Mark of the Wolf

“When you have her, meet us at the designated place. The instructions have been delivered to your Motel. They will be sent to your room.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We appreciate your business, Mr. Baker,” the voice said smoothly, then paused. “Oh, and Owen?”

  A shiver went down his spine. “Yes?”

  “Don’t fuck this up.”

  “Yes sir.”

  The line went dead. Owen sat on the bed, trembling, running a pudgy hand through his thinning, fuzzy hair. He touched the bald spot on top. “Fuck,” he muttered, putting the phone down and wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans.

  He would get out of this situation one way or another, he always did, and he would push as many people down as necessary to do it. That’s what he was good at, after all.

  Chapter 4

  The cold October wind blew and she shivered, shoving her hands into her pockets. School had just let out, and she walked along the crowded sidewalk outside of the campus, jostled to and fro by rushing teenagers. They laughed or shouted to each other. She sighed; groups like this always made her feel the most alone. People slid by her as though she were somehow living in a parallel world. She could see them, but not touch or feel them, and interaction was impossible.

  As she neared the place where Gareth was supposed to pick her up, she saw two things that made her heart sink. One, that he wasn’t there yet – there was no sign of his rusty blue Camaro, and it crossed her mind that he wasn’t coming. Then her eyes were drawn to the three skinny blond girls that were hanging out on the sidewalk, twirling their hair and shrieking with laughter, and she immediately felt sick. There they were again, always right where they could cause the most trouble. She blew out an annoyed breath and brushed her unruly bangs from her face. She couldn’t ignore them this time; they were standing right where Gareth was supposed to meet her, and she couldn’t miss him, even if he never showed.

  As she approached, the three blond girls turned to stare at her, Alex in the middle, as usual. Her two cronies sneered.

  “Hey Muddy Maddie… heard you got eaten by a wild animal.”

  “Yeah, but it spit you back out cuz you were so nasty!” another jeered, and they giggled. They looked at her like she was an insect.

  “Oh my god, Maddie... do you shower? I mean, how does your hair get like that? Is it natural?” the one on the right taunted. “Messy hair is gross. And nice bandage – what is that, a new style?”

  Maddy’s hand went unconsciously to the gauze along the side of her head.

  “Seriously, and what kind of shampoo do you use? Cow shit?” the other giggled.

  “Cuz you smell like ass!” they laughed.

  Alex held up her hands like a queen ready to speak. “Alright girls, enough fun.” She smiled that cold smile again. “Maddy, it’s so sad the way you don’t take care of yourself, maybe more people would like you if you stopped being such a slob. I mean really, can’t you put a little effort into dressing yourself? You’re like a child.” She grinned, and Maddy held her breath, telling herself to let her anger pass, that it wasn’t worth getting into a fight over. She had just talked to the sheriff of the police an hour ago, explaining her story and everything else that had happened. They had let her go reluctantly; in a small town like this, nobody wanted to cause much trouble. But she had been given a warning – one more strike, and she was out. Suspension. Probation. Court. That was the last thing she needed.

  Alex took a step towards her, her trendy boots clicking against the pavement. Each step caused a bubble of rage to burst in Maddy’s chest, but she bit her lip hard, remembering the taste of Gareth’s kiss, the blood he had left on her lips. She took strength from that.

  “So four guys were found dead outside your cabin, huh Maddy?” she taunted, her voice smooth and as flawless as her deep blue eyes. “I wonder if your daddy had anything to do with that. He is a no good loser anyway. Good thing your mom died and got out of that marriage – I would have killed myself too.”

  Something popped in Maddy’s brain and she momentarily saw red. Tension and heat flowed through her. She was about to fling herself forward, wrap her hands around the bitch’s scrawny neck and choke the life out of her when a loud, rumbling engine caught her attention. She paused, her breath hitched, and she turned as the rusty blue Camaro pulled up. For a moment she couldn’t believe her eyes – it was too good to be true.

  “Wow, what a shitty car,” one of the girls said. Then the car shut off and the door opened, and there was Gareth, climbing from the seat and stepping into the sunlight. He wasn’t wearing his sunglasses this time, and his eyes were brilliantly green, gleaming like two emeralds.

  The girls stared. One had her mouth hanging open.

  Alex recovered the fastest and flipped her hair, straightening her jacket quickly. “Hi there!” she purred, taking a flirtatious step forward. “Can I help you with anything?”

  Gareth didn’t even spare her a glance. He walked past her and within three strides was at Maddy’s side. His height took her breath away. She noticed that his white shirt had fresh grease stains all over it and his hands had black smudges around the fingernails. She didn’t care – everything about him was sexy.

  He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss against her forehead. “Hi there,” he murmured. “Ready to go?”

  Maddy was breathless. The three bitches from hell no longer existed. She nodded dumbly, not knowing what to say, and suddenly her heart was pounding. It was as though at the very sight of him her hormones exploded – her legs grew shaky and her hands trembled, and she felt weak and limp all over, like she just wanted to be touched.

  Then Gareth took a hold of her hand and pulled her possessively back towards the car, passing the girls once again without so much as a sideways glance. Maddy looked at them, however, and felt a thrill of victory at their stunned expressions.

  “What the fuck?” she heard Alex mutter. “You have a boyfriend?”

  Maddy smiled sweetly.

  Gareth opened the car door for her and helped her down from the curb, but she paused before getting in, stopping to look up at him. Normally she wouldn’t have done such a bold thing, but this was her revenge, and she wasn’t going to back down in front of her three enemies.

  Reaching up on tiptoe, she grabbed his face and put her lips against his, just to make sure the girls got the point. At first she did it more for show than desire, but the moment their lips met, something hot and powerful moved through her. She felt her stomach flip and her legs weaken. She grew wet, her nipples hardening to sensitive points, rubbing uncomfortably against her bra. He slid his hands down her, cupping her around the waist and pulling her flush against his body, then took control, his mouth slanting onto hers and kissing her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth. He tasted good. His smell clogged her senses, making her dizzy and causing her body to hum.

  She wasn’t sure who broke the kiss, but then they were looking at each other, and she could see a hunger in his eyes that was terrifying – she suddenly wanted to run. He continued to stare at her intensely as his hands traveled lower on her body, sliding over her hips and down to her ass. Then he pulled her flush against him, and she felt… oh Lord….

  He was hard. Oh yeah.

  Then he abruptly released her with a small smile, maybe more of a smirk. He looked smug. She blushed and put her hand to her mouth. Her lips were still buzzing and warm. Then he took her hand and assisted her into the car, closing the door behind her.

  Maddy sat back in the warm leather seat and looked out the window. The three blond girls were staring dumbly at the car with equally stunned faces, eyes wide. Several other students turned to look as they passed on the street. Maddy gave them a little wave. Take that, bitches, she thought.

  He got into the car next to her and started up the engine, then pulled away from the curb, spewing out a cloud of exhaust. Maddy didn’t care. She looked at him, staring at his profile, his lips, unable to believe that she was actually kissing this guy. A girl like h
er and a guy like him. Wow.

  “Do you even know my name?” she asked in sudden realization, her stomach clenching in embarrassment.

  His white teeth flashed. “Maddy, I’ve known your name for the past seven years,” he said.

  “Oh.” She couldn’t wipe the stupid smile off her face. It was his first reference to their previous relationship. So at least she wasn’t the only one thinking about it. She thought of the way it had felt when he had held her, when she had felt his entire body against hers, pressed so close. She felt like things were moving fast, but she didn’t care. She wanted him – but should she act on it?

  Well, it was stupid to worry about that now, there were bigger things going on. They continued to drive in silence and her thoughts turned to what she might find at her father’s house. Would he be home? Would the cops still be there? She doubted there would be another attack after such a high profile killing. Still, the thought of running into her father left her cold with dread. Her hands grew clammy.

  “You’re afraid,” Gareth suddenly said, and she looked at him in surprise.

  “How do you know that?” she asked, not bothering to deny it. He smoothly turned a corner and continued to drive, heading on the main street out of Black River. Her house was only a few minutes past the outskirts.

  He ignored her question. “Why are you scared of your father?”

  Her stomach dropped. Maddy sat very still, tension running through her. She had purposefully avoided this topic with him; she had never told anyone about what she put up with at home, or what her father did to her. She didn’t really know how to talk about it. Every time she thought about it, her throat constricted and her head began to throb, and now was no different.

  “I’m not scared of him,” she said, knowing it was untrue. What else could she say?

  “You’re lying,” he said softly. They came to a stop at a red light. He turned to look at her with piercing eyes. “Why did those men come to your house last night?”

  She couldn’t meet his gaze. She looked at the dashboard, at her hands, out the window, anything but at him. She once again didn’t know what to say, how to speak, which words to use. She could tell him a thousand reasons why she was terrified of her father. The way he grabbed her when he was drunk, starting with her hair and throwing her to the ground, strangling her and hitting her where no one would see the bruises. And then those times when he would forget himself and hit her face, and she would go to school the next day, her hair pulled down and her makeup on extra thick. She could tell him of the times she ran away at night, scared of the dark but even more scared of what waited for her in that small cabin.

  She could tell him those things... but she hardly even knew him, and such truths were so intimate that they forced her throat closed.

  “He has some gambling debts,” she said instead, focusing on his second question. “He tangled with the wrong people this time. They came to collect their money… or collect me, whichever was available.”

  Gareth was silent for a long moment. “Collect you?”

  “They threatened to kidnap me unless he paid up,” she said, mentally distancing herself from the situation. She felt numb saying it. “So he skipped town, didn’t leave any notes behind, and they came for me instead. Luckily I got out of there alive. He doesn’t give a shit about me.” She glanced sideways at him, raising a slight eyebrow. “I still don’t fully understand how I escaped.”

  The light turned green. Gareth turned away from her; she couldn’t tell if he was focusing on driving or avoiding her gaze. He grunted noncommittally and asked, “So you don’t know if he’s back yet?”

  “No, but I should check anyway.”

  A long pause. Then, “Why do you care?”

  The silence this time was thick and heavy. It was a good question, Maddy admitted. Why did she care? Why did she keep going back to that man, even after all the horrors he put her through? She had admitted as much to Gareth already – her stepfather didn’t care about her at all. She could run away if she really wanted to, hitchhike and make it to the next town over, then take a train to the city or something. At least then she would be far away from her stepfather – but that presented its own problems, like the fact that she had no money, no degree, and no one to fall back on. No, the truth was that she was weak; weak and disgustingly helpless, incapable of supporting herself, terrified of his punishment if she kept him waiting. The longer she stayed away from the cabin, the more intense the beating would be. She knew that much from experience. He would probably take the belt to her again – she still had scars from the times he had done that before. They seemed to ache now at the very memory.

  “He’s my dad,” she forced herself to say, realizing that she had been silent for too long. “Of course I care.” The lie was bitter in her mouth, but thankfully he didn’t press. Instead Gareth slumped into a brooding silence, obviously unsatisfied by her answer, but there was nothing else to say.

  They left the main road of Black River and started into the surrounding hills, passing through a few miles of empty fields and patches of trees. The patches grew thicker until they were surrounded by forest, then the ground slowly began to slope upward.

  “My driveway is up there,” she said, pointing to a narrow dirt track that led off the road. The cabin was situated far back on the property, hidden by thick trees and fringes of wilderness. The foothills sloped upward beyond it, leading into the mountains. She felt trapped.

  A sudden thought occurred to her – what would her father do if he saw her with Gareth? Probably throw a fit. He didn't like her bringing people over to the house, especially boys.

  “Can you park out here next to the drive?” she said, suddenly fearful.

  Gareth shook his head. “No, they might be waiting for you to come home, or they might attack again. I can’t let you.”

  She couldn’t help but enjoy the protectiveness in his voice, though she wasn’t sure where it came from. Timidly she reached over and took his big, calloused hand. It had been less than a day with this man, but she already felt so familiar with him.

  He paused when her fingers touched his on the steering wheel, and he slowed down the car. She knew that she had his attention.

  “No one’s going to attack when the police are sniffing around. There’s search parties all over the woods looking for the animal that killed those men. If something happens, then all I have to do is scream — tons of people will come running.”

  “And if you don’t get the chance to scream?” he murmured, still focusing on the road.

  “Then come and find me if I’m not back in ten minutes,” she murmured. “If my dad is home, I’ll run back and tell you. If not, I’ll grab my stuff and be out of there in no time. Deal?”

  He was still tense, but at least he was thinking about it. They approached the drive and he slowed the car down even more until it was barely rolling, then pulled over to the side of the road. He sighed. “Alright,” he finally murmured, “but only ten minutes, got that?”

  She already had the door open before the car came to a full stop. No matter what happened, she just wanted to get it over with. His hand on her arm stopped her before she fully stood up. “Oh, and Maddy,” he said; it sent a shiver across her skin to hear his dark, deep voice murmur her name. “Be careful.”

  She smiled, trying to look reassuring even though she felt sick inside. “I will, don’t worry,” she said, wishing she could come up with something more original. Then she forced herself to shut the door and walk away from the car, each step dragging her into the ground, her head already starting to pound though she hadn’t even reached her driveway yet. She wanted to throw up; the thought of seeing her father made her physically ill. But she had to go through with this. The alternative was even worse.

  The driveway to her cabin took about a minute to circumvent, and it wound through the trees like a snake. She walked carefully and quietly, every sense alert, her ears straining. The forest seemed normal, the wind through the lea
ves, the inconsistent chirp of birds. The sun filtered through the thick pine needles, dappling the ground at her feet. She kept turning to look over her shoulder, waiting for something to jump at her from the woods.

  She reached the small clearing where her cabin was located. The structure was shaggy but strong, made out of thick wooden beams. She could see the broken window and cut-up door. She glanced around, her eyes searching the trees, but there was no one. Police tape surrounded the property, cautioning people to stay out, but the sheriff had told her at school that it was okay for her to go home. She could take the tape down if she wanted. To be honest, she didn't mind leaving it up — it made her feel slightly more secure.

  She stepped into the clearing before her house and started up to the door, taking her house key out of her pocket. She was relieved by only one thing: it appeared as though her father wasn’t home after all.

  After unlocking the door and entering the house, and seeing the carnage the men had dealt to her furniture, she was thankful that her father wasn’t home. She didn’t know where he was, but she didn’t care – only that he wasn’t here to punish her for the mess. She started picking things up automatically, straightening the couch cushions and tidying the chairs around the table. Then she went to the small closet in the hallway where her meager wardrobe was kept – a few shirts, panties, jeans and comfy socks. She found a grocery bag in the kitchen and started ramming the clothes into it, then started for the bathroom, where she packed her toothbrush and comb. Was there anything else she needed? Her headache was returning with a vengeance and it was becoming hard to think.

  Then she stepped back into the living room, and a scream lodged itself in her throat.

  “Hello, deary,” the man said.

  She opened her mouth, but then a hand went around it. Someone grabbed her from behind. She tried to scream, struggled, but she was already wounded and her head was throbbing. She was still tender from her concussion.

  She forced her eyes open and stared at the man in her living room. The other one lifted her from behind and carried her forward, his hands rough and hard on her ribcage. The man she was facing was short and plump, with an oddly innocent look about him, like a chubby dog. But there was a glint in his eyes and made her wary. He licked his lips and grinned, and her eyes widened in shock – were his eyes turning yellow? Was it a trick of the light? When he smiled, his teeth drew down into sharp fangs. She blinked – was she imagining it?