“Could just be a wild animal eating it’s dinner.” Chris said.
“Yea, maybe.” I sighed. This was a very weird smell, like a fresh kill that was still up and alive. It didn’t make any sense to me.
“You shifting tonight?” James asked me.
“No, I’m running like this.” I said motioning my hands at myself like I was a model.
“Seriously, you’re in a dress.” All the guys laughed.
“And your point is what? I can still run in a dress. You’ve seen me do it before…”
“I just wouldn’t want you to get your dress all dirty.” James smiled at me, “But don’t be surprised Angel if leapt at you and tear your dress off with my teeth.” He had a huge grin on his face.
“Stop with that grin…” I snapped trying to hide the smile in me that wanted to surface.
“Make me.” He said.
“Catch me!” I yelled as I started running through the front of the forest. I heard them all laugh in excitement and take off after me. I heard the Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop noise coming from behind me, and saw a flash of light coming from them as they turned into their wolf forms.
I heard padded feet no more than four or five feet behind me. They were barking and howling in excitement. Shifting into wolves isn’t like you see in the movies. They’re wolves exactly, down to the last detail, just bigger like a Great Dane. You wouldn’t want one standing on their hind legs looking down at you.
This is what the human kind worried about. The ones who lived around the village and on the other side of the forest and the lake. The boys howled so loud it could wake you from a dead sleep thinking they had a nightmare and are still hearing all the howling from there windows.
Tonight the moon was full and made the night time look as if it were daylight. It had rained earlier today so everything was still wet and sparkled like diamonds. I couldn’t help but smile at the scenery, it was all just so mesmerizing to me. It had put me into a sort of daydream, until a yip from behind me snapped me out of it. I turned while I was still running to see the boys nipping at each other. You can’t help but laugh at their antics. Boys will be boys.
I started slowing down as I saw the opening at the end of the trail. When we ran, it was all about being free and acting how ever we wanted to act. All that would always matter was that we were free.
I stopped so fast in front of them, I’m glad they have good breaks. Most of them stopped behind waiting for me to say something. I couldn’t quite figure it all out. I had that sense like we were being watched and the fresh smell of blood was everywhere. But I couldn’t smell anything else around the area.
“What is it?” I heard James ask me in my head as he walked closer to me.
“It’s the blood smell again…” I responded in silence in case we weren’t alone out here.
“I say we get outta here before what ever it was comes back. We don’t need to be caught around whatever it is. The Chief would skin us if we got into trouble.” Chris sated.
“My father wouldn’t skin you…I don’t think.” I chuckled a little still speaking through my mind.
“You sure about that?” I heard James sarcastic voice again. I looked over at him and grinned.
“I agree, let’s head back down to the shore, we can shift back and just hang out for a little while.” Tobey struggled his words out with worry in his tone.
“Yea, I think that sounds pretty good.” I said out loud this time breaking the silence in the woods. It was way too quiet out here. Sometimes silence is dangerous. I was the first one to turn back and start at a slow jog until I heard all twelve feet following me. Then I sprinted like there was something trying to kill me.
It took us about ten minutes to get back to the shore line. I ran straight for the small fire they had lit earlier, and they went for their clothes. I sat on a log waiting.
“Beautiful.” James said sitting down next to me wrapping his arm around my waist.
“It is.” I responded looking out at the lake leaning my head on his shoulder.
“I meant you,” He laughed, “But yea, the lake too.”
“Cozy night huh?” Chris said, sitting down next to me on the other side. I heard a low growl come from James throat. I turned to look at him with a scowl on my face.
“Easy Rambo.” I said.
“Sorry.” A simple statement came from him in my head.
“So what do you think was out there at the top of the hills?” Tobey asked as he and the rest of the boys came to sit down.
“I don’t think that I want to know.” Chris said from beside me.
“Shit, I think we should go back out at first light and investigate!” Joe suggested with a ton of enthusiasm in his voice.
“I think so too!” Kent agreed with him.
“Are you out of your mind? You have no idea what was out there. Talk about going to your death.” I quieted my voice.
“We’re adventurous, what can I say?” Mike laughed.
“I think that maybe you should keep your adventures to a minimum.” I half smiled.
“Angel…” I heard my fathers voice come from behind me. James dropped his arm from around me real fast. “Please come here.” He commanded from the position from where he stood.
“Coming…” I said slowly. I left the boys quietly and for once they too were quiet.
I walked over towards him. I could never really read his mind, only his face. There was worry coming from his eyes. His eyes, they either make you melt or make you feel guilty. As I got closer to him he started to walk away from me. I followed him cautiously.
“Yes?” I said, making a squinting type face with a ton of questions I wanted to ask. He knew I had many questions, and he beat me to it.
“I will not answer your questions Angel, not now. You just have to trust me and believe me when I tell you to stay out of the forest. Do you think that you can do that?” He asked me looking behind me at the boys whom were all now wrestling, trying out those spins where you lift the other guys above you and slam them down on the ground. Dorks.
“Yes, I can do that, but…”
“No buts.” He stated putting his hand in the air as if to shush me, “You don’t let them do that to you, do you?” He then motioned towards The Six.
“No, I don’t. They’re afraid that I would hurt them.” I laughed.
“You probably would. Well, come then, you need to get some rest.” I nodded to him.
I decided that I should say good night to the boys first. I turned around and the image I then saw made me laugh out loud. They were all piled up on top of each other wrestling to see who might pass out first. I walked over laughing still, and that made them all look up. Just then James got Chris to pass out.
“Way to go James. You idiot.” I said, trying to get everyone off of Chris who was coming to.
“I know, I’m the man!” He stood up showing off his muscles.
“You’re the dork!” I stood up and mocked him showing off my “muscles”.
“I’ll get even with you one of these days, don’t worry James.” Chris said.
“Oh I won’t worry.” He laughed. “So what did your father want?”
“He said not to ask questions, to trust him, and stay out of the forest for the next few days.” I put it out there like my father would have said with his ancient and wise voice. Yes, I mocked him.
“Why?” Kent asked me.
“I don’t know. I guess I will listen to him like I always do. You guys should too.” I sighed, “Well, gentlemen, I’m heading back to the village.” I started walking back.
There was a bunch of “Goodnights” and “See you tomorrow’s” being said as I started walking back to the village.
James was the one who followed me, like a lost little puppy. The rest of the guys had just started wrestling again.
“So do you think that what you smelt up there has something to do with what your father said to you?” He
asked raising an eyebrow.
“It could.” I kept looking in front of me.
“What are you thinking?” He asked me. No one can hear me unless I allow them too. So, he really couldn’t understand my thoughts. Though he tried.
“I’m thinking about how tired I am, and wondering why you are following me.” I smiled over at him.
“I would think that it was obvious.” He smiled back reaching down taking my hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissed it.
“I wish you wouldn’t sometimes…” I smiled, trying to take my hand back from him.
“It’s puppy love.” He grinned at me. Ever since he was ten years old, he has always said that he was in love with me and asked me to wait for him. Even then, there was something about him that made me wonder. As he got older, well, he just became irresistible. Nothing was made “official” until just last year, with him.
“Ok. Well. You have to stop here so my father doesn’t see you.” I smiled at him getting up on my tip toes and kissed his chin. That’s as far as a five foot three inch person can reach on someone tall like him. It started raining again as we said our goodnights.
“Why does it matter if your father see’s me? He knows that there’s something going on with us.”
‘Yea. Something.” I smiled at him in the rain, “Goodnight James.” I did a backwards wave and didn’t turn back to see him.
“Goodnight my Angel.” I heard him smile. I rolled my eyes and started to run towards my house.
My father was standing on the porch smoking a pipe watching the rain drip down off of the porch roof.
“Said your goodnights?” He grinned.
“You were watching weren’t you? You peeping chief.” I smiled at him.
“I’m not too fond of that boy, you know that. He’s trouble.”
“So am I.”
“But you know better, you’re almost four hundred years old Angel.”
“Keep reminding me how old I am.” I laughed.
“I will be leaving in the morning for a council.” He sat down on the rocking chair.
“What’s the council for?” I asked, leaning against the rail.
“Stuff.” He took a puff.
“Stuff? Why all the secrets father?” I crossed my arms.
“No secrets. I will tell you eventually.” He took another puff.
“Alright. You keep your secrets old man.” I smiled, he smiled back, “I’m going to take a shower and head to bed.” I walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight father.”
“Goodnight daughter of mine.”
It had been three days since my father left for the council meeting, and I have not heard anything from him about the meeting.
Two O’clock in the morning, and I still haven’t slept. Lately I just lay there and stare at the ceiling or listen to the thoughts run around in my head. Maybe I should take up drinking like some of the older men here. I see them pass right out after they have had a few too many.
“Angel.” I heard a whisper come from my window. I groaned. It was James.
I got up and walked over to the window and opened it further so that he could come in. With a swift jump he made it from the ground, up to my window sill.
“What are you doing? We do have a front door.”
“I don’t want to use the front door. I like the idea of the whole knight in shining armor coming in with my noble steed and rescuing the damsel in distress.” He grinned.
“Yup. I’m pretty sure that I’m not in distress.” I crossed my arms.
“Sure?”
“Pretty sure.” I started to walk back towards my bed.
“Get back here.”
“No.”
“Yes.” He grabbed my hand and turned me back around towards him. “I have really missed you Angel.”
“I kind of missed you.” I said, trying to be a smart ass. It usually worked-- for a few minutes.
“I’m being serious. You never come hang out with us anymore. Just the other night when we ran, but you didn’t stay very long.” He reached down and took my face in his hands. His big hands practically fit around my whole face. He kissed me with one of those deep kisses that made me weak in the knees.
“Mmmm…No.” I said trying to get away from him.
“Angel. Please. You don’t know what you do to us men. I mean look at you.” He motioned with his hands and did that whole grin again.
I looked down at myself, “Oh yea, look at me. Wearing an old black t-shirt that’s nicely worn out. Yes, that’s sexy.” I failed at making my sexy face. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, you don’t know what you do to us women.” I laughed mockingly. Looking him up and down, wearing cut off khaki pants and a black wife beater tank.
He leaned forward and put his arms out lifting me onto him. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and my arms around his neck. I felt my heart start pounding, and if I’d had any pigment in me, my face would be flushed. We just stayed like this for a few moments, holding onto one another and breathing each other in. I put my face down into his neck which probably wasn’t a very good idea considering that I wanted to just sink my teeth into him. I refrained, pulling my face back up to look at him.
He leaned again in towards me and started kissing me very, very deeply. His hands were wandering wherever he could get them. After a few minutes we stopped for a breather. We both laughed.
I took my arms and lowered them around his waist, removing his black tank and throwing it across the room. He walked over to my bed and set me on it taking my old t-shirt off and throwing it across the room with his. He picked me up again.
“I could’ve done that.” I stated, motioning to my shirt on the floor. He laughed.
We were finally alone after all these months of my father around and the other five guys.
He had me back in his arms, no clothes and lots of kissing. He threw me hard against the wall. He grinned at me. I didn’t even notice the picture frame behind me had smashed to the floor and the glass was all over the place.
My teeth came out and I tried to hide them. I couldn’t help it.
“Do it.” He said, looking me in the eyes, “Do it…”
And I did. Without hesitation. I bit him. My teeth sank right into his neck, and it was wonderful. It had been a long time since I have had any blood from a person, let alone a Werewolf. It was fabulous. Pure ecstasy. After a few minutes of drinking his blood I licked the wound clean, and it healed instantly. One, he’s a Werewolf so he heals quickly, and two, saliva from a hybrid helps heal the wound.
I screamed in pleasure, and growled so loud, we laughed at each other for it too. He threw us both onto the bed out of breath…I don’t want to bore you with the rest of the details from that night. All you need to know is that it was amazing.
“Shit.” He said breathlessly.
“What?” I asked him out of breath.
“You see what I mean when I say you don’t know what it is you do to us men?” He laughed. We laid there talking for awhile about anything and everything like we used to. Then we fell asleep in each others arms.
It was amazing that he accepted me for who I was, and for what I was. He didn’t judge me. He just didn’t care about the fact that I was half Vampyre. He got me, he saw me. I never had to explain myself to him. That’s what us ladies want in a man. Take me as I am. And he did.
Angel.
4.
Wild Daisies and the Cherokee Rose.
Present Time.
When I awoke the next morning James was gone. In his place was one wild daisy sitting on top the black pillow case. I couldn’t help but smile to myself. I sat up and looked around my room to survey the damage. This is when I saw the shattered glass all over the floor.
“Angel?” I heard my fathers voice coming from outside in the hall. “Are you awake?” He was now closer to my door.
“Yea. Yes, I’ll be right out.” I yelled back in a sort of pani
c.
I ran around trying to find some clothes to put on. I decided on a worn out pair of jeans and a black tank top, then slipped into my flip flops. I looked out the window before I went down stairs. There were police cars out front and the police were talking to people. What the hell? I ran down the stairs and collided into my father who was coming out of the kitchen and going towards the front door.
“What’s going on?” I asked him as I steadied myself. The run in didn’t phase him one bit.
“Dead human bodies were found this morning out in the woods near a camp site.” He stated and kept walking. I followed him out onto the front porch.
“Chief Fowler. Can we steal a few moments of your time this morning?” The officer with the name tag Paul asked. I was standing still next to the shut screened door listening very carefully.
“Sure, sure.” He said with his I’m all ears voice.
“Have any of your people been up the trails the past few days? Up near the meadow?” He asked. I saw my father tense a little bit. They didn’t notice it, but I did. “We know you’ve been away the past few days.” He finished. They’ve been keeping an eye on us?
“I don’t think my people have gone up there lately, no. That is not our land. That land belongs to someone else.”
“I see. Do you recognize any of these people?” He asked my father shoving a pile of pictures into his hands. The other officer whose name tag said Mike, just stood there and watched curiously to see my fathers reaction. It was the whole good cop, bad cop thing.
“Can’t say that I have.” My father studied the photos not making a face or showing any emotion at the mutilated bodies. I saw the pictures from over his shoulder. It wasn’t too much of a shocker. I had seen worse, or well, done worse.
“I see. Well, if you could just keep your people in the village and down off the trails until we figure out what is going on up there, that would be great.” He tipped his hat to my father and turned around, walking back down the steps to the car.
“Will do.” He stood there and watched the police leave the area. He didn’t move until he saw the tail lights disappear completely.
Fate of the Blood Moon's Path Page 6