Alex hesitated. She stepped aside. Kristen dragged past her and walked up to her father. She looked down at the shotgun, her eyes falling on the round that would end her father's life. Fighting back fresh tears, she closed the chamber. Looked down at Baines.
"I'm sorry, daddy."
"It's okay, sweetheart. I love you."
On the verge of breaking down, Kristen hoisted the gun to her shoulder. "I love you, too." Baines closed his eyes--
Alex and Neiland turned away.
Kristen aimed the gun for Baines' heart, steadying herself through another wave of pain. She wrapped her finger around the trigger and sucked a deep breath. Her finger tightened...
She faltered. The barrel dipped. Kristen sucked it up and retrained the shotgun--
Alex placed a hand over Kristen's. "I got this. Go," she whispered. Kristen hesitated. Released the gun--and along with it, her agony. She crumbled into tears.
"I'm sorry, daddy."
"It's okay, baby."
Kristen rushed over and knelt at Baines' side, embracing her father for the last time. Baines gave her a squeeze, looked into her reddened eyes as she sat back. Kristen stood, covered in Baines' blood.
"Goodbye, daddy," she choked. Tears streamed from Baines' eyes. He gave her a farewell nod. Unable to take any more, Kristen turned and ran for the exit, sobbing.
Baines waited until she was gone. "I'm ready," he said.
Alex took a deep breath. Exhaled. Her eyes glistened with fresh tears. She dropped her head, fought like hell to keep them from falling. "You asked me why I came to Weeping Springs without calling you first," she said, her voice strong and resolute, yet tinged with an uncharacteristic vulnerability that she hadn't felt in so long it was almost unfamiliar. She looked Baines in the eye. "It was because I was afraid to face you after I let you down in Texas."
"You didn't let me down, Alex," Baines said. "You had no idea that lyca was coming. Jeb and I should've finished the job when we had the chance."
"Still, I failed you," Alex said, losing the battle with her tear ducts. "I'm so sorry it happened again."
Baines smiled. "It's not your fault, Alex. But I need you to do something for me. One last thing."
"Anything."
"Take care of my little girl. Make sure she's safe."
Alex nodded. "Of course."
Baines smiled once more. "I love you, Alex."
Alex hesitated, not wanting to say the words. Not wanting to make things so...final. But as she stood there with her mentor's shotgun in her hands, she realized that regardless of her actions, that course had been set long before she arrived. "I love you, too," she whispered, hoisting up the gun and pulling the trigger.
The gunshot shredded the crisp night air. Kristen, holding herself as she trudged away from the church, cried out, dropped to her knees. She shielded her face with her hands and sobbed, spending her first moments as an orphan under a clear, picture-perfect Colorado night sky.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Kristen sagged against the weathered wooden rail, staring into the darkness, her face stained with recently-cried tears. She, Alex, and Neiland were on the back deck of Neiland's cabin home--and old, rustic wooden structure shrouded by even older trees. Alex, stripped down to just her halter top and leather pants, took up a spot along the wall, watching her with her arms folded. Baines' shotgun rested next to her. Neiland sat in an old rocking chair on the same wall next to the battered screen door, eating an apple.
"My daddy used to have place like this in Texas years ago," Kristen said to no one in particular. "Said he'd inherited it when my grandpa died. We'd go there from time to time when things got hectic in town. Last time I was there was when my mom..." She trailed off, fighting back even older pain.
"What about other family?" Neiland asked, taking another bite. "Anybody you could stay with?" Alex flashed him a dirty look. "I'm just asking. Trying to think ahead." Alex tore her eyes away. She couldn't believe his audacity, nor the fact he was thinking about food at a time like this."
Kristen shrugged. " I got an aunt back in Texas, but her and daddy never got along." She paused. Her eyes became wet once more. "Why is this happening? I didn't do anything to deserve this."
"No, you didn't. No one did," Alex said. "But it doesn't change things." Kristen turned, glared at Alex over her shoulder. She walked off in the opposite direction. "If it's any consolation, I know how you feel."
"Bullshit!" Kristen growled, spinning. "You have no idea how I feel! My mom, Jenny, my dad...everybody I ever loved is fucking dead, don't you get that?"
"Yeah, I get it," Alex replied calmly. "I get it 'cause I've been there." Kristen returned an angry--yet curious--look. Alex looked away. "My father was the founder of a biotech company in Philly. My mother ran an organization for children of abusive relationships. We were close, but since my folks were always busy, we never spent a lot of time together. Then one day, out of the blue..."
TWENTY-EIGHT
"...my father decided to take some time off and take us on a camping trip..."
A gray, late-model luxury SUV roared down the winding, tree-lined path. It was fall, and the warm autumn colors added immense beauty to what was already a relaxing drive in the shadow of the Poconos Mountains.
Fourteen-year-old Alexandria, her reddish-brown hair pulled back into a bushy ponytail, sat in the back seat, bobbing her head to rock music fed to her delicately-pierced ears by buds attached to her MP3 player. She glanced out the window at the semi-naked tree branches whipping past, her eyes darting back and forth as she tried in vain to make out details on each tree she passed. Tiring of the game quickly, she smiled, looked to the front of the vehicle to find her mother, Alexis, smiling back at her, her mocha-brown skin radiant in any lighting. Alexis turned in her set, flashing the same megawatt smile at the man driving.
Richard Craine flashed his light emerald eyes into the rear-view mirror, looking at his daughter with a father's pride. Their gazes connected. He raised a "thumbs up" to his girl, a gesture Alexandria enthusiastically returned. It was their "thing," and never failed to make each other feel better about their day, no matter what they had previously encountered.
The SUV rolled around another bend, throwing a cloud of multi-colored leaves in its wake.
Nightfall found Alexis tending to the fire at the Craines' campsite while Richard went into the woods to collect more branches. Alexandria emerged from the tent, a large, complicated, high-priced number. She looked around the camp.
"Daddy's not back yet?" she asked.
"No, but I hope he hurries back," Alexis replied, stabbing the dwindling fire with a small stick. "This fire's not going to last forever."
"Maybe the next time, we should get the wood before we make the fire," Alexandria said with a smirk.
Her mother laughed. "I'm going to tell him you said that, Ms. Smarty-pants."
Alexandria chuckled and ducked back into the tent, where a battery-powered lantern illuminated the space with a soft, inviting glow. She plopped onto the sleeping bag and reached for her MP3 player. She paused--
A small wooden box caught her eye, tucked between Richard's sleeping bag and the tent wall. Alexandria had never seen it before. It called to her like a beacon; she got up and went over to it, kneeling.
She touched the box with her fingertips. It was shiny, with a mahogany finish. A simple latch was sued to keep it fastened, and Alexandria, curiosity getting the best of her, flipped it up and opened the box. There, inside, was a gleaming, pristine .357 Magnum.
Alexis continued to poke at the fire outside, listening to the dueling concertos of frogs and crickets. From somewhere in the woods, however, came a different sound--a muffled cry. She perked up.
"Richard?" She stood and walked to the edge of the clearing they were using as their campsite. She squinted, peering into the trees. This time the sound was clearer--a grunt. Male. Distressed. "Honey?"
Another grunt answered her, but it was somehow different. Less human. Alexis
glanced back at the tent, where her most precious gift, her one and only child, was hopefully listening to music and blissfully unaware of this strange occurrence. Alexis knew she probably shouldn't, but against her better judgment--
She steeped into the forest.
Alexandria, meanwhile, was playing with a different kind of danger. She cradled the Magnum, staring at it with cautious, yet enthralled eyes. She grasped the polished wooden handle, trained the weapon downward, grazed the cold, unforgiving steel with her soft, delicate, pink-tipped fingers.
Alexis' scream pierced the air! Alexandria's eyes popped wide. "Mama?" She raced out of the tent--stopped at the dying, crackling flames. "Mama?" There was no answer.
Worry clouded Alexandria's brow, even as it dragged her feet toward the trees. "Mama? Daddy?" At the edge of the clearing, Alexandria summoned her courage. She reached out to brush aside a low-hanging branch...
Alexis exploded from the wilderness behind her. "Alexandria! Get back in the tent!"
"Mama!" Alexandria exclaimed, before realizing Alexis was by herself. "Where's--"
"Now!" her mother screamed, rushing to the fire and taking up the largest remaining branch. She plunged it into the weakening fire.
"Mama, what's happening?"
"Just do as I say, baby! I don't have time to--" The brush from where Alexis had escaped ripped open, and a huge, brown werewolf rumbled into the campsite. Alexis spun around, brandishing her makeshift torch. "Go! Now!" she screamed to her daughter. Not waiting for the beast to make the first move, Alexis charged at it, swinging the burning branch for it's mid-section. The monster dodged the attack and returned with a backhand--
Alex crashed to the ground, the branch jarring free in the process.
"Mama!" Alexandria cried, her young face warped in terror as Alexis rolled over and scrambled for the branch. She was almost to it, but the beast lashed out, grabbing her calf--
The creature's claws sliced into her flesh. Alexis bellowed. The werewolf pulled her back and yanked her into the air, holding her upside down as it drew her to its dripping, slathering maw. A rock slammed off the side of the creature's head. It turned--
Alexandria, wielding another as she stood her ground. "Let her go!"
"Alexandria..." her mother said, blood rushing to her head, making matters worse because was still dizzy from the backhand the beast gave her.
The monster bristled, baring is fangs at the little girl. Alexandria, however, refused to back down.
Alexis managed to reach out and claw the werewolf's face. It howled and dropped her. Alexis slammed to the ground but immediately started clamoring for the burning branch--it's flame having ignited some the grass around it. Alexis took up the branch and charged back for the beast, smashing it in the head with the fiery end. The fire did more damage than the branch; the Werewolf staggered. Alexis rammed the lit end into its gut, and the flames took quickly, catching and spreading over the beast's fur. The monster began swatting wildly and Alexis moved in to hit it again, but the creature slapped the branch away with one hand--
Ripped Alexis' chest with the other. She stumbled back, grasping at the gaping wounds. She pulled her hand back to find it soaked in her own warm blood.
"Mama!" Alexandria screamed. Alexis glanced back at her daughter, and the burning werewolf seized the moment. It jumped in and uncorked a backhand with all it's might. The force of the blow sent Alexis flying off her feet; she slammed spine first into a large oak at the perimeter of the campsite--her vertebrae and ligaments disintegrating on impact. Alexis slumped. "Nooo!" Alexandria wailed. She charged the charring monster, but it treated her the same way.
Alexandria crash-landed near the entrance to tent. Horrified, bewildered, and unable to come up with anything better, she forced her aching body up and scampered into the structure, zipping it shut behind her as the beast, incredibly, dropped to the ground and started to roll to extinguish its burning fur. She grabbed the lantern and fumbled with the switch to turn it off, then ran to the back of the tent where she hunkered down--
Next to the gun box. Alexandria's breaths came in short, rugged rasps as her wide, unblinking eyes remained peeled on the front of the tent. All was silent, the dwindling campfire and the makeshift torch providing an eerie, flickering illumination. Then--
A footstep. Followed by another. And another. Alexandria clenched her fists, bracing herself as the sounds drew nearer, accompanied by a low, rumbling growl. A four-legged shadow rose against the tent's nylon wall.
Alexandria trembled. She forced her eyes shut and held her breath, silently pleading with whatever divine force would deliver her from her situation. The werewolf sniffed at the side of the tent. Paused. Then, amazingly--
It backed down, it's shadow melting into the base of the tent. Alexandria burst forth, panting in relief. She waited a few moments to make sure the abomination was gone. When she finally felt secure, she moved for the front of the tent, creeping on her hands and knees. As she neared the zippered door, fear started to swell once more as the light outside quickly faded, then died out altogether.
Alexandria knew the campfire had just gone out, with the burning branch having apparently preceded it in death. The only illumination now came from the full moon overhead, but it wasn't enough to make out much, especially inside the tent. If she wanted to make sure the beast was gone from the campsite completely, she would have to venture outside. Alexandria reached out her hand, grazed the slider on the zipper--
The tent suddenly split open--the beast shredding the fabric with a monstrous roar! Alexandria screamed and stumbled backward--bumping the lantern with her hand. The werewolf entered, rising as tall as the tent would let it. It stared down at its meal with a steady, swelling growl. It lunged--
Alexandria swung forward, the lantern in hand. It plowed into the side of the werewolf's face, snapping it in the opposite direction. Alexandria turned to run to the back of the tent, but the beast lashed out--
Carving four deep, bloody grooves in her back. Alexandria screamed, fell to her stomach. She raised her head, shot out an arm to crawl forward.
The gun box laid just ahead. Alexandria scampered to the box on her hands and knees. She flipped open the lid and extracted the Magnum, spinning and training it on the monster's chest. While she had never shot this particular gun, Alexandria was no stranger to firearms, as her father had taken her to the gun range with him regularly. Alexis had always thought it unsafe for such a young girl to be shooting guns, but Richard always pushed back, telling his wife that, as a young woman, Alexandria could never be too safe, and she'd never know when the experience could come in handy. Alexandria hoped to make her father proud in this very moment.
The werewolf glared at the young girl holding the gun. Alexandria returned the stare, not backing down. With her back nearly in contact with the tent wall, she couldn't if she wanted to. The beast seemed to relax--
Then it charged. Alexandria emptied the revolver, each shot finding its mark. The werewolf stumbled backward and out of the tent, Alexandria continuing to click the trigger long after her ammo had run dry. She finally stopped, her body heaving with each adrenaline-fueled breath.
Alexandria eased out of the destroyed tent to find the werewolf lying on its back near the smoldering remains of the campfire, thrashing. She inched closer to the beast, watching on in confusion as the convulsions stopped and the monster's body seized, then relaxed. A black ooze seeped from its maw, matching the substance that flowed from the gunshot woulds Alexandria had inflicted. Then, to her astonishment, the creature began to change: muscle atrophied, fur receded into pores, bones cracked and reshaped as limbs shortened, and fangs slid back into gums--until what lay at her feet no longer resembled a murderous beast--
But a naked, gasping, mortally-wounded Richard Craine.
"Daddy?!" Alexandria uttered, eyes wide, shock ripping through her body and psyche. Richard turned his head. He strained to focus through blood-clouded eyes. He tried to speak. Hacked up more of the d
isgusting black fluid.
"A-Alexandria?" he said between rasps.
The younger Craine backed away upon hearing her father's voice--a confirmation that brought with it a plethroa of questions--and consequences. Alexandria dropped the Magnum.
"Daddy..." she said, her voice crumbling.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Richard husked. He exploded in a fit of coughing before finally relaxing. His final, staggered breath left his body. Alexandria, trembling, watched on in horror as Richard's body began to decay before her eyes. His corpse shriveled, black and blue veins creating a lattice of necrosis on his pruning, liquefying flesh.
Alexandria collapsed to her knees, on the brink of hyperventilating. She shot a look across the campsite to her mother's twisted, torn form, then turned her eyes back to what was once the man who had created her. The pain, confusion, rage, and astonishment she was simultaneously feeling combined into a toxic mix that snatched control of her mind away from her ego and laid it upon the unregulated alter of her id. The fourteen-year-old, unable to process what had just happened, reverted to a purely primal state. The threw he head back to the temperate mountain sky and screamed for everything she was worth before, spent and emotionally decimated, Alexandria crumbled to the ground curled into a fetal position, sobbing, amid the wreckage of her once-perfect life.
TWENTY-NINE
"I was in that same spot when a helicopter from my father's company showed up the next day," Alex said, now leaning against the rail herself. Kristen stood several feet away with her arms folded. "Turns out he had contacted someone in research and development who had some insight into what had happened while he was out in the woods. A clinical pharmacologist. You've seen her."
"The woman on your laptop?" Kristen asked.
Alex nodded. "Miranda Cook. She's CEO of my father's company now--well, my company. She runs the day-to-day while I do...this. Anyway, I don't know exactly what my daddy told her, but they came prepared--first aid kits, stuff to clean up the campsite...bodybags..."
The Huntress (Lupus Moon Book One) Page 12
