Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Fifty

     "Why do you say that?" Link asked. He didn't ask because he wanted to know when he already knew.

     "Because I saw it go after you guys with a vengeance, and the way it attacked me... there's no other logical explanation. We're the ones that it wants." 

      A shudder raked down Link's back and he adjusted his glasses on his face as he stared straight ahead. The lump in his throat was indicative that the werewolf really wanted him.

     "Why does it, or she, want us?" It was Rhett's turn to ask questions. His eyes glanced at hers through the rearview mirror, and he watched as she shifted in her seat with her eyes downcast.

     "I was wondering the same thing. I know why she might be coming after me, but you guys are a mystery. That's why I'm asking for your help. The three of us can take it down together. At least... I think the three of us can." She lifted her eyes to look at Link but he didn't know. 

     Rhett's eyes wandered to Link's face, and his expression didn't seem to change. He didn't act like he wanted to object, but he wasn't jumping up and down with his hand in the air to volunteer either. "What's in it for us?" 

     If they were going to risk their lives going after this beast, there better have been a turnout. He felt like he couldn't trust Terra one hundred percent just yet, giving she had just nearly killed his best friend. Even if she was under the lunar influence.

     "That's the part I was getting to next. I know somebody that may be able to look into your ability, Link." 

     Link jolted in his seat as he twisted to look at Terra. "Who?" 

     "Let's just say back when I was in middle school, I went online and looked up my family ancestry through this website that required me to pay a fee even though it was advertised as free. I kinda stole my mother's credit card and brought it to school so I could pay for a two week subscription." 

     Rhett's eyebrows shot up his forehead. "I never would have deemed you as a thief, but you've got killer almost nailed to the board."  

     Link shot Rhett a glare and nearly hit him when Terra held her hand up. "I wasn't necessarily right in the head. Anyway, after finding out that I had an aunt on my father's side, I decided to contact her. I found her number in the local phone book and gave her a call. She was just getting ready to move from Buies Creek to California and she was there for me up until she left."

     "What's her name?" If Link hadn't been strapped into the seat by a belt, he would have fallen out of it.

     "Mercedes O'Neill, she's very Irish and very psychic." 

     "Psychic," Link mouthed. 

     Terra sat forward in her seat. "Like I said, she's in California and let me reiterate, she's very psychic. She predicted that my brother was going to turn on me, and even before that, she predicted Tessa was going to come up missing. So... I would be more than happy to take you guys to her so you can meet her, and maybe she can do a reading on you and tell you what you are." 

     "Give this some thought man. If the woman could use her psychic powers to tell Terra all these things, why couldn't she tell Terra where her sister is now? What gives her the power to tell her what you are? What you are—" Rhett trailed off with a scoff as he rolled his eyes, gripping the steering wheel. "She's treating you as if you're not even human." 

     "You'd do that for me?" Link ignored Rhett's comment. 

     "Absolutely. The only thing is, she's a very busy woman. She runs her own business giving people readings, so I'd be more than happy to set up an appointment for you. And since you're my friend and I owe you big time, I'll get you in for free." 

     "Of course she's busy," Rhett muttered under his breath. He glanced sidelong at Link, mashing his teeth together.

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     Just as Rhett and Link walked up the steps to Rhett's place, Link's phone went off in his pocket. His eyebrows skyrocketed in surprise and he fished in his pocket for his phone. He looked at Rhett, a small smile playing on his lips. "Looks like we're filming another Will It episode tomorrow."

     "Mm," Rhett muttered in response, his hands crammed in his pockets.

     "What's the matter, dude," Link said, nudging Rhett playfully in the ribs with his elbow. "You love Will It episodes! You know, answering the age old question of will it—" he trailed off with a chuckle.

     "I know what Will It episodes entail." Rhett kept his eyes lowered, his jaw drawn in a tight line. His eyebrows twitched but stayed furrowed. 

     Link tilted his head to the side, his lips slightly parting. "Something's bothering you."

     "It's funny you notice that, but you don't notice when I'm trying to give you advice. Brother to brother. You're walking into this whole Mercedes thing blindly, knowing Terra had just tried to kill you. What if this is just another ploy and the lunar influence or whatever hasn't completely worn off?" His eyes finally met with Link's.

     "Man, I thought we already settled this. She had no clue what she was doing! And why would we deny me some kind of help in finding out what I am? Because I'm thoroughly convinced now that I'm some extraterrestrial being that has no freaking control of his life anymore!" Link raised his voice and used hand gestures to nothing in particular. 

     "I don't want to argue with you, Link. I just think you should think about this a little bit before you agree to anything. That's all." Rhett kept his gaze strong with Link. He cared too much for Link to not back down without cause.

     "You want to know what I thought about? How much I want to find out what this special ability really is and what it really does, because if it's powerful enough... I can take down this jerk with it alone." Link walked ahead of Rhett and went into the house. Rhett lingered outside the door for a few moments before he sighed heavily, following with a defeated shake of his head.

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     The moonlight illuminated the girl in a spotlight as she rose to her feet, pushing the hood back from her thin face. She had watched as the men entered the house, concealed by the neatly trimmed hedges. Her brown eyes were wide, her mouth open in wonder. Her heart hiccuped in her chest when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she wheeled around with a shriek. 

     The man that stood behind her looked remarkably like her. In age, height and appearance. He had his long black hair pulled into a tight ponytail, his thin face cleanly shaven. After recovering, a smile cracked his lips as Tessa stood there frozen to the spot with her eyes wide.

     "I know why you're here, Tessa. You envy them. You want to be just like them. You want to have an amazing job where you can be in front of a camera and have millions of people love you. You want a nice house on the Hills of Burbank, with a family to call your own—" the man spoke and lowered his lips to her ear, his mouth brushing her earlobe. "I want the same thing. I've always wanted the same thing, and look at the mediocre hand life has dealt us. Fortunately for the two of us, I know something that's far better. And with a slight advantage." 

     He brought his balled fist up to his face and flicked his fingers out, revealing a set of claws. He looked at his clawed fingers and moved them as if counting them one by one before his dark eyes fell on Tessa. She stumbled backward and he'd caught her by the throat.

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