The Beasts of Baye Road

Apple Shampoo

'What do you want!' Matteo growled.

Matteo and the strigoi went fang and claw at the front gate. Karl held Blanca back as yellow and red glowing gazes burned holes into one another's skin.

'Your head on a stake boy! Because of your weakness the blood of my people will stain your hands.' The vampire said in a deep disembodied voice.

Matteo's grip on the bars threatened to snap them in two. 'You know that the strigoi are just as defenseless as the guardians. So don't come here to spit in my face!'

'Will your hope arrive when the town is dead!'

'Get off my property! Or else your blood will be on my hands.' Matteo rattled the entire gate. Blanca gasped. Matteo's wolf was a tick away from being unleashed.

Matteo's blood boiled because he knew every death at the hands of the beasts were because The guardians couldn't do anything.

'Don't be surprised when the strigois stake their claim of being protectors of Baye Road.'

Matteo watched the vampire stalk down the road. He ran a hand down his face, his eyes returned to their normal emerald shade. His claws sunk back into his claws.

With a medium level of irritation Matteo turned to Blanca. He suppressed a growl, he grabbed Blanca's quaking arm and guided her inside.

'What were you doing with a strigoi?!' His voice filled the cold empty manor.

'Hold on Matt, does she even know he was a vampire?' Karl trailed behind them.

'He followed me from the market! ' Blanca pried his hand off her arm.

Blanca hoped he wouldn't go back for Gianna. Her sister could take care of herself but Gianna had never fought a vampire before. They stumbled into the kitchen. Blanca crossed to the other side of the isle, creating a gap between her and Matteo.

'He... looked really suspicions I just wanted to get back.' She hugged herself in an attempt to control her quaking self.

Matteo and Karl exchanged a look. Matteo stared at Blanca who focused on the back yard. What was she hiding? She was drenched in magic nor he or Karl could recognize. Then a strigoi followed her to the mansion?

Despite that he wanted to stop her body from shaking. What if he hadn't been there and that monster attacked her? Matteo couldn't help scratch his head when he and Karl were back in the library.

'What do you think the strigoi really wanted? The last thing we need is a war with the vampires.' Matteo drowned his glass of whiskey.

Karl cradled a glass of whisky in his palm. 'Probably looking for an afternoon meal that's all. Don't worry about him. The strigoi aren't dumb enough to challenge us.'

Matteo raised his brow at Karl, now would be an excellent time to attack the werewolves. He shook the thoughts out of his head. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. 'No, he would have abandoned her when she turned up to the Manor.'

'You don't trust her Matteo, that's it.'

'Of course I don't.' He grumbled. 'There's just something about her... I went for a run out of town and she was there. I knew instantly when I inhaled her scent.'

Karl drowned his drink. 'Don't be paranoid bro.'

If he could smash Karl's glass on his head and wipe the grin off his face, he would.

'Fine, fine take her out and see what you find out. See if she has any ill intentions.'

Matteo grumbled. Karl had a point he hated that. But the sky turned orange as the sun descended. With darkness came even more harrowing problems.

***

Where was Anneska? Blanca had been cleaning the same spot for thirty minutes. Anneska had gone out early again. Since the strigoi followed her yesterday and the hair raising howls not far from the mansion last night, dark mist seemed to follow Blanca every twist she made.

Blanca placed her hand on her chest. 'Please be okay Gianna.' She whispered.

Lost in the worries of her mind she didn't hear Matteo walk into the kitchen. Matteo shut his eyes and hoped there wasn't a conspiracy there to find. Hidden behind a tall, brunette woman with a stare that often wandered to parts unknown.

He cleared his throat. Blanca turned and bit her tongue to stop the gasp. Her chestnut hair had been restricted in a ponytail that wiped when she span to face him.

'My Father's doing much better today.' He said.

Blanca smoothed her uniform and smiled. 'I'm glad to hear that.'

Matteo suppressed a sigh and took a step forward. Blanca couldn't step any further back without walking through the cupboards.

'Yeah, since he's okay would you like to go out with me?' Matteo swallowed the lump in his throat. He hasn't asked out a girl since he was in high school some four years ago. His palms sweat, he shoved them in his pockets and pressed his lips together, waiting for Blanca to respond.

Blanca's shoulders fell, was he being serious? After he snaped at her for the strigoi following her home and chasing her out of the study as well as banning her from his room.

'Are you asking me out?' She placed her hand on her hip.

Matteo shrugged. 'Yes, why not? I want to spend time with you.'

Blanca rolled her eyes. 'Because the vampire followed me home? I told you I don't know why he followed me!'

If he thought Blanca was hiding something then her situation would be compromised. She was supposed to blend in, be like furniture. If Matteo got too close he could find out about Gianna.

'No, Blanca I've been a jerk to you and it's not who I am. Let me show you Baye Road and make it up to you.'

The lines on Blanca's forehead smoothed and Matteo inwardly sighed. She nodded. If she got close to Matteo he could slip up. A rock formed in her gut, she didn't want to put a mask over her face, but her and Gianna were on foreign soils and her sister was prey. Blanca had to protect her sister instead of her heart.

***

'What's with the scarf?'

'It's a hot day.' Blanca hopped into the red sports car convertible.

Blanca had a floral scarf wrapped around her head and tied under her chin with black sunglasses. Matteo had been in Baye Road his whole life it didn't take him a while to figure out where to take Blanca.

The Witch Valley Cottages. It was his Mother's favorite place in the whole town. He felt a pinch in his heart, if Blanca turned out to be a traitor he would have tarnished his Mother's treasured place. Another part of him thought it wouldn't matter because he couldn't be with her anyway. He had a duty to the pack.

'This place is beautiful.' Blanca awed at the plush grass, the tiny cottages spread out across the land. They walked and a lake came into view, stone benches had been planted all over the lawn.

'It's owned by a local Wiccan family.' Matteo said.

'People are very open about what they are here right?'

'People are honest about themselves here and are accepting of what others are too.' Matteo hoped Blanca would be tempted to reveal her true identity to him. The scent of sweet magic and apple shampoo mingled together made his brain spin.

Matteo guided Blanca to the stone benches by the lake. She ditched the scarf and glasses, allowing Matteo a glimpse of her light brown eyes. The scent of apple shampoo teased him.

'The locals here strongly believe in the lore of this town. That's why the werewolves are held in such high regards. '

'The beasts have tarnished that, haven't they?'

They hadn't just tarnished their reputation; before the beasts arrived in Baye Road his Mother was killed by Wolf Charmers, a stab to his Father's heart. Beasts with wolf DNA turned his town upside down, stole bliss from his people and loaded tanks on his shoulders.

'Yeah, but they won't be here much longer, we're working on it.' He offered her a smile he didn't believe.

'When did they come here? What do they want? '

Matteo hopped she was slipping. She came here for information. He fought the smirk that wanted to spread across his face.

'You ask a lot of questions Blanca? Something in particular you want to know?'

Heat smacked her cheeks. 'No! This isn't my world I'm just trying to understand it. Are there ducks here? I want to feed the ducks.'

Matteo rubbed his face. 'There's a fish pond over there, that close enough?'

Blanca rolled her eyes, of course it wasn't. She marched to the fish pond a tiny shop was situated a few feet away. She bought one big bag of feed. Matteo strolled to the pond and watched as Blanca unceremoniously threw feed into the water.

'You should have grown up around

werewolves—'

Blanca froze she didn't want to open that black door of unanswered questions and deep emotions.

'I didn't know my Mother was a werewolves until I eighteen. I never knew my Father I was only told he was human. I'm not even sure if he's dead or alive.'

'She didn't belong to a pack?' Matteo asked.

Blanca sighed and failed to meet Matteo's eyes. Her Mother was a hard woman especially with her. She had always held resentment in a special place in her heart for Blanca. At the same time she had protected Blanca to the point it crippled their relationship.

'No, Mom isn't big on community. She values her privacy and secrets.'

Blanca was a puzzle Matteo couldn't put together. He took the board and flipped it over. Despite the roars of his mind he had a beautiful woman with him in a wonderful place he wanted to spend time with her and suspended his troubles. They had dinner together and walked around the land. Blanca's apple shampoo teased him the entire time. He realized he played himself, Blanca had a beautiful smile and a laugh that would echo in his head for a while.

Before he could kick himself the sky was dark.

's**t. We have to go.' Matteo look her hands and ushered her to the car.

'What's wrong?' Blanca's heart raced.

'It's getting dark and we can't be out. Especially me.'

He opened the door for her. The sun nearly vanished, the streetlights were on and Matteo's heart had never beat with so much fear. How could he have been so reckless? He glanced at Blanca's wide eyes and pouted lips.

'Are you worried about the beasts? Do they attack cars?'

'They've been known to go after cars. Don't worry nothing going to happen. '

Despite the reassurance in Matteo's voice, Blanca couldn't help sense a dark ominous presence stare back at her through the window. The eyes of the beasts of Baye Road.