Imprint of Mate

Chapter7

The black spots had taken over most of my vision, but then a pair of vibrant silver eyes pierced through the darkness and reached out to me.

Then there was nothing but the cold embrace of silence.

I ran through the forest. Black as coal and cold, the night breeze swayed between the trees like a bitter poltergeist mocking me. My feet stumbled over fallen leaves and branches, while low branches tried to catch me in their sharp embrace.

The fine and cold air did not fill my lungs. I stopped and tried to find the light, the path to the road, but all I found was a pair of sickly golden eyes staring intently at me. They approached until the glow revealed a face I knew all too well.

Jhon smiled at me, with fangs peeking out from his lips. He tilted his head as his eyes devoured me with greed. —I told you couldn't escape from me—, he said coldly, before lunging at me.

I opened my eyes and took a breath. Pain greeted me like old friends, radiating throughout my body to the spot where my leg felt the heartbeats. I clutched the sheets and my toes twitched beneath the blankets.

—It was just a dream—, I murmured as my head rolled to the side. The room was dimly lit, and the only source of light was a small lamp.

It looked like a kind of cabin. Walls with wooden panels adorned with various trinkets. A photo of some ducks, a wooden base with golden hooks for hanging coats, and a mounted deer head on the wall.

I tried not to let panic set in. After all, these people had saved me, whoever they were...

I tried to get up. A stabbing pain shot through my leg and began to come to life slowly. The pulse in my thigh throbbed, making my eyes fill with tears and me fall back onto the bed.

I breathed deeply.

My eyes slowly lowered from the curtains to the squares and then to my leg. The fingers slowly pulled back the blanket and revealed a large bloodstained bandage. The memories came back to me: that night. The wolves. The creature. The bite.

My heart sped up as the images of my attack swarmed in my brain. Wolves. Huge wolves. I had never seen anything like it. I tried to push away those images. Push away the images of the wolf tearing at my leg, or the golden-eyed demon that had tried to satisfy its needs with my body.

Tears tried to escape. A sob shook me. It was as if I could hear Jhon beside me, telling me to be quiet and saying he was sorry, but he couldn't help making stupid mistakes. I covered my mouth and stifled the pain. I wouldn't cry. It wasn't the time. I had to get up and find out where the hell I was and who had saved me.

The sound of a mumble diverted my gaze to the green door across the room. I covered myself with the sheets as my heart danced in my chest.

The voices outside grew louder as the air around me seemed to hold its breath as well.

—She's just going to be a burden and a real pain in the ass—, a man groaned behind the door. His voice was deep and cold as ice.

—I don't want this!—, pleaded another man, with a voice so soft it almost sounded like a song.

—I've had enough!—, growled the raspy voice, making the green door tremble.

My eyes opened in unison as I saw it vibrate. —What the...?

The light accumulated in the room as the door burst open and the lights turned on abruptly. I had to shield my eyes with my arm to adjust to the intensity.

I tried to understand what was happening as footsteps approached me.

I opened my eyes and found the double-barreled shotgun pointed at me.

I screamed and grabbed a pillow to protect myself. I tried to scuttle away, but the pain radiating from my wounded leg turned me into a beached whale on the bed.

It was the man. The grizzled thug who had told me to get off his property. He c****d the shotgun while his icy silver eyes narrowed at the sight of me. Silver eyes I couldn't forget. Eyes like the ones I had seen before everything went dark.

Did he save me?

—Levi, stop!—, barked the man behind him.

Levi looked at the man and then at me, his fiery silver eyes meeting mine.

—I won't make it, Derek!—, he spat.

—Stop, please!— My words stumbled over themselves, struggling to survive as they left my lips. —Please, don't. Please, don't do it—.

—I'd be doing you a favor—, he replied with an unsettling sweetness.

Would he? A part of me wondered if it would be better if my life didn't exist. Then, a better part of me discarded the thought. I hadn't come this far just to die.

—Please, don't.— My fingers clutched the pillow I held in front of me like a shield. —Let me go. I won't say anything—.

Three

—Levi, stop. You don't want to get your hands dirty with her blood—, said the man behind him. Levi sneered and the brown-eyed man approached with determination in his eyes. He looked at me with compassion and then back at Levi, who was nothing but an implacable mountain. —Levi, it's the law. You know the law—.

—Do you give a damn about that law?—.

—You should! Do you want the council down here conducting an investigation? Or human police sniffing around? Entertain explaining all that to your brother—. The brown man grunted as he ran his fingers through his hair. It was as black as could be. —It's not your decision!—, he hissed. —It's hers!—

—You don't know that and neither do I!— spat Derek.

—She could make it. You don't know the future. You can't decide for her—.

—What are you going to do?!— I asked desperately.

They ignored me.

—The success rate is low!— Levi shouted.

—You can't just kill an innocent like this!—. Derek shouted back.

Levi raised a hand. —Have you lost your damn mind?

It doesn't work that way, she...—

—I'm sitting right here, damn it!— I growled, with traitorous tears falling down my cheeks. —I'm sitting right here, goddamn it—. Swallowing saliva, I tried to gather the courage I had left. Which was very little when I looked back at the gun. —Now, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on or are you going to shoot me? It seems like a lot of trouble to save me if you're just going to put a bullet in me—.

Levi opened his mouth, but Derek stepped slightly in front of him, partially blocking my path. He threw me an apologetic look and turned back to face Levi. —What have we got to lose? Time? Compared to the lives we're going to live?—.

Who the hell were these people?

Levi turned his head to Derek for a moment and then lowered the weapon. A deep growl reverberated within him. —This is your responsibility—.

It was impossible for a man to growl like that. I must have hit my head too hard. Or lost too much blood.

—It's yours too!— Derek hissed, his lips lifting just enough to show fangs.

Fangs.

Fangs that hung from his teeth. A shiver ran down my spine.

—She's going to need you. You know the law, Levi—. Derek cut off. —Don't make me call you Lander!—.

Levi responded with a growl and began to speak, but my strangled scream cut him off. I covered my mouth with my hands. All my instincts told me to run.

Derek's fangs receded instantly into his gums. He walked carefully towards me with his hands up. —I'm sorry.

Really...

I shook my head, pulling away from him.