Redemption Ch 1, part 3

         Seven o’clock came, and this time I was ready for Nick. What I wasn’t ready for was the UFO of a car he pulled up in. Crystal Lake accommodated such a small community, I found it hard to believe that a pack of werewolves would allow such attention to be drawn to themselves. Of course the show of power could also serve another purpose; intimidation. Nothing says ‘I’m important, dammit’ like a six hundred thousand dollar grocery-getter. I felt a tad underdressed in my blue jeans and Deftones t-shirt, but he escorted me to the waiting car like it didn’t even matter.

         Once we were on the road, Nick made small talk, presumably to distract me from the bleak landscape. Nothing but trailer parks, doughnut shops, roadside diners and campgrounds. Typical back water town stuff. It was a half hour before he stopped the car in front of a posh boutique. It would have seemed out of place, but the backdrop of import car dealerships and foreign furniture stores made it look perfectly natural. I followed him in the door with a sinking feeling. This is where he’d get to play dress-up. He’d pick out the gawdiest, most uncomfortable outfit, and I’d be obligated to wear it.

         “Have a look around. Let me know if you see anything you like.”

         The smile on his face was innocent enough, but for some reason I wanted to punch him square in the teeth.

         “That’s very kind of you, but it’s not necessary.”

         He chuckled. “My dear, there’s a dress code for the restaurant we’re going to, and I’m not sure even my influence could get you in wearing that.”

         Fine. I’d play this game. I’d pick out the most expensive dress in the store, and then throw it in the trash after tonight. I smiled sweetly at him and began looking through the gowns. Five hundred dollars later, I was all zipped up in a pretty royal blue dress. The salesclerk had insisted that a shimmery wrap would ‘really set it off’, but given the sheerness of the fabric, I didn’t see what practical use the wrap could serve. I agreed, and she happily tacked it on to the bill.

Of course no outfit was complete without shoes, so I made a show of choosing the perfect ones. I didn’t really give a rip, but I saw an opportunity to bump up the tab. Who in their right mind would pay a hundred and fifty dollars for a couple of sparkly straps and spike heels, I’d never know. But they looked good with the dress so I insisted they were just what I needed. Nick just smiled his perfect smile and nodded in approval. I fought the urge to kick him. I settled for raising the bill instead. The sales woman was ever so helpful, and summoned the in-house makeup specialist to fix up my hair and splash a little gloss on my lips. For the ninety dollars, she even threw in a free manicure.

         I had a good look at myself in the mirror before stepping out the door. I must say, I never knew I could polish up so nicely. It would be a shame to throw out such a beautiful dress. Maybe I’d donate it to charity instead.
_____

         “You look absolutely stunning.” Nick said as he helped me out of the car at the restaurant. He had that frustratingly cool gleam in his eye.

         “Thank you. I apologize about the bill, though.” I said, every word dripping with feigned remorse.

         “Bah, don’t worry about it. It’s not often I get to cater to the whims of a beautiful young woman.”

         That’s it. I’d break every one of those damn white teeth. After dinner. Goodness knows I didn’t have much cash, and this place looked a hell of a lot better than the fast food joint back in town.

         A round-faced gentleman, who obviously knew Nick—and obviously didn’t like him, saw us to our table. I waited until he was out of earshot before leaning over to inquire. “What’s his problem?”

         “Roger?" he shrugged. "I one-upped him on a stock trade last year. I can’t believe he still hasn’t gotten over it.” Nick dismissed his attitude with a wave. “But enough about business. Tell me about yourself.”

         We filled the next hour with the usual talk people use to get to know each other. Idle discussion about our hometowns, education, work history. Nick turned out to be very pleasant company, despite how much I tried to dislike him. He even seemed genuinely interested in my prattle about the work Jenni was doing at the lab just before she died. Sisterly pride about her achievements, mostly, but if he felt I was bragging, he didn’t let on.

         Jenni was a brilliant and talented pathologist. The things she knew astounded me. Of course, that wasn’t really saying much for myself. I understood almost as much about blood-borne pathogens and mutating antibodies, as I did astrophysics. I just filed her papers. Jenni’s latest work involved a disease she and a coworker had discovered. They’d had a huge breakthrough; something Jenni said could change everything.

         After all the petty stuff was out of the way, our conversation turned to the real reason why I was being treated to this generous hospitality.

         “Terry, I like you, but I know you’re not just here on vacation. Wanna tell me what you’re really doing at the lake?”

         He twirled his wine glass between his thumb and forefinger, looking most uninterested in my forthcoming reply. But I knew better. This was his job. Nothing was more important to a pack than their safety. Nick was their way of gathering information. He would be the one reporting back to the alpha. He’d carry out orders to accept alliances, deliver threats, or, if need be, provide unmistakable proof of ownership of the parklands.

         I wasn’t sure how to make up a lie he would believe, so I settled for the truth.

         “I met someone in New York when I was picnicking in Central Park with Jennie. His name was Shawn DeLuca.”

         Nick raised an eyebrow and gave me a respectable amount of interest.

         “Shawn and I really hit it off. We started dating after only a week. The three of us spent the entire summer together. We weren’t apart longer than a few hours at a time. It was the best summer of our lives.

         “Then last December Jennie and I were jumped in an alley and she was killed. I took it really hard. Shawn tried to comfort me, but it didn’t help. I became depressed. Couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. Finally I tried to commit suicide. Shawn stopped me. After that, he seemed distant. He didn’t come over as much, didn’t call. We spent less and less time together. Until one day he told me it was over. He said he couldn’t sit by and watch as I destroyed myself. He said he was coming back here; back home. And then he left. That was six months ago.”

         I gazed at the red liquid in my wine glass. “If it had been anyone else, I wouldn’t have cared, but Shawn was different. He was…” I looked up at Nick, who smiled as he finished for me.

         “One of us.”

         “Yes.” I nodded. “I’d never met anyone else like me before – well, besides my sister.”

         “You and your sister were both werewolves? You were bitten at the same time?” The level of his attention jumped by at least five notches. I could almost see his ears perk up.

         “No, we weren’t bitten. We were born this way. Our parents were werewolves.”

         “Who were your parents?” His eyes shone intensely, like a kid spying a shiny new bike under the Christmas tree.

         “My mother came over from Romania with my grandmother when she was twelve. Her name was Sylvia Schweiger then. She met my dad in New York when she was twenty-two. They married a year later, and then they had my sister and me.”

         “And your father? What’s his name?”

         “George Brandenburg. But my parents died three years ago in a plane crash.” I swirled the wine in my glass and wished I had more. I didn’t like to talk about my family. All it did was remind me I had none. Nick reached across the table and covered my hand with his.

         “I’m sorry.”

         I let the heat of his skin soothe me for a few seconds before I glanced up to smile. “Thank you.”

         Roger interrupted to clear our table and offer dessert. We declined, and waited for him to leave.

         “Before my sister died, I promised to bring her here. The three of us were going to stay for a couple of weeks. Camp out, run around in the woods, have some fun. She was really looking forward to it. She talked about it constantly.

         “But she never got the chance. Jenni was shot when we were attacked on Quincy Avenue. I tried to stop the bleeding, but her liver had been ruptured. She couldn’t even Shift to slow it down. I should have gone for help, but I couldn’t leave her there alone. Someone called 911, I don’t know who, but by the time the ambulance got there she was already dead. She bled to death right there on the street, in my arms, and I didn’t do a thing about it.” I looked down to hide the tears.

         “I lost my sister and my best friend in the same moment and I didn’t do a goddamned thing.”

         Nick squeezed my hand. “There wasn’t anything you could have done. It wasn’t your fault. When there’s damage like that…I bet she was happier to have her sister there to hold her hand instead of being left to die alone. At least she had that memory. She knew you loved her enough to stay. What happened to the guy? Did the police catch him?”

         I hesitated. “No, the police didn’t…”

         “Shawn?”

         I shook my head. “I tracked him for twelve blocks before I found him shooting drugs in a dirty little apartment in Brooklyn. He wasn’t even sorry for what he did. Actually thought he did the world a favor. I snapped, and attacked him. Couldn’t have stopped myself if I’d wanted to.”

         Nick gave a small nod. “You weren’t thinking clearly.”

         “No, that’s not it at all. I never had a clearer thought in my life.” I lowered my eyes again. “He murdered my sister in cold blood. The gentlest, bravest, smartest person I’ve ever known, and he killed her because he needed a fix. I hated him more than I’ve ever hated anyone, and I wanted revenge. I shifted and tore him to shreds. The coroner couldn’t even identify the body.” I snorted. “I was high from the coke for an hour afterward because I had swallowed so much of his blood.”

         Nick was silent, but I knew he understood the feral, savage rage. The single-minded determination of a predator on the hunt.

         “I decided to keep my promise to Jenni anyway, and I brought her ashes here. It’ll be the last thing I ever get to do for her. I wish she could have seen this place. She would have loved it.”

         Nick offered a comforting smile. I straightened and let out a breath, eager to change the subject. “Now, what about you? Have you come to wine and dine the outsider before you have her executed?”

         He chuckled at the question, and I wish I could have been joking. But Shawn had told me horror stories about the way non-pack werewolves were treated in some areas. He didn’t mention anything about Crystal Lake, though, so I was in the dark about their take on trespassers.

         “No, I’m afraid that would be extremely rude of me. Besides, that’s not how we do things around here. You may be surprised, but we’re not all the low-class backyard brawlers you might expect. The Stonegate pack is a bit more refined than that. Well, most of us, anyway.”

         His grin was wide and his eyes had that mischievous sparkle again. I smiled, relieved. At least I didn’t have to worry about being dragged off to a roadside ditch in my brand new dress.

         “Speaking of which, it’s high time we got ourselves over there. Jordan is probably pacing a hole in the carpet by now.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m a little surprised no one has called to see where I am.” Nick plucked a cell phone from his waistband and looked at the screen.

         “Jordan?” I asked.

         “The pack alpha. He’s a tyrant, too. Never lets us too far off the leash, if you know what I mean.”

         I couldn’t help but smile at his analogy. “No, I guess not.”

         “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”