Sisters Of The Moon - Fleetwood Mac

Eddie had carried Gretchen's wet broken dead body through the woods. Her long legs slightly jiggled as he walked, before he reached their cabin. As if he was on autopilot, like a man in a dream, he climbed the cabin steps, used his free hand underneath Gretchen's body, and brought her to the bedroom. Laying her wet body down, he stood back for a second, before turning and opening the closet. There hanging was the lace short dress she had brought in town that she had planned on getting married in. He remembered before everything had happened, how excited she had been buying it. It was a cream color, short, with long sleeves, and made out of lace. They had originally planned on getting married here, right at the point.

Now...none of that mattered.

Disgusted, he held the dress up, before for just a brief instant, he snapped his eyes shut. Bringing the dress to his face, and inhaling deeply the sweet scent of her cherry perfume. The deep ache in his chest was worse than anything he had ever felt, even worse than what used to happen to him and Marsha when TC was just a baby. The pain of those memories came crashing through, along with the terrible reality that he had made this happen. If only he could have explained to her in his own terms. Why did this have to happen? He had tried saving her. Couldn't she see that was the only way? She could have died. The very thought of now facing the rest of his miserable life alone without her caused whatever remained of his heart to crumple and freeze up. Maybe she was right? Maybe they really were monsters? Maybe they really did belong dead. Holding the dress up against his face, he loudly moaned, crying out, before the cries turned to sobs. He clutched onto the lace material of the dress, before snapping his eyes shut. Tears rolled down his face, before he opened his eyes and saw in the vanity's mirror his eyes were completely red. Disgusted with himself, he turned away, and set about his work.

Silently he undressed Gretchen. One of her boots had fallen off from the fall, but Eddie slipped the other one off, a little sea water trickling onto the floor, before he took a towel and dried her naked body. Once that was finished, he plucked the bottle of cherry perfume from the vanity, and dabbed some on her wrists, neck, breasts, and legs. Putting the bottle back, he attempted to comb out the wet bloody tangles before knowing there wasn't much more he could do. He then took the dress, and very carefully he dressed her. She wasn't hard to move, but it broke whatever tiny fragments were left of his heart as he felt how cold her skin was, no longer warm or filled with that deep rich golden tan she always had. Once he was finished, his hair hung into his red eyes, before he gulped, and took the white sheet that laid beneath her, and scooped her up with it, only her legs with her bare feet hanging out.

Sighing, he held onto her like a groom would to a bride, and eyed the bed. The mattress was a little wet, but there weren't any blood stains. Wrapping her up tightly, he walked out of the cabin and towards the point.

Later...

Eddie had kissed Gretchen one last time, before laying her into the grave he had dug. He had used a shovel from the storage shed, and it had taken almost all evening. The sky was much darker now, and after carefully laying her down, he took a deep breath, before leaning down and kissing her cold wet lips.

"I'm sorry..."

He whispered, before climbing out of the grave, and shovel by shovel he threw dark rich soil on top of her. With her aunt now dead, besides a few friends he knew nobody would really miss her. They didn't know where The Colony was, and all of them knew she had been planning on moving up North to get married. Besides, after the fire at the bar nobody had tried contacting her, and Eddie figured like all distant friends and co-workers, Gretchen would simply just become another person all these fake people had once known. As he covered her with the soil, a terrible rage overtook him. Face crumping, he began to throw the dirt in faster, and faster, and faster, before in no time it had been filled. Breaking the shovel in two, he flung it over at a tree, before throwing his face back and snapping his eyes shut screaming. The sound echoed through the woods, before he suddenly saw Doc approaching, a sad pity filled look in his eyes.

"Edward..."

Eddie spun around, his eyes still blood red. Pointing his finger, he snarled.

"SHE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS! ALL THIS!"

Doc eyed the unmarked grave and sighed, shaking his head.

"Edward...I'm so sorry. Some people simply just don't understand the gift. I know you loved her very much..."

Eddie's eyes then turned from bed to green, as his face began to pulse, bones starting to twist and crack as he let out a blood curdling roar, his shirt ripping off him, before he transformed right before Doc's sad disappointed eyes. In his wolf form, he stood there, snarling, drool dripping from his sharp fangs, before he turned around and took off running, letting out a painful lonely howl. Doc meanwhile leaned against his cane and sighed.

Later...

Eddie had transformed back, before changing into Gretchen's favorite button down work shirt of his, the olive green one, and a pair of jeans. His eyes still remained blood red, which he supposed was simply a side effect of transforming so quickly. In a few hours they would return to normal, which didn't bother him even in the slightest. The only thing Gretchen's he took were her gold earrings. Tucking them inside his side bag, he saw TC hurry out.

"You ain't leaving are you?!"

Eddie ignored his younger brother, climbing onto his bike, and kick starting it, hearing the engine roar to life. He gunned the engine for a second, hearing it loudly idle beneath him. He sat there, before TC walked closer, his head bowed.

"Doc told me about Gretchen...I'm sorry. What happened?"

Eddie stared forward, before shaking his head. He couldn't bring himself to tell his slow younger brother the truth.

"She's gone, that's all you need to know. Look after Marsha...I'll see you around."

Before TC could say another word, Eddie backed up, before pulling away, and peeling out. Staring at the dark bumpy road ahead, he figured he could make it to Los Angeles before ten, which served him just fine. He crept up the speed, flying now onto the main road, the wind blowing back his wild long hair, his red eyes staring forward, filling with tears of agony and defeat. As he continued speeding away he let out another blood curdling howl which echoed over his engine and carried through the woods.

Later...

Eddie went to the first bar downtown that he saw. After parking his bike on the curb, he glanced at his face in the side mirror, and saw that his eyes had turned back to normal. Walking underneath the neon lights, he entered the smoky bar, climbed up on a barstool, and ordered a beer. About fifteen minutes or so later, he saw a young woman staring at him from across the bar. She was a pretty little thing, with blond curly hair, and a low cut red dress. The way her face was painted up he knew nearly instantly she was a hooker. She caught his eye and smiled, before the bartender walked over with a fresh beer he hadn't ordered. "From the gal across the bar." The bartender said, before heading back to take another order. Eddie smirked, raising the beer in her direction, before taking a large gulp. She was pretty, but painted but far too much. Gretchen only always wore very little eyeliner, and purple eyeshadow, just the way he liked it. This girl was one of those "fake" people. She was asking for it, and after what happened today, he was certainly in the mood to give it to her. Smiling, he slid off his stool, and made his way towards her.

Later...

The girl hadn't even gotten a chance to scream.

His fangs and claws tore her throat out in the back alley behind the bar, right next to an old dumpster. He had originally wanted to rape her, but he heard people further down on the other end of the alley passing around a joint. Instead, he slightly transformed, letting her look at him, as his eyes changed from a normal brown shade, to a blood red, and then animal like green. He tore her head off, watching the blood splurt and spray, before her body convulsed and fell against the brick slimy alley wall. He tore into her pulsing bloody neck for a moment, eating some, before tossing her head down like a basketball. He knew he must have gotten some blood sprayed on him, but he no longer cared. He was protected by the shadows. Smirking, he gave her high heel clad foot a slight kick, before turning and walking down the opposite end of the alley and back onto the street.

Jumping on his bike, he started the engine up, and headed home. As he made a left at the end of the street, he thought he could faint hear screams. Smiling to himself, he figured the group sharing the joint had ventured a little further down the alleyway and stumbled upon his little surprise he left them. Suddenly the taste of blood had pushed away those terrible aching pains he felt over Gretchen. This new hunger took over, and he liked it. Anything that made him no longer feel the pain that plagued him so badly was just fine for him.

In fact...he could get used to this.

A short time later, he reached the boarding house where he was renting out a room. Gretchen had only been here three times since he really didn't view it as "home" now though, he had a feeling he would be spending quite a lot of time here. He had business to intend to after all. Parking his bike, he got off, no longer caring if anyone saw the blood, and went in through the back door. He climbed down the steps, and only saw Larry, a local drunk passed out against his front door, most likely locked out. Ignoring him, he continued walking until he reached his apartment and let himself in. Shutting the door behind him, he stood in the darkness for just a second, before he put his bag down. The gold earnings were inside there, but he didn't care. Instead, he eyed his sketchpad which had slightly fallen out. Picking it up, he saw the portrait of Gretchen he had done transformed. He had done this long before anything had happened, and Gretchen laughed it off thinking this was just his style of art. Instead, it was what he envisioned her to look like. Staring at it, his face crumpled yet again, before flinging the sketch pad across the room. He was all alone now, and he planned on making all of them pay.

Gretchen was right.

He was a monster, and he intended on making Los Angeles his hunting ground until he no longer felt anymore pain.

Before...

Gretchen sat on a long piece of beachwood, nearly the size of two huge sofas, close to the fire, sandwiched between Doc, and Donna, warming her hands by the flickering flames of the bonfire, all the while glancing up from time to time and seeing Eddie standing close by, nursing a beer, watching her. Gretchen made a few silly faces, sticking her tongue out, and making her eyes go cross when Doc and Donna weren't looking. Each time, Eddie chuckled to himself, standing next to several men, including TC who sat up on a rock. The BBQ was lovely. Jerry cooked a huge piece of cattle, as Marsha guided the punch bowl. There was music, several men playing fiddles. The music floated through the dark windy night air, and Gretchen felt the same fluttering butterflies inside of her whenever she looked up at Eddie. She felt almost as if she had been hypnotized from the moment he locked eyes with her at the bar. Now sporting her gold hoop earrings, she sat there listening to Doc and Donna go on and on about The Colony, all the while really just watching Eddie and thinking to herself...

"Am I falling in love?"

He was very handsome, with a tanned nice body, great arms, a wide chest, and that beautiful head of long shaggy brown hair. She had dated plenty of times before, and working at the bar, had more than enough guys hit on her, but she had told Eddie the truth. He had only been her third lover. His lovemaking was intense, hard, but skillful. She had never squirmed this much before by a man's touch. He sent bolts of electricity through her body, and pins and needles exploding whenever his slightly calloused tanned hands touched her skin. His lips were full, and she absolutely loved how scratchy his throat and face got. He smelled like leather, and aftershave, with a lingering hint of sweat beneath that drove her absolutely wild. She kept noticing him watching her with those intense brown eyes of his. As the BBQ continued, people getting drunker by the second, and even starting to dance, the old man Erle approached her, offering his hand.

"May I have this dance darling?"

"Of course."

Smiling, Gretchen excused herself from Doc and Donna, and took his hand, rising, and walking towards the clearing where several others had started to slowly dance now that the jig had changed into a slower song which sounded lovely over the dark ocean waves crashing on shore. Going hand in hand with Erle, they began to slowly waltz among the others. Erle smiled staring at her.

"It's been a lifetime since I danced with somebody as young and as pretty as you."

Gretchen giggled continuing to dance with him.

"Well, it's my honor to dance with someone as handsome as you."

Erle roared with laughter, still swaying her back and forth, before Eddie approached.

"Can I cut in?"

Erle smiled, before taking Gretchen's hand, giving it a soft kiss, and nodding to Eddie.

"She's a sweet one Edward. A sweet one indeed."

Eddie smirked, before taking over as Erle returned to the others. Holding her close, they took hands and began to slowly dance.

"You'll have to excuse me. I have two left feet."

Gretchen laughed.

"Seems like you're doing just fine mister. Better watch out though, I might have to run away with Erle."

Eddie shot her a look, causing her to laugh, before he leaned in close and whispered...

"Wanna head up to the point?"

Gretchen smiled staring up at him.

"I thought you would never ask."

Smirking, Eddie led her towards where his bag was, grabbed their things, and hurried off into the darkness, having absolutely no idea that so many eyes were watching them.

Later...

Eddie's shoulder blades arched, before he cried out, before collapsing on top of Gretchen. Both had ventured back up to the point. Laying down the blanket they had, they made love right underneath the trees that lined the wooden fence that overlooked the point. Sweating, Eddie's long wild hair, swept over Gretchen, before he rolled off her and laid beside her, staring up at the night sky. Gretchen laid there breathless, before Eddie snaked his arms around her, and pulled her in close, planting a kiss right on top of her head.

"My God...look at the sky..."

Gretchen's voice trailed off, staring up at the millions upon millions of sparkling stars from above. Eddie laid there, putting his chin on the top of her head, and giving her body a good squeeze. Faintly in the distance they heard the ocean waves from down below continue to crash against the shore.

Then...

The sound of a wolf's howl echoed through the night. Gretchen tensed up, before sitting up straight, her eyes large.

"What was that?!"

Eddie, who wasn't even the slightest bit bothered, put his hands behind his head and stretched.

"Just a coyote probably."

Gretchen looked nervous, her eyes searching the darkness, before she turned.

"Maybe we outta get back..."

Eddie smirked, knowing at this very moment he wouldn't be able to convince her that nothing out here would bother them. Instead, he nodded, slipping on his jeans, and she grabbed her bra, and T-shirt, and began getting dressed. In less than a minute or so, they were packed up, and walking hand in hand back down the path into the woods. Thick fog swirled around their feet as they continued to walk. Eddie kept catching Gretchen nervously looking around, before he lightly chuckled to himself, and leaned in, playfully giving her neck a lick. "You're fine. Trust me." Gretchen nervously laughed, all the while still eying the darkness that surrounded them.

Later...

Gretchen was smoking a cigarette in bed. Naked, beside a sheet that was wrapped around her, covering her breasts, as she laid on the opposite end of the bed, stretched out, while Eddie sat up on the other end. The sheets pooling around his waist, his sketchpad on his lap, as he worked on a portrait of Gretchen. He worked, all the while glancing up and smiling. Her hair was down, slightly in her hair, as she tapped her ashes into the small brown ashtray that laid between them. It was nearly two in the morning, and the two had been going at it ever since they got back. Finally, exhausted, Gretchen collapsed against Eddie's chest, completely drained, and panting, all the while Eddie was still holding her hips. Trying to catch her breath, Gretchen softly kissed Eddie across his chest, before she raised an eyebrow and looked down. Eddie smirked, before leaning forward and deeply kissing her. Breaking the kiss, Gretchen laughed.

"How can you have so much energy?!"

Laughing, Eddie brushed some of her fallen hair from her face before smiling.

"I guess I'm a rare breed."

Now less than twenty minutes later, they laid in bed. The small lamp on the nightstand casting a warm glow, as Eddie finished up on the sketch, before signing it, and turning it around showing her. Gretchen stubbed out her cigarette, and moved the ashtray onto the other nightstand, before leaning forward and taking the sketchpad. Smiling, completely fascinated, Gretchen gazed at the work.

"This is beautiful Eddie..."

Smiling, Eddie crossed his arms, before she looked up.

"Can I keep it?"

"Of course, it's yours."

Touched, Gretchen blinked tears out of her eyes, before she laughed and shook her head.

"I feel like such a teenager right now. I don't know what's the matter with me..."

Eddie smiled, before plucking the sketchpad out of her hands, and placing it down onto the floor on his side. Reaching forward, he yanked Gretchen up towards him with ease. She giggled, before he planted a kiss right on her temple.

"Shhhhh..."

He whispered, before beginning to kiss her again. Pulling back slightly, Gretchen blinked, before staring closely at his face. Playing with his hair, she cocked her head to the side and locked eyes with him.

"I love you Eddie."

Eddie stared at her before smiling.

"I love you too..."

"Really?!"

Eddie nodded, cupping the side of her face.

"I know this has all been so fast but...I'm falling pretty hard for you. I've never had anybody tell me they love me before. You're special Gretchen...you're a real person...I can trust you."

Gretchen kissed him deeply, before laying her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, Eddie gently stroked her face listening to her softly breathe in and out, before completely falling asleep.

Later...

Eddie dressed silently, pulling up just his jeans, and zipping the fly. Gretchen was fast asleep, tangled among the sheets, and looking absolutely beautiful. Smiling, Eddie carefully leaned down, kissed her cheek, before standing up straight, and softly walking outside. He was barefoot, but he didn't care. It was still night, and he felt the need to transform. Making sure he was far enough from the cabin, he felt his heart start to pound as it always did. Closing his eyes, he felt the pressure begin to bulge in his neck, before slowly his bones began to twist, and change, and his skin started puffing up, and growing hair. His eyes turned to a brilliant wild green, and he felt himself transform in less than a minute. Stretching, he began to run as fast as he could, seeing so much clearer than he did when he was in human form. The strong smells of the forest hit him all at once, as he ran faster and faster into the night, his claws sprouting, as he let out a wild howl, and continued to run.

Later...

Eddie had transformed back, but not before slaughtering two rabbits and eating them whole. He felt wired, and full of energy, as his body transformed back, before he walked and picked up his pants, and hopped back into them on the forest floor.

"Are you going to turn her?"

His sister's voice called from the shadows. Spinning around, Eddie saw Marsha approach, smiling as she looked up his bare chest up and down. Reaching him, her hands found his stomach, and went to snake down his jeans, when he violently pulled away

"Stop!"

Marsha chuckled.

"What? Tired of me since you have a new playmate? I overheard Doc. He thinks she's just simply wonderful. When are you planning on turning her?"

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"It isn't the time."

"Well, I certainly hope you decide to bite her first before trying to explain what we are. Wouldn't want to scare her."

"I just need some more time..."

"I'm sure you do Eddie...I'm sure you do..."

Chuckling lightly to herself, she wandered into the shadows, all the while leaving Eddie who stared. Sighing, he ventured back to the cabin, and crept inside. He found Gretchen still sleeping soundy. Making sure no blood from the rabbits were on him, he checked his eyes in the vanity, relieved to see they had turned back to normal brown, before carefully climbing into bed, and curling up right beside Gretchen. Putting his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck, and all the meanwhile continued to think of how he would go about turning Gretchen. He had already decided he was going to do it, but a million worried and thoughts plagued him. Still, she wasn't like the others...she was different. She was a "real" person. He could figure out some way, get her to turn, and then he would never have to worry about ever being alone again. Kissing her the back of her bare shoulder blade, he smiled before shutting his eyes, and falling asleep, holding on tightly, almost as if he let go she might disappear.

Sunday evening...

Eddie pulled up to Gretchen's apartment building a little after sunset. They had spent the whole weekend at The Colony, and Gretchen seemed to fit in perfectly. Everyone loved her, and earlier today Eddie and her had even gone swimming. The water was still pretty cold, but by the time they sat back on the beach, huddled underneath a shared blanket, sand glittering against their wet legs, Eddie laughed, shaking his wet hair like an animal against Gretchen who squealed out in delight. Finally, she rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling in close for warmth as Eddie continued staring forward, truly happy for the first time ever. They had spent most of the weekend shacked up in the cozy tiny cabin, but they had ventured out to the main cabins for dinner. The entire time Eddie felt his siblings' eyes on Gretchen. Finally they packed up, and Eddie drove her home on his bike. Traffic had been light, and finally they got back windblown and a little tired. Helping her off, Eddie put down the kickstand, before climbing off himself.

"This weekend was amazing. Probably the best I've ever had."

Eddie smiled staring down at her. Touching her hoop earrings, she blushed, before looking up at him.

"I would love to see your place. I'm off Wednesday and Thursday. What about you?"

"I think I can make that work."

Smiling, she leaned in close, deeply kissing him, their mouths opening and closing, before finally the kiss broke and she gazed up at him.

"Come by the bar Tuesday night around six. I'll buy you a couple of beers when I get off and teach you how to play properly."

Eddie smiled, his hands going around her, giving her a slight squeeze, before wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground. Gretchen giggled, before he planted a wet sloppy kiss on her lips, and set her back down. Gretchen dug into her bag, before holding up the sketch Eddie has done of her that weekend.

"Call me okay?"

Both had exchanged numbers over the weekend, but Eddie had a feeling he might not be staying in Los Angeles that much this week. He wanted to stay close with her. Nodding, he tilted her chin up kissing her again, before Gretchen smiled through it and pulled away. Eddie reached forward taking her hand. Laughing, she pulled back, slowly walking backwards, before his grip on her hand fell. Hating to see her go, he stood there, before she blew him a kiss, and went inside. Hating that she was now gone, Eddie shoved his hands into his pockets before sighing deeply. Turning, he climbed back onto his bike, before starting the engine.

Pulling down the street, he felt the night air blow against his face and truly never felt more alive...

Present

Eddie sat in silence in his apartment. He sat in his chair, not moving, not saying a word, just simply staring. Finally his hand reached forward, turning the dial, and turning on the 11 o'clock news. He usually never watched television, but after what happened today he knew he needed something to distract him from sinking into the deep abyss that seemed to be swallowing him whole. Over and over again as he sat there, gripping the armrests tight, his fingernails digging into the worn material, he stared off thinking over and over again...

"Where did she get silver bullets? Where did she get silver bullets? Where did she get silver bullets?"

Reaching, he turned the television on, as the news just began. That's when for a brief second he froze staring.

"Gretchen?!"

His mind said in a panic, as he sat up straight, eyes wide as he stared at the television screen.

That's when he focused, and saw that it wasn't Gretchen.

No, of course it wasn't. Gretchen was dead, buried back in The Colony. Glaring, he saw instead it was just a pretty newswoman who strangley looked an awful lot like Gretchen. She might be a few years older than Gretchen, but it still very much looked like her.

In fact...it was uncanny.

Leaning forward, he couldn't believe it. It was insane.

"Good evening, I'm Karen White and Neil over in sports is going to catch us up..."

Her words faded together. Eddie sat there transfixed.

"Karen White..."

He softly said under his breath. Just then a breaking story came over the screen. The male newsman reported that there was a breaking story in downtown Los Angeles. It appeared a body had been found outside of the downtown bar The Lodge. An unidentified woman was apparently found dead in the back alley. The camera cut to an African American newsman who was reporting live at the scene. It had started to rain, and he stood beneath an umbrella, holding his mic, standing across the street from the bar Eddie had just visited. There was an ambulance, at least three or four police cruisers parked, their blue and red lights flashing. Eddie could see crime scene tape being stretched across, as the reporter stated that less than an hour ago a young woman was found murdered in the back alley to the bar and that there didn't seem to be any witnesses as of yet, but police are currently combing the area.

Eddie chuckled to himself.

He figured he would have to take a nice hot shower later on down the hall. By then the hallways besides Larry still passed out would be completely deserted. He would take his stained clothing and simply hide it under those loose wooden floorboards in his closet. Sitting back, he laughed and a spark came over him. If he couldn't be with Gretchen, he would simply become exact what she said they were... Monsters. The news went back to the main desk where pretty Karen White stated that they would keep everyone posted if any new developments occurred. She shuffled her papers, wearing a pretty purple dress, as she continued talking. Eddie started, unable to truly believe how much she resembled his Gretchen. Besides the age, and the hair...it was as if he was watching her right now. Smiling, he continued watching.

"Karen..."

With that he smiled, and licked his lips.