When The Thrill Sets
1074 Words
When we arrived, there had been a lot of cars already parked and, somehow, we knew we weren’t the most on-time guests nor the most awaited for to this event.
Because we, for sure, weren’t invited today.
I walked out of the car after Azgar had parked it and went to open the door for me. He held his hand up, and I took it, grateful for the help, as the heel joined the rocky road where other cars were parked too. Once out, he held his whole arm for me and I tugged my hand against his tuxedo, contrasting with the black material of it. It seemed as if we took the exact same breath before we walked inside, my heels clicking against the ground and my mind fusing with scenarios.
We walked the stairs up towards the beautiful manor and as we arrived near the big and widely open door of it, with servants handing us cups full of an unidentified beverage, we each took one and we blended inside.
The room was gigantic, with a set of wide stairs in the front. It was tastefully decorated. As we wandered in this interior, we followed the mass of people directing themselves towards another set of open doors, only to find ourselves in a more gigantic space, decorated specifically for the event.
It was full of people and chattering. On the left and right sides, there were marble columns and buffet tables for guests and in the front there was a massive stage there just for the show.
We strolled in purposefully, mixing our odor with others, sweeping in between unknown bodies before my arm naturally left his and we dispersed.
Despite my will to stay away from this many people, I stayed just in there and after knowing that my scent had fully mingled with others, unitedly, just like Azgar’s one did as I couldn’t pick it up clearly despite knowing it perfectly, I felt more at ease.
I walked towards the buffet, more for figures than to satisfy a possible hunger, and I started looking at appetizers that I knew I wouldn’t go for. I was only wasting time before the useless moments left place for the right one.
My eyes caught a glass of a dark liquid and I took it without thinking, swallowing the burning content down my throat. It had a minty herbal yet strong taste that had nothing to do with alcohol. Kraminil, probably. A blend made for wolves, elaborated cautiously with multiple rare herbs and the goal of boosting warriors' strength in mind.
Liquid Courage.
Disgusting nonetheless.
I was near my road to pick up another, before a voice caught me in mid-attempt.
“ I wouldn’t advise you, this thing is made with lily plants for humans and is very strong for us, werewolves.” I heard a manly voice speak beside me before taking it when my hand hesitated.
Not Kraminil then.
My eyes narrowed and looked up, only to meet a set of blue ones who looked at me with an unconventionally civil smile, holding in front of me the now empty glass.
“ I wasn’t asking for advices.” I retorted before I could swallow back my venom.
I thought that he would be enervated, but his smile only widened at the answer.
“ Tell me, what’s your name ?” he asked me, with visible interest in his question.
I looked at him, fully studying him, my eyes narrowing even more as if trying to understand the meaning of this conversation.
Had I been caught? My paranoid thoughts started to rush in, but I tried to control them anyway. There was nothing to get caught over, nothing happened yet. He seemed to understand my distrust towards him because he soon handed me his hand, his smile never leaving his lips.
“ I’m Oliver, the new tenor of the beta title in the pack.” he introduced himself. “ And who would you be ?”
I controlled the widening of my eyes and never showed the assault of panic that shook me. I only looked at his hand, the wheels in my head rolling at full speed.
I was ready to answer, but the words caught in my throat. No convincing name came to my mouth and when I felt arms circle my waist, bringing me against a hard chest, I breathed again.
“ Isabel, I was looking for you.” I heard him say, his face leaning slightly against the side of my head in a protective stance.
He then looked at the Beta, feigning only seeing him now. But he wasn’t dupe, and Azgar too.
“ My apologies.” I heard the Beta say out of nowhere, making my eyes pop right back at him. ” It looks bad, but I wasn’t trying to hit on the lady.” he continued, probably in answer to the distraught face of Azgar.
He took panic and anger at being caught for jealousy on his part, and we will be rolling with it.
I felt Azgar ready to retort with whatever venomous answer he got too, but the clinking of cutlery hitting glass made our heads swipe towards the back of the room.
I felt the beta move beside me, and he smiled when I crossed his eyes.
“ My cue.” he said to me, bending a little in respect. “ Have a nice day, hope we see again.”
He walked away, directing himself towards the center of attention as we all looked front.
I smelt him before I saw him, the distinctive smell that I associated with blood. I saw him and I reminisced the red he made me shower in. My body readied as it caught his presence and I fought everything inside of me to not snap right that instant.
He didn’t change. His action didn’t morph him physically into the monster he truly was. His dirty blond hair, tossed vaguely but neatly back, discovered his face. The face I never forgot, the face of a killer.
The face of my soon-to-be victim.
He was caught in a murmuring discussion with an older man that I didn’t even care to look at. He was everything I saw, everything I wanted to see, and he wouldn’t escape.
He was mine to dispose of. My kill.
A life for a life. I remembered one of the most ancestral human teachings.
- Writer
