Date: 2-24-17
Chapter 30: Don't Let Others Do You a Solid
"Yes! You owe me." Adrian says triumphantly.
"What do you want?" Lucas sighs the question.
"That is the question, isn't it?" Lucas gives Adrian an exasperated look.
"Fine. And just so you know, this will benefit you too." Adrian says and Lucas makes the go on gesture.
"Someone's watching us. You, me, and Monique. If Mason ever left the house, then probably him too." Adrian adds with criticism as an afterthought.
"Who is it?" Lucas asks immediately, suddenly wondering if Adrian would ask him to kill the person.
Adrian answers Lucas' question with a question if his own. "Do you know the people living in the houses across from me?"
Lucas knows, but he can't tell Adrian. Lucas will not be endangering his best friend, John. Monique mentioned that Adrian's killed his enemies. If John is an enemy of Adrian's, Lucas has to protect John. Even though John has been catching on to what's going on...
"No." Lucas lies to Adrian. Suddenly Lucas is thrown into a tree at the edge of the woods, and before he can catch his breath and get up, Adrian is there, pinning Lucas to the tree.
Adrian's eyes are burning a fiery red and his fangs are out. He must be really angry, since Lucas has never seen Adrian's fangs before.
"Don't lie to me!" Adrian roars at Lucas, causing him to flinch back, although there's nowhere to go.
"I saw the look in your eyes. You know who's doing this." Lucas is vaguely surprised that Adrian's speech is normal through his fangs. But Lucas forces himself to concentrate on Adrian's words.
Adrian's fangs recede back into normal teeth, but his eyes remain red. Adrian digs his fingers into Lucas' shirt and shakes him, slamming Lucas back into the tree. Lucas notices that Adrian's claws aren't out, which means he's holding back.
That thought makes Lucas slightly less terrified. "I said I don't know!" Lucas responds. He can't sell out John.
"And I don't believe you. Your heart doesn't agree." Adrian hisses through his clenched teeth.
"Why are you protecting them? It's someone close to you, isn't it?" Adrian questions Lucas with his eyes narrowed, not letting Lucas go.
Lucas' eyes are glowing gold now with the need to protect himself and John.
"That's what I thought." Adrian says as he notices Lucas' eyes. Adrian removes his hands where they'd been clenching Lucas' shirt and he takes a step back. Adrian's eyes turn back to their cold blue.
Lucas tries to calm his rapidly beating heart, knowing Adrian can hear it. Why did Adrian let him go? Did Adrian give up?
"I wonder if I should pay Lena's house a visit. Mind telling me where that is?" Adrian asks casually, but with a devilish gleam in his eyes.
Lucas knows the secret message beneath Adrian's words. Adrian is asking if it's Lena that Lucas is trying to protect.
"No. It's not Lena. Leave her alone." Lucas glances quickly at the house when he hears someone coming.
Adrian grins from ear to ear when Lena comes into the backyard looking worried.
Lucas wipes the terrified look from his face so Lena doesn't see. Although inside, he is absolutely terrified for Lena. Will Adrian go after her because Lucas is protecting John?
"Hey!" Lena says when she reaches them. Lena sees Adrian staring at her and she clears her face of any expressions.
"Lucas, we have a problem." Lena says calmly. Lucas remembers that Lena went to talk to Jerica.
Lena gives Adrian a pointed look, a get lost look. "What is it?" Adrian asks with concern. It sounds real, but Lucas knows it's not.
Lena sighs, determined to tell Lucas now, but not wanting Adrian there.
"Jerica's missing." Lucas' eyes widen. Missing?
"Her door was locked and she wouldn't answer, so I had to go grab the spare key because I was worried." Lena explains, feeling bad about invading Jerica's personal space without permission.
"No one was in her room, and the window was open. She must be climbed down the house somehow." Lena says, hoping that Lucas believes her.
Lucas stops to listen to the occupants of his house when Adrian speaks up. "I checked. She's not there."
Lucas checks for himself, only hearing the click of buttons inside. Mason's playing on his Xbox 360.
Lucas runs a hand through his hair, stressing over what to do. Lena talks again. "I even called her, but no one answered."
I'll go around to her window to see if I can catch her scent." Adrian offers helpfully before shooting off in that direction. Lucas knows this isn't good because Adrian isn't usually helpful.
Lucas also remembers that Lena said that Jerica's window is open, meaning Adrian could get into the house. But what would Adrian want inside the house? Maybe he'd threaten Mason because Lucas wouldn't tell Adrian that the person living across from him is John.
Lucas glances at Lena and sees she's calling Jerica again. Lucas is getting very anxious when he finally sees Adrian coming back. He's utterly quiet, not making a sound as he comes closer.
Lena has her back turned and is calling Jerica once again, determined to call until Jerica picks up. Adrian comes up completely silent a few feet behind Lena but she doesn't notice.
When Adrian stops with a weird expression on his face, Lucas gets very concerned. Adrian's eyes turn blood red and his fangs come out. Lucas sees Adrian's hands curl into fists menacingly. Lucas can tell that Adrian has his claws out.
Is he...? Adrian takes a step forward with an evil grin, within reach of Lena, who's still trying to get a hold of Jerica. This confirms Lucas' fear. Adrian is threatening that he's about to attack Lena. All because Lucas is protecting John.
"Lena." Lucas blurts out. Adrian's eyes narrow in warning and he steps even closer to Lena. She's going to notice his nearness any second. There is no saving Lena if Lucas warns her.
The choice is for Lucas to decide right now. Either Lucas protects his loving crush or his suspicious best friend.
Lena's looking up at Lucas now. "How about you go ask Mason if he knows where Jerica is? I need to finish talking to Adrian." Lucas says in a monotone voice.
It's taking Lucas everything inside of him to keep his eyes from changing colors and his claws from coming out in defense. That would only alert Lena that something's going on besides Jerica being missing.
Adrian notices what Lucas is doing and steps quickly away from Lena. She turns and jumps when she sees Adrian standing a few feet away from her. "Adrian! I didn't hear you coming. You were so quiet." Lena exclaims in surprise. If only she knew.
"It's a werewolf thing." Adrian says proudly with a huge grin. This one is actually happy and not fake, because Adrian knows he's about to get what he wants. Adrian walks forward until he's a few feet away from Lucas.
Lucas could just be playing along so that Lena's safe, but he knows that Adrian wouldn't stop until he has the information that he wants.
Lena hesitates a second, sensing something is off. Lucas gives Lena a tight smile and she finally leaves.
"So...are you gonna talk now?" Adrian goads Lucas.
Lucas doesn't answer to that. But he does give Adrian what he wants to protect Lena. "His name is John. John Caster." Lucas doesn't look Adrian in the eye because he can't think about how he's betraying his best friend.
"Thanks." Adrian says and pats Lucas on the shoulder like Lucas is his best bud. "You did the right thing." Adrian says with a grin when Lucas moves away from him.
Adrian turns to walk away from Lucas, but he grabs onto Adrian's arm to stop him. "What are you going to do?" Lucas demands to know.
Adrian whacks Lucas' hand away from him. "I'm going to get more information before I decide." Adrian growls with his eyes narrowed angrily.
Lucas lets Adrian walk away that time, just as Lena is walking back outside.
Adrian transforms his face when he sees Lena, turning the frown into a smile and letting his mouth relax like he's completely comfortable with everything right now.
"You're leaving?" Lena asks Adrian. He knows that she secretly wants him to stay and help find Jerica because of the hesitation in her voice.
Adrian thinks sarcastically to himself, "Aww. How sweet."
Adrian lets his smile fall away and concern spread across his face, pulling his eyebrows down in a sad face. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I've got some family business going on with Monique. You understand, right?" Adrian asks with an apologetic tone laced into his voice.
Adrian's gotten used to faking emotions over the years for his benefit, and it's definitely played off.
Lena nods and smiles a sincere smile. Then she waves goodbye, turning to go into the backyard.
Adrian walks slowly down the sidewalk for a minute until he hears Lucas talking to Lena, then he changes direction. Adrian goes into Lucas' house to have a little chat with Mason.