The Human Condition

Seventeen

Owen didn’t seem to be bothered by the arrival of the vampires as he stood in front of us, watching the axe Mandy held as he realized this was where the pain was coming from. He didn’t jump onto Luke to maul him as he had the woman from earlier or how he had reacted to us. It wasn’t until Luke went to Mandy’s side and reached out to touch her that Owen reacted.

His snarling growl of warning as he stepped in front of us could easily have been mistaken as a protective stance but as Luke hissed at him and he growled back, I saw it for what it really was.

They were both predators.

Luke was not a threat until he wanted what was his and the hairy arm swung out, knocking Luke across the yard. The muscular body leapt towards him where he landed roaring as it did so we could see the saliva by the kitchen light fly onto Luke. I couldn’t help but laugh at how disgusting that must have been and Mandy quickly opened the door of the car, using the distraction Luke provided wisely unlike me who laughed.

I quickly shut up as Mandy screamed, Curtis’s limp body fell from the car and getting up I didn’t have time to get myself together before Dominik grabbed my arm and pulled me backwards so I stumbled towards him.

“Let her go!” Mandy shoved Curtis the rest of the way from the car, raising her axe she was ready to swing at him.

“Leave Amanda. You can walk out of this unharmed” Dominik offered as I stopped struggling beside him. He wasn’t letting go and his grip was making my arm ache.

“No”

“Mandy, get in the car. Go to Cam ok?” There was no point in keeping up my strong façade. I was scared, I was tired and I had enough of hurting. Hot tears ran down my face, I had forgot the cold up until that point and involuntarily shivered.

“No!” She screamed, the yelp coming from Owen had us all looking to the fight we had forgotten about as Luke managed to drop the werewolf and in snapping its neck, the body returned to that of Owen but the cracking of his bones changing had me gasping and Mandy sobbing at the prospect that Luke had just killed him. It wasn’t his fault he was a werewolf, despite threatening our lives, he didn’t deserve to die. “Owen!”

Mandy and I both went to run forward at the same time only I was held back.

“Didn’t kill him, relax” Dominik whispered and shoved me into the car, ignoring the fact I tripped on Curtis who was still unconscious beside it. “Get in or before you can even think of running, she’s dead”

Mandy was at Owens side and an exhausted Luke was leaning over, resting his hands on his knees he had a nasty gash on his forehead and he was struggling to get his breath back. Ours eyes met as I closed the door and I looked away as Dominik climbed in beside me and started the car. Mandy got up and moved to run to the car but Luke was quick to hold her back and I left my parents home for what could be the last time and I never got to say goodbye.

“That’s probably the first sensible thing you’ve done since you’ve been with me” Dominik teased, turning onto the main street the shops were all closed with no one on the streets I could even attempt to find some kind of help with.

“Go to hell” I snapped, leaning against the window I tried to find some kind of way out but all I could think of was this it? Was I spending what could be my last minutes or hours on this earth focusing only on the end?

We pulled up at the riverside; it was on the other side of the town and a popular spot in summer for picnics and swimming. The large rocks that lined one section of the bend were perfect for jumping off or laying on to sunbake. I hadn’t been here for years, just over three to be exact.