by M H Soars
“Come, Amelia.” Grandma waves me over.
Reluctantly, I move forward. It snowed recently, and the snow crunches under my boots.
“Don’t be afraid, child.” The tallest of the women pushes her hood back, revealing a long jet-black mane and a face as white as the ground.
“I’m not afraid.”
“Because you think you’re dreaming,” she replies calmly.
I widen my eyes. “I don’t think. I know.”
The woman drops her eyes to my protruding belly. “Three babies, each one fathered by a different… wolf.”
“What?” I squeak.
“What does that mean, Veronica?” Grandma asks, looking at me in a funny way now.
I cross my arms. “Exactly. What kind of disturbing dream is this?”
Focusing on my ire is easier than dwelling on the way I’m dreaming about being knocked up by wolves. Shit. I don’t even like channels like National Geographic, unless it’s Shark Week. I mean, how can I not like Shark Week? I suppose I should be glad that I’m not pregnant by three sharks.
I shake my head. Fuck. Even in my dreams I have rambling thoughts.
“I don’t know. But I also sense a great spell has been cast all over town, and it seems to be linked to your granddaughter.”
“That’s just great,” I mumble.
“We must form a circle,” another one of Grandma’s friends says.
“A spell strong enough to affect the entire town might be beyond our ability to break with a circle,” a third woman chimes in.
“We can always call Geor—” Veronica starts.
“No. Absolutely not. We’re not going to her. There’s a reason we formed this coven,” Grandma replies sharply.
Veronica looks at the starless sky. “The longer we wait, the harder it will be to undo the magic. We must act fast.”
She walks toward the forest, and her companions follow her. They disappear around the shack, but I don’t move from my spot. Grandma offers me her hand. “Come on, Amelia. Let’s find out what’s going on.”
I reach for her, but before we touch, everything goes dark. Then I have the feeling that I’m inside a vortex. I’m spinning out of control, but somehow I can’t scream or see anything.
As sudden as the whirling motion came, it vanishes. When my vision returns, Grandma is gone, and I’m no longer in a forest in front of a spooky shack. I’m now in the middle of Crimson Hollow’s square, about to have a heart attack.
Fuck. As dreams go, this is one is seriously messed up. I’m done suffering it alone. I pull my cell phone from my pocket to call Kenya.
She answers on the first ring. “Red, you’re not goi—”
“Kenya, you need to help me. I don’t know what’s going on. I woke up in the middle of the night with the biggest pregnant belly known to man, and I don’t know how that happened.”
“Whoa, slow down,” she replies.
“I can’t slow down. I know this must be a freaking dream, but I’m not waking up.”
“Riiight. You guys are super hilarious. Who else is involved in this?”
“This is not a joke, damn it! I’m freaking out.” I begin to pace while ripping at my hair.
“I gotta give it to you, Red. That’s a pretty impressive acting job. But I’m not falling for it. I’ll see you tomorrow, crazy girl,” Kenya says before she ends the call.
I stare at my phone. I can’t believe this. She hung up on me!
An icy gust of wind comes from my left, chilling me to the bone and reminding me that I’m not wearing much. Dream or no dream, I have to get out of here. I glance around, but everything is closed besides the Five-Headed Dragon music venue. The smart thing would be to go in, but I can’t be seen looking like this.
If this is only a dream, what does it matter?
“Ah damn it,” I mutter and head toward the busy establishment.
Two steps forward and I feel an eerie sensation at the back of my neck. I turn around and find a tall man with long blond hair in full armor where a second ago no one stood. But what catches my attention the most is the strange glint in his eyes. It seems like they’re glowing. I’m leery of him in an instant.
“Who are you?” I ask, taking a step back.
“Don’t be afraid, Red.”
My legs tense, ready to bolt. “How do you know my name?”
He glances over his shoulder in a cagey manner. “We don’t have much time. You have to come with me.”
“Hell to the no. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
This is it. I have to flee. Come on legs, move.
He takes a step forward. “The fear you’re feeling isn’t real. I swear I’m here to help.”
He reaches for me, and I do the only thing I’m capable of since my legs are frozen.
I scream.
Chapter 4
Samuel
“The usual, Sam?” Donny, one of the bartenders at Five-Headed Dragon, asks.
I answer with a nod while I scan the crowd to get a feel of the assortment tonight. Crimson Hollow is small, and most likely I’ve already slept with most of the bangable chicks here, but there’s always the random hot out-of-towner dying for a taste of small-town life.
I see two girls in particular who haven’t stopped gawking. They were also in front of the stage during the first half of our set, undressing me with their hungry eyes. Maybe tonight will be a double treat.
Leo stops next to me and follows my line of sight. “I see you’ve found your mark already.”
“Sure have.” Without breaking eye contact with the girls, I take a sip of my beer. Then I smile, showing my famous dimples, a sure thing to get me laid.
Predictably, they giggle and avert their gazes, only to look at me again from under their eyelashes.
That’s my cue. I turn to Donny. “Two more beers, please.”
Like a pro, he slides the cold bottles across the bar toward my waiting hands.
“Wish me luck,” I say to Leo.
“Like you need it,” he grumbles.
Shit, he needs to get laid.
With alcoholic beverages in hand, I veer toward my marks. They’re all fake coy smiles when I stop in front of their high-top table. They’re acting like all girls who come to see the band, but tonight, their predictable behavior is turning me off. I push the strange notion aside.
“Good evening, ladies. Did you enjoy the first half of the show?”
“Oh yeah. We loved it,” the short brunette with fake tits replies.
“We came all the way from San Diego just to see you play,” her companion, a red-head with freckles, adds.
“You don’t say?”
“Oh yeah. We’ve watched, like, all of your videos online a million times.” She laughs a little too loudly, and it takes great effort not to wince.
“Drinks?” I offer them the beers I got.
“Sure.” The brunette reaches for the bottles.
I’m about to ask for their names when a female voice says from behind me, “Samuel Wolfe, you’d better have a damn good explanation for why you’re flirting with those two bimbos instead of being home with Red.”
“What is she talking about? Who’s Red?” one of the girls asks, but I’m no longer paying attention to them.
I turn, coming face-to-face with Kenya Arantes, Sheriff Arantes’s daughter. She’s a regular at our concerts and one of the few attractive local girls I haven’t fucked. Not because she blew me off but because she’s the sheriff’s daughter, and I don’t wanna risk castration. When I hit puberty and started to notice girls, I made a concerted effort to put Kenya firmly in the friend zone. So despite the fact that she’s a ten and a firecracker—usually a dangerous combination to me—I never had any desire to hook up with her.
“Kenya, fancy seeing you here.” I smile. Maybe this is all a ploy to get my attention.
“Cut the crap, Sam. What the hell are you doing here? I thought the band was in hiatus.”
“Is this lunatic bothering
you, Samuel?” one of the girls asks.
Kenya narrows her eyes to slits and walks around me. “Listen up, bitches. You’d better pack your pathetic skank asses and hit the road. Don’t make me show you how I treat Pornhub rejects who flirt with my best friend’s husband.”
The girls look at me with wide eyes. “You’re married?” they shriek at the same time.
I lift my hands. “Whoa, I’m not married.” Now Kenya is pissing me off. “What the hell? What’s the matter with you?”
She drops her jaw and looks at me like I’ve just grown a second head. “You’re joking, right?”
“Excuse me? You’re the one who’s spewing crazy lies and I don’t even know why. Are you on drugs?”
Kenya looks over my shoulder. “What the fuck are two still doing here? Get out!” She makes a fake charge toward the out-of-towners and they scramble. I don’t blame them. She looks completely deranged.
“That’s fucking it! I’m calling your mother.” I pull my cell phone out.
“Ha ha. Okay, Sam. You can stop with the joke now. Did Red put you up to this?”
“For the love of God, who the fuck is Red?” I throw my hands up in the air.
“What’s going on here?” Jared, the band’s guitar player, stops next to me.
“Kenya decided today is the day for practical jokes. Only she doesn’t know when to stop.” I glower at her.
“What’s the joke?” Jared asks.
“Apparently I’m married to some chick named Red,” I reply, rolling my eyes.
“Who? Wait, doesn’t Wendy Redford have a granddaughter that goes by that nickname?” Jared rubs his chin.
Kenya throws her hands out by her sides. “Fucking great. You’re in on it too. You know what? Let’s call her.”
Her phone starts to ring at that precise moment. “I’ll be damned. It’s Red. It’s like she knows you’re up to no good, Samuel Wolfe.”
“This ought to be good,” I mumble.
“Red, you’re not goi— Whoa, slow down.” Kenya pauses, frowning, then turns to me with narrowed eyes. “Riiight. You guys are super hilarious. Who else is involved in this?”
I trade a glance with Jared, still completely clueless about what’s going on. He shrugs.
A woman shrieks on the other side of the line, making Kenya pull the phone away from her ear with a grimace for a second. “I gotta give it to you, Red. That’s a pretty impressive acting job. But I’m not falling for it. I’ll see you tomorrow, crazy girl.”
“So, your friend has no clue about me, right?” I ask with a smirk, then take a sip of my beer.
Squinting, Kenya replies, “So she says, but she’s still very much knocked up, and you are the father. Well, at least one of the fathers.”
I choke on my drink. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t believe me? I’ll show you.” Kenya swipes her finger over her phone’s screen until she finds what she’s looking for. “Here, I took this two days ago.”
She shoves her phone practically on my face, but I see nothing but her standing next to a blonde chick. A feel a strange tug, almost as if I should know her friend, but I definitely don’t. I’d remember her for sure. She’s just my type.
“What am I supposed to be seeing here?” I ask.
“Are you blind? It’s Red, very much pregnant, you, and your brothers.”
Jared moves closer and says, “No. It’s just you and Red. She’s not preggers.”
Kenya moves the phone away from me and stares at the picture. “No. That’s impossible.” She begins to swipe the screen frantically. “What the fuck! They’re all gone. How?”
Watching Kenya unravel in front of me over some fake pictures is starting to concern me. I don’t think she’s joking anymore. “Kenya, are you sure you didn’t take anything? You’re acting super strange.”
“No, I didn’t take anything.” She lifts her gaze to meet mine. “But you’re right about one thing. Something very strange is going on.”
With phone glued to her ear, she begins to turn around. “Hey, where are you going?”
“To find answers.”
She pushes her way through the throng of people, heading toward the exit.
“Shouldn’t we follow her?” Jared asks.
“Yes” is on the tip of my tongue, but then I turn, my gaze colliding with an angel with white-blonde hair and a sinful mouth. Her eyes beguile me, and the urge to make sure Kenya is okay vanishes.
“Nah, she’ll be fine. We have a set to finish. We can’t disappoint our fans.”
Chapter 5
Red
“Get away from me, you perv!” I retreat, but I’m not used to this huge belly, so I end up falling on my fat ass.
“Hey, leave her alone!” Kenya screams from somewhere nearby. She must have come from the music venue.
The stranger turns toward her and lifts his hands. “I’m not trying to harm her. Calm down.”
“Calm down, my ass.” Kenya stops in front of me with her cell phone out. “I’m calling the sheriff, asshole.”
The guy looks into the distance and frowns. “We don’t have much time. Your friend needs to come with me right now.”
“How about I call her mates, buddy? Did you know Red is married to three big guys who can turn you into pudding?” Kenya takes a menacing step toward him.
Wait, what?
“You’re not affected,” he tells Kenya, sounding surprised.
I try to get up, but it’s almost impossible with this big belly. Suddenly, someone lifts me from behind.
“There you go, Red,” Zeke Rogers, the owner of Zeke’s Sweet Treats, says. “What’s going on here?” He stares at Kenya and then at the blond dude who is under her wrath.
“This guy tried to kidnap Red.” Kenya points at the man, who’s becoming transparent.
“Whoa, what’s wrong with him?” I ask.
“Ah, shit. Are you a ghost?” Kenya moves closer to me.
He groans and then vanishes completely.
“Oh my God. What’s happening?” I ask no one in particular.
Zeke approaches the place where the guy was standing two seconds ago. He crouches and picks up a handful of snow, bringing it to his nose. He curses after taking a whiff.
“What is it?” Kenya asks.
“Nothing good.” He stands up again and looks at me. “What happened? And why are you underdressed like that?”
“I had nothing to wear.” I pull the lapels of my jacket closer together.
“Come on, Red. Don’t you think you’re taking this prank too far?” Kenya puts her hands on her hips.
“I’m not pranking anyone. Why won’t you believe me?” I grit out. “This is the worst dream ever. I want to wake up now.”
From the corner of my eye, I catch Kenya and Zeke exchange a meaningful glance.
“What?” I ask.
Zeke squints, pinching his lips together. He opens his mouth to say something when suddenly his entire frame freezes. Slowly, he whirls around and sweeps the area. “Something isn’t right.”
A shiver runs down my spine, and the small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He can say that again.
“What do you sense?” Kenya asks.
“No time to explain. Let’s go to my store. Quickly now.” He grabs my arm and steers me across the square.
“What’s going on?”
“Please, no questions until we’re inside,” he replies.
I glance at him, noticing how his facial expression is now twisted into a grimace.
“Zeke, are you okay?”
“Holy shit, man. Your eyes!” Kenya points out.
Angling my body so I can peer at his face properly, I see what she means. His eyes are glowing red. What the fuck! I try to break free from his hold, but he grips me tighter.
“Let go of me!” I struggle.
“Red, relax. It’s Zeke. He won’t harm you.” Kenya looks at me as if I’m crazy.
Panic is making me all choked up. Out of nowhere
I begin to cry. This is so stupid and so not me. I should be fighting or trying to run away. Instead, I’m a sobbing mess. What’s wrong with me?
Before I know it, I’m inside Zeke’s bakery. He finally drops my arm and proceeds to lock the door and shut the blinds.
Kenya grabs me by the shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Don’t cry, Red. Everything will be all right.”
“No it won’t!” I push her off me. “I woke up with this huge belly, and I found out my grandmother is a witch. To top that off, a strange man tries to kidnap me, and Zeke is….” I glance at him. “I don’t even know what he is.”
“Red, this is very important. Where did you wake up?” he asks with a frown marring his forehead.
“In my bed.”
“In the compound,” Kenya adds.
“Compound? No, in my bedroom at Grandma’s.” Kenya and Zeke share another glance, pissing me off. “What’s going on?”
“You don’t remember Sam, Tristan, or Dante?” Kenya moves closer, and I don’t like the glint of worry in her eyes one bit.
“The Wolfe triplets?”
“Yeah, your mates.”
“My mates,” I repeat like an idiot because I can’t believe what my best friend is saying. “What’s that even supposed to mean? Like roommates?”
Kenya narrows her eyes. “You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”
“No! I swear to God, I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Okay. Okay. There’s no need to panic. We’ll figure this out.” Zeke approaches me, but considering he’s definitely not human, I step away.
“If she’s afraid of you, then she really doesn’t remember anything. And I bumped into Sam and Jared earlier and they had no idea who Red was.”
“It seems that whatever spell was cast in Crimson Hollow, it wiped everyone’s memories, but it didn’t affect us,” Zeke points out.
“Why not us?” Kenya asks, alarmed.
Zeke rubs his chin and begins to pace. “I don’t know. But the guy who was trying to take Red somewhere was not from around here.”
