Then as she felt herself drift in and out of consciousness they suddenly left her alone on the cold floor. She heard steps, then more voices this time very low, like whispering. Then there was a silence and Catalina fought to keep awake, to not drift out of consciousness again.
Footsteps approached, then stopped right in front of her. She heard Alexandru’s voice again and hands on her body helping her get to her feet. She was put in the chair again and someone helped her get her blouse back on.
“Now look what they did to you,” Alexandru exclaimed. “We really don’t want that to happen again, do we?”
Catalina didn’t answer out of fear of his reaction.
“See I am your only friend here. I truly want to help you. But I can’t stop those guys, if you don’t cooperate I can’t hold them back. So why don’t we just start over. Let’s try again.”
Catalina felt his hand on her cheek as he wiped away a tear.
“Let me get you some water,” he said and she heard him walk across the floor. Then the footsteps returned. A small cup was pressed against her lips. She drank greedily. It tasted of blood. Alexandru held the cup while she drank. “Now that’s better, right?” he asked.
She nodded slowly.
“Good. Now let’s talk. See there are some things I don’t quite understand, that I need you to explain to me. Your little boyfriend who was with you in the barn. We thought he was just a nobody, so I told my boys to just kill him right there on the spot. I asked them to shoot him.”
Catalina gasped and I felt the anxiety grow in her. She feared for my life, just like I had feared for hers.
Alexandru laughed. “You want to hear something really amusing?” he asked. “After you and I left the place they were all dead!”
Alexandru paused like he was waiting to see Catalina’s reaction. I searched her thoughts and realized she thought I was dead. Her heart was racing and she was fighting her tears.
“Well, all except your little boyfriend that is,” Alexandru continued. “We found the bodies of everyone else but your little boyfriend. Now isn’t that something?”
Catalina breathed in relief.
Alexandru laughed again. “The amazing part is they all seemed to have been killed by some sort of animal. The locals think it was a bear, but I’m not sure about that. What do you think it was, Catalina?”
She didn’t answer.
“Well it doesn’t matter what it is really,” Alexandru continued. “But I am curious, though as to know how your little boyfriend, what’s his name, Sami, how he managed to escape the animal when none of my boys did. Now that’s the interesting part. I would really like to talk to him about that.”
Catalina still didn’t say anything. I sensed how she was wondering as well. She was thrilled I had escaped and it gave her some hope.
Alexandru punched his fist in something, maybe a desk. Catalina jumped.
“Where is he?!” he yelled.
“I ... I don’t know,” she stuttered. “I hardly know him.”
Another slap across her face followed. She was crying now.
“Why are you keeping me here? I don’t know anything about him. He was just helping me. I had never met him before in my life. Please let me go.”
Alexandru laughed even louder this time. “Oh I’m not going to let you go. I’m going to have some fun with you,” he said. Then he leaned over. She could feel his breath on her face. “Lots of fun,” he whispered.
Then she felt another pain as she was punched again and she finally lost consciousness completely.
I opened my eyes and stared at Caspian who was holding me. I gasped for air, my heart was pounding in my chest. Then I leaned on him and started crying.
“We’ll find her,” Caspian whispered while holding me tight. His voice was thick and I sensed he was fighting his tears as well.
“We have to find her,” he repeated. “We have to.”
Chapter 26
"Try and see if there is anything in what you have seen that can bring us closer to where they are keeping her,” Caspian said as we later stopped for a break.
I was completely worn out from the visions, mentally drained and exhausted.
I shook my head. “I can’t see anything. I only see and hear what she does and she is blindfolded.”
“Her scent is getting stronger the further south we walk,” Caspian said. “But it would help if we knew what we were looking for. If the tracks go into Bucharest it could be days before we find her. Big cities can be confusing for your senses. There will be so many other scents that blur it. It can be hard to discern Catalina’s scent from all the others. It clouds your senses, so to speak.”
I nodded heavily. Caspian looked at me, then put his arm around my shoulder.
“Do you think these visions are recent?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “They are not from today, they are from back when we were first separated from each other. A lot can have happened to her since then.”
“But you said this Officer Alexandru said he wanted to keep her there?”
“In the last vision he told her he wanted to keep her, yes. But I don’t know if he has.”
“Of course not. But right now all we can do is follow the tracks. We need to find this place where they took her. She might still be there. Weren’t you also interrogated by this Alexandru?”
“I was. At the police-station in Cluj-Napoca. They caught me up there and apparently he came there to interrogate me. He must have been looking for me. He also asked Catalina about me in the vision. He wanted to know where I was. I never knew what he wanted from me except he wanted to know how I survived that day outside the barn when everyone else was killed. The day you saved me and turned me into ... this.”
Caspian nodded. “I am wondering why he is so keen on interrogating you and Catalina. What does he want with you?”
“I don’t know. But it worries me that he did tell Catalina that he knew who she was,” I said and drank some water from a bottle Caspian handed me.
“He did?” Caspian asked with surprise. “How could he know? No humans know about the Wind-People. How could he possibly have known?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Something is wrong, something is very wrong,” Caspian said and got on his feet. “Come on, it’s sunset in just a few hours. We need to get a little further before we find a forest to hunt. Afterwards, when full, I’m certain we can run the last few miles as wolves and be in Bucharest in the morning.”
Catalina’s scent brought us close to Bucharest, but we were happy to realize it didn’t enter beyond the city walls. It stopped just outside and then took a turn towards a small village just south of the capital. We hid in a small bundle of trees while we watched the sunrise and we changed back to our human form. We got dressed in a hurry and with full stomachs from a great night hunting we began walking following the scent that to our luck became stronger and stronger. We followed it into a small village with just maybe hundred houses close to the Dâmbovița River that flowed through the city of Bucharest. We drank from the sweet water, then filled our bottles before walking into the village. We stopped the first woman we met on the road. She didn’t want to talk to us, but Caspian managed to make her do it anyway using his charm and skills of persuasion.
“We are looking for someone,” he said. “We think the Guards might have her.”
As soon as the woman heard Caspian mention the Iron Guards she was immediately struck by fear. It showed in her brown eyes. She shook her head and lifted her hand like we were flies she wanted to remove. Then she began to walk away from us.
“Please, just let us know if the Guards have a place around here, maybe they keep it a secret. Maybe you have seen their cars or something. Please help us. We want to help this poor girl that they have taken.”
The woman froze. Her back was turned at us. Then she turned. Her face was wrinkled like a walnut. Her eyes were kind. She reminded me of my grandmother before she
passed away.
“Please?” Caspian pleaded.
“We do see them a lot around here,” she said. “Their black cars come at night.”
“Where do they go?” I asked.
The old woman pointed at a hill. A small forest rose behind it. “Mogosia Mitr,” she said and pointed.
Caspian took her hand and shook it gently. “Mulțumesc. Thank you so much.”
The old woman nodded, then pulled her scarf up to cover her head before she continued walking.
“Come on,” Caspian said and began walking. “Mogosia should be no more than an hour walk from here.”
I caught up with him. “What is Mogosia Mitr?”
“It’s an old castle. Named after the widow who died and left no heirs in 1876. It has been empty ever since. The city used it as a museum, but the last few years it has been closed up. No one goes to museums when times are like these.”
Chapter 27
We walked through the small forest and soon I picked up Catalina’s scent very strongly. It gave me hope and energized me. I walked faster.
“She’s close now,” I said.
Caspian smiled yet his eyes remained concerned. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s very good.”
We stayed away from the main road and took a path through the dense pine forest hoping it would cover us just enough to not be seen. Soon a huge fence rose in front of us.
“This marks where the property belonging to the castle begins,” Caspian said. He searched the area with his wolf-eyes and scanned for any danger. “It looks like it’s only guarded at the entrance,” he said. “It’s miles to the east. They won’t be able to see us all the way in here. But remember that once we get to the other side they will surely shoot us if they see us.”
I shrugged. “They’ll try and kill us anyway. It doesn’t matter where we are.”
“You are very right. But I have to let you know, that being shot as the human is a lot more dangerous than if you are the wolf. Especially when you are as young as you are. You grow stronger with age, the longer you have been partly wolf.”
“I have been badly hurt even as the human but healed easily. I’m not afraid,” I said.
“Okay. But remember the human body is fragile. I am not running any risks with you ...”
“So what are you suggesting?”
“I say we climb the fence then hide at the property until sunset. Then we hunt to satisfy and control the wolf and afterwards attack the castle. As the wolf you can easier sustain being shot and hurt.”
I nodded. It made perfect sense to me. We had much more strength as wolves even if we lost control.
“After you,” I said.
Caspian grabbed onto the fence and began climbing. I followed him and soon we jumped to the other side. I felt anxious yet determined and strong as we walked quietly across the snow. Caspian found a branch with leaves that he used to cover up our tracks in the snow behind us. After half an hour snow started to fall from the sky again and our tracks were easily covered by a white layer. We walked deep into the forest surrounding the castle and found a clearing where we stopped.
“We can’t go too close or they’ll know we are here. They probably have dogs guarding the entrance,” Caspian said. “They sense the presence of a wolf from a far distance. They might pick up our smell and warn the Guards.”
“So what do we do now?” I asked.
Caspian sat on a small rock. He exhaled and looked at me. “We wait.”
The wait almost tore me apart. I was so torn by the pain I was sensing from Catalina. I kept getting up, walking around like a lion in a den, then sitting down again. I couldn’t rest since I knew she was so close now. I could spot the castle through the trees with my wolf-eyes. In there, right behind those big walls. I felt fury and rage stirring me up, causing me to feel uneasy.
“Anger will only blur your senses,” Caspian said looking at me.
“I just can’t take it,” I said. “She could be right in there, taking another beating right now and I am here, but still doing nothing. I can’t stand it.”
“You need to remain calm,” Caspian continued. “For Catalina’s sake. Fury only brings bad things. You might turn too soon and lose control. A night attack will be best. It’s all in the timing. I need you to stay focused.”
I inhaled deeply and looked at him. “What if they have already killed her? What if we’re too late?”
Caspian nodded. “We have to keep faith. We cannot afford to think like that.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. Then I sat down on a cold rock. The wind was icy, but I was so filled with rage that it kept me warm. I felt a tickling sensation on the top of my hand and realized that hairs had begun growing out. The change was coming. I lifted my head and looked at Caspian.
“You need to calm yourself down, right now,” he said. “Take in a few more deep breaths. Think about something nice, something that makes you happy and calm.”
“I might be able to control it,” I said. “I have done it once before. The only time I have ever changed due to anger. I was able to control myself and only kill the soldiers.”
Caspian nodded. “You are very strong, and you might be able to control it, but do we dare to run the risk? Wouldn’t it be more sensible to wait till the change came on its own? Plus you’re getting hungry. A wolf that is both angry and hungry is a dangerous combination. Try and relax. Maybe get some sleep? You haven’t slept at all today. Your human has needs too. You can’t deprive it of sleep, or you’ll make it sick. I’ll keep an eye out while you sleep.”
I looked at him defiantly.
He sighed. He stared into my eyes and I sensed the urgency. “It’s important Sami. You need to be in balance within.”
I exhaled in irritation before I finally obeyed.
Chapter 28
When nightfall came Caspian woke me up with a gentle push. “Wake up, Sami,” he whispered.
I rose to my feet and looked at the sky. It had stopped snowing and the heavy clouds had moved out. A thin layer still covered the sun while it slowly set and left the forest in complete darkness. I welcomed the change as it sneaked over me, then turned and looked at Caspian who was already the wolf.
The almost white eyes smiled. Then he led me through the forest to find food. We didn’t have to go far before we found a flock of deer. We threw ourselves at them and each of us caught one that we feasted upon. My wolf was starved and I ate for a long time to make sure it was completely satisfied.
When the wolf was sated, I rose and stared at Caspian whose white fur almost blended in with the snow.
It looked like he smiled. He spoke to me in my thoughts:
It’s time.
We ran side by side towards the castle. I enjoyed the feeling of my powerful wolf-body running across the snow, the sight of my paws touching the ground, causing the snow to scatter. I enjoyed the strength, the supernatural supremacy underneath my fur as my muscles moved and pushed me forward. Caspian guided us, zigzagging through the trees. I had my eyes set on the castle in the distance. I pictured Catalina inside, I pictured Alexandru’s face when he saw me. Would he recognize me? Would he recognize my eyes?
I looked forward to getting back at him for what he had done to Catalina, for the pain he inflicted on her. I wanted him to pay, I wanted him to suffer.
“We are here to get Catalina and nothing else,” I heard Caspian say in my thoughts. “Hatred and revenge are not good emotions. You should keep those out of your mind. They are like poison to your soul. They will eat you up.”
I growled while running. Caspian stopped. I stood next to him. There it was. Right in front of us rose the enormous castle out of the forest. Its many towers looked like they were reaching for the sky.
Two black cars much like the one Catalina had been taken away in were parked in the gravel outside. Soldiers were patrolling outside with their dogs.
The wind is in the east, Caspian whispered in my mind. Stay down wind so the dogs won’t smell you
too soon. It needs to be a surprise. There are four soldiers and two dogs. You take the two soldiers on the right. I’ll take the ones to the left. Make it fast so they won’t have time to alert people inside of the house.
Part of me wanted Alexandru to know I was coming for him. I wanted him to shiver in fear like he had made Catalina tremble.
“Stay focused,” Caspian said. “Don’t open a door for those thoughts. You are better than that. Control it, keep your mind at peace.”
I didn’t respond, only looked at Caspian as he said the word.
Now.
We ran as quietly as we could. Like a predator sneaking up on its prey before the final kill. I ran towards the first soldier on the right. He had no dog, so I knew he would be the easiest. I jumped him from the back and without him knowing what hit him, I ripped him open with my claws. He barely made a sound. Then I ran towards the second soldier and just as I came close enough the German Shepard sensed I was there and started barking. I leaped through the air and jumped its back, then bit its neck. The soldier yelled and screamed as his dog went quiet and fell to the ground. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at me. I growled and he whimpered. Then I crouched on my hind legs before I flew through the air and jumped him. He fell into the gravel, I rose above him, then lifted my claws and killed him.
I turned my head and looked at Caspian. He was standing next to his two kills, almost enthroning over them. I ran closer. He didn’t move, he didn’t even look in my direction. He was growling, snarling while staring at the two corpses. Coming closer I soon realized what he really was looking at. It was the blood running from the body of the soldier lying closest to him. His eyes were fixated, his body almost paralyzed. The smell of the blood hit my nostrils as well and I suddenly knew exactly how he felt. He wanted to taste it, he wanted to sink his teeth into the human flesh, just to try and see what it was like. I pushed a thought at him: