Guarding the Vila Book One
Happy Saturday morning everyone!
I decided that I would do a Saturday scene today from my novel, Red, which will be released on November 30th. I am so excited to receive the final edit on Monday and finally be able to start polishing and formatting!
If you happen to like today's post, please check out my novelette that takes place prior to Red. It is free on Amazon for the next two days, so you should hurry! Here's the link: The Beginning on Amazon
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Marie was staying in the next town over, her children safe from the eyes of people who were watching me. I picked up my pace knowing I wouldn’t make it before dark but wanting to cover as much ground as possible before I could no longer see. Just as the clearing to the village was disappearing from view, I heard a tiny little yip come from a few paces back. A sweet puppy, hardly big enough to be away from its mother, sat with its tail wagging. He must have been the runt of the litter, too small to keep up with his siblings. His face was freckled with white, while the rest of him was colored in a deep brown. Tiny little bones pushed against his all too thin skin and the look of him broke the rock that had become my heart. I considered him for a moment before quickly realizing I was in no place to take care of him, when taking care of myself was more than I was capable of. I tried to shoo him away, yelling at the poor thing until he sauntered off. I took off walking again, only to find him a few moments later trailing behind once again. Several times I stopped to try to push him away, my attempts more half-hearted the more often I did them. Finally I gave into his resilience. I scratched behind his ears as I handed him a scrap from my pocket.
“You sir, are a determined little pup. Perhaps, you don’t really need me to take care of you.”
He yipped back in agreeance, almost as if he understood. I shrugged, not wanting to read too much into it and continued on. Darkness came along with exhaustion. I crawled into a hollowed out tree, pulling my cape as tightly as I could, trying to push off the chill. The pup jumped up onto my chest, snuggling deep until he was comfortable in his makeshift bed. I became completely overtaken by his audacity and how brave he must be to smell the wolf and not care. I smiled stupidly, and fell into a dreamless sleep. The first one I’ve had since I had died. The next morning I awoke to a gurgled whine of death. The puppy at some point had left my arms and I searched around for him frantically. Not more than feet from me a large white wolf held my sweet little pup in his muzzle, shaking him violently until he was limply dangling and torn to shreds. The wolf then dropped him at his feet, sauntering back into whatever Hell he had crawled out of. I dropped to my knees, wavering at the injustice.
“It was a warning.”
I didn’t move. I didn’t need to. I would know that voice for the rest of my life.
“What do you mean? A warning for what? How could killing an innocent puppy be justified?”
I felt more than heard her sigh, the earth seeming to come to my aid.
“Because, Red. It’s not about whose innocent and whose guilty. It’s about rules. It has always been about the rules. And the rule is you are not allowed to love. If you do, they will be the ones to pay and you will be the one to mourn. Death means nothing to you until it is done to someone you love. The Guards will come with their Trackers and take everything you want to keep. This was just a warning not to walk too close to that line because there will be no mercy for you, for any of the Vilas.”
War gurgled in my veins. The Fates from both sectors of Heaven and Hell were playing with a fire that someday they wouldn’t be able to control. My fists dug deep into the dirt, horrible images of what was to come blurring reality. I almost choked on the words trying to fall from my mouth.
“What about Marie? The girls?” I would be lost if I had to give them up, but I would if it meant they would be able to live.
“Family is a sacred exception. You have no reason to fear for them. They will not be made an example of like the pup was.”
I got up from the ground, a promise as solid as the hills held tightly in my heart. I would never bring another the pain that occurred here today. I would keep my distance, staying safely away from the humans. The wolves were my ghosts to deal with and the Fates my future to conquer. I got to my feet slowly and walked, refusing to look back knowing the scene behind me would be forever burned into my memories.
