Chapter 6

~ Maxim. ~

After Lieutenant Franotti's visit, a new idea emerged from my tortured brain. It was moreover more of a question than an idea at the start... If Maxime had not terminated his line right when I needed him, I would have known for a long time that I was going to be suspected and I could have prepared my defence. Why did you do that? To move on? And then... couldn't the coroner of the investigation simply have been wrong?

I took the keys to my mini and left for Maxime's workplace. I should have thought of it sooner no doubt, but I needed more info if I wanted to be able to prove my innocence!

Of course, it wasn't so easy to find him. No one agreed to let me in further than the reception of the institute. So I found myself hanging around waiting for someone to deign to let him know I was there. Time was no doubt short of me, but he took his time!

-Sandy! He exclaimed coming towards me.

He had changed, the handsome blond binoclar and skinny had come out of his cocoon. Oh sure, he was still blond, but the glasses were gone and his muscle mass was impressive. His tanned complexion and his long hair gave him the air of a Hawaiian surfer to die for! I was almost on the verge of apoplectic when he smiled at me before taking me in his arms.

- You should never have come here, he whispered in my ear with a threatening voice.

For once, it chills me!

- What is your visit worth to me? he resumed in a more playful voice. Gwoenny is fine, he pretended to be worried.

- Uh... can we talk in private? I cringed.

- Obviously ! Wait don't move.

He left to ask the receptionist for something to write down and came back to me, paper in hand.

- 9 p.m. at this address.

- Why so late?

- That's where I have my most beautiful face, he laughed.

Chills of fear ran through me but there was no way for me to backtrack.

- Fine, I'll be there!

I left the institute slightly showered by this interview. Maxime had not only changed physically, his behavior was also different. He was no longer the shy and nice boy I had known, he was cold and intimidating. It was very strange!

* *

*

At 9 p.m., I knocked on Maxime's door, it was his personal address that appeared on the piece of paper and it wasn't his name on the mailbox that was going to tell me the opposite.

It opened instantly, surprising me as it passed. It was as if he was waiting for me right behind.

- Right on time !He let me into his house, and slammed the door behind us, startling me.

- I would have preferred that you didn't come... you see, I've changed slightly lately, I'm not so frequent for girls like you anymore, he argued.

- Why did you cut the line to agree to see me in this case? I asked.

- I wanted to send you for a walk, I like you you know... but you smell so good that I couldn't let such an opportunity pass.

He led me into his living room and we sat down on his couch. I was not leading her wide. He intimidated me.

- What does my smell have to do with it? I say in a trembling voice.

- She makes me hungry, he replied in an abnormally hoarse voice. Why did you want to see me?

I had almost forgotten the reason for my visit! What an idiot! I explained my situation to him, recounting the lieutenant's suspicions against me, the results of the investigation, and ending with my discovery by explaining to him the state of the victim.

- I know they're wrong. He was alive when I got him, not dead for more than 48 hours! I wanted your medical examiner's opinion... could they be wrong? How to be cleared of all suspicion?

He mimed a moment of reflection and turned to me with a Machiavellian smile fixed on his lips.

- I have all your answers and I will even help you prove your innocence!

- What are you waiting for, tell me everything!

- For starters, know that the world is populated by people you wouldn't even know existed! Legends are not, they are History with a capital H of the world that is now mine, he whispered in the dark.

- What are you talking about ? I interrupted him.

- Wolves, witches, vampires... all these monsters exist! he laughs.

- Do not make fun of me ! I came for something serious, important!

- But I'm serious! You see, my family isn't called "Leloup" for nothing. An ancient spell, a curse if you prefer, condemns us to mutate when we cause someone's death. It's inevitable !

- What the hell have this bullshit to do with my business?! I got angry.

- But exactly, he laughed. Your 'Mister Scott' is the one I killed to be able to mutate! He owed a hell of a debt to a local demon, a demon who taught me the history of my people, that of blood. So I inflicted a mortal wound on this man before the demon petrified him to steal his soul. When your guy breathed his last, I mutated for the first time and sealed my fate by eating him.

- You have a vivid imagination! I scoffed.

- You want a proof ?

A black down gradually covered her tanned skin, her hazel eyes took on an amber, golden tint. I stood up and stepped back, scared by what I saw. His nose lengthened into a muzzle, his arms stretched out, and his legs bent at an angle absolutely impossible for Man. I heard his bones crack without disturbing the thing that was transforming in front of me.

Flee. We had to flee.

I ran towards the exit, but the beast that Maxime had become pounced on me and pushed me against a piece of furniture. My head hit the latter, ringing me for a few moments.

The beast growled and licked its lips.

I was going to die there.

A bright light separated me from the black wolf and then... nothing.