Chapter 17

~Eliana~

I took a page of a book from my mini bag, which I had torn out from one of my werewolf books, titled: “Of Werewolves, Beasts and Dark magic,” before coming to see Alistair that very day, and placed it on the centre table.

“What is this going to be used for? Thought we’d get weapons, instead of pages from a fairy tale book or should we be bothered with princess stuff when we have barely three hours until sundown?” Jennifer asked, in the most irritable fashion.

I felt like knocking her on the teeth and watching her wince in pain, as blood oozed from the spot where there ought to be teeth. She was annoying and irritating as fuck, and the only reason I was trying to tolerate her many shortcomings was because she was Alistair’s friend, and he had pleaded with us a few minutes ago to set aside our differences, at least, until after we had been able to deal with the so-called Beast of Vengeance.

In response to her question, I scoffed. “Do you really think that all the people he had killed in the past didn’t try to stand up for themselves?” I questioned.

“What are you trying to say?” She asked, with a befuddled look written on her face.

“All I’m trying to say is that people have tried killing this beast with weapons of all kinds in the past, but it had all been futile and a waste of time, efforts and energy. This beast can not just be killed so ordinarily, by using a weapon on it, like you’d do with other fairly normal creatures,” I explained.

“That sounds like a very good point, but what do you have in mind? I’m not just talking about what you have in mind to make the beast disappear, only to reappear later and torment people’s lives. What do you think can be done to completely erase the beast from existence?” Garrett asked.

“This is what I have in mind,” I said, pointing at the piece of paper on the glass centre table, which was black in colour.

Alistair picked up the paper, then ran his eyes over it, and was done with reading it in a matter of seconds, after which he passed the piece of paper to Garrett.

“Do you really think this would work?” Alistair asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I can’t say for sure. I’m hoping it would,” I replied.

“How are we to go about this? It’s not like the beast has any living relative. Are we just going to manufacture one out of the blue?” Jennifer asked, having read what was written on the paper.

“Yes, we are. As you have already read, legend has it that people who have been turned to beasts have no idea of what they are doing, and only act in accordance with what their creator wanted when creating them, although just like the Beast of Vengeance, they may go overboard in their actions. As they have no rationality, all they end up doing isn’t their own choice or will. The only way their actions could possibly be stopped, is for them to see that they’ve hurt someone that is dear to them,” I explained.

“Yes, we know. You already gave us a page torn out from a fairy tale book that says all that. My point is that he doesn’t have anyone dear to him again, so, your plan is utterly stupid, because it’s not possible to produce someone that is dear to him,” Jennifer said.

I rolled my eyes, on the verge of getting really angry at her. “I was getting to that. All his family members are apparently dead, from the stories I heard while working on a research on him. However, we are going to make him believe he has hurt a beloved relative,” I said.

“How is that possible?” Garrett asked.

“It’s simple. I’ll need a picture of his wife, and I’d get a famous makeup artist to make you look exactly like her,” I told them.

“Make who look exactly like who?” Jennifer asked, realising that all eyes were on her.

“Make you look exactly like his late wife,” I responded.

“Are you out of your mind?” She inquired, glaring at me fiercely.

“Trust me, Jennifer, the plan I have in mind is foolproof. All I ask for is your cooperation. I’d have done it instead, but he already knows my scent. You’ll be fine, trust me. Alistair and Garrett will be around the area to help defend you, and if things go awry, I’ll step in and weaken him with wolfsbane, since neither of you can touch it since you’ll be busy. How’s that?” I asked.

Jennifer didn’t say a word, and appeared to be in deep thoughts, possibly examining the pros and the cons of the plan I had in mind.

“Jenny, please, I’ll protect you. When have I not protected you?” Alistair asked, in a rhetoric manner.

She bit her lower lip, then folding her arms, looked up at me, “So, if this absurd plan of yours fails, you’d just weaken him with wolfsbane, and then what? How would we stop him?” Jennifer asked.

“If we can’t stop him today, we’d come here again tomorrow, and devise a new means to end his life, okay?”

“Okay then, I’ll do it, but first of all, I need to know the full details of this entire plan,” She said.

“Thanks, sis,” Garrett said, wearing a smile.

“Thanks for deciding to help out, Jenny,” Alistair said.

“It’s nothing. No one needs to thank me for anything. I’m also trying to save my skin. I’m not doing this for anyone, but for myself, and my loved ones,” She said, looking at Alistair and her brother, Garrett.

I felt heavy in my heart, because I knew she cared less about if I died or not, but I convinced myself that what she thought of me wasn’t important, and cleared my throat, continuing the explanation of my plan.

“Moving forward, once you lure him and he sees your face, he’s going to feel regretful, instead of feeling vengeful, which is actually his original feature, but once that changes, he’s not going to be a Beast of Vengeance anymore. That is when we’d be able to kill him,” I explained.

“Wait. We’re still going to kill him?” Alistair asked.

I nodded in the affirmative. “Of course. He would only feel regretful for a while, but sooner or later, he’s going to find out that he’s been deceived, and he’d even become more vengeful than he ever was,” I said.

“That is why we must take advantage of his momentary weakness,” Alistair said.

I nodded, shooting an impressive look in his direction. “Exactly. I’d have a sword, forged from silver, that has been dipped in juice made by wolfsbane and laced with dark magic ready. He’s a werewolf, and he might heal if you decide to kill him with your bare hands. We can’t take any chances, Alistair,” I said.

“We won’t take any chances, Eliana,” He said.

“I’m really surprised and impressed by you, Eliana. Who would have thought that you were such a genius? Also, how do you have such a sword in your possession? I didn’t know you were into hunting as well,” Garrett said.

I gave a small smile. “I’m not into hunting, but after my near-death experience with that beast a decade ago, I became so interested in supernatural creatures, and I’ve got a collection of books, documentaries, and other items of relevance to them,” I explained.

“That’s admirable,” Garrett complimented, much to the detriment of his sister, who eyed him repulsively.

“So, you said you needed a picture of his wife?” Alistair inquired, trying to confirm something.

“Yes, I do. I’m not sure the ones in my books are correct, and besides, they’re not clear. We need the makeup artist to do a good job, so, I could use a clearer picture of his wife,” I said.

“I understand. His house, in which he used to live in back then in the forest, is still there, although is shattered and in ruins. Hopefully, I’d find a picture of her there. Although some people had suggested burning it down to the ground, majority had refused for the fear of incurring his wrath, so, they had just let it be,” Alistair said.

“Then, you’d go there now?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “Yes. You should all get ready, and go to the makeup artist’s studio. Send me a text of the studio’s location, and I’ll head over there immediately I get the picture,” He said.

“Um...how are you going to get there?” I asked, feeling worried.

“Super speed, dummy,” Jennifer answered, being irritable again.

Alistair walked closer to me, and cupped my cheeks in his hands. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I’m a werewolf. Nothing bad can happen to me easily. I’ll be just fine,” He said to me.

I nodded my head. “You had better come back in one piece. We need this plan to work successfully because we still have things to talk about,” I told him.

“I’m sure we’d have all the time in the world to talk about those things, and I’m also sure the plan would work perfectly well,” He said.

He gave me a reassuring smile and patted my hair, much to the dislike of Jennifer, who had a distasteful look visible on her face.

Alistair didn’t know it, but apart from wanting to discuss about our werewolf and hunter problems once all these was over, I also wanted to ask him what the real deal was between him and Jennifer. Her behaviour made it glaring that she was more than just a friend to him, and it made me feel really unsettled, even though Alistair made it obvious, even in her presence, that I was the only woman he was having anything to do with.

When I watched Alistair leave the living room a few minutes later, my heart thumped loudly. It was like the departure of a soldier from his home in times of war. It seemed like everyone had faith in my plan, except me, who prayed silently that I did something that earned me the praises of people for the first time in years; and with a tiny flicker of hope, assured myself that things were going to be just fine.