Pavayoyqamtsi screamed at seeing the monster. She got up to run but Charles was there to help her back down to her seat. The startled and scared woman stared at the werewolf that was now in their house. William was struck by how calm the old man seemed. Could he just be in shock?

  Aceso stayed very still and didn’t move from her place hunching down near the table, “I am Aceso of the City Under the Mountain, Alpha and protector to my pack. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  The old man smiled, “Of all the legends and stories of my people, none of them spoke of polite monsters.” He softly grasped one of his wife’s hands as he turned towards her and softly turned her face toward his. “Are you ok?”

  Pavayoyqamtsi was still shocked and she couldn’t seem to pull her eyes away from the monster that had taken up residence in her house.

  “If they wanted to hurt us, they would have done it by now. Pavayoyqamtsi, look at me.” The old man held both of his wife’s hands in his. His eyes were focused only on her, the rest of the guests were forgotten. “I have tried to tell you of the things that I have seen. Our past is what it is, we can’t change who we are.” He turned to the werewolf and Ansuya, “Why are you here now? What has happened?”

  Ansuya returned the old man’s gaze evenly, “We’re currently being hunted by federal agents for questioning in relation to an incident that happened in international waters aboard a Chinese cargo vessel that was also transporting slaves.”

  “That’s good to know,” Celestino replied dryly, “And I appreciate your candor, but I was talking about what happened at Mt. Shasta.”

  Aceso answered, “Our home was destroyed, and we need help to get it back.”

  Celestino nodded his head slowly. Pavayoyqamtsi quietly sat, holding her husband’s hands. She looked calm, but Ansuya could smell the complete and utter shock coming from her. She had retreated inward and Ansuya was doubtful if the woman was hearing anything that was being said.

  “The destruction of a home has happened to our people many times and to our world three times already,” Celestino began. “Which is why we call this the fourth world. Tawa destroyed the third world with a great flood. Our people were gathered together by the Spider Woman into a great bamboo shoot and was saved from the flood.”

  “Somehow, I don’t think playing ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ is going to help us against vampires,” Amanda commented dryly.

  Celestino’s eyes raised in surprise, “Vampires? Your home was destroyed by vampires?” His shoulders slumped noticeably and he sat back heavily in his chair. “What good could any number of my people be against vampires? If they have grown so strong as to destroy the home of werewolves?”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  William noticed Ansuya shift a little at this revelation. He knew that she felt responsible somehow for what had happened to the Mountain. She had done so much since then; he wanted to tell her that it hadn’t been her fault. The only thing they could do now was keep moving forward.

  “Your people have fought and protected yourselves against things that are much worse,” Ansuya said.

  Celestino looked up, “What could be worse than vampires that can fight werewolves, against the fury of nature herself?”

  Ansuya nodded, “You know. That which even now you are afraid to name. The other side of us, the perversion of nature, evil itself manifested in something that walks in human form.”

  “DON’T SAY IT!!” Pavayoyqamtsi yelled suddenly, “Don’t bring more evil into this house than you already have!” her eyes were half wild and they darted back and forth between Aceso, Ansuya, her husband and the other pack members. “Get out! Get out and take your evil with you! I won’t sit here and let my family be endangered by you or your problems.”

  “My love, stop,” Celestino said quietly.

  The strong quiet voice that she had taken comfort in for all these years commanded her body and eyes to focus on the man she had chosen to share this life with. Her mind was nothing more than a collection of free spinning gears. All her fears, all her apprehensions, kept rotating around and around in a kaleidoscope of death, sadness, and destruction that she knew she couldn’t stop, even if she closed her eyes.

  But the strong voice of her husband drove through her fear like an arrow of purest light and the waking nightmares ended. She looked at her husband’s face and, maybe for the first time, she saw him. She saw what he was, the burden he had been chosen to bear. The true weight of what it was to be him, and the burden of his visions. His strength rivaled mountains. What had a man like this ever seen in her? Was she even worthy to sit at the same table with him?

  She melted against her husband and quietly sobbed. She was so afraid and the only thing that kept her running from the house screaming was the man who now held her. His strong arms enveloped her and she felt safe. She always had. She was nothing compared to him. What had he ever seen in her?

  “I won’t name that which I speak,” Ansuya began. “Your people had a connection with the Mountain. Because of that, and your connection to those perversions of nature, and because the federal agents who are hunting us can’t come on reservation land without permission, I am here to ask for your help. Your people and those of the free peoples in this region have our strength running through your veins. I hope to rediscover that strength.”

  Celestino looked up at the beautiful woman, “I’m just an old man. I cannot do much for you, but I may be able to arrange a tribal council. You may get the help you seek from there.”

  “Great,” Nicolas said, “The sooner we can get out of here the better.”

  Katherine elbowed him hard in his ribs, to which he gave a very satisfying grunt.

  “How soon can this be done?” Charles asked.

  “It will take time,” Celestino answered. “For now, I don’t have any love for the feds. You are welcome to stay here for a few days while I see what I can do.”

  Pavayoyqamtsi shifted against him and shook her head against his chest, “My love, please?” She looked up into his eyes and pleaded with every fiber of her being.