The Devil Inside

“Wouldnt hurt to tell your face that you’re having fun”

“I hope that isn’t you telling me to smile more often, Evelyn”

“And what is that?” She asked genuinely curious as to what he’d admit. “Sure, you haven’t reached Hitler or Jack the Ripper level of insanity yet but I’m sure you’ve set high goals for yourself! Is that what you tell yourself when someone speaks the truth about you without fearing your reaction?”

“I know you haven’t forgotten about my obsessive need for power already, Cassandra. Though my needs haven’t reached the levels of those two, so perhaps you could hold your judgment until I actually do kill someone.”

“No because then i’d be out numbered, especially since both of you have physical powers.” Lucy countered, even though she was used to being out numbered in the family. 

“Give me more credit than that, would you? I figured you and I could team up on Dominic, because we both know he wouldn’t expect that in the slightest.” 

Of course he was cocky to boot. How a guy like him could be Lucy’s brother baffled Ana. Though maybe it was just a case of siblings being completely opposite of each other. She’d never had any so she didn’t know. “I do enjoy her company. I just don’t see what she would see in a friendship between us. We are quite different.” His next words only brought a shrug out of her. From what Lucy had told her she had already figured out his reason for speaking to her but she’d just let him do his talking. “The thought has crossed my mind. Though I’m still debating in this whole war thing you have going on around here.”

“Everyone battles that self examination when it comes to my dear sister, but you must be of some worth to have the attention and friendship she gives you. Trust me when I say that if you keep doubting your friendship, it will not end well.”

“Well, yes, you are in my thoughts day and night.” Cassandra muttered sarcastically. She shrugged her shoulders, “I’m pretty sure that crazy people’s actions-” She pointed a finger at him, “-make very little sense. It’s why they are crazy. Oh, my sanity is fine, yours has always been questionable, though.”

“I prefer to say that I’m a driven person who goes after what he wats. My level of sanity is at an appropriate level, seeing as there are plenty of worse people in the world than myself. You must really learn that judging people only shows the person you are and not them,” he smirked.

“It’s a children’s book. You don’t even like children. Oh wait… you’re getting tips from the villains?”

“I wouldn’t consider Stephen Carter’s Integrity a children’s book, Vanessa, though I do find your attempt entertaining.” 

Alice narrowed her eyes for a second there. Working with children had made her quite a good people’s reader when it came to lies, added that to the fact that she really didn’t like James, and the results were not going to be pleasant. “Why did you send Cameron? Why couldn’t you send someone more powerful like Malory or Mya? Or even Caleb? Why Cameron?”

“Because all three of those people come off a lot more intimidating and chaotic than Cameron does. They went on a mission of discussion and not of action; other members would have made the wolves hesitant in trusting us. Is there anything else you do not understand and need clarifying for?”

“I’m plenty ambitious, don;t you worry about that, but is it not enough for you to simply sit back and enjoy life sometimes?”

“I enjoy life well enough, just in very different ways.” 

“Then it seems like you’re smarter than a lot of the rest of the people I’ve met around here.” The fact that he already knew her made her think and seem to jog her memory. Lucy had said she had two brothers, which meant the last names wasn’t just a coincidence. “I guess my reputation precedes me. Though to be fair it’s your sister who seems very intent on being my friend. You aren’t. I was in a pack with the Lyalls a few years ago.”

“What can I say, it comes with the title and last name,” he smirked. “Lucy has a way of doing that, but people also wouldn’t put up with her consistency if they didn’t enjoy her company,” he pointed out, basically informing her that Lucy and her’s friendship better be two sided or they would have a problem. “And do you plan on aligning yourself with them again?” he asked, hoping to get a hold of her before the Sharman pack did. He didn’t care if her and the Lyalls had a past, whether it be a good or bad one, he refuse to let the new pack steal potential coven members for him. 

“Have you never heard that saying before? Its old. I’m surprised you dont know it.” Lucy teased, poking fun at their considerable age difference. She almost stopped completely when James got his usual, annoyed look on his face until he softened up and splashed her back. “Hey! No powers. That’s not fair.”

“If you wanted fair, you should have had Dominic meet you here instead of me,” he pointed out, slightly enjoying the joking between the two. It helped that Gerald wasn’t paying attention to tell him he was being weak or etc. 

“Well i’m not getting out of the water, so we’re in a bit of a pickle, aren’t we James?” Lucy laughed, sending a little water his way.

“Did you just use pickle as a way to describe this situation?” he asked, a short laugh escaping his lips before Lucy splashed water at him. His jaw clenched and his body went rigid before remember that it was his sister and not someone who he despised. Flicking out his hand, James sent a small wave of water towards her. 

Ana couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling at the tone in the man’s voice. “I can handle my moods just fine. Just don’t expect me to be flowers and roses.” She took his hand and shook it, putting enough strength in it to show she wasn’t weak but not enough to do anything. “Anastasia Beckett.” Her eyebrow raised at his name but she said nothing.

“I would never expect such a thing from a person of this town,” he replied, an amused look crossing over his face. “I know all to well who you are, Anastasia. You’re the new wolf who’s been hanging around Lucy. And if I’m not mistaken, you used to know the Lyalls.”

“Look I’m sure whatever you’re trying to tell me is just so important. But I’m half awake right now. Can’t it wait like 2 hours?”

“Unfortunately for you, I do not wait. I’m sure you can handle your mood though and allow me to introduce myself,” he said, reaching out his hand; “James Gardner.”

“Maybe it might have reached your ears already, but they have werewolves now. A small, but a pack that can get bigger if he finds lone wolves for his pack.” Tamsin looked up to meet his gaze. “Castalia says that vampires agree to it, but the idea of a coven being an episode of care bears doesn’t sit well with me. There’s always a way to break this peaceful environment they think they live in.”

“I am aware of their new alliance with the Sharman pack, and honestly I’m not worried. Castalia is delusional if she honestly believes that vampires and werewolves can get along well enough to fight beside each other rather than against.”