Don't Forget Me (12 page)

“Jason… He had his arms round me, just like you do now.” Her fingers trailed lightly over his chest, moving up his shirt to hug his neck and rest her face on his cheek, their mouths almost touching.

“No, Stella, impossible. You must’ve been dreaming,” he said firmly, staring stonily ahead, his eyes growing despondent as he saw doubt flood her face.

Stella was sure Jason had been there and refused to accept that it was just a beautiful illusion. She knew Vuk was lying, felt it deep inside even though the chloroform had blurred and confused the images and memory of the boy who had held her in his arms. Then, looking up, she saw the backs of two figures striding away at the end of the corridor.

“Jason!” she cried out in anguish, her heart clamoring as she saw him pause, turn slightly as if to come back to her, then reluctantly drag himself away to finally disappear down the stairs. Stella, practically out of her mind now, struggled to escape Vuk’s enveloping arms and chase after him, feeling her body rock as she keened after him only to be tormented by the sound of his name echoing back emptily off the walls of the corridor. Vuk understood that it could only be Jason, and jealousy burned through his veins like molten lava.

“Don’t, Stella, it’s just two guys on their way to class,” Vuk soothed, trying not to crush her as he clasped her tightly to his body. He spoke softly, caressing her face to calm her down, then helped her to stand up, steadying her as she found her feet on wobbly legs. Vuk held her close and they went to class to join Jamie. As the lecture drew to a close, Vuk felt his phone vibrate with a text:
“Meet me in 20 minutes at the parking lot in front of CVS Pharmacy, 210 Border Street. Drake.”

“OK,”
he messaged his brother back, then leaned over to Stella. “Got to go meet Drake,” he whispered in her ear, hearing her gasp.

“No, Vuk, don’t be an idiot. I won’t let you. It’s far too dangerous!” she argued, tense and upset, almost choking with fright.

“Stella, I’m not asking permission, I’m going and that’s it,” he pronounced.

He kissed her lovingly on the cheek and quickly left the room. Climbing into his pickup, he pointed it toward the CVS parking lot.

Stella thought that she’d explode if she didn’t get rid of the tension that had built up inside her so, ignoring the dull throb of the pain in her side, she decided she’d go for a run and waited impatiently for the lesson to end. Saying goodbye to Jamie, she messaged Vuk to tell him where she was going, her reeling head smothering the bells that were trying to warn her of the danger she’d be putting herself in, then got her car and drove off, unaware that Jason and Aaron were waiting to follow her.

Pausing to turn out the parking lot, she saw two guys at the side of the road straddling their bikes, engines purring, and tried to make out their features through the tinted visors of their helmets, foiled by the bright rays of sun that pierced the thunderclouds to dazzle her. Jason quickly averted his head, while Aaron kept his mesmerizing eyes firmly on Stella as she headed for Bennington and the Green Mountain National Forest, Green Day’s
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
playing on her radio.

But it wasn’t only the two bikers who were following her, there was a whole entourage, including Drake on his bike and Ian in his car, all of them keeping well back, blending into the other cars that streamed solidly along the road.

Green Mountain National Forest

A
fter she’d parked
her car in the usual, somewhat isolated place, Stella turned off the engine, the music coming to a sudden halt, and reached into the well of the passenger seat for the bag with her sweats, quickly beginning to strip off her clothes.

Jason and Aaron saw her stop in the small clearing at the side of the road, their eyes registering disbelief as they approached from behind, slowing down as they saw her pull on a tee-shirt over bare shoulders through the rear windscreen and then slide down her already unbuttoned, slightly lowered jeans as they rode leisurely past the car. Astonished at the sight of her undressing, they almost lost control of their bikes but somehow managed to continue driving past. Stopping further down to hide their bikes in the trees, they watched her get out of the car, now dressed in her sweats, hair gathered into a high ponytail, iPod in hand, ear buds plugged in.

Stella did a few stretches and then began to jog down the side of the road, soon leaving her car far behind. Letting her thoughts run wild, she admired the faint rays of light dancing through the trees, which were slowly shedding the patina of raindrops the storm had coated them with, watching the soft, comforting drops as they fell slowly to the ground. The words of
Naïve
by
The
Kooks
rolled over her, and then, as the songs followed one another on Shuffle, she moved her lips to sing along to
Slide
, by Goo Goo Dolls.

Meanwhile, Drake, Ian and Nathan had spotted Stella’s car and pulled over too. Thinking she was alone and that they finally had the perfect opportunity to seize her, the three agile wolves stealthily tracked her from the cover of the woods, advancing quickly through the undergrowth to surround her, but were thwarted as two cars cruised slowly down the road past her. Resuming their vigil, they waited for a new opportunity to present itself while Jason and Aaron monitored the situation from their vantage point, ready to strike like lightning if the three wolves closed in on her again.

Stella felt her cell phone vibrate and, seeing Vuk’s caller ID on the screen, answered quickly, slowing to a walk but still moving further and further away from her only hope of salvation: her car. She paused
How You Remind Me
by Nickelback, took out her iPod ear buds spoke into the phone.

“Great timing, Vuk!” cried Stella, her mouth curving into a smile. She could hear rock music resounding in the background. Vuk hit the mute button.

“You’re in the forest already, aren’t you?” Vuk exhaled, hearing the background noise of the wind through the trees.

“I’m here for my run.”

“I hope you didn’t go home to change…” Vuk said, his tone a mix of seriousness and reproach.

“No, I had my sweats with me so I changed in the car,” said Stella, warmed to hear his concern for her.

“So you really went all the way to Vermont just to run?” he asked, giving his phone an incredulous look.

“Yeah,” she replied, now feeling a little uncomfortable.

“You’re even crazier than me!” He shook his head slowly, an amused smile crossing his face before disappearing in his worry for her safety.

“Probably… but I so needed to let off steam, you know, put a few miles between me and Boston,” she said in a rush to her friend.

“Stella, you know that road is far too isolated. For God’s sake get back in the car and get the hell out of there!” Vuk was no longer able to hide his distress.

“Vuk, I’m already half way, what’s up?”

“When I got to 210 Border Street, there was no sign of Drake. He didn’t show.” Vuk said, alarmed.

“Don’t tell me it was a ruse to get you away from me?” Stella was in a panic.

“Have you noticed anything strange, seen anyone suspicious near you?” he asked immediately, his eyes blazing as he pressed his foot hard on the accelerator of his pickup.

“The trees are so dense, Vuk. I can hardly see anything,” Stella replied, her heart sinking at the thought of Drake close to her.

“Look closer, Stella, you need to focus on the tree trunks.” Vuk paused with bated breath for her response.

“I don’t think there’s anyone there, at least not that I can see…” she said cautiously, hearing Vuk let out a tiny sigh of relief, despite his growing concern.

“Have you heard any funny noises?” he asked, the thought of being so far from her in her moment of need driving him insane.

“I had my music on.”

“Then you’ll just have made it easier for them.”

“I don’t get it, Vuk, what do they want from me? They know my name, where I go to school, even where I live!”

“And, probably, even where you go to run,” sighed Vuk morosely.

“You’re scaring me, Vuk!” she cried anxiously, stopping abruptly in the middle of the road.

“I didn’t mean to, really… Now listen carefully, Stella. Run back to the car as fast as you can but don’t let on you’re scared, or that you think they’re out there. They’ll know if you do because they’ll hear your breathing accelerate, your heart pound faster and the blood surge in your veins. So just do what I tell you and you’ll be fine.” He tried to reassure her, making his voice deep and warm.

“Have I told you how much I adore it when you talk to me like that?”

“Yeah, a couple of times maybe… Remember, even though you can’t see anyone it doesn’t mean they’re not there… Don’t let them see how tense you are, try to relax, act normal. They’re probably watching you. I’m on my way, I’ll be there soon.”

“If they’ve been following me from the start and know I’m alone, why haven’t they shown themselves yet?” asked Stella, turning round to retrace her steps.

“They’ll wait till you’re more vulnerable, further from the car… They’ve probably sensed that I’ve warned you, too, so expect them to move very soon. They’re toying with you, treating you like prey because they’ve got you isolated… Up to now you’ve made it difficult for them since you’ve always had someone close by to protect you…”

An icy silence descended and a spike of pure adrenaline ripped through the tension gripping their bodies. Then Stella suddenly gasped in terror.

“What was that?” she exclaimed, stiffening with fear.

“Did you hear something?” Vuk asked in alarm, driving like crazy to eat up the last stretch of the I-91 and get to her as soon as possible.

“Twigs snapping in the woods,” she whispered tensely.

“The hunt is on… Stella. You’re easy prey for them, they’d already have taken you by now if they’d wanted to, they’re just trying to scare you.”

“Well, they’re succeeding!”

“Stella, don’t make the hunt more exciting for them!”

Stella suddenly whirled round toward a group of trees.

“Vuk, I think I heard another noise, this time closer.” Frozen with terror in the middle of the road, her breath ragged, she peered with dismay into the impenetrable forest.

“Stella, don’t stop! Keep going! If you stop, it’s over!” Vuk cried as he swerved round the cars ahead of him.

“I can’t, I’m paralyzed with fear. The trees are making strange noises,” she replied, unable to move, panting hard.

“Look, Stella, don’t stop or they’ll show themselves and ambush you. You have to act like you’re the hunter, not the prey!”

“Yeah, right, that’s easy for you to say…” Stella said dryly, putting one tentative foot in front of the other to finally resume her journey back to the car.

“Don’t let them see you’re scared,” Vuk encouraged.

Silence again, but then Stella jumped. “Vuk, there’s someone coming toward me from the other direction,” she whispered, scared.

“Is it one of them?”

“I can’t see him very clearly.”

Vuk waited for several long seconds until, worried she’d dropped the phone, he asked her if she was still there.

“Yes, but he’s heading right for me!”

“Then why can’t you see his face?”

“He’s wearing a hoodie.”

“Stella, slow your breathing down, there’s nothing else you can do now… Walk towards him… Running away would be pointless, you’d never outrun them, they’re far too fast.”

“Now I can see part of his face but I don’t think it’s one of them… Wait, he’s walking past me.” She couldn’t take her eyes off the figure walking past. Their arms brushed and she smelled his scent, as he glamoured her. It was Aaron, showing himself to stop Nathan in the act of jumping on her from the bushes at the side of the road. In doing so, however, he lost sight of Drake. After exchanging glances with Jason, he realized that he, too, had lost sight of the werewolf.

“Stella, can you hear me? Stay on the line for as long as you can!” Vuk was driving at breakneck speed down the VT-9, then taking the Molly Stark Trail. He was not far from the Green Mountain National Forest.

“Yeah, Vuk, I’m still here,” she said, stiff with tension, staring in front of her.

“Thank God… Did you get a look at him?”

“Yes, his pupils were dilated and his eyes were just hypnotic!”

“Do you know him?” Vuk had realized that the man was a vampire.

Stella thought hard, wanting to say yes but then said the opposite, still under the effects of the glamouring.

“I think I’ve seen him before somewhere but he was wearing a hoodie and I couldn’t make him out properly.”

“Never mind, Stella. As long as it wasn’t one of them. Now start running again, I’m nearly there!”

“I need you so badly, Vuk, please hurry.”

But at that very moment, Drake walked round a bend in the road and materialized in front of her, flinging his arms wide to block her way.

“Well,
hello
Stella,” he greeted her beguilingly, his eyes narrowing to mere slits.

“What do you want, Drake?” she asked, going on the offensive, fuelled by her fear.

“Where’s Vuk?” he replied darkly, making Stella hesitate and take a step back.

“Lie!” Vuk commanded through the headset.

“He’s just behind me, he’ll be right here,” she wavered.

“Really?” Drake knew she was lying.

“Be more credible,” hissed Vuk, his voice serious.

“Yeah, he’s going to catch up any minute now,” she said, shaken, paralyzed with fear. Her breathing accelerated.

“You’re lying… I went to your house before but no one was waiting for you… I couldn’t help notice how your house is always empty.”

“Lie again!” Vuk interrupted.

“My father got back from a business trip today, he’ll be home by now.”

“I’m sorry, Stella, but I still don’t believe you. Perhaps Vuk could feed you some better lines.” He smiled, taking a bold, weighty step toward her.

“Get away from me! Don’t come any closer!” she cried, revealing how afraid she was.

“Don’t be frightened, Stella, I just want a word with Vuk,” he said, amused. He pulled her toward him, digging his fingers deep into her sides. She gasped. Even from the other end of the phone line, Vuk could sense her emotions.

“Stella, give Drake the phone. Don’t worry, I’m almost there.”

She took out the earpiece and gave the phone to Drake, who had moved like lightning and was once again right in front of her.

“Thank you, Stella, most cooperative. If you keep this up, you’ll have nothing to fear.” Putting the phone to his ear, he said, “Vuk! Long time no see, man,” his voice calm, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Not long enough,” Vuk replied angrily.

“I can’t believe you thought me stupid enough not to notice the earpiece,” Drake exclaimed in irritation, piercing Stella with his dark, shadowed eyes.

“Of course not, I just wanted to stay close to her.”

“You seem to hold her very dear, Vuk…”

“I’m warning you, Drake, don’t you dare lay a finger on her.”

“If that was the plan, I’d have done it already,” he replied and hung up.

Now at the end of his tether, Vuk ran a red light and dodged crazily in and out of the cars in front of him.

“And now what do you think we should do, Stella?” Drake asked mockingly, handing her the phone. He was wearing a black leather jacket with spikes, a green t-shirt perfectly matching the color of his hair, a pair of dark jeans and black boots.

“I just want to finish my run… but that’s unlikely now, isn’t it…” she said glumly, putting the phone back in her pocket and letting her arm fall limply at her side. Drake looked at her attentively, clacking his tongue piercing between his lips.

“I fear so,” he agreed, putting his arm around her. Caught by surprise, Stella jumped and grabbed his shoulder, her hand resting one of his tattoos: four half-moons placed together to form the letter “W”. She was unaware that it was the initial of his surname, “Wolf”.

“So there’s no chance of me leaving the forest unless it’s with you?”

“Smart girl. But just the fact that you’re still here talking to me is very revealing, Stella,” he said, somewhat awed at her cool.

“Will you tell me who you’re working for, who sent you?” she asked, leveling her gaze at him. Drake smiled lazily.

“Sorry, no can do, obligations of confidentiality and such, but I doubt it’d make much difference even if I did. I’m pretty sure you’ve never met my boss. All I know is that you’re a woman of importance to someone else entirely, and that’s why you’re indirectly involved in something bigger, far bigger than just you…” He looked at her appraisingly, thinking that she had guts, a real personality. His eyes shone as he felt desire for her rise up inside of him.