Moonless

Chapter 44

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Aaron turned back to us and handed Annie the shotgun.

"I'm going to trust you with this one more time.  Don't use it, unless it is life and death," he clicked his fingers against the barrel twice, before stepping out into the hallway and leaving me and Annie alone together.

Who the heck was out there that he felt he needed to give trigger happy Annie the gun?

"Where is my sister!?" I heard Liam yell from out of the hallway and he let out a low growl.

Relief coursed through my body at the sound of my brother's voice. He was alive and he sounded like he was okay at least.

Annie looked at me and mouthed "Sister?" and I nodded.

"My name is Aaron Matters. I haven't come to harm you, nor have I harmed your sister. She's the girl you were traveling with?"

"Where is she?"

"In the bathroom behind me, me and my sister found her in there lying on the floor."

"Everlee!" Liam called.

"In here!" I replied.

Annie gave me another questioning looked and mouthed. "Everlee?"And I once again nodded my head.

"Anyways, I have come here with information and to also offer my assistance to you," Aaron continued.

"I think I would have know if anyone has been sent to assist me," Liam replied dryly.

His words sent alarm bells off. Weren't the forest spirits supposed to tell him everything? So if he didn't know this guy was coming, did that mean that this guy wasn't supposed to come?

"Are they holding you against your will?" Liam called to me.

I hesitated for a moment. "I don't think," I replied.

"Then come out here!" Liam responded.

I moved towards the door, only for Annie to raise the barrel of the gun across the doorframe, blocking my exit.

"I think you better wait in here with me," Annie said.

"Annie put down that stupid gun and let me through!" I demanded.

My words must have triggered something between Liam and Aaron, because from the hallway came the sound of running feet, and then a soft thud of a fist coming into contact with flesh. Then grunts and a sound of a struggle.

Annie closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and stepped out into the hallway. She pointed the gun out in front of her and the sound of a fight ceased.

"Annie put that away! I told you to use it for life and death!" I heard Aaron yell.

"But..he's attacking you! How is this not life and death!?"

I stepped out of the bathroom to see that Liam was on top of Aaron, and had him pinned to the ground. His eyes were golden and he was glaring down at him in the clothes I had last seen him in before he had shifted and taken off to investigate.

Aaron had one of each of Liam's fists in his hands and was holding them inches from his face. He didn't take his eyes off of Liam. "He's attacking me because you are holding his sister hostage!"

"I am not holding anyone hostage. I'm protecting her! He has obviously kidnapped her or something and made her say she is his sister. Her name is not even Everlee!?"

"Yes it is and he is not holding me, hostage, he saved me! He's my brother!"

Liam's head jerked up in my direction and his eyes revert to green.

He looked back down at Aaron.

"I will get off you, but you need to tell her to lower the gun."

Annie snorted. "No way, get off first and maybe I'll consider lowering it!"

"Annie, do as he says," Aaron said through gritted teeth.

Annie lowered the gun to her side, and Liam rolled off him and jumped to his feet. He motioned for me to come and stand beside him, and I obliged. Meanwhile, Aaron joined Annie on her side of the hallway.

"What do you want, daywalker?" Liam said in a low, threatening voice.

Aaron looked over at Annie. "Annie, go wait in the car. Turn on the heat and I will come out for you. I need to speak to the two of them in private."

"I'm not leaving you alone in here, what does he mean by daywalker? Is that the name of a cult or something? Is that what you got wrapped up in?"

Aaron leaned his face closed to hers and his eyes ignited into two glowing red points on his face . Annies' face went slack, her eyes dulled, and the gun clattered to the floor at her feet.

I inhaled sharply.

I knew that he wasn't human. Daywalkers were humans that had been feed on enough that they had started the transformation into a vampire. All they had to do was die for it to be complete. Daywalkers weren't as strong as a vampire, but they could still be out during the day, although they were significantly weaker when the sun was out.

"Annie, go wait in the car. Turn on the heat and I will come out for you," he repeated and this time, Annie complied. She walked towards us in a jerking manner, like she was a life size puppet and someone was yanking her strings. Hey feet barely lifting off the ground, while she walked.

Liam began to growl from beside me and took a protective stance in from of me.

"Annie stop!" Aaron yelled and Annie jerked to a stop. "Let her pass, she's not involved in any of this. She's just a clueless human."

"Why did she shot at me then?" Liam retorted.

" Because she thought you were a wild animal that was about to attack her brother, I replied. "He's telling the truth, Liam, she was prying into Pine Ridge business and trespassed on pack land. The pack has killed humans for less."

"If what you are saying is true, she can pass..." Liam replied. And we both stepped aside.

"Annie go," Aaron said.

And Annie continued her jerky walk right past us, and out the front door, and presumedly to  his car outside.

"I'm sorry about," he said once she was gone. His eyes faded from red back to their normal blue. "Annie can't know about werewolves, daywalkers, or any of the supernatural things that live in this world. So before you had said more, I had to compel her away.

"I sent here by my master to help you. She's a friend of yours."

"Who is your master?" Liam asked.

"My master is Sanda."

"Sanda!? What does she want?" Liam replied and I could hear the recognition, but also confusion in his voice.

Aaron produced a letter sealed by a red wax seal and held it out to Liam. "Well first things first, she wants you to read this."