was not human. They were like a reflection of a summer sky one moment, but would turn as black as night the next. The eyes of the Gatekeeper were a reflection of the natural world - the world that Sirus helped the Sungmanitu protect.
“There must be.” Anton frowned. “They have taken Gray Eagle’s daughter.”
The Gatekeeper shook his head. “It is not the immortals that have taken her, but a solitary vampire.”
“It makes no difference. They are killing recklessly. Soon the humans will figure out that the vampire exists, and then us. When the Sungmanitu find out about Summer, they will call for war.”
“That is why you must not tell Gray Eagle … at least not yet,” Sirus smiled.
“He would kill me if I did not.”
“Before we let this lead into a war that could last for centuries, you must seek the assistance of the immortal sisters.”
“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about.” Anton was becoming agitated. The Gatekeeper was supposed to be the apex of wisdom, but what he was saying made no sense. He was a Zen warrior, and his instinct was to go on the attack when someone trespassed against the wolves.
“There will come a time when the wolves must accept the presence of the immortals. The sisters are the chosen ones. They can help cleanse the immortals, and bring them to nature. Summer is their link to nature and to the wolves. She must live … and she will live, but there cannot be war.”
“Where do I find them?” Anton asked.
“Lex will know. He is near the gathering site at Beaver Creek.” The Gatekeeper nodded to Anton, and in a flash he was gone.
Chapter Seven
Layers of darkness peeled away from his consciousness, and he began to wake. His sleep had been so deep that he felt as if he were coming back from death. Blinking rapidly, Dash tried to make his eyes work, but everything was a blur. He’d been drugged, that much was obvious.
Dash had no idea where he was, or how long he’d been out. Lifting his arms from his sides, he was relieved that at least his limbs were not bound. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he took in his surroundings. He seemed to be in some type of dungeon. The walls were made of large gray rocks, and the front of his cell was closed off with rusty bars. The only thing between him and the earthen floor was the filthy mattress that he’d been lying on.
“I guess I should be glad that they haven’t killed me yet,” he muttered to himself.
He tried to stand up, but as soon as he put weight on his feet, the room swayed and he fell to his knees. Whatever they’d given him was still messing with his sense of balance. Giving up, he crawled to the bars to see what was beyond his little dungeon cell. All he could see was a large corridor lined with cells similar to the one he was in. There were torches placed along the rock walls to illuminate the passageway.
On the other side of the corridor was another cell. A set of wild eyes peered at him from behind the cell’s bars. The eyes were set in a face with so much hair, that at first Dash wasn’t sure if he was looking at a beast or a man.
“What is this place?” Dash asked, though he wasn’t sure if the man would even understand the question.
“You’re a bloodsucker … yes?” The man’s voice was rough, as if his throat was lined with sandpaper.
“What of it?” Dash glared at him.
The man erupted in a fit of laughter.
Dash shook his head in disgust. The only person he had to talk to was an insane werewolf. That would just be his luck.
He was ready to turn away from the bars that held him prisoner when the man’s laughter died away.
“I’ll bet you think you were lucky … getting through to Outerlands .” Again the man laughed hysterically.
Dash didn’t respond. He had to be in some type of prison for the mentally disturbed.
The man’s giggling stopped abruptly. “You are in the Keep.”
“What’s the Keep,” Dash asked.
“That’s where
“There must be.” Anton frowned. “They have taken Gray Eagle’s daughter.”
The Gatekeeper shook his head. “It is not the immortals that have taken her, but a solitary vampire.”
“It makes no difference. They are killing recklessly. Soon the humans will figure out that the vampire exists, and then us. When the Sungmanitu find out about Summer, they will call for war.”
“That is why you must not tell Gray Eagle … at least not yet,” Sirus smiled.
“He would kill me if I did not.”
“Before we let this lead into a war that could last for centuries, you must seek the assistance of the immortal sisters.”
“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about.” Anton was becoming agitated. The Gatekeeper was supposed to be the apex of wisdom, but what he was saying made no sense. He was a Zen warrior, and his instinct was to go on the attack when someone trespassed against the wolves.
“There will come a time when the wolves must accept the presence of the immortals. The sisters are the chosen ones. They can help cleanse the immortals, and bring them to nature. Summer is their link to nature and to the wolves. She must live … and she will live, but there cannot be war.”
“Where do I find them?” Anton asked.
“Lex will know. He is near the gathering site at Beaver Creek.” The Gatekeeper nodded to Anton, and in a flash he was gone.
Chapter Seven
Layers of darkness peeled away from his consciousness, and he began to wake. His sleep had been so deep that he felt as if he were coming back from death. Blinking rapidly, Dash tried to make his eyes work, but everything was a blur. He’d been drugged, that much was obvious.
Dash had no idea where he was, or how long he’d been out. Lifting his arms from his sides, he was relieved that at least his limbs were not bound. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he took in his surroundings. He seemed to be in some type of dungeon. The walls were made of large gray rocks, and the front of his cell was closed off with rusty bars. The only thing between him and the earthen floor was the filthy mattress that he’d been lying on.
“I guess I should be glad that they haven’t killed me yet,” he muttered to himself.
He tried to stand up, but as soon as he put weight on his feet, the room swayed and he fell to his knees. Whatever they’d given him was still messing with his sense of balance. Giving up, he crawled to the bars to see what was beyond his little dungeon cell. All he could see was a large corridor lined with cells similar to the one he was in. There were torches placed along the rock walls to illuminate the passageway.
On the other side of the corridor was another cell. A set of wild eyes peered at him from behind the cell’s bars. The eyes were set in a face with so much hair, that at first Dash wasn’t sure if he was looking at a beast or a man.
“What is this place?” Dash asked, though he wasn’t sure if the man would even understand the question.
“You’re a bloodsucker … yes?” The man’s voice was rough, as if his throat was lined with sandpaper.
“What of it?” Dash glared at him.
The man erupted in a fit of laughter.
Dash shook his head in disgust. The only person he had to talk to was an insane werewolf. That would just be his luck.
He was ready to turn away from the bars that held him prisoner when the man’s laughter died away.
“I’ll bet you think you were lucky … getting through to Outerlands .” Again the man laughed hysterically.
Dash didn’t respond. He had to be in some type of prison for the mentally disturbed.
The man’s giggling stopped abruptly. “You are in the Keep.”
“What’s the Keep,” Dash asked.
“That’s where
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