Whisper in a Dead Mans Ear

Once Grim, Jesy and I reached the front deck/porch of the house, Tenyle and Robyn were both standing there and looked unimpressed to say the least. Robyn's arm's were folded over her chest and her hip was popped, revealing her toned spray tanned legs while Tenyle stood there holding out my sub in a subway bag in one hand and a large can of redbull in the other. I guess they were actually serious.

"Evening ladies." Grim greeted them both.

Robyn snarled and rolled her eyes while Tenyle handed me my food items. I winced as I gave her a weak smile and mouthed 'thank you'. Robyn brushed past me as I made my way up the steps of the deck and she stomped down them, the heels of her stilettos making a clicking sound against the wood as she did so.

"You!" She hissed, pointing a finger in Jesy's face. "You attacked my brother!"

"Oh boo hoo." Jesy replied dully, brushing past Robyn and joining me up on the deck where I was standing next to Tenyle who was in the midst of asking Grim what happened between Xavier and Jesy.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Is Xavier losing his touch? Looks like Jesy almost ripped him to shreds." Grim answered whatever it was Tenyle had just asked him.

I'm not sure what it was. I just drew a blank. Why is the hot wannabe werewolf guy standing so close beside me? Oh my god. He smells good. Like those yummy fall scented candles. What. Yeah. Yeah, he does. Is that creepy? It's creepy. What if they can read my mind?! Why am I thinking this. Stop. Okay. No. They can't read mines... they're not vampires or shapeshifter's... or werewolves. But I mean.. if Jesy want's to tear something up... he can holler at 'cha girl. Megan. Staaaaahhhppp.

"Megan?" Robyn called out to me. "Hello?"

I shook my head, "What?"

"... Did they kidnap you?" Robyn asked.

I smirked, "No. The only kidnappers here are you two and your stupid brother."

"Speaking of which... Where is Xavier?" Grim asked sounding almost concerned.

"Then how did you get out?" Robyn hissed, ignoring Grim's question.

I shrugged, "Through the bathroom window. I was-"

"Ah! There he is. All fixed up?" Grim exclaimed pointing behind me.

Coolly I stared back over my shoulder to see Xavier who was shirtless and... healed? What the hell...? Xavier's eyes met mine and he sneered at me in disgust before pulling a new black shirt over his head and pulling the shirt down. He glared at me as he walked beside me, his elbow nudging into my arm as he did so.

"Owe!" I winced.

"That's what you get for running away and almost getting yourself killed." He grumbled.

A smirk formed at the corners of my lips as I folded my arms and stared up at Xavier, "If I'm not mistaken that sounds like you we protecting me."

"No." Xavier replied shortly. "I was simply dealing with that stupid dog beside you."

"Hey now..." Grim jumped into the conversation to keep the peace between Xavier and Jesy.

"What were you doing out there Megan?" Tenyle asked in disbelief that I'd be so stupid to leave this late.

"Making my way down town... walking fast... faces pass and I'm home now.." I replied in a singing voice.

All of them, except for Jesy, turned and glared at me unable to fathom at how lightly I was taking this. Kind of like how lightly they're taking the fact that they kidnapped me against my own will and STILL haven't bothered to tell me why. Then again, I only returned again because apparently I'm suppose to find out the real reason behind this madness.

"I was trying to leave." I corrected.

"Megan... you're not here against your own will. We just need your help." Tenyle reassured me. I wasn't buying it.

"So you climbed through a window and went through the forest with that wolf that tried to attack you a few days ago on the loose?" Robyn questioned. "Or did you forget about being almost knocked unconscious and nearly dying in a pile of cold snow?"

"Snow..?" I questioned slowly as I tried to remember. Ahh yes. I remember now. "Where's the snow now?"

"...Obviously it melted." Xavier replied in a mocking tone. "Ever hear of light snow fall?"

I glared at him, "Thanks Captain Obvious."

"Was that you?" Robyn asked Jesy between gritted teeth.

Jesy turned around and raised an eyebrow, "...Wait... there was another wolf? and you're blaming me? You do realized that wolves are all over this area of the forest."

"None that are werewolves." Robyn replied.

"It wasn't him." Xavier replied firmly. "It was weaker and this one was after Megan...." Xavier added dully.

An awkward silence formed between the group as my mouth fell agape and I looked around at everybody who seemed to be disappointed in what Xavier had just informed them while I'm panicking. Great, another "wolf" is out to get me. Jesy stood tall and straightened out his back, his jaw muscles tightening as he looked around nervously.

"...Are you sure?" He gulped.

Xavier squinted his eyes and shook his head, "Yes I'm sure you idiot. Because when I went to...deal...with him... that disgusting blood of your kind poured out from his stomach."

"...You let him go?!" Tenyle shouted.

Both Xavier and Robyn rolled their eyes, "We had to. Megan would have froze to death out there. Xavier made sure he wouldn't come back though... right Xavier?!" Robyn asked, nodding at Xavier.

"Well... good. That's good right? He wont be back?" Tenyle questioned frantically.

"Not if he wants to live, no." Xavier replied dully.

Tenyle sighed in relief and clapped her hands together, a warm smile spreading across her lips as she sat down on the wooden bench swing that was in the middle of the deck. Sighing loudly, I pulled back the tab on my redbull and took a drink. The cool liquid tickled my throat, ultimately fulfilling my energy drink needs. A smug look of satisfaction formed on my face as I pulled the can away from my lips. My eyes scanned around, observing everybody in sight.

Grim was casually leaning against a wooden beam that supported the roof of the deck/porch while Robyn had her hands on her hips and was glaring at everybody, then Tenyle who was swaying back and forth on the porch swing, then Xavier who was just standing there looking annoyed as ever and then Jesy... who was standing next to me, scratching the back of his neck and staring off in to the distance nervously.

"What's wrong Jes? You damn near look like you've seen a ghost." Grim said jokingly. Ha, nice pun.

Jesy winced and chuckled nervously as he turned to face everyone, "....I was the only one who came over from Netherville..."

Tenyle's swaying came to an immediate halt and Robyn gulped. Grim's face dropped as he too stood tall and became tense. I cocked an eyebrow as I watched as Xavier's head slowly turned over in Jesy's direction. Xavier was the only one who didn't seem shocked or even afraid.

"So?" Xavier snapped. "Maybe another dog from another pack."

Jesy shook his head, "No.... Even if he's from another pack... all packs have different pack leaders but even the pack leaders follow the Messiah's orders. I was the only one able to cross over in hopes of finding someone like Megan who can help us back home in Netherville." Jesy explained in a monotone.

"Jesy..." Grim started slowly. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?..."

"Someone from the badlands is here to stop us from getting Megan's help." Tenyle interrupted.

"Aeon said that Megan's nanny put the curse on Megan when she was just a baby." Robyn stated dully.

"...We've waited all these years... If we don't get Megan's help in time then Netherville will be gone and are kind as we know it will be gone. The ones who survive - if they survive - will be forced to come here into human civilization... It's hard enough for us to do it... can you imagine anyone else?!" Grim asked Tenyle in a panic.

"Does she even remember anything?!" Jesy asked.

"What the fuck are you idiots talking about?" I asked in annoyance. "What is Netherville. What are you talking about? What did my nanny do? and How do you even know my nanny?" I asked in annoyance.

Tenyle stood up slowly, "Megan..."

"Great! She doesn't even remember. We're screwed!" Robyn exclaimed.

"No!" Tenyle hissed. "Remember what Aeon said? it'll take her a while to remember... we need to focus on figuring out why her nanny cursed her of all people." Tenyle added.

"Well that's simple." Xavier started, finally speaking. "Her nanny was a witch, obviously. But given the fact that she was here living... or trying to live a normal life and blend in with human society... her messiah back in Netherville probably thought that giving the curse to her to put on some innocent infant child would be the best way to keep anyone from the badlands from ever gaining full control of Netherville." Xavier explained, not making any sense whatsoever.

"Then how did anyone from the badlands find out about it?!" Grim asked in disbelief.

"...Same way we found out about Megan." Xavier replied with a shrug.

"How?!" Grim growled.

"A member from the badlands probably followed Megan's nanny, Andrea, from Netherville over here... Once the curse was casted on Megan.. there's no way that anyone could do anything about it. However... that particular member from the badlands who was following Andrea... met a human woman and impregnated her with a half mortal half immortal child." Tenyle added to Xavier's explanation.

"A child that could grow up following the child who was cursed.... a child that could lead us or her father straight to Megan once she was old enough to break the curse and gain control, age 17. That child being Sydney..." Xavier finished.

"Sydney's mother is dead and she never knew her dad...idiot." I growled.

"That's because her father killed her mother. She wasn't needed... she was only used to birth his child, the child that would lead him to you later on in the future. But... the reason why we asked if you remember your nanny... is because your nanny is the one who adopted Sydney. Hence the reason Sydney helped us." Tenyle responded.

"Why would she adopt someone who was born only as a tool to help stop the thing she was protecting?" Grim asked curiously.

"Because. Sydney's father is apart of the badlands. They need to be stopped. Andrea felt that Sydney didn't need to grow up in order just to die..." Robyn answered.

"Do you think whoever it was that attacked Megan was Sydney's father?" Grim asked Xavier.

"No. It was a wolf. Sydney's father is a vampire. It's someone else from the badlands..." Xavier replied dully.

For a minute... I almost believed all of this. In fact, I'm pretty sure I ACTUALLY do believe them, Just because by how serious they're all being. What if this is real? It would explain why Sydney would betray me after all of these years.

"So why should I help you?" I asked.

"Because the badlands want to basically turn the Netherville into an a post apocalyptic hell for them to rule." Jesy answered.

"...and if you don't. Someone will come to kill you." Xavier added with a smirk.

"Why?! I want nothing to do with any of this... on either sides... so why would someone come kill me?!" I exclaimed.

Tenyle sighed, "Because Megan... you're the chosen one."