Unbound (44 page)

“Yes, indeed.” Isaac slowly turned toward the couch. Before he sat down, he looked back at Ethan with a half smile. “My dear boy, hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not safe to shower while there’s lightening outside?” I felt my face turn instantly red and Isaac burst into laughter. David and Julia chuckled and Sam sulked even more. I sank down on the couch next to Ethan. I wished I could sink down past the cushions and hide.

“It was worth the risk,” Ethan said, laughing along with them.
 
If it was possible, my cheeks flushed even more. David was the only one left standing.

“Ok, business first,” he said as he walked to the center of the room. The heat of my embarrassment wore off and I shivered again. I tucked my legs up under me and leaned on Ethan, who wrapped his arms around me. Julia tossed a blanket over to me and I gladly draped it over myself. “Tell me what happened.”

Ethan quickly explained about Julia’s vision, his leaving to find me and the attack.

“How many did you kill?” David looked from me to Ethan.

“Uh,” I didn’t exactly keep count, so I had to think about it. “Four, between the two of us.”

Isaac choked on his whiskey. “And there’s not a scratch on you,” he muttered to himself. I felt self conscious. “How did you do it?”

“Stabbed and shot them,” I said casually; I guess this life was starting to become mine after all.

“And you think you’re nothing special,” he chuckled and took another drink. Ethan’s arm tightened around me. A tea pot whistled from in the kitchen and Julia went in to tend to it.

“And how many more were out there?” David asked, his eyebrows pushed
 
together in concern.

“Oh, gosh, I have no idea.” I looked at Ethan.

 
He shook his head. “Maybe five or more. We couldn’t really tell.”

David walked over to the window. Was he expecting to see something? I hoped the protective charms on the house would ward off the Pricolici. But on the other hand, attacking a house full of hunters might just work in our favor. Julia came back into the living room carrying a tray full of mugs.

“Chamomile tea?” she asked. I nodded, said ‘thanks’ and took a cup. She offered Ethan a cup but he turned it down.

“Alright.” David sat down in a chair opposite the couch. “Isaac, tell us what you know.”

“I first came across Pricolici when I was a boy of fifteen.” He screwed the lid back on the flask and stuck it in his vest pocket. He leaned forward and sighed, preparing for a trip down bad memory lane. “I lived on a farm with my parents and three sisters. We were hard working and poor folk, and our cattle were the only thing we got that brought in money. So when the first cow got attacked—by wolves, we thought of course— Pa got us a couple ‘ol wolfhounds.” A faint smile settled on his wrinkled face. “Couple of nice hounds there. They followed me around everywhere. We thought the wolves gave up and moved on to another farm, but we were wrong.” His already gruff voice became even gruffer. “A week and a half later my lil’est sister found the hounds ‘round the shed. She came running and crying saying that someone murdered those dogs. Course we didn’t believe her, but you should have seen the bodies. The heads had been chewed off. The stomachs ripped open. They had been tortured and killed for no reason. Looking back now, I should have known. Animals don’t kill for sport; they would have eaten some part of them, but they were just mocking us…

Then everything got worse. Me and Pa took turns watching the herd. The girls stopped playing outside. Another house a few miles down the road lost three cows in one night. And then another farm a few miles past that. The whole town was in a panic. They called a meeting and all the men decided to raid the woods and find what they had decided was a bear. I remember begging to go and Pa telling me no, and to stay home and guard the family. Ten men, armed with rifles, shot guns, knives, bows and arrows went into the woods that night…and never came back.”

He looked away, the memory, no matter how long ago it took place, was still painful. He took out his flask and drained it. “Two weeks later, lil’ Gracie Anne went skipping by the barn to pick some wildflowers to cheer up our mama. I was watching her. I remember it as clear as day: the sun was shining; the breeze blew through the tall grass, and then she was gone. She screamed and sent me running to her. The biggest, ugliest dog was standing over her mutilated body. I swear the thing laughed at me before it picked her up and ran off. I went after it, but it was fast. I went running back into town
 
but nobody believed me.

I spent the next five years obsessing and searching for the creature that took my sister. I knew it killed those cows and I knew it killed my father. I swore I wouldn’t stop until the creature was dead.” He nodded towards David. “That’s when I met Ethan and the Order.”

I looked at Ethan, confused. “I’m named after my grandfather,” he whispered.

“Oh.” I nodded in understanding.

Isaac set the empty flask down on the coffee table. “He taught me everything he knew about demons.
 
Through him I met others in the Order. Finally I met someone who knew what the monsters were. So we started hunting. We tracked, studied, killed for the next ten years.”

He then became very still and quiet. David stood again. “Ethan, you need to stay with Anora until this is taken care of.”

“Not a problem.” He squeezed my thigh. “How do we track them?” he asked Isaac.

“Wound it and wait.” The old man closed his eyes again. “That’s what we always did. It either goes back to its master or the master comes to it. But don’t do that until you are prepared for the fight of your life.”

“I-I think I already killed their master,” I weakly stated. All eyes were on me. I inclined my head in Ethan’s direction. “The man on the dock.”

“Right,” he said. “She did.”

“How?” Isaac asked, his eyes flew open.

“She stabbed it. I assumed he was working with a higher demon,” Ethan explained.

“What did he look like?” Isaac leaned forward as he spoke. “Be detailed, this is important.”

I remembered the demon’s ugly face more than I liked. “He looked like he was decaying. And he smelled like it too. His skin was pale and veiny. His eyes looked dead; all the color was gone. And,” I added, feeling like this was an irrelevant fact, “he was really hairy.”

Isaac straightened. “A Pricolici,” he simply stated.

Ethan asked, “You mean that he was going through the transformation?”

“Yes. Before the malevolent spirit can be changed into killer-wolf form, they have to kill thirteen victims.”

 
“But when he touched her, Annie felt like he was trying to get inside her head,” Ethan pointed out.

“You’re a medium, aren’t you?” Isaac asked me. I nodded. “Technically speaking, that ‘man’ was a spirit. Instead of getting into your head, I think you were overcome with whatever the hell it is you mediums pick up on.”

The Pricolici were terrifying enough. The thought of their master made my heart race. I didn’t want to meet ever him.

“So,” Isaac’s eyes flew open and he leaned towards me. “Do you think these things want to kill you or catch you?”

“Uh, probably kill.”

“Huh.” He scratched his head. “I would guess the latter. “ My face might have twitched in doubt because he then said, “David told me about the attack of your friend, and how they sniffed and skipped over someone.” I nodded. “That means they were sent to find you and bring you back to someone—or something.”

“Oh,” was all I managed to say. I shifted on the couch. “So what do we do?”

“For now, we will keep you safe. I’ll have Ethan and David track one of those sons of bitches.” He looked behind me at Ethan. “Tomorrow night, so your lover boy can get some rest.” Again, I moved my head up and down. “The last time you killed one, it backed off for a while, right?”

“Yea, this is the first time I’ve dealt with them since, gosh, before Halloween,” I recalled.

“Huh. That’s their way, usually. Once a plan fails, they regroup for a good while until their master comes up with a new plan. Maybe we won’t be tracking them for a while then.” Isaac’s joints cracked as he slowly pushed himself off the couch. “What do you have to eat in this place? I’m starving.”

Julie, David and Isaac moved into the kitchen. Sam didn’t budge and stared intently into the crackling fire.

“If it wasn’t me, would you be this helpful?” I locked eyes with Ethan.

“What do you mean?”

“If I was just some stranger who you happened to meet, and you found out about the Pricolici, would you be this helpful?”

“Yes,” he said, sounding certain. Was it petty that I felt a little disappointed? I wanted to feel special, childish I know. “This is what we do, Annie. We help people when no one else does.”

My stupid disappointment turned into feelings of proudness. I was lucky to have such a compassionate and brave boyfriend.

“But don’t worry,” he ran his hand through my wet hair, “you definitely get the star treatment.” He smiled and kissed the top of my head. I leaned against him and listened to his heart beat. My eyes felt heavy. I was so incredibly tired. “Do you want to stay here or go back to your house? Either way, I’m staying with you.”

“We can stay,” I said, not wanting to go back in the chilling wind and rain. “I told my parents that I’m staying at Laney’s. Which reminds me, I need to call her and let her know the plan, just in case, ya know?” I opened my eyes. “Shoot,” I groaned.

“What?”

“I left my phone in my purse, which is in my car at the barn.”
 
We went upstairs and I sank heavily onto Ethan’s bed.

“I’ll take Sam to get your car.” He sat next to me.

“No, it’s ok. I can go.” I tried to sound like I meant it.

 
“You’re exhausted Anora, stay here.”

“Should I go talk to Isaac?”

“It can wait ‘till morning.”

“Ok.” I caught a glimpse of the clock as I lay down; it was after midnight already. I guess I wouldn’t be calling Laney now.

“Just lay down and I’ll be back soon,” he told me. Though it sounded so tempting, I resisted.

“I feel bad going to bed while everyone is downstairs talking about ways to save me.”

“Don’t,” he said simply. “I’ll be back soon,” he assured me again.

“Be careful.” I sat up to kiss him. He turned off the lights when he left the room. I crawled under the covers before I realized that I wasn’t tired anymore. I got up and went to the bathroom to try to towel dry my hair some more since sleeping on wet hair has always annoyed me for some reason. Julia quietly ascended the stairs.

“Hey Anora,” she said as she walked behind me into the bathroom. “Do you need anything?”

“Uh, actually a toothbrush would be great, if you have an extra.”

“Yea, there should be one,” she rummaged through the linen closet, “ah, right here.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” She smiled and turned to go. “Hey,” she said suddenly, and turned back around. “Ethan was really worried when I told him you went off after the Pricolici.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling immediate guilt for making him upset.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad,” she said quickly, “I meant it in a he-really-cares-about-you way. I’ve never seen him like that. It was cute, I guess you could say, since now you’re here and safe and all.”

“Really?” I perked up a bit.

“Yea. I don’t think I can ever think of a time when I could say I’ve seen Ethan look scared, but he was so worried something bad was going to happen to you. But between you and me,” she lowered her voice, “I think he kinda likes that you are brave enough to do something like that.” She smiled again.

“I didn’t feel very brave once I got out there,” I confessed, remembering how I wanted to desperately go home as soon as I stepped foot outside the car.

“Bravery isn’t about being fearless; it’s about doing what is necessary despite how frightened you are. Don’t doubt yourself,” she said seriously and walked out of the bathroom. “You’re gonna need clothes for tomorrow too. Come into my room when you’re done and I’ll find something for you.”

“Thanks,” I said and turned to the sink to brush my teeth.

Julia’s room was neat and tidy and was the only room in the house that was decorated. Sheer white curtains hung on the window, the light purple bedspread had matching pillows and coordinated with her light purple arm chair and a beautiful picture of a sunset over the ocean hung over her bed.