Between Rubies and Opals

Sam shrugged lightly as he climbed out of his car, looking up at the gray skies and pulled his hood over his head. “I can’t believe you’re forcing me to do this.”

Gowan slammed the car door shut and dug his hands into the front pockets of his sweatshirt. “I’m not forcing you. You can leave anytime you want.”

The two of them were down by the harbor, a part of the city that was very shoddy to Sam. Even though it was mainly wolf territory, it was still littered with drifters, looters and the occasional runaways. Those types have been usually the petty thieves out to steal a wallet for spare change to afford a train out of the city. No serious crimes have been committed on this side of town, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t make Sam’s fur stand on end for nothing. He crossed the street uneasily, with Gowan leading the way through an alley.

“And leave you here all by yourself? No way. Feletov isn’t the safest neighborhood, you know,” Sam said with a scowl and looked around him.

“Yeah, like you’re only here for my protection,” Gowan chuckled.

“So where is this place anyway?” Sam asked as the two men squeezed through a rusted gate, into what looked like an abandoned courtyard.

“Relax, Sammy.” Gowan shook his head at his friend and carried on walking. “Just stay close. I don’t want you to get lost, like last time.”

“I didn’t get lost, Gow. It was dark and I was distracted,” Sam defended, his shoulders drooping.

“Much like today,” Gowan said. “Keep up, pup.”

Sam looked around him at the overgrown grass protruding through the wires of the old chain fences and turned his attention back to closing the considerable gap that had formed between Gowan and himself.

“I’m no-one’s pup.” Sam quickened his stride and spotted Gowan slowing down.

“There it is.”

Sam slowed down as well and looked at where Gowan was pointing to. In the far right corner of the courtyard, stood a shoddy old motor home, covered in vines, creating the illusion that the motor home was part of the wall behind it. Maybe it was. In a supernatural world, anything was possible, right?

Sam didn’t really like the look of this place and he felt the hair on the back of his neck starting to rise. “Gow…”

“What’s the matter?”

“I don’t like the look of this place.” He motioned to the motor home.

“Come on, she’s expecting us.”

“If I get rabies, it’s on you,” Sam cringed and dug his hands into his pockets.

“Come on, little pup.”

They approached the motor home and the door slowly opened. A woman with bright orange hair stood in the door and looked over at the two of them. She reminded him of his aunt Dinah, except for the orange hair and glassy eyes. “Gow, what’s wrong with her?”

“She’s having a vision,” Gowan whispered and he and Sam stopped a few feet away from the woman.

Sam leaned closer to Gowan and whispered, “She looks-”

“Tanked?” The woman blinked suddenly and looked at him, with dark eyes.

The sudden sound of her voice made Sam jump with a yelp and he looked at Gowan, then at the woman again. “Excuse me?”

“I can assure you that I am not tanked, as you call it, Samuel,” the woman answered, her voice was sharp like a blade.

“I see you’ve been talking about me, Gowan,” Sam frowned suspiciously at his friend, but Gowan raised his hands in defense.

“Come in, boys,” the woman motioned to them and stood aside as they entered the motor home.

There were bright colored scarves lining the inside walls of the motor home, couches on the one side and a table with a large black ball in the center.

“Madame Pelt.” Gowan walked to her and brought her hand up to his mouth.

“Gowan, my favorite canine. You have brought in a fresh one for me today.”

“He’s simply observing,” Gowan answered and motioned to Sam. “Sam, this is Madame Pelt.”

“Hey,” Sam nodded, sliding his hood off his head and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

“You do not believe in paw-readers.” Madame Pelt crossed her arms.

“Was that a statement or a question?” Sam asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at her.

“Both.” She looked at him, her eyes darkening briefly.

“No, I don’t,” Sam stated. “It’s nothing personal, but every one I’ve ever met was a fraud, and it will take a whole lot of convincing to make me feel otherwise. No offense to you, ma’am.”

“I can see a deep sadness in your heart, Samuel.”

“So can the rest of the world,” Sam frowned.

“Sam-” Gowan interjected, but Madame Pelt raised her hand in the air for Gowan to stop talking.

“It’s alright, Gowan. I’m not easily swayed by a cynical mutt.” Madame Pelt sat down on her chair and held her hand out to Sam. “Please sit. I would like to do a reading for you.”

“I must also be a psychic, because I knew this was going to happen,” Sam muttered as he looked at Gowan and reluctantly sat down. He held his hand out to her and she grabbed it, pulling it towards her. It took Sam by surprise and he growled in a deep low tone.

“Easy, Sam,” Gowan whispered.

“You have a lot of anger inside you, Samuel,” she whispered as she ran her fingernails along the veins of his hand.

“I’d prefer it if you called me Sam.”

“Right, because you don’t like to be anything that you’re not.” She looked at Sam, tilting her head.

“That’s common sense, no special skills required,” Sam muttered.

“You have also experienced a recent loss-”

Sam pulled his arm out of her grasp and shook his head at her. “Madame Pelt, with all due respect, I appreciate the gesture, but what you’re trying to do here is bullshit.”

“Sam-” Gowan was growing impatient with his rude friend.

“No, Gowan. Let Sam speak freely.” Madame Pelt intertwined her fingers calmly and looked at Sam.

“You’re generalizing everything. Everyone has anger in them, everyone has experienced some kind of loss in their lives, and everyone has an underlying emotional crisis. Otherwise, they wouldn’t come here in the first place! People come here to see you, are looking for answers, consolation and solace. They hope and expect you to give that to them, and that’s what you do! You say the same clever things to everyone, because it applies to everyone! That’s bullshit.”

“Do not be a martyr, Sam,” Madame Pelt whispered.

“I’m not a martyr, dammit! I’m perfectly fine!” Sam growled angrily, his blue eyes flickering like a flame.

“You’ve been burnt one too many times, and your heart needs to recuperate,” she whispered and her eyes swirled like a violent whirlpool.

“There’s that bullshit I was just talking about.” Sam waved his arms in the air.

“Sam, can I tell you something?” She held out her hand, motioning to Sam.

Sam sighed and placed his hand back onto hers. “Go ahead, do your worst.”

“Even though you are going through a very rough patch in your life, there is good news.”

“That’s convenient.” Sam rolled his eyes.

Madam Pelt ignored Sam’s sarcastic remark and continued. “You are going to meet someone soon.”

“Of course I’m going to meet someone. I meet people every single day.” Sam sat back in his chair and pulled his hand away from Madame Pelt.

“Sam-” Gowan frowned and quickly moved over to the table where the two of them were seated.

“Whatever, I don’t have time for this shit.” Sam stood up, his eyes swirling around like hot, blue lava.

“She won’t be what you expect,” Madame Pelt said, narrowing her eyes.

“They never are,” Sam answered with a snarl and marched out of the motor home.

There was a moment of silence as Gowan watched his friend march towards the chain fences and angrily yanked one straight out of the concrete. Sam threw it down onto the ground and growled in frustration.

“My apologies, Madame Pelt. Sam is too logical for his own good,” Gowan said apologetically and stood up. “And a recent disappointment has made him quite aggressive at times.”

“That’s quite alright, dear. Only he can decide the path his life will take him on. You’ve done all you can,” she nodded, the feathers in her hair gliding gracefully through the air.

Gowan took her hands in his and brought them up to his face. “Your knowledge enchants me.” He kissed her knuckles and she chuckled softly.

“Go well, Gowan, and do not fret, your friend will find himself in better places soon.”

“Thank you, Madame Pelt.”

Gowan exited the motor home and walked over to Sam, standing by the gate. The piece of fence that Sam ripped from the ground was now crumpled up into a ball and thrown to the side, like a crumpled piece of paper.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Gowan looked at Sam, who was leaning against a wall, his hood covering his head and the top part of his face.

“That woman-” Sam pointed to the motor home.

“She did nothing to you, Sam,” Gowan exclaimed. “You’re angry with yourself, and now you’re taking it out on everyone else! Just because you’re miserable, does not give you the right to make everyone around you miserable!”

“Oh, so now you’re miserable!” Sam lunged towards him, pushing Gowan away from him.

“It will be a fight you will lose, my friend.” Gowan shoved Sam’s arms off him and growled. “I’m not the one you should be fighting with, Sam!”

“Gowan, you don’t understand-”

“I understand perfectly, Sam! You’re hurt, and you’re upset because of what Selena did to you, but you’ve got to let it go-”

“How am I supposed to do that? How am I just supposed to move on, Gowan? I’m torn to shreds!”

“She didn’t want you, because she thought she found something better, but she won’t ever find someone like you! If she couldn’t see that, then she doesn’t deserve you!” Gowan exclaimed, and glared at Sam.

Sam was sobbing like a pup and he fell down onto his knees onto the concrete. Gowan let out a sigh and walked over to his friend. He knelt down next to Sam and patted him on the back a couple of times.

“I really thought she loved me,” Sam sobbed.

“You’ll find someone better.”

“You sound like that damn woman in there,” Sam whimpered.

“But it’s true, Sammy. You’ll find someone that will take all those broken bits and put you back together,” Gowan said and Sam raised his head, looking at Gowan.

He wiped his face and frowned. “You really do sound like her.”

“Well, I’m no fortune teller, but she’s right.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re going to meet someone, very soon, that will make everything better.” Gowan stood up and held his hand out to Sam. “Things are going to get better for you.”

Sam looked at Gowan’s hand and after a few seconds, he grabbed hold of Gowan’s arm. Gowan pulled him up from the concrete and Sam dusted himself off.

“We need to go. It’s going to rain soon.” Gowan looked up at the skies and took his cap out of his back pocket.

Sam looked up at the darkening skies and looked at Gowan. “Are you sure you’re not a fortune teller?”

“I’m pretty sure, my mom had me tested,” Gowan smirked and tapped Sam against the shoulder. “Come on; before we get soaked.”

Sam nodded and as they walked back to his car, the gears in Sam’s mind were turning at record speed, thinking about what Gowan, and the damn paw-reader, said to him.

Erin pulled her sweater over her head and adjusted the belt around her hips. She walked out into the living area and saw Alex lounged out on the couch, recovering from the previous night of clubbing.

“I want to get out of here,” Erin announced and Alex looked at her, her eyes drooping.

“What?” Alex muttered.

“You heard me. I’m sick of being cooped up inside.” Erin nodded and sat down on the coffee table in front of Alex’s couch.

“But it’s raining,” Alex whined.

“It’s rain, Lex. You won’t melt.” Erin rolled her eyes at her.

“How do you know?”

“Oh come on. Let’s go do something that we wouldn’t normally do,” Erin smiled excitedly.

“What do you have in mind?” Alex sat up slowly.

Erin jumped up from the table, slipped into her bedroom and emerged again after a few seconds.

“You are much too cheery for my liking.” Alex rolled onto her side to get a better view of her friend.

“It’ll be fun,” Erin smiled happily, excitedly, holding up a big white fabric bag, and then placing it next to her.

Alex looked at the bag next to Erin and shook her head lazily. “I’m not in the mood to kill anyone today, Erin.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you remember the night with the bag?” Alex asked, semi-shocked.

Erin closed her eyes for a brief second, trying to forget ‘the night with the bag’ and shook her head. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” Erin put her hands on her hips, bending her one knee. “Luckily, it’s not that kind of bag, Lex.” Erin raised her eyebrows and dropped her hands to her sides.

“Oh, then what is it for?”

“Let’s go do laundry.”

“What?”

“Don’t look at me as if I’m deranged.” Erin crossed her arms and looked at Alex.

“You’re not, right?”

“No,” Erin exclaimed, and grinned slightly.

“You’ve clearly never done laundry.”

“No, I haven’t,” Erin said. “I’ve read that it’s quite enjoyable.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Erin. Trust me. It’s not as fun as you think.”

“I don’t care. Will you come with me?”

“You do realize that if your mother finds out about this, you’re dead, right?” Alex stated and eyed Erin carefully.

“Lex, I’m already dead.” Erin winked at her friend.

“Yeah, but your mother is a wicked one. She would kill you twice without batting an eyelid. No matter if you’re her only daughter.”

“You don’t have to tell me, Lex. I lived with her for almost three hundred years.”

“My deepest sympathy. Two centuries of sheer torture.”

“Tell me about it,” Erin nodded and sat down on the edge of the couch. “Please come with me.”

“I’ll go, one condition, though.” Alex sat up, with a shrewd expression on her face.

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”

“Of course not.”

Erin tilted her head slightly and looked at Lex.

“I’ll go with you to this place,” Alex said.

“Laundromat.”

“Whatever. Only if you promise me that you will go with me to Flesh.”

“No. There’s no way.”

“Why?”

“That place has the creepiest men I’ve ever seen, plus it smells really weird.” Erin pulled an appalled face and shook her head.

“As opposed to the laundry place you want to drag me to?” Alex crossed her arms.

“It’s called a Laundromat, and at least it’s clean.”

“Cleaner than Flesh?”

“Lex, our garbage can is cleaner than Flesh.”

“Fair enough, but it’s on that side of town.”

Erin knew exactly what Alex meant. There were no Laundromats on their side of town; all the vamps were too stuck up to wash their own clothes. That side of town, as Alex diplomatically referred to it, was a uni-race area, where both wolves and vamps could go about their business, and laundry, in peace. Not that there were a lot of vamps around in that area anyway.

“Please,” Erin whined.

“Okay, fine, but if anyone tried to put their filthy mutt paws on me, fur’s going to fly.”

“Deal,” Erin nodded and excitedly stood up, running to her bedroom with the laundry bag.

An hour later, Alex was sitting in the Laundromat pouting, as Erin put her second load of washing in the dryer. They had only been there for an hour, but to Alex it felt like a decade.

“Erin…” Alex whined and Erin was already fed-up with her constant nagging, and regretted asking her to come along.

“What is it?” Erin sighed and looked at her friend, sitting next to her, shoulders slumped and her lips pouted.

“I don’t like it here.”

“I know. You’ve reminded me of that every five minutes.” Erin cocker her head as she watched her clothes in the dryer, going around and around. It was warm inside the Laundromat and Erin liked the way it smelled. It was clean and happy. “You’re welcome to leave. I like it here.”

“And leave you at the mercy of these animals? There’s no way,” Alex whispered.

“You’re being dramatic again.”

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” Lex whined. “I mean, look at this place.”

“There’s nothing wrong with this place. Nobody’s bothering us. They’re all minding their own business.”

“How do you know about doing your own laundry anyway?” Alex whispered to Erin, leaning in closer to her.

“You know that thing we call the intraweb?”

“Don’t get toothy with me.” Lex frowned and looked out onto the street. “I’m going outside for a bit.”

“But it’s raining. You might melt,” Erin said with a frown.

“Whatever.” Alex rolled her eyes and stood up.

“Who’s out there?”

“No-one.”

“Then why do you want to go outside so bad?”

“It, um, smells funny in here.”

“All I smell is detergent and fabric softener.”

“Exactly.” Alex pulled a face and flicked her hair over her one shoulder. “I’ll be back.”

Before Erin could answer, Lex bolted across the room and headed out the door.

“Typical,” she mumbled and heard her dryer switch off. She smiled happily and stood up. As she removed her clothes from the dryer, she held it tightly against her chest and inhaled with a happy sigh. Her clothes were warm and comforting, and a sense of pride filled her to the brim. It might not be a big deal to others, but doing her own laundry for the first time gave her a sense of independence, a sense of normalcy in a crazy world.

Erin plugged her headphones into her ears and started humming along to an old school rock ballad as she folded her clean clothes. Even though this was the first time that she did her laundry by herself, she knew exactly what she was doing, as she memorized every single online tutorial on how to properly fold clothes.

A strange feeling crept up her spine and she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched. It could be her paranoia, which was already in overdrive. If her mother knew where she was, she’d be so incredibly dead. Well, figuratively speaking, of course. She stopped suddenly, staring at the half-folded shirt in front of her and slowly turned her head to the side. There was a guy, who looked about her age, standing a few feet away from her, shoving his light gray jacket onto a dryer, with an amused smile on his face. The gray shirt he had on made his shoulders look extra broad and Erin felt another strange, yet powerful pull towards this guy. He was tall, had light brown hair and was ruggedly handsome, everything that Erin liked in a guy, but with her recent catastrophe on the dating front, she was not sure what exactly she liked anymore.

Her ex, Lukas was still a sore subject, and even when Anthony mentioned him briefly yesterday, she was feeling troubled.

Empty.

Even though Anthony apologized for bringing up Lukas’ name and the whole blasted situation, that had caused Erin unbearable agony for almost half a century, it still hurt. Hearing his name brought back so many vivid memories. Memories she would much rather forget. Memories that made her skin crawl and broke her stillborn heart all over again. Although Erin tried her best to shrug it off, it pained her more than she thought it would.

That was the trouble with being the way she was. All her emotions were intensified. When she’s happy, she’s ecstatic, the world was hers for the taking, but when she’s sad, depressed and empty, her whole world crashed down around her, and she would feel less pain if her head was ripped off her body by an angry wolf. She often wondered why she experienced her emotions so intensely, and sometimes felt jealous of her brother, being able to feel nothing at all. Maybe that would have been better altogether.

She gathered her train of thought, before it went flying off a cliff and realized that she was openly and shamelessly staring at this guy. Embarrassed, and slightly ashamed, she dropped her head and continued to fold the shirt in front of her.

Then, as a saving grace, her favorite part of the chorus blared through her headphones and for a brief moment, she forgot about everyone around her and belted out the chorus to herself. She glanced over at the guy again, but this time he was looking straight at her, with a crooked smile on his sexy face. He was hot – bottom line - and she felt herself blush as she removed her headphones from her ears.

Cringing inwardly, she knew she had done it again. “Oh god, I was singing really loud, wasn’t I?”

“Just a little,” the guy said to her, his words rolling off his tongue like melted chocolate.

Erin let out a long, slow breath and it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. “I’m sorry, it’s a habit.”

“You like old school rock?” he asked her and walked up to her.

“A little too much. It’s my favorite era.”

“You didn’t strike me as a rocker girl.”

“Oh really? So the leather jacket wasn’t a giveaway?” She pointed to her leather jacket that was draped over the backrest of her seat and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Not really, you look more like a hippy girl to me,” he said with a smile as he touched her dark side braid.

“It keeps my hair out of my face, especially on days like today. The rain makes it go extra fuzzy.”

“I know the feeling,” he nodded with a sexy smile.

“Besides, nobody remembers anything from the hippy era, they were all high.” Erin pulled a face and suddenly looked around her. “Which reminds me, where’s Lex?”

“The tall, blonde girl?” he asked.

“Uh huh,” Erin cringed, knowing that he obviously noticed Alex first. It was always like that.

“She’s over there, chatting up my friend.” He motioned to the door and Erin saw Alex talking suggestively to a guy, who looked vaguely familiar. He had pitch black curly hair, but couldn’t really make out his face. Turning her attention back to the guy in front of her, she noticed his hair was straight and not as dark. His eyes were something she had never seen in her almost-300 years in this world. They were the brightest blue she had ever seen, with slivers of silver that sparkled like diamonds every time he looked at her.

Erin took a deep breath, and composed herself, or at least tried to. She hadn’t fallen down yet, so that was a good thing.

“Right, of course she is. I can’t take her anywhere,” Erin sighed. “I should really consider getting her a leash.”

“Good idea.”

“Well, at least now I get to see the guy she’s sleeping with tonight, which is definitely a first.”

“I highly doubt she’s his type.”

“Why is that?”

“He’s not really a blonde girl type of guy. Much like myself, we prefer brunettes. Even redheads.”

“Your subtlety is almost commendable,” Erin grinned at him and he let out a laugh.

A deep, throaty laugh, that made her knees feel weak.

“Thank you. I’m Sam, by the way.” He held out his hand to her.

“Erin. It’s nice to meet you, Sam.” Erin placed her hand in his and looked at him, feeling the slow motion movement return. His eyes swirled around like the dark depths of the ocean, and she had to fight with herself to look away. Luckily, Sam let go of her hand, making everything go back to normal speed. She let out another slow breath and watched as he crossed his arms.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” he pointed out.

“That’s because this is my first time. Here.”

“Your first time? To a Laundromat?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

“Why is that?”

“I have no idea. It was always done for us.”

“Rich daddy?”

“You could say that.”

“And I’m guessing, by the way you look around all the time, they don’t know you’re here, right?”

“Not at all. My mother would kill me if she knew where I was,” Erin chuckled nervously.

“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” Sam knocked his knuckles against the door of the dryer.

“So why are you here then? I don’t see any clothes…” Erin raised an eyebrow at him.

“You do realize that it’s raining outside?”

“Yes.” Erin nodded and looked outside at the rain falling down. “But it’s just rain, you know.”

“I don’t like getting wet.”

Erin let out an amused giggle and looked at him. “And you’re only drying your jacket?”

“If you want me to strip down, just ask,” Sam said to her with a crooked smile that almost made her skin melt off her body.

“I’ll remember that.”

“Oh Erin, you’ve got to meet this hot guy, I’m totally going to fuck…” Alex walked over to them but stopped abruptly when she saw Erin’s face.

“Hey Lex, I was just talking to his friend,” Erin grinned and tried to suppress her laugh, as the little blood that Alex had left in her face completely drained away.

“Sam,” he let out another throaty laugh and Erin smiled at him.

“Alex, but everyone calls me Lex.” She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

Sam noticed as Erin rolled her eyes and also suppressed a chuckle. “What was that about fucking my friend?”

Erin let out a laugh and Sam joined in, leaving Alex a bit embarrassed, crossing her arms uncomfortably.

“Sam!” His friend joined up with them and looked at Erin. “Is your jacket dry yet, Sammy?”

“No, not yet.” Sam shook his head. “Let me introduce you. This is Gowan. Gowan, this is Erin.”

“Gowan, that’s right. I know of you,” Erin said with a nod.

“You do?”

“Yeah, I heard you at Dragona’s a couple of times.” Erin nodded.

“You’ve been to Dragona’s?” Alex exclaimed, clearly horrified.

“Of course. You have your fun, I have mine,” Erin nodded at Alex and turned to Gowan. “I didn’t recognize you without your cap. You have a great voice by the way.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Gowan flashed Erin a rather uncomfortable smile and turned away. “Sam, we should get going.”

“You go on ahead. I’ll be right out.” Sam nodded at Gowan and Gowan raised his eyebrows.

There was a few seconds of silence and Erin looked at Alex expectantly.

“Oh, right. Excuse me. I need to go make, um, myself disappear, so you two can have a private conversation.” Alex nodded and bolted towards the other side of the room.

“Please excuse Alex. She was born with no tact, or any subtlety for that matter,” Erin cringed and looked at Sam.

“Can I have your number?” Sam blurted out.

“Seems like you have that same problem,” Erin laughed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so forward, I just…”

“It’s okay. Give me yours and I’ll call you.” Erin took out her phone from her pocket and punched in the number that Sam slowly counted out. She pressed dial on her screen and Sam’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out of his pocket and pressed on the screen a few times, adding her number into his phone.

“Got it.”

“Good, now use it,” Erin smiled at him.

“I will, definitely,” Sam nodded with a smirk.

“Don’t forget your jacket.” Erin motioned to the dryer.

“Thanks for the reminder,” Sam nodded and opened the door of the dryer, taking his jacket out.

The smell of leaves and wooden floors filled her nostrils and she inhaled happily.

“I have to go, but I’ll speak to you soon.” Sam looked at her.

“Okay, speak soon.” Erin nodded and watched as he, almost reluctantly walked towards the glass doors. He turned towards her and their eyes met. She tilted her head with a smile and he did the same.

“Stop staring at his ass,” Lex whispered suddenly.

“I wasn’t staring at his ass.”

“Come on, Erin. If you can’t appreciate a nice ass, then we can’t be friends anymore.”

“Okay, maybe I did stare at his ass.”

“Was that so hard?”

“Maybe.”

“You do realize-”

“Lex…” Erin raised her hands in the air and shook her head. “Don’t ruin it.”

“But he’s a-”

Erin’s top lip curled slightly and her two top fangs showed. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

There was a moment of silence between the two girls, as Erin watched Sam leave the Laundromat and eventually she turned to Alex, who as dying to get something off her chest.

Erin sighed and asked, “What is it, Lex?”

“He’s a mutt. They both are-”

“I know, Lex,” Erin nodded and her eyes flashed slightly.

“What a waste…” Alex muttered, but then looked sharply at Erin. “Wait a minute. You don’t care, do you?”

“I don’t.”

“The question is, is he going to care?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

Sam grinned to himself as he closed the glass doors behind him and looked at Erin one last time through the glass. He looked over at Gowan, who had a look of utter disapproval on his face.

“What?” Sam frowned.

“You know exactly what.”

“Again, you’re the mind-reader, not me,” Sam shrugged and shook his head. “Don’t be pissed because I got her number and you didn’t.”

“It’s not that, Sam,” Gowan said as he shook his head and crossed his arms.

“Then what is it?” Sam asked, slightly impatiently.

“You just gave your number to a vamp.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Erin is a vamp, Sam.”

“She’s not a vamp, Gowan! Look at her,” Sam exclaimed.

The two men looked over at Erin, who at that particular moment knocked over a box of fabric detergent and let out a frustrated growl. “See? There’s no way.”

“I’m telling you, she’s a vamp.”

“Vamps are graceful and stuck-up, she’s not. She’s…” Sam’s voice trailed.

“She’s what?”

“She’s perfect.”

“She’s a vamp and I suggest you stay the hell away from her. She’ll rip you to shreds, just like Selena did-”

“You’re wrong, Gowan,” Sam growled at him. “And don’t you ever compare Erin with Selena. Erin is nothing like that bitch.”

“You don’t even know this girl, and you’re already defending her.”

Sam could see that Gowan was becoming increasingly annoyed, but ignored his agitated demeanor. “She’s different. I can feel it in my bones,” Sam finally said.

“Believe what you want, Sam. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I’m a big boy, Gowan. I can take care of myself.” Sam looked at his lifelong friend and glowered for a few seconds. He looked through the glass at Erin, who was sitting on the floor, laughing with Alex. “How can someone like that be a vamp? There’s no way.”

“Come on, Sam. We’re going to be late.”

“For what?”

“Uhm, the meeting. Where’s your head, Sam?”

“I think I left it in there.” Sam pointed behind him at Erin.

“You need a shrink, not a psychic.”

“That’s what I told you, Gowan.”

Countess Cassandra Lewandowski gracefully glided across the ballroom and looked around her. Her husband, Count Arjen Lewandowski was nowhere to be found. Being blessed with the ability to locate anything, she could usually find him in an instant, but today was different. She could not sense him, hear him, or smell him for that matter. She could distinctly hear Nikolai and his friends chatting on the verandah on the other side of the grounds, but not Arjen. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

“Where have you gone?” she whispered and stepped out of the ballroom and headed down the hallway to his office. The door suddenly opened and there he was, with his glasses on his head, tangled in his messy dark brown hair and he looked as if he had stepped out of a laundry basket.

“Look at you, Arjen,” Cassandra frowned as she looked him over. “What were you doing in there?”

“It seems that I drifted off into my own world, concentrating on finishing that book Erin gave me last decade.”

“Did you not hear me calling you? Or feel my scurrying around in the manor?”

“I apologize, my dear. The book was very enthralling. I could not tear my eyes away from it.” Arjen place his hand on his chest and smiled at his wife.

“Yes, well. I have known you for many years, and you do tend to be sucked into literary works. You and Erina are very alike in that way.”

“She is my daughter after all.”

“She is mine as well, Arjen,” Cassandra grimaced and defensively crossed her arms, clearly dissatisfied that Arjen has a stronger bond with Erin than she did.

“Do not feel threatened that we are more alike, my dear wife. Erina is not our only child. There is still Nikolai.”

“That is not the same and you know that.”

“Here’s a proposition for you. Why not invite Erina and Alex for lunch tomorrow afternoon?” Arjen suggested, knowing that would take his wife’s mind off the current subject.

“That is a wonderful idea,” Cassandra smiled at him and he could feel her ease up again. “I shall call her at once.”

Arjen watched as his wife glided down the darkened corridor and went back into his office. He closed the heavy oak door behind him, tightly locked the deadbolt and walked over to his desk. He sat down on his leather chair and stared at the large leather bound book in front of him. He slowly touched the leather cover, tracing the indents of a crescent moon that had been embellished in the leather. As he opened the book, his green eyes flashed slightly and he looked over at his watch, the opal background swirling like smoke from a cigarette.

Arjen let out a deep breath as he looked at the crescent moon in the sky and a low growl emerged from deep inside him.

The leaves crunched under Sam’s boots as he and Gowan walked through the trees, along the pathway leading to the large wooden building in the center of Lycandor Woods. The Meathouse, as it was named by the easily amused elder wolves, was already buzzing with activity. Sam and Gowan stepped inside the rustic building and Sam was astounded by how many wolves were there. A few of their pack members came over to them, with looks of both satisfaction, and disbelief on their faces.

“I’m quite surprised to see you here, Morton,” Oscar, an older wolf with dark curly hair and grey eyes, said to him, shaking his hand.

“Once a wolf, always a wolf, right?” Sam answered.

“Indeed, Sam. But I am guessing the Senator has no knowledge of your presence?” another wolf, Salvatore, with light brown hair, said to him.

“Yes, you guess correctly, Sal,” Sam nodded, walking to the back of the Meathouse.

A few more wolves greeted Sam and Gowan as they stood at the back and a wolf with long black hair appeared on the stage.

“Everyone inside this house will agree with me when I say that we are tired of being second best in this vamp infested region. We are tired of being deemed unworthy of justice, and we are tired of being treated unfairly, just because of our race.”

There were cheers coming from the audience and Sam looked around him with a frown, crossing his arms.

“We are faster, stronger and more superior, yet we are still being oppressed! We are not the minority, yet we are being controlled like animals!”

The crowd started getting rowdy, and Sam noticed Lee appearing on stage. He nudged Gowan and motioned to the stage.

“What is Lee doing up there?” Sam asked.

“I have no idea. I thought he was just attending.”

“You better control your nephew, Gow. He’s going to get himself killed for sure.”

“My fellow wolves!” Lee bellowed out over the crowd of noisy wolves. “I propose to you all, a revolt, against these malicious and traitorous vamps!”

The crowd cheered and pounded their fists in the air.

“I don’t like the direction this meeting is going, Gowan,” Sam whispered to Gowan. “This place is way too rowdy for me.”

“Sam, just stay, please…”

“Another seven wolves have been attacked this week!” Lee continued to yell from the stage, and the crowd gasped, then growled in unison. “When will they stop? They won’t, because as long as we sit and do nothing about it, nothing will change. Nothing will change unless we do something.”

“The pup is pissing on private property,” Sam whispered.

“He’s still timid. We all know his growl is worse than his bite.”

“With a crowd like this, I am quite doubtful that it will stay a growl, Gowan,” Sam said with a frown and dropped his arms to his sides. “I’ve had quite enough of this madness.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes, this rowdiness is making me uneasy.”

“Go calm yourself. Just be careful around her.”

“You should really stop invading my mind without my permission.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Gowan grinned.

“Let me know what the outcome is.”

“If Lee will ever see the light of day after his brave and somewhat stupid performance today? Of course.”

“See you later, my friend.”

“Be safe, Sammy.”

As Sam left the Meathouse, closing the door behind him, he strolled down the pathway, with his hands in the front pockets of his jacket. It was a beautiful late-afternoon in Algharakh and he loved this time of the year. The air was fresh, clean, and it filled up his lungs with ease. Even though the sun was still high in the air, the sky was starting to turn a beautiful orange-red. As he reached the edge of Lycandor, he pulled his phone from his pocket and a slow smile ran across his lips.

Erin stretched out her legs on her white sofa and sighed dreamily as she watched her favorite love story on her big screen television.

“What are you watching?” Alex walked into the room, but stopped abruptly when she saw which movie was playing. “Not this again.”

“What?” Erin looked at her, resting her head against the fluffy pillow.

“What is this like the millionth time you’ve watched this?” Alex muttered, dramatically waving her hands in the air.

“Not the millionth.”

“Close enough.” Alex sat down on the couch next to Erin’s and stared at the television in slight disgust. “Can’t we change the ending so that Kelly dies?”

Erin gaped at Alex in disbelief and threw a pillow at her.

“What?” Alex called out in disgust.

“Honestly, Lex! Stop ripping my favorite movie to shreds.”

“Whatever! Here’s your pillow back, you savage!” Alex threw the pillow back at Erin. “Why are you watching this anyway?”

“Because it’s my favorite movie.”

“No, you only watch this when…” Alex snapped her mouth shut and glared at Erin, holding the pillow tightly against her chest. She sighed and Alex shook her head. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“It’s the wolf.”

“What about him?”

“You’ve got that look.”

“What look?” Erin frowned at her blonde friend.

“That dreamy look you always have when you’re-”

“When I’m what?”

“When you’re in way over your head.”

“Come on, Lex. Can’t I just have a dreamy look on my face when I’m watching one of my favorite movies?”

“No, this is different.” Alex shook her head and sat up, her back straight.

“Get real, Lex.” Erin rolled her eyes at Alex.

“Oh my god! I’m right.”

“Alex, stop it.” Erin shook her head and frowned to herself. “Your imagination is running away with you, like it always does.”

“No, I’m right. I can see it in your eyes.”

“And what do you see?”

“You were love-at-first-sighted by a wolf.”

“You’re wrong.” Erin sat up and looked at Alex.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“You’re insane. I was not love-at-first sighted by Sam.” Erin shook her head, and tucked her hair behind her ears. “He is beautiful though. Don’t you think so?”

“I rest my case,” Alex sighed, and made exaggerated hand movements, resembling an orchestra conductor.

“You know what would be a really good idea?” Erin asked, and Alex raised an eyebrow.

“If you killed me now, and spare me the next painful conversation?”

“No, we should go on a double date.”

“How about no?”

“Why not?”

“You’re getting way ahead of yourself here, Erin. Plus, you don’t even know the guy.”

“But you sleep with a different guy every night. You don’t know them.” Erin glared accusingly at Alex.

“That’s totally different. I don’t go on double dates with them…” Alex’s voice trailed slightly. “Well, not the way you go on double dates.”

Erin pulled a disgusted face and cringed. “Oh hell. I didn’t need to know that.”

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two girls and Erin frowned. “I don’t get you.”

“What? I can double date whoever I want.”

“Not that, Lex.” Erin shook her head, trying to get the explicit visual out of her mind. “You told me you thought his friend was hot, and that you’d-”

“He was never hot,” Alex scowled.

“Or maybe he was hot until you realized that he was a wolf,” Erin stated as she raised an eyebrow at her racist friend.

The other thing that the two girls didn’t have in common was the fact that Alex had zero compassion for the wolf race, and completely despised them, unlike Erin. Alex perceived them to be monsters, animals that needed to be controlled or killed – actually in Alex’s mind those two things meant the same thing. In order for them to be controlled, they must be killed. Erin hated the fact that Alex talked about them in such ways, which were the same way that her mother, brother and most of her family and friends spoke about them. Even though she had asked them countless times why they felt this way, she still could not understand why they perceived them as such, as they never gave her legitimate reasons for their animosity against the wolf race. She had never seen them fraternizing with them, so in her opinion, how could they judge something, or someone if they didn’t know them.

The subject of racial disparity deeply perturbed Erin, but there was not much that she could do about it. In Algharakh it was exceedingly dangerous for anyone to question the integrity of Governor Wasilewski, and the way he ruled Algharakh. Also, Erin could not prove her parents, as well as the governor wrong, as her parents would disown her, and the government would kill her, rebelling against her own kind.

The whole race predicament was also heartbreaking to her, as the wolves were easy targets, and the vamps were left free, to do as they pleased, without any rules. They could hurt, harass and kill the wolves as they wished, and nothing would be done. The only justice that existed in Algharakh was completely in the favor of the vamps.

“He was never hot.”

“Hell, you’re so superficial.”

“How am I superficial?”

“You’ll sleep with a guy - or more than one apparently - based on his looks alone, or how big his house is, or what type of car he drives. You don’t get to know them, and if they’re not your preferred race, you discard them. That’s as superficial as they come.”

“That’s not superficial; it’s having a specific kind of taste.”

“That’s the biggest load of nonsense that I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth, and trust me, there’s been a lot.”

“I hope you’re not referring to Lukas, because I’ve been apologizing for the last three decades-”

“I’m not referring to that, Lex.” Erin looked down at her hands on her lap and sighed softly. “You know what, never mind.”

There was a moment of silence and Alex looked over at Erin. “You think he’s going to call you?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I do.”

“Really?” Alex raised an eyebrow at Erin.

“He said he would.”

“And you believe him?”

“Don’t start again, Lex.”

“I’m not starting anything. Maybe he figured out that you’re a vamp and he…”

“And he what?”

“He bailed.”

“I don’t believe that,” Erin said as she shook her head. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know.”

At that moment, Erin’s phone started ringing and she grabbed it from next to her. “I’m not done with you yet.”

“Whatever…” Alex muttered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, rocker girl.”

“What a coincidence, I was just talking about you.”

“Should I be flattered?”

“Maybe,” Erin answered with a smile and she watched as Alex rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch opposite her, with a childish pout. Alex grabbed the bowl of popcorn that was standing on the coffee table and shoved some into her mouth.

“Do you feel like doing something? I’m sick of being stuck indoors on such a pretty day,” Erin asked Sam.

“I was going to ask you that exact same question. Only, I wouldn’t call today a pretty day.”

“Rainy weather is the best kind of weather.” Erin let out a soft giggle and pulled a face at a semi-disgusted Alex.

“I’ll meet you at Specter Hill. We can go for coffee, if you want.”

“That sounds good.”

“Oh, why don’t the two of you get a room?” Alex muttered in the background and Erin rolled her eyes.

“Thirty minutes?” Sam asked.

“That’s perfect, I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon, Erin.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Oh my hell.” Alex pulled a face in utter disgust and shoved another hand-full of popcorn into her mouth, chewing loudly.

Erin sat up and stared at Alex in disbelief. “Why do you have to be like that?”

“Like what?”

“You clearly have a problem with Sam, and you don’t even know him.”

“Neither do you, Erin. He’s a wolf for fuck’s sake!”

“So that’s it then. Once again, you judge him by what he is, without even getting to know him.”

Alex frowned and shook her head, not saying a word.

“That’s what I thought,” Erin nodded. “You’re such a typical vamp.”

“Last time I checked, yes.”

“Forget it. You’re so biased that I can’t even talk to you about this.”

“Erin, the wolves are bad news, you know that.”

“No, I don’t know that. They’ve never done anything to me.”

“You’re such an idealist. It makes me sick,” Alex scowled.

“And you’re such a detrimental asshole, Lex, it makes me want to rip you apart.”

“Whoa, getting aggressive now as well, maybe you and that stupid mutt deserve each other. You can rip one another apart!”

Erin frowned and stood up from the sofa. “I’m not sticking around to listen to your shitty comments!”

“Yeah, you go meet your wolf. You’ll realize exactly what an animal he is, just like the rest of them.” Alex frowned at her.

“You know what, Lex? The ugliest thing that I have ever seen in my 300 years in this world is someone without compassion,” Erin hissed through her teeth and her fangs glistened in the light. “And right now, that someone is you!” Erin marched to the door, grabbed her bag from a nearby table and left, slamming the door loudly behind her.