We jogged along streets awash in orange light. We darted below trees, down alleys, and yards. We even hid behind a dumpster, each breath cutting. Lita glanced at me, face flushed; she grinned.
“We’re going to do it, then?”
My voice shook. “This was not part of the plan.”
“Was it part of the plan for Vivienne to lie to us? Was it part of the plan to find out she was sick? If she’s not going to share with us, we need to find our own answers.”
“We could have driven. All this cloak and dagger is stupid.” I paused, and my eyes widened. “Oh my god. You’re enjoying this!”
“Just a little bit.” Lita shrugged. “I’m an accountant, Janice. I don’t exactly lead an exciting life.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You have kids.”
“That’s not excitement. It’s sleep deprivation.” Lita stepped on to the street. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
We reached the apartment within three minutes. Lita tugged the keys from her purse. I looked over my shoulder as we entered the building. The hallways smelled of pot and cat. Vivienne’s apartment was on the third floor. The keys jingled as Lita drew them out again; my heart pulsed in my throat. I swallowed, looking around; my face burned. I opened my mouth, but the door popped open. Lita met my gaze. I nodded.
I shut the door behind me in slow motion.
“Lock it,” Lita mouthed.
I obeyed. The apartment was spacious, with pale polished floors, white furniture, and a wall which was all window: it showed a view of the ocean, glittering black below the city.
Lita flicked the light on, and I winced.
“I’ll check the kitchen.” Lita motioned to her left, towards a hall. “You check the bedroom.”
“But what are we looking for, exactly?”
“I don’t know! All I heard was Vivienne on the phone, saying she would have to talk to her doctor. She sounded scared. Then she noticed me, I asked her what was wrong, and she asked me to leave.”
“She was angry at you?”
“We don’t have a lot of time.” Lita stalked towards the kitchen. “Just look for papers that say ‘oncology’ or something like that.”
My stomach clenched. Don’t say that.
I entered Vivienne’s bedroom. The room was like the rest of the house, with carpet the colour of sand and a white bedspread. The wall was painted a sky blue; it was covered in box displays of varying shells. I reached towards a sand dollar, and sighed. They had been her favourite as a child. Vivienne had sobbed when Mom had forced her to get rid of half of them.
I rifled through drawers. I opened the closet, and pawed through shoes and boxes. I took containers down from the shelves, but found only cards, knick knacks, and concert tickets. I opened her bedside drawer.
There was a clear orange container, filled halfway with red pills. I popped them open and sniffed: I caught the scent of pine trees. I read the label: Helps with symptoms related to disorientation, transformation pains, and pre-turning aches. Can also aid in indigestion.
I shook my head and replaced the bottle. Turning to leave, I stopped. After a minute of lip biting, I sank to my hands and knees. I peered under the bed. There was a cardboard box. I dragged it out. Brushing dark hair from my eyes, I drew the flaps back. I took a breath. The book was fat, bound in black leather. I yanked it out, and the scent of old books washed over me. I sighed; I closed my eyes, and for a second I was in my favourite used book store.
The book crinkled as I opened it. The pages were parchment, yellow and frayed at the edges. Someone had filled the pages with tight cursive, and painted illustrations. As I leafed through, I noted that most of the pictures were of plants, glasses of silver, or wolves. Words caught my eye: “cure,” “weakness,” and “sickness” jumped out.
I turned the page and gasped: the next passage was titled, “The Life of the Lycan,” and showed a painting of a werewolf, spittle flying from her red maw as she roared. Two fur covered lumps along her chest revealed her sex, and her ears were drawn back; her eyes blazed yellow.
A lump formed in my throat. If one looked closely enough at Vivienne’s eyes, they would see yellow flecks. Vivienne had liked to boast of them.
I squinted at the caption below: “The Mother.”
“The mother,” I murmured. I shut the book. A slip of paper slid out. As I unfolded it, I noted that it was one of those pages from a realty notepad. The handwriting, however, was the same as that in the book.
You have been chosen. For generations, we have bred the best. And after observing your family, we have determined that you are the best suited to act in the role of Mother and Matriarch. Our previous Matriarch perished in April, leading to our need for a replacement. Do not be afraid. You have been given a great honour, and you will create many children with your sacred bite. Your mother offered you, and your sisters, to the cult. She is as we are, and you will bite them when it is time and they will submit to you—along with all their daughters. This is the Book of the Mother, and you are charged with not only it’s protection, but with learning from it. It will be your guide as you begin your new life.
Lita’s scream sliced through me. I dashed from the room, only to smash my leg on the dresser as I flew out. Eyes watering, I limped through the hall. Lita screamed again, but the sound was closer to a sob. I stumbled into the kitchen.
Lita turned to me, face tear stained. With a trembling arm, she pointed to the cabinets and whimpered. She raised her other hand to her mouth and sobbed. Eyes closed, she hunched over.
My stomach turned. I saw the flies, and then the smell hit me. The worst part was, it wasn’t even that bad. There was no flesh left. The bones hung from strings, tiny strands of meat stuck to them. I reached out.
“Don’t!” Lita slapped my hand away. “They’re...”
I seized a bone. I sniffed. “You don’t think she...”
“What the hell is going on?”
I slid the Book of the Mother from my bag. “I think Vivienne is a werewolf.”
“She’s sick! That’s what she meant! She’s crazy! She obviously wanted to see a psychologist.” Lita motioned to the bones. “She needs help, Jan.”
“No, this is real. Look. This book is old! You can tell!”
“You can manufacture stuff like this.”
“Just smell it.” I thrust it towards her.
Lita pushed it away. “We need to get a doctor. A psychologist or whatever. She’s killing people.”
There was a click. Lita paled. The door swung open and Vivienne entered. She paused. Seeing the book in my hands, her eyes narrowed. She shut the door.
“What are you doing here?” She brushed the curls from her eyes. “What are you-”
“We were worried about you,” Lita said.
“Give me that.” Vivienne held out a hand.
I took a step backwards. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Give me the damn book!”
I slammed it on the counter. I stomped towards Vivienne. “We’re supposed to be a family! Tell me the truth! Is it for real?”
Vivienne looked away. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was going to invite you to a club, and they were going to explain it to you.”
“Explain what?”
“That we’re werewolves.”
“But I’m not!”
“You will be.” Vivienne looked between us. “Both of you.”
“I’m not a murderer.” Lita stepped forward. “You’re killing people!”
“They deserved it.” Vivienne examined the bones. “Each of these belonged to a monster. Thomas Flak was a rapist. Charlene Harmon clubbed the back of her daughter’s head because she thought the poor teen was seeing her boyfriend. Daniel Parker beat and starved his own daughter. Child services were called, but nothing was done.”
“I understand,” I said.
“No, this is crazy. You need help, Vivienne. You can’t just go out and be a vigilante!”
“It is our purpose. Once upon a time, it was a curse. We were a plague on all the world, and our bloodshed brought sorrow. But then the first Mother came, and she brought our cursed families a purpose. We would turn our condition towards good. We would hunt only those who deserved it. If we had to kill, we would kill the wicked.”
“It’s not right, Vivienne.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think they have a choice, Lita. They have to kill somebody, so it might as well be a bastard.”
Vivienne smiled. “You understand.”
“No.”
“Mortals can’t know our secret.” Vivienne advanced on Lita. “I will have to change you tonight.”
“Get away from me!”
Vivienne shoved Lita against the wall.
“Janice, help me!” Her eyes bugged out. “Please! Don’t let her kill me!”
I turned away.
There was a crunch, followed by Lita’s scream. I forced myself to look: Vivienne’s face elongated, and her saw like teeth ground against Lita’s shoulder. Blood trickled over her sleeve. She roared with pain, and Vivienne tossed her to the ground. She curled into a ball.
Vivienne turned to me.
I sank to my knees. “I’m not afraid.”
“You’re both insane!” Lita rolled on the floor. “Janice! What are you doing? She’s a killer! She’s crazy!”
Vivienne took my face between her hands. Lita yanked the door open, and slammed it behind her.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll notice the changes in herself soon enough, and then she’ll know.” Within seconds, Vivienne’s face cracked and morphed and sizzled. I closed my eyes as her jaws clamped on to my shoulder. I grunted. Vivienne drew back. Her face was human, smeared in red. She wiped it away with her wrist. When she grinned, her teeth were pink. “Welcome...to my family. You are of the Accursed, and may you trust in your Mother. May you trust in me.” She took my hands. “You are Beloved.” She kissed them. “And I am yours.”
“I’m yours, Viv.” My voice cracked. “And I always will be.”
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