by Willow Cross
“How long has he been gone?”
“I don’t know, maybe an hour.”
Frantic, but not knowing why, her mind immediately sought Pete’s. Although she remained conscious, her mind drifted and floated out around the room, encompassing the entire hotel. Spending so much time in close proximity had allowed her to connect with her brother and Pete in a very unusual way. She could sense them now, even when they weren’t in wolf form. The psychic bond she had with Jason had grown stronger, and the same type of bond was developing with Pete. He couldn’t speak back to her yet, but she was able to talk with him in short intervals.
An overwhelming sense of a relief filled her as she found him standing just outside the entrance to the hotel, leaned against the wall with one foot propped up against it. He took a drag from a cigarette, threw it on the ground, and headed back inside. Sarah smiled as she shut and locked the bathroom door. He was a good pup. Even though she hadn’t said a word, she knew he’d felt her presence and was returning to the room. She could always count on her Pete to be there for her.
For just a moment, sadness filled her. If life were fair, Pete would have been Shad. She’d probably never feel the same feelings for Pete, but considering what was out there she could be paired with a lot worse. If she had to pick between him and any other guy, she’d pick him every time. Because unlike any other guy, Pete would--and could--kill for her.
***
Shad heard the click of a gun hammer locking in place. A deep voice followed directly after. “Don’t move. Stay right where you are.”
Moving slowly, hands raised in the air, Shad began to turn around.
“I said don’t move. Don’t turn, don’t flinch, don’t breathe. Get it?”
“I get it. Look, not moving. What’s going on here?”
“You tell me. Why you running around poking your nose in business that don’t concern you? You a cop?”
Without turning, Shad smiled. He was in the right place. Miraculous as it was, he’d finally found the person the Masadas had come to see in Gravenhurst. “No, I’m no cop. Actually, I’m looking for my girlfriend, her brother, and another friend. I heard they came up here to see you. I heard you could help people like us.”
The man’s voice became snide. “You heard wrong, kid. I’m not in the business of helping no one with nothing. Besides, people that know me wouldn’t dare speak my name. You’ve been nosing around asking questions about those three and got my attention.”
“So you have seen them then?”
“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. Ain’t no Sarah been here, ever.”
Shad spun to face the man catching him off guard. “I didn’t say her name was Sarah.”
Although his voice was deep and resonating, the man was short, squat, and balding. He had the look of a wizened, bent over professor. “Shit,” he said briefly looking at his feet, then raising his eyes to meet Shad’s, asked, “You sure you‘re not a cop? You have to tell me if you are. If you tell me you’re not that’s entrapment and no charges will ever stick.”
Shad smiled and shook his head. “I swear I’m not a cop. Not even close. And believe it or not, Sarah is my girlfriend and she’s in trouble. She didn’t want me involved, but I need to find her and protect her. It really is life or death.”
The man huffed out a sigh and lowered the gun. “Okay. I believe you.” Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he began wiping his sweat covered face. Stopping only long enough to notice Shad staring at the gun in his free hand. “Oh don’t worry about that,” he laughed, tossing it on the desk. “It’s not even loaded. I don’t even know if it works.”
Exhaling, Shad rubbed his hand over his face. “So can you help me find her?”
Thoughtfully watching his face, the man replied, “I don’t know if I should. If the girl didn’t want to be found--well, they paid a lot of money for--you know, services rendered.”
“I can pay money too. How about I pay you for services rendered on the services rendered. Would that work?”
Thin lips slid into a large toothy grin. “Well now. I think that might just be all right. After all, if a pretty young thing like that’s in trouble, it’d be my civic duty to help her, right?”
Head bobbing in agreement, Shad answered, “Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean what kind of person would you be to let an innocent young girl get hurt?”
“Exactly. Now there’s just the small matter of the fee…”
***
The three watched as yet another taxi driver sped off leaving a dust trail behind him. Difficult as it was to find someone to bring them here, it was impossible to find someone who would stay. A steep grassy hill in front of them was all that stood between them and the forest. Brogan was supposed to be somewhere inside. When asked how they would find him, Daniel had answered, “Don’t worry about that. He’ll find you. All you have to do is get there.”
Now here they were, wondering what in the world they were doing there. “Well?” Pete said.
“Let’s get moving. That driver will be back in six hours. We have to find this guy before then,” Jason said moving up the steep incline.
The view from the top of the hill looked like something out of a horror movie. Trees sprouted up in all directions at odd angles. Some twisted and turned around each other, while others grew up just a short distance before turning sideways, like skeletal fingers coming out of the ground. “Freaky,” Sarah said.
“Way freaky,” Pete agreed.
Making their way down the hill into the weirdly growing trees, they immediately felt ill at ease. The hairs on their arms and necks stood straight up as if some weird electric current infused them. Hoping to dispel some of her nervousness, Sarah took a deep breath. It didn’t help. She turned slowly, scanning in every direction for the eyes she felt watching her. “You guys feel that?”
“It’s crazy weird. I think I’d rather be a wolf right now,” Pete answered.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Jason agreed.
“Well me either, but do we want to meet this guy naked? I really don’t, but I don’t feel safe right now either,” Sarah said.
Both men nodded.
“Let’s just move on. Once we get inside, if we still feel off we can shift.”
Sticking close together, they moved into the trees.
***
Sweating profusely, Sarah smacked the insects attacking her arms and neck. “I am being eaten alive! This is ridiculous.”
Jason peered at his watch. “Okay guys, it’s been three hours. We’re going to have to head back or we won’t make it in time to catch the driver. He’s only going to wait for us for five minutes. What a colossal waste of time. We should have listened to you, Pete.”
Facing away from them, Pete stared off into the woods.
“Hey, earth to, Pete.” Jason said.
Raising his head, Pete sniffed. “You smell that?”
Glancing around, both Sarah and Jason stuck their noses in the air and breathed in deep. Jason’s head jerked to the north. “Smoke.”
“Yeah. Wood smoke, like a camp fire. Who’d be camping out here?” Pete said.
Sarah’s gaze darted between both men. “Well?”
“Well what,” they answered in unison.
“Well, we need to go see what it is. It might be him.”
Jason shook his head. “We have to get back to the road. Besides Daniel said he’d find us, remember?”
“Maybe this is his way of making sure we find him.” Sarah answered firmly. “I’m going. I didn’t come all the way out here and get eaten alive, just to go back to the hotel with nothing.” Picking up her pace, she headed north through the trees.
After a brief look of frustration passed between the men, they both followed. “We’re going to end up being stuck here all night,” Pete said.
“Yep, and nobody wanted to bring camping equipment.” Jason answered.
“If I’m spending the night in this crazy ass woods, I’m doing it as a
wolf.”
“Me too, brother. Me too.”
Sarah, putting more and more distance between herself and the men, called over her shoulder, “Would you two girls quit whining and keep up?”
Pete looked at Jason and grinned. “Oh, she did not go there.”
“Oh, yes she did.” Jason concurred.
Both men broke into a fast jog, and before long, had left Sarah in the dust, running with all her might, trying to keep up.
***
Slowing her pace, Sarah followed the boys, looking for traces of their passing. “Me and my big mouth. I just had to go get all uppity.” For a moment, she stood still and listened for any sign of them. The big dumb apes had probably got themselves lost. She knew she was heading the right direction because the smell of smoke had become heavy in this part of the forest. But where were the guys? “Jason?” she yelled.
“Jason, you big dumb idiot! Quit fooling around.” Still moving forward, the uneasiness from earlier settled even deeper in her gut. “Pete? Aw come on guys. I’m sorry I called you girls, okay?”
The forest around her remained eerily silent. Even the bugs had stopped making noises. Although she continued to move toward the smoke smell, her pace had slowed to the point that she almost tiptoed through the trees. Every so often, in the distance she’d hear the snapping of a twig as if someone else walked the woods. “This is not funny! You guys are too old for hide and seek.”
Her body was jumping of its own accord now. Any noise at all would send her whirling in a frenzied search for the point of resonation. Finally having enough, she stopped and leaned against a tree to catch her breath. After several deep long breaths, she came to her senses and smiled. Sometimes, I’m a total moron, she chided herself. Relaxing against the tree, she let her mind drift in search of the missing two. Her senses stretched out encompassing the surrounding woods. Several feet away a large snake hid under some brush. Not far from him, and small rabbit sat quietly at the base of a tree. A few feet further--.
Sarah’s eyes snapped open. Searching for the stranger she saw in her mind, she scanned the surrounding area. A blur in her peripheral vision drew her attention to the east. Nothing. Not a leaf rustled. Everything remained quiet and undisturbed. Turning her body in a tight circle, she peered through the darkening woods. She felt him now. Not just with her mind, but just the same as on the plane, her body reacted to his presence. Whatever he was, he wasn’t human. She was certain of that. Without thinking, she prepared to fight. Quickly sliding out of jeans and shoes, and pulling her sweat soaked tee-shirt over her head, she shifted.
In wolf form, her preternatural senses took over. Her mind sought out Jason and Pete and found them up ahead in a clearing talking to a weathered old man. Throwing back her head, she let out a monstrous howl. Immediately the two men shifted and were running.
“What’s wrong?” Jason bellowed.
“We’re coming,” Pete yelled.
Sarah backed into an open area and slowly spun. She could smell the stranger. Every hair on her body stood at attention. The usual sensation of power and control were nonexistent, in its place a feeling of danger ran the entire length of her body. He was a distance away but still close enough to leave a sweet decaying scent. “It’s the stranger. He’s followed us here. He’s not human.”
Within seconds, the other two wolves skidded into the clearing to stand guard on each side of her. Sniffing the air, they winced at the smell. “Do you know what he is?” Jason asked.
“Vampire,” Pete growled.
To their left, a mist appeared. It hovered for a few seconds, before solidifying into the withered old man. The three wolves snarled.
“Oh shut yer traps. I cain’t help iffin ya’ll don’t let me.” The man walked over to where Sarah’s clothes lay in a heap, and bent to retrieve the pile. “That un ain’t gonna bother us none, now I’m here. Let’s head on back to camp and we can finish our chat.” With that, he turned and headed north through the trees.
Glancing at Pete and Jason, Sarah ordered, “Well you heard the man, let’s go.”
***
Human, and dressed, the three young people sat around Brogan’s campfire sipping a concoction he called coffee. So strong and bitter it just barely resembled the brew they had grown to appreciate. Still nervous from the encounter in the woods, Sarah picked and bit at her finger nails. Leaving them unattended, Brogan went out to sweep the area around the encampment to be certain the stranger wasn’t in close proximity.
“So what were you talking about when I called you?”
“We’d just arrived. We barely had time to introduce ourselves. I’m so sorry we left you back there. I really thought you were right behind us,” Jason answered.
Pete placed a hand on her knee. “You know I’d never have left you that far behind on purpose. I was just wondering why you hadn’t come out of the trees yet, when I heard you call.”
Sarah’s head moved from side to side. “It's not your fault, I shouldn’t have goaded you. And I should have kept up. I’m just glad you came as soon as you heard me.”
Jason dumped his coffee on the ground. “I can’t drink this swill. This is terrible!” Smiling, Sarah emptied her cup as well. “It was nice of him to offer, but it is really awful.”
Standing to stretch, Pete asked, “So what are we doing here? Daniel said he can help, but he never elaborated on how.”
“I’m sure he can help. I know this--with the way he appeared out of thin air--I’d rather have him on my side than against me,” Sarah answered.
“Amen, sister,” Jason agreed. “We’re lucky we didn’t get a vampire on our trail before now. And even luckier Brogan does exist and was here to scare him off. What do you think he is? A magician, or wizard maybe?”
The three looked at each other for a moment before answering in unison, “Wizard.”
Pete nodded, but the look on his face was doubtful. “Has to make you wonder though.”
Raising her eyes to his face, Sarah asked, “Wonder what?”
“How big of a bad ass do you have to be to scare a vampire?”
Uncertainty flickered in the sibling’s eyes for a moment as they exchanged looks.
Finally, Jason grinned and winked at Sarah. “Don’t worry. For once, we’re with the good guys. Everything’s going to be fine now.”
“Well I don’t know if fine’s the word for it, and easier sure as fire don’t fit, but you’ll have purpose. Safety in numbers, I always say.” Somehow Brogan stood beside the fire. No one had seen or heard him return.
“Dude, seriously, you have to stop doing that.” Pete said.
Cocking his head to the side, the man chuckled, grabbed a short three legged stool, and moved to sit with them. Barely looking at the boys, his eyes focused on Sarah. “You’re new and nearly completely unique. I’d bet you’ve realized this by now. I don’t know how you slipped my radar girl, but I’m terribly glad to meet you.”
While he spoke, Sarah felt the mental intrusion in her mind. His essence floated gently inside her. A nudge here, a brief recall of a memory there. Things that should have made her uncomfortable, but instead the entire time she was enveloped in peace and tranquility. In seconds, he was finished probing, and she felt him withdraw.
“Did you see what you wanted?” she asked.
“Yes and no, and most of it is too sad,” he answered. Reaching out, he took her small hand in his while gazing into her eyes. “It's not fair. None of it. And weren’t none of it yer fault neither. But life is never fair, and we do what we were destined to, regardless of what we want. You’re in the right place now and at the right time too.” Releasing her hand, he turned to Jason. “Your turn, son.” He said offering his hand.
Jason looked at the hand and back at Brogan. “My turn for what?”
Smiling, Brogan shook his head. “Chance of a lifetime, sonny. You up for the challenge?”
His eyes did not waver as he accepted Brogan’s hand. Upon contact, Jason’s thoughts raced thro
ugh memories. Vivid pictures formed in his mind. His first turning, the pain, running through the woods, tackling deer and feasting on them. Running the entire gambit of every forgotten memory of the times he’d transformed, Jason was terrified of what he’d see.
Retrieving those things unremembered took a bit longer than Sarah’s reading, but like hers, it was soon over and Brogan leaned back with a sigh. “Well, well. Seems yer not the killer you thought, eh?”
Incredulous, Jason’s head moved from side to side. “It’s just not there. I know I killed those people.”
Crossing his arms across his chest, Brogan answered, “Nope. Everything you saw is all that happened. You’ve had someone working against you this entire time, son.” Making a clicking noise with his mouth, he shook his head. “You’ve got some powerful enemies, kids. Mighty powerful. But them what thinks they knows it all, don’t know near as much as they’d like.”
Pete’s face grew red as he stretched out his arm offering the man his hand. “I guess it’s my turn.”
Letting out a short laugh, Brogan slapped his knee. “Son, I don’t need to touch you to read you. What you are is written all over yer face. Yer so in love with this here girl, there ain’t nothing you wouldn’t do for her. And since she’s a good girl,” Brogan patted her knee, looking into her eyes, “and yer a very good girl. Well, she’ll lead ya down the right path.”
Looking at her feet, she asked, “Brogan, what are we doing here. Daniel told us we needed to come to you, and something about a council of immortals, but he really didn’t tell us what you’d want with us. Just that we’d be safe here.”
“Oh that Daniel, he don’t never tell all as he should. Always an enigma, wrapped in a secret, surrounded by a mystery with that one.” Standing, he looked down on the three young people. His face filled with compassion. “Safe is not what ye’ll be with me children. In fact, the work I have for you is anything but. I can offer you a home, and a place to lay yer head. I can teach you things ya’ll should have been taught when you were knee high to a grasshopper. But most importantly, I can give you a purpose. This curse you’ve been born with can be a blessing. You three can be a big help in what’s to come. And let me tell you, it ain’t pretty.”