A Family Tradition -- Christmas story

 

Loralie glanced over at her boyfriend in the driver's seat before returning to staring out the window at the passing trees. Daren had been distant these last few weeks. She put that down to having to plan his family's Christmas get-together which it seemed was his turn to host. He hadn't told her much about it, just that it was a tradition that the Wulfsige family had brought with them from the old country centuries ago.

She had met him two months ago at a Halloween charity event and he had swept her off her feet. The week before she had had a big blowup with her family and he had been just what she needed to get her mind off that. But she had been surprised that he wanted to take her to his family's get-together. After all the two of them had only been together for a short time and neither had mentioned much about their families. And here he was inviting her to the family celebration. She gave a little sigh at the thought.

“Still nervous, Prooi?” Daren asked, covering the hand on her lap with his and giving it a squeeze. “You shouldn't be. My family will just love you.” A hint of a smile touched his lips at his words.

She gave him a smile back, then made a little gesture toward the trees. “Tell me about this place. You've been awfully secretive about everything.”

“I wanted to surprise you. I picked this place with you in mind,” he told her. A little evasively she thought.

“Is there more than the fact it's deep in the woods? I know I said I'd like to get away from the city but I love my creature comforts.”

“Oh, there are creature comforts believe me,” he said with a slight gleam in his eyes. “It was a hunting lodge for some rich family before the current owners bought it and turned it into the unique getaway it is now.”

“Sounds expensive.”

“Don't worry, Prooi. I got a good deal as the current owners are friends of my family. Besides the pleasure we get from it will be well worth the price.”

She gave him another smile, then looked out the window as the car pulled up in front of the lodge.

It was made of local stone and wood and quite large for a family lodge. Two storied with large glass windows and spread out over the equally large clearing Loralie was reminded of a modern ski resort she had seen on television more than the rustic lodge Daren had implied.

Several people came out of the front door as Daren parked beside the other vehicles and Loralie stared at them. She hadn't expected that many. Daren patted her hand, then exited the car and Loralie followed slowly. She helped him retrieve their luggage from the trunk, then accompanied him silently as he headed toward the group in front of the lodge. They were all staring at her intently as if they were starved and she was the feast. She had to control her reaction or she would have betrayed herself.

Daren stopped as they reached the group and dropped a suitcase to raise a hand to stop the others from speaking. “The festivities will begin tonight,” he said. “We'll meet briefly on the back deck in an hour or so when the sun sets. But first Loralie and I need to freshen up.”

All their eyes were back on her and she forced herself to give them a smile she was sure looked nervous. Some of them scowled at her and stalked off while the others just stared at her with narrowed eyes, making her look at Daren.

He gave her a little smile and shrug, then picked up the suitcase before continuing toward the lodge's front door.

She immediately fell in step behind him, anticipation curling in her stomach.

The lobby was wood paneled and touted a few animal trophies on the wall. A small desk occupied the back wall with two staircases leading up on either side. Not very fancy, but not plain either. Loralie could see how it would appeal to Daren.

Her boyfriend led the way up one of the stairs and onto the upstairs landing. Several doors lined the short hallway and Daren stopped in front of one, setting her suitcase down before it.

“I'm bunking with my cousin Lowell. I figured you would like a room to yourself.” He paused as she stepped up to the door and lifted her suitcase. “I'll be back to take you to the meeting on the deck in a little while. Put something comfortable on. As you saw with the others, we dress rather casual at this get-together.”

“Okay.” She pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. The suitcase and overnight bag went on the double bed before she glanced around.

Most of the room was taken up by the bed and two night stands. At the foot of the bed there was a padded lounger and a small wardrobe sat against the wall to the right of the bed. A door was on the opposite wall to the left of the bed and probably led to a shared bathroom. The color scheme ranged from a hunter green to an earthy brown. In different circumstances she would have enjoyed her time here.

Sighing, she headed to what she thought was the bathroom door and opened it, revealing a small bathroom with a claw footed tub and shower and an old fashion sink and toilet. She made a quick pit stop before going back into the bedroom, closing and locking the bathroom door behind her. Glancing at the small clock on the one nightstand, she moved to the bed and opened her suitcase. It held only one outfit and its accessories.

Loralie put on the red mini dress. It fell loosely to mid-thigh with a leather bodice and pirate sleeves, giving her amazing freedom of movement and showing off her beautifully buff legs. She slipped on her red hooded waistcoat and her normal accoutrements with this outfit.

Just as she finished there came a knock at her door. “Loralie?” came Daren's voice from the other side.

She closed up her coat before she answered the door.

Daren starred at her legs, almost drooling.

Loralie smiled. “Dare, we'll be late.”

He shook his head and stepped back. “Yes,” he said before clearing his throat. “The sun's almost set and the others are already gathered.”

“You sure it's alright for me to be here? After all we've only known each other a couple of months and this is your family.” She stepped out into the hallway and closed her door behind her.

“I told you I planned this get-together with you in mind,” he told her as he slid an arm around her waist. He frowned when she slipped away from his arm but shrugged and gestured toward the stairway. “Shall we?”

She headed toward the stairs and then down them before waiting at the bottom for him to lead the way to the back deck.

Silence fell once the two of them stepped onto the deck. Everyone was staring at Loralie but she ignored them for the moment to study the surroundings. There was very little yard beyond the deck, the trees crowded in with their branches. No light penetrated the wood, except maybe the light of the full moon that hovered overhead in the twilight through the remaining leaves. The deck was clear of the light snow that dusted the ground but the area between the deck and trees was covered in churned snow.

She turned her attention back to the others. There were eight besides Daren and an older couple who she took to be his parents. They were all dressed like Daren in expensive looking track suits as they had been earlier when Daren and she arrived. The only female was the older woman.

“Good evening, everyone,” Daren spoke in a carrying voice from beside her. “Welcome to the Wulfsige Jagd. This is the Prooi. I met her during a 5k race so she should give us a good run.”

Loralie looked at him sharply and he gave her a smile full of sharp teeth.

“I'd advise you to run,”he told her before he dropped to the deck, convulsing. The skin of his cheeks seemed to tear open to reveal silver fur that dripped clear fluid as his face elongated into a snout. His clothes ripped as fur covered muscles burst them apart at the seams and his body changed shape. Seconds later amidst the ruin of the track suit stood a large slick silver wolf.

Around her the others started dropping, convulsing. Except for the older couple, that is.

“You're wasting time,” the older woman told her not unsympathically.

“Emma,” the man said.

The woman shot him a look but subsided.

Loralie hurried down the deck steps and jogged into the trees. She immediately changed her course once the trees hid her from the lodge and tried to keep to the churned up ground. Obviously the wolves had been out sometime and had roamed the woods. Her hand went into her coat pocket and pulled out a small satchel. She paused long enough to scatter the herb about the ground before putting the satchel back in her pocket and continuing to jog farther into the trees.

Howls rent the air and a shiver went through her, but not from the cold. More howls joined the first and she knew the hunt was truly on now. She had been angling her course in a large circle back toward the lodge as she had not wanted to get lost deeper in the woods and the lodge was still her best chance of survival no matter the current occupants.

Movement caused her to stop and turn. Her eyes immediately found the culprit.

A few feet away on a dead fall stood a silver wolf.

Glancing around she notice they were alone. The others must be following her scent trail. Any second now they should hit the herbs and scent would be useless to them. They would have to track her some other way. Harder to do with the curned up snow they had left from their earlier excursions.

The wolf growled at her and hunched his hind quarters in preperation to leap.

Loralie unbuttoned her coat and reach up behind her back, pulling out a stylized short handled ax. Her eyes met the were's and she smiled as she met him in mid-spring.

Daren wasn't the only one following a family tradition.

The picture that inspired the story