BLOOD and Revenge

Chapter 7 : The Lion's Den

I couldn't help my yawn of exhaustion when I awoke at sun-down. I vaguely remembered that I had tricked Logan and that I had to get up to fight James but who could blame me. I was feeling on top of the world, full of purpose. Master told me what I needed to do and now I will do what I can to make sure that it ends up right.

Pulling on my bags, I backed out of the straw and hesitantly opened the barn door. The field I had been in looked like a sea of black as the high grass flowed back and forth in the dark, near moonless night.

I took no time in hurrying out of the field and taking cover in the trees. Using my night vision, I zipped past trees and shrubs, trying to get to town again before the humans went to sleep. If I hurried, I'd make it there in time.

I stopped by Adam's house first, keeping to the shadows as I went up to the front door and knocked. Moments passed before I knocked again. This time, a reaction was to soft footsteps from inside. A short, blonde haired woman opened the door, surprised to see such a tall person in front of her.

"Yes, can I help y- wait, don't I know you?" I twiddled my fingers, my bags safely under a fallen tree nearby, and nodded.

"It's nice to see you again. I'm Adam's friend Janine. I moved a few years back and have come back." She took me into her warm embrace, her heart beat frantic.

"Adam, you have a friend!" She called when she backed away from me. She looked me over, taking in my appearance and noticed a bit of dirt on my pants.

"Have you been rolling in the dirt?" I made a girlish giggle and leaned against the railing.

"I guess you could call it that. I went for a run and fell a while ago. But I'm all better now." She laughed and stood to the side as my beach-blonde friend appeared in the doorway.

"Janine," he said, surprise written on his face and in his tone. I tried to keep myself in the human girl type of way in front of his mother and went up and hugged him.

"Hey, silly. Wanna hang out for a few. I want to see the changes around town that I haven't gotten the privilege to see yet. Can he show me around?" I looked to his mother, who glanced to Adam and seemed a bit dubious. I focused on her mind a bit, and locked my eyes with hers.

"I will have him back before midnight," I compulsed into her mind. Her eyes glazed over for a moment before returning to their shining blue.

"Go ahead dear. But be back before midnight Adam." I gave a short thanks and waited as my ally put on his shoes, and in his mother's best wishes, his light white jacket. A few hugs and a couple of blocks later, I let my smile slip and my vampiric side come out.

"What did you do to make her agree?" Adam asked, his tone pushing me to speak. I imagine he is not allowed out at night. And for good reason.

"I used a bit of compulsion on her. Nothing that will harm her but I needed to start things soon. Oh, and by the way, nice one with James and Logan today. I didn't get to see it but I heard it." I slung my arm around his shoulders and walked under the lights of the town, watching as less and less cars ran through the drowsy town.

"How did you hear about that?" His cheeks tinged pink.

"I made Logan my puppet. Simple as that." His eyes grew larger, fear leaking into them. His thoughts drifted to me.

She might make me one too...

I chucked a bit.

"I'm not going to make you one. I have more uses for someone who isn't a puppet. Puppets are pawns and follow my command with a few words. Kind of like hypnotism but not. More along the lines of a stronger version of compulsion. Know what I mean?" His brows furrowed, confusion written plainly on his face.

"Okay, but next time, could you just ask me before you decide to hypnotize my mom?" I giggled. Hypnotism is easier.

"Compulsion."

"Yeah, that." I rolled my eyes and retracted my arm from his shoulder.

"So where is Jame's house?" Adam looked around for a moment, as if he were the one being watched, and started to steer me towards the upper side of town.

"He lives in the northern side of town, on the mountain. No one really goes up that way unless they have to or they are connected to his family." I took in this information, eager to make my master's blood and efforts worth it for him.

"What do you mean 'connected to his family'? Do they have power or something?" Adam shrugged in the dark streets we were slithering though.

"I'm just saying that most of his friends seem distant from us. Like they are a whole other species." He made a left turn onto a road that led up by an old broken down train station and even further up. The close houses spaced out so that the once almost overlapping buildings became three or four apart. Trees covered the place closer than before, and a power hit me so unexpectedly, it caused me to pause in my place, a new feeling washing over me in this form.

Fear.

"Janine? It is a bit further ahead. Unless you are having second thoughts.." He too paused in his advance but he didn't seem the least bit effected by the power of the place.

"It isn't that Adam. Something feels different, like an invisible power line that may trigger if I pass. Like an early warning system." My brows furrowed as I backed up a few steps, the feeling of unease slowly lessening.

"I don't feel anything..." So was it just a immortal's power that was effecting me like this? A supernatural creature like me?

I looked down, closing my eyes before taking a deep breath. When I opened my eyes, I could feel them glowing, Adam's reflecting their luminescence.

"What color is the house and how many stories? And what color is their car?" His eyes narrowed.

"White house, three stories, black SUV and golden colored mini-van." I nodded, remembering every syllable. If what lays ahead is immortal, I don't want to have Adam in the crossfire.

"Alright. Go ahead on home. I will meet up with you tomorrow for a briefing on my next move. Until then, keep your window locked and yourself indoors." He strode up to me quickly.

"You aren't going by yourself are you? If what you said the weird feeling was like a warning system, then something may get you." I pulled him to me, my arms going around him as I felt his hesitation at first. After a few moments, he calmed and returned my hug.

"Be careful," he said softly as he backed away.

"Me? Adam, I'm a blood-sucking immortal. I think that whatever this is, it should be worried about me." He smiled and gave me a pat on the shoulder before passing over the invisible line of power and started back home where I knew he would be safe.

After I watched his shape disappear around the bend of the block, I turned back and grinned, ready to take on whatever was waiting for me.

I pushed forward, the feeling of fear rushing back to be but I had to find Jame's house before sun up and get back to a safe place to sleep for the day. I don't think Adam would mind if I borrowed his basement for a place to sleep.

Warning bells were going off inside of my mind, telling me to run, to flee back the way I had just came. But as I went further and more houses came into view, I couldn't help the sweet taste of victory that was washing over me.

From the feel of my puppet bonds, I could feel Logan close by and strained my mind to connect to his. Perhaps I could look into his mind to find Jame's house easier. However, as I pushed and pushed, a stronger connection was preventing me from getting to him.

A roar echoed throughout the forest around me, the sound of it like nothing I had ever heard before. Thunderous vibrations shook the ground I was standing on, almost as if footfalls were the reasoning behind it. But human foot steps would not sound like a heard of cattle.

And worst of all, I really doubted that cattle would head through the forest... strait at me.