The Light at the End of the Tunnel - 16. Chapter 16

Asa tried to smile as he handed over his passport to the customs official, but he knew it fell short. It had been a long trip, and he was tired. Thankfully, the officer barely glanced at him, merely glanced at his photo, then waved him on his way. Caleb and Corbin received the same treatment as him—perks of flying privately.

Sebastian sent the High Council’s jet to take them to Frankfurt. He argued that, as senior Alpha, it was his right to choose who could utilize the plane. Besides, Reilly told them their wolves would be grateful. Now that they were on firm ground, Asa couldn’t argue that point. His beast had been restless the entire flight, keeping him awake and alert.

Corbin was the only one who was nonplussed. Prior to moving to Texas, he had traveled often for work, so he slept most of the flight. Now, their friend looked bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, while he and Caleb looked like they’d been awake for a week. Asa felt his eyes drooping. Some food and a few hours of sleep would do him a world of good. For now, he turned his face to the sun as they exited the private terminal. The warm rays were like a shot of adrenaline. A short-term fix, but it would get him through the next few hours. He felt Caleb next to him doing the same.

“Mr. Micco?” a voice inquired.

“Yes,” Caleb answered, as they all swung their heads to see a broad-shouldered man with a friendly smile standing next to a gray minivan with heavily tinted windows.

“I’m Robert. Pieter sent me to fetch you. Your luggage is loaded. When you are ready, we can leave.”

Caleb introduced Asa and Corbin and then asked if they could stop to get something to eat. Robert willingly obliged, and after quelling his rumbling stomach, Asa fell asleep with his head on Caleb’s shoulder.

He had no idea how much time passed when he felt Caleb nudge him into consciousness. Sitting up, he blinked several times, unsure if what he saw was real. Zev and Ben tried to describe the castle that once housed the High Council headquarters, but their description did not do it justice.

Robert drove them into the main entry and parked the minivan. Two massive doors were built into the ancient stone walls. A smaller door off to the side was opened, allowing a young man and a middle-aged woman to exit.

Asa stretched as he stepped into the courtyard, impressed by the surroundings. Solid stones stretched upward, capped by turrets high above. He could imagine stepping back in time if not for the vehicles and modern lights mounted on the walls. The young man pulled a rolling cart and went to the back of the minivan, where he and Robert started unloading the suitcases.

Corbin started to go around to help, but the woman gently placed a hand on his arm. “Please, Raymond and Robert will see your bags get to your rooms. I’m Clara Schoëfrund. I’ve been helping Pieter coordinate the schedule for the hybrids.” She smiled warmly at them. Her English was excellent, although heavily accented.

“I’m sure you’ve had a long trip and are anxious to get things underway. Pieter is waiting inside. The boys have him engrossed in a game of poker. I do believe he’s getting fleeced, as you Americans put it.” Her laughter echoed off the walls as they entered a long hallway.

Asa looked at Caleb and chuckled. It seemed like kids in Germany were the same as their counterparts in the U.S.

They followed Clara into the most jaw-dropping library Asa had ever seen. Shelves spanning two stories lined three walls. Catwalks with rolling ladders had been strategically built to make all the tomes accessible.

The fourth wall was on the outer part of the castle and housed a large fireplace. A cozy sitting area with a couple of couches and oversized chairs was perfect for spending a chilly winter afternoon. The only thing missing was a rack of folded blankets.

There was a billiard table and two poker tables, one hosting an older gentleman and three hybrid boys. All four were so intent on their game that they failed to notice the new arrivals.

Clara cleared her throat.

The older gentleman looked up at them and smiled. Putting down his cards, he rose to his feet. "Boys, our guests have arrived."

The three hybrids scrambled to their feet. The smallest of them stepped closer to the gentleman, who reassuringly put an arm over his shoulder.

Asa quickly did a visual assessment. All three boys looked in good health. It wasn’t hard to determine which two were brothers. Similar in build and coloring, the one clinging to the older gentleman was a near-carbon copy of the boy to his left, who stood a few inches taller. The third hybrid was the odd man out. Where the brothers had light brown hair and blue eyes, nature blessed this boy with thick, dark locks and deep brown eyes.

Clara stepped forward to introduce them, but the older man politely brushed her off and extended his hand. “I’m Pieter Schultz. These are my charges, Dante, Duncan, and Marcel.”

Dante and Duncan were brothers, with Dante being the older of the two. Marcel was the dark-haired boy. The three regarded them with curious eyes. Dante signed something to Pieter. Asa thought it was, Are they here to cure us? His signing skills still weren’t great.

“We’re going to do our best,” Caleb answered.

Dante gave Caleb a guarded look, then signed, You better.

Asa laughed. He liked this kid already. “Come here, please, Dante. Don’t worry. I won’t bite.”

Dante walked over, stopped directly in front of him, and raised his chin with a false measure of bravado. Behind him, his brother let out a little whimper. Christ! What the hell had the poor kid gone through that scared him so much? Asa’s heart nearly broke.

“Can I touch you?” he asked. “It won’t hurt. I promise. It helps me see what I need to do to cure you. I only need to put my hands on your head. Is that okay with you?” He would never do anything without permission.

Dante nodded.

When Asa placed his hands on either side of the boy’s head, he could immediately see what connections needed to be rerouted, which needed to be recreated, and which needed to be built from scratch. He pulled his hands away, gently patted Dante’s shoulder, and smiled. “Everything will be okay,” he assured Dante.

Dante signed with a flurry of finger movements, much too fast for Asa to follow. He looked to Pieter for help.

“He’s asking if you’ll do the same for his brother and Marcel.”

“Of course. As long as it’s okay with them,” he replied, glancing at the other boys.

Marcel was quick to agree, and Asa quickly ascertained that while he had a few more serious issues to contend with, there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed.

Duncan shook with fear, and Asa didn’t want to spook him. “Hey, how about we wait until tomorrow? I’m a little tired from the flight and should probably rest. Would that be alright with you?”

Two big, blue owl-like eyes blinked at him. Pieter said something to him in German, and Duncan buried his head in the man’s side.

“Dante, why don’t you and Marcel take Duncan outside to play for a little while until it’s time to wash up for dinner, ja?” Pieter suggested.

As the three boys left, Duncan gave Asa an unsure look over his shoulder, disappearing out of sight in silence.

“What happened to them?” Corbin asked.

“It’s probably a familiar story,” Pieter said. “Why don’t I bring some refreshments outside, and we can sit on the terrace? It’s too nice of a day to spend cooped up.”

“I’ll find Willa and have her bring something out to you,” Clara offered.

Pieter led them to a set of sliding glass doors they hadn’t noticed. This place was so huge it was easy to overlook so many features. Caleb took Asa’s hand as they strolled into the sunny patio area. There was a large table partially shaded by an umbrella. He and Caleb let Pieter and Corbin take the seats in the shade. He preferred to recharge in the sunlight while he had the chance. The warm rays felt exhilarating on his skin, making it tingle.

The three boys kicked a soccer ball around in the field below them. Dante and Marcel teased each other but were patient with Duncan, letting him steal the ball and run down the field to where a net was set up, allowing him to score.

“Dante and Duncan lived in a foster home before being taken,” Pieter said. “Their parents were murdered during a home invasion. Dante was at a friend’s house for a sleepover. Duncan was home and witnessed everything. The perpetrators killed his father first, tied him up, and then violated his mother before killing her. They untied the boy and laughed when he tried to wake up his parents. Then they stabbed him, ransacked the house, and on the way out, kicked him in the head when they saw he was still alive.”

Asa felt bile rising in his throat. Jesus, how could anyone do all of that? The mental images rocketing through his brain were horrendous. It was no wonder Duncan was wary of strangers. The boy must be severely traumatized.

“That’s horrible!” Caleb exclaimed. “How long ago did it happen?”

“Almost four years ago, I believe,” Pieter answered. “Dante was eleven, and Duncan was ten. They didn’t have any other living relatives. Their Alpha asked a newly mated couple to take them in.”

They were interrupted when a young woman appeared at the sliding glass door, trying to open it with her foot as her hands were full, holding a large tray of refreshments.

Corbin jumped up and hurried over to help. “Here, let me get that for you,” he said, reaching to take the heavy tray.

“Danke,” the woman replied.

Asa couldn’t help but notice the blush that rushed up her face when Corbin smiled at her.

“Uh-um, you’re w-welcome,” Corbin stuttered. It looked like their friend was tongue-tied.

“Gentlemen, this is Willa,” Pieter said. “Her mother is Luther’s mate. Luther is one of our caretakers. You’ll meet him at dinner tonight. I’ve asked the staff to join us.” He turned to Willa. “Willa, these are our guests who will be working with the boys to cure them. This is Caleb, Asa, and the knight in shining armor who came to your rescue is Corbin.”

Willa laughed. “Welcome. Thank you for coming and helping our boys.” Turning her attention to Corbin, she bit her bottom lip, looked down, then back up at him and teased, “Thank you for being a knight in shining armor. I was about to drop the tray. You are my hero.”

Corbin had regained his wits and, not missing a beat, he put one arm behind his back, the other in front, and bowed low at the waist. Standing straight, he replied, “It was my honor, fair maiden.”

Willa laughed again. Asa and Caleb shook their heads and chuckled. Even Pieter was smiling at their antics. It was good to see Corbin flirting. The man had lost everything in the fire, and maybe a vacation fling was just what he needed.

Willa blew Corbin a kiss and gave everyone else a little wave as she left, pulling the slider closed behind her.

“She’s cute,” Corbin said as he sat down.

“She’s human,” Caleb remarked.

“Yes,” Pieter confirmed. “She was five when her mother met Luther. Anna was rather wild in her younger years. She admitted she loved to party, drank freely, and dabbled in drugs. She also didn’t care who she slept with, nor did she keep track of who they were. She has no idea who Willa’s father is. As soon as she found out she was pregnant, she stopped partying, drinking, and doing drugs. She worked full-time, and in Germany, maternity leave can be taken for up to three years.”

“Three years?” Corbin gaped. “In the U.S., parents only get three months.

Pieter cocked his head. “There are many pros and cons to living in your country. That is most definitely a con.”

Caleb nodded. “You said it. So, getting back to the boys. How and when were they abducted?”

Pieter took a sip from the glass of lemonade he’d taken off the tray. “A year ago, Dante and Duncan were being moved from one foster home to another because their foster mother was having an affair, and the marriage was on shaky ground. From what I’ve heard, they’ve since divorced. As you must be aware, in the shifter community, there aren’t as many options for placement in foster situations. Their original pack was small, and their Alpha didn’t have another family or couple to take the boys. He petitioned the Council for assistance in placing the boys in a good home. That was his mistake. Belland took charge and assured the Alpha he would find an ‘appropriate placement' for them.”

Caleb let out his breath in a whoosh. “His idea of appropriate placement was in a lab in Norway.”

Pieter dipped his chin once in affirmation.

“And Marcel?” Asa asked.

“His situation was different. Marcel’s pack lives in southern France. They are what, in the human world, would be called aristocrats. Most packs in Europe can trace their lineage back thousands of years. Marcel’s Alpha is a direct descendant of Jaeger, one of the original Sentinels. They are the closest thing to royalty our world has.”

“I never realized that,” remarked Caleb.

“Hmpf. I don’t see why you would. Many of the shifters who left for the New World did so because they were sick and tired of the oppression by those who considered themselves upper class.”

“So what does that have to do with Marcel?’ Asa asked.

“Marcel was kidnapped a few months before Dante and Duncan,” Pieter explained. “Strikers nabbed him when he was walking home from the stables one afternoon. Marcel did show jumping and had been practicing. His parents seemed distraught in the first few weeks, but as time passed, their inquiries became less frequent. When the boys were freed from the facility in Norway and Marcel was identified, his parents shunned him when they found out he had been turned into a hybrid. His pack refused to take him back without parental support.”

“Goddamn!” Caleb exploded. “Why the fuck do these people even have kids in the first place?”

Asa put his hand on his mate’s arm to calm him. His touch seemed to work. Caleb relaxed, and his expression went from homicidal to mere reckless endangerment. He reached for a pastry from the tray Willa brought, choosing something that looked like a blondie with nuts on top. Breaking off a piece, he offered it to Caleb.

“Here. Try this.” He shoved the morsel between his mate’s lips, then took a piece for himself. The bite practically melted on his tongue. It was all sorts of buttery goodness with a light sweetness and just the right crunchiness from the nuts sprinkled on top.

“Holy shit! What is this?” he asked, licking his lips before taking another bite.

Pieter laughed. “It’s called butterkuchen. It means butter cake. It’s usually served at funerals and weddings but also popular for afternoon tea.”

Asa licked his fingers as he finished the last bite. After swallowing, he remarked, “That ought to be designated as the national dessert. It’s so good!”

“I’ll make sure our chef is aware of your review.”

“Five stars for sure.” Asa chuckled.

“Pieter, exactly how many hybrids do you have coming?” asked Caleb. He, too, licked his fingers after finishing the treat.

“Including our three here, there are thirty-one. Is that going to be a problem?”

Asa shook his head. “It shouldn’t be. In Montana, I could average four a day with a break every third day or so. It all depends on the extent of the damage. We found it best to play it by ear and not have a set schedule. So please make sure that everyone knows that the timetable is not set in stone.”

“Of course,” Pieter agreed.

“I think this time, Asa should pace himself a little better. Two to two-and-a-half weeks sounds reasonable to me,” Caleb said, sliding his arm across the back of Asa’s chair and ghosting his fingers along his neck. Asa shivered at the light sensation, smiling.

“Two weeks should be plenty of time,” Asa agreed. “Sebastian said the experiments didn’t start here in Europe until three years ago.”

“Yes,” Pieter confirmed. “It seemed our dear Harold didn’t want to shit in his own house and held off on bringing the Norway facility online as long as he could. Why does that make a difference?”

Asa took a deep breath. “The European hybrids have the advantage of being subjects of the latter part of the process. The scientists had already worked out the more horrific effects of their experiments. Norway’s team was trying to fine-tune some of their research. The results weren’t as catastrophic as the earlier tests.”

“How do you know? You haven’t seen the boys,” asked Corbin.

“Sebastian had copies of all the records from Norway, and we brought them with us when we left Montana,” said Caleb.

“I read through them on the plane while you were sleeping,” Asa admitted. “I’ll still need to get together with whoever oversees their care here to coordinate how we’ll prioritize them.”

“That would be Clara and Otto. He is our staff physician caring for all the hybrid boys,” Pieter told them. “Clara has contacted all of the families to update them. Everyone is very excited.”

Asa smiled and sniffed. “Well, I’m happy I can help. I’d like to meet with Clara and Otto as soon as possible to get everything ready to start.”

“They will be at dinner tonight. I thought you might want to rest up for a bit this afternoon. I took the liberty of arranging for a working dinner. All their files will be there, and anything else you need can be brought in.”

“Thank you, Pieter,” Caleb acknowledged. “I am getting a bit drowsy, and I can see Asa is tired too. Our wolves weren’t too fond of being in a plane. I think a short nap is just what we need.”

“Don’t sleep too long,” Corbin warned. “Otherwise, your body will have a harder time adjusting to the time difference. I slept pretty well, so I think I will see if I can join the boys. I hate seeing Duncan so afraid of us. Maybe if I spend a little time with them, he’ll see we’re not so bad”

“You’re a good man, Corbin,” remarked Pieter.

Asa watched their friend blush at the compliment.

Corbin walked down the path toward where the boys were playing. Pieter led Asa and Caleb through what seemed like a maze of hallways before finally stopping in front of a door he assumed was their room.

“I’ll send Robert to fetch you for dinner so you don’t get lost. It takes a few days to get used to where you’re going.”

They thanked Pieter and stepped into the room, or rather the suite. Asa took in the amazing view from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking out across the valley, tall, snow-capped mountains stretched across the distant landscape as far as the eye could see. It was breathtaking.

Asa felt Caleb’s strong arms wrap around him and pull him close up against his muscular chest. He hummed his contentment. As he dropped his head against Caleb’s shoulder, his mate planted a soft kiss on his neck, sending shivers down his entire body.

Caleb chuckled. “As much as I’d love to ravish you right now, I’m so fucking tired I feel like I can sleep standing up.”

Asa turned around and gave the man a chaste kiss. “Then let’s find the shower, wash off the travel grime, set an alarm for–” he checked the time on his phone, “an hour and a half, then mutual blow jobs, then we’ll get ready for dinner.”

Caleb captured his lips with a grin, then gave them a little nip. “Brilliant plan.”

Three hours later, they followed Robert back through the maze to the dining room. The room was large. Asa guessed it may have been some sort of ballroom at one point. The ceilings were high, and while there were a lot of windows, they were narrow. It had been converted to a cafeteria-type dining hall. Along the interior wall were long tables that could be used for buffets.

Pieter greeted them when they arrived and introduced them to Otto. The doctor was younger than Asa thought he was going to be. Otto seemed like a name for someone’s great-grandfather. This Otto looked like he was in his mid-to-late twenties.

As he took Asa’s hand, he gave a slight tilt and bow of his head. It felt quite formal, almost like Otto had stepped out of another time period. Asa had no trouble picturing him in the traditional attire of a Victorian aristocrat.

Otto grinned slyly and caught Asa’s gaze. For some reason, he couldn’t look away. It was as though the doctor’s eyes were magnets pulling him in. There was a flash of red for a brief second, then Pieter’s voice broke the spell.

“Otto!” Stop teasing our guests. They have talents, too, you know.” Pieter turned to Asa. “I have to apologize for my friend. He’s an idiot sometimes. Otto is a vampire. He occasionally likes to exercise his ability to mesmerize someone temporarily. Feel free to retaliate if you wish.”

Asa laughed. He felt this would be a fun group of people to work with.

Otto winked and offered his hand again. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. I recognized the Doogie Houser look on your face. I was turned when I was twenty-six. The year was 1313.”

Caleb was quick with the math. He exclaimed, “Damn! You have Silas and Rosalie beat by a few years. They’re our pack elders. Both are over seven hundred, but you’re a little older.”

“Maybe someday our paths will cross. It’s always fun to reminisce with others who lived during the same time periods.”

There was a commotion as three boys tumbled through the door making barking-like sounds which Asa recognized as laughter. Corbin appeared at the threshold, the source of the boys’ laughter clearly evident.

Corbin was dressed in lederhosen. He wore traditional short leather trousers, a white shirt, suspenders, wool stockings, an embroidered jacket, country shoes, and a feathered hat.

“I lost a bet.”

There was a moment of awkward silence as several of those in attendance didn’t know who Corbin was. Asa and Caleb couldn’t help themselves, they burst out laughing. Caleb even had enough wits to pull out his phone and take a picture.

“That’s going to Giles.”

“Of course it is.” Corbin deadpanned as his feather flopped forward to obscure his eyes. He blew out a puff of air, which only moved the feather over to tickle his nose. Making matters worse, Willa chose that moment to arrive.

The pretty young lady looked at Corbin and covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her amusement. Corbin turned all sorts of shades of red. The boys barked even louder, and the ripple effect spread throughout the room.

Luckily, Corbin was a good sport. Pieter finished the introductions, and it was comical to see Corbin visibly blanche at discovering Otto was a vampire. Asa was glad he wasn’t the only one still surprised when confronted with the reality of the supernatural world.

Two young staff members took drink orders. Asa asked for local beer, and Caleb did the same. They made small talk with Clara and Otto while watching Corbin try to navigate the early getting-to-know-you phase of social dating with Willa.

During the main meal, topics of conversation were kept neutral. When the boys were finished, Pieter excused them, telling them they could raid the kitchen if they wanted to satisfy their sweet tooth.

Once they were gone, Clara handed Asa a folder she pulled from her bag. “Otto and I have taken the liberty of reassessing the files. All of the boys have had recent checkups, and no significant changes to their conditions have been made.”

“Have they been receiving the same experimental treatment the hybrids at the Montana facility were getting?” asked Caleb.

“Yes,” Otto replied. “Up until we found out there was someone who could cure them. We didn’t see the need to subject them to any further treatment after that. Sebastian kept us updated. He wasn’t sure when you could cure our group, but we’ve been preparing ever since. We didn’t know if you were coming here or if we would have to bring them to the States. I have to admit, logistically, this is much easier, so thank you.”

“Yes,” Clara added, “we appreciate this more than you could ever know.”

Asa knew they were merely expressing their gratitude, but it still made him uncomfortable. Caleb rubbed the back of his neck while he managed to murmur, “You’re welcome.”

Flipping through the pages of the file, he saw that Otto and Clara had organized the thirty-one European hybrids much like Donovan had done in Montana. The three boys here would be cured first, giving the others time to travel. Then, those most compromised physically or mentally were prioritized according to their condition.

“All of the families can be here within twenty-four hours,” Otto said. “We have a schedule for the first week which will stagger the arrivals, so the staff won’t be overwhelmed. It’s flexible, so we can adjust if you need more time or things are moving quicker. All I need to know is when you want to start.”

Caleb looked at him, his beautiful eyes assessing carefully. “Will two days be enough for you to recharge and readjust to the time change?”

“Yeah, it should be plenty of time. I looked at the forecast, and it’s supposed to be sunny all week. I can soak up the rays tomorrow and be ready to go the following day. The patio we were on this afternoon might work if we can’t find anywhere else. We can scope it out tomorrow.”

“Just let me know what you need, and I’ll make sure you have it,” Otto assured him.

Asa nodded. “We’re coming down the homestretch now. Thirty-one here. After this, it’ll just be the missing ones the teams find.”

“After this, we can all focus on taking down Huntington,” Caleb growled.

There was nothing Asa wished for more.