“Oh, right. Well, because they need my help. Isn’t that enough?”
I wonder if he’s intentionally missing the point. Not that I disagree; he’s right, of course. Because they need help is a fine reason. “But you’re a vampire. Humans and vampires are enemies, aren’t they?”
“I don’t see why we should be, but historically, yes.” His expression darkens. “Quite a lot of blood spilled on both sides.”
“You’re not afraid they’ll find out what you are? Turn on you?”
“I won’t be working closely with the humans, Andras. I’ll be working with you. You’re not going to turn on me, are you?”
I certainly don’t plan on it, but if Bowie turns out to be a bad person, I can’t promise not to change my mind.
“Are you?” he repeats a little bit louder and a lot more incredulous.
“Of course not,” I hurry to assure him. “As long as you’ve been honest with me and remain so. But I’d be a fool to trust you this soon.”
He gives a slow nod. “Wise of you. And not surprising when I think about it. Your pack doesn’t treat you well, do they?”
I don’t want to talk about this. “I have Ava.”
Bowie doesn’t push. I appreciate him for it. “Ava is an absolute delight. I could have listened to her stories all night.”
“She’s full of them.” I’ve lost control of the conversation again. How does he do that? And with such ease, it’s already happened by the time I’ve noticed.
“Is she your grandmother?”
“No.” Ava is my grandmother’s cousin. I don’t know what that makes us, but my grandmother died before I was born, and my mother left me to the pack as an infant. I don’t remember her. Ava is all I have.
When I offer no further information, Bowie continues as if he’d never dragged the conversation sideways. “The first rumors of missing girls began years ago in communities farther afield. I didn’t know because the concerns never fell on the right ears. It wasn’t until the kidnappings hit closer to home that we realized we might have a problem on our hands.”
“Who is we?”
“My sister and me.” A flick of his hand. “And my brother-in-law, Jakob, too, of course. We manage the estate together. When the peasants began to panic, we knew something was wrong.”
“When was this?”
“Three weeks ago. My sister, Catherine, is well liked in the community, so she began speaking with the people to gather information. That’s when we learned that the surrounding towns had been affected first and just how long ago the mystery had begun. I traveled to Zilah in search of answers, but distrust of nobility kept the peasants from speaking with me. And the Báthory family, which owns those lands, is tight-lipped. It behooves them to deny atrocity rather than seek remedy. By then, the trail had gone cold. I returned with little more information than I’d left with.”
“That must be frustrating.”
“Indeed, it is.” He claps his hands. “Until the thought occurred to me that a talented werewolf might still be able to follow the scent.”
“I’ll certainly try. I’ve never been to Zilah.” I’ve never been anywhere beyond the towns and villages that border pack territory, but I don’t tell him that.
“It’s much the same—hilly, beautiful, covered in trees. Though the Ottomans have yet to make it that far, and the Protestant locals are under constant threat by the Habsburgs.” Bowie shrugs as if this matters not to him, but I find myself curious.
“Protestant locals? Protesting what?”
His brows arch nearly to his forehead. “The Catholic Church.”
I only vaguely know what he means. Human religion eludes me. Wolves don’t worship anything, though we honor the earth, the sun, and especially the moon. My face must reflect my ignorance.
“We are sandwiched between warring nations here in the Kingdom of Hungary,” says Bowie, indicating as much with precise fingers drawing shapes in the air for me. “The Habsburgs to the north and west would have our lands. They do, in fact, already control a vast portion. And they’re rivaled only by the Ottoman Empire to the south and east. Mostly Islamic people who would also have our lands and do, in fact, already control a vast portion. There isn’t much left that belongs to the actual Magyars.”
This is all fascinating, but I’m a bit lost. He must realize because his hand lands on my shoulder, and warmth tinges his voice when he speaks. “If you’re curious, I’ll teach you the history of these lands you call home, but for the time being, it’s enough to say turmoil reigns. The desires of greedy men cloud the future, but these girls? I have to believe we can save these girls.”
On this, we agree, though my curiosity has now wandered again to the world beyond pack territory and the potential it might hold. I’m glad to be in a position to learn something new from a teacher like Bowie, whose understanding so obviously eclipses my own.
A scent catches my attention, recent death, perhaps a fox. My ears perk up, listening for the sounds of scavengers. An easy opportunity to catch a vulture or maybe a raccoon. I take Bowie’s elbow, silently directing him to stop.
