C a R t E r

Divide and Conquer...

Dear Little Red Riding Hood

The House is empty the family gone.

If you're curious as to what I've done.

Wander to the docks to the farthest peak

There you'll find the family, freak!

The Big Bad Wolf.

P.S. One o'clock

Carter re-read the note several times more, sinking down into the cream coloured armchair by the fire place. The Big Bad Wolf? Carter broke into inappropriate spouts of almost hysterical laughter, considering the past weeks events Carter was surprised she hadn't gone completely wacko by now. She just kept expecting Candid Camera to jump out from behind one of the artificial plants and yell, "You're on Candid Camera."

As the family room clock ticked by the next few minutes at a painful rate, Carter began to realise that this was not going to happen. Carter turned troubled eyes back to the note, it was Rudolphs' handwriting, and she'd seen it on her mothers' documents enough to be able to identify the sharp straight lines. But what Carter couldn't understand was just what the hell was going on?

After returning from the walk, in which she'd had that weird encounter with the glow guy she had come home to find the house empty. When she knew without a shadow of a doubt that her mother should have been pacing the rooms ready to pounce as soon as she stepped through the door. But no, there had been no raving, no scowling or demands, just an eerie silence. She pulled herself up out of the armchair and stumbled toward the door in a half daze.

She didn't know what the hell this was about. Or what the hell was going on. But she felt that before the night was over she have a bloody good idea.

Summer it may have been, but down by the docks at one in the morning it was eternal winter. The harsh ocean air tainted with the pungent taste of salt raged against her body, like a silent warning telling her to turn and run. Carter ignored it the best she could, focussing instead, on her reverberating footsteps against the deck.

Okay, so strolling around the docklands at midnight at the suggestion of a really crappy rhyme wasn't her idea of normalcy. But weirder things had happened. In truth, Carter was more impressed with her apparent skill at manoeuvring herself through the dimly lit dock area than concerned about why the hell she was here. It's a defence mechanism, she told herself as she scaled yet another chain link fence. You don't concentrate on the potentially psychologically damaging information, your mind makes you think about something small and insignificant, so you don't give yourself a haemorrhage. That would certainly explain the detached feeling she had right now.

Carter surveyed her surroundings, searching for the harbour master or possible attackers. But all she saw was battered bobbing fishing boat after battered bobbing fishing boat. The note must have been one of Perdi's twisted jokes, yeah, that was it. Perdi was just exercising her sick sense of humour.

That was when a tall, man mountain appeared from the doorway to one of the grey brick warehouses, causing Carter to halt abruptly and tense. The guy nodded a shaven head in the direction of the warehouse, her indication to follow, and then disappeared back through the door. Carter raised her attention toward the top floors of the warehouse and smiled faintly. Emblazoned across the askew sign was, 'Burn's Arts & Artefacts'. Carter shook her head, taking a deep, calming breath before moving to follow.

Rudolph smiled grimly as his servant came to his side and muttered, "She's here." His servants were not that intelligent, but they did have their uses. Anyway, it wasn't time to deliberate over his choice of puppets, it was time to remove a very large and constant thorn in his side.

Sofia's precious Carter ws about to meet an untimely end, and she only had herself to blame. She was an adopted half breed who couldn't be made into wolf. She was too opinionated and foolish to accept his offer at forming a sensible cohesive family unit. Not to mention the fact that time after time she had caused problems between himself and Sofia. Yes, Carter Blake had to be disposed of, Sofia would accept later, that it had been necessary.

It was either kill the damn half-breed or have her ask questions as to why her mother and sister had abandoned her. That would put Sofia and Perdi in danger, it might alert the Nightworld to his little transgression, and just like making humans into vampires was illegal without the councils consent, so was making them into werewolves. He would not allow that stupid, interfering girl to compromise his chance at making himself a happy family.

He would not allow it.

The metallic click of the reinforced steel door closing behind her made a tight knot of dread form deep in the pit of her stomach. Reluctantly, she followed 'shaven head' through the intricate maze of crates, being careful to memorise every crack and crevasse in the labyrinth of wooden boxes for possible escape routes.

Carter scowled to herself in disgust as the putrid smell of mildew and... Was it rot? Filling her nostrils. This entire situation was ridiculous and Carter's mind could only boggle further as she turned the next corner, only to be confronted with Rudolph with another, Carter assumed, flunky flanking him.

"What the -"

Rudolph smiled and broke in before she could finish. "Ah, Carter, so good of you to come." He looked the perfect debonair in his crisp black business suit, mouse brown hair slicked back. "I see you got my note."

It took her a moment to register the words, and then she knew that this wasn't some joke. Whatever Rudolphs' reason for luring her down here, she was sure it wasn't something she would like. If the nasty little voice in her head wasn't enough indication, the unnerving smile on snake stud was. She immediately fell back on her own defence mechanism. Sarcasm.

"Wow, Rudolph. You've finally lost the plot! Has all that hair gel you wear seeped into your brain already!"

Rudolphs smile didn't falter. "I know we've never really seen eye to eye on anything Carter." He paused, starting to pace. "But I know you only want the best for your mother and sister." He stopped, casting her a serious glance. "That's why I'll make it quick!"

Carter had been all ready to indulge her mothers' beau in his little delusion, but his patronising tone made her patience snap. Her anger crumbling like a cookie into her stomach. "What the hell are you talking about you deranged troglodyte?"

"Always defiant, sometimes an admirable trait, but in your case, it's your downfall." Rudolph continued, ignoring her demand. "You made it so easy."

Noticing her bewildered expression he added. "Divide and conquer, splitting you from your mother and sister so that they became closer to me and rejected you."

Carter felt the faint simmering fury overtake her body, she pushed it down and surveyed Rudolph before examining the two flunkies at his back. They too, wore a black ensemble of jeans and shirts. She couldn't resist the jibe. "You know you should really assimilate some colour into your wardrobe, then maybe it wouldn't be so hard for you to score."

"Your mother," Rudolph was saying, "will be upset, but she'll understand." He turned to face her, eyeing her from head to toe. "I mean, it's not like your her real daughter!"

Carter had been ready to spout numerous insults at him, then those words escaped his lips, and they died in her throat. For some reason unfathomable, her throat had gone dry.

Rudolph, noting her moment of uncommon silence, launched into a tirade. "You didn't know! Of course you didn't, you poor little sap. Didn't you ever wonder why you looked nothing like your parents and sister?" He told her, watching her intently, relishing her utter disbelief. "Didn't you ever wonder why all those extraordinary events and situations you were involved in never happened to other people?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but no sound emerged. Rudolph continued, laughter laced into his words, malicious laughter. "And you can't deny it. Can you? Because deep down you've always known. That feeling of not belonging, alienation." Each word was like a blow to the solar plexus. "And here's another revelation sweetheart. You're not human."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Carter managed to croak. "You're a lying bastard!"

"Am I? Or is it yourself you're trying to convince?" Rudolph taunted. "You're a monster, I'm not sure what. I think you're some kind of half-breed. Or so I figure since I can't get a clear reading on you." He seemed to be talking to himself rather than his audience.

Carter felt something sink into her stomach filling a long empty gap. Acceptance? But it can't be!

"Well I think we've conversed enough." Rudolph said, nodding to his guards. "Like I ordered. Make it." He cast an expressionless glance at Carter. "Quick."

Carter didn't even have time to breathe as long tenuous canines pierced her shoulder.

*

Thanks again, for the review Airlia. ;)