Dark Moon

Chapter Four

Dune had been released from the hospital wing the next day, and he remembered seeing Caitlin before he'd fallen asleep again, but she wasn't there when he woke next. The bandage on his arm itched and ached, Rex escorted him back to his home, aware of his brother's knack for getting caught in unwanted trouble. Dune still felt weaker than his usual, but was able to stand without falling over at the slightest of winds. He sat down on the porch steps, and he thanked Rex, who nodded and began to disappear back into the woods. Fumbling to stand, Dune opened the back door, stepping inside his home. He glanced around, only to spot Caitlin browsing his kitchen cupboards.

"Caitlin?"

"You don't remember anything?" She spotted an apple, and snatched it, shining it on her shirt.

"N-no. I can't, everything gets all foggy." She walked over to him, and looked straight at his face.

"I need you to try. Really try. I know who might've done it to you." Dune nodded slowly, seeing the determination in her gaze.

"Okay." He huffed and closed his eyes, trying to push his memory through the fog that plagued him. He felt soft fingertips trace his temples, and grunted as the misty darkness gave way to an alleyway, he found himself watching a man shield a small girl from a knife wielded by an angered obese man. The knife slid harshly into the dark-haired man's shoulder, making Dune pause. He slid the collar of his shirt over, revealing a bandaged shoulder. He frowned, realizing that the man was himself, and that this was what had occured.

The fat man attempted to stumble away, but didn't get far when Dune's foot collided with the man's underside. Dune flinched. The bartender lay still, passed out on the ground. Dune watched himself fall to his knees and freeze. He was suddenly in first person again, and the girl leaned towards him.

Dune's eyes flew open, and he fumbled backwards. Caitlin stood above him, a curious face next to his. "Did you see your attacker?" He took in a deep breath and nodded.

"Yeah. She looked-exactly like you." Dune frowned, eyebrows knitting together. "Except platinum blonde hair?" He added. He looked up at Caitlin, who nodded, and grabbed his arm to help him up.

"I'll be back. If you ever see her again- and I do mean ever- you run. Do not hesitate, run. She will kill you. Got it?" He nodded.

"Who is she, Caitlin?"

"Someone I know." She huffed, storming off.

None of this made sense to him, he was attacked several nights ago by a vampire who looked like Caitlin, who would not differentiate killing him between killing another human. It would start a war between the wolven and the vampires... He shoved his fists in his eyes, and shook his head. "This is going to make me go nuts."

Dune heard a solid wrapping on his front door. He walked over, opening it a crack to see. Cable stood in the entry with two other wolven. "What is it?"

"The council wanted us to verify that you were still alive." Cable snorted with a chuckle. "They obviously don't remember how much hell you've survived already." The two next to him laughed along. One spoke.

"Yeah, and they clearly don't remember who is the reason why he has to go through hell in the first place." Dune smiled appreciatively.

"Tell them they wont get rid of me that easy." The boys sobbered, and left the porch in a single file fashion. He gave a breath of relief, falling back into a brown chair. So, the Pack knew about the incident... Did Rex tell them? Leaning as far back as the chair would permit, he began to drift in his thoughts. What was Caitlin's relation to his attacker? Dune stood, and bounded out of the house, concluding he would need to start from the beginning to remember everything. He found himself in the same alleyway. His vision resurfaced, he shuffled down the path, finding small blood splatters on the grey pavement. He dropped to one knee, wiping his hand across it. The girl had been a vampire. How would Caitlin know a vampire? His eyebrows furrowed, and he stood, following the little specks that trickled into the woods. Once out of the town, he shifted into his wolf form, so that he might track it better. Another thought came to mind; Why would Caitlin know a vampire that looked like her? He remembered she was a half-Pure, and plopped onto his back haunches. What if Caitlin was half-vampire?