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Chapter 6

Jasper picked her up with his teeth and pulled her further away from the gore. Don’t move; I’ll be right back. Nikolas, keep an eye on her. Nikolas nodded and fell down a few feet from her.

Claire held her breath, she felt that if she opened her mouth then she’d either scream or throw up again. She didn’t think her stomach could handle that. “I want to know what you saw.” she growled.

Nikolas gulped and pushed himself against the side of a tree. “I was out searching for Jasper after your date,” he shook at the memory, “and I came across Audrey and Natalie walking through the wood. They appeared to be on their way home when it happened. They were talking in hushed tones and then they stopped. Audrey went ahead and never came back, then Natalie went in search of her.” He sputtered, “I tried to save them but something attacked me. There was so much blood…so much blood.” He tightly closed his eyes and continued, “Audrey tackled it in the side and tried to kill the beast but…it got the better of her. I just escaped, I was too afraid of leading it back to your house so I ran all night.” He finished with a sigh and closed his eyes again, “I’m so tired.”

Claire crawled to his side and lay against him, her eyes refused to close. He slept against the tree while she watched the surrounding forest for signs of movement.

She gasped as Jasper returned, he called the police and they were on their way over. Jasper pulled Claire up and slung her around his back. She held on to his neck, while he kicked Nikolas awake. Startled, Nikolas gasped and twitched violently. “Nikolas, get up. I called the police,” he helped Nikolas to his feet, Nikolas staggered slightly but found his footing, “Come back to the house.”

Claire placed her head against Jaspers back; she could feel his muscles moving as they neared her house. Jasper nudged Claire off and she fell into an armchair next to him. “Sorry.” He cried.

Claire raised a hand and rubbed the back of her neck. Her neck had hit the chair with a small crack. “Don’t be, it was stiff anyway.” She arched her back and cracked her neck again.

“How are you feeling?” Jasper looked off awkwardly, “If I made you something else to eat could you keep it down?” She shook her head and fell into the plush of the chair.

“I’m not hungry and,” Claire rubbed her temples again and thought of Natalie. “I feel like shit, Jasper.” Claire instantly started to cry and shake from aftershock. She hugged her knees and felt a little better, not much but a little. Jasper picked her up while she was still crying and held her in his lap.

“It’s not your fault, Claire.” She shook her head and mumbled to herself, “Claire, there’s some men here that would like to talk with you. Can you talk with them?” Claire nodded and bit her knuckle.

Jasper helped her up and pulled her into the kitchen; he sat her down at the table across from two men. “Claire Bonteir, is it?” Claire nodded slightly and Jasper placed another cup of tea in her hand. “Officer Mason and I have a couple of questions for you, do you think you can answer them?” Claire nodded for the hell of it, his words stretched on like dribbling putty.

“I’m officer Hanover.” He stared at her with beady eyes; his face etched with wrinkles. He smelled of sandalwood and gunpowder; officer Hanover leaned forward with the sort of eagerness a five year old has. “Claire, Can you tell me what you did last night?”

She told him about her date and that she’d gone to bed right after. The quiet man, beside officer Hanover, wrote down every detail of her speech on a yellow legal pad. Claire sipped her tea, she felt a soft pressure in her temples. Jasper stood behind her; she let him into her mind. They think that it was a murder, Claire. Be careful of what you say. It was a murder, Jasper! I’ve told them nothing to make them suspicious at all of our kind. I know but lately there have been some other murders in surrounding towns. I think it’s a stray from our kind and when I get my hands on him I’ll…

“Are you related to Audrey Finche and Natalie Sinclair?”

“Sort of,” she squinted, “Yeah, I guess you could say that I am.”

“How?”

“I grew up with Natalie; my mother and her mother had been friends for many years. My mother died when I was young, as did hers. Audrey took both of us in after that.” Claire fingered the handle of the cup with her pinky finger and moved uncomfortably in the kitchen chair.

            Nikolas came in the living room and sat down beside officer Mason awkwardly. He glanced at the two shortly and slouched in his seat. “Who are you, son?”

            He didn’t bother look up and mumbled, “A fiend.”

The cop shook his head, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I’m a friend of Claire’s.” He slouched even lower and looked at me under his eyelashes. Nikolas sighed and pulled his clothes tighter around his frame. Jasper, maybe you should take him upstairs. Jasper stood and pulled Nikolas out with him, leaving me with the two investigators.

“How are associated with those two, Claire?” He strained to say her name, trying to be polite.

“Their just good friends of mine.” He nodded, while the other wrote rapidly. “What exactly do you need to know?”

They exchanged looks and Officer Mason spoke, “We need to find out who did this; as you probably know there’s been a couple of other murders such as this one.” He tilted his head, “Not far from here either; we just need all the information you can give us, that’s all.

Claire sat there for hours answering random questions about the “Victims.” She sobbed inside; how could they just pawn Audrey and Natalie off as victims, they were more. They were graceful creatures of the night, slaughtered in their prime.

The sound of a large vase shattered in the middle of officer Hanover’s hundredth question. Each had their guns out ready to fight. Claire stood and motioned the two officers to sit down. “Excuse me, for a moment.” Claire strode to the end of the stairs and Jasper came down slowly. Nikolas snapped; he changed and pounded out a window. I tried to clam him down but he wouldn’t listen to reason. The officers now stood behind Claire, “What the hell was that?”

“I accidentally broke a vase. I was coming out of a room and tripped; knocking it off.” Jasper shrugged.

“Mind if we take a look?” Officer Hanover pointed to himself and officer Mason. Jasper nodded and led them to the broken vase. Jasper, who broke the vase? Nikolas did, just before he broke the window. Oh. Hanover and Mason took the stairs carefully and turned the corner, guns extended. Mason sighed at the broken vase; probably hoping there was someone to shoot.

“Well, that’s all we have for questions, Ms. Bonteir. Thank you for your time.” He pulled Mason behind him down the stairs; Jasper and Claire following. “I would seriously reconsider going out after dark, until this all clears up.” Claire nodded and closed the door behind them.