Falling Feathers Book I - Rogue Without Fear

Chapter III

>>> Soren Hawethorne <<<
    I was standing behind the counter, watching Autumn laughing in the lobby. She was chatting with an older man, who had been passing by town and stopped here to rest.  I looked around the room, lazily. Maybe today I'll tell her. I thought. Suddenly, I heard the bell tied to the door ring, and in walked Chase. His head hooded, as usual, he went to his corner in the dark, and settled down.
    I wondered why he always came to my inn, and that specific corner in the dark.  He never said anything to anyone. He just sat there, watching.  I wondered, for a moment, where Chase went, late at night, or during the day, when he wasn't here. I didn't want to know. What if he was one of them? I smiled feebly to myself, dismissing the thought. Looking back to Scarlet, I decided it was time to confront her.
    I walked over to Scarlet, and she stopped laughing. She turned around to face me. The smile on her face melted away.
    "Something wrong, Mr. Hawethorne?" She asked.  I supposed the frown on my face would have made her ask something like that. Regardless, we both knew the answer.
    "Miss Scarlet, a word?" I requested, turning to walk to the stairs. There was a little closet full of brooms and mops, just to the left of them. I walked us to it. As we walked, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chase watching us. For a moment, I thought he might get up and walk over to us, to eavesdrop.  There was no way he would do that.  It just wasn't in his character to listen in.  After all, it wasn't like he could hear us talking. No one had hearing that accurate. Once we were in the closet, I closed the door.
"We need to straighten a few things out. And I'm starting with a warning. You didn't believe me the first time, and it's time you knew. I'm sure you've heard Antony complaining about his chickens going missing, and a few of his sheep and two of his milk cows. It isn't thieves, and it ain't a coincidence either that it only happens on the full moon." Scarlet said nothing, she didn't move, just listened. I lowered my voice. I wasn't quite sure why I did.  No one could hear us, after all.  It just isn't something you say with a loud voice, I figured. "There are rumors, of guilds, I told you this already. They are secret organizations that are underground, right here in town, meeting as we speak.  Men and a few women have tried searching for where their lairs are but no one ever came back alive.  The bodies were never even found, they just disappeared, all of them."  I took a breath and blinked slowly.  "People are found dead, others isolate themselves, after claiming to see ghosts or men turning into wolves, or shadows with pointed teeth.  No one believes them, but the thought of it still sends shivers down your back.  Animals at Antony's farm go missing. The only possible answer is the guilds." Scarlet folded her arms.
"Scarlet, these aren't just men and women in the guilds.  They are Werewolves and Vampires, banding together. They're watching each others backs. It's dangerous to walk around alone at night, Scarlet.  They will get you. Everyone in town locks their doors on the full moon. You can hear them howling."
"Didn't you say these were all just rumours?" Scarlet demanded. Her tone was hostile, and aggravated.
"They are rumours."
"Then why are you talking to me as if all this is real?  You said no one believes them, but I suppose you do, don't you?"  I realized perhaps she was right.  I really did believe in the guilds, what else could explain all the animals disappearing?
"I don't believe in them, not the guilds or the werewolves or vampires."  My stomach churned.  I knew I was lying.  I just didn't want to admit it.  "What I do know is, this town ain't safe for your kind of girl, the pretty kind who doesn't know how to defend herself.  The last four times I got a girl like you to help me, they disappeared." I thought of the other girls I had hired. They went missing, weeks or months after they came, never seen again. I wouldn't loose this one too.  That's what I said last time, and the time before. I reminded myself needlessly. This time I really meant it.
I half expected Scarlet to yell or throw something at me, then call me crazy and leave.  However, to much of my surprise, Scarlet said nothing more and did nothing. She just looked at me, deep in thought.  After a few minutes, she nodded her head.
"Ok. Well, I appreciate your concern, Soren, but I'm quite sure I can handle myself." She replied cooly. She looked to me for a moment, and then to the door. She went to open it, and I grabbed her hand.
"There's something else." I whispered. She looked to me, her eyes flashing. She looked almost dangerous. I was taken back at the sudden aggression she displayed. I took in a deep breath, bracing myself. This could be it. "I need to know.  What is your name?" I whispered.