HAYLEY BLAKE
The drive to New Orleans took hours by car
roads with Madison and Isaac fighting almost the whole way, Clary
annoying and putting a loud rock to play in the vehicle in order to
muffle the discussion of the wolf and the witch. I could not say that the trip
I was being boring.
Clary wasn’t a good driver, I realized that after she knocked
some trash cans along the way, overtook several signs
red, which led to fines that Kitsune claimed would put on
account of the Supreme and even fought with an old loose in traffic,
threatening to toast her. After all this confusion, Isaac threatened
abandon it on the street if it kept driving. The beta took the wheel
Soon after, the fox was in the back seat with Madison.
My heart beat in anxiety and expectation as we
we approached New Orleans, the land where I was born and lived until the ten
years before, the rebellion killed my parents and destroyed my pack.
— What’s the plan? — Madison suddenly asked.
Isaac stared at her through the rearview mirror of the car, a crease of confusion formed
between the brown eyebrows.
What are you talking about, witch?
She rolled her eyes, twisting her nose arrogantly.
I’m talking to Hayley, not you, mangy dog.
I saw Clary squeezing her lips to avoid laughing, swallowed a laugh before the grimace that Isaac made with the witch’s rudeness. I turned my face to face
Madison.
— What do you mean?
— I mean, we’re going to New Orleans to find your pack
cursed, but then what? They’re trapped in wolf form, it’s not
as if you could have a civilized conversation.
— Madison’s right, let’s not have afternoon tea with your wolves—
commented Clary. — What are we going to do?
I held a breath.
— The forest where the wolves are is infested with hunters, we need
make the place safe before trying a more direct contact with any
Crescent.
— Are we going to clean up?
— Almost that.
Madison nodded in agreement.
— I was wondering if you could help me find a way
to communicate with the pack.
— I can try— said the witch. — I have some old Grimórios that
can help me establish a means of communication between you,
should not be so difficult since you are also a Crescent and
share the link between the pack.
I looked back at the car window as we approached each
our final destination. The fights between Madison and Isaac subsided, perhaps the witch had noticed the tension in the beta, since step
in that city brought bad memories to the male. Clary
cell phone and did not need to think much to imagine with which wolf she
talked on the other side. I preferred not to make any comment,
let things flow naturally.
I opened the car window when we finally got to New Orleans, the
familiar odor of that territory invaded my system. The fresh wind of the
night messed up my hair. It was dusk, the sun disappeared in the
horizon.
New Orleans has always been known as the land of jazz, a city
pleasant for its hospitality and natural animation. The streets were
always full, jazz bands scattered everywhere, playing
cheerfully, people drinking and dancing as if there were no
tomorrow, unaware of the true demons who hide for
city alleys, creatures that drank from the human blood of tourists
in the darkness of the night when no one was looking.
When I was still a child, my father told me about the factions
that dominated the whole city, each species had a representative,
as well as humans, responsible for maintaining our existence in
secret, so that the truth about the supernatural world was not
discovered. Thus was formed the Supernatural Council of Nova
Orleans.
My father was the leader of our species on the council, but then
of rebellion, I did not know if the group still existed, considering that the
wolves were cursed in the forest, witches forbidden to use
magic and vampires leaving dry bodies through the city streets. All
there was real chaos in the territory that one day my pack led.
Isaac parked his car in the French Quarter, the historic city center,
popular for its vibrant nightlife. I admired the colorful buildings
with built— in iron balconies, the avenue was full of
people who celebrated some famous holiday.
We walked through the crowd of tourists that filled the avenue in
direction of some restaurant since Clary and Madison complained about
hunger after hours on the road. I inhaled the night air deeply,
keeping my senses alert to any sign of danger, the city
was unpredictable due to the uncontrolled supernatural beings.
Isaac found a rustic restaurant on the avenue, the place was little
busy, a jazz band played in the background. We went to the table
further away from the humans, and we made the request as soon as the waiter
came to us.
— This place is amazing— said Clary, looking around.
— New Orleans was once a great place, but it became a home of
horrors after the rebellion.
Clary stared at me with understanding, she knew the feeling of losing the
family in a cruel and merciless way, having to watch those who
loves to be murdered in cold blood was something we would never forget.
— It’s a shame we came up with a mission, I’d love to spend a
night dancing jazz and drinking— commented Madison.
— When all this is over, we’ll have a lot to celebrate, little witch—
said Isaac, winking at her.
Madison’s face blushed. Clary coughed to disguise a laugh.
The waiter arrived with our orders and I wasted no time in devouring
the roast meat on my plate, watching the interaction between the
humans in the restaurant.
We ate in silence, the tension hovered in the air due to the risks we were taking in the city.
I was finishing eating when a specific odor called
my attention. I dropped the fork on the plate. I would recognize that smell
anywhere, a mixture of rotten flesh and death. A clan
of eight vampires entered the restaurant and almost immediately
all in the establishment went away, leaving us alone.
Clary lifted her chin, eyes becoming balls of fire to
recognize the enemy presence. Madison intended and Isaac closed the
teeth when the group of parasites came towards us, stopping at
our front.
— What are they doing in our territory? — The leader asked me.
I raised my hand when Isaac threatened to get up from the chair, he stopped.
— That territory does not belong to you— I replied calmly.
The leader let out a grotesque laugh, scratching his red beard. He issued a
tongue snap.
I’ll give you a single warning, get out of town before it’s too late.
A grunt left Isaac’s lips. Calmly, I got up from the
chair, attentive to every movement of vampires. A cruel smile
bowed on my lips as I stopped before the clan leader. — No, I don’t think so.
— Enjoy the mercy we’re offering your band of
dogs— he spit in my direction.
I exhaled too much.
— We’re not going anywhere— declared slowly.
The vampire stepped forward, coming face to face with me, trying to
intimidate me. Stupid parasite. He’d be dead before he could
find out who he was up against.
— Then I’ll have to get your dirty carcass off my land, you bitch
lupine.
Clary slammed her fist into the table.
— You are dead— said coldly.
One of the vampires approached Kitsune and raised his hand before
he could even touch a hair of Clary the fox
simply blew towards him and the vampire’s body became
ashes on the ground.
— Last warning, go away— hiss between teeth.
But it was too late. It wasn’t in my plans to start a fight
having arrived in Orleans less than twenty minutes ago, however,
when the vampires attacked us, we had no choice but to
defend ourselves.
Isaac turned the table on one of the parasites, throwing him on the floor and
Madison took her hand to her mouth, almost vomiting with the dark blood that stained the beta.
I grabbed the leader by the throat and smiled at him, displaying my fangs
elongated, my pupils dilated and when he saw the color of mine
eyes, despaired, trying to get out of my grip. The vampire soon
tried to stop running when I punched his chest and ripped his
heart with claws.
I pulled another vampire and stuck my claws in his neck, growling
on his face.
— Where are the Crescents?