However, I recentlyfound myself talking to Sofia. Mainly because it had been a longtime since I had seen her, and I was angry that I hadn’t been ableto say my goodbyes, that I had been robbed of that part of thegrief process. She wasn’t my grandparent or my guardian, but shehad been an active role model and present every day of my life fornineteen years. It had been strange enough when she and Heather hadleft, but now, she was gone.
“The thing is, AuntieS, you seem to have forgotten that this family’s burden is as muchmine t’bear as it is Heather’s.” I sighed, rolling my flask betweenmy palms. “Clearly, y’knew deep down it was too much for her t’copewith, despite what you drilled into her. Otherwise, why else wouldyou get a Werewolf involved?”
It didn’t make anysense why my aunt would go to an outsider over family or why anyonewould agree to help a stranger with something so big and, well,dangerous. How did Sofia even know a Werewolf? Clearly, my aunt wasa bit of a dark horse.
“You clearly had a lotmore secrets than the family’s shared lot. I just wish you wouldhave sent for me instead.” One way or another, I was determined tofind out what the hell was going on with my cousin.
I had gone into workand told the manager I would be working my last week. Not that Icould see it happening, but it all depended on the conversationthat my mother would be having today with Heather. I’d finishedfive hours ago, had gone home for a nap, and got back up at six tocome here as I knew it would be the last time I would be visitingmy haven for a good while. Something was brewing. I wasn’t surewhat. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt restless,helpless. I couldn’t help Nathan, and Heather didn’t want my help.So I guess it was more to do with the fact I felt useless.
“No more.” I wasn’tsitting around on my arse any longer while everyone got on withtheir lives and duties. I was serving no good by staying inWicklow. It was doing me no good standing here hoping things wouldchange so I could be of some use. I had to go out there and embracemy destiny ... Jesus, you sound like Sofia.
“No offence, AuntieS.” I tilted my flask to the sky.
“Sorry t’hear the olegirl has passed,” a tenor voice commented behind me.
My heart leapt into mythroat, and I pushed off the wall to land on my feet on the grassbelow, dull pain licking my calves on the impact. Dropping my flaskby the wall, I grabbed my sword from where it rested in the arched,glassless window, my focus fixed to the remaining half a house as Ibacked away, searching for my unwelcomed guest. “What kind of acreep stands in the shadows spying on a woman?”
What kind of hunterdoesn’t hear a creep sneaking up on her? God, I must have beentired or turning lazy with all this sitting around. I hadn’t evenheard him approach.
“What kind of a womanhangs out in graveyards?” Amusement lit the male’s tone.
“One who doesn’t wantt’be bothered by creeps.”
“Lucky for you, I’mnot a creep.”
“The fact that you’reslinking around a graveyard in the early hours of the morning wouldstate otherwise.”
“Well, that’s hardlyfair.” The male stopped at the front, right corner of the house,his form pressed against the wall. “You’re out here, too, and I’mnot calling you names.”
Great, creepy andweird. Just my luck.
There was no light outhere, the site in complete darkness. The gravestones and buildingsaround me were blocks of black that only became solid as I movedcloser to them. The male was a shadow, almost as lost in the darkas everything else was, and even thought I couldn’t see him, seehis face, I could feel his eyes on me.
“Why don’t you justslither away and leave me be?”
“You’re not scared outhere on your own?” Something metal rattled.
My muscles tensed.“I’ve no reason t’be.”
“All sorts of ...monsters … lurk in the dark.”
“Aye.” I raised mysword, unsure if he could see it, but the weight in my hand alwaysfelt reassuring. “And I know how t’handle myself.”
“You always did.”
The words were soft,thoughtful even, and not what you would expect some weird, creepystranger to come out with. The hairs on the back of my neck stoodon end, a chill sweeping down my spine. What the...?
My brow furrowed as Istared at the male’s form. “Who are you?”
I waited, poised, onedge. Silence seemed to stretch out forever, deafening in thedarkness, uncomfortable. He hadn’t moved, not an inch, but I couldstill feel his gaze on me.
“Cat suddenly got yourtongue,” I found myself saying, needing the strange silence to end.“Or have you suddenly gone deaf? Either tell me who you are andwhat you want or get lost.”
That unsettling scrapeof metal was my reply, right before he stepped away from thebuilding. His form moved toward me. “I want your help.”
Not the reply I wasexpecting. “What? Why?”
He paused. “For oldtimes’ sake.”
Unease washed over me.Confusion beat in my temples. “Stay where you are.”
I reached into my leftcoat pocket and retrieved my mobile. A few taps and bright, whitelight streamed out in front of me from the phone’s torch. Istumbled back at the sight— the light poured over the man in frontof me. The pasty-looking, half-naked man.
“Hello, Elle.” A smallsmile lit his pale, exhausted face.
Vague familiaritytickled the back of my mind at the sight of that almost cheekystretch of his parched lips.
His smile died as heglanced down at himself.
“I realize I’m notlooking like my fine self. I didn’t expect t’see you so soon,especially not at six-thirty in the morning.” He glanced up, hisblack eyes meeting mine, dark circles beneath them. “Nice t’knowthis place still means something t’you. It hasn’t changed.”
My stomach bellowedout. It couldn’t be, could it?
“Th-Than?” My hearthad stopped, my mind spinning with a million different questions,and yet,
