Forgotten (12 page)

“Emily, I’m wet, cold, and naked!” Suzanne said, her voice edged with irritation.

“Fine!” Emily huffed and threw in a towel.

“Thank you,” Suzanne replied. Wrapped in the material, she stepped out of the shower.

“So?” Emily asked impatiently.

Suzanne sat down and starting to towel herself dry. “The reason I took so long was because it took me ten minutes to get the stupid fire door open.”

“Why?”

“You try to open a door when you have paws.”

“Ah …”

“The sooner schools put doggie doors on their fire exits, the happier I’ll be.”

“So, anyway, were there any vampires?”

Suzanne looked up at Emily. “No.”

“What do you mean? I could sense them!” Emily replied, shocked.

“Exactly what I said; there were no vampires. I rounded the building and nothing, zip, zilch. In other words, Em, there were no members of the fang gang; the only person I really noticed giving off a supernatural vibe was a witch.”

“How do you know that the person you saw was a witch? Were they riding on a broomstick?”

“Well, personally, I’d say seeing her chanting and a pencil floating inches in front of her were a pretty big give-away, but what do I know? I’m only a werewolf.”

Emily shook her head in amazement at what she was hearing. She still had bitter memories of when she had been run out of the town where she lived over three hundred years earlier for being accused of being a witch; the only reason she escaped a trial and execution was because her father had risked his own life to save hers.

“Emily?”

“Uh-huh,” Emily said, focusing back on the present.

“You okay? You just zoned out on me. What happened?” Suzanne asked, her face filled with concern.

“Nothing … um, we better get going. You ready?” Emily shut her locker with a loud metallic bang, which echoed throughout the girls’ locker room, and headed for the door.

That girl has issues
, Suzanne thought as she finished dressing herself.

“I heard that!”

“Heard what?” Suzanne asked. Her brow twitched in confusion. “I didn’t say anything!”

There came a low growl. Emily paused with an irritated sigh. “What now, Suzanne? Did I forget to pack your squeaky toy?”

“It’s not me who’s growling!”

“What?” Emily turned – and froze.

Standing about six feet away from Suzanne was the biggest wolf Emily had ever seen, and certainly the biggest werewolf. Its pelt was golden in color with what seemed like two streaks of electric blue that ran down from its head to its shoulders. The wolf’s eyes were a steel blue which flashed a wolfen amber, the sign of a werewolf’s aggression.

“What do I do?” Suzanne whispered, her eyes wide with panic.

“Keep absolutely still,” Emily said, reaching down for the silver dagger that she kept inside her boot.
Damn
, Emily cursed, realizing that she wasn’t wearing her boots and that it was still in her locker along with a wooden stake and her silver and onyx cross pendant.

“Emily, we’re not with a T-Rex in
Jurassic
Park
, so I don’t think keeping still for long is an option!” Suzanne said nervously.

The wolf gave another sinister growl, baring its teeth.

If I can just reach that baseball bat
, Emily thought quickly, spying a bat on top of a bank of lockers at the other side of the girls’ locker room.

The growling became louder.

“Suzanne, you okay there?” Emily asked, hoping that her voice would distract the wolf’s attention away from Suzanne.

“Emily, I have a werewolf practically inches from my throat, so if you have a plan now is the time to let me in on it!”

“I need to get into my locker!”

“What?” Suzanne asked, but before she could take in what Emily had asked, the wolf made a lunge for her. Suzanne ducked and heard the metallic crunch as the wolf slammed into a row of lockers. Suzanne screamed as the wolf fell on top of her, dazed. Its body was heavy and lifeless.

“Emily! Get this thing off me!” Suzanne cried, trying to push the animal away.

Rushing over, Emily grabbed the wolf by the tail and began to pull. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

“This thing’s heavy,” she gasped.

“Emily, hurry, before it wakes up!” Suzanne said urgently.

“I’m trying my best …” Her words trailed off. She released the wolf and stepped back. Its eyes were open.

But it had been moved enough. Suzanne scrambled away, heart beating wildly in her chest.

Please let Emily and me live through this
, Suzanne prayed silently.

The wolf lifted its head and shook it groggily. Then, spying Suzanne closest, it bounded for her.

Suzanne felt the wolf’s fur against her leg as it lunged toward her, knocking her off balance. She hit the tiles, hard. Tears burned in her eyes, momentarily blurring her vision.

“Suzanne! Watch out!” Emily screamed.

Suzanne was aware that Emily had just said something but the words that Emily had spoken seemed foreign to her ears and she wondered if Emily had been speaking to her in French, her native language.

The wolf moved toward Suzanne stealthily and methodically, its powerful jaws ready to rip up flesh.

The wolf lunged.

Before it could make contact, Suzanne twisted the bottom half of her body and kicked at the wolf with her right leg. It connected with the wolf’s shoulder, causing it to howl with pain and fury. Suzanne smiled, pleased that she caused the wolf some distress and gained some valuable minutes for herself.

Realizing that Suzanne and herself needed help, and that she was the only one able to get it, Emily rushed for the door. She twisted the knob – but nothing happened.

Emily twisted the doorknob again, harder.

The door remained closed. It moved not an inch.

No, this is not happening! And why is this door locked from the outside?

Emily started banging on the door as loud as she could, hoping someone would come. But no one could hear her: everyone was in the gymnasium, the music and cheers overshadowing the noise from the girls’ locker room.

Emily turned back toward her friend to see that the wolf had hold of Suzanne’s cheerleading skirt, ripping the material with its teeth.

“Suzanne!” Emily cried, rushing over to help.

Hearing Emily approach, the wolf let go of Suzanne’s skirt and whipped round its head, its eyes glowing like hot coals, and growled before launching its attack.

“Go!” Emily screamed at Suzanne. “Try and find a way out while the wolf’s attention is on me!”

“Emily, no! I can’t leave you!”

“Go!” Emily screamed again, then doing a triple somersault, she landed in front of the wolf.
I have to get it to want to attack me instead of Suzanne!

“Aww, I feel left out!” Emily expressed sarcastically.

“We wouldn’t want that!” the wolf replied, its voice slightly feminine.

“So you can talk? There I was thinking that you were just dumb. Oh well.”

“I’m not dumb!” the wolf growled. Emily paused and realized that, for the first time, the wolf had lost its focus and that she could use this to her advantage.

“Has anyone ever said that you have a really nasty temper?”

“No one has normally lived long enough!”

“Now I have a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m honored.”

“Shut up!” the wolf snarled.

“But I thought we were getting along since you were letting me talk,” Emily mocked.

Without warning, the wolf lunged at Emily. Stepping backward to dodge, she somersaulted into the air, landing between the wolf and Suzanne.

The wolf skidded to a halt.

“Suzanne, I need that baseball bat which is on top of the lockers over there,” Emily whispered.

“Emily, be careful – I think she’s a rogue,” Suzanne warned, before jumping up onto the bank of lockers she was standing next to.

The wolf chuckled, “Blondie’s correct.” Then, directed toward Suzanne, “Would I be right in guessing that you’re from the lupine family?”

Suzanne looked puzzled for an instant, unable to concentrate on what the wolf was saying to her.

Seeing the confusion etched on the blonde girl’s face, the wolf chuckled again before offering an explanation. “You’re a werewolf, like me. But that doesn’t really change my original goal.”

“Which is?” Emily asked, assuming a fighting stance.

“That you two are going die,” the wolf replied matter-of-factly, the humor gone from its voice.

“Sorry, but you’re over three hundred years too late.”

“So you’re a vampire. I hate vampires!” the wolf growled viciously.

“Well isn’t that a surprise,” Emily remarked, her voice tinted with sarcasm.

“Enough with the chit-chat.”

“Okay, fine by me, you egotistical bitch.”

The wolf attacked, leaping for Emily’s neck. Emily quickly did a roundhouse kick which sent the wolf flying into another bank of lockers with a loud metallic crash.

Shaking its head, the wolf rushed at Emily, knocking her off balance. She fell hard onto her back. A sharp pain sped up her spine and Emily bit her lip so she didn’t cry out. The wolf jumped on top of her, pinning her to the floor.

The wolf lunged for Emily’s neck. Emily caught it, holding it by the fur of its throat as it struggled only inches away from her own. The wolf’s eyes burned into Emily’s and she could feel her arms weaken under the strain of keeping it at bay. Its claws dug into Emily’s forearms, ripping and tearing at her cheerleading sweater, but Emily continued to fend off each attack the wolf made.

“Say your prayers, little girl,” the wolf growled in Emily’s ear.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” Emily replied. “Because it doesn’t.”

That was a lie; Emily
was
scared. She had fought plenty of regular werewolves. To her they were easy and predictable to fight – but she had never fought a rogue werewolf before. From what she knew of rogue werewolves they were killing machines with no soul or conscience. At least the werewolves Emily was used to fighting had some humanity, but the rogues had little or none to begin with.

Emily knew some people that thought most vampires were like that; unfeeling monsters that preyed on humans. But she knew better than to think that way. She knew first-hand how much vampires did feel emotion, whether it was sadness, happiness, hate or love. If only humans could understand what it felt like to be a vampire, more than the practicalities of the sunlight hurting your eyes every morning, or the constant craving for blood. It was so much harder than that and no amount of heightened senses or super strength could make up for it. The hardest part was knowing that everything you ever held close to your heart would be taken away from you in an instant, only for you to then be cursed to live with your loss for eternity. To live with the fact that you would outlive everyone you love, be they family or friends, the only way to prevent that by passing on your same curse to them.

Looking over the wolf’s head, Emily noticed that Suzanne hadn’t moved from the bank of lockers she’d climbed onto.

I’ll have to use telepathy
, Emily thought.
I hope this works; it’s been so long since I’ve attempted to connect with anyone.

Using all her mental strength, Emily focused solely on Suzanne.

Suzanne, can you hear me?
Emily thought, praying it would work.

Suzanne’s eyes jerked onto Emily. She looked perplexed.

Yes
, Suzanne thought back, puzzled.

Good, it works. I’ve never needed to use this with you before, but I’m talking to you telepathically. All I want you to do is nod your head if you understand me,
Emily’s voice echoed in Suzanne’s mind.

Suzanne nodded.

If she hadn’t been wrestling an enormous wolf, Emily would have smiled right then.
Suzanne, use the lockers that you’re standing on as stepping stones. I will keep the wolf preoccupied, go get the bat now!

Suzanne nodded and, with a deep breath, she jumped.

She landed nimbly. Gaining in confidence, she repeated the action, until she had crossed the locker room and made her way to the baseball bat.

Suzanne grabbed hold of the bat, held it tight with both hands and jumped down from the lockers.

“Okay, I’ve got it. It’s now or never!” Suzanne said quietly to herself, walking stealthily down the row of lockers. She peered around the corner.

Emily and the wolf were rolling around on the floor, the wolf getting increasingly nearer to Emily’s neck with each attack. Suzanne ducked back around, her head resting on a locker door. Her heart raced; her breath came in shallow gasps.

I need to help Emily! One good whack around the wolf’s head should do it,
Suzanne thought desperately, looking down at the bat in her hands and gauging its weight.