The Beast Within

by S. C. Stephens

  Just when I thought I’d lost them, they blurred into view, Nika first, Julian a few seconds later. I punched a hole in the tree I was standing next to. Damn it! They were ruining my master plan, my perfect escape. What the hell should I do with them now?

  They paused in a clearing and looked over at the tree I’d just permanently altered. Nika was by my side in an instant. “You can’t ditch me,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact.

  I was going to tell her that wasn’t true, I could easily ditch her, but then I realized it was true. Yes, I could ditch her, but I couldn’t leave her, so…I was going to have to take her with me. This was going to seriously complicate things.

  I exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh. “Okay, fine. You two don’t want to leave me alone, then you can follow me all the way to Flagstaff. But you better keep up, ‘cause I’m not waiting around for you.”

  Nika twisted her head, curious. “Flagstaff? Arizona? Is that where your dad is? How do you know that?”

  I shrugged. “It was the last thing Markus told me before I wiped his mind.”

  A smile blossomed across Nika’s lips that made my breath catch. “You didn’t kill him?”

  Struggling to remember that I didn’t have time to kiss her right now, I averted my eyes from her intense stare. Guilt washed through me as I remembered the one hunter I had killed. “Except for Sam, I haven’t killed any of them.”

  Julian stepped forward. “Any of them? How many have there been?”

  I glanced over at him and his piggybacking girlfriend. “Enough that I need to get to my father as quickly as possible. And you’re both slowing me down.”

  Nika shook her head. “We won’t. You lead, we’ll follow.” A look passed between Nika and Julian that spoke volumes to me. They were clearly placating me, and would try and stop me or call for reinforcements every step of this journey. I should just leave them here. Chances were, they’d be fine. Although, now that they both knew I was heading to Flagstaff, they’d show up there regardless of what I did to them. And they’d probably bring the entire nest. No, they had to come with me, so I could make sure they didn’t bring in everybody.

  “Flagstaff is about five hundred miles from here. We’ll go at a pace that you two can maintain for that distance.” I again glanced at the slow-moving human in the group. “But she needs to go home. We’ll get her a cab or something.”

  Arianna’s arms tightened around Julian’s neck. “There’s no way I’m leaving him while he goes off on some psychotic mission with you.” She lifted her chin in a show of defiance that I was getting really sick and tired of seeing. “Besides, I’ll just call Teren and Emma if you send me home. I’ll tell them exactly where to find you.”

  I stepped up to her side; Julian twisted to block me. “Don’t forget what I am. I could send you home with a permanent case of amnesia if I so chose.”

  A growl emanated from Julian’s chest. “Speak another word to her, and I’ll rip your heart out.”

  I grunted in frustration, but inwardly a backup plan was forming. I could use the threat of wiping Arianna to keep Nika and her brother in line. That was a handy bit of leverage to have, since I was rapidly losing control of this plan. “Fine, she can come, too. In fact, I insist that she does. And if anybody gives me grief, or tries to stop me when we get to my father, then I wipe her clean.” I pointed a finger at Arianna. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks pale as her earlier bravado vanished. “I’ll take away every memory that’s ever been important to you. I’ll leave you with nothing.” I switched my scowl to Julian. “Unless you want to go back to square one with her, I wouldn’t even try messing with me. I’m not bluffing.”

  Julian looked hesitant, but he was just as stuck as I was. Nika wouldn’t let me go, so he couldn’t let me go. And now his girlfriend was suddenly important to me, and I wouldn’t let her go; I’d wipe her in a heartbeat if he tried to take her home now. We were all four stuck in this hellish little boat together. Nika flashed a worried glance at her friend. She knew I’d do it if they pushed me.

  I smiled at each of them in turn. “Now that that’s settled, we have a long journey in front of us, so I suggest we get started.”

  I turned and left them without another word. I knew they’d follow me. They had to now.

  Nika was beside me in an instant. While we streaked past the countryside at a pace most human eyes wouldn’t register, I was running slower than I would have if I were alone. Glancing behind me, I saw Julian trailing behind with Arianna still attached to his back. I briefly wondered if he would be able to carry her the entire way. Then I started wondering what the hell I was going to do with the three of them while I was busy hunting my father. Maybe I could tie them up somewhere.

  “You don’t need to be a bully,” Nika said from beside me. I looked back at her, and she added, “Threatening Arianna? That’s not like you.”

  Her eyes scoured my face, looking for some sign that I wasn’t serious. I was. “Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do to get other things done.”

  “You don’t have to do this. Let my family help.”

  She started to reach out for me, but I blurred away from her. I hadn’t asked her to come with me, and I hadn’t asked for her opinion on how I should deal with my family. This was my mess, and I would clean it up.

  It took entirely too long to get to Flagstaff with my three tagalongs. Alone, I probably could have run there in an hour. With them, and their perpetually slowing pace, it took over three. I was sure that was intentional on their part, running slower, refusing to let me carry Arianna. Anything they could do to delay me from reaching my father. Resting near the edge of the desert city, I looked up at the sky and contemplated how much longer I had until the sun rose. It was less time than I would have liked. The looming threat of sunlight now felt like an alarm clock ticking in my head. I would have to hide from the sun soon, and once I was underground, nothing would stop Julian and Nika from calling their family. It would be over, and I’d be returned to my plush prison. Time was of the essence.

  Julian set Arianna down and they both collapsed to the ground. “I’m so tired,” he complained, while she moaned, “My legs…my back…my ass…I’m so sore. And freezing. I can’t feel my fingers.”

  Julian started warming her up, and I rolled my eyes. Their physical discomfort was their own damn fault. They never should have followed me. Nika was to my right, surveying the land. Spindly green trees dotted the dry, dusty earth, and there was a short chain-link fence next to us. The city’s water reservoir was on the other side of it. I could smell the brackish pool, could see the edge of the mammoth cement hole filled with liquid so dark, it looked black in the moonlight.

  “Now what, Hunter?” Nika asked. She also looked tired from the run. I should find a safe place for her to rest. Especially since I didn’t know if my dad was still in the city or not. This was where Markus had seen him last, but that didn’t mean he was still here.

  I glanced behind me. There were houses sprinkled here and there. Perhaps I could leave Nika and Julian inside one of them while I scoped out the city.

  While Nika watched me, an idea started formulating. “You don’t have a plan, do you?” she asked, huffing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

  Irritation blossomed in my chest. “I had a plan, but it didn’t involve you following me. In my plan, I had all the time in the world to find my father. Now, I feel like I’m running out of time.”

  “Because you’re going about this the wrong way, and you know it. We should call my family. The more people on this, the better.”

  Not wanting to hear her spiel again, I grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the road. I would search every home nearby until I found what I needed. Grunting, Julian forced himself to stand as I passed by him with his sister. “Now where are we going?”

  I didn’t answer him. He helped Arianna to her feet and followed me, like I knew he would. I walked up to the first house on the other side of the street. It was a surprisingly la
rge home for being out in the middle of nowhere. Even though it was late at night, I banged on the door. I didn’t have time to be polite.

  It took a while, but eventually lights turned on and loud footsteps clomped toward the door. I could hear the heartbeats accelerating in the others beside me, but I wasn’t worried, I wasn’t scared. Unless the person on the other side of this door just happened to be a prepared hunter who knew what I was—and what were the odds of that—I wasn’t in any danger.

  A youthful, clean-cut man cracked open the door. “What is it?” he cautiously asked, shielding his body behind the wood. Seeing cold, shivering girls in our midst, he opened the door a little wider. “You in some kind of trouble?”

  I gave him a polite smile. “You could say that. Do you have a room that is completely impervious to sunlight? A cellar or something?”

  The man blinked, confused. He looked like he was going to ask a question, and I quickly added, “Don’t ask why, just answer my question. Please.”

  His confusion didn’t ease up, but he said, “No. Sorry.”

  I shook my head. “It’s fine. Go back to bed. You won’t remember any of this happening when you shut the door. Good night.”

  His confusion amplified. “Night…”

  I turned away from the door when he started shutting it. Julian, Nika, and Arianna were all staring at me. Looking at them in turn, I said, “We need a home base, somewhere I can hide from the sun in a few hours. I figured a home would be much more comfortable for all of you than a grave.”

  Arianna started backing up. “Whoa! I’m not going anywhere near a grave. And I can’t be away this long. My mom is going to flip!”

  She started panicking, and irritated, I snapped, “Stop talking.” She instantly did.

  Julian smacked my shoulder. “Don’t trance my girlfriend, asshole!”

  A frustrated sigh escaped me. “Then tell her to keep it down. People are trying to sleep.” Julian glowered at me, and I turned to Arianna. “Fine, you’re free to talk. Quietly.”

  I started heading toward the next house. From behind me, I heard Julian tell Arianna, “He was kidding about the grave. He wouldn’t make us go in one. We’d suffocate.”

  Her response was in whispered tones. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Julian. I want to go home now.”

  Over my shoulder, I told them, “No one is going home until I find my father, so stop whining.”

  The next house we went to didn’t have a daylight-proof room. Or the next. It was sixteen houses later before we found one.

  It was a secluded, cedar log house. The man who opened the door was older, with gnarled hands, fake teeth, and a weathered cane. By the shape of him, I was mildly surprised he’d heard me knocking at this hour. When I asked him about a light-proof roof, he told me, “Yeah. There’s a cold storage basement under the house. Cement walls. No windows.”

  I smiled, relieved that I was finally having some luck, especially since my reluctant companions were still badgering me at every opportunity. “That is the best news I’ve heard all night. You’re going to invite us in, and let us use it. Indefinitely. No questions asked.”

  Arianna turned to Julian and whispered, “Indefinitely? We have school on Monday.”

  The old man opened the door wide; he wobbled on his cane a bit. “Please, come on in. You’re welcome to use the room for as long as you like, for whatever reason you want.”

  I inclined my head in a polite nod as I walked past him. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

  I looked at the others once I was in the entryway. Nika resolutely met my gaze and walked into the house. She was with me, regardless of what I did. That could be a problem when it was time to face my father; his address festered inside my skull. I just wanted to find him, but I needed to drop off my extra baggage first. Julian frowned as Nika stepped into the house. He was with her, regardless of what she did. Arianna let out a frustrated grunt as she followed Julian. She was with him. It was like we were playing a twisted version of Follow the Leader.

  Old Man Winter led us to his cheerless basement. I could smell the must emanating from it before he even opened the door. It tripled once he did. It wasn’t as nice of a hiding place as my room at the ranch, but it was a step up from sleeping in the ground. And, unlike the earth, Nika and the others could join me here.

  The old man flipped on a light switch near the door, illuminating a set of wooden steps that emptied out into a dirt floor basement, then he left us to our own devices. The construction of the basement walls looked solid to me, the seal around the door tight. I thought the room might actually be impervious to sunlight. I wouldn’t know until the morning, of course, but an above ground nap seemed more and more likely. That was good; it would be easier to keep an ear on the twins that way.

  Arianna started panicking when I stepped on the stairs. “No, no, no! I am not hiding out in some random guy’s creepy-ass cellar. This has been fun and all, but I want to go home now,” she hissed.

  Julian tried to calm her down, but I knew this was a job for me. “Arianna.” She turned from Julian to look at me. “Relax. There’s nothing for you to be scared of. You’re going to be fine down here. Just stay close to Julian.”

  She visibly calmed down as she clamped onto his arm. Julian gave me the evil eye for trancing his girlfriend again, but really, he should thank me. Once she was under control, I turned back to the stairs. Nika followed close behind me. When we got to the bottom and looked around, she muttered, “Are you sure we have to stay down here?”

  My eyes flashed around the room, looking for fault lines where the sun could seep in. There were bins full of moldy potatoes, a wall-to-ceiling wine rack with dark bottles covered in dust and spider webs, and about sixty years’ worth of old magazines heaped in a corner. All and all, the space had been neglected for a long time. The old man must not feel well enough to come down here anymore. On the other side of the wine rack was a massive trunk with a couple of old, Army cots stacked on top of it. Good, we wouldn’t have to sleep on the ground.

  I twisted to look at Nika. “I have to stay down here. And I need you all to stay with me, so you don’t do anything foolish while I’m sleeping.”

  Julian’s expression was dour. “I’d say we’re maxed out on foolish today.” He turned to Nika. “I don’t like this, Nick. Let’s just leave him and go home.”

  “No one is going anywhere,” I told him.

  He instantly bristled. “This isn’t our fight. We won’t tell anyone where you are. Let us go.”

  I studied him in the dim fluorescent lights buzzing in the ceiling. He was probably telling the truth. He wouldn’t tell on me, because he didn’t care what happened to me. His sister did, though. And I’d be hard-pressed to make her leave me, let alone not tell Halina where I was. “No. I need you here now.” I pointed to Arianna clinging to his side, shivering as she held him. Since I’d ordered her to relax, she must be cold. It probably was on the frigid side down here. I’d have to get the old man to toss down some blankets. “And I need her, to ensure that you two don’t screw me, at least not until I’ve finished this.”

  Julian stepped in front of Arianna, like that would somehow protect her from my voice. “No. I won’t let you do anything to hurt her.”

  I gave him an expression of forced patience. “I’m not interested in harming her, but I also can’t have the two of you whistle-blowing on me. Don’t push me, and I won’t have to push back.”

  I moved past him, to call for the old man and ask for bedding. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Julian raise an eyebrow at Nika. I heard her sigh, saw her nod, and I instantly knew they were still planning on turning me in once the sun came up. Well, hell if I was just going to sit back and let that happen. I had leverage on them, and I wasn’t afraid to use it. I’d waited too long, endured too much; I wasn’t leaving this godforsaken place until I’d dealt with my father. And even then, I might not leave this place.

  Blurring to Arianna, I broke her apart fro
m Julian and quickly told her, “If any of you call someone and tell them where you are, or if any of you leave the house without me, all of your memories will vanish, Arianna. You won’t remember one…single…thing about yourself.”

  Everyone in the room gasped, and icy dread crawled up my spine. Shit…did I really just say that to her? The unabashed look of fear on her face told me I had. God, what the hell was wrong with me? And it was too late to take it back. A compulsion was a compulsion. I could superimpose another one on top of it, but I couldn’t undo it. Frustrated, angry, guilty, and filled with the desperate need to start my mission, I released Arianna and snapped, “Now, I have an errand to run. I trust none of you will go anywhere while I’m gone.”

  I felt sick to my stomach as I fled the room. Jesus, what kind of a monster was this vendetta turning me into? It was surely a more horrifying creature than the bloodthirsty demon inside me. So, what should I do? Which monster should I feed?

  I blurred outside to feel the fresh air on my face. Once I was on the front porch, I sat down on the steps and stared out into the night. My father was out there, I knew he was. I should be zipping to the address Markus had given me, but all I could think about was what I’d just done to an innocent teenage girl. I shouldn’t dwell on my mistake, or worry about how much of an asshole I looked like. I should get up and start fixing what I’d come here to fix. So long as my father was free, Nika’s family was in danger.

  Duty forced me to my feet. I had a job to do, and I was committed to seeing it through. If anything, my father had given me a solid work ethic.

  Not familiar with the city, I stopped at a motel that looked like it saw a lot of foot traffic. I “persuaded” the clerk on duty to pull up the address on his computer. It was much later than I would have liked to start this hunting trip, but I couldn’t waste another precious minute. And I was sure things with my father wouldn’t take very long to settle. A lengthy debate wasn’t what we needed. Speedy action was the only course left to us.