20

he night Gabriel left was the night the rains began. By the time Evonne awoke that evening, he was gone. He didn’t even tell her when he would be leaving. But she refused to take it personally. He seemed anxious to get the job over with.
Dreading another run-in with David, Evonne headed into the attic. She saw no other perfect time to investigate the history gathered in this one room. Not that she planned to organize things while there, it gave her a reason to keep busy. And then there was the cow skull. That was her current goal.
The rain from outside was louder in there and the air was stale and musty, like the scent of old, damp wood. Evonne turned on the lights. Where three light fixtures ran down the length of the attic, only one clicked on. The single bulb gave off plenty of light for her.
Placing her hands on her hips, she looked across the sea of boxes, crates, shelves, and furniture. Years and years of history all crammed into this one room. She smiled at herself, not even knowing where to begin. But first thing’s first…
“All right, Mr. Cow Head, I know you’re in here.”
Evonne moved through the clutter and stood in the center of the room. She looked around once more.
“If I were a cow skull…”
An old, wooden trunk caught her attention. Navigating through the clutter, she cleared a place and knelt before it. She opened the trunk, expecting to see clothes or blankets, but was surprised to see children’s toys. They weren’t toys from her time, but rather from the early 1900s. She picked up a worn out Teddy Bear. It was missing both eyes and had a tear in the left arm. The sad little thing silently told Evonne of the house’s true history—the human family. She tried not to imagine all of the children growing up here, their eventual families, and then their deaths. She tried to look past it all and to see only a collection of junk.
Another box sat inside the trunk. This one seemed out of place. Picking it up, Evonne opened it to find a stack of old documents and coins. The coins, themselves, were collector’s items when they were placed inside, and judging by the dates of the documents, their value perhaps quadrupled.
Throughout the night, Evonne sorted through the anything she could, coming across several items of interest, like an old view master with slides from the well-known locations across the world. With all of the items, mostly belonging to the humans, she wondered if anything belonged to Keelan.
By the time Evonne felt the sun rise she knew it was too late to head back to her room. The thought of accidentally crossing into any light made her cringe at the phantom pains. Then again, with the rain still falling, the heavy clouds kept the sun’s light from reaching the land. Nevertheless, the attic was well concealed. There were several vents along the walls, giving glimpses of the pale blue light from outside. She decided to sleep in the attic, on top of a makeshift bed of old clothes she happened to be sorting through.
The rain continued all day, heavy at times and mixed here and there with sound of distant thunder. She wondered if she could even step outside on a day like this. But the pressure from the sun remained. She didn’t want to take her chances in testing another theory. Eating bread was one thing, but stepping outside during the day carried more risk than an upset stomach.
And where was Demetrius? He was supposed to be watching over her, yet he never came to take her hunting. But if she needed to, she could go out by herself. The fear of crossing a werewolf, though present each night, didn’t concern her too much. Unlike the cow skull, she knew where to find the live cows.
By sunset, Evonne was already awake and searching once more. Her curious fascination with this one object became an all-out mission. She needed to find it. Her eyes landed on the antique wardrobe. It sat among other old furniture, perhaps brought up after the last renovation.
Evonne moved through the stacked boxes and opened the wardrobe. More old clothes hung over top several hat and shoe boxes. She looked through the clothing, guessing the attire to be from the 1940s. One jacket caught her attention. She removed the brown leather bomber jacket from its hanger and pulled it on. She slid her hands into the pockets and found a small metal object. Looking it over, realized it was an old Zippo lighter. She place it back in the pocket and went for the hat boxes. The first one she opened contained a pastel blue hat with feathers. Without thinking she placed it on her head and went for the shoe boxes.
Evonne’s carefree searching halted as she removed the box’s lid. No pair of shoes stared back, only a collection of old letters. Sitting down, she began to read through them.
The letters were from a young man, a soldier. His last name was the same as Philip’s. Her mind began to draw different scenarios. Was this a brother of his? Or a cousin? Or could it have been his father?
“Having fun?”
Evonne looked up to see Demetrius near the attic’s door. He didn’t dare step further into the mess.
“I’m keeping myself entertained to say the least,” she said, placing the box back in the wardrobe. She then remembered the goofy hat she wore and abruptly removed it.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t around to take you hunting last night. If you like, I can take you now.”
Without any special abilities of her own, Evonne easily saw how much of a burden she was to him.
“It’s too early,” she reminded. “It’s not even after eight.”
“If you want human blood, then we must leave now.”
She went back to the wardrobe, uninterested in his offer. “Rules are rules, aren’t they? We have to hunt later and only animals.”
“Either come with me now, or go hungry another night. Do you really want to go back to that farm and feed from those foul animals? Their taste resides in your mouth just like that bread.”
He was doing it again. Those are my thoughts, dammit. Stay out of my head! She looked at this moment as the perfect time to see if she could block him. An act of rudeness or not, she needed to know if it were possible.
“Gabriel abides by these rules,” Evonne said, pulling herself to stand, “so I see no need to go against them.” She glanced at Demetrius, the change apparent in his composure.
He looked at her strangely. “Are you not the least bit interested in my offer?”
“No,” she lied, going back to the wardrobe’s clothes.
“Gabriel’s warned you about that, Evonne.”
She felt his stare, though she didn’t give in. She finally turned to look at him. “Speaking of Gabriel, are those his clothes you’re wearing?”
“Of course.”
She looked him over once more. “They look better on him.”
“I can say the same about Keelan’s jacket.”
Evonne’s concentration stumbled under his statement. This was Keelan’s jacket? Carefully she removed it and placed it back on its hanger. No longer was it a faceless item among a slew of others but a piece of property she handled with great care.
Evonne closed the door.
“Perhaps a brief lesson in manners is needed,” she heard Demetrius say.
Turning around, Evonne caught a glimpse of Demetrius before he was on her, pushing her into the wardrobe and holding her by the throat. She fought against him, her hands weakly clawing at his grip.
“Shh,” he whispered. “You were warned about this, so don’t find my actions misplaced.” His eyes turned cold. “I don’t care about the name you carry or even the path that brought you here, but when you blatantly lie to me… Forgive me if I take it a little too personal.”
“He trusts you,” Evonne choked out. “He said you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“His defines hurt differently than what we do, but you know this already.”
She struggled against him, her fear outweighed by her anger.
“Let me go!”
He ignored her plea.
Feeling his other hand pulling at the collar of her shirt, he forced her head to the side, his teeth against her, scraping her skin. She tensed up, anticipating his bite. He lifted his head from her.
“Deceive me again,” he dared.
Stepping back, Demetrius released her.
Evonne kept her eyes from him as her anger remained. Oh, the many things she wanted to do to him. But only five words left her mouth. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
He smiled. “There’s that honesty.” Turning from her, he walked back to the door, the arrogance beaming from him. “If you wish to go hunting, I’m leaving now.”
Evonne’s jaw clenched as she kept herself from speaking. Against her better judgment, she crossed the room and followed him downstairs. Curiosity found her easier than the natural sense to do what was right. Even if they were to get in trouble for leaving this early in the night, she would place all the blame on him. The idea was his after all.
Outside, the rain fell steadily without the hindrance of wind. The relentlessly storm continued to beat down anything daring to venture away from shelter. Evonne decided against wearing her coat. The cold and the rain didn’t bother her much, and the coat didn’t offer much in the way of keeping her dry. A regular dark, long sleeve shirt, jeans, and boots were enough for this night.
Demetrius’ route took them away from the farm and deeper into the forest. The further they walked, the more Evonne could hear Gabriel’s scolding words. She walked faster, catching up to Demetrius.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she said.
“You’re probably right,” he whispered, “but I’m tired of animal blood and I know you are, as well.”
“Where are we going?”
He kept his answers simple. “Where we shouldn’t.”
Yeah, that tells me a lot. She shook her head. “What if we get caught?”
“I haven’t been spotted yet.”
Evonne almost stopped walking. “Yet? How long have you been coming out here?”
“Long enough to know what they have planned for tonight,” he said, changing their direction. “There was a reason they wanted Gabriel occupied elsewhere. Ever hear of the short story called The Most Dangerous Game?”
“No.”
Without missing a beat, he began to explain, “The story tells of a man who washed up on an island. The island was home to a General who preferred hunting humans, seeing them as better game than animals. He begins to hunt the man who washed up on his island. The wolves here in this territory have taken up a similar premise. Lukas likes to keep his pack entertained every now and then with a hunt. Though hunting humans is looked down upon, Lukas sees no harm in killing a few runaways here and there. Gabriel came home at a bad time. They’re planning a large hunt for tonight. So forgive me for the urgency in wanting to leave so soon.”
Evonne clenched her fists at her sides. It’s worse than I thought. I should’ve stayed at the house.
“What’s your plan?” she finally asked.
“No plan. Only instinct. You will know what to do.”
“Let me get this straight. They’re going to release a helpless human in the woods, then track him down and kill him?”
“Humans,” he corrected, the urgency now entering his voice. “There will be more than one this night.”
On the outreach of Evonne’s senses, she could hear the faint murmur of a man talking and the piercing scent of smoke mixed in with the dying rain. Demetrius neared the base of a large tree and began to climb. Drawing in her bottom lip, and still going against her better judgment, Evonne began to climb the tree, as well. Another amusing thought struck her from out of the blue. This was her first time climbing a tree. Higher than she ever dreamed she could, she climbed. With each new branch she reached for, the stronger her fear of heights became. Evonne kept her focus aimed on the next branch, and then the next, until she made it to where Demetrius waited. She followed his gaze out beyond the branches.
A large fire roared skyward in a clearing, the light rain doing little to smother its flames. Surrounding the area, more than two dozen figures stood, most in human form, while the others waited proudly in their beast forms, a few even taking on their full wolf appearance.
“Lukas is down there,” Demetrius whispered, his eyes taking in the scene. “There are thirty-two altogether.”
“Thirty-two?” Evonne exclaimed. “It’s too dangerous for us to be here!”
“They are the ones breaking the rules,” he tried to remind her. “I only plan to take a piece of their fun.”
Evonne struggled to make out the scene through the dense branches. In the center of the gathering, by the large fire, three humans sat bound and heads covered in bags. The Alpha, Lukas, addressed the pack, his speech more of a rallying history lesson on the importance of the hunt and the importance of the kill, key elements in strengthening the pack’s bond. His attitude and demeanor were complete opposites from the man Evonne first met in the workshop.
“Does Gabriel know about this?” she asked, her eyes unable to leave the scene.
“He knows they keep things from him. But I believe he truly doesn’t want to know. It is easier for him to look the other way.”
“But that’s not like him.”
“In a situation like this, he has something at stake.”
“The house,” she remembered with a whisper.
Two men stepped into the center and removed the rope and bags from the frightened humans. The two males and one female were, as Demetrius saw, unfortunate souls, their only damning fault; their inability to deal with human troubles, thus deciding to live a life on the streets as a sweeter path. He had no pity for them. Their choices led them here. And for their mistakes in life, his belly will be full this night.
Lukas approached the humans as he gestured around at the forest, telling them about the game in which they were to play. The humans’ eyes darted from the man addressing them to the monsters circling them. Lukas backed away. The humans, standing on weakening legs, took to the woods and scattered. Their chances seemed better if they split up, or at least that was what Lukas told them.
“They’re giving them a head start,” Demetrius said, heading back down the tree. “Come on. We don’t have much time until they begin the hunt.”
Getting up the tree was one thing, but getting down… Evonne became frozen, her hands locked on the sturdy branches. Look at yourself! You’re a vampire who’s afraid of heights! And what would Gabriel say? The answer came to her fast. He wouldn’t say anything. He’d just push me out of the tree. Forcing herself to move, she began the frightening task of climbing down. As the forest floor came into view, she let her instincts take over as she leapt to the ground.
Evonne recovered her bearings and found Demetrius gone.
“Shit!”
She imagined the thirty-some wolves running into the woods, fanning out in every direction, their senses aimed on one goal—the kill. Thinking fast, Evonne recalled where one of the human’s fled. She tore into a run and headed after the human.
As Evonne moved throughout the forest, half of her begged to return to the house, while the other half saw the unique opportunity this night offered. The thought of her appeased hunger outweighed the danger.
The scent of the human settled before her in the damp forest. Though the rain continued to lightly fall, the scent was strong enough to follow. The stench of sweat was almost absent from the human, replaced by a faint fragrance. They bathed them before the hunt?
Staying on the trail, Evonne drove her legs to their limits, amazing herself at the speed in which she ran. Her eyes then saw the human running before her. With a hand extended, she grabbed onto the girl’s shirt, urging her to stop. The human lost her footing and tumbled, sending Evonne off balance, as well. The two crashed to the forest floor, both covered in wet leaves, debris, and dirt. The human scrambled to her feet and tried run. Evonne grabbed the passing ankle and held tight. Once again, the human fell to the ground. Evonne then threw her body overtop of the scared girl, covering her mouth.
“Shh!” whispered Evonne. “Be quiet or they’ll hear you.” She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill her. What in the hell is stopping you?
The dark haired human nodded back as Evonne removed her hand and left her. The human sat up, shaking, hysterical—a blubbering mess.
“Wh-who are you?” she asked through erratic breaths.
Kill her. Kill her now!
“Someone who’s going to get you out of here,” Evonne truthfully answered. She stood up and helped the human to her feet. “Follow me.”
Evonne began running once more, almost dragging the human behind her. It was the truth. She had no plans to kill her. If they could only get back to the house she could claim it as sanctuary. Surly they wouldn’t storm in there to kill her, not in Gabriel’s house.
“Slow down,” the human begged. “I can’t keep up!”
Why was she running so slow? Did she want to die? Evonne slowed down but the speed was still too much for the human. Losing her footing, the girl tumbled once more, and fell to the ground. Evonne helped her up.
“They’ll be on the hunt soon,” Evonne heard Demetrius say.
She turned to see him approach, the heat radiating from him as though he were human, as well. Did he already kill both humans while she was running with this one girl? She knew how easy it was to lose track of time in the midst of a hunt. But she wasn’t hunting.
“We can save her,” Evonne pleaded. “We just have to make it to the house.” She studied the human. The girl held her arms close against the cold, her body shuddering and her mind unable to focus. Evonne couldn’t feel the cold as she did. Though her body registered the lack of heat, she found no involuntary attempts to shiver. The action had no purpose for her.
“This is your choice,” Demetrius reminded. “But bear in mind, you picked up on her scent even in the rain. It will take even less effort for them to locate her at the house. Think fast.”
“You can’t let them kill me!” the human begged.
Evonne grabbed the girl’s wrist. “I won’t let them kill you.” Once again, she led the way, her speed cut in half.
This is a bad idea. Taking her to the house, though plausible in one scenario, played out differently in another. Wolves, driven by the hunt, would stop at nothing to reach their prey. Evonne saw two options laid out before her; leave the human there for a certain death or kill her for her own reasons.
Evonne stopped running.
“Why are we stopping?” the human asked, trying to catch her breath.
“I can’t help you,” Evonne said as she released the girl’s hand.
Hysteria returned to the human. “But they’ll kill me! Kill us!”
Remaining calm, Evonne answered. “They won’t kill me. I’ll be long gone before they find your body.” She didn’t know where this change in personality came from, but she knew it wasn’t foreign.
The human back away from her. “Body?”
“I’d prefer it if you ran. But I don’t have time for that.” Before she could change her mind or devise a new plan of escape, Evonne lunged for the girl, the attack sending them to the ground. She forced the girl’s head to the side and tore into her neck, the bite savage and deep. This wasn’t the time for a slow, savoring kill. She needed to take as much blood as she could and leave.
The moment was quick. Evonne had no time for her inhibitions to rear their stifling heads. She could already visualize the pack dispersing for the hunt.
“Drink fast,” said Demetrius, making himself known. “Two lions with a kill stand no chance when the hyenas begin to swarm.”
In the heat of her feeding, Evonne failed to sense him approach. He stood by her, his eyes on the surrounding forest.
Evonne pulled as much blood as she could from the dying human. Feeling the heart stop, she withdrew. The extra effort needed to drink further would be precious time spent on their escape. Demetrius grabbed her wrist and led her away from the dead human. He could sense the wolves on the move, some of them undoubtedly catching the faint scent of the two vampires in the area. He wanted to smile at this. The night played out perfectly.
Unlike the sluggish human, Evonne kept up with Demetrius without any trouble. Not even the tricky terrain caused her any concern. Everything was heightened to a crisp precision. The animals’ blood had left her senses muffled, but now, running through the woods, nothing could be more clearer.
They reached the house as the rain began to pick up once more. A new storm closed in, this one coupled with wind. Evonne followed Demetrius inside, their hair and clothes drenched. They walked across the tiled floor and toward the stairs. Evonne glanced at the kitchen as they passed, catching a glimpse of Philip as he watched them head upstairs. The look on his face shattered the calmness within her. She felt as though they had been caught. If his family was as close to the werewolf pack as she was led to believe, then he would be on his phone without a second thought. He wouldn’t do that, would he?
Evonne stayed close to Demetrius as he entered his room. He went to the window and pulled back the curtain. Evonne looked outside, as well.
“How much trouble are we in?” she asked, her eyes scanning the edge of the woods.
“Plenty,” he admitted. “But this now places the pack on the offensive.”
“But they’ll know it was us.”
“That’s the whole point.” He nodded at the woods. “There.”
Evonne looked again and saw five wolves staring at the house as they kept their distance.
“I don’t think this was what Gabriel meant when he said you’ll protect me.”
Demetrius continued to stare back at the wolves. “His trust isn’t misplaced.”
Shaking her head, she wasn’t buying his words. “Then why do this?”
“My real prey wasn’t the humans tonight. It’s Lukas I want.”
Evonne’s eyes widened. “Are you insane? Going after an alpha?”
Demetrius words remained calm. “For his crimes, any kind of death I deliver unto him will seem merciful.”
“How long have you been planning this?”
“Ever since our first hunt here.”
It was beginning to make sense to Evonne. “Is that where you were going each night?”
“There they go,” he said, tilting his head as he watched the wolves retreat. “Run along, fur balls, and tell your fearless leader what the naughty vampires have done.”
“Why drag me into this?”
His eyes left the woods to settle on her. “Your belly is full, isn’t it?”
“And at what cost? Gabriel’s going to come back to a bloodbath in his backyard. All because you felt like picking a fight!”
“When the truth surfaces, Gabriel will choose my side.”
Evonne crossed her arms. “Out of obligation, no less.”
His words turned cold. “He thinks for himself.”
Wanting no more of this, she turned from him and headed for the door. “I’m going to take a shower.”