"Is the bandage on right? Can you see the glow?" Deianira asked as she, Malak, and Bahlal crept out of the house to the podium where they were to meet Sarah.
"No, you can't, it's on right." Malak replied, "Good, she's there already."
Sarah was sitting on the platform, wearing all black, holding a lantern.
"It's about time, what took you so long?" She asked, standing up.
"Bahlal here sleeps like a grizzly bear in high winter." Malak said, playfully punching her brother in the arm.
"But we're here now, so let's go." Deianira said. The others nodded, picking up their lanterns and heading into the woods.
"What was that?" Malak asked for the fifth time as some noises were heard to their left.
"look for yourself, it's just a fox." Deianira said, "The clearing is up ahead, shall we stop there?"
The flopped onto the clearing floor, wishing they had brought more water in their canteens. Deianira sat up suddenly, weariness forgotten.
"What was that?" She asked.
"What?" Bahlal asked. "You're starting to sound like Malak."
"I felt something." Dei replied, cocking her head. Then they all heard it, a howl both like and unlike a true wolf's. A howl that grew louder and louder, never wavering until they could hear bounding steps coming their way.
"RUN!" Deianira shouted as the others got up and scrambled into the forest. She followed them, fumbling in her belt for her gun, trying to unholster it. The others turned sharply into a thick grove of trees, but as Deianira tried to follow them, a shadow covered her head as the werewolf landed and turned in front of her, snarling.
Her sharp intake of breath was inaudible to all save the werewolf, who leapt again, gashing the girl's left side and arm with its claws as it landed and turned once again. Deianira let out a small shout, her face and rapid breaths once again betraying her. Curiously enough, the mark on her arm, glowing brightly, was not harmed. She hurled her arm out with a cry and sent the werewolf sprawling into the bushes behind it. Painfully, she got to her legs and grabbed her gun as the werewolf leapt for the third and final time.
Deianira shot it and fell backwards as it sailed over her head and landed on the ground, silver bullet lodged into the ribs. A long, mournful howl escaped its lips as it transformed from a huge menacing beast to a young girl who looked mayhap 12 with long, straight brown hair and brown eyes that glared at Deianira with a ferocity that would make a lion cower. Deianira stared back, feeling a great vacuum open inside her heart as she looked at the dying girl.
"You will not...succeed." Aubrey hissed, "You will...not kill my..." Her eyes closed and her head fell limp, her lips parted slightly to give out her last word and breath, "master."
Deianira only stared in horror at the corpse, her lips moving making no noise. Malak, Bahlal, and Sarah came out of the brush, Bahlal's eyes were dry, but Malak was a bit teary, and Sarah much more then a bit. Nevertheless they went to console Deianira.
"Its ok, Deianira, you had to. It was her or you." Malak said, Deianira shook her head, water running down her cheeks.
"Just dont talk about it, lets go." She turned and began to painfully walk towards the village. "Are you all alright?"
"We're fine, but look at you." Sarah said, "Do you think you'll make it?"
Dei laughed painfully, "Tis but a flesh wound, nothing serious, Ill find a way to explain it in the morning."
She tore off some of her coat, the side that had not been torn, and wrapped it around her wounds as a makeshift bandage until they got to the house. Still, in the forty two minutes it took to reach the village, she stumbled thirty-six times and had to rest thrice.
"Bye Sarah." They whispered as their friend reached her house. She waved then expertly opened her door without making a sound.
The trio walked to Natalie's house to the tree that was right beside the twins' window; Deianira going more slowly then the others, wincing every time a branch brushed her side. They all had to wait a few tense moments when her foot slipped and broke off a small branch with a large CRACK! But no one came rushing to the window, so they made it in without any further difficulties.
"Are you ok?" Malak whispered to Deianira as the twins had to help their injured friend through.
"Im fine, I think I can fix it so Van Helsing won't notice in the morning and I can come up with an excuse later." Deianira grinned and walked out the door, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." The twins chorused as she walked out the door. It was not meant to be.
Deianira walked into the room she shared with Lucia, panting slightly with no intent other then to fall asleep on the spot. She entered the room and frowned, Lucia wasn't in the room. Was that a shadow on the floor?
"Well if it isn't the Van Helsing brat." The smooth, accented voice of Verona was heard as she covered Deianira's mouth.
Pain and weariness left her mind, and the girl whirled out of Verona's grasp, "I am NOT a Van Helsing." She hissed.
"Aww... did Verona strike a sore spot." The red headed bride appeared behind her, grabbing her and covering her mouth, ignoring the girl's attempt to writhe free.
"You dont need your bag." Marishka appeared in front of her and took her bag, dropping it on the ground. The girl bit Aleera's hand and back kicked the vampiress away. She lunged at Marishka who flashed to behind the girl and laughed. Deianira took a stake out of her belt and lunged again, only to be caught by Verona with her arms behind her back.
"Let go of me!" Deianira said desperately, writhing madly to get free.
"Now why would we do that?" Verona asked. Her eyes went purple and she grew fangs, slowly going for Deianira's neck, who was struggling like a wild animal.
"Ooh." Marishka pulled out the sleep-spray bottle from the girl's belt and held it towards Deianira's face "Is this perfume?"
She squeezed the pump, and Deianira went limp.
((((YAY!!!! I HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE RUT INTO THE PART THAT IVE BEEN WAITING TO WRITE!!! SO THE CHAPTERS WILL GET BETTER, DON'T WORRY!!! NOW REVIEW OR FACE THE WRATH OF BILL, THE SCHIZOPHRENIC ANOREXIC FLU RIDDEN KLEPTOMANIAC MANIC DEPRESSIVE HYPOCHONDRIAC ALIEN FROM THE PLANET MOOMOO!!)))