REIGN OF THE HYBRID; RULER OF ADVERSITY

Chapter 9

The room was well furnished. A king sized bed in the middle. A beautiful console playing soft old school Rnb music. Her gaze turned to the dark painted walls. A small window with heavy curtains that were still not drawn but letting in se light. Tina had no idea where she was. Her clothes were changed and her wounds catered for. She was dressed in a white night dress her hair tied in a bunch at the back of her head. She managed to seat on the bed. Admired her surroundings before she heard some footsteps. A group of girls came in. Dressed in black and white. Black trousers white tops with scarfs around their necks. They were carting a tray of bread and fruit. A breakfast that befits a queen was served in silence. Tina didn't know what to say and they seemed not interested in talking to her. She tried to recollect her thoughts. The last thing she remembered was her body being dragged on the forest floor and then it all went dark. The pictures on the walls comprised of both young and old people. When the girls left she was expecting the owner of the mansion to show up. It was what happened in the movies and she kept herself busy admiring the pictures as she took her breakfast.

A handsome man in his early thirties, every part of his body except the face covered by a black leather fabric walked in the room.

"Welcome back love", He said.

"What is this place?" she asked looking at him.

"Your new home... You're free to stay here for as long as you like", He said spreading his arms.

Were it not for his handsome face Tania wanted to rip him apart. But something was amiss about him. In fact about the whole place. The scents she was capturing were not human. She started connecting the dots. The scarfs around the girl’s necks and their lack of interest in talking as if they were programmed not to. The thick fabric curtains and the handsome Devils dress code. All of them in conjunction with her memories pointed to one thing. She was a prisoner of the beasts of the night. The scarfs were hiding bite wounds. They needed blood to survive and the lack of Interest in conversation was compulsion.

"And who are you again?" She asked chewing a strawberry.

"Wayne... You? I mean your name"

"Tina, so Wayne why don't you let me go where I was going before you kidnapped me", Tina said getting up to meet him.

"Kidnapped you? We saved you", He said in a commanding tone.

"And am grateful I really am but every minute I waste my daughter and my husband are in grave danger", Tina said with sympathy.

Even Wayne could feel it. The tone in her voice told the misery she was in. And he believed her. He was the only reason she was alive in the first place after her family had suggested to kill her. They sat on the bed as she narrated her sad story. Not that the cold hearted beast of the night could sympathize with her but she was hoping that deep down his dark heart there were some traces of humanity. She said everything. Only what she wanted him to hear and the parts that were really touching. From how their pack was attacked to her she was a prisoner of the rival pack. And her daughter running to safety in the nearby town. The worst part of it was her husband was still with at the mercy of the wolves. Wayne got every part of it the problem was he was not in charge.

"Let me talk to my father", He said and got out of the room in a speed if lightening.

She didn't even have a chance of thanking him. From her own analysis she could tell he was going to help the only stumbling block was her father. And speaking of the devil out of nowhere he was standing right in front of her.

"You're awake!" He said smiling.

"Yes thank you for your hospitality", Tina said breathing in heavily.

She had heard the stories if the great bloodthirsty and vicious vampire Eric Winston. She had seen the pictures but never had she thought of meeting him.

"Let's have a chat", He said grabbing her shoulders and they teleported to another room.

He was way quicker than the son. He put him on a coach. Poured her some whiskey from his small bar. Perhaps he was not ruthless as the legends suggested. They sat opposite each other drinking the whiskey in silence. She was waiting for him to talk. Her heartbeat was rising. Tina knew how quick he could have ended her if he wanted. She was a wolf but he was a very old vampire. Their strength was proportional to the amount of blood they drank and years while she had none of the advantage.

"What were you doing in my territory?"

"I was being chased by the wolves", Tina said.

"But you're a wolf... Why was your own kind chasing you?"

"We're rival packs they have my husband and I'm not sure if my daughter is safe please let me go", Tina begged almost going on her knees.

"Don't beg me!" He shouted breaking the glass in his hands, "Sorry for yelling"

They were all quiet again.

"Wayne will get your daughter to safety but you and still have some unfinished business”, He said getting another glass.

"Am sorry what?"

"You have something that I would love to get my hands on. I will help you get your daughter abs husband then we will discuss"

"Deal" Tina said happily.

The deal was sweet. She did not care what he wanted. There was nothing that could compare to her family. After Tina left to give Wayne her daughters details Eric was left in a contemplative mood. She was hoping the witch was right about Tina. If not there were facing extinction. Don had gotten stronger. And he was going to strike anytime if he got any wind that his prisoner was with them. The wolves had an advantage of daytime over the vampires. All he needed to do was attack at midday. They needed the ancient magic quickly to get the advantage of being able to walk in the sun again. And Tina was the key. Her family invented the curse and the witch who cursed them was her very own relative.

******

When he woke up that morning Leon was feeling relieved. Free and happy. The events of the previous night were on a loop in his head. He stretched his arms yawning his eyes closed. Aubrey was gone. He opened his eyes in surprise. Maybe she was in the bathroom. He went to check no sign. He had misplaced his phone there was no way he could reach her. She was okay. She had to. Leon was novel in love. When he got to the living room he found breakfast ready. With a note on the fridge. It was signed under Maya and Rob. He didn't know their hand writing it was hard to tell if it was fake or real but at least he had something to quench his hunger. He ate ravenously.

The guilt of killing the hunter in cold blood was at the back of his mind. He had created a black box where he kept all the bad memories. Sad stories that only him could relate to. The ones he rarely told anyone. That's where he had kept the memory. But it was in his nature now. Killing and blood lust. Anger and rage all of them were flowing in his veins. He took a shower and dressed ready for school. It was a not a normal day but he was trying to make it. Everything seemed different. It felt new and yet he was used to it. The students were coming in chatting happily. Minding their own business now. The little show he had put on with Mike had earned him some respect. Jefferson’s lecture was the first one. The students were seated waiting for him. Before taking his seat Leon looked around. Aubrey was not yet in. She was never late. Was she avoiding him? Jefferson came in more quiet than usual. He was carrying some papers in his hands. The class was quiet as they waited Jefferson to speak up.

"Morning guys today am not feeling so well", He said leaning on the dais.

"What's wrong sir" Leon asked confidently looking him in the eyes.

Aubrey’s worries about him had started becoming his. It was like the s*x had connected them. Made the one thing. And she could feel his heartbeat rising. A familiar tattoo on his arm. It had not been there before or maybe he had not been looking at him carefully.

"Two friends of mine are dead... Actually three"

That was unexpected. Even Leon was surprised and worried at the same time. His wolf couldn't handle the worry. It was making him nervous and he wanted to take over. Run the anxiety away. Rob and Maya were Jefferson friends. There was no way they were dead and they had left him a note that morning. Which was unusual buy he believed they were alive. He couldn't take the suspense anymore. He needed to be sure. While the other students send their condolences to Mr. Jefferson Leon was lost in thought. Their voices were faint and heartbeats loud enough. His eyes were almost glowing when he bent to cover them with his hands. He put on the hood and ran outside the hall to the washrooms. He slapped himself.

"Stay inside not a good time to cause a sign dumb ass"

The wolf fur was already covering his face and his eyes were glowing Yellow. His carnassial teeth protruding. With his hands on the sink almost crushing it. His paws were also threatening to burst out of his fingers. He was staring at his half human half wolf face in the mirror slapping sense into his head in a bid to restrain a full transformation. The water was running. It provided a cover up for the seething and growling. Until someone knocked the door.

"Be a good boy and Stay quiet, will call you when I need you"

Leon washed his smooth face put on a weak smile and dried his face with a face towel.

"Leon are you in there?" Jefferson called from the door.

"Coming sir... Sorry for storming out", He said meeting him at the door.

"Am sorry I should have told you earlier but I wanted you to hear it from me first..."

"They can't be dead, they left a note for me this morning they can't be", Leon said shaking his head in disagreement. Jefferson was having a hard time cooling him down.

"We don't know that yet have faith son..."

"What do you mean we don't know that yet? “He asked worry written all over his face.

“So you don't know", Jefferson said in a hopeless tone

"Know what?"

"Your guardians didn't make it home last night and they are still missing", He said his head between his hands.

Then it hit him. When they sneaked in he didn't bother to check if they were sleeping. Neither did he capture their heartbeat and scent. Then who left the note? Guilt and anger were crushing him from inside and his beast side wanted to show up. Rip himself apart for not checking on them hours after promising his parents he was going to toe care of them.

"Then who left the note?" Leon asked rhetorically.

"Who were you with last night?"

No it couldn't be Aubrey. That's what Jefferson was insinuating by asking who he was with. She had been there for him she couldn't have written the note to trick him.

"I was with Aubrey", He said avoid eye contact.

Jefferson could tell he was hiding something. And for a guy of Leon’s age he could tell it was s*x.

"Where is she?"

"I woke up and she was gone... But she had nothing to do with it", Leon defended her.

"I know, pass by the sheriff station you have to record a statement", Jefferson said walking away.

Something about the girl was not adding up. What was even more confusing was how Leon couldn't tell she was actually not human like him. She was good at hiding the beast in her. But she was not smarter than Jefferson. Not after she was possibly responsible for the death and disappearance of his friends. He was going hunting.

Leon went back to the lecture room, packed his books in his bag pack and ran out of the lecture room. In his way in was Mike. He had learnt his lesson so he created less of a fuss by giving him some space. He needed to talk to Aubrey and go the station together. It was the only way he was going to clear her name from Jefferson’s suspect list. She could already smell her scent by the time he was at Fabians gate. When he packed his bike Aubrey was already standing by his side.

"Aubrey"

"Leon why you here without any notice?"

"We need to go to the station my guardians are missing", Leon said looking unsettled.

"What do you mean missing? When I left in the morning they had left a note on your door I took it and mounted it on the fridge", Aubrey said surprised.

"Well it turns out they never made home last night, did your guardians buy the fire accident story?”

"They bought it but am grounded, would you wait here as I go change?"

"Yeah but you're grounded"

"Not from helping you", She kissed him on the lips a D ran off.

Leon wiped his lips with his index fingers. Locked it to enjoy the strawberry. Aubrey was innocent. The note was written by someone else. He took out his new phone and texted Jefferson to clear her name. When Aubrey returned, they used her car to drive to the station. She kept telling hum everything was going to be okay. She believed it even though she was ire nothing was going to be alright. His guardians were probably bones under a waterfall. All the flesh ripped from them by the hungry salmons. At the end of the day they deserved it. She had the guilt of Leon’s grief but not for killing. After all she expected him to be happy they were missing for all the hell they passed him through. They never cared about him in the first place. Staying with Leon under the same room was a danger. Either of the two were going to kill the other. No hunter could survive in the same roof with a wolf the size of Leon. Even Aubrey to some extent was scared of him.

They spent the entire day at the station. And when they came back that evening. Leon was sound asleep in the back seat. Tired and worried. Aubrey was driving humming silently to the soft music in the car. She missed her parents and she had to save them soon. It was time to follow Danny's lead. 634...or it could have been anything. But she had to find out. Lost in a world of thought. Trying to decipher three numbers she caught an unfamiliar scent. When she looked outside the window. A handsome young man dressed in a black three piece suit. He flashed a big smile at her and waved back and then suddenly he was not there. She had heard the stories now she believed every bit of it. Their sworn enemies were in the neighborhood. She needed a pack to survive little did she know the pack was coming to her... Not a usual one. Sometimes you gotta work with a demon to defeat the devil.