HUNTED: The Midnight Series, Book Two

by Toni Goode

  “I didn’t mean to. He was at the museum and I was just so angry when I saw him with her. He was telling people that he was engaged, I mean how? Like I literally saw him twenty-four hours prior. I just don’t get it and now that Kelly girl is dead, and he hates me for it.” She covered her face and sobbed.

  “He was there? At the museum? Kelly? Briana look at me?” Clara said seriously. “You said the name Kelly; do you mean the girl that was with John?” She asked with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, that’s him. “Briana wiped her eyes.

  “And you said he was engaged? Briana you got this all wrong.” Clara said with a shake of her head.

  “No, I got it right, he was devastated and the way he looked at me. I messed up. I ruined everything.” Briana cried.

  “I know John, the wolf John, right?” Clara said as Briana looked at her confused now.

  “You know him?” Briana said with wide tearful eyes.

  “John has been working with my organization to help rid the world of the evil that threatens it daily. I should have put two and two together. I didn’t realize that he was the one, your twin flame. John isn’t engaged Briana; he is an agent and a damn good one. Kelly was his partner.” Clara said as Briana blinked a bit in shock. “I don’t know how I didn’t see this before. John was undercover there and so was Kelly.”

  “What? Undercover? I don’t get it.” Briana said with tears. “How? He didn’t say anything.” She added with confusion.

  “Of course, he is not going to. He couldn’t risk it. Kelly was a good woman, strong and kindhearted.” Clara said softly.

  “She was human.” Briana added as Clara smiled softly at her.

  “Some of the humans know about us and they offer help when they can. Kelly was part of the FBI; she has been working with us for years now. She has great connections. She did have great connections. Rest her soul.” Clara said softly.

  Briana was completely confused. So, John wasn’t actually engaged. He was just living a secret life like she was. She felt sick as she sat there. Of course, he would mourn the loss of his partner. Briana stood up now, her eyes wide. Her head clearing. “I have to go see him.” She said seriously.

  “Briana you don’t want to do that. You need to leave well enough alone now. The damage is done, we can’t afford any more problems.” Clara said as she stood too.

  “I need to explain to him. I have to let him know that I do love him.” Briana said as she wiped her tears.

  “Briana doing that could cause a chain reaction of events. You’re not meant to be with John in this time. You must not interfere anymore. He needs to follow his path.” Clara said seriously but Briana didn’t want to hear it.

  “I’m sorry. I have to see him; I just have to.” Briana said as she quickly left. She hailed a cab outside of the store as Clara watched her.

  It only took about a half hour to get to John’s place. The traffic was unusually light, and she got out of the cab and ran to the front door of the building, but it was locked. She looked up at the building and she saw the fire escape. She could see the light on in his apartment. She began to run up the flights of stairs as her heart raced. She needed to tell him how she felt. She needed him to know that she did love him. She loved him more than anything.

  She finally got to his floor and she reached the window that looked into his bedroom. Briana’s heart sunk immediately as she saw him in bed with someone. She saw red hair and she knew immediately it was Kate’s. Her heart sunk deep in her chest as she watched them make love. This had been his turning point with Kate. This had been what pushed him towards her. She felt sick as she stood there. Tears falling freely as she watched him. This was his path and as much as it hurt her to understand this, his path wasn’t with her. Not yet anyways. His path was with Kate.

  Briana slowly backed up from the window. She would have to let him go. She had to before anything else happened. She left without him knowing that she was there.

  Briana barely slept that night as she stared at the ceiling. Her mind was on John and how he was currently in bed with the woman he would marry in eight years. It wasn’t a good feeling knowing what the future holds. If anything, it was more depressing to her. She just wanted to go home. She spent the majority of the next day in bed. It wasn’t until Clara had come to her door that she finally got out of bed.

  “You need to eat ok. Regardless of the situation you still need to take care of yourself.” Clara said honestly as Briana followed her downstairs and to the kitchen. Clara prepared meatloaf for dinner. For a moment it almost felt like Briana was at her parents’ house. Every time she would visit them her mother would cook a big dinner even if she made a last-minute visit. She wished now that she would have spent more time with her mother. She had so many what ifs now and a bunch of uncertainty.

  “Back at the museum you knew that guy named Trevor, what is his deal?” Briana couldn’t help but ask. She had almost forgotten about her weird encounter with him. She hadn’t seen him after the blast. Where had he gone to?

  “Ah yes, Trevor.” Clara began with a shake of her head. “Back in my college days we had dated but he had become very possessive of me and controlling. I broke things off right before I met Frank.”

  “Is he a witch?” Briana asked.

  “Not exactly. Trevor came from a long line of Witches and Warlocks, but the gene skipped his generation. So, his entire family line is supernatural except him. He tries to teach himself how to be a witch.” Clara said with a shake of her head.

  “How can you teach yourself? That’s a bit odd. He was very interested in that Ancient Relics Room and then he was gone when the explosion happened.” Briana said quickly.

  “Trevor is an odd one that is for sure, but he is harmless. He couldn’t hurt someone with spells even if he tried.” Clara said softly.

  “Ok if you say so.” Briana said as thoughts began to run through her head.

  Clara’s husband Frank came into the kitchen and he inhaled deep. “It smells delicious in here.” He said as he walked over and kissed Clara on the cheek as she cooked some veggies on the stove.

  “Well it’s almost done so don’t go too far.” She said with a smile. They made small talk as Briana watched. She envied their relationship. They weren’t just married; they were best friends and it was apparent by the way they moved and their gestures to one another. Briana wondered if she would have that one day, or had she ruined any idea of a future with John.

  She made small talk with Clara and Frank as they ate dinner. Frank told some stories about his odd interrogations. He really did have a dangerous job especially when dealing with supernatural beings. He enjoyed his job though, he really felt as though he was making a difference in the world. Briana wanted to make a difference too and one day she was sure she would.

  By the evening she was sitting restlessly in the bedroom. There had been no word from Mark either and Briana’s patience was wearing thin. She kept on having nightmares too, ones where she was being chased by something with red eyes. It was always so dark too. She would wake up in as cold sweat. Almost a week had passed, and she was literally going stir crazy. She hadn’t shifted because of her fear of running into John and Kate. She felt like a prisoner in that bedroom. Mark had finally contacted them and he was able to get some of the items they needed but there was one left that he couldn’t find. It was the devil’s claw and from what he heard it was grown in Louisiana. He was heading there to see if he could find it but once he had that then they had all the ingredients they needed. The rest was based on spells and black magic that Clara was not thrilled about using.

  Briana found most of her days spent in Clara’s store downstairs. She had read through so many of the books there. It was actually very interesting how the spiritual world worked. The witches or better yet spiritual advisers were very powerful, more powerful than Briana had even known. Selena had stopped by a few times as well and Briana had to stay hidden. That witch made her skin crawl and it took everything in her not t
o kill Selena on the spot. She thought about it more and more these days because if she did kill her then at least Selena couldn’t harm anyone anymore.

  Briana decided to revert back to how she dealt with anger in her own time and that was with working out. Clara didn’t have a gym but there was one down the road and Briana began to use it on a daily basis. At least that way she could take care of some of the built of stress she had. Not being able to shift was bothering her too. Her body ached to shift but now was not the time. Shifting in a busy city wouldn’t work out. She didn’t want to head back over by Coney Island, it was just too risky.

  On this particular day she decided to use the punching bags. Her mind immediately went to John and how he had taught her how to punch the bag. She missed those days. She focused on the bag as she hit it repeatedly. She got a great workout and some of her excess energy had been used. For the first time in the last week she actually felt like she would sleep well that night.

  By the time she left the gym she was a sweaty mess. She was looking forward to getting back to her room, so she could shower and rest. Clara’s place was only a few blocks down the road as Briana walked. It was already dark out as she made her way down the nearly empty street. It was a Sunday, so it didn’t surprise her that not many people were out but a strange sound in an alley she was passing made her stop as she looked down it. She saw nothing, but she heard that weird sound again. She began walking down the alley. The sound was more familiar, it was crying, and she rushed over to the large dumpster. Briana pulled herself up as she looked inside the large metal container and she saw a small boy in there. He looked maybe 10 years old.

  She gasped as he looked up at her. “Oh my gosh, how did you get in there? Are you hurt?” She reached in and took the boys hand as she helped to pull him out. He looked absolutely terrified as he finally stood on the ground. He didn’t speak as he looked at her. “Who did this to you?” Briana said as she raised her voice. She couldn’t believe that someone would drop a kid off in a dumpster like that. The boy just shook his head and pointed behind Briana. His eyes wide with fear. Briana turned around quick as she came face to face with Trevor, the man from the museum. Confusion filled her head as she looked at him. “Trevor?”

  “Briana.” He smiled at her wickedly and her eyes got wide. She had not given him her real name and before she could react, he was blowing black dust in her face. Instantly she fell to the ground as Trevor stood over her body. The small boy stared up at him and then took off running.

  Trevor leaned down and then he lifted her limp body up off the ground. Within seconds they disappeared.

  Chapter Nine

  Briana’s head throbbed as she tried to open her eyes. There was a bright light that was blinding her, and she heard a faint whistling sound in the distance. Was it a tea kettle? She felt disoriented and dizzy. Her mind blurred as she blinked once then twice. She could see a swinging overhead light come into focus. She moved her head from side to side. She tried to focus on where she was. She heard humming and she blinked some more as a blurred image came into her vision.

  “Oh, good you’re coming around.” A somewhat familiar male voice said as she tried to focus on his face. “I have to say I was getting a bit worried.” She watched as Trevor leaned down and looked at her. She gasped as she went to sit up but, she realized she was strapped to a table.

  “What the hell!” She yelled as she tried to move her arms and she couldn’t. Fear washed over her. “What did you do, get me off of here.” She yelled out frantically as she leaned her head up. Her entire body was strapped to a gurney and she fought against the restraints.

  “Now yelling isn’t going to make this any easier Briana.” Trevor said with a shake of his head.

  “Ok I won’t yell, just please unstrap me.” She said as her voice shook with fear.

  “I like your manners. Smart girl.” He smiled as he walked across the room and she quietly tried to get one arm out. “I bet by now you’re wondering who I am, or maybe you have figured it out by now.” He turned and faced her, and she stopped moving. He had something on a table that he was messing with. It looked like a needle. Fear raced through her.

  ” I don’t really know what you mean. If there is something, I can do to help you.” She tried to remain calm, but she was failing miserably.

  “You see right there, that is what this world is missing. A little bit of compassion and a helpful nature.” He walked over to her and smiled. “I knew from the moment I saw you that you were going to be helpful.” He leaned down and brushed a piece of her hair out of her eyes and she tried not to cringe too much at his touch.

  “I won’t scream, I promise. I will do whatever you want.” She tried to force a smile.

  “I know you will.” He smiled big and then he reached for something on the table next to her. She gasped when she saw the needle in his hand.

  “No, no, no. Please.” She began to beg as tears filled her eyes and fear took her over.

  “Shush, just calm down. You promised you wouldn’t scream.” He said softly and then he was moving her arm.

  “Please don’t, please don’t.” She began to cry as he grabbed her arm.

  “Now don’t be a liar Briana, no one likes liars.” He warned as the needle went into her arm and she cried out as he took a vial of her blood and walked across the room with it. She tried to move her arm again, but she couldn’t. “Have you ever heard the saying that the world will end not with a bang but with a whimper?” He glanced over at her and she was crying now. “There is no need to be sad, you’re just helping to cleanse the world of the weak.” He said with a shake of his head.

  “Please just let me go.” She cried as she kept trying to get out of the restraints.

  He banged his hand down on the table as items jumped up and she froze as he glared at her. “I said stop your crying!” She stopped crying almost immediately as he turned from her again. “It’s hard to concentrate and my job is a delicate one.” He said with a lower voice now as he began to whistle. He moved across the room and opened different cabinets.

  Briana tried to concentrate on her wolf. Maybe if she could shift then she could break the restraints. She had not fully gained control of her wolf like that, but she tried now as she closed her eyes and she tried to concentrate on the wolf.

  He began to walk back over to her as she quickly stopped her concentrating. He was holding another needle in his hand as he whistled. This one had something in it, and she began to panic again. His hand came across her face violently and it nearly knocked her out. She felt the sting of the needle and she cried out in pain. The liquid he injected burned and she screamed now as her body began to convulse on the table but then everything went black.

  Briana groaned as she laid on the hard ground. Her body hurt something awful and she could barely open her eyes. The sound of a man’s voice came into her head as she laid there. “Maam, Maam? Are you alright?” Her eyes fluttered open as the face of a young man with short blonde hair leaned over her. “Can you hear me?” The man said as he knelt down beside her but all she saw was the blood pumping on his neck as it traveled through his veins. She suddenly felt hungry, starving actually as the man leaned over her more. “Maam?” He said as he shook her some and a small crowd began to form. Someone yelled out to call an ambulance. “Were going to get you help.” The man said as he rested his hand on her arm. An instinct took over her, one she didn’t recognize and then she was grabbing him as she tore into his neck as people screamed and began to run away.

  She jumped up suddenly as she looked around. She couldn’t help the urge going through her. She grabbed a woman who tried to run away, and she tore into her neck as the woman screamed.

  Briana dropped the woman’s motionless body on the ground, and she ran out of the alley and into incoming traffic. A car smashed into her and she flew into the air but somehow, she landed on her feet. People were screaming and running now as she ran at another man. He turned to run but she was quicker as she tore at
his neck. She shook his body like a rag doll as he flew in the air.

  She saw a woman across the street frozen in fear and she ran over to her and sliced into her flesh. A howl left her mouth as she spun and caught a glimpse of herself in one of the local stores. She had shifted into her wolf and her red fur was covered in blood. Panic raced through her as she went to run but the horn of a car got her attention and she ran at full speed into the car, tearing the door off with her powerful jaw. She pulled the man out and bit into his neck as she let out a howl once more. People were screaming as they ran in all different directions. She couldn’t stop herself as she grabbed person after person.

  Briana felt out of control with a thirst she had never had before. Even though she saw the fear in their eyes, and she heard their screams, she couldn’t stop. At one point she even vomited on the ground. She was engorging herself until she was sick and then she was doing it all over again. Police cars were lining up in the street and they were shooting at her as she dodged them and continued to run.

  She ran up to a playground as her eyes landed on the children playing. One little girl saw her as she tugged on her mother’s shirt until she turned and screamed. Briana charged at them as the mother picked up her daughter and ran. Briana was on their heels and she pushed herself off the ground hard as she jumped in the air. She was merely inches from the mother and daughter as she got slammed into by something hard.

  She flew across the grass and slammed into a tree. It felt like she was hit by a train and she shook her head to clear it and then she saw him. John’s wolf staring at her. What the hell are you doing! His thoughts came at her, but she couldn’t make sense of them as she growled and lunged for him. She bit him on the shoulder as he yelped and snapped back at her. Briana STOP! His words filled her head. She couldn’t stop. It was as if something was controlling her. She bit at John, but he bit back now and hard as he pierced her flesh and she howled in pain. BACK DOWN! His words came crashing into her head but something else was driving her. She saw a small child crying by bushes. He was scared and alone as he looked at her. She looked at John and then the kid. She charged for the kid and John couldn’t believe his eyes. He charged after her and he slammed into her seconds before she could bite the child. John grabbed her by the neck with his mouth as he hovered over her. She tried fighting against him and he squeezed harder. She couldn’t breathe, she kicked at him and he held her down. She was gasping for air and then everything turned black.