"So, you want to become… a detective? Working for… humans?"
His response was a chuckle. "Well, not exactly for humans, more like alongside them. I do have my own plans and as much as I think it is a long shot. It is the best thing I can think of to gather intel."
"You must be crazy," Ivy blurted out. "What if they figure you out? You will be working in close proximity with detectives. Detectives!" She repeated the word a second time in hopes that he would see reason.
This time he laughed. "You're only looking at the negatives. The positives are also there and they are just as important."
Ivy swallowed hard, the logic of his plan slowly sinking in. The risks were undeniable but so were the advantages. This wasn't what she was expecting. She had skipped class to come and meet with him, but she wasn't expecting this.
"But what about exposure?" she persisted with trembling in her voice. "If you do get in and someone figures you out, what then?"
Charles merely shrugged. "I'll let life take its course. I deal with the consequence… it's as simple as that. Besides I don't plan on barging through the door with fangs bared. I am quite perfect at hiding my identity and I am not as clumsy as a certain someone in this room."
Ivy couldn't help but blush at the playful jab. It was moments like these, where he shed his traditional brooding demeanour for light teasing. She gradually found herself wondering about him in a way she wouldn't.
"Look," Charles said, voice softening and his gaze meeting her with an unmatched intensity. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. "I'm not doing this for glory or some misplaced sense of heroism. I am doing this for the city. I have finally seen a place I would like to settle in and I wouldn't want it to fall to ruin. I have seen good vampires and I have seen bad vampires. I have seen good wolves and I have seen bad ones. Likewise there are good humans and there are bad ones. There isn't a singularly perfect species and for that reason I would like to help rid the world of the bad ones for the sake of peaceful coexistence."
"Why?" she whispered, the question tumbling from her lips before she could stop it.
He hesitated for a moment, allowing emotion to cross his face before it vanished into nonexistence. "I don't have all the answers Ivy, but I do know one thing – good people deserve better than this: to live in fear of one day dying unnaturally. Vampires have control, but they don't always like to exercise it. People deserve to live in a world without the constant fear of violence."
Ivy's heart ached with a mixture of emotions. She didn't know what to make of it but a doubt began to gather in her heart concerning the members of her pack. His words sounded so genuine and she wondered how someone considered to be dangerous would be able to say such words. She wondered what he must have gone through to become the person he was.
"Alright," she finally breathed, "I'll talk to my pack. But you stay out of it. If they find out you're involved, they've already given a command for your capture. The pack alpha wants to meet with you and…"
"Ah," he muttered, a slow smile making its way to his face, "Mason was it?"
The face that Ivy made was just surprising.
"Don't ask how I knew it, I have my ways. Now how about we put that face to good use? You could learn a thing or two about defending yourself."
Ivy's eyes widened. "Defending myself? Against who? You're not suggesting… werewolves?"
Charles shook his head. "I didn't say anything, you did, and I'm talking vampires. You know, razor-sharp fangs, superhuman strength that can be above a wolf unless transformed… you need to learn how to deal with them."
At that instant, Ivy swallowed deeply. Images of Michael flashed before her eyes and she felt fear.
"Alright," she said conceding, "teach me."
Charles leaned back in his chair, satisfied with her conviction. "That's the spirit! Now let me pick up where I left off… the little knowledge I have been able to gather about the ties between werewolves and vampires…" he began to explain beyond the tale he had told her earlier.
As the afternoon sun dipped below the horizon, painting the room in a golden light, Ivy listened intently. Charles spoke of ancient tales and even blood-soaked rituals. The sudden reveal painted the vampires in a far more dangerous light.
"So why can't you just reveal yourself to the pack?" she interjected at a point, the question that had been lingering in her mind. "Perhaps together, we could find a better solution, a more…"
Charles' smile vanished, replaced by a mask of silence. "Let's just say," his response was one devoid of his usual warmth and emotion, "the pack operates by a different set of rules, a hierarchy I don't exactly fit into. Trust me Ivy, it's safer this way."
Ivy studied his features for a moment, his response leaving a nagging feeling in her gut. It came as instinct, but she knew better than to push him. There were clearly things in his past that he was rather reluctant to share.
She sighed as she conceded to him once again. "Fine, but promise you will be careful. I don't need another near-death situation on my hands."
A playful smile graced his features. "Relax Ainsworth. I'll be fine, so you just focus on taking care of yourself and your family. After all, you are the clumsy one here."
The added light chuckle at the end caused Ivy to blush as she looked away quite embarrassed. She suddenly turned to leave.
Charles caught her arm before she could reach the door. "Oh, and one more thing. Before you head off to the pack council, remember… keep our little alliance a secret. No need to raise eyebrows just yet."
Ivy nodded. She understood him quite well. "Your secret's safe with me."
As she stepped out into the cool evening air, the weight of responsibility settled on her shoulders. But this time, it wasn't a burden she carried alone. She had Charles, a friend, an ally and something more stirring within her heart.
The walk home was a flurry of thoughts. She could feel his gaze on her and it gave her a sense of safety. Michael's attack had left her feeling anxious and nervous but the knowledge that he was watching her washed away all of those feelings. His training, she felt would be very beneficial to her though she couldn't hide the fact that the possibility of getting into a fight seemed scary.
Reaching her house, Ivy found her father and brothers gathered in the living room, the remnants of a very tense discussion hanging heavy in the air. She filled them in on the events at school, detailing the attack.
Her brothers predictably reacted with outrage. Ashton slammed his fist on the table. "Michael seems to be pushing his luck. I say we hunt him down, once and for all."
"Down Ashton. There's more to vampires that meets the," their father said, a thoughtful look creasing his brow. "Presently, Michael is a new student at Ivy's school, no doubt he has blended in and no doubt that he has the school administration eating out of his hands. You see, Vampires have a special ability unique to them that allows them manipulate people."
Ivy knew what the ability was because Charles had explained everything at length to her. She opted not to say anything but instead mouthed the words as her father said them.
"Mind compulsion." This however was not unnoticed by Colton, but he kept quiet about it.
"I think it is safe to say that we will be adding patrol to the school grounds at night. You boys will be participating in it."
"What about me?"
Her father looked at her for a long moment, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and a deep concern. "Stay safe, Ivy. That's the most important thing. We will handle this."
She didn't push the issue, not because she wasn't concerned about participating, but because she was already involved in a way that they were not aware of. She excused herself to go to her room.
Alone in the quiet of her space, she fought the urge to contact Charles. It seemed a bit too early since she just left his house. She finally gave in and sent a message to him.
Hello. – Ivy
Didn't know you'd be missing me early. I thought you'd at least be able to hold on till the morning. – Charles
Ivy felt heat reach her cheeks at the message.
Just trying out the number is all. – Ivy
Thought as much. I'll send you a message in the morning. – Charles
Where would we hold the training? – Ivy
My place, and I hope you've gotten rid of the paper I wrote my address on. – Charles
Pretty much. – Ivy
Good. That would be all. – Charles