Sebastian Bear (complete)

FORTY-THREE

FORTY-THREE

The Brothers walk freely during the third moons rising.

Madeline repeated that over and over in her head. Lucian had assured her of that before he brought her to the city. Why were they out during the first moon? Their sudden presence shook her to the center of her being. She watched them closely, her mind running a thousand scenarios per minute. They seemed to be amused by her reaction, both of them grinning to show their shiny sharpened teeth.

"All alone?"

They looked wild, not only in their eyes but in the rigidity of their posture. Madeline hadn't studied them so closely before. She had been so absolutely disoriented during their first encounter that she had picked out major points in their appearance and her mind filled in the rest. They weren't exceptionally tall but built hard with steely muscles that wrapped around their bones possessively. Upon closer inspection, they weren't so identical. They both had dark endless eyes but the one closer to Madeline could see a thin sliver of coppery brown outlining his ebony irises.

"Not smart to wander these treacherous streets by yourself, kitten."

They were dressed nice, too nice for such savages. High collar black coats with thick silver buttons clasped against their chests. She noticed their fingers last, long white digits tinged with cherry red at the tips, almost as if they'd been dipped in blood. She needed to snap out of it. She needed to get away fast. She had to figure out a way to distract them. Her shock had deafened her usually speeding thoughts. Something clicked in her mind and she became acutely aware of her fingers dancing along the smooth glass of the Lumi's Lucian had shoved at her earlier.

"Maybe she's not all alone?"

"I don't see anyone here though, brother." The other grinned. Those jagged teeth glistened madly in the moonlight.

"You don't talk much do you, kitten?"

She hadn't said a word. She jumped as the one closer to her moved even closer, his strange bloodied hands grazing her elbow through the thick black cloak she wore.

"Oh don't be scared, kitten. I won't hurt you... yet."

The other was moving closer then, his heavy black boots moving over the loose stone. Madeline panicked, her eyes widening, her body falling back into the shadows. She didn't have time to worry about if it would work. She pulled the two Lumi's from her pocket and threw them as hard as she could at those shiny black boots. There was the sound of cracking glass followed by a sharp whistle that briefly reminded Madeline of a tea kettle. It all happened so fast. She didn't take in their black eyes slamming shut to protect themselves from the harsh heavenly light that exploded at their feet. She just reacted, her own hands coming up for just a second as the Lumi shocked her eyes.

She took off faster than she'd even ran before. Her feet hit the ground in hard hurried steps. She tried to remember which way Lucian led her into town. She turned down one dark alley, past a red door with the golden knocker. The quiet thumps and panting breaths were the only sounds she heard. Where was everyone? The city always looked so still. Maybe they knew more than she did. Maybe they could sense the Brothers wandering the streets. She would've asked Lucian had she not been pushed so quickly to run for her life.

It took twenty minutes before she recognized the muted gray landscape of the cities outer limits. She pushed herself further, her lungs burned, her muscles strained. She fell through the brush-covered gate, knees scraping against the gravel.

They hadn't followed her, at least she couldn't hear their footsteps behind her as she spurred on. She pushed further, regaining her balance and moving up the walkway and into the blessed home where she took her first full breath since getting away. She sat on the floor in a puddle of black robes, knees bloodied, and throbbing from her fall. She hoped Lucian would be home soon. She hoped the Brothers hadn't found him.