Robin Hood and the Dragon’s Mate
Chapter 4

By early afternoon John had led them to the place where he had met her. Like a master tracker, he easily followed her wildly looping trail back to the clearing that she had woken up in. She found her MP3 player and her cell phone hidden amongst the weeds. She checked, even though she knew that there would be no signal. The phone turned on but showed no signs of picking up even foreign cell towers.

She shrugged, slipping the phone into her pocket. What could she expect if this really was the twelfth century? The MP3 player had been chewed to pieces, so she left it where she found it, sad that she couldn’t at least listen to some familiar music in this unfamiliar place. She wondered if Athyn’s PSP still worked. Quietly, John asked them not to move from the tight circle they had formed in the center of the clearing.

He started walking around them in ever widening circles. He seemed to be sniffing the air. She was just about to ask Will what John was doing, when the big man sighed and whispered something to Robin before jogging into the nearby trees. She opened her mouth to ask where he had gone when she heard a growl and then a huge black wolf stepped into the clearing. She gasped and backed away.

Will slipped an arm around her shoulders, “Shhh, it’s all right, it’s just John. He can’t smell as well in human form.”

She stared up at him stunned as he grinned, “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, he’s a werewolf.” Her jaw dropped. She was ready to sit down in the center of this clearing and refuse to move an inch until she and her brother were returned to the real world. Her tantrum was halted before it began however, because John started growling and then barked once taking off into the trees.

Will clapped her on the back with a big grin, “He’s picked up your brother’s scent!” She let out an excited whoop as the entire group ran into the woods following the wolf-shaped shadow that raced ahead of them.

* * *

They followed the wolf until darkness made following such a dark creature impossible. Robin called a halt. Will set about gathering wood to burn. Ever since he’d felt the surge of jealousy over Robin comforting Ashlyn, Will had been on edge.

He tried to distance himself from the girl, but learned quickly that this was not something he was capable of. He cared for her and she clearly needed a friend right now. He couldn’t refuse her the comfort of a friend just because he was confused by his own feelings.

She had returned his comfort when he had shared his fears about his parentage, and that act of compassion had only deepened his appreciation for her. She hadn’t cringed away from him at the idea that his father might be…well, he still couldn’t bring himself to think about it. But she had offered her support without judgement and for that he was grateful. A strange tension had formed between his shoulders over the day of walking as he had tried very hard not to think the thoughts that were tormenting him. Gathering logs to chop for the fire he felt as if every muscle was as tight as Robin’s bowstring, right on the verge of snapping.

* * *

Ashlyn helped by gathering twigs for kindling. As she worked with Will, she noticed a white scar on his arm. It was raised, in the shape of an ‘S’ with a less pronounced circle around it and a line through the center.

He noticed her studying it and looked hesitant. Finally he shrugged, “The ‘S’ was the brand of my…owner.”

Looking up sharply, she caught the look of humiliation that crossed his face before he schooled his expression to neutral. “The rest, the circle with the line through it, is from Robin when he…bought me.”

He looked uncomfortable with the discussion, still Ashlyn couldn’t help gasping in surprise. “Robin branded you? I thought he was your friend.” She frowned at Robin with distaste.

“Robin is my friend. He did what he had to do.” Will explained, pulling the sleeve of his tunic back over the brand in discomfort.

Robin cut into their conversation. “It had to be done. If the previous owner’s brand wasn’t covered or cancelled in some way he could have later claimed that Will was a runaway and taken him back. Believe me. I did not want to bring him pain.” Will sent a grateful smile towards Robin then headed back into the woods for more branches.

Ashlyn swallowed hard, nodding, horrified at the mere thought that someone had pressed burning hot metal against Will’s arm to brand him, not once but twice. Unable to think of a single thing to say, she went back to gathering sticks for the fire. Plagued by the thought that Athyn was now in the same position Will had been in, she tried desperately not to imagine her baby brother being branded.

She focused on her task with renewed vigor, determined not to let her discouragement show. When she sliced the palm of her hand on a sharp branch Ashlyn felt the weight of the world come crashing down on her. She collapsed onto a stump sobbing even though the pain wasn’t bad at all.

Suddenly Alan was beside her, slipping a soothing arm around her shoulders. It seemed odd that he would offer comfort, when he had been the one to voice the loudest objection about continuing to help her. He muttered soothing words to her then lifted her bleeding palm to his lips. He kissed her wound and she saw his tongue quickly flick out to lick the blood away.

Suddenly Ashlyn felt an impact that almost knocked her from the log. She turned to see Will on top of Alan, his hand around the other man’s throat.

“Don’t you touch her,” Will growled, sounding almost feral in his anger.

Alan shook his head trying to break free of Will’s iron grip. “You know that I wouldn’t hurt her,” he gasped.

Will’s eyes flashed, “Her blood is on your lips,” he snarled.

Alan shoved at Will, trying to dislodge him but he didn’t budge, “Will, she had a cut. I was going to clean it and heal it for her.”

“When? After you drank your fill of her blood?” Will demanded.

Ashlyn cringed at the venom in his voice. She stood and backed away from the fight. Robin came up beside her and patted her arm twice before stepping past the empty fire pit to pull Will off of Alan. Will whirled to face Robin, “You would defend him?”

Robin sighed, “I would stop either of you from doing something you will later regret.” John’s large black wolf form entered camp. He stood beside Ashlyn. She couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and rub the fur behind his ears. It was silky soft, not coarse as she had imagined. He rumbled low in his throat, pressing his warm side against her leg. She knew she should probably be scared with a three hundred pound werewolf standing next to her, but instead she felt safe and oddly peaceful in his presence.

Robin still stood between Alan and Will. The tension in the air was almost palpable. Will was taking deep calming breaths, but he still looked ready to rip Alan’s head off. Alan rubbed his throat, “I didn’t do anything to her.” He swore, “I would never…”

Will glowered at him, “I knew it was only a matter of time before you would lose control...”

“I didn’t lose control Will. She cut herself, I was trying to help.”

Robin turned to face him his tone soft and reasoning, “Alan, why tempt yourself with the taste of her blood? Don’t you think it is a bad idea to invite such temptation?”

Alan hung his head, “It was foolish, I know. But I swear to you that I care for the girl. I would no sooner harm a hair on her head…”

Will interrupted his vow, “That’s funny, considering you destroyed the last beautiful woman you ‘cared for’.”

Alan froze and his face became even paler. He took a step back. Immediately Will seemed to regret his words. He held up his hands, “Alan…I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”

Alan nodded briskly, “I’ll take first watch.” He left the camp before anyone could say another word. John rubbed his furry head against Ashlyn’s side and then took off after Alan.

Ashlyn turned to Will and Robin, “No. Don’t tell me. Let me guess. Alan’s a vampire.” Will opened his mouth to speak, shut it again and nodded. She sat down hard on the log. She turned to face the friar who was preparing dinner and ignoring everyone else. “And what are you?” She asked, “A wizard?”

The friar laughed, “No, my dear. I’m just a humble friar, though I do tend to have the undesirable gift of necromancy,” he added as an afterthought.

Ashlyn stared at him, “Necro…like with dead bodies?”

The friar shuddered, “Unfortunately yes. An extremely un-useful talent I would have to say.”

Ashlyn just shook her head incredulously. Will had gone back to chopping logs and Robin was trying to talk to him. He had to speak a little louder than his usual soft voice in order for Will to hear him over the sound of the axe because Will refused to stop chopping, so Ashlyn heard him as well. “You trust Alan with your life. You have for months. What is different here?”

Will was silent while he lifted the heavy axe and then let it fall, splitting a thick log cleanly in two. “The difference is that I can defend myself if he ever does lose control. What defense does she have against a vampire? He’s stronger and faster than most men.”

Robin waited while Will split another log and then placed a hand on his arm, “She is not yours to defend, Will.”

Will dropped the axe and spun to face Robin, fury evident on his face. For a moment Ashlyn thought he might attack Robin, but then he buried his face in his hands and took several long deep breaths. When he lifted his head to look at his friend it was pinched with pain. He let out a long weary sigh, “I never said she was mine. Just that she needs protection.”

“Will, this is more than the simple desire to protect her. This is almost territorial behavior. She is not your property or your mate, you need to step back and realize that we are all here to protect her, even Alan.”

“And if he loses control?” Will demanded, picking up his axe again.

“He will not.” Robin insisted.

“How can you know for sure?” Will asked, defeat making his shoulders slump.

“Because, if he did, he would have to kill every one of us, or spend the rest of his life fearing reprisal. Alan is your friend Will. You hurt him badly with your words.”

Will hung his head, “I know, and I am sorry that I said it.”

Robin patted his arm, “It isn’t me that you owe the apology to.”

Will nodded, returning to his axe. Robin headed over to the friar to help prepare dinner.

* * *

Alan reached a point just beyond the perimeter surrounding the camp and paced, the pain of his memories flooding him as Will’s words struck right to the heart. He heard John arrive before he saw him. “I’m not in the mood to talk right now,” he grumbled.

John who had not shifted from wolf form just growled. Turning to look at his furry friend, Alan quirked his lip, “Okay clearly you’re not either. What are you doing out here?” John stepped up beside him and leaned against his side. Alan absently ran his fingers through the wolf’s long fur, “Yes, I guess I do need a friend now.”

He sat on a log. John curled up at his feet looking up at him expectantly. With a friend ready and willing to listen to him Alan poured out his heart. “Will’s right you know? As much as I loved Kaylen, I did destroy her.” Pink tears fell unchecked and splashed onto John’s furry head as Alan continued. “I had no right to tempt myself like that. And it was tempting, John, but I swear I would leave before I would hurt any of you, including the girl.”

John lifted his head and placed it on Alan’s knee. He stared at Alan as if to say, ‘well I know that and you know that, but does she?’

Alan smiled, “You’re right. I can’t expect trust, I have to earn it. It does make me sad that Will doesn’t trust me though.” John growled.

Alan nodded, “I think that when it comes to Ashlyn, the boy is thinking with his heart alone. I know what that’s like, so I guess I can forgive him.” He rubbed John behind the ear, “Thank you for being such a good friend John. I think I’ll go clear the air with them.” He stood and John nodded at him as he turned and headed back to camp.

* * *

The rhythm of the slow wagon had caused Athyn to fall asleep. When a rut on the path caused the wagon to jump, he didn’t know how long he’d been sleeping. He had a surge of panic when he realized that he was out of clothing items to leave for Ashlyn to follow, but then he remembered his PSP. He pulled it out of his pocket, sad about having to lose it, then he tossed it onto the side of the road and prayed that his sister would find it.

He knew Ashlyn was smart, but she had never been taught how to track someone by just a handful of personal items. What if she found the jacket but went in the wrong direction? The only thing his stuff could do was affirm that she was going in the right direction if she was. He hoped that luck would be on his side.

Laying his head back again, he closed his eyes and prayed that he would fall asleep to wake once more in his own bed in the tiny apartment above the bar where Ashlyn worked. He had hated that place, but right now he would give anything to open his eyes and find himself there. “What I wouldn’t give for a pizza,” he grumbled, thinking that even three-day-old pizza would at least get rid of the gnawing hunger he couldn’t shake.

David gave him a curious look, “What’s a pizza?”

Laughing, Athyn shook his head, “Very funny, everyone knows what pizza is.”

The other boy just shook his head, “I don’t.” With a shrug Athyn described how pizza was made and talked about all of his favorite toppings, including pineapple and extra cheese. “That sounds amazing; I would love to try it one day.”

Athyn chuckled, “If we ever get out of this mess, I’ll buy you a slice,” he promised.

* * *

Ashlyn heard a noise. Looking up, she was startled to see Alan standing over her. He gave her a courtly bow, “My apologies if my actions led to any discomfort on your part.” He said.

Ashlyn smiled, surprised that, even knowing he was a vampire, she wasn’t afraid of him, “no need to apologize.” She gestured at the log beside her.

He sat and then gestured to her injured hand, “May I?” He asked and she hesitated, not because she was afraid, but because she was worried that Will would get upset again.

Suddenly Will was standing beside her, “Go ahead,” he urged softly, “He won’t hurt you.” Alan looked up and nodded his thanks to Will. It seemed that an entire conversation took place in the moment they looked at each other.

Ashlyn held out her hand. Alan took it gently in his own. With his other hand he reached up, pressing his thumb to a sharp tooth and it came away with a bead of dark blood pooling on the pad of his thumb. He pressed his thumb against her cut, smearing the blood over it. Then taking the edge of his tunic, he wiped the blood away. She stared in shock. The cut was gone. He smiled up at her, “There, temptation removed.”

Will shifted uncomfortably, “Alan, I…”

Alan lifted his hand, “I know. I forgive you…half-blood.”

Will stared at him. Alan sighed, “Yes I heard your conversation with the girl, but to be honest I wasn’t sure I believed it until you pinned me. No normal man could have held me down like that.”

Will couldn’t meet his gaze until Alan harrumphed, “Oh, give me a break,” he rolled his eyes, “I’m not a hypocrite. If you can accept me for what I was born as, I sure as hell won’t judge you for your parentage.”

Will smiled and held out his hand. Alan took it and pulled him into one of those half hug, thump on the back things that men do. Ashlyn had never understood those, but she was glad that they were friends again. Now that everyone was getting along, Alan headed back out to stand guard. “Doesn’t he ever sleep?” she asked Will.

Will nodded, “He and John switch off, and it gives them time to hunt too. Neither of them seems to need to sleep for as long as the rest of us, though.”

He turned to Ashlyn then, a serious look on his face. “I owe you an apology too.”

She cocked her head at him, “Me? Why?”

He shrugged, “For assuming that it was my place to protect you, and for assuming that you needed protection.”

Smiling she said, “I appreciate you looking out for me, Will, but I’d rather you not fight with your friends because of me… unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

He grinned back at her, “But people who are not friends? I can take their heads off if they mess with you?”

She laughed, “Sure, if they are not friends and if they mean me harm, then feel free to remove their heads.”

Laughing he held out his hand, shaking hers in mock seriousness, “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

That night she dreamed of a Bela Lugosi-esque depiction of Dracula.

Everything was in black and white with blurred edges, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t pull anyone into focus and she couldn’t seem to control her own body. She lay on an old fashioned chaise lounge with a lacy gown on that conformed to her body and left way too much of her neck exposed. Dracula crept slowly toward her and she felt his slow, ominous approach. The dark cloaked vampire leaned over her, his breath cold against her skin, fangs extending and pressing against her exposed neck.

She woke in a cold sweat, sitting bolt upright, lifting her hand to the spot where she had felt the sharp press of his fangs.

Will woke when she sat up, “Are you okay?” He asked, looking around for any sign of danger.

“Yes, it was just a bad dream.” She explained, embarrassed.

He didn’t seem entirely convinced, looking around once more for any sign of danger before smiling up at her, “Here, you can use my arm for a pillow. It is much more comfortable than a rock.”

She lay back on his arm and snuggled close to his warmth. She would never have done this with a guy back home; but true to his gentlemanly form, Will only brushed his fingers through her hair and hummed a soft tune to her until she drifted back to sleep. Somehow, she felt safe and at home with Will, like she was right where she belonged.

* * *

It was difficult for Will to get back to sleep. Just as Robin had predicted, he was growing attached to Ashlyn. Any hint of danger toward her seemed to drive him to the edge of madness. He knew logically that he had overreacted to Alan’s overtures. He wasn’t even certain that it was the threat to her safety that had sent him lunging at his friend. He feared that it may have been in part a jealousy for the intimacy of Alan kissing her hand, even if it had been to taste her blood.

He lay awake staring at the stars, wondering where all this rage had come from. What if his fears about the identity of his father were true? Did that mean it was the monster within him rising up to destroy everything he held dear? It seemed that had he been able to, he would have killed Alan for his slight indiscretion. He knew that Robin was right; he held no claim over Ashlyn. She was not his wife or even his betrothed.

Robin had chastised him saying that she wasn’t his mate, as if he were behaving and treating her like an animal would treat his mate, like a possession. He hadn’t meant to treat her that way. He didn’t think of her like that, did he? He watched her breathing softly, a sweet peaceful look on her face. He didn’t feel as if he owned her, but he did feel the overwhelming need to protect her, to keep her close to him, always. He felt the desire to kiss her lips and brush his fingers across her the soft skin of her cheek. He was surprised by the depth of his feelings. This wasn’t a matter of protection or possessiveness, he realized with a start. This was the first stirrings of love.

“Oh God,” he whispered, turning his gaze to the stars. “I cannot allow myself to feel this way, when she leaves it will destroy me.”

A pair of green eyes appeared over him and he blinked and then recognized the outline as Alan’s. “You cannot choose your feelings my friend. But perhaps she will grow to share them and choose to stay here with you.”

Will felt a spark of hope, but it was quickly dampened by harsh reality. “If she stays she will always face the danger of the Dragon finding and claiming her.” He blinked the tears from his eyes, “She can never be mine Alan, no matter how much I long for it to be so.”

Alan sighed, “I know you’re in pain my friend and I wish I could keep you from it. Cherish the time that you have, Will. Maybe we will find a way to make everything work out.”

Will nodded. He let out a weary sigh as his friend walked away. He appreciated the support especially after how he had treated Alan earlier, but he didn’t feel that there was any way that this would ever turn out well. He had a terrible feeling that Robin had been right and that this could only end with his heart breaking.

* * *

When Ashlyn woke, she thought that she was feverish, but soon realized that she was just sweltering hot. She lay with her head on Will’s shoulder and her arm was slung over his chest. Against her back was the massive furry body of a black wolf. She crawled to her feet and smiled at John who looked up at her and whimpered softly. “Thanks for keeping me warm last night.” She whispered. He let his tongue hang out in a happy pant.

She made her way into the woods to refresh herself. She found a stream a few yards away. She dunked her hair in to try to rinse the grit out of it. Then she scooped a handful of the icy water to wash her face. She was going to have to give in and bathe in the cold stream if this hike went on much longer, she decided.

The sun shone on the water. Ashlyn smiled as she saw a school of small fish darting around the shallow pool. She could hear birds chirping. The breeze brought the sweet scent of crushed leaves and pine to her nose.

As she headed back to camp, she mused over how rich she might become if she ‘invented’ the concept of indoor plumbing. This place might actually be a nice place to stay if it only had toilets and hot showers, she thought. Then she thought about Will and how good it felt to wake with him as her pillow and she thought that it was kind of a nice place anyway.

When she reached camp, everyone was eating. Will held up a bowl for her. She took it with a smile and sat beside him. She noticed Alan eating some of the stew as well.

“Alan,” she asked, “I don’t mean to be nosey, but you drink blood, right?” He nodded and took another bite of stew. “Well, why do you eat regular food then?” she asked, worried that she was being rude.

He smiled, “To fit in, of course.” He explained simply, “Besides it tastes good.” She opened her mouth but couldn’t think of a response so she just closed it again.

Will was quiet as they packed up camp. Ashlyn wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts so she decided that she should leave him to them.

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