HUNTED: The Midnight Series, Book Two

by Toni Goode

  “Yeah, we could do a beer then.” She smiled.

  “Sure, sounds good. I do hear they have a mean burger.” He smirked.

  “I will tell Charles to make it extra special tonight.” She laughed some.

  “Extra special sounds suspicious.” He smirked.

  “I guess it could be.” She smiled.

  “Well then it’s a date. I mean not really a date. It could be or not.” He said nervously and now she was nervous.

  “Oh. Yeah, um.” She said awkwardly.

  “Just forget I said that, just a beer, tonight.” He smiled.

  “Only one beer?” She couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Maybe two.” He shook his head. He was completely red now. It was actually pretty adorable. “Ok well, see you tonight then.” He spun from her as she stood there. Tonight, could be fun. One or two beers. She couldn’t help but smirk as she walked quickly back into the building for her last class.

  John made his way back to the house in record time. He immediately went into his office located in the house and he did a quick search on the computer. He put in Briana’s first name and then he waited, he narrowed down the search by town. Only one Briana showed up, it was from a social media website. He clicked on the link and then he leaned back in his chair. Could it be her? He felt his heart racing, how? He didn’t understand but he was starting to feel more and more confident that it was her.

  What were the chances that there would be two Briana’s in that town and both with red hair? One thing he was sure of was that she wasn’t a wolf and he didn’t understand that. He looked at her date of birth and confusion ran through him. This Briana wasn’t even born until 1993, almost three whole years prior to the Briana he knew. He stared at his computer, there is no way it could be the same person. The Briana he knew was at least 24 or 25 in 1993. He began to search more.

  In class her teacher was going on about the werewolf revolution of the nineties. He spoke of a chaos that had broken out and how the wolves demanded to be seen once and for all. They had gotten all the rights of the rest of the American citizens and since the majority of them were of Native American descent they were given certain liberties as well when it came to their own packs and land.

  For the most part the wolves lived separate lives from the rest of the world though with changing times many were moving out of the packs and into the regular society, which lead to issues regarding education and even marriage with other species because they weren’t quite human. They were all to be registered as well since according to the military they were all technically walking weapons. The government took this seriously and if anyone was found to not follow the rules set forth then imprisonment or worse would happen.

  There was entire wolf culture in mainstream America, people flocked to it more than they would any other culture. Laws of interspecies mingling were still outlawed though it went through the congress a few times. Wolves and American’s alike wanted to be able to choose for themselves who they could love. Civil rights activist were popping up everywhere and peaceful demonstrations took place all over the world though some did turn violent but nothing as violent as the nineties.

  Then there was the one who had started this whole new world order. The underground called her Red because of the red on her wolf hair. She had been the first to publicly break free from the chains that were placed on the wolf society. No one knows what happened to her, but some say she died, others say she lived under ground. The fact of the matter was that her voice is the one that was heard and living or not, she had a following like none other. There were no actual pictures of Red though some claim that they see her walking around and observing the world, her world.

  The teacher put up various drawings and sightings of Red. The Government had a huge bounty on her head, and they claim it was just to question though some threw around the term terrorist. The pictures depicted a wild looking woman with long red hair, she looked like something out of a horror story. The teacher flipped through each picture, all different interpretations of what she looked like depending on the country. She was a goddess in her own right but dangerous if she was indeed still alive.

  The teacher turned off the power point and spoke. “So, what can we learn here from what has taken place?”

  One of the guys in the back by the name of Simon raised his hand. “That the age-old story is true about red heads, they are crazy and hot!” He said as a couple of his friends cheered him on.

  “And that is the kind of thinking that I expect from a preschooler.” The teacher said dryly and then he stood in front of Briana. “What did you learn from those clips?” He asked her.

  “That all you need is an idea and you can create mass hysteria and that is more dangerous than any girl ever was.” Briana said, and he smiled now.

  “That is correct people, Mass Hysteria is what is really dangerous here otherwise every red head would be chased down like a witch hunt. Remember this, one idea can change the way the world thinks.” He said as the bell went off and everyone began to get up as Briana got her books. She saw Chris standing by her door and she smiled as she walked over to him.

  “Want to do lunch?” He asked, and she smiled.

  “Sure.” She said as they began to walk. He led them to the school cafeteria, and she said a bit in shock. “Oh, school lunch, yum.” She laughed some.

  “Sorry I have class in thirty minutes.” He said as they walked down the cafeteria line. “I do hear they make a mean meatloaf.” He smirked.

  “I will probably never ever try that.” She laughed some as they both grabbed salads and sandwiches. He paid for her lunch as they walked to one of the vacant tables and sat down. “Could you get in trouble for having lunch with a student.” She smirked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

  “I won’t tell if you won’t tell.” He grinned.

  “We’ll see how lunch goes first.” She smiled as images passed through her mind of him. It was at a roller-skating rink. He was holding her hand, but he looked so much younger. His talking snapped her out of her thoughts.

  “And so, then one day maybe I will have a gallery.” He smiled, and she forced a smile. She barely heard anything he had said.

  “Did we know each other in high school?” She couldn’t help but ask. She could barely remember her childhood; she could remember Eve but that was it.

  “Oh, the awkward high school years.” He seemed embarrassed as he shook his head. “You really don’t remember?”

  “No, it’s like I remember some things and then not others.” She shook her head.

  “Well I wish I could forget my high school years.” He smirked.” But it’s all still there and yes we knew each other but no we never dated but not for a lack of trying on my part.” He smirked, and his cheeks flushed. “I suppose I’m always going to be that awkward guy.” He shook his head.

  “You’re not awkward at all. I’m sure you have girls throwing themselves at you now.” She smirked.

  “Oh because of the whole teacher gig? Sadly, no but I do have my house egged every Halloween and someone did toilet paper my yard one year.” He smirked.

  Briana couldn’t help but laugh some as she looked at him. “That’s tragic.” She laughed a little. She liked him, he was funny, smart and definitely easy on the eyes.

  They ate lunch and joked about growing up and Briana liked his company. He made her seem like this unreachable girl in high school, but she remembered none of that. Just bits and pieces of things. Sometimes it felt like she had someone else’s memories. As they finished off lunch, he had reminded her that he still did want that beer with her. They agreed on later that evening when she would be at work.

  As she made her way outside of the school, she began the walk back to the bar. Today the weather was beautiful, and she smiled as she made her way across town.

  John had searched everywhere for Clara and it seemed as though she had dropped off the face of the earth. All he got was dead end after dead end. It was frustrating and aggr
avating to say the least. He shoved his chair back as he stared up at the ceiling. He needed to see her again to make certain.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Briana helped Charles to open up the bar. It was already looking to be a busy night as more and more people showed up. She liked to stay busy, it made her nights go by faster and it left little time to think about weird things that floated in her mind. She looked forward to seeing Chris, but her mind was also on those green eyes and the way her stomach did summersaults when she thought of him. The guy was clearly out of her league and she knew this. It was almost laughable how she was standing there thinking of him when he could have anyone in the world he wanted.

  John watched from outside the bar she worked in. He stood out there almost too afraid to go inside. It really looked like her and even sounded like her but there was something off. Something besides the age that didn’t seem right. He had known very little about the Briana he met in 1990. She had been so god damn secretive about things and now it was as if those secrets were haunting him. He researched this Briana and saw she was raised by her two parents, Victoria and Frank. She had lived in Sheppardsville her entire life and nothing really interesting had even happened except for a fire a few weeks back that nearly killed her. He had seen numerous pictures of her that he had obtained from social media. Her scent was the same as he remembered and yet he knew that it couldn’t possibly be the same person.

  He had looked up various things on the internet regarding doppelgangers and past lives. It all seemed so farfetched but then again so did she. Maybe she had been reborn, he didn’t know, and those god damn witches were in hiding. He wanted to hit something as he stood there but then he would see her laugh. He wanted nothing more than to rush in there and take her against the wall and lose himself inside of her warm depths. His body hardened almost instantly as he thought of her. She had fit perfect against him. He needed more time. The way she had looked up at him in that park was as if she knew him or somewhere deep inside there was a recollection of memories lost. He had hid like the coward he truly was. It had caught him so off guard that he wasn’t even sure if it was entirely real. He hallucinated about her before, so it wouldn’t be so far off. So now he watched her as she smiled and made drinks. He hated the way most men looked at her in there. He could see the lust in their eyes, and it made him want to tear them apart.

  There was one guy up there though, one guy who hadn’t moved from his spot as he smiled and laughed at her jokes. Who was he? He turned and had to calm his wolf from running in there and massacring everyone but her. Most days he didn’t have a good hold on his wolf, and he knew that he couldn’t lose control now, not when he was so close to figuring things out. He turned and walked away. He needed more information; he needed a second opinion. He used his phone to snap a picture of her and then he left.

  Briana was intrigued by Chris. He really had himself together for a kid right out of college and working as a professor. It was impressive not to mention his artwork was stuff that should be on gallery walls.

  She flipped through the numerous paintings on his phone. “Explain to me why you don’t have your own art gallery?”

  “Circumstances, timing, all of the above.” He smirked as he finished his beer. “You know how sometimes people say that all around us that there are alternate lives going on that could be the complete opposite of what we are living right now?” He said, and she smiled big.

  “I have no idea what that means.” She laughed.

  “Ok so picture this, there is a quantum theory that physicists believe that there is always a parallel universe happening at all times. So maybe in this universe I am a poorly paid art professor but, in another universe. I am a world renown artist with my own gallery to boot. So, if you think of it that way then I suppose somewhere out there in the vast universe I have a gallery.” He grinned.

  “You lost me after picture this.” She laughed and so did he. “You are like super smart; I can see why you are a professor.”

  “I’m boring you.” He shook his head.

  “No, I think it’s interesting about the parallel universe thing. It would make a lot of sense; I wonder what my other self is doing right now.” She smirked.

  “She is probably planning on world domination.’ He smirked.

  “I like that, maybe she is.” She got him another beer, but he shook his head as he stood up.

  “As much as I would love to spend countless hours with you here. I do have class in the morning, so two beer limit.” He smiled at her.

  “Ok I won’t let it go to waste.” She took a sip of it. “Good night Chris.”

  “Good night Briana.” He turned from her and then spun back around. “Maybe one night on a weekend or something we could do dinner?”

  “That sounds great.” She said honestly. She really did like him. He made her forget how strange she felt in her own skin.

  It ended up being a busy night as Briana cleaned up the place. Charles had left early because he wasn’t feeling well, and she didn’t mind cleaning up afterwards. It was actually nice to unwind this way. She put music on, and she danced with a mop in her hand.

  The sound of the bell dinging made her turn as she spoke. “Sorry we’re closed.” She said as she looked at the tall thin man standing in the doorway. He looked odd. Very pale and thin. His skin almost looked porcelain and his eyes were a crazy blue that seemed to go through her. She cleared her throat as she stood there feeling something strange coursing through her body. “I’m sorry we are closed for the night.” She said again, and he just stared at her and then he grinned. That’s when she saw the fangs and she stumbled backwards.

  “You don’t remember me, do you?” He licked his lips as he ran his fingernails across the table, and they screeched.

  “I’m sorry I think you have the wrong person.” She began as she backed up and knocked into chairs as he smiled wider at her.

  “Oh, I don’t think so, Briana.” Her name rolled off his tongue almost exotically and she backed up more. How did he know her name? Images passed through her mind, ones that didn’t make sense and then she saw his face close to hers. She couldn’t breathe as she began to cough as memories and images flooded her mind. She grabbed at her neck and he smiled wider. “You do remember, how lucky of me to have found you.” He knocked a chair aside as she fell backwards, and she gasped. What was happening to her? “The second time around I won’t be making any mistakes.” He said as he lunged for her and she rolled out of his way. He slammed into the wall as she ran towards the front of the bar but then he was grabbing the back of her hair as she cried out. “Oh, not so fast sweetheart, we have unfinished business.” He spun her around as he opened his mouth more but then he spun his head towards the door as he looked at John standing there. He tossed her across the room as he took off out the back.

  Briana crashed into chairs as she finally could breathe again. The green-eyed man was there, and he was looking at her. Who was he? “Hey it’s ok.” John said as he picked her up and her head fell back as she passed out.

  John looked at her passed out form as he held her in his arms. If he had showed up even a second later then that blood sucking vampire would have drained her completely. He really didn’t like those bastards and he would have a talk with their elder to let them know what they were up to. He brushed a piece of her hair from her face as he looked down at her. Could she be one in the same? He would find out. The circumstances that even lead him back to this town were too coincidental. What were the chances? And tonight, he had an over whelming urge to check on her and to find her like that and with a vampire no less. He would get answers but first he had to make sure that the vampire was gone. He placed her onto one of the booths as she started to come around. He took off before her eyes opened and when they did, she found herself sitting at a table as she looked around in confusion.

  Briana touched her neck as she sat there. Had she been dreaming? She looked at the chairs that were skidded across the floor and she saw th
e broken mop. She glanced at the front door which was open, and she quickly ran to it and locked it. She then ran to the back door of the building and locked that too as she stood there. Was she going crazy? Too many images filled her head, but one was quite overwhelming even more so than the fangs. It was those green eyes again.

  Briana quickly picked up the chairs and ran to her apartment, she was thoroughly freaked out as she sat on her couch. What was happening to her? She sobbed softly as she sat there with her knees up to her chest.

  John followed the scent of the vampire until it got lost in the thick of the forest surrounding the town. There was something oddly familiar about that vampire though he couldn’t put his finger on it. Not that he hadn’t had his fair share of rogue vampires in the past. Hell, almost every other vampire was out for themselves. There was no unity or pack like family among vampires. No loyalty at all. He ran back to the bar where he still had her scent. In his wolf form he inhaled deep as he looked up and saw a light on. Did she live there? Above the bar? She was safe for now, that much he did know. He let out a howl before heading back to his place across town.

  Briana ran to the window when she heard the howl in the night. She looked around almost expecting to see a wolf, but she saw nothing. There was something so familiar about it. She rubbed her neck as she walked back over to the couch and sipped her tea. So, she had her first run in with a vampire though he spoke to her as if he knew her but that would be impossible unless it was another forgotten memory. He meant to do her harm. She felt her skin crawl as she thought of him.

  She felt scared and alone as she sat in the apartment. Part of her wanted to run back to the safety of her parents but she knew that if she did that then it would open all sort of issues. She was grown, and she had to deal with this like an adult even if the circumstances were clearly out of her league. She thought about what Eve Said about talking to a psychic witch, maybe she should. Maybe then she would get some answers because she was really starting to feel like she was going crazy.