by Tara Brown
Page 4
She rolled her eyes at them as they left the bathroom, "You guys are sick. "
She turned and washed her face with cool water, to try to calm her nerves. She looked up at her reflection, as the water beads dripped from her face. Her thick lashes held water droplets, making her light blue eye look sharp and outlined.
Suddenly in the background she saw others. They looked like her. They floated without color in the mirror around her. She tried to focus her eyes on the water droplets. She tried to ignore the fact six other girls were in the mirror with her.
She didn’t dry her face. She ran.
She ran from the bathroom and down the hall. She ran to the front doors and then all the way home. She was losing her mind. She was dreaming. Her body was really in her bed, the day hadn’t really happened. It was a dream.
She wheezed, running in her front door.
‘Don’t be scared of us. ’
The voice was outside of her head. She screamed and ran up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door and dove into her bed. She pulled the covers up and kicked her shoes off the side of the bed. She lay there shaking.
She closed her eyes.
She fell asleep curled in a ball.
Chapter Four
Sam
He tried not to judge the wolf eating the deer, even if it was a baby. His mother’s people were kind vegans. They despised the injury of any being, especially baby animals. He couldn’t help his upbringing anymore than Lucas could help his animal urges. The Siren's had shunned his mother when he was a tiny baby. He had been raised with the Wiccan's on an island in British Columbia until he let himself get captured by the American government. His mother had always believed in Wicca and the way of life they chose.
He looked at Luke and wondered if they would find the trail again. They had lost it outside of a town called Portsmouth, on the border of New Hampshire and Maine.
Lucas walked down to the river they sat on the banks of and phased back. He stood naked on the riverbank and dove in. The blood rose to the surface of the water, as it washed from him. Sam wrinkled his nose at him, as he surfaced and beamed, “Now that was a meal. I left some meat on the bones for you. ”
Sam tried not to heave, “Yeah that’s not going to happen. You’ve had your muzzle over every inch of that poor creature. ”
Lucas rolled his eyes, “Pass my clothes Nancy. ”
Sam, half tempted to toss them in to the river, passed them to the edge of the water.
Lucas dressed quickly, “My family is from a small town from just up state. I’ve lost the trail but they will know if they’ve had a rogue wolf in their territory. ”
Sam nodded, “Okay. ” He looked at his phone, still no word from Hanna. He pressed his lips together.
“Want to go to her?”
He looked up at the grin on Lucas’s face, “No. I just want her to tell me she’s okay. It’s easy for you, Aimee and Ari like each other. They both hate Hanna. ”
Lucas shrugged, “They don’t hate her, they dislike her. All supernatural girls dislike Hanna. Competition. ” He winked at Sam.
Sam growled, “She isn’t competition. ”
Lucas laughed mockingly, “I know I know. You’ve convinced her to love only you, that doesn’t change the fact she’s a hot mess dude. ”
Sam squared his shoulders at him, but Lucas stepped back with his hands up, “Whoa dude, I get it. I smelled it on her when I met her. Anyone who meets Hanna will agree she's a sweet girl. She’s also the scariest monster I’ve ever met, including Lorri. ”
“Not making me feel better. ”
Lucas laughed again, “Nothing you can do. Nothing she can do. Dude Aimee isn’t going to let anything happen to her. Neither will Ari. We both know Dorian won’t. ”
“Okay, stop trying to make me feel better. Jesus. ”
Lucas pointed, “It’s this way. Want to flash us maybe fifty miles at a time?”
He put his wrist out for Sam to take. Sam thought for a brief second about leaving him to walk, but placed his hand over his wrist in the last second.
xxxx
When Lucas had said his family lived in a small area in Maine, Sam had not expected what he found. Lucas’s uncles had a massive hunting retreat with expansive grounds where wolves walked freely. The lodges were mansions, only made to look like log homes. Western Canadian Fir and Cedar made up the huge houses and many decks. The lawns were less than what one would expect surrounding such homes, but it made sense. Werewolves wouldn’t care about how the grass looked when they were eating a carcass on it.
Regardless of the fact he was able to leave instantly, he couldn’t help but feel nervous and out of place. He was the one that wasn’t like the others. A tall stunning woman walked past him smiling seductively.
Lucas moaned, “Keep it in your pants Sammy. ”
Sam punched him in the arm.
“Lucas!” A voice called out from a crowd.
Sam watched Lucas bound up to a huge beast of a man. The man had dark red hair and dark amber eyes. He wrapped his huge arms around Lucas.
They hugged and talked briefly but as others began to notice the commotion, a group of people converged upon Lucas. Hugs and laughter filled the circle surrounding him. Sam lost Lucas in the crowd. He felt like twiddling his thumbs, as he waited for the reunion to end. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to Hanna.
‘where r u?’
He put the phone back, not certain he wanted the answer.
“Luke, is that for me?”
Sam looked up at a sexy young woman with silky blonde hair pointing at him. She wore the shortest shorts he had ever seen, revealing long tanned muscled legs. She wore flip-flops and a tiny white tank top. The weather was nowhere near warm enough for her outfit. Sam gulped. She watched him like he was the fawn Lucas had just eaten.
Lucas reappeared from the crowd, “This is Sam. He’s different. He’s not a snack Janine. He’s half Siren. ”
Sam felt ashamed as he watched the faces of the people around him change. Their eyes widened, their mouths tightened and theirs stares became hardened. The Fae had long known sirens as trouble. They were like the Fae's naughty cousin that no one wanted around.
“He’s a Rose?” The blonde asked indignantly.
Sam lifted his hand revealing the gleaming platinum ring.
She gasped, “That’s so wrong. ”
Sam looked at Lucas who laughed, “He’s with another Siren. He isn’t single. He’s met his mate calm down. ”
Sam frowned and whispered, “TMI dude. What the hell?”
Lucas laughed harder, “We have no secrets man. The pack shares everything. ” He raised an eyebrow at Sam.
“Keep my details to yourself. I’m not part of the pack. ” He felt his anger rising.
Lucas shrugged, “You’re part of my pack. ”
Sam’s anger was deflated. He lowered his gaze and nodded, “It’s nice to meet you all. ” He muttered knowing they would all be able to hear him.
Lucas turned back to the growing group of people, “I have terrible news. ” Sam watched as Lucas’s lower lip trembled, “Ben was taken to the great mother. ”
Sam’s heart hurt all over again, as everyone in the group began to react to the news and howling filled the air.
Chapter Five
Ophelia
“O some dude has a package for you and he won’t give it to any of us. He’s British and snotty and mean. You have to sign it. Oh and Jake is here for you. ”
She groaned and rolled over. She felt her sister’s fingers on her arm, “O Jake is here for you and an asinine British wanker. ”
She opened her eyes, ready to scream but her sister’s smiling face filled her blurry vision.
“Wha…?”
She laughed, “You fell asleep after school. Are you feeling okay?” She ran a hand over her forehead.
<
br /> She sat up wiping away the drool, “Yeah. I’m fine. Just sleepy. Whose here?”
Her sister laughed, “Jake. British wanker. ”
“It wasn’t just a nightmare. Great. ”
“What?”
Ophelia shook her head, “Nothing. Tell him I’ll be down in, like two minutes. ” She rubbed her eyes, feeling the room spin slightly.
Her sister got up and left the room, “You’re acting weird. ”
“Yeah I know. Uh Abbs did mom and dad say anything about the principal?”
“Yeah mom told him if no one saw you move then it was pretty hard to prove you did it. Whatevs dude let's go. ”
She got up and glanced at her mirror. She turned away from it quickly before the faces came back. She pulled her clothes off and pulled on her bathing suit. She threw on a pale yellow skirt and a white terry towel hoodie with three quarter sleeves. She grabbed a towel from the bathroom and slipped her flip-flops on. She walked down the stairs feeling anxious and frightened.
“You are an incredible player son. I just adore watching the games this year. ” She knit her brow at her dad as she walked around the corner.
“O package for you at the front door. ” He pointed at the door and went back to bromancing Jake.
She turned and inhaled sharply when she saw the face of the man at the door. He sneered until he saw her. Then his black eyes lit up.
“Hello love. ”
She smiled and walked toward him, “Hi. ” She wanted to touch him. She reached a hand out.
He laughed, “Easy love. Ophelia I need you to sign here for this package. It’s a special delivery. ” She stepped outside on the porch where he waited.
She nodded and took the pen. It stabbed into her fingers as she grabbed it. She winced but his eyes were mesmerizing. He took the pen back. She wasn’t certain she had signed or not. She took the small box, but never took her eyes from his face.
He leaned in, “You’re in danger. I need you to come with me. ”
She nodded, “I want to. ”
He laughed, “Ophelia I need you to hear me, they are coming for you. ” His dark eyes were menacing. Ophelia felt uneasiness overwhelm her. She stepped back in to the house. He took a step forward but didn’t enter the house after her.
