Confrontation
"This way, my leechy friend…" Liko said, with a grin spreading from ear to ear. They were leading Chester toward their home deep in the slums of the city. Everything on the street caught Chester's attention. It wasn't that the junk filled crates that were lined up on the streets were interesting, he just didn't want to let his guard down. "It seems a bit strange that your daddy sent you here… alone." Liko continued to talk out loud, but neither Chester nor Zolfo, were listening to him.
"And why's that so strange?" Chester asked.
"Well I don't know. Seeing as how your kind hate our kind…I just think its funny how you guys have so much faith in us to do the right thing." Liko said simply, shrugging his shoulders.
"I don't know either. I wish I wasn't involved in this stupid war thing. I wish everyone could leave well enough alone. Who cares who's better and who isn't." Chester said in disgust, his face dropping.
"We care who's better. And as long as there are Vampires walking around, we will too. It's been that way for centuries." Liko snapped back. Chester could feel his glaring eyes on the side of his face. Soon after that, the two wolves stopped in front of a tall building with many windows. At one point in time, it had to have been an Inn. He could only imagine where the REAL owners of the Inn went. Chester shook his head. Ok. You knew this would happen. They were going to take you to Eros. He couldn't be THAT bad…right? Just like the rest of the buildings, this one wasn't very different. It was right off the main road, a couple of people had just passed going the way that the three just came from. The only thing that set off this building from the others was that their were claw marks on the wooden door, the sidewalk, and some on the side of the brick house itself. Zolfo sighed, like he was relieved to be released from his burden of dragging around a Vampire. Liko stood with his hands behind his head.
"Home sweet home!" Liko smiled. There was a loud thumping noise coming inside and then came a couple cheers. Chester strained to hear what was going on, then slunk back when he heard a crash. Liko laughed at Chester and went toward the door.
"You might wanna stick close to us vamp. Our pack is a little bitter toward your kind. And they won't think twice to attack." Zolfo warned as he stood where he was. "They won't care if you have to deliver a letter or not."
"Ok." Chester didn't know what else to say. He was about to walk into the belly of the beast. The same beasts that killed many Vampires before him. The beasts that killed his mother.
Liko opened the door, but the commotion didn't stop. "Hey everyone! The future Alpha is home at last!" Liko yelled, holding his hands in the air as he disappeared to his right of the door. Inside, a female's laugh cut through the air.
"Keep dreaming kid!" She shrieked as others laughed.
"We'll see who's laughing when I'm in charge!" Chester's eyes looked down. There would be total chaos if he was in charge of a pack. Chester didn't know the standards on becoming an Alpha in a wolf pack, but he was sure a hot headed guy like Liko wouldn't be very good if a fight got heated. Liko's own brother couldn't stop him from lunging at Dave's throat. Zolfo walked in then and Chester followed, keeping his eyes forward. The wallpaper was peeling from the many claw marks that scarred the room. There were more on the inside then out. The house smelled musty and…dirty.
"What's he doing in here!" The female from before screeched, making the room fall silent. That had got their attention. Chester underestimated the amount of people in the room. At one point it was probably a living room. Their were a mixed variety of people. Ranging from toddlers to a graying lady. Most of them were younger boys and a couple females. Liko and a couple other big looking males stood to the side, both battered and bruised like they had just got in a fight. Which would explain the room.
Chester stood close behind Zolfo, but gave him enough breathing room. Behind him, the front door shut and an even bigger guy stood in it's place. He growled as he moved toward Chester, sniffing the air with his human nose that couldn't pick up a scent that was a mile away. But then again, what did he know? The guy got close to Chester's face and snorted.
"Well. Well. Well. What do we have here? Fresh meat?" The big male said, laughing in Chester's face. The little hallway made Chester claustrophobic. And to make it worse, he was pinned between two wolves. The male was a big guy with broad shoulders and a thick chest. He had thick curly hair and was in badly need of a shower and shave.
"You wouldn't want to eat THAT! It's all skin and bones!" The scrappy looking guy said that was in the middle of the living room. His left eye was bruised and he had a fat lip.
"And it smells horrid!" The female said again. She had to be about thirty, with sandy pin straight hair. The big male from before laughed with them.
"So what are you doing outside your comfort zone boy?" He asked, sniffing Chester's neck. Chester tried to move away, but it didn't help that Zolfo was behind him. He hoped that he was keeping the others away.
"I'm just here to deliver a letter." Chester said still trying to move away.
"Aww is the leech getting crowded? Is he scared?" The curly headed guy asked, moving closer.
"A letter? Oooo! Who for?" Scrappy snorted. Zolfo pushed the male back as he got closer.
"It's for Eros, and I'm sure he wouldn't want your hands on it. So back off." Zolfo warned as he came eye to eye with him. The male growled at Zolfo and got in his face.
"Why so uptight Zolly? Why are you protecting the messenger boy? Got nothing better to do?" He smirked, but it didn't phase Zolfo.
Just then, a man came around the corner and walked straight into the room. When the others saw him, they moved out of the way and became silent. This guy demanded attention. Was this Eros? He wasn't a big guy, but he wasn't small either. The dumb sniffer that hovered over Chester was easily a foot taller then him, but he didn't seem as important as this new guy.
"Back off, Sneer. Zolfo, what's this letter about?" The man asked, as he walked closer. And sure enough, the curly headed sniffer named Sneer, (which fit him well) backed away, giving Chester some breathing room.
"Yeah yeah, whatever Beck." Sneer said. Zolfo took a glance at Chester then looked back at Beck. Nope, not Eros.
"I don't know, but it's for Eros. He wanted to give it to...to Tobias so we brought him here instead." Zolfo said, he was the only one talking in the room now. Chester watched as Beck came closer, standing only a couple feet away.
"Yes well, we better get that letter to Eros, now." Beck turned around leading them through the hallway he had just come from.
"Follow, and keep up. You stay back and these wolves will eat you up." Zolfo said over his shoulder. Chester picked up his pace so that he was in the middle of Beck and Zolfo.
As Beck walked through the halls, Chester noticed that kids were everywhere. They didn't seem to notice that Chester was in the mix, an unwelcome quest. They would bump into the walls and tumble on each other, shouting and growling. It had been so different for him when he was their age. For Chester, it was sitting up straight, with your nose in a huge literature book, and not speaking unless you were addressed. There was never a time when he, Dave, and Liham were tumbling through the halls, shouting and laugh and causing a ruckus. Most of them were boys, but there were a couple girls in the mix like before. They were just as rowdy as the boys. One of the boys, a chubby face kid, with freckles that dotted his checks, ran up to Beck, and hugged his leg.
"Becky, Becky! Will you wrestle with me?" He asked, his bright brown eyes beaming up at him. Beck looked down at him with a frown.
"No, not now, later." Was all Beck said before he started walking again.
"Oh, alright." The boy let go in time and charged at the closest boy, tackling him to the ground, making them bump heads. Chester moved around them, to avoid contact, but Zolfo just stepped over them. "I wonder where Liko went?" Zolfo said out loud, it sounded like he was talking to himself, until Beck answered him.
"Causing trouble, probably." Beck stopped at the end of the hall where there was a door right in the middle and turned to face them.
"You still got that letter?"
"Yeah, its right here." Chester said, showing him the letter. It had gotten a little crumbled, but he hoped they wouldn't notice.
"Fancy letter at that." Beck frowned and opened the door. "Eros, there's a message for you." He stepped through and so did Zolfo, leaving Chester to stand behind them. He could see that there was a table at the end of the room-so far the biggest room in the house-and there were five men sitting all around a table. The other four were still laughing as they laid their cards down. But all of a sudden, the man in the middle, stood up. Eros. This was the guy that his father wanted the letter delivered too. This was him, the Alpha of a pack of Lu Garou's. He had to be the biggest man Chester had ever seen. He was tall, but not to the extreme. He was simply thick. He was by no means fat, but all muscle. He also need a shave, but it fit him more then it fit Sneer. His hard set cheekbones and mean looking frown plastered his face. He wasn't ugly, he looked tough. He demanded people's attention, more then Beck did, and if he didn't get it, there was going to be a problem.
"What is HE doing here?" Eros said in a booming voice. By then, the four other guys turned their heads and watched. Chester felt everyone of their gazes burning craters into him.
"He's got a letter for you Eros…I think you should take a look at it." Zolfo answered, his voice was calm.
"Oh really?" Eros replied walking toward them. He stretched his arms outward, then folded them across his chest. "What does this letter say, leech?" Zolfo watched Chester. His face said caution.
"I don't really know. T-Travis didn't say anything, just that I had to bring this to you." Chester gulped, he himself heard his voice crack.
"Hmm… well why would HE send you here alone? In the middle of a pack of wolves?" Eros said mockingly, squinting his eyes. At that time, Liko stepped into view and walked toward them. So this was where he ran off too.
"I was wondering when ya'll get here." Liko laughed, looking at Eros. "He wanted to give the letter to Tobias. But we told him he was under the weather." From where Liko came, a woman stood up. She also looked young, probably in her early thirties. She had golden blond hair that curled around her face, and eyes as blue as the sky. She began to walk forward but when she got half way, one of the guys at the table growled at her, stopping her in her tracks. Her left hand rested just above her stomach and her right balled into a fist and was blocking her mouth.
"Tobias… you know Tobias?" She asked her eyes searching for the answer. Eros kept his eyes on Chester, and Zolfo glared at Liko. After a minute of silence, Chester found his voice.
"Y-yes I know him." Chester's hands began to shake as he held out the letter. "Here's the letter Sir, please take it so I can go." Chester stuttered. Zolfo took it and then handed it to Eros.
Eros smirked as he examined the fancy letter, then looked back at Chester. "Don't you want to see if he's ok? I mean, if you know him, don't you want to see how he's feeling?" There was no sympathy in voice when he spoke of Tobias.
"Eros." The woman whispered.
"What? He can't see Tobias-" Zolfo started to say but was interrupted by Liko.
"I'm sure Tobbie would love that!" He stood next to Eros and smiled wickedly. I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree… Chester thought. "Where is he then?" He asked, looking at Eros.
"Follow me." Eros smiled as he pushed past him and out of the room. "Come now." Liko followed behind him and laughed. Zolfo frowned as he moved after Liko, with a blank stare on his face. The men from the table got up and walked toward Chester, making him moving along with the group. Beck had stayed behind with the woman, but soon joined the crowd.
"Eros! No you can't!" She cried as she forced her way toward the front.
"Do not question me, Lucinda." Eros snapped, not bothering to face her. Lucinda kept quiet after that, falling back to where Beck was walking. What was going on? Chester thought as he walking silently to their destination. Why was it so bad to sneak a peak at Tobias?
They took a left at the end of the hall where a girl sat and hummed to herself. She stopped her humming as they approached.
"Good afternoon, Eros" The girl smiled as she closed her eyes and continued to hum. Eros nodded at her and kept walking. As Chester passed the girl, her eyes snapped back open. She and Chester locked eyes before she stood up quickly and ran up to Liko. "Liko? Who's he?" She asked, he acted like he didn't hear her, and kept on walking. This time she asked Zolfo, "Who is he? What's going on?"
"We're taking him to see Tobbie." Zolfo said, still frowning.
"What! You can't! Zolfo, he can't see him!" The girl pleaded, her brown hair getting in her eyes.
"Is it that bad?" Chester asked, starting to rethink the visit. But he was ignored.
"Eros wanted him to see Tobbie, cause this vamp knows him." Zolfo said.
"How does he know Tobias?" The girl looked from Chester back to Zolfo. "Why isn't anyone listening to me? This wouldn't be what Tobias wants!"
"Lilly." Beck said with sympathy in his voice. The girl ran to him and held his arm.
"Please, Beck! He can't!" She pleaded, but she was too late. Eros had unlocked the cellar door. It was a thick door with a bunch of different locks. Everyone held their breath as he opened it, waiting for him to speak.
"This way." He said, as he walked down the stairs. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"Eros please… you can't" The girl cried from the back, still holding onto Beck.
"Lilliana! Shut your mouth. NOW." Eros snapped from deep in the basement. Chester could feel the echo of his voice start in his ears all the way down to his toes. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that she was frozen, and he didn't blame her, for he was still too. The group of guys stayed back while Lilliana, Lucinda, and Beck followed them down behind Chester.
The cellar was pitch black, and somewhere in the darkness, chains jingled. What's going on? Chester thought as he saw that someone was chained in the back of the room. Eros clicked on the ceiling light bulb as it flickered to life. Chester squinted his eyes from the sudden brightness, then gasped. Tobias was chained to the back wall, a harness wrapped around his body and his arms dangling from cuffs above his head. His brown hair covered his face as his head hung low. His hands would twitch every now and then, making the chains rattle. Around him, there were dark stains everywhere. Chester's brain instinctively knew what it was. Blood. Chester didn't know what to do as he stammered back, his hands shot up to his mouth. "T-To-Tobias? What happened to him?" He gasped, locking his eyes on the boy's battered form.
"What happens to every child born on a Harvest Moon. For a week, he has to be chained down here to suppress the true monster inside of him. But only on a Red moon. The night when he was born will be the worst, which is in a couple of days. That night will be the night when his urge to kill will be completely overwhelming. He would kill almost anything in his path. The hunger for flesh and blood is too strong. In essence, he's more like your kind, Vampire." Eros said, his voice not wavering once.
"I'm sorry." Chester said. He could feel his face dropping.
"What are you sorry for? He's a curse. He means nothing to me." Eros said, looking at Tobias too.
"Eros! Don't talk that way about my son!" Lucinda shouted, standing behind Eros. In the cage, Tobias looked up and let out a menacing growl. His eyes were locked on Eros as he fought to break free of the harness, his eyes were blood red.
"If it would have gone my way, he would have been dead already." Eros said, not worried about the angry creature that was just a couple feet away from him.
"Eros!" Lucinda cried.
"Beck, please!" Lilliana joined in. But Beck was watching Tobias, along with Liko and Zolfo. Chester looked away. He couldn't watch as the boy thrashed again the chains. The murdering look in his eyes that were locked on Eros. He wondered what would happen if Tobias got lose and went straight FOR Eros. One would win, and one would lose, there would be no questions about it. It would be a fight to the death, I'm sure of it. Chester didn't notice the sound of the cage door as it squeaked open, he also didn't notice the sound of Tobias's growling going up a notch. But what he did feel was the sensation of falling. He was falling forward and the only thing he could do was spread his arms out to catch him. But when he hit the floor and looked up, he realized he was in grave danger.