Prologue
The sounds throughout the French Quarter were loud with music, laughter, shouts, and screams. Halloween was getting into the swing for the night, but the boy wasn’t feeling right. His body swayed and his vision narrowed. His head felt like it had a rubber band around it, squeezing tightly. Nothing made sense and it just kept getting more confusing. Why was it so confusing?
He struggled to make his way out of the bar, feeling himself stumbling into people. It felt like no one noticed. No one was seeing him. The people flashed by like blurs, rushing to get to the next party or bar. All but them... Two men. One who sat at the bar with him, before. The other just out of view to make out his face. But he knew the man was staring at him.
Before he could think about moving more, someone was grabbing him, pulling him backward. Everything was spinning except those two men. Both stared as suddenly he was being dragged away. The person pulled him to the edge of the FQ. The only reason he knew this was because the sound of music grew the further, they got. He struggled, trying to turn to see who had him. It took everything in him just to keep his stumbling pace or lift his head.
He began to get angry, his heart throbbing with fear and confusion. What was happening to him? Where was he going? Who was this person? But before any of those questions could come from his lips, the spew of his short-lived adventures came up. The taste of acid, vodka, and bar peanuts was now the only thing he could focus on, fully. Before the person who yanked him around tossed him to the ground, grunting in disgust.
“What the fuck! You are so lucky I have a job to do. This is disgusting! And on my new shoes!”
The voice sounded masculine. However, it was hard to tell, as it had an upward pitch he couldn’t place.
He trembled and stuttered out, “S-s-sorry.”
“What the fuck ever, just stay put. I am gonna make a call. Don’t fucking move a muscle.”
He went as still as possible. He was holding himself up with shaking arms as he began to throw up again. Another angry grumble came from the person, but further away this time. As the voice got further away, he felt tense. Needing to get up. To move. To run. But nothing could move. He couldn’t run. He could only hold himself up enough to throw up the little contents left in his stomach.
When the person returned, they scoffed, “Wow, you actually listened.”
He felt himself being grabbed again. This time being yanked harder than before, causing his world to spin fast. He leaned against the person holding him, despite his terror. He couldn’t keep standing on his own. They didn’t seem too pleased about that, nearly slamming him into the wall of a building he hadn’t known was there.
“Don’t fucking touch me. Keep walking. We are almost there.”
He nodded. At least he thought he did, which satisfied them enough to keep going. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when suddenly-- The wall he was using fell away, and the person holding him just let go.
The pain of the concrete hitting his knees and face caused him to cry out. What had he done? He didn’t get sick again. And he didn’t touch the person again. What did he do? But before he could dwell on pleasing his capture too much they spoke once more... This time so close to his ear, that the feeling of their hot breath on his neck, made him want to be sick all over again.
“Have fun, kid. I am sure he will.”
His heart dropped into his stomach. No longer feeling like he was going to be sick, he could only feel the deep fear of what was to happen next. The person’s footsteps sounded further and further away. Everything in him begging this cruel stranger to stay. He could only groan and whimper in pain. Trying to get his limbs to move more than a few inches.
He had just managed to get himself into a sitting position. Then the sound of a deep territorial growl echoed from somewhere in the darkness. His body went cold. Every thought of movement stopped. His breath came out fast and shallow. His muscles ached and his vision swam. He slowly lifted his head to try and see what was awaiting him.
The sight of two brightly glowing yellow eyes had him stop. At first, they were low to the ground. As if crouched. Then they began to rise, slowly. His eyes locked on the yellow beams of hate, as they got taller and taller. When he was sure his neck couldn’t lift any higher, they stopped.
A whimper was the only sound that escaped him now. Every muscle was trembling in fear. At the same time, the eyes locked on him hungrily. Another horrifying growl came from the creature and in an instant, he knew he was as good as dead.
