Read Online Rancor: Vampyre Hunter (Rancor Chronicles) by James McCann - Free Book Online
Authors: James McCann
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comforter to her neck for security. She held her eyes shut to ward off the darkness, unable to stop her body from shaking as beads of perspiration mixed with the tears that streamed down her puffy cheeks. Had it been a dream? Never had a dream been so vivid, nor so real.
She mustered the courage to open her eyes a crack, half-expecting to still be in that field with the giant and Rellik. The wall’s shadowed floral patterns relaxed her. Her room was a sanctuary. She took special comfort in her giant Pooh Bear that sat in the wicker chair, gently showered in moonlight.
Alix released her grip from the comforter. She rolled on her side, feeling around for her Kleenex box. Grasping a tissue, she pulled it to her face, wiping away the tears.
Her clock read 4:00 a.m. When had she come home? What had happened with the crazy, sword-wielding freak? What about Rellik?
Alix rubbed her swollen eyes with clenched fists. Had someone spiked her drink, and she’d just had some psychotic episode? Or had there been a murderous stranger? And what of Rellik and the strange charge that had passed between them?
Then she recalled the boy who had handed Betty the beer and said, “This one’s special for you.” Bastard!
The only thing she knew for certain was that she wouldn’t fall back asleep tonight. Climbing out from her warm bed, she dragged her blanket to the wicker chair, nestled into Pooh Bear’s lap, and relaxed as its arms embraced her. As she leaned her head against its chest, she stared out her window at the foreboding red moon.
“The Alsandair hated me for the kindness I had shown our enemy, and they also hated my brother for that which he had shown me. It would not have mattered to my clan even if we had gone on every day after that living the evil they worshipped. We were now an abomination, because we were not the same.
“And now I must wonder which the greater deed was: my liberation of our prisoners, or Kendil who had set me free?”
-Wulfsign
C HAPTER NINE
Day Two was not Alix’s favorite part of the week. Not only did she have Math again, but today she’d have to figure out an excuse for why she had missed class on Friday. Thank goodness I finished most of the homework, at least, Alix thought, as she turned back to her locker. Until now she’d all but forgotten the events of the party, especially since news of another wolf attack had overshadowed her drunken blackout.
She grabbed her copy of Hamlet for first-period Lit, and her algebra for second period as she shuddered away horrific thoughts about the attack. She didn’t even notice that her jacket had caught in the locker as she closed the door.
“Hey rude-baby!”
Alix jerked and spun. Her jacket, still caught, forced her to pull back and hit herself against the lockers. The surprise broke her trance and sent her heart racing, but it was only Betty. Betty of the embrace-with-Carl Betty.
Closing her eyes, Alix calmed down and told herself not to show her jealousy.
“Hi.” Freeing her jacket, she tried to regain some composure.
“What happened to you Friday? Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Betty threw her long, dark hair back.
“I think I blacked out. I thought I was outside. Then, suddenly, I was at home.” She tried to say this as calmly as possible. “You can thank your friends for spiking my beer.”
“There’s no way my friends would spike your beer.” There was a pause. Then Betty sighed and added quickly, “I heard you left because you saw Carl and me in the kitchen.”
Alix felt her face turn warm and hoped she wasn’t going red. “What if I did?”
“We were just goofing around. It wasn’t what it looked like.”
“Whatever,” Alix said, trying not to sound like she cared.
“You worried us, y’know. Lara and Lenny were found dead. Totally ripped apart by a wolf. The ground’s so frozen Carl’s never going to get the blood out of the grass.”
“Lenny and Lara?” This time Alix
She mustered the courage to open her eyes a crack, half-expecting to still be in that field with the giant and Rellik. The wall’s shadowed floral patterns relaxed her. Her room was a sanctuary. She took special comfort in her giant Pooh Bear that sat in the wicker chair, gently showered in moonlight.
Alix released her grip from the comforter. She rolled on her side, feeling around for her Kleenex box. Grasping a tissue, she pulled it to her face, wiping away the tears.
Her clock read 4:00 a.m. When had she come home? What had happened with the crazy, sword-wielding freak? What about Rellik?
Alix rubbed her swollen eyes with clenched fists. Had someone spiked her drink, and she’d just had some psychotic episode? Or had there been a murderous stranger? And what of Rellik and the strange charge that had passed between them?
Then she recalled the boy who had handed Betty the beer and said, “This one’s special for you.” Bastard!
The only thing she knew for certain was that she wouldn’t fall back asleep tonight. Climbing out from her warm bed, she dragged her blanket to the wicker chair, nestled into Pooh Bear’s lap, and relaxed as its arms embraced her. As she leaned her head against its chest, she stared out her window at the foreboding red moon.
“The Alsandair hated me for the kindness I had shown our enemy, and they also hated my brother for that which he had shown me. It would not have mattered to my clan even if we had gone on every day after that living the evil they worshipped. We were now an abomination, because we were not the same.
“And now I must wonder which the greater deed was: my liberation of our prisoners, or Kendil who had set me free?”
-Wulfsign
C HAPTER NINE
Day Two was not Alix’s favorite part of the week. Not only did she have Math again, but today she’d have to figure out an excuse for why she had missed class on Friday. Thank goodness I finished most of the homework, at least, Alix thought, as she turned back to her locker. Until now she’d all but forgotten the events of the party, especially since news of another wolf attack had overshadowed her drunken blackout.
She grabbed her copy of Hamlet for first-period Lit, and her algebra for second period as she shuddered away horrific thoughts about the attack. She didn’t even notice that her jacket had caught in the locker as she closed the door.
“Hey rude-baby!”
Alix jerked and spun. Her jacket, still caught, forced her to pull back and hit herself against the lockers. The surprise broke her trance and sent her heart racing, but it was only Betty. Betty of the embrace-with-Carl Betty.
Closing her eyes, Alix calmed down and told herself not to show her jealousy.
“Hi.” Freeing her jacket, she tried to regain some composure.
“What happened to you Friday? Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Betty threw her long, dark hair back.
“I think I blacked out. I thought I was outside. Then, suddenly, I was at home.” She tried to say this as calmly as possible. “You can thank your friends for spiking my beer.”
“There’s no way my friends would spike your beer.” There was a pause. Then Betty sighed and added quickly, “I heard you left because you saw Carl and me in the kitchen.”
Alix felt her face turn warm and hoped she wasn’t going red. “What if I did?”
“We were just goofing around. It wasn’t what it looked like.”
“Whatever,” Alix said, trying not to sound like she cared.
“You worried us, y’know. Lara and Lenny were found dead. Totally ripped apart by a wolf. The ground’s so frozen Carl’s never going to get the blood out of the grass.”
“Lenny and Lara?” This time Alix
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