Eclipse of Vengeance

22.Broken Glass

Biloxi, Mississippi

"For the last time Silas, I am still going to hunt," I sighed, leaning back into the black leather seat. I could feel the frustration rippling off of Silas in the driver seat. He was back at it, trying to convince me to stop hunting.

"Tara, can't hurt them any longer. You are free Astrid," he returned with a frown, his eyes on the crowded road in front us.

"Exactly, I can choose what I want to do, and I'm choosing to hunt. I want to help people," I countered, with a firm gaze.

"Okay then we will sign you up to volunteer somewhere. One of these days, hunting is going to get you killed," he firmly said, turning the car onto a narrow side street.

I pulled my necklace out from under my black sweater, shaking the stone at him. "I have a leg up," I beamed.

"Well that leg up, won't stop you from being ripped apart by creatures with claws and teeth," he maintained, sending me a quick rigid glance.

"Silas, my dad couldn't get away from this life, what makes you think I can?" My eyes slid to my window, taking in the rows of tall, well maintained houses with manicured lawns.

"Because I will help you," he proclaimed, turning the car onto another street, this one more out-lying with vegetation on either side rather than houses.

"And why would you do that?" I inquired, not understanding why he was still helping me. Why he was so hellbent on getting me out of this life.

"Because we are friends, Astrid, and friends help each other," he announced in a gentle tone.

"Woah," I gasped, leaning over the console taking in the view outside Silas' window.

"You've never seen a beach before?" I could feel Silas' eyes on me but I couldn't look away. A smile tugged at my lips. It was beautiful, the rippling waves against the glistening sand, the setting sun just at the horizon's edge. The explosion of pink and orange hues melting into the sky above. I just shook my head in response, my eyes capturing every inch of the scene to internalize it. Just because I feared being around water didn't mean I couldn't appreciate its beauty.

I finally looked over at Silas, and that smile slowly fled, realizing how close I had leaned towards him. I suddenly couldn't remember how to breathe. Those emerald eyes were locked onto mine, shimmering with an emotion I couldn't decipher. My heart sped, painfully pounding against my burning chest. In my awe I had inclined even closer, so close that there were only inches between our faces. My eyes betrayed me for a heartbeat, gliding down to his full, pink lips, wondering how they'd feel against mine before they slid back to his eyes.

A horn honked, pulling us both from the stare. Silas jerked the car back to our side of the road as I slouched back into my seat. Quickly I turned my head toward my window to hide the heat that had crept upon my face, and the worry I had just made things awkward again. What is wrong with me?

No more words were exchanged, not until Silas pulled into the drive of an expensive two story house with gray paneling and white trim. It was isolated, the only house on this stretch of the beach.

"If you insist on hunting still, we are not staying in another grotty motel," he vowed. We?

I had found a potential case while scouring through news articles. A possible witch luring unsuspecting victims from a local nightclub to the marshes where they sacrificed the victims. Each victim were young women, all in their early twenties. The police believe it to just be some demented serial killer, or group of sadists, but the markings etched into their flesh were runes, not calling cards.