Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Liam steps closer to me, close enough to allow me to feel the warmth of his body. I can´t help but touch his chest in wonder.

“You are warm for a vampire.”

“I am a hybrid after all.”

Liam touches my cheek, which sends a spark coursing through my whole body. The wolf stirs within me, recognizing Liam´s touch. I am seized with a sudden urge to taste his lips. I grab Liam´s head and press my lips against his. The familiar taste of his lips overwhelms my senses. In that instance, I feel that our lips are made for each other, like pieces of a puzzle fitting into place.

“Oh, Laura.” Liam caresses my face. “It feels like it´s been an eternity that I haven´t kissed you. Now I´m going to need forever to make up for it.”

“I feel it too. I´ve missed you so much, Laura.”

Burning with an intense desire, I stare at Liam, searching his eyes. It becomes apparent to me that he is overcome with the same lust as well. I´ve just got to have him. Relinquishing myself to the lustful urge that seems to want to take over me, I impatiently remove Liam´s jacket. I just want to feel his body against my skin. Liam shrugs his jacket off. I feel so anxious to get him naked that I have to rip his shirt off.

“Damn, Laura.” Liam smiles at me naughtily.

I stare at his naked torso, admiring what I see.

“You´re hot as fuck.”

I begin removing my own clothes, unable to bear the heat that I´m feeling. Liam helps me undress, kissing me on the lips when he gets the opportunity. 

“I´ve missed your body. I want to taste you.”

“Why? What´s wrong?”

“It´s just that I don’t think we should go there. I know I want you. Every fiber of my being is screaming to be with you. Although I´m not going to truly be with you if I don´t even know who I really am. And somehow it´s not right. Although I believe you now. I believe everything that you said. However, we shouldn´t do it like this.”

“I respect your decision, Laura.”

“Thank you.”

We face each other in the near total darkness of the woods.

“I feel it now. The familiarity. As if you are a part of me. Although I just don´t understand what could have happened for me to lose my memories.”

“We will get to the bottom of this. I promise you that.”

A grim determination is apparent across his face. 

“I gotta go.”

“How do I find you again? You don´t have ascent, which is strange. I guess that´s part of the mystery to be solved. However, it means I won´t be able to track you down.” I slip my hand into my pocket and fish out a scrying stone.

“This is a scrying stone.”

I blow onto the stone, which glows blue, then I hand it to Liam.

“It will lead you to me.”

“I have to go.”

I turn and run away.

>Solstice Manor. Hallway. Night<

 I head straight for Solstice Manor to confront Eisendrath, but then I see Barry in the hallway leading to the library. I can´t believe I completely forgot about him what with all that transpired.

“He´s the same vampire from my visions.”

“What? What happened?”

“Wait. Did you just call me Laura?”

“You must have misheard, Rose. What happened to you and that vampire?”

“Barry, he´s not evil. I think he´ll be able to help figure out what happened to me.”

“What did he say to you?”

“He´s half-vampire. And he´s half-werewolf.”

The wonder is evident on Barry´s face.

“A hybrid.” His voice is barely a murmur. He then shakes his head. “But still, Laura. You can´t just accept what he claimed at face value.”

“He didn´t just say it. He showed me. He used one of his abilities to show me his memory.”

“It´s got to be a trick.”

“Barry, you have to trust me on this. That is the only lead I have. I´ve never been this close to discover who I really am.”

There´s a mixture of concern and hurt in Barry´s eyes. “Look, Laura. I have to go. I have something to take care of for Eisendrath.”

Without a further word, Barry leaves me behind. I suddenly feel bad for Barry. He´s always had this fear that things will change between us once I unlock the mysteries of my past.

>Solstice Manor. Library. Night<

I burst through the doors of the library. Eisendrath is sitting behind his desk, looking up from a book he must have been reading.

“Laura Rose. Just the person I wanted to see.”

“Tell me again how you found me.”

Eisendrath looks at me curiously. “I didn´t. It was Barry who found you. Don´t you recall?”

“Yes, you told me that before. But you were there too.”

“What is this about?”

“I´m just a little hazy about that part, and I want to recall precisely how it happened.”

“Barry was hunting, and he found you unconscious in the middle of the woods. You were bleeding that time and you´ve lost a great deal of blood. So, we brought you here, and transfused you with Barry´s blood.”

“And you have no idea what had been done to me? Or found any clue at the scene to suggest who had done it?” “The puncture wound on your chest was the only clue we had, and we simply assumed that is was made by a bladed implement of some sort. I´m afraid those are the only answers I can give you, Laura Rose.”

Another dagger. My thoughts stray to the dagger that weakened Marcus, which I now keep concealed in my secret hiding place.

“What´s so special about this dagger?”

“This one is ancient, and has been used historically to kill a very special breed of werewolves. I believe you´ve heard of the Five.”

I try my utmost not to appear surprised. But what Eisendrath has just said really shakes me to the core.

“The Five original werewolves.”

“That is correct. This dagger was used to decimate the bloodlines of the Five, even a couple of the original werewolves themselves.”

“There are no descendants of the Five who remain is this world on which to use this dagger, so why is this so important?”

“The fact that it can kill a very powerful breed of werewolves makes it valuable.”

This is the first time I´m hearing of the existence of this dagger. I´m assuming even Barry is unaware of it at the moment.

“Remember your other task, Laura.”

I nod and turn away without another word. I leave Eisendrath´s library with one thought inside my head. Marcus possesses a weapon that can kill me.

I have to retrieve it for myself.

>Art Gallery. Night<

The following night, I head towards an art gallery somewhere downtown. I was informed that Marcus will be here tonight. I stand before a painting that has attracted my attention. It´s a painting of a white wolf and a black wolf who are intertwined. Suddenly, Marcus appears by my side, totally invading my usually sensitive perception.

“If I didn´t know any better, I would think you were following me.”

“I was here before you, Mr. Walker. If anything, I would think you´re the one who´s following me.”

I glance at Marcus, catching a glimpse of his smile.

“I mean no offence. I was merely teasing you, Miss Rose.”

“None taken.”

“The technique is good. The composition is on point. Although I´m not too crazy about the subject matter.” “Why, Mr. Walker? Are you afraid of wolves?”

“I just don´t like them.”

“Well, I happen to appreciate this painting. It symbolizes the light and the darkness within oneself.”

“So which wolf do you feed within you?” Marcus takes a step to the side, so that he´s standing behind me. He leans in, murmuring into my ear. “The light or the dark?”

His warm breath caresses my ear, rousing the lustful wolf within me. He touches my bare shoulders, sending a current of electricity pervading through my body. I am defenseless against his charm. Or is it one of his tricks? No. The wolf inside me would know. I can´t explain it, but the wolf within me seems to respond to him.

Shit. Does he know? Can he also sense the wolf inside me? I look towards Marcus, and he gives me that beguiling smile of his. No. I don´t think he does.

The lust seems to take a hold of me, overwhelming my instincts. It takes every ounce of my willpower to battle against my own lust. I can´t allow myself to be distracted by this. He´s my mark. I have a task to accomplish. I concentrate at what´s on stake here, which is Barry´s life and my own. This is not the way to do it. I close my eyes in order to regain my composure.

Marcus chuckles. “I do enjoy a challenge. I´d like to see you again tomorrow, Miss Rose. I want to show you my penthouse.”

“I´ve seen your penthouse.”

“Not during daylight.”

“I´m staying at the Belmont.”

“Then I´ll be sending a car for you tomorrow for brunch.”

“Bruch it is.”

“Oh, and Miss Rose.”

I look over my shoulder towards him.

“Don´t wear any panties.”