I couldn't stop thinking about the wolf.
I wasn't infatuated, I was desperate. It was one of the few things that stopped me from losing my mind. I wouldn't sleep at night; not like I had ever slept at all before, mind you. Even so, no matter what the circumstances were, I wanted to get out. I needed to get out and find it. Hunt it.
Then again, hunt is such a sinister word.
In the mean time, Lynn wasn't getting any better. Although the circumstances were dire, it didn't stop me from dreaming about the wolf, or stop me from remembering the amber eyes. For the first time in a very long time, I had hope.
For what? I asked myself one night, as I lay helpless, watching Lynn twist and turn in her sleep. It was all happening again. I watched that thing growing inside of her drain her dry.
Just like Helen.
Yet, every fortnight, I would hear the lonely whining echo through the forest surrounding us, and it would reassure me. It contrasted with the angry clashing of waves against rocks, and the wind in the trees outside castle barriers.
Sometimes I couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. I prayed sincerely for the latter, but I was hardly in the best frame of mind most of the time, so it was almost impossible to tell.
I had spent most of the following morning hanging around the hallways, staring out of windows at the forest, trying to see if I could find it again. As a result of this, I had unintentionally created this immense tension within our monastery, because everyone (and I mean everyone) was now waiting for that catastrophic moment when I did something really, really bad.
Seriously, How much damage could a human girl like me do? I had already done everything within my power, I'd just end up repeating myself. Then again, maybe that's why they thought I had gone quiet. "I'd tell you not to climb out of the window, but you've been standing there for at least an hour." Isaac's voice was sensual and deep. Normally, I was immune - but after an age of silence, he managed to take me by surprise.
"I'm sorry. Am I boring you?" I turned to face him, and lo and behold, he was actually smiling. They say smiles are infectious, but they lie. When a monster smiles at you, your instincts are to run screaming, like mine were telling me to at that exact moment; except I was trapped.
"Yes." Was all he said.
I had nothing to say to him. It was uncomfortable enough being near him. Had he come here to drive a knife through me? Being oblivious to his thoughts scared me.
So what if he's unusually hot. I know what he really looks like. I know what every single one of these monsters really looks like. I watched the 'real' them rip apart my best friend. "You see, when you're well behaved, I have no idea what to do with myself."
"Well then I should do something terrible to brighten up your day." It was habitual sarcasm. The intention hadn't been to make his smile more prominent, but it did, unfortunately. I shuddered convulsively, and began walking away.
"I've got my eyes on you, Jade."
"I know." I whispered, picking up the pace.
Somehow I found myself in the canteen kitchen, searching for the head chef. There were only four cooks, in truth, but the other three were so dull and unresponsive that I didn't bother wasting my time. Geraldine wasn't all that bad though. She always had the decency to tell me where chef was. Today, he chose outside for the predictable purpose of taking a breath of fresh air.
Fresh. Ri-ight.
"Hi Jade, did Gerry tell you where I was hiding again?" He laughed, blowing smoke rings in my face. Apart from a ridiculous chain-smoker, Heath was a good guy. He was my number one confidant in here - and it was his lousy sense of humour that got me into and out of trouble on so many occasions.
"She also told me you came outside for some fresh air." I grinned, taking a seat next to him on the wall that stretched towards the bottom of the ocean. A nice view, but once you've seen the sea from your window enough times, you start to wish that you could explore it. "I would hardly call increasing your chances of lung cancer fresh, but you know me…"
Heath laughed, shrugging.
"Thanks for the t-shirt, and for giving the girls the pizza, and helping Andrea stock up on her coffee supplies." Heath's smile faded. He knew too. "You don't think…"
"Andrea was always a very sharp girl. I wonder how long it will take before she finds out." He discarded the cigarette into the tumult of waves beneath us.
"You're killing fish." I remarked dryly.
"So sue me. My boss is killing innocent girls." His eyes met mine from behind his brown curls. "If you compare the two evils, then mine hardly seem so bad, huh?"
My expression was unfaltering. "All forms of murder are wrong."
"Even if it's to save thousands of lives?" Heath was good at talking me into circles, but he didn't do it ruthlessly, which is one of the reasons why we got on so well.
You're probably wondering what the hell a guy like him is doing here. I have no idea. He avoids the subject like the plague; even if it keeps chasing after him, he's lived with it long enough to know how to get around it. 'You wouldn't even begin to understand', was his favourite way of brushing me off.
When I didn't reply, he continued talking. "So… what's all this about the big, scary wolf that's come into town?" He wasn't good at beating around the bush either. "My sources tell me that you were in the vicinity when it happened."
"If by 'the vicinity', you mean the sports grounds, then yes… but did I see it…?" I really, honestly considered telling him. It seemed so easy; so beautifully easy, but I couldn't. I couldn't do it. "No, duh. I mean, what reason would a wolf have to show itself to me?"
"To eat you?" He teased. I glared at him, and his sparkly, baby-blue eyes.
"You're an idiot, you know that?"
"I just think it's amusing how you've started being on your best behaviour all of a sudden." His smile wasn't going to go away, no matter how many mental daggers I stabbed him with. "As soon as this wolf shows up, you quiet down. It seems like a bit of a coincidence to me, is all."
"So what? I can't have my reasons for wanting some peace and quiet now and again?" Yeah, Heath was a good guy, but he really knew how to piss me off.
"Hey, hey. Don't get all grumpy. I was just making a point." He laughed, ruffling my hair. Did I forget to mention condescending bastard? That too. "I'm glad you liked the T-shirt, though. Lynn was uncertain, but my amazing fashionista skills shined through."
I gave him a light punch to the shoulder, "shouldn't you be cooking?"
"I should, shouldn't I?"
"And…?" He yawned, stretching his arms over his head before resting his right arm across my back, and pulling me closer. Classic tactic. Classic tool.
"How about you give me a kiss for encouragement?" The frown that appeared on my face was hardly attractive. He chuckled, jostling me slightly. "Come on. It'll be my thank you for all the lovely things I've done for you."
"You're such a dork, Heath." I said, pecking him on the cheek before removing his arm and hopping off the ledge. "I'm expecting an amazing breakfast tomorrow, by the way."
"As long as you wake up in my bed, with me, baby." He winked.
"Oh please, you pervert." I snapped, making my way towards the entrance to the canteen kitchen, "go molest some sex starved bimbo or something."
Geraldine watched me curiously as I exited the balcony, looking a little flustered. I didn't like Heath in a romantic way, but it didn't stop him from making me embarrassed. He was my friend. He was also very sexually active, so I knew not to take him seriously… but still. Sometimes I wondered if it would be so bad if I took him up on one of his outlandish offers. "Don't pay too much attention to his stupid jokes." She said as I passed her. "He likes you too much to want to hurt you. I think he really treasures your friendship."
"Tell him that I'm not worried about him hurting me - I just want my breakfast to be perfect." Geraldine smiled, nodding. See? She's not so bad when she musters up the courage to speak. Everyone else ignores me. I think they're worried what will happen when the vampys find out I've been coming around to play.
Sometimes I worry about Heath, and contemplate never coming back - but he'd miss me too much if I stopped seeing him regularly.
The sun was finally breaking the clouds low on the horizon, turning what wisps were left the colour of peach skin. Some girls were watching in awe, pointing and chattering excitedly. No one was outside the walls of the monastery. The doors were bolted shut. The blackened glass in the main building stopped anyone from even noticing the sky.
Me? I was walking back from the canteen in the outer building, over the sandstone bridge, watching the glittering ocean with something akin to surprise. The sun? I guess even in a place where it always rains, the sun might show itself now and then. It didn't stop the vampires from being prepared. Heck, it might be sunny more often, and I just wouldn't know because they locked me in a hole underground when I was naughty.
However, this did mean that for however long sunset would last, I was free to stay there, staring at the marvel until it was over. Heath was probably watching it too, and out there somewhere, so was that wolf.
That same, beautiful, broken howl finally destroyed the stunned silence. Every single girl on the bridge rushed towards the edge with me, staring out across the water and gasping in bewilderment. Even though it's unusual for me to admit it, I did too.
There he was, in all his beauty, on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I hadn't been able to see him before, but he was humongous, and so graceful. A silhouette in the twilight. "Hey," I called out, watching the girls mutter in surprise and wonder. "Hey, over here!"
He saw me.
He saw me.
He turned those amber eyes to me, and my God, he was the most magnificent thing I had ever seen.
Above all, I could have sworn that he recognised me. "Don't forget our promise." I whispered.
Perhaps it was just me, just my wishful thinking, but he nodded. The wolf nodded. Then, just as quickly, he turned away, howling into the distance, before disappearing.
The chatter afterwards was inevitable, like a frenzied panic as everyone tried to come to terms with what had just happened. As I tried to come to terms with what had just happened.
He was still there, still pacing around outside in the forest. Was he really going to save me? Did I really have any hope left… or was Heath right. Was I just his dinner?
"Don't lie to us. Everyone knows you were on the bridge today. You saw it, didn't you?" I couldn't be demure to save my life, especially not with Evelyn on the offensive. Our other roommates were returning today, which meant it was Pip and Sue's turn to leave. Honestly, I was glad for it.
Angela and Hera were so much nicer anyway. "Yes. I saw it."
"I heard that you talked to it." Andrea added, leaning closer with a grin on her face.
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Andrea." Lynn scolded, trying to save my backside. I should have been more grateful, but I was still a little shell-shocked about what Lynn had said to me yesterday.
"So it's not true?" Eve looked immensely put out. "I might talk to it if I were you. I would spend all day howling until it howled back."
"Now that's just stupid." I laughed, sampling one of Lynn's brownies.
"Don't be mean, Jade. Besides, those rumours are about you, not Evelyn." I shrugged non-committally, finishing my mouthful.
After that, everyone went silent when they heard the clinking of metal outside the door. The much anticipated arrivals had returned. I might have been in a good mood, but I certainly was not feeling any more hospitable than I had been earlier this week.
Unlike Eve, their entrance wasn't half as impressive, but when they stepped in, the first thing we noticed were their high spirits. "Hi, guys!" Angela was beaming. Hera looked a bit less enthusiastic to be back again, but she managed to keep her unhappiness to a minimum level. "We've brought back presents from Procul… here-" Angela emptied her satchel, distributing little parcels among us, and depositing the remaining two on the kitchen counter.
I took mine tentatively, watching everyone else open theirs first. "Aren't you going to open yours, Jade?" Hera asked, her voice thick with her very exotic accent. "We picked it especially for you."
Uncertain, I stared at the paper package in my hand. "What is it?"
"Open it." Hera coaxed, gesturing for me to do so with her hands.
"It won't bite you or anything." Angela said, with one of her winning smiles. My feeble attempt at looking cheerful withered in comparison.
Lynn gave me the don't be ridiculous look, before thanking the duo for the charm bracelet. And as usual, Hera and Angela had prepared little anecdotes for us. Oh, joy. "The inscription on the band says 'blaginja' - it means prosperity. We thought it was suitable for you, as you work so hard for everyone; even those less worthy." Hera was nicer than Sue, but she still wasn't my number one fan either.
Angela was quiet, watching me with anticipation, and once Hera had finished dictating the purposes of Evelyn's miniature dagger charm, she turned on me too.
I sighed, realising that I had to give in, and as I had expected, everyone took this as their cue to invade my personal space.
The packaging tore like fine paper, and almost as soon as I had opened it, the contents slipped out. I might have expected a cheap, plastic toy or tacky key-ring… what I hadn't been expecting was to find a silver wolf pendant staring back up at me.
"The lady in the store said that 'močne volje' or the strong-willed would wear this, so that at their time of need, they would have someone on their side." Evelyn hooted with glee, picking it up out of my lap.
"This is perfect! You're going to show it to your wolf boyfriend, right?" Her eyes glittered ruthlessly. "Oh, Heath is going to be jea-lous!"
I scoffed, everyone else laughed. "You went to see him today, didn't you?"
"But she got distracted by the beauty of Mr Lycanthrope on her way back."
"Being indecisive is not a good thing, Jade."
"Shut up!" I yelled, laughing as Eve handed back my gift. "One, Heath doesn't like me that way, and two, how on earth could I be dating an animal that I've only seen from a distance? Sure he's gorgeous, but he's a wolf. I'm a human. That's a key difference, I think."
"Then why are you referring to it as a 'he', Jade?" Eve asked. "Just admit it. You've fallen head over heals in love with a beast."
"Whatever." I ignored the noises of shock and mock disgust as I attached the pendant to the chain around my neck. "I'm hungry and although your cold meats are very nice, Eve, I want some proper food - anyone else want in?"
"I can't." Lynn smiled. "Doctor's orders. I'm on a strict protein diet."
"I'll go." Andrea offered.
"We'll stay and look after Lynn." Eve decided for the others, who weren't prepared to say otherwise. "Besides, we wouldn't want to get in the way of you and your lover now, would we?"
Andrea giggled quietly as we left, closing the door behind us. Jesus. Some girls these days.
A/N: THANKS FOR READING! DOUBLE UPDATE! :D YAY!
I have nothing to say.
Do you like Heath? Do you like the wolf? Shock-horror, do you like Isaac?
Tell me XD I can't decide who I like more... :P
haha. I love writing.
thanks again,
Gee x