The Faerie Slayer
Chapter 8

Kades Pov

When I had walked in and immediately caught eyes with Aubrette, I questioned whether there was a sort of magnet that attracted her gaze. I wondered how in all of New York, we'd end up at the same bar tonight and even more so, I wondered if she recognized me from the day in Brooklyn or perhaps when I'd taken her home after her encounter with the trow by Deadwood Creek. I broke our staring contest when I'd realized that she seemed to be studying me as if trying to piece the puzzle. I noticed that she was seated with Ben and a girl I did not recognize. I wondered if she too were a messenger from the folk and if Caleb were here.

"How does it feel to have the son of the alpha at your Neturi Ritual celebration?" Mike patted Jacob on the back as soon as we were seated. The mention of me had brought me back to reality. I was drifting from the conversation in search of Aubrette's booth. I could hardly see her from where I was.

"It's my pleasure, really," I began," plus, I needed a night out with the guys."

"You didn't come to my celebration," said Paul.

"Or mine," Jacob joked.

"I was probably out kicking faerie ass while you three were getting wasted."

"Fair enough, beats being overnight patrol," said Jacob.

"Are all three of you patrols?"

"Paul and I are. Mike didn't pass his security training."

"What are you thinking of doing Mike? It's not too late for patrolling. You can take the exam again next year."

"Nah, I think I wanna be a teacher or something. Fighting isn't really in my nature."

I thought of Candice.

"I have a friend who can help you out if you need it. She's a teacher at the high school."

"Which one?"

"Ms. Jasmine."

"She's a smoke show-" Paul began but Mike cleared his throat and he stopped mid sentence.

"Her and Kade used to date like two years ago."

"Plus, isn't she your cousin, Mike?" said Jacob.

Paul was suddenly in a flurry of apologies. His face had gone red and I chuckled as an attempt to regain his comfort.

"No worries man. It's ancient history and she is a smoke show," I said.

While the guys were getting their orders in, I disappeared into the corner in seek of the bathroom. I flung the door to the mens room wide open and began for the urinal. The sound of something strange coming from one of the closed off toilets made me pause to observe. Someone was seated on the ground, and by the sound of it, they were probably doing drugs. I lifted my fist to knock on the door but the person did not seem to hear me. I knocked louder and louder but still, they paid me me no mind.

I kicked the door open in hopes of replenishing what was left of them but inside was no mortal. It was Caleb, arms wrapped around a glass jar of sugar which was now half empty. His eyes met mines, but his tongue was almost out of his control. He swept what was left of the contents even quicker now in fear that I was here to take it from him. I grabbed the jar from within his flimsy grasp and he stood to his feet.

"Give it to me," he pleaded," please."

I grabbed the faerie by his throat and dragged him out of the stall and through the back door. We were now standing by the bars garbage bins in a dimly lit alleyway that stunk of something rotten.

"Do you remember me?" I roared and tossed him against the back of the metal dumpster.

"You're the wolf," he hissed and made an attempt for the jar again. I swung it out of his reach. The faerie shifted from human to trow. He resembled the one from Deadwook Creek, same rotten scent of dead flesh. He shrunk a few feet, hardly standing taller then my chest.

"Who sent you?"

"Give me the sugar first," he raised clawed hands as another attempt.

I sprinkled the contents onto the ground and watched as he desperately devoured them. Ferrum was in my left grasp, glinting off of the shadow off the moonlight. I pointed it at the brain of the faerie and demanded an answer to my question.

"Was it the Queen of Fey?"

"Yes. I am sent from the queen, but I do not seek to harm the girl, my instructions were clear-"

"What are you here for then?" I dug the tip of the blade into his skin and he winced.

"At first, I was bestowed with delivering the girl. But things have changed, I am now to advise her of her heritage. The queen did not know that the girl lived in the dark-"

"What have you told her so far?" I sprinkled more sugar onto the ground.

"Nothing yet. I planned to introduce it to her tonight, but I grew distracted. In the mortal world, there's sugar, everywhere."

"What does the queen want with Aubrette?"

"I cannot say-"

I grabbed the creature by his thin throat and pushed him further against the metal bin. His feet dangled from underneath and his eyes had gone dark, snout now pressing against my shoulder.

"What does the queen want with Aubrette if she does not want her killed? Why would the queen wish to keep a Moiety Child alive? What makes Aubrette so different-"

"I have betrayed my queen enough by speaking to you. If you wish to kill me, you may do so now. I cannot say more."

The creature was transparent with his intent, he would not be revealing anymore. The sugar had worn off and this soldier was ready to die for his commander. I debated for minutes, whether I should rid of him now.

If I were to kill him, the queen would simply send another and another. She'd grow suspicious and soon enough be alerted of the wolf that is hunting down her messengers.

Whether as, if I let him be, he would be free to proceed with his task all whilst keeping Aubrette safe from the other mystery faerie women that is after her head. Also, I may be able to finally solve the puzzle that is Aubrette Evergreen should this trow eventually reveal all of the queens intention to her.

I have to know what makes her so special, I thought to myself, besides the fabricated tale that I made of her in my head. There is something else that the others do not feel but I do.

I realized my hosteling hold on the creature.

"Go back inside and proceed with your night as you had planned. I see no reason to harm you."

"T-thank you," his eyes fell helplessly on the empty jar of sugar.

"Stay away from the sugar. It will be the death of you, and this mission of yours."

I did not wait for him to shift. I walked past the trow and back into the inside where the music had grew louder and more chaotic. I caught sight of the guys who'd been served bottles of beer.

I must have missed the waitress.

I headed for the bar instead, and took my seat on a stool eyeing the busy bartender. On the stool beside me, Aubrette had suddenly taken a seat.

My body's first intent of a reaction was to clear my now dry throat but I resisted in fear of altering her that something odd was happening. Instead, I kept my eyes pointed straight, eagerly waiting to order, receiving my drink and waltzing off.

It was dawning on me that as close as I had been to her, going as far as saving her life and tucking her into her own bed at night, we hadn't ever exchanged one word.

Not one that she remembers, I reminded myself.

"What can I get for you?" The bartender was all of the sudden leaning atop the table in front of me.

"A corona please."

The bartender moved on to Aubrette who surprised me by ordering whiskey. I almost laughed out loud. The night of the club, she had all but a few drinks of tequila and that was enough to make her sway on her feet. I wondered why she'd made the sudden transition to whiskey.

I could not help it. I snuck a glance at the girl beside me who's hair resembled a waterfall when the sun was bright enough to paint the currents. She was already gazing at me, eyebrows slightly furred as if my presence was her mystery. She was further away then my neighbour was, yet I felt the heat from her closeness begin to burn. A stray hair teased the skin of her forehead and I struggled not to move it. The man on the other side of Aubrette must have been drunk because he carelessly tossed his hand against his own drink. The glass went flying, aiming for Aubrette's lap. My fingers had already wrapped around the leg of her chair whilst the glass was still mid air and yanked her closer to me and away from the liquid spill. Sure enough, the glass landed on the floor instead, missing her by an inch, but now, we were close enough that our legs were touching. She let out a breath or a gasp, I could not decipher a difference. Her eyes and mine were locked in a trance. I suddenly wished that I'd let the glass hit her lap. My beer had now arrived. I grabbed hold of the bottle and hurriedly, I walked off leaving Aubrette seemingly speechless.

Me and the the guys chatted for over an hour and every five minutes I found myself stealing

glances at Aubrette's table. She and the now shifted Caleb had their backs to me and I could sense from here that Ben was melting with jealousy. The mystery girl to his left hardly ever spoke unless she was spoken to.

I watched as Caleb stood up and Aubrette followed him out. I sat up in my seat and peered out the window in hopes of catching a glimpse of the two.

They did not leave. On the other side of the glass, I watched the faux mortal boy light a cigarette.

"What are you looking at?" Paul's voice intervened my silent stalking.

"Nothing," I took a chug out of the bottle I had," what are you guys planning after this?"

"We might take Mike here for a dance or two up at Willys Dancers."

"Jeez, I haven't been to that dump in years."

"Might be a dump but they don't ID. What do you say, tag along?"

I did not get a chance to answer because out of the window, the unfolding events held my attention captive. Aubrette's arms were wrapped around Caleb's head, her mouth glued to his in a passionate and forever lasting kiss.

I felt the urgency of a hurl beginning. I cleared my throat and cleared it again.

"Those two need to get a room," mumbled Jacob in between sips.

"I'm actually gonna head home," I began to stand up," I've got tons of work to do tomorrow."

I slammed a twenty on the table with more force then I had intended.

"Alright boss, you okay?" This time is was Mike.

"Yeah just a little light headed, I'll see you guys around. Don't have too much fun."

I exited the bar using the back entrance. I could not justify nor explain the rage that had erupted inside of me with no warning. I failed to seek out a better method to dealing with my grief. Instead, I ran towards the closest line of trees that I could recall, that would lead out into the woods and eventually guide me back home. The bushes were a short way away but I felt myself beginning to shake with the impulse of transforming. It was dangerous to shift this early, this close to town people still lingered, even after dark and at odd times of the night. But I could not resist for much longer. I had never felt a more uncontrollable urge to shift, even at times whilst fueled with fear and fury, I had my wolf under control.

I was a couple miles out, my feet dashed against the gravel surface on a side walk of a street that was not very busy. The few people that packed paid me no mind. Rain began to pour with no prior indication nor warning. I suddenly was overwhelmed and over heated. My senses were clouded by the thundering spill and vision blurred by bright street lamps.

When I leaped, it was not by will, but instinct. I was not thinking when I landed back against the wet sidewalk, a four legged creature with claws and fangs. Momentarily, I had lost the mortal part of me and all that altered me was my wolf. A deep growl escaped from my mouth and I watched with slight pleasure as the dozens of pedestrians began to disperse in a mob of panic and fright. Hurling screams accompanied by the sounds of my panting wolf bid the nights echo. I could not stay put for long, I had to get out of here.

Through the streets of New York, I fled past cars that halted into one another in an attempt to dodge me. My legs jetted past streetlights and vacant benches now abandoned from companions. I had lost my previously mortal consciousness and train of thought that bounded me wolf to human. My blood was on fire now, I cared not for the dozens of humans whom witnessed me tonight. In the back of my mind, amongst the growls and thick dark cloud of rage my subconscious chanted Aubrette's name and eventually I disappeared into a strip of streets that led me to the woods and far away from the town I had just left destroyed.

This will be making the news tomorrow, I thought to myself, and surly, father will recognize me.

I made it all the way home in less then an hour. On the reserve now, everything was still quite. Everyone was sleeping, still unaware of the events of tonight. Tomorrow, this will be the biggest scandal that this pack had ever had.

I hoped that no one had seen me shift. I hoped that the headlines would be ; wolf appears out of nowhere in New York City!, and not ; Dozens witness a man shift into a wolf in the streets of New York City!