That’s mine
He walked down the steps to the basement. It was dark. He looked behind if he would see anyone pass by. A whiff in the air. He turned back to the door of the basement. The light is at the center of the room. He pushed open the door and left ajar.
The empty seats were turned over the table. He wanted to leave when he saw a pile of blood on the tiles at the left end of the room. He perceived the presence of a rotten body. It was to place where it was. The room was white, spacious, and empty.
He walked to the right end of the room where he felt the scent strongly. He proceeded to touch the glistening walls. He felt a soft silky cloak. It appeared to be hung on the wall. He took it to look at the inner texture of the apparel for some reason.
The name was tagged-Ophelia. He shuddered with the cloak in his hand. A sheeted carpet dropped next to him. It was camouflaged in white.
He wasn’t spooked by the scenery or the awkward silence. He kicked the carpet. It rolled over to reveal a pale-skinned Eve with her eyes popped wide open. She was sideways, behind her neck punctured with two black holes.
What the hell?
He recognized her from the time she tagged along with the betas into the pinewoods. He was eager to know who she was but he never got close with the deltas. He knew of the existence of the ratchet claw in the Alpha pack but never took action to find them out.
She always had a red scarf tied around her head. She was one of us. They killed her. And now they display her corpse to mortify me. This is a fucking trap. I need to get out of here. Who did this? Who fucking did this?
The carpet was long, it extended to the table. A turned back to meet Ophelia smiling with her arms around herself.
“That’s mine,” She picked her cloak from him and hung it back on the wall. “It was black. Now it’s white. Very odd isn’t it?” she cocked her head at him.
I can take her on.
“You are one of them I see,” he breathed out in relief. “I was told the others… the ratchet claw will be here.”
“You must be Lillard,” she gave out her dark, long-painted fingernails for a shake. He shook her head convinced he was safe. Although still bothered about the blood puddle at the left end of the room.
She turned his face away from the pile of blood. “You look just like Marco,” she squinted drawing his cheek. “Only that you are white,” she pouted.
“Nah… his edges don’t cut deep,” Marco popped behind Lillard leaning against the wall. “And you don’t compare colors jeez. It sounds weird and just not right,” he jerked at the wall.
I don’t think I can take them both in a fight. He looks strong.
“Ophelia can get a little… what’s the word again?” Finley snapped his fingers sitting leg crossed on the center table. “Unhinged yes, with her words,” Finley leaped off the table and folded his palms.
Oh, fuck me. There are three of them.
“With her mind too,” Marco scoffed.
Lillard was concerned and was uncomfortable with Ophelia’s grip on his face. His cheeks were beginning to redden, and her fingers hurt his jaws.
“I want to see Mayfair,” he put her hand down.
He stiffened and stared Finley in the eyes.
Finley nudged and pointed to himself, “You think I know where she is?”
The old witch screwed us over.
“Oof, this wolf boy doesn’t know what’s going on here,” Marco dashed to a steel chair. He turned it down from the center table to sit.
“Why don’t we start over now,” Ophelia straightened Lillard’s collar. “You can come sit with us. Sit with me at least, the boys don’t play nice,” she held his palm.
Lillard knew this wasn’t going to end for him but he played along. He walked to the center table, hand in hand with Ophelia.
“We play nice man,” Marco sprawled out his palms smiling. “Ophelia don’t let the wolf boy think we can hurt him.”
“Completely harmless,” Finley put down a steel chair for him.
I should have seen this coming. I can’t believe this is how I die. Killed by bloodsuckers.
***
They all gestured with jokes around the table. Lillard was cautious of their eyes gleaning off him as they talked.
“On the surface was it?” Ophelia tongued her teeth.
“The fangs went inches deeper,” Marco thumbed the side of his mouth.
“No way,” Finley laughed. “You made contact with the spine?”
“What if I did?” Marco smirked.
“You went down hard,” Ophelia squealed. “You freaking animal.”This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
“He doesn’t hold back when it’s the vulnerable ones,” Finley rubbed his temple. “I mean she was restrained and didn’t chance. I like it when they fight back though.”
“Mm-hmm kinky bastard,” Marco crinkled. “The struggle is annoying.”
Finley raised a glass to Lillard and just kept his eyes on him.
“What’s annoying is that you didn’t let me have in on it,” Ophelia frowned crossing her arms over her chest. “You just went all in alone like you used to.”
“Come on now Ophelia,” Marco furrowed. “She was gone seconds after I went in. And you don’t like dead leftovers so…” he opened out his palms.
Lillard wanted to make a run for it the first chance he got. The door was wide open. His legs were tapping the floor frantically. It was still about ten twenty steps to make it to the door. What good will it do? The bloodsuckers would get to him in the nick of time.
“So guys let’s not leave Lillard out,” Finley drew his chair nearer. “We have got matters to discuss,” he said sternly.
“What do you want to know?” Lillard tensed.
Marco rose from his seat and moved closer to stand next to Lillard. “Relax yourself,” Marco patted him on the shoulders. “You will tell us what you know, then you can go. I cross my heart and hope to die,” Marco smiled slouching his shoulders.
“Tell us what exactly we need to know about Xander Marion,” Ophelia cracked her knuckles. “Every single detail, without missing a thing,” she slammed a fist on the table.
“Easy now Ophelia. He’ll talk, right?” Finley raised a brow.
Lillard adjusted his seat and locked his fingers. To his right, Ophelia narrowed her eyes at him. To the left was the door. In front of him was the sinister hooded blonde. He pulled away from Marco.
“Okay wolf boy,” Marco backed away and sat down. “Get us started on this Alpha…”
Lillard cleared his throat and undid the first three buttons of his shirt. He rolled up his sleeves, raising his right forearm for them to see, “You see this, this a not just a mark of the ratchet claw,” he grinned. “If you guys kill me here. The rest of us will come for you,” he stared into Finley’s blue eyes. “They won’t stop until you are dead.”
“Don’t threaten blue bloods my friend, but okay,” Marco stretched his arm on the table.
“Xander Marion… he is the Alpha of the pack,” Lillard side-eyed Ophelia.
“Of course, we know that already,” Ophelia palmed her face. “Just tell us where he goes and who he goes with,” she clawed her palm slowly down her face.
“The people he moves with,” Finley interjected. “He obviously trusts them. We’ll take them off the board one by one, till it’s the big guy left.”
“I don’t think he is a big thought,” Marco raised a finger. “Just a regular-sized guy like me for real. I imagined
“I am aware,” Finley grunted. “I have encountered him in New York once upon a girl.”
“Well I don’t know about New York,” Marco folded his palms on the table. His eyes questioned Finley. “And upon a girl…?”
“Shut up Marco,” Ophelia snapped. “Carry on Lillard. Just tell us his weaknesses.”
“First and foremost, he always has Joni and many with him,” Lillard breathed out shakily, locking eyes with brute Finley. “And with what Eric tells me… they are hiding something. I can say they were, not since the night of the turning-full moon.”
“So… we get those guys, we know what Xander is hiding?” Marco tugged at Lillard’s folded sleeves.
“We can move out tonight,” Ophelia turned to Finley. “Right?”
Finley observed Lillard wary and fidgeting.
“Anything on your mind?”
Lillard looked up with a swallowed-up confidence.
“Why did you kill her?” pointing at Eve’s corpse on the carpet.
“Oh yeah… her? I knew something smelled like shit in here,” Marco sniffled. “I did. You want to do something about it?”
“No. I just wanted to know why?” Lillard fixed a gaze at Finley.
“She was of no use,” Finley sighed. “There was this Faye she was meant to get close to, but she failed woefully, so that’s it,” he clasped his palms together.
“You guys had a thing?” Ophelia jerked him with a wink.
“I think you want to do something about it,” Marco confronted. “Come on, let me have it,” he pushed Lillard lightly behind the head.
“Let him talk Marco,” Finley slammed the table with a fist. “There is no time for this.”
“There’s no time to die,” Marco whispered into Lillard’s ear. “I’ll tell you when.”
“That’s all I can tell you about Xander,” Lillard rose to his feet. “Can I go now?”
“Bummer,” Ophelia yawned.
“The time is now,” Marco took Lillard by the neck and slammed his head against the table. “It’s gonna strong wolf boy,” he opened his fangs.
Finley dashed towards Marco and shoved him to the ground, “I say when.”
“Yay competition,” Ophelia cheered. “Save me a sip.”
Lillard eyes widened. Finely turned his face up on the table and bit into his neck. He raised his head back in exhale. Lillard was choking on his blood on the table.
“Come have the rest,” Finley smiled to Ophelia.
She hopped on the table and munched down on the beta.
“Fuck this,” Marco walked away with disdain in his eyes. “Just hit me up when we leave,” he threw his hands in the air.