Free Wickford High 2 - Furiously Tempted by Karen Fuller Page B

he would make her pack up again and move. She liked Luke and did not want to move, again.
    Closing her eyes, she gripped the arms of the chair for courage. “Now, Dad, I want you to listen to everything I tell you before you react . . . okay?”
    He gripped the arms of his leather chair, knuckles white. His voice dropped to a low growl, “Just spit it out, Vicky.”
    She looked away before she spoke. “That vigilante group, the ones that killed Mom . . .” Her voice quivered, and she looked at the ceiling, trying to blink back the tears. “Well . . . they kind of . . . um . . . kidnapped me from the dressing room of the store.” The color left Mr. Phillips's face, his irritation replaced with concern. “They . . .
    um . . . knocked me out with chloroform . . . and I . . . uh . . .” A single tear trailed down her cheek. “Dad, this is hard for me to say.” Bracing herself, she charged on, “I woke up tied to a stake.” She shook her head, the words pouring out easier. “They must have dragged me through the field before they tied me up. I don’t remember how I got so dirty.”
    “Oh my God, Pumpkin.” His voice shook with emotion. His wife, Emily, had died that way the week before. She winced at her father’s reaction, his face paling and he swallowed hard before he spoke again, “Did they hurt you?” She opened her mouth to speak and he cut her off, Luke needs to go home. We need to talk about this in private.”

    She shook her head. “Luke stays, Dad.” Her father opened his mouth again, and Vicky pressed her lips together, shaking her head. “Luke knows, Dad.” His eyes grew wide. “Luke is the only reason I’m sitting in front of you now. He and his family saved me from that bunch of maniacs. I used my powers to stop those lunatics, but it wasn’t enough. They would have burned me at the stake.”
    Mr. Phillips's gaze wandered around the room. “Well, if Luke and his family called the police, why didn’t they call me?”
    Vicky gave Luke an uneasy glance, biting her bottom lip. “The police weren’t involved.”
    “Vicky, those madmen have to be stopped.”
    She shrugged, tilting her head. “Oh . . . they were stopped.”
    His eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Do they have them tied up somewhere?”
    She winced. “No, not exactly . . .”
    He blew out a breath. “Well, Luke, since I’m getting evasive answers out of my daughter, could you please explain to me what you and your family did to rescue Vicky?”
    “Dad,” Vicky cut in, “this is the part where I ask you to have an open mind.”
    Ryan held up his hand, shaking his head. “Okay, I’ll keep an open mind. I just want answers, and I want truthful answers.”
    This time Vicky reached over, squeezing Luke’s hand reassuringly. Luke pressed his lips in a grim line, looking from Vicky to Ryan before he spoke. “Well sir . . . we are .
    . . man this is hard to say.” Vicky nudged him for encouragement. “Here goes nothing.
    We’re werewolves sir.”
    Vicky's father sat back in his chair, closing his eyes. He shook his head and then reached his fingers up, rubbing his temples. Opening his eyes, he stared hard at Luke.
    “What did you do with those madmen?”
    The color drained from Luke’s face. “Uh . . . let’s just say that they won’t be a threat to Vicky anymore.”

    Mr. Phillips shifted in his chair “What do you mean, no longer a threat? Until those men are dealt with, they will always be a ‘threat’ to my daughter.”
    “Dad . . .”
    He shook his head at Vicky. “Pumpkin, I need to know . . . all of it. If those men are still out there, we have to leave. Your mother died at their hands. I can’t lose you too.”
    Vicky shook her head. “Those men can’t hurt me or anyone else anymore.”
    Luke swallowed hard, shifting uneasily in his chair. “They’ve been dealt with sir.”
    “Dealt with? You mean dead, don’t you?”
    Luke diverted his eyes. “Yes, sir, I do.”
    Mr. Phillips stared off