by Isa Hunt
“It sounds like there's a part of your personality that you either don't know exists, or that you don't acknowledge the existence of. Something extraordinary, something powerful – yet dangerous, too. Fire is associated with both power and danger in dreams. And the mountains . . . Well, I'm not so sure about that part, but could it be linked to some sort of memory of them?”
“No. I've never seen real mountains, not ever.”
“Weird. Well . . . it does seem to be very specific, and I guess I can ask a few people and check out the books I've got at home on the subject and see what I can find out about it.”
“Thanks, Rhonda,” I said. “It's not, like, scaring me or anything, but it is pretty weird that I've been having this dream so often.”
“I'll bet. It sounds like a pretty intense dream.”
“Yeah, it is.”
We got on with the cleaning, and before long it was time for the bar to open. As soon as Abe opened the front doors, a sizable crowd came trudging in. As the hours passed, more and more people started coming, filling up the bar to capacity. Rhonda, me and the other bartenders were slinging drinks left, right and center, and it was all we could do to stay on top of things. A rock band from out of town was playing on the stage, and the thunderous roar of their distorted guitars, gravelly vocals and pounding drums made catching the customers' orders over the din that much harder – although I had to admit that I liked the music. I was tapping my feet and nodding my head to it as I worked.
After a while, Rhonda came and tapped me on my shoulder.
“Hey Kelly,” she said, “you got time for a quick bathroom break?”
I glanced up and down the bar. It was a rare moment of quiet, so I nodded.
“Sure, let's go.”
We made our way to the staff bathroom – thank goodness for it, because the queues for the ladies' room were almost out the front door – and headed in. As soon as we were in the comparatively bright light of the bathroom, I could see an expression of consternation scrunching up Rhonda's usually pretty features.
“What's wrong?” I asked her.
“I had to tell you,” she said. “That weird foreign guy, who was asking about you on your night off two nights ago – he's here. And he's been staring at you for the last hour.”
CHAPTER 3 – KELLY
“Oh no,” I groaned. “Seriously? It's the same guy?”
She nodded, looking worried.
“It's definitely the same guy. He has these really piercing eyes, eyes of a color I'd never forget. They're almost . . . gold, or yellow, as weird as that sounds.”
I hadn't seen the guy up close, but I'd seen him from a distance a few times, as he'd been stalking me – if that was what he was doing – for at least two weeks now. He was always dressed in a long coat, with a hood, despite the heat, so I didn't really know what he looked like, except for the fact that he was around six foot tall and pretty well built, with broad shoulders. I always managed to get away from him before he got too close, and thankfully the times he had come here to the bar or to my apartment I'd been out.
“Great, just great,” I sighed. “First a wolf, now a stalker. What's next?”
“Should I see if I can get Abe to throw him out?”
I shook my head.
“You know how reluctant Abe is to throw anyone out of his bar, and how sickeningly tolerant he is of creeps. He won't do a damn thing.”
“Well, I've got some pepper spray in my handbag if you wanna borrow it,” she said. “It's the strong stuff too, the stuff the cops use. A good blast of that in his face should get him off your back and send him a loud and clear message.”
“I'll take that, if it's okay with you,” I said gratefully.
“Of course,” she said, digging in her bag for the pepper spray and handing it to me. “Come on, we'd better get back to the bar before Abe notices we're missing.”
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said with a weary sigh. “Thanks for the heads up about the creep . . . I'll stay as alert as I can.”
“Just be safe, okay? You know the kinda weirdos who come to this place . . . ”
“Yeah, especially with tonight being a full moon,” I said with a wry smile. We both howled like wolves and then burst into a bout of laughter, and for a few pleasant moments, I was able to forget about the stalker, although the howling did bring scary thoughts of the wolf back into my mind.
As soon as I was back at the bar, I started to scan the crowd, looking for the stalker. All the weirdos were here alright. There were heavily-tattooed bikers, distinguishable from the leather daddies and bondage freaks only by virtue of their huge beards and items of denim in their wardrobes, there were cosplayers dressed up as all sorts of freaky characters, hippies in tie-dye regalia dancing and whirling like mad things, probably tripping out on acid and shrooms, punks with massive neon mohawks and giant safety pin piercings – and there, in the corner, a man who sent an icy shiver down my spine.
He was all alone, half-hidden in the gloom, wearing the same long black coat he always wore. A hood pulled over his head kept most of his face veiled in shadow. All I could see was a strong, square jaw, revealed by a slash of light, and two bright eyes glowing in the dark that reminded me immediately of the wolf that had chased me earlier. And uncomfortable chill surged across my skin, and I felt cold fear striking at my core.
He was staring right at me. My heart started to beat a little faster, and I could feel the cold spreading through my body. Then he got up and started to walk toward me.
Suddenly, however, another man appeared from the jostling crowd, stepping in front of the stalker and effectively blocking his passage. The stalker stopped in his tracks. The other man, however, walked towards me. He smiled. I smiled back at him with relief.
As he approached, I took in the sight of him. He was well-dressed, wearing a dress shirt and slacks and black leather shoes, and didn't seem to fit in with the crowd who usually populated The Full Moon. He looked a lot more like a wealthy businessman than a biker, a punk or a hippy. Looking to be in his late twenties or early thirties, perhaps, he was very tall, and very powerfully built, almost like a professional football player. His brown hair was buzzed short at the sides and swept back on top, and he had a large, bushy but well-kept beard, and his large, attractive dark brown eyes regarded me with a warm smile.
“What can I get you?” I asked as he reached the bar.
“Whiskey on the rocks please,” he said with a disarming smile, “and maybe your number too.”
I laughed – but I had to admit that his deep, sonorous voice sent a surge of attraction rippling through me. I felt a little stir down below. This was a very, very attractive dude I was looking at.
“Come on,” I said, not unkindly but not encouraging him either, even though he was very attractive. “It's not the first time I've heard that line.”
He chuckled. God, his smile made him even more handsome.
“I'm sure you get it all the time. Much more than any other girl working here,” he said, his smile broadening as he leaned in closer. “So, forgive me for being so unoriginal. I'll think of a better pickup line while you get me that whiskey on the rocks, huh?”
“Sure thing,” I said, smiling with just an edge of flirtatiousness.
I went off, poured him his drink, and then came back.
“That'll be—”
He held up a finger to silence me, gently pressed a hundred dollar note into my palm, then closed my fingers around it.
“Keep the change,” he said, staring intently into my eyes. “It's a minor tip for the privilege of being able to appreciate such rare, intense beauty.”
I had to admit I was pretty flattered, and this guy was so smooth and suave that it was difficult to brush him off.
“Thank you,” I said, almost feeling like I was gonna blush. Guys who hit on me here were rarely this charming. Okay, no, let me correct myself – the kind of guys who hit on me in this place was never this charming.
“Can I as
k you for just one thing though?” he asked.
“Sure, go ahead.”
“The privilege of knowing your name. That's all I want.”
“I'm Kelly,” I said with a warm smile, extending my hand.
He reached up and shook my hand gently. His hand was huge, like a bear paw – like the rest of him. Yeah, actually, he had a real bear-like feel about him. I couldn't put my finger on why, but the more I looked at him the more I started thinking about bears. Weird . . . very weird.
“And I'm Jacob,” he said, “but you can call me Jake.”
“Sure thing, Jake,” I said. “Enjoy your whiskey.”
“I'm sure I will,” he answered, his deep, rumbling voice smooth as silk. “I'll see you later, I'm sure,” he said, and then he slipped away with a stealth that belied his size and melted into the throng of drunken revelers.
I looked behind him, where the stalker had been, but he was gone. I scanned the crowd, peering through the colored lights, the smoke, the gloom and the shadows, but the guy seemed to have vanished. I let out a sigh of relief, for I was safe . . . For now.
CHAPTER 4 – KELLY
I was dead on my feet; it was four in the morning, and I'd been slinging drinks all night. We had finally gotten the last of the customers out of the bar, and Abe had left as well, leaving Rhonda and myself to close up and lock the bar.
“Jeez, that was quite a night huh?” remarked Rhonda, who looked as tired as I felt.
“The things a girl has to do to put a lil' change in her purse, right?” I sighed.
Sometimes I wondered if it was all worth it. I mean, what was I doing in this dead-end town anyway? I was stuck in a dead-end job, living from paycheck to paycheck. I sometimes felt like a freakin' vampire, sleeping all day and then spending the whole night slinging drinks to freaks and weirdos, and getting hit on by gross dudes, and then on top of all of that, there was this whole thing with the stalker and the wolf.
I mean, come on! Being stalked by some psycho and getting chased by a wild wolf?
Thoughts of both the stalker and the wolf started to creep into my mind now, and with them came ripples of fear. Suddenly, I wasn't feeling so great about having to walk home alone.
“Uh hey,” I said to Rhonda. “Would Trevor be able to give me a ride home when he picks you up?”
Trevor was Rhonda's boyfriend.
“I'm sure he won't mind,” she said with a smile. “He messaged me a couple minutes ago, saying he was on his way. Come on, let's lock this place up and get out of here.”
That was a relief. At least I wouldn't have to walk home alone.
We locked the place up and went to wait outside in the parking lot. I kept on shooting nervous glances at the trees across the street, waiting for the wolf to emerge – if it was still there. As the minutes trickled by, a growing sense of anxiety started to hiss and steam in my core.
The streets were so quiet and still at this hour. I usually enjoyed it while walking home. Tonight, however, the silence seemed threatening, with every shadow seeming to hide a lurking danger. I just wanted to get home and lock my door behind me.
Through the silence, we heard the deep rumble of a large motorcycle in the distance, and soon enough its single headlight was piercing the gloom at the top of the street as it headed toward us.
“We'll have to tell this guy that all his biker buddies left an hour ago,” muttered Rhonda. “And where the heck is Trevor? He told me he was on his way.”
The bike slowed down and pulled into the parking lot. The helmeted rider kicked out the stand and got off his bike.
“We're closed!” I yelled, shaking my head as the rider started walking toward us. “You're gonna have to find another place to drink, buddy!”
The biker pulled off his helmet and grinned – it was Trevor.
“Hey babe!” he said to Rhonda. “Surprise!”
Her jaw dropped.
“You . . . you bought a motorcycle? Without telling me?!” she gasped.
“No, no,” he said. “It's my buddy's. My damn car broke down a block away from his place on my way here. Luckily he was still up, and he said I could borrow his bike so that I could pick you up. I'll have to take care of the car tomorrow, but at least we've got a way to get home now, right?”
She turned to me and shrugged, frowning.
“Sorry, Kelly,” she said, “but there's only space on the bike for two people.”
“It's alright,” I said with a sigh. “I'll walk, it's not gonna kill me.”
At least, I hoped it wasn't gonna kill me. With a stalker and a wolf to worry about, what was usually a peaceful, chilled walk felt more like a death race or something.
“See you tomorrow,” she said, hugging me.
She climbed onto the back of the bike, and then she and Trevor roared off down the street, leaving me alone. The hot night had cooled somewhat, but it seemed that there was an extra chill in the air – something colder than cold, and it sent an icy shiver rushing down my spine. I suddenly wished that I'd had the foresight to wear something a little warmer. Warm and sexy don't usually mix, though.
There was no reason to linger here, especially with the possibility of a wolf and/or stalker lurking nearby, so I took off at a brisk pace, feeling dead tired from work, but also weirdly energized from fear.
It was after walking for about five minutes that I noticed it – footsteps, trailing behind me. Whoever it was had been timing their steps so that they were almost in sync with mine, to the point where I almost hadn't heard them.
Almost.
I glanced over my shoulder, and a nauseating chill surged through my body. It was him – the stalker in the long black coat. The stalker – who was about fifty yards behind me – saw me looking at him, and he quickened his pace, starting to close the distance between us.
“Oh shit,” I muttered under my breath as fear started to pulse its ice through my veins. “Oh shit, shit, shit . . . ”
I started walking as fast as I could but heard my pursuer's footsteps getting closer.
“Screw this,” I gasped and broke into a run.
And sure enough, I heard him break into a run behind me. For the second time this evening adrenaline began to surge through my veins, giving me a boost of speed and waking me up like a triple shot of espresso. I peered around a corner and started to sprint down the street as fast as I could. The footsteps behind me seemed to vanish. Had I shaken him off?
Suddenly, from out of an alleyway in front of me a huge man stepped out, blocking my way. Just as suddenly, the footsteps behind me seemed to vanish. I skidded to a halt in front of the man – and recognized him immediately. It was Jake, the handsome, well-dressed guy who had hit on me at the bar earlier. He was little more than a stranger to me, but when I saw that friendly glint of recognition in his eyes, I felt as if he were a hero.
“Hey!” he said, a look of surprise coming across his bearded face. “Kelly from The Full Moon, right? What are you doing running around the streets at this hour?”
“Oh man, Jake, I'm so glad to see you,” I said, my chest rising and falling rapidly from my panicked breathing. “I mean, I know that we hardly even know each other, but . . . could you help me please?”
He smiled warmly.
“Of course! What's wrong?”
“I just finished up at The Full Moon, and this, this creepy psycho started following me, and now he's, he's freakin' chasing me. I'm so scared . . . Could you, I know it's a lot to ask, but could you please just walk me home? It's about twenty minutes from here, and I know that's not super close, but, I'm really, really scared right now, and—”
He held up his hand to silence me and nodded, still smiling warmly.
“Of course,” he said. “Hey, you're lucky I'm a night owl, huh?”
My body was flooded with an intense sense of relief.
“Oh my God, thank you, thank you so much Jake, I swear I'll pay you back for this favor somehow.”
He peered over my shoulder, staring dow
n the length of the deserted street.
“Where is this guy anyway?” he asked. “I don't see anyone following you.”
“I promise you, he was like, right behind me,” I said. “Just before I turned the corner, he was about to catch me.”
“Well, thankfully he seems to be gone,” said Jake. “Anyways, come on, let me walk you home.”
“Thank you, thank you so much,” I said, my heart still pounding from fear, but slowing down a little now that I was safe.
“Down here,” he said as he turned and walked back into the dark alley. “Come with me.”
“But my apartment is that way,” I said, pointing down the street.
“Just come down here for a second,” he said. “There's something I need to show you.”
I felt my inner alarm bells ringing again. This seemed kinda weird. But for some reason, I walked into the alley, looking around me nervously.
“Jake? Where are you?” I asked.
It seemed that he had suddenly disappeared.
“Jake?”
“The line of the red dragon ends here, tonight,” growled a voice behind me.
Jake slowly stepped out from the shadows, and the warm, friendly smile that had been on his face was gone. It had been replaced with a terrifying look. Murder was in his eyes. And in his hand was a huge, wickedly sharp hunting knife.
“Time to die, Kelly,” he snarled.
I screamed – and at that moment, a huge wolf burst from the shadows.
CHAPTER 5 – BENOIT
I knew that tonight I would need to corner Kelly, get her when she was all alone. I had saved her once already today when I had used my wolf form to chase her into the bar. Jake had been lurking in the shadows, waiting with his knife to take her blood – and her life. She hadn't seen him, and he had closed in on her in perfect, swift silence, so I had been forced to act, and had done the only thing I could – I had charged at her. It had worked. She had run into the bar and locked herself in. I'd thrown myself against the door a few times for good measure, just to make sure that she kept the door locked, and then I'd turned to go after Jake – but the coward had already slipped away.
