A/N: I am back! Sorry for the hiatus, but I am continuing with the story. Happy Reading :)
Chapter 3
Tatu
"Seize your roots and seize it firmly"
Blood.
It was blood and bodies and fire.
Chaos everywhere and black robes.
Long flowing black robes moving in time and fluidity.
Black smoke filled the air; burning my chest and watering me eyes.
A child's scream pierces my ears.
He couldn't have been more than twelve.
He was writhing on the ground.
Anguish and pain. I felt it.
I dropped to my knees.
"Make it stop please, make it stop!" He cries.
I scream for help, I scream with all my might.
But not a sound leaves my mouth.
I look around frantically.
No one can help us.
I can't save him.
I have failed him.
The boy grabs my hand.
On his wrist – a bite mark in the shape of a crescent moon.
"You can't save them all." His eyes, once shining with life dim.
His body lies still and limply.
He is lifeless.
I hold the boy's body in my arms and sob.
Shaking hard in anguish and in anger.
My body vibrates violently.
I scream and I hear it as it descends through the forest.
Blood.
Blood and lifeless bodies. Everywhere.
And then pale faces and black bloody capes approach me.
Wearing wicked grins and red tainted eyes.
...
...
- 3 months ago -
"You want to speak with me, Aro." Marcus says.
Disinterest written all over his face. He hasn't felt a real emotion in over 400 years.
"Yes, I want to speak with both you and Caius." Aro ever so excitedly exclaims.
Caius's eyes flicker to Aro. Curiosity and interest in his voice.
"What is it brother?"
"I have a matter that needs to be … permanently handled." Aro shifts from his cheery façade to seriousness.
"Well go on then." Caius responds. Aro takes Marcus' silence as a responsive answer.
"As you both know … since the Cullen affair, I have taken to finding out more about these shape-shifting creatures. The characteristics they share with the werewolf are uncanny, yet they are so human at the same time which is astounding – yet ultimately their demise. Although, I'd really like to keep one of the Quileute shifter. Possibly the girl …" Aro's brows furrow as he rants off.
"What are you saying brother? What is this even about?" Caius' patience is beginning to thin.
"We have existed for a long period of time, yet we still know so little about the supernatural world." Aro's eyes gleam brightly, yet they held a power-hungry wickedness to them.
"There are many variations of shifters that exist. There are – huh how would I phrase it? Oh, there are clans of different kinds of shifters in the world. I've had Demetri and Alec do my personal bidding for some time; searching for more like the Quileute. The shifters are everywhere. Hiding beneath our noses all this time." Aro laughs as Caius is drawn in to his speech.
"They outnumber us a great deal my brothers. They all have one purpose, like the werewolf, to destroy our kind. That is how they are genetically predisposed." Aro states.
Caius' lips form into a malicious smirk – knowing Aro's intent with the situation.
"What are you suggesting Aro?" Marcus replies dryly, not really caring for the conversation.
"We must end them … of course." Aro pats Marcus on the shoulder.
"We cannot let them continue to thrive and threaten our existence. It is our responsibility to handle this matter. This mission shouldn't be difficult to manage. The shifters do not have a governing force nor do they know of how many others are like them out there. We can end them simply." Aro grins as Marcus frowns, yet he doesn't speak his mind.
"Caius, you oversee this. You've done it before, you shall do it again brother." Aro tells Caius. Caius looks more than pleased.
"With pleasure." Caius lips spread to reveal his sharp teeth, his blood red eyes darken wickedly.
...
...
I wake up rapidly, gasping for air.
"Amare! Dearie are you fine!?" I hear Grams ask as she knocks on my door.
"I'm fine Grams!" I reply as I breathe deeply, calming my racing heart.
Looking at the time causes me to hop out of my bed, cursing as a sailor as I do. I'm going to be late.
"I know you're going through some changes, but no dirty mouthing in here Amare! Not acceptable!" Grams says and I cringe a little.
"Sorry!" I apologize as I rush. "I'm just running late for work!" I call out to her as I run around my room like a madwoman.
"You're not going to work today dearie. I called Marcus, he says it's fine." Grams says outside my door.
I feel my temperature rise as I open the door swiftly. What does she mean she called off my shift today? That is not her concern.
"That is not your place to do that Grams." I say heatedly. Grams eyes me skeptically, but her posture remains strong.
She looks so short. When have I gotten so tall?
"It's necessary Amare. You need the day off. You'll go back to work soon, trust me." Grams crosses her arms, making it known that she's closing the conversation. Although I am not.
"We both need the extra income. And plus, as of lately, I've been saving up for college. I've been working my ass off! You know this!" I argue, crossing my arms too.
"Watch your mouth Amare, last warning." Grams snaps at me sternly.
"Is everything, okay?" Raina interrupts timidly. Both Grams and I look at her.
"Everything's perfect." I seethe as I walk down the steps and leave the house. Slamming the front door behind me as I leave.
Not too sure where I was going, but I was getting the hell up out of here.
...
...
"I don't know what's going on. I think I'm crazy." I whisper as I cry softly into my arms.
I left the house furious and found my way to my mother's grave.
Her grave inscribed:
Binta Agrinya. 1976 -2007. Loving daughter and mother. No longer by our side, but forever in our hearts.
A tear ran down my face and I wipe it quickly.
It's been a while since I've been here, but being here did ease my mind and help unleash some pent-up emotions.
The past three weeks have been indescribably strange and weird. For one, I've been having dreams about bloody massacres and pale people with red eyes. What was worse is that in my gut … I knew that this was real and it terrified me even more to realize that. To realize that my world may not be what I think it is.
OR…
There's also the reoccurring thought and possibility that I might just be delirious and crazy. I feel as if I'm about two seconds away from losing my sanity. To add on top of that Jade, Emery, and Raina's conversation was never addressed in the house – even when I tried to bring it up to Grams. Now, it seemed as if Gram wasn't taking me seriously or listening to me at all.
What was strange was that this entire week, Jade, Emery, and Raina made it a point to avoid me at all costs. As if they knew, I was ready for confrontation. It's been four days, not including this morning, since I saw all the girls and honestly … my patience is wearing thin. My fuse was running short nowadays. Either they admit that their avoiding me because of their weird ass conversation about me and mystical crap or I leave the house.
But I wouldn't do anything like that to Gram.
I've been sitting in front of my mother's grave for a while. I haven't been keeping track of time, but I watched as the sky transitioned from day to night seamlessly.
Maybe, you ought to get going.
"Mare! Amare! Is that you sweetie!?" I whipped my head in the direction of Gram's voice. She was near the entrance of the cemetery.
"I'm here Gram." I said as I stood up, dusting the dirt and grass off my pants.
"Mare, I'm so sorry about earlier. I only want to prepare you for your future … for your destiny. There's much I need to explain, yes …" Gram stated as she fidgeted with her hands.
Amare's face scrunched in confusion.
"I don't understand?" Amare stated. Her mind was reeling, and her skin felt hot.
"I'll explain it all at home, promise." Gram smiled softly.
"Okay." I smiled as I jogged towards her, enveloping the little woman in a warm hug.
"I'm sorry too Grams." I whispered, and she rubbed my back. Then the hairs on my back raised and I tensed, "Something is here."
"Everything will be alright." Gram stated as she grabbed my hand squeezing it tightly.
A white figure flashed around us in the graveyard. The smell the thing left in its mist making my stomach clench and my skin vibrate. The creature then leaped into the canopy of trees over us.
Get out of here now! My mind screamed at me, but my body felt as it were made of bricks.
I grabbed Grams and prepared to sprint out the graveyard. The entrance began to look like it was miles away, though in reality it was only a couple of feet away.
I can get us out of here.
Before I could cross the distance with Grams in my arms the creature dropped in front of us in a crouched predatory position. She was pale like white chalk. She had short, bluntly chopped platinum blond hair. She was wearing all black. When our eyes met, I held back a gasp. She had red eyes. Blood red eyes. She smirked at my reaction and I instantly became furious.
"Get out of my way before I hurt you!" I snarled as I took a defensive step in front of Grams.
The woman ignored my warning. She took a step forward while inhaling deeply. Her eyes flickered from Grams to me.
"What are you?" She asked intrigued.
"It's none of your damn business." I all but growled out.
"Doesn't matter anyways. I'm tired of talking, I'm hungry." She grinned sinisterly. Her eyes zoning in on Grams as she took another step closer.
My body, that was already vibrating upon the creatures' arrival, began to convulse. I was no longer in control of my body. I screamed as my bones began to break and shift. My skin was scorching hot. It felt like I was being dipped in a lake of hot lava. I fell to my knees and an animalistic roar ripped through my body – causing the bloody eyed creature to pause in curiosity and fear. The woman blurred from her spot and was directly in front of me – only a couple of inches away. I wanted to yell at Grams to leave, but I didn't want this creature's focus back on her. The foul-smelling woman touched my arm and I snapped my teeth at her. She grabbed my throat firmly and knelt, so we were face level. My hands clawed at her arm around me, but it was useless.
"Though you are quite intriguing …" the woman whispered, clutching my throat harder; my vision became dark and cloudy, "You will not interfere with my meal. I might kill you afterwards or take you to Aro depending on how I feel."
With her free arm she grabbed my foot and twisted my ankle. Before my body could react to the pain, she threw me against a nearby tree. My ribs cracking on impact. I winced as I sat up, clutching my wrist to my chest. The bitch broke that too.
When I looked up, she had Grams in her arms. At that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion.
The woman tilted Grams head to the side.
Gram mouthed that she loved me.
A fat tear rolled down my cheek.
I never felt more helpless in my life.
I watched as the leech bit into Grams neck. I watched as she drained Grams of her life, of her energy, of her blood. My heart clutched tightly with sorrow as her body grew limp. The soulless monster tossed my grandmother's body to the side like she was a useless object. Something inside me broke, and I exploded. A force inside me erupting.
When I looked at the leech shock flooded her features as I pounced on her; pinning her body to the ground. She thrashed and screamed underneath my claws and teeth as I tore her apart – ripping her to shreds. After her shrieks ceased, my body shrank to its normal form. There was no sign of any previous injuries as I stood up.
I knew Jade, Raina, and Emery were almost here. I could feel them and hear them in my mind.
I ran towards Grams body, falling to my knees and pulling her lifeless body onto my lap.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no …" I murmured, my voice thick with grieve. My hands shaking in disbelief and shock as the reality set in. She was really gone.
"I need help, somebody please!" I yelled as the sobs coursed through my body.
There was not anything anybody could do. Grams was gone. She wasn't coming back. I had no more family. My whole world shattered in one night. Life as I've known it has changed forever …
I rocked her ice cold lifeless body as my cries turned to wails.
A/N: Please leave a review and tell me what you think :) I hopefully will be updating again soon.