After a few minutes of intense typing, he looked up from the screen. “This may take a while so I think you guys should continue the search for Xavier,” he explained. Andrew gave the other werewolf a small nod.
“Alright boys you heard him, how about we continue to look for the rat in this maze,” Andrew told them and they restarted the search for Xavier.
The sun was nearly setting when James caught the scent of the strange liquid he used to find the cabin in one of the hallways which led him to a hidden passage that in turn led down into a tunnel that went about a mile before it ended opening up to the forest again. A few feet from the exit of the tunnel James lost the scent of the liquid. With a sigh, he hung his head and noticed on the ground some tire mark in the dusty dirt. “Damn it,” he cursed realizing that Xavier had gotten away from them yet again.
With a feeling of defeat James turned around and walked back into the tunnel from where he had come. He found everyone in the small office where Greg had been working on the computer. “Ah there you are James,” Greg said with a nonchalant tone then handed him big plastic box. “Hold the hard drive for me but be very careful with it,” he added.
“Any luck finding any trace of Xavier?” Andrew asked his hands full of different types of cables.
“I found a hidden tunnel that led outside of the building. I believe he used a car to further his escape. Sorry Alpha but we’ve lost him,” James explained and Andrew nodded with a frown. “What exactly is he doing?” James asked nodding towards Greg.
“There’s too much information on the computer to be to accurately investigate in one sitting and I don’t know about you but staying here longer than I have is not on my top three things to do,” Greg started before Andrew could answer James. “But there is no way I am leaving the computer here, so you’re helping me take it to the Alpha’s house,” he finished then took a look around. “Okay that should be everything so we can head back now,” he added.
James eyed the omega with curiosity. He seemed to have completely changed once he sat down at the computer. “Alright, let’s head back to the house,” Andrew ordered and everyone left the building in silence. Once at the house Greg set up the computer in the living room and started back where he had left off apparently. Sandy had already set up the guest room for James to stay the night while Andrew disappeared upstairs to be with Lily.
The next few days Andrew was meeting with the elder council while Greg still was typing away at the computer. Tony and Lacy each took turns watching over Lily. James wasn’t sure what to do with himself, sometimes he’d go and sit with whoever was watching over Lily but on the whole everyone seemed to keep to themselves and not talking to anyone else. It seemed to James that everyone was trying to deal with the disaster Xavier had caused in their own ways.
It was everywhere; no matter where Lily turned blood was everywhere. It oozed from the walls; it flooded the floor threatening to drown her. Lily ran down the hallway trying to escape the wave of blood that chased her only to reach a dead-end. She begged and pleaded hitting her fists against the wall. There had to be an escape!
“Why should you escape it, when I didn’t get that chance,” a rough voice demanded and she turned to see Fluffy or Kyle as he really was named, standing there with the gaping stab wound in his chest. “I was only trying to help you and look what I got for it!” he shouted at her.
“I was only doing what the doc told me so I could put food on the table for my children,” another rough voice called out to her and she turned to see the human who she killed accidently by tearing out his throat. “My children will starve now because of you,” he demanded blood bubbling up from his mouth and running down his chin.
“It was an accident, I didn’t mean to,” she squeaked backing away from him to bump something. She turned to see the second human, his neck in a sickly twisted form.
“But we’re dead all the same,” the second human demanded and she screamed backing herself into a corner trying to flee the dead, but they kept advancing on her with the river of blood at their heels. Suddenly she noticed her hands were covered in blood and she tried to clean them off, but they only got bloodier. “It’s your fault, Lily,” the corpses chanted at her advancing on her.
“No!” Lily screamed and jolted up from the bed, breathing so hard her breath came out in pants. The walls were no longer the same white tile, but a peach cream color and the blood was all gone too. She blinked a couple of times, unsure of where she was.
“Welcome back Lily,” Lacy said with a small smile. Relief washed over Lily as she realized she was in the Roberts’ home. Lily smiled at her best friend and sister a small frail smile. “How do you feel? Do you need anything?” She asked and Lily suddenly noticed her mouth felt it was full of sand.
“Water,” she croaked roughly.
“Alright, I’ll be right back,” Lacy replied getting up from her chair and leaving the room. Lily turned and pulled her legs over the edge of the bed. She glanced at the walls with nervousness, almost expecting the blood to start oozing through them again. She shook her head chastising herself silently. It was just a nightmare silly! No more watching The Shining for you, she told herself as she willed her racing heart to slow down. She wondered what had happened. Was she changed? Where was Xavier? How’d did she get home?
Lily closed her eyes and hung her head against her chest, still feeling tired. Suddenly she heard something, it sounded like quiet drums. She lifted her head and listened intently, there were six different ones and she was surprised to realize that she knew exactly where they were in the house. Two were in the kitchen, two were outside, and two were in the living room. What the hell is that? She listened to one of the drums leave the kitchen and it grew louder as it came upstairs towards her room.
Lily mouth went even drier when Lacy opened the door and Lily understood she was hearing her sister and everyone else’s heartbeat. “Here you go Lily,” Lacy told her, handing her a tall glass. Lily nodded and took the glass. She drank the water quickly and set the empty glass on the nightstand. A wave of new smells hit her now that her thirst was sated. Mainly the new smells came from Lacy.
She could smell the natural scent of Lacy, the smell of her shampoo and body wash, the scent of perfume she used… and a sweet tangy smell that Lily wasn’t sure where it came from but radiated from Lacy and made her mouth water ever so slightly, it smelled… good. Lily could also hear every breath Lacy took, even when she was across the room and a “whooshing” sound that fell in rhythm with her sister’s heartbeat. She could only assume it was the blood flowing through her.
Oh God, I’m freak, Lily thought as she buried her face in her hands. “I let everyone know you’re awake now,” Lacy told her. Lily nodded, trying to hide any signs that could reveal that Lily wished she was dead instead of being the freak that she was now. Lacy walked over to the window and threw open the curtains, the late morning sunlight filling the room. Lily winced with the brightness of the natural light, she felt as if someone had just shown a spotlight in her face.
“Do you want something to eat?” Lacy asked and Lily shook her head side to side unable to open her eyes much more than a squint.
“No thanks Lacy, I just think I need to rest some more,” Lily told her honestly, trying to not offend her sister but the scents coming off of her was overwhelming.
“Of course,” the blonde told her with a flat tone and Lily looked up at her sister. Lacy looked tired and upset. She felt guilt bubble up inside her for feeling like she’d rather be dead than a monster and how selfish such a thought was. The Roberts saw her as the family; she was Lacy’s best friend and sister. Lily never stopped to think what this could be doing to them, what her suffering could be causing them.
“Thank you for everything, Lacy. It means a lot,” Lily replied and got up to give her sister a hug despite the uncomfortable intensity of the scents coming from her sister. Lacy gave her an odd look then a small smile.
“You’re welcome Lily, that’s what B. F. F.’s and sisters are for, right?” She said cheerily. “I’ll let you rest now!” Lily let out a small sigh of relief as Lacy left. She didn’t want to be rude but right now she was in sensory overload and wasn’t up for being around away one. She walked over to the window squinting from the brightness of the sun and noticed how the sun was uncomfortably warm against her skin. She closed the curtains and felt much more relaxed now that the room was dark.