There was no surprising this Houl, so I walked confidently down the hall to where he was standing smoking a cigar. The plume of smoke it emitted made my eyes water.

He turned to me.”So you’ve decided to stop playing hide and seek? I suck at that game you see.”

I smirked. “You didn’t even try.”

He smiled. “Did I really have to? You came on your own.” He put out his cigar on his palm and I watched it burn a concentric mark, like the others along his hand. He was either trying to show me he didn’t fear pain, or he really didn’t feel pain. Either way, it didn’t look good to me.

He smiled. “Elana told me she made a son. You must be him. I guess a welcome into the family is in order. I’m her brother so to speak.”

I didn’t say a word only listened. I crossed my arms across my chest. “What’s your name?”

“Samuel. Now. Bring it.” he said getting into a weird stance I’d never seen before. It had to be a karate stance what with the heavy usage of the horse stance but the arms were grasped in front of him and his stance was a bit lower than the typical horse stance. I got into a loose Judo stance and waited and waited. Looks like I was going to be the one who had to bring it as he said.

I struck out but he weaved around like water over a rock! I didn’t think he’d be flexible and my fighting style was not for flexible people. I sped up but so did he. He kept slipping past my guard but he never hit me. Only laughed. Forgetting about judo, I used the simple moves we were taught in the academy and round-housed the guy but he locked with his forearm before grabbing my foot. I cursed as he dragged me slightly.

“I could break your leg,” he said tapping my thigh in two places. “Here and here. You’re going to have to be far better if you are going to be our leader,” he muttered.

My eyes widened. “Leader? What?”

Samuel sighed and got out of his stance. “Elana hasn’t told you?”

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I smoothed my hair back but it went back to being its curly mess. It was far longer though, and that bothered me to see. At the moment though it served as a great stress reliever. “Elana hasn’t told me a thing. Only that they are coming.”

“Hmm leave it to Elana to be vague. She never explains anything…but first…” he said ducking a laser shot to the head and snapping his fingers.

“What on Earth!” came Gabriella’s voice and I glanced over to see her be ferreted out by a coat stand. It moved bewitched as if a real person. Gabriella jumped out of the way as the coat stand tried to grab her. A bookcase came alive and started chucking books at her. I sighed as she was slowly rounded up beside me.

“I thought I told you I’d be fine,” I said arching a brow as a book smacked her behind.

She jumped right into my arms and blushed facing me. “I couldn’t leave a man behind I’m not Tarric and afraid of my own shadow.”

Samuel arched a brow. “Full of effrontery she is. Her brother on the other hand is a waste of space.”

I agreed somewhat. Tarric wasn’t the person I thought he was. I set Gabriella down and faced Samuel. “Are you going to tell me now?”

He eyed Gabriella. “Later, I leave you to your friends. Hurry now. They are looking for you.”

He disappeared in a ball of flames. That explains why he felt nothing when he burned himself earlier, but how did a Houl control the elements if they were only blood-sucking monsters? And the magic? Plus the fighting stance? Who was Samuel?

“Matt!” I heard Andromeda call through the din. I walked out facing my girlfriend who didn’t look too happy with me.

“Hey, Andy.”

“What is this about biting innocent females? I ran into Tarric and he told me you bit his sister. I can’t believe…”

I stood stunned. “T-that i-isn’t w-what h-happened A-Andy! Please! You know me better than that!” I yelled stuttering for the first time in days. The stress of the situation was getting to me and I could feel my eyes wanting to shift into their new predatory look. I didn’t want to scare her. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Gabriella spoke. “He only took a few drops from my finger with my consent, and it was for our plan to distract the last Houl who was far stronger than any before. Without his quick drink, we’d have been sitting ducks something my brother forgets. He also fainted and left me on my own while Matt protected me. Since we needed this, I gave the blood willingly and only my finger was hurt in the process.”

I opened my eyes and gazed at the hunter-green of my savior. I smiled slowly and nodded. “I’d never take blood without anyone’s consent.”

Andromeda tapped her foot and smoothed her dark hair back. “Fine, but Matt, I can’t be with someone who needs constant blood.”

She never said the word monster in relation to me but I saw her shiver. She was afraid of me, like the rest. I felt as if I had been punched and all the air had left me. If she was so scared of me I’d let her go. I’d get my stuff and leave the group. It was time we went our separate ways. I wasn’t a human anymore and it would only bring more trouble if I stayed with humans.

“Fine.”

Andromeda looked relieved and that hurt more than any physical wound I’d ever had. I faced Gabriella who looked calculating. I brushed against her.

He’s running. Would he mind if I came with him?

I glanced at her and she made eye contact but Andromeda’s voice broke through to us and she looked away. I guess she changed her mind?

Andromeda grabbed Gabriella and pushed her away from my side. “Come on! You can meet everyone!” she said as if I didn’t exist. I glanced at her sadly. I guess it’s true what they say about love being fickle and I wished I hadn’t felt so strongly about her. I followed hollow on the inside. I was leaving and it was for the best.