B008317UG0 EBOK

by Amy McClung

  Now I was getting angry, I could feel my insides quivering and I tried to control my stance as I began to shift. The anger quickly engulfed me and it quickened my transfer. I ran and guarded Quinn growling at Will and whimpering at Jackie. They both started moving closer, Will was snapping at me and all of his teeth were visible in an angry snarl. A loud piercing noise rang in my ear and I crouched moaning in pain, Jackie and Will’s focus moved from us and they ran to the noise that was coming from Liz and then the three of them were gone into the woods. I went to Mitchell and nudged him with my nose; he groaned and tried to stand but screamed out. Quinn came over, placed one hand on Mitchell’s chest and the other on the stake and yanked the stake out for him so the wound could start to heal. Mitchell screamed in anguish and I growled at Quinn…he stepped back looking wounded by my reaction. Mitchell sat up and looked at Quinn, “Thanks man. I must say I am really getting tired of being staked.” Quinn put his hand out and Mitchell took it and helped him up. Growling again at Quinn, he knelt in front of me with his hand extended towards me, “Parker, please baby, change back for me…I am sorry about everything. I can explain if you just give me a chance.”

  Mitchell started toward me and I whimpered, “Quinn, I think she wants to know why you told her not to trust me…she is still unsure who to believe in all this. It’s not surprising; her head has been filled with a lot of lies from people she trusted the most.” As he said this his hand went to his chest where the stake had been and I knew he was thinking about Jackie and the hurt she caused him. The stake through his chest was not nearly as painful as the metaphorical knife she shoved into his heart by betraying him. Quinn smacked his hand against his head in comprehension, “Of course, look Parker, Liz tricked me just as she tricked you. Every time she was on the phone she said Mitchell’s name, and she had me convinced that he was the one helping her. She hit him over the head when she first found us but she left him alive so I thought it had to be true, it’s not like her to leave witnesses.” He held his arms out to me and I ached to go to him. “Please, Parker, I just want to hold you, I missed you so much…” It was heartrending to see him look so defeated.

  My body began to revert back to my human form. A few minutes later I was my old self again…and very naked. Quinn took his shirt off and threw it to me and I quickly covered up. Standing up, I looked at him, I forgot how incredibly sexy he is, especially without a shirt on. My heart began racing and I slowly started toward him. He smiled that gorgeous smile that I never could resist. Without hesitation, I smiled back and ran toward him throwing myself in his arms. He placed his arms around me and lifted me into the air. He was relishing the moment, smelling my hair, my skin; he was rubbing my back and whispering I love you over and over in my ear. I whispered back, “I love you…I missed you so so much.”

  He pulled back from the embrace and looked at me, moving his hands to my face, “god you are beautiful, I missed looking at this face,” he kissed my forehead and continued, “I thought you were dead. She locked you in that cave and made me leave you there. She said if I didn’t that she would torture you to death and she threatened everyone you love knowing that I couldn’t live with myself if she hurt you like that.” His eyes dropped from mine as a look of shame came over his face, “She promised that if I went with her she would leave you alone and she would make sure someone would get you out of the cave once you changed back. I never should have believed her, you shifted back before the cave was closed over and I had to say goodbye to you and the look on your face tormented me the entire time I was away from you. That day I called and heard your voice was the biggest relief in the world for me.”

  I stepped back from him, “how did you get to keep calling me? She didn’t have you locked up or anything?” I asked a bit suspicious still, it was hard not to be with Jackie and Will’s betrayal still fresh in my mind, I didn’t know who I could believe anymore. “She kept me locked up in silver chains so that I couldn’t feed,” He held up his wrists and showed me the mangled skin that was still in the process of healing, then he showed me his legs too where there were matching scars around his ankles. “Her plan was to starve me and then let me loose in the town I found out later. She wanted to make me the monster she is and said once I embraced that, she and I could be together. I never wanted that, I never wanted her that way. A few times she would let me loose in a room and I found a phone in a drawer. I figure now that she left it on purpose so I could help her drive you nuts making you doubt everyone, including me. She knew I wouldn’t tell you where I was because I would want to protect you from her and wouldn’t want you to try and track me down. I’m so sorry.” Taking his hand, I assured him that it was ok, and that I understand. He leaned down and started to kiss me, something I had missed more than anything, a feeling like none other.

  We embraced again and I opened my eyes and saw Mitchell standing there with a pitiful look on his face. My heart hurt for him because he had fallen for me and was still in love with Jackie and in one day we both ripped his heart out. My feelings couldn’t be helped though, I care about Mitchell he was one of my best friends now. But Quinn, I couldn’t even put into words how I feel about him. Even though Mitch and I kissed and it stirred feelings in me, it was nothing compared to the tingles I get with Quinn. Our eyes met and I just smiled at him sorrowfully and he returned the smile. I closed my eyes and nestled my head into Quinn’s neck.

  Quinn let go of me and turned around, he started walking toward Mitchell. “Thanks for taking care of her man, I am sorry I thought poorly of you,” he extended his hand and Mitchell took it and then they hugged in the manly one arm hug with a pat on the back. I wonder if Quinn will be so forgiving when he finds out Mitchell and I kissed. It was my turn to apologize, “I’m sorry too Mitchell, I didn’t know who to believe and I was so confused, I shouldn’t have doubted you of all people though.” Wrapping my arms around his neck I hugged him and then kissed his cheek. He held on to me longer than he should have, it was awkward with Quinn standing behind us. He just leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I’m happy for you, you and Quinn belong together. I just wished Jackie and I got the same happy ending.” He let go of me then and I looked in his eyes and realized he meant it. He was an amazing man that would make any girl lucky, once she gets past the whole vampire issue of course.

  Chapter Twenty

  My phone rang, caller ID showed it was Jackie so I answered it a little roughly, “What!?” Laughing was heard on the other end of the line but it was not Jackie, “Ooh, touchy, touchy. You would think you would be happier to talk to your BFF than that, but I’m not your BFF am I? Aww, that makes me scho schad” It was Liz on the line, babying me, playing more games. “What the hell do you want Lizzy?” I used her nickname in a condescending manner. When I said her name though Quinn looked worried and started to reach for the phone but I backed away from him and put my hand up to stop him. “You might want to be a little kinder to me Parker, or your friend here may not make it to forever with you. See, we needed her to help us convince you on things because we knew you would trust her above all the rest, but she has served her purpose and she is no longer needed. So…what I need you to do, is bring my Quinn-y back to me by meeting me at the Waterfall, you know which one. And we will trade, Quinn for Jackie.” What she was asking was ridiculous, she wanted me to give him up so she could torture him more and I wouldn’t agree to that. “And what if I don’t meet you?” I asked angrily, to which she stated “Well then I will just have to inject Jackie with this vial of silver.” She had to be bluffing, this was more of her game, Jackie was on her side. “Jackie is your ally, I am not falling for this again,” I said confidently. And then I hear Jackie screaming for help, and it sounded so genuine that I screamed back, “What are you doing to her!! Leave her alone!!” Quinn took the phone from me and I was still screaming, Mitchell put his arms around me and was comforting me while Quinn talked to Liz.

  A few minutes later, it was Quinn who had me and he was trying to calm me but
I pushed him away demanding to know what happened. He gave in and told Liz we would meet her at the waterfall and make the trade. “NO, I can’t choose between the two of you, I won’t!” With defeat in his voice he replied, “You don’t have to choose, I chose for you.” I started to leave but Quinn grabbed me from behind and I was kicking and screaming and struggling against him but it didn’t even affect him. He carried me to the car and put me in the backseat. He had Mitchell drive so that he could hold me down in the back and I finally relaxed my body and gave into the tears instead. I cradled my head against his chest and begged him over and over again not to leave me. He just kept stroking my hair and telling me everything would be ok.

  My body must have been exhausted because I fell asleep. When I woke up I was in the car alone. I sat up and tried to get out but the doors were locked, I tried to unlock them but Quinn must have enabled the child lock because it wouldn’t open. NO! He is going to face her on his own. I was banging on the door and then realized that it would only work on the back doors. Crawling over the seat I got to the passenger side and opened the door and got out. As soon as I stepped outside I was grabbed from behind and I started to scream but a hand came up over my mouth. I was kicking and trying to claw my way loose. I heard a voice whisper in my ear, “it’s me Mitchell, Quinn told me to keep you here, he is going to take care of everything, please calm down.” I let my body go limp so that he would relax his hold on me and it worked. As soon as he let me go I took off running, but for once he used his vampire speed on me and the next thing I knew he was laying on top of me holding me down on the ground.

  “Please Mitch, please let me go help him….please! I need to help him and Jackie.”

  “I can’t Parker, he doesn’t want you to get hurt…and neither do I. I am not going to let you run to him and get yourself killed, “he said sincerely.

  Choosing the mean road I said, “You are only keeping me here because you hope that Quinn will die and then I will choose you…well that will never happen! I don’t want you and I will never forgive you if something happens to him!!” His face fell and he released me and rolled over off of me. I used the opportunity to take off running and this time he didn’t follow.

  Running through the woods I was knocked down again, “Get off me Mitchell!!!” I tried to fight but was lifted up off the ground and then thrown back down with such force that I landed with a groan as my head hit the ground hard enough to bounce back. That comment must have made him really mad for him to hurt me so brutally. I reached up and touch my head and it was bleeding. My head was swimming with pain and nausea. Groggily I looked up and as my eyes focused I realized it was Will who had grabbed me. I turned over and started to crawl away from him but he grabbed my feet and pulled me back, my hands clawed at the ground trying to keep from getting back to him. The nail on my index finger broke off in the process and I screamed in pain. My head was foggy and my body ached but I tried as hard as I could to fight him. He turned me over to face him and held me down by my arms and he stood on my legs. “Please…Will…I am your friend…you don’t want to hurt me, let me go. I know you care about me,” I pleaded with him. Laughing he pulled out a knife from his pocket and he ran it along my face, “You really are as stupid as Jackie said you were. You know your BFF doesn’t think so highly of you. In fact, she said she wanted to be the one to kill you since you took the first man she loved…I think she has changed her mind now that she realized what a wimp he is and how good I am for her.” I squirmed and wiggled underneath him but his weight was crushing my legs. I couldn’t let myself believe what he was saying, he lies too well and I don’t think, deep down, that Jackie would ever want to kill me.

  He lifted a knife off the ground beside me and ran the edge up the side of my leg stopping when he reached the top of my thigh. The knife caught on my t-shirt and the crazed look in his face scared me into believing he had something on his mind and I struggled to keep my legs firmly planted together. “Hold still,” he said as he pressed the knife into my cheek and he drew blood, I screamed out. He started to make cuts on my face, and would laugh every time I cried out. It disgusted me seeing the enjoyment he felt at watching my pain so I closed my eyes tightly. Next I could feel as he took the knife to my arm and started to make cuts along my elbow and then I felt his weight lift off of me. My eyes flew open and Mitchell had flung him off me, he threw Will into a tree and Will bounced back and flew at Mitchell, they tangled and rolled around in the dirt fighting. Mitchell was trying to get the knife from Will, and Will kept trying to reach Mitchell to bite him. Guess he doesn’t know that he has to be a werewolf to break the skin either, surprised Lizzy didn’t teach big brother that. I was trying to figure out what to do and then I saw the knife get knocked out of Will’s hand. Scrambling to get up, I reached for it and as soon as Will was on top, I thrust it straight into his heart. He arched his back screaming out in pain, I knew it wouldn’t kill him but the deeper the cut, the longer it takes to heal. He tried to stand up and come after me, Mitchell grabbed him, pulled the knife out and jabbed it again into his back, Will screamed and fell over bleeding profusely.

  Mitchell held out his hand to me, “let’s go save Quinn and Jackie.” Smiling, I put my hand in his and he lifted me into his arms, I wrapped my arms around his neck and he started running toward the waterfall. The scene we arrived on was Jackie lying on the ground writhing in pain, Quinn was standing above her and Liz was across from them holding an empty syringe. Mitchell set me down and took off screaming Jackie’s name and grabbed a hold of Quinn by the neck and held him in the air, “What did you do to her?!” he screamed at him, Quinn was struggling to get free and said, “it was Liz, she injected her as soon as I got here, I don’t know how to cure her.” Mitchell turned and saw Liz and she realized he was about to attack her next, “Uh-uh, I wouldn’t do that if I was you, I have another syringe just like it that I will be happy to inject into the other love of your life over there.” She pointed at me when she said it and Quinn’s eyes followed where she was pointing, he looked pained when he saw me, I wasn’t sure if it was concern or hurt. That comment must make him even more curious about whether there is something going on with Mitchell and me.

  “There is a cure for a werewolf who has been contaminated with silver…want to know what it is?” she teased. “The blood of a vampire…so which one of you is willing to let her bite you? Will it be you Quinn, to save the best friend of the woman you love so intensely? What about you Mitchell, will you save your first love or will you just watch her die in the hopes that you can be with your new love?”

  She turns her attention to me, “Parker…who would you choose to save her…whichever one saves her will die and then you can be with your one true love. So is your one true love, Mitchell or Quinn?” Jackie is still writhing in pain through all this, she didn’t have much time. My voice was lost, I knew I wanted to be with Quinn but I didn’t think Mitchell deserved to die either. Quinn stepped forward before I could speak, “I’ll do it,” and he started toward Jackie. “No!” I ran toward Quinn and was tackled from behind. I’m really getting sick of people hitting me!

  Will had come barreling in from behind me and brought me to the ground. “Can’t bring a good man down,” he screamed in my ear. “Now you are going to sit with me and enjoy watching Quinn die, something I have looked forward to for a while.” I kept screaming, “No, Quinn please!” Quinn looked at Mitchell and Mitchell nodded at him, how can he just stand there and do nothing. “Mitchell, do something, don’t just stand there damnit!” I screamed in anger. My body was shaking and I was kicking at Will but couldn’t break free of his hold. He pulled back his left arm and I started to wiggle free when he brought it forward and his fist made contact with my face. Literally there were stars, followed by pain, followed by fuzzy visions. It took all I could muster to focus and see what was happening around me. Quinn walked toward Jackie and Liz was watching him closely, then Mitchell all of a sudden took off at the speed of light and grabbed a hold of Li
z and held her tightly in the air, Quinn ran to help him and they carried her toward Jackie. Liz let out an ear-piercing scream as she struggled against their strength.

  Will realized what was happening and he let go of me and in a split second he shifted into a wolf and ran toward them. In seconds I was in wolf form as well and attacked him from behind and we were rolling around on the ground growling and snapping at each other. Meanwhile Quinn and Mitchell took Liz over to Jackie. There was a grotesque ripping sound as I bit a chunk out of Will’s arm and he howled, I bit another chunk out of his leg and he howled again and broke away from me. My timing was perfect, I turned and watched as Quinn sliced open Lizzy’s throat and held her over Jackie to drink. Then Jackie bit into Liz’s neck and continued drinking her blood, until moments later Liz turned into dust.

  Jackie was laying on the ground with blood on her, but she was looking better, Mitchell pulled her into his lap and was telling her it was ok and that he loved her. She was crying and kept repeating “I am sorry, I am so sorry.” My body went back to human form, I put Quinn’s t-shirt back on, luckily I had taken it off just in time to shift, I was starting to run out of clothes here. I looked back at Will. He had shifted back and was still wriggling around yelling out. “Quit your pathetic whining Will, it will heal in just a few minutes,” I said hatefully. “It won’t…you have to help me Parker or I’m going to die, please,” he begged me. He could be lying but it didn’t seem so, I started walking toward him and all of a sudden Quinn was standing in front of me. “Don’t help him, he was willing to have you watch me die, he tried to kill you,” his thumb grazed over my bruised cheek and I cringed at the pain. “Look at the pain he has caused you, he was going along with Liz to kill Jackie, you can’t trust him.” He was pleading with me but so was Will and I couldn’t let him just die. I moved to the side of Quinn, “Will…why aren’t you healing…tell me what is happening” He groaned, “remember when you were in the cave and you had the wound that would not heal?” That whole time is hard to forget, I nodded and he continued, “That was because you had been bitten by me, another werewolf. When one werewolf tears skin off another, that wound will not heal unless it is treated with the saliva of that wolf. It’s because we have venom in our teeth, that is what causes the infection in humans to cause the change, when a werewolf is infected with another wolf's venom it is like a drug overdose. Before leaving you, I took care of you in that cave. I would lick your wounds and that is what helped you heal.”