The Chase

The Start of the Dark Side (Chapter 4)

Amelia got up out of bed and sat there for a moment. Why? Why would the only two people I had ever trusted do this? Her eyes stung and burned from all the tears she cried. She had no more left. I loved him and yet he kept it a secret from me. She got up and walked over to her vanity. It was covered with photos of all three of them from when they were kids all the way up to high school.

"I befriended the new girl. Knowing she was a witch. I stuck up for her!" Amelia ripped down all the photos and ripped them up one by one. Threw them into the trash can, except for the last one. It was of her and Geoff on homecoming. "All these years of lies!" Then she pulled out her matches and burned it. Just before it reached her fingers she blew it out.

She looked at the card on her night stand, grabbed it and left her room and walked downstairs. "Good morning daddy."

"Amelia." Mr. Carthus lowered the newspaper and looked at his daughter. "You came in late last night. You know how I hate that, especially on a full moon night." He went back to reading the paper.

"Yes daddy. I know. I'm sorry. Mr. Meyer gave us sleepytime tea after dinner." She sat down at the table. A servant came out and brought a glass of water, two blood tablets, and a scone out. She picked the tablets up and dropped them into the glass of water. "Daddy, I want Crystal and Geoff gone."

"What's this now? Both the dog and witch?" He put the paper down. "I'd be happy to, but why? What happened to make you change your mind about them?"

"Because of mom and Jacob. I'm tired of being played and used." She took a long drink. "I want to be the one who gets rid of them." She pulled out the card and handed it to her father. "I was approached by someone last night who saw the truth being reviled to me. He's one of us, and he wants to help. He gave me this business card and told me to call him."

He took the card from her and looked at the name, his eyes widened. "Mr. Shepherd! Amelia, the man who gave you this card, what did he look like?"

"Well," she thought for a moment. "He had orangish blond hair. He was the same hight as you. He was thin, and he wore sun glasses until he showed me his red eyes, so I'm not sure about his eye color."

So she didn't meet the old man. Good. He looked from Amelia to the card. "Ok, we will give them a call, but we do this together. Understood?"

"Yes sir. No one better to have your back than your own father."

"Glad you finally see that sweetie." He went back to reading his paper and Amelia ate her breakfast.

*******

Amelia and her father called the number on the card and made arrangements to be picked up and taken to a pent house. When they arrived there were men all in suits standing in the hallways to greet them. They all wore sunglasses and reminded Amelia of the guy she met. They were taken to an office room. There, two more men stood by the door.

When they entered the room it smelt smokey. Like someone just finished a stogie. One wall was nothing but a giant bookcase. It was filled with books, vases, and creepy looking busts of old men. Above the desk was a portrait of a family. It was a young man, a woman, and a young child. Amelia and her father were told to sit down in the chairs on the one side of the desk. The man then walked over to the big office chair and whispered something to it. He stood off to the side and the chair turned around.

"What is this? The Mafia?" Amelia said right away with sarcasm.

"Amelia. My apologies, Mr. Shepherd, about her. Watched to many movies over the years I'm afraid." He patted Amelia's leg.

"It's fine. No young lady. We're not the mafia. We're worse. You called and said you needed to talk to me? About what?"

"Well sir, my name is Carter Carthus and this is my daughter Amelia. We're here about a werewolf and a witch. They've hurt my daughter far to many times, one is responsible for my mates and eldest child's death, and we want them taken care of."

The old man sat there looking between Amelia and her father. "If I did, what do I get?"

Amelia and her father looked at each other. And before her dad could say anything, "You get me."

"What? No! Amelia are you nuts?"

"Daddy, I want them gone." She turned back to Mr. Shepherd. "Here's the thing. I want your help, not for you to do it. I want them to feel my pain by my hands."

"Ah, so you want to get your own hands dirty. If I help you get rid of them, then you work for my company."

"No deal!" Amelia's father stood up. "Sorry to have waster your time, but you are not getting my daughter as collateral." He tried to pull Amelia out of the chair. "Amelia, lets go. Well do this on our own."

Amelia refused to get up. "No daddy. I want his help, if that means I need to work for him then I will."

"You will also get paid for your time here. Doesn't seem like a bad trade to me." Mr. Shepherd told them.

Amelia's father turned around and looked at him. "What about her schooling?"

"She'll still attend. She will be our eyes and ears in the school."

"What's your end game? Why do you want her to work for you? Why so easily agree to this? A business man like you has to have an end game." Amelia's father stood there facing the desk.

"Dad stop. He's willing to help us. Why insult him?"

"Amelia, was it?" She nodded. "It's fine, your father is just looking out for you. I take no offense to it." He looked down at a frame he had sitting on his desk. "She reminds me a lot of my daughter. Sadly, I lost her to a pack of werewolves. I want to help."

How far will Amelia go down this dark path? Why would Mr. Shepherd agree to help so quickly? What do you guys think?

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