamed out onto the field, chattering and laughing. Willi and Zsálya were swept up willingly in the flow, holding hands so they wouldn't get separated. Once on the green, Willi wrapped his arms around Zsálya's waist from behind and she covered his hands with hers, leaning back into his warmth and soaking up the atmosphere. She felt his erection pressing into the small of her back, and smiled to herself at the reminder of how desirable he found her. On the raised platform near the center of the field, a matronly female raised her hands and called for attention. Zsálya didn't understand the language, but she was too caught up in the moment to care. The lady told what Zsálya presumed was a joke, judging by the roar of laughter from the assembled crowd, then opened a case at her feet and withdrew two wooden objects. One was an oddly shaped stick, while the other resembled nothing that Zsálya had ever seen. Zsálya continued to hold Willi's hands and stared as two males, one older and one younger, hopped up on the stage, each holding a different, but equally bizarre object of his own. The trio traded a few words, then the female rested the larger of her two items on her shoulder and delicately moved the stick across part of it, while the men began to work their items in different ways. In so doing, the three produced a complex set of sounds more beautiful than anything Zsálya had ever heard. Willi heard Zsálya's gasp and gave her one of his big, heart-melting smiles. "That is music," he whispered. He identified the instruments: the lady was playing a 'fiddle,' he explained, and the men were playing an 'accordion' and a 'guitar,' respectively. Willi also described, briefly, how each instrument worked. Though she heard what Willi was saying, Zsálya only half-listened, as she was absolutely entranced by the slow, beautiful melody, and did not notice the villagers moving to clear a large area in the middle of the field. The music played on Zsálya's emotions like nothing else in her experience, and a strange sense of peace washed through her as she took in the song. Then, at some unspoken signal, the melody began to change. It was still sedate, but definitely getting faster, and it seemed to be building towards something. She could also smell the excitement in the air, and sensed the children and young adults bouncing ever so slightly. When the tune abruptly burst into a fast, lighthearted reel, it was both a complete surprise and also, somehow, expected. This was clearly what the young folk had been waiting for and, as one, they jumped out into the broad area in the middle of the field and began jumping around, moving in harmony with the song. The adolescents were mainly paired off, male and female, while the younger ones were either by themselves or in small groups. Zsálya had never seen anyone move quite like they were doing, so she asked Willi. He explained that they were 'dancing,' and gave her a quick but comprehensive explanation on the subject. Dancing seemed to be great fun, but Zsálya didn't think she had the grace to do what some of the children out on the green were doing. She was uneasy at the idea of trying it in front of so many people, forgetting that they were just figments of Willi's memory. "When you were here in the waking world, did you dance with anybody?" she asked Willi. Willi smiled and pointed to a breathtakingly beautiful girl who was twirling around the green without a partner. "Her name was Mary-Kate Sullivan," he told Zsálya with a hint of pride in his voice. Zsálya felt a white-hot stab of jealousy as she noticed Willi's soft little smile. "There must be something the matter with her if nobody else will dance with her," she opined. Abruptly, Zsálya realized that this was the first time she'd ever deliberately said something mean about another person. She was shocked at herself. Thankfully, Willi found her outburst cute rather than insulting. "Just one thing," he replied with a laugh. "Any boy who wanted to dance with Mary-Kate had to defeat her father in an arm-wrestle first." He raised his arm again, this time pointing to a massive bear of a man sitting at one of the long trestle tables. That human is as big as Father! Zsálya realized with a start. As she watched, a strapping young man sat down opposite Mr. Sullivan, thumping his elbow onto the table and holding his forearm up straight. Mr. Sullivan did the same, and the two men clasped hands, their elbows pressing down into the table. Zsálya looked on in bemused fascination as they began to struggle against each other. The goal of the contest became clear a moment later when the younger man's forearm was slammed forcefully onto the wooden table. "You beat him at that game?" Zsálya asked Willi incredulously. "I cheated," Willi admitted. "I used magic to amplify my physical strength." He didn't seem the least bit embarrassed about it. "There is a saying: 'All is fair in love and war,'" he added. "You... were in love with her?" Zsálya's jealousy had passed, replaced by a vague sense of sadness. Willi shrugged slightly. "I was certainly smitten. Fräulein Sullivan was nearly as pretty as you are," he noted matter-of-factly, pretending not to notice Zsálya's blush and smile. "And, as it turns out, she was an excellent dancer." "You only danced with her?" Zsálya asked with a wry little smile. "The two of us did stay out somewhat late," Willi admitted. "We looked at the stars, talked a lot, and stole a few kisses from each other." "That is all?" "That is all," Willi confirmed, pulling Zsálya closer and hugging her, without blocking her view of the joyful dancers on the village green. "You are my first and only lover, mein kleiner Wolf." Zsálya cooed happily and squeezed her wonderful human tightly. "May I have this next dance?" Willi asked Zsálya during a pause between songs, as he released her from his warm embrace. "I... do not know how," Zsálya demurred, running her left foot through the grass and linking her hands nervously behind her back. "I will teach you," he replied simply. Willi stepped forward then turned back to face Zsálya, holding out a hand in silent invitation. The musicians had stopped to drink water and stretch their arms for a moment, but Zsálya could see them preparing to start again soon. "I... I am afraid of seeming foolish," she finally admitted, looking down in embarrassment. "These people are but memories," Willi reminded her gently, his arm still outstretched. "They will not laugh at you. Nor will I." Zsálya took a deep breath and laid her hand in Willi's. As the musicians checked the tuning on their instruments, he led her out into the center of the field. The memory-people made way for them politely, and Zsálya focused as hard as she could on Willi to stave off her sudden shyness. He took both her hands in his, standing slightly apart from her and waiting for the music. "We will begin simply," he explained. The music began, again a song that began quiet and built up slowly. His voice quiet and calm, Willi began teaching Zsálya a very fun, straightforward dance, showing her how and where to step. As one would expect, Zsálya was not very graceful at first, but Willi's loving smile and gentle encouragement kept her trying. Her problem was more one of nerves than anything else, and she learned quickly thanks to her natural agility and grace. By the time the song broke into a full-on reel, Willi and Zsálya were dancing together quite well. Now that she had the basic idea down, Zsálya was easily able to keep up with the increased tempo. Sensing this, Willi began to throw in little twirls and spins as the music grew ever more enthusiastic. Zsálya was now completely lost in the happy, playful music, reveling in the pure joy of dancing with someone one loves. She didn't even notice the villagers applauding for all the couples dancing, so wrapped up was she in the dance and in Willi. When their second song began Willi taught Zsálya a more complicated and exhilarating dance. With her nervousness gone Zsálya learned the pattern in seconds and mastered it in seconds more. The young couple whirled around the grass, putting on a show that would have impressed a veteran choreographer. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ All good things must come to an end, and so it was with this village's Spring Ball. Willi could have kept it going by creating variations on his memories, but that would have taken concentration which he didn't want to divert away from his beautiful companion. She scarcely seemed to notice anything besides him and the music, until it finally faded away for the last time. Zsálya blinked and looked around. The local musicians were carefully putting away their instruments, looking both thoroughly exhausted and immensely satisfied. The younger children looked ready to fall asleep. The adults seemed to have turned their attention to the food and drink. The full moon bathed everything in beautiful silver light, and the countless stars twinkled merrily above them. "The dancing part of the evening is over," Willi told Zsálya gently, running a hand through her long hair and giving her one of his wonderful smiles. "Oh. So what happens now?" "Children are put to bed, couples slip away to be alone, and the remaining adults mainly drink themselves senseless." "So, which are we?" Zsálya asked coyly. "Which would you prefer?" Willi replied with a roguish grin. "Hmm... let us slip away. I want you all to myself!" "As you wish, meine Liebe. As it happens, I have a special surprise for you." "Ooo, what is it? Tell me, tell me!" Zsálya bounced up and down, like a little girl unable to contain herself. She felt ready to run around the world and back again! "You will see in a few minutes." Willi's mouth curled in a warm smile, and he took her hand gently in his once again. The two walked away from Fenny's Crossing hand in hand, enjoying the wonderful evening. They hopped a couple of the stone fences until they found themselves in open, unplowed fields stretching away to the west. Willi let go of Zsálya's hand and turned to her with a strange expression. It took Zsálya a moment to realize that her knight in shining armor was nervous! Not much, but it was there. Willi took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "I have practiced this every day for several months," he told her. Before Zsálya could ask what, Willi closed his eyes and the air around him swirled and shimmered with energy. His body changed before Zsálya's incredulous eyes, becoming a gorgeous blonde wolf. The air stilled, and the wolf opened his eyes. Willi's familiar blue orbs stared up at the astonished Zsálya, his tongue lolling out in the lupine equivalent of a grin. "I... but... Willi... you are a wolf!" Zsálya finally exclaimed. "How?" Unable to speak in his lupine form, Willi cocked his head in such a way that his reply was clear: What do you think? "Oh! Magic. Of course." Zsálya stood there for another few seconds, just gazing down at this dreamboat of a wolf. Her own wolf-self was going berserk inside her, keening and pleading to be let out to play with Willi in his wolf form. Zsálya's wolf didn't care how he'd done it; the simple fact of his transformation was quite enough for her. Restraining her wolf for just a moment, Zsálya reached down and ran her fingers through Willi's thick, lustrous blond fur. That simple touch removed all doubts, and she kissed him tenderly on the forehead. Then she let her wolf come forward. Fondest Dreams Ch. 06 Zsálya's wolf leapt at Willi almost before the shift completed, rubbing herself against his furry flank and drinking deeply of his scent. He still smelled human, but that was just fine with the she-wolf. It was the scent of her beloved, who now had a proper body to run with her and love with her. Nothing else mattered. Willi responded to Zsálya's affections, of course, nuzzling her and rubbing his body back against hers. Before he could get too intimate, though, Zsálya hopped away and grinned at him, her tail flagged and wagging madly in the cool night air. Whether he was a true wolf or just borrowing the form, Willi would have to catch her and claim her if he wanted to mate. He had proven himself to his beloved's human-self countless times, but this was the first chance the wolf-self had had to judge Willi by her standards. It took a moment, but once Willi understood the game he accepted it wholeheartedly. Zsálya watched carefully as he began to stalk her, circling and evaluating his prey. His movements were very strange, both of Zsálya's selves thought. He did not use the normal, natural motions that came to a true wolf as easily as breathing. Instead, Willi was using his four-legged body with the same careful precision and deliberation with which he used his normal, two-legged body. Each motion was carefully calculated to get the maximum effect from minimum effort. Thus, the overall pattern of his motion was quite different from that of any wolf Zsálya knew. However, the practice Willi had mentioned had clearly paid off. He moved with deftness and grace, and slipped around behind Zsálya almost before she knew it. She whirled to face him, and a delighted shiver ran down her body from nose to tail at the realization of how capable and dangerous her lover was in his wolf form. Willi moved closer, and Zsálya jumped away. After a moment's pause, she turned and took off to the west, sprinting across the open field as fast as she could. The blonde wolf took a deep breath, savoring the fresh country air and his lover's excited scent still hanging in it. Then he launched himself after her, tearing through the long grass and howling at the full moon with all his might. An answering, feminine howl ahead of him warmed Willi's heart. The chase was on. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ If either of Zsálya's selves had taken a moment to consider it, they would have thought the current circumstances a bit unfair to Willi. In the waking world, a he-wolf usually wore his she-wolf down, tiring her until she slowed or made a mistake before pouncing and taking her. Here in the dream world, neither of them could tire, which changed the nature of the contest completely. Instead of wearing Zsálya down, Willi knew he had to catch her through pure skill. Though he savored the challenge, he wasn't worried; despite her fine instincts, Zsálya's wolf-self was far from the most elusive prey Willi had hunted in his twenty-five years. Moreover, their earlier dancing was not the only reason he had chosen to reveal his lupine form on this particular evening. There was almost nothing but open fields between here and Ireland's west coast, giving him a major advantage over his kleinen Wolf. That advantage was speed. Willi's wolf form was, quite naturally, much larger than Zsálya's, which meant a much longer stride. He put that stride to work as he set off after his beloved, running across the open field at an astonishing rate. He could have gone even faster by breaking the laws of physics—this was a dream, after all—or simply by using magic, but doing either would have been very unsporting. Despite being a bit slow on the uptake, Willi well understood the reason behind this chase, and he was determined to prove his worth to his beloved's wolf-self. Willi's preferred animal form was that of a golden eagle, but he found the rush of wind through his thick fur more exhilarating, in its way, than either through feathers or on bare skin. As an eagle he could see everything happening below him, but he always felt so detached from events on the ground. As a wolf, the world around him had an incredible immediacy and intensity. Even as he enjoyed the sensations his current form provided, the majority of Willi's mind was focused on his beautiful prey. It was easy enough to follow her scent—Willi had never felt such arousal from the she-wolf—but as a mage Willi had more than five senses to call upon. He reached out with his magical senses as well as his physical ones, and easily fixed Zsálya's exact location. Though she was making a blistering pace through the fields, he could easily catch her through speed and brute size alone. But where was the fun in that? ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya's wolf's heart sang as she ran and ran through the picturesque Irish countryside, made more beautiful still by the soft moonlight shining all around. Though she did not have a bond with Willi, in the dream world she could still feel his emotions—excitement and lust, mainly—and gain a vague idea of how close he was. Willi had given her a generous head start, but she could feel him gaining, slowly but steadily. She tried to put on an extra burst of speed, but found that she was already running as fast as she possibly could. She would never tire here, she knew, but neither would Willi. If she could not outrun him, she would have to outwit him, the wolf decided. She began weaving through little copses of trees and crisscrossing back and forth through the small streams that dotted the countryside, attempting to confuse her own scent and throw Willi off her trail. It didn't work; she could feel her love catching up with every stride. He seemed to be herding her in a particular direction—she wasn't sure which—but with his speed advantage there was little she could do about it without getting caught. Zsálya could now see Willi in the distance when she glanced over her shoulder, his blonde fur shining in the moonlight. Coupled with his long legs, Willi's strange, efficient gait seemed to eat up ground, and Zsálya was astonished how quickly he was closing the gap between them. She was so focused on her lover's blue eyes that she completely failed to notice the cliffs ahead. Willi was well aware of them, however, and broke into a flat-out sprint. Zsálya yipped in surprise as he lunged, catching one of her hind legs with his teeth and tumbling the little black wolf to the ground. The couple's momentum kept them sliding across the grass for a short way, and Zsálya's yip changed into a yowl of terror as her head slid over the edge of a very tall cliff. Thankfully, her lover's weight, combined with his firm grip on her, kept the rest of Zsálya's body on solid ground. Zsálya was petrified, gazing down at the sea as it foamed around the broken rocks at the base of the cliff. Willi released his love's leg—no harm done—and stood, walking up to the edge of the cliff beside her. The big blonde wolf glanced down briefly, then turned and butted his head gently against his lover's neck. The contact broke the spell, and Zsálya was able to look up. She stared around in surprise, then in wonder at the natural beauty of the scene before them. The two wolves had a wonderful vantage point from which to gaze out on the rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Her scare forgotten, Zsálya's human-self found the entire scene incredibly romantic. Her wolf was glorying in their lover's cleverness and skill in catching them so dramatically. Truly, here was a worthy male to love with! Not that she could actually have cubs with him, of course, but it was the principle of the matter. Zsálya gathered herself and began to stand, only to stop with a squeak when Willi turned his head and almost casually wrapped his jaws around the back of her neck. The touch of his teeth to her flesh was surprisingly delicate, but Willi's manner left absolutely no doubt about his message: I caught you. Now you are mine. Zsálya made a purr-like noise and flagged her tail, signaling her delighted submission to her big, blonde wolf. After a moment, Willi gently tugged upwards on the scruff of Zsálya's neck, signaling her to stand. She complied eagerly, tail still flagged and wagging uncontrollably. Willi was forced to release his grip to move behind his little black wolf, but she stayed quite still. He had won her, fair and square, and in any case the view over the cliff was really quite spectacular. A delicious shiver ran down Zsálya's spine as Willi lowered his head, sniffing curiously at her sex. By now she was so aroused that her juices were literally dripping from her pussy, and Willi extended his tongue to take a taste. He must have liked it, because he began lapping enthusiastically. When Zsálya began bucking her hips backwards onto his tongue, seeking her orgasm, Willi stopped licking. Zsálya groaned, and she felt a burst of smugness from her sinfully handsome male in reply. Zsálya's wolf was getting very frustrated. She needed to be taken, to be fucked, and she needed it now! Sensing this, Willi wasted no time in hooking his front paws behind Zsálya's shoulders and mounting her. His hard cock found her pussy, then pushed forcefully and sank deep into her willing flesh. The wolves savored the feeling of oneness for a moment, then began to move together, finding a delicious rhythm. The books on lupine anatomy that Willi had found hadn't gone into much detail about the sexual organs. Thankfully, though, Zsálya's wolf-self knew exactly how things were supposed to be, and the certainty of her knowledge made it reality in his dream. Thus it was that Willi was now sporting an entirely normal, if impressively sized wolf cock, complete with a knot. It felt strange, to say the least, but his research had at least told him what to do with it. Correctly interpreting his body's signals, Willi gripped Zsálya tighter with his forepaws and drove himself in to the hilt, feeling his knot swell as it locked the two together. Willi wasn't entirely sure what to expect, and the sheer force of his orgasm took him completely by surprise. It seemed much more intense than any he'd had in his human form, and he howled his ecstasy and his love to the world. Zsálya shook beneath him and howled as well, their voices blending into a single chorus of joy. As Willi's cock shot jet after jet of searing hot cum into his beautiful she-wolf, he lowered his head and bit her forcefully on the neck. The hot gush of her blood on his tongue was ecstasy in his wolf form, and the sensation drove Zsálya to the highest point of pleasure she had ever felt. When their orgasms waned and their legs gave out, Willi managed to fall to the side rather than on top of Zsálya. His still-swollen knot carried her with him, and the two wolves lay together, joined in body and spirit. Willi had been flooding both of Zsálya's selves with his love, desire, and adoration the whole time. He continued to do so as they panted and nuzzled as best they could in the awkward knotted position. So, this is what it is like to make love as a wolf, Willi mused as he wrapped his furry paws protectively around his darling Zsálya. I believe I am jealous. Fondest Dreams Ch. 07 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: This is the darkest of the chapters so be forewarned. Anyone who has read The Destruction of the Vlkolak knows what has to happen. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: :'( The music suggestion for this chapter is "Book of Days" by Enya. The English version, not the Gaelic version. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Glossary: - Amor enim et iustitiam! -- Latin -- "For love and justice!" - Verdammt -- German -- "Damn it!" - Scheißdreck -- German -- "Bullshit" (literally: "shit dirt") - Kriegszauberstäbe -- German -- magical battle-wands (literally: "war magic sticks"). - Mithral -- Dwarven -- truesilver [see Chapter 1 glossary] Stück Scheiße -- German -- "piece of shit" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ September 26, 1858 Zsálya knew that her time was running very short. The moment she entered her dream, the demon wolf was waiting, growling and looking at her with those beady black eyes. Not even a few minutes' reprieve anymore. He would come for her in the waking world, very soon. Gritting her teeth, Zsálya marshaled her courage and focused as Wilhelm had taught her. She bent her will upon the large tree the wolf was standing under. With a thunderous 'crack' it broke at the base, toppling onto the demon wolf and crushing it into the snow that shrouded the forest. This is becoming easier, she thought in relief. Then she heard a low growl from behind her. And from her left. And from her right. Zsálya's heart sank as she turned to see three of the evil Werewolf, advancing on her like a pack hunting a doe. What was this? There had never been more than one of him before. It made no sense. Still, she thought with sudden resolution, I will not be a victim anymore, not in my own dreams. He may be destined to kill me in the waking world, but this is my place, not his! She was beginning to focus, in order to destroy these new tormentors when the sky above her went dark, and a chorus of new growls came to her ears. Black storm clouds blotted out the sun, and giant forks of lightning struck the distant mountains. All around her, Zsálya saw a vast pack of identical black wolves stalking from the trees, advancing across the meadow from all sides. Her courage failed her, and she sank to the ground, sobbing. It really is time. I... "I do not want to die!!!" she screamed to the heavens. "I want to live, I want to stay with Willi!" The black wolves came closer. She could smell their rancid scent, and felt hot breath on the back of her neck as they savored her fear. Zsálya squeezed her eyes shut, waiting to see if their attack would send her back to the waking world or if she would have to stay and suffer. A circle of leaping flames sprang into being around her. The heat was so intense that Zsálya instinctively shifted and curled into a ball, her eyes squeezed tight against the inferno. She was so confused and scared, and she retreated into the depths of her own mind, hiding behind her wolf. "Amor enim et iustitiam!!!" a very familiar voice boomed across the meadow. Willi? Zsálya's heart leaped, and she opened her eyes a bit. Sure enough, there was her love, silver armor shining and sword in hand. His eyes glowed with that strange blue light, and this time Zsálya and her wolf rejoiced instead of feared. Our male is here, her wolf exulted. He will protect us! As if to give the truth to Zsálya's wolf, Wilhelm conjured a ball of flame in his open left hand and threw it at a cluster of wolves. It exploded with a hellish roar, sending roasted chunks of flesh flying everywhere. "" Wilhelm roared, his voice echoing from the woods and skies. "" Zsálya watched through the curtain of flame as her knight in shining armor hurled himself against the army of Werewolves. His sword seemed an extension of his arm, he hurled balls of fire from his hand like so many pine cones, and jets of molten rock burst from the ground at his whim. The demon wolves fell before him in droves, and Zsálya and her wolf rejoiced at every one. Her beloved seemed more a force than a human, untouchable and invincible, and all of his power was meant only to safeguard her. The sensation Zsálya experienced as she watched her lover literally moving heaven and earth to protect her was indescribable. How long he fought Zsálya could not tell, but it seemed forever. No matter how many matte-black wolves Wilhelm slew, more always came forth, a pestilence that came bounding out of the forest from all sides. Though he did not tire as he would in the waking world, and not a single foe managed to harm him, Zsálya could feel Willi's mounting annoyance. At last his temper snapped. "" Raising his sword-point and open hand to the sky, Wilhelm closed his blue eyes, ignoring the baying horde coming at him from all sides. Before Zsálya's astonished gaze, the black storm clouds overhead all rushed inwards, swirling together into a massive vortex centered over her. Then the lightning came forth. Massive thunderbolts rained down all around, striking some wolves dead and tearing the rest apart with their overlapping shockwaves. Zsálya's mind nearly shut down and she froze in catatonic terror. She knew she should have been destroyed as well, but something kept the thunderclaps from slamming into her and muted the apocalyptic noise to a dull roar. It didn't matter. This was the end of the world, and she was going to die. She curled into a furry little ball and buried her face in the snow, waiting for the end. Zsálya was deep in shock when strong arms gently picked her out of the snow, and was only dimly aware of soft kisses laid on her forehead and behind her ears. She did notice when the noise and the flashing lights stopped. Her body went slack with relief, and she knew no more. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya awoke in stages, drifting up towards the surface of consciousness. As she floated higher, the little wolf realized she was lying in a soft bed, with a warm presence and a pleasant scent all around her that she instinctively found comforting. Specifics were fuzzy, distant things, and she did not pursue them. She was content to revel in the peace of the moment as she gradually drifted out of the deep chasm into which her fear had thrown her. When her blue eyes fluttered open, Zsálya beheld walls of black stone, tapestries and paintings, and dark wood furniture. It took a moment for her mind to recognize this place: Willi's bedroom, in his family castle. She tried to roll over and realized that she was still in her wolf form, and that Willi was cuddled up against her back. He had an arm draped over her, and was idly stroking her belly. "You are back," he murmured, seeing her blue eyes moving. "Guten Abend, mein kleiner Wolf." Zsálya shifted back into human form and turned to face her lover, kissing him slowly and deeply as she wrapped herself around him. "You came for me," she whispered when the kiss ended. "You saved me." "Of course I did, my love. But are you alright? I feared that I had frightened you to death." His strong arms wrapped tighter around Zsálya's slim body, cradling her as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck. "I am so sorry, Zsálya," he whispered. "Four Below, I am so sorry!" "Willi," she protested, pushing him away so she could look into his gorgeous blue eyes, "you protected me from an army of evil Werewolves. You have nothing to apologize for, my darling." To make her point she 'thought' his clothes away and pressed her naked body against his, running her nails lightly along his back in the way she knew he liked. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" Wilhelm laughed and rolled onto his back, bringing her up to lie on top of him. "You are most welcome. No," he chided as her hands began to stray, "no frisking, meine Liebe. The time for secrets between us has passed. You will tell me what is happening." "I have told you... I cannot speak of these things to anyone outside the pack. It is forbidden." Willi cradled her face in his hands and just stared at her. "I cannot!" Zsálya's anguish was obvious. "I did not want it to come to this." Wilhelm sighed. "Zsálya, my love, you will tell me what is going on or I will pry the knowledge from your mind." "You can do that?" "Yes, I can. It will not damage you, but if you resist it will be extremely painful. And I know that your wolf will resist. Please tell me, mein kleiner Wolf. I hate to cause you pain, but this has gone too far. My duty to protect you is now more important." Zsálya looked down at the love of her life, tears leaking from her eyes. Willi seemed not to notice as the salty droplets fell upon his cheeks. He just stroked her cheeks and looked at her, giving her time to think, to decide. Her wolf was insistent that they keep their silence. The Alpha has ordered us! We cannot disobey, even for our male. What does it matter now? Zsálya responded. It is too late for him to try to interfere, and you know that he will make good on his threat to pry it out of us. We have suffered enough. And Willi deserves to know! The wolf did not like it. At all. But she stood aside, retreating into the back of Zsálya's mind and curling up. Zsálya lowered her head and kissed Willi, no longer trying to control her tears. "I am going to be murdered," she whispered, almost too softly to hear. "WAS?!!" She laid a finger across his lips, quieting him. "Orsolya and I... we see things..." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ There were several minutes of absolute silence once Zsálya finished her explanation. Willi listened to her with rapt attention, holding her body tightly against his. His expression was completely blank, and his eyes were like two chips of ice. She had no idea what he was thinking. At last, he lifted her and set her ever so gently on the bed before rising to his feet and walking to the far side of the room. His head was bowed, and he seemed to be deep in thought. When he turned, his eyes were shining with a jumble of emotions. "Verdammt, woman!" he barked, visibly struggling to control himself. "Let me get this straight: you take one of the most powerful men in Europe for a lover, and do not tell him of a vision of warning such as this?! Is there anything at all in your pretty little head, Zsálya?" Zsálya recoiled as if he had slapped her, wrapping the covers around her naked body. "Willi... my father... he is the Alpha. He ordered me—" "Scheißdreck." Wilhelm stalked around to Zsálya's side of the bed, towering over her. When he reached for her Zsálya let out a little shriek, thinking he was going to hurt her. But he just lifted her into his arms and fairly crushed her against him with the force of his hug. "Four Below, girl, do you not trust me?" It took a minute for Zsálya to find her voice. "It is not about trust. A wolf cannot disobey her Alpha." "And yet you have just done so." "What? I—" "You possess free will, just as humans do. You can disobey your alpha, as can your wolf. The fact that few Werewolves ever choose to disobey such orders does not make this less true." "None of that matters. I have seen my own death, Willi." Zsálya's voice broke. "It will come to pass." She began sobbing into his shoulder. "Nein. You will not die, Zsálya, not before your time." "There is nothing you can do." "Of course there is. I shall come and get you." "What? When?" "Right now. I shall wake and set out immediately." Willi began to set her gently back onto the bed. "No! Please, do not go, Willi! Do not leave me!" Zsálya wrapped her arms tightly around Willi's neck and clung to him, consumed with fear that he would be hurt or killed if he tried to interfere with the prophecy. "This is most likely our last time together," she whispered. "Stay with me, my darling. Hold me. Love me." Wilhelm set her on the bed and gently pried her arms loose. "You know I cannot do that, my love. I will not sit idle while you are in danger." He bowed his head for a moment, then clapped his hands twice. To Zsálya's astonishment, the door opened and towering figures in shining metal armor began to file into the bedroom. She squeaked and pulled the covers up to cover herself again. "I will maintain the dream until you wake. The... evil should not be able to reach you here," Wilhelm told her. "These guards will protect you if it does. You can go anywhere and do anything you wish, of course." "Please, will you stay with me?" Zsálya whispered. She looked truly pitiable, curled up in his bed with tears streaking her pale cheeks. Wilhelm's heart nearly broke, but he held firm. "I am coming for you," he told her simply. Zsálya's gaze dropped. "Then... goodbye, Willi. I love you." "I love you too, my little black-furred angel," he told her, leaning down for one last kiss. "And I will not say goodbye. I will see you soon." He stroked her long hair and laid a final, loving kiss on her forehead. Then he straightened up and vanished. Zsálya stared at the spot where he had been for many minutes, shaking and feeling the tears burn their way down her face. Finally, she turned to the tall figures standing mute, faceless behind their helms. "Could you all... wait outside, please?" she choked out. Amazingly, the guards complied, filing out of the bedroom. When the door closed behind them Zsálya collapsed into the warm, soft bed, pressing her face into Willi's pillow to inhale his scent. Huge, shuddering sobs wracked her body as she cried and cried. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "" Wilhelm turned and glared at the figure standing in the corridor behind him. "" he replied shortly, turning and striding down the corridors towards Schloss Helsing's Southeast Tower. Wilhelm had donned his Order battle-dress, enchanted chainmail from neck to toe topped with a white tabard and cape, both emblazoned with the Order's blue dodecagram. His swordbelt was girt about his waist, supporting a holstered revolver and three Kriegszauberstäbe in leather sheaths, as well as his enchanted blade. He was checking his throwing knives and slotting them into wrist sheaths as he walked. Senzir, the Schloss' butler, matched Wilhelm's pace, staying a respectful step behind. He cut an odd figure, his unearthly violet hair and vivid purple eyes contrasting with his very traditional and normal butler's attire. Formerly a demon, Senzir was exquisitely effective at keeping the Schloss in order, but was not pleasant company. "" he asked, openly needling Wilhelm. Master Wilhelm responded with a blast of kinetic force that knocked Senzir back a step. "" he snarled over his shoulder as he walked away, He felt no guilt about attacking the butler; Senzir was nigh-indestructible, and Wilhelm knew that he hadn't even caused him pain. It was a useful release, though, and it helped him think. "" Senzir called after Wilhelm as he dusted himself off. "" In his agitated state, the climb up the tower's long spiral staircase was as nothing. Finally emerging on the flat top of the tower, Wilhelm took a fraction of a second to feel the pitch-black night around him, gauging the wind and the weather. Satisfied, he shifted into his eagle form and launched himself off the tower, his brown-feathered wings beating the air powerfully and launching him out over the turbulent waves of the North Sea. He set his course south-southwest. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ September 27, 1858 Wilhelm's awareness was a symphony of pain as he streaked southwards down the course of the River Elbe, the rising sun on his left. Every muscle in his avian body screamed its fatigue, begging to be allowed to rest. Eagles were meant to effect long journeys by soaring, but that was not nearly fast enough. Wilhelm's wings and shoulders burned like hellfire as he beat them in a steady, powerful rhythm. Pain was nothing. Fatigue was nothing. Zsálya was everything. The young mage took a moment to wish that magical teleportation was possible. That would have saved him a great deal of time and pain, but the Earth's ley field destabilized any local Gate before it could even finish forming. It was possible to make a Gate to a different plane of existence—to Heaven or to Hell, for instance—but even a mage of Wilhelm's power couldn't make one by himself. Wilhelm thrust these idle thoughts aside. All that mattered was to get to Zsálya, to protect her. Even if he dropped dead afterwards like Pheidippides, it would not matter. That predator, that böse Wolf, would not harm a hair on his beloved's head. Not while he drew breath. But all the determination in the world would be for naught if he could not reach her in time. Snapping his beak in frustration, Wilhelm drew even more magical power from the wind and from the flow of the river beneath him, channeling the energy into his muscles to keep them from failing. He redoubled his wing beats, tearing across the sky like an arrow from a bow. he thought. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The single idea repeated endlessly in Wilhelm's tired mind, his thoughts bent upon Zsálya's. He had first touched her mind two hours before, and was heading straight for it with the speed and surety of a thunderbolt. It was much harder to read her in the waking world, especially at this distance. Still, Wilhelm had thought he felt arousal, punctuated with bursts of ecstasy. he thought, his first bit of levity since the previous night. And then it hit him like a knife in the soul: terror, a horrible sense of violation, desperation to escape. Frantically, Wilhelm reached out, trying to let Zsálya know that he was nearly there. But he could not make himself heard over the 'noise' of her fear. Screeching a battlecry to the heavens, Wilhelm drew in far more power than was safe, pushing his aquiline form past all mortal limits of exertion. The landscape below was now very familiar. Cresting a rise, his eagle's eyes spied two black figures moving against the snow, half a mile below. Wilhelm tucked his wings tight against his body and dove. Now he could easily recognize his angel as she ran, fleeing from the matte-black wolf whose echoes he had slain in her dreams each night since meeting her. Again he tried to get through to her mind, and again he was rebuffed by her raw terror. He saw her heading for the cliff. Wilhelm's screech echoed up and down the valley as he watched the love of his life plunge to her death. He tried desperately to catch her with his magic, or at least to slow her fall, but he was much too tired and still too far away. Blackest despair enveloped his heart, and he had to look away from Zsálya's huddled, broken form. Fondest Dreams Ch. 07 His gaze alit upon the matte-black wolf, standing at the top of the cliff and gazing down at his dead victim. Then the wolf turned and loped away, clearly not wanting to be here when her pack arrived. Wilhelm's heart burst into a blaze of anger, a rage such as he had never known. It burned his despair away, and made him a weapon aimed at the heart of the Schwein who had murdered his beloved. The great eagle gave chase, diving at the fleeing Werewolf and screaming his rage to the Heavens and the Hells. Shifting back into his own form, which was armed to the teeth, never occurred to Wilhelm; his fury was absolute and all-consuming. He landed full upon the running Were's back, digging his talons deep into flesh and muscle as his beak snapped and tore at the back of his neck. Seeing red, Wilhelm rejoiced in the feeling of hot blood gushing into his mouth and soaking the golden feathers of his head and neck. Instinctively, the wolf shook himself from side to side, trying to dislodge the unexpected attacker. Wilhelm's talons were too deep in his hide, though, and he only succeeded in opening the wounds wider. Next, the wolf pivoted and used his momentum to slam the eagle headfirst into the large tree he was passing. That worked. Suns burst in front of Wilhelm's eyes, and his talons went slack of their own accord. The eagle came loose as the wolf pulled away, falling into the snow and lying there, stunned and bruised. Wilhelm gathered every bit of magical energy left to him and reached out after his fleeing foe, seeking to tear his worthless body limb from limb and reduce the scraps to ash. It was not to be; blackness rushed up to smother his mind. The spell dissolved in a harmless green-blue flash as unconsciousness claimed him. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Wilhelm's feathered head pounded like a cannonade. He slowly took stock, blinking up at the pine boughs overhead. It took but a moment for him to remember why he was an eagle, lying on his back in the snow. He immediately wished to forget. Fighting through great pain in mind, body, and soul, Wilhelm mentally assessed his condition. Bruises everywhere, overexerted muscles, and what felt like a mild concussion. He would live. Carefully and awkwardly he flopped over onto his chest, unwilling to try shifting back to his native form just yet. Wilhelm now no longer felt despair... or anything else. All of his emotions had drained away, leaving a hollow void. It lent him a curious calm, which let him focus. His breath rasping with the effort, the eagle managed to stand, then to extend his wings. A normal eagle in his condition wouldn't have been able to take off. But, by summoning up a swift bit of wind for extra lift, Wilhelm managed to leave the ground on his aching wings. Judging by the sun, not much time had passed. A few minutes later, the eagle perched on a treetop and watched somberly as a procession of Weres passed below him. It was led by an alpha Werewolf, carrying the still body of Willi's beloved little black angel. He presumed that this alpha must be Ártur, her father. Zsálya's fur looked just as lustrous as when he'd left her in his dream the previous night. Could it really have been less than a day ago? It seemed eons. He saw the graceful woman from Zsálya's dream and realized that she was looking in his direction. Regardless, Wilhelm knew that it was foolish and probably dangerous to approach these Weres, given the circumstances. He watched as they entered the largest building. He recognized it: the miniature castle from Zsálya's dream. He now knew it to be her grandmother's home. Perching in a birch tree, Wilhelm's eyes did not leave the open doorway until he saw Zsálya's father exit and slam the door behind him. He heard the Alpha's deep voice yelling orders to the omegas as they scurried through the compound. Even though he'd never met the Alpha, Wilhelm could clearly feel his grief over the loss of his precious daughter. He watched the Alpha carefully as he made his way across the compound and met with a tall male who looked just as grief-stricken. Wilhelm had not had a chance to meet the newest member of the Were Council before he had mysteriously vanished. This male matched the description exactly. Why had he come? Did it have something to do with the evil Werewolf that Zsálya had dreamt of? Bertrand could not have known he would find his mate here. Still, that was a puzzle for another day. The bird watched the compound and saw the return of a group of males, clearly brothers. As they came closer, he could see that each was the image of their father, the Alpha. He saw tears in their eyes and the heartbreak etched into their faces. Zsálya had been truly loved by her family, and this confirmation injected a bit of welcome warmth into the emptiness of Wilhelm's heart. From their dusty appearance, he surmised they had been looking for their sister's killer, but their mannerisms and the lack of blood on them said that they had not been successful. Verdammt. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The pyre had just been completed, and the body of the Alpha's daughter laid upon it. The pack was beginning to gather when those present witnessed an astonishing sight: a large brown-feathered bird flew down and landed on the pyre beside the still body. Thinking the bird to be a carrion-eater, several omegas hurried forward to shoo it away. But the wolves stayed their hands and voices when they saw that it was a Golden Eagle, an unusual sight in their lands. Stranger still, this eagle's head and neck were red with fresh blood. All present wondered what kind of portent this might be. As the pack members watched and wondered, the bloodstained eagle stared at the young female's body for many minutes. Then it hopped forward a step, closed its eyes, and lowered its head, resting it against that of the fallen wolf. It stayed like this, eyes shut, for a few moments. To those watching, it seemed quite a long time. Then it straightened itself and opened its eyes once more. The great eagle spread its wings and took off, disappearing into the trees. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ As he banked to resume his perch and watch Zsálya's funeral, Wilhelm was startled to feel a mental invitation coming from the little castle, like a gentle tap upon his shoulder. He altered course, landed on the branch of a tree outside a bedroom window, and watched as Zsálya's grandmother approached the window, opening it. "Please, come in, young man. I would like to speak with you before you go." Leona showed no surprise at his form or his presence. The eagle flew to the windowsill, then hopped to the floor. Colors swirled, the air shimmered, and before Leona stood a Knight-Commander of the Azure Star. He was bruised and battered, and his face and upper chest were smeared with Werewolf blood, staining his snow-white tabard. But the handsome young man stood erect and proud, gazing at the female Were before him with an air of polite respect. Leona sighed and came to stand in front of him, reaching her hand out to gently cup his face despite the blood. "Thank you, young human. Thank you for loving my granddaughter. She loved you with all her heart, and I am so grateful for your presence in her life." An ocean of grief came rushing up to fill the empty void in Wilhelm's chest. With a herculean effort he maintained his composure, but his voice was unsteady. "I failed her! I should have been here in time to save her!" His voice faded as the full implication of his own words sank in. "I failed..." "You failed nothing. The night she was born I saw her fate, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I tried. But nothing I did changed her future, as nothing you could do would change it either. But you gave her something I could not. You gave her hope; you gave her a love her father and I could not. And for that, the two of us will be forever grateful." "Fate?" Wilhelm snapped, jerking away from Leona's touch. "Do not speak to me about fate!" He spat the word from his mouth as though it was poisonous. "There is no future but what we make for ourselves!" he told Leona fervently, his voice rising on a renewed tide of rage. Not at Leona, but at himself, at das Stück Scheiße who had murdered Zsálya, at the multiverse in general. "Verdammt, mein kleiner Wolf," he growled, mostly to himself, "you should have told me. I should have pressed harder. I should have... I could have..." His reserve broke, tears streaming down his face, making trails through the drying blood. Leona gathered him into her arms, patting the human's back through his cloak and armor as he sobbed on her shoulder. "Hear me, child," Leona told him firmly when he pulled away. Her eyes caught his and held them fast, the weight of her age and wisdom pressing down upon him. "The differences between our races run deeper than flesh. We are moved by forces that humans, even wise ones such as you, cannot hope to know or to understand. For us, fate and destiny are very real, and we trust in them... even in moments such as this." "I... respect your beliefs, My Lady. But I disagree with you entirely." Leona gave him a soft, mysterious smile. "Then be true to what you believe, human, and we shall do the same. Let us see what happens. Can we agree on that, at least?" "...Yes. Yes, we can, Frau Leona." "So, you know my name. Might I know yours? I never asked Zsálya, and she never told me." "Ach, please forgive me. I am Wilhelm von Helsing, Knight-Commander of the Order of the Azure Star." "I do not know of this Order," Leona remarked, glancing curiously over the twelve-pointed blue star emblazoned on Wilhelm's white tabard. The human whirled in surprise when a voice chimed in from behind him: "I do know of them. They do noble work." Ártur strode into the room and laid a massive hand on Willi's shoulder. "Thank you, my boy. To know that Zsálya was loved by a man such as you..." Ártur choked back his tears, his voice catching in his throat. The giant of a man could not finish his thought before he broke down, his hand slipping from the human's shoulder. Leona ran to his side, holding the Alpha as he sobbed. Wilhelm maintained a respectful silence, allowing this formidable Werewolf as much dignity as his grief would permit. For his part, Wilhelm had cried all his tears for now. He would cry again later, when the time came to properly mourn his little angel. But right now there were duties which demanded his attention. "Alpha Kardos," Wilhelm began once Ártur had composed himself, "Zsálya led me to understand that this pack is in grave and imminent danger. The Order of the Azure Star stands ready to aid you. With your permission, I shall bring a force of Knights to this place to defend your pack." "I deny this permission." Ártur's voice was polite but very firm, backed with a certainty of authority and purpose. "Without our assistance, Alpha, the Vlkolak will die!" Wilhelm protested, more shocked than upset at his refusal. Ártur nodded. "So it must be. Rest assured that plans are in place that will permit many to survive, particularly females and cubs. Our people will live on... but this pack must die." Wilhelm shook his head slowly from side to side. "This is madness." Leona smiled and came forward to rest a hand on his shoulder. "This is what it means to be a Were, Sir Wilhelm. Fear not for us. I see a bright destiny ahead of you, young human, a long road lit with the fires of knowledge, justice, and compassion. Look ahead and walk that road. Do not look behind and attempt to change that which must be." Wilhelm found himself blushing. "Thank you, My Lady. Alpha, your refusal is final?" he asked formally, turning back to the massive male. "It is," Ártur confirmed. "Very well; I cannot force help upon you in this matter, and you know how to contact us if your wishes should change. If there is nothing else, I must take my leave. I have pressing business elsewhere." "And what might that be?" Ártur asked, the tiniest of smiles touching the corners of his mouth. Wilhelm's eyes flashed. "I will find den Hund who murdered Zsálya, and repay him in kind." He reached up and brushed his fingers across the blood which still smeared his face. "I have his scent," he told Ártur, looking the massive Alpha straight in the eye, the look of one equal to another. Ártur's mouth curved into a grim smile. "Good hunting, my boy." "Danke, mein Herr." Wilhelm gave Ártur and Leona a ghastly, death's-head grin. The bloodstains, the gleaming chainmail, and the rage burning in his blue eyes made the young human look like some avenging angel out of legend. Ártur's smile widened in reply, and Leona shivered at the thought of what this boy might do to the killer when he found him. She approved, but would have preferred not to dwell on the details. Wilhelm turned and strode back to the window. The air shimmered, there was a soft flash, and the bloodied golden eagle launched itself out the open window. Ártur and Leona went to their pack, to begin Zsálya's funeral. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Fondest Dreams Ch. 08 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: All I have to say is: "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste." (Deuteronomy 32:35) ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: I really, really can't stand the Metzgers. Does it show? ^_^ The first scene notwithstanding, the music suggestion for this chapter is "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis. Listen after you read the first part, m'kay? :P ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Glossary: - Berghütte -- German -- mountain cabin ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} October 11, 1858 Rudolf Metzger hummed to himself as he strolled down the carpeted corridor to his study. The situation in Hungary was well in hand, his idiot cousin Niklas was packed off safely to America, and he had just been serviced by a truly exquisite little bitch. He felt strong, secure, and very much a male right now. He was so absorbed in himself that he didn't think it odd that his office door was open. He breezed right through. The door slammed shut behind Rudolf with a sound like a thunderclap. The Head of the Were Council jumped and whirled around, only to be seized roughly by the throat. Before he could blink, he felt the bite of a hypodermic needle being stuck into his neck. Rudolf couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't see his assailant—a horribly bright light was shining straight into his eyes. The metal of the syringe twinkled in his peripheral vision, and the bolus of fluid it shot into his jugular vein burned horribly. His unknown attacker yanked the needle free and tossed Rudolf away with incredible force. The impact with the floor knocked the breath from his lungs, and he skidded across the polished wood until his head hit the massive mahogany desk, stopping him. In less than a minute, Rudolf Metzger had been transformed from master of the universe to terrified pup. His attacker was just a menacing silhouette, standing between him and the door. Two floating globes of light kept Rudolf from seeing his face, and he was probably too disoriented in any case. The figure stood straight, hands behind—his?—back. Waiting. Rudolf thought after a moment, gathering his thoughts. Yes, he had been taken by surprise, but he was an alpha wolf, and he would not be intimidated. Especially not here, in his own office! Calling on his wolf, Rudolf willed himself to shift so he could rip this impudent fool to shreds. Nothing happened. He couldn't shift! Fright and surprise returned to Rudolf's mind, and were quickly succeeded by full-blown panic. Before he could think what to do, the mysterious intruder unclasped his hands and strode towards the supine Were, reaching down to grab him again. Even through the bright lights, there was a horrible efficiency and grace visible in the way the male moved, and it frightened the Were to his bones. Rudolf kicked out with all his might and grabbed at the male's hand, desperate to keep this terrifying person away from him. The scary man was unimpressed by Rudolf's kick into his shin. In reply, he pinned Rudolf's ankle to the floor with his hobnailed boot and punched him squarely in the face. Rudolf cried out in pain and redoubled his frantic efforts, trying to squirm away as he flailed his hands in his assailant's general direction. The male seized Rudolf by his throat once more and squeezed hard. When Rudolf continued to struggle, he raised his free hand and punched the Council Leader in the face once more. He continued punching until his victim went limp, conceding defeat. Lifting the dazed and bruised Were by his neck, the male seated him forcefully in the straight-backed wooden chair Rudolf kept in front of his desk for visitors. He yanked Rudolf's arms between the slats and clapped a pair of prisoner's cuffs on his wrists, locking him in place. Then he waited until Rudolf's mind cleared and his eyes focused. When he came back to himself, Rudolf saw the scary man towering over him. Those damnable floating lights still obscured the male's face and hurt Rudolf's eyes. His head was pounding, and he wasn't strong enough in his human form to break the steel handcuffs. His captor waited another minute, allowing the full reality of the proud Were's predicament to sink in. Then he spoke: "" The voice was low, menacing, and clearly unnatural. Rudolf knew enough about magic to recognize the distortion as a mage's trick—as were those bloody lights, he realized. If he was a mage, then he was most likely human. And no mere human would ever get the better of Rudolf Metzger! "" the Were spat back at his captor, setting his features in the arrogant mien he always used when speaking to his inferiors. A powerful fist slammed into his right ear, making him see stars. "" the mystery man bellowed into Rudolf's face. "" Rudolf gasped, trying to fight past the ringing in his ears. "" "" The point of a very shiny dagger at his throat stilled Rudolf's reflexive protest. "" "" Rudolf ground out, trying to lock eyes with the human through the glare of the lights. If he could do that, he would establish dominance quickly enough. "" the stranger replied, his voice eerily calm. The dagger drew a bead of blood from the Were's throat. "" Even through the distorting magic, the man's voice was audibly tinged with madness. Rudolf growled, his back straightening reflexively. "" Derisive laughter was not the reaction Rudolf had hoped for. "" The man's voice was now quiet and calm again, which was somehow much scarier than the madness. "" "" Rudolf asked, speaking out of pure incredulity. "" The stranger's eyes burst into blue flame, clearly visible even through the harsh light obscuring him. He was completely still for a moment, completely silent. Then he plunged his dagger hilt-deep into Rudolf's thigh. Rudolf screamed in pain, and the bitter scent of ammonia assaulted his sensitive nose. The Council Head realized, somewhat distantly, that he had pissed himself. Then the blows came, a vicious, full-body beating of incredible savagery. It lasted many minutes, and left Rudolf slumped in the chair, weeping in pain and fear. His captor walked slowly around behind him, 'stroking' Rudolf's dislocated right shoulder with mock gentleness. He bent down and whispered: "" Every cell in Rudolf's body was screaming at him to concede, to give the scary man what he wanted. Hells, to give the man Niklas' life story if he asked! Maybe then the pain would end! But when Rudolf opened his mouth to talk, something dark reared up from the back of his mind and stopped him. "" was all he was able to gasp. "" "" The man straightened up with a sigh. "" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Wilhelm thought sourly half an hour later. The bruised, bleeding, whimpering figure of Rudolf Metzger, tied to the chair in front of him, should have long since passed out. Wilhelm was keeping him awake and alert with magic, though, denying the pathetic Hund the sanctuary of unconsciousness. None of the torture should have been necessary. Wilhelm probably would have done some of it anyway, especially after Rudolf made it clear how he viewed women. However, the massive dose of curare he had shot into the bastard should have made him sing like a proverbial bird. Its lack of effect was infuriating—two days lost and over ten thousand marks spent to acquire high-quality curare, all for nothing! Curare, a compound that sent most creatures into respiratory arrest, had a very different effect upon Weres. Rather than stopping them from breathing, it merely prevented them from shifting... and also acted as a potent truth serum. Wilhelm could have simply taken some from the Order's safe-house in the city, of course, but it was important that the Order not be implicated if things went awry. Wilhelm fumed. When the curare had clearly failed, he had beaten, cut, stabbed, and shocked Rudolf half to death, set his jaw back in place twice, all for naught. Thank goodness for aural barrier spells, or the prick's screams would have brought half the city running. He suspected that the curare actually was working, chemically speaking, since Rudolf's affect was that of a thoroughly broken subject. The look in his eyes said that he wanted to answer his tormenter's questions. Nevertheless, he wouldn't—or couldn't. How curious. Wilhelm's cautious forays into Rudolf's mind had been repulsed by powerful mental blocks. The blocks should not have been possible for a Were to construct, and they seemed somehow dark and menacing. Examining them more closely, Wilhelm realized that, if he broke past them, they would destroy Rudolf's twisted mind from the inside out. Something, or someone, had fucked with Rudolf on a deep, dangerous level, and it clearly had no qualms about killing its pawns to preserve itself. Considering his options, Wilhelm snarled aloud in frustration. Firstly, he could break the barriers and see what he could salvage from Rudolf's mind before it was destroyed. Low chance of success, and even a Knight-Commander of the Azure Star could not get away with effectively lobotomizing a member of the Werewolf Council. In fact, it would probably lead to war between the Order and the Werewolves of Europe. Unacceptable. Secondly, he could continue torturing Rudolf to see if he could squeeze some tiny fragment of information from the wretch. That would be slow and tedious, and Wilhelm knew himself well enough to admit that he would probably wind up beating Rudolf to death in a fit of grief and rage if this continued much longer. As satisfying as that might be, it was equally unacceptable. Thirdly... he could leave. But there was no trail to follow without Rudolf's information. Zsálya's killer would... go free. The very thought was like acid on Wilhelm's grieving soul. But it was the only viable alternative, especially given that Zsálya would not appreciate him starting a war. Verdammt! Wilhelm's shoulders slumped in resignation. He released his hold on Rudolf's mind, and the Were fell instantly unconscious. The human unlocked the cuffs from his victim's wrists and pocketed them, then yanked his dagger out of the Were's leg and wiped it and his hands on the dog's shirt. Lastly, he grabbed Rudolf's right arm and roughly set his dislocated shoulder. Rudolf woke up just enough to scream in pain, then immediately passed out again. Satisfied that the worthless dog would heal completely in time, Wilhelm turned his attention to ransacking the office. It took ten minutes, and produced nothing of immediate use. Some of the ledgers Wilhelm found were unclear about what exactly they recorded, but all the correspondence was banal in the extreme. He shrugged, taking a moment to memorize it all for later use. Although he might be leaving for now, Wilhelm fully intended to tear Rudolf's pathetic little life apart in search of the murderer he was sheltering. By this time tomorrow, Herr Metzger would be the subject of a full-bore Order investigation. Wilhelm silently promised the abused figure on the floor before exiting through the window. He left behind no evidence that he had ever been there—no fingerprints, none of his own blood, not even his scent. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ October 13, 1858 One aspect of dreamwalking that Wilhelm had never considered until two weeks ago was that, for a dreamwalker, sleep offered no true respite from the waking world. He had never needed such respite before, but now he feared that the lack of it was driving him mad. As a boy, dreams had been Wilhelm's playground, his place to be a child without the constant learning and training of his waking life. As an adolescent, the chance to think for extended periods and see into the minds of different people had given him a broader appreciation for life's depths and currents than most of his brothers and sisters in the Order. Recognizing this perceptiveness in him as he matured, his fellow Knights had called him wise and encouraged his scholarly nature. As an adult, the ability to work out his frustrations and anger in dreams had given Wilhelm a seemingly bottomless reservoir of patience, which made him an exceptional diplomat. And once he met his darling Zsálya, Wilhelm's dreams had become a wondrous place of love and joy. Now, his dreams were a torment to his mind and a prison to his soul. There was nowhere Wilhelm could go and nothing he could do in his dreams that did not, somehow, remind him of Zsálya. Trapped in a reality shaped by his thoughts, Wilhelm's perfect memory of Zsálya's death had taken form around him more times than he cared to contemplate. Memories of happy times with her had risen just as often, and were equally painful to look upon. Though he could banish these memories swiftly, each time they came they tore at the gaping wound in Wilhelm's heart. He had thought himself used to the death of loved ones. It was certainly common enough for a Knight of the Azure Star. Over the years, he had lost dozens of friends and mentors, not to mention his mother and an elder sister, all to violence of one sort or another. All had made the ultimate sacrifice in the course of their duties for the Order, protecting innocents from monsters and evil magic. That solace had made their loss bearable, though never easy. Zsálya, though... his sweet, innocent Zsálya! She had not chosen a life of danger and service. On the contrary, hers was one of the lives that Blue Stars were sworn to protect! She should not have died before her time. Wilhelm had failed her when it mattered most, and that knowledge tortured him day and night. To make matters worse, he had failed even to bring her killer to justice. His dishonor was complete and total. These thoughts and many more swirled endlessly through Wilhelm's mind as he dreamed this night. In his despair he had dreamed up the most desolate, God-forsaken spot he knew, a tiny shelf of rock in the ocean many miles north of Thule. It was the peak of an undersea mountain, perhaps three square meters of space rising straight out of the water, constantly lashed by wind and wave. In less than a hundred years it would be worn away, but for now it offered a suitable spot for Wilhelm to be far, far away from anything and everything. The salty spray from the waves stung Wilhelm's eyes, and the cold of the howling wind cut him to the bone. In his despair he embraced the pain, accepting it as deserved self-flagellation. Wilhelm had been sitting, shirtless and cross-legged, at the cliff's edge for hours on end, gazing out over the heaving sea and meditating upon his failures. He almost didn't hear the click of claws upon the rock behind him. When the sound registered, Wilhelm groaned, thinking that his mind had once again conjured a memory of his beloved to torment him. He turned his head and saw the familiar lupine figure, gazing at him with her beautiful blue eyes. Too heartbroken even to sigh, Wilhelm focused his mind and thought the vision away as he had all the others. This time, though, his little black angel did not disappear. Wilhelm blinked and tried again, without result. He was finally going mad, he realized. For Zsálya to truly be here, in his dream world, was impossible. Probably. To be sure, he reached out to her empathically, fully expecting to find nothing. The intensity of the hundred conflicting emotions he felt nearly knocked Wilhelm off the cliff. "Mein Gott..." he breathed. "" His carefully honed magical senses came alive, examining the being before him in every way possible. The wolf came near and sat on her haunches, gazing at the human while he scryed her. She seemed nervous and jumpy, uncertain what to do with herself. Wilhelm let out a low moan; it was just as he had feared. "" he murmured. Then he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around the beautiful black wolf before him, nearly knocking her over with the force of his hug. "Zsálya! Meine Zsálya!" he cried, tears coursing down his cheeks. His little angel responded instantly, howling with joy and licking Willi's face with total abandon. Her tail was wagging madly, and she pressed her furry body against his bare chest, covering him in her scent while she drank deeply of his. Suddenly, Willi didn't feel like being on this lonely hunk of rock anymore. Without letting go for a moment, he concentrated and the world shifted around them. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The world resolved into the inside of a large Berghütte, high in the Alps. The wooden walls glowed gently in the light of the roaring fire in the stone fireplace. The wind howled loudly outside, and the view out the windows was obscured by falling snow, but here inside the cabin it was warm and dry. The contrast made it seem even safer and cozier than it normally would. Zsálya wasn't consciously aware of any of that, of course, but it made her happy on a subconscious level. She shifted into her human form and pulled Willi into a passionate kiss, wrapping both her arms and legs around his hard body. Zsálya moaned into her lover's mouth, giving voice to her love and her relief. She had been lost in the In-Between for what felt like years, searching for Willi and dealing with her loneliness and confusion as best she could. Now that she'd finally found him, she would not let go again. A huge fur rug covered the floor near the fireplace, and Willi laid his beloved gently upon it, his clothes vanishing along the way. Feelings were flowing through the two like sparks from a blaze. Their bodies twined together as their minds reached out to each other, pouring out their emotions and reassuring themselves that the other was real. Willi enfolded Zsálya and her wolf in purest, most tender love, and they reciprocated with all their hearts. While their minds were absorbed by pure emotion, their bodies were immersed in pure sensation. They were kissing, caressing, and nuzzling. Willi's cock slipped into Zsálya's pussy almost of its own accord. It was so right, so natural to make love that neither fully realized what they were doing until a simultaneous orgasm crashed over them. The young couple cried out in chorus and clung together on the soft rug, gradually coming back to themselves. Fondest Dreams Ch. 08 After a time, Willi began stroking Zsálya's cheek, coaxing her to open her beautiful blue eyes. "Hello, Zsálya," he whispered. "Hello, Willi," she whispered back. "You dear, sweet little fool. You should not be here." Willi's soft, caring tone was totally at odds with the words he spoke. "What do you mean? Are you unhappy to see me?" Zsálya was too surprised to be hurt. "You are dead, meine Liebe. I saw you die. I felt your body's emptiness afterwards. You should have passed on," the human explained, his eyes full of sadness and worry. "Why did you not pass on, Zsálya? This is not good." "I do not understand." "I do not doubt that. As a Were, your soul was supposed to travel to a particular part of the Celestial Plane that mages refer to as the Endless Forest," he explained. "Instead you are here, on the Plane of Dreams. You are lost, my love." "No, I am not lost. I am with you, Willi." Zsálya smiled and ran her fingers through her male's blonde hair. Her bite mark still stood out prominently on his neck, and he fairly reeked of her scent. Mine! she and her wolf exulted. Willi sighed and carefully eased himself out of her pussy, rolling onto his back on the rug. "Zsálya, one of two things happens to a soul which does not pass on," he told her, staring up at the wood-beam ceiling. "Either it remains lost until it fades away into nothing, or it becomes a 'body-snatcher,' a monster that attempts to wrest a living body from its rightful soul. "Ancestors! I would never do something like that!" "I know." Willi smiled faintly, leaning his head into Zsálya's touch as she reached out and stroked his hair. "Which leaves us with the fact that your body is gone but your soul has not departed as it ought." "I am... a ghost?" The idea was difficult to process. "Nein; you are an animam amisit—a disembodied soul. Ghosts are more akin to 'psychic bloodstains' on a specific physical area. They are not sapient." "Oh." She had no idea what he was talking about, and didn't really care at the moment. "You have perhaps six months until you fade away completely. Your soul, and therefore your mind, will degrade steadily." Willi sat up and crossed his legs, resting his chin on his steepled fingers and staring into the fire. "The worst part is... I believe that this will remove you from the Were reincarnation cycle. Forever." Zsálya jumped to her feet, eyes wide in horror. "Ancestors! I—I cannot... my True Mate!" "Precisely so." Willi's voice was calm, but she could clearly feel his fear for her. Or rather, terror. He was silent for many minutes, eyes half-closed as his brilliant mind poured over the problem. Zsálya wandered away and sank, still naked, into one of the soft leather chairs facing the fire, tucking her legs under herself and lacing her fingers together. Her hands squeezed each other tightly as she tried and failed to fight off a wave of panic. Her breathing quickened, her heart raced. Suddenly Zsálya was fighting for breath, unable to think through her wolf's sudden, blind terror. The thought of losing her True Mate—worse, of leaving him alone forever—had sent the wolf into a paroxysm of fear, completely overwhelming her human-self. As always, Willi came to her rescue. He heard her begin to hyperventilate and was beside her in an instant, kneeling beside the chair and wrapping his arms around her. "Shhh, be calm. Just breathe, slowly. That's it, darling..." Willi flooded both halves of Zsálya's mind with love and calm, and his powerful hands stroked her bare back in soothing circles. When she calmed, he pulled away a bit and took her hands in his, gazing steadily into her eyes. "I have failed you once, Zsálya. I swear to you now, upon my honor and my love for you, that I will not fail you twice. I will find you a path to your rightful place." "How?" Zsálya whispered, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I do not as yet know. I do know where to begin searching, though, first thing in the morning." "What shall I do in the meanwhile? While you are awake, I mean? Please... do not abandon me to the dark, Willi." Willi kissed her softly on the forehead. "I will have to leave, darling, but I believe that I can maintain this dream for you even while I am awake. You will be able to go anywhere and do anything you wish, within the limits of my memories." "You can do that?" "I believe so, yes. It should be a simple matter." "Thank you." The couple re-arranged themselves so that Willi was sitting in the chair, with Zsálya curled up in his lap. Though neither was exactly happy, given the circumstances, both were content for the moment. After a time, Zsálya began nuzzling at Willi's neck, occasionally lapping at the bite scar she'd left upon him. Then she began stroking through his chest hair with her small, soft fingers. Before long Willi was moaning softly with pleasure, his big cock fully erect and pulsing against her hip. Zsálya smiled seductively up at him as she ran her hand down and wrapped it around his manhood. She couldn't quite close her fingers around it, which always caused a tingle between her legs when she thought about it. Several minutes of teasing later, Willi's self-control failed. He pressed his fingertips into Zsálya's shoulders and kept up the pressure as he ran them down either side of her spine, making her shiver and coo. Then he grabbed her cute little ass and squeezed possessively, while his lips claimed hers with a force that thrilled his lover to no end. Before Willi could take charge completely, though, Zsálya decided to take advantage of their unusual position in this big leather chair. She moved to straddle his thighs, pressing her already-creaming pussy against his cock. Zsálya set her hands on Willi's shoulders and held him in place when he tried to move. He could have easily gotten out from under her, of course, but Willi was such a good boy at heart—when she gave him a clear sign of what she wanted him to do, he always complied. With her handsome hunk of a human in place, Zsálya began to slowly roll her hips, rubbing her swollen clit against his hardness and practically drenching him with her juices. It was a little scary sometimes, the thought of just how wet Willi made her. Zsálya wondered idly if sex with her True Mate would be this good. Even better! her wolf responded firmly, though she was enjoying this lovemaking too. Zsálya didn't see how sex could possibly get any better than this, but she took the statement at face value; in those matters where her wolf-self had an opinion, she had almost always been right thus far. The contemplations came to an end as Willi decided to take the emotional initiative, nearly overwhelming both of Zsálya's selves with the force of his love and desire for them both. The feel of his lust stoked Zsálya's own, and she ground herself harder against him. Her nipples had hardened into hypersensitive points, and she absolutely adored the sensation of dragging them through Willi's thick but surprisingly soft chest hair. Her skin was almost painfully hot to the touch. "Oh Willi..." she moaned, her voice wild and wanton. "I love you so much, my knight!" "Ich liebe dich auch, meine schöne Prinzessin!" Willi gasped in reply, scraping his teeth ever-so-gently over the crook of her neck. "What?" "I love you too, my beautiful princess!" That was worth a big kiss, and Zsálya took it from her lover with gusto. As much as she loved it when he took control, the chance to be on top for a change—both literally and metaphorically—excited Zsálya to no end. She raised herself fully onto her knees and positioned herself directly over Willi's big member, teasing him with feather-light brushes of her pussy against his sensitive head. Willi let out a long, low groan and babbled something in German. "What is it, love?" Zsálya asked with an impish smile. "Oh Gott, Zsálya, please do not tease me anymore!" he begged, gazing up into her bright blue eyes for once. Those blue eyes gleamed wickedly as she started raising and lowering her hips, her sopping nether lips just barely kissing his cock before ascending again. "Turnabout is fair play, Willi," she told him, somehow keeping her voice prim and proper as she used an expression he had taught her back against him. Willi ran his hands up her stomach and grabbed her breasts forcefully, kneading them delightfully in his powerful grip. In Zsálya's hyper-aroused state, the little tweaks he gave her nipples were pure pleasure instead of pain. "Say 'please,'" she told him in the same patient tone that Grandmother had always used when she said that to her and Orsolya. Instead, Willi ran his hands further up her body, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her face down so her forehead rested against his and their noses were smushing together. His crystal-blue eyes were blazing in a way that thrilled Zsálya to the roots of her soul. When Willi let out a loud, masterful, wolf-like growl right into her face, her body shivered with a delightful orgasm. A burst of her scalding-hot cream splashed over his twitching manhood. "FUCK ME, WOMAN!" His tone was half commanding and half pleading, and it extended Zsálya's climax further. She was still climaxing as she drove herself downwards, impaling her body on her lover's hard cock. The young lovers screamed in unison with the raw, primal ecstasy of their union. Zsálya began kissing Willi deeply, roughly, almost desperately as they fucked. Despite their human forms, this was not their usual slow, tender lovemaking, or even the torrid quickie they'd enjoyed just a short time ago. This was pure animal lust, the unleashed passions of two very loving people who thought they'd lost each other forever. Willi had felt this sort of lust before, but always from Zsálya's wolf-self. This time, though, there was not a hint of gold in her beautiful eyes. The realization brought tears of joy to his eyes. Though it seemed to last forever, it was actually only a few minutes before they succumbed to a cataclysmically intense, simultaneous orgasm. As the tidal wave of ecstasy crashed over them, Willi buried his face in Zsálya's shoulder and bit down with all the strength in his jaw. He hadn't planned it; it just felt right. Zsálya's grip tightened around him until he couldn't breathe. Her pussy clamped down on his cock more tightly than ever before, and she was now crying as well from the pure joy of the moment. Neither could say what the next day would bring, let alone the next month or year. Yet at that moment, the entire universe was truly, unbreakably perfect in every way. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ October 14, 1858 Zsálya was a very bored Were. Sixteen hours was long enough in the waking world, but in the dream world it translated into two or three days of perceived time. Zsálya found that, without her darling human around, the time passed with agonizing slowness. She moved around to different places Willi remembered, exploring them in both human and lupine forms. The Louvre and several other art museums held her attention for the longest. Still, it seemed like no time at all before she had exhausted all the places she could think of and her wolf had had her fill of running. It was about thirteen hours in the waking world, and she was bored stiff. Still, Zsálya admitted to herself that having solid ground and a body to feel it with beat the fur off of hanging formlessly in the In-Between. Souls are not meant to remain in that void for long, she thought with a shudder. I could feel it. She finally found herself in a huge wooden complex that Willi had said was a mile high in the mountains of Nepal. How on earth did the Blue Stars of old get all this wood up the side of the mountain? she wondered. Magic, probably—she could see no other way. Still, it was a good place to escape from the world, calm and quiet. Zsálya settled herself in a large-ish room, empty save for a scented brazier in each corner and the soft mat on which she was sitting. She let her eyes flutter closed and tried to focus on the meditation exercises Willi had taught her. It was just too hard to hold her mind in the right patterns, though, so Zsálya gave up and simply let her mind wander. She reflected on all the good memories of her life and her pack, surprised by how many she had. Her visions had overshadowed all the goodness in her life, she realized. The one positive aspect of being dead was that she was finally, totally free of those horrible images. It was almost worth it. When Willi was finally able to go to bed, he found Zsálya sitting in that same position, lost in thought. She was, without realizing it, meditating very deeply. He hated to disturb her, but was even more eager to share his exciting news. Moving silently as a cat, he slipped up beside Zsálya and sat down next to her. Then he tapped her on the shoulder. Zsálya nearly jumped out of her bare skin, and gave Willi a reproving glare. "That was mean." A moment later she melted to his charming smile and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. "I believe I have found a temporary solution," Willi informed her when they parted, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. "First, I must explain why your soul will degrade in its present circumstances. Put simply, on this plane a soul cannot survive for long without a body. Both the soul and the mind within the soul—minds, in your case—lose energy over time, and they can also be easily disrupted by environmental factors. A body shields the mind from damage, provides a physical vessel to keep it stable, and replaces the energy that is naturally lost by the system. Do you understand me thus far?" The little female nodded and snuggled closer. Some of the bigger words went over her head, but Willi's point was clear nonetheless. She would remember to ask what those words meant some other time. "Therefore, the solution to your situation in the short term is to find you a host body." "I will not steal somebody's body!" Zsálya told him vehemently. The very idea made her shudder. Willi's eyes flashed. "I would never suggest such a thing," he assured her. "I propose that your soul share my body until I can find a way to get you where you belong." "Share... is that even possible?" "It is, though there are serious risks. There is more than enough physical capacity in my brain to handle a second soul, though your presence will severely limit my magical power as long as you remain. This 'empty' space is where a mage stores energy before casting spells," Willi explained. "It is important that both you and your wolf understand that my body is not yours, and that neither of you should ever attempt to take physical control of it away from me. If that happens, our souls will come into conflict. Conflict is very, very bad for both of us. You will have access to the information from all of my senses, though." "You mean... we will see through your eyes?" "Yes, and the same for my other four ordinary senses. Whether you will perceive or understand my magical 'senses' remains to be seen. Also, this is very much a temporary solution. It will require a very careful balancing act at all times on my part. According to the ancient texts I consulted, a mage of my skill and experience can maintain this balance for approximately thirteen months without serious difficulties. After that, there is an exponential increase in difficulty." Zsálya cocked her head to the side in that way she had. "What happens if you do not balance properly?" "Our souls merge, or attempt to. The result is both unstable and dangerously insane," Willi answered simply. "Therefore, we must send you on your way within a year if at all possible. The good news is that, while you reside inside of me, your soul will be protected and 'nourished.' Shall we attempt to join?" he concluded. "Right now?" Zsálya was surprised. "Why wait?" Willi replied with a wry smile. "The process is actually easier while my body is asleep, or so the text claimed." Zsálya's hand tightened around Willi's, and she took a slow, deep breath. She turned her awareness inwards and consulted with her wolf. The wolf didn't like it any more than the human did, but she was willing to risk it for the sake of their True Mate. "Alright," Zsálya told Willi after a long exhalation. "What do we do?" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Her first moments in Willi's brain were easily the strangest of Zsálya's life. It was a bit like riding on Father's shoulders as a cub, she thought, only she was instead 'perched' inside Willi's body. It was bizarre how she could feel Willi right there 'beside' her. All of him; not just his emotions, but his mind as well. His thoughts moved so fast, much faster than hers, and she could clearly perceive the vast trove of knowledge that his memory kept in perfect, orderly arrays. It reminded her somewhat of the Schloss' great library; Zsálya's own memories seemed like a sheaf of scribbled papers in a box by comparison. She saw the full extent of her beloved's brilliance for the first time, and her reaction was a burst of heartfelt pride. However, for the first time she had a true measure of the vast magical powers he commanded, and they frightened her terribly. Even with her presence limiting him, Willi was clearly capable of devastating an entire city. With his full power and some preparation, he could probably lay waste to an entire country! Now she understood why her wolf feared magic so much; if this was what a single mage could do, no wonder a special organization like the Blue Stars was needed to keep them in check! Thankfully for Zsálya's peace of mind, they could communicate between minds freely and easily. It was somewhat like a pack bond, she found, only far swifter. In this way, Willi assured her that his abilities were far beyond those of most mages, and showed her legends of draconic blood somewhere far back in the Helsing family tree. Able to communicate mind-to-mind, Willi did not have to tell her the legend in the normal way—he was able to share entire memories with her! Zsálya had to learn to translate from Willi's way of thinking to hers, but the memory came through the process crystal-clear. Amazing! By far the greatest shock, though, came when Willi rose from his bed and stretched to loosen his stiff muscles. As his eyes opened, she saw everything that he did and recognized his bedroom in Schloss Helsing. The entire feel of his body was alien to Zsálya, far more so than her lupine form had ever been to her human half. After a few moments, she realized why: he was male! More precisely, she was now a female sharing a male's body. Zsálya would never have expected things to be so different, but they were. It was subtle, but very, very definite. For a start, how could he walk properly with that huge... thing between his legs? And not having to compensate for two weights on his chest made his movements stranger still. This realization removed any desire Zsálya might have had to 'try out' Willi's body; she was certain she'd just get him hurt. The raw physical power in his body was both strange and thrilling to her, though. Willi had an amazing level of control over his body, more than Zsálya would have thought possible. Now she understood all the things he'd said about being trained from childhood. Willi's every move was considered and deliberate, calculated to achieve what he wanted using as little energy as possible. She'd seen his deadly grace the first time they met, of course, but it was even more awe-inspiring from the inside, as it were. All of these observations took less than a minute, and it was another ten before the two lovers overcame their initial confusion and discomfort with the situation. Overall, it was not unlike being locked together in a small room. By the time Willi finished his callisthenic routine, his soul had reached an uneasy accord with Zsálya's. Fondest Dreams Ch. 08 What now? Zsálya thought to Willi. I do not think it is a good idea for us to go back to sleep tonight, Willi replied. Best to acclimate ourselves to this arrangement before displacing our souls once more. What do you mean? One's soul partially leaves one's body in order to dream; that is the displacement of which I speak. A stream of knowledge came along with the thought, imparting the necessary concepts to Zsálya far more easily than Willi could have ever done with words. I see, Zsálya answered after assimilating what Willi had shown her. So... what now? she asked, with the mental equivalent of a giggle. Willi's physical mouth curled in a soft smile, and he sent Zsálya a stream of warm feelings that approximated a great big hug. Well, I promised that I would find you a way to the Endless Forest. As long as I am up and awake, I may as well begin. Donning his white-and-blue uniform, Willi left his bedroom and turned towards the library. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ More from Archangel_M: I know that all of the spiritual terminology is confusing, and I apologize for that. There's no way around it; believe me, I've tried. To clarify: the mind resides within the soul, which resides within the body. Weres have two minds, which both reside within one soul. Everybody got that? Good. :) Fondest Dreams Ch. 09 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: I really do love writing for Zsálya, and am so sad it has almost come to an end. But this story has been a joy to write with my friend AA. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: The music suggestion for this chapter is "On My Way Home" by Enya. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian dialogue is in plaintext, Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} September 27, 1859 (nearly twelve months later) The two white-uniformed figures who strode into the Werewolf Council chamber were expected. The six dozen large, angry werewolves who followed them were not. All but two of the Councilors were visibly confused and worried by the presence of nearly every alpha Were in Europe. Rudolf Metzger thought behind a thoroughly impassive expression. Guillame Bertrand did not seem at all surprised, he noted, which was curious. Rudolf spared a moment to wonder why, but quickly dismissed it as unimportant. It would have been worrying if it had been any other Councilor, but Bertrand was still very young and very new to the Council. He had little real influence as yet, and even fewer connections of any value. He was no threat to anybody. Rudolf had known for some months that the thrice-cursed Blue Stars had been sniffing around the Council's business interests, and he knew that they would find many of them objectionable. Their so-called Order, with its foolishly idealistic sense of "morality," seemed to exist for the sole purpose of preventing great men like himself from conducting their affairs. No matter. Rudolf had carefully nurtured the Order's lax attitude towards Weres for decades, keeping things calm and peaceful on his own behalf and that of his Sardinian... associate. Both his associate's enterprises and his own had thrived in the absence of enforced "morality," but nothing lasted forever. His associate understood that, and had taken pains to ensure that Rudolf understood it too. When word of the Order's probing had reached the Council Chairman, he had immediately taken steps to withstand the coming recriminations. One of the Blue Stars at the other end of the table was a Helsing, Rudolf saw, and the members of that family were even more divorced from reality than the rest of the Order. This boy Wilhelm and Rudolf had loathed each other from their first meeting. The boy was here to burn him at a metaphorical stake, Rudolf knew, to expose him as some sort of "villain" and turn his own subjects against him. Rudolf could see it clearly in the human's vivid blue eyes as they stared at each other down the long table. He was welcome to try. While they were expected, the visitors had not given the Council a formal notice that they were coming. Therefore, Metzger was not out of line when he asked them to come back later. He did so out of a sense of self-importance, and also simply to twist the Helsing lad's tail. It was difficult to spot the signs of Wilhelm's emotions, but Rudolf was a master at reading body language and enjoyed the tiny twitches that told him of the human's anger. His enjoyment stuttered to a halt when Bertrand spoke up from the far end of the table, pre-empting Helsing's reply. "" The Chairman's gaze bored into the junior Councilor, taking in every little detail as he tried to discern what the younger Were was playing at. Before being sent to Hungary two years ago, Guillame had fairly worn his heart on his sleeve. However, since his return barely a month ago he was a complete cipher, as if his emotions had vanished. Was it possible that he knew something that Rudolf did not? No, that was not possible... but if it was true... Rudolf began to worry. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ It took nearly two hours for Wilhelm to lay the Order's accumulated findings before the assembled Weres. He was calm, almost emotionless as he methodically reviewed each charge and piece of evidence. He started with the minor crimes, working his way up through financial misconduct, involvement with human criminal enterprises, abuse of power, and finally the enslavement of Were females. The fury of the assembled alphas increased palpably, and it was a testament to their self-control that none of them shifted and attacked the Council members outright. "" Wilhelm concluded at last, closing the last of the folios he had brought and setting it neatly on the pile before stepping back from the table. The pile was only about a foot tall—rather small to document such crimes, everyone thought. Behind his ice-blue eyes, Willi was keeping himself under the most rigid of control. Every fiber of his being urged him to slay Rudolf as quickly and messily as possible. However, this was not possible, even now that the little Hund was damned in the eyes of his peers. Treaty obligations and Order principles both dictated that the Werewolves must be allowed to manage their own affairs. Inside that same body, Zsálya's human-self was fighting hard to keep her wolf-self under control. Though the human was equally upset, she took her example from her beloved and stayed as calm as she could. The wolf could not understand the reasons to stay quiet, though, and it was only Zsálya's human-self that held her back from trying to tear Rudolf apart. Not only would that create a conflict between Zsálya's soul and Willi's (which would probably destroy them both), but the wolf would also disrupt Willi's self-control. That control was strong but brittle, Zsálya knew, and she used what concentration was not taken up by her wolf to send Willi feelings of calm and peace. She hoped it helped. All three were looking intently through Willi's eyes and listening with his ears, waiting to see how Rudolf would try to wriggle out of this. The room was deathly quiet for long moments as Rudolf turned his gaze on each of the other Councilors in turn. He just looked at each of them for a moment, his face locked in a thoroughly blank expression. "" Rudolf asked at last, his tone full of disappointment and controlled anger. He was speaking to the other Councilors, pretending that Wilhelm's revelations were news to him! Every mouth in the room fell open at Rudolf's audacity as he began to remonstrate the Council for committing "" Before he built up to the point of shouting, though, he was cut off by one of the alphas. "Discúlpeme, Señor Metzger, " "" "" Sandalio López's tone was very dangerous indeed, made somehow more threatening by the graceful flourishes his Spanish accent put on the harsh German words. Several other alphas growled in agreement. "" Rudolf conceded, "" "" one of the other Councilors burst out. "" the Councilor went on, now speaking to the assembled alphas. "" he admitted, "" "" Willi stated, his face still calm but his blue eyes burning with the rage of not one but three angry people. "" Guillame concurred. "" Rudolf began to indignantly rebut the charge, and several people began speaking—well, shouting, really—all at once. This would clearly take some time to resolve, Wilhelm thought with tremendous satisfaction. He caught Rudolf's eye for a moment and gave him a tiny, triumphant smirk before he and his colleague left the Council chamber. There was no more for him to do here, and as much as he wanted to watch Rudolf's disgrace and execution, it was something that the Weres needed to handle for themselves. In any event, time was running very short for Zsálya, and Willi had an appointment to keep this night. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Alas, Rudolf Metzger would not fall from power for another century and a half. Though the rest of the European Council (excepting Guillame Bertrand) were found guilty and executed for their crimes, Rudolf managed to create just enough reasonable doubt to retain his position as Council Chairman. Even Rudolf did not realize that he was aided by subtle magics, woven by those who used his Sardinian 'associate' as a cat's-paw. Though they were unable to sink their mental hooks into the any of the new Councilors, their pawn remained at the head of the table. They were content with that. For now. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The great golden eagle banked and descended towards a small clearing in the heart of the Black Forest. This entire area was a hunting preserve, seldom used by the human family that owned it. It was a perfect place to let a confined wolf run free for a little while. Willi landed gracefully on the soft grass, catching his breath and focusing inwards for a moment. I will let you use my body while I dream, he told Zsálya's wolf. As always, you must promise that you will return control without a fuss in the morning. Since Zsálya had begun sharing his body, Willi had made sure to let Zsálya's wolf loose like this at least once per month. He didn't have to do it, and both Zsálya and her wolf knew that, but it just wasn't in him to make life any harder than necessary for the beautiful creature. The wolf was almost pathetically grateful to Willi for this chance, as she always was, flooding his consciousness with love, gratitude, and the image of a little black wolf licking his face. Her joy increased tenfold at what Willi told her next. This land is rich with game, and you have my permission to hunt and kill one animal of your choice tonight. This was quite a change from usual—the only animals on Thule were livestock, which Willi had emphatically forbidden the wolf to harm when he let her run around the island. Without further ado, Willi reached out and tapped into the wolf's sense of her body, her sure and certain knowledge of its size, shape, and structure. Magic swirled, and he shaped his body into that of a lovely black wolf—how strange it felt to have a female body! Only this time he made a change. Willi made the wolf body more than twice the size of Zsálya's petite lupine frame—nearly the size of an alpha male! If the wolf was to hunt by herself, he reasoned, she might as well be equipped for it. With the new body settled, Willi turned control over to Zsálya and slipped into the dream-world. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Wilhelm let the blackness of his unformed dream caress his eyes, and breathed a long sigh of relief. Though neither he nor Zsálya would admit it, it was nice to have a break from each other. His love for her had not diminished in the slightest, of course, but having her cohabitating in his brain was the functional equivalent of locking two people—three people, really—in a small room together for weeks on end. No matter how much they might care for each other, it became oppressive after a time. There was no avoiding it, of course, and Willi had come to value Zsálya's counsel highly. Though her mind lacked his capacity for raw memory, she was sharp as a blade and a remarkably creative thinker. She would have made a most admirable Blue Star, he thought, had she lived to have the chance. It might have been argued, though, that in helping Willi, Zsálya was in fact functioning as a Knight of the Azure Star. She was now privy to all manner of the Order's deepest, most dangerous secrets, simply from seeing them through his eyes for a year—not to mention what she'd gleaned from her lover's memories. She had even learned Chakobsa, the ancient language of the Order and one of its most closely held secrets. That was truly the most remarkable aspect of sharing a brain: Zsálya had quickly learned to access Willi's memories while he was awake! She claimed that it was remarkably like reading a book, and likened Willi's mind to the vast libraries of Schloss Helsing. He could have blocked her, of course, but there was no reason to do so. No matter how many secrets Zsálya learned, whom could she tell? Amazingly, her perusal of his memories did not interrupt his thinking in the slightest. Observing closely when Willi was doing something interesting, and learning from his memories when he wasn't, the naïve little werewolf had rapidly become an astute and remarkably wise student of life. What might she have accomplished if she'd been allowed to live? Willi wondered for a moment. Shaking off the melancholy that the thought triggered, Wilhelm turned his attention to the task at hand: negotiating terms for the salvation of his beloved's soul. The fact that he had to bargain for it would have enraged a lesser man, but Willi was merely resigned. Angels were his only remaining avenue and, though they were not malicious per se, they did not fulfill mortals' wishes for free. Tonight, Willi would be meeting with an archangel. A meeting such as this deserved a proper setting, Wilhelm decided with an inward smile. A few moments of concentration shaped the black 'nothingness' surrounding him into the inside of a massive structure, with marble, stained glass, and precious metals everywhere. It seemed that every square inch of the place was adorned in some fashion, and Wilhelm took some pride in his ability to replicate it all exactly. With the environs complete, he thought himself some civilian attire; since, by making a contract with an extraplanar being, he was disobeying one of the Order's more important tenets, his uniform seemed less than appropriate. "" Wilhelm told the empty building, his voice echoing faintly from the vaulted ceiling far above. "" "" a melodious voice replied in good humor. Wilhelm turned to regard his guest, who appeared as a humanoid figure approximately six feet in height and clad in a simple robe of gleaming white. However, the being's sapphire-blue skin, white-feathered hair, and glowing gold eyes marked it as decidedly not human, even without the massive pair of white wings framing its body. "" "" the archangel replied. "" Zadkiel asked, its beautiful, androgynous face adopting a wry smile. "" Wilhelm asked with a chuckle. "" the archangel replied calmly. "" Wilhelm shrugged. "" he asked, turning and strolling slowly down the nave towards the Basilica's high altar. Zadkiel fell into step beside the human. "" "" "" the archangel replied simply, ignoring Wilhelm's barbed comment. The human's blue eyes flashed. "" "" "" "" "Was?!" "" "" "" Though its tone had remained calm and reasonable throughout, Zadkiel's words cut Wilhelm to the bone. Both of them knew that the human would do anything to save Zsálya's soul. The archangel had him by the short hairs, and was only treating this as a 'negotiation' for politeness' sake. Wilhelm stopped walking and gazed up at the Basilica's vast dome. he thought, already knowing that he would agree. His little black wolf was worth every moment of it. Given that Zadkiel and his superiors surely had far more dangerous and demanding uses for a being of Wilhelm's power, he reflected, the stated contract was actually very generous. Wilhelm took a deep breath and let it out slowly before turning to face the archangel. "" "" Most beings would have gloated to some extent. Zadkiel did not. "" "" "" "Sehr gut." Wilhelm held out a hand stiffly. "" Zadkiel shook his hand solemnly. "" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ While Willi spoke with Zadkiel, his little she-wolf was enjoying her freedom in the Black Forest. She spent over an hour just running, feeling the wind on her fur and the earth beneath her paws. It was glorious! Then she settled down to the hunt. It wasn't as much of a challenge as she would have liked, but the end result was quite satisfactory: a big, healthy doe lay dead at Zsálya's feet, its blood on her muzzle and its scent in her nose. It seemed to Zsálya that she'd never tasted anything so delicious. Her large body required a large amount of food, and she began to gorge herself on her kill. Some time later, Zsálya heard a faint sound and looked up. Her bright blue eyes caught a smaller pair of yellow eyes at the edge of the clearing. The newcomer was a female fox, the wolf saw, which looked very much the worse for wear. She was far too thin, and her red fur was dull and scraggly. Just an animal, not a Were, but her feelings were clear enough: desperation and hope that she might share in Zsálya's kill. Zsálya's wolf-self would have none of that. She'd waited over a year for this kill, and she was going to enjoy every last bite. A low, warning growl made that very clear to the little vixen, who seemed to wilt before Zsálya's eyes. Her head sagged, her tail and ears drooped, and she turned slowly away. Fondest Dreams Ch. 09 Something about the fox's manner bothered Zsálya's human-self, even as her wolf resumed her meal. The vixen was not just anxious for herself, the human thought. But why? Her wolf-self wanted to shrug the incident off, but the human just couldn't. Let's go check on her, she urged the wolf. It took some persuading, but Zsálya's wolf reluctantly stepped away from the half-eaten doe, licking blood from her muzzle and shaking her head to clear her nose. Zsálya found the fox's scent easily enough, and following it was child's play; the vixen hadn't bothered trying to cover her tracks. A few minutes' tracking and Zsálya was looking at the entrance to the fox's den. The vixen was sitting near the hole, surrounded by a half-dozen little kits. The kits were in better shape than their mother, but not by much. Zsálya surmised that the vixen had been giving the kits almost all the food she found. Where is her reynard, Zsálya wondered, and why does she have kits out of season? How and why the fox had given birth in the fall rather than the spring was a complete mystery, but it was clear that the vixen didn't have a mate with her, and that she was struggling mightily to provide for her young. There ensued a brief and contentious debate between Zsálya's human and lupine selves. The human wanted to give the foxes the remaining half of their kill. The wolf had nothing against the foxes, but she simply didn't see any reason to help them. Moreover, she wanted to finish her meal. The human countered that their belly was already full, and that eating the other half of the doe would only give them a stomachache. The argument that won the wolf's agreement, though, was quite simple: what if that was us and our cubs? With the decision made, Zsálya returned to the little clearing where her kill lay. She was grateful to Willi for making her so large; at her normal size she would never have been able to drag the carcass through the woods by herself. It wasn't overly taxing, though, and before long she was laying the doe on the grass near the vixen's den. The kits were well out of sight, but Zsálya could see the fox's eyes watching her from inside her den. The wolf retreated a ways and lay down to see if the fox would accept the gift. It took some time, but when the vixen finally worked up the courage to come out of her den, she accepted the food readily enough. A minute later the kits were out of the den and gathered around the carcass, eating with gusto. They were incredibly adorable. The vixen looked over to Zsálya for a long moment before she too began to eat. How much the animal actually understood was anyone's guess, but she clearly felt some measure of gratitude to the beautiful black wolf. That was enough for the moment. Zsálya left the foxes to their meal, her concern for her fellow creatures and her thirst for blood both sated. But now she felt another thirst, a lust ignited by her earlier hunt. Werewolf instinct was strong, and even when unmated an adult Were craved sex after the chase. Before her sister's mating, Zsálya had had no interest in either hunting or mating. Whether it had to do with the strange bond with her twin, or having met Willi, she now craved Willi after her delightful hunt: his scent, his body... his hard cock. The restless she-wolf returned to the area where Willi had left her, which she knew was safe from prying eyes. On her way, she spotted a stallion with his mare out in the field. She briefly wondered if her hunt had taken her through their pasture. She studied their dark fur, offset by the bright flaxen of their manes and tails. What strange coloration they had. And they were heavyset animals, probably used for farm work. She couldn't help but notice the difference between them and the small, hardy, somewhat drably-colored native horses of her Carpathian Mountains. She moved to a position where her presence would not startle them and lay down quietly in the grass. Zsálya's attention was fixated on the two animals, who were totally engrossed in each other, obviously also feeling the urge to mate. The stallion circled the mare, who stood with her legs firmly planted, her tail flagging behind her. She squealed loudly when she felt the stallion's teeth nipping at her body. His front leg pawed the ground as he neighed his response. She was his, and he wouldn't let her go. The wolf sat mesmerized, her own body responding to the vision of animal lust in front of her. She couldn't turn away as the stallion mounted the mare, plunging his long cock into the mare's receptive body. Zsálya could feel her lupine body heat as she watched, until her burning desire finally drove her to her feet. She ran back through the forest, to the grassy clearing where Willi had landed earlier, and lay down right in the middle. Zsálya rested her muzzle on her outstretched paws and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, to join her handsome human in the dream world. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Once Zsálya was gone from the fox den, there was a gentle flash of light and a humanoid figure appeared, sitting on a large rock nearby. The newcomer had blue skin, gold eyes, and great white wings. It smiled as the foxes gathered around its feet. "Good work, little ones. Return to your regular duties, please," the being told the kits in its melodious voice. It was speaking in Celestial, the language of the Heavens. "Yes, Archangel," the kits chorused in the same language. They vanished, each with a tiny flash of light. Zadkiel turned its gaze on the vixen. "Well, Veris?" There was another gentle flash, and the vixen took her—its—true angelic form. Veris was shorter than Zadkiel, and its wings smaller, but it possessed the same androgynous beauty. "She passed in every respect," Veris reported with a smile. "Most worthy of extraordinary treatment, and a very sweet person, I must say." "Most Weres are," Zadkiel remarked absently. "I see. Why do you suppose that is?" The archangel shrugged slightly. "My guess would be their strong family ties and pack bonds, but I'm not certain. That's well outside our purview, as you know." Veris nodded. "Well, she definitely doesn't need to go through Purgatory. I'm sure there's a few venial sins here or there, but it's been a while since I've seen a soul so pure." "Short life." "Still." "Yes. Excellent work as always, Veris. Proceed to your next assignment, please." Veris bowed. "By your command, Archangel." It vanished with another soft flash. Zadkiel took a moment to gaze around at the forest's beauty, then vanished as well. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Willi had changed his dream after Zadkiel left, and Zsálya found herself in the great central library of Schloss Helsing. She barely noticed the surroundings, looking around hungrily for Willi. She immediately felt herself enfolded in the warmth of his love, and turned to see him rising from a tall leather chair to meet her. Her spirit reached eagerly back to his, pouring out all of her love in return. Their minds were again entwined, and Zsálya couldn't resist the urge to be close to him. She loved it when he let her wolf out to run, but when he relinquished his body, his mind slept and their souls were separated, causing Zsálya's human-self some level of anxiety. She always felt the need to reestablish their rapport when they were reunited. Tonight her anxiety, the lingering thrill of her hunt, and the heated feelings within her after watching the horses mate all made any distance between them intolerable. Her sudden movement took Willi aback, and also the way she immediately pressed her body close to his, flinging her arms around his waist. The picture in her mind of the horses mating came across clearly to Willi, and he laughed softly. "Are you frustrated, mein kleiner Wolf?" He hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look into his. Willi was shocked by the intense fire he saw burning in her blue eyes. Their eyes locked as he brought his hand to her flushed face and gently stroked her cheek. She moaned and pressed her hot cheek into his palm, her eyes closing as if she was already in the throes of passion. A smile crept across her face, and her breathing slowed as she attempted to use his body to assuage the unbearable fire within hers. She moved closer to him, molding her body into his. She sensed his attempt to pull away but tightened her arms around him, holding him motionless. "Willi, I need you so badly..." She deftly 'thought' their clothing away, feeling his cool skin against hers. "Zsálya," Willi whispered into her ear. His hands roamed across her hot skin for several moments before he suddenly stopped, his hands frozen in place. "What has gotten into you, meine Liebe? Is this from watching the horses?" "I-I do not know, Willi." She rubbed her cheek against his chest as she giggled uncontrollably. At this moment she wished she could purr like Grandmother. Willi slowed his movement as he wondered to himself why his precious little wolf was so sexually aggressive tonight. Should he worry, or was he being paranoid because they were about to part? Perhaps he could consult with Guillame Bertrand? He was the only one who knew anything about the Vlkolak Pack now. Of course, he would have to give some explanation of why he needed the information. That would not end well, and there is no time to fly to Belgium in any case. He absent-mindedly slid his hands down his lovely wolf's back, squeezing her shapely ass and feeling her squirm beneath his touch. Zsálya knew that look; it meant that Willi's magnificent mind was racing like a thoroughbred horse. She had to make him stop thinking for just a few moments, so she could catch his attention. His cock was growing, hardening, pulsing between their bodies. Zsálya grinned, gazed up into his blue eyes, and let her palms slide down his chest as she sank to her knees in front of him. "Oh, God, Zsálya, not now, please. We need to determine what is wrong with... oh, Zsálya!" His voice trailed off as she took his hard cock down her throat in one swift motion. His train of thought derailed, and he was barely able to speak, much less think. His fingers slid into her silky hair, pushing her farther down onto his shaft. "My precious girl... mein Gott..." Willi tried to concentrate, but it was as if his thoughts were being sucked down Zsálya's throat along with his cock. "Zsálya, you will be the death of me!" He finally gave in to her ministrations and reached down to grab her under the shoulders. Willi pulled her to her feet, crushing her lips to his in a passionate kiss. He now needed her as much as she needed him; she had made sure of that! Willi could barely restrain his newly ignited lust as his mouth traveled across her lithe body. He could hardly speak. "What are you, woman, a mage? You have me under your spell, and I cannot deny you!" he joked. Zsálya couldn't help but giggle between her moans. "No mage, kind Sir, only a simple Werewolf." She gasped as his lips latched onto her stiff nipple and sucked it deeply into his mouth, his teeth biting down just enough to make her breath catch in her throat. "There is nothing simple about you, Zsálya, nothing at all. You are the most complicated and intelligent woman I have ever known." he added to himself. Perhaps he might fall in love again someday... but he sincerely doubted it. Zsálya's nails raked down Willi's back, leaving trails of red. She just couldn't help herself; her wolf was with her, replaying their memory of the horses in the field. The thought came clearly to Willi once again. "So you want me to be your stallion, Zsálya? I could become a horse for you if you wish." He fairly crushed her breasts in his hands, marveling yet again at the weight and feel of them. He could be anything she wanted; she had but to ask. "No, I want only you, Willi," she whispered, and flicked out her tongue to lick his earlobe before sucking it lightly. Zsálya smiled to herself when she felt his grip tighten around her flesh. How wonderful her existence was, wrapped in the love of Sir Wilhelm von Helsing. She couldn't imagine what she would have lost if Willi hadn't found his way into her dreams... and into her heart. "I love you, Willi. I truly do." She hugged him tightly around the neck. Somehow, Zsálya had a feeling that she wouldn't have much longer with him and wanted to be sure he knew. "I know, mein kleiner Wolf, and I love you as well, with all my heart!" He held her tightly to his chest, lovingly kissing the top of her head. His lips lingered as he savored the feel of her body against his. This coming afternoon, he would have to say goodbye to his little black wolf. He wondered if one thousand years might be long enough to mend his broken heart. Suddenly, Zsálya felt herself being laid down on a bed of green grass, a blue sky above her, a cool breeze blowing by, the smell of flowers in the air. They were now in an endless, sunlit meadow, and she couldn't help but look up at her beloved and smile. She sighed as she felt his hand tangle in her hair and moaned loudly as his hard cock slid into her in one motion. Why Willi had chosen to change their surroundings he didn't know. He just felt the need for serenity, a place that was as beautiful as his little angel; A place that he could remember and then think of her and only her, no other memories to interfere with this perfect moment, her tight sheath wrapped around his cock, her luscious breasts bare to the sun, her moans in his ears and her love flooding his mind. Zsálya wrapped her legs around Willi's hips as she moved in time with his thrusts. Over time she had grown to enjoy his way of having sex. Her wolf didn't understand why she liked watching his face as they made love, but she didn't feel the need to explain. She couldn't put it into words anyway. Seeing his love for her reflected in his eyes heightened every moment of her pleasure. "Oh, Willi, you feel so good inside me. I wish this moment could last forever." And with that, her body exploded in a paroxysm of pleasure, every muscle firing in turn in the most massive climax in her short life. Zsálya's eyes fluttered open in time to see a tear fall from the corner of Willi's eye. Her hand flew to his face. "Willi, I am fine. Really! I just passed out, I think. I am not hurt in any way." The look of concern on her face made Wilhelm smile. She was so dear to him. How could he tell her she was leaving him tomorrow? It had to be, but that did not make it easier... or less painful. He took her hand in his and turned her palm so he could lay a gentle kiss on it. "I did not think you were injured, mein kleiner Wolf. I was just overcome by how beautiful you looked after experiencing La Petite Mort." He laughed softly at the slight tilt to her head which meant she didn't understand. "'The Little Death?' But I am already dead, Willi." She'd learned French over the past year, but somehow that particular expression had never come up. Willi kissed her swollen lips tenderly. "No, my love. It means that you were overcome by your passion, so much so that you lost consciousness." No matter how much she learned about the world, his Prinzessin was fundamentally just as innocent as she'd been when they first met. Even seeing some of the worst aspects of life through his eyes hadn't darkened her spirit one bit. Just one more thing he loved about her. "Zsálya, you are the most beautiful woman in the world," he told her seriously. She smiled and blushed. "And I am your woman," she replied firmly. "Until tomorrow." Tears brimmed in Willi's eyes again, and began to run down his cheeks. Zsálya blinked hard, raising her hands and cupping Willi's face. "What happens tomorrow?" she asked, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. "You go home." Fondest Dreams Ch. 10 Written by lilgirlsix and Archangel_M Edited by Doctime ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ lilgirlsix: I hope you've enjoyed this first attempt at collaboration. I know I did! It won't be the last. Please vote and comment. Thank you, Doctime, for your patience with us and our idiosyncrasies. I hope we didn't drive you too terribly crazy. You did a wonderful job of keeping us on the ground when we got a little carried away. AA, what can I say? Can't wait to write with you again! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Archangel_M: All good things must come to an end. I would be most honored and gratified to write with you again, LG6. (Translation: "Hell yeah!") My music suggestion for this chapter is "To Far Away Times" by Yasunori Mitsuda. It's from the OST to the game Chrono Trigger. Should be easy to find. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ {Language Note: Hungarian and English dialogue are in plaintext (they occur separately), Thanks once again to Fräulein Anne for her help with the German!} August 29, 1859 A little girl tugged on her mother's hand, pointing up at the large figure gliding over the square. "Mama, Mama! Was ist das?" Her mother looked up and easily spotted the brown-and-gold bird. "Das ist ein Adler, mein Liebling," she explained, admiring the eagle just like her daughter. Birds of prey rarely flew over cities like Basel. Little did she realize that this particular eagle had an appointment to keep. Gazing down with his telescopic sight, he picked out a deserted back alley and dove towards it. Alighting gracefully, the eagle shimmered and transformed into the well-dressed figure of Wilhelm von Helsing. He set off at once, the hobnails of his boots clicking loudly as he emerged into the beautiful, bustling city. Willi noticed neither the bustle nor the beauty around him. He walked with his back rigidly erect, eyes seemingly fixed straight ahead. The expression on his face cleared the way in front of him; many people who jumped out of his path assumed that he was on his way to murder somebody. He was not. He was on his way to do something even more painful. He did not notice the carved chivalric figures gazing at him from the walls of Basler Münster—Basel Cathedral—even as he ascended its steps and passed through its massive doors. The sound of his footfalls echoed from the vaulted ceiling high above as he strode down the nave. It was noon, and there were only two other people in the entire cathedral, a pair of men who stood waiting for him. Without a word, the men closed their eyes and bowed their heads, sweat rolling down their faces as they channeled fantastic amounts of power. A tall oval of white energy coalesced between them, shimmering in the afternoon light that filtered through the Cathedral's stained-glass windows. Without breaking stride, Willi walked straight into the oval and vanished. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya looked around and gasped. She was standing on a high, mossy ledge, looking out over a lush, verdant valley that stretched away below her. A few buildings of stone or crystal sat here and there in the grass, or reached up from the forest's grasp to gleam in the sun. The blue sky was dotted with a few puffy clouds, and the air temperature felt just perfect to her. It was a place so beautiful that it almost hurt to behold. Suddenly, someone took her hand, and she threaded her fingers through his automatically. She gasped again to see Willi standing beside her. "I have a body again!" she whispered as realization dawned. Both she and Willi were wearing simple, comfortable white robes. Zsálya flexed her fingers experimentally. "A courtesy to you, Miss Zsálya," a beautiful voice explained. Zsálya and Willi turned as one to behold a tall, blue-skinned figure smiling at them. "Zsálya, this is Archangel Zadkiel," Willi introduced her. "He will be your escort to the Endless Forest." For a moment, all Zsálya could do was stare at the archangel's broad white wings and glowing golden eyes. Then she recovered and slipped her hand from Willi's so she could make a polite curtsy. "Pleased to meet you, Sir." She smiled politely as she looked around, bewildered. What is this place?" "Everywhere and nowhere," Willi replied slowly. Zsálya tilted her head to the side. "Let me rephrase. Are we on Earth, or in Heaven?" Zsálya had learned a tremendous amount from her time with Willi; a year ago she would have never known there was such a thing as Heaven. "Yes." "What?" "Both... and neither." "That makes no sense." "This isn't precisely a place," the archangel cut in gently. "It's more of a concept given substance. Don't think about it overmuch, child. What's important is that this is where you and Sir Wilhelm will say your goodbyes." Goodbye. Zsálya felt like she'd been punched in the stomach, and the air seemed to flee her lungs. Somehow, the realization that she wouldn't be with Willi anymore hadn't really sunk in. Her knees went weak, and tears brimmed in her blue eyes. Sensing her distress, Willi turned and gathered Zsálya into his arms. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed, her entire body shaking. Zadkiel withdrew, and the human held his Were princess tightly to him, rubbing her back and stroking her silky black hair. "I do not want to leave you, Willi," she finally gasped, hardly able to think. Inside, her wolf was howling mournfully, the noise echoing and re-echoing through her mind. "Meine Liebe, look at me, bitte," Willi said as he slipped a finger under her chin, gently raising her eyes to his. "Listen well: you are not leaving me. You are going to your True Mate. Do you understand?" Zsálya shook her head wordlessly from side to side and clung to him even more tightly. Willi sighed softly, tears glimmering in his own eyes as he spoke. "Zsálya... you know how deeply I love you, and you know how wonderful our time together has been. Yet all of this is as nothing compared to what you will have with your True Mate. You and he will share a new blaze of love that will make ours seem like a candle, and you will have centuries of life to live that love together," Willi told her, his voice gentle, almost hypnotic. "You will have children, Zsálya. Please, you must set your gaze forward to your future, not backward to your past." Having finished his little speech without losing control, Willi rained kisses on Zsálya's forehead, cheeks, and hair. As he spoke, Zsálya listened, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gazed into Willi's gorgeous eyes. Her wolf knew his words were correct, but she was as reluctant as the human to leave their 'knight in shining armor' behind. Both of Zsálya's selves knew, however, that Willi was correct. The decision tore her heart in two, but Zsálya gathered her courage and nodded to Willi. She would go forward, to the Endless Forest. But not without a proper goodbye. Seizing a double-fistful of Willi's long blond hair, Zsálya pulled his face down to hers and claimed his lips fiercely. They embraced more tightly than ever before, holding each other tightly enough to kill less sturdy beings. And they kissed, over and over, their minds touched, inundating each other in tides of love. Nothing they had shared before could rival the pure emotional intensity of these moments. No words were spoken as Willi swept Zsálya's robe up her body and over her head. She reciprocated the gesture, then let her beloved guide her down to a supine position. The thick moss was like a mattress, wonderfully comfortable as Willi sank down into Zsálya's eager embrace. Their lips met once again, hands exploring well-known bodies for the final time. Unlike many of their lovemakings, there was no raw lust, no animal abandon. This was their last time together, and by unspoken, mutual consent it was to be a thing of love and tenderness. Their bodies flowed together, male and female melding until they seemed as one being. When Willi's hardness slipped into Zsálya's welcoming body, it was the most natural thing in the world. Quiet sighs replaced the usual wanton moans, gentle caresses supplanted wild clawing. And yet it was the most passionate, intense sex the young couple had ever had. Two pairs of blue eyes locked as a series of simultaneous orgasms crashed through their owners, leaving behind a twitching, cooing mass of flesh and emotion. They had been making love for hours, but it seemed like no time at all as they began to slowly, reluctantly disentangle themselves. No opportunity for a soft touch or a tiny kiss was ignored as they helped each other to their feet. "May I say goodbye to your wolf now?" Willi asked softly. Zsálya shifted without a word, and a beautiful black wolf stared up at him with her big blue eyes. Willi dropped to his knees and hugged the wolf as fiercely as he had her human counterpart, running his fingers soothingly through her onyx fur. "Your human will not remember me when you are reborn," Willi told the wolf, "and that is for the best. You, however, will remember me in some measure, and for that I am grateful. I want you to know that I love you, always and forever. "Also, I want you to remember that I will always look out for you in any way that I am able. I can make no guarantees, but you must remember this: if you ever find yourself in danger, with nowhere else to turn, call out for me as loudly as you can. No matter where I am or whether I am alive or dead, if it is physically possible I will come and help you." Willi pulled back so he could look into the wolf's eyes. "Do you understand, meine Liebe?" The wolf nodded, then gave his cheek a solemn goodbye lick. Her ears were drooping and her tail was limp with sadness, but her strength and dignity were as powerful as ever. Willi was too proud of her to put his feelings into words. The two held gazes for another moment, then the wolf let her human come forward again. The couple located their discarded robes and dressed each other before sharing a final embrace and kiss. Though they had not permitted themselves to think it at the time, their final lovemaking had been their true goodbye. Zsálya and Willi were as ready to part as they would ever be. Sensing this, Zadkiel reappeared and stood near the cliff edge, hand outstretched to the little Werewolf. Before he released his beloved, Willi leaned close to her ear. "Do not look back," he told her firmly. So many other things went unsaid, but Zsálya knew her human well and so she heard them all: I love you. I will miss you every moment for the rest of my life. I will never love anyone else. I wish you every good thing that life can hold. Letting go of Willi's hand and taking the angel's was the hardest thing Zsálya ever did. Willi spoke no further word, nor made any other sound at all. He just watched, a few tears burning their way down his cheeks, as Zadkiel led Zsálya through the swirling portal of energy which had formed at the edge of the precipice. He stood unmoving, staring after them for a long time, until the world began to spin around him. The dizziness finally became too much, and blackness claimed him. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Willi woke to find himself home at Schloss Helsing, in his own bed. His face was wet with tears, which he ignored. The sound of the clock striking revealed that it was one o'clock in the morning. Aside from Senzir and a handful of sentries, the Schloss' inhabitants would all be abed. Sehr gut. It was nearly time to begin his end of the contract. Dressing himself immaculately for the journey to come, Willi left his chambers and made his way slowly to the apex of the Southeast Tower, the Schloss' tallest. Upon reaching the top, he sat on the edge of the tower and hugged his knees to his chest, resting his chin upon them. Gazing at the full moon shining upon the sea, Willi began to cry. Silent tears became quiet sniffles, which escalated into wrenching, full-body sobs that sounded deafeningly loud in the still night air. He cried, alone, for hours on end, rocking himself backwards and forwards like a child. Eventually the light of dawn rose over the sea. His tears ebbed, then ceased. He rubbed his face dry and clean, then stood and squared his shoulders, staring into the rising sun until he was forced to turn away, nearly blinded. A seven-foot oval of swirling pink energy rose from the stone before him. It was a portal, waiting silently for him to step through into another world. There, he would perform his thousand years' service to Zadkiel's masters. Wilhelm heaved a long sigh, then squared his shoulders once more. When Wilhelm von Helsing passed through that portal, he left a part of his soul behind him. He neither cried nor laughed again, for the rest of his days. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Zsálya awoke slowly, blinking in the rich sunlight that warmed her fur. The little black wolf was lying in a lush green meadow, though she could see a vast, vibrant forest in the distance. A thousand wonderful smells came to her nose, and she breathed deeply. How beautiful this place was! Willi and his friend Zadkiel had definitely been telling the truth. Oh, Ancestors... Willi! Zsálya could feel his absence, like a hole in her heart. Already, she missed him so much! But she would obey his last request to her and look forward, not back. A sudden movement caught Zsálya's eye, and she lifted her head and looked to the side. A beautiful red wolf was coming towards her through the meadow, her fur glossy and shimmering in the sunlight. She seemed so familiar... Zsálya felt that she should know her. And then the she-wolf bent her head and nuzzled Zsálya, her eyes shining with purest love. Realization came. Momma? ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Present Day (the morning after Out of Darkness chapter 17 ends) For the first time in what felt like forever, Carr Baxter had a normal morning. He was able to rise at a decent hour and go through his morning routine without any interruptions. His mate, Lee, joined him to go down to breakfast, and he took her hand as they shared a special smile. All the threats were ended, the remainder of their guests would be departing over the course of the day, and very soon the compound would have its own little baby boom. The sense of relief that the alpha couple felt was almost overwhelming, even if it was tempered by still-fresh grief over their lost pack members. The calm lasted just long enough for a leisurely breakfast. Carr had just walked into his office to start catching up on the pack's financial holdings when Steve, one of the betas on monitor duty, spoke to him through the pack bond. Alpha, a white minivan just parked at the side of the road, right at our outer surveillance perimeter. Carr closed his eyes and sighed. What's it doing? Just sitting there, right in the middle of the camera's field of view. It's like they want to announce themselves. Colorado plates. Looks like a rental. Can you tell how many people? Two in the front seat; male, I think. Passenger's wearing a suit, driver is business-casual. Can't see into the back. Keep watching, and double-check the rest of the perimeter. Brett, are you up yet? Carr asked another of his betas through the bond. Take three and prep an SUV, but don't go anywhere yet. You got it, Carr. Somehow, Carr knew it was going to be a long day after all. Not dangerous—he prayed—just long. No rest for the weary. As if on cue, the phone on Carr's desk rang. Only pack members used that number, and he didn't have anyone outside of easy thought range at the moment. Frowning, Carr picked up the receiver. "Hello?" "May I speak to Carr Baxter, please?" A man's voice, with a slight accent that Carr couldn't quite place. "This is he. May I ask who's calling?" "Good morning, Alpha Baxter. My name is Edward von Helsing. I apologize for the lack of notice, but I would like to meet with you, please. Now." "Excuse me, but who are you?" Carr's sudden burst of exasperation carried clearly into his tone. He could practically hear the smile in the man's voice. "I'm a Knight-Commander of the Order of the Azure Star." That name Carr knew, and he felt his stomach clench. "With me are two Initiates of my Order and Agent Lance Godwin of the United States Bureau of Parahuman Affairs. The Initiates' attendance is optional, but I'm afraid that Agent Godwin and I must demand some of your time. Again, I apologize for the lack of notice." "What exactly do you want with my pack?" "Conversation, Alpha Baxter. With you, all members of the Werewolf Council who are still present, Alpha Creighton, and any other members of your pack whom you wish to include. May we enter your pack's territory?" Lee came into the study, no doubt worried about Carr's sudden agitation. He gave her a quick smile and sent her reassurances through their mating bond. "Why the two extra Knights?" he asked carefully. "Do you feel that you need an escort?" A good-natured chuckle. "Not at all, Alpha. I know enough about you and your pack to trust you. These are Initiates, not Knights. They've never met normal Weres before, only one of the ones in the Order. I would like them to meet your pack and learn about your people. Under your supervision. With all respect," he added. Carr couldn't help his chuckle at the Godfather reference. "Very well, Commander. Please wait there, and I'll send someone out to bring you in." "Thank you. And please, call me Edward." Dial tone. Carr drew a deep breath. Brett, some Blue Stars and a BPA rep are here to meet with us. Four in total. You and Bryant each take an SUV and bring them to the house. Leave the van there. This is a diplomatic situation so be polite, but don't take any chances. I'm in no mood for surprises today. Gotcha. "What's going on, love?" Lee asked. Carr came over and took her hands, leaning his forehead against hers. "We have some visitors coming. Humans." "Seriously? Who?" "Someone from the BPA, and some Knights of the Azure Star." Getting a blank look at the latter, he smiled at his lovely mate. "As my father explained it to me, they're an international organization dedicated to keeping the peace between species and preventing the misuse of magic. I didn't think they were still operating these days; I've never dealt with them before. I also haven't had to deal with the BPA in forever." Carr sighed. "I think I can guess what they want to talk about. Honey, could you send word for the Council members, Guillame, and Leonardo to meet out front in about fifteen minutes? I need to double-check all the protocols and stuff I used to know." "Of course. If this order of knights is supposed to keep the peace," Lee asked after a moment, turning back from the door, "why didn't they do anything about Erobos? Or Gary?" Carr gave his mate a very wry smile. "The same question has occurred to me, my love. And I most certainly intend to ask it." -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Brett parked the SUV he was driving a short ways from the visitors' van, and Bryant pulled up right behind him. The two betas got out of their vehicles and moved to greet their unexpected guests. The minivan's side door opened, and three humans emerged. They were dressed in snow-white uniforms, cut in a style that hearkened back to the Second World War. The only parts of their uniforms that were not white were their royal-blue neckties and the blue twelve-pointed star insignia sewn on their upper arms. Fondest Dreams Ch. 10 They were led by a blonde male who appeared to be in his early forties. The man bore two small gold pips on each shoulder of his uniform jacket, had a revolver holstered on each hip, and carried a battered leather briefcase. A vicious white scar ran from ear to chin on the left side of his face. Brett assumed him to be the leader. Following were two adolescent females. One had dark hair, gave off a bookish air, and was wearing a uniform skirt rather than pants. She smelled nervous, but was hiding it well by human standards. The other had fiery red hair and seemed very energetic. She was smiling, looking at the two Weres with open, friendly interest. Then the front passenger door opened. Out stepped a human male in his early twenties, dressed in a light gray suit that screamed "FBI" to Brett; presumably this was the BPA agent. He seemed as jumpy as the dark-haired female, and carried a sleek attaché case. Awfully young, Brett thought. Is he a rookie? The young man looked up at Brett, his mouth hanging open ever so slightly. "You're catching flies, Godwin," the older man remarked, then stepped forward and held out his hand to Brett. "Edward von Helsing. Pleased to meet you." Brett took his hand and shook it automatically. "Brett Hall. Welcome." The pistols made him uneasy, but there was a straightforwardness about the man that made it hard to be hostile. Not wanting to be rude, Brett extended his hand to the younger male as well. "Um, nice to meet you," the kid managed, still staring up at Brett with something akin to awe. "What's your name?" Brett asked, giving him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. It was nice to meet a Fed that didn't think he was the cat's ass for once. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm Lance. Err, Agent Lance Godwin, USBPA." He pulled out a black leather holder and flipped it open to display a badge and an ID card. Edward chuckled. "And this is Vera Parker and Evony Rawlins." He indicated the brunette and the redhead in turn. "Welcome," Brett repeated. "Who's he?" He pointed to the van's driver, who had neither moved nor smiled since the Weres arrived. "Samuel Gordon. He's here to secure the vehicle, and won't be coming with us." "Alright. We're here to escort you to your meeting with the Alpha. You'll have to leave your weapons in your van, though." "No," Edward replied, calmly but firmly. "Blue Stars don't disarm. It's a rule." The Werewolf wanted to growl the human into submission, but the man was so... so matter-of-fact and businesslike that Brett just couldn't take offense. But he wasn't about to back down either. Brett crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, you're not setting foot on pack lands until you do. Up to you." Bryant stepped up beside Brett and crossed his arms as well. Edward crossed his arms behind his back, planting his feet and meeting Brett's gaze levelly. The two stared each other down for a few moments before a soft throat-clearing drew everyone's eyes. "Excuse me, but under Article II, Section 5 of the 1672 Cooperation and Assistance Treaty between the North American Werewolf Council and the Order of the Azure Star, no Knight of the Order may be prevented from bearing arms on the territory of any Werewolf pack. So, the Knight-Commander is fully within his rights." Lance's tone was hesitant but earnest, and he managed to meet the massive Were's gaze without flinching. Brett just stared at the young agent for a full minute. "Is that true?" he finally asked the older male, who gave him a wry smile and nodded. "Alright, then. Tell me, what are the rules about dealings between Werewolves and the US government?" "That was all set down in the Treaty of Baltimore, signed in 1779," Lance replied automatically. "Article I states that—" "Does it say anything about Feds being allowed to carry weapons on pack lands?" Brett cut him off. "Umm... no." "Then you leave your weapon in the car," Brett growled, giving the kid his best cop glare. Lance blinked for a moment, then pulled his sidearm from its holster under his suit coat, looking chagrinned. He opened the van's passenger door and dropped the gun on the seat. Edward grinned. "You're a smart guy, Brett," he remarked. "I like you." "Backup piece too," Bryant chimed in. With a soft sigh, Lance knelt down and plucked a snub revolver from its holster on his ankle. Edward grinned, and the redheaded Initiate giggled. "Can't pull anything past an experienced cop. Good instincts, Godwin, but like I told you we're among friends here. You'll see. Shall we?" Edward concluded, turning to Brett. "I'd rather not waste your Alpha's time, or the Council's." -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Carr reluctantly let go of his mate's hand and stepped forward as the two Suburbans pulled to a stop in front of the house. Brett and two human males got out of the front SUV, while two human females and a slightly harassed-looking Bryant emerged from the other. Everything alright, Bryant? The redhead wouldn't stop asking questions, Alpha. Nice kid, though. No big deal. Shaking his head and smiling, Carr turned his attention to the male visitors, quickly sizing them up. The one in the suit screamed inexperience, but Carr thought he saw the makings of a good cop in the way the boy scanned the area around him. A single glance at the older human made Carr instantly wary, and respectful. He was a soldier, and a very good one—Carr could see it in his eyes and the way he held himself, the way he moved. Presumably, this was Knight-Commander von Helsing. The Alpha was distinctly unhappy about the weapons the human wore, but Brett had already explained that through the bond and Carr had confirmed its veracity with Alistair. The Knight-Commander walked straight up to Carr and held out his hand as if this were a normal, everyday meeting. "Edward von Helsing. Pleased to meet you." The Alpha automatically shook the human's hand. "Carr Baxter." "Thank you for receiving us at such short notice, Alpha. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience." "It's fine." "Good. This is Agent Lance Godwin of the USBPA," Edward continued, gesturing to the man beside him. The human stepped forward and, after a moment's hesitation, held out his hand to Carr. "A real pleasure, Alpha Baxter," he managed. He was growing pale. "You all right?" Carr asked. "Just a rookie on his first assignment," Edward replied. "For God's sake, Lance, grow a spine. These are Weres; you only have to watch your front here." "And just what does that mean?" Lee had come up behind her mate, and was eyeing the blonde-haired human suspiciously, not sure if her pack had just been insulted. Edward gave her a charming smile. "Pleased to meet you too, Madame Alpha. I mean that you folks don't stab people in the back. Not like, say, vampires." Lee blinked. "Oh. Thank you. I think." The human chuckled. "And lastly, Vera Parker and Evony Rawlins. They are Initiates, here to get some firsthand contact with Werewolves. And Werepanthers too, it seems," he added, raising an eyebrow and glancing over Carr's shoulder to the largish group that had gathered for the meeting. "We really do have a lot to talk about," he noted, as the American Council came up behind Carr. "Let me introduce the Council," Carr began, stepping to one side so he could make introductions. "We've met, Carr," Alistair informed him gently, favoring the younger wolf with a wry smile. "A pleasure as always, Edward." He extended his hand. "Likewise, Alistair." Edward took it, then introduced an awestruck Agent Godwin and the two young women to each of the Councilors in turn. Two familiar faces were missing, though. "Say, where's—" "ED!" a familiar voice boomed. Rhys and Katy had come around the side of the house, wearing sweats. Carr remembered that they had decided to take their breakfast and eat out in the forest. "Rhys!" Edward called back, his face lighting up. He strode forward to greet the massive Were. "How are you, you old nut?" The two clasped hands and embraced with the familiarity of very old, close friends. "I am very well indeed, youngster. May I introduce you to my mate, Katy?" "For real? Awesome!" Edward took Katy's hand and shook it vigorously. "Very pleased to meet you, honey. You're one lucky gal." Katy lit up when this stranger praised her handsome mate. "Yes, I am. But who are you, and how do you know Rhys?" "Oh, right." Edward explained who he was. "Rhys and I are old war buddies, so to speak. Nobody better to have at your back in a tight spot." "Which war?" Carr asked as he and the councilors joined the old friends. Lee hung back, talking with the other humans and trying to put the two nervous ones at ease. You are the perfect hostess, my love, Carr thought to her. Oh hush. Flattery will get you everywhere. "Double-u Double-u Two," Edward answered. Katy's eyes nearly popped out. "No way!" "Yes way. Your mate's a bona fide war hero, kid. Helped the Order take apart the Nazis' collection of magic-wielding lunatics. Saved my butt more than once, too." Rhys grimaced. "I prefer not to think about those times too deeply, my friend." "I know, buddy, but you have to admit your little lady looks pretty funny with her mouth hanging open like that." Edward glanced around quickly and whispered to Rhys, "Where's the asshole?" The Welsh Were's eyes flashed. "Metzger? He is dead." "Seriously? You're not just trying to cheer me up, are you?" Edward barely managed not to jump for joy; Niklas had been a grade-A pain in his ass for nearly eighty years. Rhys tried his best not to smile. "I killed him myself. I'm sure it will all be explained during the course of the meeting." The brief exchange was missed by those nearby. Alistair cleared his throat. "Edward, Rhys, you will have time to reminisce later. I believe you came here for a reason, Edward, did you not?" In an instant the human was all business. "Yes I did, Alistair. Let's finish introductions and all find someplace to sit down. I think this is going to take a while." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ It turned out that Edward already knew Leonardo. When asked why the Order hadn't informed the Werewolf Council about the Creighton pack, his reply was simply: "You never asked." Agent Godwin seemed calmer after talking to Lee, and kept his composure as he was bombarded with a series of names, faces, and handshakes. Meanwhile, Lee and a few of the Baxter betas had taken the Initiates off for a tour of the compound. The next major surprise of the morning came when Edward and Lance were introduced to the Seven Sisters, whom the Council had asked to attend the meeting. When his eyes landed on Kelly, Edward looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "I know you..." he told Kelly slowly as he shook her hand, looking at her with a peculiar intensity. "How very interesting..." Naturally, this provoked a flurry of questions. A very confused Kelly backed up against Drago, who started growling at the human for upsetting his mate. He seemed ready to shift and attack on the slightest excuse. Agent Godwin blanched, but stood his ground. Edward held up a hand to Drago and Kelly. "Peace. Please forgive me; I did not mean to upset you, Miss Creighton," he explained. "It's just that I've seen your portrait, or rather the portrait of a Werewolf who looks exactly like you. I was given to understand that the subject was deceased." "What portrait? Where?" Drago asked, openly suspicious. "At Schloss Helsing, in the main library. Anyone who's entered that room since the painting was hung would remember it, I should think. It's a very striking piece, done in the classical style for Were portraiture. She's wearing a blue dress, facing slightly to the right, and her wolf is sitting beside her, facing slightly to the left. It's a night snowscape, full moon and starry sky, with a pine forest and a mountain range in the background. A really wonderful painting," Edward concluded. By the lack of reaction, nobody else present had ever seen it. "At where now?" Drago's expression hovered between suspicion and curiosity, unsure what to make of this. "Schloss is the German word for 'castle,'" Rhys explained. "It's the Helsing family seat, back in Europe. I never did have the chance to visit." Jenna nodded slowly and stepped forward. "Tell me," she asked, "was there a name given with this portrait you saw?" "Yes, a little plaque on the frame. It says: 'Zsálya Kardos, 1837 -- 1858.'" This provoked a variety of strong reactions. Guillame and Zsigmond growled loudly. Orsolya went white as a sheet. Jenna half-smiled as if at some private joke. Drago stepped forward, about to attack before he was restrained by a mental command from his new Alpha. You will find that I have saved you from a great deal of pain that would have elicited little satisfaction on your part, Drago, Leonardo told him. This is not a normal human. When it comes to dealing with these Knights, diplomacy is the best course of action, for many reasons. Leo stood nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just dressed down his new second. No need to publicly humiliate the boy. The Knight-Commander gazed impassively at Drago. "Peace, child," he finally told the young Were in a warning tone. "You are newly mated, feeling overprotective, yadda yadda. I get it. I suggest that you get it through your wolf's head that I have no interest in either harming or stealing your mate, before he tries to challenge me. I only know how to teach hard lessons, you see." There was no malice in Edward's eyes or voice, but there was a sense of power there that sent a shiver down Carr's spine. Who is this guy? he wondered. Before Drago could reply, Leonardo clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, hard. Drago's stance relaxed and he bowed his head. "I beg your pardon, Sir," he told Edward contritely. "Nothing happened, Drago. Nothing to forgive." Edward's smile broke the tension, and everybody sighed in relief. "Excuse me," Jenna interjected, laying a hand on Kelly's shoulder and smiling in her regal manner. "Kelly is Zsálya's reincarnation, Commander. I was not aware that Zsálya ever sat for a portrait, though." "Interesting... Very interesting... I don't really know what the deal is, Madam, just that Old Father Eagle—err, my uncle Wilhelm von Helsing—painted it, and that it hangs in the Schloss' library. Here, hang on." He reached inside his tunic and pulled out a smartphone, tapped a few commands, and held it to his ear. "Hey there, Jake... Yes, I know you're very busy... Just go to the main library, please. I need you to snap a picture of the painting on the west wall and send it to me... Yeah, that one... Important enough, kiddo... thanks. Love ya." He hung up. Less than two minutes of chitchat later, Edward's phone buzzed. He tapped a few more commands, then flipped it around and handed it to Kelly. Most of the Weres gasped in turn as the phone was quickly passed from hand to hand; even on the tiny screen it was clear that the young lady in the painting was a dead ringer for Kelly. Kelly gave Edward a questioning, confused look while the phone was passed around. He just shrugged, looking apologetic. "Pardon me for prying," Jenna asked, "but did Wilhelm ever say anything about Zsálya?" Edward shrugged again. "I asked him about the painting once, and all he said was 'It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' Just that, nothing else. I gather that's all he ever said about it, to anyone." His phone buzzed again, and he glanced at it. "Miss Creighton, may I take your picture?" he asked, looking at Kelly. "What for?" Kelly, Drago, and Leonardo chorused. "I'm honestly not certain. Apparently my son told the castle's butler, Senzir, about my interest in the painting. Senzir just texted me; if I've found a woman who looks like the portrait, he wants to see a picture. Says it's important. Look," Edward continued, in response to their incredulous expressions, "I don't know why, but I guarantee that it's not going to be splashed across the Internet or anything malicious. And if Senzir says it's important, then it is." Kelly looked up at Drago for a moment, then nodded and stepped forward. "Okay." "Say 'cheese.'" Edward held up his phone and snapped the picture. A few more taps on the screen sent the image on its way. "Now then, as much as I love using this newfangled toy, with everyone's permission, we really need to get this meeting started. We're burning daylight." The humans, Alphas, Councilors, and Sisters all moved into the house. Since they couldn't hope to all fit into Carr's office, the Alpha had ordered some omegas to rearrange the tables in the dining hall for use as a temporary conference room. As everyone was finding seats, Edward pulled a cheap steno book and a pen from his briefcase and Agent Godwin took an expensive-looking laptop and an audio recorder out of his. The two humans found themselves seated roughly in the center of the room, surrounded by a large collection of very important Weres. The BPA agent seemed very impressed, and a little intimidated, by the company in which he found himself. Edward didn't even blink. "Alright," the Knight-Commander began, clicking his pen open. "In accordance with a bunch of different treaties, blah blah blah, we are here on behalf of our respective organizations to debrief you folks on recent events. If there are no objections, we'll start with the big picture, then go back for more detailed questions afterwards. "So. What in earth and heaven has been going on out here these past few weeks?" ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Two weeks after that very long meeting, a well-dressed young human appeared at the Creighton Pack lands in Idaho. He insisted, very politely, on seeing Kelly, handed her an envelope, and left without another word. Kelly sat down with Drago and opened the envelope. Inside were two letters. One was in German, handwritten on expensive, old-fashioned paper. The other was in English, laser-printed on cheap copy paper. The second letter read: Schloss Helsing, Thule Island 22 October, 1939 Dear Madam, Let me first apologize for any confusion or upset this letter may cause you. I must also apologize for not addressing you by name; though I believe you will come to be, I do not know what you will be called. I knew you by the name of Zsálya Kardos, during your previous life. I will not write about our time together; if you remember your previous life you will need no reminders, and if you do not then there is no point. Suffice it to say that we were close friends. It is my hope that, in your new life, you have already found your True Mate. If you have not, I entreat you to never give up hope. If you have, then I wish you and him every joy and blessing that life has to offer. You deserve a life of peace and happiness, more than you likely know. I write to you because I have a duty to care for you, even beyond my own lifetime. I believe my life is fast approaching its end, and have therefore made arrangements. I have set aside a reserve of gold bullion and several interesting and useful magical items, for you to utilize in whatever manner you see fit. To access this inheritance at any time, contact Senzir, the butler of Schloss Helsing. Despite appearances he is extremely reliable, and I have entrusted the keys and location of the vault to him. He is instructed to see that this letter, together with a translation into your native tongue, is delivered to a female Were who precisely matches your portrait as soon as he becomes aware of her existence. Thereafter, he is to convey the means to access the vault to this woman should she ask for them, no matter what the circumstances. Fondest Dreams Ch. 10 Live well, my little wolf friend. Eternally Yours, Wilhelm von Helsing Grand Prince of Thule Grandmaster, Order of the Azure Star 49-0411-555-2267-3782 I do not sleep. - Senzir ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The End... for now