The morning came, and Emma after her random domestic activities set out for school. At the brink of the door Daniel called walking on to her.
"Last evening, where were you at? I called Audrey but she had no idea and your phone wasn't connecting."
"I, I was with Julian," she replied softly.
"What!?" He yelled. "What were you thinking?"
"He'd saved my life before then okay? This angry rhino attacked my car from nowhere, probably was crossing the road."
"There are no wild animals around the nearby forests, they're all reserved away."
"Does it mean I'm lying?" She asked unpleasantly.
"No," he said gentle. "I'm just confused how it ended up there, and even the panther in the forest that night."
"About that night," she raised. "We never spoke much of your part in it. What were you doing there at that time with a crossbow?"
"Uhm. . . I-I," he stammered. "H-hunting."
"You just said animals are reserved away from the nearby forests, contained somewhere maybe. Except you were hunting for something else."
"Yeah," Abel walking down the stairs averred as Daniel hesitated. "Did you know such thing was gonna happen?"
"Come on. . . I was just out in the forest with my crossbow for security against anything, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"On a night of full moon," she said. "And those hookers that pinned the werewolf to the tree, where did those came from?"
"This is ridiculous," he threw hands in the air.
Emma opening her mouth to utter another word seized as her mobile phone rang from an incoming call. She answered and it really was urgent as it required her attention in school.
"We'll continue this when I get back," she made notice and headed out.
"Well, am here, ain't going nowhere so get on with it, answer the question," Abel persuaded.
Daniel deeply breath in and out then headed to the sitting room.
"I'm a hunter," he said.
"Yeah yeah yeah, I think you already said that. Something else this time."
Able walked along, joining him in the sitting room.
"You don't get it, I hunt supernatural creatures like werewolves and vampires."
"Whoa! Hold on right there," he blanched.
"I know Emma said Julian turned into a big bad wolf, but vampires, that's even more creepy and crazy."
"Your mother before she died called me back here," Daniel narrated. "I don't know what, why but she just said she would need me around, here in Shade."
"Wait, mom knew all these?"
"Yes, she was kinda afraid and paranoid, that she made a huge mistake and was afraid it might affect you children. And she knew what I am so she called me back to Shade."
"And you didn't tell us anything about this?"
"I was protecting you, I still am."
"You know that's ludicrous. How the heck are you supposed to protect us from what we don't know? We've being in the dark and not watching over our backs," he rouse up. "So is it creatures like Julian? According to Emma he saved her that night before going totally psycho, and even yesterday. News flash uncle, if he wanted her dead she'll dead by now, and your quest fails, yet he hasn't, why then?"
"I don't know bu. . ."
"I think you do," he cut him short. "He likes her and wouldn't hurt her, and you saw that but your hate for his kind wouldn't allow it. I think you went to that forest that night to kill him, you knew he was gonna be out there somewhere. And I've seen how harsh you treat him when he comes around after the incident, using it as a leverage. It now all makes sense, the cigar you were smoking was meant to harm just him, cos you don't smoke and just started then, and it only affected him, not us."
"So want I'm saying," he added. "You're not really protecting us, you're obviously doing your job, your profession."
On conclusion he turnedand walked away instantly, while Daniel maintained still.
SHADE UNIVERSITY, 4:00PM.
Audrey leaned beside a tree and would temporary winced from pain, and she would sometimes stabilize when someone had passed, wanting to keep to herself. Suddenly she heard footsteps from behind her, so she immediately turned and she made contact with Julian's wolf like face, briefly snarling at her. She hyped back and soon, he became normal and worked forward.
"You don't seem so scared," he said. "Perhaps you've seen me like this before, maybe several."
"Emma told me," she replied a bit nervous.
"Hearing is surprising, but seeing is overwhelming. Yet you're not overwhelmed."
"What do you want from me?"
"You're wounded, I can smell it on you. Let me guess, your rib," he slowly moved to her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she defended moving back.
"Tell me, why, why Emma? She's your friend, shapeshifter. Don't be surprise, one of my gifts. I noticed right from the moment I first shook your hand."
"I have no idea what you're saying Julian," she said drifting away from him slowly.
And just making her way wholly away from the tree, she fastened away from him, while he stood by letting her slide. Even as she crossed path with Emma she ignored and proceeded onwards. Emma however sighting Julian down the way joined him, assuming there might be where Audrey was coming from.
"What's up with her?" She asked on her arrival.
"Same here, wondering you could tell me," he feigned ignorance.
"Well, she'll come around."
"Sure she will," he averred.
"Can I follow you home?" he requested.
"Don't think it's a good idea."
"What, your uncle? Actually I've a message for him to be delivered in person."
She argued no further but averse in taking him along.
POTTER'S RESIDENCE.
Just as feared, on arrival Daniel immediately apprehended Julian as he walked in after Emma.
"Thought I told you to stay away?"
"There's a problem," Julian said. "I don't mean any harm to you all, Shade is my home and I wanna protect it from any danger."
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked looking confuse and so was Daniel.
Abel joined them shortly.
"The animals attacking Emma wasn't a coincidence or some stray animals coming in contact with her."
"The panther and rhino?" She asked.
"And a buffalo, actually the first attack," Julian added.
"W-what first attack?" She looked puzzled. "I don't remember being attacked by a buffalo."
"When you had that car accident that night, I got there and could hear it running into the other side of the forest."
They all froze looking at him, all taken aback.
"What?" She mobled. "You pulled me out?"
"Yeah, I was in the forest when I heard the crash. I rushed there and pulled you out before the car exploded."
Abel then threw a friendly slap across Julian's shoulder and with a single nod of his face, gestured his gratitude and urge as well.
"So. . . About the animals," Daniel broke the sentimental state. "Who sent them, what do they want, why her?"
"It's not 'they' it's 'who'," Julian replied and looked at their faces, one after another.
"Audrey, she's a shapeshifter," he revealed softly.
Silence echoed through the room and once again, their eyes were stuck at him, so curious they were, and even lost on an edge of truth and false.
"Another supernatural?" Abel asked.
"Shapeshifters are rare, very rare," Daniel took the explanation. "They take form of any animal they wish, and they can also increase it's size to what they want, to make them stronger or possess more qualities of the animal form they take."
"No freaking way," Emma finally spoke. "Audrey and I have been friends since year one. After mom died she became my best friend, she wouldn't hurt me even if she was a shape. . . Shape changer."
"Shapeshifter," Julian corrected. "Few days after the full moon did you see her?"
She hated to say 'no' but obviously he was right.
"No," he continued. "She must've been treating herself from the cut I gave her just beside her rib."
"Then why now?" She asked, seeing the possibility and iota of truth. "She had all those years and enough time to kill me, why now that you're protecting me?"
"Only one way to find out," Julian deemed. "You're gonna call her, tell her to meet you in the woods, about. . . About something, maybe a project that concerns school."
"No way," Daniel immediately declined. "You're not suggesting she meet up with that multi animal all alone."
"She won't be alone. Gear up, you just got yourself a big hunt," Julian said.
"How about me, what am I gonna do?" Abel demanded.
"Watch the house," Daniel instructed. "Don't let anyone in or out."
"Come on. . .!" Abel complained dejectedly.
As Emma was heading for the door Daniel walked and grip Julian by the arm and asked, "How did you find out?"
"I got a gift, I can know a supernatural when I touch one."
"So have you told her?" Daniel asked in whispers rolling his eyes towards Emma.
"Told me what?" She immediately asked as the whispers brushed sense to her ears.
"What are you saying about me, tell me?" She persisted.
"You're a white witch Emma, just like your mother," Daniel replied.
"Is this gonna get any less supernatural?" Abel muttered to himself.
"Is this true?" She referred to Julian.
He nodded softly and this left a bemused mark on her face.
"You touched me severally, and I even asked you, yet you lied."
"I'm sorry, you were just not ready to know yet," he held her hand. "But now I think you are."
"That's insane," she scoffed. "I mean, I don't even feel anything, never had."
"How it works is, you have to know and then believe. Now you know, left for you to believe in yourself and you can do wonderful things."
Made it sound scintillating which faded the slow anger that was growing in her. Howbeit, Abel rushed to Julian and got a stiff grip of his hand.
"How about me? What do you vibe, what am I?" He hastily inquired.
"You're a really good watchman, so do well by it and watch the house, will you?"
All his energy and pizzazz instantly fell to zero ground and he disappointedly walked up stairs.
"You better be right," she said and headed out and they went after her, Daniel with weapons he needed.
An hour later, in the woods, while Emma was sitting on a rock Audrey showed up behind her with hands crossed between each other right above her chest.
"What's up Emma?"
Emma tried to hold a steady composure but she couldn't help but feel nervous, especially at the way Audrey was looking at her directly in the face.
"Audrey, glad you made it. Uhm. . . That look isn't usual," Emma blabbed.
"Why don't we just get down to business, shall we?" Audrey asked slowly moving towards her.
"Right," Emma snapped her fingers. "I found something that could help our project an. . ."
"Cut the crap. You can't fool me, I know you now know I've been trying to kill you. I was expecting you to ask why."
"You're my friend," she became sober. "Why, what've I done?"
"It's not you," she moved closer. "You're just the only one left to pay for the sins of your mother."
"What are talking about?"
"Your mother was a white witch and she was involved in a conspiracy which murdered my family, all of them."
"I'm so sorry Audrey," she reached out and placed a hand on her cheek.
"It doesn't matter now," she snubbed the woo and proceeded. "Cos I ordered their deaths along with your parents. That sheep wreck wasn't an accident. And just a month ago I found out that you are also a white witch. I hate witches in whole."
"What?" She mobled softly. "You animal!" She yelled. "I'll kill you."
"You're just one girl, pathetic."
"Who said I was alone?"
Immediately, Julian popped out and landed behind Emma, taking his hand off Daniel, probably gave him a jump there.
"It's over Audrey," Julian said.
"I'm very disappointed in you," Daniel added.
"I knew your boyfriend would be around to save you again so I brought someone his size," she said and snapped her fingers in the air.
In seconds, a huge man showed up from nowhere. His eyes were Stygian dark, his monstrous look was even more horrific than Julian's and even William's. His neck was slightly bent and hairy, his long claws were rough and sharp, and he stood impatiently growling.
"Hybrid," Julian exclaimed.
"Can you take him," Daniel asked.
Julian looked up in the sky and the clouds had almost swallowed the vermilion sun, so he briefly smiled.
"Not alone," he replied as he transformed into his half were self.
"I'll be fighting whatever animal she'll be changing into, so you gonna take him all by yourself."
"The sun will soon go down," he said and didn't wait around for anything, but attacked the hybrid first.
Audrey then took her shirt off and bent down to the ground, rising up, it was now a large angry gorilla, chanting as it beat its chest severally. Daniel then held Emma by the hand and pulled her behind him, and removed his light dual axes.
The gorilla then attacked first while he stood his ground and patiently waited for a good chance to strike. And his fight was more of dodging and cutting, he was in fact too slippery for the gorilla to get. While Julian was a mess, though fierce, his skin was mauled from claws slashes, and Emma sobbed dearly as she watched helplessly.
And soon, the hybrid felt play time was over so dragged Julian to and placed him against a tree. And in just millisecond, Julian felt the air as the hybrid was whooped away from his sight.
"What took you so long?" He asked as his wounds were slowly and gradually healing back.
"Just wanted to let your ass whooped first," William with his evil smile on. "Just like old times, shall we?"
"After you."
At that moment, Emma enjoyed the view of what is called 'ass kicking' of the hybrid by the two brothers.
Soon, Daniel was caught up by a swing from the gorilla and collided so hard on a tree. The gorilla as well ready to pound him with its fist.
"Stop!" Emma yelled rushing on.
The gorilla however averted its intentions and walking to Emma changed back to her normal human nature, and was completely naked.
"Perhaps, he should watch you scream just like your parents did," Audrey said and transformed back to her immediate formal self.
Daniel made to stand but was still hurt, Julian turned and saw but was too far to intervene, nevertheless, they both took their chances in saving her. The gorilla then rushed at her with fury.
"Ah. . .!" Emma screamed hiding her face in the shield of her hands, and a bright, blinding light stroke the gorilla away to a tree and back to her human form.
Everyone was shock, speechless, until the sound of thud broke the mute as William dropped the heart of the hybrid.
They further proceeded to Audrey laying naked on the ground, coughing but at least well enough to take a punch.
"It's all over Audrey," Emma said softly
"What are you waiting for," she struggled to talk. "You just discovered what made your mother a killer."
"I'm not my mother," she bent down to her. "I'll spare you. Leave Shade, and never come back. Now you know I'm not defenseless myself."
"Wait, we're not gonna eat her?" William inquired releasing his fangs, for a moment he thought meal was served.
They ignored and all turned back to leave. But Once, Audrey feeling indomitable gushed up at Emma transforming into a large snake, but Julian got a grip of her neck and throttled her back to normal, then the swift sound of her neck snapped came after.
Emma still felt remorse and heart broken, she wished things hadn't turn out the way they did. Daniel couldn't be any less grateful to Julian for they shook hands in harmony. William, not very much, for their first meeting was violent so they weren't that into solidarity.