Chapter 1
Tonight We Dine in Hell
"Give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils."
-William Shakespeare, 'King Henry V'
"So you knew?" Allison says from across the table, her voice accusing. This is not a question.
I look up from my food, having just shoved a large piece of stake into my mouth. I chew slowly, buying myself more time. It's not that I don't want to answer; I just have no clue what she's talking about. Finally, I swallow.
"Umm…. Yes?" I say, narrowing my eyes a little while I study Allison's face to see if this was the correct answer.
As soon as Allison saw me, she'd insisted that I stay for dinner. And it had been going pretty well. Until now. Thinking back, I suppose I should have realized that it was kind of weird how smoothly that reunion had gone, that this was a ploy to interrogate me. But in my defense, the last time I saw Allison, we were nine and she was the worst liar I had ever seen. Now it seemed she was just like daddy.
"So all of those summers you came to stay with us, you knew. You knew and you didn't tell me. How could you not tell me?" She asks, sounding betrayed.
Ooh, I know what this is about now.
"We were nine! You were afraid of the fucking dark! How was I supposed to explain? 'oh, yeah, the dark is pretty scary, but just wait until I tell you about all the monsters who just can't wait to rip your throat out'. Yeah, that would've gone well."
Allison doesn't respond, just continues to glare angrily. The table is silent for the next little while.
"Where's Uncle Nate?" She asks, finally.
"He died." I don't hesitate with the answer.
She doesn't seem surprised.
"How?s
I turn my gaze to Chris, who refuses to meet my eyes right away. I wait until he does before I answer.
"Execution."
I turn my attention back to Allison. She appears to be mulling over this, deciding of she wants to push it. She doesn't, instead opting to change the subject.
"So, what was Europe like?"
"Fine. Didn't really stop to do much sight-seeing,"
"But I'm sure you still saw a lot."
I smile at the subtext of her words.
"Right before I came here, I was going after this pack of rouge wolves in Bulgaria. Seemed simple enough at first. But then I find them, and guess what; they aren't wolves at all. It's a cult of cannibalistic necrophiles." I watch her face as I recall the events. She stays completely composed, not showing anything on her face. I'm rather impressed.
"Did you kill them?" Chris asks.
"I did what I had to do; monsters are monsters."
My stomach churns a little as I think back to what I saw. It was hard to think that just regular humans had been capable of… that.
Nobody says anything for a long time, the silence ringing in my ears.
"So how'd you get the scar?"
I shift my gaze to the boy sitting beside Allison. They'd come in together, but he'd stayed off to the side for the majority of the time, watching. Allison looks at him with horror, shocked by his bluntness.
"Isaac!" She whispers his name like a warning. He doesn't even glance at her, instead continues to star at me, waiting for an answer. I'm a little impressed with his confidence. Most people just stare, wanting to ask but not wanting to make me uncomfortable. This kid just doesn't seem to care.
"I got shot." I answer, simply.
My fingers instinctively travel to the thin line of scar tissue that runs along my left cheek bone.
"It was a poisoned bullet, that's why it healed like this." I say, explaining the strange grey-plum colour.
The boy, Isaac, nods a little.
"Allison told me your mom's dead: How?"
"Allison told me your dad beat you: Why?"
Bingo.
Isaac looks so shocked, I know my guess was correct. The thing about Allison telling me is complete bullshit, but it gets my point across; mom is off limits. I decide to dig in a little more, just because I'm pissed off now.
"Is that why you chose the bite? So you never have to be a victim again?"
Allison is now giving me the horrified look as Isaac pushes himself out of his chair and begins to stalk toward the kitchen. As he passes me I hold up my empty glass and smile cruelly.
"Be a doll and fetch Daddy another beer, would'ya?"
He clenches his fists, but otherwise doesn't react as he exits the room. Allison gets up and follows him.
"That was rude." Chris states, having watched the entire exchange like a tennis match.
"You were just content to let him talk about your sister like that?" I glare at him.
"He was insensitive, not offensive." He responds calmly, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Whatever. Anyway, what's wrong with Allison?"
"What do you mean?"
I lift up my hand and move it a little, mimicking a tremor.
"She had a tremor in her hands. And more than once she glanced around the room like she was listening for something."
Chris's eyes darken as he leans forward. He hesitates before answering.
"…What do you know about Nemeta?"
I feel the blood drain from my face.
"Do you mean 'Nemeta' as in, plural for 'Nemeton'?"
He doesn't say anything, but the silence is answer enough.
"What have you done?" I whisper, unable to even try and contain my fear.
"We don't know yet," He responds, meeting my eyes before adding,
"That's why I called you."