chapter 30

  It was that Saturday, that fateful Saturday.

The Saturday that changed everything in Iris life putting everything she had , loved and hated at risk… .

   The sky was bright, that Californian sun that smiled down at everyone, Iris jogged down the road.

She stopped to catch her breath, being totally human was hard. She looked at the people on the road, girls clinging to boys, some looking around, some lost in their own thoughts and past. Some making love while some breaking up.

Then it happened.

It happened so fast that it wasn't in sync with time. The speeding vehicle and the passerby. The collision was brutal and so sudden. 

"Call 911"

"Someone call the ambulance!"

"Someone should make the fucking call!"

    Iris stared in shock at the blood that flowed, her mind far from the present thinking of all the possibilities that could happen… the curse was taking effect quicker than before.

"Call 911!" People screamed yet no one made a call.

  The curse was taking effect and fast. She heard those enchanted whispers in her ear, she was covering her ears trying not to scream. 

Death of one is the death of all!

Cursed beast!

Daughter of the dark!

Come out, show your prowess!

   She suddenly screamed as her smooth skin started turning furry white and her eyes changed to that dark colour of a werefox yet bloodshot. 

She couldn't stop herself and it was getting worse.

Her canines were growing and so were her nails turning into claws. She shut her eyes, still screaming.

"Stop!"

"Stop you witch! Get away from me, I did nothing to you", she screamed, still holding her ears as the whispering got worse. Then, she opened her eyes and saw the blood and the humans… filthy humans!

   Iris devoured them without mercy, this was much bigger than the massacre or the deaths in Toulon centuries ago… this was bigger than the Nestle lake massacre. It was more than that.

She was completely out of her mind.

***

  Lucy was worried.

Iris wasn't picking her calls, it was already past the time when she normally came back. Then she saw the news. The person she knew so well was  killing innocent people. No amount of bullets could stop her. She felt something creeping to her throat… the feeling of fear, she wore her coat and ran out , she had to stop her by all means. This wasn't the Iris she knew, this was a savage beast.

***

   D.P.O Connor sat on the couch ,his dog at his feet having a nap. He turned on the TV and put the news on.

What he saw made him almost fall from the couch. No one needed to tell him that the beast was finally out in the open. His dog opened an eye and looked at him.

"You know what I'm thinking, baby", he said and smiled. He had to be fast because that beast was capable of destroying Nestle lake and Avalon or even California if not taken care of.

   He rushed to his basement and took the weapon out. "This baby decided to show up, well we'd see how effective this works", he said to himself as he rubbed his dog's ear and kissed his locket with the picture of he and his dog before going.

That monster was going down so he could retire.

***

   Connor came into the scene looking up at the beast, she looked innocent but yet dangerous, pained but yet heartless.

He had to take the risk. If he wins, he'd celebrate by retiring, if he loses, he'd learn a lesson. And if he died, he'd certainly rest in peace, but he wasn't planning on dying or giving up.

"I'll have to drag it's attention". He muttered to himself, setting his gadget ready. 

   He shot at it , but it didn't turn. "Those damned furs'", he cursed and decided to shoot at it repeatedly at the same spot. Iris turned, her dark eyes changing to a dark blue then green. And he knew those Nestle lakers weren't lying about what they had seen. Lucy wasn't lying, none of them were lying.

It surged at him wanting to devour him, he positioned his gadget and prayed silently to God, buddha, virgin Mary… . He just didn't want to die.

"Mr Connor, no!" Someone yelled and he looked. It was Lucy, he smiled and switched on the gadget.

   A loud noise was heard like the spark of an electric current. Or someone being electrocuted. Connor opened his eyes to see a young naked girl lying helplessly on the street. He had seen that girl before but couldn't remember where.

   Iris slowly opened her eyes and looked around. What had she done? She was so done for. She could feel that feeling of regret wash over her face… bitter regret, she turned to look at Lucy, she was crying and she could tell what she was thinking. That her master was a monster, a heartless beast that couldn't control her cravings, a legend that even after so many centuries couldn't control the effect of a single curse… a deadly cannibal.

She tried to get up, but something shocked her again, she fell to the floor as they chained her. The last thing she saw before she fell unconscious was the mischievous eyes of an archenemy. Cordelia.

"Cor… Cordelia …she…. she's here", she said and fell asleep.

    Connor breathed out, cleaning his sweaty and dirty face with the back of his hands. He stood up, he was the hero of the day just like in those cartoons and novels. He and some others chained her with Dr Hagerty's gadgets in case she tried something stupid.

"Mr Connor". Lucy called coming towards           him.

"What are you doing here, Lucy, don't you know you could have died…" but that was not her problem, she wanted Iris back , to scold her and eat popcorn, chicken and go to parties. She wanted to laugh about it and think this was just a silly dream. She shut her eyes and opened it, all she could see was her master lying lifeless with no clothes on.

"What are you doing here anyways?"

"Uh… I saw the news and I came"

"Hmmm"

"Yeah. Could you please let her go, she isn't a monster", Lucy said holding her head, she was already having a fever.

"You were right, Lucy. You were right, ten years ago. But it's fine, we've got her now and soon we'll send her to our lab", he said, patting her shoulders.

   Lucy held her tears from falling all over again, they were going to use her as a lab rat and if Cordelia came, she would be dead. She nodded and went straight home and lay on the bed. It began to rain softly, then it poured heavily.

She didn't know what to do, she was useless to Iris, a burden… and the only thing she could do was cry as the rain poured.