Horizon Lines

~3~

"I'm telling you, Perry, he's been sighted everywhere."

Perry Swanson rolled his eyes as he listened to his cousin, Shelby, go on about Caius, a sorcerer who had lived for hundreds of years and killed shapeshifters and were creatures--were creatures meaning werewolves, weretigers, werecoyotes, et cetera--and stealing their life force so he could be immortal.

Perry didn't doubt that Caius existed, but he doubted that Caius was back to wrecking terror like he had many, many years ago since it had been twenty years since Caius had even been spotted and the High Council was so quick to take down the supernatural world's most deadly and severe criminals that Caius would be arrested on sight.

"I really think you need to stay home," Shelby continued over the speaker phone as Perry drove to his friends house. "Or better yet, come to a safe spot. You need to be somewhere safe right now."

"I am safe. I can protect myself--"

"Caius has killed hundreds of powerful shifters, and he could kill you easily. You need to--"

Perry groaned. "Shelby, I don't need to do anything. He hasn't been spotted anywhere in this area. Besides, what am I supposed to do? Hide in my house all day?"

"Yes."

"Good lord, Shelby. . . You're being ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen to me, so you need to quit worrying."

"I can't help but worry. Have you heard about what happened to the Lewis family?"

"Lewis family?"

"Yeah, a shapeshifter family who lived not that far from us. It was a couple with four kids and their friends were over when Caius burned the house to grond. The couple and the friends were in the house as it was torched and the kids have gone missing. It's crazy."

"It is crazy, but how do they know it was Caius? It could have been an arsonist, though it is sad to hear that happen to them."

"It wasn't an arsonist. I looked up this case on the High Council

website and it says there were traces of black magic, and Claire Wayne, a friend of the Lewis's who was there and got injured by the attack, did see Caius there. So yeah, the High Council knows it was Caius."

Perry pursed his lips. He stopped at a red light and continued to listen to Shelby go on.

"Perry, I'm not just saying this to hear myself talk. I really think you need to come to a safe spot. It's too dangerous to be out right now."

He closed his eyes, praying for patience. A car behind him honked and he started driving again.

"Okay, Shelby, I'll be careful, alright? I can't come to a safe spot

right now, anyway. I need to finish out my semester at Starlight Academy." Starlight Academy was a school for supernaturals and, despite it being summer, he was still finishing up a semester at the school so he could graduate sooner and get into a good college.

"Supernaturals schools are going to be closing, anyway."

"What?!" He nearly swerved off the road.

"Yeah, you'd have to finish the semester some time later."

He cursed. "I need to graduate as soon as I can and get the hell out of

this city."

"I know, but right now your safety is more important. Promise you'll come to a safe spot soon."