Zone Zero: Vengeance (Book 3 of 3)

Chapter 4

I am sitting alone clutching a large glass of blood and listening to the sounds of vampires as they breeze past me. Some are talking about the impending battle while others chose a lighter topic of conversation to keep their minds clear.

I take a large gulp of the crimson liquid but don't dare look up from the glass. I want to keep my head in the game and stay focused for what is to come but the truth is that many vampires will die tonight.

We left Amelia's as soon as night fell and drove through the night and most of the day in a scattered convey of sorts. We made sure that not too many vehicles would be seen together and that it didn't look like we were all headed to the same place. We even loaded up a few small planes so that not everyone was travelling via car.

When we left last night Sabina was nowhere to be seen. After our conversation, she must have taken my words into consideration and left. I felt guilty at first but soon moved past it and remembered what it is that we must do.

Leif and Odin remained and true to his word, he is willing to fight with us regardless of Sabina's sudden departure.

When Alex learnt of Sabina leaving throughout the night he reacted differently than I expected. He was not angry or sad. He was not relieved and nor did he want her gone. He accepted it with dignity and let it be. He did not dwell on the inevitable and chose not to speak of it any further.

At first I thought he could be harbouring lingering feelings of hate toward me for my actions that drove Sabina away but of course, the only thing he felt for me was love. Love and admiration for standing up to Sabina and declining her offer to follow her.

Just then, a nudge at my leg pulls me from my thoughts and as I look down I see Odin staring longingly at me. His eyes full of a knowledge that I could never understand.

I reach out to him and run my fingers through his soft velvet-like fur and watch as his eyes close in appreciation. My lips turning up at the sight.

"Odin." Leif's voice wafts through the air as both Odin and I turn toward it awaiting for his large frame to come into view.

"There you are boy. Bothering the ladies again I see." His lips make the remnants of a smile as he steps closer towards us but surprisingly Odin does not leave my side.

Leif stops a few feet from us and crosses his arms over his chest.

"It seems he is quite taken with you. He normally doesn't like to get too close to people."

I look down at the stark white wolf and smirk. He is such a thing of beauty but I feel I don't know anything about him other than his name.

"How did you come to find him?" I ask without taking my eyes off the wild beast.

Leif uncrosses his arms and takes a few steps towards me before plonking himself down on the floor right next to Odin. Odin is quick to relax into him and rest his head on Leif's legs, just like a lap dog would do.

"I was hunting a bear a couple of years ago and as I was dragging it home I was confronted by some wild wolves. They were hungry and wanted the bear I killed for themselves. They attacked me and I fought them off but more just kept coming until there were at least 20 surrounding me. Then this white wolf came forward and our eyes met. He was watching me fight the other wolves and was sizing me up himself. Without any warning, he came close enough for me to touch so I put my hand out expecting him to bite it but he didn't. He let me touch him. After that all of the wolves let me touch them. They followed me back to my cabin and made their home around my house. Except for Odin. He waltzed inside and took over the place."

Leif's smile is wide as he speaks so highly of his four-legged friend. I find myself grinning as well thinking back to when Odin let me touch him just a day or so ago.