TWO

The scarlet vines. I remember the stories as I remember my own name. They say that when God created the world and humans enlarged, enriching the earth as they went, they needed something to fuel their essence to protect them in the real world from harm that could not be easy to escape and so the spirits blessed a land. The place had no name, but on the ground laid a wide array of vines. Thick, leafy, rough and old. They say the vines are blessed from all heavenly creations; nature, sun, moon and dust. Through these natural blessings, the vines created supernatural beings ranging from werewolves, vampires and even dragons and they were made to protect the humans. That was until the creatures themselves realized power was more important than peace.

The story said the werewolves started the whole fight with their pride but as a specie myself, I'd like to differ. Blood sucking wannabes were nothing, but brains filled with noble entitlement that drew them to dominate whenever they could. Those were the vampires and for the longest I and anyone else have lived, they were enemies to all creatures. Even to themselves.

The name 'scarlet vines' came up after the war. A war between all creatures. Each supernatural being fighting for dominance and claiming to be a leader of all entity. Blood stained the land and soaked right into the vines, thereby naming it scarlet. The scarlet vine. The spirits could no longer watch for long, feeling the pain of their creations turning backs on themselves, and so fire rose. The sun, nature, moon and dust transformed their blessings into a curse, channeling their anger into the fire and causing the vines to melt. Creatures who burned had curses in their bloodline and creatures who fought were declared as enemies.

Safe to say that since then, vampires to me reeked of animal shit and pale old ash. My kind loathed them and for them, the feelings were incredibly mutual.

I smelt the ash as Natasha's boots crushed a stick while we walked. We could all hear the murmurs and sirens around, the sun already setting and air getting cooler to ready those that slept at night. Vampires were here but as I looked around, I saw nothing, my mind shooting up a clear image of the boy I bumped into at school. He had the same smell and same for the girl who dragged him away as students rushed out of their classes, her red hair in complete contrast to the school walls. It wasn't a surprise to see things like us amongst humans because in fact, we were created for the humans but vampires were different. They weren't only enemies to other creatures and themselves, but also to the ones they were made to attach to; humans. The curse caused them to feed on blood for the rest of their life just as my kind was cursed with the pain of a lost love; a mate.

Vampires were never allowed amongst humans and if they were to be, it would mean something.

"Over here," Natalie called out, pulling my mind back and Natasha's attention.

Right between the bushes surrounded by sticks and leafs, was a deer. A dead one. A very dead one with disfigured body, bones and structures that made it so obvious it was attacked by another animal. Animal that which is I. I couldn't speak but clearly they knew.

Mr. Grey sighed and folded his arms, thoughts definitely spiraling through his mind. He had brought us to lake side bridge right from school, muttering with hopes that at least my guess of what I had eaten was correct. The police were present, body being investigated long gone and at a distance from them, it was just us four in deep thoughts.

"At least we know you're innocent," Natasha said.

"It's odd that you all thought otherwise," I said to them, dipping my hands into my school jacket pocket due to the wind that felt more like heat on my skin.

"Mr. Grey," someone called out from behind us, causing us all to turn around with a weak attempt to cover up the deer. It was the detective from earlier. "There you all are."

"Amira is innocent," Mr. Grey said, nudging his head towards the remains.

The detective walked closer to it and squatted, then looking up at me with relief and a smile almost convincing me that he cared. He did save my life so there's that.

"But there's something else," Mr. Grey said, moving closer and squatting right beside detective. "You see the ribs; it has a green tint."

"Looks to me like poison," detective said, rubbing his gloved fingers on the bones.

I could see from where I stood, the tint Mr. Grey pointed out and while it was utterly disgusting, it made me curious. It was rare for a sick deer to be running around town.

Take it from a cursed wolf that has been feeding on them for three years now.

"That explains why you were sick this morning," Natasha moved close to me and whispered.

"And she'll feel sick again if we don't leave," Natalie said with a shrug.

I looked at her, accessing her with my eyes as my mind came up with nothing. We weren't friends neither was I and Natasha. I couldn't explain the relationship I held with either of them, just that their father was my therapist, mother my lawyer and uncle my personal hawk. I was bound to be stuck with them especially since we all went to the same school and attended the same classes. Natalie excluded. That one belonged to a different clique. Whatever that meant.

My life here started right at the front steps of a house named to be mine. It was a message but, in the letter, it said it was a gift and although the constant scrutiny didn't feel like one, at least they managed to tolerate my cursed self. I rolled down the window on my side as Mr. Grey drove us home, the setting sun laying its cool effect on my skin. My eyes closed and while I could smell the beach, fuel and evening sweat, a face snapped to my mind, causing my eyes to fly open as the car halted.

I thought of him, and it was odd, but I didn't say a word. It was the Grey's job to purge the human world from anything dangerous, not me. I waved them all goodbye without a smile as normal. I never felt like they deserved one. Gratitude excluded. Adjusting the strap of my bag my left shoulder held onto, I grabbed the keys from my pocket to unlock the door and then go in. I was engulfed in a warmth my natural DNA already provided, but it was comforting considering I was away from prying eyes because thankfully of all the thousand rules given, I didn't have to live with a camera on the inside.

A yellow file on the dining table from the corner of my eye caught my attention, drawing my mind and then body right to it. There was a note from Miss Linda saying it was a mail dropped for me. Normally with a mind as damaged and bare as mine, I couldn't care less but this, I had to. It was the first package from him since he gave me the house. A man who claimed to be my father. A father who apparently couldn't care less about meeting because in every turn I took to investigate, I always came up with dead ends so there I was strung on by any sign of his still existence. The mail was the first. His handwriting was clear, just like the one that had written the letter, directing me to my new home of freedom.

I used the key to tear away the tape and out came another file. Brown, as large as the first covering but with a different handwriting and word on it. It was printed and on it was a name. 'Grey'. It was bold and in black as opposed to the word. I carefully opened it to the side and the first that comes to sight is another name. A full one; Samson Patrick Grey.

"Mr. Grey," I whispered to myself just as the sound of my phone tore through my thoughts.

I looked behind me, the sight off my bag sitting by the stairs as my mind contemplating moving to grab my phone from it to check whatever made it ping but being more engrossed by the files, I looked away and continued.

The next was his wife, Mary Shepherd Grey. A weird middle name unless it was her actual surname. Nevertheless, it was odd. I could never picture the woman to have a name Shepherd. She looked more like an Annabelle without the porcelain skin. Hers was littered with scars which as Natasha liked to state, was from a childhood accident. I never pried.

Trey 'Boston' Grey. Black sheep of the family according to Natasha. I never met him and with his accidental narrated stories from his families, I didn't pray to meet him. According to the files, it states that he was adopted and although hasn't been legally included into the family, his name was changed straight to Grey and for some reason, I held onto his file longer than the others. If someone was labelled as a black sheep by the Grey family then he could be in fact the purest of all but then again, I didn't hold onto that. Mr. Grey seemed genuinely affected by the sound of his name each time so the boy could be bad. He was twenty-three. Three years older than his stepsisters and me, with strange cases of mental problems, drug use and a few visits to juvenile. Just like the story of the respected Grey family, he was a member of a pack that suffered from a fire and then moved into town with the family as their only son.

I wondered if he knew what they always said about him during the depressing dinners I was mandated to attend. Like me, he was rejected by his mate years ago and automatically was cursed therefore suffering the same fate I was suffering. It made his dark history record more understandable. Most rejected wolves ran mad from their curses, leading then to harmful ways until it drove them to death. I was one of the lucky ones who got to live with it. Like dear old Paul.

But for Trey, who is nicknamed 'Boston' as the file stated, he wasn't lucky. So, either his case was neglected by the family, or his case was more extreme than mine as a male wolf. My soul went straight for the latter, but I didn't ponder.

My phone sounded again but I didn't bother looking.

The next was Natalie. Natalie Tanner Shepherd Grey. Now that pile of name piqued my interest. First born daughter of Mrs. Grey from another man which made Natasha the only child and direct link to alpha status of her father. They weren't the same age as they had told me, neither had they grown up in the same home until the move to town. The information explained their non-existent interaction. Natalie was arrested once for attempted murder of an actual criminal. She was filed with a case of possessing evidence that shouldn't be within anyone's reach and with more information read, apparently whoever it was had some connection to her real father. So, in desperation, Natalie was pulled into desperate actions that unfortunately led to unforeseen results. The criminal committed suicide in his cell and apparently his lawyer was Mrs. Grey who then took Natalie and cleared all her records of conviction. The deed was heroic and motherly, but knowing the woman personally, something wasn't adding up.

My phone rang out loud this time, jolting me out of focus. I was forced to stand to my feet.

The messages were seen to be from Natasha but missed call from detective. I walked back to the dining area to sit as I dialed his number.

"Amira," the voice called out my name. It was as I remembered, but more sourly and slow which made me look at the time. "Are you there?"

"It's ten pm detective,"

"I have a watch, I know. I need you to stop by the station tomorrow morning," he said. I frowned.

"Why?" I asked. "Is there a problem?"

"I took a sample of the rib from the deer you ate," he said, and my mind tried not to take offence from his words. "The results came out and I wanted you to check it out."

"Isn't that something you normally discuss with Mr. or Mrs. Grey?" I asked him.

"I will, but first you need to come by. There's something else I'd like to show you,"

"I have classes in the morning," I said to him.

"Tomorrow's Saturday,"

"Don't have a child who's in my class? We have exams soon, so they enrolled seniors for extra lessons," I said, and he only replied with a sigh.

"Okay, after classes. Do not let Natasha follow you," he said right before ending the call, not bothering to hear any more words from me. I didn't have anything to say personally.

I felt drained of energy for the day, lacking the will to reply to Natasha's messages as I stood to pack of the pile before leading myself up the stairs with a container of dinner in hand. The curtains were open, letting the night shine in more than the moon. It didn't make sense but that was exactly how I felt. My nose picked up the smell of rain before it began to fall and it was my cue to close the windows and ready myself for a silent night and prayers of peace but of course as a rejected wolf, the curse was inevitable. A kill was always necessary.