Chapter 8

Cade

Flashes. Blood, red and bold on the white walls.

Brook laying, mangled and broken.

Kaleb. Two Kaleb's, but which one is mine?

Gunshots. Death. Who's next?

I sat bolt upright in bed, gasping. Strong arms wrapped around me, causing me to kick and scream.

''Cade...stop! It's me, it's Kaleb. Your safe, it's me.''

Turning my head to the side, I saw Kaleb's worried face. His eyes were full of understanding, and concern. I felt my body relax. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep, shuddering breath.

''I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you did I?'' I asked him, I had felt my elbow connect with something.

''I'm fine, I've had worse.' He assured me, 'how are you feeling?''

How was I supposed to answer that?, I asked myself.

I shrugged, ''My head's a little clearer, now I've slept but I still don't know what to think...'' I trailed off, looking at him.

He smiled slightly, catching my hint. I hadn't noticed earlier, but although his face was smooth from wrinkles, his eyes looked ancient. Like he'd seen a lot in a short time.

I dreaded to think what I looked like. Then I reminded myself, that I didn't care.

''OK, what do you want to know first?'' He asked, gravely.

He was just as nervous as I was scared. Somehow that made my voice stronger as I said, ''What exactly happened to Brook?''

He looked down, thinking how to phrase something.

''Right, I'm gonna do this the same way I told everyone else. OK?' I nodded for him to continue, '...Brook was killed by a...a Shifter.'' He finished uncertainly.

What was this Movie hour?

I frowned, when I saw how serious he was looking.

''Shifter?'' I said.

''Yeah, they're not human.''

I raised my eyebrow at him, I mean it's not like I hadn't guess that when there were two of him standing in front of me.

Talk about stating the obvious. But it wasn't his fault, he was tring to make it easier on me. Again a wave guilt crashed over me.

''Huh. Not human. OK, that's comforting in a weird way...but that doesn't explain why they killed Brook. I mean I was asleep,I would have made an easier target. Right?'' I was confusing myself.

He nodded.

''Your right. You would have made an easier target, but these things, Shifters, don't work like that. They take whoever they want, whenever they want. Unless we stop them.'' The last words were spoken on a whisper.

''So what do you do?''

''Catch 'em and kill 'em.''

''Wow.' I sighed, 'you hunt them, so you must have know they were here.'' I stated.

His eyes looked haunted. Slowly he nodded his head.

''Yeah. When we got here, there were none of the usual signs, We were in the Isle of Sky, but they upped and left, so we followed them here to Eastbourne. Normally, there's ways of telling when they are in town; people going missing, animal attacks, freak accidents and complete personality changes are just a few.'' His voice was full of an emotion I couldn't comprehend.

I reached out and touched the back of his hand, shyly.

As he met my eyes again, I smiled.

He squeezed my hand, and said, ''I'm sorry. It's...I haven't spoken about it like this in a while. We haven't had a member in a few years.''

''It's OK. It must be hard, I mean I've lost Brook, but you've more or less lost you entire family.'' He smiled slightly at me.

And so it continued, me asking questions, Kaleb explaining everything about Shifters, and Hunters, and his life on the road.

We spoke until the moon was shining, and Mama T dragged us downstairs to eat.

The house was still empty of everyone but, Kaleb, Mama T, Mia and me. It was peaceful and quiet.

The ache inmy chest was still there in full force, but around Kaleb, somehow it was managable.

After dinner Kaleb pulled me aside and told me that while I was asleep he had called the police. They'd been round and taken his statement, but they were coming back tomorrow for mine.

I wasn't aloud back to the house until the investigation was over. The police were bringing a suitcase of my clothes tomorrow, so I wouldn't have to worry about that.

''What am I supposed to say to them, I mean I can hardly telll them the truth?''

He looked at me in surprise.

''What?'' I asked, curiously.

Shaking his head he replied, ''Your not going to tell anyone what I've told you?''

Now I was shocked.

''Kaleb what would happen if I told anyone?''

''We'd be thrown in prison on murder charges, and deemed clinically insane.'' He confided, seriously.

I rocked back on the balls of my seat, at his brutal honesty.

''Well I'm not going to let that happen. You saved and protected me, nows it's my turn to do the same for you. So I'm not going to tell anyone, anything.''

He wrapped me in a giant hug, ''Thank you.'' He breathed, in my ear.

My arms went around his neck (again) as I hugged him back.

''What are friends for?'' I asked, rhetorically.

As he had me, the night we had met.

The door opened then; the rest of the gang returning from their hunt. I pulled away from Kaleb, suddenly worried of what they might say. As if reading my thoughts Kaleb said,

''It's OK. They're cool, they'll help catch the dick, who gave the order, and they'll help protect you.'' He assured me, gently.

I nodded, not totally convinced, but not wanting to dissapoint him either.

He took my hand, and led me into the living room.

A/N: Hey thanks for reading :) PLEASE REVIEW! Let me know who your favourite character is and what think should happen next...please :)) ~Abbey =D