Chapter Eleven: Always A Scary Forest
1584 Words
We were almost to the Southern Realm. All we had to do was get through the Black Widow Forest. The stories about this place were all bad. There were many tales about women taking their husbands or lovers into the woods and getting rid of them.
But who knows how many of those stories were real or not?
We got into the forest just as the sun was rising. The trees were so close together it was dark enough that we could keep traveling. We stopped after a while and rested.
Eric had started teaching me how to fight with not only a sword but also a bow and arrow. I was learning quickly. I enjoyed sparring with him. It was like dancing except more dangerous.
As my curse grew stronger, my heart and soul began growing darker. My bloodlust was ever so slowly becoming stronger and stronger. It was becoming difficult for me to stop feeding once I started.
Any traveler we came across ended up being my meal for the day, or week. We didn't come across people much. Which was good, for them at least.
Eric got up after eating a quick snack and stretched a bit. “All right Lilly, you ready?” He asks as he unsheathes his sword.
I jump up and stretch for a moment. I unsheathe the sword he had given me to learn with.
“Ready.” I say with a serious look on my face. I concentrate and watch his body language. I had started getting good at reading his movements.
By the time he moved to strike I was two steps ahead of him. He swung, I parried and spun around getting behind him.
I gave him a swift kick in the rear and then got ready to take a swing at him. I had to slow down my movements to match his.
He deflected my attack and we continued like this for a good while. Attacking, deflecting, avoiding. It was becoming easier. My body becoming in sync with my sword.
Learning when to swing, when not to swing. Knowing when to move and how to move. When we finished, I had disarmed him and gotten him on his knees in surrender.
I let out a laugh as he stood up and smiled.
“Well, you don't need my help anymore. If you were using your speed and strength I wouldn't stand a chance. Now that you know how to move and react you are going to be quite formidable.”
I smile, “Good. I have a prince to save.” I say and put my sword away.
We rest for the day. At least we tried to. Until we heard the screams.
I was the first to hear them. A man was screaming somewhere further in. I woke Eric up.
“Eric, I think someone is in trouble. I heard a scream.” I tell him quietly.
He gets up and we start heading towards where I heard it. He stops for a moment and we hear it again this time closer.
As we got closer, we come to a clearing, a canopy of trees keeping it dark. We stay hidden in the trees and look.
There are three or four women, standing in a circle around what looks like a large pole in the ground. I look closer, and see there is a man tied to the pole. His body is bloodied and bruised.
I look at Eric, who puts his finger to his lips to indicate be quiet. I nod and we continue to look on at the scene playing out before us.
One of the women goes to the man and stabs him with a knife. He screams again as the blade is shoved into his side. He gasps and his head hangs.
I can hear the women speaking to each other. “Once we sacrifice him, we can make the blood pact with the ancient one.”
I look at Eric. “We need to stop this. They are demon worshippers.” I whisper to him.
He nods. He pulls his sword and I pull my bow and arrows. I aim and loose an arrow at one of the women. It hits her in the back piercing through to her heart.
She screams and falls to the ground. My senses tingle again. As her body begins to bleed my hunger kicks in. I look at Eric giving him a wicked smile.
I rush into the clearing faster than they can see, my fangs on one of the three remaining women before she can stop me.
I drink and drain her as quickly as I can. As I am about to finish, the others try to attack. Eric charges in and takes on of them down. It gives me enough time to drop the drained woman and grab a new one.
I grab her swiftly and sink my fangs into the front of her throat. I can hear her gurgling and choking on the blood, so I drink faster.
I wasn't about to waste a single drop. Eric ends up killing the last woman just as I finish drinking. I drop down and drain the last two women. Dead or not, it's still fresh blood.
As I am finishing up, Eric is untying the wounded man from the pole. He slumps down to the ground and looks up at me and Eric.
“Please, please don't kill me.” He begs us.
I lick my lips and smile, “You are fine, and I’m full anyway.” I say with a grin.
Eric shakes his head and looks at the man, “What's your name?”
“Brelear. I live in the southern Realm. I was headed home when they grabbed me and brought me here. I will be forever grateful for your rescue.” He says to us.
I nod and sit next to him. I pull out bandages and ointment from my bag. Then an idea hits me. I look at him.
“Do you have any family? Wife? Children?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, my lady, I am alone in this world.”
“Good,” I say. I grab him and drain him dry. Then something inside of me tells me to give him my blood.
I bite my wrist and drop a bit of my blood into his mouth. Eric is sitting there stunned.
“Lilly, what the hell are you doing?” He asks, his voice sounding of utter disgust.
“I'm testing a theory I have,” I say not looking away from Brelear.
A few moments pass and nothing, “Hmm, I guess I was wrong.” I say out loud. I get up and start to walk off when I hear a moan.
I turn around and Brelear is starting to sit up. He opens his eyes and looks at us. They are blood red, like mine. He opens his mouth to speak, and I can see his teeth have turned into fangs like mine.
I smile a wicked grin. “Looks like I just made another me.” I say looking at Eric.
He looks at me unsure of what to say.
“I know what you're thinking. Why did I do this? I did it because deep down I have a feeling we are going to need more people with my curse if we are going to win this fight.” I tell him.
Brelear looks at me, “I'm thirsty. My throat burns.”
I nod, “I know. It will pass, just no biting Eric. He is off limits.” I can feel my words having a pull on him. A major realization hits me. I have complete control over him.
I smile again, “Come on, we need to get going. We will find you someone or something to drink. Who knows, maybe you can drink the blood I can't.” I say as I start to walk away.
The three of us head back to our camp and Eric goes hunting for an animal for his supper. He comes back with a rabbit.
“Hey, Eric give that to Brelear. See if it quenches his thirst.” I tell him.
Eric shrugs and tosses Brelear the rabbit. He bites into it and makes a moaning noise. I laugh as I can hear him slurping the blood out of the bunny.
When he finishes draining it, he tosses it back to Eric who skins and cooks it for himself. Brelear sits there and I watch him carefully.
“Hmm, how do you feel? Do you feel sick at all?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “No, I'm still thirsty, but it's not as bad as it was.”
I smile, “Good. Well Eric there we go. He can drink from animals. Problem solved.”
Eric rolls his eyes and starts to eat his food. We all sit there for a while and Brelear tells us about himself.
He was once a guard in the Southern Realm until he was forced out by some soldiers who didn't like him. I decided to test his skills with a sword. He is good and nearly beats me.
We rest for the rest of the day, and later that night we continue.
I let out a sigh as I see the edge of the forest. We are getting so close...
- Writer
