I waited for my father and mother to cease fighting in the car.
We have arrived in Moonburn. Yet, we’re still sitting in the car waiting for their argument to end. My sister’s baby kept on crying and the sound of my brother’s gaming tablet is very much a nuisance to my ears.
I often wished to be like Belle in Beauty and the Beast. At least, she can live peacefully in a castle full of books—never mind the talking dishes and whining furniture.
Finally, my father, who’s in the driver’s seat, unlocked the door and I went out immediately. I heard my sister’s ‘scolding’ voice for the one thousandth time today, but I just ignored it, like I mostly do.
The neighborhood is calm and peaceful, probably because of the frigid weather or they just don’t care about newly-moved folks.
A blonde woman, perhaps in her early forties, waved at me. Her house is just next to us. I smiled and waved back as well. She looks so happy and cheerful upon seeing us, upon seeing me.
But there’s something odd about her actions. As soon as I waved back at her, her expression changed. The smile dropped from her previously kind face and she turned her back on me, going inside her house. I was a bit shocked. But for a person who's constantly being turned back by everyone, it didn't bother me that much.
“What the hell are you doing there, Elaine? Go inside and prepare our food!” My mother’s thundering voice is the only one loud enough to echo in the silence of the neighborhood.
I glared at her, silently willing her to lower her voice. But, she just rolled her eyes and tried to throw her slippers at me.
I quickly dodged; I’m a pretty good dodger. My family is very chaotic as you can see. Each has their own business and only pays attention to you if they need something.
My younger sister gave birth when she was sixteen. I am eighteen, and yet jobless—again.
I left my friends and job in Maine to be with my family. At least they are a family in some ways. Despite their cruel treatment of me, my mother is still my mother and my father is still my father nonetheless.
I didn’t go to college as my parents wouldn’t allow me, even though I told them that I’m going to use my own money. My mom told me that instead of spending my money on college, I should give it to them so that I will be at least ‘of use’ to this family.
“We have raised you for more than a decade. Don’t tell me you’re not going to pay us back all the money we’ve spent on you since I gave birth until you graduated in Senior High School!” That was my mother’s words every time I mentioned that topic.
And every time she finishes blurting out those words, she always ends it with an attempted slap on my face that I always managed to avoid. As I said, I am pretty much a professional dodger of slaps and things thrown at me. I think if I were Belle from Beauty and the Beast, I would not think twice about going to Beast’s huge castle if I have a family like this.
I wandered through the house, exploring my new surroundings on the way to the kitchen. The wallpapers are still intact, no hint of beastly scratches and blood stains. The house wasn't as creepy as I was suspecting. I guess my family is much more hideous then.
The real estate agent told us that the only daughter of the previous couple was abducted on the night of a leap year. And thus, they left—abandoned—this city and went into another city to start a new life.
It sounds like one of those unsolved cases and disappearing people that I used to watch on Buzzfeed. I am an avid fan of the paranormal and supernatural. That’s why I am overly happy that the house we are now living in has some supernatural, mystery case connected to it. Especially since it's a leap year tonight, February 29, 2020.
I’m gonna prepare my journal for this year’s chilling phenomena. Like the one I caught in my camera last year where I saw the image of a floating lady before my eyes—and I managed to capture it.
“Elaine! Where the heck is our food?!” my sister yelled at me. The four of them were just casually sitting in the living room, watching N*****x on the television that came with the house.
“Coming!” I answered back like how a housekeeper responds to her employer. I better be a housekeeper of this family if this is how they treat me. At least I’ll have a monthly salary if I am their housemaid. To be frank, I’d rather be abducted by an alien at midnight or transported to a faery realm rather than continually living with those four huge pigs that call themselves my brother, father, mother, and sister.
I carried a food tray with plates of fruits and vegetables and a bit of meat that were paid for with my last month’s salary before I resigned. I used to work as a waitress at a diner in Maine. Well, to tell you honestly, I once even had a brief relationship with my boss before I found out that he only used me—and has been actually married for five years.
I sighed and slowly laid the food on the table before them. Before I could even yield a step back to the kitchen, a dozen people barged in into our house.
Two words could describe my face: utterly flabbergasted. The lady that waved at me earlier was one of a dozen people.
“What the shit is going on?!” My father demanded.
“Who’s the eldest female child?” The man carrying a white dress on his shoulder asked.
I frowned. My brows knitted, confusion was visible in my face. So does my family.
My brother, who was still clinging to his gaming tablet, pointed at me. All eyes in the room were fixed on me. The lady from earlier stepped forward.
“Then our sacrifice to the White Wolf is now settled.” She spoke more to the people with her rather than to us.
“I’m sorry, what?” I breathed.
“You’ll come with us. Bring only yourself. And nothing more,” she added.
I tried to protest but the man holding the white dress shouted in anger. “Come with us now before the sun sets!”
My family just looked at me. I was expecting them to stop these people. But my mom just stood and said, “Go. Go with them Elaine. Before they kill us!”
I’m done with them. Even in this last minute, all they think is about themselves. All they care about is their safety. They didn’t even stop me or grab me by the hand. The people I called family didn’t even fight for me, beckoned me to stay with them. They just handed me to these people that, in the devil's name, we don’t even know who they are.
What if they’re a cult? A coven of witches? What do they mean by ‘sacrificed to the white wolf’? Does that even exist until the twenty-first century? A bunch of thoughts were flooding my mind.
I know that my family is scared of them as these people are holding a rifle, an axe, a rake, and even a rope. Am I some sort of animal to be butchered?
Nevertheless, my family remained silent even as I slowly walked towards the people. This place that we recently moved in minutes ago is definitely odd and creepy and something’s fishy. They handed me to them as some sort of bread to be given to the beggars.
A tear slid down from my face but my sister just rolled her eyes, my brother returned to his gaming tablet, my mother’s face was just blank, and my father…he hoisted his hand and waved goodbye at me. I blinked, but he immediately averted his gaze and grabbed a newspaper.
They knew. They probably knew this was going to happen. All four of them. And I am the only one who’s oblivious to this.
As soon as I left the house, I felt light-hearted. It’s as if I am ready to greet death as being this people’s sacrifice. I felt relieved by being freed from my family’s chain.
At long last, I, Elaine Rutherford, who is now lying on top of a stone table in the middle of a grassy field, can now rest peacefully in this white dress that the man forced me to wear.
Until I saw a huge white wolf approaching me amidst the night of February 29th.
“Where are you taking me?” I whimpered as the huge wolf carried me on its shoulders. The path is dark. I cannot see clearly. But this white wolf, which is walking on its two feet, seems to know the path like no one else. It walks like it’s some sort of a man rather than an animal. In fact, it breathes and acts as if it's not an animal at all. The wolf had been walking through this forest for a couple of minutes now. It was silent in here, like the grave. Is it going to bury me alive in the middle of this dark, gloomy forest? Too bad I didn’t scream when it took me from the stone table. But what’s the use of screaming anyway? Insects and trees wouldn’t help me get away from this predator. I doubt they can even recognize my scream as a shout for help.Heaven knows where this is, until it halted. I tried to move my head to see what’s in front of us that made it stop. Luckily, it turned me around and I can see a huge rocky wall that extends to nowhere. It seems to
“You seemed in deep thoughts, Elaine.” My eyes could’ve come out from my face. “How did you know my—” “Welcome to Stella’s Soul, Elaine.” Then he walked away, without even bothering to look back at me or answer my question. I followed him with my eyes. And, I just realized now, how Las-Vegas-looking this place is. I was expecting it to be a tribe with two older people roasting a wild pig under the canopy of trees and some almost-naked children eating dinner from banana leaves. Instead, a gilded fountain stood before me. Huge rosarium surrounds it. Neon lights ala Los Angeles illuminate the night of the leap year. This place is secluded. But, it was more lavish than Moonburn—perhaps more expensive than Beverly Hills. A young woman who was dressed in navy blue and white helped me get out of the mud. “I’m sorry about Tyler. It’s his first time to get out beyond the wall and see a female mortal. Especially one as gor
“I just wanted to test my soon-to-be bride if she fits my taste,” he murmured between my lips. “And what if I’m not?” I parted my face from his plumpy, kissable lips. He smirked. “You will be. I will not save you from your family if you don't fit my taste.” I nodded. “My family. They are…” “They died a week ago.” Sleepiness left my soul. “What did you say?” “The people that are with you…they are not people. They are Heart-eaters. They can assume any appearance they like as long as they feed on mortal’s hearts—and werewolves. Most especially werewolves’ hearts.” “What?! How? Why?!” Several questions flooded inside my mind. I knew my family was not the kind of family that everyone wished for. But being oblivious of their death for over a week is…I can’t. This is so baffling. What’s going on then? What happened to them? “Surely it’s not a coincidence that I was brought here?” I asked with br
Tyler’s POVThere she is, lying atop the stone table like some sort of a call girl waiting to be thrusted wildly. She was beautiful in white, calmly looking at the stars above as if she was waiting for something, for someone. The girl was some sort of humming a tune in which I can’t vaguely recognize. I proceed to approach her in a predator walk, still in my wolf form. I walk nearer, closer to her. Now, I can hear clearly the song she was humming. It was Brahms Lullaby—but in a creepy way. “Gosh, when will that wolf come?” Those words coming from her mouth made me snarl. Does she really think I will eat her? Well, I will soon eat her. But in a different way. “Hahaha,” my wolf Remus’ laugh was deep and dark. She noticed me and her eyes grew wide. Then wider as I stood on both of my feet. What made me flabbergasted is that she didn’t shout or shriek or yell. She sat straight and j
It’s been normal for me to see women gape upon seeing me naked. But seeing Elaine flabbergasted…gosh, I almost forgot not to bite my lip seductively. I just put her down roughly on the murky ground, courtesy of this morning’s cold rain. Mud had already stained my moon-white fur earlier, splashed into my wolf body the moment she landed on the filthy ground. She whimpered in pain, and I just watched her because my entirety is also aching as well. My cerulean eyes sparkled as I can now clearly see her beautiful body under the light of the Snow Moon. She has huge melons for her age, perfect and round. I bet it will just fit in my hands. Her kind peering eyes seem to feast on my unclothed body. Her hair was as black as this night—as well as luscious and a bit wavy, but not too straight either. Her skin is the color of snow and her body is the shape of an hourglass. I arrogantly showcased my body before her, hoping that Elain
“I just wanted to test my soon-to-be bride if she fits my taste,” I murmured between her lips. To be honest, I never knew I was a very good liar. “And what if I’m not?” She scooped my face, parting it away from her red shining, cherry lips. Why is this woman playing hard to get? ‘Dearest Goddess Selena, please make my fucking woman crazy for me…’ I prayed. Well, it’s more of a demand than a prayer. “You will be. I will not save you from your family if you don't fit my taste,” I smirked because my face loves to do it. She nodded. “My family. They are…” “They died a week ago.” I hate to tell her that but the truth always hurts. It even hurts me when Jason ‘truthfully’ told me that I must wear a deodorant if I want to keep women clinging to me. Of course, I’m angry at my brother. He has a goddamn two decades to tell me that I smell and he just recently told me that unpleasant truth about me minutes befo
Karlo and Gialyca are having sex outside on this damn hour. They are so loud and rough, and never hesitated to do it in front of Elaine’s window. They must be Elaine’s reason for still being awake, especially the windows of her room serve as some sort of a television’s screen—making her see such a breath-taking, clear view of Karlo and Gia’s convergence. ‘Can’t they just do it in the room?’ I thought. Damn, Karlo is acting like a real wolf again—taking his mate under the sea of stars, thrusting inside her in a dog’s mating position. I frowned at him when he saw me standing at my arched windows. ‘Get laid inside, Karlo!’ I commanded via our minds’ link. He’s a Black Wolf and the Alpha of the Onyx Pack, a manipulator of all things that give light and dark. Gialyca Farmiga is a famous supermodel who decided to live permanently in Moonburn. The citizens of Moonburn didn’t think twice to vote for her as the sacri
Elaine’s POVOne week ago… “What the hell are you doing there, Elaine? Go and grill some pork!” Even on the beach, my mother’s commanding voice didn’t stop me from taking a break. In fact, I haven’t yet taken a swim. Frustrated, I strode towards the barbecue grill and grabbed some marinated pork that I’ve also marinated before we got here and started to grill. While them…they are just casually laughing and playing beach volleyball. I was so in rage, treating me as if I’m their private maid and ordering me with even the tiniest chore like taking off their shoes and picking up their towel in the sand. Even wiping their body dry from the seawater, it was still my job to do. I clenched my fist and focused on grilling. But my wicked mind played a trick on me and I imagined that I was cooking them atop the sizzling enormous charcoal-grill that I exclusively made for them alone. All four of them in the sharpness of the human-sized sticks I made and above