Rafe Crimson
“YOU DID WHAT?” Tracey exploded. She had picked up the half-empty syringe on the floor and threw it at me. “She will never trust you now.”
“I did what I had to do, don’t forget your place in this pack.” I would have been lying to say I didn’t feel guilty but what could I do? It had to happen. I couldn’t put it off any longer. Every minute that passed meant that she wouldn’t end up surviving the transformation if I didn’t do it when I did.
A growl erupted from her chest and I managed to step out of the way right before she lunged at me with her half transformed claws. “She only got half of the venom! She will die.”
I grabbed the little pink bag off of the bed and shoved it into Tracey’s hands. “Make sure she gets this.”
Tracey threw Jade’s purse at my head. “She won’t need any of these things now.”
I caught the bag easily. “Maybe I can return it to her.”
Tracey rolled her eyes. “Only if you plan on getting peppered with buckshot.”
I shrugged. “It won’t kill me.”
Chapter 7
Jade Rivers
When we had left my house the night before, I hadn’t thought everything out as much as I imagined did. Especially how I was going to get back into my house. Climbing up onto the little roof above the dining room window was going to be difficult even if my body didn’t feel like a noodle. I didn’t have my key, it was tucked into the bottom pocket of my purse but even if I did, my parents would see my mascara streaked face. On top of that, my outfit was crooked and my hair was a fright. I didn’t need them to worry any more than they already did.
It wasn’t like I couldn’t go out, I was an adult, but I didn’t want them to feel like they had to be here. I didn’t want them to worry about their adrenaline junky, danger loving child. So, I slumped my shoulders and took the long way to the woods that backed up to my house. The woods wouldn’t be as scary in the daytime, would they?
They weren’t. Light filtered through the branches and I didn’t have to use the little amount of battery left on my watch to light the way. I wrapped my arms around myself and came out of the darkened area right behind my house.
The wood on the fence dug into my hands as I launched myself over the side of it. I hugged the side of the yard and tried to keep my breathing controlled. All I wanted to do was take off running as fast as I could. I needed the safety of my bedroom, the safety of my bed. It felt like an eternity had passed when I finally made it to the dining room window. I stared up at the side of the building I would need to climb in order to get back inside.
Thankfully there was a hose rack screwed to this side of the house. Though it didn’t look very reliable. My boots slid around for a minute as I tried to get on top of it. My hands dug into the brick on the side of the house which didn’t offer much help. When my boots stopped sliding and I felt like I had good enough balance on the hose rack, I jumped as hard as I could. My fingers made purchase with the lip on the gutter and for a moment, all I could do was hang there. The pain hardly registered through my hands even though the metal was definitely biting through my skin. I had never excelled at P.E. but I could manage a pull-up and this time, all I needed was one. My arms trembled as I slowly pulled my body up and over onto the little roof. My hands were slick with sweat and perspiration slid down my brow. The real challenge would be jumping sideways to my open window.
I backtracked slightly on the tiny patch of shingles to give myself the best chance at a running start. My heart stopped as I went airborne. My chest and stomach slammed into the stucco. I let out a wheeze as my fingers barely connected with the inside of my window. My arms were screaming now and my boots didn’t have the right grip to help me up. They just slid down the stucco and the brick, like it was ice. My fingers inched toward the window sill and I was able to get the best grip I could manage to haul myself inside of my home. I flopped over the window sill and collapsed onto my bed. A strange smell tickled my nose. I prayed a wild animal hadn’t gotten in overnight and died somewhere in my room.
But as I laid there on the floor I realized that the scent wasn’t bad, in fact, it was incredible. It reminded me of pine trees and musk. With something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I gave up and closed my eyes but then it registered that the light was on and I had remembered turning it off before we left the night before.
My legs shook as I stood up and my purse in the middle of my bed made me pause. I curled my fingers into fists. Had Tracey made it back before I had? It wasn’t possible. She was clumsy and could hardly get out of the window to begin with. She would have died trying to get back up. There was a yellow sticky note waiting on top of it.
“Nice panties, try to not lose your bag next time. -R.”
Rafe had drugged me. Tried to kill me and now he had been in my bedroom. I plucked the note from the outside of my bag and shredded it over the little garbage tin beside my desk. He was taunting me. I turned around in a little circle as I surveyed my room. My entire body shook still and the thought of him being in my room wasn’t helping.
Was he still here? How did he know which house had been mine? Had he gone through the front door?
I flew across the room and fumbled with my zipper on my purse. I fumbled with the few contents in it before my fingers wrapped around my cellphone. The screen flashed a battery symbol before it went dark.No. I plugged it into the charger and waited for it to boot up. I put my watch on its charger next. If my parents needed me they could still reach me on that. Then I realized something else.
The extra panties I had packed the night before,just in case, were missing too.
Chapter 8
Rafe Crimson
Scaling the side of Jade’s home had been easy enough. Toying with her was fun. I watched from the woods as she freaked out over her missing panties and swirled them on my finger. Watching her squirm was worth it. Though it had been more entertaining to watch her struggling to get up the side of her house. The joys of being human. I didn’t feel bad, nor did I feel envious of her humanity.
For the most part, humans disgusted me. Though they had their perks. They were great lays and even better playthings. I frowned. But this was different. Jade’s mortality was hanging by a thread and I was possibly the one that put the nail right in her coffin.
It made me feel in a way I hadn’t felt before. It made me sad and that was the one thing I never was. I shoved her lace unmentionables into my pocket and walked through the center of the woods back to my home. A souvenir of sorts. A parting gift. After all, I had gone throughallthe trouble to get her things back to her.
Chapter 9
