Without any more objections I nodded and rushed up the stairs. As I reached the top, Isaiah yelled out. “Don’t forget to lock it.”
I closed the door behind me and turned the locks. The door was steel and we had installed it a few days before. There was no way Isaiah could get out and if he did, I was charged with a gun loaded with the silver bullets. Isaiah’s instructions were to stop him from leaving the house. He didn’t want to risk anymore innocent lives.
I wasn’t exactly sure if all of these precautions were needed. Just because Isaiah’s body might turn into a beast didn’t mean his mind would. But when I had mentioned that to Isaiah, he didn’t want to take any chances. He wouldn’t be the man I admired if he did. He would never risk mine or anyone in the neighborhoods lives and that was one of the reason I admired him so much.
I sat down on the floor, leaning against the sofa, across from the basement door and waited; the gun lay beside me on the wooden planks. An hour later, as my head started to bob with fatigue, I heard the sound of a groan that soon deepened into a growl. Chains rustled for a few minutes and then I heard nothing. The silence went on for hours and when I could take it no longer, I pulled more raw meat out of the fridge and went to the basement door. My hands were shaking as I turned the locks. When I pushed the door open nothing happened. There was no savage wolf at the top of the stairs, foaming at the mouth like Isaiah expected. There were just the empty wooden steps that led down to the dark basement, lit with only a few lights.
I stepped down the creaky stairs, holding the bowl cautiously out in front of me. If he attacked, hopefully the meat would tempt him more than me. When I passed the cluttered shelves and into the small room I had left Isaiah in, I noticed that the bed was empty and the manacles were still closed. At the sound of a huff of breath I spun around feeling tense with nerves. There was a dark brown wolf lying on the floor next to the bowl I had left earlier. It was empty and the wolf was sleeping. My lips turned up at the sight. Isaiah thought he would turn into a savage beast with the urge to rip out my throat. Although, I followed his instructions, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was wrong. No one as giving and kind as the gruff man who had raised an orphaned boy, would want to kill anybody, even as a supernatural werewolf.
I sat down next to him and placed the new bowl in front of his sleeping form. His nostrils flared as he sniffed the meat. His eyes blinked open and his head jerked back when he saw me. When he registered who I was and that I was down there with him, he whined and nodded his head up the stairs.
“No. I’m going to stay with you. I know you won’t hurt me.”
He growled, showing his teeth. I knew what he was doing, he was trying to scare me away, but it wouldn’t work. Instead of jumping up and running away like he wanted, I leaned against the wall, pushing the meat closer to him. His growls stopped and he gazed into my eyes as if contemplating the situation. Finally he grunted and began to eat.
When the bowl was empty he curled up once again and eventually drifted off.
I watched him sleep for a few minutes and then looked up at the bed. I hadn’t noticed earlier but the mattress was shredded. He must have done it when he was struggling to get out of his restraints. It had to have been awful for him to go through the pain of turning into a different species only to be unable to move when the transformation was complete. Even though he had done it to himself, I didn’t blame him for any of this. He was a victim, just like Aiden was. And I intended to make the people responsible pay for what they did, no matter what.
I was still awake when Isaiah turned back into a human. I looked away, tossing a blanket over him.
When he woke up, I was still staring at the shredded mattress; a slow simmering rage flowed through my body. “I’m going to make those werewolves pay for what they did. Every last one of them will die for this.”
Isaiah stood up, the blanket wrapped around his body as he stepped up to stand next to me. His eyes were tortured with raw emotion. “But how do you fight a creature stronger than you?” He spun around and waved his hand at the ripped bed before us, as if that was proof that I was out of my league.
I didn’t look at him as I answered; I simply stared at the claw marks. “Become a stronger creature.”
###
If you’d like to read more about Sebastian, look out for him in a new series coming…Someday soon.
Also a preview of Fated Dreams, Book One in the Affinity Series, available now, by Christina Smith
Prologue
Brownridge, Vermont
Three years ago
“How did I get here?” I asked myself for the fourth time, although I already knew the answer. My voice was muffled inside the closed, confined space.
It was Saturday night and instead of hanging out at a party with Derrick and Emma like I was supposed to be, where was I? In a closet and not the proverbial kind either. I was literally in a closet, fluffy towels and all. Why? That’s a good question and the only answer I could think of was my own stupidity.
Stephanie Brown, honey-blonde hair, vivid blue eyes and a body every boy drooled over, had it out for me. And again the question was, why? Well, the obvious answer could only be Ryan Crenshaw, her ex-boyfriend. Not that he wasn’t worthy of her attention—his wheat-colored hair and soul-deep blue eyes would make male underwear models envious—but he just wasn’t interested in her anymore.
He told me once that the only reason he liked her in the first place was because he was new to the school and didn’t know any better. But once he did, he dumped her right on her cashmere-covered ass. And when Ryan started eating lunch with me, she decided that I was her enemy. She even convinced the entire school to hate me and the social-climbing drones of the student body listened to her. Ever since I started at Hadley Academy six months ago, the only friend I’d had was Ryan and he was only a friend. As much as Stephanie, the self-proclaimed queen of the school, thought differently.
Not that I was desperately in need of extra friends. I had two of the best ones anyone could ask for, but since they attended a public school on the other side of town, my days were filled with cold stares and the occasional prank.
I thought my luck had changed a few days ago when the queen witch herself asked me over for a slumber party with her two best friends. At first I was skeptical, considering her obvious dislike for me. But since she had made the effort, I hoped it was the start of a normal life for me at school, so I agreed against my better judgment.
The evening started out okay. She showed me around her enormous mansion, making sure I noticed all the expensive-looking furniture, rich silks and classic artwork that were displayed throughout the rooms.
After a gourmet dinner, I followed Stephanie up to her room. It was painted red and white, with photos placed perfectly along the walls. Above her bed was a portrait of the queen herself, which I thought was tacky.
The distinct scent of an expensive perfume filled the air; it was such a strong odor I figured she bathed in it or spilled the bottle. Either way, the smell was overpowering. I used to like that particular scent, but now I feared I could never use it without thinking of her.
She sat on her bed with her puppets, as I now called Trudy and Tara, while I took the plush, wine-colored armchair near the closet.
“So Sarah, do you think you’re pretty?” Stephanie asked.
“Uh…I don’t know, why?”
She scowled. “I asked Ryan why he was talking to you all the time. And do you know what he said?”
I didn’t like where this was going. “No,” I answered quietly, afraid to look into her eyes.
“He said that you were sweet and pretty. And that he liked your dark eyes and your long brown hair.”
I glanced at Trudy and Tara, hoping for help, but their smirks told me I couldn’t count on them. This wasn’t good.
She didn’t wait for a response before continuing and really, what was I going to say, she was obviously up to something. A knot of trepidation formed in the pit of my stom
ach. “I can’t do anything about your eyes, but I can do something about that hair.” She bent down and picked up something hidden under her bed.
I had a feeling I knew what was about to happen and I hoped I was wrong.
She turned back around, holding a pair of industrial-size, shiny, silver scissors. Oh shit. Her smile was all steel as she glanced at me and then at the shears.
Now I knew why they invited me here and it wasn’t to become my friend.
God, I was so stupid. Why would I think that after months of her ignoring me, the frost queen would suddenly be nice to me? I should have known that a girl like her, rich, snobby and just plain mean, was incapable of change.
Glaring at the scissors, I gulped, making the only decision I could think of. I took off out the door of her bedroom.
As I ran down the hall, I heard her yell, “Get her, girls.”
This was so cliché. I was living a horror flick and I couldn’t believe I fell for it.
So now the question was, how did I get myself out of this odd situation I suddenly found myself in?
It was so dark in the closet I couldn’t see the hand I held out in front of my face. If there was a light bulb in here, I wasn’t going to turn it on for fear I’d give away my position. A floral scent wafted around the tiny cubby. I stretched out my hand and felt the soft towels that were folded neatly on a shelf beside me.
With my head pressed against the door, I sat down on the floor, trying to think of what to do next. My eyes were closed as I listened carefully, hearing only my own breathing and the faint sound of footsteps as they searched another part of the house. I was safe, for now. Although I knew I couldn’t hide forever.
Since I had nothing else to do, I tapped my knee with my finger to the tune of the national anthem. It must have helped my thought process, because I remembered something. I had seen a phone sitting on a stand in the hall on my way to this closet. Maybe I could crawl over to it while the crazy girls were occupied and call my mom. Then I could sneak outside and wait behind some bushes. I really didn’t want a haircut. I couldn’t believe she was going to chop off my hair just because her ex-boyfriend talked to me and became my friend.
What was I thinking; of course she would.
I waited a few seconds, making sure they were still out of hearing distance before making my move.
Opening the door very slowly, I crawled out, looking around to make sure I was alone. Since my eyes had adapted to the darkness of the small closet, they now felt strained from the wash of light coming from the fixture above me. The hallway was clear, so I continued to crawl slowly on my hands and knees along the soft oatmeal-colored carpet, careful not to make any sound. The phone was just a couple feet away on a small oak table against the wall.
I was almost there when I heard a squeaky voice I recognized as Tara’s. “There she is,” she yelled, pointing at me from the other end of the hallway.
Crap. I stood up and ran as fast as I could for the portable handset. I picked it up and dialed my number quickly. My mom answered, “Hello.”
The words “come get me” rushed out of my mouth before a well-manicured hand reached for the receiver. I turned to see Stephanie slam her finger down, ending my call and the only chance of escape.
She smiled wickedly; her fierce blue eyes shot out imaginary icicles that filled me with fear. “This is going to be so much fun.”
Tara and Trudy held on to me while I pleaded with them to stop. I hoped that they would feel guilty and let me go. That hope was short-lived when I saw laughter in their eyes. They were just as evil as Stephanie was.
As I struggled, I felt the first cut and some of my hair that had taken years to grow fell to the floor. I panicked, stomped on someone’s foot and took off running. Fingers slipped from my skin. I was free.
“Get her, now!” the evil witch screamed. In my haste I tripped on the edge of the carpet, giving Tara a chance to grab my arm before I could get away, her pointed nails digging into my skin.
They held on tighter this time and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t get away. I sobbed quietly as they chopped off my hair. My heart sank with every snip of the scissors. The strands brushed my arm and feet as they fell to the floor, feeling like soft feathers caressing my skin. I closed my eyes, hoping that was all it was, a pillow torn open above my head.
When the awful snipping sounds stopped, I opened my eyes to see most of my hair lying in clumps at me feet. I could no longer pretend they were anything else. I knew that the pile of brown clippings curled up along the carpet was mine. I stared down at it with a feeling of numbness. my long mane that I had taken such care of was now taunting me from the floor. When I was little, I asked to have long hair just like my mother. After that, she would brush it lovingly every night, buying products to keep it soft and shiny. She said it was one of the reasons she wanted a daughter, to dress her up and play with her hair. And now the remaining pieces lay on the floor, being stomped on by Stephanie’s open-toed red sandals.
They let me go and started to laugh. “I don’t think Ryan will be interested in you now. My goodness, Sarah, what happened to your hair?” she mocked. “You know, you really should stop going to your dad’s barber.” Stephanie’s sick attempt at humor made the lump in my throat threaten to grow.
Trudy and Tara laughed at her joke with twin high-pitched screeches. They were eerily similar, with matching gray eyes, black hair and milky complexions. If Trudy wasn’t four inches taller than Tara, I’d think they were twins, although they weren’t even related.
I ran to Stephanie’s room, picked up my bag and took off in the direction of the front door. As I rushed out, I heard her shrill voice calling after me. “Oh Sarah, are you leaving so soon?” And of course more laughter followed.
I stumbled out of her house into the night. In the darkness, I followed the walkway to the road, feeling embarrassed and angry and an ache formed in my chest before the tears started to fall.
I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and started walking aimlessly. My tears were flowing hard, obscuring my view. My foot caught in a crack in the road and I fell to the ground. My hands dug into the asphalt, scraping my palms.
I pushed myself up and continued walking.
Would this horror movie ever end? I hoped to wake up in my room, having dreamed the whole thing. Closing my eyes, I willed it to be true, but fate was not on my side; this was really happening. I was still here wandering the roads, praying I was heading in the right direction.
After what seemed like hours, I saw headlights behind me. A car pulled along the sidewalk and the passenger side window slowly rolled down. “OH, MY GOD, SARAH! WHAT HAPPENED?” my mother yelled from the driver’s seat.
Chapter One
The Dream
The fact that he was present made me realize I was dreaming. In reality, he wouldn’t be caught dead talking to me. It was early evening and I was sitting on one of the swings from my brother’s old swing set, staring up at the starry sky. It was peaceful, with a warm breeze gently brushing my face. My hair fell into my eyes. The scent of lilacs drifted in the air.
I had just pushed off the ground and swung upwards when I heard a creaking sound behind me. I glanced back to see him open the gate and walk into our yard. He smiled at me, his hazel eyes sparkling in the moonlight as he sat down on the swing next to mine. We sat together silently, swinging gently, looking up at the moon and the stars.
Suddenly, a bright light shone from behind us, followed by a very shrill noise…or was it a scream?
Thump, thump, thump. My eyes shot open. A banging sound came from somewhere, interrupting my sleep. I wasn’t ready to wake yet, so I threw the pillow over my head to muffle the noise.
“Sarah, get up, Mom’s been calling you,” Alex, my fifteen-year-old brother, bellowed from the other side of my bedroom door.
“I’m up,” I yelled, tossing the pillow aside and closing my eyes again.
I jumped at the sound of another thump. “Go away!�
�� God, can’t anyone sleep in around here? I heard him stomp down the hall, leaving me to nestle under my covers to go back to sleep. Just as I was drifting off again, a thought appeared in my foggy brain; I was supposed to do something, wasn’t I? My eyes popped open, focusing on the dirt splotch on my ceiling above me left by a ball I had thrown up years ago. I knew I should wash it off, but I sometimes found myself staring up at it and seeing shapes in the dust. Once, after studying for a difficult biology exam, the shape of a happy face appeared. It made me feel better about the test. But now I lay staring at it trying to figure out what day it was and then I did. It was Monday and I was late for school. Filled with panic, I jumped up to have a quick shower.
By the time I was finished getting ready for school, my mom had already left. There was a note on the kitchen table telling me that she had taken Alex to school and that I had better not be late. There was a threat in there too, but I wasn’t worried. She was pretty lenient—well, only when my dad was away on business. She was always joking with him that someone had to be the grown-up. My dad was more like a kid than an adult, more like a friend than a father. My brother and I were lucky in the parent department. Yes, my mother was a little more responsible than my dad, but we didn’t really have many rules. She trusted us to make the right choices. She was very good with guilt, so before I did something stupid, I would think of the guilt trip she’d lay out…and change my mind.
I took a juice box and a granola bar from the pantry, grabbed my coat off the hook and headed out the door.
It was hot and sunny out and I instantly regretted the coat. Shaking it off, I ran to my car, a used silver-blue, two-door SUV I got for my sixteenth birthday. It was a bribe from my mother to make me go to Hadley Academy. Even though I only lasted at the snooty school for six months, I was able to keep the bribe. It was an older car, but that was okay, it had character. So what if the passenger side door stuck on rainy days and it sometimes smelled of pipe tobacco? It was all part of the charm and besides, it was free. I paid for the insurance and gas with the money I made working at the multiplex. With only a few shifts a week, I didn’t make a lot. But I was pretty good at saving.
Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel) Page 29