Mated To The Spade Brothers

FIVE

That was the opening I needed. I didn’t dare to look back but I could hear it. the deformation of bones, the cry of battle, the rip of claws into skin. I pulled my gown up to give room for my legs to maintain the fast pace of carrying me away from this insanity. leaving a good distance between me and the chaos, I sprinted into the woods. Shadowmere being enveloped in a long range of deep, dark forest used to bother me but today I was thankful for its welcoming hands of shield of trees and thick branches.

I leaned against a tree to catch my breath, my palm on my knee, greedily sucking air through my lungs. I’d give myself the luxury of crying but I had to keep running. As my breathing slowed, I started to notice it. the eerie silence. like the world suddenly went quiet. no chippering of cricket or the wispy sounds of swaying leaves. The forest stood still. My breath hitched in my chest at the snap of feet against branches. thuds of footsteps getting closer. I wasn’t alone. My back pressed flat against the tree.

“Come out, come out. curly bird” my company called out. hot ripples surged through my gripped spine. Shakily placing my palm over my mouth to prevent even the slightest squeak from leaking and getting Gregor Grimm’s attention. Under a different circumstance, I’d be squealing like a little girl, running into the hands of the first formed vampire. running into the arms of this man was running into a pointed-out blade. I have a strong feeling if I asked this man what he wanted from me, I’ll be getting that answer in the after-life.

“I just want to talk, curly bird. I’m not going to hurt you” Gregor hollered. Yeah right. If I had a penny for every time someone said they wouldn’t hurt me, I’d be swimming naked in sea of gold with the moon goddess.

“I can smell you. Curly bird. Come on right out. I just want to talk” Grimm continued “Your henchmen are not here to save you. It’s just me and you now”

Yeah right. The ancient vampire decided to come after me just to have a chit chat. I did the only logical thing anyone would do in my situation. I ran.

My life lately has been filed with questions. Questions that held terror and fear. Question that sprang my life from the root. Turning it upside down in the worst ways. I whispered a promise through my raspy breath. I wasn’t going to die before I had answers. As if digging through stash of buried memories. Flash of memories of my old life sprang through my skull. I allowed myself to hold onto one. one that was not tainted by blood, screams and red eyes. Memory of Running through the field of dandelions with Alv. my paws barely keeping up with his. Alv was bigger than me, Alv was stronger than me. He protected me. I attempted to blow the dandelions to make a wish. I remembered the rich laughter Alv drifting through my ears. laughing at my struggle, his laugh coming out as a cackle in his wolf form. I tried again, over and over again and failed. Turning serious, Alv slowly turned to his human form. standing naked, unashamed. His light- colored hair covering the frame of his sharp features.

“Listen, Kayla. If you want to blow that dandelion then you need to feel” I responded by looking at him quizzically. Knowing I couldn’t talk in my wolf form, he continued “if all your important senses become obsolete, don’t forget your ability to feel”

My vision blurry with the wind blowing heavily across my face but it didn’t matter. I did not need to see, I needed to feel. His words fresh in my mind ‘if all your important senses become obsolete, don’t forget your ability to feel’. I felt the rush of wind across my skin, the feeling of dirt against my feet.

The glistening of the moon paving way for light. I felt it all. The sharp pain that spread through my body as my bones take shape to accommodate my stretching skin, formation of mouth to nozzle and stretching of my canine. I felt it all, and not once did I stop. Not once did I look back. When the whimper of triumph came through my stretched lips, I knew I did it. with my new found strength, my paws dug deeper into earth, waggling my tail as I hooped through branches. my excitement was short-lived as I started to slow. My body fighting between human and wolf, my eyes going in and out of focus. Paws started to change to fingers, canine shortening in my mouth, my fur shrinking to skin. I was human again. Human and a naked mess on the floor.

“Well, that was fun to watch” a familiar voice announced. I raised my head slightly to find Grimm staring down at me. His red eyes devoid of emotions, brighter against his pale skin. He was behind me all along. “I see why your henchmen were fiercely protecting you. You’re weak. dare I say, pathetic. I almost cried watching you call the dog out” he tsked “I was expecting a good fight, curly bird. honestly. I’m slightly disappointed”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, shakily. I pushed myself in a feral position, trying as much possible to shield my body.

“Oh, Curly bird” Grimm cooed, fang smile flashing down on me. My body rippled with fear. Grimm took off his coat, crutching down to wrap his coat around me. I watched him delicately held my shoulders, his thumb rubbing my shoulder blades while his red eyes stayed unblinking on mine. There was no visible crease or formation of wrinkles on his stoic pale face. If I didn’t know he was hundreds of years old, I’d think we were the same age. His fangs escaped into his mouth and I felt a bit of tension leave my body. If he offered me his coat maybe he didn’t plan to kill me.

“I hate to sound crass and ungentlemanly but I want to rip your heart out of your chest and consume it while it’s still beating” he said casually like he was describing the weather.

I blinked “What?”

“For hundred years, I’ve searched for you. Longing and waiting. Then I found out one of my own had you all along. I had to act quick. Think of a plan. Do you imagine my excitement when I saw you walk in that club in that tight little skirt. I wanted to kill you right there and then but I wanted to play nice. I wanted to watch you die slowly.”

“You were at fang.” I whispered in realization.

“I was lurking in the shadows. Planning our meeting to be pleasant. Long. I even had to compel that meaty bartender to switch your drink. Get you a little excited. Turns out I wasn’t the only one who wanted you. Those dogs were after you too”

“I don’t understand”

“It’s for a good cause. You are the gift that’s sent to save my kind” Grimm sighed “It was all working out like I planned till that dark haired dog interfered” Grimm pushed himself up. Pulling out a curved edged dagger, holding it menacingly in the air. His eyes followed the designs of ancient writings engraved on the blade. He was going to kill me. I was going to die with only questions.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I whimpered. Dragging my battered body painfully on the ground.

“You see, Curly bird. I had been poisoning you slowly waiting for the right moment to strike. Then that dog went ahead and ruin it all. Gave you an antidote. The wolfs bane completely flushed out of your system”

“How’s that even possible?” I cried out. if I kept him talking, it would give me enough time to gather as much strength as I could.

“I promise to be gentle” Grimm grinned, a rumble sound escaping through his gritted smile. He was enjoying this. I looked around me for a weapon but there were only rocks and sticks in my line of vicinity. How was I supposed to defend myself against an ancient being with rocks and sticks. An idea clicked in my mind as I set my gaze intently at the approaching figure of Grimm. I dug my fingers into the ground, circling my hand in as much dirt as I could. I continued to drag my broken body till my back was back to resting against a tree. This was going to be my final resting place. I started to make peace with it but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

“For a powerful ancient being” I coughed, smiling wryly at Grimm “You talk too damn much”

“I’ll sing your praises after I carve your heart out” he responded, lifting the dagger to plunge it into my chest. Without hesitation, I shoved dirt into Grimm’s eyes. The blade didn’t drop from his hands like I expected but it did slow him down. He clawed at his eyes, trying desperately to get the sand out. vein started to pop on his head as his pale skin turned red

“You b***h!” he cried “I’m so going to enjoy killing you” he lunged at me, blade moving swiftly in the air. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for impact. Then nothing. Instead of the sound of blade passing through my ribcage, all I heard was the sound of broken bones and a sharp wail. I opened my eyes slowly to see Grimm suspended in the air, Damien’s hand wrapped around his neck.

“Do not touch what’s mine” Damien said through gritted teeth, his emerald eyes gleaming angrily.

“f**k you, dog” Grimm choked. His face scarlet red, eyes bulging. Dagger lying helplessly on the floor. Damien let go, dropping the vampire hard, running to me.

Damien cupped my face in his large hands. His jade eyes softening as he gave me a once over, checking for cuts or bruises “I thought I lost you”

Relief turned into burning ache. Pleasant ache. My eyes burned with tears. I wasn’t alone anymore. I wasn’t going to die. Not today. Damien wrapped me in his arms letting me bury my face into his neck, not minding the snort that escaped my nose as I wailed in his arms. “Don’t ever do that again, Kayla. Don’t ever do that to me again. Do you know how scared I was.” Damien whispered to me, holding me tighter. I lifted my head to give him a response, it was the moment I caught Grimm sneaking in, dagger in hand ready to stab it into Damien.

“Behind you” I screamed. Before anyone of us could react, a wolf leapt through the air mauling Grimm into the ground. more wolves started to appear from the shadows. One bigger than the other. Their eyes glisten with a cold, calculating glare. Angry growl escaping their lips their lips curl to reveal sharp, white fangs. clearly outnumbered, Grimm snarled, escaping into the forest.

Damien carried me bridal style in his arms, I wrapped my hands around his neck. The wolves trailing behind us as he carried me into safety. I let myself relax in his arms, burying my face into his chest, inhaling his strong but flowery scent.

“Not Adrain’s brother. Damien” I murmured. I felt him smile.