Chapter Seven – The Dynamics of Attraction

“Silence,” Theodore snapped, as a low, hissing sound reached his ears, despite not having them in the actual sense of the word. Whatever this witchcraft was, it had to be of the most conniving kind. Cassandra had to be behind it, or her allies, no matter what nonsense the field mouse was spouting about he and the other human having had killed her.

“You are in my power now,” a voice sounding as one from beyond a grave floated to them.

“What the heck?” Jack exclaimed. “No way. Danny killed you. I saw you die with my own eyes, not to mention I made sure you stayed dead.”

“What’s going on?” the human guardian interrupted.

“I will tell you what is going on,” the cavernous voice continued. “You fell right into my trap. Alpha of Whiteflame, fear not; your end will be swift. If you don’t want to suffer, you will convince the guardian to surrender all the knowledge he has.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jack started, “what am I missing? Did I skip an entire episode or something? It’s not okay, by the way. Also, use the spoiler tag or whatever.”

“Disgusting filth,” Cassandra’s otherworldly voice boomed.

Theodore was certain he would’ve felt a shiver go through his body if he still had one. He wasn’t scared so easily, however. The witch’s play was all a show of smoke and mirrors, and nothing else.

“For the record, were you talking about yourself just now?” Jack continued.

“No, you!” Cassandra replied, sounding quite unnerved by Jack’s audacity.

“Hey, that’s rude,” Jack shot back. “Although, I did hit you in the head with my crystal ball, so maybe, just maybe, that makes us even. You were already dead, but, okay, sorry. So, what’s this place? Are we dead, too? Will we come back as zombies? Will we want brains for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? What if we’re vegetarians?”

“Stop babbling! You’re driving me crazy with your incessant talking!” Cassandra shouted.

“No offense, lady, but you’re already crazy, so I don’t think that’s possible,” Jack replied.

The city clairvoyant was quite calm under the circumstances. It occurred to Theodore that Jack might actually manage to cause Cassandra to give away important details about their current situation by mistake. But could he truly suspect the field mouse of that level of intelligence? It seemed unlikely. Either way, this banter was creating the conditions needed for him to find out more. After all, he was still an alpha, and alphas weren’t only strong; they were highly intelligent, and he in particular was capable of playing this witch and finding out the truth.

“What do you want?” he demanded in an icy tone.

“What do I want, alpha?” Harsh laughter followed. “Your kind has hunted mine for so long, but all of that will soon be over. Pack after pack, you will all fall. And then we will be ready to tear away the veil that’s been keeping us from taking over the world!”

Theodore couldn’t recall from his childhood or otherwise whether he had ever heard of clairvoyants being chased and hunted by his pack. Or any other pack. Unless Cassandra wasn’t a clairvoyant at all.

Bits and pieces of memories were swirling in his mind, but he couldn’t grab them and put them together to solve the puzzle.

There was no time to analyze things that had happened so long ago. Right now, he needed to determine what the witch or clairvoyant or whatever Cassandra was had in store for them, so he could foil her plans.

“It seems to me that you can’t get what you want,” the human guardian said in a calm, steady voice. “Or else you wouldn’t be keeping us talking right now.”

Vince had to be more than met the eye. At first glance, he was an attractive human, with a harmonious body and an overall healthy attitude regarding life and the choices he made. Except, of course, from so quickly assuming his position as a protector of the field mouse.

“Soon, the other alpha will be here, and I will have you all in my clutches,” Cassandra hissed.

“I so call bullshit on that one,” Jack said. “I think you are dead, and you’re sorry that you’re dead. And you can’t keep us here long, because your powers are fading. Yep, in case you’re wondering, I can tell. You’re getting more and more tired… You’re getting sleepy… I will count to ten, and when I say ‘ten’, you will be dead-dead.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Cassandra shrieked, obviously enraged by Jack’s chatter.

“I was trying to hypnotize you, but it probably doesn’t work if you don’t use an old pocket watch. Eh, it was worth a try, I guess.”

“Enough! Any moment now, and you will all be--”

Cassandra stopped abruptly. Theodore understood why right away. He could hear voices, coming from somewhere beyond this space in which they existed without their bodies. Could it be the alpha of Luna’s Sentinels, falling into the trap as Cassandra had intended?

“She doesn’t have much time,” Jack whispered. “Her hour is almost up,” he added in the same conspiratorial tone. “But reinforcements have arrived, so let’s buckle up, boys.”

Theodore could now hear the alpha’s mate’s voice quite distinctly. He was expressing his wonder about their surroundings, which only annoyed Theodore more, because he couldn’t see anything.

“We’re in the middle of a strange, twisty, little tale,” Jack announced out loud. “Yep, look for us all you want, but you won’t be able to see a thing. Whatever witchcraft that witch created, she really did a number on all of us. I had no idea it would feel so weird to have an out of body experience, but here we are.”

“Are Vince and Theodore with you?” Asherman’s mate asked. “How can we help? Can we help at all, to begin with?”

“You could have helped by not being here,” Theodore retorted.

No answer came from the human named Danny, the one who had dared attack him with a toaster of all things. Theodore hated repeating himself. What if the human couldn’t hear him at all?

“Oh, rest assured that you can,” Jack continued, seemingly the only one of them capable of communicating through the barrier keeping them prisoners here. “And yes, our brightest and bravest are stuck with me in… in this weird existence-non-existence. Glad you have Ryder with you, though, because only a true alpha can undo this strange curse.”

“But how?” Danny asked.

Asherman’s voice replied, “If Jack believes it is a true alpha that must save them, I am that alpha.” And then, “Danny, hide!”

It felt incredibly unnerving to be unable to see what was happening. To be powerless.

“Easier said than done!” Danny shouted.

“There’s that boulder over there,” Jack advised. “No, to the right! The other right!”

Could the field mouse be able to see beyond the dark curtain that had been pulled in front of their eyes? Theodore hated to admit it, but the city clairvoyant had his uses. And he would hurry to obey Theodore’s every order, because that was his destiny.

“I am Ryder Asherman,” the alpha’s strong voice boomed, “the alpha of Luna’s Sentinels. Whatever you are, I do not fear you. Show yourself, and I will defeat you.”

Theodore appreciated the fearlessness the other alpha showed. But this was a dangerous game and treating it so recklessly would lead to disaster.

“Field mouse,” he said harshly, “tell the alpha to run. Since she can do what she did to us, she can very well do the same to him.”

“No can do,” Jack said. “I know this might sound weird, but I think I see dead people. Cassandra, at least, so I don’t know if it’s a pattern already or not. And she’s fading. Slowly, but she is. Ryder only needs to kick her sorry ass into oblivion.”

“Are you sure about all that, Jack?” Vince asked.

“I can’t lay out the cards here and now, but I’m pretty sure. Yep, convinced even.”

The sounds of a fluttering of wings could be heard now. Cassandra spoke. “Your wretched mate has deprived me of my mortal body. But I am thankful. I am no longer bound to the earth that keeps you all prisoners. And it is a pleasure to return the favor. Die here, alpha, unless you want your so-called friends to remain shadows forever, just as I am.”

“Ryder, don’t listen to this crappy witch,” Jack warned. “She’s obviously losing her powers, and it is driving her mad.”

“I will defeat you,” Asherman said in a loud voice. “Mistress, lend me your strength, and I will chase away this evil spirit.”

Theodore would nod in approval if he could.

“She can’t hear you. She is weak,” Cassandra hissed. “You should have waited until the full moon if you wanted her to lend you all her power. As she is now, she can barely keep hanging in the sky as she should. You are mine, alpha.”

It was a dire fate to be punished with being unable to act. Theodore swore to himself that he would destroy Cassandra’s kind if he had to walk the entire world to search for them, whoever they were.

***