by Chanel Hardy
He watched as the man approached the store. “Come on, this way.” He guided River toward the truck, ducking to avoid being spotted as they reached the driver’s side door. He opened the door, helping River inside. She scooted over to the passenger seat. Jax hopped in right behind her. Turning the keys that were left in the ignition and flooring it out of there. River ducked as they sped away, peeking behind them to see if the man had come running when he heard his tires screeching. She couldn’t see, but she imagined him standing with a beet red face, shouting obscenities.
She felt bad, but knew they had no choice. Jax was right about the police department being on the lookout for Tasha’s car, and for River. Suspect or not, she was a minor on the run, with a dead officer and two dead strangers lying on the floor of her home. It would only be a matter of time before she became the top news story in Chicago. A feeling of relief rushed over River, as they managed to get far enough away from the gas station. She couldn’t even see it in the distance. She scooted closer to Jax, resting her head on his shoulder while he drove.
“Where are we going?” She asked, watching the dark road ahead of them.
“Iowa.” Jax said firmly. “I have a friend there who can help us.”
∞∞∞
Hank lit the cigar that hung from his lips. A huge smoke cloud formed as he sat at the far end of his dining room table. To his left, sat Jon and Kareem. Across from them, Edward and Lester. Together, the four members formed the council in Region Two.
The elders were a large group of purebred shifters under the council, mostly over the age of fifty who helped maintain the values of the community. Like Hank, elders were hand-picked by the council members, as overseers to keep their region in check. The North American council consisted of three regions: West Region One, East Region Two, and South Region Three. The members of the council received their status by birthright. Holding the highest ranks from generation to generation. They were the judges, the jurors and the prosecutors.
“The boy. He’s with her, isn’t he?” Kareem sat with his hands folded, looking to Hank and patiently awaiting his answer.
“I’d assume they’re halfway across the state by now.” Said Edward.
“I’d assume so.” Said Hank, still blowing smoke out of his nose and mouth.
“My apologies about your children Hank. As a father, you have my condolences.” Kareem cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. “But as a member of the community, I must express deep disappointment in you, and your children’s poor choices that led to their demise. I expected better from your teachings.” The rest of the council members nodded in agreement. “With that being said, we are revoking your title as an elder.”
“You cannot be serious!” Hank smashed the edge his cigar into the ashtray next to him. “If we had infiltrated the police department years ago, none of this would be an issue!”
“Don’t turn this around Hank. This isn’t about the community, or how we choose to do things. This is about your poor parenting” Said Jon. Hank slammed his fist down on the table, leaving a slight crack in the glass. Jon’s eyes bulged at Hank’s aggression.
“Hank, calm yourself. I will not tolerate this behavior from you.” Kareem glared at Hank, reminding him of who was in charge. “We’ve been trying to figure out what to do about the feys. They’re getting out of control. Their existence puts us at risk more each day.”
“What are you suggesting?” Hank asked in a huff, still angry at Jon’s remark.
Lester chimed in. “An extermination.”
Hank’s eyebrow raised. This was serious. Not since the dawn of the shifter’s existence, had a plan to wipe out their own been constructed to this magnitude. “What do the other regions have to say about this?” He asked.
“That will be discussed when the time comes.” Sad Kareem. First, we need to find the girl. Jackson too. It doesn’t matter where they run too. There is no escaping the council.” Kareem stood up from his chair. All except Hank followed suit. “We’ll start putting together a search. They should be found in no time. Proper punishment will be given.”
“We’ll be in touch.” Jon smirked before turning, to head out of the dining room followed by the others. Hank remained in his chair. Alone, wondering where it all went wrong. How it all came to this. He stared at the empty seats at the table, where the memories of his children lingered. He resisted the urge to get revenge on his own. The mourning of his kids was overshadowing his values and loyalty to the community. His eyes began to water, as one tear slid down his cheek. Hank had never cried before. His weakness was breaking through. He wiped away the single tear. River and Jax were going to pay.
Chapter 3
River laid with her arm stretched across Jax’s torso. They were both nude, snuggled under the sheets of the motel bed. The rays from the sun beamed horizontally in through the blinds of the window, giving his skin a mellow glow.
After driving for two hours in the middle of the night, they made it to Rockford. They stopped at a local Shop Mart to pick up a change of clothes, and got a room at a motel in a small town a few miles off the highway. Jax stopped at a bank once they got to Rockford, withdrawing all of the money he had left in cash.
River ran her finger’s over his bare chest, feeling his heart beating underneath his sternum while he slept. He felt warm. He looked so peaceful, and for the first time in weeks, River felt safe. Even if the feeling was short-lived.
“I didn’t know you could drive.” She said softly. Jax stirred lightly in his sleep.
“What did you say?” He mumbled under his breath, as he moved his head, with his eyes still closed.
“I didn’t know you could drive. You’re good at it.”
Jax rubbed his eyes, tilting his head to look down at her. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” He cracked a smile, kissing her forehead. “I may have lived in the woods, but I wasn’t entirely useless. Growing up with Hank actually had its benefits.” Hearing Hank’s name out loud made River’s stomach drop.
“What happens when they find us?” River peered up at him. He lifted her arm, sitting up with his back against the bed frame. He was quiet, his face dejected. River sat up with him, holding the blanket over her breasts. “Jax, please say something.”
Jax’s eyes were stretched forward, studying the wall from across the room. He lifted the covers off himself, turning to sit on the side of the bed. His elbows sat on his thighs, as he dropped his head, looking down to the floor. He dreaded this conversation, but it was time that River knew the grisly truth about the council. The horrifying fate of those who broke the rules, and how this shaped his entire existence.
“I was ten when Hank was sworn in as an elder. He took Kayla, Leon, Desiree and I to Jefferson City in Missouri. There was a purebred being executed for killing a family of humans staying at a lake house one night.” Jax ran his fingers over his mouth. “Hank he… wanted us to watch.” River clasped her hands over her mouth, as she listened to Jax’s detailed accounts of witnessing his first murder. “Hank wanted us to see the gravity of the consequences with our own eyes. What would happen if we went against the code. If we killed.” Jax’s hands started to tremble as he circled his thumbs. “They hung the man upside down, his ankles were tied with rope. His hands too. I still remember the look in his eyes. He looked right at me.” Jax’s voice cracked as he recalled the man’s face in his memory. “They poured gasoline all over him, then a council member lit the torch.” Jax’s eyes began to well up, tears slid down his face and on to his lap.
River’s sat with her mouth gaped open. Immobilized by the fear of being burned alive. In all the ways she imagined her death, being set ablaze was not one of them. It was barbaric. “How can they do that? It’s insane.” Now it made sense, why Jax had this perpetual need to help feys. After witnessing such a harrowing death, he made sure that those who were cursed could maintain their lives with the beast inside of them, like purebreds could.
“When they were finished, there was no
thing left but a small lump of charred flesh. I didn’t sleep for days afterwards.” Jax wiped his face, and turned River.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine.” River placed her hand on his back.
“I’m not going to let that happen to you. Or to me, you got that?” He slid around, clutching River’s jaw with both hands. He pulled himself closer to her, pressing his forehead against hers. “When we get to Iowa, there’s a town called Bertram. They won’t be able to find us there. We’ll be safe. Don’t you worry.” He nuzzled her nose, before pressing his lip against hers. “If we leave now, we can make it there by noon.” His thumb traced the lines of her jaw. She shook her head, conceding his plan. She was ready to go wherever Jax was ready to take her.
∞∞∞
Kareem swiped through the holographic screen that projected on to the round, onyx marble table in the middle of headquarters. His index finger scrolled through photos of River. He swiped to a photo of Jax then back to River, pursing his lips. Altogether, Jax appeared in two photos. One of him at ten years old, and the other more recent, taken just two years ago. The photos of River were taken from her home, social media profiles and pulled from online news coverage about her attack at Lulu’s and her disappearance. The council had information on every shifter that resided in their district. It didn’t matter where you came from, or what type of lifestyle you lived. If you were pure or cursed, the council knew. The other members of the council sat spaced apart around the table, hands folded, and stone-faced waiting for Kareem to speak.
“One of our brothers spotted an abandoned car at a gas station off highway 67. It had the scent of a shifter.” Kareem peered down at the photos again. “We believe they are in or around the Rockford area. The scent of the fey shouldn’t be hard to pick up. It won’t be long now.” The council members wore identical expressions, their faces brooding, their wicked smiles, ominous “The girl will burn first, the boy can watch. We’ll deal with him our own way. He needs a lesson, on what happens when you betray your pack for a fey.”
While not forbidden, it was frowned upon for purebreds to mate with or have any romantic relationships with feys. It put their community’s way of life at risk, and compromised their values. In particular, purebreds couldn’t associate with humans unless it was necessary to sustain their everyday lives. Jax’s father, Silas was one of the very few purebreds who had ever formed a relationship with a fey. Silas’ love for Jax’s mother Carla, ultimately led to his demise.
When Jax was a child, Hank told him that his father was killed by a human. That he was shot during a full moon, by a hunter in the woods. Jax never questioned it, as he had no reason to. He trusted Hank, and believed in his words. But that wasn’t the truth. There was more to Jax’s past, and more to the story of his parents passing than a simple case of doomed lovers.
“Will we ever tell him?” Asked Jon, from the left side of the circle. There was a moment of silence as Edward and Lester looked at him, then back at Kareem as they waited for his reply.
Kareem’s face wore an evil grin. “No need to tell him anything. He won’t be alive long enough for it to matter.” He swiped the screen away completely, peering down at his own reflection on the table.
Chapter 4
Jax and River were nearing the state border, less than two hours away from Bertram. Jax pulled into a gas station to fill up for the final half of their drive to Iowa. River wore a navy-blue baseball cap, trying to mask her identity as best she could. She tossed the hood of her jacket over the hat. Stray strands from her fuzzy braids stuck out from underneath the hood. Jax went inside the mini mart to pay for gas, while River switched through radio stations, trying to find music to calm her nerves. Tasha had been on her mind all morning. A part of River still couldn’t mentally process that her aunt was gone. She tried to remember her as she was. Her smile, the plum lipstick she always wore. The smell of her Blue Magic hair grease that River used to cringe at when she was a little girl. Simple things that River took for granted, she would never see, smell, or feel again. The dial landed on a station that was covering the news story of the murders. A home invasion. That’s what the voice on the radio called it.
“Seventeen-year-old River Lewis, the niece of Detective Tasha Lewis who was murdered last night in their home, is still missing. There are no leads on her whereabouts as of yet. If you see anyone matching her description, please contact the local authorities immediately. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chicago Police Department as they mourn the loss of a beloved officer.”
River turned off the radio, she couldn’t listen to anymore. Her heart started racing as her chest began to tighten. Her fingers, trembling as she rubbed them back and forth against her lap to ease her anxiety. It wasn’t working. She saw Jax coming back toward the truck, reaching for the gas pump. She opened her passenger door, getting out to walk around to his side.
“What are you doing?” He asked her.
“I’m feeling a little light headed. I’m gonna go inside and grab a ginger ale.” River rubbed the sides of her head. Jax didn’t like the idea of her being out and exposed during the day. Even with a mild disguise.
“Just be quick.” He figured a few minutes wouldn’t hurt. River jogged over to the mini mart, walking through the door quickly with her head down avoiding eye contact with anyone around her. She walked past the counter, heading for the beverage coolers. As she opened the door to one of the coolers, a man reached inside, towering over her. She jumped, looking up at the man who had invaded her personal space.
“Sorry about that love.” The man grabbed a bottle of water, his lips were raised slightly, as if he was trying to hold back a smile. River didn’t respond. Her eyes just followed his as he leered at her, standing close enough to smell what she had for breakfast. His eyes were grey, and his dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Something about him gave River chills. He was dressed in all black, like he was headed to a funeral. He walked away, and River quickly grabbed her drink and sprinted toward the counter.
“Two dollars.” The old man at the counter didn’t even look up from his newspaper. River glanced at the paper he was reading, and there on the front page, was Tasha’s photo. Veteran Cop Killed in Home Invasion. River’s heart skipped a beat, and the tightness in her chest was coming back. In the upper right corner, was her own photo. Teen Missing. The man looked up from his paper. “Two dollars.” He demanded again. Snapping back into reality, River fiddled through her pockets for lose bills. She then realized that she had spent it back at the motel vending machine.
“Never mind.” She slid the soda toward the clerk. But before she could walk away, someone slammed a five-dollar bill on the counter. River looked to her right. It was the man again.
“It’s on me.” His lips actually formed a full smile this time. An eerie, unpleasant smile. River grabbed the soda and headed for the door, resisting the urge to look back at him. She could feel his eyes on her back as she power walked to the truck. Jax was already sitting inside waiting to pull off. River ran around to the passenger’s side, hopping in with swiftness.
“You alright?” Jax asked with furrowed brows.
“Yeah. Let’s just go.” River didn’t want to bring up the man in the mini mart. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about him. Their encounter left a sour feeling in her stomach. As Jax drove out the gas station, River turned around, checking to see if the man was watching. When she didn’t see him, she silently blew a sigh of relief. She had a theory, but didn’t want her paranoia getting the best of her. She knew she had to stay positive. It wouldn’t be long before her and Jax made it to Bertram, and could finally let their guard down.
The trees began to resemble big green blurs as they drove down a long stretch of road, with only a few cars up ahead. They were finally far enough away from the city, where everything became unfamiliar. River didn’t know what to expect when they arrived to Bertram. Jax told her that it was a small town, with a population of less than three h
undred people.
She knew that they would be meeting someone there, a friend of Jax. He didn’t go into too much detail about this friend, but River didn’t bother to ask. She assumed this person was a shifter. Jax didn’t know any regular humans. Not to her knowledge at least. It didn’t matter either way. If Jax vouched for him and he could guarantee their safety, then River wasn’t going to ask a million questions. Getting out of Illinois was all she cared about right now.
“Don’t be scared, but I think that black car has been following us.” Jax kept his eyes on the road, trying to remain calm. River’s eyes widened, she looked at Jax, then snapped her head around to see the car that he was referring too. It’s windows were tinted, and the car kept a distance to avoid suspicion. “I noticed them about fifteen minutes ago. I didn’t think anything of it at first, but when we started turning, so did they.” Jax peered into the rearview mirror. “It can’t be a coincidence.” River’s heart started to pound heavily as her fears were becoming a reality.
Jax was right, this couldn’t have been a coincidence. River thought about the man with the ponytail at the mini mart. She prayed that she was wrong about him, and began to regret not bringing him up to Jax earlier.
The black car picked up speed, and so did Jax. They caught up to the truck, slowing down to get a good look. The black car picked up speed again, getting ahead of the truck, before swerving over to the right, cutting them off and coming to a complete stop. Jax slammed on the breaks, sending him and River jerking forwards. Jax clenched the wheel dreading what was about to unfold. River’s breathing increased, her palms felt sweaty.
“Oh my god.” River grabbed his arm, hoping he had a plan to get them out of this. “What do we do now?” she asked franticly. But Jax just sat there, unresponsive, staring forward, his hands still clutching the wheel. That’s when River knew. It was all over. Both the driver’s and passenger doors opened in unison as two men got out. Chills ran through River when she noticed the driver. It was him. The man from the mini mart. “We’ve gotta go! We’ve gotta run! Now!” She shook Jax’s arm, not understanding why he wasn’t moving. “Jax, please!”
