Rachel bowed her head, seeing his discomfort. She felt that it was because of all that happened. “This is my entire fault. I should have known that he would have been following me.”
He looked to the bed and back up to her. Her words snapped his mind back in place, and he felt thankful for that much. “This is not your fault. You had no idea what was going to happen.”
She shook her head. “Still?” She slapped her hands to her side.
The look on her face melted his soul. Her beautiful face looked drooping some. She looked worried. The look didn’t fit her at all, and he hated what this did to her. He had to keep his thoughts where they were. He had to keep them to what he needed to do. “You should go back to Redford Forge.” He stepped away from the side of the bed and stepped to her left. “This is not your fight. You have to go back.” Any thought of being afraid by being close to her fell away. It happened so fast that he didn’t even notice it.
She looked up to him and her eyes met his brown glare so strongly that it made her wince some just from seeing it. She also felt heat there. A burning sensation that made her nearly melt away within them. He also looked so peaceful at that moment. He looked so complete. She, right then and there, knew that she felt more for him than something as casual as what she thought of as before and it made her hold her breath. She now knew that she was falling in love with him. She now felt sure of it. Listening to him, she shook her head, and couldn’t agree with anything that he said. If she was the cause for all of this, she knew that she had to do something to help all of them. If it was her fault, she knew that she had to correct that mistake. “Let me help you.” She stepped directly in front of him and took his arms into the palms of her hands. “Gary won’t hurt me, I know that. I can help. Let me help you.”
He shook his head. “No. I won’t put you in harm’s way. I won’t let that happen.”
She reached up to his chin and took his face to hers. His touch felt so warm that it made her tremble some just by the touch of it alone. In fact, his skin almost melted in her hand. “At least tell me where you’re going. I need to know.”
Again, he shook his head. He couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t. He looked in her eyes and melted within them almost as if she was the sun itself heating his essential core.
She saw the look. She felt the same.
“It’s off Route 9, just off the highway near the small town of Castleford.” As soon as he said it, he regretted that he did. Deep inside, he just knew that she would try to find the place. He just knew her, but like always, he couldn’t resist her. He doubted that he ever would.
She smiled. “I’ll go back to Redford Forge.”
She looked so calm. He nodded with the sight. “I’ll come back and find you when this is all over. I promise.” He turned towards the door. He walked to it softly, reached for the knob, and turned it. The smell of the hallway flashed in his mind. At least, he no longer smelled her. At least his mind became clear all at once.
“Jimmy?” She stopped him with a gentle tug on his left arm, and squeezed his elbow just as softly.
He turned at the doorway and looked back to her. Her face had such a lovely pale glow that it almost made him melt even more just by the sight of it alone. If this was heaven, he wished to stay there forever within it. “What?”
She smiled. “Be careful.” She wanted to say more but couldn’t bring herself to do it. This wasn’t the time for such things. At least that’s what she told herself.
He returned her smile. “I will.”
She watched him leave, and closed the door behind him. She placed both hands and her forehead to the cool wood surface of the door, and stayed there for several seconds. She had to think. She had to understand everything that just happened. After the briefest of times, she now knew what she had to do. She had to follow him. She intended to go home, but first, she had to make sure that she set everything that happened right. He needed her, but more than ever, she now knew that she needed him.
28
Arriving at the abandoned building, Gary made himself ready for anything. He knew they would fight him once they knew that he was coming. They were stronger together. That’s why they had to be in packs. It made sense. He knew they were dangerous, that wasn‘t in doubt, but he also knew that he had to remain cautious. He had to remain calm.
He stood out of his car after parking across the street, and took a deep breath. He looked everywhere making sure that no one saw him. He knew what would happen if they did. He couldn’t give them the chance.
He went to his trunk, and popped it open with the button on his keyless remote. He had extra surprises for them. He was long prepared to take all of them on.
With the trunk open, the light came on inside it and showed him everything in it. There were two cases there. Both of them were long. Both of them held his most favorite toys. Now, which one of his toys was he going to use?
I need power. I need rapid shots. Thinking that, he reached inside the trunk. The shotgun wouldn’t work. It had power, but the automatic would be better. With so many of them, he needed the automatic’s rapid firing capabilities, and besides the speed, he needed the silver bullets. That way, he could take all of them down with rapid selection.
He went for the more bulky looking case, pulled it over towards him, unclipped the latches on the side of the case, and opened the lid. The black of the automatic’s metal came to his eyes first and instantly. It all looked so perfect. It all felt like such a beautiful sight.
He removed the weapon and brought it into his hands. It felt cool to the touch. It felt perfect in his grip. With it in hand, he went to a smaller box lying towards the front of the trunk, pulled the box to him and opened it up, revealing several fresh clips of magazines inside it. He took the top clip and brought it up to the light. Silver showed back to his eyes. They twinkled. They sparkled. They made him feel strong. They made him cringe, but yet powerful.
He slapped the clip into the bottom of the rifle, and pulled a lever on the side of it and readied the chamber. The sound confirmed to him that it was ready, and with it, so was he.
Having what he needed, he shut the trunk.
He left the back of his car, and quickly ran across the street.
He went straight to the red door at the side of the building, tried the handle, and it opened with ease. He caught his breaths and waited to calm before he pushed open the door.
When he did, he moved inside.
The smell hit him instantly. It smelled so strong. It smelled like a thousand wet dogs. It reeked. It stunk. It blew his mind. He had to gag some of that smell back down. He couldn’t let it bother him anymore than it already was.
The entire room was dark. Shadows were everywhere, but he could easily see that no one was there. The entire room looked quiet.
He left the front door and made his way to the center of the room. The door closed behind him all on its own. He heard it, and turned back to it as it banged shut. “Shit.”
He looked from the door and back to the center of the room. He turned from there and looked to the far wall.
Seeing nothing, he turned to his left and then to his right.
Still there was nothing there. Still is what the room felt and looked.
On his right, another door came into view, so he aimed his automatic to it and took a deep breath.
He used the weapon to lead his way as he left the center of the room and walked to the door with caution surrounding his steps.
His boots clanged on the floor. They thundered his steps as he made it to the door quickly, reached it, and slid to its left side. He breathed only when he was there.
Now what? He looked back to the way he came, and still, no one was there. The room remained quiet. It remained calm.
He went to the door, removed his right hand from the handle of the automatic, and reached for the handle of the door. He turned it and again it opened with ease.
He let the barrel lead his way. He opened the door to a long hal
lway that stretched out from where he was. Along the hallway, he could see what looked like several more doors on each side of it. He moved through the doorway with care.
He came to the first door on his right.
It was open, and inside the room, he saw what looked like a bed lying at the far wall. To the right of the doorway looked like a dresser along the wall. It was so dark that it was hard to see anything. The one thing that he could see was that no one was there. Seeing that, he took a deep breath. With it all, he blinked. He felt rushed. He felt bewildered, but he had to keep going.
He turned from the room and made his way to the next door, on his left.
Again, it was open. Again, all he could see was a bed that was opposite from the door. Again, no was there. Everything felt still. He turned left, and made his way to the next door on the right.
Again, he found another room, and again, it all looked the same.
He went to the next room on the left and likewise found nothing more than a simple bedroom, that felt still and quiet. They all looked sparsely decorated. They all looked like each other. He felt odd seeing them. He felt almost disgusted by seeing them as well. How dare they pretend to be human? How dare they fake something so pure?
He left the last room, paused there and took a deep breath. He looked to his right and saw nothing but a wall. He ran out of doors to check. Fuck! Where in the hell would they go? What do I do now? He had to find out. He had to know.
A bang echoed around the hallway, sounding like someone had just closed a door.
He looked back down the hallway, followed the sound, ran back to the door to the front room, and stopped. He held the rifle up, looking past the door and could see that someone was standing there, looking around from the center of the room. Seeing him, he took a deep breath. Looks like someone is home after all. He smiled.
“Marie!” He heard the man shout out. His voice carried to him with an echoed blast.
Seeing him, he looked at the man with intensity. He took aim and he held his breath. He kept his eyes fixed. He strained to see who it was, and when he did, he smiled again. That’s the first one. He could see his short cut black hair. He’s the one that I lost when the big muscle freak came out. He now had his chance. He aimed. He swallowed. He slowed his breathing. It looked like he had a great shot.
“Sasha?” the man continued to call. “Is anyone here?”
He placed his finger on the trigger.
He was ready to pull it, but something else came to him all too quickly, and it made him stop. He’s calling to the others. He isn’t with them. He’s looking for them too. Thinking that, it gave him an idea. If he doesn’t know where the others are, he might go looking for them. He might take me right to them. The idea felt beyond intriguing. It gave him hope. He lowered his weapon.
“Marie? Markey? Susanna?” the man screamed with his voice booming all around the room.
Gary breathed.
The man looked straight at him.
Seeing him, he ducked back away from the doorway, stumbled some into the room behind him, and froze.
The man became quiet.
Gary could hear footsteps moving across the floor, coming towards him. His heart rose in his chest with the sound. His mind now raced. He readied the rifle in his hands, gripping it tightly, getting it ready. He would do what he had to do if he was found.
The footsteps continued, but stopped. They didn’t reach the door. Suddenly, the sounds turned, and he heard them running away from him, back across the room. He heard them then vanish completely. The bang of the door came next. It sounded loud. It all happened so suddenly.
He took a deep breath and pulled himself out from the shadows of the bedroom, walked back into the hallway and looked out through the doorway back into the large front room.
No one was there. The man was gone.
He breathed again for good measure. That was close.
Finished, he walked through the door and back into the larger room, and aimed his rifle to his right, checking out the wall.
No one was there.
He aimed left, spinning himself to the wall, and again, it all looked and felt quiet. Not a soul moved. Not a sound came.
He looked back to the front door.
He looked back to the far wall across from him.
He looked up to the ceiling.
The man was gone.
Relaxed, he stepped forwards until the sound of paper or something that sounded like it beneath his boot, caught his attention. He looked down, and saw a single lined eleven by seven notebook sized sheet of paper on the floor. Through his boot print, he could see something on it handwritten in ink.
He bent down and picked it up.
It looked almost like a child wrote it.
Samuel,
We went to the lodge at Castleford. Meet us there.
Susanna
Seeing it, he took a deep breath. With the air flashing his mind, his mind calmed all at once. I know where you are you bastards. Thinking that, the feeling of joy almost erupted through his soul.
He tossed the paper back to the floor at his feet.
He raced back to the front door.
Once outside, he ran back across the street and almost jumped into the driver’s seat of his car, throwing the rifle to the backseat as he did so. He started the engine with a flare.
I’m coming to get you, you bastards! The hunt was on, and he couldn’t wait to start again.
29
The sun came up, when Jimmy finally left the city. He took his time, making sure that no one followed him. He realized that if he kept the wind coming from behind him, he could smell if anyone was. In doing it, he realized something else. He was getting used to doing what he was. It seemed that he was getting used to being what he was as well. It made him feel almost proud of it. It made him also feel calm. He felt good at it. He almost couldn’t believe how easy it was. With it all, he knew that no one followed him, and knowing that, it made him calm even more.
He walked, keeping to the trees, heading north along the road, using them for cover as he moved. It was late afternoon when he finally reached the small town of Castleford New York.
Seeing the place, it all looked the same. It all felt the same. He, himself, had never seen the place before, but inside his mind, he knew that he had. That too, he felt like he was getting used to doing. He was getting used to reliving someone else’s life. He had their memories. He had their essence. It should have been weird but it wasn’t.
The little town of Castleford looked welcoming. It had a small downtown lined with small shops, and had only a few homes that stretched out from it in all directions. Seeing it all, he knew where he was going.
He made it through downtown and just outside of town, found a narrow dirt road out in the middle of nowhere, and there he stopped and looked around. I haven’t been here in years. It all smelled the same. It looked just like it did when he last saw it. With it all, he nodded. He accepted everything.
He left the main road and began again, and took the dirt road that wound its way up the hill to his left. It was a long walk, but at least it gave him time to get the smell of Rachel off his mind. He knew that he loved her, that wasn’t in doubt, but he also knew that he found it hard not to live without her, and with that, he knew that it gave him a bad feeling about it too. He was after all an animal. He was dangerous, and with that, he knew that he couldn’t risk her life. He knew that he could never be with her as long as he was what he was. Therefore, he also knew that he had to remain distant from her. He had to remain alone. It would be a hard thing to do, but she was worth it. He would do anything for her, even if that meant staying away from her entirely.
It was nearly dark when he finally reached the large barn at the bend in the road. He now knew that it wasn’t long before he would reach the lodge. The smell of earth came all around him. The smell of mustiness came strongly on the air. They’re here. He smiled. He could smell all of them almost like they were right the
re with him now. In fact, he could almost see them within the scent. He could almost feel them. He too, was getting used that. Being around them, they made him feel almost whole. They made him feel right. They made him want to be with them, so in other words, he was getting used to them too.
He went around the bend in the road and walked for another ten, maybe fifteen minutes, until he reached the house. Arriving there, feeling it again, he had to stop. He also had tears form in his eyes. Seeing it again, it all felt so good. It all felt so right.
The house was set out in the trees, surrounded by them almost as if they were a blanket covering it. The house was white in color. The second floor was neatly set on the top of the long porch that wrapped around its front and sides. The grounds around it looked neat and clean. The place looked well kept. Seeing it again, made him feel like he had found a long lost friend. He felt warm inside. He felt comfort there. He felt like he had just come home. Inside, he knew that he loved this place. He knew that it was special. It all felt like love.
Sasha greeted him while waiting for him on the long front porch. Her red hair sparkled in the fast setting sun. The white paint of the porch around her, only added to the look. She moved to the front steps and stopped. She was more than happy to see him again. She hoped that he would get there safely.
“Hi.” He came to her on the steps, stopped beneath the first step, and took the railing within his right hand.
She smiled. “I’m glad you made it. We were beginning to wonder if you were coming or not.”
He returned her smile. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“I wasn’t sure if you would completely remember the place. You could have forgotten it.” Her smile only grew as she shrugged her shoulders with it. The soft flannel shirt she now wore, draped over her so subtly that it almost looked like it was about to fall off her small frame.
A Werewolf's Saga Books 1, 2, & 3 (A Werewolf's Saga Boxed Sets) Page 45
