Meeting Werewolves

Esther

“Margaret, I didn’t see you there,” I say with what I hope appears as a smile.

“Charles said you sent him out on some errand. I have never seen him so in love before."

"We are very happy. I'm a lucky woman."

"Are you coming? You must,” she tugs at my hand.

“To the garden?”

She knits her eyebrows. “Yes. Are you sure you are okay?”

“Sorry, perhaps later. I’m going out for a walk.” I manage a smile.

Her shoulders sag. “Should I join you?”

“I won’t go far. I just need to clear my head. Wedding nerves.” I dart out of the house without waiting for her response, wanting to get out before more nosy coven members appear and convince me to stay, or worse, offer to join me on my walk.

When I've ensured that Margaret has left, I get my car, and I go back to the bedroom to get my 'food.'

I lead them out, my body feeling a little exhausted as I use what's left of my energy to try to listen for any sounds of approaching vampires. I haven't hunted in days since I arrived here to visit Charles Du Pont and his family.

"I'm going to enjoy my food outside. In the forest." I smile at the guards, and they nod in response.

We get in the car, and I discover that Charles' victims are tourists who are visiting LA. I give them money and hypnotize them to forget about vampires and to never set foot in San Bernardino Forest before dropping them off in Los Angeles.

I mindlessly drive to nowhere, thinking about how angry Charles is going to be.

I park my car at Kings Canyon, and I run between the trees, the swooshing sound making me feel free.

I pause when I suddenly feel a presence that makes my skin crawl. I prepare to turn around and go back. That’s when I come face-to-face with it, the large black wolf.

I run with as much speed as I can master, and he follows, his growls getting nearer. I suddenly find myself lying on the ground on my belly, his paw resting on my back, and I know better than to move or think about getting up. I lie still, waiting for his next action. He is probably sending mink links to his warriors as I lie on the ground.

The wolf shifts into a human and places his foot on my back.

“What do you want in our territory?” He growls.

“I was... I was running. I wasn’t aware that I had invaded your territory. I thought that this territory was unclaimed.”

“Well, we just bought it. Princess Esther Carnegie, is it? I’ve seen you from a distance at some of these meetings, and I was told that you are a dangerous spy.”

“So, are you going to kill me?” I ask.

“I thought vampires were already dead. I don’t see any crime in getting rid of one of you, mosquitoes.”

“Mosquitoes?” I growl.

“You are fast, you suck blood, you are nuisances, but you are hot, I have to admit that.”

I feel his foot on my back getting weaker as he goes on and on about how much of a nuisance vampires are.

I roll over as quickly as possible, and I stand on my feet. The moment I move, he is fast enough to shift at the same time that when I’m standing on my feet, I come face to face with his wolf again.

He snarls at me, his hazel eyes raging, and we maintain eye contact, both ready to attack. We end up moving in a circle until I feel the presence of more wolves, and decide to make a run for it. He chases me, and we jump between canyons and rivers.

The wolf's claw tore at my back. I turn around, raging, and ready to attack. Another whitish grey wolf suddenly appears, its growls loud and dangerous. It passes me, its eyes focused on the black wolf. After five minutes, I hear the faint and slow footsteps of the wolf as it comes back. I scrunch up my nose to get a whiff of his scent, but I find it different and hypnotizing.

I slowly get up, hoping to run if I can. The new wolf turns back to his human form, making it difficult to look away.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his face marred with concern.

“Just a little wound, which will close in a moment.”

He nods and walks towards me, his hand reaching out.

"You know what I am, right?" I eye him suspiciously.

"I guess. Why are you reminding me?"

"Because you seem a little too comfortable. Werewolves never relax around us, they hate us, and every time we meet, we secretly want to be at each other’s throats."

He chuckles. "Your hand, please."

He stands in front of me, his body sculptured like a work of art. I shamelessly gawk at him, my low beating vampire heart rate going up as if it’s a human heart.

“You are naked, and you are distracting me,” I point out.