Free The Mourning Woods - 03 by Rick Gualtieri Page B

begin,” he started, “I should point out a few nuances of your situation. Both of you are far too young to have had any serious dealings with the First Coven.” I opened my mouth to say something, but Alex held up a hand. “I am aware, Freewill, of your dealings with the Khan. Suffice to say, that circumstance was anything but typical.”
     
    “Thank God,” I muttered.
     
    A look very close to amusement passed through Alex’s freaky eyes, then he continued. “The first thing I shall say is that you should both consider it an honor. It is almost unheard of for the First to have dealings with any of our kind less than a century in age. The First are not particularly tolerant of children .” He put a heavy emphasis on that last part.
     
    Thinking back to Gan, my mouth decided to have a mind of its own. “I don’t blame the Draculas. Kids these days,” I said with a laugh, only to realize I was the only one in the room grinning. Alex had a look of mild disapproval on his face, while Sally’s eyes were wide open in shock.
     
    “Yes, about that,” said Alex. “I should warn you that the First are not particularly fond of that nickname either. Their agents have been given authority to make liberal examples of offenders.”
     
    “You’re one of their agents aren’t you?”
     
    “Yes,” Alex confirmed.
     
    “Way to go, Bill,” Sally quipped quietly.
     
    Again, Alex smiled. “I think, considering the circumstances, we can forgo the formalities of this offense for the time being. However, you should know that the First are not particularly known for their forgiveness.”
     
    “Point taken.”
     
    “Good. Now is it correct that the Wanderer filled you in on some of the details as to why you have been chosen?”
     
    “The Wanderer?” Sally asked.
     
    “James,” I replied to her. As I had learned in China, the dude had a lot of nicknames. He apparently got around. I then said to Alex, “Yeah, he brought us up to speed on the whys. I’m to be their proxy to this event because...THEY’RE A BUNCH OF PUSSIES AND I’M OBVIOUSLY FUCKING EXPENDABLE!” Well OK, that’s what I thought . I really finished with, “because I’m the Freewill and thus considered to be highly honored.”
     
    “Essentially correct. The Grendel demand that...”
     
    “Grendel?”
     
    “Yes,” he replied. “Our adversaries at the table...”
     
    “You call them the Grendel?”
     
    “They have lots of names.”
     
    “So I’m learning,” I said. “Isn’t ‘Grendel’ a little insulting, considering how Beowulf kicked its ass?”
     
    “Very astute of you,” Alex replied with a hint of approval. “Yes, it is. Therefore we don’t call them that in their presence.”
     
    “Cool. So Beowulf was a vampire?”
     
    “Not quite. He was one of the Shining Ones.”
     
    Seeing my and Sally’s confused look, he added, “Sorry. I sometimes forget that name has fallen out of usage. I believe you refer to them as Icons.”
     
    There was that word again. Apparently many of the famous monster slayers of old were actually these beings called Icons. From what I had been led to believe, they were actually a bunch of egomaniacs. However, their belief in their own badassery actually made it so. They were able to empower themselves with faith, a form of magic that’s not too compatible with vampires or other supernatural creatures, wizards included.
     
    These guys got around back in the day, and by that I mean kicked everyone’s asses. According to the wizards, supposedly my birth meant they were returning too. Hoo boy. Shit was definitely going to start getting real...assuming of course I could keep from getting my head ripped off by a pack of apes with lots of names, each stupider than the last.
     

Yes, This is One of Those Exposition Chapters
     
     
     
    “Are you still paying attention?” Alex asked.
     
    “Of course,” I lied. He had been droning on about politics and places at the table for over an