Chapter 9
I PULLED AWAY from Samson started walking in the opposite direction.
“Are you alright?” Samson asked behind me and I slowed to let him catch up. It wasn’t his fault I was being stalked by two overbearing demon warriors. The absurdity of that thought almost made me burst out laughing. I just smiled instead.
“I’m fine, just a little thirsty.”
“You want another beer?” he asked, stopping by a large cooler.
“Water if you have one. Or a soft drink is fine.”
He looked in the cooler. “None here. I think we have some in the van. Be right back.”
I knew Nikolas was behind me and I turned to confront him before he spoke. “What are you doing here?”
Nikolas’s brooding eyes studied my flushed face for a moment before they moved to the van and back. “Obviously protecting you from yourself. Are you drunk?”
My spine stiffened. “No I’m not drunk.” I retorted. “And even if I was it would be none of your business.”
His expression did not flicker. “You are my business. Whether you like it or not, you are one of us and we protect our own.”
Indignation flared in me. “First of all, I am nobody’s business and I don’t belong to you or your people or anyone else. This bossy act might work on little kids but it won’t work on me, and if I want to party with my friends or drink or do anything else, I will.”
I had no idea what made me go off on a tirade like that. I swear something about Nikolas pushed all my buttons. Maybe I resented him for being the one to turn my life upside down. Or maybe he reminded me how weak I really was out there in the world. Maybe it was me and not him at all.
I began to whirl away from him when I stumbled and his hand shot out to steady me. “You are drunk.”
I was wrong. It was all him.
“Everything ok here?” Samson asked.
I tried to make my expression neutral when I faced him. “Peachy. My… cousin was worried that I might be drinking too much. He’s a lot older than me and way too uptight.”
Nikolas’s eyebrows shot up and Samson did not look convinced. “Cousin huh?”
“Distant cousins, practically unrelated.” Was that a challenge I heard in Nikolas’s voice? God, all I needed was to end up in the middle of some stupid testosterone match.
Samson glanced from me to Nikolas. “Listen if there is something going on between you two, I –”
My laugh came out as more of a snort. “Yeah, not in this lifetime.” I looked at Samson, ignoring Nikolas altogether. “I think I’ll go see what Roland is up to. Maybe I’ll see you again later.”
I don’t think I’ve stomped off like that since I was five. Nikolas made me feel like throwing a tantrum; how could one person be so damn aggravating? But then a couple hundred years is plenty of time to learn how to piss people off.
I spotted Roland with Dylan and a few other guys but I found that I had no desire for company. I headed to the beach and grabbed a seat near the fire. Someone had brought a guitar and he was playing a Lifehouse tune while everyone else talked amongst themselves. I watched the fire, content to sit quietly and listen as the guitarist finished his song and started another one.
Why did he have to show up and spoil everything? I was enjoying myself, really enjoying myself for the first time in weeks before he came along, acting arrogant and superior and reminding me how messed up my life was. All I wanted was to put the last few weeks behind me, and for a short while with Samson I had been able to do that. If Nikolas and Chris had to follow me, couldn’t they do it a little more subtly? It wasn’t like either of them could go unnoticed in this crowd, in any crowd for that matter and I wasn’t blind to the attention I received from people when I was with either of them. I liked to stay in the background and I hated being stared at, I hated all of this.
I heard footsteps behind me but I didn’t have to look up to know it wasn’t one of my self-appointed protectors. The girls coming down the embankment scrambled and squealed like they were tumbling down a mountain.
“I don’t get it. What is the deal with her?” whined Jessie Clark. “Did you see Samson practically drooling over her. Samson – who won’t even look at a girl if she’s not in college!”
“I know!” Marie cut in. “I tried to talk to that dark haired hottie but he was watching her like frigging hawk. I thought he and Samson were going to fight over her.”
My ears burned and I was relieved no one could see the flush creeping up my cheeks. I had no doubt they were talking about me.
“I don’t think she even wears makeup?” Jessie declared as if wearing no eyeliner was a capitol offense. I was wearing mascara and lip gloss, didn’t that count?
Faith snickered. “Well what do you expect? She only hangs out with guys. Maybe they are getting something we don’t know about.”
“You think she’s like that?” Marie asked eagerly.
“Who knows with her,” Faith replied. “But if you ask me…?”
I didn’t get to hear the rest of her comment because they walked past me without even realizing I was there. My hands clenched in my lap, glad no one had noticed me overhearing the exchange between the three girls.
All the fun had left the party for me and I felt like crawling under a bush where no one could bother me until it was time to leave. I stood and picked my way a dozen feet down the beach where I could be alone but still keep the fire in sight. The night was cooling off and it was chilly away from the fire. I pulled my jacket closer around me and drew my knees up against my chest. Close to the water, the waves drowned out the voices and music and made me feel like I was completely alone here.
I picked up a stone and flung it out into the water. This is their fault. I couldn’t even pretend to act like a normal teenager without the two of them messing it up.
I felt the brush against my mind and I had to stop myself from crying out in frustration. Was it too much to ask for five minutes to myself?
“Please go away,” I said without looking up. “I promise I won’t have any fun or fall into the ocean in my drunken state if you’ll leave me alone.”
He sat down beside me and I ignored the warm arm touching mine. Silence stretched between us. I didn’t want to fight again so I kept quiet and waited for him to speak.
“I’ve heard that some orphans take the transition to the Mohiri life well and others struggle to adapt. Eventually they all come to love our way of life.”
I stared at the black water. “Maybe that’s because their life before wasn’t that great. It’s got to suck being a little kid with a demon wrecking havoc in your head. But I’m not like them.”
“No you’re not.”
“Why?”
It took him a minute to reply. “You are very strong, I don’t mean physically. Like I told you before, you have amazing control over your Mori; it’s almost effortless.”
“You don’t seem to have any trouble with yours,” I said.
Nikolas chuckled. “I’ve had many years to learn this much control and it’s still not as good as yours.”
“Oh.” I pondered that for a bit. “But you do control it right? You’re not going to go all Linda Blair on me right, because I’ve had all the craziness I can handle for one year.”
His laugh was rich and warm and in spite of my dark mood, I felt a smile tugging at my own mouth. How was he able to infuriate me one minute and make me smile in the next one?
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” he said lightly.
I sighed and looked at him but he was silhouetted against the fire so I couldn’t see his face. “How long is this going to go on? I just want to go back to some semblance of a normal life.”
“Sara –”
“I know what you’re going to say. How normal can it be when I’m immortal and everyone else is not? Why can’t I have it for now at least until I have to leave?”
It was his turn to sigh. “That might have been possible before the vampire found you. You don’t know what they are like; once they decide they want something it’s like a predator scenting their prey. And you are the one that got away.”
I shivered at the image of being hunted like a deer. “The werewolves don’t think the vampires will enter their territory.”
“I hope they are right and I wish I could tell you that this will all go away but I won’t lie to you. I believe you are in danger here and I won’t leave you unprotected as long as that danger exists.”
And we were back to square one. I threw another stone at the water and got to my feet. “Just do me a favor and don’t act like every person you see is out to get me. It is possible that some boys might actually like me.”
“Ya znayu,” he muttered softly as I walked past him. I slowed my steps. “Did you say something?”
“I said I’m sure they do.”
* * *
“Too bad the party got rained out,” Roland lamented, leaning back and stretching out his legs as far as he could. “It was just getting good.”
“At least you two got to have a few,” Peter groused as he focused on the wet road ahead.
Roland poked me with his elbow. “That’s right! Did I actually see you drinking?”
“I’ve had beer before. I’m not a saint or anything.”
On either side of me I heard snickering and Roland leaned toward me. “According to Samson you’re an angel. What did you say to that guy? He was like a lovesick puppy all night.”
My face grew hot and I shouldered Roland away. “I didn’t say anything to him. I mean we talked about music and whatever but that’s all.”
“Must have been some ‘whatever’,” Peter teased.
“Why? He didn’t think I was coming on to him did he?” I liked Samson, and I found him easier to talk to than most guys, but I hadn’t intended to lead him on. I admit there might even have been some interest on my part, but flirting had been the last thing on my mind tonight.
Roland chuckled. “No, and that’s probably what snared him. Samson’s used to chicks throwing themselves at him. He said he’s never met a girl who was ‘so real’. His words.”
“Oh God.” I covered my face with my hands.
“Hey look at the bright side. We’ll get in free to all their shows now.”
I elbowed Roland hard in the ribs. “Shut up!” I half shouted, half laughed at him.
“And just think if he gets famous you’ll already have your own bodyguards,” Peter gibed and my mood dampened at the mention of my Mohiri shadows. I wondered where they had gotten to. Chris had disappeared after Nikolas showed up and I hadn’t seen Nikolas much after our talk on the beach. But I knew he was there in the background even if he did give me space. There was no sign of a vehicle behind us so hopefully he had finally realized I was safe here.
“Where are we going anyway?” I asked, noticing for the first time that we were not headed to my place.
“Welllll,” Roland answered slowly. “Since Dylan’s bash was cut short, we thought we’d check out Dell’s party. It’s not that late and –”
The truck began to shudder violently and the tail started to slide sideways on the wet pavement. Peter cursed and gripped the wheel as he reduced speed and eased over to the shoulder of the road.
“What was that?” I exclaimed breathlessly.
“Feels like a tire blew out.” Roland jumped out into the rain and ran around the back of the truck then climbed inside again. “Yep, rear tire is shredded.” He groaned and waved at the rain hitting the hood like pellets. “Someone does not want us to party tonight?”
“Do you have a spare?” I asked him and he nodded. “Maybe you should wait till the rain lets up a bit. You’ll get drenched by the time you change the tire.”
We waited ten minutes for the rain to lesson before Roland reached for the door. “Looks like it’s not going to stop. Come on Pete.”
They tossed their cell phones on the dashboard then hopped out of the truck. I slid over to follow Roland but he put up a hand to stop me. “No need for us all to get wet.”
Several minutes later he opened the passenger door again frowning. “We found the spare but no lug wrench.”
“You’re kidding,” I said as they climbed in, water dripping off them.
“We’re on Fell Road, less than half a mile from the turnoff,” Peter told me. “It’ll take me no time to run to my house and grab my mom’s car.”
I looked at the dark road which was obscured by a curtain of rain. “It’s cold and you’ll get soaked through. Can’t we call someone?”
He shook his head. “Dad and Uncle Brendan and Mom are in Portland and Aunt Judith is working.” He opened the door. “Don’t worry. I’m already soaked so getting a little wetter won’t make a difference.”
“Be careful,” I called after him and he gave me a thumbs up before he set off up the road toward home. Within minutes the darkness had swallowed him up.
Roland reached over and flicked on the hazard lights just in case anyone happened along. I leaned back and we sat quietly listening to the rain drumming on the hood and roof.
Roland roused me from my doze. “It’s been half an hour. Pete should have called or been back by now.” He picked up his cell phone and hit a number and Peter’s phone vibrated on the dashboard. Roland swore.
“Maybe he got held up. Let’s give him a few more minutes.” Two weeks ago I might have been worried but that was before I discovered what Peter was. I doubted there was anything out here that could harm a werewolf.
Five more minutes passed before Roland open his door and bellowed Peter’s name several times. We both got out of the truck and stood in the rain, which had lessened to a heavy drizzle. “Peter?” I called as loud as I could.
“Wait, did you hear that?” Roland said in a hushed voice. He held up a hand. “I think I hear something.”
I listened hard but all I heard was water dripping from the trees. Roland’s werewolf hearing was a lot better than mine so I waited for him to say something.
“There, down that way,” he said, pointing the way Peter had gone. “Pete?” he called running up the road with me close on his heels. The cold rain flattened my hair against my head and drenched my light coat but all I could think of was finding Peter. Then I heard it – faint but unmistakable; Peter’s voice calling from somewhere up ahead. “Help.”
“Roland, I hear him,” I cried. “Peter, where are you?” I shouted.
“Help!” Peter called again, closer this time, somewhere in the woods to the right of the road. What the hell was he doing out there? I plunged into the trees, too wet now to care about the cold droplets showering me from the branches overhead.
Beneath the tree canopy it was almost pitch black so I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and opened it to give me a little light. It wasn’t much but it allowed me to see a foot or so ahead of me.
“Peter, where are you?” I called again and when he answered it sounded like he was no more than a dozen yards ahead of me.
“Sara, wait!” Roland shouted frantically from behind me. ‘That’s not – f*ck!” he swore as he tripped and crashed through the trees. “Sara, stop!”
But I was almost there. Plunging forward, I broke through the trees into a wide clearing. I strained my eyes until I could barely make out the dark shape crumpled on the ground. “Peter!” I cried, starting toward him.
A strong hand grabbed my wrist and jerked me backwards. “What the hell, Roland!” I cried angrily. “What are you doing? Peter is hurt.”
“That’s not Pete,” he whispered urgently as he started pulling me back the way we had come. It took me a full five seconds to realize what he had said and to recognize the fear in his voice.
“Of – of course it’s him,” I stammered, trying to pull away from Roland. “I heard him.”
“I did too,” he said hoarsely. “But it’s not –”
I heard movement behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see the figure unfurling from the ground. It rose up on four legs, large and dark and in no way resembling a teenage boy. I couldn’t make out the creature’s features but I thought I saw two glowing eyes – predator’s eyes – and coarse fur covering its body. My breath caught. Nothing prepared me for the horror that lanced through me when the creature opened its mouth. “Help me. Please help me,” it said in Peter’s voice, followed by a spine-chilling cackle that set my hair on end.
“What is…?” The words died on my lips as the woods at the other end of the clearing moved and a second shape emerged. I stood on frozen legs and watched in fascinated terror as the second creature faced us for several seconds, then said, “Peter, where are you?” in an eerily perfect imitation of my voice.
In the next instant, I found myself over Roland’s shoulder, fending off the branches that slapped at me as he tore through the woods. “What was that?” I wanted to shout, but the only sound I could make was an occasional “Oof” as I banged against his hard shoulder. Peter, oh God, Peter! That thing knew his voice.
I could almost taste the fear rolling off Roland as he pounded toward the road in long strides. It filled my nostrils and buzzed through my head like a live wire as a new terrifying thought struck me. What the hell frightens a werewolf?
Behind us a high pitched giggle pierced the air, followed by a second. From off to one side came an answering giggle and farther away, a fourth one, moving closer. Four of them!
Moving in.
Hunting us.
We reached the edge of the trees and Roland practically threw me out onto the road. “Run, Sara! Get to the truck.” he yelled at me as I stumbled from my landing.
“What about you?” I cried.
“I’m going to shift. I need you to get to the truck.”
Branches snapped close by like a gunshot and spurred me into a run. I heard fabric ripping and an awful stretching, crushing sound then a savage howl that almost stopped my heart. It’s just Roland, I told myself as I skidded on the wet road toward the headlights that shone like a beacon a few hundred yards away.
The growling became a roar as two large bodies slammed together viciously, rolling over and over snarling and barking in the underbrush. Roland! I agonized, powerless to do anything but run. He was outnumbered four to one and I had no idea what was out there or how strong the creatures were. Please be ok, I begged as I swiped wildly at the tangle of wet hair obscuring my vision.
There was a thump behind me, followed by a loud scraping sound. I dared a glance over my shoulder and nearly tripped at the sight of the dark shape on the road, its claws clicking against the pavement as it slunk toward me like a lion zeroing in on its prey. I screamed and my pursuer let out a laugh so human-like that my stomach dropped like a lead weight.
The headlights blinded me when I sped inside their range. The truck’s dome light was on and the driver door still hung open just as Roland had left it when he took off after Peter. I was so close now – less than twenty feet.
Fifteen feet. The monster snarled in outrage and increased its speed.
Ten feet. I could hear the creature’s teeth gnashing as it closed the distance between us.
Five feet. I skidded past the headlights, grasped for the door, missed.
Spinning around, I got my first good look at the monster bearing down on me. I saw a large head with rounded ears and a wide grinning mouth, a thick, maned neck, a sloping back and powerful legs with clawed feet. It reminded me of a hyena, but it was as big as a buffalo.
I scrambled for the door and threw myself into the truck. My arm hooked on the seat belt and I lost precious seconds untangling it before I could grab for the door. Through the windshield I saw the hyena-thing leap at the truck a split second before I hooked the door handle and slammed the door shut. The creature bellowed in rage as it went flying past the door.
I barely had time to catch my breath before the truck shook violently and something landed on the hood in an ear-splitting screech of claws on metal. The hood buckled beneath the weight and I saw jagged scars in the metal where the creature’s six inch claws had found purchase. That could have been me, I realized, fighting the terror that threatened to suffocate me. Stop it. I had to keep my head if I was going to get out of this alive.
The hyena-thing turned and looked at me through the rain-splattered windshield like someone studying an insect under glass. Leaning forward, its face touched the windshield and its hot breath fogged the glass, its black eyes never leaving my face. The mouth opened and I gasped at the double rows of jagged teeth in a powerful jaw strong enough to shred flesh and bone. If that thing gets in here I’m dead.
I looked around frantically and my eyes fell on the keys dangling uselessly in the ignition. A hysterical giggle bubbled from me when I thought of all the times I could have asked Roland to teach me to drive and I had to wait until tonight to do it. Even with a busted tire I have could have driven it as far as the Knolls for help.
Call 911, said the logical part of my brain. I scrambled to find my cell phone then remembered in dismay that it was somewhere out there in the woods. “Give me a goddamn break!”
Then I spotted Peter’s phone lying on the dashboard. I leaned forward but froze when the hyena-thing’s eyes hungrily followed my movement as if it might break through the glass at the slightest provocation. Drool dripped from one enormous fang and splattered the windshield. Don’t move, don’t move, I chanted.
My gut twisted painfully. Roland and Peter were out there, fighting for their lives and I was inches from a phone to call for help. They could be hurt or dying while I sat here like a coward. I couldn’t live with that. The thought of losing either of them broke through my paralysis and I reached for the phone.
The hyena-thing saw my intention and it grinned at me again, its eyes sizing me up with eerie intelligence. Then it looked up at the roof of the truck… and jumped.