Status: The epilogue is up and posted. Thanks for reading, lovelies!

Blue Moon

Hunted

I don't think anything could happen on my birthday this time. I mean it wasn't part of any curse of any sort, so it'll just be like every other birthday? It just marks something much, much more than the fact I was born that day. I wonder if Will even knows? What will he do when he finds out? Actually, I might not even tell him. I just want to keep it under wraps, it's not a big deal. Turning twenty-one isn't that big of deal, just another day closer to dying. I've been contemplating my birthday for the last four days now, I can't stop thinking about the famous-no infamous- twentieth birthday.

“I wouldn't worry about it, Eliza.” Emily told me when she saw me in deep though some days later after leaving Will's. “I mean maybe you can just celebrate just like every other person with a birthday.”

“I could but no matter what my mind is going to flash back to when happened on the last. The worst part is that Will has no idea the new meaning my birthday has now.”

Emily grunted as she sat down next to me, it was vastly clear that she was expecting. Her belly was sticking out much more than it had been, she's been getting better at holding down her food. She hasn't been as moody, thank the Lord for that.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'll remember you birthday for what it is. Besides, with Tommy on your arm at Will's gathering, you know Will won't be able to keep his eyes off of you. It was plain as day that you with Tommy bothered him.” Emily was more excited about this than I was, I felt sort of guilty.

“Yet, he still won't just say something. I mean first time around he didn't have a problem showing how he felt eventually but this time, it's different. I don't know if he's still hung up on Lucy or if he's just being more stubborn than I thought he could be.” I got up and walked around a little. Emily and I have been in the hotel room all day. My house is close to being finished, I'm more than excited to be moving back.
“Well maybe at his gathering you'll have to look so good that he won't be able to not say something. That dress that you wore to that masquerade ball was gorgeous, if only you had that dress.” Emily mused.

“That dress burned along with house. I do wish I still had it though, Will wouldn't remember the dress.” I knew I had to get something to wear soon, the gathering was about two days away. “How about we get out of here and get our dresses now?”

“I was just thinking that.” Emily smiled as she slowly got up and walked off to get her overcoat. I gathered my small bag and waited as Emily came back and led the way down to the lobby and to the carriage.

I didn't know what type of dress I wanted to get, a ball gown or a slimmer styled one? I was never much for fashion but Emily sure is. She suggested we go to a small boutique. It was on the lower end of town and she remembered my mother shopping there from time to time for my dresses.

The carriage ride in the town had us dropped off in no time and before I could wrap my head around what type of dress I wanted, Emily had already picked out two for me look at.

The first one was a peach color, had lace overhanging from the shoulder to shoulder, and had bows holding up a pattern of lace at the bottom of the dress. It was pretty but to girly. I shook my head no. “I thought I would try to get you in something not so darkly colored.” Emily mumbled as she set aside the dress.

The second dress was better, it was much slimmer and had a more silky feel to it. It had a Japanese flower design on it and was a bluish gray color. I loved it but it wasn't formal enough. Emily shared the same look I did and set it back down. I started to walk around looking. Either they were much to extravagant or not formal enough. I turned to my left and caught the look of a dress similar to the second dress that Emily showed me. It was the same color, almost same design. The only difference was that it had lace that hung down from the shoulder until it waved down to probably the tip of my elbow. It was beautiful.

“Emily, I want this one.” She came over and looked at it from top to bottom.

“I love it, it'll look gorgeous on you.”

I went over and got the worker and she packaged it up for me. Emily ended up getting the peach colored one I thought was to girly but it would complement her blonde hair and since it was more gown, it would hide her growing belly easily.

“Tonight's a full moon, are you going to help Will?” Emily asked as we exited the shop.

“I'm not sure. I agreed that I would help him and I would of course but he didn't mention it at all. In fact, I haven't even thought about his curse until this moment. I don't know if he still wants to go through with the plan or not. It's all been forgotten it seems.” I mulled over the thought of helping him tonight. I should, it's my responsibility to help him-- I need to be there for him.

“Ask him, I'm sure he does. No one wants to be a werewolf for their whole life and from the looks of it, Will doesn't have his whole life.”

I took her words into consideration, Will doesn't have his whole life left to live with the curse. It could turn out to be as soon as I have him, I could lose him all together and this time it would be forever.

By the time the sun started to set, I made up my mind that I would head over. I don't know why I'm so unsure about helping him, I've helped him every single time since I've been dumped here. I told Emily I was going, she always told me to be careful.

I took my horse over there and it was a cloudy and windy. I started to take my horse down to the stables instead of tying her up on the small post available. I hopped off when I entered the stable and led her into an empty stall, making sure she was settled before I left to go up to the front door.

I didn't bother knocking and I've started the habit to just walk in because Helen would always tell me that I'm welcome anytime, with Will's permission of course. “Hello?” I called out, waiting for someone to answer. With no answer, I walked my way through the lower level. “Helen?” I walked into the huge pantry that sat off to the side of kitchen. I turned and saw Helen standing behind me, I jumped. I pressed my hand to my racing heart,”Goodness Helen! You startled me!” I laughed a little but Helen looked almost lifeless.

I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach,”Helen, what's wrong?” I grasped her shoulder and she gasped suddenly like a fish out of water and fell to the ground. I jumped back and saw a large knife stabbed into her back, right behind where her heart would be. I shrieked and covered my mouth and my knees were knocking together as I knelt down quickly to check her pulse.

Dead.

“Oh, Helen.” I shook my head sadly but there was no question that I had to get the hell out of here. I was almost to scared to move a muscle but I had to find Will or get to my horse.

I crept over to the doorway of the kitchen and peeked around the corner. The coast was clear and I raced to the front door. It was then when I was side swiped by something fast and hard. I landed on the ground with a thud, hitting my head. I groaned and grabbed the back of my head. I looked around, trying to regain the ability to breathe. I didn't see anything, no evidence of anyone else being here. I got up dizzily and stumbled a little as I saw the front door in my sight. I started to run as fast as I could to it but was slammed down to the floor again, this time a vampire bared it's horrid fangs at me, dripping with blood. I looked away disgusted as frightened as hell.

“Elizabeth Mansfield, what a honest pleasure to see you.” The man spoke lowly to me. I struggled against his grasp, trying to find my voice to scream for help. “You might have known a very close friend of mine, Ben Young.”

I froze at the sound of his name. Ben was dead, he had to be of else he would have found me by now. “When I caught your scent a few days ago, I didn't think it was possible but I could sense you. I don't know how you're still alive but I'm hear to avenge my friend and make sure you are as dead as dirt.” His eyes were black as night but they changed into the same eyes Will had when changing into a werewolf. He was a hybrid.

“You're a hybrid.” I whispered.

“Good observation, Eliza. It was courtesy of Ben before he was killed. You disappeared but he still succeeded.”

“But how? He needed a cursed person and a werewolf.” I was starting to piece together that this may be the hybrid that bit Collin.

“You're stupid to think that Ben didn't have back up's. Before he was staked by the town's police, he bit me right after he finished the ritual. I was the first and only hybrid.” He stated proudly but I could only try not to cower in fear.

Unexpectedly, he let go of me and yanked me up off the ground. “We're going for a trip. Don't even think about calling for your little werewolf, I've set up a scent trail that he couldn't resist.”

I tried to contain my panic but Will was God knows where and I'm being held hostage by a homicidal hybrid, there's no escaping possible. The best I could do was just obey what he told me to do and hope by some miracle I could get out of this mess. There was still about an hour or two before the sun made it's complete descent and the moon came out. What would happen then? He would change for sure, that's probably what he's waiting for.

“Do you have any idea where we could be going Elizabeth?” He asked randomly.

“No, no idea.”

“You must know about hybrids, that they change during a full moon. You've seen it for yourself with my only descendent.”

I was going to ask, I couldn't pass this up if he was the one who bit Collin. “You mean Collin?”
“If that's his name, I needed to blow off steam and it was about time someone else shared my abilities if case I were to be hunted down. Which by the was is impossible unless by beheading.” He pulled me to walk a bit faster as we were in the middle of the field by the stables. He shoved me so I fell down and I just stayed down.

“You know once the moon comes out so does the werewolf.” I nodded. “We're going to make this interesting, kind of like cat and mouse. I'm going to hunt you down to make killing you so much sweeter.” He said in disturbingly happy voice. It was all going to be a sick, sick game to him. He really must have been Ben's closest friend, he was just a screwed up as he was.

“I will know if you try to run, I will know if you even make you voice raise above a whisper and I will be watching you. That's your only warning not even think to escape because as soon as that moon comes out, your mine.”

I only shivered at the thought of his teeth sinking into my skin, ripping me to shreds. I wasn't stupid enough to try something, this man was determined to kill me. I wouldn't ever be able to get Will back to me, I would fail if I was killed by this man.

He turned and started towards the woods but not before he tilted he head back to face me wishing me, “Happy hunting, Elizabeth.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Elizabeth just can't catch a break can she?

It seems that I have reignited my love for this story and have started writing it again. Don't get to excited about updates though, this is a love/hate relationship currently. I'm not really completely and totally happy about the latest chapters. Updates will be spread out most likely.

But! On a much more happier note, I got some amazing comments! Comment swap is my new best friend! I gained more subscriber's as well, I never thought I would reach almost 50 subscribers. Seriously you guy, you're awesome, thank you!

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Avec l'amour

-Mel