Chapter Seventy-Seven
Havermouth, Five Years Before
“I’m letting you off with a warning,” the policewoman was the same one that had interviewed Aislen on Taylor’s Road. She leant against the gazebo's table in a companionable way. Her male partner stood a little back, his eyes scanning over the graveyard. “Because of what happened on the weekend. I’ve actually been trying to catch you at the high school, but they said you’ve been absent. I know that Mr. Edison has already been to see Ms. Grace, the school counsellor, which is a wise thing to do, and I’d really like you to do the same.”
“I will,” Aislen lied, and shrugged. “I just haven’t felt like… I can concentrate at school, you know?”
“It was a traumatic discovery,” the policewoman nodded. “But skipping school and spending your days drinking is not a healthy way of dealing with the trauma, Aislen, and whilst I am going to let you off with a warning today, I am going to have to report this to the school and your parents.”
“Aww, please, I’m in enough trouble as it is,” Aislen pleaded. “My father is already pissed off at me.”
“Did he give you the shiner?” The policewoman asked.
Aislen dropped her chin to her chest so her hair fell over her eye. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Hmm.” The policewoman pushed off the table. “Go to school tomorrow and speak to Ms. Grace. If I hear that you’ve done that much, I won’t find it necessary to mention today.”
Aislen looked up in relief at the kindness. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” the policewoman said in reply. “I don’t know if I’m doing you a service letting you off so lightly. I’m worried about you, Aislen. Worried about your home life, and your mental state. If I find you drinking on public property again, I will follow through on my concerns.”
“I’m fine,” Aislen told her. “I’m fine.”
“I don’t think that you are,” she replied. “But go see Ms. Grace and we’ll work it out from there.”
“Did you find out?” Aislen reached out and touched her arm. “About the child?” She got the flash of a woman’s face twisted in pain and horror as she wailed.
“We have identified the victim,” the policewoman replied gently. “And notified the family. We haven’t concluded our investigation so that is all that we can tell you at this time.”
Aislen watched them go before taking another mouthful of the wine that they hadn’t been able to confiscate. She could legally drink now, thanks to her mother’s brilliant suggestion of getting her license so she could prove her age.
She sighed. The policewoman was right. She was far from fine, she admitted to herself, but she doubted that a visit to Ms. Grace would fix that. She finished the bottle and threw it into the rubbish, discarding the evidence, before laying out under one of the trees and letting the wine and the afternoon sunshine soothe her into sleep.
Laughter woke her and she rolled onto her stomach to remain out of sight whilst she peered around the tree at the gazebo. She could see Rhett and Heath’s cars in the car park, and the Triquetra and their new sex toy were on the table. She was sucking off Cameron whilst Rhett fucked her. Heath watched, and she was sure that his eyes went to the tree where she hid, as if he knew she was there – which he possibly did, she admitted. Werewolves’ senses were sharper than humans.
They’d brought their sex toy to her spot, she thought with a grim anger. They had brought her replacement to her special, secret spot, just to fuck her there, as punishment for Aislen walking by them that morning, knowing it would hurt Aislen, probably suspecting that she was there as they’d made their plans. But the joke was on them, she realized, her lips curling, because, in fucking their sex toy in front of Aislen, they were also showing what they were not doing… and that was fucking each other.
She continued to watch, steeling her heart, forcing herself to look to prove herself right. Not once did the Triquetra kiss or touch each other. They took their turns with the girl, and that was it.
She wasn’t entirely sure what it proved, but she knew it was significant.
Heath took his turn and Rhett lit a cigarette, leaning against the top rail of the gazebo, looking out across the gravestones to the tree where she hid. She stood up, and he straightened, their eyes meeting across the distance. She turned, scooping up her school bag, and walked away.
She had almost reached her house when Heath’s car roared past her and up the street. She was sure that he revved the engine on purpose as he passed her, deliberately drawing attention to himself. Rhett’s car pulled up at the curb and she stopped walking.
He leaned over and opened the passenger side door, spilling the angry beats of his music out into the quiet street. “Get in.” She could barely hear him over the music. He realized that and turned it down. “Get in.”
She remained where she was. “Why? You are done with me now. You have a new sex toy.”
“Don’t fuck around,” Rhett said irritably. “Get in the fucking car, Aislen.”
She sighed, and got into the car, closing the door behind her.
He pulled away from the curb and headed down the street. “Things are fucked up,” he complained irritably. “You shouldn’t have fucking left on Sunday. You embarrassed us in public.”
“I embarrassed YOU in public?” She snapped back. “You guys have done nothing but humiliate and degrade me since my first day at school. I’m the Triquetra’s whore, the slut sleeping with three guys. You want to keep your fucking a secret because you are worried about the social stigma of it, but you don’t give a fuck about my reputation, about what happens when word that I’m fucking the three of you gets back to my par-”
“It’s not the same thing,” he cut her off. “Not the same thing at all. You don’t understand, and you’re not smart enough to shut up and let those who do know what’s going on just get on with it. We can’t fight everyone and you at the same time. You need to get with the program, and fucking fast, Aislen.”
“I need to get with the program?” She jerked around the face him. “Perhaps you should let me know just what the program is! I feel like I’m a pawn in a game that you three are playing and I don’t know the rules.”
He was silent.
They pulled into the housing estate that Zeus Forest Works had erected several decades before to support an influx of workers to Havermouth when they had established themselves in the area. She could see Heath’s car pulled up in front of one of the houses – the presence of the gleaming, expensive sedan almost a mockery of the house with its faded and chipped paint work and weed-strewn garden.
The Triquetra’s new sex toy got out, clutching her school bag. She closed the door behind her, and walked up to the porch, standing forlornly by the front door, looking at Heath’s car, and then over as Rhett pulled up, her eyes meeting Aislen’s through the windscreen.
They’re using you, Aislen wanted to tell her. They’re using you, and when they are done, you will be confused and tangled up inside, unsure of your own mind and feeling soiled, every inch a whore because that will be what they’ve made of you… Was she speaking to the other girl, or to herself?
Cameron rolled down the window as Rhett did the same, and his wolf flared into his eyes when he looked beyond Rhett to where Aislen sat. He turned and said something to Heath who nodded without looking.
“We’ll meet you there,” Cameron told Rhett.
Rhett nodded and closed the window. “It’s choice time, Aislen,” he said quietly. “I can take you back to where I found you and that’s it, the end. Or you accept that some things you just don’t understand and if you want this to continue, you will shut your mouth and do what you’re told.”
“I…” Aislen hesitated, and he turned his head to look at her. Through the windscreen, the Triquetra’s new sex toy watched as Heath drove away. “What about her?” She asked. “Are you building a… harem?”
“I’m not answering questions,” Rhett replied, firmly. “That’s not part of the deal. You ask no questions. You just do what you’re told. Do you understand? Now, are you coming with me, or do you want me to take you back?”
She swallowed hard and caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m coming.”
Rhett nodded. “Good.” He put the car into gear and pulled away from the curb. Aislen twisted in the chair, watching out of the window as they left the girl standing on her porch behind them.