Bitten

It was a cold night in April when I first was drawn to the call. I couldn't sleep that night like most nights, but that night it was different. I had a restless mind and body and trying to stay in bed was futile much less trying to get any sleep. My sister had gone to bed and I was alone with my thoughts and my mind. Even my brother who was psychically connected to me had silenced in thoughts. The only voice I heard was his…

I got up out of bed and slowly put my sweater and shoes on. My sister had given me a sleeping pill in anticipation of my restless nature. She was always trying to take care of me. Even when I fought her every step of the way. I lazily opened the door and dragged myself down the stairs to find that voice in the darkness. Darkness never bothered me until that night. Until that night I loved the dark… and I could live in the daylight.

I wondered around the neighbourhood aimlessly in the silence of night. Even in a city the hours of darkness and daylight are silent at a certain time. I couldn't shake the feeling the whole time that I was being followed. I turned and listened to the night air. To the wind blowing past the trees making them dance and sway to the night's song. I was already a half breed vampyre mage. I could hear a sound before it reached any humans ears, but that night all I heard was the sounds of a normal night. I heard the heartbeat of my unborn child I carried in me. I heard her move and fidget nervously. I hummed a lullaby and hushed her and continued on my way.

I soon found the bleachers at Phoenix Middle School. The stars where out for once in this city full of clouds and I loved watching them. My cousin taught me a lot about stars and controlling the weather before he died. I liked to just sit and listen to the music in my ears and feel the wind blow past me. I would have been in heaven if it had been raining. The rain made me feel even more at ease with myself and things around me. If only I knew what had been following me, and what waited for me under those bleachers.

I had only been sitting for a little while when I heard a noise behind me. I turned off my music and instantly became alert of the fact I wasn't alone. I looked towards the alley not far from where I was and saw nothing. I saw no one coming towards me from the field. With a long swallow I slowly turned around.

I saw a Lycan staring back at me from under the bleachers. I almost stopped breathing but kept my calm enough to slowly get up. I had been around Lycans many times before, but this one was different. He wanted to kill me and I knew it. I don't think I'll soon forget those eyes. I can't describe them in words, but those eyes were so haunting… and so beautiful at the same time. His teeth were dripping with fresh blood. I wouldn't be his first kill of the night.

I didn't run I knew that would be useless but I did manage to get my magick working in my left hand. My left hand was always my most powerful despite what I wanted to admit or not admit. I stared at him and he just stared right back at me. I slowly started to walk backwards towards the entrance of the gate. He followed. I could feel my heart pounding a million beats a minute. I tried to cry for my brother in my mind, but I knew he wouldn't answer if he wasn't awake. I knew I had no chance if I screamed he would silence me if I ran he would definitely catch me.

I watched his movements like my brother had taught me. He was ready to pounce and tear me to ribbons. I was probably more afraid at that then anything. He had become the monster in the dark my grandfather always warned me about. When I thought I was going to die I saw something in his eyes that was so familiar it made me stop and think. Unfortunately I don't think he liked that at all because as soon as he saw my recognition he snarled angrily and lunged at me.

I sent flames at his face hitting him square in the eyes but that wasn't enough to make him stop. My last resort was putting my arm in front of me to protect my throat and any other organs. Especially my stomach. He bit into my arm but lucky for me being part mage and a raven blood he only managed to hit my aura. That was enough to do all the damage he wanted though. Others bleed a little differently then humans do. We bleed in two ways. One is by mortal form.. The way a human do, and the other is by our aura. Our very life essence and he had bitten into that pretty damn good.

I screamed and my fear kicked my air elemental power in my right hand. A shock wave powerful enough to knock the wolf off of me blast through the air and sent him flying past the bleachers into the wall of the school. I saw my chance and took it.

I ran as fast as I could to that entrance of the gate that I had come through so foolishly. I ran to the street corner not even looking if there were any cars or anything. I knew there wouldn't be. I knew there would only be the creature following me when it regained strength. I knew that if I didn't get away now me and my unborn would be its final prey before sunrise.

I looked back after I reached my sister's door but no Lycan. No monster. I was confused and dazed, but I wasn't about to question my good fortune. I fumbled shakily with the door knob trying to force my hands to work properly. When I finally got the door open my first instinct was to find my brother and curl up with him, but that was impossible for a while. He couldn't travel as far as I was and he lived in a different town for now. I was so frightened I curled up still in my sweater on the couch that had been my bed for the last couple weeks. I put pressure on the wound from my aura on my left arm and used my fire elemental magick to burn it closed.

I curled up and for the first time in a while cried myself to sleep hiding under the blankets and sucking my thumb like a child. I just wanted the bad thing to go away, but even the safety of my powerful water mage sister's house wouldn't make the bad thing leave my dreams in peace. As soon as I drifted off into the world of dreams I found myself back on that very same field with those very same eyes and teeth. I found myself running from the monster only to be caught… over… and over this time around. I woke up in a fright so bad I was crying and shivering wanting my brother and not wanting to bother my sister with it. I usually felt safest with my brother and sister, but this monster seemed to scare me so much I didn't think I could turn to them for protection. My brother and sister over the years had become my surrogate parents. They became the safety and love that I lacked all through my life.

I curled up again in the wee hours of the morning sucking my thumb and shivering. I wished for the safety of my parents, but I was petrified with fear I couldn't even mentally call out to my father. I could still hear the growls of the Lycan, and feel the heat of his breath on my neck. Every time I closed my eyes my mind danced to that moment when I saw those haunting beautiful eyes. Those eyes that sent fear coursing through my whole body. It took me a while to manage to get back to sleep.

I woke up the next day and didn't say much to my sister. I was still frightened and feeling rather hopeless and… different. The bright lights of the morning stung my eyes a little more then they should have. I had a thirst that I hadn't felt in months. A thirst for blood and thicker things. My mouth watered at the scent of the blood coursing through my sister's animals. I had to struggle to pull myself from the feeling. In doing so I had to be cruel to be kind you might say.

My sister asked me what happened and I told her in as few words as I could. She held onto me for a little while then left for more important things then a scared girl. I was left with my thoughts and my hunger. I curled up on the couch eyes stinging and throat burning for that sweet coppery thick liquid I knew lay beneath flesh. I tried to watch a movie and it only frightened me further. Go figure.

I decided later in that day to go for a walk knowing I should be safe till my sister got home. Boy was I a few shades of stupid. I looked around the woods that used to calm me when I was frightened only to feel a familiar presence. A familiar fear. I looked around nervously sensing the same presence I felt that night in the field. The only difference was… now I could smell him. I knew it was a him and as soon as I inhaled that scent I knew exactly who it was. Now it hit me why those eyes were so familiar.

"Well hello there miss Mouse," a man's voice said from behind some trees.

I whipped around and looked over to where it came from hand twitching slightly ready for a fight. When I saw who it was I got even more edgy and paranoid. I slowly took a few steps forward not taking my eyes off of him when he came towards me with that stupid grin of his. I hated that grin. He only did it when he knew I was afraid.

"What do you want Mark," I asked quietly. I knew having Mark for a friend was a great advantage to most people, but to me it had been nothing more then a grief. "I already told you I can't hang out with you anymore."

He grinned that stupid grin and came towards me stopping when I put my hand up in warning. "Now now none of that Mouse," he said while putting his hands up to protect himself. "I only want to talk and I promise it'll be no more then a few minutes of your time."

I thought about it for a few minutes while the breeze blew past the trees making the scent of pine fill me with a little more reassurance. "How do I know I can trust you Mark. Last time we talked it didn't exactly turn out well for me if you don't' recall." I kept my hand up but stopped backing away with every movement from him towards me.

He nodded with a smile, "yes our last visit did go a little poorly didn't it?" He closed the distance between him and my palm till I had my hand flat on his chest. I could feel his heart beating and the warmth of him. Even worse was I could smell the blood underneath that flesh and my mouth began to water.

I looked up at him and shivered at the look on his face. "You beat me up last time I agreed to see you Mark." I took a couple steps back from him and tried to relax and steady my breathing. "I'd say it went a little more then poorly." My heart was racing and I didn't even know why. Something about how he smelled and how he was acting was making me want to run and hide.

He smiled and said, "wow, when you want to hold a grudge you really do don't you?" He took another step towards me and backed me into a tree. I didn't like feeling like a cornered animal, but trying to take him on or run would be futile for me and the child inside me.

I swallowed and looked down trying to think of something, anything to get away from him and not get hurt. The only thing I could think of was playing his game with him, so I said, "what do you want Mark." I looked back up at him my eyes had turned black from the hunger and my current emotional state.

He smiled and pointed towards the abandoned school just outside the trail. I turned my attention towards there even though I had a feeling I knew what he was pointing at. In the distance I could smell a drunk sitting behind the school in the secluded corner hidden from view of the public with little to no housing in the area. His breathing was steady and his heart beat even. He was asleep.

"What's your point Mark?" I asked only a slight quiver in my voice from the hunger.

"You know as well as I do what I'm suggesting," he smirked and licked his fang. A gesture that would have only been noticeable to another other and maybe the odd human or two. "I can feel your hunger my bitten one." I spun around and stared at him when he said that. Now I knew for sure where I'd seen those eyes before. "All you need to do is take that man's life."

I shuddered and hugged myself leaning against a tree closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths. The man was a drunk and probably a nuisance that wouldn't be missed, but it was still a life. I pulled myself away from the scent of his blood running under his skin and the thought of how glorious that metallic taste would be in my mouth.

"I don't kill Mark, and I don't have the advantage of making him forget like you do," I barely whispered. I almost flinched when I felt his cool hand on my neck, but I stopped myself. "I'm hungry grant you that Mark," I sighed and looked at him, "but I'm not that hungry." I batted his hand away and took a step back staring him with my own dark eyes.

He just smirked and threw his head back in a laugh that could send chills up even the bravest persons spine. "Do you really think you have any say in the matter?" He backed me into the tree again and put his hands around my throat in a vice grip that if I were human would have broken my neck. "Your mine. You will do as I command and if you have any moral qualms about what I tell you to do; your hunger will obey me for you." He pulled me away and slammed me hard to the tree again so hard that I felt the vibration all through my body. "If you won't obey," he said quietly and started pulling the sleeve of his shirt up. "I'll make you!"

Before I could scream or move he wrenched my mouth open exposing my fangs and slammed my mouth to his arm. My fangs sunk into his flesh and instantly I could taste that metallic liquid thick and sweet in my mouth. I shivered and went completely stiff trying to fight the impulse to grip onto his arm and drink that wonderful blood down like a dying vampyre.

"Don't fight it mouse," he whispered by my ear. He must have sensed my hesitation and sheer will not to drink. "Don't fight it Mouse. You know you want it so take it." He stroked a finger through my hair then slid his hand down to his arm squeezing more blood from himself in a faster steadier flow. He smiled when I whimpered and almost cried.

I had lost. A tear rolled down my cheek in a hot stream as my hand slowly enclosed over his and I drank with a thirst I'd never felt before. That's when my world went black and all I could feel was that painful knot in my stomach and that burning sensation in my throat. The only relief from those pains as far as I could see was the hot liquid pouring into my mouth from Mark's veins.

He smiled and ripped his arm away the flesh healing after only a few seconds of being away from my lips. "Now your ready my little bitten one," he laughed and put his hands on my shoulders pointing me towards the drunk. "You know what you must do to make that pain stop. To make that hungers stop." He turned to walk away and leave me to my prey, but then stopped and whispered, "don't disappoint me."

I licked my lips and swallowed the last bit of blood that had been trailing along my mouth. I inhaled the scent of the drunk man's blood thick and sweet with intoxication. My eyes lost that last bit of fire that is usually visible to other mage's or my closest friends. My eyes held only one thing now…hunger, and I was on the hunt for some prey.