MoonNight (8 page)

 
 
 
Rifle whooped like a little kid joining me.
 
I arched my arms wide swimming with great speed beating him by about five seconds.

 
 
 
“You win,” he plopped down next to me shaking water
out of
his long hair that’s usually greased up.

 
 
 
“What can I
say;
I told you I would beat you.”

 
 
 
“Hey we’re like cats we don’t like water.” He paused.
 
“Or werewolves.”

 
 
 
“Why don’t you guys like werewolves?” I wondered.

 
 
 
“I don’t know it dates back thousands of years.
 
Sometime I wish I was human again just to grow up normal, to have children, without having to give them an eternity of what I am.
 
I mean look at sweet Lea she will never stop being bloodthirsty.” He paused seeing that I didn’t have anything to say and continued.
 
“Just being with you is like putting a five year old in a room with nothing but a chocolate bar.
 
It’s hard enough for me to act
modest
for you.
 
I come closer to you but
every time
I do I have to distance myself for that
werewolf
.” He said werewolf as if it were a bad word.
 
“And it makes me mad.
 
He doesn’t realize he should just let you walk away.
 
He’s a monster.
 
And-“
 
 
 
“And that’s where you’re wrong.” I said.
 
“I chose Carson and he chose me.
 
And that is
something
you
cannot
change.” I got up and grabbed my stuff.

 
 
 
“Leslie-wait!”

 
 
 
“I don’t need a boyfriend adviser!” I called over my shoulder heading in to the house.

 
 
 
Inside the glass doors Heather placed one of her cool hands on my shoulder.

 
 
 
“He’s just having a hard time, we all are.” She said soothingly.

 
 
 
“I’m sorry,” I turned my head to hide my tears.

 
 
 
“Don’t be honey it’s not your fault.”

 
 
 
“It is,” I said.
 
And I really knew it was.
 
If I had just let it all go, back off like Carson stressed in the beginning.
 
He’s
coming to visit me the day after tomorrow.
 
Right now I was eating wondering why they even had a kitchen.
 
So far every meal has been spaghetti.
 
The
Ricolis
have, thank god, given up watching me eat.
 
I still don’t know when they eat but they have stressed for my sake there diet was strictly animals.
 
 
 
The ringing of the phone brought me back to reality.
 
Jason went and picked up the phone.

 
 
 
“Jason Ricoli, may I help you?”

 
 
 
Silence then-

 
 
 
“Yes just one moment please.” He turned to me and mouthed,
it’s for you
.

 
 
 
I picked up the phone and an unfamiliar voice asked, “This is Leslie Woods?”

 
 
 
“Yes,” I replied.

 
 
 
“Take the phone and go somewhere private.”

 
 
 
“No.”

 
 
 
“Wrong choice, I have your friends
darling
’.
 
Take the phone somewhere private.”

 
 
 
So my only choice was to so it.

 
 
 
“Are you there?” he asked.

 
 
 
“Y-yes,” I stuttered.

 
 
 
“My name is Damen and I am a werewolf protector.
 
And you are a human who…”
 
I had been found.
 
I had been tricked.
 
One word was racing through my mind.
 
Carson.
 
Carson.
 
Carson I need you!
 
“If you don’t come to me I will personally hunt down every single
acquaintance
or family member you have ever laid eyes on and
kill
them.
 
Then I can move to that boyfriend Charles-“
 
 
 
“Carson-
“ I
corrected.

 
 
 
“Yes, yes,” he drawled.
 
“So will you come to me?”

 
 
 
“I will come to you, just don’t hurt anyone.”
 
My voice was hoarse, caught between the
lump
in my throat.

 
 
 
“Humans are so
willing
,” Damen snickered.

 
 
 
“Where do I go?” I asked in a stern voice.

 
 
 
“To the end of the street.
 
I’ll be waiting
.” I heard the click of the phone so I ended my call too.

 
 
 
When was I supposed to go?
 
All I knew was soon.
 
At this point my life meant little to me.
 
It was everyone who had entered my life who mattered.

 
 
 
I ran back inside dropping the phone in the
receiver
, then went in my room and changed in to some loose fitting clothes.
 
I opened my door and slammed in to Rifle.

 
 
 
“Oh sorry,” I backed away.

 
 
 
“What are you up to?”

 
 
 
I pondered.
 
“Just going for a walk down the street.”

 
 
 
“Maybe I should accompany you… for your protection.”
 
 
 
“No,” I pushed past him and went downstairs.
 
I felt bad for having to do this to him.
 
But if I didn’t it could be worse.
 
So I called back over my shoulder, “Maybe we could swim later though.”
 
Even though I knew that was never going to happen.
 
I was lying to everybody, including Carson.
 
Carson.
 
I was supposed to see him tomorrow.
 
If I even came back.

 
 
 
“Hi Leslie,” Lea said walking past me.

 
 
 
But I couldn’t look at her.
 
Much less greet her back.

 
 
 
Heather was talking to Jason in a hushed voice on the first floor lounge when I made it downstairs.

 
 
 
“Hey Heather,” I said.
 
“I’m going on a walk to the end of the street.
 
I need fresh air that’s all.”

 
 
 
The two of them looked at
each other
questioningly then she said, “Just be back before dinner.”

 
 
 
“I will,” that was a total lie.
 
I just needed to hurry before my guilty
conscious
got too overwhelming.

                                       
Chapter 5

I walked in to the heat of a Dallas Texas summer. As soon as the house was out of sight I broke in to a jog, and then a run
, knowing
that everyone’s lives rested solely upon my shoulders.
 
I made it, finally, to the end of the street and found no cars.
 
I needed this Damen guy to come fast.
 
Before the Ricolis did.
 
I sat on the curb and buried my face in my hand
s.
 
It was strange, me being th
e
only human in this catastrophe.
 
And Carson, Carson, it was painful knowing he would die for me but here I am getting myself killed for him.
 
 
 
 
An engine revved sounded close to me coming to a stop.
 
Damen stepped out sliding his glasses off. Revealing his bright green eyes of a werewolf.
 
His tattoo was circular with a frightening wolves face.
 
The sign of a werewolf protector.
 
Of someone who was hell-bent on killing me.
 
His dread locks masked half of his face showing no emotion.

 
 
 
“Leslie Woods,” he growled.
 
“Get in to the car.”

 
 
 
And I did.
 
Out of fear.
 
Fighting would be a lost cause in this case.
 
He was a werewolf with muscles threatening to tear his clothes apart at any moment now.

 
 
 
We got in to some pretty urban land.
 
I had underestimated Damen, he had thought of everything.
 
A lump caught in my throat.
 
Better me then them, I thought.
 

 
 
 
The car wasn’t even driving on a road now.
 
Instead a grassy field with the occasional grazing cow.

 
 
 
But don’t even start to picture a sunny picture because it was raining and huge claps of thunder rolled across the sky.
 
A burst of lightning flashed across the sky illuminating a barn.
 
And I knew that was the
werewolves’
destination.
 

 
 
 
I opened the car door getting out before I got slammed back against it face first.
 
Damens iron grip held me there hopelessly as my wrists were tied together.
 
 
 
 
The werewolf shoved me in to the
entrance
.

 
 
 
“Leslie!” a muffled voice cried out.

 
 
 
I look to see Rosa and Laura struggling hopelessly, tied up against the wall.
 

 
 
 
“I told you later Woods,” I heard the cold voice of Tarun drawl.
 
I saw her bulky shape walk over to Damen as they wrapped
their
arms around
each other’s
waist.
 
What the hell, I thought.
 
Tarun barely passed for twenty and Damen at
least
thirty-five.
 
But god knows how old they are what with all the immortality stuff.