Half Wylde | Book 1

Four: Danger

The sun was peaked, and it kept me warm enough that I didn't miss the fire. I continued to sit as still as I could. Fear or impatience, or probably both, made the wait long and unbearable. There I was, stuck in the mountains. Relying on a beast of the Wyldes to fend off a supposedly even worse creature.

Stupid. I had been stupid to try to make it across on my own, especially knowing the witches were gone. Once my foot cramped, I decided I was better off standing for the wait.

I lifted myself off the ground, avoiding breaking any twigs, but the crunch of leaves made me wince. I stayed in place, half crouched in the dirt. Nothing came, nothing moved. I let out a slow breath and finished standing.

Something felt off in the clearing. My skin prickled with it. I listened for anything I could hear from the north, when I realized I couldn't hear anything at all. No birds, no insects. Not even wind through the trees. The seal on my back burned like it would when Mila was doing powerful spells nearby.

I looked over my shoulder and shivered. A cold air, colder than a mountain winter, crept through me. The smell of a cave, wet minerals and stagnant grime, clung to the air and on my tongue. Every hair on my body stood up as I bent to pick up my axe. Turning my head all around me, I still heard nothing. Saw nothing. But I felt it, whatever it was.

"Deliciousss." A moist breath purred in my ear. I whipped my head around and still couldn't find it.

"Who's there?" I snarled, surprising myself. Maybe I was more like Thain than I had thought.

"It bites." The voice laughed, but it was not a happy sound. "But ssso do I."

I spun on my heels. There it was, a distance away in the trees. The air around it was dark and thick. A figure in a tattered robe with the hood drawn low. The skin was whiter than the fresh snows. Black veins could be seen lurking under the skin, even from where I stood. It had the body and voice of a woman, but the teeth between its red lips were narrow and sharp, like those of a fish.

"What do you want?" I gripped my axe. To my dismay, I couldn't keep the tremor from my voice.

"It hasss been a long time since I have tasted your kind." It whispered. "A long time indeed."I backed up in the direction Thain had run off, but I stayed in the clearing where I could move easily. The creature crept closer, it's cold presence pushing in on my breath, burning my lungs. That feeling of wrongness threatening to strangle me.

"No need to run, little one." It grinned, wider than a mouth should grin. My legs shook, and I wondered how quick a death this creature could provide. It glided toward me, but I held my ground. I would like to say it was bravery that kept me there, but I was more afraid to show it my back than to face it. Something told me it had more wicked faces than it was showing me right now, and I wasn't going to give it the pleasure of an unguarded meal.

"Don't be shy, stay there like a good girl. Yesss, that's it."I swallowed as the thing drew close. My nose filled with it's deep cave stench, stale and cold. Its bony hands reached towards me, skin stretched tight over tendons and sinew. I was so close to cowering away, when Thain screamed from behind me.

"RUN!" He roared, a rush of wind sweeping through the clearing around us.

I had the embers from the fire between me and the monster. I kicked hard, scattering burning chips of wood up the creature's body and to its face. The noise it made would haunt me for months, but the creature balked and it's pursuit halted.

I ran. Ran toward Thain, who ran around me with blood lust in his eyes. His fangs were bared. I could have sworn his fingers grew into claws, but I didn't look back to make sure.