The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Sixteen - Part Two

“In the meantime, if you take off that ring it could kill you.” I reminded, turning to watch her as she went. “Not that it wouldn’t be doing me a favor.”

“The Hunters told me about that creepy little curse. Guess it’s a good thing I’m not in love anymore… See you soon, Naomi. I’ll be in touch.”

And Eve sauntered her way off the bridge to disappear around the bend up the street. Meanwhile, cursing my luck, I stooped and picked up the thin file, knowing that the Hunters were still there, patiently waiting in an ominous silence.

So gathering the reserves of my steel and courage, I walked forward off the bridge until my feet hit the grass.

“My grandfather is the Elder of the Garou.” I called, loud enough for them to hear. “But I’m guessing you already knew that. And something tells me you’re here looking for answers about the human sacrifices. But I can tell you right now I don’t know anything yet. Charles is the one you’d need to talk to, or one of the more experienced Leaders.”

“I’m Marcus, and this is Jake and Sydney. And we won’t deal with the Elder, just like we don’t recognize his Leadership. Only you.” The man in the middle said sternly, while his companions remained silent. He stepped forward into the light and I could see that he was older – late thirties to early forties and of a height and solidarity easily comparable to Lucas. His light-colored hair was cut into a short buzz, and he had dark green eyes with a thick scar that sliced down the center of his left brow. Standing before him, it was a challenge not to show any signs of intimidation.

“Look, I wanna help, but I’m not worth your time yet.” I replied, but carefully.

“Maybe, maybe not. But I can make that ring worth my time, if you’d like. That amulet is on Hunter shit list, and as I recall, it’s supposed to be spending time collecting dust in a museum. But somehow, it’s made its way back to Harbor, again. So you can help us do what it is that we came here to do, or you can say no to the job and I can confiscate the ring. Your choice.”

Darn. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

“Why me? What help could I possibly be to you?”

“You might be a Noble, but I’d like to think that the honor your father had is hereditary. We’ve a bone to pick with a group of Witches that we suspect are murdering Humans, and we could use your help in stopping them.”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, wary of being singled out for involvement. I felt too green, too fresh to be able to significantly assist in the task of taking down an entire clan.

“There’s a Witch – Lillian Dimiwitz – and she runs a coven in Hasting known as The Order. We think they may be trying to complete a ring of Human sacrifices as an act of terrorism against Supernaturals.”

“But most Supernaturals could care less about a Human.” I replied. “So why should this make any difference to them?”

“Because when they hit thirteen sacrifices they can unlock the energy necessary to invoke a deadly curse – a type of supernatural flu, you might say. You catch it and that’s it. Chances are you won’t pull through.”

“This has happened before.” I said, thinking of the virus that had killed so many Supernaturals back when I was first born. “Does any of this have to do with my grandfather?” I asked, thinking back to his strange behavior when I had questioned him about the origins of the illness after I had first arrived in Harbor. Charles had said – and quite confidently – that he was sure it wouldn’t return. And yet, here we were threatened again with the same possible outcome.