Me? How?
My mind was in a raging turmoil but I just smiled and sat by his side. “Tell me about them.” I said.
He took a ragged breath before saying, “It varies. Sometimes, you kill the Vampires and then turn on me. Sometimes, you are the vampire… and also the cat. Something like a Vampire cat. Like something spawned from the pits of hell.”
I closed my eyes as he continued telling me the different version of his nightmares about me. I felt sad. A deeper sadness than I had ever felt.
Suddenly, he stopped talking. I opened my eyes to look at him and saw myself reflected in the deep pools of his wide eyes.
I had shifted.
There was no pain or discomfort. It was just like I did this all the days of my 16 years on this planet earth.
I got up from where I has sat. I stood taller than normal.
Jake’s eyes never left me. I went into the bedroom to the full length mirror. I heard him shuffle up and follow me with an awe struck look in his face.
Black fur brushed my hands, neck and part of my face. My ears didn’t rise up to the top of my head but they were somewhat pointed and laid back, just like that of the Feys. My nose had become a bit flattened and my eyes. They were scary.
Jade Green. The mirror flashed the reflection back into the room.
I brought up my hands to touch the fangs that were so long I wondered how they didn’t protrude out of my mouth. I saw the claws too. Curved and black and sharp. Longer than most werewolves I’ve seen.
I was amazed.
There was a deep boiling coming up from deep within me. It felt just how a volcano would feel if it were alive and was about to erupt.
It felt like something hot and strong was boiling and coming up and fast from down in my belly upwards. I tried to hold it down but it was no good. It was still coming and mounting pressure in my chest. It got to my throat and I just couldn’t hold it anymore. I let it out.
And the most powerful roar I’ve ever heard came bursting out of my throat.
It took Jake by surprise because he must have jumped 6 feet into the air.
The roar was powerful buy short. It took me too by surprise but there was a calmness within me that made me want to sleep.
“Are you bloody crazy?” Jake yelled. He was becoming more of his old self back. No more sick and afraid, even as I was the cause of the fear.
“What did I do?” I asked. Talking felt weird because my tongue constantly brushed my fangs as I spoke.
“What did you do? What did you do? I can’t believe what you’re asking.” Jake said. “Let me tell you what you did. One: You shifted in a werewolf territory. Alpha Andrés has possibly sensed it and is coming here to investigate, what would you do? Kill him?”
I shook my head. “I would never kill alp – ”
“QUIET! Two: You roared. What the hell was that for?” He pushed me in the chest. “You scared me out of my wits. You scared every one in this damned building out of their wits. Hell, you scared the whole South America out of their wits.”
I tried to protest. “But I couldn’t help –”
“Three,” Jake interrupted. “You must have got the Watchers running mad with excitement as you just popped up like a candy man on their life ripple. Soon they’ll be here to pack the both of us for interrogation. The Invasion. Do you remember?”
I heard the soft whirr of elevator engine.
I yawned. I suddenly felt tired to the bone.
I heard Jake heave a sigh of relief, when I turned to look in the mirror, I saw that I had shifted back to human.
Elsa opened the door and came in.
“Did you guys hear that?” she asked. She held a bag of ice in her hand.
“Hear what?” Jake asked. He was lying faced up on the bed and the covers to his chin.
“A roar of some kind. It wasn’t so loud so Dad ignored it. He says it’s usual around here. It doesn’t matter now.” She came and sat by his side and pressed the ice on his forehead. “How do you feel now?” She asked gently.
And then I saw it. It had been staring at me right in the face but I was just taking note of it just then. She liked Jake. Elsa was in love with Jake. And Jake, the fool doesn’t even know. I liked Elsa, but not much. Lily is my girl, and I was going to tell her.
“I still feel weak. There’s pounding in my ears.” He said with faked weakness.
She really looked worried. “Was it the mention of Vampires that made you sick?”
“No!” Jake protested. “I’m not scared of Vampires. I’ve killed Vampires. Ask Jason.” He pointed at me.
“Me? I’m out.” I walked out. Let them have their privacy, I thought inwardly and smiled.
“WHAT DO WE have on the other missing boys?” Jaja asked.
“Nothing much more than what we had two days ago.” Claude said. “Atleast we know two out of the seven missing are safe.”
“Cheers to that.” Jaja said dryly.
“There should be another full moon tonight.” Jamie said.
“Yes. But it will not be as bright as the first moon of the cycle.”
“The first moon is usually the toughest.” Jaja said sadly.
Claude opened up his laptop and said, “When was the last time you checked your mail, Jamie?”
“I don’t know. The week of the meeting, I guess.” Jamie answered tiredly.
“You have a hundred unopened mails, 2 of which are privately secured. You can only open them with your system. Check that one, I’ll deal with the others.”
“Go on.” Jaja urged.
Jamie groaned and went into his inner office and came out with his MacBook Pro in one hand and s glass of wine in the other.
He opened up his laptop and was skimming through the mails. He saw the private mails and opened it.
A picture document.
He loaded it and what he saw made his heart stop for a second.
“What’s wrong?” Jaja asked. He had seen all the blood and colour drain from his face.
Jamie waved them over. He didn’t trust his voice.
They crowded around him. Claude saw the picture and his knees weakened and he just sat on the chair.
The picture was a crop up shot of Jake and Jamie buying some sort of local drink from a little fat man.
The text that followed the picture: ‘You think they’re safe in Brazil? Lol. Love, Rosetta.’
“Get up. Now!” Jaja said firmly. He was the only same voice of reason now.
They got up glumly.
He led them outside, called Gibson, arranged their flight with their pilot and gave each of them a shot of Tequila to calm their nerves. Gibson came in less than 5 minutes. He drove them to their private hangar at the airport, where the pilot was waiting.
They flew directly to Brazil. When they landed, Jaja called Alpha Andrés to say they were in Brazil already, in short notice.
“What did he say?” Jamie asked Jaja who had called.
“He was shocked, as expected. But he gathered his wits pretty quickly and said he’ll be here to pick us up.”
“I won’t be surprised if Rosetta already knew we are here.” Claude said as they walked out of the private runway and moved towards the terminal.
“I know the Red moon Pack. I know where their territory is…” Jaja said.
“Then by God’s name, let’s go there already.” Jamie interrupted.
“No. Simple courtesy demands that we wait for him.” Claude said.
“Besides we can’t just walk into a wolf territory without invitation.”
Jamie nodded at that.
They walked into the terminal of the airport which was very busy. Night time flights were being called. It was almost sunset. They shoved their way out of the terminal and out of the airport into the parking lot.
“There’s a cafe over there.” Jaja said, pointing across the road. “We can wait there and call Andrés to let him know where we are.”
They walked across the busy and jam-packed parking lot. Cars were reversing or manoeuvring their way into a space. Traffic was thick. Smoke plumes came out of exhaust pipes and there were Spanish shouts of curses and frustration from one driver to another.
Sun had completely gone below the horizon in a short period of time and everywhere had a bluish purple tint to it. The parking lot had street lights on. The cafe was small but clean. Lights spilled out from the full glass windows and onto the side lot outside.
The three men opened the door and walked it. The door had a small bell above it which jingled lightly as they entered. The place was totally empty, it seemed like the cafe was about closing for the day.
“I’d better make that call to Andrés now.” Jaja said, bringing out his mobile phone and dialling.
A young freckled blonde girl of not more than 19 came out wearing an apron.
“What will you have sirs?”
“Wine, if you have it.” Jamie muttered under his breath.
“Coffee please. Three cups.” Claude told the girl, who walked away.
“I need something stronger than coffee.” Jamie muttered.
Jaja finished the call with a ‘gracias’ and turned to face Jaja and Claude. “He’s on his way.”
“Good. How about we step out for a moment?” Claude asked.
They looked at him like he was mad.
“Why?”
“There are some business for us to take care of. Outside.” He placed his hands on the table and with his right hands he scribbled ‘Vampires’ on the wet table.
Jamie smiled.