One of them, YA Urban fantasy A.D. Duling (Author of The Anna Kippling Series)

by A. D. Duling

  Cass ordered herself something small, proclaiming she wasn’t a big eater; she had even looked hard at Evie again while she said it, but Evie pretended she didn’t hear her. Charlie, the tallest one there, had no problem ordering something big for himself; he even ordered onion rings on top of it. When their food was ready, Evie’s meal disappeared rather quickly after that, but nobody noticed, not even she; their preoccupied minds too busy focused on the shared funny stories or the flirtatious exchange of looks that went along with their laughter that filled the small dining area of the restaurant.

  Chapter Nine

  And the realization finally comes…

  Nathan and Evie were dropped off first back at her house, since Nathan had driven over in his own car, while Charlie had come by in the limo.

  “See you Monday, Evie!” Cass yelled out quickly to her as they drove off with the window rolling back up quickly after to shield the cold. Evie turned and gave a quick wave as they climbed the steps up to her house. She pulled her key out of her seashell bag and unlocked the door. She made Nathan waited in the foyer as she sought out her mother and he kindly complied.

  The light was on as usual in the studio as Evie walked towards it and she found her mother passed out in her habitual place on the couch when she walked in. She covered her with the wool blanket, like she had so many times this past week and clicked the lamp off beside her. As she headed back to the door; the painting, in which her mother had so avidly worked on the past week, caught her attention and she stopped.

  Her mother had kept it covered when she was not working on it, but this time it wasn’t and it was complete. Evie walked over and looked at it; in the center where it had been white, a pair of wolves now stood there in a clearing her mother had created for them. The forest she had seen before seemed to look dark and unwelcoming behind them. The painting was beautiful, but also dreary; it was plain to see the wolves in side it, were done in perfect detail and with obvious care. Their eyes spoke emotion far greater than any artist could depict with just a brush and paint. How her mother accomplished that, went along with the mystery as to why she painted this scene in the first place. She felt as if their eyes were focused on her and her alone, staring deep inside of her. The larger one toward over its companion, its green eyes seemed familiar to her and she thought it to be Jonas in his softer form.

  The smaller wolf had blue eyes, which upon a closer look; Evie could see a soft innocence translating from them. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two, in awe of them as she tried to interpret their symbolic message. Slowly their message unraveled and something clicked; something she had ignorantly overlooked until now. Evie knew who those creatures were; the shocking reality flooded her and brought her down to her knees.

  He had scratched her… flew into her thoughts. The unusual occurrences, the painful stomach cramps, the incredible hunger… followed after, the overheating and the growling… the connections quickly engulfed her and Evie hugged herself in fear. She was becoming one of them… she was going to be a werewolf.

  Nathan! His name screamed into her thoughts and she climbed to her feet. With quick strides, she left her sleeping mother and shut the studio door behind her. Nathan stood waiting for her by the front door, his arms raised and his feat spread, ready for what was coming, he somehow knew she had figured it out.

  A growl burst from her mouth and then a scream as she charged him; ready to attack. His hands came swiftly at her and pushed themselves against her chest, sending her flying back and landing hard on her back onto the hardwood floor of the foyer.

  “You knew!” she screamed and began to cry, remaining where she landed.

  He stood quiet and calm; unaffected by their confrontation; she heard him approach and looked over at him, he was staring at her.

  She sat up and looked up at him again, “You knew, didn’t you?” she asked him glumly and he nodded.

  She shook her head, sending more tears down her face, “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked him.

  He stared at her quietly and she could read his hesitation, she could see his mind turning, trying to find the right words for her, “If I’d had told that night, it would have been a heavy blow, I knew I had to let you figure it out for yourself, in hopes of a better outcome.” He finally answered her, kneeling down.

  Evie shook her head; “It still was a bad one…”she choked out, “When is it going to happen?” she asked him and wiped her eyes.

  “You have one week.” He calmly prepared her.

  One week… she thought. “Can you stop it?” she asked him.

  He shook his head.

  “There, there is nothing! Not anything you can do, not anything…nothing?!” she stammered, unable to accept her fate. He went to answer, but hesitated again and she jumped at it, “There is… what is it?!” she prodded, hopeful.

  His eyes expressed sorrow as he looked into hers and Evie knew his thoughts, “It’s not a solution …just another option.” He told her.

  “Become a vampire.” She answered for him.

  He nodded and she sighed. Evie put her hands on the floor and pushed herself up, he grabbed her elbow and helped her, “So my choices are this…I can either allow myself to become one of them or let you turn me into one of you,” she spoke to him, thinking out loud. Nathan remained quiet, allowing her to process, “I can either be a dog or live forever…” she weighed her options, happy with neither.

  “Evie, there is something else I need to tell you…” he spoke up.

  She stood meekly before him and waited for his words, she knew more bad news was about to come.

  “Jonas’s pack must be destroyed,” he started, “It is against our laws to kill…both for werewolf and vampire. His scratching you was on purpose Evie, he wanted to turn you; his reason why, I don’t know.” He explained. “The family I am connected to, goes further than just my own, there are more of us, more Benders…” he continued, “Our kind hunts creatures like them; ones that kill and turn the innocent. We are obligated to destroy them…” he paused and brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, her eyes held his, waiting for the bad news she knew would come next, “Evie…if you become one of them, we will have to kill you too.” He finally spoke it.

  “Why?” she asked him.

  “They cannot risk the chance of you doing the same. Once a werewolf or vampire tastes the blood of a human, they will crave for it. Nothing else will be satisfying anymore; I have never met one who could stop.” He explained to her.

  “But I haven’t tasted blood; this doesn’t make sense to me Nathan.” She told him.

  “But it does Evie, once you turn, if Jonas keeps hunting humans like he is, then so shall you.” He rationalized with her.

  Evie shook her head, “So you’re just assuming if I did become one of them, I would automatically join him and do the same?” she asked him.

  He didn’t answer.

  “Well I wouldn’t do that Nathan, I wouldn’t even allow him near me and if he did come near me, I would kill him!” she spat.

  Nathan didn’t respond and the silence staled before he finally did, “So you still have not decided?” he asked her.

  She shook her head, “Has something like this ever happened before?” she asked him.

  He nodded.

  “Did they end up killing humans too?” she asked him next and he nodded again. “So you’re telling me, every single one?” she asked him for clarification.

  “More than not, this is why we no longer take that chance.” He explained further.

  Evie shook her head, “So you’re playing God…” she criticized him.

  “We are not playing God,” he told her, “We are preventing the unavoidable.” He corrected her.

  “Who is we?” she curtly asked him.

  “The ones behind me disappearing for a couple of days….they live up north in Canada and are Benders as well. The leader, Michael, is the one who turned my family. We are a select and scarce breed; there are only a fe
w of us who have this power. We were given this power to utilize and ensure our success at bringing an end to our sinful breed. By doing this, we can earn our repentance, so one day when we leave this world, we will be welcomed into heaven.” He divulged to her.

  “But why do you have to kill me?” she questioned him, becoming upset, “Just because some go bad, doesn’t mean they all do!” her voice raised a little, “To take away their chance, their choice, it isn’t fair!” she yelled at him and wiped at the fresh tears, “You’re right Nathan, you aren’t playing God, instead you are acting like the devil!” She persecuted him.

  “I hate being like this!” he snapped back, “My choice wasn’t given to me; you at least still have yours!” his words cut into her.

  She shook her head, “What choice Nathan?” she asked him, calming. “Which monster to become?” her voice cracked, “You just told me, if I become like Jonas, you’re kind will kill me. So where is this choice, really?” She questioned his words.

  “They will be down here this week… I have tried to convince them otherwise, but they will not budge. I thought perhaps if you met with them and talked to them, we could change their minds,” He tried persuading her, “Our bodies may be cold and our hearts may not beat Evangeline, but we are not cold blooded.” He pleaded with her.

  She shook her head, “So I beg them?” She asked him, “I cater to their pride and allow the injustice to continue on…” she threw at him.

  His stare chilled her, “I will leave you to your thoughts and let you decide.” he responded coldly and turned to leave.

  “Will it hurt?” she asked him.

  Nathan stopped and turned around, “It does.” He answered and walked back over to her. His hand came up and touched her cheek, “It’s a painful transition and is each time,” his touch was freezing to her skin, but she ignored it and listened to him explain, “I have seen them shift and there is no question you will experience an immense amount of pain, I have been told the first time hurts the worse.” His eyes held pity for their kind.

  “You told me before you have been watching Jonas, why didn’t you stop him from attacking me that night?” She asked him, “You’re fast and can bend time, why didn’t you do that?” she asked him.

  “What he chose to do to you, he owes the explanation, not me. If I could have stopped it Evie, I would have.” he told her.

  “Why not?!” she yelled and pushed his hand away.

  He sighed, “Because Evie, my window of opportunity is short.”

  “Liar!” she yelled. “You’re lying! You didn’t do it because you wanted this! You knew I would figure it out, you knew if he had not done that, or if you had prevented it, I would not go willingly! You want me to be like you… just as much as he wants me to be like him!” She cried, her chest heaving in discontent. “Leave!” she growled.

  He went to say speak, but she screamed “Leave now!” He stared into her blue eyes that stared cold and hard back at his; their conversation was over, those eyes told him that. Nathan turned to the door and opened it, allowing the cold to creep itself in and slither its way over to her. It hooked its wintery fingers around her summery heat and chilled her as she watched the vampire step out. The door shut behind him; leaving her there, standing in the foyer, her chest still heaving, her body now trembling and more of her tears now falling…

  Chapter Ten

  A talk with the werewolf…

  Evie returned to the spot where Jonas had attacked her and looked around the area, hoping to find him. And she did; sitting on a log and staring out across the lake, deep in thought.

  “I investigated your victims.” She spoke behind him.

  “And what did you find?” he asked her without turning around.

  “They were a bad bunch, but still not a good enough reason to kill them.” She told him.

  “Do you know why we killed them Evie?” he asked her.

  “No, why did you Jonas?” she asked him, annoyed.

  “Each one had a connection to us,” He answered her, “Tabitha’s victim was the wife of one of us, he tried to follow the “law” and look what happened.” He turned around. “Then there was Thomas and the ex- fiancée he murdered; she was the sister of a newly joined member.” He shared with her, “And Ronald…well that sick bastard deserved what came to him!” He venomously spat.

  “Who was he connected to?” she asked him, already figuring out the answer.

  His face became distorted as if in pain and she could see the battle within him. “Sabrina was my sister…” He finally spoke, his voice cracking a little. “What he did to her…” he stopped and looked away, she waited while he composed himself. “She killed herself because of him,” he looked back to her, “She couldn’t live with it…” He trailed of, his eyes watering.

  “When she came home to visit, Dad knew something was wrong… He thought it was teenage love…. Maybe a broken heart; imagine to his dismay how much more horrible it really was!” his voice broke and he turned away again.

  “I’m sorry what happened to your sister Jonas, but it still doesn’t give you the right to play God…” she softly told him.

  “Didn’t God say and eye for an eye!” he shot back at her and wiped at his eyes.

  “God commands us to be obedient and follow the laws, his and the ones of men… killing those people Jonas, however much they may have deserved it, you’re making yourselves no better than they were.” She responded, “You are still human and just as responsible for your wrong doings as anyone else. Our laws are created for a reason and they are meant to be followed.” She pressed.

  “The laws are corrupt!” his turned back, enraged, “We left our loved one’s justice in the hands of the law and look what happened!” he reminded her.

  “I’m sorry that it worked out badly, but it’s not the laws that are corrupt, it’s the people. Going around and placing sentences on other’s heads and then killing them the way you do, you’re making your own selves corrupt!” she yelled at him. “The animal you shift into… is a powerful creature…there is a responsibility in that!”

  He laughed; “With great power, comes great responsibility!” he looked up and yelled out to the sky, ridiculing her.

  She crossed her arms, offended, “Said the dog!” she insulted him.

  He growled and leapt off the log, startling her and she jumped back.

  “Why did you scratch me?!” she yelled at him fearfully, stopping him in his tracks.

  “It was an accident.” His lie was obvious.

  “No it wasn’t! Why did you do it!” she screamed at him.

  “To scare you off, you were being too nosey!” he yelled back at her.

  “In less than a week I am going to be like you…and you knew this! You knew scratching me would change me! Why did you do it?!” she demanded the truth.

  “You don’t understand…” he started.

  “I don’t understand…that is your answer! I don’t understand! You had no right to do what you did, you took something from me that you had no right too! And all you can say is you don’t understand!” she screamed at him. “Stay away from me Jonas! Stay far away!” she threatened and walked away.

  “And what are you going to do if I don’t?” he challenged from behind her.

  “Give me a week and I’ll show you!” she yelled back to him.

  “I was lonely!” He yelled out and she stopped. “I was lonely…” He repeated his words, but softer.

  Evie turned around, “Then go on a date Jonas, start a relationship…”

  “And what, live a lie?” he interrupted her, “Wait a few months and then pop it on her?” he asked her.

  “Yes…’ she nodded, “Yes Jonas, you live a lie or you tell her the truth. That is what you are supposed to do. Not this…” Her voice cracked as she pointed to herself.

  “If I had dated you and I waited for the right moment and told you, would you have stayed?” he asked her.

  “I probably would have…” she reasoned, �
��But we’ll never know now, because you never gave me the chance!” she spat right after.

  “You’re a liar!” he yelled at her.

  She stared at him and shook her head, “No, I’m not…I would have stayed Jonas, if you were kind to me and loved me and I loved you, I would have stayed.” she told him.

  He walked over and reached his hand up; Evie flinched, unsure. “I’m not going to hurt you …” he told her and gently touched her face with his hand, stroking her cheek; a far warmer contrast to Nathan’s cold one.

  “What are you doing?” she asked him nervously.

  “I’ve wondered how soft your skin is…” he spoke gently to her, making her feel uncomfortable and she pulled her face away.

  “I need to go…” she told him.

  “Where…? To your vampire?” he spoke the word with obvious distaste.

  Evie walked around him, ignoring his comment, “You’re forgetting something Evie,” he called after her; “Vampires and werewolves don’t mix!” He yelled to her, but she kept on, still ignoring him. “You really think your vampire boy is going to accept you?” He taunted her, “That he’s just going to wait at home while you run around and play wolf? Killing rodents and small creatures to eat on…acting like…what was it you said?” he asked her, “Oh right...acting like a dog!” he yelled nastily.

  She had had enough of him, enough of his games and enough of the suffering he had brought to her. Losing all rationality, Evie turned and rushed at him, snarling. She reached him quickly with a newfound speed and leapt at him, but didn’t get far. Jonas grabbed her midair and slammed her body into the trunk of a nearby tree. He held her there, pressing her hard against it, leaving her legs dangling beneath her. Another growl resonated up her throat, deeper this time and menacing; he responded with one of his own, looking aroused and she wiggled to get free, disgusted by him.

  “You’re gonna like being one of us Evie…” his voice sounded like the animal he was, “You’re not going to be just a human anymore, you’re going to be that dog you hate so much!” he spat, “And you’re gonna act like one too, wanting to be with your own kind,” his green eyes became vibrant, “And you are going to come looking for me!” he promised her and leaned in closer to her.