The Death Thief

Motivations

"What would happen if he disowned Scarlett?"

He gazed down at me from the bottom of his eyes, before sighing and coming forward with his elbows planted on the table. "She'd be on her own. No vampire will take her once she's been fed on by someone else, except for Kyra."

"Why Kyra?"

"Sires and dams can take a feeder from an inferior as they please. It's all a hierarchal mess with lots of oaths of fealty and acts of tribute."

"But you're an alpha," I pointed out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a low growl in his voice.

"I just...that seems to indicate you have some politics in your, uh, I guess, group too."

"We go by pack, but yes, I suppose you're right." He shrugged and looked away. "Anyway, we won't take her because she's tainted by a vampire. Zombies won't because they can't feed their numbers as it is and the ghosts won't use a feeder for possession since Dragan could just waltz in and manipulate her even if he did disown her. The blood link will always remain unless she can afford a very expensive and difficult ceremony. Ghosts don't want to have to worry about someone hijacking their ride. So that leaves no options for Scarlett. However, as long as she doesn't leave town, we won't come after her, but she'd have to fend for herself and since no one around here will hire a human without a sponsor, she'd just waste away."

"Why would you let that happen?" I gasped.

"We've made great strides in human rights," he said with a stern bite to his voice. "Not too long ago, we'd simply kill her, but the fact we'd even give her a chance at keeping herself alive is an improvement."

I didn't know how to respond. The realization that I was in fact in the presence of supernatural beings had not tagged along with a realization that there was danger in being in the company of supernatural beings. Perhaps Claire was right, maybe most of them just wanted as normal of a life as they could manage, but they still needed blood to live. They still turned into wolves in the glow of the moon. And they still were monsters of myth.

"Was that all that you had about potential motivations for Calista's murder?"

I gave him a nod, but didn't look him in the eye. Instead I made slow work on my waffle.

"Well, I appreciate the information."

I gave him another nod and took another bite.

"Since you've shared some with me, I think I'll share some news I learned recently as well."

I paused mid-chew, but since I didn't know where he was going with this, I returned to my waffles.

"Did you know we have internet out here? We even manage to pick up some pretty good signals from the TV tower in the city past our valley. Means we can keep up with the world outside of our town. Though, you should know, humans don't have access to the internet unless supervised by a sponsor."

The little hope bubbling up in me, with visions of sending out an SOS, were squashed in a matter of seconds.

"I try to stay afloat on the local news, in case it may somehow come to effect us and I happened to hear a missing person's report. They're particularly concerned since the young woman left a suicide note."

I dropped my fork and swallowed a large chunk of strawberry after my jaw refused to put the energy into chewing.

"Your note didn't say much. Just that you were leaving and not coming back. That you left the note because you wanted someone to notice you were gone."

A fire tickled the corners of my eyes. Partly because of the pity in Everett's gravelly voice, but also out of joy that I had actually made it on to the news.

"Where were you headed Delilah? Why did you end up here?"

"I-I don't know," I said, the words stumbling out of my mouth. "I just followed my feet."

"And they led you here?"

"I guess, I wasn't going anywhere in particular."

"I think you were," said Everett. "I think you were heading here."

I sniffed away a tear and then the shock of a warm, rough hand, quelled the sadness threatening to break me. With a gentle touch, Everett placed a couple fingers below my chin and nudged my face to turn to his.

"Has anyone explained to you how Bodies are called here?"

"Yes," I said, the one word struggling to make it across my tongue. "But, I had been driving for hours and I don't know how long I was walking in those woods. I was well on my way before she died."

"Unless her death was sealed well before you found her."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," he said with a shake of his head. He returned to his thoughtful repose and in that silence I finished my waffles.

"Thank you for breakfast," I said after Hen had long ago picked up our empty plates. "If you've asked everything you needed to, can I go? I'd like to look around town."

It took him a moment to answer, but eventually he shook himself from his thoughts and reached into his pocket for a wallet.

"Yeah, you should go. Take this, it's a credit card with your allowance on it. Your initial credit is $500. It should buy you some amenities you need for your room and some clothes. Don't waste it on food, you have that provided for you. After this week, all other weeks will only be $50. You can save it up or spend it as you wish."

"Okay, thank you." I took the card from him and started for the door.

"Delilah, there's one more thing."

I turned around and I felt every pair of eyes in that diner, turning around with me.

"We'll know if you try to leave town. Don't make us hunt you."

My blood ran cold as everyone's gazes pressed into me. I felt their pity. I felt their disgust. And I felt their hunger.

"Of course, Sheriff." And with that, I headed into town.