Shut Up and Kiss Me

Chapter 11: The Boy is Back in Town

  I took basically the same path I'd taken before. The memories of the night I nearly died kept punching me in the gut the entire walk, but there was no hesitation to hold me back. It was dead quiet in the camp; it was a fact I only noticed when my brain quieted down it's thought processes. Was anyone even here? Where else would they all be?

The large tents were just as I remembered them, except I could tell their color more clearly in natural light. Each one was just as tan as the next and, as I'd predicted, I couldn't remember which one was Wesley's. I peered around for any patrols, but it was like a ghost town. How odd. I moved around the outer edge of the tents, making sure to stay hidden among the trees just in case.

Nothing. I frowned. This made me uneasy. Jasper had supposedly talked to Wesley last night and now he was involving Ben. I needed to find out why. I took a deep breath and then stepped out into the open. I trailed through the camp, listening as hard as I could for any indication someone was about. I peeked in every tent I passed, but still nothing.

I began to walk more lazily, only checking every few tents. Maybe there was nothing here to find. I shuddered and stopped. What was that? I turned and took a few steps back the way I had come. I shuddered again. This tent. There was something about this tent. I slipped inside and my eyes gazed around in shock..

"What the fu--"

"You don't seem to have much regard for your personal safety."

I jumped and spun to the entrance. Wesley stared back at me.

"Do you?"

"Maybe I just like testing my limits." I replied dryly.

Wesley chuckled. "Well this is the way to do that."

"What is all this?" I gestured to the silver materials along the walls and laid out on tables. My skin itched being this close to something that could kill me.

"Torture devices. Weapons. Silver. They don't really need a name. What matters is werewolves don't like them, so hunters do."

"But you're a werewolf. Don't they bother you?"

Wesley rested his arms behind his back and paced over to the silver. "I believe there's safety in numbers and the majority of my numbers require the safety silver can give them. So, no, it doesn't bother me. Although, I suspect it would if I were to get too close."

He ran a finger across one of the blades and I could almost feel the sharp, sizzling pain in my own finger. Wesley didn't indicate any discomfort, though.

"You and I both know what silver does to the body." He said.

He didn't have to remind me. Another memory stabbed me sharply.

"Where are all your numbers?" I demanded, trying to focus on the conversation at present.

Wesley considered me for a moment before answering. "They don't take too kindly to unwanted visitors, especially of the canine variety. You should be glad they're not here."

He side-stepped my question.

"Besides, you came here to talk to me, correct?"

"How did you--?" I trailed off. I didn't like it, but clearly he wasn't going to talk about why his entire following were missing.

"I already have you figured, Marissa. I figured you'd be back sometime; I just didn't know when."

"So you know why I'm here, then?"

"On the contrary, I'm not telepathic." Wesley waited for me to fill in the blanks.

I had to stick to the important stuff. Jasper wouldn't tell me what he talked about with Wesley, but I could keep trying to get that information from him later. There was a more important answer that Jasper couldn't give me.