Don't Forget Me

by Sia Wales

  “Not at all. Quick and painless is my usual approach…” he replied, putting his arms around her.

  “Ah, that’s a relief… How did you know where to find me?” she quizzed him, piqued. “You were still standing next to the lectern, hemmed in by your groupies, when I left the room.”

  “Stella, I’d find you anywhere. Did you think the halls of the university would give me a problem?”. He smiled confidently, hearing a call come in on his cell phone. He saw it was Graham Bristol, the conservative member of Council to whom Donn had promised the girl, simply as a personal favor. The Council member had just come back from a business trip and he wanted to speak to him that same day, now that he’d discovered that Jason was in reality a half-vampire, a feature he could have inherited only from Rod Warner, the conservative member of the Council who had nearly killed him. It was really Warner himself who wanted the girl, using Bristol as a go-between: the idea was to lure Jason into his trap. The aim was to get him to withdraw his account of the facts, using the girl as collateral. He wanted to show that he had nothing to do with the matter: this business had cost him his position in the Board of Directors of Council Capital Holding. Then he would kill the boy. Jason was living proof that council member Warner was a vampire of impure blood. According to Council law, the punishment for a council member of impure blood was immediate death.

  Donn’s eyes darkened. He asked Stella to excuse him for a moment and withdrew to take the call.

  “Brooks,” he said.

  “Donn, progress report?”.

  “Everything’s going according to plan,” Donn lied, smoothly.

  “That’s not what Warner told me. No indeedie, at least according to a certain informant of ours.”

  “And who would that be? Is Warner having me followed?” Donn asked angrily, his tone threatening.

  “Uh-huh… Drake Wolf.”

  “How dare he, damn it? I’m a Council member, his equal, for chrissakes!” Stella watched him warily, her intutition telling her that there was something deeper behind the one-sided conversation she was hearing.

  “It’s just business, no need to take it personally, Donn. We need the girl to be there at the election at Madison Square Garden… ”

  “She’ll be there… I met Jason, I know everything about Warner now, and the reason why he wants to kill Jason… Did you know?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “Let’s meet at the Council Capital… In my office, an hour from now.”

  “Fine.” murmured Bristol.

  Donn cut the connection and jammed the cell into his pocket, a somber expression on his face as he walked back to the girl.

  “I’m sorry, Stella, I have to go…”

  “Why?”

  “A business matter, I’m afraid. Would you like me to drive you home before I go?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll ask Jamie to take me.”

  “One last thing, Stella: are you acquainted with a man called Drake?”

  “No, I don’t think so…” she replied, confused.

  “Just as well… Goodbye then.” He stroked her face one last time then forced himself to turn and walk away from her.

  At the same time, Graham called Drake who sat in a Starbucks next to the university.

  “Councilor Bristol…”

  “I’m reassigning the job to you, Mr. Wolf. I want you to finish the work councilor Brooks started, as of this evening. Bring me the girl as soon as possible… And don’t make me regret placing my trust in you.”

  “You ok with me getting some other werewolves as backup? She’s always with Vuk or Bryan…”

  “I’m not interested in the finer details, Mr. Wolf, just the result. Oh, and a word of warning: don’t let her soften you up.”

  “There’s no chance of that, Councilor Bristol, don’t sweat it.” He ended the conversation and immediately called Ian Ward, another Boston werewolf, who happened to work behind the counter of a firearms store.

  “Hey man, what’s the word?” He knew that Drake was working on something very delicate.

  “Want to share some of the loot with me?” Drake asked temptingly, but dead serious.

  “Count me in. Should I bring Nathan Aiden along? I know he’s looking to get experience in the industry.” Nathan was a young werewolf who repped for a well-known brand of firearms, although his personal specialty was knives.

  “I dunno, Ian, he’s a little young, he’s not yet found his mojo.”

  “Come on, give him a chance, Drake. You said yourself the job’s a piece of cake.”

  “Whatever, Ian, but if he does come, he’s your responsibility. Make sure he doesn’t mess up. I’ll meet you in Medford at 11 o’clock tonight, in front of The Pats, the bar where the girl works. And don’t be late.”

  “Sure, Drake, later.”

  While Ian called Nathan, Drake sent a message to Vuk, his brother: Hey, I’m in town… Call me if you feel up for a beer…just like old times!

  When he saw his brother’s text, Vuk was thrown back into a dark tunnel of memories he had been trying desperately to forget. Feeling shell-shocked, he left the class he was taking with Jamie. Vuk decided to call Stella, suddenly anxious to hear her reassuring voice.

  “Hey Vuk…” Stella stopped to take his call on the steps of Mugar Memorial Library.

  “Stella, where’d you disappear to, what made you leave class like that? I lost sight of you…” He knew deep down that she had been with Donn.

  “I can tell you’re not in class anymore, either. Where are you?” she asked, cunningly avoiding his question.

  “Heading for my truck… had to leave early today. Can you at least tell me where you are?”

  “At the Mugar Memorial Library. Jamie’s coming here to study with me after class. You sound strange. Want to meet up? Did something happen?”

  “No, Stella, I’m good, nothing’s happened…”

  “You sure?” She could tell something was eating him.

  “’Course…”

  Vuk tensed and fell silent, exhaling slowly.

  “Stella…” he said tentatively, then more decisively “Want to meet up at The Pats tonight?”

  “Vuk, it’s my night off, no work for me tonight,” she replied happily, not immediately catching on.

  “Yeah, I know that. What I wanted to say is will you go out with me tonight?” he asked her once more, his voice almost catching in his throat from nerves.

  “Are you asking me out on a date?” she asked, feeling a pleasant buzz of confusion.

  “And if I am?” He held his breath waiting for her reply.

  “I’d say we’d better not stay out too late…” she whispered, feeling a smile begin to spread on her face.

  “Cool, see you later, kid.”

  “Later, Vuk…” Stella hung up and settled down to wait for Jamie to turn up.

  Drake Wolf

  "Stella!” Jamie exclaimed, surprised to see her on the library steps after the way she’d walked out of class.

  “Hey, Jamie, how did the class go?”

  “Super boring without you. You ran off to see him, didn’t you?” she asked, referring to Mr. Brooks.

  “I couldn’t stop myself.” Stella admitted.

  “So, tell me, how was the hot and sexy Mr. Brooks’ lecture today?”

  “I’d say very stimulating…”

  “Oh boy,” squealed Jamie, rolling her eyes. “C’mon, spill everything! Let’s grab a coffee.”

  “Great idea, I really need a jolt of caffeine, I hardly slept a wink last night,” Stella replied, as the girls walked to the coffee shop.

  “How come? Don’t tell me you were with him?” Jamie asked, her mouth dropping open in amazement, the corner of her eyes registering the face of the boy she’d seen hang around near them on the library steps as he followed the pair of them.

  “Hey, Jamie, don’t look at me like that! We’ve only ever exchanged a kiss… or two…. That’s all.”

  They got coffees to-go and t
hen started back to the library.

  “You really like him, don’t you?” Jamie asked, savoring her drink.

  “I’m crazy about him. He fascinates me, he is so hot and mysterious with his old-fashioned charm… Irresistible. I surrender. That body, so languid and confident, those elegant gestures,” Stella mused. “He has real style, perfection itself almost. When he looks at me, it’s like he’s piercing my soul… And he’s hot for me, too, I can tell by how he puts his mouth so close to mine and lets our breath mingle. I can see him struggling not to kiss me, this irresistible little frown appears on his face!” she said ecstatically.

  “Stella, I’ve never heard you gush so much about anyone before, not even Jason,” said Jamie enthusiastically, happy for her friend.

  “It’s nothing like what I feel for Jason… it’s not that kind of all-consuming passion and love or the overwhelming sense of completeness, of deep, intense complicity that I have with Jason. Mr. Brooks is different, he torments my hidden self, arouses my most intimate, secret cravings. It’s carnal lust in its pure state, an instinctive, primordial reaction…”

  “Oh, so a little like what you feel with Bryan.”

  “Jamie! What’s Bryan got to do with it? A couple of fleeting kisses don’t make it a relationship…” she protested, slightly embarrassed, thinking how Donn had completely eclipsed any thought of Bryan she might have had.

  “So twice?” Jamie interrupted, a wry smile on her face.

  “That was before I met Vuk and, besides, the first time I was basically drunk and it was closing time.”

  “And the second?”

  “After he came in the back door and found me sitting on a stool in the kitchen. Actually, that was a lot less fleeting as kisses go,” she admitted, thinking how she’d perched on that very same stool to drink her coffee that morning before walking out the door and straight into Donn.

  “Well, he clearly managed to push the right buttons,” Jamie smiled.

  “Yeah, sure, but he doesn’t even come close to Mr. Brooks,” Stella smiled back at her wickedly.

  “Yeah, I figured… Well, he’s certainly weird and I admit he’s definetely not short on charm to get you where he wants you.” Jamie commented, while glancing at a guy not too far away.

  “Stella, you see that grungy looking guy on your left, the one with reddish hair, a leather jacket with studs and jeans?” Stella turned and watched the guy. It was Drake Wolf. She noted his tousled hair, his dark, hooded brown-green eyes that gave his face a cruel look… just like a wolf, like Vuk. Drake’s sculpted body mirrored his solitary, rebellious nature but was merely the façade that hid his unpredictable, hotheaded and reckless darker side.

  “Yeah, clocked him, why?” Stella asked, curiously.

  “Well, I saw him follow us here from the library. I saw him hanging around there when I met you. He was near you but I don’t think you noticed,” Jamie said, her face creasing slightly with worry.

  “Why didn’t you tell me immediately?”

  “I didn’t give it much thought at first, thought he was just a guy waiting for someone, like you were. But he’s hardly taken his eyes off you and he’s still watching you now. Maybe he’s got a crush on you, but it’s pretty creepy!”

  “Yeah, actually, now you mention it, he is a bit odd… That look in his eyes is weirding me out, like he’s trying to confuse and disorient me.

  “Look, Stella, he’s smiling at us. Tell me I’m wrong but that smile looks decidedly sadistic to me, doesn’t it?” Jamie asked, doubtfully.

  “Nah, Jamie, looks more like he’s amused and interested…” Stella replied, noting Drake cracking a slight smile as he stared ahead.

  “Jeez, where is Vuk when we need him…” Jamie exhaled.

  “He left university early today. Something happened, I think, but I have no idea what,” Stella replied, seeing Drake furrow his brow, his interest spiked, almost like he knew who and what they were talking about.

  “Oh, this just keeps getting better…” Jamie said wryly, her unease growing.

  “Hell, Jamie, calm down, don’t freak out on me now. I can’t believe that guy thinks he can pick us up like this…”

  “Just a maniac with a screw loose somewhere, I reckon… Look, he’s smiling again, looks like a smirk to me, like he can hear what we’re saying,” Jamie said.

  Drake instantly wiped the smile from his face as she said this and, despite the distance that separated them, Stella couldn’t help thinking he actually was listening in to their conversation.

  “Jamie, say that again.”

  “I said that for me he’s a crazy maniac and that he seems to be listening to us. Why, Stella?” she asked, having trouble getting her brain round what was going on.

  “You know what, Jamie, I think you’re probably right. Best we go inside.” And they sped up the steps into the Mugar Memorial Library, thinking they’d given him the slip. But Drake crept stealthily into the building and concealed himself.

  Stella veered off to look for a book after they’d spotted an empty table to study at, Jamie losing sight of her as she entered one of the parallel rows of bookshelves. Suddenly, Stella felt herself seized from behind and a hand clamp over her mouth, deftly trapping the scream that struggled to escape her.

  “Hey, Stella, you know what I am, right? Just answer with a nod.” He taunted as she nodded her head, hearing the studs of his leather jacket clink on her back. He knew he didn’t have a chance of getting her out of such a busy place without anyone noticing, but couldn’t resist the opportunity to approach her. Stella had become his prey…

  “I just wanted to introduce myself… My name’s Drake, although I won’t tell you my last name for reasons that’ll become clear later… I know you recognized me before… What a clever girl, super-fast… Congratulations, it usually takes people a lot longer to get there. But I want to hear you say it, so I’ll take my hand off your mouth. Don’t even try to scream or you’ll sorely regret it, ok?” He increased the pressure of his grip until he saw her give another hesitant nod. He removed his hand but not without softly brushing her lips with his fingertips.

  “You’re…” she exhaled in a rush, while he stroked her face, his finger working its way down to her chin.

  “Go on, say it!” he bullied, his voice an intimidating whisper as he breathed heavily into her ear.

  “A wolf, you’re a wolf,” she said, her breath ragged as she remembered Mr. Brooks asking if she knew someone called Drake.

  “And you’re not afraid of me?” he asked her, his nostrils quivering as he inhaled her scent.

  “Why should I be? I hang out with a werewolf every day. I share my life with him,” she said breathlessly. She heard him suck on the piercing he had on his tongue as it knocked against his front teeth. Her thoughts turned to Vuk, desperately wishing he was there to protect her.

  “Oh yeah, right…” He slid his hand down her neck softly, keeping the other tightly round her.

  “You already know that, though, it seems,” Stella said in a faint voice.

  “Do you know Vuk?” she asked hesitantly, holding her breath.

  “Sure…” He paused, his poker face revealing nothing.

  “What do you want from me?” she asked, flinching as she felt his hand slide lower and lower till it reached her breast.

  “Oh, just a little chat, for now… Later then, Stella…” Drake abruptly released her and padded stealthily along the narrow passage between the two towering bookshelves before disappearing.

  Reeling from shock, Stella just stood there for a long, frozen second. Then, gathering her wits about her, she retrieved the book she needed, returned to the table and, still shaking like a leaf, sat down next to Jamie. She stopped herself from blurting out what had happened, knowing her friend would worry.

  Later that afternoon, Stella and Jamie left the library and headed for the lot where Jamie had parked her car, passing the now empty space where Vuk had restored the body heat she’d lost a few nights before. H
er eyes softened tenderly as she gazed at the spot, floating on a cloud of intimate memories.

  Suddenly, she saw the image of them reflected in the rays of the setting sun, their arms wrapped round each other just as they were on that tempestuous night, like fleeting shadows in the making. And then she relived the intense emotion she’d felt, every detail of their bodies magnified: the way her body cleaved to Vuk’s, her head sunk in his shoulder, the memory somehow enveloping her in a sense of security.

  She felt she could feel his protective arms around her again, his gentle touch on her skin, his body pressed against hers to warm her, the way she clung to him. She felt her senses sharpen and sudden shivers rippled through her entire body. Dragged back down to harsh reality, she reached out to open the car door but shuddered as she spied Drake a short distance away, a taunting smile on his face that made his expression even more threatening.

  “Jamie, get a move on, open the car, for God’s sake! That guy is over there checking us out again,” Stella hissed, distracting her friend as she looked up from searching her purse for the car keys.

  “God, does he never wipe that sick smile off his face? He creeps me out… What the hell does he want from you?” Jamie exclaimed in a panic.

  “I don’t know, Jamie, but there’s not a soul in sight and he’s heading this way so let’s hurry, ok.” Stella replied, alarm bells clanging wildly in her head as she watched him advance ominously in their direction.

  “Ok,” said Jamie, so frightened she couldn’t move. She just stared at him blankly.

  “Ok, but you first have to unlock the car,” Stella tried to get her friend to react before looking at Drake, her nerves being shredded with each passing second. He looked back at her brazenly, cryptically, his mouth upturned in a faint smile.

  “Stella, he just did that smile again, like he heard you…”

  “I can see that, Jamie, just hurry up and find the goddamn keys.”

  Jamie flung her purse on the hood of the car to see better.

  “Hurry, Jamie, he’s coming!” cried Stella, holding her breath.

  Drake, his pace quickening, moved resolutely toward her; her blood surge through her veins.

  “Got them, Stella… Jesus… Get in!” Jamie yelled, as she saw Drake only steps away. They jumped into the car and Jamie locked all the doors. Drake reached them.