Transformation: The Clandestine Saga Book 1 (4 page)

              Approaching the edge of the woods, she could plainly hear the music from the band. She could see that the dancers continued.  If any of those individuals happened to be vampires, and somehow she seemed to know which ones were, they were presently unaware that she had just destroyed one of their own.  While it seemed more reasonable to slowly walk out of the woods and nonchalantly exit the festival, hoping no one noticed the body Jack was carrying, every fiber of her being was telling her to run, sprint, fly out of that place as quickly as possible. It was all she could do to slow down enough for her friends to keep up.

              Suddenly, there was a loud rumble drowning out the music and causing the entire back section of dancers to pause mid-step.  As if materializing out of nowhere, three jet-black motorcycles came screeching out of the night, flying towards them.  Jack and Kash jumped back into the woods, clearly a bit alarmed, but Cadence could plainly see they were there to help.  The drivers were dressed in black.

              They motioned impatiently for the three friends to get on. While it was extremely difficult for Jack to keep ahold of Drew and still hold on to the back of the rider, he managed by throwing her small body over his shoulder, despite the unbelievable speed they began to travel. Cadence held on as tightly as she could and she realized she was actually traveling more quickly than the other two bikes.

              The motorcycles seemed to be a tip to the vampires that something had happened, and it did not take long for the redheaded woman to show her pale white face.  Cadence was concentrating on watching where they were going, unsure exactly how her driver was managing to weave through some of the tight spots they were passing through. However, a blood-curdling scream pierced the night sky, causing her ears to ring, and she knew without even turning her head that this must be the redheaded woman.  She squeezed the waist of her driver more tightly and he somehow found a way to make the bike go even faster.

              Eliza was struggling to balance the bike and maintain her speed with Jack and Drew’s body behind her. In fact, she almost wrecked twice just navigating the tents.  She could see that Elliott had almost made it to the suburban with Kash before she had even exited the grounds and Jamie was long gone with Cadence.  “
I’m struggling!”
she called in to Aaron to let him know she was going to need some assistance.  Just as she made the call, Holland and her band of cronies began to ascend on her.  She didn’t know how she was going to get Jack out of this alive.

              Aaron was aware of the situation, and he was attempting to come up with some way to assist Eliza. He had not planned for Drew’s body being extracted when he had made the plans to use motorcycles. However, he knew it was important to Cadence, and he thought they could do it. Now, with a clan of vampires closing in on Jack’s tail, the idea didn’t seem like such a great one.

              Holland’s anger had made her strength grow immeasurably, and now with each leap she took closer to Eliza, it appeared as if she was flying.  Aaron knew he needed to find a way to slow her down. He had been coordinating his team from a point so far away from where she had been located that he didn’t know if it was possible to catch up to her now. However, he was also fueled by emotion and was capable of moving even more quickly than she was.

              Jack was terrified. He almost could not fathom what was happening around him, not to mention that he was holding the body of a dear friend. He could see what appeared to be vampires swooping in on them from all directions. He thought that, if he left Drew behind, perhaps they would have a better chance of escaping, but he couldn’t consider leaving her, especially not when he knew how much she meant to Kash and Cadence. 

              As they were exiting the fair grounds, the bike hesitated just a second. Jack felt an icy cold flick on his shoulder. He glanced down to see that his jacket was torn. He saw no blood so he assumed he had not been injured, but with all of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, it was difficult to tell.  However, he knew that, if this driver didn’t find a way to speed this bike up, the next time he would not be so lucky.

              Jack glanced back over his shoulder, though his instinct told him it wasn’t a good idea to do so.  He realized whatever it was he had felt on his shoulder it originated with none other than the redheaded woman from the parade. But now, she looked different. Her face was contorted, her teeth exposed, sharp white daggers protruding from her jaw.  Perhaps what was most unsettling is the fact that she appeared to be flying!  She was hovering above him now and he was fairly certain that she would reach out and pluck him from the back of the motorcycle with little effort at all.

              Just as Jack was coming to this conclusion, a jarring force knocked her off balance, sending her flying to her right, tumbling on the ground. Jack thought he heard a squeal of delight from his driver as she pushed the gas a bit harder and the suburban began to come into view.

              Aaron had flung himself into Holland with as much force as he could muster. It was enough to throw her a good twenty feet into the air and clear Eliza’s bike from Holland’s clutches. The rest of her clan was far enough behind that his team would be able to come in from the parking lot and intercept them with no problem. Holland had been the imminent danger, and now she was picking herself up off of the ground.

              He could tell from the glare in her eyes that she wanted to return the blow but she was set on one goal, find the brown haired girl and make her pay.  Still, as she gathered herself back up, she looked at Aaron and spat, “You shouldn’t have done that!”

              He disagreed. “You broke the rules and you’re in pursuit of a Hunter. I can do whatever it takes.”

              She hissed at him as she leaped off, knowing the girl was long gone, but hoping she might at least catch up to her friends.

              Holland’s forces sprinted around Aaron as he paused to observe what was happening with his line in the parking lot.

              As Elliott, one of the motorcyclists, reached the suburban, he gave Kash clear instructions.  “Start the car.  As soon as Jack gets here, drive and do not stop until you reach Shenandoah Medical Center.”  Kash nodded, his mind numb, his body simply reacting at this point.

              Eliza pulled the bike to a stop next to the suburban.  Elliott helped Jack get Drew in o the vehicle and loaded.  Taylor and Sidney were already whimpering when they realized their friends were being chased back to the suburban, however, upon seeing Drew’s body, they began to cry even more.  Just before shutting the door, Elliott reached in, pocketknife in hand, and slashed the side of Drew’s throat, turning the puncture wounds into a stab wound, at least on the surface.

              “What are you doing?” Jack yelled.  “You’ll kill her!”

              Elliott did not reply. He simply, patted Jack on the shoulder before slamming the suburban door shut and signaling for Kash to drive.  Though Jack had carried her for what seemed like hours on the back of the motorcycle, he had been hopeful that getting Drew to a hospital would allow her to be saved.  Reality began to set in when he realized there was nothing dripping from the fresh stab wound.

Chapter Three

              The trip back to Shenandoah would have typically taken about forty minutes but Jamie was flying and Cadence found herself winding through her own neighborhood in just under twenty minutes.  Though she was happy to have the speed of the bike, at this point, she really wished she had been in a car with this person so that she could ask him some questions.  The more she thought about all that had just happened, the more surreal it became. By the time she reached her house she was quite certain she had lost her mind entirely.

              And yet she knew she had not.  As Jamie pulled the bike to a stop on the street in front of her house, Cadence began to realize just how cold she was.  She also wondered where her friends had gone.  She was extremely concerned that they had not all made it out alive. At the same time, she had the ridiculous concern that she mustn’t wake her parents, lest she get in trouble for being out too late.

              Cadence stepped off of the bike as Jamie was putting the kickstand down.  She had so many questions to ask him, but she didn’t know where to begin.  As he climbed off of the bike and removed his helmet, the only thing she could think to say was, “What the hell?”

              Jamie suppressed the urge to laugh at her frustration though it was a bit comical considering the circumstances.  “It’s okay,” he said, hanging his helmet on the bike and walking around to the sidewalk.  Cadence followed, her palms pressed against her forehead. “We’ll explain everything.”

              Cadence stared at him for a moment. He was a bit shorter than her, even though the frosted tips of his sweeping haircut came to a sharp steep above his forehead.  He wasn’t particularly attractive, but he had very kind eyes and Cadence felt a bit of comfort just by staring into them for a moment.  However, she did not forget all that had just happened and she desperately wanted some answers.  “Who are you?” she asked, followed quickly by, “Were those vampires? Am I a vampire?  Are my friends alright?”

              Jamie motioned with his hands as if he were calming a raging sea.  “Slow down, Cadence.  There’s plenty of time to explain. You’re perfectly safe now.” As he said those words, he glanced up and Cadence followed his eyes.  She could clearly see the forms of the same black clad figures who had protected her at the festival on the roof tops of her own home and her neighbors.  Though she still felt uneasy, her fear began to lessen.

              “My name is Jamie,” he began to explain.  “Yes, your friends are all fine.  Well, except for Drew,” he added looking at the ground.  Cadence sighed, unable to accept that information right now.  “Yes, those were Vampires and no, you’re not a Vampire.  Listen, Eliza is on her way here. You need to go inside and pack a bag.  She will take you somewhere where you will find out everything you need to know, okay?”

              Raising one eyebrow in skepticism, Cadence stared at him, still not able to grasp that any of this was really happening. “Go in and pack a bag and leave in the middle of the night?  Without talking to my parents or my sister? Or letting my friends know that I’m okay? I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

              The sound of a motorcycle approaching distracted them both momentarily.  “Cadence, “ Jamie said, taking her by the arm and leading her toward the house, “there’s no reason for you to explain to your parents. That will be taken care of. Your friends will have an alternate memory of what has transpired. Soon, all of your questions will be answered. Now, I have my orders, and you have yours. Are we clear?”  His tone was calm, reassuring, and firm.

              Though she was shaking her head “no” Cadence approached her house, took her keys out of her pocket, unlocked the door, and walked inside. Careful not to make any excessive noise, she quietly crept up the stairs. She was fairly certain she heard both a motorcycle in front of the house and movement on the roof.             

              She tiptoed past her sister Cassidy’s room and gently turned the knob on her bedroom door. Reaching inside, she flipped on the light and stepped in, removing her coat as she did so.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a form across the room. Stifling a scream, she turned, terrified the redheaded woman had beaten her back to her room.              Somehow he had managed to cross the room in the same amount of time it took her to put her own hand on her mouth, and his was resting on top of hers.  “Shhh,” Aaron said.  “There’s no reason to wake your family.”

              “No reason?” Cadence whispered, shoving his hand off of her mouth.  “As if being chased by vampires, losing Drew, and having no idea where my friends are wasn’t enough, now I have some creepy guy showing up in my bedroom!”

              Aaron pushed the door closed and crossed back across the room at a normal pace.  “Creepy?” he mumbled almost to himself.

              “I didn’t . . . .” Cadence started to explain but she didn’t have any words left to do so.  “I’m sorry,” she started.

              “No, that’s okay, it doesn’t matter,” he said as if he could not care less what she thought.  “Listen, there’s some things you need to know right away, and there’s some things that you will find out when you need to know them, alright?”

              She was still leaning against the wall near the door, her exhausted body toying with the idea of giving up.  She said nothing, only nodded slowly.  He did not seem like the type of person one would argue with, assuming he was, in fact, a
person
.

              “Jamie told you Eliza will be removing you, that’s true.  You’ll need a bag. You’ll be gone for a few days.  While you are away my team will have your home and your friends’ homes under surveillance.  The next time you see your friends, they will not remember these events exactly as you do, and you should just accept their understanding as reality.” He was pacing as he was talking and Cadence’s weary eyes were having trouble keeping up with him despite his intentional monitoring of his pace.

              Cadence had so many questions, but she didn’t feel like he was the right person to ask.  He seemed incredibly impersonal and rigid.  Despite the fact that he was probably one of the most physically attractive men she had ever seen, she felt completely uncomfortable in his presence, as if he were about to demand she “drop and give him twenty.”

              As if he could tell his demeanor was startling her, he suddenly stopped pacing, and turned to face her. He kept his distance, however, both physically and emotionally as he said, “I’m so very sorry we weren’t able to help your friend.”

              Cadence thought about that for a moment.  There were so many people in black everywhere she looked. None of them were available to help Drew?  “Yeah, why weren’t any of you?” she asked, as tears began to stream down her face.

              Aaron sighed. He never meant to make her cry, nor was it his intention to start explaining the rules of engagement just now.  As she began to cry, he knew he must do something.  At first, he looked around the room for a tissue, though he was quickly certain that would do little good as she was beginning to sob uncontrollably now.  He wasn’t usually very good at these things, but he decided to give it a try. “It’s okay,” he said, stepping closer to her.  She hesitated at first, but then she put her head on his shoulder and finally let her emotions out.  He patted her gently on the back and just let her cry for a few moments.  “Listen, “ he said quietly into her ear, “There’s only so much we can do in these types of situations. You’ll learn all about that and then you’ll understand my team was pretty helpless to stop this. And you can’t blame yourself.  You... you were incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that.  So, don’t try to put the responsibility for this on anyone except the guilty party.  And that’s the Vampire, okay?” She was still crying a bit, but she was starting to regain her composure and he could feel her nodding her head against his shoulder, confirming that she understood what he was saying.  “And you got that bastard,” he added.  “You got him good.”

              At that Cadence looked up, wiping her face on the back of her hands, “Yeah?” she asked.

              “Oh, yeah,” Aaron confirmed.

              She began to smile a bit, despite the situation.  She wasn’t sure why she was proud of herself for being able to rip the head off of a vampire but she was and the fact that he was also proud of her somehow made her feel like maybe she hadn’t failed Drew after all. Maybe she really had done everything she could.

              Aaron realized that his shoulder was fairly wet and, since leather isn’t particularly absorbent, her tears were rolling off of his jacket.  He stood there, awkwardly for a moment, not exactly sure what to do about it.

              Cadence finally noticed, too. “Oh, I’m sorry!” she said, crossing the bedroom to the attached bathroom and grabbing some tissue. “I’m so sorry,” she said absently wiping at his jacket. “You’re so kind to let me cry on your shoulder like that.” She glanced at him but had to look away, feeling suddenly very embarrassed.

              He took the tissue from her and continued to work on his jacket for a moment before tossing them into a nearby trashcan. “It’s okay,” he said still feeling a little awkward.  “So, get a bag packed,” he reiterated.

              “Right!” Cadence said, coming back to the reality of the moment. “Let me see . . . .” She began to bustle around the room, looking for a bag and for items to place in it.

              “And when you’re ready, Eliza will be waiting out front.  You’ll have everything explained to you. Alright?”

              Cadence realized he was about to leave so she looked up from the dresser drawer she had pulled open.  Once again, she found herself feeling extremely out of place.  She wasn’t sure if she should thank him again or shake his hand or just let him go. She was, however, quite certain that she shouldn’t hug him. Hugging did not seem to be his thing. She glanced back down into the drawer, trying to gather her thoughts. She finally realized there was one thing she did need to ask.  “What’s your name?” She looked back up but the room was empty.

                            ***

Cadence was extremely careful not to wake her family as she snuck back out the front door, locking it behind her.  When she turned to walk down the steps, she saw a sweet looking burgundy haired girl propped against an Aventador waiting for her. “Ready to go?” Eliza asked.

The jet black Lamborghini was unbelievable, and Cadence almost didn’t want to get in because she wanted to keep staring at it. She finally managed to pull her eyes away from the exterior and climb inside, as Eliza tossed her bag in the back. “Is this your car?” Cadence asked, rubbing the dashboard.

Eliza snickered. “No, it’s not mine but I get to drive it sometimes. Pretty sweet, huh?” she asked, shifting it into gear and pulling out onto the street.

Cadence agreed. “Amazing. Whose is it?”

Before responding, Eliza hesitated.  “Well, we will get in to all of that. Let’s just say it belongs to the team, okay?”

Cadence was familiar with the phrase “the team” but she still had no idea what anyone was talking about. “Okay,” she agreed.  “When do I get all of this explained to me? And by whom?”

“When you get to Des Moines, and by someone who used to be in your same position,” Eliza replied.  “Now, I need you to send a very specific text to your parents. Say this and only this, ‘It’s happened.  I’m on my way.’”

Leaning back in her seat, Cadence sighed. She was so physically and mentally exhausted at this point, she almost didn’t have the energy to argue.  Almost. “What? How will they have any idea what that means?”

“They will know,” Eliza replied, pulling onto the highway, going at least twice the speed limit.

“Isn’t there anything at all that you can tell me?” Cadence asked as she finished sending the text.   A quick glance out the back glass let her know that Jamie had reappeared and was also accompanying them on his motorcycle.  While she felt a little safer, she also felt more annoyed that she didn’t know exactly why he was there or even where they were going.

Eliza shifted her wrist nervously on the steering wheel.  She was shorter than Cadence and not as muscular, but Cadence knew she was extremely strong, having seen her handle that bike the way she had.  Her long curly hair was almost purple and fell in ringlets down past her shoulders.  She had very pretty green eyes and Cadence thought that, given the right opportunity, they could well become good friends.

“Well, I can tell you a few things, I guess,” Eliza finally stated hesitantly. “What exactly do you want to know?”

There were so many things that Cadence wanted to know, she wasn’t sure what to ask first.  “What are you?” she asked.  The expression on Eliza’s face made her realize she had been fairly impolite. “I mean,” she revised, “You—all of you, people in black—don’t seem to be human. Are you?”

“No, we’re not human. Not in the sense you mean,” Eliza confirmed.

“So, what are you?” Cadence asked again.

The sun was beginning to peak over the top of the horizon now and warm streaks of red, pink, and orange illuminated the road before them.  Cadence couldn’t help but think, once again, perhaps this has all been a dream. Eliza’s voice brought her out of that. “We are Guardians,” he said simply.