Call Me Tinkerbell One More TimeA Story by Bea Batts Something about the claw marks just screamed supernatural... There are a lot of things in life that people fear. Snakes, spiders, clowns, blood, animals, beards - I could totally understand that one, who knew what the hell was hidden in those things - fear of beautiful women - again understandable - disease, death and probably the most rational fear in the entire universe: Nyctophobia. Fear of the Dark. Normal people went out with their friends; they went to movies or went on shopping sprees even though they knew they hadn't got their pay cheque yet from working at the local pub. Normal people didn't have to deal with dead bodies on a weekly basis. Normal people didn't have to move house every month because the neighbours - and others - thought you were the reason behind the dead bodies. Once I thought being normal was overrated. Once upon a time I used to love being different, unique. Oddly enough though, as I stared at the lifeless body in front of me, I was beginning to wish I was just your average hormonal teenager; dead bodies popping up every corner I turned was just damn unsettling - and tiresome. "Well balls, just can't catch a break, can I?" I sighed slumping against the bonnet of my car. I rubbed my face as police and students milled around, the former trying to stop the latter from panicking or taking pictures of the cadaver. I knew who it was. My view was blocked now by the growing crowd but there was no way I'd get that face out of my mind. With her body twisted gruesomely, a puddle of red blood under her body, her eyes glassy and vacant, Cornelia Skye lay dead in Lupa High School Car Park, just a few feet from the sanctuary of her baby pink mini. Cornelia Skye, cheerleading captain and queen bee. I wouldn't miss her but from the sobs and wails from a majority of the students there I could guess lessons were going to be put on hold for a while. Thank you Cornelia. I wasn't the only person with those thoughts, a tirade of mental chatter hit me and I groaned, covering my face. 'Serves her right...' 'stupid cow, who'd she piss off this time...' 'Couldn't ask for a better time - meant to have a history test today...' 'And she had such a nice a*s'. Oh the joys of being a telepath. Usually I was alright blocking it out or ignoring it, but when people were shocked their thoughts came out so much louder and it took me much longer than usual to block it or tune out until it was a bearable trickle of whispers. I'd had the gift since for as long as I could remember, I'd been known as a freak from the moment I'd respond to someone's thoughts rather than their spoken words. The up side of being half a fairy. Yep. Fairies existed. My father was a fairy, he'd fallen in love with my mother and hey presto, there was me, my two sisters and Jonathon. We each had our own little gifts but I had to admit, mine was as much a curse as it was a 'gift'. 'Y'alright, sis?" a familiar voice asked in my ear and the bonnet of my impala sunk a little as my brother joined me on my car. "Never better," I grumbled, dropping my head onto his shoulder. He automatically put his arm around my shoulders and we surveyed the scene before us. He was my twin, not identical but with the same butterscotch coloured hair as me, falling untidily into his hazel eyes and a tough lean build. In his black t shirt and baggy jeans he had girls swooning over him, even with a dead body not ten metres away. He had that type of face, the killer body and charming but dangerous smile. If only they knew how dangerous he really was. I was tall too, over five eleven last time I bothered to check, but I wasn't the willowy type of tall, nope, a little fuller than those stalks we call models. I had a short bob of butterscotch wavy hair, a fringe brushing against my eyes, and the right side of my hair was much longer than the other, brushing my shoulders whilst the other barely reached my jaw, I also had a colourful braid that was even longer. Whilst most girls preferred to wear low cut revealing vests and short skirts I was more a tee, loose shirt and baggy jeans type of girl. Hell it suited me fine, the unfortunate thing about being half fairy was that it made you automatically attractive to humans. We'd only been here a week and already I'd been asked out on four dates, a few invitations to the casual beach parties and even more improper ones to the janitors cupboard. All I knew was that whilst I turned them all down my brother revelled in the attention. Although to be honest I think even without the fairy blood we'd have been pretty popular, Americans just loved a British accent. And it was the fairy blood that made people overlook my mismatched eyes, one brown and one green. Not really that normal. Because of a few harrowing events we'd finally been forced to leave the dreary isles of the UK and move to the unfamiliar and hot town, Lupa Beach - strangely enough it also had a beach. Fun. I'd have loved the move under different circumstances. And it was because of the dead body that I was suddenly thinking the move had been for no reason. "Did you see the body?" I asked, watching as a particularly distraught girl walked past, Mindy, co captain of the cheerleaders, on the outside she was a sobbing mess, on the inside she was celebrating - she was no longer Co. "Yeah... have to say I've never really liked her but damn, she's looked better," he shuddered and I waited for him to go on, I hadn't seen what had killed her, all I'd seen was the face. "Police'll say its stab wounds." "Its not?" I asked, my heart dropping even lower, please don't be supernatural related, I prayed, if it was then it wasn't only bad memories that had followed me across the pacific. "If a knife can do that then yes, it could be stab wounds but I doubt a knife can-" he dragged three fingers along his stomach, and then from left hip up to his right shoulder. "It would take a little time with a knife." "What a lovely image," I shuddered, her face popped up into my mind and I shook it away, "So not a knife... axe?" I asked hopefully, much rather an axe wielding maniac than a supernatural. Then again, at least it wasn't fangs. Hurray! My problems had stayed behind in England, then I felt bad because whilst it may not have been a vampire kill Cornelia was still dead. "Claw marks. Corny got on the wrong side of a Were, unlucky cow," except he used a worse word than Cow. My brother wasn't the most sympathetic of people: 'S**t Happens' was his motto; if someone died he'd just be glad it wasn't him and go off to find something to eat. Although I was pretty sure that if one of us died he'd be a little pissed. Ninety percent sure. "I didn't know there were Weres around here," I whispered, shivering and snuggling closer against my brother's side. Weres, they came in lots of different shapes and sizes, wolves, lions, tigers, panthers, foxes, leopards, bears - you're main land predators. You were either born one (which was extremely rare, chances of the baby surviving were almost nil) or you were made one. Corny would not be turning into a fluffy animal at the next full moon because she hadn't been bitten, claw marks just showed that someone, or something, had been very angry - or interrupted from a juicy Cheerio snack. Why they'd pick Corny I have no idea - she was all tough and bitter, not at all a nice meal, so that ruled out the latter theory. Corny had obviously just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which drew me to the conclusion that whoever had attacked her could most likely be a student from our school. I wasn't happy. I didn't like Weres. They scared the bejesus out of me. "Probably students," Jonno muttered, coming to the same conclusion, rubbing my arm almost unconsciously, he knew how much these sort of things upset me, and whilst he usually loved making my life a living hell there were the odd days he was reasonably humane towards me. "Can you search 'em out?" he tapped his head, "I'm not a blood hound," I muttered but rolled my eyes but focused. The way I saw it my mind was like a radio. There was my favourite channel - me - and then all I had to do was click 'scan' and instead of static I had a mess of whispering thoughts, broken sentences and words that weren't mine. All I had to do was focus on one that caught my attention and that mind would be the one channel I listened to. I'd learnt pretty quickly that supernatural people had different mental patterns than humans. Vampires were silent, dead, fairies were a blur of indistinguishable chatter and Weres were... odd. Weres were a little schizophrenic. I couldn't really read their minds, but I could catch the odd word... and the odd growl. Whatever animal they could turn into had a voice of its own. If there was a Were in the crowd I should be able to find it. Just follow the growling. I was expecting the Were, except I wasn't expecting him to be a cop. I couldn't quite discern the thoughts; there was the slight rumble of the ever present beast. From his emotions I could just about make out anger and regret. I opened my eyes and searched out the cop. "Him," I whispered and Jonno followed my gaze. He was a red head man, maybe early thirties. A tall lean man with an unnatural grace and an eye catching aura. The cops all watched him with respect, waiting for his next command or instruction as he paced around the body. "Animal?" I shrugged in response as the man turned to look at the crowd, because he was so tall I could clearly see the direction he looked. I was surprised when he shared an almost deferential nod with a student. One who, like Jonno and me, was leant up against his car watching over the kerfuffle. I knew him. Swimming captain, Milo Valentine, a quiet but very popular senior, everyone knew him. If girls swooned over my brother I swooned over Milo, I had a few classes with him and wasn't embarrassed to admit I sometimes caught myself staring at him wistfully. He had thick dark russet hair that stuck up at odd angles where he'd run his fingers through it, his skin was a light coffee colour; I could have said he was Brazilian. In a leather jacket that made his shoulders even broader, a white vest that only enhanced his exotic skin and jeans that showed off some very nice legs, he was epithet of hot. I snapped out of my admiration, shut my jaw and thanked the lord I wasn't drooling. I'd never live that one down. Once I knew whose mind I was going to sneak a peek in it was easy to drown out all the others. Except as soon as I intruded in Milo's thoughts his head snapped up, eyes moving away from the scene and scanning over the crowd. I would have left his mind then and there except I was distracted by a deafening roar, a feral one. I must have made a noise because one minute I felt like I was kibble for a very hungry cat and the next there was a sharp pain on my arm, one that would leave a bruise. Jonno's pinch snapped me back to reality and I prayed that Milo's eyes skipped me. They didn't and his dark green eyes bore holes into mine, I schooled my expression to look reasonably sad and met his eyes with mild curiosity before glancing away, as if it were chance I'd been caught staring at him. After a minute I felt his eyes move away and shivered again, "I think we can rule out wolves." "Really?" Jonno asked, interestedly, "Never met a cat... Lion or tiger?" "Sorry, I didn't stick around to find out, although if you want he's just there, maybe you can ask him," I nodded towards Milo and saw that he had gotten into his car, already starting it up to leave. "Huh, someone's in a rush." "You think they did it?" Milo and the cop were definitely familiar with each other, probably pack. If Milo was a student and a Were there were probably other Weres his age, and packs were usually pretty big so who knew, the whole town could be full of Weres. "Does it matter? For once it's not my fault there's a dead body," I stood up and stretched, pulling my bag up off the floor as the principle told students to have the day off. "I'm steering clear of this one." Jonno snorted like he didn't believe me and I gave him an indignant look, "Please, Pheebs, you're drawn to corpses like Homer Simpson is to donuts." "One: ew - how can you compare corpses to donuts of all things, and two: we're in America now, new country, new me. No more murders - at least when I'm involved," he was going to open his mouth again when a couple of his friends appeared. Jack, Daniel and Tex. Three of your average brainless jocks, I got on well enough with them - when they were on their own, together they were terrible; they never shut up, they laughed at jokes about parts of the human anatomy, they flirted non stop like they were irresistible Gods, and worst of all they thought they were smart. "Hey, Phoebe, looking good," Tex said, nodding at me with a cute grin. They each had the same build, tall and bulky, and together they all had about as many brain cells as a piece of cheese. Tex had light blonde hair, Daniel short black hair and Jack some cute brown curls. Tex was trying to distract himself from the body just a few metres away and the fact he'd been speaking to her just the night before, they'd been planning a romantic date. He did that by focusing on my reasonably sized chest - he was off two cups. Jack was trying not to feel too guilty about having some sneaky sex with Corny in the janitor's cupboard just yesterday afternoon. And Daniel, sweet Daniel, was thinking about how torn up his sister was going to be when she found out. "Girlfriend not one day dead and already hitting on my sister, that's a little low man," Jonno said casually, slipping fluidly off my car and standing between me and his doofus friends. Despite how he acted Jonno was ridiculously protective, then again, after all that had happened he had a right to be. Tex blinked, "Oh, sorry dude... I meant it in the most platonic way," he grinned and it was my turn to blink, "I don't know what to be more shocked by, Tex apologising or the fact that he knows a word like platonic..." The other three laughed and Tex blushed a little, stuffing his hands in his pockets - he wasn't going to reveal that it was his word of the day on his calendar. "Hey man, we're all going out to Moo-Moos, wanna come with?" Jack asked and my brother readily agreed, he wasn't one to pass up an ice cream or a chance for normality. Belatedly Jack remembered his manners and looked at me, "'course you're always welcome, Phoebe -anytime," he added a wink to his flirtatious tone. "I think I'll pass," I opened the door of my car and gave them a casual two finger salute, "see you at home, Jonno," I slammed the door shut and tried to forget the fact that people actually had to either hide their grief or fake it. Tex had been on the verge of tears, the people who were actually crying weren't crying because they were going to miss Corny. They were crying because it was the 'right' thing to do. Shaking my head I reversed the car and turned round, somehow managing to avoid all the students. I only relaxed when I was out of the car park and speeding away from the school. I stuck the radio on and tightened my hands on the steering wheel. Fifty dollars for this car, dad had worked really hard in fixing it up for me, and now it looked brand new - pretty much the replica from the car in Supernatural. I tried to relax, usually the blaring music would help drown out all my thoughts but I couldn't get that roar from my head, it was just bouncing around like a trapped echo, one that was giving me a major headache, and on top of that I had the memory of Corny's face seared into my retina, I would not be sleeping well tonight. At least I didn't have the normal guilt hanging over me. At least I could go to bed tonight with the knowledge that her death had, for once, not been my fault. I wasn't so full of myself to even claim that it was. All the other bodies, all the other faces, yes, they were my fault. All because one guy had gotten a little too obsessed. There's a reason fairies don't date vampires, they get a little possessive and suddenly any person you talk to is a potential threat to the relationship. We'd killed him. Or rather, my father and Jonno had killed him. And then his coven had been a little pissed, hence the reason we'd left England and came to bright sunny California. Vampires would fry out here. I pulled up to some traffic lights and finally relaxed my fingers, looked at the small indents on the steering wheel. Yay super strength. It hadn't been enough to protect me, or my friends, from vampires, but with a combined effort Jonno and dad had managed. And I was eternally gratefully to them. Of course, super strength was useless in protecting me from nightmares. There were some things you had to do on your own. I looked out the window and almost jumped in my seat, whipping my head back round to look out the windshield I wished desperately then for the gift of invisibility like my sister but no such luck. Milo had seen me. I think he called my name, in fact I was sure he'd called my name, because even though I couldn't read his thoughts clearly I could understand that his attention was focused on me. I just drummed my fingers and pretended I couldn't hear him over the blaring radio - Born to be Wild was playing at almost full volume, if I'd been human I'd never have heard him anyway. "Turn green, turn green," I breathed, bouncing my leg nervously and miraculously the lights changed and I sped away, tires screeching slightly but then I was zooming up the road and home. Away from him. I really did not want to get mixed up with more supernaturals.
My dad was extremely handsome, mind bogglingly so if you were a human, of course I'd grown up with him but I could still appreciate the fact that yes, my dad was perfect in every sense. From his salt and pepper neat hair, to his immaculate nails and then not to forget the charming smooth voice that made women melt before he'd finished the first syllable. "A girl was killed during the night - Were attack," I slumped into another chair and looked around the living room. It was a nice airy room, with a plush cream carpet and white walls, decorated with family photos and paintings; we didn't have a TV in here, only a stereo. The TV was in the 'Den', our mess around room, we had Wii, Xbox and Sky, pretty much all the walls of the Den were packed with computer games and DVDs. The living room ceiling was really high up, and just glass, the landing overlooked the room so we had to be quiet on the stairs if dad was chilling. He put down his newspaper and his piercing grey eyes focused on me, "The Weretigers?" "You knew there was a pack here... streak, whatever they're called?" he actually looked a little guilty when he answered, "Yes, I did. I was hoping being in a town with Weres would mask our scent, put the vampires off for a while at least," I felt a pang of guilt, dad disliked Weres about as much as I did, yet he'd chosen to live in their town - for me. "I've met the leader, he knows what we are, but not about our predicament. However if they have murdered an innocent then maybe this isn't a safe place to be." "I don't think it was one of them," I rushed in, not really sure if I was right, but I couldn't stand the thought of moving again, I wouldn't put my family through it again. "I got a glimpse into one of their minds - he was angry at... I think he was angry that something had killed on their territory." "If you're sure," he picked his newspaper back up and I got up, kissed his cheek and walked out, reassuring him that I was sure. I'd barely made it to my bedroom before I felt the familiar brush against my mind, snorting I spun on the spot and grabbed the air behind me. My hands closed over a definite pair of shoulders and there was an indignant squawk. The air between my hands shimmered like a heat wave and suddenly my youngest sister stood solid and visible between my hands. Alice had taken after mum in the looks department, with a thick frizz of vibrant red hair, cute freckles and a button nose she looked like an adorable nine year old, but I knew better: she was a little devil. "Not fair! You can read minds!" she squealed as I picked her up and spun her upside down, "Actually you're mind was pretty empty - as usual - it was actually the thump, thump, thump of your feet, what do you eat, Shrek? Rocks?" I huffed as I spun her back round and dumped her on her feet before opening the door leading to my bedroom. She stuck her tongue out and patted her hair back down. "One day," she promised with a wicked glint in her green eyes and I stuck out my tongue right on back before shutting my door and locking it. One day she would get me, of course the evil little red head got the gift of invisibility, she was the spawn of Satan. Sighing I stomped up the steps leading into my room. I'd bagged the converted attic, light pooled in from the windows that lined the sloping walls, my double bed sat in one corner, my desk and bookshelves at the other end of the room. I liked the room because it was just the right height, just the right size, and was full of light. Fairies loved sunshine - vampires did not. And now I had the whole day to, what? Wallow? Like that was going to happen, enough wallowing today. First things first, homework, and then find out as much as possible as I could about tigers. People I could deal with because of my 'gift', I got on well enough with animals like dogs and p***y cats, but big, wild tigers? Not so.
Oh and the ominous murder site. I paused to look at it as I locked my car, staring at the place Corny's body had lain just the other morning. I tried to imagine what had happened. Her body had been side on to her car, facing the pavement. She hadn't been caught unaware, she'd been talking to her murderer? I could almost picture it but then I shook my head, getting rid of the images and cursing myself. We'd argued over supper last night, made bets about how long it would take until I gave in to temptation and went all Nancy Drew. Jonno had bet two days, Alice two hours. I wasn't going to tell them I had almost caved. Mum and my eldest sister had had a little more faith. Mum being a scatty interior designer hadn't actually known what we were arguing about, we'd been talking about Corny's murder for about an hour before mum interrupted with: Did you hear about that poor girl? Smooth mum. Delilah on the other hand hadn't particularly cared. At nineteen she was the oldest and trying to hold down her job as a waitress at one of the beach restaurants - the only problem was that she flirted non stop with the customers -married or no - and then couldn't keep her eyes off the half naked life guards she could clearly see from the kitchen windows. "If you do get involved don't expect me to leap in and save your arse," she'd said as she tied up her thick red hair and checked her reflection in her spoon, "I don't mix well with Werecats. It's the hairballs." I didn't exactly mix well with Weres either. They didn't exactly go mad with hunger at the smell of fairies but they were drawn to us, I didn't know why, didn't particularly want to. I'd only really been a friend of one once. And, well, my crazy vampire had stepped in - again. Even with super healing the Were had been bed ridden for a while. I think he even had to drink out a straw for a while. I made my way through the gym doors and went to sit at the back of the bleachers, focusing intently on blocking the tumult of thoughts. I'd gotten pretty good at both walking and blocking my mind. I waved at my brother who was sat a few rows down with his friends, some of the girls around him were crying. He waved and would have called me over but he knew better than to distract me. Usually it was noisy, with the jocks pounding on the benches and whooping to each other, and girls giggling and calling out to each other, constant flirting and all that jazz, but today the mood was subdued. Shame the thoughts weren't. I slumped in one of the back benches and leant my elbows on my knees, dropping my head into my hands and staring blankly over the gym. I had a few friends already, but I wasn't exactly itching for human contact like my brother, well, he did live with three sisters, you couldn't blame him for wanting guy company. But me? I was a little too odd for friends, sure I tried to get on with people, I knew exactly what to say, when to say, and that made people like me. But I didn't like the bitchiness or backstabbing, so you could call me a bit of a tomboy since I much preferred my brother's friends to my own. I'd pick brawns over brains any day. Today I hadn't even attempted to dress up for Corny's small memorial, it hadn't crossed my mind. So I was just in a worn t shirt with the Superman sign on it and a creased black shirt, all my bangles and bracelets rattled on my wrists and my hair felt particularly fluffy today. At least I'd worn my tidy jeans and boots. The bench beside me jostled and sunk and I looked up startled as four guys sat around me, two on either side. On one side they gave me a little space but on the other... I almost had a heart attack! Milo was practically touching me! Had he not heard about personal space? Stupid tiger. I could feel eyes on me, even in mourning the cheerleaders could give me jealous glares. I couldn't blame them; I had half the swim team sitting beside me. I met Jonno's eyes as he turned to look up at me, heard his voice clear as day in my mind: Do you need help? I guessed the twin thing made our connection that bit better, I couldn't hear thoughts that quickly or strongly with Alice, or mum, or dad, and I doubted Del had any thoughts whatsoever. I shook my head subtly. I should have known Milo would pick up on it, being a Were and all. "Brother?" he muttered and I dragged my eyes away from Jonno and tried my meanest glare, "Moron," I shot back and he blinked, I carried on innocently, "Sorry, I thought this was a word association game." I went back to silence, trying to block my mind even more, I could just hear the slight purring of a very dangerous animal, and as mesmerising as it was it was also extremely chilling. "I don't think we've met," he said in a voice just as nice as the rest of him, "I'm Milo, that's Rowan, Mika and this here's Alec," of course I knew them all. And I had no idea how I had never noticed what they were. " Rowan was a little leaner than the others, a little less bulky, with lighter skin and golden brushed hair and deep sorrowful blue eyes, Mika was shorter, but he made up for it by being broader, with cropped black hair and piercing icy blue eyes. Alec was somewhere in between, not tall, not short, not broad, not thin, and his brown hair was long enough to fit into a ponytail that somehow didn't look ridiculous. "Reminder to self: put names on List," I muttered as the principle stood on a small podium and began a tragic and long speech about how brilliant Corny was. Of course it wasn't like he believed anything he said, although he did enjoy it when she did some of her classic flips during a cheer routine - he'd liked the view. "What list?" Rowan asked almost silently, Mika shrugged and said it must be a girl thing. "The List is a list of all the useless things I've ever been told but could have lived without knowing," I whispered cheerfully and saw a flash of annoyance cross their faces. Ha. "You're different," Milo whispered, leaning a little close and subtly sniffing. I tried to ignore him and rubbed my temples, the noise was getting a little overwhelming. Just a few more seconds without distraction and I should have it under control. As Milo sniffed me and tried to figure out what I was I took a few deep breaths and finally the noise died down, the purring a distant memory. I sighed with relief then focused on the very hot guy sat beside me, "Fairy. Now please stop sniffing me, tiger, it's a little odd." Like I hadn't had enough odd in my life, what was a little bit more? He leant back and his arm brushed mine again, I leant a little away from him, hoping they wouldn't hear the way my heart rate increased a little. "You know what we are?" he murmured and ignored my glower, in fact, it only seemed to amuse him. "Yes, I know what you all are - you're leader knows what we are, yay, we all know what we are. You turn into a big stripy puddy tat and I'm a pretty little fairy, whoop-de-doo," attitude was not my best option, I realised belatedly. Male wolves liked their females weak and submissive so they could be the big man and protect them; independent females had them running away tail between the legs. With cats it was a different story: they luuurved independence. Pretty much a major turn on. Wasn't it every girls dream to be seen as attractive because of her personality not looks? Yes, usually, but not for me, not anymore. And Milo's eyes were pretty much full of interest and something else. I wasn't about to delve into his mind to find out. "Never met a fairy before," Rowan, sat at my side, piped up and I decided to smile at him, I didn't find him attractive in the least, "I've never met a Tiger before; I guess it's a new experience for the both of us, Rowan," I smiled and he smiled back about to say something else when a growl cut between us, huffing I glared at Milo, "Oh shut up Bagpuss." Before he could even say anything back I focused on the Principle, then realised he'd finished speaking and students were already getting to their feet. Almost crying with relief I leapt up, bounding over the bench in front of me and heading for the exits. An arm snaked around my shoulders and for an awful second I thought it was one of the Weres, but a quick glance up told me it was just Jonno. I had never been happier to see him. Well, that wasn't exactly true but still. "Thank god you're here, I feel like catnip around them," I jerked my head round and Jonno gave the unmoving tigers a cold stare. I knew that look, I'd lived with it for the whole seventeen years of my existence, it was his 'I'm not angry - yet' look. And damn, if that didn't have you running away in terror then his gift would. Jonno was a pyrokinetic. He could create fires and move them around with his mind. He'd learnt how to control it from a very young age, I suppose you could say he was the strongest out of all us kids, I wouldn't include Dad, he was so powerful it was scary to even think about. I pinched his stomach before he could do anything, "Don't bother - I've got class with them anyways, see you later," I left him with his friends and zipped off to my locker.
Of course this time I was distracted. Alec was sat only three tables away and all his attention was on me. Darn it. He wasn't staring or anything, but if I shifted the smallest bit in my chair I could almost see his ears prick up.
At the end of the lesson I'd gotten a pretty good sketch and when the bell rung I walked past his desk and dropped it in front of him. I'd drawn him in the process of turning in his seat and glaring, I'd felt I'd captured his suspicious angry expression just right. I was sure he could he hear my laughter all the way to my next lesson. That sort of made my day. I was cheerful for the rest of the morning, well, as cheerful as you could be when someone you know has just been murdered by Weres - oh and you happen to have a class with Weres. Yep, school was fun. Not. Funny how I used to enjoy school. Relatively normal life? Whoosh, out the window. I'd resigned myself to the fact that I would never be normal the moment I'd seen the flashing lights yesterday morning. Lunch was awkward - I sat with my brother trying to deflect the three dim-witted musketeers' routine flirting, at the same time trying to stop my brother from setting the cafeteria on fire because the tigers just wouldn't stop staring at me. And then I had art. Art used to be my favourite subject, even at my old school when the art had been generic and just about getting good grades it had always been my favourite lesson. Even for the first week I'd been here I'd loved it, it hadn't been as restricted, the teacher had just let us get on with our own thing, or we followed her lesson and drew a fruit bowl, sometimes it had fruit in it. I would have enjoyed it today too, my one lesson without Weres, until Milo arrived. He'd transferred from drama to art. Just to make my life a living hell and make me want to jump off a cliff - and also to keep an eye on me. I tried to ignore him as I pulled out my sketchbook, and then my pencils, and then I tried to focus on the fruit bowl in front of me. Except at that point he sat down next to me and any chance of me drawing an apple without it looking like a cricket ball went completely out the window. We sat in a tense silence for a long time, by that time I'd totally given up with the fruit and was doodling in my sketch book, waiting for inspiration. "Fairy?" he whispered across the table, leaning closer, I didn't look at him but my grip on the pencil tightened, my heart thumped a little in fear. "Bagpuss," I could have patted myself on the back for keeping my voice low and even. Really, this fear of Weres was silly, they hadn't tried to kill me (yet), but I was acting like he was a vampire! "Why are you here?" he asked bluntly and I blinked at him, a little shocked. "I'm at school - what are you doing here?" I shot back, turning back to my sketch and drawing furiously. Deep breaths, Pheebs, it was a normal question, he had no idea. None. "Any idea who killed Cornelia?" again I was shocked by the directness of the question. "I thought you did," I responded, trying to match his bluntness. He looked a little outraged so I went on. "Claw marks usually indicate animal attack - right? And since you don't get many dangerous animals around this area it's a fair assumption that a Were did it. Unless of course a lion or something escaped from the zoo and no one's told us." He was silent for a little while, the anger diffusing a little, "It wasn't one of us. We'd know. We have laws, if someone had broken them we'd know." "Whoopee, so it wasn't a tiger," I cheered under my breath, pretending to focus on my sketch, I hated that it was starting to resemble a tiger. "You're missing the point, Phoebe," Milo almost growled, leaning closer again, I flinched and he stopped but his intent eyes never left my face, "It means there's a Were in our territory and he's killing innocents." "For starters Cornelia isn't exactly innocent, and secondly if you have an intruder on your territory then deal with it - I don't understand why you'd think I care!" I whispered furiously and slammed my sketchbook down as the bell rang. I pushed to my feet and glared as he got to his, his handsome face impassive, only the burning green of his eyes gave away his barely contained rage. "If this murder turns out to be somehow connected to you we won't hesitate to punish - you and your family," he leant closer, not stopping this time until he was just inches away from my face. Despite my discomfort I didn't move away, "You are our guests here, Phoebe Sullivan, don't forget that." He grinned. And it was that feral grin that snapped me out of my fear, his arrogance and readiness to threaten reminded me too much of 'him'. I pushed Milo away angrily, "You threaten my family again and I won't hesitate to make your life a living hell." I ripped my piece of paper from my sketchbook, keeping my voice low and even, "I may be a guest but I'm a dangerous one, Milo Valentine, don't forget that." As I walked out of the room I ripped my sketch from my book and chucked it into the bin, this time I didn't laugh at the astonished expression on the Were's face, I was too riled. How dare he threaten me! Who did he think he was? Stupid tiger, so full of himself. People steered clear of me in the hallways as I pushed through to get to my locker. In the car park my brother was leaning up against my car with a few of his mates, on seeing me he sent them away and I could get from their thoughts that they all thought I looked hot when I was pissed - which only pissed me off even more. Was that all boys could think about? To give Daniel some credit he was concerned for me, wondering what could annoy me so much. Jonno was thinking pretty much the same thing as I yanked the car door open and chucked my stuff in. "Ugh, everything alright sis?" he asked a little nervously as I fumed away. "Peachy," I bit out then glared at my brother, he edged back a little, "stupid tigers are being stupid but I'll show them." Jonno frowned with concern, "What do you mean? What did they do?" I suddenly realised that Jonno had a worse temper than I did and that telling him would be like starting world war three. "Nothing I can't handle, I'll be home late tonight," I slammed the car door shut and reversed out of the parking space, trying to muster a smile to reassure my brother. From his thoughts I knew it only worried him even more. It should. I was going to figure out who had killed the queen b***h and then I was going to make Milo apologise for even daring to think I had done it. Sure I was overreacting, but I didn't take to bullies that well. In fact, I didn't take to bullies at all.
I would creep into Cornelia's house, try and work out if there was anything that might tell me if she was connected to any Weres or other supernaturals and then if that was a dead end I'd look somewhere else. I'd never done the whole investigation thing, after all, most of the bodies that had turned up around me had almost always been vampire kills, and there was only one vampire I knew. It had been ten months ago that I had first met Logan. Tall, dark, handsome and charming with an exciting mix of danger I'd been whisked off my feet like any fickle teenager. I thought it would never end, he loved me and I thought I loved him. I thought we'd be one of those couples, ones that start out at school and then marry and spend the rest of their lives together. Unfortunately so did he. Only when Logan finally revealed what he was and that he wanted me to join him I refused; I didn't want to be a vampire. My plans for 'forever' didn't quite match his plans for 'forever'. And then he had a little fit of rage, and one minute I was telling him it was over and the next he was trying to suck my blood. Did I mention fairy blood is addictive and intoxicating for a vampire? Like the voice of a siren, luring sailors to their death. Except instead of killing the suddenly obsessed vampire ex boyfriend we left the area. And he followed, and killed, and followed and killed, desperate to get me back, either to taste my blood again or to keep me with him forever. I remember the first body. A new school friend called Ben. I hadn't known him that long. I'd been speaking to him about work; I'd offered to help carry his art project out to the school assembly hall so it could be put on display. He had been so proud of it. I left him for one minute. When I went to find him again I found him dead, his throat ripped out. I'd never screamed so loud. I remember my family's reaction, they had agreed I needed looking after, and for some reason they didn't blame me for having to move around, even when I apologised over and over for causing such a big mess they didn't mind. Half because it wasn't my fault I didn't know my boyfriend was a vampire and half because they were my family, I would have done the same for them. After that the deaths didn't stop, sometimes my friends would be killed the vampire way, throats ripped out and drained of blood, other times in mysterious accidents. Take my Werewolf friend; the brakes in his car had been cut. Of course before he'd been dumped in the death trap he'd been beaten up pretty badly, and then the car had crashed. Strangely enough he hadn't wanted to talk to me after that. It was then that my father decided something had to be done. First he appealed to the vampire's coven. They refused to interfere; it was between me and Logan. So we came up with a plan. One that still made me feel sick. I arranged a meeting with Logan. Begged him to come see me, I couldn't forget the look of hope on his face when he'd shown up that night, thinking I had decided to join him. And then the trap had been sprung. Out leapt my father, he cut Logan down with a sword through the heart. And then Jonno stepped out and we all watched as the vampire burned. No matter how much I wanted to I could not look away from those tortured, betrayed eyes. From the face I had loved and had loved me until the moment I killed him. And then we'd had to leave for good. The Coven weren't happy that we had taken matters into our own hands. That we had killed one of them. They'd come for me one day or another, vampires were very patient, and they never forget. Sighing I sat back in the seat and waited, chewing thoughtfully on the fries. It was stupid to get involved with supernaturals. But I wanted to solve this murder. I also had to reassure myself that the murderer wasn't my murderer; that it wasn't Logan all over again. I'd feel so much better knowing he wasn't making my life hell from beyond the grave. I sat up straighter as the door to Cornelia's house opened and a couple walked out. Her parents. The mother was sobbing uncontrollably whilst the husband kept his arm around her, his jaw locked and eyes glistening with barely contained grief. I'd seen so many grieving parents but I still felt my chest tighten every time I thought of the pain they would be going through. That was my problem, Jonno said, I cared too much. If he could hear their thoughts he'd understand why. I wiped my eyes and watched as they got into the car and drove away, off to visit Cornelia's grandma who was in a care home and had yet to hear the news. I waited a few more minutes before slinking out of the car and across the street. No one seemed to notice me as I ran across the lawn and round the back of the house. Directly outside Cornelia's room was a very tall tree, the perfect climbing tree, the perfect escape from the confinements of the bedroom on a school night. She wouldn't be sneaking around anymore, I thought grimly as I heaved myself up the final branch and tried to pry open the window. I wasn't exactly a stranger to sneaking around either, how do you think I kept Logan a secret for so long? It only took a few seconds and then I was inside, trying not to knock the small lamp off the annoying bedside table. She probably moved it when she came and went. I wasn't a complete retard either, I watched CSI, in the off chance that someone noticed me breaking and entering I'd limited the chances of someone finding a DNA trace. I wore gloves, my hair was tied back and hidden under a multi coloured beanie and had changed from my loose shirt to a tighter jumper. I flicked on my torch and glanced around the room. If the bed hadn't been so large the room would have been spacious, what was that? King size? I edged around it to the desk and flipped open her laptop. It pinged to life, the screen illuminating the room in an eerie glow. I smiled at the background, all the cheerleaders together with Corny and Mindy holding some huge extravagant trophy, looking like the cast of Bring It On. She had sixty three unread emails. I didn't want to read them, one it was rude and second it would look a little suspicious. One of the messages was from Tex, the subject read: I miss you babe... I didn't want to read that. I checked her internet history, nothing leapt out at me, she went on a lot of sites, one of the oddest was a website I knew for fact offered vulgar entertainment strictly intended for the male sex. I did not want to think about that one. Another website address that caught my attention was 'V-bloggers'. I clicked on it and watched as pictures of vampires and other such stuff filled the black screen, images of Dracula, stakes, elaborate daggers and all other creepy stuff popped up followed by load of writing about how vampires exist etcetera, your normal over eager twilight or Buffy fan. Someone clearly read too much Anne Rice, I thought dryly as I scrolled through the pages, vampires for starts didn't burn in sunlight, and second they didn't have just two fangs, it was more like their teeth were replaced with sharp monster-ish teeth - hence the whole unclean throat ripping, it was never as neat as the movies put it. And then I read the live chatroom, they were going on and on about vampire conspiracies and different theories. These guys obsessed way too much. I mean some of the names they came up with, Vampirewannabe, Biter666, Truekillar. So unoriginal. I jumped as something pinged and a little message popped up directed at me, or rather Corny with her name 'Bitch_with_da_Bite'. 'Hey! Did u find out if that guy was a vampire?' Whoa, wait, what? I did a double take and re-read the message. Another message pinged up from the same person: 'What was he like?' Hmm, odder and odder, I thought, slightly creeped out, I clicked the link to Corny's vampire blog. She'd been a member for less that two weeks, but her blog was chocker blocker with excited waffle. 'OMG peeps! Never believe what happened to me! My chicas and I went to check out a new bar in town - totally over priced and with one too many dumb hicks but the music was good, yum, Hawtey with a Bawdey! - anyway, we found a table but it was so packed and we had to share with a group of guys - who were totally hitting on us btw - and it was my turn to order drinks so I went up and this really cute guy (like Ashton Kutcher cute) was chatting to me when all of a sudden I realised he had no reflection! There were mirrors in on the other side of the bar and I could see my face and I was annoyed that my hair-do had lost some serious volume, but I could not see his face. I was totally creeped out and I left him but surely a guy without a reflection is a vampire, right? Right? I totally have to go back and confront him, isn't that what happens? You confront them and they turn you in a vampire? And you get rich and beautiful? That's it, I'm so totally going back!' Corny had just proved to me from beyond the grave that she was the most self obsessed, stupid and selfish person I would probably ever meet. I wasn't going to miss her. How stupid that she wanted to be turned! How stupid that she had actually met a vampire... how creepy that she had been murdered just a week later. Strangely I didn't seize up at the thought of vampires like I did with Weres. I put it down to experience; I knew vampires, I knew their strengths and I knew their weaknesses. But Weres? I had no idea. It made me feel even more defenceless. I shut down the laptop when I realised I wasn't going to learn much more from it. I went back to looking around the room, hoping to find anything that might tell me something about the new bar. Cards and photos wedged into Corny's mirror frame on her little make up table grabbed my attention and I studied each one. Modelling agency cards, photos of her out partying, happy birthday cards - who knew she was sentimental? A piece of paper hanging out of her small glittering clutch caught my eye and I pulled it out, revealing a neatly folded napkin. 'Singing for gals like you, T.J xxx' was scrawled in neat bold handwriting, definitely male, with his phone number beside it and the bar's label printed in the corner: Midnighters. So that helped me a little. Corny had met someone called T.J at the new bar Midnighters. And it was not a message from Tex, first because his surname was Wilson and second because his note would definitely be a little more... bawdy. It was probably the singer, the 'Hawtey with a Bawdey', trust Cornelia to get his number. I could also rule him out for a vampire candidate. I thought maybe I'd done enough sleuthing so I decided to leave, making sure everything was arranged the way it was I slipped out the window, perched precariously on the branch and shut it behind me. Then it was the tiresome trek back down the tree. Again no one noticed as I streaked across the grass to my car. I was about to start it up when I happened to check in my mirror. I froze as I caught sight of a still figure, features hidden in the darkness, silhouetted by the street lamps over head. It was definitely a he from the broad shoulders and strong frame, and he was just staring at me. My breath caught and I was almost paralysed with fear, something that seemed to happen a lot to me. But when the man took one step closer I snapped out of it and cautiously turned the keys in my ignition. The engine roared to life. If this guy turned out to be something supernatural I could either try to outdrive him or I could reverse and catch him off guard... I blinked and the man was gone. I almost sobbed with relief when nothing attacked me for the next five minutes as I just sat in my car. Then I calmed myself down and drove, forcing myself not to go over the limit in my haste to get home.
"We just can't get away from creepy!" she had huffed stomping upstairs in her ridiculously high heels. I knew exactly how she felt. The next day at school I was a little more relaxed around the Tigers; sure they still kept an eye on me and I kept throwing bits of paper at their heads if they bugged me but other than that I found it easier to ignore them. Now that I knew Corny had a connection with a vampire I thought I didn't have to worry about them, however I still glared at Milo, I trusted him less than anyone. And all he could do when he saw me was grin that dangerous smile of his and tilt his invisible hat like a true gentleman. And as much as I wanted to like him I couldn't, at least not until I'd found out who had murdered Cornelia Skye. And I was working Veronica Mars style. First things first, socialise with Corny's old crowd. At lunch I went outside and saw Mindy and other cheerleaders milling around their normal table. Cornelia and her recent death were forgotten and they were happy and laughing and chilling like teenage uppish girls did. Mindy had taken Corny's place as Queen B***h. I did something so out of character I think everyone was shocked, certainly a lot of thoughts focused on me as I made my way towards the 'popular' tables. I took up an empty one, sat on the table with my feet up on the bench and turned my face up to the sun as if I did it everyday. I tried not to smile at the way the girls stared, their thoughts ranging from 'what the hell is she doing over here' to 'where's her delish brother? Maybe she can put a good word in for me'. I'd also made an effort to look reasonably nice today, so I'd put on a long black vest, some black leggings and loose check shirt that I tied up under my cleavage, I was hoping my outfit would soften my 'social outcast' reputation. And from the dumb jocks' minds I could see that it was certainly working. Maybe it helped that I was showing off some leg and, yes, the vest was a little low cut. I pulled out my phone and dialled a number, shutting my eyes I smiled as a voice spoke in my ear, "Ohmigod! Adam! How are you?" I gushed as a robotic voice stated my small list of messages. I lounged back a little, making sure to twist my hair and smile in a way that caught guys' attention, "aw, babe, it hasn't been that long... Mmm, of course I miss you," I tried to make my voice as low and seductive as possible which was totally wrong because it was my mother's voice speaking back at me "... I hope you're home for supper, sweetie, we've got lasagne! Homemade - your favourite, oh and did you manage..." "I know, sugar, won't be that long till the holidays, you'll survive without me," I paused and laughed as if 'Adam' had said something funny. The cheerleaders were trying really hard not to listen in, wondering who the hell Adam was, and what he was doing with me. After a few more minutes of silly role play I finally got round to talking about what I was doing tonight, since it was a Friday. "Oh me? I'm just going to check out this bar: Midnighters, it's apparently really good," and that caught the girl's attention, or rather Mindy's. 'Oh no, she can't go there! The vampire!' Mindy thought, shocked, well that was easy, in a more savage tone she went on to think possessively: 'he's mine'. She'd told me pretty much all I needed to know. Plus she was going to Midnighters tonight - alone - to meet with her mystery vampire. For some reason her thoughts on him were hazy, and I knew that it was compulsion. Stupid vampire mind tricks. All she knew was that he was a vampire and that she loved him. I swear I just vomited in my mouth a little. The bell rang and I was quick to say a smoochy good bye to Adam, then as I started back indoors I got cornered by the cheerleaders, not in a mean way, they were just curious. "So we couldn't help overhearing," Betty started, tossing her thick brown hair over her delicate shoulder and looking at me out the corner of her eyes, "You're going to Midnighters? It's pretty awesome - not many people go though it's so far out of town," I smiled back like we were the best of friends, "Cornelia suggested it to me the other day," I lied, then softened my voice so I sounded suitably upset, "Of course I wasn't going to go but I thought since I didn't know Corny all that well it was the least I could do, ya know, in honour of her." They simpered and murmured agreements, awing and saying how sweet I was. Mindy only joined in to look nice, on the inside she was fuming; she had thought it was her and Corny's secret place. She was pissed that Corny had told someone else, me of all people. I stopped at the hallway leading to my locker and said goodbye to them all, it was funny, they were all so simple minded they didn't actually share a bad bone between them - Mindy was big enough b***h for the all of them. I turned down my hallway and bumped into a chest, I yelped and stepped back, instantly going into the defensive, ready to kick some butt. Then I realised it was just Milo and his three loyal followers, I bit back my fear and let my lips slowly curve into a dangerous smile, matching his, "Bagpuss, how nice to see you," I said sarcastically and strode past to get to my locker, naturally they followed, him at my side and the others behind me, staring at the back of my neck so intently I couldn't help but shiver. Milo leant against the lockers as I spun the lock and pulled out some books, "I never pegged you for the cheerleading type," "I'm an awesome cheerer - I got me a decent set of lungs," he couldn't miss the hidden warning, the unspoken corny 'touch me and I'll scream until your ears bleed' warning. "Really now?" he chuckled then looked a little thoughtful, "Who's Adam?" "Adam?" I repeated with a frown before catching his drift, "Oh Adam! Never you mind who Adam is," I slammed my locker and started towards my next lesson, again he followed and I looked at him with mild irritation, "Is it your aim in life to make my school life more of a living hell than it already is? Because be assured you're succeeding," "Really? I thought that was your job to make my life a hell," he grinned and I rolled my eyes, silently listing ways in which to make him regret ever having ticked me off. "You want to know what I'm doing with the cheerleaders? I'm trying to figure out who killed Corny!" I spun round and glared at them, they all had the same surprised expression on their faces, "Since you won't leave me alone until you're certain it's not my fault I thought the least I could do was prove my innocence - now you better leave me to do it and stay out of my way!" And I left them in the corridor, scratching their heads, I caught a stray clear thought as Mika wondered how a little girl like me could solve a murder when they couldn't. "Because I'm smart," I called down to him, waving over my shoulder.
7. As soon as I got home he was there, pacing in the living room. Sighing and ready to just relax I'd dropped my bag in the hall and started for the kitchen, I froze when I saw him and frowned in confusion, pointing at the door, "How'd you beat me back?" then I caught his murderous expression, I held up my hands in surrender, "I didn't eat the last mars bar - that was Alice!" "You. Are. Not. Getting. Involved," he ground out and I blinked, finally catching on. It was a rule not to read my family's thoughts but he was projecting so loud it was hard not to. "Now, I can explain Jonno-" I started but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the kitchen, "Dad! Tell her she can't, tell her she's mad!" he pulled me to a stop in front of dad who was trying to chop up some chicken for stir fry, he looked up mildly, forehead creasing in confusion, "Dad she's working to solve Cornelia's murder! The Were attack!" Jonno was exasperated and glared at me when I protested, "You can't get involved with these people, Pheebs!" "Your brother's right, poppet," dad agreed pointing the knife at me with a frown, "These Weres are different to what you're used to." "Dad I know what-" "No you don't, sis!" Jonno cut across me, slapping my hand when I tried to reach for a biscuit, I pouted at him, "You're being way too irresponsible!" "What's all this shouting?" mum came into the kitchen, a pencil behind her ear and ink smudges over her hands. Mum had thick red curls and a dusting of freckles over her pale cheeks, with vibrant blue eyes, she wasn't tall, she wasn't stunning, she was short and sweet. And whenever she came into the room dad's eyes went straight to her face and he smiled like he hadn't seen her in years. She gravitated towards him like he was the sun and she a flower, the love burning strong in their eyes. "Pheebs is meddling again," Jonno muttered and my mother smiled a little distractedly, patted my back and kissed the top of my head, "Is that so? As long as you're careful, sweetie," I smiled smugly at Jonno and he narrowed his eyes, I held my hands out, trying to placate him, "Look, I... I need to do this, for me, I need to... reassure myself, prove to myself that this isn't my fault," Jonno's eyes softened after a minute and he rolled his eyes, "So long as you let me help," he allowed as I grabbed an apple and started out the kitchen, "Ha, no chance in hell, little brother," I chewed the apple, "You'll only get in the way." "I'm only five minutes younger!" he shouted after me but I just laughed. It wasn't that he would get in the way, I just had a feeling I'd have more of a chance solving this on my own. Call it a hunch but I had a feeling this vampire preferred girls.
8. If I hadn't been a mind reader I would have thought no one lived here, but occasionally I heard the odd thought as people stayed in their homes, except there was something about the odd thought that threw me, and I couldn't put my finger on it. I parked across the road from the bar and studied it. It looked like a tall old converted warehouse, neon lights on the outside in swirling letters told me I was at the right place. Bright lights flashed now and then out the large windows and the number of shouting thoughts was overwhelming. I'd never be able to tell if there was a vampire or not. Sighing I got out the car and headed for the doors, now the racket of the music began to drown out the thoughts and I felt a little relieved, loud music was a telepath's best friend. I pushed through the doors and winced, there was a reason I didn't party that often. The dance floor was jam packed with people grinding up against each other, vile dirty thoughts running through their minds, booths lined the walls, looking up at the dance floor whilst there were more tables up stairs, overlooking the dance floor. How would I ever find the vampire? Or T.J? I thought desperately and realised I was just stood in the doorway like a lemon. I headed for the bar, picking up stray thoughts, trying to filter through them for any relevant words, like Werewolf, vampire, 'I vant to suck your blhud' etcetera. "One Budweiser please," I asked the bartender and he was so busy trying to serve the other customers he didn't think to ask for ID, I flashed him a smile and left, thinking that maybe if I went up a floor I'd have a better view. I finally pushed my way through; glad that I wasn't wearing stilettos or the grating floor would have been hell. In a leather jacket, grey vest and some worn tight jean tucked into cowboy boots I felt over dressed but sophisticated compared to some of the other partiers who wore low cut dresses that barely reached the tops of their thighs. My hair was half straight, half curled, my eyes rimmed with thick black, personally I thought Delilah had overdone the smoky eyes look but whatever, it seemed to work. At the top I leant against the rails and looked out over the floor. I hadn't been sure from Mindy's thoughts if she would be coming over; I'd left her to her jealous ruminations. Now it was gone ten and I was sure if she was coming she'd be here, and probably Mr Dracula would be too. I pulled out my phone and dialled T.J's number, if he was a singer maybe he worked here too, there were people on the stage still setting up the drum kit and mikes, he could be up there. I watched the crowd carefully as the phone rang, and then it picked up, "Hello?" it was a nice voice, smooth and low, seductive without trying. I searched furiously for anyone with their phones out. "T.J?" I asked quietly, I couldn't hear much over the pounding of the music so I couldn't tell where he might be. "Who is this?" and then I spotted him. Cornelia was right: Hawtey with a Bawdey. He was beside the stage, struggling to hold a big drum as he juggled his phone, he had dark skin, or maybe that was the light, he wore a white vest, revealing some very toned and muscular arms, he had dark hair but it was trimmed into a short Mohawk, with five o clock shadow on his strong square jaw and an almost sullen expression he looked tough and badass, the tattoos running up his arms only strengthened that impression. Now I knew who he was I found it easy to focus in on his thoughts, and was shocked by what I saw, or rather heard. Like the Weretigers his thoughts were fuzzy and hidden, protected by his alter ego, this time, however, it barely reacted to my intrusion. I knew immediately that it was a wolf. Since I'd met wolves before I knew how to recognise them. Most wolves reacted viciously to strangers, and that included mental intruders, except this one sort of acted like an over friendly Labrador, I got the impression that if I could see the wolf it would be wagging its tail and jumping up eager for a scratch behind the ears. "Who is this?" T.J repeated as I thought furiously, he being a werewolf explained everything else, the strange thoughts I'd noticed in the town. This whole town practically belonged to the wolves, like Lupa Beach belonged to the tigers. "I think we need to talk, T.J, meet me at the bar after your performance," I hung up and snapped my phone shut, watching as he frowned at his and slowly put it back in his pocket before going back to setting up the stage. I settled down to watch. And man, that guy could sing, fast, hard, soft, slow he could do them all. They flowed out of him so hypnotically I was reminded of the mesmerising song of wolves as they honoured the full moon - and trust me I knew what that sounded like. Beautiful. Eerie. He stood in the centre of the stage whilst his band rocked away behind him. They were all wolves. And they all loved this. Who knew how old they were but they still loved to sing to a huge crowd. And loved it even more when the crowd was stunned into silence. When T.J was halfway through his last song I realised there was a familiar face in the crowd. Mindy. I focused on her thoughts, realising that she was looking for someone. I felt relieved that her vampire hadn't turned up, she'd been there for almost half an hour and I hadn't noticed. Who knew what I could have missed. Now all I had to do was keep an eye on her. I watched as she left the bar and headed for one of the secluded booths, I couldn't see her from my position but I could keep a close eye on her thoughts. The music stopped and the warehouse shook with the volume of cheers and clapping, the band bowed and waved modestly, all so hot that the girls' screaming just trebled. They went backstage for a while, ten minutes later they came out and I watched as T.J made a beeline for the bar, the crowd parting before him like Moses with the Red Sea, or was it the Dead Sea? Who cares, I was too distracted by the sheer bulk of muscle; he could have been twice the size of Milo. I let him wait for a few minutes before I went down to join him, he was fending off a few women, drinking from a bottle and scanning the crowd with suspicious eyes. I caught him off guard, striding up to the bar I ignored him and ordered another Budweiser, I could feel the heat radiating off of him, his eyes travelled over me before he looked away. If he had used his nose he might have realised I wasn't human. I turned and leant against the bar, looking out over the dancing bodies as well. "You have a great voice; I preferred the second song, 'Cross me off'? I liked that one the most, even if it wasn't heavy," he glanced at me and I caught his eyes, smiled and he finally realised that I was mysterious caller. "Phoebe Sullivan," He took my proffered hand and shook it slowly, "T.J. You rang me earlier?" "Yes I did, sorry if that confused you, I didn't mean for it to sound so ominous just you took me off guard - I wasn't expecting a werewolf," he hadn't let go of my hand but now he dropped it like I had the plague, and I didn't like the sharp stab of disappointment. It was then that I realised I wasn't nervous. For all his size and rough biker looks he didn't scare me. Curious. Then again, I'd always been a dog person. "You know what I am," he glanced around, met the eyes of the bartender and it was then that I realised most of the employers were werewolves, the bar must have been their biggest source of income. "Yes. Don't worry, I'm not exactly going to tell anyone about you, I have my own secrets," that spiked his interest, he cocked his eyebrow and waited for more. I changed the subject. "A few days ago you gave a little note to a girl, Cornelia Skye." "I remember her, she wouldn't leave me alone until I gave her my number," I liked that he didn't sound arrogant or full of himself, only mildly amused. "She met a vampire. Here." He jerked like he'd been stabbed or something and narrowed his eyes, not at me, more in thought. "Are you sure?" "She wrote about it in a blog. She said she was going to come back and find the vampire and ask him to turn her into a vampire too," I snorted and took a long sip of my beer as he growled, "Is she mad?" "Mad? Maybe. Dead? Definitely." I knew straight away from his reaction that this came as a surprise to him. So that crossed Werewolves off my list of suspects. It wasn't a tiger and it wasn't a wolf, how many more Weres were there? I really didn't want to know the answer to that. "How? Vampire?" his jaw was grit and he was fuming, he hated vampires with a vengeance. It was an ancient feud, vampires and Weres would never get on. "People think Weres, actually," I traced the claw marks on my chest and saw his brows furrow with confusion. A look which planted a whole new seed of doubt in my mind. "But I can tell from your face that you don't think it is... why?" "Just a feeling," he put down his bottle, took mine from me and put that down too, then he wrapped his fingers around mine and led me to the floor. I could only follow dumbly, completely taken off guard by the way his fingers wrapped around mine. It wasn't a slow song but T.J still pulled me against him and we just sort of swayed, in the end I had to go with it, because one: I didn't have a chance in hell of getting away from him and second: because I didn't particularly want to. "I'm sorry about your friend," he murmured and I was surprised I could hear him over the music, he startled a laugh out of me, "Trust me she wasn't a friend, I'm just too curious for my own good," he cocked an eyebrow at that and I tried for a nonchalant shrug, "Police won't know how to deal with a supernatural attack and I don't like when people get away with murder." "So you are familiar with the supernatural community," he was searching my face, trying to determine how old I was and trying to match my age to the haunted look I knew my mismatched eyes held. "I think it's safe to say I am part of the supernatural community. My dad's a fairy," out of anyone else's mouth it would have sounded ridiculous, if I was hearing it I would have thought the person was on crack, but T.J knew better. He took me completely seriously, and if anything he just got more wary of me. "The new fairy at Lupa Beach," and zap, my defences shot back up again, "I've heard a bit about him, the legendary Calhoun. So you're his daughter... why did you move from England?" "Is the question everyone wants answering," I trailed off and chewed my lip; in England I knew dad was famous, but I hadn't realised his name had carried all the way to the States. That's what you get when your dad is a three hundred year old powerful fairy. I blinked, suddenly realising that I had been too distracted with the wolf to keep an eye on Mindy. "Bollocks!" I ducked through the crowd, scanning minds and searching for her, it was lucky that over the roar of music and tumult of drunken thoughts that I could actually hear her. She was fuzzy. Not able to string a coherent thought together. But as I finally pushed out of the stuffy club and into the cool air I could see her heading out of the small car park across the road towards her familiar bright yellow Mercedes. "Mindy!" I called, running to try and catch her up. I got with in ten metres of her car before she started it up, the headlights blinded me. When I could see again I stumbled to a stop. A man stood in front of me, silhouetted by Mindy's car headlights, but I knew it was the same man I had seen just last night, watching me as I broke into Corny's house. This time though I was more focused, and though I was scared I wasn't dumb, paralysed. I drew myself up into a defensive position and scanned the mind, hardly surprised when instead of malicious thoughts there was only... emptiness. This was a vampire. The cold hollow silence instead of thoughts clued me in as much as the soft hissing he was making did. "What are you doing with Mindy, bloodsucker?" I demanded angrily, worried because Mindy's thoughts were so faint, how much compulsion had he used on her? It was dangerous to use so much on an already weak mind. No offence to Mindy but she wasn't exactly the strongest of people, she was vain and easily swayed. "Stay away from her Miss Sullivan, this is one game you shouldn't get involved in," I didn't know whether I should be more worried that he knew my name or that he called this whole thing a game. I heard a yell behind me and made the mistake of glancing over my shoulder to see T.J streaking out of the bar and thundering towards us. Before I knew it cold fingers had wrapped around my neck, cutting off my air so suddenly I couldn't even scream. And then I was lifted off my feet and had the uncomfortable sensation of being thrown through the air - something I hoped never to experience ever again, however the landing was, undoubtedly, several times worse. I hit something with a crunch, pain lanced up my back and my head cracked against something stupidly solid. I blacked out for an instant, coming back round wheezing for breath, birds and stars floating in and out of my vision. "Balls," I coughed, rolling over, I yelped as I slid off the cool metal and slapped onto the concrete, I would have sworn some more if speech hadn't been so agonising. Using the bonnet of the car I had landed on I pulled myself up, half my side numb with aching pain, I'd be black and blue in the morning. Then I noticed the car I had landed on. "Oh no, my poor baby! That mean old vampire!" the windscreen of my impala was dented inwards, cracked and splintered all the way across. I wouldn't be driving home any time soon. "Phoebe?" T.J trotted over to me and I noticed that Mindy and the vampire had gone, and there were several very large wolves out and about, sniffing at the road before yapping and streaking off, following a scent. He wrapped a hand around my arm and helped me to my feet, steadying me. "Did you see who it was? What did he look like? How about his name?" "Uh, I was too busy being thrown across the road to ask for his name," I croaked, rubbing the back of my head, it felt tender and sore, "Sorry." "Are you alright?" he asked, finally twigging that I wasn't leaning against the impala just to look cool. I waved my hand casually, "Oh, nothing too serious." I'd been trying for a nonchalant voice but the croak made me sound like I smoked fifty f**s a day, "Just a few knocks and a BROKEN WINDHSHEILD! My dad is going to kill me! Well, he won't - but Jonno will!" He waited whilst I finished shouting, and then when my coughing fit had subsided he spoke, "We'll fix it in the morning - I know a good garage, in the meantime you can rest at mine and you can drive home when you're better." "Yessir," I snapped sarcastically, immediately regretting it when I erupted into another coughing fit, T.J took advantage of my incapacitated state and steered me away from the fascinating sight of wolves running up and down the road, towards another car, a huge pick up. He had to help me into the seat and once I was in I couldn't keep my eyes open my head was thumping so painfully. If I had concussion I was not going to be happy.
"No!" a deeper voice snapped and the volume made me wince, "...at least I don't think she is." "Maybe you overdid it with the pain killers," the younger voice suggested and I finally broke through the disorientating fog. T.J had taken me to his apartment, given me some oversized PJs, given me something to stop the room from spinning and put me to bed. "She was in pain!" T.J argued, I would have groaned if just swallowing hadn't been so painful. Oh, that was right, the vampire had crushed my larynx. And chucked me into my car. I shot upright, suddenly awake, "My car!" l regretted it instantly when l broke into a fit of coughing. A glass of icy water was shoved into my hands and I sipped it carefully, watching the two people as closely as they watched me. T. J looked particularly rugged and badass in a black shirt and jeans, hair tousled and tattoos standing bold and clear on his tanned skin, he had an amused yet concerned expression on his face. Since I couldn't look at him without being distracted by the delicious curve of his lips I looked at his companion. A ten year old boy with thick messy brown hair, bright green eyes and a cheerful face smiled down at me. Give him a few years and he'd be a heartbreaker. "Well, at least she's alive," the kid said, slapping T.J on the shoulder. He grimaced and watched me carefully as I gulped down the last few mouthfuls, "How're you feeling?" T.J took the glass from me as I gently felt the back of my head, my fingers found the tender egg sized lump and I grimaced, "Peachy, just peachy," I groaned and rolled my shoulders, glancing round the room, I was in what looked like the living room, the television stood alone on a wonky stand, the white walls and shelves were empty, the wooden floor bare, the large room felt too big, and cold. I was lying on the only piece of furniture, the sofa bed. I swung my feet round and took his offered hand, letting him pull me to my feet. "Your father rang on your mobile; I explained what happened... he didn't seem too concerned when he found out you were attacked," he'd let me go and now I was running my fingers through my hair, trying to untangle the curled snarls, at the same time stretching and trying to figure out what damage felt serious and what would be fine after a few more super strong pain killers. "I'm alive so he must assume it's not serious - plus, he probably thinks that since I'm with werewolves then I'm safe - I am safe, aren't I?" I looked over my shoulder at him; he looked a little insulted, "Of course you are safe here!" Men. "Dad's a brilliant judge of character, he'd never have let me stay the night if he hadn't thought you could protect me," plus he would never have left me with a stranger, so he must know T.J, or of him. I'd have to ask when I got home, if Jonno didn't kill me. T.J coughed almost uncomfortably and I tried to ignore the fact that he was watching my every movement very closely, "He is a good father then... but I would have thought he would have preferred you not to be involved in this." "Meh, he hates that I meddle but he knows he can't stop me. He considers it all as a sort of... learning experience... If I had been murdered... now that might have elicited a stronger reaction, but I'm not, thank god, or you know," I gave him a small smile, "thank the windshield of my impala. How is my poor car?" "It went to the garage early morning; it's been ready for an hour," I glanced at my watch, saw it was gone eleven, I'd slept ages but I still felt exhausted. "Your clothes are here," the kid ducked down and picked up my pile of clothes, I realised as I took them from the grinning boy that I was only wearing a baggy shirt that barely reached my knees, and that when I'd been stretching I'd been giving them a good view of things I'd have preferred to keep hidden, like my penguin underwear. "Cheers squirt," I hurriedly took my clothes from him, slightly mortified. No wonder T.J had been staring, "Sam," he corrected, grinning, "I'm Sam." "Pleasure to meet you Sam," "Pleasure's all mine," he winked and I was startled into laughter as T.J hit him over the head and dragged him from the room.
As soon I had dressed and been able to walk in a straight line I'd convinced T.J to take me to my car, I needed to get home before Jonno came and blew up the town. And Sam - T.J's nephew - had tagged along and was being an insufferable little brat by eating dunkin' donuts right in front of me, and he hadn't even offered me one. "Like what? Yum, these are so good - anyway T.J said you shouldn't eat with that bad throat," good point, I could barely talk my throat was so swollen, I had horrible bluish fingerprints imprinted on my neck, but that didn't mean I wasn't hungry. "I'll do something that will have you eating from a straw for the rest of your life - I don't care that you're younger than me and half my height, midget, I will kill you if you don't give me a donut," he just stuck his tongue out and told me if the pack didn't kill me then I'd be thrown into prison for murder. Damn kid. I glanced at T.J in the office of the garage, filling in some paperwork; the sweetie had offered to pay for the repairs. He was chatting to the mechanic, who surprise, surprise, was also a werewolf, and wouldn't be coming out anytime soon to see me beating the kid round the head with a wrench. "Okay, how about a little deal?" I leant forwards on the bonnet of my car and motioned for the kid to come closer as I pulled something out of my jacket pocket. "This is my lucky penny. It's not really a penny, a ten p coin, English, but I've had it for years - my first ever bit of pocket money." "I'm not selling you a donut for ten 'p' which I can't even use because we're in America," Sam rolled his eyes and I stuck my tongue out. As ten year olds went he wasn't too bad. T.J was his uncle, but Sam's story was a sad one, one I shouldn't have known. Sam's father was a werewolf, just like his brother, T.J, ten years ago he met a human lady and they fell in love. They had Sam and everything was perfect; Sam wasn't a werewolf and a completely healthy baby. Unfortunately his mother wasn't so healthy. She got cancer. Inoperable. Incurable. In a final desperate attempt to keep her alive Sam's father changed her. The first change is always risky; three in ten Weres don't survive. She was one of the three. Sam's father drunk himself into an early grave, leaving Sam with his uncle T.J; all this had been just a year ago. Despite his brave face Sam was still recovering, but one of the reasons he had taken such a liking to me was because unlike the werewolves in town I didn't know his history, I didn't look at him with pity. "Call it, heads or tails?" I threw the coin in the air as he called heads, I caught the coin and revealed it, showing the queen's head. "I bet you I can get ten tails in a row, if I do you give me a donut." "And if you don't?" he'd stepped closer now and was watching suspiciously, waiting for some kind of trick, I grinned at him, "That won't happen," and I was right. Ten coin tosses later I was chewing on a donut, telling Sammy that it was pure luck and the power of wishful thinking. "Your car's ready to go," a cheerful voice said from behind us and I turned stiffly to see the mechanic, a young cheerful looking guy, clapping his hands and smiling charmingly at me. I thought I could get over the fact he was a werewolf he kept smiling like that. "It was quite an impressive mess - did you hit a deer or something?" "Or something," I replied darkly, sliding off the bonnet I caught the keys as he chucked them at me, T.J stood behind him and I knew that he had told the mechanic everything, I wondered who was more dominant of the two. A pack of wolves was pretty easy to understand, you had the alpha male, the second and the third and so on, going from dominant to submissive - strongest to weakest - and the same went for the females, if the wolf is with the Alpha or the second or the third then she is automatically that rank too, even if she wasn't strong. From the way the mechanic stood slightly to the side of T.J and kept his eyes respectfully lowered I could tell that the singer was the one with more balls. It was different to Tigers, they didn't have rank, they just fought amongst themselves and occasionally listened to the orders of an older male. "We're keeping an eye out for that vampire, ma'am," the mechanic went on and I thanked him a little warily, how had they not noticed that they had a vampire in their territory? Two times, probably more. What had that vampire said? 'One game you shouldn't get involved with'. Typical vampires, they get to a certain age where they need to entertain themselves by screwing with other peoples' lives. The opportunity to mess with both werewolves and tigers was too great a one to pass up. "He'll be back," I inadvertently said out loud and three pairs of eyes looked at me, I blushed and shrugged, "Vampires, especially old ones, like playing with fire." But they didn't like getting burned, hence the reason why the coven in England hated me; we killed one of theirs, that wasn't something they had anticipated. "You don't seem that scared that there's a vampire around, maybe with one of your friends," T.J noted as I opened the car door, there was an unasked question in that observation and I put my sunglasses on, stalling. "I'm not a stranger to vampires," I finally said, "They like me too much for their own good. However the feelings are not reciprocated, I'm not keen on murderers." For a second I saw the mechanic look at T.J with something close to... fear? T.J was just silent, brooding and kind of scary. Unintentionally my mind reached out, brushed against his, his wolf leapt to attention, this time not so friendly and a growl burst from T.J's chest. I flinched and yanked my mind back, avoiding the suspicious werewolf's eyes; the mechanic looked between us confused. "Nice to meet you all," I saluted Sam and slammed my car door, revving the engine I turned the radio on, letting AC/DC blare out. Before you could say 'f**k a duck' I was gone, speeding out of the town before anything else could happen. I couldn't get that feeling from my mind, my heart was thumping from the emotion T.J had radiated. As soon as I got home I'd be asking dad what he knew about the Werewolves of Blacke.
Thankfully Jonno was out with his friends, they'd roped him into some surfing, Delilah was in her room catching up on sleep and Alice, unfortunately, was in the kitchen watching me with smug eyes and a smirk. "You're not fine," mum snapped, "you might need some antiseptic on this - your hair's all matted with blood!" "Can't I have a shower? It'll heal soon enough anyway," I flinched away when she prodded at the tender skin, she was silently fuming. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you Phoebe?" Alice taunted and I narrowed my eyes at her, she wasn't going to stop there though, "first a vampire and then you stayed the night at a werewolf's! Anything happen? Juicy gossip? Did you-" "Shut up Al or I swear I will tell Del what happened to her favourite Lip gloss!" I snapped, her eyes widened for a second before narrowing, "You wouldn't dare," "Try me, carrot top," I hissed back as mum banged through cupboards searching for the first aid box, "If you tell her you'd be revealing that you read our minds even though you promised not to!" she stuck her tongue out smugly, I matched her smug smile, "I didn't have to read your mind - you just told me, I wasn't sure what happened to her lip gloss," her mouth snapped shut and she pouted, eyes filling with tears, "Mu-um!" she started to cry, but at that moment mum slammed the first aid kit on the table and shouted at us "Just stop it! Stop it right now! I can't deal with this at the moment!" the look on her face was enough to send even the meanest of men scurrying from the room. Alice was gone in a second but I stayed, watching mum carefully as she turned her back to me. Her shoulders were shaking, I didn't have to read her mind to feel the anxiety and anger rolling off of her. "Mum," I whispered, I slipped off my chair and put my hand on her shoulder, "Mum I'm so sorry, I - I didn't mean to frighten you, I never meant for vampires to get involved." "Are you reading my mind, Phoebe Sullivan?" she asked tersely, her strict mum voice taking over from the distracted friendly one I so loved. "Nah, I'm just extremely intuitive," she laughed, once, sounding more like a hiccup than anything, she turned and hugged me, gently, just like she used to when I couldn't sleep because I was afraid Logan would jump through my window any second. "I feel so useless! I can't help you against these things," she whispered, squeezing me slightly, "You help more than you know mum, honestly," I choked out, trying to blink away the tears that filled my eyes. I hated emotional episodes, partly because my skin went red and blotchy for hours after and also because I didn't like feeling weak. "Your father is in the office, I'm sure you need to talk to him," she patted my shoulder before pushing me away, "And don't forget I need to clean that wound at some point!" I knocked on my dad's door and it swung open almost immediately, revealing a brightly lit room. The room wasn't exactly an office, more a workshop, with odd bits and bobs lining all the work tables, ranging from small silver nuts and bolts to huge pieces of machinery, I was pretty sure one of the contraptions was an engine of some sort, maybe for an old motor car. They were his collections. "Did you find anything out about this vampire?" a voice asked and I walked through the tables, dodging under hanging objects. I could just see dad's hair peeking over the side of his boat. Yes, his boat. It was his oldest collection, a miniature replica of a Viking ship, hanging from the ceiling, light from the large windows pooling over it. He liked to lie in it and read, sort of a more stable version of a hammock. "He likes young girls, has an iron grip and could probably beat you in log throwing," I sat on the rocking chair and put my feet up on a table, fiddling with what looked like a dull metal rod, just an inch thick, but it was engraved with odd symbols so it must do something. "Is that it? You got thrown into a car and that was all you learnt?" his voice was mild, difficult to tell if he was actually paying attention or not. "I also learnt that I have a very hard head - not sure that's a good thing but still," I pressed the base of the rod and almost yelped as something clicked and then a foot long stake shot out of the other end, good thing I hadn't been pointing it at my face, my head wasn't that hard. "What do you know about the Werewolves there, dad? And T.J?" There was a long silence and at first I thought he was deciding how to answer that question but then the silence dragged on and I wondered if he had fell asleep. Trust me it wasn't the first time he'd fallen asleep during a conversation. "Tobias Jayne is a dangerous werewolf, Phoebe. Old and dangerous. Undeniably he is a good man, but he wasn't always. He has a horrific past, but that is not my story to tell. I do not mean to frighten you, poppet, he is a man of honour and loyalty, one you can trust." I didn't know how to respond to that. I knew that if you pushed a Were they could lose control, one minute they could be nice charming Roger, the next they could be a vicious Fido snapping at your neck. But if dad said I could trust him then I could trust him, I'd just have to be careful not to make any sudden movements. "The wolf pack also has a hard history, they haven't been in Blacke for that long, there was some trouble up in the south and they had to make a clean start - a bit like us really. Again, you can trust them, poppet. I wouldn't bring the family here if I didn't trust the neighbours." "Did you know the Weres before we came here?" I was trying to push the sharp stake back into the rod, but the button was stuck. "Not personally, I'd heard of them, but you know me - I hear a lot of things. But you, poppet, will have to hear it from the horse's mouth, I'm not one to blab another's secret." "I know, I'll just wait until someone else tells me," wincing I cautiously tried to forcibly push the stake back into the confines of the rod, it wouldn't budge and I was afraid of cutting myself on the lethal tip. "So anyways, this vampire, I think he might kill Mindy, or turn her, I can't decide which is worse, but he said something before he threw me: this is one game I shouldn't get involved with - and he knew my name. I now know two things - one he's an old sadistic creep with some agenda involving Mindy, and two he knows who I am - so I can assume he's been watching the school for a while." "I'll keep an eye out - in the meantime I think that the werewolves are going to want to get involved, we can expect the tigers to be quite... put out by their - and your - interference." "Aha! Yes!" I celebrated as the stake finally withdrew, then as dad looked over the side of the boat I shoved it into my jacket innocently. He cocked an eyebrow then shook his head, "You don't take me seriously," he lamented as I stood up, "Naw, that's not true, daddy dearest, I take you very seriously, I'll try not to annoy the Weres too much - but I can't promise anything," I added as I left the office. He'd given me a lot to think over. For one T.J was Tobias. Who had names like that nowadays? What was I saying? Werewolves, vampires, fairies, probably more strange and wonderful races, who could call a name odd?
12. I was actually starting to worry about her. "What did I do?" I asked cautiously. Ever since I'd gotten to school that morning the tigers had been looking at me funny, it made me nervous, and the popular cheerleaders talking to me only boosted my suspicions. "You silly! You signed up for the try outs!" I saw from her mind that she wasn't lying. One of her friends, Candice, joined in, "We're totally glad you did, I mean, compared to all the others you're the only one who looks like they could keep up with our routines and hard workouts," When I was silent for a few seconds too many Betty's face fell: "Y-you did sign up right?" "Uh... of course I did! I'm so glad that you'd actually consider me!" I pretended to be excited, smiling happily. I absolutely had not signed up and I detested cheerleading with a vengeance but still, it might be my only way to keep an eye on Mindy without looking stalkerish. "Consider you! Honey you're in! We asked your brother and he said you're an awesome dancer!" damn Jonno, he hadn't been happy when he'd found out what had happened on Friday night, he hadn't spoken to me for the whole weekend and now he was set on pissing me off. But he hadn't been the one to sign me up, "That's awesome, I'm honoured," then I chewed my lip as they went on about the next practice, "I'm sorry guys, I fell down the stairs Saturday night - I'm a little bruised so my doctor said not to do any vigorous exercise - but I can still come and watch, I'd learn the routines then, right?" That was a lie, I had completely recovered from my attack on Friday, in fact Saturday night the lump on my head had completely disappeared. My bruises and such were gone, along with the pain, I could twist and jump and shout as much as I wanted, but I was going to put the cheerleading off for as long as possible. "Oh, well, yeah, that'll work!" Betty smiled and once again I got no malicious feelings from them, just sympathy and excitement, and for once it wasn't because they might get closer to my brother through me, but because they actually hoped I would help the team. And for some odd reason I didn't want to let them down, even if I didn't know the first thing about cheerleading. As I walked down the corridor towards art I passed the notice board outside the drama studio, an auditions list was up and I paused thoughtfully. Only one person would have put my name up for cheerleading. Smiling wickedly I pulled out a pen and wrote down four names, and then I went into the drama studio, not caring that I might be late for art. "Miss Chan!" I called, seeing the drama teacher on the stairs of the stage; her arms were full of clothes, almost hiding her small body. She was Chinese, with long black hair sleeked back into a tight ponytail and wearing a sharp suit she looked particularly intimidating for a woman almost half my height. "Phoebe Sullivan?" I nodded as I reached her at the steps and she dumped the clothes onto a table before regarding me with black eyes over her narrow glasses. "What can I do for you? Aren't you late for class?" "Well, yes, I am, but I needed to talk to you," I could read from her mind that she wasn't concerned at all that I was late, she was contemplating if I would make a good Juliet - then she thought I was too big and didn't look 'innocent' enough. Yow. "Its about the auditions, I've seen the names on the list and well... its about Milo." "Milo? He signed up for auditions? Even when he did the subject he hated Drama, why would he sign up for it?" Quick thinking, Phoebe, come on. "He doesn't hate drama," I blurted, then looked around, as if nervous someone might be listening - I should so do drama, "He just gets really bad stage fright, but he told me he'd love the chance, just one chance, to prove that he's more than just a jock - he doesn't want that stereotype forever, you know?" "If he gets bad stage fright then he wouldn't have signed up," Miss Chan wasn't suspicious, she was contemplating, the play this year would be very popular if the Swim team captain was the lead actor. "He signed up with his friends - Mika, Rowan and Alec - if they're up there with him he has no problems, they're like his back up, you know," I smiled convincingly then looked at my watch, "Oh, I do need to go - but please Miss Chan, just consider him? Thank you!" I knew as I left the theatre that Milo was the new Romeo, his friends would have other key parts for 'moral support'. Needless to say Milo had no idea why I was so smug when I finally got to art and also a detention.
"Hey Phoebe," Tobias Jayne grinned at me, hands in his pockets in a black long sleeved shirt, baggy jeans and wearing some aviators he looked particularly hot leaning against my car. I wasn't the only one staring. I finally snapped out of my ogling and started towards him, a little wary after what my father had told me. "What a pleasant surprise," I said as he lifted his aviators up and off, he budged to the side as I opened the car and chucked my bag in, "How are you?" he asked with concern, fingers brushing my unblemished neck, "All healed?" "All good, ta," I shivered at his touch and tried not to think too much on why it felt so good. "What are you doing here?" "I came to see you," he wasn't smiling when I looked at him; there was an intensity in his eyes that made me think it wasn't just a social call. For some reason it disappointed me more than it should. I glanced at the growing crowd of spectators; saw Milo fuming at the back of the crowd, ready to barge through and start a fight, "Not here, get in." It was awkward having him in the car, last time I'd seen him I'd been driving away like he'd been a hound from hell, and now I was giving him a lift. "How's Sam?" I asked after a moment's uncomfortable silence, "He's good - he works at Joe's, the Mechanics," he fell into silence again but this time I could only feel contentedness radiating from him, I was the one who felt awkward. I drove to the nearest café, one I knew not many students went to because it was small and they played jazz music instead of the more modern pop. I noticed as we walked in that he had a few files with him, only when we sat down and he put them out on the small table did I realise that they were police files, CONFIDENTIAL stamped in bold red letters on the front. Thank god we were sat in the corner of the room or prying eyes would have seen that the files belonged to Lupa Beach Police. "What the-?" he gave me the files as he went up to the counter to order some food. He hadn't said a word, just left me to decide whether I wanted to read them or not. After going through all the reasons not to read the files I flicked one open and made a noise of surprise. Cornelia's pale hollow face jumped out at me, well, not literally but it still shocked me. It was an autopsy photo. How many times had I seen similar photos on CSI? I could continue reading the report, or I could shut it and try and forget the horrific image. But the latter would get me nowhere. Tobias had been doubtful she had been killed by a Were, this file would probably have the answers. I caved. I felt sick for it, especially as I studied the photos of Corny's dead body, but there was one thing I noticed as I flicked through, words like 'major blood loss', 'clean wounds', 'broken neck' and more leapt out at me. "Did you notice anything?" I jumped as Tobias put a large chocolate sundae in front of me, then he dragged his chair around so that he was beside me, effectively blocking anyone's view of our table and also giving him a clear line of sight of the door. "Yeah - these are police files, how did you get them?" I took the wafer from the sundae and raised my eyebrows, waiting for his answer; he smiled a little, "I have a few well placed friends," he took the wafer biscuit I offered him, even though he had his own, "What do you notice?" "The neck was broken. Before the 'claw' wounds'?" I took a spoonful of ice cream and mulled over it, "Someone killed Cornelia then, almost as an afterthought, made the claw marks... setting the Weres up for the fall." I instantly thought of the vampire and his game. Did he kill Corny to set the two species against each other? I wouldn't put it past him. "You're thinking it's the vampire," he was watching me intently, gently moving my hands from the papers he gathered the files together and lay them face down on the table. "What happened to Mindy?" "She's at home with the flu, a friend saw her and... told me today," that was a lie, I'd learnt it from Candice's mind but still, I wasn't too sure I wanted Tobias knowing I could read minds. "I've joined the cheerleaders though, so I can keep an eye on her." "Cheerleaders?" he snorted and grinned at me, a lopsided smirk that had my heart fluttering. "I didn't peg you for the cheering type," "I'm not, I was signed up without knowing - but I got my own back and also a detention," he tilted his head with curiosity and I explained what I'd done, and that for being late to the lesson I'd earned myself a detention, "You don't get on with the tigers?" he tried to sound casual but I couldn't miss the repressed tone of satisfaction, it pleased him that my relationship with the local Weretigers wasn't a friendly one. "No, one of them seems to think I have something to do with Cornelia's murder, so when he threatened me I threatened him back and I might have implied that he was too dumb to find the murderer... I think I piqued his pride." "Cats are ridiculously proud, it gets quite irritating - they hate having us nearby because we're flea ridden mongrels with no sense of respect." At some point he'd taken my hand and was drawing patterns on it, which, don't get me wrong I loved, but it made focusing on the conversation pretty difficult. "That sounds like a quote," I mumbled around a spoonful of ice cream and he just shrugged. "It is," he chuckled, his face became distant, a rueful smile grew on his face as he relived a memory. Then he went back to focusing on my hand, he turned it over and traced the lines on the palm of my hand. "Are you and the tigers going to work together?" I asked, coughing when my voice came out a little croakily, it was distracting having him sat in front of me, I got no eerie dark vibes from him but I still couldn't forget dad's words. I wondered how old he was, I must have been a really naïve baby in his eyes. It made me wonder if, when he laughed, he was laughing with me or at me. He paused before answering, "Maybe," it wasn't very forthcoming but at least he answered, probably sensing my disappointment he went on, "I came down to have talks with the Ambush. What happens after that I do not know - either way I will aid you as much as I can in finding this vampire." "Huh, so you're not going to tell me to stop interfering, to be a good little girl and go shopping, get a manicure and leave the sleuthing to the grown ups?" He smirked, finally, "I do not think you would listen to me if I did." "Well, I'd listen - but I wouldn't obey," I batted my eyelashes, the effect ruined by the wafer sticking out of my mouth, and he laughed, a sound like music to my ears.
"Any chance of you putting in a good word for me?" I asked hopefully as I drove him along the twisty road, the sun was low in the sky, casting an orange light over everything, if anything it made Tobias even more heartbreakingly stunning. I could see the huge mansion gates coming up and I was considering driving below ten miles per hour just to keep him with me longer. When you got past the werewolf part he was pretty good company. Who was I kidding? Like I cared he could turn into a fluffy dog? I was pretty sure I was head over heels for this guy, which was slightly scary, since the last person I loved, or thought I loved, had pretty much ruined my life. You'd think a girl would learn. "I doubt they'd listen, we're all big strapping handsome men - it hurts our pride that a girl barely eighteen would be closer to finding the murderer than any of us put together," he grinned languidly in my direction, "What so you're going to do everything in your power to stop me?" I paused at the gates, Tobias lifted his sunglasses up and looked out the window at the security guards; they were quick to get the gates open. "Yes - not me personally, but I'm sure the Tigers will, they don't like that their tranquil life has been disturbed," he snorted ungraciously, I didn't miss the contempt. I almost asked if his pack didn't mind the trouble, hadn't they been through enough? But I bit my tongue, not quite sure if that would be appropriate, "No one likes watching everything they've built crumble down to dust," I murmured and felt his eyes on my face, I blushed, that was me, always speaking without really thinking about it. And it wasn't even like I came out with profane proverbs that would give me worldwide recognition like Ghandi, or Mandela. Hell, even the turtle in Kung Fu Panda had better things to say than I did - and he wasn't even real: 'there are no accidents'. B-e-a-uuutiful. "I suppose that would upset most people," he responded, his tortured tone of voice snapped me out of my inner musings. Had I said something wrong? I parked the car in front of the huge stone mansion, through the large windows I could see shapes of the waiters as they hurried to get the final preparations done. I smiled when I read their minds, catching from them images of the other guests. "I think you're underdressed," he looked down at his clothes and frowned, "They're all wearing suits and dresses, well, the tigers are, you're wolves are looking much more relaxed - personally I prefer the snazzy tux look but still," I sighed and realised he was once again watching me. "What?" "How do you know that?" ah, I'd forgotten that I hadn't told him I was a mind reader. "Every half fairy has gifts - mine happens to be telepathy," I hurried on quickly when his body tensed, "But I can't read Weres! Or vampires - which is probably a good thing - but anyway, your wolf protects your mind, the same as the tigers protect the Weretigers and so on." "Was that what I felt on Saturday? You trying to read my mind?" his jaw was tense, his whole body rigid, "I didn't get anything, and I'm sorry, it's an automatic response when I meet a new person," I whispered, trying to get him to calm down. When that obviously didn't work and the anger remained I tried a different approach, "It would be awfully tiresome if you changed in my car, the leather would be ruined." He barked out a laugh, then groaned and covered his face, rubbing his eyes, "It's hard... when I'm around you. I want to relax, to fight, to sleep, to run, all at the same time! You confuse me, I don't know if it's the fairy blood or just you-" "Have you ever met a fairy? We're tricky b******s, love messing with people's heads," I grinned at him then cautiously put my hand on his shoulder, "So don't take it personally, it's just a gift we have." "Gift?" he slowly relaxed under my hand as I made soothing circles on his shoulder. "Well, more like a... hindrance most of the time," I looked up at the mansion, "I think they're waiting for you... do you think they'll let me in? I need to talk to my dad." "The meeting isn't supposed to start for another forty minutes, come in," he got out the car and was round the car holding my own door open before I could even reach for the handle. Shaking my head ruefully I locked the car behind me, "M'lady" he offered me his arm and I curtsied as best as I could in worn chords and unlaced Doc Martins. "Why thank you," he led me up to the front door which was held open by some of a waiters in a posh black suit and hair sleeked back. He was human, but he knew what his employers were and what Tobias was, he was as contemptuous towards the wolves as the tigers were. I couldn't help but overhear his sneering mental remarks, 'couldn't even get a decent haircut, the master was right; they really are mongrels.' I turned to look at the man, meeting his polite eyes with my own cold gaze, "I think the only mongrel here is you, after all, you don't see Tobias brown-nosing or calling anyone 'master'." He spluttered and gasped, his cheeks turning an unsightly mottled red, I smiled politely and let Tobias pull me away. "Remind me not to tip him," I said loftily as we went through the wide foyer towards the grand hall. I knew, despite his stern expression, that Tobias was trying to repress his laughter. The grand hall was a little over the top, too extravagant, but I knew the tigers were just showing off in front of the wolves. There were several sparkling chandeliers on the high white ceiling, the mahogany floors polished and the tables decorated with small ice sculptures and piles of magnificent food. "Whoa, you can't just discuss these things over a good ol' barbeque can you?" I whistled, a few of the waiters saw us, one of them directed us outside to the patio where the others had gathered for drinks, like this was all one big fancy ball, not a simple meeting. "Its traditional," Tobias murmured into my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine, "Plus, a 'good ol barbeque' is a little common for tigers, don't you think?" "Why? A steak's a steak no matter how you cook and eat it," outside it was easy to tell the difference from the Weretigers to the Werewolves. There were around fifteen tigers, the majority were males, wearing smart suits ranging from shades of black and blues to lighter whites, the few women were stunning in their revealing yet classy dresses, hair done in elaborate twists and styles. I recognised some, like the Mayor and his wife, the Sheriff, the man who owned and ran the library and archives, and many more, I even saw Milo and a man I assumed was his father - his father owned the restaurant where my sister worked. The Werewolves on the other hand were a much more relaxed looking bunch and to be honest I would have chosen their company any day. There were fewer Werewolves but somehow they managed to give the impression that there were more. Eyes turned to look at us and I quickly scanned the crowd for my father, deeply uncomfortable being surrounded by so many Weres, I wasn't all that happy and my fear was starting to seep back in. I finally saw my father, chatting to a wolf over a glass of scotch; he wore an open neck white shirt and a black suit, his bow tie undone and hanging uselessly round his neck. Dad hated dressing up as much as I did. As Werewolves came over to greet Tobias I detached myself and slipped round the crowd until I reached my father. The werewolf watched me with enough curiosity to make me even more uncomfortable. He was a tall imposing black man, almost as wide as he was tall, he was the only wolf in a suit, but like dad he'd left the tie out and undone the top few buttons. He had a broad and almost flat face, he was bald and under his thick eyebrows he had small amber eyes. He was handsome I suppose, if you were into the big intimidating type. I waited patiently at my father's side, he knew I was there and was being polite, carrying on his original conversation even though, in a strange show of fatherly protection, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. He must have noticed how uncomfortable I was around so many Weres, it didn't help that it was extremely disconcerting to hear not words in my mind, but animals' growls and roars. As comfortable as they all looked chatting and mingling their inner beasts were revolted to be confined together in such close settings. I was pretty sure the wolves just wanted to change shape and run around the grounds, and trust me there were a lot of grounds. From the patio you could look out over the land, off to one side a gravel path led off to an open swimming pool whilst on the other the path led to a charming flower filled garden. Directly ahead of us were row upon rows of orange trees. I let the warm air roll over me, the lulling noise of water splashing, cicadas chirping and birds singing drown out my mental clamour. Finally dad broke off and introduced me, "Asil this is my daughter, Phoebe. Poppet this is Asil, the Alpha of the Blacke pack," "A pleasure to meet you, sir," I held my hand out, manners overriding my discomfort. He took my hand in a gentle grip, no doubt sensing my reluctance; he smiled reassuringly, showing as little teeth as possible so as not to scare me. "You seemed to have caused quite the stir in my town, Phoebe," I had the decency to be ashamed, "I am sorry, I did not mean to cause trouble." Asil laughed, "Not a bit, not a bit, s**t happens, so they say, huh? Next time call ahead if you think there's a vampire's around, huh? My boys would have loved the hunt but that damn leech got a head start." I nodded contritely and dad excused us, leading me away from the party. When we stood alone in the hall he asked what I was doing there, "Well I was coming to tell you that I don't think a Were killed Cornelia but from the way none of the Were's have attacked each other that they already knew that." "They knew it was not the other pack however they had assumed the death was connected to a Were, why do you say its not?" I quickly explained what I had learnt from Tobias, "A Were wouldn't break a neck and then claw someone, or claw someone and then break the neck. That's just odd." Dad made a disgusted noise, "Trust Tobias to steal from the police," then he smiled and patted my cheek, "I will tell them, at least we can stop searching for a rogue and focus on the Vampire, you say he is connected to, ah, Mindy? Then we can only pray what happened to Cornelia does not happen to her." He kissed my forehead and told me to head home. I'd made it to my car when I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Tobias jogging after me. He grinned when he got to me, "I thought you were going to leave without saying goodbye," "Why? I've never liked goodbyes: they always sound so final, too definite," I shrugged and grinned at him, even though it was my nervous grin and I was sure he could hear my heart pounding. "You're right," with that he cupped my face gently, stepping closer he stared intently into my eyes as his thumb brushed over my lips. "I'm always right," I managed to say and then he kissed me. As his lips worked against mine I wound my arms around his neck, closing the gap between our bodies, his lips were so mind bogglingly tantalising that when his tongue found its way into my mouth I was pretty sure I saw fire works. When he finally broke away we were both gasping for breath, he still cradled my face as I reluctantly pulled my hands back, "I have to go," He made no move leave, instead he lips brushed against mine again, I smiled, all for leaning into him and persuading him to stay for a few more minutes but with a disappointed noise he pulled away and started back for the building. Smiling I touched my lips, still tingling from his scorching kiss. I noticed the doorman watching me disapprovingly from the door so I blew him a kiss and got into the car.
Delilah is an impressive sight, I would never have even thought of lying to her. With thick wine coloured hair that curled over her neck and a long face with a striking nose and vibrant eyes she was undoubtedly the most stunning of our family. Whereas I was curvier and could have laid off the odd biscuit she was all lean muscle and sharp angles, it totally worked for her, she had a tonne of admirers, half of them she had never even spoken to. Like Jonno she had a slightly dangerous gift, she could create illusions. Sure, doesn't sound that bad but the illusions were so realistic it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. It could make a man go mad. I had been hoping to run into her before work; I had also been hoping she wouldn't notice my dreamy 'I just kissed a guy and it was awesome' look. "If I tell you will you promise to do me a favour?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, she paused in the process of putting on her jacket to go for work, I'd caught her in the kitchen, luckily no one was around, mum had taken Alice round to a friend's house - I had no idea that little devil had actually made friends. And Jonno was god knows where, with god knows who, doing god knows what. "That depends on how good the gossip is..." she mulled over it for a second before nodding, "Okay, spill." "It seems whilst the tigers aren't that fond of me the werewolves are, one in particularly has taken a particular liking to my lips," I sat on one of the stools and she squealed, clapping her hands excitedly, "Ooh do tell, do tell! Was it good? What's he like? Where'd you meet the werewolf? It wasn't spur of the moment was it? You know it's not right to kiss total strangers!" "It was amazing, Del, the type of kiss that just makes you weak at the knees," I sighed dreamily, "He's called Tobias, he's kind, he's funny, handsome in a rugged way, a singer - the one I met on Friday. He's just..." "Lush?" she offered, and I nodded fervently, "You be careful, honey, we don't want you getting into more trouble - understand?" My good mood was slightly ruined when I knew she was referring to Logan but I still nodded obediently. I would not make my family go through that again. "Now, what's this favour you want?" "You know Milo Valentine?" She sneered slightly but somehow managed to make it look gorgeous, "That Weretiger? Yes I know him, unfortunately; his father is my boss." "Right - he's at the meeting tonight with dad and Tobias, and dad might not tell me everything that happens and I doubt Tobias will unless his alpha allows him to..." "You want me to torture Milo so he'll spill the beans?" when your sister offers to torture someone for you and still sound gleeful at the prospect you know your family is messed up. "Or, you know, you can use your dazzling charms?" She let out a heavy disappointed sigh, "Spoil sport. Fine. I'll do it for you - just promise not to do anything stupid?" Del looked me over and rolled her eyes, muttering as she strutted out the kitchen, "Why do I even bother?"
Corny had been the one with all the cheers, and now Mindy was in charge it was all going to pot. Sat on the bleachers I watched as she shouted for her girls to stay in time, picking on Betty more than anyone. I could hardly pick up on her thoughts, I blamed it on all the compulsion the vampire had been using. All I knew was that she was excited about something, and it had something to do with him. You didn't have to be smart to put the pieces together: she was expecting him to turn her, soon. But I knew that there was probably something she had to do first, in return. Vampires don't do anything for free. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with her physically, in fact she looked too good it was scary, skin too peachy, hair too radiant, teeth too white and eyes too bright. Yes, she was definitely getting a daily dose of the V-juice (that's supernatural lingo for vampire blood). It was just gone two, almost the end of lunch break and I'd finally be able to be free. One minute I'd been standing in the lunch queue about to order a nice slice of pizza and the next I was grabbed by some squealing girls in uniform and dragged off from the cafeteria. Every guy's dream. But I wasn't a guy. And I didn't want to spend my lunch break watching girls fly through the air like frogs on crack. I'd much prefer to be out in the sun eating my food, and I was certain Mindy would rather me be out there as well. I wasn't her favourite person to say the least. "Hey, Phoebe, what did you think?" Betty and Candice skipped over to me as the others headed for the changing rooms, they didn't even look out of breath or tired. You had to hand it to the girls, they were professionals. "Looks complicated but I think I'll get it," I pulled my stuff up then paused when I read their minds: they were going to Midnighters. Tonight. With Mindy. I was too stunned to react, they smiled, waved and trotted off, calling over their shoulders the next practice. I left the sports hall perturbed: what was Mindy doing? I barely made it two steps out the doors before I was cornered by four Weretigers. The four guys circled around me, each with deceptively friendly expressions on their face, no one was around, and I was very aware that they could kill me in a second and no one would know. "Why didn't you tell us?" Milo suddenly snarled in front of my face and I jumped back, fear spiking through me, I wasn't in the mood to face four angry tigers, and believe me, they were angry. "Tell you what?" I tried to smile, worried that he had found out I'd set my sister on him, my cheery façade faltered when my back came up against the wall, "What's wrong?" "You know exactly what's wrong!" he snarled, putting his hands on either side of my head and trapping me. A few more seconds of this and I could have a full blown panic attack. "If this is about signing you up for the school play then I'm sorry - I was just angry with you, that's all, we can -" he cut me off with a ferocious snarl, "This isn't about that! This is about you being attacked by a vampire and not telling me!" "Oh well I'm sorry! I didn't realise I had to tell you everything that happens in my life," I snapped back, this close to shoving him away, just so I could get some space. "This murder was on our territory, you are on our territory! Everything that happens shouldn't happen unless it goes through us! Is that understood?" his voice was low and threatening, sending shivers up my spine, I narrowed my eyes, biting back my fear, "It's not a nice feeling, is it? Losing control. You've been in charge of this town for how long? And just as you've created such a lovely life for yourselves the cracks appear too fast for you to fix," I smiled but it wasn't a friendly one, Jonno said that I had a certain smile that made me look... scary, I didn't really believe him. "You can't threaten me, Milo - you may think that you're showing power and such but really, honey, you're just proving what I knew all along: You. Are. Weak." "You have no idea what I am capable of, if you weren't so crucial I'd-" Mika growled a warning and Milo stopped, nostrils flaring he just glared into my eyes, then his shoulders slumped, almost in defeat. He drew back slowly, rubbed his face then went to hit me. I was ready for it. I dropped to the floor as his fist flew overhead, connecting with the solid wall. it cracked and he roared in pain, cradling his broken hand. Now I was more of a fencer, something about holding a sharp metal object and stabbing things appealed to me, but that didn't mean dad hadn't trained me in self defence. I leapt to my feet, and struck, my uppercut catching him on the chin, snapping his head back. I winced at the numbing pain in my knuckles; I'd forgotten that punching hurt you sometimes as much as it did the other person. Mika growled and leapt at me, locking his arms around my neck from behind. I slipped to the side as much as I could, stomped on his foot and at the same time punched him in the groin. He let go almost immediately and as he doubled over I spun round him, grabbed him by the collar and hurled him with all my strength into the other three, Mika and Rowan tumbled to the floor in a tangle of legs and arms, whilst Alec sidestepped and Milo recovered. The two glared at me, their faces looked partially transformed; teeth a little longer, the eyes slanted and the irises a burning yellow, eyes of the tigers that wanted to burst out and claw me to pieces. I felt a familiar presence in my mind and leapt to the side, hugging the wall as something hot and glowing flew past me, singing my back. The fire ball connected with Milo's chest, the force and shock of it lifted Milo off his feet and when he landed he was swatting at his chest, trying to douse the fire that singed his shirt. His friends were quick to help him, at the same time watching the new comer with wary eyes. "You alright sis?" Jonno asked casually, touching my shoulder and gently prying me from the wall. He folded me into his arms and glared at the tigers. "You shouldn't have attacked her, you c**t." "She provoked me," Milo growled, getting to his feet, shoving away the offered hands of his comrades, blood dripped down the side of his mouth and he had a singed hole in the chest of his shirt, the skin looked a little raw but it was healing. "So that gives you reason to attack her?" Jonno snorted and I could feel his power radiating off him, I grabbed his hand, silently shaking my head, his head was full of violent images but seeing my terrified expression snapped him out of his Monk* moment and he went on in a cold voice, "Touch her again and I'll be putting your regenerating skills to the test." (*the Monk is a character in a movie called the Mean Machine, he's played by Jason Statham and he has little mad moments where he just beats everyone up. You should watch it. A proper British movie.) "Thanks Jonno," I whispered when we were out of earshot and I'd stopped shaking. His arm tightened briefly before he pulled away, his expression angry, "I wish you would stay out of trouble, Pheebs, I won't always be around to get you out of it," and with that he walked away, I watched him curiously, there was something bothering him, I wanted to know what but that would mean going back on my promise and reading his mind, still, what I did get from him was a serious bit of concern for my safety and hate... hate directed at dad. I'd have to somehow ask him about that later. But first things first, find the girls and tell them not to go to Midnighters. Like that would be happening.
17. When I finally found a way of getting out of the school it was gone seven and I was fuming. It was one thing to get detention, another to be locked in school. My luck could only get worse from there. Outside was a storm, rain pelted down unmercifully and the sky was dark with thunder clouds. And I'd parked furthest away from the school entrance. To top it off I hadn't had a chance to tell Betty and the others not to go to Midnighters, maybe I should just ring Tobias and warn him to keep an eye out. Swearing I streaked across the asphalt, trying to hold my jacket over my head, I knew I should have brought an umbrella today, dad had told me to, and he was always right. Damn him. I fumbled to get my keys out my pocket and quickly leapt into the car, I soaked the seat as I shook water from my eyes. As I turned the engine on my breath quickly began to fog the windows, putting the heating on I pulled out my phone and rang Tobias. He didn't answer and I huffed. Yes, I was missing him already, but I also had a really bad feeling, I thought it probably had something to do with Mindy luring the Cheerleading squad to a vampire. I wondered if the vampire was suicidal enough to go to Blacke, now that the wolves knew about his presence, because whilst vampires may have liked playing with fire they were not suicidal and walking alone into a town ran by wolves could definitely be classed as a form of suicide. I was going to call him a second time when I felt the chilling familiar sensation. Someone was watching me. And that someone was a vampire, standing at the other end of the car park. My breathing became shallow and I tried to focus. Now was not the time to have a panic attack. I pinched myself and flicked the headlights on, through the rain and dark sky it was hard to see the monster in detail but I knew immediately that it wasn't the man vampire. It was a female this time. I revved the engine, waited a second to see how she reacted. Then I pressed my foot down on the accelerator, heading straight towards her. I wouldn't gather enough speed, but she did, running almost twice as fast as the car, hopefully her reactions wouldn't be that good in the rain. I came off the gas, turning the wheel sharply; hearing the screech of tires over the rain I then pressed the clutch and slammed down the handbrake. I heard a thump but was too distracted trying to regain control of the car to think about what it could be. Hopefully a vampire. In almost no time I was speeding towards the car park exit, but I knew it wasn't over, I could sense her. She was on top of my car. B***h. I screamed as something stabbed through the metal roof, hot pain sliced through my shoulder and I jerked on the steering wheel, veering the car to the side. She almost ripped the roof off my car like a tin of mackerels she was so desperate to hold on. I realised then that what at first glance appeared to be dull white blades were in fact her nails. So that explained the claw marks on the body. Gasping in pain and outrage as the claws tried to stab me again and again I punched the roof, "STOP PUTTING HOLES IN MY CAR YOU B***H!" That obviously didn't work so after gaining control of the car again I reached into my jacket pocket, pulling out the strange metal stake I'd thieved from dad's office. I guessed where she was and put the end to the roof, then pressed the button. The stake was so sharp and so quick that the metal roof offered little resistance. I heard her scream, and the claws were gone, so was she. Not dead. You had to stake a vampire through the heart and then cut off its head to kill one, or set it on fire. But looking at the blood glistening on the stake I knew I had hit her. Too bad she had got me too. All I could do was wad up my scarf and wrap it round my shoulder to try and stop the bleeding. As much as I wanted to head home and get cleaned up I knew I couldn't, there wasn't just one vampire, there were two, and the girls would be at Midnighters with one of them. Rain dripped over my head and I swore, trying not to look at the damage that damn vampire had done to my car.
"Y'ello?" I slurred, blinking quickly to try and stop my vision from blurring. "Phoebe!" "Tobias! Oh thank god! I have something to tell you... at least, I did... I can't really remember, wait a second it'll come back to me," I hushed him when he tried to speak, "don't distract me, I'm not feeling too hot." "What happened?" he kept his voice calm, like I was some mental patient that needed subduing in case I did something crazy. "Oh I was attacked by a vampire - VAMPIRE! That's it, Tobias, my friends, some cheerleaders, should be heading to your bar, I think they might be meeting with that vampire - can you please make sure they're okay? Or you know, send them home! Yeah, that's a good idea, send them home! They're underage, you know?" "Phoebe, no one is at the bar yet - now tell me, are you hurt?" "Um, I'm about as torn up as my car is, the vampire has claws, like ten inch long - I think we found our -WHOA!" I jerked on the steering wheel, narrowly avoiding a sign post, breathing heavily I parked the car on the side of the road, my heart was hammering so loud I could barely hear Tobias' voice through the phone. "I don't think it was smart for me to drive..." "Stay where you are, Phoebe, I'll come and get you-" "No! Who'll stop the vampire from munching on my friends?" "There are more than twenty werewolves in this bar, your friends are fine. Now stay where you are." "No, no, I'm fine, I'll be about twenty minutes, give or take, just talk to me?" He was silent as I started driving again then he sighed, I could clearly hear the annoyance in his voice, "You are one mad girl." "Why thank you," I flinched as rain dripped into my eyes and muttered angrily, then I had a thought, "Tobias? Can I ask you something?" "Ask away, Phoebe," well, he asked for it. "Where did you and your pack come from?" there was such a long silence that I instantly regretted asking. I'd finally given up waiting for an answer when he replied, slowly at first. "We lived in a small reserve, in Alaska, from Wrangell- St Elias national park and reserve. It was small and it was ours, had been for hundreds of years. We'd moved from Europe when the hunts got too bad," I knew what he was referring to. All across Europe, more than a six hundred years ago, humans had tried to eradicate the Were population - and the vampires helped. Hundreds of thousands of supernaturals were killed, the fairy community had had to intervene, putting a stop to most of the hunts. I had no idea Tobias was that old. It made me a little nervous, I really was just a baby compared to him, no, a foetus. "We lived in harmony with the humans when they came - if you can believe that. They knew exactly what we were but they treated us as normal. We kept waiting for the next generation of humans to hate us but it never happened. They accepted us. It was a wonderful life, Phoebe. We had no one to fear. I guess it was because we got lazy that we were attacked and defeated so easily... it was almost thirty years ago. We didn't know until the human village was attacked, by then it was too late. Vampires. Lots of them, more than I had seen in a long time. They caught us unprepared and snoozing. There are fifty werewolves in Blacke - only a third of what the pack used to be. We fought - those of us that could. Killed quite a few vampires. I fought at the back, along with my brothers, trying to give the others more time to escape. I hadn't seen so much blood; I can still smell it, Phoebe. See it when I shut my eyes, taste it when I least want to. It sickens me, saddens me that so many died, and angers me that I couldn't protect them." He was breathing heavily, I was listening grimly, clinging to the phone and waiting for the town lights to appear so I could comfort him. I couldn't tell him that things would be alright, but I could try and comfort him. "I guess that's why I was angry when I thought of you reading my mind, Phoebe. I didn't want you seeing all... that," I got the feeling he wasn't telling me everything. "How long have you been in Blacke?" I didn't know if I was asking questions was good for him but what did they say? You had to bleed the wound before it could heal. As I passed the first building I pressed the accelerator down, "The Pack has been in Blacke for almost twenty years... I've been here five," I frowned, wondering what had happened to him, not sure if I wanted to know. I turned down one of the streets, "The vampires... they like the old sports." "You were taken as a fighter," I said softly, feeling nauseated, parking in front of his bar I saw his shape beside the doorway, stood in the rain. I hung up the phone and slipped out the car. I'd moved too quickly, I almost lost my balance I was so dizzy, and then a pair of strong arms wrapped around me, lifting me off the floor and holding me securely. Almost as quickly he put me down and stepped away, I looked up at him through the rain, his expression was unreadable. "I was captured by the vampires. Along with several others, they said that if we fought for them we would get our freedom and they would leave the pack be. So they stuck us in a cage and played us against other Weres, tigers, bears, other wolves. They made money out of us, we fought for their entertainment, and vampires flocked from all over the country to watch us. The supernatural equivalent of dog fighting." He paused, breathing heavily, dropping his head and letting the rain run over his face he carried on in a low voice, "I was the only survivor. I fought for six and a half years and they opened the cage doors and said with a smile 'you're free, take care now, people aren't so nice on the outside'. I wanted to come straight to my pack, but I was in Russia by that time, it took me a while to get here. It wasn't a pretty journey either." We stood in silence for a long time, I was just stunned and horrified, and my horror must have shown on my face because when Tobias looked at me his shoulders slumped even more, "I'll understand if you don't want to be with me, I'll get Asil to help you out..." he'd started to turn away and I realised he'd mistaken my horror for disgust, "Whoa don't overreact!" I grabbed his hand and tried to spin him round but it was like moving a rock, I stepped in front of him and cradled his face, feeling like I was in some soppy romance scene from the Notebook. Rain and romance, they went together pretty well, they just forget to mention the cold and the fact that the water stung your eyes. "I'm a monster, Phoebe," he growled and I resisted the temptation to slap him and tell him to stop with the self pity. He was a almost a thousand years old for Christ's sake! "Says who?" I demanded, firmly holding his face so he would look at me, "Who says you're a monster? Because I don't! I don't see a monster in front of me, Tobias, I see a man who fought to protect his family and himself, if anything that makes you hero!" He didn't look convinced so I kissed him; standing on my tip toes I kissed him over and over until he finally responded. I could feel his relief as he held me tightly, "I'm beginning to think you have a death wish, Phoebe." "Bah! I'm just a trouble magnet, I can't help it," I rubbed his arms and shoulders in a comforting gesture and he dropped his head onto mine neck, stooping slightly to do so. "Filthy bloodsuckers, we should never have..." he grumbled into my neck before biting his tongue, I waited for him to go on but he just held me tighter. "Sorry," he said, straightening up he kept a firm arm around my waist whilst with the other he pushed the scarf away, I winced as rain hit the wounds but he was just staring, "How bad are they? On a scale of one to five, five being most gruesome," I whimpered and he just smiled, confused, "Zero," he said, grinning, brushing his fingers over my shoulder, I barely even felt a twinge of pain. "Huh? What the hell?!" I exclaimed, looking down at my shoulder, the open wounds were no more than four pin pricks, small silver lines were the only indication that I my shoulder had almost been sliced off. "Well, that's strange, I knew I healed fast but less than an hour is just downright spooky," "You've still lost a lot of blood though, so lets go inside, get cleaned up and then you can keep an eye on your friends, in the meantime," he patted what was left of my baby's roof, "Joe can come pick this up and fix it up for you, alright?" "Meh, I suppose so," I muttered, looping my fingers through his and clinging to his arm I let him lead me across the car park, except instead of going through the front he slipped round the side of the building and ushered me through the back door. The back was just like you'd expect a back stage to be, at one side you had a lounge with a small kitchen, at the other just a bare floor which led through a door out to the crowded bar and almost every other available space was filled with musical instruments, crates and other stuff. There were several werewolves milling around, a few young females, the type with big chests, long hair and killer smiles. They nodded to Tobias respectfully, steering clear of us as he led me to the lounge part. There were a few men too, some I recognised from Tobias' band, they all said quick hi's but they had to perform and almost as soon as I sat down they were gone. "Don't you have to go too?" I asked Tobias as I sat stiffly on the sofa, very aware that I was soaking and it looked like suede. He shook his head as he went to the refrigerator, I self consciously tried to run my fingers through my knotty hair, uncomfortable by the stares the females were giving me as the milled around the breakfast bar. They weren't full of hate, more extreme loathing and distrust. Gee, who had I pissed off this time? There were four of them, two looked a little like sisters with raven black hair, obsidian eyes and dark russet skin, they weren't tall and they weren't bulky but they weren't exactly feminine either. However they were stunning, in an intimidating way, they looked to be in their late twenties but I knew that they were old, really old. The third was a tall lanky girl, with white blonde hair the kept tied back tightly, but the long ponytail fell over her slim shoulders, curling at the ends. She had the same cold superior air as a vampire but she was also a wolf, and it made me wonder why the females were so arrogant when the males were far from it. The fourth girl seemed a little nicer, and I was sure I'd seen her before. With light auburn hair and white skin she was average height and build with a cute urchin face. Wearing a black vest and shorts she was the better dressed of all of them and when the others just smirked when I looked at them she smiled, "Hey Tobias, who's the drowned rat?" she asked, her voice high and cheerful, "Is she the girl you brought to the meeting?" so she had been there, I thought she looked familiar. "Yes, Tessa meet Phoebe, Phoebe this is my sister, Tessa," I started off the sofa to shake her hand but she was in front of me instantly, moving so quickly I had had difficulty tracking it, she sniffed at my neck and frowned, "What happened to you? I smell blood - ooh, odd blood, are you a fairy? We haven't seen a fairy in years that is, not counting the guy from last night - Calhoun is your father? You look alike," I could only stare wide eyed at her, mouth hanging open as she chirped on. I got the feeling that, unlike her brother, Tessa had fully embraced her werewolf side. I wondered if Tessa was as old as Tobias, and that maybe Tobias acted more human because he wanted to forget what had happened to him, and he didn't want to scare the people he wanted to trust him. Look at me, I should consider being a psychologist when I leave school, if I leave school. Tobias shoved a coke into my hands and I glugged it down as he spoke, "Phoebe is Calhoun's daughter. She was attacked by a vampire - I'm still waiting for that story, by the way," "Right, vampire..." I drew my knees to my chest, slightly miffed by the silent warning Tobias gave his sister. Rubbing my face tiredly I decided I would find out what they were hiding, in the meant time I told them about the vampire attack. "So there's more than one vampire," Tobias said distantly, he didn't sound surprised, I wondered if the meeting last night had enlightened the Weres more or if he was just familiar enough with vamps to know that they never travelled alone. Either way, I took his hand in mine, tried to smile reassuringly, he squeezed my fingers back and there was a growl. The blonde glared at our intertwined fingers before pointing at me angrily, "She's brought vampires to our land!" I was confused, the vampires were here before me... "Carol," Tobias warned in a low voice but she went on, "It will be her fault when we are attacked again, Tobias, and you cannot deny it! You should send her back to the tigers before the vampires follow the s**t here! Make the tigers suffer, it's their problem! We shouldn't be involved with this stupid pl-" Again Tessa moved before I could blink, she grabbed the woman's neck, even though she was a head taller, lifted her off her feet and threw her. Carol hit the concrete wall, leaving a huge crack that even I felt. As Carol struggled to her knees Tessa stood over her, eyes a terrible cold blue, "Moron! Do you ever get your head out your arse long enough to listen? The vampires were here before Phoebe got involved - it's as much our problem as it is the tigers! You should be thanking Phoebe for even trying to help!" "Remind me never to get on her bad side," I murmured to Tobias and he nodded fervently, watching his sister with surprised wide eyes. The little werewolf turned and smiled at me, it was disconcerting to watch her eyes fade back to brown. "You look like you need a good warm bath and a bed," she shook her head at Tobias, silently chiding him for not doing that sooner, then she reached down and grabbed my hand, pulling me off the sofa, "I'll take her to yours, Toby. Sam and Joe should be there already, she looks like she needs company." As she started pulling me towards the door I looked back at Toby desperately, "Keep an eye on them? Please?" "I promise," he assured me with a hard look in his eyes and I smiled softly before braving the relentless rain once more.
20. Tessa had almost had to undress me and bath me herself I was so dog tired, of course Sam had wanted to watch that until Joe towed him away to go watch some horror movie Tobias would never usually let him watch. Then as Tessa blabbered on about how useless Carol was I'd had my hair washed, rinsed and then towel dried before I'd finally been allowed to go to bed. Of course I was really grateful but it was damn embarrassing having someone bath and dress you. Of course she'd put me in Tobias's room and I now realised why I'd woken up. Tobias had obviously just had a shower, and now he was wearing a loose pair of pyjama bottoms and towel drying his hair. He'd been considerate and kept the light off, I probably wouldn't have noticed him if he hadn't sneezed. "Ugh, what time is it?" I asked hoarsely and he jumped, in the dark I could clearly see him and he obviously hadn't realised I was awake, actually, had he even known I was in his bed? "Just gone three in the morning," he whispered, climbing on to the bed he collapsed face down, groaning before turning his head so he could look at me. I moaned and snuggled back into the pillows, hoping to hide my poufy hair at least until real morning. His fingers stroked my arm and he hummed contentedly whilst I tried desperately to drift back to sleep, but as something knocked on the window it banished any chance of sleep. I jumped and rolled, this time so that my back was to him and I was facing the window, in a sort of half crouch and ready to defend my self. Then I felt stupid since it was only a damn branch. "You worry too much," Tobias observed mildly, putting a hand on my shoulder he gently pulled me back down, slipped the duvet over me and wrapped me into his arms. I was stiff as a statue; any chance of relaxing and sleep had gone out the window. The recent vampire attack had gotten to me in more ways than one. For example I now had to worry about two vampires, I was creeped out by my fast healing and my poor impala was half wrecked. "I hate vampires," I muttered darkly, finally succumbing to exhaustion I relaxed, burying my head under his neck. "You've dealt with vampires before... what happened?" I didn't want to tell him, but he'd trusted me with his story, I could only do the same. "I fell in love with one. At least I thought I did. I didn't know he was a vampire when I first met him, of course I knew there was something different about him but that just made it all the more exciting... I was a stupid teenage girl, hopelessly head over heels with a guy I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. I kept him secret from my family - he said it was better that way, families never liked him... I didn't realise then that he knew what my father was. Then one day father introduced me to a vampire, I realised that his mind was almost exactly the same as Logan's. Empty, cold, dead. I put two and two together and confronted him. He wanted me to join him, if he turned me I could be with him forever and always, every girls dream. It used to be mine. I said no, obviously, life as a leech wasn't all that appealing. He got angry, attacked me, got a taste of my blood. I managed to escape and we moved house not too soon after. We didn't think he'd follow but my blood seemed to be more potent than we'd thought. He followed and everywhere we went he was there, finding one way to ruin my life. He killed my friends off, one by one. One day it got to be too much. We appealed to the coven but they refused to help, they actually found it amusing to watch us move around from town to town. So we took it into our own hands. I rang Logan, begged him to come meet me. I promised him that we could run away together a-and he believed me. My father paralysed him with a sword through the heart, and then my brother burnt him. We left after that. The coven wasn't too happy with us," I chuckled without humour, "That was initially why I started investigating; I had to make sure Cornelia's death hadn't been connected to me... and now the vampires are involved. Life sucks, huh?" Of course that wasn't the whole story. It never was with me, but I was hoping the story would satisfy him, making us even, he'd told me his story and left some parts out, I'd told him mine and done the same. "How many of your friends?" he asked in a distant voice, he'd stopped stroking my arm so I took the opportunity to get up and scoot away to the far side of the bed so I could sit and watch him. "Ben, Tim, Rob, Jack, Josh, Ian, Edward, Louis, Matt," I rubbed my face and smiled weakly even though I felt sick just thinking about them, "You are obviously scared of vampires - and us Weres, why are you mixing with us?" his voice was curious again, hesitant but curious, like he was waiting for me to tell him that he scared the s**t out of me, I owed it to him to give him an honest answer. "I am still scared of you, all of you, but I suppose since their deaths were my fault I want to..." I didn't know how to put it into words but I was getting there "You want to redeem yourself by stopping these vampires," I couldn't distinguish the emotion in his voice so I just shrugged, I didn't really know what I was doing anymore, I doubted I was even helping the 'investigation'. "You are one of the strangest girls I have ever met, Phoebe Sullivan. Here I was thinking you were just interfering for kicks." "Well, it was initially just to tick the tigers off," I shrugged and grinned, "which worked. That reminds me, what happened at the meeting? Dad wouldn't tell me." For a moment, even in the dark, I couldn't miss the fleeting troubled expression, then it passed and he just smiled wryly, "Calhoun probably had a good reason not to tell you, so I'm not either," Instead of teasing me it just made me more worried. Dad hadn't told me because he probably thought I would try and interfere, which could only mean that they all had a plan and I wasn't going to like it. "Let's not talk about it?" he asked, reaching his hand out to me, "It's quite depressing." "What do you mean? I happen to think its riveting pillow talk!" with a playful growl he jumped forward, I yelped as he grabbed my shoulders and spun me down on to the bed so that he lay over me. I laughed for all of a second before the atmosphere changed from light and jokey to intense anticipation. His lips were on mine before I could draw in a breath, it was a gentle kiss that grew and grew in passion, one I could feel from my fingertips all the way to my toes. I ran my hand over his bare chest, mesmerised by the heat of his skin, the way his muscles moved. Every so often my fingers found smooth ridges in his skin and I knew they were scars; he would tense if I touched a large one so I would move on quickly. Delilah was right. He was lush. I almost didn't want to stop, and I was sure things would have gotten a lot more heated, if the way his hands were moving for my shirt was any indication. I wasn't sure if I was disappointed or relieved when someone knocked on the door. "Damn," Tobias growled, he rolled off me and leapt off the bed, striding to the door as I groaned and rolled under the covers. There was no way I'd be getting back to sleep after that. Peeking out from under the duvet I watched as Tobias yanked the door open, revealing a contrite Joe, "It's uh, you might want to, uh," Joe was blabbering, obvious he had something important to tell him but he was uncomfortable, obviously knowing what he had interrupted. "What?" Tobias growled impatiently, and Tessa appeared in the door and I tensed at the hard look on her face, "Tobias-" she started, then she looked at me, peeking through the duvet, I knew that look, those pitying, sad eyes, a coldness washed over me. "Oh god, who died?" I slowly sat up, in my mind going through all the names in my head, Jonno, Del, Alice, mum. I started out of bed as Tessa pushed on grimly, "There was an accident, a car went off the road just outside Lupa," Tessa looked past her brother at me, "I'm sorry, it was your friends, one's in a critical condition in the hospital, the other three... I'm so sorry." For an awful moment I felt like I'd been slapped, then doused in icy water and slapped all over again. My head pounded and I felt sick. Betty. Candice. Emily. Amber. I hadn't protected them. I should have... oh god. Their faces flashed across my mind, I knew each of their hopes and dreams, I knew that Betty had been hoping to get a scholarship to a good college, and get a job so that she could look after her sister, away from their parents. Candice had only joined the cheerleading squad to follow in her mother's footsteps- "Phoebe!" I blinked to see that Tobias was right in front of me, hands cradling my face and brushing my hair from my eyes, he looked panicked, had I blacked out? I swallowed and slowly pushed his hands away, untangling myself from the duvet I got out of bed, I felt cold, detached, "I need to go." Tessa, hovering anxiously in the door looked between Tobias and me before nodding sharply, "I'll find you some clothes." That left me with Tobias, "Phoebe?" he sounded upset and unsure of himself. I held my hand up, stopping him from coming closer, "Just - just don't, stop," I hated that my voice was so unforgiving; I hated the small hurt whine that came from his mouth before he swallowed it and started pulling some clean clothes out the drawers. His shoulders were tense and his movements sharp. He was wounded; he thought that I blamed him. It wasn't that, it was that I knew if he tried to comfort me that I would surely break down, and I needed to be strong for what ever happened, I needed to focus. But I wouldn't be able to focus until I made things right with Tobias. He started for the door, clothes in hand, "Tobias..." what could I say? I wasn't all that good when discussing how I felt, sure I could blab on about a lot of things, but unlike most girls, I was lost for words when it came to myself. He paused, waiting for me to say something else, I couldn't, but I couldn't let him walk out either, that I knew for sure. I closed the gap between us and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my forehead against his bare shoulders. "Sorry, I- I," this was ridiculous, I didn't know what to say to get rid of his hurt. So I was grateful when it turned out I didn't need to do anything. He hugged my arm and I felt him relax, "I understand, get dressed and I'll take you home," he turned out of my embrace, kissed my forehead and walked out of the bathroom, I heard him share a terse few words with his sister before I felt his presence retreat further away from the room. Tessa appeared and handed me a pile of clothes, "See what fits, sweetie, we'll be in the living room - Asil is here," and with that she left me to my grief and guilt.
21. I made my way out of the bedroom, following the voices to the living room. I walked silently, barely breathing. I doubted even with super hearing the werewolves knew I was there, just behind the corner. I'd decided, whilst I was dressing, that something wasn't right, that there was something they weren't telling me. You didn't have to be a genius to figure it out. First Milo with his 'crucial' remark, and then Carol mentioned a plan. Carol seemed sure that a vampire would follow me and Tessa's violent actions to keep her silent only strengthened my suspicions. Plus Tobias had been silently warning them not to talk about it. To top it off dad hadn't told me, and dad always told me things, even if he wasn't supposed to he always found a way. So that was why I listened in to the Wolves conversation. I couldn't use my telepathy without giving myself away but I had exceptionally good hearing. "I still don't like it," Tobias growled, I got the idea he was pacing, "It is-" "What we have to do!" A man rumbled back, I'd know his voice anywhere, Asil. I could feel his power rolling around the room, if I was a wolf I'd be terrified. "She still has a right to know!" "Like she would help us if she knew the truth," Carol hissed back, I got the feeling this was a meeting for the more dominant of the pack, I wondered why she was there; she certainly didn't seem dominant. "You don't know her! She would want to help if she knew-" Tobias growled back at the girl, I was certain there was about to be a shouting match if Tessa hadn't intervened, "You don't know her either, brother, you heard what Calhoun said: she is not ready for the truth," I got the distinct impression that they were talking about me. I wasn't sure I wanted to know the truth either, not if dad said I wasn't ready for it, but Tobias sounded so angry, so desperate, I was worried about how serious and life changing the truth was. I was also worried that, if hiding the truth from me was part of the major 'plan', what else had they - Tobias - been lying about? "She will hate us when she does find out, better to tell her sooner rather than later," Tobias was losing the will to argue, he was outnumbered and if Asil said don't tell, he won't tell. I heard them moving and quickly retreated back to the bedroom. I walked normally towards the living room, tying my hair back and feigning ignorance. Tobias met me at the corner this time, and as I smiled slightly he replaced his grim expression with a small grin. It hurt me to look at Tobias when I knew he was hiding something from me. He offered me his hand and after a second's hesitation I looped my fingers through his, letting him pull me into his living room. He frowned, sensing my sudden uneasiness; I found I couldn't look at him without revealing anything so I looked around the room. Asil was watching me closely as I studied each of his werewolves. There was Carol standing furthest away, no hiding the hate on her face. Other than Tessa she was the only female there. There were five other werewolves, different shapes and sizes, lanky, short, broad, tall. Each nodded to me politely before I turned my attention to Asil once again, Tessa was, to my surprise, sat on the armrest of Asil's chair, a possessive and restraining hand on his shoulder. So they were mates, an odd pairing but who was I to judge? "I take it the car crash was no accident?" I asked, slipping my hand from Tobias' and wandering to the windows, I looked out over the rain filled street. Tobias's house was on the edge of town, close to the main road. You could watch everyone who came in and out of the town from here. "We cannot be sure," Asil answered and I tried not to be distracted by the confusion I could feel radiating from Tobias' mind. "I need to go to the hospital," that surprised some of them, Tobias came over and touched my shoulder, "We got a call, Betty is in a coma, she won't be tal-" "I don't need her to be awake to tell me what happened," I slipped away from him again, stiffly heading for the door, I pulled on my wet shoes whilst the wolves watched me with bewilderment, not sure how to react by my sudden briskness, "Would anyone mind giving me a lift?" "We were heading to the Lupa anyway," Tessa said, leaping to her feet and again she moved too quickly to follow, Asil and Tobias followed at a more human pace, and I was reasonably glad for that, I didn't think I'd be able to maintain my composed façade if they went all wolfy on me.
22. Everyone in the car could sense it, and it confused them. We took two cars, Tobias driving one with me in the passenger seat beside him, Joe the mechanic sat in the back along with his mate, a fair haired Alice in Wonderland look alike. They were hoping that the presence of a submissive kind woman would ease some of my discomfort. It would take a lot more than a nice lady and some smiles to reassure me. Asil, Tessa and one other male drove in the car behind us, I could sense Asil's overwhelming aura all the way over here and it sickened me. Tobias made a whining noise as I drew my legs up to my chest and huddled back into the seat. He sounded so hurt and I wished I could trust him but my fear had been there a lot longer than my feelings for him, they completely eroded at whatever trust I had once I had. "How well do you know the girls, Phoebe?" Lucy asked in a soft voice, trying to cut through the tension, "Not that well," I replied tersely, I would have left it at that but I was nothing if not polite, "I haven't been at the school too long and I didn't fit into their social circle, only recent events pushed me closer to them." "Oh, good events?" she asked hopefully, how do I put it without sounding like a b***h? I thought, luckily I was saved from answering when my phone buzzed in my pocket. As it was just gone four I was a little surprised that someone was ringing me and I looked at the ID. Home. I hesitated, finger hovering over the ignore button, I didn't feel like talking to dad. I caved and answered, "Hello?" "Sis!" I jumped at Del's relieved voice, "I'm so glad I got you! I had to wait until mum and dad were asleep before I could call you!" "Whoa, what's wrong, Del?" I leant away from Tobias, trying to cover my ear piece, I knew they'd be able to hear everything she said. "Ten words or less," Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Tobias' hands tighten on the wheel before he forcefully turned the radio on. Heavy rock blared out and I covered my ears as Delilah thought about what to say. "Different vampires are after you, they found us," I felt dizzy for a second, breathing as heavily as a horse after a race I clutched the phone tighter, "That was only eight words." "...Dad knew," she made a startled noise and whispered hurriedly, "Gotta go! Love you," "Love you too," I whispered down the dead line before numbly sliding the phone back into my pocket. I dropped my head against my knees and bit my lip, holding back the sobs. They'd found me. I was screwed.
I needed to talk to him too. Dibs going first. They had never seen our house, and on the hill haloed by the early morning sun I had to admit it looked nice, Tobias even said so, and I could only muster a tired wobbly smile before I got out. I felt bad for the way I was treating him, but I realised then that the truth that they couldn't tell me was that there were other vampires involved. I wasn't smart enough to figure out more than that but at least it made me feel better that it wasn't something majorly major. At least, I hoped it wasn't. Mum was waiting at the door, already dressed despite the time, obviously dad had warned her that there'd be guests. He was considerate that way. I kissed her cheek quickly, introducing her distractedly to the werewolves coming up the front steps after me, "Phoebe Marie Sullivan! I raised you better than that," she chided as I started down the hall to dad's office, I turned to look at her and the werewolves towering over her in the foyer. "Don't you think they want tea?" "Its okay, Love," dad's voice came from behind me and I looked over my shoulder at him, surprised by the surge of rage I felt when I saw him. I realised this was why Jonno hated dad at the moment, he knew that dad knew. "Phoebe and I need to talk." Involuntarily I glanced at Tobias and his eyebrows were drawn into a frown, the others were just as concerned. Mum knew exactly what talk meant, maybe the fact that dad was only wearing a vest and sweat pants gave it away as well, because she put her hands on her hips and scowled, "This is not the time to be fighting, you two!" "You know what, mum, I think it's a great time to be fighting," my voice was cutting and had a horrible sneer to it. How long had it been since I'd last been so angry? "Phoebe," my dad expected me to follow him and at that moment I hated that I had to. Unfortunately I knew where he was taking me. The dojo. He wanted to have a very serious talk. Inside the large door was open, letting in the cool morning air, the walls were bare and when the door was open there was no need for the lights. I watched as my father walked to one of the walls, under an ornamental wall curtain was a decorated box, he knelt, snapped it open and pulled out two long rapiers. I pulled my hoodie off and kicked my shoes to the side, catching the rapier just in time. It wasn't completely unusual for this to happen. We only duelled like this when it was very, very serious, and he knew that I was angry. Other times if we duelled it was so that I could practice, but most of the time I was watching him and Jonno fight with some good ol' judo. No one else in the family liked swords. I always thought they were missing out, but now as I looked at my father I was starting to wonder why I never followed mum's advice and took up something nicer, like knitting. That involved pointy metal sticks and you'd have to be really unlucky to be stabbed. I held the weapon in my hand, it was my favourite and I usually loved using it. The slender 39 inch blade had a reasonably sharp edge, but it wasn't meant to be used as a cutting sword, but a thrusting one. The hilt was an extravagant twist of metal, the Pappenheimer, a German innovation. My father's was much the same, except his hilt had a simple bell guard, I didn't think it looked at all nice, and my reckoning was that if you were going to get stabbed it should at least look like an impressive weapon. He stood at the end of the mat and watched me. I copied him, he bowed and I bowed back, he flourished his sword in front of him and I held mine out straight, putting most of my weight on my forward leg I kept my back straight, my arm loose. And then I did something dad had never expected: I waited. Usually I lunged first and then it would be a quick one sided fight and he'd win. Not this time. I needed answers and I knew that the only way to get them from him was to win. "How long have the Old Anglo Coven known where I am?" We circled each other and I watched his body for any telltale sign of movement, unfortunately he'd had a lot of time to learn how to lie. He lunged, going straight for my neck, I skipped back, knocking his blade away and recovered quickly, narrowing my eyes. That had been a cheap shot. "The vampire you confronted Friday night informed them," he lunged again and our blades clashed before we leapt away from each other, "He had his own agenda for being here - nothing to do with you." There was something in his voice that made me realise he wasn't telling the whole truth, outraged I lunged, feigning one side and spinning to the other, ready to slash my blade down on his neck, he parried it and grabbed my elbow, "You knew he was here all along! You knew he was going to hunt here!" He pushed me away and I stumbled, quickly trying to get my balance, "Yes. He found out who you were and threatened to tell. So we made a deal. I would not interfere and in return he would keep our whereabouts a secret." "But I interfered. He gave me a warning and when that didn't work he snitched," then I dropped my arm in horror, staring at my father and feeling sick, "You let him kill!" He lunged and I dodged away, realising belatedly that I wouldn't have time to raise my rapier in defence. He came at me again and this time I dived over the blade, landing on the floor I rolled and jumped to my feet, spinning round just in time to block his next attack. "I made a choice between you and them!" he said emotionlessly and with a sudden burst of strength I pushed him away, fury and grief pounded through my veins. "You don't get to chose for me! You do not have the right to pick who lives and who dies! Not when I am involved!" I lunged forward and this time I attacked him relentlessly, sometimes he dodged, sometimes he parried them, but either way I was pushing him back. "You never pick an innocent over me! Never!" "It doesn't matter now, the coven is here and they're after you," I froze in my attack and he took that opportunity to streak forward, his blade slashed through the fabric of the vest, slicing my side, he hadn't expected to injure me and he faltered. I used his sudden surprise to my advantage; I kicked him in the balls. A mean trick with your own father but at that moment I had never felt so much hate for one man. As he doubled over I clasped the handle of my blade with both hands and brought the pommel down on his back, right between the shoulder blades. He went down, and as he rolled over I stabbed the ground beside his head, stomped on his wrist so that he would let go of his blade and then I flicked it with my toe, catching it with my free hand. He looked up at me, no indication of pain on his face, but he held up his hands, conceding defeat. It wasn't enough for me. "Never say that," my voice shook with barely suppressed emotion, "It does matter. They matter. Now you are going to answer all my questions." He nodded, slowly sitting up whilst I walked to the door, leaning against it I looked out over the garden. Somewhere out there were vampires, waiting for me. "I was attacked last night, a female vampire: was she of the Anglo Coven?" "Yes, she was sent to retrieve you." I didn't question how he knew it. He knew too much for his own good. "Do they want me dead or alive?" "Alive." I waited for him to go on. "Logan claimed you as his, and what is his... is also the covens. You belong to them, but they do not want you dead, you are a fairy and your powers are only just fully developing," "What do you mean? I have more powers than telepathy?" great, just what I needed. "Yes," he didn't elaborate on that one so I glared at him, "I cannot say what they are if you don't know what they are." "So I'll be a useful asset for them?" I wouldn't be working for the vampires so much as being their slave. "Yes." "Why get the werewolves and tigers involved? How could they help? They knew that the coven was here?" "I told them that the vampires responsible for the deaths are from the Anglo Coven, and that unfortunately you just happen to have a history with them." I could see where this was going and my rage doubled, "If the coven was responsible for the deaths on their land the Weres had every right to fight them. You were hoping that in the upcoming fight they would destroy the vampires and thus end our problems." "And even if the Weres did not win we would have the distraction we needed to leave," he stood up and looked at me with pity, "I did what I had to in order to protect you and my family. One day you will understand," "Oh I understand perfectly fine," I spat, striding past him, "But I still hate you." I ran out the dojo and up the stairs, on the landing I could hear mum entertaining the werewolves, passing round food and drinks, laughing like it was a normal Wednesday and everything was going to be fine. They weren't. I may have been a lot of things but delusional was not one of them. I yanked open my bedroom door and took the steps two at a time, then I stood in the centre of my room, breathing heavily, blood dripping over my ribs. I was completely lost as to what to do next. Then an eerie calm settled over me and everything became crystal clear. I changed into more presentable clothes, wrapping an amateur bandage around my ribs, it would heal soon enough anyway. Then I packed a small bag full of any personal items I wanted to keep, like jewellery, photos, and other stuff. My rage was slowly slipping away from me and I clawed to hold on to it, I needed it for what I was about to do. It didn't take a lot for the rage to come back. All I had to do was picture my father's face. The room went silent when I walked in. Calhoun and my mother stood to one side, having a hushed argument whilst the werewolves had their own private discussion. They all glanced at me, in clean white chords, a black vest and an unbuttoned red silk shirt I didn't think I looked too bad. It must have been my cold detached expression and the rapier strapped to my belt. "Yes he did. He meant every single word. I can't forgive him for what he has done," I met his calm eyes. "Calhoun D�™mhnallach the Just, I, Phoebe Marie Èibhlin Sullivan, hereby sever all ties and responsibilities due as father and daughter. I see you no longer. I hear you no longer. You owe me nothing, as I owe you nothing, as of now the only things we share are bad memories and blood." My voice wavered with emotion but I forced out the last three significant words, "I abjure you." His expression had not changed throughout my speech, but as I finished I felt the rush of the ritual's magic, as did he. And it hurt, but when I looked again the man standing before me... was not my father. He was just a man. Fairy magic had its ups. My mother couldn't believe what had happened, she looked between us both, eyes wide and watering as the full weight of the words finally hit her, "Oh god, oh god! Take it back! Take it back this instant Phoebe Sullivan!" She grabbed my arm and shook me but I slipped out her grasp, she slapped me and it smarted, but the sudden weight off my heart balanced out the pain. She yelled at Calhoun but, though tears made solemn rivers down his face, he did nothing, said nothing. Instead, walking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, he left the room. I looked at the wolves. They didn't know whether to be impressed by what they had seen, concerned or disapproving. Tobias was the only one I cared about, and he looked... disappointed, with me. To hell with them, I thought viciously, turning my back I slammed the door as I left my house, their house, probably for the last time. I made it halfway down the road towards town before I heard the growing growl of an engine. I only stopped when the truck parked in front of me and Tobias stepped out. I paused and looked at him. I wondered if my face was as stony as it felt. He shoved his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched as he mulled over what to say, and how to react. I understood his anger, he had fought to keep his family alive, and they had died. I had a family, and I had effectively just disowned them. "He's your father, Phoebe," "Who? Calhoun?" I asked, "He was. Not anymore." "You can't just 'abjure' your father, Phoebe!" he shouted and I tilted my head, thinking, "You know, I think I just did. And if you knew the truth you would understand why!" "You're his daughter! Family's supposed to forgive and forget, love unconditionally!" he looked like he wanted to shake me, to make me see sense, but he was genuinely so disgusted with me that he didn't want to touch me. "I cannot forgive him," I told him in a flat voice. There was no regretting what I had done. I had been right, and was better off without him. "If you knew what he had done you would understand." "What? Tell me what he's done! It can't be any worse than what I did for my family," that hit me like a freight train. He was right, in a way. Calhoun had been willing to let people die so that his family would be safe, Tobias had killed people to protect his family. "He was willing to let innocents die and others take the fall for my mistakes, it's not right, Tobias. I should have known. That's different to you - you fought the battles yourself." I started to walk around the truck, there was a footpath not too far down the road, it would lead me down to the beach and into the crowds, I could lose myself there. He was in front of me before I could say 'Stay', his hands grabbed my shoulders and he spun me round until my back was against the truck, I winced as the wound on my ribs opened. "What did he do?" he demanded in such a hard voice I was snapped out from my admiration of his lips. He wasn't going to let me go until I told him. So I did. And the anger in his eyes grew and grew. I pushed him away and glared at him mutinously, "Now do you understand? Now can you see why I did what I did?" "By abjuring your father he no longer became responsible for you," he murmured, staring down the road, back towards my house. The other car was speeding towards us, I didn't want to get caught up with the werewolves. "And in no longer being responsible for me he won't have to hurt anyone else! I'll deal with this myself," Tobias's eyes softened as he looked at me, his fingers traced my cheek, my lips, "You don't have to do this alone," and for a second I was tempted, very, very tempted. But then I remembered when people got involved with me they got hurt. Not anymore. "Do not look for me, Tobias Jayne," I commanded him and he blinked, stunned, staggered back like I had hit him. "Stay with your family, stop the vampire. My problems are my own." As the other car drove up to us I jogged for the path, taking the steps three at a time. His anguished expression would haunt me for the rest of my life, I was sure of it. I never looked back until I reached the bottom. I looked up, saw several shapes standing at the top, silhouetted by the sun, all watching me. They hadn't followed. Good. Although some part of me wished, wished that I wasn't alone. Wiping the tears from my eyes I turned my back on them and headed for the town. I would leave. Tonight. But not on the bus. There were people who wanted to meet me.
25. I'd been so busy wallowing in self pity I hadn't noticed. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "Yes, it's taken," I lied, leaning back in my seat and watching him with narrow eyes. He wasn't what I had been expecting. He had a slight accent but it was hard to pinpoint what, exactly, it was. He had a thick black main of hair, long enough to be put in a ponytail, but short enough to look cool. He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers that only made his skin more garishly white. He was, like all vampires, extremely attractive, with high cheekbones, a long nose and cold eyes as blue as a Siberian Husky's. A scar ran from the top left of his forehead to the top of his left cheekbone, going right over his eye, but you could hardly call it an imperfection. He looked angelic and devilish all rolled in one, made you want to trust him but at the same time made you want to cower in fear. I couldn't read his mind but from his posture I could tell that he was trying to make his six foot five lean frame as unthreatening as possible. But being a vampire unthreatening was pretty much impossible. I was on the outskirts of town, I had been expecting them to come, except, looking around, none of the vampires looked anything like the ones I had seen in England. The man sat down, ignoring me. "My name is Asher. You are Phoebe Sullivan I presume?" "Èibhlin*," I corrected. I wanted to forget all about my old life. If I was going to be a slave to the vampires I didn't want to remember the good. (*Scottish Gaelic for Evelyn, I'll use Evelyn from now.) "Evelyn," he repeated, letting it roll off his tongue as though he liked the taste of it. Those blue eyes pierced mine, "Why are you here?" "Waiting for the Anglo Coven to come claim me so that they'll leave Lupa and the Weres," I answered honestly. There was no lying to a vampire. He grinned, a slow quirk of the lips, "the Anglo Coven is... taken care of, angel." I frowned, completely stumped as to what game he was playing, "What do you mean?" "They were causing unnecessary trouble; I had to get rid of them. Once their King was taken the pawns went back to England, they will not be troubling you again." I thought furiously, part of me wanted to relax, to believe him, but the other part, the sane rational part of me, was still suspicious as hell. "And yet you're sat here, so I assume what was theirs is now yours, i.e. me." He nodded his head slightly, "I would be honoured if you were to join my council in Los Angeles; we are in need of people of your talent." "Do I have a choice?" I asked bluntly and he answered, looking me dead in the eyes and I saw only sincerity as he answered with a simple "Yes." I slumped in my chair, suddenly feeling like the teenager I was, unsure and way out of my depth. I could go home, now that the English Vampires were dealt with I didn't have to worry about them... but I'd already abjured Calhoun, how could I go home after doing that? I let out a gust of air and wiped the backs of my hands across my eyes and sat up straighter, "I have a few conditions." He smiled again, amusement filling his eyes, "Of course." "One: I get paid for helping you, two: if you need something done I get to choose if I do it or not, I won't be forced," he nodded as if that was fair, "And three: no one gets to suck my blood - deal?" "It is a deal," he held his hand out over the table and reluctantly I shook it. It was complete myth that vampires had cold skin, sure it was a few degrees lower than the average human, but they still had blood pumping round their systems -even if it wasn't theirs- therefore they produced heat. "When do we start?" I asked, clapping my hands briskly. Asher stood up and held his hand out for me to take, like a proper gentleman. "We start now. Let us go - unless you want the animals to come, they've been trying to get us off their land and will no doubt have followed us," I was up out from the table and walking towards the door before he could finish. His minions followed us outside, instantly blending into the night surroundings, protecting their master. A posh limo took up most of the spaces of the small car park and a pale man held the door open, Asher motioned for me to go first, so adjusting my rapier I did so as gracefully as possible, suddenly glad that I had been sensible and cleaned up my earlier wound. It wouldn't have been smart to get into a confined space with a hungry vampire when I knew my blood was so delicious. As the car started driving Asher looked at my rapier, an unasked question in his eyes, "I have to have some way to protect myself from you vampires, I know for a fact that stabbing you through the heart paralyses you, and I have a box of matches in my bag," I didn't care that he caught the threat in my voice, and he didn't care that I had threatened him, he just chuckled. "I swear not to hurt you, angel, and I will kill anyone who dares try," I blinked at the conviction in his voice, wondering where on earth this protectiveness had come from. Mentally shrugging I shrank back into the leather seats, grasped the handle of my sword tightly and shut my eyes. It was time to put the past behind me. If I was going to survive I had to focus on the present, and not worry about the future. Calhoun had once told me that to survive you had to take life one step at a time, I hated myself for it but I took his advice. His last parting piece of guidance.
© 2010 Bea Batts |
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Added on August 5, 2010 Last Updated on August 5, 2010 Author
Bea BattsNottingham, Nottinghamshire, United KingdomAboutAll you need to know about me. ~ I'm a procrastinator, like right now there's probably something way more important for me to be doing than this. ~ I'm an aspiring artist... yeah who am I kidding? I.. more..Writing
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