Meanwhile, in the dark, obviously mysterious and unknown location of the bad wolf's lair: 

"The werewolf population has taken a huge hit," Grim, the bad wolf's messenger spoke. 

Broad arms crossed behind his boss' back, and he sniffed the air.  "Uh huh."

"Pockets of gangs keep disappearing and even our inventory has been breached."

Isaac turned his back to Messenger Grim, staring across the tall windows, gaze sweeping over the blinking car lights racing below and the towers that failed to reach the height and beauty of his glass tower.  "What did the thief take?"  His voice remained cool unlike his hands that clenched into fists.

Messenger Grim cleared his throat.  "Nothing, sir."

He brought his brows together, the gears in his mind churning to find a reason for a breach.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir.  We double checked all the inventory and the numbers were the same from yesterday's shipping."

"So they broke into our most secure inventory system which must've taken intense and complex planning, and stole nothing?  Everything in that room was left how it was?"  The messenger stayed quiet, and Isaac clenched his fists even tighter.  "Well?!" 

"The thief took the guards."

Isaac twisted around.  "We had fifty men secure that perimeter that night.  How could a single thief take fifty armed, highly trained werewolves?  What would they even do with that many?  Commence a sacrificial act?" 

Messenger Grim shuffled one foot to the side, averting his eyes to the floor.  "They didn't leave a trace of blood or hair either.  Some gangs have theories though..."

"What theories?" he snapped. 

"I don't believe in rumors, especially ones that are passed around towns, but apparently..."

Isaac cracked his jaw and growled, leaning closer into the messenger to smell his fear.  "Apparently?"

"The thief eats them."

Isaac smacked his hand across his table, sweeping off the papers that fluttered through the air.  "All fifty?  Do you think I'm an idiot?!  Unless you're telling me a giant fe-fi-fo-thumbed their way into our inventory, swallowed fifty armed werewolves whole, and quietly left without making a single sound, you must think I'm delusional." 

"I'm just reporting what I heard, sir."

He hissed, and stepped backwards with a shake of his head.  "Impossible.  No one eats werewolves."

"It's not just us taking a hit on declining pack members.  From the south and east, all types of werewolf gangs."

Isaac sniffed again, this time getting a whiff of the messenger's sweat.  Or maybe it was his? 

"No vampire gangs or fae gangs have been affected.  It seems a bit...odd, don't you think?" Messenger Grim asked.

He snorted and reached for the gun he kept clipped under his desk.  "I guess our thief has a specific taste." 

+++

Back in Alice's house where she will now stop talking in third person...

Although third person does sound very appealing...  Wait, wait, I don't want to confuse you.  Are you there Satan?  It's me, Alice.  Let's stick to first person. 

"Sleep tight my love bugs!" I called from the bottom the staircase.

Sandy already disappeared upstairs to his room at around ten o'clock, still believing in the myth of beauty sleep.

But let's face it, no matter how many years you sleep—you're either born with sexy, smoking hot looks or born ugly like Baby Bones. 

God didn't have time to carve perfection into 7 billion faces.  He had to be picky. 

I watched Baby Bones wave her cane, shuffling up the stairs in pink slippers and a white robe. 

"Remember," I sweetly sang in a tone illegal at this time of night.  "No one goes down into the—"

"Basement under the basement.  We know!" Bones yelled behind her.  "Now shut up so we can get some sleep around here!" 

I grinned and flicked off the light switch, the darkness of my home swallowing me whole. 

Just how I liked it. 

I returned into the hallway, pulling open the red door that led to the basement.  Bones had a point.  It was nap time. 

The hissing sound of my lovely guests filled my heart with warmth.  "Hello, darlings," I called.  The wooden steps creaked under my bare feet, their cold fangs brushing against my neck and arms.  They felt the heat of blood running through my veins and hissed louder.  "Yeah, yeah.  I could've saved you some, but we all know I get greedy when it comes to werewolves."

More hisses replied.

"You'll be fed in the morning.  Do not worry.  Your master has to sleep first," I whispered.  

I blew a kiss and their glowing eyes softened, hisses dissolving into purrs.  I steered myself through the darkness, coming to the end of the stairs.  I reached out and my fingers grazed the wet rock, it moist under my touch.

It heated up, and the rock split in half, opening into a tunnel that descended into the basement under the basement. 

"Goodnight," I whispered to them.   

Once I stepped through, the rock mended back together and the purr of vampires stopped. 

And I was finally left alone with the demon who tried to conquer me all. 

"Some me time!" I called out, mouth dressed in a big smile. 

I poked the nose of the stuffed werewolf head hanging beside me.  It was one of my prized possessions after killing the gang leader some decades ago.  When you get old like me, Mondays start to become Fridays and time becomes an illusion humans made up to get their shit straightened out.   

I skipped down the stoned steps, torches lighting up as I traveled deeper into the chamber. 

"Do de da... doodlie do da daaaaay..."  I hummed my way as the temperature dropped, adding in a whistle whenever I felt like it.  "La da da da dayyy..." 

I pressed myself against the cold rock wall, drips of water hitting my nose and tickling the roots of my hair. 

"Yodle lay he ha..."  I let out a deep grunt to lift the first chain, wrapping it around my ankles.  "La la la doodle de pop..." 

I hauled another chain over my shoulder, and hummed louder as the click of it locking made my shoulders twitch. 

"Lil de boo pop bow..."

I wrapped a chain around my neck, strapping the end of it across my waist. Shackled while standing up, I put my hands above my head and allowed the chains to naturally tighten snake around my wrists.  

"It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright, and sun-shiny day..."

Arrested under layers of chains, I smiled down at my work and failed to wiggle a teeny weeny bit. 

The exhaustion I kept hidden all day took over, and my eyelids drooped, along with my head. 

"Sleep tight, my sweet princess," I murmured and surrendered to the sleep. 

+++

A cold breeze shot up my arms, sending bits of hair standing up. 

Clank!  Clank!  Clonk!  I groaned, eyelids too heavy to open. 

Another clank made me flinch, but the exhaustion dragged me back down into a peaceful darkness I called sleep. 

+++

The rocks screeched together and slammed shut.  My eyes flew open. 

A dim light cast over my face and I moved my hand to block out this strange glow.

Moved my hand?

I stared down and found the shackles that kept me sealed for centuries now loose by my ankles.

"I'm free," a voice whispered. 

It took me a moment to realize it was my own. 

After waking up chained to this cold rock for centuries, I was finally free.

I rushed forward and my knees crashed first, palms falling into the puddle.  Thick white hair that dangled past my breasts dipped into the water, draping over my flushed, hallow cheeks. 

"That's—that's me."  I reached my finger into the water and shrunk back in shock.  "Cold."

Quit being distracted. 

I scrambled to my feet, wobbling up to only catch myself again.  This time, I rooted my feet and was careful not to let my knees collapse. 

My hand pressed against the cold stone, peeking out of the chamber.  My eyes gazed over the hallway illuminated by flames. 

Paintings with eyes grinned at me while others frowned and smirked.  Stuffed furry heads spaced between them, my fingers running over their snout and long teeth.  I shivered, feeling more eyes than I could see on me.  

A pacing of steps above me shook the lights and I bolted.  I fell up the stoned steps and half crawled my way on all fours before shoving my shoulder against a rock. 

It groaned and split in half as I stumbled through the crack.  Hisses spat in my ear, sharp ends grazing my throat and ankles. 

"Princess..." they purred, and hundreds of glowing eyes flashed before me. 

My heart slammed against my chest, and I rushed forward, tripping up wooden steps that creaked. 

My thighs burned, feet stumbling up the last few steps before I shoved my shoulder against the door. 

It didn't crack open like the last one. 

The purring sound grew closer, slamming footsteps chasing me up the stairs.

I grabbed the circular object sticking out of the door and my wet fingers slipped. 

"C'mon!" I pleaded.  A whoosh of air hit my chest. 

I clutched onto it and twisted, shoving my weight forward. 

I fell through and crashed into soft fabrics hanging on a rack, my face rubbing against it. 

"Whose there?" a voice boomed from above. 

A bright light flooded into the new hallway and I spotted another door that looked like my next escape.  I turned the circular thing sticking out and busted through, a gust of wind sending my hair flying past my shoulders.

I sprinted into the night, the black carpet of rocks prickling under my feet.  The pain was lost in the adrenaline, fear rising in my body.

I ran down the long  road, speeding past glowing boxes that looked like the one I just escaped.  Were these prisons? 

Keep running.  Anywhere but back in that cold chamber.  Any—

Tires squealed and something hard slammed into my side.  I hurled across the road, arms flailing and then my head smacked off the ground.  A crack echoed in my ears.

A hot flash of pain spread over my shoulders and down my legs.  I caught a glimpse of tangled limbs and my arm twisted in a weird angle. 

A sharp light exploded in my eyes and I buried my face in the crook of my arms.

"Holy shit," a voice boomed.

There was a slam of something shut, and I flinched.  The ground thumped under my, sending vibrations through my ears.

A  stiff, trembling object pressed against the side of my neck.

"You're shivering like crazy," they continued.

The object relaxed against my neck as it moved to wrist. 

"M-m-miss.  Can you hear me?" 

I blinked back, eyes trying to adjust to hundreds of small blurs.  "You can speak?" I muffled against my arm.

A warm chuckled made me curl up tighter. 

"Y-y-yeah, I can.  Now tell me if this hurts, 'kay?  I want to help you."

He untangled my arms from my face and pressed his hand on my lower back. 

Slowly, he helped me sit upright until the beaming light had cast only the side of my cheek. 

My head pounded and I whimpered, pressing my palm against my forehead. 

"Take it e-easy.  Your head hit the ground harder than your hip hit my c-car."  His smile weakened and he shook his head, hitting his forehead with his palm.  "Sorry, that didn't make sense.  I'm a little shaken right now.  My name is Isaac." 

I stared down at his hand, realizing it was the object that touched my neck and wrist earlier.  I brought my palm down on his. 

Indeed, his hand trembled like mine.  But colder.

Whatever words he wanted to say died in his throat. 

"Take it easy."  I repeated the words he told me.  A warmth grew from his hand. 

He lifted his gaze, dirty brown eyes meeting mine.  "At the speed I was going at, I was sure you'd be dead.  It's...it's a miracle..."

I laced my fingers with his, and he sucked in a sharp breath.  "You were running so fast.  You just came out of nowhere," he continued. 

I could feel his blood rushing under my palm.  "What's your name?" he asked above a whisper.

I raised my eyes and caught him staring at my hair, following my jawline to my chin and up to my nose. 

"I don't know," I replied and removed my hand from his.  "This is the first time I've touched someone else's skin in a long time."

A rotating sound, like the gears clicking on a watch, caught his attention.  We watched my legs move by themselves and snap into place. 

"What are you?" he spoke from his thoughts.  Immediately, his eyes widened.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud.  Here, let me help you up." 

The pain had disappeared, and a rush of strength powered through my bones and muscles. 

I stood without his help, and realized the beaming lights were from the metal box he called his car. 

"Let me get you something to eat or drink.  Or a place to sit down.  Honestly, I'm so so so sorry for that.  You just flew in front of my car and—"

"Eat?"  I turned to him with a frown.  "As in food?"

He scratched the back of his neck, mild amusement laced in his voice.  "Yeah, food.  What else would you put in your mouth?"  His eyes widened as soon as he said that and a pink tinge rose to his cheeks.  "Never mind.  Forget I said that.  Are you hungry?  You're lucky I bumped you in front of an Applebees.  Actually, I don't think you're lucky at all since I hit you with my car.  Well, I mean—"

I craned my neck towards the place he gestured and glowing back at me was a sign that I assumed read Applebees.

"I haven't had food in centuries," I spoke.

"Then you haven't lived."  He pulled out a pair of little things that jingled and pointed to his car.  "Let me park and I'll get us a seat.  Don't move."

I stared through the window, empty booths and more lights cascaded inside.  There was so much colour.

"It's the least I can do.  My treat."

My silence must've meant something because he returned into his metal box—I mean car, and placed it next to the side of the road.

By the time we got a booth by the window, a weird noise came from my stomach.  I jumped and my knees hit the table in surprise. 

The young man laughed again.  "I knew you were hungry.  Hey, Davie!  Can I get two number threes?" he yelled across the colourful room.

"You got it, Isaac!" the other man yelled from behind a counter. 

"Isaac," I said.  The word sounded off; it tasted wrong on my tongue.  I had never heard of that word before.

As soon as I spoke that word, his attention darted to me.  "Yes?  That's my name." 

So this was an Isaac.  A pink tinge stained his cheeks, ivory skin hidden under a dark blue fabric that closed in the front.  He kept pushing up these black frames that sat on his nose, the two little boxes making his eyes bigger. 

Revision: It called himself Isaac. 

"Where are you from?" he asked.

I thought back to the chamber.  "Some place cold."

His eyes brightened, realization dawning over his face.  "I get it.  You're one of those poetic writers lost in the mundane lifestyle.  Did your boyfriend just break up with you?  Girlfriend?  Your oversized Dave and Busters shirt and boxers says it all."

I stared down at my clothes, a tear already down the side and dirt smudged across the front. 

Before I could question what Dave and Busters was, a golden circle served on a plate was placed under my chin.  The heat wafted up my neck and nose, causing me to lean back. 

"Be careful.  It just came out of the oven," said the Applebees worker and left with a smile.

Isaac poked his fork into the pie, and scooping a slice and blew on it.  He shoved it in his mouth and a satisfied smile stretched across his lips.

"Applebees makes the second bes apple pie.  My dad is the first one.  He used to make it for me as a kid." 

I picked up my fork and poked the pie, more smoke flying up my face. 

"So what's your story?"  He propped one arm up and smushed his cheek with the palm of his hand.

Mindlessly, he kept eating more of his pie, crumbs falling into his plate. 

He reminded me of a little kid.

I smiled at the thought and quickly looked down at my pie.

"What?" he asked.

The smile still on my face, I shoved a piece of pie in my mouth and a burning sensation set off my tongue.

I spat it on the floor and flagged my hand up and down. 

"Hot?"  He handed off his glass of water, and I gulped it down.  Who knew water could be drinkable?

By the time I relaxed, Isaac returned to his child-like posture, one cheek now covered in a sprinkle of crumbs. 

I fought back an even bigger smile and stabbed my fork back into the pie. 

"Here," Isaac offered.  He held my fork and blew the piece like he did with his.  "You try."

I leaned forward and made my lips look like a shriveled hole, blowing hard. 

Opening my mouth, he fed me the pie and a gushy sweet taste splashed in my mouth.

He noticed my eyes light up and laughed.  "It's good, right?" Isaac asked.

I snatched his fork and used it to eat the rest of my pie, wolfing it down in second. 

"Wow.  With that appetite you could eat a horse."

Confused, I tilted my head to the side.

"Never mind," he said and pushed his plate of pie towards me.  "Here.  You want it more than—"

In seconds, his plate was spotless.

"Make that two horses," he corrected. 

I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth and placed them in my lap. 

+++

Author Note:

If you're confused, feel free to ask me questions. 

I broke apart this chapter because it was too long so expect an update tomorrow. :)

Tell me what you think of the story so far!  The characters?  Plot?  Writing style?

Also, did you find this chapter was too long? Let me know! :)

Personal goal: 120 votes? :)

Love you lots,

Xx 3.14 // Allandra Bones