One year has passed
I had been looking for you, I can't remember why and it doesn't matter. The point is I was looking for you in the wrong direction whilst a few miles away you were surrounded. Of course I knew that they would come after you but so much time had passed. We'd kept vigilant and had moved on every moon or so. We were an odd duo yet somehow it worked.
I still don't know what made me turn around; call it instinct. I don't think I've ever run so fast; at least not in human form. Your name slipped from my mouth in an anguished cry when that first scout attacked. I'm glad I did, as some of the blood suckers turned their attention to me.
It was surreal that they were out during the late afternoon but the dark clouds looming overhead had definitely dimmed the light. There were seven of them if I remember correctly. All of them were stunning in looks however, scarlet drowned all other colour from their eyes and they reeked of death.
You had disposed of that first scout by the time two blondes had lunged at me. I was at a disadvantage and they knew it. As they circled and toyed with me, I thought at least I'd bought you some time to hopefully get away.
I was not expecting their high pitched screeches nor your hands rupturing from their chests. Their disembowelment was quick and the splitting of their skulls left me in momentary shock. I can still picture your cocky grin and the blood splatter filling the lines by your eyes.
Somehow the fact that there were still several assailants behind you had been forgotten. You actually laughed, about what I have no idea. That changed in the blink of an eye. A man with black wavy hair was at your neck, teeth sinking into skin, whilst another woman had punctured your abdomen with some sort of weapon.
The sound you made was unlike anything I'd ever heard. That was until I realised your cry of pain had been drowned out by my own howl. Within moments the woman who had stabbed you was lifeless in the dirt. I had changed for the first time during daylight hours but I didn't have time to ponder the meaning of it.
The fight lasted until all light left the sky. I wondered briefly if we would win in the end. The remaining two looked to be twin brothers with matching light brown hair, held back in a simple ponytail. Their leathers were torn and spattered with remnants of their brethren; yet they were still poised.
We split to face off one on one. I was lucky and struck his jugular after a miscalculation on his part. You had disappeared into the inky blackness of the forest. Thankfully my hearing and sense of smell led me to a clearing where a figure loomed over another. I hoped it was you until I realised you were on the ground, barely breathing.
The next thing I remember is you slipping from my back as I'd lowered you into our safe, enclosed spot. The skies had opened up on our journey home. I had never been more thankful for your stubborn nature; as somehow you'd held on the entire time.
All I could smell was blood. The change was excruciating as I still had a few open wounds. I lit a fire. I wished I hadn't. Once the torn fragments of cloth were removed, your flesh littered with gashes and bites became exposed. The weapon's hilt still protruded from your abdomen. I slid it out gently thinking I would see your flesh start to knit back together. Instead a dark substance oozed from the wound.
You were dying. I knew it in the shallowness of your breaths and the way your eyes couldn't keep in focus. You should have been self-healing but you weren't. You were the quietest I'd ever heard you. I was terrified.
I had so many things I wanted to tell you, to show you. I was losing you and I couldn't…I wouldn't let you go. Using one of your sharp nails, I sliced into the flesh above my collar bone. I held no hope as I placed the laceration against your lips.
I heard the faintest sniff before your teeth languidly pierced around the wound. You'd never fed from me before and as the world blurred around the edges, I hoped it was enough for you to survive.
TBC...
