The Enchanted

Chapter-21

"What are you doing out here alone at night, especially when the wolves are out on the hunt?" hissed a low voice close to my ear. It was Ethan.

"Come on," he said, half dragging me back to my house. He took me to the kitchen and motioned for me to sit on a chair. Then he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed around himself.

"Wow, there wolves here..." I murmured. "Can this town get any weirder? I don't think I'll ever be surprised by anything again."

He looked at me with a concerned expression and began bustling about the kitchen. About five minutes later, he handed me a warm cup of coffee and ordered me to drink. I took several sips and felt myself calming down considerably, returning to reality. Okay, so there were wolves out on the streets? The idea was so ridiculous it made me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Better?" asked Ethan, pulling up a chair beside me. "Adriana, talk to me."

"Okay, so why are there wolves roaming the streets?" I asked him, beginning to feel hysterical. "Did I imagine that?"

"No.," said Ethan in a soothing voice. "Actually, I'm confused- did Caleb and Sabrina not tell you about this? Nearly everyone in this town knows."

"Knows what?"

He took in a deep breath.

"I know this might be hard to believe but I am a..."

"Vampire?" I said.

He looked surprised.

"So you knew?"

"I mean, Caleb mentioned it to me briefly, but I thought he was kidding."

"Did he mention anything else?"

I racked my brains.

"He said he is a werewolf."

"That's all?"

I nodded and then both of us were silent for a while. I was still trying to wrap my head around what I'd seen. It was totally surreal. I knew I was a banshee so it only made sense that other supernatural creatures existed as well. But both vampires and werewolves and in this town? It felt like too much. I still felt it hard to accept but after the banshee news, I wasn't as surprised as I should have been.

Ethan was watching me carefully, trying to gauge my reaction. I tried to not let my surprise and disbelief show. No one else would have believed him but I'd seen the evidence with my own eyes.

"So I saw Caleb, tonight?"

He nodded and I fell silent yet again. I lifted my head and saw Ethan watching me again. His deep and startling eyes were easy to get lost into and his dark hair was messy again and he wore all black again. I tried to remember all the vampire myths I'd read about.

"Are you immortal?"

His lips quirked in a small smile.

"I knew you'd ask me that. Well, no. But I rarely get sick so I will live for a long time."

"How are vampires even made?"

"We are bitten by others just like the stories say. We pass out for days after that though."

"Do you, um, drink blood?" I said, watching him closely.

"Of animals and humans both. Vampires have a few rare sicknesses and can be poisoned, but can be healed by human blood intake. We usually take from volunteers though"

"Do you have fangs?" I asked shyly.

He grinned at me and his fangs snapped out. They were a gleaming white and he would have looked threatening in them if he wasn't laughing at me. I grinned back at him.

"So, what about the werewolves?"

His smile slipped off his face and he retracted his fangs.

"You can say we don't get along, just like the legends say. I'd rather not go into the details right now."

"So, how are they made?" I asked to change the topic, as he looked he didn't want to talk about Caleb. I remembered how he had flipped over Moro's friend.

"I don't know the exact details- they guard them closely. But it's said their coats are the clour of the moonlight they changed in. I don't know if it's true but all wolves have fur of varying shades of white, grey and silver, just like Caleb and Moro, who you saw tonight. In fact, the night I met you someone else who didn't know about all this saw them too. That was the cause of all that screaming. I had to make them forget."

I fell silent again, thinking this over.

"So you can compel people too?"

"Yes," he said. "But it's exhausting as the power comes directly from my own blood."

"Are good looks part of being a vampire too?" I asked suddenly. "To lure in victims?"

To my surprise, he burst out laughing.

"You've seen too many documentaries about the animal world. After turning, vampires look the same as they did when they were humans."

I blushed. Why was I so stupid? I'd just told him he was good looking. I was wondering what to say next when Ethan's face suddenly turned serious.

"Promise me one thing Adriana- you won't roam out again like this, especially at night. This town isn't safe as it is and with the murders..."

I nodded and he relaxed slightly. This much was true. I had been foolish to go out alone like this when I knew how dangerous it was.

"So any other creatures I should know about? Anything supernatural?"

He thought it over.

"Well, there is Sarah and her grandmother who can do spells- they are from a witch bloodline, you see. However, their power has been greatly diluted over centuries and witches are rare."

I felt proud of myself. I knew that Sarah's grandma was somehow magical. At least, I'd gotten one thing right.

"There are other people in this town who have magical traces in their blood but no power. They probably don't even know their ancestors could do magic. That's about all."

I felt myself beginning to laugh.

"That's all?" I said incredulously. Even Ethan cracked a smile at me.

He suddenly sobered up.

"There was news of a banshee killed about twenty years ago but no proof ever surfaced. I don't know if it's true."

I felt the conversation was in dangerous waters. What if he began to ask questions about it? He'd seen me in the library after all.

"So only witches do magic?" I asked quickly. He looked a little startled at the abrupt change of topic but recovered quickly.

"Well, no. Anyone with magic in their blood can. However, only witches know spells so that person would have to get it from them. Enormous amounts of power would also be needed to complete the spell." 

I yawned, suddenly feeling tired. He got up, looking at his watch. 

"It's late. I'd better get going. Would you like to stay at our house tonight? In case this is too much for you. I know Elara would love to see you again."

Even though he had been so nice to me, he still was a stranger. So, I shook my head and told him I had work to do. He'd looked a little disappointed but nodded.

"I'd like to come by over tomorrow," I said suddenly. I wanted to ask lots of other questions. "If that's alright with you."

He smiled at me and waved goodbye. I watched him disappear into the dark night and headed upstairs to sleep.