by J. E. Cluney
They are being stalked and kidnapped, taken to be sold off to vamps wanting to fight them, pitting them against other weres’ in cages for their entertainment,” Gene spat the last bit as the crowd exploded in murmurs of anger and hatred.
The crowd bustled around us while Heather and I stood off to the side, our eyes peeled as we searched the pack for anyone acting out of the ordinary.
Alex was on the other side, his piercing blue eyes scanning the crowd like an eagle.
“So, it is with utter delight that I’m happy to welcome back one of our own, to have him amidst us once more. Please give Percy a warm welcome back!” Gene hollered and invited Percy to join him from his place hidden behind some of Barry’s wrecked cars.
The pack exploded into commotion, whooping and cheering as Percy stepped up beside Gene and waved to his friends and pack mates.
A woman pushed through the crowd, her small figure forcing her way through. I knew instantly who she was from her powerful strides, the way she moved with purpose and her joyful expression as tears streaked down her face.
The face of a mother’s love.
She threw herself into his arms as she cried for him, and I dragged my eyes away to focus on the crowd.
They were thrilled and excited as they bellowed and chatted to each other.
“I’m thinking Renae has something to hide,” Heather murmured as she nudged my arm and indicated into the crowd.
I followed her gaze to a lone woman staring hard at Percy, her face drawn as she pursed her lips.
“She’s not excited like everyone else,” I agreed.
“We’ll pull her aside after the celebrations,” Heather sighed.
The crowd erupted as Barry hobbled into the area, pulling a red wagon of iced refreshments.
Eva and Scott were standing out before the crowd. Heather had pointed them out to me, informing me they’d been filled in and were keeping an eye out.
They’d decided last minute not to drag Barry in, as the old war veteran didn’t need the added stress.
I found the thought of a werewolf having gone to war interesting, I’d never given it much thought. And his limp made it obvious he hadn’t come back unscathed.
“We may as well celebrate too. You brought back Percy, it’s cause for joy,” Heather smiled at me.
But I couldn’t get into the spirit of it.
All I could think about was how the woman, Renae, could help me set Millie free.
I eyed Alex through the crowd, who gave me a knowing look. He’d seen her too.
I glanced over at Percy, who was conversing happily with his mother. But he caught my gaze for just a moment, and I could see that he was curious who we’d singled out.
I’d let him know once we were alone and it was safe.
The celebrations ensued, and Heather and Gene enjoyed the drinks and friendly banter, all the while we kept a close eye on the suspected she-wolf.
Renae kept her distance from Percy as she blended into the crowd.
“Why do you think she’s doing it?”
I jumped as Alex appeared beside me, standing out in his suit with all these people dressed in jeans and denim or leather jackets.
“No idea,” I murmured.
“Heather and Gene think it’ll be too obvious if they leave the gathering, so if she tries to leave, you follow her. I take it they don’t know your… special skillset,” he raised a knowing eyebrow at me.
“I didn’t think it was necessary to share. Percy thinks I’m a psychic,” I muttered as I kept my eye on the woman. Her brown hair and small figure were hard to keep track of in the bustling group, but I somehow managed to focus on her biker jacket as she moved through them.
“Why?” Alex gave me a stupefied look.
“He called me out with the whole seeing the guy get his neck snapped, I couldn’t be seen and yet I said I saw it. It was the only excuse I could think of,” I said, exasperated.
“You could’ve told him the truth,” Alex crossed his arms as he scanned the bustling crowd. The ‘wolves were giving him a wide berth despite what Gene had said about lending our assistance.
“Totally. Then he would’ve hated me just like how he doesn’t like vampires,” I hissed.
“Probably, but if Percy is vying for you, you may want to let him know the real truth,” Alex gave me a cocky smirk.
“Whatever,” I growled as I moved away from him.
I could see Percy headed my way with his mother and a man of medium build and blond hair.
“Hey Ivy, this is my mother, Gwen, and this is my good friend, Lachlan,” Percy joined me as Alex slipped back into the crowd.
“Nice to meet you,” I shook the young man’s hand.
“Percy here says you were the one that found him, thank you,” Gwen stepped forward to wrap her arms around me. I drew in her sweet lavender fragrance as I smiled over her shoulder at Percy. I could see where he got his dark skin and chocolate eyes from, although his mother’s long black wavy hair was streaked with grey.
“It was nothing, really,” I shrugged as she released me.
“Don’t be so modest! You saved my boy’s life!” Gwen smiled tenderly, crow’s feet crinkling the corners of eyes. “We are indebted to you.”
“Can you two give us a minute?” Percy asked the pair.
“Of course,” Gwen nodded. “Come Lachlan, tell me more about this waitress.”
Lachlan threw Percy a pained look as Gwen dragged him away.
Percy chuckled at the distress of his friend before turning to me. “So, any suspects.”
“We have one, I’m not sure it’s best to tell you, I don’t want you blowing our cover,” I stated.
“Yeah, probably best not to,” Percy nodded. Werewolves weren’t known for their cool heads.
“Your mother must be over the moon to have you back,” I murmured as I surveyed the crowd and found Renae again. I couldn’t lose sight of her, not now.
“Yeah, she’s beyond happy. She’d been struggling, with all the rumors of me having turned my back on the pack. She didn’t believe it, but the pack had searched high and low for me,” Percy sighed.
“How many pack members have you lost?” I asked.
“Four this year. I can only assume they’re dead now from the fights. It’s a shame; they were good men, loyal to the pack. At least now their families won’t have to feel ashamed. They’ll know the truth,” Percy murmured.
“Yeah,” I nodded, making sure not to lose sight of Renae.
She was acting strange, watching her back like she was afraid someone was observing her every movement.
She should be.
“So, what’s the deal with you and Alex? I’ve been meaning to ask. Because right now, he’s giving me the stink eye,” Percy smirked.
I followed his gaze to where Alex stood across the crowd, glaring at Percy. I couldn’t help the sly smile that broke across my face.
“He’s just jealous,” I chuckled.
“So he has a thing for you?” Percy smirked. “And he thinks I’m competition?”
“Well, are you?” I raised an eyebrow at him.
He turned his body towards me as he gave me a slow glance over.
“I did ask you on a date after all this already,” he growled softly and I bit my lip at his gaze. The way his eyes lingered on me.
It wasn’t like last night, with lust and desire. This time it was different.
“Aren’t there rules of mingling outside of your kind?” I asked as I glanced at Renae, keeping tabs on her.
“Exceptions can be made,” he shrugged with a mischievous grin.
“You don’t want to get involved with me,” I laughed as I turned my body away from him.
I could feel his curious stare on me as I gazed out at the group of werewolves milling around.
“Isn’t that up to me?” Percy murmured as he stepped closer.
“It’s a two-way street,” I eyed him carefully.
“Are you saying you have no in
terest in me?” Percy asked. I was expecting an arrogant smirk, but instead I was met with a genuine look.
“I didn’t say that,” I sighed. “I’m just not who you think I am.”
“Well, then let me get you that dinner and we can talk, get to know one another,” he gave me a dazzling smile. Damn, he knew how to make a woman swoon with that sexy grin.
“We have a job to do first, remember?” I reminded him, brushing aside his request.
“Right,” he groaned.
“Help me find Deon, and I’ll promise to have dinner with you after,” I bargained. Surely it wouldn’t hurt. Besides, Percy was a sweet man.
“Deal,” he held out his hand.
I laughed but shook his outstretched hand, shaking my head at his devilish smile.
I flicked my eyes back to Renae.
“Well, I’m going to go catch my mother again before she kills poor Lachlan,” Percy chuckled. “Would you like to join me?”
“Nah, you go. I’ve got to make a call,” I shook my head.
Percy nodded and gave me a quick squeeze of the shoulder before striding off to find his mother and best friend.
Renae was making her way away from the gathering, and I intended to follow.
I pulled my phone out so as not to look suspicious as I headed away from the crowd and into the shadows.
Once I was satisfied I was out of sight, I allowed my body to become translucent as I followed after Renae.
She marched away from the area, constantly casting careful looks over her shoulder as she made her way down the darkened street.
I followed her, unseen and unheard.
She stopped in the shadows as she surveyed her surroundings before pulling her phone out.
I stepped up to stand beside her, watching her scroll through her phone.
She stopped on the name ‘Derek’ and dialed it.
I watched as she chewed her lip, tapping her foot on the ground while she waited.
It rung twice before someone picked up.
“Hello?”
“Derek, it’s Renae, you won’t believe this. Percy just came back!” Renae said in distress.
“I know, Philip apparently sold him to some woman. I’m sending out some men to take care of it. We don’t want the pack snooping too much or they’ll find us out. We’ll put Percy down to start with.”
“They know that he was taken for the fights, they know everything,” Renae bit her nails as she teetered around, and I carefully dodged her erratic movements.
“Calm down. You need to keep your cool or they’ll know you had something to do with it. Just lay low. We need you to pick us another fighter, one with some actual fight in them this time. The vamps aren’t happy with the ones we’ve been bringing them. They want ones who’ll kill to survive,” Derek’s muffled voice was agitated and Renae trembled at his tone.
“I can’t keep doing this. They’ll kill me, they’re my pack for Christ’s sake!” Renae hissed.
“If you want little Christian to remain unharmed, then you’ll do as you’re told!” Derek spat back.
“How do I know he’s not already dead?” Renae murmured.
“I’ll send you a picture of him,” Derek chuckled. “He’s doing well with his family here, if only he knew.”
“Please, just leave him alone,” Renae murmured, and my heart pulled for her.
So she was being used, blackmailed to get to the pack.
“We’ll take good care of him, don’t you worry. Just keep giving us fighters and we’ll make sure not a hair on his pretty little head is harmed.”
The phone clicked off and Renae sighed as she stared at the blank screen.
I pursed my lips as I watched her rub her temples.
Her phone dinged and she choked as she opened up the image. I peeked over her shoulder and my breath caught. A young boy, no older than two, sat playing with a toy train. They had a child.
The anger that burned through me was instant, but I clenched my jaw to squash it down.
“Oh, Christian,” Renae murmured, her lower lip trembling.
I gave her one last dismayed look as she stared at her phone, before I turned to head back to the gathering.
I’d fill Alex and the others in once it was safe.
This was much bigger than a simple traitor. There was something much more sinister going on around here.
“Ivy?”
I froze as I neared Barry’s lot where the flaming bonfire and celebrating weres’ were. I swear I knew that voice.
I turned to spy the the petite redhead in the shadows, watching me quizzically.
Those hazel eyes and splash of freckles brought back many memories.
“Rosaline, is that you?!” I gaped in excitement at the sight of my childhood friend.
“Yeah, I saw you at the gathering and was waiting for the right time to talk to you. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen you,” Rosaline stepped out into the dull glow of the flickering streetlight across the street from us.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I kind of shut myself off when my mom died,” I apologized.
“I know, I’m so sorry, and then your dad left,” Rosaline shook her head.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I closed the gap between us. I felt like I was talking way too loud.
“I married Dylan, a pack member here,” Rosaline stated.
I took a moment to process this.
“Wait, are you…?” I let the question hang.
“There were so many times as kids you almost found out. Portland has a number of werewolf packs you know,” Rosaline grinned mischievously.
“How the hell did I never find out.” I was gobsmacked to say the least. We’d been friends as long as I could remember and had drifted apart after my mother’s death. There were so many afternoons spent at her house, so many sleepovers. And I never even suspected.
“There were a few close calls. I got into a fight with my brother Shane once and nearly wolfed out. It’s hard to control as a child. I swear you must’ve seen my eyes change,” Rosaline chuckled.
“I have no recollection whatsoever. But how freakin’ weird right? I’m glad that you’re here though,” I smiled.
“Yeah, although I have to ask you something,” Rosaline shifted uneasily.
“Shoot.”
“What the hell are you?”
My heart practically stopped, although it barely beat much anyway.
“Wha…what do you mean?” I stammered.
“I was following you to catch up with you while you were away from the crowd. And then you just vanished. Into thin air, barely ten feet from me,” Rosaline threw her arms out in confusion.
I could’ve sworn I’d checked there was no one around. But Rosaline did also just appear from the shadows. Shit.
“It’s… ah, it’s a weird story,” I bit my lip as I cast a wary glance back towards the celebration. I didn’t want Percy finding out about this. Or any of the others.
“You can tell me anything, Ivy. We’re still friends,” Rosaline said gently as she stepped closer. The soft smile and warm eyes brought back the memories of various secret discussions and boy crushes all throughout our formative years. God I had missed her.
And to confide in someone else, someone who could maybe tell me how Percy would react, maybe I needed it. I hated hiding this from everyone. And maybe, by some sheer luck, she’d know what the hell I was.
“I’m pretty sure I’m somewhat dead,” I blurted, and instantly regretted it as her eyes widened in disbelief.
“What?”
“I kinda died, six months ago,” I breathed, taken aback at how it felt like a weight had been lifted.
“That makes no sense,” Rosaline shook her head in denial as she took a step back and looked at me.
“A vampire killed me, sort of, they tried to turn me at the last minute. The next thing I know, I’m walking around the office the next night. I don’t sleep, I can do this thing where I jump into the ghost realm and b
ack out, and by doing that I can travel long distances in minutes. I can make myself invisible to everyone and yet still be there. I can walk through things. I don’t have to eat anymore, although I still do,” I let the explanation and story roll off my tongue, enjoying the taste of the truth.
“Jesus Christ,” Rosaline’s voice rose and I motioned for her to quieten down.
“I know it’s a lot to take in, I’m still not even sure what I am really. I’m going with some kind of ghost, maybe,” I gave her a sheepish smile.
“That is definitely a lot to take in,” Rosaline frowned as she tried to avoid my eyes.
“Rose, please, it’s still me,” I said softly.
Rosaline drew her eyes back to mine. After a few moments she just sighed.
“Well, I guess not sleeping has its benefits.”
I relaxed massively and managed a relieved chuckle.
“Yeah, I guess it does.”
“Do you have a taste for human blood?” Rosaline asked, and I could sense traces of disgust in her voice.
“No. Not at all, I can still go out in the sun. Nothing vampireish about me at all. Apart from, you know, barely having a heartbeat anymore.”
“Damn, that’s sooo weird,” Rosaline frowned.
“It’s kinda normal for me now,” I shrugged.
“Well, we have so much to talk about. And you must have some interesting things to tell. Like, what’s the ghost realm even like? How’s this jumping thing work? And what’s it like going invisible?” Rosaline’s eager voice had me suddenly completely comfortable. Just like old times.
“The ghost realm is just like a grey version of our world, I can just picture where I want to go and bam, I’m there. Sometimes I pass other ghosts or whatever they are, but I don’t stick around. They’re strange and kinda freaky. I confronted one once and all she did was stare through me like I wasn’t even there. It was so unsettling and creepy,” I rubbed my arms at the thought of actually confronting one again.
“Wow,” Rosaline murmured.
“But can we save this chat for later? I actually have something I have to do. And I’d love if you could keep this between us. Most supes think I’m human, somewhat,” I asked.