The Raven and the Wraith Book 2 (Completed!)

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 49

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 49

Seeing her fangs, seeing the red slits of her pupils, even sensing the sheer power in the predatory grace behind her every movement, had me convinced she was a vampire. Even though there had been no sightings of a vampire in over two thousand years of recorded history.

"So why are your eyes like that? Why do you have fangs?"

She smiled at that. "I could ask you the same."

I considered how much my eyes had changed after the touch of the Cat. The way they looked when I was holding my power ready. The way they looked when I was in the grip of the Hunger. And I had felt my upper canines extend down into razor sharp fangs when I had shifted into that Werecat form.

"Fair enough. You tell me who and what you are and I'll tell you what I am."

"I'm Shanna. My family and I are Travelers, this is not our realm. Everyone from my world has eyes with red slits, and fangs. Which I see means everyone in this realm thinks we must be vampires. Which is utterly ridiculous, of course."

"See? Told you that your Path is tied to this evening meal." Riva's voice in my thoughts rippled with calm assurance. It irritated me immediately.

"Just meow your way on outside, I don't need your comments." I growled at her.

Shanna looked down at Riva warily. "Is she your Familiar, then?"

My Familiar? She thought I was a witch?!

"Of course not!"

Shanna grinned. It was a disquieting mix of beautiful girl, and pure predator, with her long, bone-white fangs flashing in the firelight. 

"Ok. So I'm definitely not a vampire and you're definitely not a witch. We're getting somewhere."

"I'm Rahvin. And I'm a Werecat, which means I belong in multiple realms."

"So she's a Werecat, too?"

I glanced over, seeing Riva still acting like a regular house cat, rubbing up against Conners legs. Conner began to reach down to pet her, then caught himself when he saw her ears flatten.

"No. Her name is Terezah, she's an unwanted Familiar I picked up from a Pantrah witch."

Riva glared balefully at me, emerald fire flashing in her exotic eyes, and a cold sheen rippled through the brilliant silver of her fur. Shanna took another step away from her.

"That's no ordinary Familiar. I don't know what she is, but you best be very, very careful around her."

I shot Riva a cocky grin. "Yeah? I'm not scared of her." It was satisfying to see the way her ears flattened against her skull in response.

Conner motioned to the table. "Foods getting cold. Let's eat, we can discuss vampires, witches, and Werecats over a meal together."

I sat, trying to appear at ease, even though I felt totally out of my element, and very confused. Something about this place seemed off, and it wasn't the unusual guests, or the unusually ornate, beautiful construction. Rather, it was the family and their perfect composure around such unusual guests.

Conner had yet to mention my eyes, or any of the other different, worrisome aspects of me. And they had apparently welcomed this group of Travelers into their home, despite them having red eyes and fangs. It was not how anyone I knew from my realm would have reacted.

"So you and your family seem quite relaxed around...different Travelers." I remarked.

Conner and his parents smiled at that. Dale looked around the table, his smile widening.

"Yes, Conner certainly has a gift to find and bring in very unique Travelers. Our dinner table is rarely anywhere close to normal."

I looked over at Conner, shaking my head as I saw Riva still rubbing against his ankles like an affectionate house cat. She seemed determined to keep up her rather terrible acting. Conner ignored her as he dug into his food, apparently at ease with such a powerful creature so close to him.

"You find Travelers?"

Conner nodded. "Yup. Or rather, they find me. You probably have acute senses like Shanna and her family here. Do you sense anything different about this place?"

I shrugged. "You mean besides the unlikely huge, ornate farm house? Or the way you and your family are somehow perfectly relaxed around magical predators like myself, and these Travelers?"

Conner grinned at that. I could tell he appreciated my dry response. I saw the grin, the mischievous shine to his eyes, and I felt like he was someone I could definitely get along with. But then, just for the barest moment, I saw age. I saw wisdom, experience, and bone-deep patience, deep in his eyes.

"This farmhouse, and the land around it, is a Star Point in the great web. It is an intersection between multiple, interconnected realms. We're like an Inn, a restaurant and resting place, for those beings who Travel across realities. So we're very accustomed to unusual guests such as yourself, and Shanna and her friends."

I shook my head. I was used to living on the streets, struggling for food, shelter, and survival itself. This was all so dreamlike, so impossible, that I kept wondering if it were all just an elaborate magical trick placed on my mind by the Council, or some other evil creature.

But I knew it had all started with the touch of the Cat. My powers had reawakened with a vengeance, almost as if they were trying to make up for lost time by screwing up my life as fast as possible, now. I now knew I could no longer hide from them. I could no longer deny my Path.

Riva's voice in my head made me twitch in surprise. "A Star Point! How interesting! I've never been to one before, you're already proving to be a very unusual Werecat, Rahvin."

Conner saw my twitch. "I know, pretty shocking, huh?"

I just nodded. He had no way of knowing Riva had just spoke to me.