Chapitre 17

I frowned.

My head was on something soft and I felt nothing but warmth and peace. My body felt light, clean. I sighed.

Then I heard a rustling.

My eyes widened even though I wished I could just go back to sleep. Small jewels sparkled in the stone ceiling above me.

I lay on a cuddly fur that also served as a warming blanket.

I looked to the side. My heart contracted. Eros sat on a small stone, his hands in his hair. His eyes were focused on me.

They flash light blue.

I felt a tingle on my neck. It intensified as I ran my hand over it. Relief filled me. I could move again and the pain was gone.

"What happened?"

My hoarse voice echoed off the walls. Part of me was sad that Eros was so far away, but I could still sense anger between us. His anger was not hot like that of most wolves.

He was freezing cold, as if his coldness would pierce my heart.

"I am sorry."

My voice scratched my throat uncomfortably.

Silence surrounded us and Eros didn't answer. I felt a big lump in my throat where all the sadness had gathered.

I couldn't bear the sight anymore. So I turned my gaze back to the cave's sparkling ceiling, which resembled the night sky. Tears made her shine even brighter.

"Please," I begged. "Say something."

I did not know, what I should do. I wanted Eros to hold me and tell me everything would be fine. I wanted to feel his closeness.

"Do you actually know how much I held back? How much I suppressed my instincts to give you a good and fear-free life?"

Suddenly footsteps echoed down the walls. I couldn't turn to face him. Otherwise I would start crying.

"I have shown very good will and a lot of patience."

A spark of fear ignited in my heart. I sat up. What did Eros mean by that? He knelt down in front of me. Yet he still towered over me and eyed me sharply.

The mark on my neck sent a twitch through my body.

"Now that you have my mark, everyone can see it. And there is one thing I ask of you."

His voice sent a shiver through my spine. I felt the warmth radiating from him, but he didn't touch me.

"Loyalty. Do you know what loyalty means?"

His eyes lit up in the semidarkness.

"Loyalty, trust and obedience."

My heart pounded against my chest. Despite my trembling fear, I did what I could only describe as impulse.

I lunged at Eros and threw my arms around him.

"Stop talking like that. Of course I trust you."

Relief coursed through my veins when Eros finally wrapped his arms around me and locked him in his warmth. At that moment the dam broke and big tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I thought I was dying," I said. "I was afraid I'd be frozen forever."

A loud rumble echoed along the cave walls. Eros laid me back on the fur and looked down at me. His eyes oscillated between ice blue and pitch black.

Eros had warned me, but I ignored him. His wolf was not entirely innocent in the marking either.

"I should have listened to you."

"You would have," he growled. "I'm so mad at you and you're looking at me with those beautiful, naive eyes. What am I supposed to do with you?"

"Can we talk about anything? What happened after I was... underwater?"

Eros leaned back and stood up.

"There was a reason I didn't want my wolf to tag you: I know how normal werewolves react to being bitten, but a human? I wanted to wait until we got back to the pack where you'll be safe."

He walked over to the lake, whose turquoise waters shone in the magic moonlight. I got up cautiously and followed him to the edge.

"But that night you undid all my discipline with one look and one sentence."

The water lay motionless in front of us like a mirror. I leaned over and for the first time I could see what was on my neck.

It was so unobtrusive, as if Eros had never bitten me. The skin above it was healed, and beneath it shimmered fine silver flourishes.

"It's... beautiful," I said, a shiver running down my spine as I ran my hand over it.

Eros hugged me from behind and took my hand from his mark. He brushed his lips across it and all thoughts vanished at the tingling sensation coursing through my body.

I closed my eyes.

A warm feeling knotted in my stomach and radiated into all my nerves. I leaned my head against Ero's chest and enjoyed his presence.

I looked at our reflection in the lake.

"I'm trying to get better," I said, turning in his embrace.

"I know."

I looked sideways at the icy statue of the three-headed dog and shuddered.

"Why the hell is there a... thing in a sacred place?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

It seemed to be working, because the corners of Ero's mouth twitched up and his serious face relaxed.

"I think it's time you learned the history of werewolves."

I clapped my hands excitedly and jumped up and down.

"Yes, finally."

"The place is sacred because the moon goddess created the first werewolf here, the primeval wolf. She fashioned it in her own image out of the water you see in front of you. It has magical powers. Made of water, cleansed with water."

I looked up at the moon in the dark night sky.

Created from water, purified with water.

"What happened then?" I asked curiously.

"The moon goddess was not satisfied with the power of the primeval wolf, whose life did not end even after hundreds of years. Nothing contained his violence. The moon goddess created another wolf, not from water, but from a thought made into words."

"I beg your pardon?"

“We call this second wolf Lycan. He too was too strong for this world, but unlike the primeval wolf, he had the weaknesses of a werewolf."

"Silver and verbena," I replied.

"Exactly. Also, not only did he have his wolf form, he also had a companion."

He pointed to the icy statue. The three heads didn't look happy about their frozen state. Imperceptibly I moved closer to Eros.

"This is Kerberos, the Deathbringer of Lycan. It was once his job to find and kill the primeval wolf. The moon goddess has always viewed it as a sin to be cleaned up."

I listened spellbound to Ero's words.

"But the Lycan rebelled against the moon goddess. As punishment, she cursed him to remain on earth until the primeval wolf returned to the water from which he was created."

I looked at the lake in amazement.

"So this water got rid of my stiffness?" I asked.

Erous nodded.

"It was the only cure I could think of."

"And the primeval wolf and Lycan? If they are immortal, then they still walk this earth."

Suddenly I felt unsafe. Eros held me tighter against his torso and rested his chin on my head.

"Don't worry, the Lycan was...disabled generations ago. He was a tyrant who wanted to take over the whole world. The primeval wolf is an old myth to scare puppies. Nobody has ever seen him. Either he has a very good camouflage or he doesn't exist anymore..."

The echo of his voice died away in the distance.

I turned in his arms and looked into Ero's beautiful eyes. They flitted over my frame, like they always did when he was only focused on me.

How did I deserve this? New tears welled up at the corners of my eyes as I thought about everything that had happened in the last few weeks. I almost died.

Multiple times.

Eros was always there and had protected me from wolves, fire and cold.

I stood on tiptoe so that I could at least approach his height. My heart burst with happiness. He frowned as he looked at me.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Have I ever told you how grateful I am to be here?"

"No, but I'm all ears," Eros replied with a grin on his face that knotted my stomach.

Instead of saying another word, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his.

The mark on mine tickled with hundreds of sparks that electrified my entire body. Ero's hands wandered down my back. I pushed myself closer to him so I could feel all his muscles.

After a while I sat back and a satisfied smile blossomed on my lips, which were still tingling.

"That was the best apology I've ever received," he said.

"I hope so, too," I said, resting my chin on his chest.

He put his hand around my head and I could hear his heart pounding steadily in his chest.

"There's something else I need to show you here."

And with these words he led me deeper into the mysterious cave.

***

I ran my hands over the rough stone walls, fascinated by the glittering treasures reflected in them. In the distance, water dripped through the cave along with our footsteps.

We had to be on the road for ages.

I was snuggled against Eros as I could barely see my hand in the dark. The moon was the only light that fell in the corridors from our direction.

Underground you lost the sense of time in such a way that it became oppressive. Ten times I'd asked Eros if he could find his way back, and he'd always answered a dry Yes .

His warmth and his arm around my shoulder reassured me here in the unknown. I thought back to the words by the lake.

A primeval wolf fashioned from water by the moon goddess in her own image. I could hardly imagine what the moon goddess looked like, let alone an image here on earth.

And then the lycan and his companion, that three-headed monster...

I could barely remember what it was like before the Werewolves were cast. Only blurred images and smells told me that it really had happened.

I looked at my glass bracelet in the shadows. Here the memory was safe, forever.

I looked up at Eros. He had told me about his father, but now a new thought plagued me.

"May I ask you something: What was your mother like when she was alive?"

My small voice echoed against the walls and disappeared into the distance. His beautiful eyes looked down at me while his brow furrowed slightly as if trying to find the right words.

"She was beautiful... kind... cold."

I pressed closer to him and tried to imagine the woman he had described, with long black hair, blue eyes and strong features that could also radiate something warm.

"I would have loved to have met her," I whispered, putting my hand on his chest.

Eros stroked my arm once and a pained smile rose on his lips.

"She would have either hated you or loved you. There was no in between," he replied.

The rippling water in the distance increased in volume as if we were approaching the source. The corridors narrowed and I was amazed that Eros didn't have to duck his head.

The cold moonlight reflected off the silver treasures slumbering in the stone. Our steps accompanied us on our way deeper into the heart of the cave. Without Eros, I would probably have gone insane already, with so little space and the cold draft that made my strands dance.

However, one question still lingered. As if reading my mind, Eros continued after a long silence.

"After my father died, she wasn't the same. It was as if part of her own soul had been ripped away with him and died. Her mind followed and eventually her body too."

The echo of his deep voice died away in the distance and I felt a painful sting through my mark. I rubbed his chest as if that would somehow ease the pain.

"I am sorry."

"I know. I can feel it."

Ero's warmth shielded me from the mountain's inner chill as we walked on without a word. Suddenly there was a crack in the distance.

I immediately stopped, while Eros didn't seem to mind.

"What was that?" I asked in panic.

I turned my gaze back to the hallway we had come from. My limited vision did nothing to calm me. Eros, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem with the strange noise.

"Don't worry, we're on the right track."

I didn't know how many tons of stone were weighing down on us and I didn't even want to imagine it.

"Hopefully we get out of here alive," I murmured.

"I've never heard anything so pessimistic from you," Eros replied, amused.

"Yes, I have my limits too and a huge mountain under the ground, hardly any light and a frozen three-headed monster is already far behind."

Eros jerked to a halt and I plunged into his warm embrace. He rested his chin on my head and I was completely trapped in his arms.

"Don't worry, I would never let anything happen to you, even if you drive me crazy sometimes."

"I hope so. Caves are one of the things I've always avoided," I grumbled into his coat.

Ero's scent of forest calmed my tense nerves. Suddenly more noises boomed through the passage of the cave and let my relaxation fizzle out.

"So, now you tell me where we are going and what your plan is."

Eros pulled away from me and a small part missed his warmth; when I thought about it, it was more of a big part.

He took my hand and led me further inside. Suddenly I heard strange voices and a spark of fear sprang from my heart. I leaned against Eros again and pressed as close to him as I could without stopping.

The hallway widened and opened up as the noise grew louder. Then we stepped into the light of a vast space underground.

A pleasant warmth greeted me.

Huge pillars carried the mountain on their shoulders and disappeared into the darkness of the ceiling. My jaw dropped.

A sea of werewolves lay before us. Some seemed to be working, others chatting animatedly, still others looking up at the moonlight.

"Ephilia, these are the nomads of the north."

The first noses seemed to have noticed us and heads and eyes twitched to us. It took everything in me not to hide behind Ero's broad stature.

"Eros!"

Joyful shouts echoed through the hall and some werewolves left their work and came running towards us. I frantically let go of Ero's hand, gave in to my instincts and crawled behind him.

He seemed to understand and took a few steps in front of me to greet the people he obviously knew with a hug.

"Ilya, how nice to see you!"

As the nomad approached my age, I saw his blue warpaint on his cheeks, curled in a smile.

Then he turned his face to me and he gave me a strange stare. I felt his gaze burn at my mark and his eyes lit up.

"Ha, you finally have a mate too!"

Eros put his arm around me protectively and I stepped next to him.

"I'm very pleased," I said, bowing my head.

"Why is she bowing to me when I should be the one who should bow to her?" Ilya asked.

He took a deep breath to take in all the smells around him. His eyes flashed yellow as his wolf took control. Eros growled and pushed me protectively behind him as his own wolf got the upper hand.

This seemed to bring Ilya back to his senses.

"She doesn't have a wolf?" he asked, confused. "Was she born during the last lunar eclipse?"

A surge of courage swept over me as I heard the nomad speak of me.

"I'm not a werewolf. I'm human," I said with as much confidence as I could muster.

Amazement shone in Ilya's eyes and he stared at me curiously.

"A child of the sun," he whispered.

I said nothing at his remark. I could live with this term for human very well. Ero's tension hadn't released yet, but he seemed to be in control again.

"Right, and she's my mate."

"That's impossible..."

"Obviously not," Eros growled in annoyance.

Ilya bowed deeply and I could see the humility in his eyes.

"Please forgive me, Ephilia. I didn't mean to offend you. I've just never met a child of the sun, up here in the north."

"There's always time for a first time," I said cautiously.

The nomads seemed closer to their wolf than any other pack. It was probably best if I stayed with Eros the whole time and never moved alone.

Eros looked down at me.

"Come on, there's still a lot you need to see here. After my parents died, I lived with the nomads for a year," he said.

Suddenly everything made sense.

No wonder he was so feared by other packs. He had survived nature's harshest blows and then returned to civilization.

A shiver ran down my spine.

I could only guess what he had experienced here...