by M. D. Bowden
I love Alfie.
Oh my God – I do – I love Alfie!
Wow.
I grin to myself on his back. I love him! I’ve never felt this way about anyone.
Casper is delusional – I am not meant to be with him! I don’t want to be with someone who is cold – who is actually dead. Who is evil. However beautiful he might be.
I want to be with someone who makes me feel good, who makes me feel I can do good things, who can help me do them. Someone warm and Alfie-like. Alfie. I really do love him.
Please let him understand what I’ve done.
Alfie stops at the end of the path to my house and gently lets go of my legs so I slide down his back. I can’t help it, but just seeing him, being with him – I feel so happy. A silly grin spreads across my face as his brothers come to a halt beside us.
Sammy looks from my grinning face to Alfie’s angry face and puts his hands up and steps back, laughing. “Right, Mathew, I reckon we should leave these guys to talk.”
Alfie looks at me, and even though he can see me grinning, the anger doesn’t leave his face.
Mathew raises his eyebrows. “Too right.”
“Wait,” says Alfie. “Can you get Mark home – I want to talk to Ava alone.”
Mathew nods. “We’ll wait here.”
I unlock the door to the building and Alfie follows me silently up the stairs. When I open my door Mark lunges towards me from the sofa.
“Ava! What the—? How—?”
“I’m alright, Mark,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Don’t you dare roll your eyes at me, Ava – you could have been killed!”
The grin falls off my face. “But I wasn’t – and even if I was – if it had saved other people – it would have been for a good reason!”
“But—”
“Stop,” Alfie says. “I need to talk to Ava alone. My brothers are outside – they will make sure you get home safely.”
Mark turns to me. “Is this what you want, Ava?” He sounds hurt.
“I need to talk to Alfie. I’m sorry Mark – sorry that I put you through this. I will ring you tomorrow.”
“You promise.”
“Yeah, I do. Err … this is Alfie by the way.”
“Yeah, we met when he came here looking for you,” Mark says, looking at Alfie now. “Thanks for getting her back.”
“Not a problem,” Alfie says, his mood dark. “I’ll walk out with you and introduce you to Sammy and Mathew.”
Mark pulls me into a hug before he goes. “You better never do anything that stupid again.”
I just hug him back and don’t promise anything of the sort. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I say.
I wait for Alfie to return, a smile playing on my lips. I know it’s completely inappropriate, considering the circumstances, but I’m happy to be here – to be alive – to be with Alfie. To love him.
He returns with a scowl on his face, and for some reason – in my completely loved up mood – I find it adorable. I step forwards and wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head against his chest.
“What are you so happy about?” he says.
“This probably isn’t the best time to tell you…”
“Tell me what?” He sounds worried.
“Ok … I … can’t help myself. I realised something tonight.”
“What did Casper make you realise?”
“It wasn’t him … or maybe it was him … in a way. But it’s you.” I lean back so I can look him in the face, and beam up at him, even though he looks confused, hurt and angry. “I love you.”
His eyes widen. “You do?”
“Yes. I love you so much,” I say, and I hug him again.
“You’re not just saying this to make me forgive you?”
“Nope. I. Love. You. Very much.”
He sighs. Not the response I was hoping for – but what can I expect after what I just put him through.
“Let’s sit down,” he says. “Tell me everything that happened tonight – and everything – and I mean it – that made you decide to do this.”
I smile at him, and raise my eyebrows – in what I’m hoping is a cute expression. “I can do that. I meant well.”
His lips twitch – almost into a smile. My declaration seems to have made his anger dissipate – but I can tell he’s still not happy. There is a little crease between his eyebrows showing he’s still very worried – about my feelings for Casper, if I’m not wrong. So I decide that’s where I should start.
“Nothing happened. With Casper that is. I didn’t let him kiss me.”
“You wanted to kiss him though. Didn’t you?” It’s more of a statement than a question.
“No! Well – and don’t worry! – there is something about him that’s very compelling – as I’ve told you before – but, inside me – I didn’t want to. I always remembered that he’s a killer … and that you’re good. My feelings for you are stronger. They won out.”
“Why did you do it, Ava? I know – Mark told me – but tell me – in your own words. Please.”
I explain to him my reasoning in detail, and as I talk to him he looks at me with a sad expression on his face.
“You’re wrong, Ava,” he says, when I’ve finished.
“What do you mean?”
“It wouldn’t be worth your life. Your life has more meaning than that. You can save people without dying … without sacrificing yourself. There’s so much more you can do … so many people you can save, can protect. Alive. If you stay with me we can do so much together.”
“I want to.”
“To what?”
“To stay with you. I love you,” I say, my face breaking into a wide smile again.
Alfie laughs, his sadness now dissipating too. He gently grabs my shoulders and pulls me towards him at the same time as leaning back, so I’m lying on top of him on the sofa, and he kisses my face, and my lips.
“I love you too, Ava.”
“I love you,” I say again.
“I love you,” Alfie says.
We both burst out laughing, and then I lay there while he hugs me.
“And anyway … you were wrong about something else too,” Alfie says.
“What’s that?” I say, propping myself up on my elbow so I can look into his gorgeous eyes.
“Something happened tonight – that’s why it took so long to get to you. There is another way of ending this – and soon. Tomorrow night in fact.”
“What way?”
“The bloodsuckers have challenged us to a battle.”
“Are you serious? What happened?” I say.
“Me, and Sammy and Mathew – we were ambushed tonight – by three bloodsuckers.”
“And you fought them?”
“Yep, but we weren’t getting anywhere – we were an even match. In the end banter went down … and … well … they have challenged us. Fight to the death. All of them – against all of us.”
I sit up, and Alfie copies me.
“But … surely they wouldn’t challenge you unless … unless they felt confident they would win?”
“Yeah, but bloodsuckers are confident bastards. Delusional though – we can take them on no probs.”
“Not that I don’t have confidence in you, but don’t you think that werewolves are pretty … err … confident in themselves too?”
He chuckles. “Yeah, we are a bit, aren’t we? But we have good reason to feel sure of ourselves – our numbers are greater for one.”
“But do you know they are for sure?”
“Yeah, no way they’ve increased numbers that much recently – and if they had they wouldn’t be able to control them – new bloodsuckers are pretty wild.”
“Does Mic know?”
“Yeah, Mathew rang him there and then – we’ve accepted. It’s gonna happen.”
He grins.
“You seem very happy about this,” I say.
“You’re not?! It’s awesome – we can end this tomorrow,
or – he checks the time on his phone – actually today – it’s way past midnight.”
“I’m worried, that’s all. About you.”
“After what you did? That was a whole magnitude greater in the danger stakes.”
“Yeah well…. I guess my plan won’t work now.”
“Shit no – it’s not gonna happen! And now it doesn’t need to either.” He looks at me seriously. “Ava … it’s not so much what you did – even though it was madness! I get that you thought it was the only way … that you were actually trying to help … but it’s that you lied to me about it. That hurts.”
“You get why I did though?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really sorry I hurt you. I will try not to do it again.”
He lunges for me and starts tickling my waist.
“Stop! Stop!” I scream.
He stops, his face close to mine.
“Ok, ok – I won’t do it again!”
He strokes the hair away from my face. “It’s hard to stay angry at you. I can’t believe I’ve nearly forgiven you.”
“I wasn’t sure you would,” I say. “I thought I might lose you.”
“Not going to happen,” he says, and leans in to kiss me on the lips.
His lips meet mine and I kiss him back, finding it hard to stop – but there’s something I have to ask him.
“I’m coming with you, right?”
“Where?”
“To the battle, duh.”
“No way!”
“I thought you were going to say that! I can’t have you out there fighting and not know if you’re safe. I might be able to help!”
“It’s werewolves and bloodsuckers only Ava. I won’t be able to protect you. I’m sorry. You can’t come.”
“Will you ring me? As soon as it’s over?”
“’Course I will,” he says, and kisses me again.
He breaks away and looks into my eyes. “I’m glad you love me too, ’cos I love you so much. You freaked me right out going off like that!”
“I do love you too.”
His lips are back on mine, kissing me slowly, and again, more deeply.
He breaks away again, and kisses my cheek, and my neck.
“The sun is rising,” he whispers. “I’ve got to go soon. Mic says we all have to return to prepare for tonight.”
“Can you stay a little bit longer?” I ask, running my lips along his jawline, and sliding my hands under his t-shirt.
“That I can do,” he says, and kisses me again.
SHOWDOWN
I wake up alone in my flat as weak afternoon sun shines around the edge of my blind. Today is the day. The battle. And I’m not even going to see it.
Alfie will be fighting, and all his pack – his friends and family. Casper will be fighting too. Will Alfie fight Casper? Is Alfie right – will they win, no problem? Or … it could all go wrong. What if they don’t win? What if the vampires win? What if Alfie dies? What about Casper? He’s a bloodsucking murderer … and I should want him dead … but … I guess I don’t. He said he’ll stop killing for me … but he probably only means if I’m with him. But I’m very much with Alfie … how will that make Casper act? What if he kills more people in response?
What if he kills Alfie?
I have a really bad feeling about tonight. I wish I could be there – but Alfie wouldn’t even tell me where the battle will be! He said it will be safer if I don’t know. I’m not surprised really, after what I did – I can’t imagine he’ll trust me fully for a while.
I pick up my phone and ring Mark. I apologise profusely for last night and tell him what’s going on. I consider inviting him over … to wait it out with me … yet, after arguing with him I don’t feel like seeing him again quite this soon. I have faith our friendship will recover though, and we end the call on good terms.
It feels like the slowest day on Earth. Ever.
All I can think about is what’s going to happen, and what might happen. My mind is racing and racing, and it feels like I’ve been caught in a time warp.
As darkness falls I look out of the window and watch it descend, wondering what time the battle will begin. I stick on a film; and for the second night in a row I cannot concentrate. I sit there anyway, my mind elsewhere.
Waiting.
Waiting.
And waiting.
I wonder if I should go to bed and try and sleep, but discard the idea immediately; it would be no use.
The buzzer rings and my heart jumps in response.
I get up and press the button. “Who’s there?”
“I’ve got Alfie down here – you better come down and see.” The voice sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t place it.
What the hell?!
My heart racing, I fling open the door and head downstairs, with my feet bare. It’s dark in the corridor and as I get to the front door I hesitate; what if Alfie’s not really out there? What if this is a trap for me?
I take a deep breath and then open the front door slowly.
“Ava – don’t come out here!” Alfie gasps, in a strangled voice from down the path.
I don’t see him straight away though, my eyes focus on the guy standing right in front of me – the one who attacked me by the river. It’s like my breath and blood freeze. He’s standing there – looking smug and full of himself, and to top it off he’s smirking.
“Hi Ava, we’ve got your wolf-friend out here,” he taunts, and then steps aside so I can see the scene behind him.
At the end of my path, between the hedges that separate the block of flats I live in from the river path, Alfie is struggling.
“Alfie!” I wail.
“Don’t come out Av—!” Alfie screams, his voice cut off mid-word by pressure put on his voice box by the vampire holding him.
He is being held in a neck lock by a tall male, with long dark hair tied back, that I don’t recognise. Alfie’s face is going red with the effort of trying to escape, and as he twists sideways I see his hands are tied behind him with coarse rope. There is another vampire standing behind him, a woman who I do recognise from one of the photos Alfie showed me, and another standing just in front, but right at the edge of the path to give me a good view of the situation.
I nearly do step over the threshold; I want to run to him; to wrap my arms around him and free him. But there are four vampires out there. Four. And I don’t even have my gun on me – why didn’t I think to grab it before coming down? – not that it would be much use right now, with Alfie tied up.
“Wh-why have you-are you doing this?” I stutter.
My attacker’s smirk widens. “Because we want you to come with us,” he says. “As a hostage.”
“As if!” I say indignantly.
“You’ll come,” he says. “Or we’ll kill your wolf beau. Watch.”
My eyes snap to Alfie as there’s a sudden movement from the vampire holding him. He moved his arms so they are gripping Alfie around his shoulders, and his head snaps forward, and I watch, horrified, as he sinks long fangs into Alfie’s throat.
“No!”
Alfie roars and bucks forward, trying to throw off the biter, but the other two vampires grab hold of him, one wrapping his arms around Alfie’s body, and the girl clamping her hand over Alfie’s mouth. The biter breaks off, blood running down his chin, and spits out Alfie’s blood, screwing up his face with disgust.
I know it’s late, but I’m amazed no-one is coming out at all the noise. Maybe they’re too scared. Maybe someone has called the police. But even if they come … what will they be able to do?
“He’ll do that again unless you come out now,” says my smug attacker.
I feel sick – I don’t know what to do. What should I do?
Teeth plunge back into Alfie’s throat.
“No!” I shout.
“You coming then?” my attacker taunts.
“Y-yes. I am.”
“That’s it then Man, you can stop.”
The vampire with long hair breaks away from Alfie again and spits more blood onto the path. Alfie sags against him, weakened, his face greenish under the street light.
“Come on then,” my attacker taunts. “Coming or not?”
“I—” I stop talking, wondering what’s the point, take a strained breath, and then step over the threshold.
My attacker’s arms are around me in an instant, and then he fumbles in his jacket, pulls out a thick syringe, which glints in the darkness, and then plunges it into my chest. I feel a sharp pain, hear Alfie’s muffled scream, feel instantly woozy, and then pass out.
It feels like no time has passed when I feel another sharp pain and come to, feeling weird, my head pounding, and for a moment I keep my eyes closed, feeling very sleepy. I can’t move my arms; there are ropes around me, tying my arms to my sides, and I’m bound to something which is solid and cold. I am freezing, and a cool wind is blowing my hair away from my face. It’s quiet, but I start to hear some noise when I concentrate, my senses starting to wake up. I can hear rustling, and whispers; I don’t think I’m still outside my flat as I can’t hear the weir, so it must be an illusion that no time has passed.
I force my eyes open. It is very dark, but then clouds above us part to reveal a three-quarters-full moon which casts light down upon me and my surroundings. My eyes are caught by a figure tied to a nearby tree; it is Alfie, his head flopped forwards so I can barely see his face. My heart contracts.
“Alfie!” I whisper, but it comes out croaky, and he doesn’t stir.
“Alfie!” I try again, this time a little louder.
He doesn’t move an inch. I strain my eyes trying to watch him closely, and I see his chest rise and fall, and feel a sweeping sense of relief. Maybe they drugged him too, or knocked him out – but he’s a werewolf – he will recover, I tell myself.