The Wolves of Cain

Deception

Date: 2-20-17

Chapter 21: Deception

"That sounds awesome!" Jerica exclaims happily when Adrian says he hunts the hunted.

"But doesn't that make you a hunter?" Lucas asks Adrian questioningly.

"Isn't it getting kind of late?" Adrian answers the question with a question. "Both answers are yes!" Adrian with a sarcastic grin. "Which means that I have to get going."

"It's only 5:03 pm. That's not too late." Lucas argues.

"I have things to do before dark." Adrian says with an eye roll, making it obvious that he doesn't want to stay.

"One more question! Please?" Jerica pleads.

Adrian stares at Jerica for a second. "Fine. One question." Adrian says sternly.

"Who are you hunting right now?" Jerica asks Adrian, and for once, Lucas actually thinks she asked a smart question.

"A werewolf." Adrian replies. Lucas and Mason tense up, because they're both werewolves. Is he hunting one of them?

Adrian spares a glance at Lucas and Mason. "Not you two. The one who turned you."

"Looks like you were a bit late." Lucas scowls at Adrian. If Adrian had showed up sooner then there would've been no werewolf attack and he'd be having a normal summer.

The Lucas realized that it's weird for Adrian to be hunting a werewolf. Why would a werewolf hunt a werewolf? Lena seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Why would a werewolf be hunting a werewolf?" Lena squints accusingly at Adrian. This makes Lucas a tad bit happier, considering how Jerica's obviously attracted to Adrian. Lucas is pleased that Lena doesn't find Adrian's charms attracting.

"It's my job. He's on my hit list of bad supernaturals. So I hit him." Adrian grins at his own joke and puts his ear buds back in his ears.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must be off. I have some investigating to do." Then Adrian is gone, so fast that he's only a blur.

"Wow! Can you do that?" Jerica asks Lucas, looking amazed.

"I haven't tried, so I don't know." Lucas shrugs. Mason doesn't say anything, so Jerica assumes his answer is the same.

"Ugh! Lame." Jerica rudely comments.

Lucas fists his hands at his side in sudden anger and turns on Jerica. "Maybe you should've been questioning him more instead of flirting!"

Jerica's eyebrows crease in fury. "Hey! I-"

"Guys!" Lena says loudly enough to get their attention. "Can we not fight right now. We got a couple of answers." Lena reasons with them.

"Fine. So what do we do now?" Jerica asks Lena.

"How about we go home and not follow anyone else around?" Lena suggests sarcastically, but serious that she doesn't want to follow anyone.

"Sounds good to me." Lucas says as he glares at Jerica non too discreetly.

Lena just rolls her eyes and smiles at Lucas as they start their long walk home. It's only a few miles, but it'll still take a little while to get to the house. And they still have to figure out what to do tonight about vine girl. And is it going to involve Ivie?

~*~

When they finally make it back to the Hallow residence, the sun is about to start its descent. Jerica uses the spare key that's hidden beneath the windowsill to unlock the door because no one remembered to bring their key when they rushed out.

Lena sits down on the couch next to Lucas, who sits next to Mason. Jerica relaxes in the armchair, looking quite comfortable. "So what do we do now?" Jerica asks Lena again because Lena's the one who answered it before.

"Lucas?" Lena says, suggesting that he should take the lead on this.

"Well... Mason and I will go into the woods and try to track vine girl." Lucas answers hesitantly. He knows that there's a big possibility that Jerica and Lena will want to help. But they don't say anything like that.

"Then...?" Lena urges Lucas to go on.

Lucas shifts uncomfortably on the couch, trying to get settled, even though he knows it won't work. "We hope that Adrian shows up."

"That's your plan?" Jerica asks harshly.

"Do you have a better one?" Lucas demands to know. His regular fingernails dig into the skin of his palms. The sharp pain seems to bring Lucas back. He takes a deep breath and focuses on the conversation.

Jerica sighs, and Lucas takes that as a no. She doesn't have a better plan, although Lucas wishes she did.

"But what time will you leave?" Lena asks Lucas.

Lucas thinks back to the other nights when he's gone out. "The same time I went out last night, around midnight." Lucas says.

"So Mason's the only one going with you?" Jerica questions hopefully.

"Yes." Lucas says firmly so there's no room for discussion. He doesn't want anyone that can't heal quickly to get hurt.

~*~

Up in Jerica's room, Lena's getting ready to go home. "Are we really not going to help out tonight?" Lena is nervous to go, but she wants to help. And she knows Jerica doesn't easily stay behind when she's told to.

"Yes, I am." Jerica says while shaking her head no. Jerica points to her ear to tell Lena silently that someone could hear. "Lucas and Mason can take care of this." Jerica shakes her head violently to convey the disbelief in her words.

"That's good. So do I." Lena gives Jerica a thumbs up to show that she understands. They're going to help somehow tonight. Although Lena believes that Lucas and Mason can handle this, she still wants to be back up.

"Oh, I found this website all about werewolves. I'll send it to you so you can maybe learn something." Jerica announces, going Lena a meaningful look. Lena knows the text will not be a website link.

"Okay." Lena says with a smile, even though she's dreading the thought of going into the woods. Jerica grins at her inventive form of deception. She's very proud of herself.

As Lena's walking home, she gets a text from Jerica. It's definitely not a link. The text reads, "Meet me outside my house @ 12:15 am"

"Okay." Lena answers.

~*~

Downstairs, Lucas is listening to Jerica and Lena talking. He knows it's an invasion of privacy, but he needs to know if Jerica's going to try something tonight.

Jerica says she's not going to meddle, but Lucas can't help but suspect. But Lucas realizes that if Jerica is going to try to help, then he can't stop her. If Jerica's determined, then she will stubbornly do whatever she wants.

Lucas decides to set an alarm, then goes to sleep. Lucas is too nervous and anxious to eat anything and he still has many hours until midnight.