The Beasts of Baye Road

Blanca & Gianna

'Never go there. It's forbidden territory for safety reasons of course.' Anneska's gaze travelled across the road to the garden of the dead.

Trees with long boney fingers extended across the metal gate to grab unsuspecting people.

Tall grass hid some of the graves and clung to the headstones. Forgotten families rest in mausoleums.

In a garden that seemed anything but peaceful.

'Why? It's just a cemetery Anneska?' Gianna asked.

Anneska narrowed her eyes at the ghastly place. Under the sun the place still snared at people. Creatures with red eyes and deadly appetites lived in those mausoleum. Thanks to the rules of the sun darkness could not have its blood.

'I wish it was Gianna. It's the territory of the strigoi who ever wanders there will not come back.'

'Strigoi? As in vampires?' Blanca shivered. Anneska nodded then smiled. She didn't want them running off after just receiving them.

'Yes, but they have boundaries as long as you don't wander where they are free everything will be fine.'

They left the cemetery behind. Blanca couldn't help but feel eyes burning the back if her head. Baye Road was almost exactly as her mother said. Dark and ominous. Most of the houses looked over a hundred years old just like the trees that towered over her.

There were threats at every corner, how would Blanca protect Gianna?

Anneska had them walking through allies and taking short cuts through woods before they finally arrived at cottage with a fence made of strangler plants with nasty thrones.

A woman with round glasses and curly brown hair ushered them in and locked the door behind them.

'Are these your girls?' She asked.

Anneska nodded. Blanca stared at the rooms strange decor. Stuffed animals hung up, skin rugs and cat antiques. Her furniture was brown. There didn't seem to be anyone else living there. Blanca did spot picture of the woman with a man. It didn't feel evil quite warm actually.

'Follow me.' The woman said.

They descended wooden stairs to a hall with three doors. The woman unlocked the door at the end of the hall. It had one bed and a lamp on a bedside table nothing else not even a window.

'No one knows about these rooms and I had a friend of mine charm the place so no one can scene her while she's down here.'

'Thank you Kathleen.' Anneska said.

Kathleen rubbed her sweaty palms, her eyes darted to the door as if expecting someone to barge in at any moment.

'It's the least I can do. I want these beasts gone! I fear they'll find me out here some say they're immune to protection magic.'

The beasts of Baye Road killed Kathleen's husband while surveying the city parks. He was a guardian wolf. He stood no match for the eight foot tall monster. Kathleen was a witch but her power had been drained with all the protector spells she'd been performing over the house and herself.

'I'll be stuck here then?' Gianna landed on the hard bed.

'You can leave when you want but you have to be very careful. We wouldn't want the beasts to get to you before we have a chance to actually fight back.' Kathleen quivered.

'This isn't Alaska Gianna you have to be careful! ' Blanca warned. Gianna rolled her eyes.

'I'm serious Gianna, no parties anymore. You can't just disappear when you want.'

'Your sister's right. You're our only hope young lady. '

Gianna puffed. She thought living with their Mom was bad.

'We'll be in touch Kathleen.' Anneska turned to the door. Blanca held Gianna in her arms and squeezed her tight.

'Be safe okay?'

'Yes Blanca! Don't worry you'll give yourself a headache.' Gianna chuckled nervously.

Blanca sighed and was about to leave when Anneska turned back to Gianna with a death stare.

'Remember Gianna under no circumstances can anyone know you're the white wolf.'

They were far from the cottage when Blanca finally spoke to her aunt Anneska. Anneska was her mother's only sister.

'Anneska is this place really safe? Shouldn't we have waited in Alaska until you figured out who the traitor was?' Blanca crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders.

A breeze zipped through Anneska's platinum hair. Her blue eyes darted to the trees. Even they could be working against them. Things were only getting worse in Baye Road.

The sooner they found the traitor the better they might even discover the wolf charmers hide out.

'These are dangerous times Blanca. My allies and I wanted to have the white wolf close. But at least here Gianna can roam around in her wolf form freely. The locals here are accustomed to seeing werewolves and have been for over a hundred years. They know the werewolves are their protectors.' She smiled.

Large werewolf packs settled in Baye Road centuries ago.

They lived peacefully among humans then the strigoi arrived and began feasting on the locals. The werewolves caught back. The guardians were formed they established boundaries for the vampires and secretly allowed the to feed on humans. Then wolf charmers arrived and destroyed most of the clans and used some the werewolves to create the beasts of Baye Road.

They faced a monster that held a part of them in its veins.

They came out of the woods and abandoned the allies they used to get there. They turned to the main road where bikes and cars flashed by. They continued until the reached a fork in the road. The other path lead to strigoi territory and the other led straight to the Castle. Unhealthy grey grass grew as high as trees and trees bent low to the ground on the path to the Castle.

'Is there anything else I should worry about other than vampires?' Blanca asked.

'The beasts of Baye Road of course and the wolf charmers but we can never really tell when it's them. '

The Castle premise were supposed to be safe but she couldn't be too careful.

They arrived at the ten foot tall front gate. The golden howling wolf creast felt welcoming to Blanca like a call to home. Beyond it a manor that threatened to touch the sky with fields healthy and wide. It had over twenty rooms and a hundred twists and turns. So many secrets that people died to know.

'Blanca remember we don't trust the guardians yet . Okay? There's a traitor among them that's working with the wolf charmers to destroy the werewolves. Don't say anything to anyone and don't trust anyone either. Understand?'

Blanca nodded. 'Of course.'

Dead eyes of wolf gargoyle's watched Blanca as she walked into the manor. A heavy door with the wolf's face gave way for them. Her boots clicked against the white marble floor. A Painting of wolves calling to the moon was hung in the hallway across from a painting of a wolf with its paw on a vampires head it's fangs stained with blood.

'You'll have time to explore the Manor thoroughly later. '

Blanca followed Anneska to the kitchen. It was bigger than her living room in Alaska. The floor was made of black marble. The counters sparkled and every appliances was stainless steel. In a house as old as this one she didn't expect it to be so advanced. She half expected to find a oven run by coal in here. An isle partly divided the roomroom the massive window over the sink gave a beautiful view of the back ground.

'I believe the young master is still out he's part of the guardians and his father Jurgen Flik is the leader. He was once a great leader but he's slowly losing his soul.' Anneska lost her train of thought. The thought of a powerful wolf brought to his knees was frightening.

'I didn't know werewolves could get sick.' Blanca said.

Anneska shrugged. 'He hasn't been the same since his wife was killed. He can only die if he allows himself at this point he might be heading that way.' She moved to the sink, struggling to compose herselfherself before she continued.

'The guardians live here too but they aren't always present. I want to tell you there are areas off limits but I'll need you to search the entire mansion for clues of who the traitor might be. Listen in on every conversation you can. The meetings held upstairs in the library. But when the masters are around, their rooms are off limits, the basement isn't to be entered and the cellars are off limits. There are secret passages in this old house and I've only managed to discover a few. Some lead to tunnels under the city. '

Blanca nodded, hoping she wouldn't get lost.

'Other than that you'll help me cook, clean, wash and dust and some errands. I do hope I don't wear you down by the end of this all.' Anneska smiled. She had her sisters smile Blanca noticed.

A bell sounded in the kitchen. Anneska grabbed her pink apron on a hook and threw Blanca another one.

'It's time for the master's tea. He's been sick in bed all morning. I'll take care of him so you don't have to worry.'

She grabbed cups, spoons and a tray to take upstairs. Anneska had worked for the Guardians for years. She knew everything that happened in the house. The people there trusted her, but she'd come to mistrust them. One of them was a monster responsible for the deaths of her people.

'Oh Blanca, you do know how to clean right?'

Blanca shrugged. 'I've worked in people's homes before and they never complained.'

'Good we might be on a mission but I do like a clean house. ' Anneska lifted the tray and took it upstairs.

***

Time seemed to fly by and soon the sky blended into darkness and the moon rose. The house was still and quiet even Anneska was no where to be seen. She'd walked the manor twice she believed and couldn't remember where she'd been. She'd ended up back at the same spot two times.

None of the guardians had been to the house yet. Blanca wandered what they would do once the guardians discovered Gianna was the white wolf.

'Can't they just find another white wolf?' Blanca whispered to herself.

She pushed the heavy door open and stepped into the moon lit yard. The blue moon shone so bright. Its light on her skin awoke a need in her that would never been fulfilled.

She sighed. 'What am I even doing out here?'

The full moon was just so enticing. With the full moon still in mind she dashed back to her bedroom to find her phone. The servant rooms were downstairs.

'Gianna. '

'It's about time you answered the phone! I need to go and I need to go now?! '

'I know I'm sorry I forgot. But where do we go?'

'I don't care Blanca I just have to run or else I'll become a wolf right here in Kathleen's basement.'

Blanca shut her eyes and bit her tongue her sister was so difficult. Anneska said the locals were accustomed to wolves but Gianna was a white wolf and they hadn't had one in Baye Road before. Word would spread like wild fire and the guardians would know or worse the wolf charmers. She didn't come here to get her sister killed.

'I'm coming to get you just hold it in.'

'Easy for you to say.'

Blanca ended the call. She hammered on Anneska's bedroom door, hoping she'd be there. Anneska gradually opened the door and poked her head out.

'Blanca? '

'Anneska tonight's the full moon.'

'Right! How could I forget. When you get as old as I you learn to control the urge to run under the moon. I personally never liked it. ' Anneska frowned.

'She needs to go now!''

'Take my car but you can't go to the local parks or woods. Drive out

west.'

The woods out west were thick and vast. Far from human homes and far from the beasts for Blanca to be out late. Gianna might be able to protect herself against them but not Blanca.

'Did you carry spare clothes?' Blanca gripped the stirring wheel her knuckles turned white.

'Oh no I forgot! '

'Gianna! ' She nearly slammed on the breaks.

Gianna laughed. 'Calm down Blanca that's the third time you asked. This isn't my first run.'

Blanca parked the car by the side of a dirt road that lead into the forest. It was as far as it would go. The trees were made clear by the blazing moonlight. Gianna jumped out of the car before Blanca.

'See you later! ' Gianna leaped over a massive rock before she hit the ground her clothes shred from her skin replaced by silky fur covering her from head to toe. White fur that glimmered under the silver moonlight. Her blue eyes were the only reminder of the girl that was once there.

Gianna landed on the ground and vanished into the woods before Blanca could say another word. A haul pierced the night sky, Blanca ran to the rock and maneuvered around it. She heard her sister's paws smashing the ground and her white tail before all traces of her were gone.

'You denied me a part of your power but you were always my friend.' Blanca said to the moon.

She'd been going with Gianna on her runs since she turned when she was fourteen. Blanca was seventeen. Their mother had just told them about their heritage and that they had different fathers. It hurt like a knife to her gut but that knife pierced her all the way through to her soul. Blanca lived believing Gianna's father was hers and they had a great relationship.

Max wasn't a werewolves but Amelia was. She'd kept it hidden from her children for years until Gianna finally turned. Blanca couldn't even comprehend how. Whoever Gianna's father was must have been an ordinary Joe.

Her mother wouldn't even tell her his name, but as far as Max was concerned Blanca was his daughter.

Gianna becoming a werewolf only made her bond stronger with their mom and caused some damage to Blanca and their mom but she wouldn't let it affect her love for Gianna. She couldn't deny the connection she had with the moon she gave it up to the little wolf blood she did have but it wasn't enough to make her truly one of them.

Twigs snapped somewhere behind Blanca. She rose and took several steps back and stepped in water.

'A creek.' A little creek flowed peacefully and disapeared through a pile of rocks. Blanca ran behind the rock, though a line of trees partially blinded her from whatever was there.

She poked her head out and darted it back into hiding.

'Why is there a naked man out here?' She breathed out.

Anneska said this was place would be safe! What was going on? She poked her head out again, confident the moon wouldn't out her hiding spot. How would she explain this if she got caught? Then again the man would have to tell her what he was doing out of town naked and alone!

He didn't look like a crazy person. His muscle were well defined. He had his back to her, his back muscles rippled, his butt was firm and Blanca imagined his biceps would be a spot of peace. He turned around and Blanca couldn't fight the heat that rushed to her face.

'Good heavens. ' She gasped.

Then poked her head back up again. He ran a hand through his dark hair, she couldn't make out his eyes but she noticed that his lips were pink. Blanca's belly burned at the sight of his dazzling six pack.

She'd always admired a man that spent appropriate hours in the gym. A giggle echoed through the woods. Blanca ducked her heart raced. She'd been found out. She wanted to disappear into the sand. He wasn't alone! Blanca thought.

'Lexi what are you doing here? '

The naked man said.

Her heart slowed and she managed to go back for another look. This time he had his back to her and his front to a girl with blonde hair in a black jumpsuit. Blanca traced her own brown hair, it never shone like that.

'What sweet heart this used to be our spot before you ruined everything.' She chuckled and crossed her arms her eyes firmly fixed on his manhood.

'You didn't come all the way here to talk about our breakup.' He rummaged through the leaves and pulled out a pair of black pants.

'Of course not. I'm here because this was where we had the most fun and I know you can resist me here.' She smirked. 'Shall I undress?' The man grabbed her hand about to unzip her jumpsuit.

'Enough Lexi time for fun and games is over. I've got a responsibility now.'

Lexi ripped her hands away from his grip.

'Was that all I was for you Matteo? A game? '

Matteo brushed past her and through a shirt over his head.

'No, but we did have fun and we played many games.' He grinned before walking away.

'You're a pig!'

He turned a grin plastered on his face, 'then forget about me honey.'

Lexi picked up a rock and hurled it at his head. Blanca wasn't sure if it hit him. She'd made it back to the car and locked herself in.

Her heart hammered in her chest with fear. She wanted laugh too, she'd just seen a naked man in the middle of nowhere. Him and his ex could easily have discovered her spying on them. She would have died of embarrassment.

When her sister returned in the same state of undress as the man she'd spied on earlier it hit her like a cinder block. He was a werewolf out running like Gianna! He probably wasn't the only one out there. One of them was bound to notice a white wolf.