By the time Finley arrived at class she was late by ten minutes. She apologized to the teacher before quickly taking her seat. Kade was sitting a row in front of her, his long legs stretched out as he leaned on the back of his chair. He swung around to look at her, flashing one of his charming smiles. "How ya going this fine morning Finn?" He asked a little obnoxiously.
She pulled her book from her bag and slammed it down on the table angrily. She wasn't in the mood for his sarcasm. "I'm fine," she muttered. She glanced up at the board, where the teacher was busy writting algebra questions down. Finley had never liked maths but she was rather good at it. She scribbled down the questions quickly and answered them before glancing back up at Kade's stare. "What?" She questioned.
He glanced down at her notebook before shrugging, "Didn't realise you were good at Maths."
She raised an eyebrow at him wondering exactly where he was going with this. "And?"
He smirked amusement evident in his eyes, "And someone is a little mad this morning."
She rolled her eyes before looking back up at the front of the class. She could feel his eyes watching her and she wished he would just turn back around. Finally glared at him not able to keep her mouth shut any longer. "Seriously stop staring at me. Turn around!" She ordered.
He looked a little caught off guard by the harshness in her voice but he did as she asked and turned around. The rest of the maths lesson went relatively slowly and before she knew it they were heading off to the sports hall for fight training. Kade walked beside her in silence and when the class was asked to pair up he didn't move. Finley grabbed her brown curls and tied them up messily in a bun before turning to Kade. She didn't want to fight him especially not because he had that smug smirk on his face.
She took up her stance, brining her fists up to guard her face. She waited impatiently for him to follow and then the fight began. His movements were sloppy making it easy for her to take him down numerous times. She could see the frustration in his gaze as he got to his feet for the fifth time. Her anger from the morning was dying down and she was thoroughly enjoying beating him. "Okay what am I doing wrong?" He asked.
She smirked. "I'm just a better fighter than you," she teased.
"Come on Finn give me something to work with," he sighed deflating ever so slightly.
She said nothing for a moment before sighing. "Your stance is too wide, you're fists are too far apart and you step before you kick."
He remained silent for a moment looking a little dumfounded. "Oh... well how about you help me fix my technique and in return I'll take you to that werewolf tonight."
Finley glanced away not meeting his eyes, "Look Kade, you can't come with me anymore. I shouldn't have taken you the first time. It's not safe."
"You can't just order me not to go. I could just follow you if I wanted to. Look I want to find Arlin as much as you do. You need answers for your brother and I need answers for my mother. We can do this together," he argued.
She considered what he was saying knowing that Tate and Harley weren't going to help her. But if she went behind their backs she would only get into more trouble. "Fine, meet me at 9pm tonight at my house."
He smiled triumphantly before getting back into his fighting stance. She moved forward and shoved his shoulders hard pushing him off balance. He swore as he stumbled before glaring at her. "What the hell was that for?"
"I told you your stance was too wide. It makes it easy for someone to push you around. Bring your front foot forward a step closer to your back foot and lean into it," she said.
She watched as he rearranged his stance before meeting her gaze. "Like this?" She moved forward again and pushed him but this time he only swayed backward a little. She smiled pleased with herself, "Yep, see told you."
~
Finley was in a remarkably good mood as she arrived home in the afternoon. The sun was still up and shinning brightly but she knew that it would go down pretty soon. Tate and Harley hadn't uttered a word the whole way home and they didn't dare mention the morning's fight. Finley was glad because she wasn't in the mood for another lecture. Besides, she had things to do. She headed up the stairs, her shoes clicking on the wood as she went.
The old house had been renovated to make it appear new but it still groaned and creaked with the memories of the past. Some of the doors would stick sometimes, needing a good yank to get them open. Sometimes at night, Finley would hear the stairs creaking as if someone was walking up them but she knew it was just the age of the house. She had lived in the house for most of her life since her parents had died and Tate had offered her and her brother sanctuary. She knew it like the back of her hand. She knew how to sneak down the hall without the floor creaking. She knew which doors slid quietly and which windows were close to trees where she could climb down. She knew the nooks and crannies where she used to hide as a child. The house was her home and always had been.
Her room wasn't very large but it was homely. The king single sized bed, which sat in the corner of the room, was always covered with a colourful quilt. The black wooden bedside table was covered with photos of her with her parents and Aiden. It had a small dusty lamp sitting on top and always held a book which she would read at night when she couldn't sleep. There was a desk, strewn with books, and a dresser covered with makeup and hair brushes, over the side of the room. She had a large bookshelf where the majority of her books sat as well as the awards she'd won at martial arts. Remnants of her childhood sat around the room. The dolls and teddy bears looking a little unloved in the corner on an empty chair. Her room was painted purple, just another reminder of when she was younger.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, removing her combat boots and placing them on the ground. She pulled the draw of the bedside table open and picked up the small folded note that she'd been given the other night. She hadn't heard of the werewolf, Draven Michales, but she did know a place where a lot of werewolves liked to hang out. The Full Moon Bar was always home to werewolves. It was a place for them to be themselves and have a good time without the company of other supernatural creatures. Sometimes you would find humans there but it was very rare. She knew that if her and Kade went there, they were going to get noticed. But what other choice did they have? Surely someone at the bar would know Draven.
She glanced at herself in the mirror noticing how pale her skin looked from the lack of sun. Her brown curls looked tangled, the ends starting to split. Her grey blue eyes seemed tired, the bloodshot veins indicating that she wasn't getting enough sleep. Her eyebrows were not shaped perfectly like Harley's always seemed to be. Her round face just looked worn and tired. She sighed before heading over to the dresser to get ready. She applied foundation, concealer and contour to her pale face giving it a little colour. She grabbed the black eyeliner and carefully created a nice line going from the corner of her eye, along the edge before flicking out at the other side. She grabbed the mascara and brought it through her lashes extending their length. After adding a little blush and then some bright red lipstick, her look was complete.
She picked up the silver brush, running it through her curls, watching them bounce as they sprung back up. She grabbed the top section of her hair and pulled it back before pinning it so that it was out of her face. She moved across the room and grabbed out her black skinny jeans, a blue shirt and her leather jacket and changed into them quickly. To finish the look, she grabbed her combat boots and slipped them on.
She was ready to go but there was one thing she needed to get done before she went with Kade. She headed out of her room and down the hall to where Tate's room sat. His door was slightly ajar and when she peered inside she saw his strong figure hunched up on his bed as he read his book. She knocked and his head looked up and gestured for her to enter.
His brown curls were ruffled falling slightly over his eyes. His brown eyes regarded her curiously as she entered. His strong jaw line was just beginning to grow stubble along the edge as it normally did when he hadn't shaved. It wasn't a bad look though. He smiled kindly at her as she sat at the end of his bed. "What's up Finley?" He asked, his voice deep yet calm.
She was a little hesitant to begin not wanting him to start yelling at her. "I wanted to apologize for arguing with you earlier. I know you were just looking after me. But I'm not a kid anymore and I need to know what happened to Aiden. I just need the truth. So I'm going to continue searching for Arlin Shade whether you like it or not."
Tate's facial expression didn't falter but she thought she saw a flash of regret in his eyes. He remained silent for what felt like forever before finally replying to her. "I don't think you're a child Finley. But you're like my little sister and if anything happened to you I would never forgive myself. But I realize that you need to do this, so I won't stop you. But will you do one thing for me?"
She nodded wondering what it was he wanted, "Of course."
"When you find the bastard who killed Aiden, cut him down and make him pay for what he did."
Finley sat in silence a little caught off guard by the fierceness in his voice. When she looked at him there was nothing but respect in his eyes. In that moment she realized that he didn't think of her as a child. She realized that he genuinely worried about her and cared about her safety but he was also aware of her abilities and knew that she could take care of herself. She felt the corners of her mouth spreading into a smile and she got up and hugged him. "Thank you Tate and I promise I'll keep my word."
He smiled, "I know you will."
She left the room and headed downstairs. She could hear the motorcycle idling on the sidewalk signaling that Kade had arrived.
~
Finley got off the motorcycle as Kade killed the engine. The smell of petrol was heavy in the air as they stood in front of the row of cycles. Finley could already see the werewolves piling into the Full Moon bar across the street. The street lights were illuminating the path in front of the bar where a group of rough looking men were having a smoke. Tattoos lined their arms and necks looking more like clothing then tattoo ink. A few had piercings, some in their noses and eyebrows. They looked like the type of people that you wouldn't want to pick a fight with. Kade stood beside her his eyes following her gaze. He said nothing as he looked at them but the tension in his posture indicated that he was concerned. She turned her gaze on him, "Alright, let's not have a repeat of last night. Don't touch anything okay?"
Kade didn't look impressed to be getting a lecture but he nodded before following her across the street. They paused slightly in the doorway waiting for the crowd to move inside. The beat of the drums echoed through Finley's chest as they moved into the bar. The smell of smoke and alcohol wafted up her nose as people walked past her. The bar was full of werewolves and they all seemed to turn and watch as Finley and Kade entered. Finley had never liked being the center of attention and today was no exception. She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks but she tried to look as confident as Kade was. Kade didn't look like he even noticed the eyes that followed them. He strode across the floor triumphantly as if they'd already found their answers.
The bar itself was rather large, various wines and bottles of bourbons lining the back wall. The counter was long with red cushioned bar stools at intervals. Rows and rows of glasses sat in perfectly straight lines waiting for the liquid to be added.
Behind the counter stood a young girl, who looked about fourteen. She was dressed in a black business shirt and a skirt, a small name tag sat on her right pocket. Her round face looked innocent and vulnerable but there was a certain amount of independence in how she held herself. Her beautiful dark skin only highlighted her striking green eyes. Her black hair was braided in tiny plats that were all tied together in a thick ponytail. There was a small stud in the side of her nose and a tattoo on the side of her wrist. She didn't look old enough to be working at a bar, but Finley knew that werewolf politics were different and the age for being an adult was different. She was chewing gum as she ran a cloth over the counter cleaning it. Her gaze passed over Finley without a second glance before fixating on Kade.
She gawked at him, her mouth slightly ajar before she flashed a flirtatious smile, "Hey, pretty eyes, is there somethin' I can do for you?"
Kade seemed completely oblivious to the admiration in the girl's eyes as he swung up onto the bar stool in front of her. He flashed one of his charming smiles before speaking. "Maybe you can help us. We're looking for someone, perhaps you've heard of him?"
"Depends who it is. A lot of people come through here," she said chewing on her gum loudly. Finley wished she would spit it out.
"Draven Michales?" Finley inturupted. The girl looked at her, judgment in her eyes as she looked her up and down. After dismissing that she wasn't any sort of competition she turned back to Kade, "Yeah, I know who Draven is."
Kade leaned forward fixing his eyes on the girl in what Finley could imagine was a seductive way, "Would you happen to know where we could find him?"
The girl smiled, her eyes watching Kade as if he was some sort of god who had all the answers. She nodded a little dreamily before pointing a perfectly shaped nail over the side of the room. "He's over there, behind the wall of people."
Finley turned around and looked over at where the girl had pointed. A bunch of people were gathered around a desk each one frantically trying to grab something from it. Finley couldn't see who was standing behind the desk but she suspected that it was Draven. Kade smiled at the young girl before thanking her. As they approached the table, the crowd of people thinned out and Finley could just make out a tall large man standing behind the desk.
He had tanned skin which looked perfectly sun kissed against the striking white t-shirt that he wore. His hair was spiked up in a Mohawk on top of his head that was dyed blue. His eyes were a golden chestnut brown colour that sparkled in the lighting as he turned. He was only fairly young, no older than 20. There was a mole on his cheek, just beside his full lips. A ring dangled from his eyebrow. They stopped at the other side of the desk which was full of flyers. Finley picked one of them up her eyes scanning for Arlin's name. She smiled when she spotted it before slipping the flyer into her jacket.
"Excuse me," Finley began trying to make her voice heard over the racket, "Are you Draven Michales?"
His eyes rested on her face as if he was trying to figure out if he knew her. "Who wants to know?"
"My name is Finley, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment about Arlin Shade."
His eyes widened in shock before hurriedly grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the crowd. "Don't say his name in here," he hissed, "Come, we will talk in private."
Finley nodded before following him out of the bar, Kade followed behind them. He led them around the side of the bar before turning back to face them, "Yes, I am Draven Michales. What is it you wanted to discuss?"
"I heard that you promote Arlin's parties. I was wondering if you happened to know where I could find him?" Finley asked a hint of hope in her voice.
"No, I'm sorry I can't help you," Draven said quickly. There was fear in his eyes.
"But you must know something. You promote for him," Finley argued.
Draven shifted uncomfortably his posture full of tension. "You don't understand," he muttered, "It's dangerous to be on Arlin's bad side. I happen to enjoy my life and would prefer to keep it."
"You're saying that he will kill you if you tell us anything."
Draven nodded but remained silent. Finley sighed, "Look we don't want to get you into trouble but if you could give us any information that would be appreciated."
Draven seemed reluctant before stepping closer. He kept his voice low and he spoke as if someone might overhear what he was saying, "I get the flyers from a fairy called Scarlett. I've never met Arlin, I don't even know what he looks like. Even at his parties you don't see who he is. Scarlett has seen him though. Maybe she can help you."
"Where can we find her?" Finley asked desperately wanting some more information.
He glanced around before sighing, "There's a restaurant called Luigi's. That's where I normally meet her."
Finley nodded and thanked him before he hurried back into the bar.
~
The bike came to a wobbly stop on the side of the road, almost throwing Kade and Finley off of it. Finley stumbled off the bike and regained her balance on the damp grass. She glanced at the bike's flat tire and sighed. Kade muttered something under his breath as he inspected the wheel. They'd made it a quarter of the way home before the bike had conveniently run over something on the road and the tire had broken. "Damn it!" Kade said the frustration evident in his voice.
Finley glanced around her at the empty street. Most of the houses were in complete darkness while a select few were dimly lit. It was late in the night and the roads and streets were abandoned. "Can you fix it or not?" She questioned.
Kade shot her a glare before shaking his head, "No, unless you can magically get a new tire here."
She frowned before grabbing her leather jacket off the bike seat. "Looks like we're walking then."
She turned on her heel and headed towards home. She'd lived in the neighborhood all of her life so she was pretty familiar with the streets. She knew various different ways home. She glanced behind her as Kade sighed and began to follow her. His shoulders were hunched over, his head down all of his usual confidence gone. She'd seen so many different aspects of him over the last couple of nights. He was so much more than the bad boy jerk that he portrayed at school.
But then again, she was different too. She had caught him looking at her in awe on numerous occasions when she'd done something surprising. She wasn't just the shy loner. She smiled to herself as she thought about it. She knew that Aiden would be so proud if he could see her today.
The dirt was crunching loudly as Kade stomped behind her. She glanced around anxiously wondering if there was anything out there watching them. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. His green eyes looked at her. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"Try and be quieter," she said softly, "We don't want to get into a fight tonight."
He was silent for a moment, his eyes looking defiant and for a second Finley thought he was going to argue with her. But then he flashed her a smile, "Worried about me Finn?"
She rolled her eyes and continued walking, "No but if you get killed, I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do and I would rather avoid those situations."
They walked in silence through the suburban streets, Finley on alert for anything dangerous. She knew better than to think that she was safe. They were about a block or two away from her house and her feet were beginning to ache. Kade had started humming an obnoxious tune to himself as they walked. She should have known better than to think that he would actually listen to her. She swung around to face him, raising a finger to her mouth, "Shhh, I told you not to make too much noise."
"We've been walking for ages and we haven't seen anything remotely dangerous," he complained.
"That doesn't mean that there isn't anything out there," she muttered.
Kade sniffed the air, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "Do you smell that? It kind of smells like something is burning."
No sooner had the words left his mouth that Finley spotted the demon charging towards them. She pulled the dagger from her belt just as it launched at her. She hit the ground her back digging into rocks beneath her. The demons pincers came towards her, the saliva dripping on her skin. It sizzled and burnt her skin and she groaned. She slashed the knife upwards cutting the demons body. She could vaguely hear Kade in the background mumbling something that sounded vaguely like a prayer. She rolled her eyes before slashing upwards again. The demons nails dug into her wrist and she cried out before plunging the dagger into its chest. Blood splattered across her chest as it died, charring her skin. Its body turned to ash as it disappeared and died.
She got to her feet, grabbing her wrist to stop the bleeding. Her chest burned but she pushed the pain away and looked over at Kade who was watching her wide-eyed. "Were you praying?" She questioned.
He nodded still looking at her in awe and shock. She raised an eyebrow at him, "Why?"
He shrugged, "In movies they always send the demon back to hell by praying." She burst out laughing shaking her head. "You idiot, that doesn't work in real life. You kill demons the same way you kill anything else. By stabbing it in the heart."
He looked a little embarrassed. "Well unlike you, I haven't had much experience in killing supernatural creatures."
She smiled at him, "Well maybe I'll teach you a few things." He opened his mouth to answer but her phone began to ring. Finley didn't have a lot of friends but her phone only ever rang if it was an emergency. She grabbed it out of her pocket before holding it to her ear. "Hello?" She asked.
"Finley? It's Harley. Where are you?" Harley said, her voice frantic.
Finley's heart began to beat quickly. As if sensing that something was wrong, Kade took a step closer his face serious.
"We're about a block away," Finley answered a little hesitantly, "Why what's wrong?"
Harley's voice faltered only slightly but it was enough for Finley to know that she was crying. "It's Tate... something happened. You need to come home. I need help."
Finley held her breath, worry starting to creep its way through her. Kade was watching her intently and she could tell by the look on his face that she looked afraid. She felt afraid. She took a deep breath, "Okay I'm coming."
She hung up the phone and without a word started sprinting. Kade called out for her to wait but she didn't listen. She needed to get home. She needed to help Tate. Kade was taller than her and so it was easy for his long strides to catch up to her. He glanced over at her but didn't bother asking what was wrong. He just kept running with her, as they sprinted towards the house.
~