by S. T. Hill
Then the house was up ahead. I'd never actually seen it before, but this had to be it.
It looked older than the rest of the campus. I figured it probably was some old mansion or manor house that was converted. It was long, and three storeys tall, with a chimney on each end.
The road looped in front of it, widening near the entrance to make a broad driveway.
Beside the front doors was a boulder in a bed of gravel.
Three Greek letters were carved into the surface, with English underneath.
They read simply, "Sigma Sigma Rho."
I went up the walk to the front door. There was the button for a doorbell, but I didn't know whether to press it. In movies, frat houses always seemed like constant party zones, people (usually drunk co-eds, it seemed) coming and going. But there was no one out there. I thought I heard voices within.
Truth be told, I hadn't really thought much of this through aside from arriving at the house and somehow getting in to see Vick.
The more I thought about it, the dumber I found myself. How did I even know Vick was in? What if I rang the doorbell and one of his brothers, or whatever they called themselves, said he was at class or playing football or something like that?
He really should have given me his cell number if he was so serious about Adam.
Besides, I really was hungry. Just the memory of that pizza was enough to make my mouth water.
Yeah, go get some food and some time to rally my thoughts. Sounded good to me.
I turned, ready to start the trek back to the cafeteria.
The door opened behind me.
"Stephie!"
I froze, hunching my shoulders up and flinching at the voice.
"Oh, baby, I'm so glad you came!"
Should I run? From the way my legs flexed, I knew they wanted to. But what if Eric was like a predator, and running just set off his instinct to chase?
Maybe he was just on his way out to class or something. Even he had to go to class and graduate, right? Though, he did seem the type to be willing to blow that type of thing off if it meant somehow interacting with a girl.
"Where ya going? Where do you think she's going, Joe?" Eric said.
"Dunno. Looks like she's about to run though, right?" Joseph said.
So I turned around to face them. Of course, they both had their letterman jackets on. Eric grinned at me, the expression more wolfish than any I had seen lately (including looking a damn werewolf in the eye).
Girls were just pieces of meat to guys like him. Rich boys who thought they could do whatever they wanted to whomever they wanted because daddy has lots of money and influence.
The anger bubbling up inside me couldn't keep my skin from crawling as I felt Eric... appreciate me with his eyes.
"You want to party, don't you? Well, I'm always ready to party!" Eric said.
He came up close to me, Joseph standing a few feet behind trying to hide a smirk. My thigh started burning where he'd scratched me just a few nights ago. I knew if I closed my eyes, I'd feel their hands holding me down, hear Eric shoot off his mouth.
"No, I don't want to party. I'm here to see Vick," I said, doing my best to stare through him. He had some really bad, expensive smelling cologne on that was cloying in my nose.
"Vick's so damn boring, baby. Why don't you come on up to my room and I'll show you a much better time?"
He started shifting forward again, raising his hands as though to put them on my hips and pull me close to asphyxiate in that cloud of cologne surrounding him. God, did he just dump a whole bottle of the stuff down his body this morning? My eyes started to water and sting.
"The only way you're showing a girl a good time is when you get out of her face," I said, taking a step back and giving him some ground.
The cool, pre-winter breeze that blew by was chillingly fresh and welcome.
Joseph started to snicker, but when Eric shot him a look over his shoulder he shut right up.
He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head at me.
"Maybe you're just not getting it, Stephie. You are going to get that cute little ass of yours up to my room or..."
It was times like these that I wished I'd bought a can of mace or bear spray. I really wanted to get out of there. Something was broken in this guy, I knew. If I tried to run, he'd just chase me down.
Adam may be a werewolf, but this prick was a real monster.
"Or what, Eric?"
I recognized that voice. It was Vick. Vick, who was taller and more broadly built than Eric or Joseph.
Eric gave a long, exasperated sigh before turning to face Vick, who stood in the open door to the frat house.
"Hey, uh, Vick? You mind giving me a few more minutes alone with your girlfriend? I promise I'll leave enough for you," Eric said.
"I'm not his...!" I started, the need to deny the accusation flaring up in me.
Vick leaned against the door frame, casually. The threat of violence seemed to come off him in waves.
"Here's the deal, Eric. Get lost right now, or I shove Joe's head up your ass. Though, with all the time you two spend together, I'm not really sure that's much of a threat, is it?" Vick said, scrutinizing a thumbnail.
Eric was stunned to silence, his mouth hanging open. I had to admit, it was pretty funny. It was the first time I'd ever seen him really quiet. Not even the professors in class could do more than hush him for a few moments.
I covered my mouth, trying to hide my chuckle. Eric heard. He spun back around, his face twisted in ugly rage.
"What are you laughing at, bitch? What?"
I stood my ground, even as my body dumped adrenaline down my veins, urging me to get out of there. This asshole wasn't going to get any sort of satisfaction from me. Especially with Vick as my backup.
Vick sprung into action, moving so quickly it seemed like one moment he was leaning against the door frame and the next standing beside Eric.
Poor Joseph stared dumbfounded at the whole thing, clearly uncertain as to whether he should try to help Eric or run away himself.
Vick put one arm over Eric's shoulders and pulled the smaller man closer. If you saw them from behind, you might have thought them friends guiding each other home after a long night at the bar.
From the front, it was a different scene. Eric kept looking down at Vick's hand, apparently shocked that it was resting so non-chalantly on him.
"Don't you two have a class or a make out session or something that you really need to get to?" Vick said.
"Oh, she's such a fucking square anyway," Eric said, looking at me, "Thanks for making me see that, bro."
Eric shrugged Vick's hand off and started walking away. He looked at me as long as he could, a smarmy smile curving his lips. The effect was somewhat ruined by Joseph snapping out of his indecisive daze and practically tripping over himself to catch up before Vick could do anything to him.
I stood beside Vick as we watched them follow the curve of the road out of sight.
"You're welcome," Vick said.
"I had it under control!"
"Once I got here, yeah. Why'd you come?"
For a second, I thought he was about to make a pass at me. But he relented, continuing to look down the road to make certain that the terrible twosome weren't coming back for seconds.
I opened my mouth, but my stomach made the reply for me. When Vick chuckled, my cheeks burned. Why did I care so much? Why did I feel like I had to make a good impression with him?
"Come on, I think there's still some pizza in the kitchen."
He went back inside. I followed him.
Chapter 28
Inside, the place kind of reminded me of Adam's house. If it was big on the outside, it was huge there. Rooms all over the place. Mostly converted into bedrooms or playing areas, I noticed.
On the way to the kitchen, I saw a mini arcade, a billiards room with a long, green-covered table in it. There was also what seemed like a home theatre, from what I could tell from all the no
ise of gunfire and explosions coming out of it.
And, to my surprise, it was all pretty clean. An expensive-looking gold-fringed carpet ran the length of the hall. All the lights had gold-rimmed shades and bits of what I assumed were real crystal hanging from them. It even smelled lightly of lemon.
Until we got near the kitchen, when that heavenly aroma of promised pizza began leading me be the nose.
"Lively place," I said.
Vick looked around, and I thought I could detect an undercurrent of distaste. He even looked uncomfortable in that red-sleeved letterman jacket, despite it seeming to fit him well.
"Yeah, if it weren't for the hordes of cleaning ladies and maids coming through all the time it would be one house party away from getting condemned. Come on, kitchen's through here."
We went through one of those swinging doors. Stainless appliances seemed to be a thing here, though I doubted that the full range, the multiple ovens, and all the other expensive cookware got much use around here.
Though what interested me most was the box of open pizza on the island. It was one of those big, square party ones. And there were five squares left. All cheese and pepperoni. My mouth watered so much I had trouble swallowing it all.
"Help yourself," Vick said.
The words weren't out of his mouth before I grabbed one of those slices and bit into it. I could have died happy, right then and there.
It took me a second to realize how I was scarfing pizza down as fast I could right in front of a good looking guy. I stopped as my teeth sank in for another bite, feeling my cheeks burn again.
Vick winked at me.
"Don't worry. I won't tell everyone that you're a human vacuum cleaner."
"Shut up!" I said, unable to hide my grin.
It made me wonder why he was in the frat. He seemed like a nice guy, handsome and funny. Though he did have that chip on his shoulder.
It was then I remembered my real reason for coming. With no small amount of reluctance, I put the pizza back down on the grease-stained box.
"This is about Adam Arnold, isn't it?" Vick said, noting my change in attitude.
I looked around the kitchen, at that swinging door, at another door on the other side that led to who knew where. We were alone.
"Adam's a werewolf," I said.
Vick didn't even try to feign shock. He just nodded and breathed a heavy sigh.
"I know," he said.
"I know you know."
God, it sounded like some bad comedy skit. It felt like it was getting away from me. I don't think he was trying to be smug or anything, but the way he said that pushed my buttons.
"What you don't know is that he killed someone a few nights ago. A friend of mine. Jenn McClaughlin."
Vick staggered back as though I'd given him an expert jab in the stomach. Grabbing the counter, he gave me an intense look.
"Damn it," he said, "God damn it! I knew it! I knew I should have got him earlier..."
Just bringing up Jenn sent what was left of my appetite running. I shoved the pizza box away. How could I think of eating, when she was lying dead somewhere, probably torn up and looking like a wild animal got to her?
I couldn't leave her out there like that. I knew it was my fault, still. I could have just gone to be with her that night, but I let my own stupid desires get in the way.
"We can't find her body. I thought maybe you knew something that might help..."
"What do you mean, 'we?'" Vick said.
"Adam and I. We spent all morning looking..."
"You took him with you? What the hell is wrong with you? He kills your friend and you just act all buddy buddy... Wait, did you tell him about me?"
Vick started looking around the kitchen. His eyes fixed on a block of black-handled kitchen knives. Was he really that scared?
I rushed in, trying for some damage control. This wasn't going as I'd hoped.
"No, I didn't tell him about you or your warning. I know it's crazy... I mean, it's all crazy, right? Werewolves and monsters aren't supposed to be real... But he knows what he did, and that it was wrong. And besides, I'm not even really sure he and the monster are the same..."
I realized I was rambling. Vick still looked ready to leap over the island and grab one of those knives, as though werewolf Adam was going to jump out of the fridge at us.
The tension in Vick's body let up a little as he considered what I said. At first, it looked like I'd been speaking another language to him. Finally, he frowned at me like he was trying to comprehend a new math equation.
"What do you mean he and the monster aren't the same?"
"I think it's like multiple personalities, you know? Same body, different people. He transformed in this safe room he has. When I looked into his eyes, it wasn't Adam. It was something else entirely… I think. Someone else, really… I don’t know."
"No, no. That's not right. A monster's a monster, even if he's really only doing bad things some of the time, the remainder doesn't make up for it."
I could feel some sort of philosophical discussion of identity coming on, and I really didn't want to have it. Not only because I'd already argued with myself along those lines, but also because every second we spent on this was a moment we weren't using to find Jenn.
"Whatever. What's your deal, Vick? How do you know about Adam at all? Actually, why are you here at all? You just don't seem the type..."
"What? You mean I don't act like a jock fratboy asshole like the rest of them?" he said, his frustration giving way to amusement, "Maybe I should try harder..."
"Don't. Guys like Eric are complete douche bags. But that's the thing, you're not like Eric at all. So, Vick, if that is your real name, what is your deal?"
I leaned my elbows on the island and rested my chin against my clasped hands.
"Vick is my real name. Look, the rest is so complicated, it'd take too long... I'll try for the short version. My family has hunted monsters for generations. Some kids grow up to work in offices, or at the factory or join the police or whatever their mom or dad did. Well, my mom and dad hunt down things like Adam."
"Are they here? Your mom and dad?" I said.
It felt like I'd stepped through the TV screen into some paranormal TV show or something. The first guy I like in years is an actual, honest to God werewolf. And the second turns out to be from some sort of monster hunting dynasty.
That thought caught me up. Did I really like Vick? I tried to put it down to hormones and the whole getting saved from Eric thing, but rationalizing my feelings like that didn't make them go away.
"No, no... This is my, uh, initiation, I guess you could call it. You graduate high school. I graduate into the family after I pass my exam."
The way he stressed that last word brought all my attention to him. I studied his face. Did he mean what I think he meant?
He gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"So... your final test is killing a monster all by yourself? You have to kill Adam?"
"I was. I've been watching him a while now, trying to figure out the best time. Then you and he... Well, I don't really know what's going on there. I decided to give it a bit more time. But now... but now!" he said, slamming his fists down onto the island hard enough to shake it.
I jumped back, my heart slamming.
"Now he's gone and killed someone. And I could have stopped it, if only I'd had the balls to do something sooner."
The veins in his neck stood out, and his shoulders heaved as he took long, gulping breaths. Was this what I looked like when I blamed myself for this whole thing?
"It's okay, Vick. He knows what he's done. Do you know where he might have put the body? Jenn's body?"
Vick shook his head, running his hands through his hair.
"No. I've never actually seen him outside as the wolf. Seems whatever system he has going works... usually."
He started pacing up and down the kitchen, rubbing at his chin and staring at the shiny linoleum floor.
I just w
anted to get out of there, now. It took all that time just to learn that he had no clue where I should start looking. Also, he looked about ready to start blowing steam out of his ears.
It was back to square one. A ball of dread formed in my stomach as I thought of confronting Adam again. He was so torn up about all this. But I had to put him through it again, until we found her. Then... Well, then I would make sure he was locked up in that room of his every time that change happened.
"Where are you going?" Vick said.
"I have to get to class."
"Wait... You have to promise me you'll stay away from him now."
I took my hand off the kitchen door and let it flop back and forth in front of me.
"I can't. I have to find her, and he's my best shot. Besides, someone has to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone. I can do that. Now, I have to go."
"Stop!" Vick said, getting right in front of me. He really was a built guy, and quite imposing. I kept thinking he should be on the football team.
"It's obvious you care for him. And you know what? He actually sounds like an okay guy. But he's got that thing inside him. Yeah, he seems able to control it or lock himself up most of the time. But he's already lost it and killed one person. What if it happens again, Stephanie?" he asked, putting his hands on my shoulders, "What if next time it's you?"
For a moment, we just looked into each other's eyes. I could see the worry in his as they examined me. It was touching that someone could feel that way about it, and it actually was a little strange to be on the receiving end. Was this how my mom felt for that whole year every time I looked at her?
But I'd helped my mom. And I could help Adam, too. Still, what Vick said struck a chord. I had so many mixed feelings about Adam. On one hand, I kept thinking about our kiss. That confirmed that he liked me back. On the other... Jenn's face kept surfacing in my thoughts. For a moment, her bloodless features were replaced with mine and I shivered.
"Let me by," I said, giving his hands pointed looks.
Vick nodded and released me. Before he stepped aside, though, it seemed he had one last thing to say.
"Look, at least take my cell number. If anything happens, I promise I'll answer it right away. No matter what."