A/N: Chapter 3 is here! Whoo! Thanks so much for reading; I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it ;D
Chapter 3: Lip Locking With Lycanthropes
I wanted an explanation.
Didn't I always, though? Henri hadn't told me shit about the rogue and the Order needed to know that Manhattan was in danger. Gender did nothing to narrow it all down, and the fact Henri didn't recognize our vampire whatsoever (seeing as he knew all the vamps in this area) scared me.
Well, of course it did.
The next morning, I woke with a drive to see Henri, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the Mark.
I wanted answers.
Ethan hadn't called or visited me yet, so I knew it was safe to be late for work. Plus, it wouldn't take long...
Then I realized it was daylight. "Damn it," I groaned under my breath as I got ready to leave. Henri would be fast asleep by now, which meant I couldn't get answers until sunset... And the Order needed to know about the rogue, whoever they were. The hunters wouldn't find any matches to the fang marks, since the vamp wasn't from here, and therefore wasn't in the Agency's database. I had no choice but to go to Henri in the hopes that he was still around. Older vamps seemed to stay awake longer, from my observations, of course. I looked at my watch. It read: 10:35 AM. Hmm...
If he was awake right now, it'd be a freaking miracle.
Eventually, I decided – what the Hell? – and headed to the Dakota Apartments by subway.
Mr. Kepsley, the human shadow that worked for Henri Sinclair – wasn't at his post. No one was in the lobby, and the place was silent and empty. No tourists outside, either.
What the Hell?
I went up to Henri's room, feeling him easily through the Mark.
Ah, the Mark.
The Mark had gotten stronger ever since my uncle almost killed and turned me. Henri had fed me his blood to heal me and, well, as a result, our bond had gotten much stronger, to the point where I could occasionally feel his presence and when he was hungry...
Right now, the Mark remained dormant, as if the vampire was already lost to the world.
That didn't mean he would stay that way.
Not a chance; not if I could help it.
"Toni?"
I spun around at the sound of the familiar voice and found sharp emerald-green eyes staring at me with curiosity and surprise.
Micah.
I wiped my forehead, gasping softly. "What... what are you doing here?"
The wide-eyed werewolf only shook his head, ignoring my question. "Toni, you shouldn't be here."
I gave him a genuine frown. "And why not?"
"It's dangerous." How?
I shrugged. "Danger's my middle name."
"I thought 'Claire' was your middle-"
"How do you know that?!" I burst out.
Again, Micah ignored me and looked away. "Anyway, it's too dangerous. Even for you, hunter."
"Well, I came all this way to see him," I grumbled, pointing to the supposedly locked door.
It was Micah's turn to frown. "He's asleep."
"Yeah, I get that. It's daylight, Henri's an old, crusty vampire... yada yada yada... " I scoffed. "Listen, wolf boy. I want answers from Henri. He's answering my questions, regardless of his nap time schedule."
"But-" Micah sighed, his eyes going to the door then me again. "How do you plan on waking him up?"
I had a plan, sure, but was it a good plan?
Probably not.
I held out my arms wide. "Come here, Micah." He gave me a confused look, running a hand through his tousled black hair. It didn't look as soft or silky as Henri's, but it was the same length.
When he didn't move forward, I took the initiative and pulled him toward me, grabbing his arm and putting them around my waist. I locked him there, then looked into Micah's deep green eyes. He smelled like a forest, I realized from this close. He literally smelt like he'd been running through grass and... There was also a hint of mint in there somewhere.
"Toni, what are you-?"
"Shh," I whispered, tapping his lips with a finger, cutting off his words. I smiled at him, and he must've realized what I was about to do.
I think he was perfectly okay with it.
I raked my fingers through his hair, feeling its thick quality. It reminded me of a wolf's pelt, which fits. Hooking my fingers in his dark hair, I pulled the were's head forward, and his lips crashed into mine with a bruising force. I had no deep feelings for Micah, but I knew he felt something for me. How deep his affection ran was the question and the wild card in this situation, and I silently hoped it was enough.
Plus, I knew Henri was extremely jealous of the werewolf, which I never really understood.
The Mark burned with such a force that it ripped a cry from my throat, and caused me to break the kiss. My pulse pounded, and the Mark mimicked its rhythm. The searing pain caused me to push Micah away from me – any contact from him hurt like Hell. It's a wonder he didn't hit the wall, and crash right through it. I clutched the side of my neck until the agony faded to a slight throbbing sensation.
Henri was definitely awake now...
Right on cue, the door knob twisted, and the door swung open to reveal a black-eyed Henri. I say black-eyed, but they were tinged with red around the iris. His hunger was growing... or was that just anger towards me and what had just happened?
Probably both.
Those red-tinted eyes were looking right at me when the vamp appeared in the doorway, his hair a mess, his face unpleasant to say the least. "Antoinette, what the Hell do you think you're doing?!" The last part held barely contained rage.
Damn it, Henri was pissed.
Yeah, no shit, I just kissed his werewolf spy... and I might've liked it.
Shit, my life was so complicated!
Henri's eyes narrowed to slits as his heated gaze shifted to Micah. "Micah?"
"Y-yes, Mr. Sinclair?" Micah whimpered, wringing his hands, his broad shoulders twitching slightly. He wouldn't meet Henri's eyes.
Hey, neither would I if I were in his situation.
Someone might just get fired.
"Explain." That one command, directed at Micah, made me shudder. It was daylight, and Henri wasn't happy. He wanted his beauty sleep, and I'd challenged the Mark by using Micah.
Poor werewolf...
When Henri took a threatening step toward Micah, his eyes murderous, I went to block him, shielding Micah from whatever Henri had planned for him. Of course, I couldn't stop a cranky – not to mention jealous – vampire. I bit my lip when Henri yanked me to the side so that I was out of his way. "Henri, wait!"
"Not now, Antoinette," he growled in response.
Damn it, he was calling me 'Antoinette' and not 'Toni'. Henri must've been really pissed.
"B-but... "
"We'll discuss this after I skin this mutt." Micah gave a yelp when Henri's fangs came down.
"Henri, I kissed him, not the other way-" My words caught in my throat when Henri turned to me, his eyes wide with shock.
"What?" It took everything for him to say that one word. It hurt me a little. The imaginary cord that tied us together twitched and wavered. It was practically shaking.
Not good.
"You... kissed... him?" Every word was strained and sounded forced.
"Yes... " I drew it out as red took over the black in Henri's eyes.
"Why?" he bit out, leaving Micah to cower in the corner of the hallway while the vamp's whole scary and undivided attention remained on me.
I swallowed and managed to say: "I need to talk to you."
Just when I thought Henri would explode and kill me right then and there, he turned his head away. The Mark gave a hum and then the energy behind it disappeared completely. With a sigh, Henri moved until he was in front of me, looking into me with eyes that had returned to their usual black.
"Antoinette?"
"Toni," I corrected.
I barely heard his soft chuckle. "Fine... Toni. Could you wait until sunset to talk?"
"No," I admitted, "it's urgent."
"What is it?"
I took a deep breath to calm my still-racing heartbeat. "It's about the rogue." I noticed then that Micah was gone. He'd left the hallway to God knows where and God knows why. Well, he'd fled because of Henri. That was my best guess, at least.
"It can wait untill sunset, then."
I wanted to protest, sure, but the vamp was already moving away.
"No, it can't, Henri, and you know it," I pressed, but I didn't follow him or move, for that matter. The Mark could awaken at any moment; any form of contact between us could set it off. I wanted to be thinking clearly and rationally, and with Henri in the same space as me, that would prove to be very difficult.
Henri sighed when I cleared my throat impatiently. "We'll discuss the rogue at sunset."
"No, we won't," I practically growled. "The Order needs to know-"
"-Nothing," Henri finished for me with a frown. "The Order needs to know nothing."
I mirrored his frown. "They know about the bodies. The culprit will come up as unknown. How... ?"
"Toni, I don't care what the Order, the hunters, the freaking Agency does. I'm not supposed to be around, remember?"
"That has nothing to do with this," I grumbled. Taking a deep breath to calm myself – hint: it failed – I added. "I'll tell them about the rogue, but they'll want specifics. They'll want proof."
"Which you don't have," he replied, looking back at me. "Just wait until sunset."
It occurred to me then that Henri was hiding information. Was he doing it on purpose? My frown deepened. "What do you want me to tell them?"
He seemed to actually think on what I had said. Slowly, Henri turned his body away, black hair falling into his eyes. "Tell them you'll know more tonight."
"Won't they suspect s-?" I was talking to a door before the sentence was past my lips.
Damn it, Henri!
He was acting weird. Well, weirder than usual...
My phone buzzed suddenly, and I thought it would be Ethan telling me to get my ass to the Agency.
But it wasn't Ethan. The text was from Micah:
CAN YOU MEET ME IN CENTRAL PARK IN 15 MINUTES?
Well, Central Park was a little vague on location, being that it was so, well, large. I wanted to ask him things like why? Instead, I sent him a text back:
WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK?
The response was instantaneous:
STRAWBERRY FIELDS.
I knew the park well (seeing as I visited the famous New York landmark on a weekly basis) and Strawberry Fields wasn't far from The Dakota. Why Micah wanted me to meet him there was beyond me.
It also made me nervous. And suspicious. Did the were want to see me because I'd kissed him to make Henri jealous and the Mark to act up?
I guess I was about to find out.
Micah wasn't alone when I found him. Of course, the area was crowded with tourists who'd come to see IMAGINE, the tribute to John Lennon. I remembered my Mom and Dad loving the guy, but I never really got into the craze. Still, Micah told me to come to Strawberry Fields.
Micah sat on one of the benches stretched near the sign. There were four others with him; all weres. The one nearest to me had muscles like crazy and a deep set scowl that reminded me of Henri's. He had dirty blonde hair that was as shaggy as Micah's but not as long. The blonde were was freakishly tall and had green eyes that framed a chiseled face. Man, he could be a model if he didn't turn into a beast when he saw fit.
A werewolf's transformation doesn't just occur during the night of a full moon. That's a load of crap based on myths and legends. Werewolves are real, and some aren't so nice. Aren't I lucky to have some furry friends like Micah and whoever I was about to meet!
Anyway, weres can transform at will and – if they're angry enough – they could just rip someone to pieces. They had the same strength and speed as vampires, at least when in wolf form.
The only girl in the group must've been the blonde were's sister; they had the same hair color. Instead of green eyes, though, she had what looked like gray eyes, an uncommon trait in most lycanthropes. Those eyes watched me with mild interest, while her brother looked at me through narrow eyes. Untrusting eyes.
What did I do?
Off to the side stood the other two weres, and they looked like they were related. Two brothers, I assumed as I made my way to the group. Micah was up front, and when he saw me coming, he smiled a genuine smile. A smile full of relief, if you ask me. "You came," he murmured almost to himself, then looked over at the girl werewolf. "Toni, this is Odelia West, my alpha." Micah nodded to the tall, buff were beside Odelia. "And that's her brother, Bruno. Bruno co-owns The Wolfsbane Rubies Nightclub."
I couldn't hold back my surprise and shock. "You work with Russell Knight?"
The towering werewolf nodded. "I usually don't associate myself with bloodsuckers but the club needed to be regulated." He looked at his sister, and admitted sheepishly: "Odelia practically ordered me to do it. She's very commanding sometimes, and she scares me all the same. Family, though."
Speaking of the she-wolf, she was still staring at me silently. She didn't look scary at all; she was barely my height. When she spoke, I knew immediately why her brother would be afraid of her. "So, you're the vampire hunter Micah keeps talking about?"
"Hunter, really. I don't just hunt vamp-"
Odelia looked away, and they settled on Micah, looking hard and beautiful as steel. "She's younger than I thought."
"How old are you?" I challenged, which I instantly regretted.
Bruno made a snarling sound and went to stand in front of me, blocking my view of the alpha. "You don't speak to our alpha that way."
"I'm not a werewolf."
"No, but you're a human," one of the werewolf brothers pointed out. He was a little shorter than Bruno (maybe Micah's height), with chestnut brown hair and cerulean eyes that sparkled. He had a boyish grin that easily revealed dimples, a round chin, slightly pointed ears.
The were was adorable.
I smiled and Micah turned to look at his companion. "I think she knows that, Kyle."
The blue-eyed were, Kyle, moved forward until he had a good look at me. His smile widened and he pulled me into a hug, squeezing hard. "Hi, Toni! My name's Kyle Hastings; it's so nice to meet you! Micah talks about you all the time!"
"He does?" I gave Micah a look, which he took with clear and obvious embarrassment.
Kyle nodded, his head bobbing up and down. "He tells us that you're beauti-"
"That's enough, Kyle," Micah interrupted, now giving the were the look I gave Micah.
Kyle, looking positively shy, turned around and gestured for his brother to come forward, and he did, if reluctantly. This werewolf looked just like his brother, if only one or two years older. The eyes and the hair remained the same. He gave me a friendly smile. "I'm Kris, Kyle's brother. It's nice to meet you, Toni."
"You too, Kris," I returned the smile.
Kris didn't seem as energetic as his brother. In fact, you could almost say he was shy. Calm and collected, even.
"Okay, now that all the introductions are in place," Bruno replied, his tone full of boredom. "Tell her what you wanted to tell her."
I thought it was directed at Micah, but I was wrong. Odelia West was the one who spoke. Her sharp gray eyes sliced through me when our gazes met. "You know about the rogue, right, hunter?"
"Toni," I corrected. It must've flown right over her pretty blonde head, because she continued as if I hadn't answered. "Well, Bruno heard from Micah that a Mr. Henri Sinclair – he's a friend of yours, right?"
"Uh... not really," I muttered.
Odelia sniffed the air. "You smell like him. Yet you call yourself a vampire hunter."
"Odelia-" Micah started, but he got no further than that. She spun on him. "I'm your alpha, Micah. Do not defend your friend in my presence."
Wow, was Odelia a bitch or what?
I held up my hands. "No, it's fine. I'm his ally. I wouldn't exactly call him a friend."
"Alright, well, did Russ tell him anything about the alleged rogue?" Bruno asked from his sister's side.
I shook my head. "Henri told me Russ had seen nothing suspicious."
"Well, he was lying, little hunter," the were growled. "That son of a bitch lied."
"Who, Russ?"
"It also could've been Henri," Micah put in.
I sighed. "Look, whoever held back information and lied doesn't matter right now." I met Bruno's gaze. "What about the rogue?"
"She was there the other night."
"Yeah, I figured," I murmured. "The bodies are evidence. Do you know who she was?"
"We don't keep tabs on vampires; only our own kind," Odelia mused. "But if your vampire doesn't know who is killing and causing chaos, it has to be stopped. Soon."
"Of course," I reassured her. "I know. I just need information on the rogue."
"Other than her gender?" Kyle chimed in.
I nodded. "I need more than a gender or a scent. I need a name and a face."
"Which is impossible if you don't know where to look," Bruno reminded me.
I bit my lip and turned to look at the tourists and bikers. They had the good life...
"I can't do anything until sunset if I want answers."
"Then wait until sunset."
I sighed and looked at the group of weres. "Fine, I guess. It was nice meeting all of you."
"You too!" Kyle gushed.
I could easily see the difference between him and his brother, Kris. They were complete opposites. Kyle was funny, loud, and outgoing, while Kris was calm, a bit on the shy side, but still friendly. I realized that I liked Micah's werewolf pals. Even Odelia, his own alpha, and her brother, Bruno – or the Furry Tree, the nickname I'd mentally given him.
The werewolves were on my side. I was struggling to stay on the human course, but with weres on my side as well as a vampire or two...
This wasn't normal, whatsoever.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Remember to vote + comment if you enjoyed it :3 See you next time!
Picture: 'Imagine' which can be found in New York's very own Central Park ;)
Song: I Need Your Love by Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding
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~ Fangs & Kisses ~