New Beginnings

The next day, Skylar left her apartment in the morning to make her presence known to Augustus. She was stalked by Thea. Skylar had already sensed Thea’s presence even before she saw her, call it the blessing of being around longer than usual.

A few moments later, Skylar stopped in her tracks, “I can sense you little wolf, come out it’s the right time now ...” Skylar chuckled and started to walk again. A few minutes later when Thea did not accede, she felt suspicious as to why would someone follow her and started to give more thought to the situation. She tried once again, “Come out, I order you to come out before I hunt you down myself.”

Thea started to panic, she was afraid. She had heard of the famous tales of Skylar — how strong and powerful she was. She hid behind the car and said in a trembling voice, “I’ll show myself only on one condition that you too come clean with me.” Thea came out slowly from behind the car. Skylar moved closer to her and asked, “Why were you following me?”

“I’m Thea, the Alpha of the werewolf pack. The other day, I overheard you talking about the attacks. My people were slaughtered in cold blood too for no apparent reason. So, if you’re going somewhere right now to get answers then I’m coming with you or we both stay here and argue!”

All of Thea’s fear subsided as soon as she remembered her lost werewolf betas.

“I’m going to seek some answers. You’re going for a fight. I can’t let your rage get in the way and cause more trouble.”

“I won’t, at least not at the moment, be a reason to start a fight,” Thea assured earnestly.

Skylar narrowed her eyes and looked at Thea from head to toe, then agreed, “Okay, you’re a tenacious one. Also, as a future reference, you won’t be able to take me down.”

Skylar whispered into Thea’s ears causing a chill to go down her arms.

“B … ut we could ally to corner down the actual perpetrator of the dastardly attacks, Let’s call it a truce between us, please.” Thea implored.

“Nah! I think I’m good I’ll figure it out myself.” Skylar started to move forward and noticed Thea panicking.

“Think about it Skylar for once without bringing your ego into this.” She continued as Skylar glared at her.

“You would have the support of the protectors, the witches, the werewolves. This way, you get the support of the whole realm and we get the protection, closure, and transparency. It’s a win-win situation for all.” Thea said as she was pacing up to reach Skylar.

“I might think about it ….” She retorted.

“Call it killing two birds with one stone.” Thea’s lips pursed as if she was glad of her idea. Skylar simply snorted. “Stop trying your convincing tactics.”

“Um … I’m offended,” Thea was half-angry, half-exasperated.

“Let’s move, Wolf, or else we won’t be able to reach there on time.”

“Where are we going exactly?”

“The vampire den,” Skylar said with a slight smirk.

“A werewolf in a vampire den, what could possibly go wrong.”

Thea swallowed but nevertheless followed Skylar.

As soon as they entered the vampire territory, one of the vampires came out of nowhere and questioned angrily, “What is a werewolf doing here?” to which Skylar replied by pushing him back, “Tell Augustus, he has got guests. Skylar is here to see him, NOW!”

He hurriedly ran to give Augustus the message. He seemed to be frightened of Skylar.

Thea raised an eyebrow after watching the exchange between the two and whispered, “I’m impressed Skylar, you make quite an impression.”

Augustus’s vampire minion told him that Skylar was outside to see him. He told him to invite her inside as fast as he could and not to keep her waiting.

As Skylar and Thea entered Augustus’s cave, all the vampires glared with rage at Thea. She felt a bit out of place but bravely held her head high.

Augustus greeted Skylar. “Look who’s back. It’s been so long, Skylar! How have you been doing?”

“Augustus, my old acquaintance, I’m good, and you’ve been good too I assume, huh!” She said as she looked around with a hint of disgust on her face upon seeing the lifelessness and a strange coldness all around.

Augustus cleared his throat and exclaimed, “Skylar leaving everything aside, what is a werewolf doing in my territory? It’s just for your sake that her head is still intact.”

Thea taunted him by saying, “You need to chill, blood man!”

Skylar couldn’t help but laugh at herself after hearing the new nickname, “She’s here for a reason, we won’t take long. Now won’t you offer us to come in and sit?”

“Come in Skylar, and uh you too.”

“Yah! I’ll come everywhere where Skylar goes.”

“You make it sound like you’re stalking me, Thea, for real,” Skylar whispered to Thea.

Augustus was seated in the lobby of the lavish so-called den for the vampires. He offered them drinks and asked them what had brought them here? To which Skylar replied, “I need you to tell me about Ace.”

“Ace, as in Ace Wayland?”

“Yes! Ace Wayland, you used to be his right hand as far as I remember, and I assume you still work for him. Spill whatever you know about him this instant.” She said with anger.

“Well, you certainly assumed wrong, Skylar. I ‘USED’ to be his right hand that was like a century ago. We parted ways, as you can see I don’t work for him, I’m on my own. He is on his own, but he is backed up with demon hanger-ons.”

“Care to explain to me the reason for these new demonic attacks, which involve vampires, given that in this city, majority of them are your tribe?”

Augustus sat up straight as he heard Skylar, “No I don’t know the reason behind the attacks; also none of my vampires are involved. They know the rules.”

“Stop fooling with me Augustus, it’s one of your people. It would be no surprise if you are involved too, lying is your second nature … ”

Augustus looked slightly dismayed and kept silent.

Thea then pitted into the conversation and sounded more reasonable, “Do you have any idea how many people were random casualties of these random attacks … do you even care the slightest?”

“Does it look like I care? No, I don’t, that’s the reason why we have a demonic side.” Augustus replied in a “duh” tone.

“Augustus, you have to tell me whatever you know then I might go easy on you, but if you don’t tell it to me right now and I find out on my own that you are hiding facts, you know you’re finished for good!”

“Yes, I don’t know how to prove myself to you, all I can assure you is that if the vampire is one of my tribe, I will kill him/her with my bare hands.”

“You better!”

“The only useful lead that I can give right now about Ace is that he might be found in the demonic territory solely and that I don’t mean half common and half-demon, complete demons, the dark space, as they might call it now.”

“Thanks! We better get going then.”

“Also, one more thing, Ace might turn out to be an ally to you as he would love to absorb the energy of the demon and you had some charm on him last time you saw him a few centuries ago. He might not be out of love for you still; he would love to work with you,” Augustus said as he pointed a finger at Skylar in a friendly manner.

“He better be, also there is no chance for either of the two let me tell you that,” Skylar said and chuckled.

“Also, you may count your old friend in,” Augustus said with open arms and pointed towards himself.

Skylar and Thea left the place, Thea said, “Lively place bloodsucka,” she whistled and put her hand in her pocket and went out to which Augustus chuckled after they left.

As Skylar and Thea moved out of the building, Thea asked her, “So you and Ace had a story between you two, is it?”

“We all have our things Thea, it was nothing more than a small fling, maybe.” She said unsurely.

“Maybe!” Thea chuckled.

Skylar decided to go and meet Ace the next day and this time she decided to go alone to avoid any further conflict.