The Legacy of Kilkenny (19 page)

“Abe, are you insane?” she mouthed to me.

I shake my head yes, as if it was a question that needed to be asked.
 
I have no other option but being crazy, look at my life!

My head tilts back uncontrollably as I catch a whiff of something on the night breeze. I smelled him before I saw him but he had no idea I was almost at lethal as my counterpart.
 
He tried jumping off the roof onto Pru’s back, I pushed her out of the way, grab him and throw him into the ditch behind the building.

“Oh how sweet, the pup thinks he’s Alpha already protecting the beautiful Prudence.
 
What’s the matter pup, dog got your tongue?” said the stranger.

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded stepping closer to him and ready for combat.

“It’s all good pup, you’ve schooled me.” He held up his hands in the classic surrender pose.

“The
injun
would be Sean Youngblood, a little
wolfy
that decided he was too good to be a pack wolf and went off on his own.”
 
Her anger was more than apparent as she turned and faced him.
 
“What’s wrong
injun
?
 
Dog got
your
tongue?” She inched closer to me, standing so close I can feel the adrenaline flowing through her.
 
“You know rogue’s aren’t allowed in Pack territory, I’m assuming you came to check on Abe’s training to see what you guys are up against.
 
I’m in no mood for breaking a nail on your ugly, flea-ridden, butt-sniffing snout so before I go all ninja on your butt I suggest you start ‘
fessing
up.”

“Oh sweet little Pru has grown up to be such a potty-mouthed bad ass.”
 
He sprung up doing a double flip in the air, landing upright in front of me.
 
“Does the General have any idea what his little princess is doing these days?”

“What are you talking about Sean?
 
You’re boring me so hurry up.”
 
With the dagger looks she was shooting at Sean, he should be glad looks don’t kill because he would’ve been dust.

“Well rumor has it… that one of the New Orleans nightwalker clan decided to open up shop in your territory.
 
A few of my buddies and I have been tracking them and what a fascinating sight to see the Alpha’s daughter hanging out with a fledgling.”

“You’re insane.
 
If there were nightwalkers in Oklahoma, we’d know.”
 
Pru said.

I try to hide my surprise until we drive home, I can’t let the rogues believe there is any type of kink in our communication.
 

“I see.”
 
Sean said.
 
“Just let your little family know Bruce and I send our love. You better watch your back because if he...” He says as he points at me. “Hadn’t been around, who knows what a flea-ridden rogue like me would do to such a sweet potty-mouthed Alpha daughter like you.”

I feel my hackles go up and a small growl came out of me.
 
“Get out of here before my human self kicks your wolf ass.”
 
He was gone before I finished my sentence.

“Don’t even go there Abel, I need to get to the farm, I have to talk to my dad.”
 
Pru said as she held her hand up at me, warding me off.

I get in the car, my hands are shaking from the adrenalin rush as I turn to face her.

The car starts.

I look at her as she shakes her head and says, “Abel, I told you we would talk about it later but
this
is Pack news so I must get to my dad to talk to him.”

I lean back in my seat, instead of giving her the third degree, like I think I should, I try to figure out who Sean was talking about.

Pru

Why can’t life just be a little less complicated?
 
Seriously.
  
I was totally off my game when Sean jumped off the roof at me.
 
He was known to bully a few female
weres
around, typical for men that feel inadequate to other men.
 
Abe was very impressive, he was going to make a good
were
; at least I was certain of one thing.

I could see Abe was physically shaken by the ordeal with Sean but right now I couldn’t coddle him, I needed to tell my family so we could start researching the vampire invasion.
 
I was saying a silent prayer Abe wouldn’t figure out who Sean was talking about, I don’t know if he could handle the implications his sister may indeed be turning into a vampire.
 
Just what we need.

Oakley answered in the first ring.

“Pru!
 
I’ve been pacing back and forth waiting for your call, what is going on?
 
I sensed you’re in some type of trouble.”
 
I could hear the quiver in his voice, the one he gets when he is really tense about something.

“Can you get everyone to Piedsville? We have a huge problem,” I say.
 
“I have to drop Abe off at his house; I’ll be home within the next 45 minutes.
 
I think everyone is probably still at the soccer field in Oklahoma City for a playoff game.”

“Yeah, sure.
 
I’ll talk to you soon, 45 minutes right?”

“See you soon,”
 
I hung up my hands-free device.

“Oh no you don’t Pru, I’m not going home.
 
I want to know what the plan is. I know you’ll give me the rated G-version if I wait until tomorrow.
 
I’m going with you.”

My phone started ringing; it was my dad and he told me he felt Abel should be included, regardless of what my thoughts were on the subject.
 
I’m in no position to argue with the Alpha, especially since he’s my dad.

 
“I guess you’re coming with me,”
 
I say.
 
“How do you want to do it?
 
Can you sneak out or what?”

“I’ll text my mom, I doubt she cares if I’m out later, she has been pretty cool about my curfew.” He said and pulls out his phone and texts her.
 
“She said it was fine but I still have to go to school in the morning, no excuses.
 
She apparently doesn’t realize I don’t sleep much at night anyway.”

I have to figure out a way to tell him my suspicion about Allie, he was going to bug out but I had to tell him before the meeting.

“Abe, you know I’d never tell you something to hurt you, right?
 
You know I keep it real and say it as it is, right?”
 
I ask, my tongue getting tied as I tried to find the right words; the words to tell him his sister may be going all Dracula on us.

 
“Okay, here goes….I think Allie may have the nightwalker virus…. Before you freak out, just think about it! Don’t you think her behavior is a bit off?
 
I know you do; you’ve said it to me before.”

“I’ve never once said I think she is a supernatural.
 
We’re talking about vampire’s right?” His hands were rubbing up and down his thighs, a nervous tick he does when he is frustrated.

 
I was trying to keep my eye on the road and the expression on his face but I could tell by his tone he had some suspicions about her too. “I think she has the virus, I don’t know if she is a full-blown vampire or not, and I’m leaning more to the
not
but there is no way of knowing until we can talk to her.”

“I thought you told me there aren’t any vampires in Oklahoma.
 
With as many wolves in the Pack why wouldn’t they notice before now?
 
I thought vampires were allergic to
weres
;
you
told
me that they are.”
 
He turned in his seat facing me and slamming his right hand into my dash out of anger.

“Abel, calm down!
 
I told you
that
because it’s true.
 
I think maybe since you haven’t shifted yet she doesn’t realize what you are.
 
I’m not even sure she knows what
she
is.”
 
It was the truth but he wasn’t buying what I was selling.

He rolled his eyes and said “All the training including how to row a kayak, martial arts, Irish history, Indian history, psychology… all of THAT but you fail to go over quote unquote nightwalkers?
 
What
ev
!
 
I’m so done with all of this
crapola
! Did you ever think maybe I don’t want to shift?
 
Did you?
 
For one minute, did you
ever
consider that?”
 
He yelled.

I shook my head… no.
 
“I guess no,” I whispered, barely audible but I know he could hear me.

“Of course you didn’t.
 
Of course everyone thinks good ole’ Abe -- oh he wants to be the Great
Freakin
’ Wolf.
 
Well I have news for all of you, I’m sick and tired of the drama!
 
All of it.
 
I’m sick and tired of hearing about how I must die! Well, that IS all I think about now… HOW I’m going to die.
 
But I don’t want to hurt my family.
 
My dad will be devastated, my mom will break, I know she will and Allie my possibly vampire sister… it would kill them.
 
You won’t even have to stake her, she’ll just die on her own!”
 
Abe said, or more like he yelled.

“No one is staking anyone.
 
I’m sorry.
 
Honestly that’s really all I can say.
 
I’m sorry.
 
I know it must be hard to realize one day you’re going to die, but we do it for their protection.
 
We don’t do it to harm you, we’re trying to protect all of them.”
 
Tears were welling up in my eyes, of course.
 
Dammit
.

“Well, tomorrow I want to see the
codex
.”
 
Abel demanded.

“Why?”

“Because I want to see where it talks about me dying and never seeing my family again.
 
I want to see it with my own eyes. Because what if I’m not the almighty Great Wolf and I’m just a wolf, and you made sure I died in the eyes of my human family.
 
You’re the one that told me if I’m just a wolf I can still talk with my family because there wouldn’t be so many expectations and my family won’t be in jeopardy.”
 
He fidgeted in his seat until he was facing forward with his arms crossed.

How delightful.
 
“I can’t show it to you.”

“Oh yes you can, and you will.
 
I’m not kidding Pru, I
have
to see it.
 
I’ll disappear on you and you won’t find me until after it happens.”

“It’s in the family safe, only my dad knows the combination.”
 
I took a deep breath.
  
Keep your cool
I thought to myself.
 
“I’ve only seen it because of my dreams and we had to research it before we found you.
 
Only the Alpha can have free access to it.”
 
For the love of all things good and sacred, what the hell is going on tonight?
 
I came out to tell him about the limo and end up in a fight or near fight with a rogue, find out there are nightwalkers in Oklahoma, deal with drama boy and his demands.
 
I may seriously lose my mind before the night is over.
 

ABEL

I turn my attention from her to the window.
 
And even though it’s not right, even ethical, I think about how I’ll trick the General out of the combination.
 
Two can play the game, I know because I have a secret I haven’t shared with my friends.
 
I’ve been able to read thoughts, and not just werewolf thoughts, I can hear human thoughts too.
 
I don’t hear every thought and I’m not exactly an expert at it, but if I concentrate I can pick up their thoughts.
 
The first time I realized I could do it was when I asked my mom if I could go over to Shane’s house. She told me “No,” and gave no explanation.
 
I asked “why,” and she
said,
“I have my reasons and I’m not sharing them with you.”
 
I
heard,
“He tested positive on a drug screen my doctor’s office ran on him because his parents thought he was smoking pot.”
 
I’ll talk to the General and tell him about my plight. If he gives me grief, I’ll just mention the safe and tell him I’ll figure out the combination, that should force him to
think
about it and I’ll just break into it later.
 
I’m so tired of everyone telling me they are protecting my family, when I’m the one who will.