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

by A. D. Duling

  When the man finished talking to Nathan, he turned around and looked at her. His stare felt as if he were examining her soul, “Hello Evie, I am Michael Bender.” He introduced himself and politely held out his hand. She took it and he gently shook it, getting used to the cold touch. His hair was black with specks of gray and his eyes matched the greying of his hair.

  “They used to be blue.” He answered her thoughts and she wondered if he could read minds. “Nathan here has told us a lot about you and insists that our decision is a wrong one. I am told your visit is to add to their conviction.” He shared with her.

  Evie nodded, feeling a little intimidated.

  He smiled, “As I do not entirely disagree with his reasons, I still feel that I cannot ford to take any chances,” He told her. “I have suffered from that mistake already once.” He told her, indicating to the deep scar across his left cheek, she had politely ignored. “I am sure there are ones who pose no threat, like I am told about you, but those ones who are, are still out there and remain still a great risk. He finished.

  “There is always a chance in everything, but taking away that chance, especially from the truly innocent; doesn’t that compromise your goal in achieving your repentance?” she asked him.

  He smiled, impressed by her argument and gestured to the empty spot on the couch, “How about we sit down and get comfortable first, before we start our debate.” He invited her.

  Evie walked over and sat down next to Nathan’s mother, Marsha patted her knee offering encouragement; Evie looked at her and smiled. Nathan walked over and stood behind Michael who joined his family on the couch opposite her.

  “First I would like to introduce you to my family, Evangeline. This is my daughter Madeline and my two grandchildren, Lauran and Myrtle.” He introduced them to her. Evie smiled at them and all three pleasantly smiled back.

  “So my immediate thoughts are to ask you why this Jonas fellow has such a keen interest in you?” he questioned her.

  “He’s lonely and wants a mate.” Nathan spoke behind him.

  “Nathan, I know you are trying to help Evangeline, but you must let her speak.” He calmly chided him, without looking back. Nathan didn’t answer, but she could see the tension in his jaw as he restrained himself from replying.

  “And you have never met him before?” Michael asked her.

  Evie shook her head, “I would have never known it was him who attacked me, if he had not approached me the following day.”

  He nodded, “And you know his reasons for the attacks?” he asked her next.

  “He’s seeking revenge, they all are,” she told him, “The people they killed hurt their loved one.” She purged, immediately feeling guilty for betraying Jonas’s trust.

  He nodded, “Have you decided yet, on which side you will be on?” he got to the point.

  “I wasn’t aware there were sides,” she questioned him, feeling brave; “I was led to believe your intentions were purely just.” She felt herself challenging him.

  He picked up on it and sat quietly for a moment, “Nathan,” he acknowledged the young man standing behind him, “Please tell Evangeline here, why Jonas really scratched her.” he invited him and Evie’s eyes went up to Nathan’s.

  . “There is a more to why Jonas scratched you than just loneliness.” He told her.

  “And what is that?” she asked him.

  “His changing you is his revenge.” He indulged.

  “Why does he want revenge on me?” she asked him, confused, looking between the two.

  “Evie, he wants revenge on your father…” Michael spoke up.

  She looked at to him, “Why?” she asked.

  “He represented Ronald Parker against Jonas’s father.” Nathan informed her.

  Evie stared at him and then shook her head, “I don’t have a chance at all in changing your mind.” She told Michael and stood up, “You’re going to kill me before he gets that chance, aren’t you?” she accused him.

  Michael did not respond.

  “They have your mother.” Nathan hesitantly shared.

  She looked at him, “What?”

  “Jonas has you mother.” He told her.

  Evie shook her head, “I just saw her this morning…” She argued.

  “They took her while you were at school.” Michael spoke.

  “And I’m sure you were following him while he did this!” she yelled, her eyes accusing Nathan. He held her stare, but his eyes had defeat reflected in them.

  “They have your father as well Evangeline; the attack I mentioned when you arrived…they killed the woman with him.” Michael told her.

  “That was his girlfriend.” She spoke aloud.

  He nodded, “We assumed that. There is nothing we can do now to save your parents…but you can still save yourself.” he told her.

  “You want me to become a vampire.” she stated, dryly.

  “This would take some of that leverage away from him.” He persuaded.

  “That doesn’t take anything away from him, he still has my parents. He can still kill my Dad…” she disagreed, “You are willing to save me, but then idly sit by and let them kill my parents, why would ever what to be like you?” she spat at them, looking to each pale face in the room.

  “It’s complicated Evangeline.” Michael told her.

  “No, it’s actually rather quite simple,” she spat at him, “It’s you who are making it difficult!” She snapped at him and walked over to the front door. She opened it and turned back to them, “For a humble breed as you claim to be, on your road to salvation, your behavior is very arrogant and wicked.” she threw at them, “Perhaps neither side is truly my solution, but I’ll tell you one thing…I’ll be damned if I join yours!” She yelled and slammed the door behind her. Evie marched down the browning lawn and headed towards the woods; her mission to find Jonas and make a deal with him.

  “Evie…!” She heard Nathan called behind her a few minutes later, “Wait…please wait…Evie please stop!” he voice spoke right behind her.

  She stopped and he came around, “Where are you going?” he asked her.

  “What are you hiding?” she asked him in return.

  He wouldn’t answer her question and she stepped around him and continued on. He turned and walked along with her, “Whatever you are thinking about doing Evie, please don’t” he begged her.

  “I’m going to save my parents Nathan and you’re not welcomed to come!” she shot at him, but he stayed by her. “Go away Nathan!” she growled and he stopped and watched her walk away, disappearing quickly into the forest.

  Chapter Twelve

  The she-wolf…

  Evie’s pace increased until she found herself running through the woods. Her speed had increased since the last time she ran, which was that day in gym when Nathan told her she was showing off. Now I’m showing off! She thought as she raced through the treed landscape, her adrenaline surging through her veins, the feeling invigorating. I could get used to this! Evie thought.

  When she reached the spot where she had last spoken with Jonas, she looked around and hoped she would find him there again. Not finding him, Evie then trekked further out, looking all around the area, but again found no sign of him. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a snap and looked in the direction from where it came from; she saw nothing, but she smelled something. She sniffed the air and picked up a sweet fragrance, making her think of a female. Another snap came, a few feet away this time and she looked there, but still nothing.

  “I know you’re here!” she yelled out, but nothing happened and no one stepped out. “I need to talk to you!” she yelled, picking up another scent.

  Shoes crunching on dry pine needles came from behind her and when Evie turned around, she found a woman standing behind her. She was pretty, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She stood at the same height as Evie, but was thinner.

  “Who are you?” Evie asked her.

  The woman smiled at her, but nothing about it seem
ed warm and the expression that came with it, made it clear, she was no friend.

  “I was sent to keep an eye on you.” She replied and leaned in.

  The woman’s brown eyes flickered golden and Evie could imagine the hypnotic effect she had on men, but Evie was not a man.

  She leaned her head back a little, “This close?” she belittled.

  The woman didn’t like that and frowned at her.

  “I need to talk to Jonas.” Evie told her.

  She shook her head, “Not gonna happen.” She snarled.

  “Well then, I guess you can follow me as I go and find him!” She spat and went to go around her, but the woman reached up and grabbed her arm.

  “There is nothing you have to say to him, that he wants to hear.” She growled.

  Evie looked down the woman’s hand, “Are you going to remove that or am I going to have to do it for you?” she threatened as her eyes darted up and challenged hers.

  The woman smiled, “Yes little girl… you go ahead and try to do that.” She welcomed.

  Evie reached down and dug her nails into the top of the woman’s hand, making her let go. She then grabbed it and bent it back, which brought the woman down on one knee and complaining. The act brought a rush of adrenaline to her body and Evie found herself getting pleasure out of what she was inflicting on the woman.

  “Where is he?” she asked her, coldly.

  The features of the woman’s pretty face distort as she cringed in pain, but she didn’t answer.

  “I’m right here.” Jonas answered for her and stepped out into the open.

  Evie released her hold on the woman and she crumbled to the ground.

  “Quite an impressive show!” he praised her and got a nasty glare from the woman as she stood back up. “Go away Rachel.” He shooed her.

  Rachel turned her glare onto Evie, “We’ll finish this another time,” She promised her, with a smug look on her face.

  Evie looked back at her, “I don’t think so.” She got cocky and received another nasty look before the woman walked away. Jonas went to approach her, but Evie held her hand up and stopped him, “You can stay put right there.” She told him.

  He smiled, “Are you afraid of me?” he teased her.

  “I know your plans.” She informed him.

  He nodded, “I figured that much, since you’re here.”

  “I won’t let you kill them.” She told him.

  “And how do you plan on stopping me?” He challenged her.

  “What can I do to save them both?” she asked him.

  He crossed his arms and thought a moment, “Nothing, your father deserves to be punished, he knew what that man was and he still went and defended him.”

  “Did anything I said the other day, get through?” she asked him, sarcastically, but he said nothing, “I agree, I don’t think my Dad should have done that, but Jonas, getting revenge, killing a man for making the wrong decision, where’s justice in that?” she asked him.

  “He helped that man get away with murder!” he snapped, his tears betrayed his false composure.

  “You have felt the pain, death brings, so why would you want to inflict that on me?” she asked him.

  He shook his head, “My family is not the only one your father has wronged, he’s wronged yours too. I know what he did to your mother.” He told her.

  “That doesn’t matter, he’s still my father and I love him.” She defended.

  “How can you love such a man who gave no disregard for what he did to your mother or even you? I’m doing you a favor Evie! I took his tramp from him and now I will take his life! You should be thanking me, instead of lecturing me!” he told her.

  She gave a sarcastic laugh in response, “You’re doing me a favor? You have forced me to become something I do not want to be for your own benefit! You could care less about the how he wronged us. This is all about you!” she spat back at him, “Would your sister want this? Is this the justice she wants?! I knew her too and I know this is not what she would have wanted!” She yelled at him.

  “She’s dead, it doesn’t matter what she wants anymore!” he yelled back at her, “But he, the father you love, the horrific man you so blindly care for, still lives on! You stand there ignorantly defending him; you really don’t know how much he has wronged you, do you? He asked her.

  “Tell me Jonas, tell me what it is he has wronged me about?” she asked him. “He left my mother, for another woman, it happens a lot, he’s no worse than any other man who has done this… so what is it besides that, that he has wronged me in? She demanded.

  He went to speak, but stopped himself.

  “Please Jonas… please don’t do this to me.” She pleaded with him, “I’m sorry you hurt so much, I’m sorry for all the wrong that was brought to you and the others, but please, don’t inflict the same hurt you feel on me, I know there is compassion still left in you, in all of you.” She told him.

  He shook his head, “Compassion gets you nowhere.” He told her coldly.

  “If you spare their lives, I will give you mine.” She threw out.

  “What?” he asked her, confused by her statement.

  “You told me you were lonely…well…If you let my parents go, I promise you, I’ll be your companion.” She told him.

  He shook his head, “That’s not enough.”

  “I will stay away from the Vampire too.” she added, knowing his intentions.

  He stared at her for a moment, “That’s not enough,” he told her, “If I spare their lives, I want his in return.” He renegotiated, “And you have to do it.” He added.

  “How do you kill a vampire?” she asked him.

  “You’ve read the books…” he reminded her.

  She gave him menacing look, “I want them returned to me tonight.” She ordered him.

  He grinned and shook his head, “No, you still have a few more days until your shift. I want to make sure you don’t try anything stupid.” He told her and she wondered if he knew about Nathan’s offer. “Your parents will be returned to you as soon as he is dead.” He instructed her.

  He walked over to her and grabbed a lock of her hair, “Have you ever thought about going blonde?” he asked her.

  She stared at him, taken aback by the sudden change of subject, “No.” She answered him.

  “Maybe you should think about it.” He alluded.

  She frowned and crossed her arms, “Am I being told to dye my hair?” she asked him.

  He smiled and nodded, “Yes, blonde would be nice, not too light though, a darker shade would work nicely.” He told her, ignoring her question.

  She tilted her head and pulled her hair out of his hand, “So I now also have to dye my hair blonde to save my parents?” she sarcastically insulted him.

  He grinned, “Nah,” he shook his head, “This is just for me.” He replied, satisfactorily.

  She rolled her eyes and walked away from him.

  “I’ll see you Saturday then, Blondie!” He yelled after her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Blondes have more fun…

  “Why are you buying blonde hair dye?” Cass asked her as she grabbed two boxes of Clairol and headed back up to the registers.

  “I decided to go blonde.” Evie answered her.

  “You don’t seem so enthusiastic about it.” her friend observed.

  Evie sat the boxes down on the counter and waited as the lady rang them up, “I am…” she lied and gave an exaggerated smile.

  “That’ll be seven dollars and forty- nine cents dear.” The kind elderly woman asked her. Evie paid her and grabbed the bag. The cashier handed her the change and receipt and she thanked her.

  “Do you want me to help you?” Cass offered as they walked towards the exit door.

  Evie looked at her, “No, I’m probably going to do it tonight before I take a shower,” She told her, “Thanks anyway.” She told her, trying to sound chipper. Cass nodded and pulled her keys out. She pressed the unlock button as they
neared her jeep and climbed into the driver’s seat as Evie walked around.

  “Feel like a slice of cheesecake?” Cass asked her as soon as she climbed in.

  “Man I would…but my mom decided to do an overhaul on the house and I’m supposed to help.” She lied to her.

  Cass knew she was and Evie knew she did, but still stuck to it. She knew lying was going to have to be an essential part of her life from now, to protect her friends. They drove in silence all the way to her house and when her friend pulled the jeep up into her driveway, Evie quickly jumped out and thanked then quickly shut the door on her before she had a chance to say anything in return. Evie rushed inside and peeked out through the crack of the blinds at her friend, who stared back at her house, dumbfounded.

  Cass sat there for a moment and she knew her friend was contemplating on coming in, “Don’t get out Cass…” she whispered, “Let it go.” She spoke to the girl through the glass. Cass knew something was up and she was normally not a girl who ignored it, she would pry and pry at you, until she got to the bottom of it.

  They had been friends almost forever and she knew when Evie lied, because Evie rarely lied. First because she did not like to and second because she was lousy at it. The last time she lied, Cass pried and found out about her father. She of course remained a good friend and kept it to herself, but she had still gotten to the bottom of it. Evie knew if Cass came in here, she wouldn’t leave until she knew.

  Finally she saw her friend shift gears and looked behind herself as she started backing out of the driveway. Evie sighed in relief and watched her until she drove off, before stepping away from the window. She walked over and locked the front door and turned her attention to the eerily silent house and worried about her parents.

  It was only Wednesday and Saturday still seemed so far away. School sucked even more now, but having neither Jonas nor Nathan showing up anymore, made it more bearable. She planned on playing sick tomorrow and on Friday, not seeing the point of dragging out her torture anymore. Too much was on her mind anyway to concentrate and the stomach pains were coming more frequent and she was afraid of making a scene at school. She was now suffering from severe hot flashes, like a woman on menopause and could have sworn she reeked today.