by E.J. Stevens
We parked out front and Cal helped me inside. I winced as I tried to take the first step up the staircase to my room and Cal moved beside me smoothly to give me leverage. He always seemed to know where I needed him most. We were like two fish moving together, inseparable no matter how strong the waters…or the monsters lurking in their depths.
I shuddered at the image that popped into my mind, Jared Zempter and Jay Freeman with jagged rows of shark teeth, and lurched forward. I was determined to make it up the stairs to my room—where I felt safe. My right knee screamed in protest and I started to fal , shifting my weight ful y onto Cal. It was a good thing that Cal had werewolf strength—I probably would have sent us both tumbling down the stairs with that ungraceful move.
“Um, thanks,” I said breathlessly.
It wasn’t just the almost fal that made me catch my breath. Cal was looking down at me with open, heart-stopping adoration. He was never one to hide his feelings for me, at least not since we started dating, but the open way he wore his emotions now that we were final y alone…
it made me tingle al over.
Cal tore his eyes away and we continued up the stairs, but he never left my side. When we reached my bedroom, Cal pul ed back the covers and helped me sit on the edge of my bed. He started unbuckling my boots and, just for a moment, I felt uncomfortable. We were al alone. In my bedroom.
My heart started fluttering like bat wings in a windstorm as I wiped my sweaty hands on my skirt. What was wrong with me? I had been alone with Cal in this very room more times than I could count. Why did everything suddenly feel so intense?
I threw my arms around Cal’s neck, for once surprising him, and started kissing him like he was oxygen and I was drowning. He pushed me back against the pil ows and a voice inside me was screaming yes, oh hells yes, but Cal pul ed away from my kiss.
Cal shook his head, the unspoken no hanging between us, and I suddenly felt very smal and foolish. Was I too slobbery? Had I done something wrong? Did I have icky pretzel breath? I should have brushed my teeth first…
“Yuki,” Cal said. He reached out to tip my chin up toward him, but I turned away. “Please look at me.” I wanted to bury my burning face under my pil ow and keep going until I was buried deep in the cool earth beneath the house. How could I face Cal when he just rejected me. I wasn’t Miss Popular in school, but I never thought I’d be turned down by Cal. He loved me. Didn’t he?
“This isn’t a good idea,” Cal said, running his hands through his shaggy hair. “Don’t look hurt. Please. This isn’t easy for me either.”
Oh. God. Was he breaking up with me? No, no, no!
Hot, wet, total y unattractive tears started rol ing down my face and onto my pil ow.
“I’m sorry,” Cal said. “Cal me old-fashioned, but I’m not ready. Not like this. You are too important to me.” I was important to him? Now I was total y confused.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“You almost died last night,” Cal said.
“But I didn’t,” I said, sniffling.
“I know, and for that I wil always be thankful,” Cal said.
He reached out and brushed the tears from my cheek. “But now we’re both alive, very, very alive, and I think we’re both feeling that. I don’t want to rush things because of fear.” Wow. Cal was right. I had been so afraid lately. He had felt so warm and alive, but I didn’t want to make decisions based on fear. That just wouldn’t be right.
“Okay,” I said, smiling. “Wil you stay? I promise not to throw myself at you again.”
“I’l stay,” Cal said, returning my smile.
I fel asleep in his arms.
*****
I drifted into a wonderful dream. Cal and I were on the porch of our home in a beautiful forest. No creepy skeletal trees or curses here. The sun was shining through the bright green canopy and al around us the werewolf pack danced and played. Many were running happily in wolf form, chasing butterflies or each other. Everyone was so happy. I felt proud to be standing there with Cal, the leader of the pack.
The dream started out so perfect. Too bad it didn’t stay that way.
Clouds raced across the sun and a storm pushed in from the south, bringing with it a warm rain. I looked down at my hands and realized that it wasn’t rain that washed over my skin, but blood. The grass and mossy ground was fil ing with rivers that ran red with it. Spinning around, I realized that everyone had disappeared. Something had gone very, very wrong.
Somehow I knew that this was my fault. My actions had led us to this moment. I tried to wipe my shaking hands, but the blood would not come off. My hands were stained red with the blood of my friends.
Three figures approached, gliding up the path. They were shrouded in mist and shadow, but their hands extended beyond the miasma to grope and grasp. Their claw-like hands opened and closed compulsively like the mouth of a dying fish out of water.
“Give it to us,” three voices said in unison. “Thief.
Taker. It belongs to us.”
“Whatever you want,” I said. “You can have it. Please don’t hurt my friends.”
“Too late,” the voices cackled. “Too late for them. Give us the amulet or it wil be too late for you.” Their hands flashed out, closer now, razor-sharp nails inches from my face.
“Give it back!” they screeched.
I gasped and thrust the amulet toward the darkness.
“Take it!” I screamed.
“No offense, love, but I real y don’t want it,” a voice said.
I opened my eyes and blushed. I was tangled in my sheets and holding a wet dung beetle plushie up in Simon’s face. In fact, I think it was covered in drool—my drool. How embarrassing.
“What the heck are you doing here?” I asked. “In my bedroom?”
“Looking for Calvin,” Simon said quirking an eyebrow.
“He wouldn’t be under there, would he?”
Cal coughed dryly from the doorway and looked irritated.
“I cal ed you over an hour ago,” Cal said.
“I was busy,” Simon said. “I’m here now.” Cal let out a low growl.
“Yes, you are here in my girlfriend’s bedroom,” Cal said. “Not real y the orders I gave you.”
“You said to come straight here,” Simon said, spreading his hands innocently across his chest. “If you didn’t want me appearing in Yuki’s boudoir, then you should have been more specific.”
Cal and Simon stared each other down. Simon was the first to look away. Being alpha had its perks, and putting Simon in his place was evidently one of them. Go Cal.
“Can you guys, um, leave the room?” I asked. “I need to shower and change.”
“Do you need any help?” Simon asked. The corner of his mouth lifted in a leering grin. “I don’t mind.” Ugh. Simon was back to his normal annoying self.
“Out,” I said pointing at the door. “Now.” Cal made sure that Simon continued down the stairs and didn’t pause to lurk in the hal .
“We’l be down in the kitchen,” Cal said.
“Thanks,” I said.
I grabbed clean clothes and headed into the bathroom wondering belatedly why Cal had summoned Simon here in the first place. I guess I better wash up quick so I can go find out.
*****
Cal wanted to take action and I wasn’t about to argue.
After my nightmare, I was eager to return Nera’s amulet to the Salem witches. To do that, I needed to help guide more spirits into the light. Starting with Dylan’s ghost seemed like a good idea. Returning to the scene of Dylan’s death to look for clues, with the help of Cal and Simon, also made sense.
I wanted to get to the bottom of the mysterious accidents on Witchtrot Road for Emma’s sake as wel . The cloaked figure in the woods the night of the toad storm wasn’t a ghost. There had been no smel impression—
nothing at al . Which raised the question; what were they doing there? Witchtrot Road was in the middle of nowhere. Why would a person be lur
king in the woods on such an isolated road? Did they have something to do with the toads that came raining down on Emma’s car?
“If I find the person responsible, I am going to hurt them,” Simon said, clenching his fists. “Badly.” I knew how he felt, I was angry too, but violence didn’t seem like the best option. There had been too much blood spil ed on that road already. Of course Cal, whose heroes included Ghandi and the Dalai Lama, agreed with me.
“No,” Cal said. “This trip is for gathering clues only.
We’l decide what to do after we have more information.” Simon tensed and the tendons in his neck were pushing hard against his skin.
“They hurt Emma,” Simon said. “Whoever is out there could have kil ed Emma…Yuki too.”
So nice to know I’m just an afterthought. Thanks a lot Simon.
“We don’t know that,” Cal said. “It could have been a freak accident.”
“I was involved, after al ,” I said, attempting to make a joke. “Get it. Freak accident.” Cal groaned and smiled at me, but continued on.
“Frogs and toads have been said to rain from the sky al over the world,” Cal said. “It happens.”
“I always thought it was aliens,” I said. “You know, sucking up frogs from some pond or something to experiment on and then, bam, they drop them off wherever they happen to be flying.”
“That is disturbing,” Simon said.
“There is also the possibility of weather systems, like tornadoes, being responsible,” Cal said.
“I like my theory,” I said.
“I do hope you’re wrong,” Simon said, shaking his head. “But the fact remains that this may have been the result of foul play.”
“If it turns out that someone is responsible, don’t worry, they’l pay,” I said.
For the first time today, Simon and I were in agreement.
*****
Witchtrot Road was only marginal y less creepy during daylight. That may have been due, in part, to the fog. Fog was rol ing along the ground and over tree roots like smoke bil owing over ancient dragon claws. Trees grew out of the frozen leaf litter, reaching up through the mist, skeletal branches stretched to block out the sky.
The forest was horror movie spooky.
It had been an unseasonably warm day when we left my house, but Witchtrot Road seemed to gather and hold close the chil of winter. I shivered against the cold as we hopped out of Cal’s truck to look at the site of our recent car crash.
Tendrils of fear crept up my spine.
It was amazing that we had survived.
Paral el grooves ran off into the trees at a dark patch of bumpy road. Closer inspection revealed the bumps were not part of the road itself, but tiny frozen toad bodies.
Simon bent down to examine the toads, but I looked away.
Ewww…gross, and sad. Poor little toads. I was warmed with a flash of anger. What did these little creatures ever do to deserve this?
Cal reached for my hand and we stepped down into a deep ditch. Fol owing the tire tracks, I was surprised to see them disappear so quickly. Oh yeah, we flipped over. You don’t leave tire tracks when your tires are spinning against the sky. I stumbled as the image of hanging upside down inside Emma’s car made me miss my footing.
“You okay?” Cal asked, holding me upright.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I said.
“Find anything?” Cal asked as Simon joined us.
Simon was stuffing a plastic baggy into his jacket pocket and I real y hoped it wasn’t fil ed with dead toad.
“There were frozen toads, but no ice,” Simon said.
“Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“Yes, there should have been a layer of ice,” Cal said.
“Yuki, do you remember it raining or were there just toads fal ing from the sky?”
“Um, just the toads,” I said.
“I think that rules out a weather event as the cause,” Simon said.
“I agree,” Cal said. “That leaves the possibility of someone launching the toads at Emma’s car.”
“Or aliens,” I said. “But if it wasn’t aliens, why would anyone want to throw toads at our car?”
“Maybe there is something here that someone doesn’t want discovered,” Simon said.
“A scary legend, and the threat of an accident, would keep most people away,” Cal agreed.
“So what are they hiding?” I asked.
“I think we’re going to find out,” Cal said.
*****
Cal and Simon raised their heads to sniff the forest air.
Whatever they could smel , it wasn’t a ghost. I didn’t smel anything at al , not even Dylan Jacobs. Dylan seemed to stil be trapped at Wakefield High. Poor guy.
“What do you smel ?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Cal said.
“It’s too faint,” Simon said. “We should shift into wolf form and try to catch the scent.”
Cal hesitated and squeezed my hand.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Simon is right. You’l be able to uncover clues faster if you use al of your wolf senses.”
“I’l be right over there,” Cal said, indicating an overgrown bush.
Why was he going into a bush? Oh, right, he had to remove his clothes. I tried not to blush.
“Okay,” I said.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Simon asked, winking.
Cal glared at Simon and growled, “You have ten seconds to get behind that bush and you’re not to come out until you’re covered in fur.”
“Oh okay, but if I get poison ivy, I’m blaming you,” Simon said over his shoulder.
“He does realize it’s the middle of winter, right?” I asked. “The chances of getting poison ivy are pretty slim.”
“Don’t remind him,” Cal said, grinning. “He’l only start complaining about the cold.”
Cal walked over to the bush and I turned my back to give the guys some privacy. A few minutes later Cal’s silver wolf loped up beside me. He nudged my hip with his shoulder and I sank my hand into the ruff of fur around his neck. The wolf looked up at me with Cal’s beautiful blue eyes and smiled. He smel ed of wet dog and sunshine.
Simon waited for us from a few yards ahead. He stood on a fal en tree, his dark fur a sharp contrast against the lingering fog. At a nod from Cal, Simon vaulted off the tree and into the forest. He quickly disappeared into the darkness and mist. It must be nice to have super awesome wolf vision.
The fog was thickening and I could barely see the ground at my feet. It was a good thing that I wore tal , tightly laced, steal-toe boots. Tree roots, loose rocks, and frozen brambles tangled my every step. Even with Cal at my side, I was at constant risk of breaking a toe or twisting my ankle.
I tried to force my awareness outward, the way that Simon had taught us during our training sessions, but I couldn’t sense any spirits. I also didn’t see any glowing spectral forms either. The woods seemed to be empty of al creatures, alive or dead. No squirrels scampered and no birds sang. Maine woods are not usual y silent, even in winter, but the forest along Witchtrot Road seemed devoid of sound. It was as though the fog swal owed the voices of al who traveled here.
A howl broke the silence and I stumbled into Cal’s solid form. Cal tilted his head to the side and, at some signal unheard by my human ears, pushed me back toward the road. I didn’t argue. I was more than ready to get out of the gloomy forest.
Cal pushed me to keep a good pace, so I was relieved when he came to an abrupt stop at the bush where we started. Cal was barely back in human form when Simon, who had also shifted, grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the road.
“Hurry!” Simon shouted.
I was already breathing heavily, but I sprinted to the truck with my last burst of energy. Al of my bruises and sore muscles from the night before screamed at me in protest as I launched myself up into the passenger seat.
Simon jumped into the driver’s seat and Cal slid in beside me. The engine roared to life and
Simon swung the truck onto Witchtrot Road with deadly speed.
I closed my eyes and buried my face into Cal’s shoulder. I prayed that Simon’s werewolf reflexes could keep the truck on the narrow road and that I wouldn’t end up in another accident.
“What did you find?” Cal asked.
I lifted my head, curious. What, or who, were we running from?
“Let me get us off this bloody road,” Simon said. “I’l feel better when I’m sure we’re out of range of being shot or blown up.”
Simon flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror and relaxed his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel.
Apparently whatever he was afraid of wasn’t fol owing us, yet. What could be scary enough to freak out Simon? He was kidding about being shot or blown up, right? Cal raised an eyebrow at Simon, but didn’t ask any more questions.
Chapter 14
After five minutes of driving at breakneck speeds down winding back roads, Simon maneuvered the truck into a bumpy, gravel parking lot adjacent to a smal church. I would normal y protest against parking so close to a church, since a graveyard fil ed with spirits of the dead was almost certainly nearby, but I was too curious to complain.
What had Simon discovered in the dark forest of Witchtrot Road?
“What was in the woods?” I blurted out.
“And what was that smel ?” Cal asked. “You scouted ahead of us, but I caught the scent you were fol owing. It was like a harsh chemical smel , but, you know, different.” Simon sighed and stared straight ahead, out through the windshield, and across the empty gravel parking lot. I fol owed his gaze, but there was nothing there. Simon seemed to be trying to gauge how much to tel us. That just made me mad. Why hold something back from his friends?
“Simon?” Cal asked.
Cal’s voice was gentle, but there must have been a note of command hiding in his words. Simon jerked, like a puppet on a string, and swung his head to face Cal directly.
“This information could place you in danger,” Simon said. “Are you sure you real y want to know?”