The Stranger

Two strangers sat together in a diner, savoring their pancakes. It wasn't something I had expected to happen so soon after my escape from my hunters. Following my unusual encounter with Adam, I offered him some of my clothes to spare him the discomfort of sitting naked in my car. To be honest, I was growing increasingly annoyed with him. Throughout the entire drive, he couldn't stop talking about the most mundane and unnecessary things.

Who cares if I prefer chocolate ice cream over strawberry, or if I favor a Mercedes over a BMW?

He just couldn't keep quiet. The only silver lining was that his chatter momentarily diverted my thoughts away from vampires. After a long and tumultuous journey, I finally had a chance to observe him without my eyes hurting or my face flushing with embarrassment.

Adam had short brown hair and a distinctively surf-like appearance. However, what truly stood out were his ocean-blue eyes that seemed incapable of averting their gaze from me. His athletic build was already apparent from our initial encounter, but now, dressed in my smaller clothes, his sporty nature was even more evident. I marveled at how he didn't completely stretch out my shirt given the considerable size difference between us.

With my newfound sight, I easily discerned a brown aura enveloping his body. It was evident that he wasn't human, a conclusion drawn from the moment he emerged from the forest, naked, and sensed the impending danger that pursued me. Despite this revelation, I couldn't identify his true nature. The forest scent clung to him, likely a result of his time spent there. Although I couldn't determine how long he had been in the forest before our encounter, his clean appearance hinted that it hadn't been very long.

The brown aura hinted at a connection to shapeshifting. While I couldn't pinpoint the exact animal he represented, his form suggested one of the more formidable creatures, such as a bear, wolf, or tiger. I even entertained the idea that he might be linked to a bull, but as far as my knowledge extended, Europe primarily hosted bear, wolf, and a few bull-shapeshifter tribes, predominantly in Spain, with little presence beyond the Iberian Peninsula.

"Are you planning to talk to me or just stare at me all day?" Adam's question snapped me back to reality, his grin a constant throughout my internal contemplation.

"Are you a werewolf?" I inquired, deciding to take the risk. Even if he refused to reveal his true nature, his reaction could help me narrow down the possibilities.

"Woah, woah! Not so fast, little one. I thought you were going to start with some basic questions, not hit me with a curveball," he chuckled, teasing me with my boldness.

How dare he call me "little"!

"I don't have much time, as you may recall. I have some problems trailing me. So, if you're unwilling to answer my question, kindly leave me be. I must leave this region as soon as possible," I retorted, irritation evident as I rose from the table, fed up with his attempts at small talk.

Before I could depart, he seized my hand, preventing my escape, and declared, "I am a werewolf. Satisfied? Now, have a seat. I want to finish my breakfast before we leave." My lack of choice became apparent, the strength in his grip insisting to stay.

I knew it! He was indeed a werewolf. A preferable companion to a vampire, at least.

My mind did a little victory dance before comprehending his statement. "Wait! Who said we were going together?" I stammered, overwhelmed by confusion and shock.

Who did he think he was? I wasn't a taxi driver chauffeuring naked men across France!

"I can sense you're uncertain about your destination, and if my instincts serve me right, you're a witcher. If that's accurate, you should be with your coven, not evading vampires. I suspect you no longer have a coven, which is why you're on the run. In thanks for your help in the forest, I want to make sure that your also safe. I know of a coven in my hometown, and coincidentally, they readily welcome witches seeking refuge," he stated with a broad smile.

"So, you're not truly repaying me; you're just hitching a ride home, correct? But let's assume I accept your help. Where is your hometown?" I inquired, hoping he would fall for the trap and give me the location.

"I'm not that naive. If I tell it, you'll leave me behind and travel alone. No, I'll be your GPS," he replied, his smile remaining intact.

Darn it.

After several minutes of silence, during which Adam enjoyed his pancake, he looked up and initiated a conversation. "Tell me something about yourself."

"Why should I?" I countered.

"Alright, let me start," he conceded.

"My name is Adam Bergklaue. My family comes from Germany, and I'm a member of the 'Firetooth' pack. I enjoy football, basketball, and I really like archery. I have three siblings: one elder sister and two younger brothers. Oh, and I'm 20 years old," he introduced himself between bites.

I realized I had to tell something about myself, particularly given his self-invitation to accompany me. However, I had to be cautious and couldn't reveal my whole story until trust was established.

As I sipped my white tea, I began, "My name is Francis Zielonagura. It's Polish and means 'green hill.' My family is from Poland, and my former coven was known as 'Oczy Lasu,' or 'Eyes of the Forest.' Currently, I have no coven due to personal issues I'd rather not discuss. I'm an only child, and my interests include painting and hiking through the forest. I'm 18 years old."

"Well, it's quite amusing that our families, at least in name, aren't originally from France, yet here we are," he laughed, attempting to ease the awkward silence following my introduction.

"Yeah, not really. It's fairly common in Europe," I responded.

I promised myself to put up with his actions on our trip and not attack him out of annoyance.

The following quietness made the background chat of other customers at the restaurant even clearer. Since it was Friday afternoon and the start of a vacation, it was understandable why there was more traffic.

"So, are you ready? Can we go?" Adam asked after a few seconds of silence. It looked like he couldn't handle silence at all. The more I observed him, the more apparent it became that we were polar opposites in behavior and personality.

"Yes, we can go. I just need to buy some snacks for the trip. You can wait by the car," I answered him. After he left, I finished my tea and put the dishes neatly on a tray.

As I placed the tray in its designated spot, I walked to the aisles and picked some snacks, chips, and drinks for the journey. A woman in her forties greeted me at the counter and began scanning the items as I placed them on the table.

"That will be 30 euros, monsieur," she stated with a warm smile.

Why did food always come with such a hefty price tag on the highway? It bordered on being criminal!

I paid for the things I bought and put them in a bag. The warmth of the restaurant contrasted sharply with the chill that suddenly coursed down my back as I headed for the exit. The air turned icy, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

When I tried to open the door, I sensed something strange nearby. My instincts told me to be alert, but I ignored them. It was likely only Adam waiting by the car, nothing else.

I opened the restaurant's door and went outside into the chilly night. Even though I should have felt better seeing the dimly lit parking lot, my unease remained. That eerie sensation held onto me with every step I took toward the car.

Suddenly, I heard a woman's piercing scream from the nearby bushes. It was a cry for help that was desperate and full of terror. My heart raced as I searched the darkness for the scream's origin.

Without thinking, I raced toward the cries for help. I had to reach the woman in need. While running, I sensed something was wrong.

However, I ignored my instincts and continued down the trail. As I ventured deeper into the shadows, I realized no one else heard the woman's desperate screams but me. I was scared like never before and turned to look at the well-lit diner, realizing that this was one of the stupidest things I'd ever done.

Before I could turn back to the diner, something hit me with great force, sending me crashing onto the hard ground. The impact was brutal, nearly dislocating my shoulder. Confused and in pain, I tried desperately to get up and remove the person who had attacked me.

But my troubled attempts were all for nothing. and my attacker pinned me down with his heavy foot on my stomach, preventing me from moving. The weight on my belly also made it difficult to breathe, causing me to struggle to breathe.

Through a haze of pain and fear, I gazed up, my eyes meeting those of my attacker. The man's face was pale, almost unnaturally so, and his brown eyes held a sinister gleam. A chilling grin stretched across his face, cruel and unrelenting.

He enjoyed my suffering while standing over me. It wasn't just the physical pressure that overwhelmed me; it was the dark feeling that invaded me when I met those malevolent brown eyes.

My bones shuddered under the weight of this thing, and I knew that this was a threat unlike any I had faced before.

"We've finally tracked you down, Francis! Chasing you all day hasn't been much fun. But here you are, beneath our feet, where you belong," a deep voice declared.

A velvety and enticing voice from my left. It was emotionless, hollow, and eerie, making me shiver.

I turned my head to see a terrifying soulless creature with an inky silhouette against the dark background. I couldn't look away from those cold blue eyes that seemed to penetrate me deeply.

The twisted grin on its face looked like that of a madman, and as the seconds ticked by, the horrible reality hit me like a bolt of lightning. As time passed, I realized in horror that the murderers of my parents were right in front of me. Memories of that fateful day flooded my mind, filling me with deep sadness and intense, hateful anger.

I felt angry and cursed all beings in my head, but I knew that staying calm was crucial at that time. I didn't want those monsters to notice my fear or vulnerability. The taste of revenge was bitter, and I was waiting for the right opportunity to escape from this twisted nightmare.