Chapter Three
John made his way outside of the hospital, the crisp air rolled over his barely clothed body as he ran a hand through his hair.. "Your a damn hard person to find John" a familiar voice said as he turned his head and looked at his lifelong friend Steele.."Let me guess, new fashion statement?" Steele said sarcastically as he walked over..
"I kind of like it, it doesn't quite show off the color of my eyes though" John smirked.
"God damn it John I came as soon as I heard" Steele said with a shake of his head.."What the hell happened". He was anxious, upset and very relieved to see his friend alive and well. When Steele had heard of the news on the television he had immediately known who the mystery John Doe was and he quickly headed over to Lanview.
"Oh you know the usual" John rolled his eyes..."Lets just say that the boys I ran into are definitely juicing it up, I could barely keep them off of me" John ran a hand through his hair again as he looked around..
"Yeah well Vincent is asking questions, he even put a tail on me which I lost by the way" Steele said quickly.."But I don't want to take any chances we gotta go" he added..
"You would think that as old as Vincent is that he would find something better to do with his time" John said dryly..
"Do you think he had something to do with those guys?" Steele asked as John shrugged his shoulders..
"Nah there was someone else in charge, I hadn't seen him before but next time I do" John smiled devilishly..
"We will work out the details later, lets get you some clothes" Steele said as he began walking towards a car that was parked..
"yeah about that" John stood still as Steele stopped walked and turned to look at him..."I kind of got something I need to do first"
"I'm sure it can wait" Steele said sarcastically.."You look ridiculous" he rolled his eyes..
John saw a car pulling around the corner, she was in it.."I will meet up with you in an hour" he said as he began walking over to the car..
"John , wait... what are you" Steele called out but it was too late. John was getting into the car quick as Natalie pulled off and Steele just watched.."What the hell are you up to now John". He said as he watched the car leave the parking lot.
To say the car ride was uncomfortable would have been an understatement. John was still sitting in that hospital gown and Natalie had both eyes on the road, she was still not quite sure if this was a good idea or not. She knew her uncle was pissed and she was sure that as soon as her parents found out that they would be going absolutely berserk.
"It's a tough car" John finally broke the silence as he looked at her and she smiled nervously.."Barely a scratch" he added..
"Yeah um that seems to be the order of the day" she said as she glanced at him.
"you don't really believe the Doc do you? I mean I'm fine" he began..
"You were half dead on the ground, I saw you first hand" she said with a shake of her head. She didn't know what to believe anymore..She knew what she had seen but obviously she was wrong, but how could be that wrong?
"Well I think its safe to say that after a car accident anyone can be confused, plus it was dark or we could just go with the X men explanation" he smiled some but even in his joking manner he was worried. Not that she would find out the truth but worried that those amped up wolves had seen her, gotten her scent, her life could very well be in danger because of him and that didn't sit well with him.
"I know its sounds ridiculous" she shook her head..
"It definitely makes a good story" he smiled.."You know I never did get to thank you"
"I don't think there is much to thank me for, I could of killed you" she said honestly.
"Ah I have seen much worse" he began and she couldn't help but believe those words. There was a sort of fact behind them. She quickly looked away from him.
"I'm not much farther up the road" she said as she stared at the road.."You really do feel OK?" she couldn't help but ask..
"As good as the day I was born" he smiled and then his eyes darted to the woods as he stared out the window. He had an overwhelming feeling that they were being watched as she drove.
"So what were you doing exactly on my property" she couldn't help but ask as he kept looking out the window.."I mean your not from Lanview".
"Its complicated" he said quickly as she pulled up to the cabin and he didn't wait as he got out and quickly looked around.
Natalie sighed as she sat there in the car, there was definitely something about this guy, something he wasn't telling her and she was going to get to the bottom of it. She got out of her car and he was already on the porch..
"You always keep your door unlocked?" he asked as he looked back at her..
"Unlocked..no..." she began as she quickly walked over to him and he put his hand up..
"Don't move, its not safe" he began as she rolled her eyes..
"Not safe? This is Lanview, the capital of safe" she said quickly as she went to push past him but he put his hand out and quickly looked around.."What are you doing, I may of left it unlocked OK" she said quickly even though she knew she hadn't.
"Just stay here" he said as he walked inside and began scanning the place as she huffed..
"It's fine, I probably just forgot to lock it, I was a bit unnerved at the time" she said as she too walked in. The place looked just like she left it, nothing touch or thrown about. For a second she wondered what she would do if it had looked like that.."John?" she called out as she looked around for him..The place was really quiet, like insanely quiet.."Um Hello, see its fine" she began as a loud crash was heard outside and she jumped. Within seconds John was running into the room, this time he had jeans on, Chris's jeans and for a second she couldn't think because he looked damn good in those jeans and without a shirt he was damn tempting.
He snapped her back into reality quick as he yelled.."Get down!" and before she could react the sound of glass breaking had her hitting the ground and covering her head as the sound of a fight broke out. Another shattering of glass had her scrambling backwards on her stomach as she let out a scream. The next sound puzzled her as well as frightened the hell out of her, it sounded oddly like growling, loud growling. By the time she got behind the couch the next sound she heard loud and clear, it was a howl and now she got up to run but what she saw made her freeze in her tracks as she saw two enormous wolves circling John..She let out a scream as he turned to look at her and it gave one of the wolves just the opportunity it needed as it lunged at him, the other one jumped for her as she took off running down the hallway.
She didn't have to look back to know that that thing was hot on her trail as it slammed left and right into the wall, just at the last second she got into her bedroom and slammed the door as the huge wolf hit into it and she screamed once more before quickly running across her room and grabbing the gun she had hidden there. Of course it would be without bullets and she ran to her dresser as the wolf slammed into her door again and she jumped. Grabbing a handful of bullets she dropped some on the floor and then quickly got one in the shot gun just as the door busted open, pieces of wood flying as she shot off a round. The wolf dropped the ground and let out an anguished howl as she scrambled for more bullets.
Her heart was racing away as she quickly loaded the gun and let off another round. This time tears were streaking down her face as another howl was heard down the hallway. She couldn't even comprehend what was happening, she honestly thought that she may be dreaming or hallucinating. She grabbed for more bullets off the ground and reloaded the gun as she heard something coming down the hallway, she aimed and fired as John flew back against the wall. She dropped the gun as she stood in absolute shock..
John let out a groan as he immediately held onto his shoulder where she had damn near blew a hole into his arm.."Oh my god" she yelled out as she stood there in fear..
"It's fine, their dead" he said said with a heavy breath as he held onto the wound on his arm that was bleeding badly..
"What the hell are they? Are you OK?" her words came out fast as she looked at him and then the dead wolf that occupied most of the space on her bedroom floor.."Your bleeding bad" she said as she grabbed a towel off the ground and then quickly ran past the dead wolf on the floor..
"Just a scratch" John said quickly as she got up to him and then gasped at the numerous other wounds on him. Deep gashes that definitely needed stitches.."I'm fine, really" he grabbed the towel from her and placed it onto his wound..
"No... no this is...I gotta... we need an ambulance, we need animal control" she began to say frantically as she ran towards the phone in her bedroom but as she grabbed it, Johns hand came down and took it from her, yanking it hard from the wall as it dropped to the ground.."What are you doing, we need to call someone!" she yelled out..
"No...no cops, no hospital" he said seriously...
"Are you crazy! Look at this, what the hell is that! Your bleeding, and I... I don't feel so well" she said as her heart raced and she began to feel sick to her stomach. That was saying something too especially since she dealt with blood on a daily basis but something about this was very different. There was a dead thing on her floor and John was oozing blood everywhere..
"I know this is overwhelming.." he began..
"Overwhelming! What the hell is going on!" she yelled frantically..
"I'll explain but I need to sit.." he began as he fell forward some and she grabbed onto his uninjured arm..
"You need a doctor, your bleeding everywhere" she said with a choked up voice. She definitely felt like she was in some sort of nightmare now because there is now way that any of this could truly be happening..
"I just need to rest" he said with a heavy breath..
"Your gonna die" the words came out quick as she looked at him..
"Not today" he said as he moved himself to the bed and groaned at the pain in his arm. Normally he would have been able to rejuvenate himself but under the circumstances of the last twenty four hours he was definitely not capable of it right now. His strength was fading fast and that wasn't a good thing. He knew that others would come, they always came..."No cops, promise me Natalie" he said as he leaned back into the bed.."I just need..i just" he said as his eyes began to flutter shut and then he was out as she stood there shaking almost violently..
She touched his arm and shook him slightly.."Oh god, John... JOHN!" she yelled as he laid there completely limp. She put her fingers on his neck and let out a huge breath when she felt a pulse, not a strong one but one was there.. She backed up quickly and looked down once more at the thing on the ground and then she looked out into the hall. She needed her cell phone, she needed to call someone! She got into the hall and was shocked at the scene before her, all of her pictures were trashed and in pieces of glass on the ground. There was also a sight of another wolf laying dead halfway in the kitchen and living room. She had never seen something so big in her life but she didn't have time to question her reality now as she quickly got around the thing and with a shaky hand she pulled out her cell phone from her purse. No signal, she wanted to scream but she was too afraid to attract more of those things. She looked back down the hall and then headed back there. He was still on the bed, blood soaking everything, she had to think quick. If she couldn't get him the help he needed then damn it she would do it herself. She ran to her bathroom and rummaged through drawers and cabinets. Finally she pulled out an old first aid kit and she tossed it on the bed as she grabbed towels and brought them with her.
It had been years since she had stitched anyone up, the last time had been when her brother Rex had taken a spill on his skate board when he was twelve and she was only fourteen. He had been so worried that their father would be mad that he made her promise him that she wouldn't tell and she had kept her promise then stitched him up to the best she could.
She could barely thread the needle now as she looked down at him. Her hands shaking something awful as she removed the towel he had on his shoulder, the wound was large and seeping. She almost lost the contents of her stomach a few times as she pierced his skin finally with the needle. She was glad that at least he was passed out because she didn't think she could do this with him awake. Again and again she stitched his arm, in and out with the needle, she couldn't believe she was doing this. Once she finished with his arm, she covered it with a large bandage and began working on the other wounds. Some only requiring a few stitches, others needing more. Each one she cleaned and placed gauze over. By the time she got to the last one she was absolutely drained not to mention still horrified at what she had seen. How was he not scared? Why didn't he want cops there? None of it made since.
The sight of the huge beast on the ground was a sight like none other, it looked almost like a wolf but like three times the size as if the damn thing was on steroids. She moved from the bed and looked at it laying on the floor motionless. The sound of a groan made her jump and nearly fall on the floor as she watched John's arm moved slightly. Natalie ran her hand over her face, what the hell was she going to do now?
Steele anxiously stared at the door of the local bar he was sitting in. He slowly sipped his beer as he waited. What the hell was John up to? He had too many unanswered questions but he also knew that John always had a plan but then who was the girl? It wasn't a secret that their kind had a ferocious appetite when it came to women especially if they had become injured in anyway but right now was definitely not the time to be hitting the bed with some random chick. Something had caused John to end up in the hospital and it had to be something big. The average recovery time was under five minutes unless they were dealing with something else.
Steele finished off his beer quick and headed out the door. He could smell Johns scent though the wind made it difficult. He inhaled deeper and then got to his truck. He was gonna have to end this rondevu now, there was just too much at stake.
As he drove the scent got stronger and stronger. When he turned down an old dirt road he began to feel uneasy, was this some kind of trap, was John finally in over his head. Steele kept driving until more scents filled his nose and it wasn't just John, it was others. He put his foot down on the gas hard and began to speed down the narrow dirt road.
The smell of blood was almost overwhelming as Steele skidded onto a property that held a small cabin. He immediately saw the damage to the place and he jumped out of his truck as he ran to the broken down door. One beast lay dead in the living room as he tried to catch Johns scent but before he could a gunshot blast was heard and a bullet whizzed by his head and against the wall as he ducked..
"Don't move or I will shoot you!" Natalie yelled out as she held onto the shotgun with her shaking hand. A man stood in the doorway, nearly seven feet tall with long black hair that way surpassed her own. He looked massive and she wasn't taking any chances. From the second she heard the skidding of tires she had grabbed the gun, who knew what else was out there and she wasn't going to wait to find out this time.
"Woo.. I'm not here to hurt you" Steele said as he put his hands up in the air towards her..
"What are you doing here, who are you" she continued to yell at him..
"My name is Steele OK, you were with my friend John" he said as he stared at the fiery red head. He could see why John wanted to run off with her, for a human she was incredibly beautiful and apparently strong too considering the dead wolf on the ground.
Natalie listened to him but kept her gun trained on him.."You know John?" the words came out quick. She wondered how anyone knew him in this town, he wasn't even from here.
"Could you put the gun down, your making me nervous" Steele said as he watched her hands shake. She looked like she was still in shock and for good reason. This was most likely the first time she had seen their life this up close and personal. He had watched grown men in the past faint at the sight.
"No...not until" Natalie began nervously as she stood there..
"He's a friend Natalie" Johns voice made her jump as she spun and faced him, the gun now facing him as he put his hand on the barrel and pushed it down.."It's OK".
Natalie looked between the two of them, she felt like she would be sick or faint, maybe both.."I'm really confused, what exactly is going on here?" she asked as John slowly took the gun from her and she allowed him too..
"Well by the looks of things I would say you have a very big animal problem going on" Steele said quickly as he looked at John..
"Yeah a very big animal problem" John added..
Natalie took the time to look at John now, he looked completely fine. The area where she stitched his arm was merely red now and the stitches were gone.."How is that possible, I stitched you myself" she said with wide eyes..
"Well I would love for all of us to just stand around and chat but can I borrow John for a moment" Steele said as he looked at John..
"This doesn't make sense" Natalie shook her head, none of this made sense.
"I promise to explain in a moment OK" John said as he walked past her and over to Steele who quickly stepped outside..
"So uh this place is nice" Steele began as he looked at John.."I mean I'm more of a city guy" Steele smirked and then he walked up close to John.."What the hell John!, You go missing for days, no contact and now this" he said just above a whisper but he was deadly serious..
"What can I say I seem to have an attraction to danger" John rolled his eyes..
Natalie paced the living room as she tried to watch them from window. She couldn't make out what they were saying but it definitely didn't look like a good conversation. The sound of a groan made her turn her head quickly and then her eyes got wide as she let out a scream.
