Juliet
Every time I woke up the last few months, something monumental had happened. The weather was changing, and the sun was hotter than ever that year. I couldn't wait to go to France, where it would snow for months. The sun would just leave me alone, everything would be different, and I would be away from it all. I didn't have my cell phone. My wristwatch said midday. I didn't jump up—there was no point. There wouldn't be one-on-one time for Chris and me. Nicholas was going to tell him everything. He didn't remember we slept together or that I manifested in front of him; it was like we took three steps back. It might as well be the day after the letter for him. His heart still resolved that our love was not written on the stars—the worst word choice—ones I would never forget.
Lying there, I tried to think of anything other than Chris… But the only other thing was Charlene and the baby and telling Ben. Carl, so much as confessed, he is also some creature… The only ones left to think about were my parents… and Louis, who I didn't want to think about at all. After all the people in my life, it was France… I looked forward to getting on the plane, wondering if Louis still wanted to go. I would have to ask if we were still welcome on his estate. Or maybe he would allow us to live there if he wanted nothing more to do with me. I really didn't want another guy in my life who didn't know how he felt about me.
The only other thing I could do was judge Sita's house and why she was the way she was. It was well kept, and the decor feminine. It meant Nicholas had a wife or daughter who was the opposite of Sita. Her cold city ways were nowhere near the cozy, homely décor of the house. When I went into Chris's home, it was like walking into a magazine cut-out—sleek and chic with lines everywhere, "I wonder what made her that way. And what happened to her parents," I whispered.
"Come out, and I'll tell you," Francis said outside my door. "Come on, wake up. We are all bored to death. Chris is out walking after their talk… So we're all waiting for you."
I did get up and slowly went outside, still a little afraid of being in a strange house. I stood around the corner that would lead to the kitchen. I smelled the food and raw meat. The last time I fed was with Louis. It felt like forever ago. I couldn't eat the human food; it would just get stuck in my throat. I held my hand in front of my mouth. Francis jumped around the corner, "When was the last time you ate!?"
"Too long ago… Food wasn't on my priority list the last two weeks."
"We have to sort that out," A voice came from the front door. Nicholas wobbly walked through on his cane.
"Morning, Mr. Moore."
"Morning, Juliet. How did you sleep?"
"Very well, thank you. I haven't slept like that in a long time."
"I'm glad… I will let Francis sort you out with some real food. Or do you want to go home?"
The question struck me. I didn't know what to say.
"No! Stay Juliet!" Francis said. "We need some entertainment and would love to take you out to dinner. It's a rough weekend for you and Chris. You guys need this little break here in the mountains." I rewarded Francis with a smile and nodded. He was cute but already in his twenties. A lot like me. We would never grow up.
"Does he remember anything yet?" I asked.
"No, nothing," Francis said.
It felt like… If Chris didn't remember today or even before I got on that plane… our whole relationship would be over. The idea of saying goodbye to Chris again… was too much for me to think about. I wanted to stretch out the time we had left— just a little longer.
Nicholas turned back to go outside, "Juliet, you're more than welcome to stay… When Chris comes back, we will have to continue our discussion anyway. Francis take her northwest. Jack, you go too. Away from the last pickup, see what you can get from the vampire family there."
I thought about Jenny. Chris's face when he found out about me killing people for food. I almost wanted to stop eating altogether, but my instincts would kick in before that happened. Only thinking about Jenny in the alley that night made me manifest—right there in the kitchen.
"Can I come with," a voice said behind me.
I didn't hear Chris coming up the porch steps. Going invisible was my defense mechanism and the one I chose at that moment. Francis laughed at me. I quickly came back in front of him and punched his shoulder just to disappear again... "Ouch! Boy, but you're ugly."
I hid behind the counter on my haunches, trying to rid myself of that face. I was at Jack's feet, "Like you mutts are any prettier?" Jack kicked me, and I laughed. I liked Jack. He was a lot like Carl. Quiet all the time.
I didn't have a clear look at Chris Friday; what I could remember was his size. His face was like ours but different, a weird combination—more sleek and sophisticated. His ability was teleporting. He had the strength of a vampire and a werewolf combined. The body of a wolf; the claws, feet, and muscles.
"Juliet, how long are you going to do this? Chris asked.
"Maybe you should give me two weeks?" I said in a sarcastic tone.
How would he feel when he manifested in front of me for the first time? Or if I was there when he killed his first person. I hoped he would think about what I was saying. That he would realize that somewhere, we spoke about the ultimatum he had given Sita. "I already know most of what happened Friday and what's going on," Chris said.
"No," I snorted, "You don't… you have no idea!" I swallowed the lump in my throat, still getting sick of the smell in the kitchen, "Jack, what the hell are you cooking! It's disgusting."
"Tripe," he kicked me again.
"Do that again… I dare you!" I flinched at him, challenging him. He smiled down at me. He was attractive and knew his way around the kitchen. But there were no women around. I wondered why. No one really wanted to get involved with the humans. The werewolf pool was low—almost non-existent.
"What you gonna do about it," Jack said, gritting his teeth. I bit him on his leg. He laughed and shook me off.
***
Chris
Nicholas patted me on the back, "Come, Chris. We need to finish our conversation. They have to eat and leave. If she is that unstable, she might eat us all," my face did not think it was funny. Nicholas laughed at me, "I'm joking." He opened the door and turned to me, whispering, "I don't think she's comfortable with you seeing her like that yet."
Juliet had changed into something, and she was afraid of my reaction, "When you come back, we have to talk," I said.
Juliet muttered under her breath… It was probably something snarky. A smile played on my lips… Juliet was really there, and all of it was really happening. I left her and followed Nick outside, helping him sit down. I could hear Juliet and the brothers still joking. She fit in better with them than Sita ever had. Juliet was going to take a shower. The boys would eat, and the three would make their 'run.'
I had heard Nicholas call her a vampire. The concept hadn't sunk in yet, not even after my very long walk. Fangs and drinking blood; 'The run' they would make involved killing—but what? I knew she was different… even so… vampires and werewolves… weren't what I had in mind. "What happens if she doesn't eat?"
"We die… Juliet needs the blood, and we need the meat."
"What do you eat… Don't tell me she needs to drink blood like in the movies… And why can she walk around in the sun?"
Nicholas sighed heavily, "Really, Chris? I'm too old for this."
I lifted my hands in the air.
"Yes, she kills people. We all do… We eat them… she drains their blood." I tried to be quiet… "When you're faced with the choice… Your animalistic nature will take over, and you will see the natural instinct... Not much you can do about it."
"Is there no other way? Animal blood? Cows?"
"It doesn't work. We have tried. It helps for a while, but we always end up sickly and eventually dying."
"Juliet will die if she doesn't eat?" I said it out loud. The concept of Juliet dying or another person seemed so foreign. That live-or-die world of theirs was daunting and scary.
"It's a full-time job having a creature child… but I won't tell you about that just yet… As we grow older, we need to feed less regularly… Juliet is still so young. It is a wonder she isn't provided for every week."
"A creature child… Sita didn't want to sleep with me… because she knew what I was."
"No, that's not it!" Nicholas took a deep breath, "I told you it was all planned that Sita would marry you. We needed a werewolf to mate with the hybrid to see if it would produce any offspring. Shed light into genetics or maybe save our race… even if we weren't—"
"Pure anymore… Or even if it didn't work," my anger was climbing up a ladder again—only talking about Sita. "You played me… And then? Why didn't she do what she was supposed to?" I laughed at the irony, "Our relationship would've been totally different if she could just sleep with me… Why would she commit to saving your race and then cop out being undercover? No, don't tell me. Sita took enough from me. If it wasn't for her, I would've—"
Nicholas's eyes narrowed, "You would have pursued Juliet?" I ran my fingers through my hair, agitated… It didn't matter what he said. I would have to let go of the last three years of my life. Sita wasn't the trigger that made me change into whatever I was. Juliet had been.
Nicholas got a message on his phone asking me to read it.
Sita { Another cub was taken. The Thompson's little girl. I am on my way there }
Nicholas continued to tell me all I needed to know. About how brave Juliet had been. I remembered how she came to school after her 'accident.' She wasn't sick, she almost died… That was the morning Louis was at school for the first time.
Nicholas told me to go look at the laptop in his study and to take all the time I needed. Sita had sent him an email with a file attached. It was of a creature being carried by other creatures into… my house. I at least knew how the mess came about… They placed me on the bed, or what I supposed was me. Then Sita… changed back into a human on video. I whistled. That was stuff that changed the world. Eight billion humans—how many were creatures? Nothing could have prepared me to see myself change like that, back to my human self. Sita was sitting on the bed, checking a laptop, but it wasn't her personal one. She placed it on the bedside table, got up, and left. She had seen something that made her go. I have been monitored like that for years. How many cameras did they have on me, and where was that laptop?
***
Juliet
Before we left, I stood at the door to the study, watching Chris. His whole life was changing right in front of him. I was resigned that maybe that was the better way, not my way Friday night. Only thinking about him and I made my heart swell. I waited a moment to see if he would look up. Make eye contact with me like we always did, hoping the same thing would be written in them. The same thing they said in the car. Maybe something more? That after the divorce papers and throwing away the ring, he would at least consider us—I cleared my throat. The corner of his mouth lifted, but he didn't look up, "I know you're there. I'm not stupid."
"Could've fooled me," his smile broadened, "I like seeing you smile, Chris."
Francis came and picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, "Enough, you two." I didn't see if Chris's eyes shot up or not.
***
Louis
It was another little town with almost no people and a few big cities close by. That seemed to be the norm for creatures not living in a community. A place to feed and one to hide away in. The police were too swamped with actual crime to worry about a homeless guy going missing. The Thompsons were also on a smallholding. The little cub was taken late at night without anyone hearing or smelling a thing. I hadn't spent any time trying to find the guy; I was too busy with Juliet, and that meant another child was taken.
His last house was modern, with serious security, well-hidden, and far off the grid. He frequented brothels and hired cars. None of that information had yielded any results for Samuels' guys. No one knew where he would go next or how he got the children out of a house full of werewolves.
I was outside the residence, walking the grounds, looking for anything to help with how he got away so fast… When Sita parked her car, I sighed immediately. The two of us working together would cause me unnecessary trouble. She strutted up towards me in a chic pencil skirt and silk top. Reading her thoughts… they weren't nice about me either. It suited me. I decided not to read her again for the length of time we would be working together. Felt like I was cheating on Juliet—being inside, Sita. My shoulders shook at the idea, "New look for you?" I commented.
"Some things are better in the city." That was right… Mr. Tailored, or shall I rename him, Rodrigo Gonzales, liked suits—costly suits. He was taken from Spain as a boy and smuggled in on a ship, forever to be an infected vampire. Serving as a slave in the compound to the superior race. The only reason they couldn't escape was the desert that lasted for miles. All around. They couldn't go out in the sun… So, the compound was a sort of prison for them. Would love to know how… No, I will keep him Mr. Tailored, for Juliet… Would love to know how Mr. Tailored did it back then. He was the first and last to escape. Someone must have helped him on the inside.
Thinking of Juliet made me look at my phone. Messages from Liam and Cindy but nothing from that woman who drove me crazy. I couldn't resist, so I sent her a text. I was officially a shmuck in love, sucking up to a girl who slept with someone else.
Me { Another cub was taken… Solving cases without you. Wish we could have done this one together. I haven't left you… Never will. Bye, Baby. Stay Safe… Let me know if I should send takeout. Some— is waiting at my house… If you go home }
It bothered me that she had not eaten and shut off her phone. She was learning fast. And if she wanted to, she could really disappear. Even I would have a hard time finding her.
I wanted to know what the werewolves planned to do with Chris for the next three weeks. If they were taking precautions. But anyway, I had other things to worry about. A cub was stolen, and I had hours to find him. There was nothing to do but start calling everyone I knew and everyone I didn't. Describing suits to every tailor I talked to. Ultimately, I found the guy, but he wouldn't speak over the phone. He was three hours away. He would probably not spill anyway or know more than 'That the guy was strange. In and out. Quirky. Only came out at night.' All I wanted to know was if he had seen him recently. His answer was 'no.'
To look for another house would be pointless. Just because he had one previously didn't mean he wasn't in some basement at that moment. Seemed like his kidnappings went along with a night of fun… I knew of him having a bag at the motel two times. Brothels were easier to track. I called the one person I really didn't want to… And who picked up in two rings… not like Juliet… My lips trilled out of frustration. I needed to put on my game face before I talked to Jacklin.
"Hello, Darling. Have you reconsidered yet? Or are you still after that little young thing?"
"You know I wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency… Do you have any motels up North? Like the one I saw you in last time?"
"Of course…"
"Any funny, quirky clients who need new cars delivered every time?"
"Are you still after that infected vamp?"
"It's a wonder the compound hasn't come a-knocking, Jacklin! You having known what he was. You know they aren't allowed in public, yet you… entertained him."
"Yes, I was surprised as well. Thought I would get a visit by now. Maybe something to do with how he got out in the first place," Jacklin said, and she had a point. Something wasn't right, but that was a mission for another day.
"So, are you going to call your managers? And call me back in, say… Ten minutes?"
"What! No! Why should I help you?"
"I know you have no love for the werewolves… And that's why you did nothing when he was kidnapping kids… But another one was taken… And I'm asking nicely." She didn't say anything. "What do you want, Jacklin?" She didn't answer. "Let's just say that I owe you one? How about that? A holiday at my house in Paris, maybe?"
"Bloomingdale street, west end… While you were selling your soul, I had to send two messages to get you what you wanted."
"Thank You, Jacklin."
"You have not answered me."
"About what?"
"You still after that—"
I cut her off, "Don't call her that."
"So, it's a yes… What is it about her? For two hundred years, girls have been falling over you. Wanting you and no one was ever good enough."
Just thinking about Juliet made my heart beat a little faster. Worrying about her made me anxious and irritated. Her kissing me was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I knew that if I had Juliet on my side, I would lack nothing—ever again. If she gave all of herself… I would never be alone again. She is special. Her good opinion was all that mattered. And that was my goal… at all costs. I wanted her… Charlene was right… I had it bad… And love wasn't something you could sum up in a sentence. Or pinpoint… Jacklin didn't deserve the explanation anyway. She wouldn't even be on the list of possible candidates if Juliet never spoke to me again. Not that there was a list. "That much, huh?" she said after my lengthy silence.
"Yeah... That much."
"Well, go get your guy… Hurry, the only one that resembles this description has an appointment tonight."
I hung up the phone and walked up to Sita, and we were on our way. I was going to need help, and I didn't want to go alone. We would have only one shot. Just maybe he was still there.
***
Juliet
"Hey guys, can I borrow a phone," Francis gave his willingly.
I quickly changed sims to see what was going on. I was assaulted by the number of messages from my parents, Carl, Charlene, Mandy, and even one from Louis. I opened his first, curious to hear what he had to say.
"Louis is going to help with the Cub," I said excitedly.
Francis and Jack commented on the fact that Sita would be there. My nose wrinkled in disdain. "You don't like Sita, do you?" Francis asked. I shook my head. I reread the message. It was sweet, and Louis did care. He had some poor guy tied up in his house, just waiting if I might go home. I felt bad. It did feel like I cheated on him. No… I did cheat on him. And… Chris didn't even remember… I would do anything for Louis to hold me and tell me everything would be okay… Because Chris sure wasn't going to. I might have thrown away a real chance with Louis.
It took so much connection for Chris to break and let go. I sighed at the thought of going through that again and whether it was worth it. After we had sex, Chris was going to say something to me. I thought he would say that everything had changed for him. That maybe he could perceive to utter the words 'I love you.' Everything was getting a bit much for me. I couldn't wait to get on that plane and start over.
I sent Louis a message:
Me { Hey. All is well. Have some dogs taking me out to dinner. Not so mad anymore. Kind of missing you. Still, feel bad. More guilty than anything else. I am SORRY Louis… I hate misunderstandings. Anyway… Will you let my parents know? Don't feel like talking to them. Finding out more from the mutts than my mom, dad… or YOU. You've probably already figured out where I am. Thanks for giving me space. Just need some time. But if we still go to France… we will have to do a 180! }
I didn't really know or plan the future. I wasn't trying to keep Louis on a string or lead Chris on. And I wasn't forcing anyone to stay with me… I was just living one day at a time. I almost died Friday. Twice in the last month… That thought alone was surreal and made me a little more open to possibilities. Francis blasted the radio. We had only fifteen minutes or so to go.