Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Night Creature Hunterââ¬â¢s Moon Chapter 35 Free Essays
ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve got to go,â⬠I said. I took one step toward the door and fell to my knees as the room became a forest again. Damp earth seeped through my pants legs, chilling my skin. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Hunterââ¬â¢s Moon Chapter 35 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The air was musty. I smelled moss. In the distance a wolf howled. I lifted my mouth to call outâ⬠¦ And ended up coughing, choking, in Damienââ¬â¢s arms. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t think youââ¬â¢re going anywhere.â⬠ââ¬Å"Stop me.â⬠ââ¬Å"No problem.â⬠He scooped me up again and took me into the bathroom, where he dumped me onto the toilet seat. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m cleaning that wound, and Iââ¬â¢m calling a doctor.â⬠ââ¬Å"Damien, it wonââ¬â¢t do any good. You and I both know that.â⬠He hung his head. ââ¬Å"Just let me clean it then. OK?â⬠ââ¬Å"If I do, will you let me find Jessie?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. But I will.â⬠I glanced into his eyes. This was the best deal I was going to get. I yanked the pillowcase bandage off my arm. ââ¬Å"Knock yourself out.â⬠His smile was the same smile Iââ¬â¢d come to love. Sweet, sad, infinitely beautiful. I was going to miss him. My arm was bloody and gaping, made me nauseous just to look at it. I turned away, and he dampened a cloth and began to wash away the gore. After a few minutes Damien made an impatient sound. ââ¬Å"This isnââ¬â¢t going to do any good, Leigh. It just keeps bleeding.â⬠I resisted the urge to say, Told you so. ââ¬Å"Bandage me up again.â⬠ââ¬Å"You need stitches.â⬠ââ¬Å"Stitch me.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll make a mess, a scar.â⬠I lifted a brow. ââ¬Å"A scar? Oh, no. I shiver. I shudder. That would be such a shame.â⬠He ran a hand over his face, leaving a trail of my blood across his cheek. ââ¬Å"Forget it,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s not going to make a difference in another day anyway.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s right.â⬠He straightened. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ll heal.â⬠I wouldnââ¬â¢t. But once again, he didnââ¬â¢t need to know that. ââ¬Å"Which reminds me, why doesnââ¬â¢t Hectorââ¬â¢s tattoo heal?â⬠ââ¬Å"He has a tattoo? Like Cowboy?â⬠ââ¬Å"Obviously, since theyââ¬â¢re the same person.â⬠ââ¬Å"Which makes no sense.â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢d be surprised.â⬠I didnââ¬â¢t have the energy or the time to explain super-duper shape-shifting powers, even if I could. ââ¬Å"But the wolf morphing into the crow made no sense, either,â⬠he murmured. ââ¬Å"Getting back to the tattoo?â⬠I reminded him as he used a towel to bind my arm. ââ¬Å"What? Oh. Thatââ¬â¢s easy. You stay the way you were when you were made a wolf. Ifâ⬠¦ Was it Hector?â⬠I nodded. ââ¬Å"If he had a tattoo when he became a werewolf, heââ¬â¢ll have one forever. Any injury after that will heal.â⬠Damien pointed to his thigh and I remembered the thin white scar that marred his nearly perfect flesh. ââ¬Å"I got that as a kid. Itââ¬â¢ll never go away.â⬠This was all news to me. Why didnââ¬â¢t we know this in the J-S society? Because we didnââ¬â¢t stop to ask questions before we shot them, and maybe that wasnââ¬â¢t so bright. ââ¬Å"But what about this?â⬠I lifted my bandaged arm. ââ¬Å"Happened before I became a werewolf.â⬠ââ¬Å"The wound that infected you with the virus will heal.â⬠ââ¬Å"Convenient.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can you imagine people walking around with their throats ripped out? It isnââ¬â¢t pretty.â⬠Iââ¬â¢d wondered when I first became a Jager-Sucher how people with kill wounds could heal. There was a simple, disgusting explanation. People were food. If a werewolf ate you, you died. If he nibbled but didnââ¬â¢t snack, you got to be one of them. ââ¬Å"What about diseases?â⬠I pressed. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢ll heal, because you still have them after youââ¬â¢re a werewolf. At least until you shift the first time.â⬠ââ¬Å"But not scars?â⬠ââ¬Å"Sorry, Leigh.â⬠He thought I was worried about my back. I hadnââ¬â¢t even considered it. Guess I got to keep the scar. Oh, boy. ââ¬Å"Who is Hector?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Cowboy.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, who is he to you?â⬠I lifted my eyes. Sympathy shone in his, caring, under-standing, love. How could he love me? Because he didnââ¬â¢t know. ââ¬Å"I had sex with him,â⬠I blurted. ââ¬Å"I saw him, wanted him, took him. Then he sacrificed everyone I loved so he could become like you.â⬠Damien frowned. I waited for the recriminations, the disgust. Instead he murmured, ââ¬Å"Interesting.â⬠ââ¬Å"Interesting? Is that all you can say?â⬠ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t know someone could become a werewolf without being bitten.â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢d be surprised what you donââ¬â¢t know.â⬠The door to my apartment banged open. Jessie and Will spilled into the room, Jessie shouting my name and cursing. I was so damn glad to see them alive, I didnââ¬â¢t hear what they were saying. I got off the toilet and inched past Damien. As I went by, his palm slid along my good arm in a gentle, reassuring touch. My fingers clung to his for just an instant and it was good. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m here,â⬠I said. They both went silent as if Iââ¬â¢d thrown a switch, staring at me as if I were a ghost. ââ¬Å"Thank God,â⬠she breathed. ââ¬Å"I thought we were too late.â⬠ââ¬Å"Too late for what?â⬠ââ¬Å"We talked to Cora. He has to ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Make me a werewolf before the full moon.â⬠Jessie shut her mouth, tilted her head. ââ¬Å"How did you know that?â⬠ââ¬Å"He told me.â⬠I lifted my bandaged arm. She drew her gun and pointed it at my head. I smiled. ââ¬Å"I knew you were the best friend I ever had.â⬠Damien barreled out of the bathroom and shoved me behind him. My hero. ââ¬Å"What the hell?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Get lost,â⬠Jessie snapped. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t think I will. This is murder, Sheriff.â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s none of your business, Fitzgerald. Get out of my way.â⬠ââ¬Å"Jess.â⬠Will spoke for the first time. ââ¬Å"Maybe you should call in before you make any rash decisions.â⬠Indecision flickered over her face. ââ¬Å"You can always shoot her after she grows a tail,â⬠Damien murmured. I kicked him in the leg. He ignored me. ââ¬Å"You told him?â⬠Jessie demanded. I shrugged and didnââ¬â¢t answer. ââ¬Å"Jeez, Leigh, heââ¬â¢s a civilian.â⬠ââ¬Å"So was Cadotte, once upon a time.â⬠ââ¬Å"Got you there,â⬠Will said. ââ¬Å"Shut up.â⬠Jessieââ¬â¢s answer to everything. She still pointed her gun at Damien. I didnââ¬â¢t like it. She had silver in that gun. I tried to slide around him, but he shoved me right back. ââ¬Å"Without her, he canââ¬â¢t become the supreme alpha,â⬠Jessie argued. ââ¬Å"Wolves mate for life.â⬠ââ¬Å"What does that have to do with anything?â⬠Damien asked. ââ¬Å"Thought you knew it all.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know werewolves exist. I havenââ¬â¢t gotten the details on what youââ¬â¢re up against.â⬠Will filled him in as I fought a sudden craving for raw steak. ââ¬Å"It seems to me,â⬠Damien murmured, ââ¬Å"that you have Hector at a disadvantage.â⬠ââ¬Å"How so?â⬠Jessie asked. ââ¬Å"Leigh can get close to him. Heââ¬â¢ll trust her.â⬠Jessie and Will both turned to me. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s right.â⬠Jessie holstered her gun. ââ¬Å"I guess I can always shoot you later.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, look at the bright side.â⬠I pushed past Damien and moved farther into the room. ââ¬Å"Hector plans to use Damien for his sacrifice.â⬠Damien frowned, blinked, then shrugged. ââ¬Å"Let him try.â⬠ââ¬Å"You need to protect him, Jessie.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t need anyone to protect me,â⬠Damien protested. ââ¬Å"I can take care of myself.â⬠Jessie ignored him. ââ¬Å"We could always shoot him before they kill him.â⬠ââ¬Å"Would you quit with the shooting?â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Sacrifice is sacrifice. He doesnââ¬â¢t necessarily need Damien. He just wants him.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because?â⬠ââ¬Å"He touched me.â⬠Jessie glanced at Damien. ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s worth it,â⬠he said. Her gaze went shrewd, and she turned her attention to me with a lift of her brow. I shook my head. I wasnââ¬â¢t going to discuss my feelings for Damien. Not now. Fââ¬â¢robably not ever. ââ¬Å"Hector told me you and Will wouldnââ¬â¢t make it back from Coraââ¬â¢s.â⬠ââ¬Å"We almost didnââ¬â¢t,â⬠Will muttered. ââ¬Å"What happened?â⬠ââ¬Å"My car is kind of like yours now.â⬠ââ¬Å"They attacked.â⬠ââ¬Å"When we were halfway between Coraââ¬â¢s and home. Thankfully Jessie brought a lot of guns and even more ammo.â⬠She patted her Magnum. ââ¬Å"Pays to be prepared.â⬠ââ¬Å"A regular Boy Scout,â⬠I agreed. ââ¬Å"We left quite a few dead ones behind.â⬠ââ¬Å"You didnââ¬â¢t burn them?â⬠ââ¬Å"We didnââ¬â¢t want to get out of the car. There were more waiting.â⬠I nodded. ââ¬Å"Did you happen to see a crow?â⬠Will frowned. ââ¬Å"It settled on the kills. Started pecking. Scavenger.â⬠ââ¬Å"That was Hector.â⬠Jessie and Will exchanged glances. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢d better tell us everything,â⬠he urged. When I was through, Will murmured, ââ¬Å"Not good.â⬠He spread his hands. ââ¬Å"But hey, if this job were easy, everyone would do it.â⬠That startled a laugh out of me. ââ¬Å"Mandenauer?â⬠My head whipped around. Jessie held the cell phone to her ear. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢d better get to Crow Valley. Leighââ¬â¢s been bitten.â⬠She listened for an instant, then hung up. ââ¬Å"Dammit, Jessie, youââ¬â¢ll only upset him. What can he do?â⬠ââ¬Å"I guess weââ¬â¢re gonna find out. Because heââ¬â¢s on his way, and heââ¬â¢s bringing Dr. Hanover.â⬠How to cite Night Creature: Hunterââ¬â¢s Moon Chapter 35, Essay examples
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