Sadie’s face went blank. “No thanks”
“Were you scared Meg?” Lauren asked me.
“I wasn’t with him that long, but yeah, I was a few times. Sebastian can be terrifying, but he also showed me glimpses of a kind person. And by the time we left the restaurant I didn’t fear him. I wouldn’t say I was comfortable, but I wasn’t afraid.”
The group fell silent, as they processed my words.
“We should probably keep going,” Nate finally said, breaking into the quiet.
When everyone agreed, we headed back to the trail. I stayed with Nate this time, but Lauren was right behind me and we were discussing our friends Lilly and Allison. Lilly was still working at the shelter, but would be going to college full-time in September. She had taken a photography class and she was hooked. Allison was home for the summer and was actually still dating the guy she brought to my wedding. They met a month ago and she still seemed smitten. That was a record for her.
Just as Adrian suggested we sing Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall, we turned a corner in the trail and emerged into what appeared to be a lawn. The structure in front of it looked more like a warehouse than a cabin. Before we could move forward or speak, we heard the sound of a shotgun being pumped. Chk chk. “This is private property.” A gruff voice called out from the side of the building. “And this is loaded with silver buckshot.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Isaiah
One thought ran through my mind as we stood frozen with a gun pointed at us. How did he know we were werewolves? This person who was speaking was a human. I could smell his scent along with old spice and spearmint.
Nate took a few steps forward, prompting the barrel of the gun to peek out from the side of the structure. The sun’s rays shone along the long black metal.
“Don’t take another step or you’ll be picking silver pellets out of your fur until the next full moon.”
I flinched at his words. The thought of Nate wounded brought a sharp pain to my heart.
“Are you Isaiah King?” Nate asked, ignoring the man’s threat.
“That depends on what you want.” The man remained hidden, but the gun was steady in his hand.
“Sebastian told me where to find you. I just have a few questions.”
“That’s lie number one. Sebastian hates werewolves and he wouldn’t tell anyone where to find me.”
“Call him if you want, because he did. Otherwise, how would we know where you were?”
There was a brief silence before I heard shuffling in the long grass and then the man came into view. It wasn’t just his voice that was gruff. He was tall, over six feet and almost as wide. His hair was brown with streaks of gray throughout. Salt and pepper colored stubble covered his leathery, tanned jaw and cheeks. His hair was long and pulled back with a thick band. I knew he had once been a werewolf, but he reminded me more of a bear.
Isaiah aimed the gun at Nate’s heart. “Then you must have tortured him, because he wouldn’t tell you otherwise.”
I stepped forward. Adrian held my arm, keeping me from protecting my mate. I fought the urge to fight him off and waited. Nate was still calm, standing relaxed in front of the burly man.
Nate shook his head. “I promise you we didn’t torture him. He is safe, wherever he is. He came to my hometown after I asked a friend if he knew him.”
Isaiah pushed the gun forward, the barrel pointing right between Nate’s eyes. “Who is your friend?”
Nate hesitated, his lips pressed firmly together. He didn’t want to tell him this information. Henry was so secretive. “He is the same species as Sebastian and I would like to keep his name to myself. He values his privacy.”
Surprisingly, Isaiah chuckled, a raspy rumble that fit his appearance. “Afraid of him are you?” He laughed again. “That’s okay, I don’t blame you.” He dropped the gun and it hung from his hand, pointing to the ground. “I’ll admit, Sebastian’s had me wondering a time or two.”
He stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “If he really did send you, then I guess I can trust you.” He held out his hand. “Isaiah King.”
Nate took his hand and shook. “Nathaniel Riley.” His full name sounded strange to my ears. I had only heard it used once from Will and when I read it in his family’s letters.
Isaiah nodded, dropping Nate’s hand and looked up at the rest of us expectantly.
“Oh right,” Nate said, as if just remembering our presence. “This is my wife, Megan,” he gestured to me with his hand. “And our friends: Adrian, Sadie, Joe and Lauren.” We all nodded as our names were announced.
The bearlike man’s head snapped back to Sadie after Nate had introduced her. His dark eyes stared at her until Nate stopped speaking. “Sadie? The werewolf that Sebastian was looking for?”
Sadie nodded and stepped up beside Nate. “Yes, but Sebastian has decided to let go of his vendetta and let my friend be.”
A line formed between Isaiah’s brows. “That doesn’t sound like Sebastian. I’ve been begging him to let it go for years, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Now it was my turn to step forward and when I did, I placed my hand in Nate’s for comfort. “I talked to him and explained Miles’ side of the story. Miles had been turned by the same people who bit you. He was as much a victim as you were. He didn’t attack anyone.”
Sorrow flashed over the burly man’s face and I instantly regretted my words. “I don’t like to think of that night.” His voice was a rough whisper.
“I’m sorry and I understand how you feel. I know you lost a lot that night. My husband also lost a friend when he was turned. He hasn’t been able to forgive himself since.” I stared at Nate. He smiled sadly, returning my gaze. I looked back at Isaiah and continued, “But when Sebastian realized he was wrong, he let Sadie go and told her he wouldn’t pursue either of them again.”
Isaiah gulped visibly and nodded slowly. “What do you want?” he asked, staring at Nate. The hostility from his eyes was gone.
“I’d like to ask you about the cure?”
The man’s face hardened again. “So you can destroy it like that red-head tried to do?”
Nate sucked in a breath and I gasped. “Charlotte?”
Isaiah nodded. “That was her name.”
Nate spun around to face Joe. I did the same.
Joe was staring hatefully at Isaiah. “Watch what you say about the dead.”
The man in front of us smirked, showing no remorse. “I’ll admit, I’m not sad to hear that. How did you know her?”
“She was my sister.”
Isaiah narrowed his eyes, lines deepened at the corners, scrutinizing Joe. “Have we met before? She had a couple werewolves with her.”
Joe’s face tensed, his eyes turning to ice. “No. Before six months ago, I hadn’t seen her in a long time.”
Isaiah kept his imploring stare for several seconds before turning to Nate. “What are your intentions with the cure?”
Nate shrugged. “For now, only to learn more about it.”
Isaiah’s face softened as much as his leathery skin could. “Then come on in. I’ll make some tea.” Given his paranoid behavior and his bearlike appearance, I was shocked by his words. Tea? Not what I would have thought he would suggest. Beer or hard liquor maybe, but definitely not that.
We all filed into the door he held open with one hand, the gun still gripped tightly in the other.
Despite its warehouse appearance, the inside of the cabin was surprisingly homey. The building was like one big loft, but there were removable walls separating the rooms. The entry opened up into a living room area, with a small TV, couch and arm chair all situated around a colorful woven area rug. Beyond that I could see a small kitchen. The air smelled of lemons and candle wax.
Isaiah waved a hand at the furniture. “Have a seat and I’ll be right back with the tea.” He disappeared beyond the screen, the gun still in his hand.
My friends took their seats while I lingered near
the edge of the temporary wall. “Would you like some help?” I called out to him, since I couldn’t see where he had gone.
He popped out of a room in the back without the gun. “Sure.”
I followed him to the kitchen and he pointed to a cabinet. When I opened the door, I found the teacups. As I laid them out on a tray that he had placed on the counter, he poured water into a kettle. “You’re the one who spent time with Sebastian?” he asked just above a whisper. Since he used to be one, he knew the werewolves in the other room would hear if he spoke any louder.
I could hear Lauren rambling nervously about the views we had seen. I placed the last cup onto the tray and closed the cabinet door. “Yes,” I said turning to face him.
He turned the tap off and sat the kettle onto the burner on the stove. “Did he seem okay?”
“Yes, he did. At first I found him…”
“Evil?” he suggested, finishing my sentence.
I shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d go that far, maybe cruel would be a better word.” I ran my finger over the rose colored flowers on one of the cups. “He fed off of a waitress at a restaurant he took me to.”
Isaiah grimaced. “When he started to pull away, I was afraid he would lose his humanity.” He sighed heavily. “I think of him as a son; I have ever since he was a child. And with Aiden gone, he is all I have. I was so shocked when he chose to become that.” He spat the word out, clearly uncomfortable with the term vampire.
“He wanted to become a vampire?” I asked, unsure why anyone would want that. The idea of drinking blood made my stomach churn.
He nodded sadly. “He was angry at all werewolves for taking Aiden and he wanted to be stronger than them, so he could kill the ones that took his friend. He searched for two years for a vampire and one day he came to see me and he was no longer human. I was appalled. He knew I hated what I was and this was so much worse.” He paused as the kettle started to whistle. “I’m used to him now, but I still worry.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much. If I was able to convince him to forget his vendetta against Miles and Sadie, he can’t be too far gone.”
He smiled, his leathery face lighting up with hope. “That is a good sign.”
“Before he left he said that he would no longer pursue Miles and that all of the werewolves responsible had been dealt with. Then just before he left he said, ‘Besides he saved my life’. Do you know what he meant?”
Isaiah nodded. “Yes. One of the wolves was about to attack Sebastian from behind but another one dove in front of him and the two wolves fought.”
My eyes widened. I had never heard this version of the story. “If Miles saved him, then why was Sebastian after him in the first place?”
Isaiah sighed. “All he had was a bunch of names and after he turned into a vampire he searched for them. And he killed them judging by their hair color. He told me he found Miles years ago, but let him go when he realized he was the one who had saved them. But after the rest of them were dead, he began his search again.” He paused, his brows drawing together. “I don’t think he got the revenge he wanted.” He went silent; his face clouding with sorrow. I could tell the conversation wasn’t one of his favorites so I decided to let it go.
He poured the tea, steam floating above the cup and then placed a box of cookies on the tray before picking it up.
I followed him back to my friends and sat down on the edge of Nate’s chair as Isaiah took the only seat left, a tattered recliner. He sat down slowly and sighed heavily. “Yes, there is a cure. I created it about fifteen years ago and a few years later, that werewolf you called Charlotte, found out about it and tried to kill me. She came here just like you folks and said she wanted to buy some; she missed being human. When I brought her out a vial, she smashed it against the wall and lunged at me.”
There were a few gasps around the room, but most of us weren’t really surprised. It was Charlotte, nothing she did would shock us.
Isaiah grinned, showing yellowed teeth. “Don’t worry, about me.” He tapped the pocket of his plaid shirt, right above his heart. “I can protect myself.”
“What did you do?” Sadie asked, sitting at the edge of her seat.
“I stabbed her with my silver knife. She fell down like a sack of rocks. Her two thugs came at me, but I took care of them as well. I might be old, but I’m prepared.”
“How did you get rid of them?” I asked.
“The silver weakened them, so I was able to knock them out with a sedative. Then I tied them up and dropped them off at the main road.” He took a sip at his tea. “I never heard from them again.”
I smiled. Someone had bested the all-fearing Charlotte. It must have bruised her ego. I was surprised she hadn’t tried again.
When it looked like he was finished speaking, we all took a few sips of our tea.
“Can you tell us how you created the cure?” Nate asked.
Isaiah leaned down and placed his teacup onto the table, a tiny dribble of brown liquid falling over the lip of the cup. “I was a medical researcher before that dang werewolf bit me. Once I got over the first year and began to accept what had happened to me and Aiden, I began trying a few cocktails. I was dabbling really, not expecting to find any results. I was just trying to stop the changes. That’s all I wanted at first. I hated the pain I went through each month.”
After his explanation, the room fell silent as we processed his words.
“So, you actually cured yourself. I know you're human, but it’s so hard to believe.” Nate’s voice was edged with the amazement we all must have been feeling.
Isaiah sat back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the arm of the recliner. “Yes, I actually cured myself.”
“How?”
“I tried many variables and failed. I didn’t make any progress until I started treating the whole process as a viral illness. I found that a virus had the capability of inserting certain genes to change us into werewolves, and my job was to reverse this process.” He paused. “A few hours after I took the last concoction, I got sick. The symptoms were similar to the first change. I was sweating, overheating and I had a fever. This went on for about a day, but when the fever broke, I was human.”
“Wow,” I murmured, not realizing I had spoken until Lauren and Sadie looked at me.
“There are some lingering effects with the cure, but they fade with time.”
“What do you mean?” Adrian asked, his arms crossed over his leg as he leaned forward. He was as fascinated as the rest of us were.
“Well, my heightened senses are still there, but they’re fading. It’s been fifteen years and I can still scent that you're a werewolf, but it’s much weaker than it was when I was one.
“What else?” Lauren asked, her eyes intense.
He grinned. “How old do I look?”
Lauren shrugged. “Fifty or so?” she guessed.
“I’ll be sixty-eight next week.”
“You don’t age?”
He nodded. “I do, but at a slower pace.”
“Is that it?” I asked, finding myself truly mesmerized with everything he had said.
“I still feel the effects of the moon. On full moon nights I feel a tingle along my skin. I like to come up here on those nights to be around the animals and nature.”
“Would you be willing to spare a few doses for any of us who might want it?”
Joe stood up abruptly and glared at Nate. “You can’t be serious. You don’t know if this is true. And whatever he gives you could kill you.” His words were spit out almost hatefully, his accent thicker than I had ever heard it.
Nate simply shook his head at his friend, ignoring him. “Please excuse my friend. He’s not very trusting.”
Isaiah eyed Joe curiously, before turning back to Nate. “That’s okay. Here,” he began, standing up. “Let me show you where I do my work.” He stepped behind another screen and Nate followed.
Chapter Thirty
Complication
Isaiah t
ook us into a large room, with beakers and lab equipment spread out over most of a bulky counter’s surface. There were locked cabinets above and he took a key out of his pocket to open it. When he began to explain the process of the cure to Nate, he lost me after a few big words. I found myself wandering around looking through the room. Joe came up behind me as I was sifting through a pile of CD’s that were leaning against a boom box. “You can’t let him take the cure Megan,” he whispered in my ear.
I stepped back, startled by his sudden presence. “Joe, will you lay off. It’s his decision and I will support him no matter what.” I moved away from him and picked up a vial that was leaning in rack. It was a puce color and when I popped the cork off I thought I’d gag from the smell. I looked back to see if Joe was still following me, but he was gone. I didn’t see him anywhere.
His whispered words ran through my head and I wondered why he had been acting so strange lately. It wasn’t just about the cure. It had started the first time Sadie mentioned Sebastian. I had once wondered if it had to do with vampires, but this had nothing to do with that. He was defensive over his actions in the past, but was there more to it. Was it just Sebastian himself? Could he have known somehow, even then, that Isaiah was looking for a cure? No, that wasn’t possible. If Joe had known about a cure, I was sure that he would tell Nate. He knew how much Nate hated being a werewolf.
I shoved the cork back into the beaker and placed it in the rack. Adrian asked Isaiah a question behind me and his voice reminded me of our hike here. He hadn’t known that Joe wanted his help in renovating. Why would Joe lie about being at Adrian’s place? And if he wasn’t there, where was he? The only other place he could have been was our cottage and no one was there.
Isaiah’s rough voice brought me out of my own head and I turned to pay attention again. He was leaning over the counter pouring the vile looking liquid into a beaker. Was that the cure? “You can’t let Nate take the cure.” Joe’s whispered words repeated in my mind. Was that a warning? Would the stuff in that vial harm Nate in some way? Or was there another reason for his protest? Joe’s strange behavior lately was so confusing.
Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel) Page 25