Fatal Impressions (Book 2)

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I stood in the forest, the cottage nothing but a dot in the distance, I knew I hadn't thought this through, I knew I was thinking with my emotions and not with my head but something within me told me I had to do this alone and that if I was to get in any real danger Jason would feel it and he would come for me.

Was I thinking selfishly? Yes. I was big enough to admit that, I was potentially putting myself and others in danger thinking I could handle this on my own, but somewhere deep down still held a glimpse of hope that John wouldn't hurt me.

But I knew I wasn't completely alone, I had Izadora with me and in this moment I had never more in sync with her. So with confidence I began my walk towards the cottage keeping all my senses heightened ready for anything that may come my way.

As I got closer I could see John pacing up and down the porch and as I got closer again I could see him biting his nails, he was anxious, in an unpredictable state, it was John like I had never seen him before.

I was now only a dozen feet away and he still hadn't noticed I was here, my next step happened upon a dry branch and cracked loudly, John stopped abruptly and stared at me, as if he didn't recognise me. Even from this distance I could see he was sweating profusely and his skin had turned a grey colour.

Suddenly his face changed into something I was not expecting, I the face of a scared little boy, terrified of –something. He ran to me and I didn't move, I couldn't. Seeing his face broke me, he dropped to his knees in front of me and held onto my legs and cried.

"Sarah I'm so-orry" his said through hiccups and tears. "I thought it wouldn't be-be this bad, I—I didn't know, I swear I didn't know" He cried louder and his grip around my legs became tighter. "I just wanted things to be back to the way they were" I bit my lip trying my hardest not to cry with him, I needed to be strong. I pried his hands from my legs and knelt down to his level.

"John" I said lifting his chin so he could meet my gaze. "You need to tell me what's going on or else I can't help you" He wiped his face with his hands clearing away the tears and the snot. He looked at me with his red and swollen eyes. "It killed me you know? Seeing you progress without me, I wanted to be strong again but it wasn't happening and then" He trailed off. He stood up straight wrapping his arms around his torso tightly, he bit his lip struggling to continue. I stood up and waited for him.

"I was made an offer, I could be my old self again have my old abilities back, stronger and more advanced but I wouldn't ever be able to shift into a wolf again. It tore me in half to say goodbye to my wolf but I needed some aspect of my life to return and it did but I didn't know that this would happen, that these were the side effects" As John was talking I could see his health worsen by the second, his skin darkening to an even more inhuman grey, his eyes becoming incredibly bloodshot.

"John I think you need to sit down" I said as I went to usher him to the porch. He flung his arms out making me take a few steps back.

"Don't tell me what to do Sarah, ok?! I'll be fine I just need fresh—" He trailed off again.

"Fresh what?" I asked cautiously.

"Blood" a voice called out from inside the house. "He needs fresh blood"

A darken figure emerged from the shadowy hall of the dilapidated cottage. My heart started beating rapidly, how had I not picked up that someone else was here? Their face emerged from the darkness and I let out a small gasp.

"Rob?" He smirked as I said his name. "I mean who else did you think was behind all this?"

"But why? And how?" I stammered out.

"So much backstory and such little time to give you the run through. The main issue you should be worrying about right now Sarah is saving poor dying John over here, by the look of him I would say he doesn't have much time left" I stormed up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "What the hell have you done?"

"I wouldn't hurt me if I were you Sarah seeing as I'm the only one who knows how to save him" I pulled him closer as I seethed out the words "Then do it!" He brushed away my hands and walked towards John who had no collapsed on the ground and was breathing very fast.

"Ah ah, I said I knew how to save him, not that I would. No if you want to save your brother you are first going to have to do a little something for me"

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