“Alright boys, I’ll get the ribs a-smokin’ and grab your drinks.”
“Thanks, Dave. You still got the best and only, food in town,” Nate joked.
“You’re welcome, officer smartass,” Dave replied, disappearing into the kitchen. He returned with Nate’s beer and JD’s scotch, no rocks. “Have at it, guys! Your deliciousness will be up in a few.”
“Thanks, Dave!” they said with a bit of overenthusiasm, downing their drinks.
Dave laughed to himself, disappearing into the back once more.
“Dave! Please, bring me another drink, pronto!” JD shouted after him, smiling over at Nate, who was laughing and trying not to shoot his second beer out his nose.
It had been a while since they’ve had a couple drinks together and they were feeling pretty good.
“Shit, JD, I hope our plan works tonight.”
“It will,” he said, giving Nate a light punch on his shoulder. “Just enjoy your rack of ribs and it’ll all work out.”
Chapter Forty-One
The jumbo plane landed at Indianapolis International, around 1:30am. Terrence’s people were there, waiting in a black limo with dark tinted windows. Once his belongings were secure in the trunk of the limo, they headed straight for his new living quarters. They made the exit off of the freeway and continued down the country road, leading into Wolf Creek. Cornfield after cornfield and endless stretches of telephone poles, was all they could see for miles. Little did they know what was waiting for them, just a few miles down the road.
Brad was behind the limo, following at a distance with his lights off, as to keep his presence under wraps; his Lycan night-vision enabled him to see at night, without any problems. Everyone else was in place up the road and ready to spring the trap that they’d carefully planned and timed out.
Inside the black limousine, the Vampire spoke. “How much further is this dreadful place? And, what the hell is there to do for fun around here, besides kill humans?” Terrance whined. “I knew this assignment was really going to suck, but I didn’t know it was going to be this bad. There’s nothing here, but a bunch of fucking cornfields. I swear, if I wasn’t a Vampire, I’d be afraid of the children of the corn out here,” he said smugly, gazing out the window.
Everyone in the limo laughed, as the driver answered. “We should be at the location, within a half-hour. There are bottles of freshlytapped blood in the cooler by your side… enjoy.”
Terrence reached into the cooler and popped the cork on one of the bottles, filling his glass. Then he passed the bottle over to share with the two bodyguards, sitting on either side of him. But, before he could sip a single drop of blood, there was a mammoth explosion, off to the right side of the vehicle. It was a diversion set off by Nate, just to get their attention and nothing more… and it worked: the Vampire’s eyes were drawn to the brilliant light.
Tony was waiting patiently for this exact moment. The tires were already rolling underneath the semi-truck that he’d stolen earlier that evening and he was barreling down a narrow stretch of road, aiming directly for the limo that was carrying the would-be mayor of Wolf Creek. The explosion had been set and Nate timed the speed of the semi perfectly, broadsiding the car into several flips, before it finally came to a rest on its hood.
JD transformed and leaped into action, on all fours, circling the limo and smashing out the windows. The Lycan growled and howled at the frightened Vampires who were trapped inside of the wreckage. They scrambled when the beast crawled in through a window, snapping with his teeth and clawing at the retreating victims. Screams could be heard, as the Lycan ripped his way through the inside of the car, shredding the Vampires to slivers and the windows that had remained intact, were now dripping with blood. The driver managed to escape through the front windshield, but he was instantly shot by Wayne, who was waiting with an AR-15 rifle. The driver hit the ground, before self-combusting into a giant blast of flames… and then all fell silent.
JD crawled out of the limo, as quickly as he could, trying to escape the inferno that was about to be and the bodies inside the car began bursting into bright balls of swirling flames. On his animal legs, he ran with a swiftness, as the gas tank suddenly exploded, blowing up the vehicle and shooting flaming chunks of metal, high into the sky. JD barely avoided being burned alive, as he made his way over to Nate, who was still shaking off the jolt from the accident.
After JD was transformed back into his human self, Wayne tossed him his clothes.
“Anyone bring marshmallows?” Wayne asked, as everyone looked in the direction of the burning car.
JD, who was putting his jeans on, just shook his head. “Just hand me my shoes over there, Wayne.”
The men all sat near the tree line and watched the fire consume any trace of Vampire or Lycan that was left behind. Once the limo stopped burning, Wayne picked it up, with the bucket of a backhoe he’d borrowed from down the road and he transported it to the middle of a field. He dropped the smoking vehicle into deep hole, he’d dug earlier that night and he began filling it in with the massive mound of dirt that had been unearthed. No one would ever discover that they’d ever been there, way out in the middle of nowhere.
“I sincerely hope, he enjoyed his stay here in Wolf Creek,” JD said with a grin. “I must say, that went much smoother, than I expected. Everything went right for a change.”
“We got lucky,” replied Nate. “And, don’t go patting yourself on the back, just yet… you still have a phone call to pull off. That’s my favorite part… when you pretend not knowing what’s happened to their latest arrival.”
“Yeah,” said JD, always dreading it. “That phone call is always fun. It’ll come sometime tomorrow, or the next day… I look forward to that.”
Chapter Forty-Two
It was destined from the beginning, that JD’s and Nate’s children, Moonflower and Sebastian, would be together. They shared a special bond, as a result of the traumatic experience they endured together as young kids and the two remained best friends, all through their childhood. Their feelings for each other were discovered, as the days went by and they were now truly in love and finishing up their last year of high school.
Sebastian was just a younger version of his father, standing at sixfoot, two, with long blonde hair and muscular body; not an ounce of fat. He’d long since learned the art of the change and has perfected the gifts that were mixed into his system long ago. His hybrid blood of Lycanthrope and Vampire line, gave him an overabundance of supernatural abilities and he was adapting very well, under his father’s guidance.
Tonight is the Wolf Creek Wolves basketball game and by halftime, Sebastian has already scored thirty-two points, all by himself. Out of fear of drawing too much attention to himself, he was holding back… a little. The visiting teams playing on the Wolves home court were not wise to what was happening in their town and JD had warned him about staying below the public radar. But, so far, like most teenage boys, he’d only half-listened. Sebastian couldn’t entirely help himself and he did put on a tad bit of a show. He was rocking the court and driving the crowd wild, nailing a couple ridiculous three-pointers and even slam-dunking a couple points, for good measure. Everyone loved it and his team was proud to have him.
As head cheerleader, Moonflower was on the sideline of the school gymnasium, cheering with more spirit than what was stocked at the local liquor store. Moonflower had a bit more difficulty growing up with the mixed bloodlines. As a woman, the Lycanthrope would lay dormant in her system, but growing up with Vampire in her blood, would prove to be a painful process. It was hard for her, having been bitten and resurrected, but Moonflower possessed great inner strength and she dealt with her condition well, still radiating the warmth and passion of a human being.
Sitting up about ten rows behind, Moonflower were two hooded men, waiting in the bleachers and watching their every move. Their faces were partly-covered and they remained just still enough not to draw attention to themselves. These men were not, by an
y means, fans and their reasons for being there were still unclear. The two men just tried blending themselves in with the cheering fans and student’s parents, some Vampires, some not.
At halftime, the coach pulled the team into the locker room for a pep talk.
“Alright, boys!” the coach shouted. “We’re ahead, by a good lead! But, don’t go getting lazy on me… I want to see some ACTION! And, I’d like to see some points being made by someone other than Sebastian, please. Is that possible? Does anyone else on the team know how to shoot a basket?” he asked, rhetorically. “A slam dunk, perhaps?”
The coach shot a look over to Chumlee, the tallest and most overweight player in the room.
“He makes every shot, so why not give it to him?”
“Shut up, Chumlee!” the coach hollered. “If I wanted your opinion, I would’ve knocked it out of you!”
The locker room erupted in laughter and the couch waved his hands in the air to calm them down.
“Alright, guys,” the coach carried on. “Let’s get a little bigger lead and then we’ll let the second string finish out the game. If they catch up, we’ll put Sebastian back in.”
“Sounds good, Coach,” replied Sebastian, “I’m a team player… let’s do it!”
The players ran back out onto the court, as the crowd cheered. The Wolf Creek Wolves had very loyal fans and everyone at the game was on their feet, clapping and waving their hands. The stir was enough to shake the entire building, right where it stood.
The second half of the game was on and back in full swing. Sebastian did as the coach instructed and he tried not to hot-dog it, as much, but still racking up another impressive thirty points before the game’s end. He was really just that good; every time he got the ball in his hands, the points were instantaneous. On the final play, with the clock ticking down the final seconds, Sebastian took off across the court, passing close to where Moonflower was, giving her a wink, as he passed by. He moved towards the basket and Chumlee tossed him the ball. He leapt into the air, extending his arm and he slammed the final score into the basket, so hard that the backboard exploded in a storm of broken glass. The whistle blew, sounding off the end of the game and everyone in the bleachers stood to their feet; even the visiting team was excited.
JD was not happy about his son showing off in public, all that much. He let Sebastian get a shower in the locker room, before he decided to speak with him. JD was going to make it clear to his son that he wasn’t alright with his actions during the game. Sebastian saw his father leaning up against the Coke machine, waiting near the gymnasium doors and he went over and gave him a hug.
“Sebastian, I want you to know, that while I am very impressed with you, I am also as equally disappointed with your actions tonight. The backboard, even though it was very cool, was a little too much and the Vampires aren’t going to be too happy about paying for another one,” his father said, putting his arm around him. “Everyone in Wolf Creek knows what you are, but remember… the rest of the world doesn’t… and, we don’t need the rest of the world knowing. We’ve only survived this long, because no one else out there knows about us, got it? Son, I can’t have you putting everyone in harm’s way, for your own personal glory.”
“I get you, dad,” Sebastian replied, humbled. “But, it did look cool, right?”
JD laughed and smiled. “Yeah, it was pretty damn cool. Just don’t let your head get any bigger, or it won’t fit through the door when you get home.”
“Real funny,” Sebastian shot back. “I’ll see you later. I’m going to the after party to celebrate the win. I wouldn’t wait up, if I were you,” he said with sly grin, raising his eyebrows a couple times.
“Boys will be boys,” JD said to himself. “And, sometimes they pay for it, in the worst possible ways.”
They finished up their conversation, neither of them knowing what was about to come, as a result of Sebastian’s showboating that night. Someone had already posted the video on Facebook and YouTube and it was about to spread like wildfire, all over the internet. In the morning, everyone in the world was going to want to know who Sebastian was and all eyes were about to be on the town of Wolf Creek, Indiana. The father and son wrapped it up; completely clueless as to what the next day would bring them.
“Enjoy the glory now, kid, but I’m warning you and take this from someone who’s lived for decades… you must blend in, or the Hunters will seek you out,” JD told the growing boy, pointing with his index finger, as he spoke.
“I thought we were friends with the Hunters?”
“Well, yeah, we are, but there are a lot more of them out there and most are not easy to deal with. The Moore family was different and they were bad enough. You see, the majority of Hunters are a breed all of their own, more insane and brutal than the Moores ever were or could be. Take the crew that came with them to Wolf Creek, for instance, the Andersons. Words are useless with people like them and that’s why they’re no longer with us.”
Sebastian listened closely to his dad’s remark, appreciating what he was saying.
“It’s bad enough when the Vampires bring attention to our town, I don’t really need my son helping out. I wish you’d listen to me, I know what the hell I’m talking about. You don’t know it all, just yet.”
“Alright, dad, I’ll chill out,” Sebastian answered, punching him in the arm and smiling. “But hey, I’m going to meet up with Moonflower and like I said, you shouldn’t wait up. I think I got her pretty hot with that last point, what do you think?”
JD laughed and waved him off. “Have a good time, just be careful… and, no drinking, you’re not twenty one. Alcohol can mess with you and I don’t want you losing control of your abilities. Alcohol does that, got it?”
“Got it, pop. Besides, you know I’m not a drinker, I’m more of a smoker,” Sebastian said, putting his pinched fingers to his lips, finally admitting to his father that he was a smoker. “By the way, when are you going to make it legal in this town? There are worse things going on here than a little weed.”
JD just shook his head and put his hands to his face.
“Hey, I have to get going… I don’t want to make her wait. You know that girl has quite the temper. I don’t need any problems,” Sebastian said laughing, as he opened the door to step outside.
“Just go and get the hell out of here… and use some common sense, while you’re at it,” JD said, as he turned to leave. “Oh and before you go, son… one last thing. Always remember this: anything with tits or tires is eventually going to give you problems.”
______________________________________________________
Chapter Forty-Three
The bonfire had been lit and the keg, tapped, at the victory party, out in the Boone County Woods. A nice-size crowd had gathered and everyone was having a great time, reveling in their success. Moonflower came up from behind Sebastian, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a little nibble on his ear.
“Guess who?”
“Jenny, is that you?”
“What!” Moonflower snapped back. “Who the hell is Jenny?” she
yelled, grabbing at his nuts. “These belong to me and me, alone, if you want to keep wearing them!” “I’m just messin’ with you! Geez whiz, did you forget that you can’t sneak up on me? I could smell your lovely scent from a mile away… chill out.”
“You’re pretty cocky, for someone who knows that I could probably kick his ass,” she told him. “You better watch that attitude, mister sir.”
Sebastian turned around and gave her a nice, deep kiss on the lips, as she melted into his muscular arms. “You don’t seem so tough, now… did my Jedi magic work on you?”
“You were great at the game tonight, Sebastian. You’re going to be a huge star, even bigger than Michael Jordan,” she said, giving him another kiss. “You’re the next great white hope… Kobe don’t got nothin’ on my man!”
Sebastian laughed and he answered back, “Well, Kobe and I do have the same fetish… and
we’ll get to that someday.” With a mischievous grin, he added, “I don’t even think you’ll mind… but, then again, I won’t be able to see the look on your face anyways!”
Moonflower blushed and threw a nasty punch at his arm, “You better keep your trap shut, or you’ll never get to see what this is like, you smartass!”
They both laughed and embraced in another hug. Sebastian liked kidding around with her and because he’d never been a complete jerk towards her, she always took it lightly. And, they’d been taking their time, as far as intimate relations were concerned.
“Dad says I have to chill out with the all the hot-rodding, so I’m not as noticed,” Sebastian was telling his girl, sounding pretty disappointed. “But, damn it… I want the fortune and the fame. He just wants me to stay here and eventually run this town someday. I mean, I want to… and I will, but I really want to make the big time. I mean, come on… we’ll live forever, right?”
Right before he was about to say something else, the guys from the team came up from behind, grabbing Sebastian, throwing him up on their shoulders and parading him around the party, like a veteran returning home from a great war.
“Hey!” Moonflower yelled at them. “Don’t be running off with my man! I want him back, NOW!” But, they paid no attention and they continued running around like fools, until their arms got tired and then they accidentally dropped him on his head.
The party kept raging and carried through, deep into the night and everyone was drinking themselves well-beyond the point of passing out. Moonflower and Sebastian decided to get away from everyone and they took a walk out into the middle of a grassy, open field. Moonflower spread out the blanket she’d brought along and they both stretched out, laying under the full moon, holding each other tightly and looking up into the stars. Both of them were finally eighteen and they’d never been with each other intimately… but they felt that it was finally the right time. They looked deeply into each other eyes, bursting with love and Sebastian brushed her hair over her shoulders. Moonflower slowly undid her top and Sebastian began kissing her gently, as he helped her undress and both of their clothes were soon scattered around them; they were now face-to-face and heart-to-heart. They’ve been together since they were kids and they’ve both been patiently waiting for this day… their entire life.
The Lycan Chronicles Page 31