Fire could kill vampires. That’s what legends said. They do not speak the truth. It is not about the flame. The human body, even after death, is not particularly flammable. It’s the wood that holds significance. Only flames produced by oak could end the eternity of our unlife. What I’m trying to say is that I had my reasons to hesitate before approaching the bonfire. Sparks danced in the night air, and the pillar of bonfire blazed like a beacon.
I forced my legs to move towards it. Faces, calm and firm, followed my every move. With a snap of my fingers, the three Indian kids snapped out of my charm and scattered between the tents. And I was left with the adults.
No one said a word. No one moved. Yet, the shaman was there almost immediately. He reminded me of a coyote. I would describe him as the wise fool. Even now, face to face with a predator, he kept grinning. One had to admire his commitment to a gig.
“Many greetings, Nightfeeder! To what do we owe the pleasure of meeting you?”
His voice, deep, melodic, and rich, was strangely soothing. I could tell it was deliberate. Nice try.
“Greetings, wise shaman. And greetings to all who listen. I just so happen to stumble upon three of your pipsqueaks. Wandering the forest at this ungodly hour, up to no good. Stripped bare of any and all protection.”
The shaman didn’t bat an eye. But three of the men sitting around the fire stabbed the ground with their gaze. What a familiar gesture. I looked around. Truth be told, there were far fewer natives than I anticipated. Yes, the tribe doesn’t have a stable population, except for a few settled families, but this… this was far too little.
My gaze pierced the shaman.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Where are the others from your tribe?”
“Gone. For the winter is to come.”
“Don’t be foolish. Winter is months away from here.”
He sighed. Looked around, as in… fear? One man lifted his gaze.
“And yet, the plants are withering, fish are gone, animals vanished. The soil is already sleeping, tainted by—”
The shaman cut him off.
“I said what I said, and I spoke the truth. Winter is coming. Some of us left. And us… those who stayed have to do what needs to be done.”
His words seemed to bounce around my skull before they fit into place. The message left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“You didn’t!”
The three studied the ground again. The rest of them looked somewhat puzzled, maybe even apologetic. The shaman held my gaze without wavering. So I was right. To hell with it!
“You know what is in those woods, don’t you!”
C’mon, girl, breathe. Hide those fangs.
The calmness of my voice was entirely forced.
“Look, the town cares, all right? I was in there because I’m carrying an investigation in Matthew’s name. So if you know what is causing this, if you know what… killed Eil—my mentor, you have to tell me.”
As expected, throwing around Matthew’s name had an effect. A ripple of murmurs and shifting gazes, all of which settled on one man. The shaman shook his head slowly.
“To call it by name is to call it to your home. Yes, the child of summer could be able to defeat it. Or not. That is not for this tribe to find out. We know how to quell this problem. We know what needs to be done.”
“Don’t do it. Wait two weeks, that’s all I ask.”
My gaze sharpened. This time, he had enough self-preservation to avert his. My next words came out almost a hiss.
“Because I will be in those woods. And if tonight repeats, then God help me, I’m gonna level this place to the ground!”
My statement was rewarded with agitated murmurs, which were promptly silenced.
“Your threats hold weight, just as threats from any of your kind.”
The shaman’s words were respectful, yet laced with poison.
“Child of summer could do it, no doubt about that. Your elder, Eilias, could do it. Perhaps. But neither of them is here now. … If weeks is what you ask of us, two of them you will get. Hawk, I have spoken.”
It took everything in me to head towards the Silver Fox without his head.
Thank God, the night was over.
