Bad Euphoria

REVEAL

Imani stood in front of her full length mirror scanning over her choice of clothing. She wore a short, turquoise, flare-out dress with a sweetheart neckline. Accompanied with brown strappy heels and purse. The final accessory was a delicate, gold layering necklace set of three. Her tight curly hair was parted to the side and her nude gloss lips smiled back at her.....she was pleased with her decision.

"Well, you look gorgeous. I take it you have plans this evening?" Bria leaned in the doorway, admiring her best friend's beauty.

Imani smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I have a date tonight and no it's not tall, dark and sexy."

"What!? My Imani is all grown up. Exploring your options, you make me so proud." Bria fake cried, making Imani laugh.

"So?.....What's he like?" Bria asked.

Before Imani could answer, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." Bria rushed out the room.

Opening the door, Victor, wearing a blue casual suit, stood looking down at Bria. She was taller than Imani but still looked up at him too.

"Hello, I'm Victor. I'm here to pick up Imani. Is she ready?"

"Yes Sir, please, please come in." Bria's pride in her friend shot through the roof.

Victor came in and looked around...he's taken Imani home before but never came inside.

"I'll go get her for you, please make yourself at home." Bria tried to contain her excitement and casually walked out of Victor's view then ran down the hall.

Imani turned to her friend as she came back into the room. "He is fucking hot!!" Bria shouted and Imani tried calming her down.

"Bree, lower your voice. He's going to hear you." Imani giggled at her friend's outburst.

"Oh yeah, my bad. Tall, blonde and sexy definitely works!"

Imani smiled and made her way into the living room where Victor waited for her. He stood looking at the pictures hanging on the wall. Imani felt her heart race at the sight of him. He's so beautiful.

"Hi, Victor. I'm ready."

Victor stared at her as if it was his first time seeing her. He lowered his gaze and the hunger in his eyes made Imani's core moisten.

"Hello, sweetheart. You look absolutely stunning." He kissed her hand and gave her a smile.

"Thanks, you too." Imani blushed.

"Well, you two kids have fun. I will be right *here* when you get back Imani and I got a pic of his license plate...so don't get any ideas, buddy." Victor and Imani smiled as Bria stood in the doorway waving goodbye.

***

The light in the sky was dimming and I gazed, watching the stars slowly peek through. As we drove down the empty road away from my place, the butterflies in my stomach wouldn't let up. It made me think of how I felt the first time I rode with Yannis to his home. I stared at Victor's profile while he drove, focusing on every curve of his face to how his fingers curled around the steering wheel. Then a question formed in my mind.

"Victor, if I ask you something...will you promise to be completely honest?"

"Of course....ask away." He continued looking forward.

"How did your gunshot wound heal so fast?"

I looked at him, waiting for a response. Before he could answer, he slammed on his brakes. My focus was now on the road in front of us and my heart began to race as two wolves stood in the way. One was fully gray and the other grayish black. These wolves were freakishly huge, I could not keep the fear from shaking my body.

"Stay in the car, Imani." Victor got out of the car then took his suit jacket off.

I instantly panicked. "No Victor! Don't go out there, please. Let's just wait a while...maybe they'll get bored and leave."

"Lock the doors." Ignoring my words, he flung his jacket into the car and shut the door.

The tears formed in my eyes at the thought of the wolves tearing him apart....What is he doing?

A man suddenly walked into view as if out of thin air. He was shorter than Victor but made up for in muscle what he lacks in height. I cracked the window to listen.

"Mr. Victor Arquette, long time no see. It's really hard getting a hold of you so I had to improvise."

"Why would you need to get a hold of me?"

The man smiled. "Oh, come on. You're still not upset about Crestmont are you?"

"What do you want Monty?" Victor crossed his arms over his chest.

"My senses told me you've been in the company of a Crescian. Even though you rejected your place as Alpha many years ago, you still hold a connection with the Crestmont pack as do your brother with Zyndale."

I sat in the car trying to translate what I was hearing. Alpha?....Crestmont and Zyndale pack? He also said Crescian..why does that sound familiar?

"You come from a bloodline of strong healing Crescian women, Imani." Palesa's voice played in my head.

Oh no, is he talking about me?!

"There's no Crescian here Monty. And even if there was....." Victor walked closer to him. "What were you going to do?"

The two wolves growled and snarled at Victor's words but he didn't flinch. He stood staring at Monty, who seemed to lose some of his bravado. The two wolves began to creep forward.

"Take one more step and find out who I am......I dare you." Victor warned the wolves while staring directly into Monty's unsure eyes.

The wolves began to back away slowly, but still growling. I was beginning to calm until the gray wolf began to sniff the air. The animal began to walk closer toward the car then he lowered his gaze directly on me. I could've passed out at that moment.

"What did you find Leo?" Monty looked in the wolf's direction.

"My lady is in the car. We were on our way for a romantic date before we were rudely interrupted." Victor turned to see what the wolf was doing.

I froze in the gray wolf's gaze, it's snout lifted up into the air and it began to howl. The sound sent chills through my body and caused my hands to shake as I rolled the window back up completely.

Darn it, he smelled my scent....he's going to kill me!

"Victor, your lady wouldn't happen to be who I am looking for, would she?" Monty gave a devilish grin.

The grayish black wolf at Monty's side growled then charged toward Victor but was caught by the snout. I sat and watched as Victor ripped open the wolf's mouth and throw the top half to the side. Blood splattered on his shirt as if in a slaughterhouse. I covered my mouth in horror.

The rest of the wolf dropped to the ground and Monty began to back up.

"Victor...now wait. This doesn't have to get ugly. Just give us the woman and we'll go."

With those words, Victor grabbed Monty, ripping his throat out with his teeth. The other wolf jumped on his back and Victor snapped his neck like a twig.

Fear wouldn't let me make a sound as I got out of the car on wobbly legs. I walked a little closer and forced myself to speak. "Victor?"

He slowly turned to face me. His hands now had long sharp claws and huge bloody canine teeth hung out of his mouth.

Victor's eyes were glowing red as he stared directly into my eyes and before he could say a word.......I began to feel dizzy then everything went black.