All the Devils are Here

Missing not Dead

Samael

I spot Parker as he walks into the bar from where appears to be the exit. As I anticipated, I'm enjoying my little chat with this girl.....Hera. But when I see Parker, I glance around hoping to see Asher but he's still MIA. I'm not very eager to talk to Parker but, I'm already here and Asher isn't. At this point, I have no choice. 

As I get up to leave Hera I tell her not to leave. I don't intend for this conversation with him to be lengthy. I walk up to him just as he's about to light his cigarette;

"Parker", his gaze flickers from the cigarette in his mouth to my face. I literally hear him sigh. There's this nasty rumor that goes around that Parker and I can't stand each other. I know for a fact that he can't stand me but, the same doesn't go for me.  

"What do you want Samael?", he mutters as he takes his first puff.

"I heard about what happened to one of your pups", 

"Since when do Banes werewolves care about what happens to lower ranking wolves?",

"Oh don't get me wrong Park - I don't care. One of ours got killed few weeks ago, I'm sure you heard about it. Asher is convinced these cases might be related", 

"Derek. I heard but, I don't have anything to say to you or Asher. I just want to handle this on my own", 

"I don't think you understand the situation here. If there's someone out there hunting wolves down and having the guts to come after wolves from my pack then we intend to find them and make them pay. I want to know everything there is to know about this incident with your pup - ",

"Wren, His name is Wren", he interrupts me before I'm done talking. I don't like that. I visibly clench my jaw to bite back my immediate reaction. I'm angry. Suddenly I'm aware of what day it is; the day of a full moon and I remember dawn is drawing close. 

"Look at me", I say as gently as I can. You can gauge the anger of a fellow werewolf by looking closely at their eyes. The faint glow of gold is visible and the pupil becomes drastically constricted. There are other signs too but, the eyes are the most subtle. I want him to know that I am angry. I'm not particularly pleased about my reputation for being out of control but at times like this it comes in handy.'

"Look at me", I say and he does. I continue to speak as we eyeball each other;

"I don't care what his name was. I don't care what goes on in your little high school pack. You can choose to be mad about that and withhold information from us but, I'd advise against that. We will find whoever is responsible with or without your help but I'm sure I don't have to remind you why it's better to be with us than make an enemy out of us. Out of me", I add the last line as a threat that I fully intend to see through. 

I know I've struck a nerve but, I hope his anger does not make him a fool. 

A solid 10 seconds go by before he looks away and replies; 

"Fine. I have one condition though. Please", I nod so he continues;

"Whenever we find whoever took Wren, I want to be the one who makes them pay", that sounds reasonable, I think to myself but wait - 

"Took? What do you mean took?", 

"When I got to the scene, there was no one there. No blood, no body, nothing. Well, except a human girl in his car. She said she didn't see anything". 

Werewolf kidnap? Sounds unusual. Before I can prod further, I sight Asher walking in from the same exit door Parker came in from earlier. He has a look of worry on his face which is not unusual for him. He cares a little too much. He sees Parker and I and begins to make his way towards us. In that moment, I glance back in search for Hera and I'm shocked to see she's leaving. 

"Asher will take it from here", I say to Parker and begin making my way towards Hera. 

I'm not about to jog to her but, she's already at the door. I feel the sudden urge to shift and run but, I'm rescued from my thoughts when she turns her head towards my direction. Instantly, I relax and the thought of shifting or ripping heads off is subdued for a moment. She sees me but, she still walks out anyway. I don't feel the urge to hurry though because I know she saw me. And I know she's waiting for me to follow her outside. I do.

It's windy outside. I see the moon and the moon sees me. f**k. I shouldn't be here.

"You left", I say to her. She's leaning casually against the building. She looks half defeated and possibly tipsy;

"I got stood up", she was here for a date? 

"That's his loss", 

"Actually it's my loss. I need the money", oh god, don't tell me she's a hooker.

"Your face is so expressive. You think I'm a p********e don't you?", she chuckles and leans off the wall gracefully. Her movements are so fluid. I like watching her.

"You ran away from home, you're in need of money, you hang out at bars often and you're very attractive. I'm just putting the pieces of the puzzle together. 

"Do you think I'm a p********e?", she's eyeballing me like I eyeballed Parker back in there. Too bad it's not very easy to intimidate me. 

"No", I finally say;

"Why not?", I think before I talk this time. 

"You don't seem like you'd have the patience for it. You do need money though.......and maybe a place to live", when I say this she looks away like I've made her uncomfortable. I've read her too much.

"Goodnight Sammy", she begins walking towards her car and this feels like deja vu.  

"How much have you had to drink? I'm not sure you should be getting behind that wheel", I'm walking behind her, completely distracted by her and paying no attention to the moon.

"I got it", 

"Let me drive you home", she's not drunk but, she's not sober either. I don't know why I care.

"It's a short drive. And no offense but, you're....a stranger. I barely know you. And you've been drinking too", the last part makes her giggle a little bit. Yup, she's tipsy. I haven't heard this girl giggle before, I didn't even know she was capable of the sound yet, here she is giggling at her own statements. 

"You're right. Okay, give me your phone", she looks at me suspiciously as she asks why. She looks adorable but, I bet if I say that I'd make her mad. Kind of want to;

"I'd put my number in. When you get to your destination safely, just let me know",

"You're worried about my safety?", she teases;

"Usually when sober people offer to drive drunk people home it's because they're worried about their safety. Or they're predators", she laughs a little and I'm glad she enjoys dark comedy. She hands me her phone and I write my number. I type Samael then I delete the last three letter and change it to Sam instead. Just Sam. I hand it back to her. She glances at it and then back at me;

"Goodnight Sam", she says as she gets into her car. 

As she zooms off, I hurriedly make my way into the woods surrounding the city and I shift instantly unable to control it anymore. I don't think I can make it to my apartment before the full moon puts me under it's hold. I try to. I try to will myself to go home. But my senses are stuck on the last scent I smelt. Her.