Malevolence - Legacy Series Book Two (The Legacy Series) (3 page)

           
“I really appreciate the ride.
 
Do you think your parents can help me?”
 
She asked.

           
“Hmmm, how to answer that?
 
Mrs. Phelan is out of the country and my parents have left for a cruise.
 
Interestingly enough, I’m the one in charge.
 
Don’t let my baby face fool you,” I said with a smile.

           
“We’re almost there and we’ll be able to look into this a little further,”
 
Oakley said.

           
She leaned back in her seat, more relaxed than I would have been in her situation.
 
I could only imagine what it would be like to all of the sudden be alone in the world and not know who I was.
 
It was obvious she had more faith in us then I did.
 
I sent Chrissy a text and sat lost in thought until we pulled into the long driveway.

           
“You’re kidding me!”
 
She exclaimed.
 
“This is your house?”

           
She had the same reaction I did the first time I saw the enormous house just over a year ago.
 
“Its home,” I said.

           
“I’d never imagine a farmer living in a place like this,” she said as she climbed out of the truck and walked with us to the doors.
 
Alistar
gave us a quick bark, acknowledging our new friend.
 

           
“So you’ve been to farms before?”
 
Oakley asked suspiciously.

           
“I forgot who I am; I didn’t forget what everything is.
 
I have a general knowledge of what things are, what they do, what is expected, but I have no damned idea who I am,” she said in frustration.

           
Oakley held up his hands as if he were surrendering to her.
 
“I’m sorry.
 
I didn’t mean to make any accusations.
 
I believe you. Really, I do.”
 

           
“I’m okay, I am tired, dirty and I’m really hungry.
 
Do you have some peanut butter and jelly?
 
I could really use a sandwich.”
   

           
I started walking to the kitchen, meeting up with our new chef Estelle.
 
“Did I hear someone ask for peanut butter and jelly?
 
I have some fried chicken and potato salad made up if you’d rather have something to put meat on your bones.
 
You’re too skinny.”
 
Estelle said with a hint of her Columbian accent.
 
She took over after their chef for the last ten years quit after the General died.

           
“That would be amazing!”
 
Mystery girl said.

           
“I’ll eat with you,” I said.
 
Oakley raised his hand, letting us know he’d be joining us.
 
I leaned over to whisper in her ear that we needed to give her a name, until we figure out who she was.

           
“I like the name Samantha, how about Sam?”
 
She said as she took a seat at the glass breakfast table.
 
“This kitchen is really pretty, that vase of red roses looks amazing on the black granite.
 
I love, love, love the marble island.
 
It is gorgeous.”

           
“Mrs. Phelan has great taste.
 
We call her Dolly; she’ll be back in a couple of months.
 
We Skype with her all of the time though, so maybe you’ll get a chance to meet her.
 
You’re welcome to stay with us while we figure things out about you.
 
We have several guest rooms; you can pick whichever you want.
 
They all look the same to me but the girls keep telling me I’m blind.
 
Speaking of girls, my girlfriend Chrissy is on her way out here.”
 
I grabbed a couple pieces of chicken and spooned out some potato salad onto my plate.
 
“Don’t be shy around here or you’ll never get anything to eat,” I said, before taking a bite of chicken.

           
After lunch we showed Sam the way to the guest rooms.
 
She picked a room with brown walls and an enormous pine canopy bed.
 
I’d always been a fan of that room because of its huge marble fireplace.
 

           
“You’re about the same size as Shaynie; I’ll grab some jeans and a sweater for you out of her room.
 
Maybe you and Chrissy can go to the mall and pick up some clothes if you’d like.”
 
I stood at the doorway as she walked in the room.
 
“There should be shampoo and stuff in the cabinets in the bathroom.
 
Estelle put a toothbrush and some toothpaste on the counter for you.
 
Relax, everything will be okay.”
 
I tried to reassure her in the very awkward situation.

           
She walked towards me stopping at the doorway.
 
“Abel, thank you.
 
I’ll be done soon.”

Chapter 3. Wolf

“The wolf said, “You know, my dear, it isn’t safe for a little girl to walk through these woods alone.”

~ Little Red Cap - Grimm’s Household Tales

           
I heard
Alistar
, the pack’s Irish Wolfhound, baritone bark informing us that Chrissy pulled up.
 
I stood on the porch watching her get out of Parker’s
Prius
.
 
When he left with Pru to find the General’s murderer he told Chrissy she could use it while he was gone.
 
Her puffy pink coat with white fur trimmed hood stood out against her freshly colored hair.
 
She had her hair cut short and colored black on the bottom with white on the top tipped in hot pink.
 
I loved the free spirit of her personality and how she expressed herself.
 
She recently quit her job at Ta Ta’s and started work at a wildlife rescue with the help of Dolly.
 
Her boss sported a Mohawk which was usually multiple colors.
 
He’d told Chrissy the animals didn’t complain about his hair, so he wouldn’t complain about hers.
 
I knew not everyone could pull it off, but she could.

           
She looked up and sent me a question via thought.
“Hey Mr. Greatness is everything cool?”

           
“So far.”
I thought back.
 
“You look so cute.
 
Is that a new jacket?”
 
I said as I met her on the bottom step.

           
She leaned in and kissed me on the lips.
 
“It is.
 
I love that about you, you’re so observant.
 
While we’re handing out compliments; you don’t look too shabby.
 
I’m loving your new casual rock star look.
 
You know that though.”

           
I pulled her to me wrapping my arms around her back.
 
I put my hand behind her head as I kissed her.
 
Her lips were cool and tasted like bubble gum as my tongue explored the velvet moistness of her mouth.
 
We stayed like that until we heard a familiar voice behind me.

           
“Are you planning on playing tonsil hockey all day or coming inside?”
 
Oakley asked with his mischievous grin on his face.

           
“
Hmmmm
, I don’t know.
 
Tonsil hockey was pretty appealing,” I said and took
Chrissy’s
hand leading her up the porch.
 

           
“Oh stop Abe,” she said giving me a fake punch in the arm.
 
“We were on our way inside,” she said to Oakley.

           
We went into the man cave for some privacy.
 
We brought Chrissy up to date on everything we knew about Sam.

           
“It sounds like we need to tell Sam what is about to happen to her.
 
Don’t you agree?”
 
Chrissy said.

           
We nodded our head in unison.
 
“I agree.
  
It’s bad enough she doesn’t even know who she is or where she’s from.
 
I’ll go get her and we’ll tell her together,” I said as I stood up and headed to the guest room end of the house.

           
The first thought I had about Sam is how she cleaned up pretty good.
 
She smelled of soap and blood.
 
She still looked tired; I could see the dark shadows under her eyes.
 
“Sam?
 
Chrissy is here.
 
It looks like I was right about
Shaynie’s
clothes, they fit you perfect.”

           
“Yeah, thank you.
 
Your girlfriend isn’t mad that I’m here or anything is she?
 
I don’t want any drama or to bring any drama to you.” She took a final look of herself in the mirror.

           
“Oh no, she’s fine.
 
Come on, I’ll introduce you.
 
I think you’ll like her.”

           
After we did our introductions, Chrissy and I sat down on the loveseat, Sam on the couch and Oakley in a big overstuffed chair.
 
To the average person it would look like we were old friends enjoying a conversation, Cokes in hand and little mini sandwiches that Estelle insisted on bringing us set up on the coffee table.
 
There was nothing normal in what we were about to talk about.

           
I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before changing Sam’s life forever.
 
“Sam, I’m sure you’ve noticed a big open sore on your body somewhere,” I said to her.

           
“Yeah, how’d you know that?”
 
She asked and her eyebrow started twitching as she stared at me.

           
The wolf in me was trying to mind over matter, telling myself she doesn’t know better than looking a werewolf in the eyes for more than a few seconds.
 
She wasn’t challenging me.
 
Oakley leaned forward, giving me a semi-bug-eyed look while whispering to me to keep my cool.
 
“I have a very keen sense of smell.”
 
I shook my head back and forth.
 
“Not that you smell or anything, well,
kinda
but not in a bad way.
 
I smell blood on you and open flesh.”

           
“Oh gross.
 
You’re kidding me?
 
I showered, I promise,” she said as she slinked back on the couch.

           
“No, no.
 
Nothing like that.
 
Okay, hear me out and everything will make sense.
 
Oakley is actually going to do a demonstration.
 
I find it easier with a visual.”

           
Oakley’s eyebrows lifted as he shrugged his shoulders at me.