Cruel Moon

Chapter Five

"Wait what?"

Liza rolled her eyes. "There is finally going to be a tour of La Courté Manor and I signed us up for it. It's in three weeks. They're only letting fifteen people go for the first tour and you, me, and your mom happen to be among the first five."

Hana blinked, not sure if she wanted to faint or scream in excitement or run. La Courté Manor was home to Eva La Courté, a woman accused of witchery and the torturing poor fools who happened to visit her. She even tortured and killed children she’d snatch up in the night. The town took justice into their own hands and burned Eva alive in 1465.

The manor is said to be inhabited by the souls of Eva's victims and Eva herself. For awhile superstitions had kept the townsfolk of Eau Noire far from the manor. But Liza and Hana were two of the most ghost obsessed people in town and to have a chance to walk through a "haunted" manor was thrilling for them.

Hana hugged Liza and the two jumped in a circle. "This is going to be so cool!" 

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"You did what?"

Maya glared at Vinnie, wanting desperately to strangle him. He shrugged. "I signed us up for the tour of La Courtè that's in three weeks. It's a twenty-four-hour thing." 

Luther shook his head. "We can't. The full moon is in three weeks and its a blood moon. We've never experienced one before and don't know what will happen to us. It's too dangerous for us and the other people going."

"Look, each group will spend the night in separate wings, so we do the tour and before the moon is at its peak, we chain ourselves up in our rooms. Each room is soundproof. Eva had them soundproof so she wouldn't hear the screams of her victims throughout the day."

Maya c****d his head. "Why are you so eager to go?"

"Because man..." He looked to the door as if making sure of their privacy then in a hushed voice continued on. "...Pete is a real ghost junkie and his birthday is on the night of the full moon. I want him to be happy before the pain man. He hasn't had a good birthday since he was 14 Maya. You—we owe him this."

A heavy silence fell over the room, the air around the men becoming dense with guilt. Luther was right and Maya knew it. He owed this to Pete… 

"Fine. We'll go."

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"It's the best opportunity to dispose of Eva if she's still there." 

Astrid shook her head, glaring at her brother. "We're here to hunt werewolves not play ghostbusters." 

Drake glared. "We are monster hunters, not werewolf hunters. We hunt any monster that breaks the rules. That's what we do. We don't go after the big game and we don't go after ones that haven't taken life, or did you forget again Astrid."

Astrid sneered, her blood boiling. He always seemed to find out… "Fine."

"Good. We have three weeks to prepare." Drake started to walk away, but he paused looking over his shoulder at Astrid. “Oh, and if you kill an innocent again I will have you sent away to Maison folle.” 

And with that, he left, leaving behind a seething Astrid.