“I’m not getting out of this car until you tell me what is going on. You have been acting really weird today, and it is starting to freak me out,” I almost yelled as I turned and forced him to face me.
Sighing, he ran his hands through his dark hair before finally looking my way. “Asher. We need to talk about Asher.”
“What about Asher?” I asked, as my stomach dropped.
Glancing around, he acted as though he were waiting for someone to show up. “Elle, Asher agreed earlier today to try to meet with Huntress and the army on his own.”
His words cut through me like a knife and I looked down at myself prepared to see blood. Instead, all I saw were tears forming in my eyes. “What are you talking about? Why would he do that without talking with me first?” I almost screamed.
“He knew you wouldn’t approve. He was in agreement at first about using your new power to possibly track the Huntress, but then he decided against it. I can’t say I blame him. You are my daughter and the thought of placing you in harm’s way and taking advantage of your gift is…” he shook his heads as he fought to not get upset.
“Dad, it’s ok,” I said, as I reached out and patted his arm. “I know that I am different, more so than we originally thought. If I hold a gift that can end this war with the Hunters, then I will do it,” I stated firmly.
My body might be freaking out on the inside, but I wanted to show a strong front for my dad.
“No, Elle. As much as I want to learn about your new powers and gift, it can’t be like this. Besides, Asher and his family were once Hunters. If anyone can get into their minds and truly understand them, it will be him,” my dad finished, as he looked at me with sorrow in his eyes.
We both knew that sending Asher and his family to meet the Hunters could be sending them to their own death march. Yes, they had once been Hunters, but they fled from that life and in return they were captured and turned into Vampires. The people they had once belonged to had lured them into a vicious trap that ended their lives and made them the Hunters prey—and now the prey of the Vampires they escaped from, too. Asher and his family had run from two different groups of monsters and now he was willingly walking back into their layers. I couldn’t let him do this.
Placing my hand back onto the door handle, I opened the door and felt a cold rush of arctic air smack me in the face. “I will handle Asher. No one I love will sacrifice themselves. Not this time,” I stated, before stepping out into the snow and closing the door.
I rushed into the coffee shop and refused to look back. I didn't’ need to see my dad’s face to know he was conflicted beyond belief. I also didn't need for him to see that I, too, felt like my world was caving in, again.
Chapter 12
Dead. That was the only way to describe the coffee shop tonight. With the snow storm, most people decided to either stay indoors or go sledding and ice-skating on the frozen pond in town.
The thought of joining my friends in only a few days to ice-skate, brought a temporary smile on my face. I needed normalcy and I would get it anyway I could. For now, though, I was stuck inside the empty coffee shop waiting on Asher to arrive.
The small television set that was mounted above the long counter space was blaring an old sitcom show. As laughter filled the air, I heard the chime of the bell alerting me to a new customer. Hoping it was Asher, I was sadly mistaken when a couple walked through the door. Well, let me be clear. This wasn’t just any couple. This was Aiken and Britley- a pair of know-it-all-jerks who acted like they owned the town. Aiken’s brother was a nice guy who coached baseball and softball leagues. When I was ten, I had played on his softball team with his two sons. While Allan, his older brother was a family man who was loved and admired in town, Aiken was known to be cruel and mean. His wife wasn’t much better either. Rumors had begun to spread when their relationship had first begun. She had been married to a local tire store owner and had started dating Aiken secretly until her husband discovered the affair. Now, the pair are married and continuing their ‘secret’ dating lives oblivious to the fact that everyone around them knows this and detests them and their entitled, cowardly ways.
“Hey, you. Can we get two coffees?” Aiken yelled, as he sat down at one of the small tables.
His wife, Britley, just gave me a nasty look as she pulled out her phone and began to scroll through her social media.
Grabbing the pot of coffee, I poured two mugs and walked them over to their table. I knew better than to bring them the bill just yet. The last time I did, they scolded me for ten minutes about how I was stupid and should know that they might want to order something else before bringing them the bill. They never ordered anything more than coffee.
As I placed the cups down, Aiken eyed me carefully. “Didn’t I see you running the other day? By the pond,” he said.
I couldn’t help but stare at the patch of balding hair in his ever-receding hairline.
“Maybe. I run a lot,” I stated, in my best, fake-sweet tone.
“Well, it’s not smart to run in this frigid temperature. You know, I once studied to become a personal trainer, and the cold air can actually hurt your lungs and make it more difficult to complete your workout,” he bragged.
I just nodded and glanced down at his now protruding belly. “Thanks, I will take that advice into consideration,” I stated, before turning and rolling my eyes as I walked back to the safety of the counter.
My back was still turned to the door and the couple when I heard the chime of the bell again. As I turned to greet my next customer, everything paused.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted red. Not just red, but fire red. As I turned completely around, I found myself facing the Huntress, the wild, red-haired woman I had seen now twice. It was clear, she was hunting me. Stalking me like prey.
Our eyes met, and I couldn’t help but notice hers were black and cold. She slowly sauntered up to the counter and sat down on a stool in front of me. A devilish sneer formed on her face and I felt myself cringe. She was like looking at the Wicked Witch and Cruella Deville at the same time.
“Hello, Elle,” she almost purred as she spoke.
“Hello, Huntress,” I replied as I stood still, almost afraid to move.
She began to tap her long, nails on the counter and the sound made me want to vomit. “You are a very difficult girl to find,” she said, with a cold smile.
Trying to mock her grin, I leaned a little closer to her. “And why would you be trying to find me?” I questioned.
I quickly diverted my eyes to Aiken and Britley who were lost in their own worlds and had no clue that a Werewolf Shifter and the Huntress to an army were about to go head-to-head in battle.
“Oh, pretty girl. Don’t play dumb with me. I know who and what you are,” she said, as if I disgusted her. She scrunched her nose as she took me in. “My father and our people have been after your Shifters for hundreds of years. You all think you won the war last fall, but you only started the battle. I know all about your pack of wild dogs and the blood-sucker you call a boyfriend. Once I am through here, there will be no Shifters or Vampires left,” she stated, in a death whisper.
My body wanted and needed to react. I could feel myself fighting to contain my anger, so I didn’t shift right here in the coffee shop. “That is where you are wrong,” I began, as I leaned in closer to her. “Shifters and Vampires have been around far longer than you have and will continue to be around long after you are gone. There are things about us you don’t know-- but I promise you will run away from here and never return when you discover what I am hiding,” I said, through clenched teeth.
I wanted to scream and attack this woman, but I couldn’t. Not in front of other humans.
Coming closer so that there was barely an inch between us, the Huntress glared at me. “Elle, my sweet, stupid girl. Warn your mutts that when you least expect it, I will avenge the other Hunters.”
She stood without warning and began to walk out the door. I watched her wa
lk with a fiery rage building inside of me. Just as she reached the door, Asher turned the corner and went to place his hand on the door to open it. Without hesitation, his eyes grew wide and a snarl could be heard coming from him even from inside the shop.
I placed my hands on the counter, bracing myself to fight, if needed. Asher looked like he wanted to kill this woman, and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to stop him. I now knew the speed and agility he possessed along with the fact that one bite from his razor-sharp fangs could end her life in an instant.
“Oh look, we have company,” she said in a fake, cheerful tone.
Opening the door wider, the Huntress motioned for Asher to enter. Passing by him, I noticed she paused briefly to whisper something into his ear. I could see his body tense and his fists tighten at his sides.
Please, don’t attack with customers watching, I silently pleaded to myself.
The Huntress left and as she made her way out into the snow filled night, Asher ran to me at lightning speed. If Aiken and Britley had been aware of the world around them, they would have noticed his in-human speed.
“Elle are you alright?” Asher asked, as he quickly pulled me into his arms.
Tears that I hadn’t even known were falling, suddenly dampened his shoulder. “She came in here, she knows about all of us,” I cry-whispered to him.
“How?” Asher asked, as he continued to hold me in his arms.
“She has been tracking us for a while. She said that she is here to avenge the other Hunters. She won’t stop until we are all dead,” I started, shaking as I remembered her horrifying words.
Hugging me tighter, Asher tried to soothe me, but I could feel his own body shaking with anger. “We will stop her before she can even devise a plan,” he growled into my ear.
Pulling myself out of his embrace, I looked up at Asher as I remembered my father’s words from earlier. “Together, we will all stop her. Not you alone or your family,” I stated.
Closing his eyes briefly, Asher exhaled a long breath. “Your dad told you, didn’t he?”
“Yes, and I’m glad he did. I refuse to let you place yourself in that type of danger,” I argued.
“And I refuse to let you put yourself in danger either. I can use my connection to the Hunters,” Asher stated. I could see the pain in his eyes as he thought about the fact that he had once been tied to those evil people. I felt sympathy for him at that moment.
“We will figure this out, together,” I said, as I fell back into his arms again.
We stood hugging as we tried to calm one another.
“Hey, that is not very professional,” I heard Aiken yell from his table.
Sighing, I removed myself from Asher’s arms and looked over at the table.
“I’m sorry, I was upset,” I said, trying to apologize before Aiken called my boss.
“Well you should be, that was very inappropriate,” Britley chimed in.
I don’t remember asking her for her opinion, or his either, but I guess they were interested in telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing.
Glancing at me, Asher calmly strode over to the table where Aiken and Britley were still seated. I heard a click and a low growl before Aiken and Britley jumped from their table and ran out the door. But, not before Asher grabbed Aiken’s arm reminding him of his payment.
“You owe for your coffee,” Asher stated, in a terrifyingly calm voice.
“Ssss, sorry,” Aiken stuttered, as he threw down a twenty-dollar-bill and then rushed out the door, not even waiting for Britley who had stumbled over her chair as she tried to gather her purse.
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the scene before me. “What was that about?” I questioned as Asher turned back to face me.
“I just wanted Aiken to know how rude he was being to you,” he stated.
“And how did you do that?” I asked, as I placed my still shaking hands on my hips.
“With these,” Asher stated, as he displayed his pearl-white fangs.
I had never seen his fangs before and the sight both shocked and intrigued me. “Wow, they are...beautiful,” I said.
“No, they are killers,” Asher said, as he calmed, and the fangs slowly retracted into his mouth.
Everything about Asher fascinated me and I knew that one day, I would get to spend forever learning everything there was to know about him.
Chapter 13
“You know you have to tell your dad what happened?” Asher said, as we pulled into my driveway.
“About your scaring Aiken and his bimbo wife?” I asked, trying to divert the conversation from what we really should be talking about.
Shaking his head now, Asher sighed. “Elle, she terrified you. We have to take this seriously. You can’t hold back from us, not this time,” he stated firmly.
I sighed, knowing he was right. The driveway and yard were full of cars from other pack members. I knew that once I entered the house, our war with the Hunters and the Huntress would officially begin. Not only did I have to disclose the Huntress threatening me tonight, but my dad had to share with me the plans that were being made about me and my gift.
What I feared most of all in that moment was telling Maddox. I could feel him close by, probably already inside my house. As soon as he discovered I was in harm’s way and hadn’t contacted him, he would become very angry with me; and I wasn’t in the mood to fight with him right now.
“Asher, I know I have to confront this with my pact and you, but I just don’t know what to do anymore,” I admitted.
Holding my hand, Asher smiled at me. “That is why you have me and your pact. You don’t have to face this alone. We are all here. This is something we will all tackle together,” he stated.
Nodding, I opened the car door and with Asher quickly making his way to me, we walked into my house hand-in-hand.
As we opened the front door, loud sounds of conversations filled the air. I could also smell the sweet aroma of a cherry and apple pie floating toward me. Of course, my mom would bake at a time like this. I guess people needed to eat.
“The Huntress was spotted in town earlier this evening,” Maddox yelled, as he rushed toward me.
Asher let go of my hand as Maddox swept me into his arms and checked me over. “I wanted to come to the coffee shop, but the pack wouldn’t let me. They needed me to go over some tactics and ideas. I am so sorry Elle; did you see her?” Maddox asked, as every head in the room turned to stare at me.
Great, I am now the center of attention.
“Yes, I saw the Huntress,” I stated, as Maddox slowly placed my feet back onto the floor below.
“What?” my dad asked, as he moved loudly through the room.
“Why didn’t you call us?” my mom cried out as she ran in from the kitchen.
“You were in danger and didn’t call me?” Maddox snapped, as he glared at me and then Asher.
I couldn’t take their questions being thrown at me like bullets. It was all becoming too much.
“Stop!” I screamed, as I threw my hands up in the air.
As if on cue, everyone stopped talking and moving about and the commotion ceased. “I have information to tell you all, but you have to let me talk first. No questions until I am done,” I ordered, as I looked at every face in the room.
“Go ahead,” my dad prompted, as he slowly sat down in his recliner chair. Pain and anger smeared his face, and I knew this was difficult for him to sit and listen instead of barking orders and taking charge.
“Thank you. During my shift this evening, the Huntress came into the shop. She knows about me. About all of us. She has been tracking us for a while now and has set out to avenge the death and hurt of the Hunters from last fall. She also knows about the Vampires too,” I said, as I looked at Asher who was still firmly standing next to me. “She threatened me,” I began, but I was unable to finish because, once again, commotion stirred in the air.
Maddox began to growl next to me as his body tensed, and I could
see my dad too fighting the urge to shift and race out of here to tear the Huntress apart, limb-from-limb.
Greg, one of my dad’s pack members and leaders of the southern part of the state, stepped up. “Elle, we have to move quickly now. If the Huntress has been tracking you, then she has also been tracking the rest of us. We need to create a plan tonight,” he finished, as he turned to my dad for approval.
“Wait, if she knows about the Shifters and Vampires, has she been in contact with the council or the witches?” Asher’s dad asked.
I could see a fear of apprehension come over his face as he talked. Knowing that Asher and his family had escaped the life of other Vampires put him at risk too.
“I don’t know,” I answered since everyone else was clearly puzzled. “But, I agree with Greg. A plan needs to be made. Let me help. I heard about Asher’s idea of going to the army himself and trying to reason with them, but that won’t work. If anything, that may upset them more to learn that Asher chose a life as a Vampire over being a Hunter,” I said, hoping logic would outweigh the angry emotions everyone was relying on.
Watching all of us, my dad stepped up. “I am glad that we can all agree on this,” he said as he offered Asher a slight smile. “With all of us joining together, the army will have no choice but to dismantle itself. The Vampire Council will arrive sometime tomorrow, I assume. Once we make the phone call, it should be only mere hours before they arrive. Once they do, we need to beckon the Witches and together, we must show a united front that we are no longer going to run and hide from the Hunters,” he stated.
I felt as though I was watching the scene before me through a television. This wasn’t real life, was it? I was listening to a conversation about creatures like myself who were planning to overthrow a group of Hunters. If this wasn’t the Twilight Zone, then I was sure I lived a crazy life.
“Wait, you can’t contact the council, they will find out about us. What we did was treason. We left without permission,” Asher stated, as he looked to his parents.
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