Red Riding Hood
Heavy rock pounded into the club, filling the darkness with noise that held the patrons at bay. Lights swirled above them but never reached the shadows below. The shadows moved as the bodies shifted their collective weight. Parting slowly like a black wall; opening to release the girl from the darkness.
Dare staggered into the music and looked around at the scene. Her headache was getting worse; this was no place to be. Staggering her way to the illuminated doors, she pushed out into the night and leaned on the wall. Her stomach was tight as her insides rebelled against her. Sinking to her knees she closed her eyes and sank into being physically sick.
Raze lifted his muzzle to the winds and drew in a deep breath. The rain was close and it would come tonight. For now the night was thick with human stench and city smells. He turned away from the street and ran down an alley. His feet slapped the pavement as he moved from light to shadow and back. His black sweat pants were damp from sweat and water. His bare torso glittered as he moved. Turning his head this way and that, he followed his nose. He had given up trying to find all his Pack-mates. They had scattered after Lucian's death three months ago. Most of them had fled the city once news of a hybrid reached their ears.
Raze and three others were all he knew about that had remained. Three wasn't enough to exact the vengeance he had hungered for since that long ago night.
Dare lifted her head from the wet stones and blinked away the haze. She was shivering in the cold pre-dawn air. Her clothes were wet and she was lying in a pool of something gross. Rolling herself out of it took all her strength and left her lying in the middle of the alley. She didn't have the energy to care as her mind shut off and she fell away.
Raze cut left sharply and raced down the alley, chasing the first light of dawn. His stride was long and powerful. His feet moved with the barest of whispers as he charged forward. His stride broke suddenly at the sight of a body in his path. Only his supernatural agility kept him from tripping over the girl. He gazed down at her as his chest heaved and steam rose off him.
She lay on her front, with her arms trapped under her body. The black of her clothes hid the mess that stained the air. Raze coughed at the acid bite of bile and other bodily chemicals. He stared at her and snorted in disgust. Another human waste. He turned and moved to leave when she moved suddenly. It was such a small motion that a human would have missed it. But there was a twitch to her limbs that said she was alive.
Without knowing why he knelt down at her head and rolled her over with a single hand. Her face was too pale, dark bruises said she had been hit lately. Scratches went down her face and cut into her neck. Raze narrowed his eyes at the sight of something familiar. He lifted her up and wiped the dried blood away. His wet hands smeared it across her skin but he could see the wound. It was something he knew all too well.
Tearing his eyes away from the girl, he looked at the lightening shadows. Nothing would move now. It was too close to dawn for them to attack. Turning back to the girl he considered leaving her. She was beyond help anyway. But there was something in him that refused to move. Heaving a sigh he lifted her in his arms and carried her into the sunrise.
Heavy rock pounded into the club, filling the darkness with noise that held the patrons at bay. Lights swirled above them but never reached the shadows below. The shadows moved as the bodies shifted their collective weight. Parting slowly like a black wall; opening to release the girl from the darkness.
Dare staggered into the music and looked around at the scene. Her headache was getting worse; this was no place to be. Staggering her way to the illuminated doors, she pushed out into the night and leaned on the wall. Her stomach was tight as her insides rebelled against her. Sinking to her knees she closed her eyes and sank into being physically sick.
Raze lifted his muzzle to the winds and drew in a deep breath. The rain was close and it would come tonight. For now the night was thick with human stench and city smells. He turned away from the street and ran down an alley. His feet slapped the pavement as he moved from light to shadow and back. His black sweat pants were damp from sweat and water. His bare torso glittered as he moved. Turning his head this way and that, he followed his nose. He had given up trying to find all his Pack-mates. They had scattered after Lucian's death three months ago. Most of them had fled the city once news of a hybrid reached their ears.
Raze and three others were all he knew about that had remained. Three wasn't enough to exact the vengeance he had hungered for since that long ago night.
Dare lifted her head from the wet stones and blinked away the haze. She was shivering in the cold pre-dawn air. Her clothes were wet and she was lying in a pool of something gross. Rolling herself out of it took all her strength and left her lying in the middle of the alley. She didn't have the energy to care as her mind shut off and she fell away.
Raze cut left sharply and raced down the alley, chasing the first light of dawn. His stride was long and powerful. His feet moved with the barest of whispers as he charged forward. His stride broke suddenly at the sight of a body in his path. Only his supernatural agility kept him from tripping over the girl. He gazed down at her as his chest heaved and steam rose off him.
She lay on her front, with her arms trapped under her body. The black of her clothes hid the mess that stained the air. Raze coughed at the acid bite of bile and other bodily chemicals. He stared at her and snorted in disgust. Another human waste. He turned and moved to leave when she moved suddenly. It was such a small motion that a human would have missed it. But there was a twitch to her limbs that said she was alive.
Without knowing why he knelt down at her head and rolled her over with a single hand. Her face was too pale, dark bruises said she had been hit lately. Scratches went down her face and cut into her neck. Raze narrowed his eyes at the sight of something familiar. He lifted her up and wiped the dried blood away. His wet hands smeared it across her skin but he could see the wound. It was something he knew all too well.
Tearing his eyes away from the girl, he looked at the lightening shadows. Nothing would move now. It was too close to dawn for them to attack. Turning back to the girl he considered leaving her. She was beyond help anyway. But there was something in him that refused to move. Heaving a sigh he lifted her in his arms and carried her into the sunrise.