The Faerie Slayer
Chapter 2

Kade's POV

I must have lost track of time, something that I was not prone to doing, because it was the sound of a birds chirp that snapped me out of my intense immersion. I had been meekly observing a no-less-then ordinary single family home from the inside of my car for a couple of hours, and Aubrette Evergreen had only came out once to walk a miniature fawn-coloured rodent-like dog. It humoured me just as much as it stumped me that a creature of such sorts was a descendant of wolves. The irony was no less then chucklesome. I had began my mission since this morning but it wasn't until earlier today when I had spotted the faerie in Brooklyn accompanied by her insipid human companion, that it had occurred to me that something might be different about this assignment. Aubrette Evergreen goes to high school on time after breakfast with her mortal adoptive parents. She attends all periods and never strays from class. After school, she entertains her best friend's taste for deplorable music and although it's clear as day that she detests the sound, it's even clearer that she loves her friend. She's remains sightless to one simple thing, a fact that a blind man could cognizance which is that her delusional schoolmate is head over heels in love with her. Although my discoveries were fruitless in aiding to the task at hand, they also rendered the assignment peculiar. She does not stray from her human world. And although faeries are often mischievous beings with dark and evil intentions, she does not participate in glamours or use her beauty and power to manipulate nor does she adhere to any trickery. She uses the train and proceeds to walk the rest of the way home as oppose to casting a spell, summoning a branch into a vehicle or enhancing a mortal to drive her home, even when no one is around. She does not leave her house to pick fruit and leave them out to dry by her window sill to protect herself from the evils of the shadow world. She partakes in no faerie activity, tradition or hobbies. She has no folk friend, no goblin, no spirit nor troll. It was almost as if she herself did not know of her capabilities or being. Either she's blended into the world of mortals so ponderously as an attempt to shield herself from hunters like I, or, not that I have ever encountered something like this, Aubrette Evergreen has no knowledge of what she is.

I reached into my pockets to pull out an aging piece of sallow metal. The rusting compact scrap fit round in the palm of my hand. Displayed on the minuscule cracked screen was a timer.

24 hours is how long I had remaining to terminate the faerie girl.

Later that night, I wandered into a sea of thought. I had shifted into a creature of four paws that thundered against the wet soil beneath me. After a night of rainfall is when the woods was most appealing to me. I let the earthy scent of rain-kissed leaves brush against my nostrils. By this time, I would have had a plan already set up and ready to strike my victim the moment I had a scope. Matter of a fact, by this time, most would already be dead. I could not bring myself to form a plan, not one that strikes against a member of the folk that is unknowing of their heritage. If it is true that the faerie girl does not know of what she is, to kill her would be as if to kill a human. Lest, I am no murderer, I am a faerie hunter. If I was going to discover the true intent of the faerie girl, I would need an extension for my mission. I had only had to ever ask my father or an extension once, and that was for a troublesome pink-haired pixie that had the power to shift into anything within sight. She'd glamoured me a handful of times, and she is the reason I wore a ring that contained a glass vial of salt on my left hand. To bear the salt would be to bear the ability to resist the enhancements of the folk. It was the longest I had ever taken to complete an assignment; eighty-two hours.

As I made my way back towards the chalet, I thought about how father might react to my request. It wasn't beneath me to ask, nor did I believe it would reflect on my abilities. I knew my true intent and the reality was, I could have killed the girl earlier on had I wanted to. I knew why I was asking for more time, but he didn't. He couldn't know. Truth be told, father is a ruthless man and I have no doubt that he would bear no leniency if he were to replace out that the faerie girl did not know that she belonged to the folk people. Faerie blood, no matter the bearer, is enemy blood.

I searched my brain for excuses I could give father. I was not very fond of lying to him, nor was it something that I did often. Although I do not agree with much of the way he rules, I do respect him greatly. When I was a mere ways away, I shifted back, paws rendering into hands and feet, snout and fangs withdrawing to form back my mortal appearance. I was dressed in shifting gear, moss-coloured leather sewn by the pack seamstresses. Every werewolf owned a suit, I happened to own a dozen. I pushed passed the stout wooden doors and let myself in. The inside was murky as usual and I headed for the first place I knew to look for father which was his study. I used the metal door knocker to announce my presence.

"Come in son," father's bold voice struck like lightning through dark.

I obeyed briskly and entered the study. As per usual, seated on his seat as if it were a throne was father, beside him was Caleb Atlas,his second in command. I could smell the scent of the whiskey he'd chugged hours ago on the brittles of his beard. Caleb was a drunk, and he bore the physical appearance of one too. On the heavier side, Caleb had let go of his appearance long ago, following the death of his mate.

I nodded my head to both leaders.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," I began," I am here regarding the task you have bestowed me with."

Father's nod was of acknowledgment ," the faerie girl in Deadwood Creek."

"I need an extension, if you may. Not long, just an additional day."

Father seemed taken back.

"For what reason?"

It wasn't until he'd asked me the question that I realized I have not yet come up with a reasonable lie that would not hinder my tribute. It only took me a second to think of something.

"I would like some more time to experiment with a faerie poison that I have been studying, one that I intend on using for this mission, and future missions as well."

Father scowled," What was the inconvenience with a strike through the brain? You never seemed to mind digging your claws into the folk."

"I'd like to better my fighting methods. Exploring alternative options could help me in the long run. After all father, you are the one who once told me that there will never be enough ways to kill a faerie."

"Like father like son I see," Caleb commented, a sly grim forming at the corners of his chapped mouth," surely you can spare him another day, after all, there hasn't been a better faerie hunter since his mother."

"Fine," father muttered, plainly piqued at the mention of his wife," one more day."

Abby's Pov

Tonight, the air was consorted by a cold breeze that shifted my hair-sprayed curls and caused an uproar of shivers on my exposed arms and legs. I wore a short denim skirt and a black tank top. On my feet were flats despite the occasion as I was already self-consciously tall enough that attiring in heels would cause me to hover above everyone on ground. As seconds turned to minutes, I became painfully aware that it was far too cold to be dressed like this in April. By my side stood Ben in the same clothes he wore to school today. An old band t-shirt and torn jeans. It felt as if we had been standing outside of the club for hours when it really had only been minutes. The line was not moving.

"I should have worn a jacket," I thought out loud.

"I'd take off my shirt and give it to you, but then I'd be cold too."

I rolled my eyes," I don't want your gross shirt."

"Did you remember to bring your ID?"

"You mean the fake ID your stupid friend Matt made for us? We are so going to get caught."

"Not if we act cool we won't, don't hand it to the bouncer like you know it's fake."

I scowled," what does that even mean?"

"You know, hand it to him with confidence, like you've done it a hundred times," he proceeded to show me with a motioning of his hand," and make sure you look away from him while he's checking it, don't make eye contact, look like your observing the inside, or maybe even criticizing."

"Like I don't wanna be here?"

"Exactly, like you're an adult with work in the morning and you really can't be here right now."

I couldn't help but giggle. It was not a bad plan had it not been Ben propounding it. He had to be the most dithery person I knew when it came to lying or speaking to strangers. Anybody with authority made him just a little bit antsy. I pulled out the fake drivers license from my back pocket and studied it.

"Elisabeth Marie-Anne," I declaimed," sounds legit."

"When were you born?"

"August-"

"Don't read it off the card, you have to memorize it."

"Alright alright," I flipped the card to face the other side," August 17th, 1999."

"Right, and I'm Vlad-myer or maybe it's better as Vlad-mir Roberts."

"Did you choose that?"

"How did you know?"

"God Ben that's like the fakest name I've ever heard, you might have been better off choosing John Doe."

"Shut up, it's almost our turn."

As we approached the burly man who's biceps tore strenuously through the short sleeves of his snug t-shirt, I couldn't help but grow unsettled. Ben struggled to peak away from the bouncer and towards the club as the man was wide enough to cover most of what was in sight. I struggled to stifle a chortle. He handed the card back in the hands of my trembling friends and reached for mine. Merrily,I elbowed Ben. Seconds later, we were through with the gatekeeper and inside what seemed like a hole in the wall with some disco lights attached to the ceiling. I had no doubt that if there were more light in here, you'd would able to see the decrepit walls and rotting floors. The room was packed with dancing partygoers. We struggled through the crowd and towards the stage that hosted a local rock band.

"Do you smell that?" Ben belled once we stopped midst crowd. This was the furthest we'd be able to get to the stage. Any closer would compromise breathing.

"Yeah, it stinks!"

"That's the smell of rock and roll baby!"

"You're disgusting."

"I'm going to get us some drinks."

I nodded in comprehension and watched as he was swallowed by the horde. Bobbing my head to the music, I couldn't help but wonder what my parents would think if they knew I was here. I was never the type to challenge their rules, I always kept my grades decent, returned home on time, did my chores and kept my room tidy. I'd imagine they would cut me some slack. I had accumulated the right to at least a couple of acts of rebellion. After all, no child was perfect, especially no teenage child. I suddenly jumped and turned at the alerting tap on my shoulder. The culprit was a boy who bore dark hair and eyes to match. Standing just a few inches taller then me, I noticed his narrow ears that furred outwards slightly and his red lips that mounted into a grin.

"Hey."

"Hi," I responded, suddenly vigilant to being companionless.

"My name is Jack," he reached a hand out for me to shake. I did just that, hesitantly. I also nodded in comprehension because I wasn't sure what else to do.

"I'm Abby."

His response was muffled by the resonant sound of a solo strum of guitar. I forged my expression confused and he repeated.

"That is a very pretty name."

The corners of my lips curled upwards in a amiable manner," thank you."

I took a second to study his appearance. He definitely stood out from the crowd, wearing navy dress pants and a tucked in button down. I suddenly wondered if he was lost.

"You're beautiful," he caught me by surprise.

I felt the flush of my cheeks partner with a wave of heat," thank you."

I wasn't usually this reticent with strangers but this one was cute and there was something intriguingly uncanny about the way he presented himself.

"Are you by yourself?"

As if on cue, Ben emerged from the mob, two plastic cups in hand. He wore his heart on his sleeve, his expression proving unimpressed.

"Who's this?"

"This is Jack," I aquatinted the two," and this is Ben."

"Nice to meet you," Jack reached a hand out for Ben to shake as he did I and Ben simply glanced at it.

"I have cups in my hand," Ben stated the obvious.

Jack's hand fell to his side and he shot me an artificial smile,"I'll see you around, Abby."

I smiled at the boy once again and watched as he walked away and was eventually consumed into disappearance by the crowd. I turned to face a dubious Ben.

"That wasn't very nice," I began.

"I left you alone for like five minutes."

"Still, you could have at least shook his hand."

"Does no one see the drinks in my hand?"

"Still."

"Do you like him or something?" His face bore portrayals of indignation and annoyance.

I giggled and grabbed hold of my drink from between his fingers," would that be so bad?"

"He looks like an ass, a stuck up one. Who wears dress pants in a place like this?"

"Maybe he's lost," I let my eyes wander to the main stage, suddenly wondering if I was going to see him again.

I was on my fourth drink by the time Ben wangled the courage to finally approach a cute brown- haired girl he'd been eyeing for the past twenty minutes. The appeal was clear-as -day mutual as she had been eyeballing him as well. We were outside in the threshold of the nights crisp breeze and the girl stood accompanied by three of her friends just a few meters away.

"You got this," I declared encouragingly, bestowing my tongue more movement as an attempt to enunciate. I was past denying that the liquor had gone straight to my head and have now entered the 'do not make a fool out of myself' stage.

With one last nod of corroboration, Ben strutted onward. I smiled to myself, but the execution felt spurious. I often asked myself how it would feel if Ben were to get involved with somebody. On one hand, I would be extremely jubilant that a lucky girl gets to bear the benefit of having someone as genuine as Ben. On the other hand was the haunting thought that I'd barged to the back of my brain, the infamous question that remains; what about me? My feelings for Ben had never surpassed amicable, I've always felt as if he was my family, but the fact remains that he was my one and only friend and I was his. For years, we'd made time for each other and no one else because no one else mattered.

I scowled when a small rock intermitted my train thought and landed a millimetre from my feet. I gazed around and jumped when a second one followed. What the hell?

I pulled myself off of the brick wall that I was leaning against and studied my surroundings to discover Jack lurking in the shadow of the alley behind me.

"Psst," he hissed as an attempt at my regard.

"What are you doing?" I whispered back," you look creepy!"

He lifted his hand to gesture for me to come. I giggled to myself, letting the tequila take lead of my decision making and obeyed onwards. As soon as I was within a few feet, I felt his robust grasp on my waist.

"Finally I have you alone," I felt his lips sibilate against my temple. We were so close now, every part of my skin was touching his. I could breath in his air and him mine.

"Is that what you wanted," my words were slurred, and I made no effort to fettle them. I searched for his face in the dark but the sense of sight had gone black and all I could rely on was touch. His seize on my midriff accentuated. I wanted so badly to kiss the prince-like boy with the strange aura. We were purblind victims in the entrapment of the pitch-black passageway and I was held hostage by his appeal.

"Do you want to come somewhere with me?" Each word escaped out of his mouth was as if it were laced with lechery.

"Where?" The truth is I cared not to know for I would have gone anywhere with him. The rational part of my brain that put pieces into puzzles had been completely flickered off. I felt thoughtless and as light as air.

"By the riverbank," the allure in his voice was driving me insane, it was the most inciting sound to my ears. I could listen to him whisper all night and never grow weary nor bored," it's magical at night, let me show you."

This was not my decision to make, it were his. I was a walking breeze, altered by his desire. I was at his complete and utter mercy. If he wanted me to accompany him to the riverbank then it was already decided.

I merely nodded and let the boy guide my body along.