'Get the wampus.' As Bella soars through the damp air, the night dark with the stars reflecting off the wet pavement, Edward's order repeats in her mind. She clicks the hard tip of her tongue against the inside of her fangs. Loose strands of hair whip against her shoulders as the wind rushes past her. 'Get the wampus.' It's seemed so simple, obvious, when Edward said it. As she draws closer to the trees where Vicky waits, hopefully still restrained, a chain of realization drapes heavier and heavier across her shoulders.
How do you convince a girl the cousin she's been living with wasn't her cousin at all? How do you say a monster took her place? And the real Heidi is dead, wrapped in plastic and shoved behind a cabinet. How do you tell a girl that? And then how do you ask her to risk her life?
The thick plastic grip of her sniper rifle squeaks against Bella's tightening hold as she swoops just above the trees. Dark leaves cover twisted branches that reach up to her like a worshipping throng as she glides over them with outstretched wings. Ahead, she spots a forked branch, thick and strong standing higher than the rest of the foliage. With her knees tucked ahead of her, she slows her speed to allow her talons to wrench hard into the wood.
She tightens her weapon against her body and scans the forest floor through the chaotic criss-cross of boughs. All there are are shadows and brush that carpet the ground in dark hues of green and brown. Tapping the tip of her index finger against her thumb, she fills her lungs with a deep inhale. Humid, chilled air rushes through the upturn gash on the center of her face and she smells it; Vicky's heavy, inhuman wetness.
Wrapping her wings against her body, Bella takes a bouncing step off the branch and falls straight to the ground. The brush scrapes deep against the skin of her elongated feet as she lands, the gentle crack and crush herald her landing. Unconcerned with stealth, she clears her throat.
"Vicky?" After decades, Bella still abhors the feeling of her lips against her fangs. The gnarl in her voice is disgusting in her ears. The way her long tongue curls around words fills her sadness. "Vicky, you awake?"
She sniffs the air again and beneath the overwhelming scent of the trees the stink of the wampus is stronger. The sedative Lilim uses is imprecise. Larger creatures it can only incapacitate for an hour or so. Smaller ones much longer. But if Vicky's transformation really does accelerate healing, then she's likely awake.
And if she's awake, she could be free.
Bella continues moving through the trees, not sure if she's even close to where the skirmish ended earlier.
"Vicky?" Bella says again, fighting to ignore the sound of her voice. "Vicky, we need you." Another sniff. Closer still. "You saw me earlier." The crack of a branch as she steps down across it fills the night. "I'm the one who shot you."
"It's about time." Vicky's carefree voice bounces out of the darkness. "It's boring and I'm cold."
Quickening her pace, Bella finds the naked Vicky standing against a tree with her arms still cuffed behind her back. Her chin quivers with the chill that comes from being wet but her green eyes are still bright.
"Where's the cute one?" Vicky asks. She grins broadly.
"We need your help." Bella's breath accelerates, appreciative and surprised at her presence and good nature.
The smile quickly shifts to a contemplative purse of Vicky's lips. Jutting her chin forward, her eyes narrow as she watches Bella down her nose.
"You can't shoot it?"
"I deserve that," Bella says, nodding her head sideways. This is the response she was expecting. Her heart slams inside her as she struggles to remain composed. She doesn't know how much time she has. "And no. At least, not without help."
"What are you?" Vicky's question is not challenging, more inquisitive.
"I'm a mandarugo," Bella says, rapidly. "And my team is fighting an utlunta and a tribe of anadas and we need your help."
"I have no idea what you just said," Vicky says, laughing to herself.
Bella cast down her eyes and takes a heavy breath. There's so much to explain to this girl.
"Vicky," she searches for words, "You're not the only creature in the world. Some are like you, just trying to survive. Others aren't. My team, teams like us, our goal is to stop them."
"And that's what you're doing here?"
Bella nods. She slides her index finger into her pocket and hooks the locket with the tip of her nail. The gold chain catches the light of the setting moon and Vicky suddenly turns serious as her eyes widen.
"One of those creatures, the utlunta, killed Heidi." Bella's heart sinks as the young girl's lip begins to shake and the corners of her eyes glisten. "A while ago, actually, and took your cousin's place."
Vicky's chest rises and falls with silent heaves. A curtain of fiery hair hides her face as she lowers her head. Her body shudders as she uses the tree behind her to support her weight.
"Why?" Vicky asks. Her voice is strong beneath the dreaded locks of hair.
"We don't know." Bella heavy steps make the foliage and branches crack as she moves closer. She wants to drop her rifle, take off her tactical vest and wrap her arms around Vicky. Let her feel warmth, compassion, the sensation that she's not alone. A knot at the base of her throat makes it hard to swallow and she slides the locket back into her pocket. "But we need you."
"Heidi's gone?"
"Yes." The grotesque vision of the young, blood-covered corpse wrapped in plastic rushes into her mind. "Will you help us?"
"I can't go back home." Vicky throws her hair back, revealing thin, moist streams streaking through the dirt that covers her cheeks. Her furrowed brow makes her look worn and tired.
"If we survive," Bella says, "You can come with us. Will you help?"
"Cut me loose?" Vicky twists her body, exposing her zip-cuffed wrists. Bella pulls a knife from the holster strapped to her calf and obliges. Immediately, Vicky shakes out her arms in preparation as the ruddy fur begins to cover the lower portion of her body and her limbs contort.
"You likely could have broken free once you changed," Bella says, relief outweighing her nerves somewhat.
"Would have been impolite." Fully transformed, Vicky circles the small clearing quickly. Her green eyes narrow and a low rumble streams from her chest. "Where are we going?"
"One of the reactors. Follow me." Bella looks skyward, the branches crossing against the night as stars begin to fade. Gripping her claws into a nearby tree, she leverages her talons against the trunk and begins to climb. A few feet off the ground, she she stops and turns to Vicky, extending her wings back slightly for a better view. "And please, be careful."
Vicky shrugs, her mane of hair bouncing with the motion.
"Sure," she says, though it's not genuine.
Tightening her lips against her fangs, Bella resumes climbing. Breaking through the leaves to the clear night sky she immediately takes flight. Her massive wings make the branches and their petals bend away with each muscular beat down, the wind having its way with them. Below, she can her Vicky bounding after her. Together, they head east. Back to the abandoned plant and the rest of the team.
A pang fills her gut. In the distant horizon, Bella just makes out a thin line of pink chasing away the blue of darkness. She thinks of Vicky, of Jacob. Of Emmett and Edward. All she can hope is that there's time.