Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Vincent winced. "Let's just say she's his ex-mom now. So is that where he-"
"'Ex-mom?'" Bram repeated. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "Did you guys kill her or something?"
"'Or something' will work," I replied. I knelt in front of him and looked him in the eyes. "Now you tell us what you know about Celo and the town."
Bram crossed his arms and glared at me. "What's in it for me?"
A grin spread across my face. "You get to live."
He raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
I jerked my head towards Vincent who stood behind me. "He may not look like much, but that guy is a man-eater. A werewolf."
Vincent started back. "What? Leila, you know I'm not!"
Bram snorted. "So what?"
I frowned. "What do you mean-"
There came another knock on the door. "Oh shit!" Bram muttered just before he slipped beneath the bed.
I stood and walked over to open the door. On the other side stood Erus with an armful of blankets and a smile on his face. "I hope these will be enough."
I returned the smile and took the blankets. "Definitely." I grasped the edge of the door, but Erus put his palm against the entrance to stop my closing it.
"Mr. Celo called. He'd like to have a pre-dinner conversation with you and your husband," Erus informed us.
I glanced at my watch. It was barely four-thirty. "Now?"
Erus nodded. "Yes. His car is out from this moment to take you there."
It was a strain to keep the smile on my face. "Tell the driver we'd rather walk, but we'll leave in just a minute."
Erus bowed his head. "I'll tell him, but please don't keep Mr. Celo waiting."
He proceeded downstairs. I shut the door and leaned my back against the entrance. Vincent's lips were pursed together and Bram's pale face peeked over the top of the bed.
"Shit."
CHAPTER 7
"That's an understatement," Bram quipped.
"Why did you send the car away?" Vincent asked me.
I walked over to the bed and tossed the blankets on the top. "Because I don't trust him not to drive us to some dark stretch of the woods and put a couple of bullets in our heads," I told him.
"You guys are dead meat now. Celo's found out about you killing his mom and he's gonna make you guys pay," Bram commented.
I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "How would he know about that?"
Bram gestured to the room. "All these rooms are bugged. Erus probably turned on the microphone and listened in before he got the blankets."
"Shit. . ." I muttered. I hadn't thought to check the room for bugs. My eyes flickered to Bram and narrowed. "Why didn't you warn us about that earlier?"
He glared back at me. "I thought you two would be smart and get out of here when I told you the truth about Celo."
I snorted. "You think we'd believe a kid?"
"You were believing me before Erus came," he snapped.
"Maybe we should leave," Vincent suggested.
I scoffed. "When Celo's got a car and probably knows his way better around these woods than us we don't have much of a chance."
"So what do we do? Stay here?" he wondered.
"We go see what he wants, and what this is all about," I answered as I flung on my coat. "It's either that or wait for him to come get us in his car."
"What about me?" Bram spoke up.
I pointed my finger at the young boy. "You stay here until we get back."
He frowned and shook his head. "No way. If they know you're gone then they're going to look for you here first. That's why you've gotta take me with you."
"In what? Our hair?" I retorted.
He nodded at Vincent. "You could fit an elephant in that guy's coat and nobody would know."
"They'd notice the four extra legs," I pointed out.
"What if he gave me a pig-back ride?" Bram suggested.
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "You're not going to let us leave without you, are you?"
He grinned and shook his head. "Nope. If you leave I'll follow, and you'll be lucky to make it to the hill before you've got half the town behind you trying to get at me."
"Maybe we should take him," Vincent spoke up. I spun around to glare at him, and he cringed. "He might help us."
I sighed and my shoulders slumped. "Fine, but do you think you can carry him that far?"
Vincent grinned. "I carried you that far, and you're a lot-" My eyes narrowed. He sheepishly grinned at me. "You're bigger than him."
"What he's trying to say is you're fat," Bram interjected.
"Don't get cocky, kid. We're not out of the woods yet, or even this town. We could drop you off and leave," I warned him.
His lower lip puffed out in a pout and he shrank into his shoulders. "You're not very nice."
"And neither are you." I glanced at Vincent. "Pick him up and we'll see if this plan works."
Vincent hefted Bram onto his back. The effect was to give Vincent a slouch and a slight hump. We'd get some double-takes, but staring wasn't abnormal in this town.
"It'll work, but don't make a sound, kid," I warned him.
"The name's Bram," the hump replied.
"I said be quiet." I grabbed our bundle of blanket and shoved it under Vincent's coat so it was in front of Bram. "Take this."
He grabbed the blanket. "What is it?"
"All of our supplies. I don't think we'll be coming back. Now let's go."
We left our hotel room and went downstairs to the lobby. Erus was gone, but not forgotten. A pair of headphones sat on the top of the front desk. Vincent paused beside the desk and looked down at them.
"Why were these left here?" he asked me.
"Probably to tell us they know what we know," I guessed.
The streets outside were no less deserted. No children played in the yards and no adults worked in the businesses. Many of the curtains inside the main street businesses were shut, and all had doors with signs that read 'Closed.'
"I don't like this," Vincent whispered.
I gave a nod. "Yeah. Something's not right here."
"You see anyone?" the hump asked us.
"No, now shut up," I hissed.
The back of Vincent's coat shifted. "There should be somebody looking for me."
"Not if they know where you are," I reminded him.
Our footsteps echoed down the empty sidewalks to the hill. The incline was ascended and we found the car parked as it had been before. I walked over to the vehicle and tested the rear driver's side door. It opened. I turned to Vincent.
"Drop him off here," I told him.
Vincent blinked at me. "Here?"
"Where's 'here?'" the hump asked us.
"We can't take him inside with us, so he'll have to stay out here in the car," I commanded.
Vincent reluctantly dropped his load. Bram peeked out from between the front flaps of Vincent's coat and frowned. "You know Celo's got cameras around his house, right?"
"Then come inside with us and get caught there. It doesn't make any difference to us," I snapped.
His face fell.
"Leila. . ." Vincent scolded me.
I sighed. "Listen, at least out here you can run from them. Inside you'd just be sitting ducks." I inclined my head towards the woods that stood at the rear of the small plateau. "If you don't want to stay in the car then go out there."
"I'll stay in the car, but don't take too long," he agreed.
Bram shuffled into the car and slammed the door behind him. He ducked down between the seats so no one could see him unless they walked up to the vehicle.
I turned to Vincent. "All right, let's get this over with."
I stepped forward, but Vincent grabbed my arm and arrested my movement. "Leila, wait."
I turned to him and frowned. "What is it?"
"If something happens. . .if I-well, if I change and come after you, don't hesitate to shoot
me, okay?" he pleaded.
I cringed. "Let's not think about that. Come-"
"But we have to," he insisted. That beautiful emerald-green gaze looked me straight in the eyes without blinking. His voice was low and soft. "It's something we have to consider."
I pursed my lips and turned my face away from him. "Let's just hope these guys aren't as dangerous as we think they are."
I pulled myself from Vincent's grasp and walked down the winding path. Vincent followed behind me. We strode up to the door and rang the doorbell. The door was answered by the usual servant in black. He stepped aside and bowed to us.
"Master Celo awaits your company in the drawing room," he told us.
The 'drawing room' was the room we'd sat in during our previous visit. Celo sat inclined in the same chair. In one hand he swirled a wine glass half-full of dark-red wine. He smiled at us as we entered and gestured to the couch. On the coffee table in front of the couch sat two similar wine glasses.
"You're looking quite well," he commented as we took our seats.
"It's the fresh mountain air," I told him.
He chuckled. "It is rather relaxing here, isn't it?"
"It's tolerable, but surely you didn't have us come here this early for a chat about the mountain air," I mused.
He shrugged. "Perhaps I did, for what better air than the mountains is the company of friends?" He raised his glass. "I propose a toast. To new friends and old." Vincent and I reluctantly took up the wine glasses in front of us and raised them. Celo's smile widened. "May true friendship never die, and may the moon always grace us."
"Uh, ditto," Vincent replied.
"To friendship," I replied.
Celo tipped back his head and downed what remained of his drink. I carefully tipped my glass against my lips. The bitter scent of the wine invaded my nostrils, but I didn't allow the liquid to touch my mouth. Situated as I was beside Vincent, I saw that he, too, avoided contact with the drink. We both pulled our glasses from our lips without touching a drop.
Celo set his glass on the coffee table and we emulated him. "I have something to admit. Your question about my bringing you here early wasn't just for your fine company. You see, I wanted to talk to you about. You see, one of our citizens seems to be missing."
Vincent stiffened beside me and his eyes flickered to me, but mine remained on our host.
"Missing for how long?" I asked him.
"Since early this afternoon. He's a young boy of ten by the name of Abraham. His mother reported him missing at about one and they still haven't found him," Celo told us.
"Do you think we've seen him?" I wondered.
"The idea had crossed my mind," he replied.
Celo turned his head towards the door. The servant entered carrying an old cassette player. He set the player on the coffee table and plugged it in before leaving. Celo's gaze fell on Vincent.
"Would you care to press the 'play' button?" he requested.
Vincent's eyes flickered to me. I nodded. He scooted to the end of his cushion and pressed the button. Our voices, and that of Bram, rose from the machine.
"You guys are planning on leaving, aren't you?" Bram's voice spoke up.
"Leaving Celatum?" came Vincent's voice
"No, leaving Earth. Of course leaving Celatum!"
"Listen, kid, we're not a babysitting service," was my familiar reply. "We don't take in strays, especially when they have a home and a mom."
"That's enough," Celo commanded. Vincent pressed the 'stop' button and the recording ceased. Our host's eyes flickered between us. "Now what do you say?"
"I say you don't treat your guests very well," I commented.
His face blurred a little. I shook my head, but the action didn't dispel the double-imagery.
"Are you feeling well?" Celo asked me.
"I-I'm fine," I replied. My eyes flickered down to the wine glasses. The untouched wine stared back at me. The only lingering effect was the—
My eyes widened. I whipped my head to Vincent. "The smell!"
Vincent blinked at me. "What smell?"
Celo chuckled. "She's referring to the scent of the wine. You see, I thought you would be suspicious, so I didn't use the sleeping powder. Instead, I placed the chemical in the scent of the wine. That's why it has such a bitter scent."
I stood. "We have to-" My legs buckled and I fell forward.
Vincent leapt towards me and caught me before I crashed into the coffee table. He pulled me into his arms and lowered me to the floor beside the table and couch. "Leila!"
The world around me dimmed. I tried to raise my hand and point at the archway, but my arm dropped and lay beside me. "Have to. . .run. . ." I gasped.
"I would rather you remain here, at least until the chemical has taken its course," Celo commented. His servant stepped into the doorway, blocking our escape.
Vincent whipped his head up and snarled at Celo. "Let us leave."
Celo shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
"Why?" Vincent growled.
Celo stood and walked over to stand on the other side of me and opposite Vincent. A soft, creepy smile curled up the corner of his lips as he held out his hand towards Vincent. "Because we werewolves must help one another."
My eyes widened as I watched the man's hand transform. His fingers lengthened and his nails stretched into claws. Fur burst from his skin and covered the back of his hand.
Vincent started back, and Celo frowned. "Don't be afraid. I only want what's best for you." Celo stepped closer to us. Vincent lifted me into his arms and stumbled away from the werewolf.
Celo stopped and frowned. "What's the matter? Why do you fear one of your own?"
"I'm not like you," Vincent insisted.
I grasped the front of Vincent's coat. "Gun," I whispered.
Celo opened his arms and smiled. "Of course you are. That's why you belong in Celatum. It's a sanctuary for werewolves, a place we can call home."
"Is that why you lied to us about the cure? Because you wanted me to stay here?" Vincent growled.
"I did lie to about it taking a day to find a cure, but there is a cure," he informed us. "You see, one of the reasons my mother cursed your proxy and not you is because is because a werewolf is immune to curses. The mere act of being a werewolf is a curse, and therefore any other curses are nullified by it. So you see, if we make your proxy into a werewolf than she will be cured."
Vincent took a step back, but his rear leg buckled. He dropped onto one knee and I noticed he grimaced.
"V. . .Vincent?" I murmured.
"Don't try to fight the sleeping chemical," Celo told him. "You may be a werewolf, but that only means the effects take longer to take hold. Just relax and let it take you to sleep. I promise neither of you will harmed and nothing will happen to you until you awaken for the Changing."
"Damn it. . ." Vincent muttered. Beads of sweat rolled down his temple.
Vincent tried to stand again, but his legs wouldn't hold him and he fell onto his side on the floor. My side hit the floor hard and I found myself laying opposite Vincent. His eyes searched mine as my world went black around me.
"Leila."
CHAPTER 8
"Leila? Oh, Leila! It's time to awaken!" a sing-song voice called to me.
I heard a buzzing noise in the background. My eyelids were heavy, but I willed them open. I was nearly blinded by bright fluorescent lights set in a long, white ceiling. I lay on my back on a hard surface with my arms pressed against my sides.
A blurry, shadowed face hovered over me. "It's a pleasure to see you awake, Miss Leila. Or should I say, Mrs. Mortale?"
I blinked. The world came into focus. It was Celo's face that hovered over mine. I tried to pull away from him, but three straps held me down. No amount of squirming would loosen them.
Celo chuckled. "There's no use trying to free yourself. Even a werewolf would find loosening those impossible, or very painful." He brushed his hand across the glistening top of the close
st strap. Smoke rose up from his fingers and he showed me burns on his hand. "Their tops have very thin sheets of silver burned onto the fibers. Any attempt at trying to free yourself once you've been Changed would be rather painful."
"You're insane," I snarled.
He chuckled. "You're not the first person to tell me that." He paused and rubbed his chin. "Come to think of it, I believe the first person to tell me I was not quite all there was my mother. I believe you met her in the woods. Glenna was her name."
I cringed. He tilted his head to one side and frowned. "What's wrong? I know my mother was rude to you, but all will be forgiven when she sees you again. You see, she's much more fond of werewolves than humans. That's why she married my father."
I blinked at him. He spoke as though she were still alive. My heart quickened and my eyes widened. Celo didn't know. Erus must not have been at the headphones fast enough to overhear that part of our conversation, and so no one outside the room heard the truth about Glenna, and her husband.
"Are you worried about Vincent? He's here, you know," Celo comforted me.
He stepped aside and allowed me a full view of the room. It was the large reception hall off the lobby of the hotel. The darkness beyond the windows on the wall closest to my feet revealed that night reigned over the small town. Dozens of chairs were lined up in two groups that stretched to the back of the room. Most were filled and people continued to arrive. They chatted and mingled as though this was a social.
All the while I lay strapped to a tall pedestal at the front of the room. Close by was a wheeled cart, and on the metal top was a white cloth that held a long, jagged knife. The wooden handle was cracked and the blade was stained red with old blood.
My drowsiness faded. I struggled again to free myself, but to no avail.
"Let me go!" I snapped at Celo.
He smiled and shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, at least not until after the Changing."
"Like hell I'm going to be a werewolf!" I growled.
He chuckled. "You don't have any choice in the matter."
"Sir," a voice spoke up. Officer Perpello strode up the aisle between the chairs and bowed to Celo.
Celo half-turned to him and pursed his lips. "Have you found the boy?"
The officer closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, sir, and your car's still missing. If you would have given me the patrol car I asked for-"
"Then the boy would have taken that earlier, and you'd still be without a car," Celo snapped. "Now stop making excuses and keep looking for him!"