The Hellhound's Mate

Chapter 43

Marie-Jeanne Valet.

That was the name of the Maid of Gevaudan who first killed the Beast back in France in 1767.

That was the name of the hunter in the story Gerard was telling as he showed them a photo of a statue of the huntress slaying the creature.

"Maybe someone should resurrect her instead," Jordan said as he began to head for the door.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Angie snapped.

"Don't leave," Lydia blurted.

"My dreams aren't like yours, Lydia," Jordan said to the banshee. "I'm not just the harbinger of death. I'm the cause of it."

"Jordan!"

"Let him go," Gerard said as Angie whirled on him.

"What good will that do?"

"Angie, as much as we believe Parrish could take on the Beast, neither of us think he's our only hope at stopping it," Chris explained.

"What do you mean?" Lydia asked.

"We think there's another," he answered.

"You," Gerard answered.

"Well Jordan is not just a solution," Angie intervened. "He's also the man I love and none of you can stop me from going after him." But before she went out the door, she put a hand on Lydia's arm as she said, "Get the rest of the story. Call me if you need anything."

"If anyone can make him stay, it's you. I'll be fine," she promised and Angie went running.

Even if Angie wasn't constantly smothered with Jordan's scent, she could've just followed the trail of warmth that he left behind. "Jordan! Jordan, wait!"

"Angie, just stop. Please," he begged. "I'm the one killing people and if I'm the one that kills you, if I'm the reason that I carry you to the Nemeton, I can't do it."

Angie just shook her head at him in disbelief. "You are a coward," she exhaled.

"What?" Jordan gaped, rather surprised and a little hurt at her words.

"You served in Afghanistan. You were in the army for years and every single day there was the possibility that you could die - you did die, Jordan! And yet you're still standing right here in front of me. This Beast has killed over 40 people already and all you have done is fight it so it doesn't kill anymore. And now you finally know what you are, you can finally come to terms with it and help stop this creature and you're running away."

"I'm scared of hurting you! I'm scared of hurting everyone!" he yelled at her and the tears that welled in her eyes finally fell.

"You think I'm not scared of hurting someone?!" she screamed back, their voices bouncing off the tunnel walls as her heart began to fracture. "Every month - hell, every time I get angry, I run the possibility of hurting someone. But I don't let it control me. Running away - which I tried - is letting your fears control you and it never solves anything. Don't run Jordan. Stay. Fight the Beast. Fight for the people that died so it could live. Fight for us."

Jordan's green eyes drifted down to where her hands gripped his, and all he could do was slip them free. "I can't. I- I just can't take that chance."

Angie's smile was agonising and agonisingly beautiful as the tears streamed down her face.

"Then run," she sobbed. "Go as far from here as you can. And I hope you have fun figuring out how to be a hellhound without our help because that won't magically go away after you leave Beacon Hills. And when you do leave, when you do cross the town line, just know that we're over. I don't want to know you or be associated with you if you're going to take the coward's way out, because not once did I ever think I'd be calling you a coward. Goodbye, Jordan."

And she turned to leave before he grabbed her hand, suddenly regretting everything when he saw the pain in her eyes.

"Angie, wait-"

She let out a roar that was the most painful sound he'd ever heard as she pushed him off her and onto the ground as her eyes glowed red.

"I gave you a chance to change your mind," she whimpered. "And you didn't take it. And I can heal from a lot of this Jordan but not this. So please, please don't make it worse," she begged and he was just frozen on the floor as she walked out, the sound of dripping water as the woman he loved left him - as he forced her away.