“Do you know what’s inside?” I asked, goosebumps tightening my skin.
“No, Miss Cavanaugh, I do not.” He stepped back. “I’ve witnessed many peculiar events in my life. I know your family is different.” He paused, pulling on the bottom of his vest, uncomfortable. “Have you heard anyone use the word Vaktare?” Isaac was suddenly nervous. He gave Adam a cursory glance.
I nodded, excitedly, taking a step toward him. “Do you know what that means?”
He shook his head. “I only know that I overheard your parents say the word on many occasions.”
I felt my face fall. It was weird. Normally my face didn’t move much.
“Miss Cavanaugh, your parents—you are different. Your parents knew I knew. Being in this house, I’ve heard things, even seen things.” He clasped his hands together. “Please know I would never do anything to betray your parents or you. I owe your parents my life. My allegiance is, and will always be, to your family.”
“Thank you, Isaac.” My eyes were misty. I wondered what my parents had done for him, but now wasn’t the time to ask. I quickly dabbed at the edges of my eyes. Crying was fast becoming annoying.
“You’re most welcome, Miss Cavanaugh. And if there is anything you need, you have only to ask.” He turned and left the room.
I scooted my chair closer to the box. It was beautiful. Not much larger than a sheet of paper. The latch had the head of a roaring lion. On the lid was carved the letter C. I guessed for Cavanaugh. Thorny vines wrapped around it and a single red rose bloomed in the center. Behind the C and the rose had been carved an intricate background. Creatures that appeared to be part man and part beast were in a forest.
“Aren’t these amazing?” I said touching one of the heads. As soon as my hand brushed the wood, the latch clicked open. I gasped, clutching my chest. And then laughed.
Adam smiled, crouching down so his head was even with mine. That must’ve been uncomfortable.
“Wait a sec.” I picked up the box and took it over to the bed. “This will be better.”
Adam seemed surprised by my actions. In truth, I was too. In the past, or even yesterday, the comfort of others hadn’t mattered to me.
I took a deep breath, eager for the answers that were sure to be inside.
“Go for it,” Adam said, noticing my hesitation.
Taking hold of the latch, I lifted it.
I didn’t know what I expected to find. The inside smelled like fresh cut wood. It had been stained to match the outside.
I glanced at Adam. He rocked back, appearing to be as confused as I was. I reached in and picked up the only thing in the box: a piece of paper. It’d been torn out of a notebook. On the paper, scrawled in black ink were a name and a number.
“Is this you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “My last name is Haddox, remember?”
All of my courage deflated.
Adam squeezed my hand. “So you call the number. Your parents thought the name and number were important, right?”
“I guess.” I placed the number back in the box and closed it. Exhaustion overpowered my limbs. “I’m tired, Adam. Would you mind giving me some time by myself?” I knew the pain would increase with him gone but it was becoming more bearable.
“Of course.” Adam glanced at his watch. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He got off my bed and went to the door. “It’ll work out. Everything happens for a reason.
I couldn’t agree or disagree. “Thanks, Adam. For all of your help and for staying.” As I said the words, a tendril of fear curled through my stomach, like a snake in search of its prey, it slithered inside. My heart raced. “You’ll still be here in the morning?” I asked, timidly.
Adam opened the door. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
His words made me smile. I stared after him a few moments, thinking about how happy I was to have him in my life. I didn’t have my parents, and while I missed them, which was weird and wonderful, but I had him. Adam. It seemed overly lucky that he’d come just after I was cursed. I didn’t think Eva, Ashley, Cassidy or even Will would’ve handled the situation as well as he was.
I set the box on my nightstand, changed into some PJs and went over to the bed. I tried to sleep, but as tired as I was, I couldn’t. So I climbed out of bed and walked over to the window seat, pulling open the curtains. The moon was nearly full. I curled up with a blanket and a pillow and fell asleep.
I sniffed the air. Another hunter was nearby. It was hungry, like me. And it needed to eat. But this was my territory. I roared, shaking my head.
In response the hunter howled. A wolf?
My ears pricked as I ran. Its large paws padded the dirt softly, making its movements barely perceivable. It was heading up the mountain, same as me.
Though it was summer the air this high up was chilly, especially at night. I found the temperature enjoyable and lifted my face toward the night sky. The moon shone brightly and the stars twinkled against the blackness. It reminded me of a map, the stars plotting points, telling me where to go. I stared at the stars more intently, as though seeing them for what they truly were.
Where should I go? I thought, searching for an answer.
To the right I heard the snap of a fallen tree branch. Instinctively I turned toward the sound, crouching low, preparing for the unknown. I’d been too caught up in the stars to listen to what was going on around me.
Whatever it was moved closer. I waited, shifting my body so that I was in the perfect position. Twin pools of blue glowed as it stepped into view.
I peered closer, trying to discover what it was.
“I wondered when you would finally shift.” The voice came from the area where the eyes glowed. It was male. He stepped out of the trees and into the moonlight. It was a large black cat, but bigger than any wildcat I’d seen in my mountains, or at the zoo for that matter. Thick black fur covered his body. He was on all fours, but his back legs had more of a bend at the knee, like a human rather than a wildcat. His paws were long and shaped like human hands and feet. Thick claws extended from them. They were sharp and pointed. His face held the shape of a cat but it somehow looked human too.
“What are you talking about?” I backed up the way I’d come, the prey I’d been hunting long forgotten.
In answer he lifted one of his front paws and a ball of light came out. It headed right at me. For a single second I froze, unsure what to do. In the next second instinct took over and I dove out of the way. The light hit the tree to my right. It made a sizzling and crackling sound and then the light went out. By the light of the moon I could see the tree had been charred and there was a hole deep within the trunk.
“Found out what your ability is yet?” He growled and sent another ball of light my direction.
I dove the other way, baring my teeth and making a hissing sound. That scared me almost more than the big cat and the ball of light.
“Please, what do you want? I can get you anything.” I hoped to reason with him.
“Can you?” He paused, tilting his head, as though he were mulling over my offer.
“Of course.”
The male cat roared and it felt like the whole Earth shook. I wanted to lower my head, to cower before him, but something inside told me not to. So I lifted my chin. “What do you want?” I was so scared, but I forced those feelings away, and stepped toward him. “Either tell me or leave.”
The male cat laughed and his long tail flicked back and forth randomly.