Take the lead.
After a long hug from her loving boyfriend, she got on the bus and rode home from school, happy that the game was tonight and he said that when his team won the game tonight he would gladly hug and kiss her in front of all the normies on the game floor. Smiling from her dark hazel eyes she was more than excited to see the game and she was going to have something she wanted for a long time.
Huffing slightly as she saw the bus pull to her bus stop to see one of the pack members at the stop waiting for her. Usually, it was someone her age or one of the older pack walking around with a friendly smile on their face. Waving to her as they would watch her from a distance but it seemed that her grandmother had wanted her for something, and sent a wolf that was around her mother’s age to greet her. Looking at him, she realized it was her older cousin Jay, dressed like a biker in a leather jacket. Making her realize that her uncle Bluenose was back in town and so was her father. To most in the Indiana area that would be the sign for a local gang but she knew what the bandana was for. They were the guard or pack members that ran with her uncle Bluenose when he was in town to make sure that the pack was safe. Or more to her thinking that her uncle didn’t flip out and kill any more humans since the last time he was here he had killed the male that was messing with his mate. She felt the guy had it coming and yet she still felt that it was unfair that she only saw her father when he was around for pack business and not there to see her grow up. Still, she wouldn’t let whatever her grandmother wanted to say to her get her down.
Although like most of the pack that had stayed with those that knew of them or other wolves, she and her mother had chosen to be with humans. Sadly, she had hated the human that her mother had chosen after her parents’ mating didn’t work out. She slowly got off the bus and nodded to the male dressed in a black jacket and tattered blue jeans and a blue bandana.
Letting out more air, she started to jog passed her street to head to the park, where she would cut through the small forest at the center of the town and head to her grandmother’s house. The seat of her pack’s power, which she knew would one day be hers after her mother rose to power.
Once she reached her grandmother’s house and the wolf that had followed her from the bus stop had fallen away she found herself pausing at seeing her cousin.
He was tall with sparkling emerald eyes that reminded her of jade in the light of day. Even at night, they seemed to glow like he had an internal light in them that never went out. But the thing that made her giggle the most was his ears, even in human form seem to be pointed.
At that same moment, he turned his eyes from the slowly fading sun to lock eyes with her,
" Hello, cousin. I have some great news, my mother has named me, her emissary for the area.” He told her in a deep voice that seems to be like a slow slide of his hand down her back.
" Well, I would say that is great since you got promoted to a detective with the IPD.” She told him before rushing into his arms for a hug.
“Thank you and I am glad that you’re doing well in your classes. Although I am not at all pleased with that human of yours.” He told her as she pulled back from him in shock but still smiled.
" You said worse than Duncan and his hatred for him. But you should save that for my mother and her human. I am not that bad.” She told him as he wrinkled his cute nose at her words.
" But I know you will do fine in your new position.” She told him before she fully released him missing the contact before turning her attention to her grandmother’s front door to find her there watching them, with her glowing hazel eyes that seemed to look into their souls.
" I am glad that you are happy about his position and that you will be the same with yours. ” the older version of herself said as she stepped out of the door with her long gray hair reaching down past her shoulders. Some in braids that pulled her hair back from her ears and a few of the scars that she had from her time spent as a wolf and the hunts she went on.
" Granny, that position belongs to Ma, not to me. Not yet.” She told her grandmother as she stood unmoving as her words sat between them.
" You are my successor and besides from the reports that I am getting from those following your mother’s human his an idiot and will mess up. As do all humans.” Which was said to imply that soon so would her human?
" Well, I have to get to the game. Duncan said he would take me and I have to get home and change, ” she told her as she hugged her grandmother and ran as far and fast as she could away from her house.
For tonight, she knew that he would win the game and she would be on the game floor with him and in his arms. It would be the night that would change her world forever.
September 30
Without a sound coming from the pair of black boots that he wore. He walked with darkness hanging around him like a shroud as he turned his brooding brown eyes onto the dimly lit building that was a small local hole-in-the-wall bar that he had been searching for a month before. It was out of the way from the peering eyes and leering voice of the more upstanding people of the small county known as Marion. Yet it was still close to downtown in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of the town as the city grows into the size of a small metropolitan.
Saying nothing he walked in through the door, greeted by wanton eyes and a piece of hard-playing music as some patrons turned to see him walk into the place with an air about him as if he wore death itself like a cloak around him. As he sat at the bar and place his money on the counter he calmly asked for a beer, before he started to tap his finger against the warm wood of the counter. Used his dark hunter’s eyes to scan the room for his prey, as he looked at the surrounding room through the glass behind the half-full bottles at the counter.
When a tall woman more than a few inches taller than him started her own hunter’s approach towards him. Making a wicked gleam come to his eye as he received the beer that he had ordered. Opening the bottle with a small twist of his hand, he placed the bottle to his lips to take a drink as he watched the woman make the first move.
" Hey there handsome what brings you to our little home away from home?” she asked him as she crossed her fishnet-covered leg over the other, knowing that his eyes were following them.
" Dear lady, what I am after is something sweet and red and once I have it I will never let it go. So please don’t be so tempting if you are not ready to finish what you start.” He told her as he let the bottle fall from his lips too quickly and let his tongue dash out over his bottom lip.
" That’s different, I am usually the one to turn down the guy. Still, give me a chance before you say such things in that great voice.” She told him as she reached her hand across the counter to touch his hand finding it a bit cooler to the touch than most. But with the harsh weather lately and the harsh chill in the air, cold hands were common.
Aching with the need to lean over and take his prey, he let out a deep sigh before using his other hand to quickly finish off the bottle of beer that he had been nursing. Letting the corrosive liquid slide down his throat before reaching out to her and running his hand down her warm cheek to her throat. Felt her steady pulse skip as he locked his eyes onto her., capturing her in a trap there was no escape from.
" Tell me are you here alone? I would hate for friends or boyfriend to be mad at you for leaving with me.” He asked her although he knew she had been alone because he had followed her several times before.
Walking down the same paths she had down, like her shadow as she went into the bar. Hours later come back out with some lucky fellow on her arm that she would take just a few miles away and for several hours more would toy with. Before returning to the bar with messed up lipstick and sometimes a few holes in her stockings.
Shaking her head slowly as she quickly caught his meaning as a gleam came to her eyes, as she leaned in and whispered in his ear.
" You have to tell people if you’re a cop. … Even if you are way too hot for me not to want to play with you.” She told him as he could feel from her warm breath that her cheeks had turned red from her own words.” I am not an officer.
“And no one would think too much of us going out to play and ‘us’ not coming back?” He asked her as he moved off the bar stool to stand with her trapped between him and the counter. For his need was getting stronger and if he didn’t act fast then …. he would have to do more to cover up his actions. Making him bite his lower lip a bit at the waist that would make.
" No... No one would worry about me. All those here know to mind their own business. Since I saw you first, they will have to wait until next time...or will you be all mine?” She asked him with a wicked smile.
" All yours and no one else.” He told her in a gasp as he felt the urge pulling to take control of him as he struggled to keep his face from being buried deep in her neck.
Shaking as he stood with her there before him, he could feel his fingers flexing against her arms as he let a smile slip across his lips before he spoke again,” Lead the way.”
Smiling back at him as she watched him slowly back away for her to leave the stool and to take the lead as they left the dim light bar to head out into the darkness of the harsh Indiana night. She wrapped her arms around his as she moved closer to him to keep in the warmth that she had. As she leaned in to kiss and nuzzle at his neck, she fought the need to talk about her fee upfront. Loved the time she had spent with the man, a fallen angel just passing through the state on his way back to some reservation never to be seen again.
With the chill still in the air, she leads him away from the lights of all the traffic and the bright storefronts, into the deep darkness of a nearby alley. There were only the sound of breath and few words could be heard as she stopped at the last street lamp that stood between them and a few blissful moments as she started to kiss him slowly. Loving the feeling of his fingers sliding through her long hair before curling lightly in it at the nape of her neck. Making her bolder as she kissed him, letting her tongue explore his mouth before she paused at something sharp nick across her lower lip.
" Hey, watch the teeth... I don’t like being bitten.” She told him with a coy smile.
" Sorry, my hunger is getting the better of me.” He told her quickly before he leaned in to kiss her neck, loving the feel of her pulse so close to his lips. All he truly needed to be so close to him.
" Y..... you what?” She asked him as her voice started to crack with fear as she quickly pulled away from him to tumble back into the light of the street lamp.
" Look here mister kinky... I don’t do all that. That’s extra. ” she told him as she placed her hands on her hips as stared back into the darkness that seemed to be hard to see to find him.
" Like you having extra parts as well.” He said as he came forward to the edge of the street lamp light to smile wickedly at his scared little red bird.
" You knew what kind of place that was when you stepped in... so don’t get all upset with me because you got what you wanted.” She told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
" I know I did and I chose the right one as well. I have been following you for some nights now. Please come back to me.” He said in a low voice as he held out his hand to her.
" You... you have been following me, Why?” She asked as she moved closer towards the sounds of the moving traffic and away from the darkness that seemed to move forward as he did.
" You have been calling out to me. You want away from this life, and I have arrived to give you away from this life. Please let me show you, Melody. ” he told her as he spoke her name with such lust in his voice.
Causing her to pause in her need to flee from the alley and him to step closer towards the edge of the darkness. As she moved closer to place her hand into his open one as he stood watching and waiting for her to get closer.
" A way out of this life?” She asked him as she fought back tears from all the things that she has been keeping a secret. From all the horrors that she had gone through before this night. And if he had been following her that whole time he knew all her secrets and her shames.
" Yes away from it all. Just come with me and I can make it all go away, ” he told her in a lulling voice as he felt her hand tremble inside his as he pulled her closer to him. Locking around her like a snake with his meal in his coils.
" You... you lied to me!” She screamed out as she watched his eyes which were filled with a lust-brown turn to deep soulless pools as he released his fangs to drive them into her smooth ebony skin.
Tasting her warm, blood on his lips made him let out a moan against her flesh as she tried to use her strength to pull away from him. Yet even with her 6′4 frame and heels, she was nothing compared to his 6′ 1 body as he easily held her firm and hard against him as he drained her dry.
Pulling her deeper into the darkness, he continued to feed on her, breaking her arms and legs to drink deeply from them before tossing the drained and dried masses into a nearby dumpster. When the sounds of child-like laughter with a southern charm rang throughout his ears. Making him pause and look up from his half-finished meal with blood and gore covering his angelic face, as his demon eyes peer through the night for the one that mocked him.
" Go away you damn leech, your judgment is not welcome here.” He shouted out with a hiss as he slowly ran a blood-covered hand over his already blood-covered mouth.
" I was laughing at your messy eating, but at least you clean up after yourself, Antone.” The voice said as the sound of boots could be heard stepping into the alley. Revealed a lithe brown-haired boy who seemed to have sun-kissed skin.
" Find your food, Leech, or are you here to pick on my choice of food, Asa?” Antone said in a growl as he charged forward towards the boy only to be stopped in his attack by another voice from the shadows.
" At the very least you do make it peaceful for your prey and you don’t leave it for other humans to find.” The new voice told him as another boy with piercing blue eyes stood between the two with a gentle smile on his face.
" See I was complementing the Savage, Raic. Before he decided I wanted a part of his kill. ” Asa told him as he moved to his side to try and place an arm around the much taller boys’ shoulders.
" Besides I already had my meal, a nice blonde with real boobs,” Asa said as he cut a wicked smile back at Raic.
" I am glad that you both fed. I came to collect you before going to bring those three home before they got caught in the sun again.” Raic told them as Ant whipped off his face with the last tattered cloth from the red dress that his victim had worn.
" Where did that wretch drag, poor little Minnie to now?” Asa asked as they started to walk away from the alley, leaving the last of the dried remains to vanish in the harsh blowing wind.
" They have decided to cause more trouble at a human bar. Minnie got a message to Lady Elena and she had me come and gather you two as well.” Raic told them as they picked up their pace as they reached the road leading to White River and heard the sirens coming their way. For it was a chilly night in Indiana. And there were others out causing trouble than that of one missing person that would never be found again.
" Still dreaming of her, are you? You know Lilian won’t be happy if she knew that you have once more gone without eating to be close to this apparition of yours.” Antone told Raic as they walked along the Riverside. Appear to be three college students out for a walk after studying or coming home after going out to relieve some stress.
" I am more worried about Lady Elena letting Lillian and the others go to a human bar and cause so much trouble. When or where I feed is no concern of hers or anyone else’s. Besides that, I thought you were a shaman who would understand my link to this so-called appreciation. ” Raic said to Ant as they used some of their power to vanish from the side into the dark shadows of the night.
Seventy-five miles away from Arsenal Technical High school campus, in the west gym, the sound of a massive crowd washed out of the open doors as well as the heat that came off the masses inside. As the open doors help to circulate fresh cool in and the hot heat from the bodies on the court and those in the stands out.
With the movements of the players getting more frantic to beat the clock, the crowds’ cheers of excitement rose as well. For the Tech Titans wherein the lead, thanks to great coaching and the massive lead that the first string players had set the team up with before one of the boys lost his footing on sweat on the floor and were out for most of the game. Leaving them to put in number five, a boy that seemed rather pale and lost in this world of tanned and other well-toned forms. Yet he seemed to hold his own on the floor as he passed and shot the ball.
While out in the sea of green, white, and gold, a small spot of black sat cheer almost louder than the rest of those there for the game. For among them, stood a girl in all black with a look of love and caring in her eyes as she cheered for Titan number five as he took the last shot against the clock, winning the game against their rivals Northwest.
As the buzzer went off the crowd swarmed from the stands onto the floor to celebrate with their team. Causing the girl to leave her small group of friends to join the crowd on the floor with the team and to wrap her arms around her boyfriend for making the winning shot.
She rushes as fast as she could through the crowd that flowed through the open doors, letting some out into the parking lot to go home and others back into the gym with the team. Following the flow as quickly as she could so she could wrap her arms around her boyfriend. Only to reach the doors towards the gym to see through the moving crowd as it started to thin. His lips pressed against a girl with strawberry red hair and porcelain skin as she held him in a hug, knowing in an instant that it was his ex, Nicole.
Paused with fear and shame, she stood at the door trying to build the energy to get her to move as she looked at the pair in what seemed to be the place they belong. That they belonged together with each other and that he never even knew her, when she heard a strong but kind voice speak to her.
" Aseral...Ra... I am sorry he a dick.” The kind male voice said as a strong kind hand rest kindly on her shoulder as she stood there with her hands balled up in anger.
" Hey, Frye... Let’s go get some fries or how about some of Abbey’s classic cheesecake?” Another voice said in her ear with a smile that makes her turn her head to see her friend standing at her side.
" Or Duncan and I can go kick his ass?” A third voice said as a slender boy dressed in all black and an ICP shirt came into view with a hand pointing at his chest.
Making her smile from ear to ear as she fought back tears from the scene that still seemed to be frozen in place in the gym as the crowd started to truly fall away.
" Let’s just go,” Aseral said to them as she turned around to leave the renewed couple to their kiss as she headed out the door with her friends to the car.
" You are loyal and kind and need someone that is the same as you and not just in it just to take all you have,” Duncan told her as he looked over his shoulder back into the gym and let a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat.
" Food sounds good right now. I can stuff my fat face.” Aseral told them as she walked out the door into the cold air her friends behind her.
After leaving the game with her heart in pieces after seeing her boyfriend... now ex-boyfriend Stan back with his ex. She sighed letting the air blow some of the steam away from the hot cup of coffee that she had in her hands away before drinking it. For most of the night, her friends sat with her trying to make sure she was okay before they returned her to her house.
" Heard on the radio, Time Clock is coming through here. Want me to get two tickets and we can go .. worries.” Duncan said as he sat across from her as the others chatted softly about classes.
“No worries about what, Duncan... Is that a date your talking about or is this a group thing?” Aseral teased him as she pulled her legs up under her in the large chair of the coffee shop.
" It... it’s.... ” he said stumbling over his words as he looked away to hide the blush on his face.
" It’s a group thing because Duncan here wouldn’t try anything on you without the rest of us... right Duncan?” Said the slender boy to his rescue as he sat back down on the long couch with the others eating a muffin.
" Yeah... Andrew is right. It’s a group thing a birthday gift since I know your birthday is coming up soon.” He told her as he took a bite of the cheesecake in front of him.
" I swear my mom texts you, all the time.” She told him with a smile before she put her empty cup down on the table to pick up a muffin.
” But sure what night is it?” she asked him as she peeled the wrapper from the chocolate muffin.
" Last time they aired the promo, it would be in Lake County at 8 pm. But we would have to skip school to go.” Andrew said with a mouth full as he through the thumbs up at his buddy.
" Sounds like a plan to ditch classes for a day. I can toss in gas money if you guys don’t mind a third wheel.” Ava said as she tucked a strained of long brown hair back behind her ear.
" Make that a fourth wheel. I am not going to let my buddy go this alone. ” Andrew said as he swallowed hard around the muffin as he heard Ava announce she was going.
" So it’s settled then, I am buying us tickets, Andrew is buying him and Ava a set and they have gas covered. We left from the circle and head out on the road and be back when the concert is over.” Duncan said with a smile as he watched Aseral’s face light up.
" Sure sounds fun... but think we should get going... it’s going to rain. I love rain but being caught in it … is bad for my hair.” She said with a giggle as the others joined in on her laughter.
