The Red Moon's Daughter

I wasn't scared anymore. I used to be for a very long time… until they finally broke me, and I realized that I did not have anything else to give. I was just a moving body, living day by day, waiting for a wolf strong enough to take me out of my misery. I used to go into the grey room scared out of my mind, not knowing if I was going to survive. After all, I didn't want to hurt anyone. Now, I went into the grey room with only one purpose; to kill. The gray room was a four-walled room created for "training purposes". It was located in the basement of the Silver Stream packhouse. The walls were made of pure cement, so if you got slammed against one of those walls, it hurt like hell. I had had a lot of broken bones because of those walls. The door - and only exit - locked from the outside. Two people went in, and only one came out. It was the only way of getting out of that room. The room had been designed specifically for me. To train me, to break me, to control me, to subdue my spirit and my will to live. My torturer’s name was Bill. Bill was a sadistic son of a b***h. He was also the Alpha of the pack. I was supposed to be part of the pack, but I was special, so Bill could not command me. That's why he had gotten himself a witch. Carlota could not control me either, but she could restrict my strength when necessary. Even though logic told me to hate her and kill her, Carlota was being as abused by Bill as I was, so I could only feel sorry for her. Everyone in the pack knew who I was, what Bill was making me do, what he was turning me into, and nobody could help me because he had ordered them not to. Everyone avoided me, more due to fear than the order that Bill had imposed on them. They have seen the corpses of all the beings that I had killed - that Bill had forced me to kill, for me to be able to survive. The count so far was 212 bodies of all types of beasts – werewolves, bear shifters, tiger shifters, vampires, warlocks, pathetic humans that have crossed the portal from the human world to our magical world, Abraxas. I had recently heard Bill say that he had found a griffon on the black market to use as my next contender. Today, I killed again. He had begged at the end, and it made me feel even more disgusted with myself. I was about to hit the final blow when he started crying and begging for his life. I had stopped dead in my tracks and had backed away three steps. I turned around, giving him my back, and covering my face with my hands, and the stupid tiger shifter had taken that chance to jump on me. I turned around immediately and, growing my nails into claws, dug them into his chest, going right for the heart. The movement had not been calculated; I just acted out of instinct - murderous instinct. I did not think about it, my body just moved. What had I turned into? I was in my room, in front of my mirror, brushing my hair absentmindedly and thinking about it, when the door opened fast and closed behind Carlota's back. Her entire face was beaten up badly, her hair was a mass of tangles like it had been pulled over and over, and she was limping when she walked to my bed and sat on it. -Get ready, we are leaving tonight - said Carlota, showing me three hairs in her hand. As I smelled the air, I looked astounded; it was Bill's hair. He had r***d Carlota again, and I guess that she had taken advantage of it and grabbed her payment. I looked Carlota in the eyes. The determination in them made my little flame of hope that had been extinguished so long ago roar again to life. -Are you sure? - I asked, afraid that she had developed some kind of Stockholm Syndrome. -I won't stay here any moment longer, and if I die trying, so be it - said Carlota, getting more comfortable in the bed - Hurry, pack a bag and get your things. I need you to help me get to my room and gather my things - I didn’t wait for the order to be said twice. Immediately, I grabbed the old black duffel bag that I had found in the trash deposit behind the packhouse and started filling it with my essential items. I did not have much, so it was fast. -I need to go to the kitchen to get supplies and food for us – I started moving toward the door, but Carlota stopped me. -Leave it! We don't have much time. We'll get what we are missing on the way - She got up from the bed and limped her way to the door. I grabbed my bag, hung it across my body, and took Carlota's left arm around my shoulder so she could support herself on me and walk faster. -Why did you come for me? Why are you taking me with you? - I asked, still scared that this was a dream, or worse, one of Bill's sadistic games - It's because of me that he kidnapped you and brought you here - -It's not your fault, kid. You are a victim as much as I am - she said, speaking hoarsely because of the pain - Bill's mind is sick, that has made him a weak Alpha and he knows it. That's why he is so obsessed with you. You can bring him the power that he so much desires but can't get on his own. His target is the Werewolf King, and you are powerful enough to bring him down - We got to Carlota's room and I stopped dead in my tracks looking around while Carlota started gathering things. Her room looked like an herbalist's temple. There were candles everywhere, herbs, plants, powders, flowers, and what I believed was a vase with blood. Then my nose registered it. Yes, it was animal blood. All the hairs on my neck and arms lifted, and I held the urge of running out of the room. After all, wolves and witches did not get along. Carlota was fast at gathering her things, even though she was badly injured. Our desperation and anxiety could be felt in the air. She then grabbed two very green leaves, a little doll made of sticks, and wrapped Bill's strands of hair around the neck of the doll. Then, with a string, she tied both leaves to its body. She kneeled on the floor in front of a bloody symbol painted on the wall and chanted something very low in a weird language, and then turned to look at me, making me flinch slightly. -This is our chance, we have to go, now! - she accommodated her bag across her body and reached with her arm towards me to resume the position that we had when we had rushed into her room. - The spell will hide our scents and make Bill sleep for a couple of hours, so we don't have much time to get out of their reach - I put Carlota's arm across my shoulders again and grabbed her waist to help her walk faster by taking part of her weight with my body. Getting out of the packhouse was the most mortifying thing that I had ever known, just because of the knowledge that, this time, freedom expected me out of those doors. I had only left the house to shift and was only allowed to do so in the backyard of the house. Once we were outside, the silence was so heavy that my legs were tense because my body was ready to bolt and run as fast and as far as I could. The only thing that stopped me was Carlota's weight. -Let's go through that side - Carlota pointed right - at this time the patrols should be on the left side of the territory - I started walking. -You've been observing and planning this for a long time - it was not a question. -Yes, I have. Since the first day that I got here, 11 years ago - there was a pause while we were sneaking in between the bushes to hide in the forest, and Carlota looked at me then - and yes, all those times you were coming with me - My throat tightened and I looked at the ground because I could not look Carlota in the face. This still did not make us friends, only survivors that could benefit from each other's skills. It took us about two hours and a half to get close to the limit of the pack's territory, between hiding every time that I detected something with my senses and every time that Carlota had to rest because of her injuries. Suddenly, Carlota stopped and looked over her shoulder. -He knows we left, hurry! - We tried to hurry the pace, but Carlota's injured leg made it impossible to go any faster. -Leila, leave me here. I can't go anymore - Carlota said, letting herself fall by the roots of a tree. She was sweating a lot, her breath came out ragged and her face was contorted in pain - You go child, I'll wait for him here and stop him long enough so you can be as far away as you ca... - Carlota let out a yelp when I lifted her from where she was sitting. -No man is left behind - I murmured before kneeling and carrying Carlota on top of my shoulders like a dead weight. That's what my father used to say after returning from the big war. Before madness had consumed his mind and killed my mother and then cut his own throat. -Child! What are you doing? - exclaimed Carlota. -What I should've done since we left the house because you are deadweight either walking or on top of me! Now, shut up and hold on - It was easy to carry Carlota on top of my shoulders. She wasn't small - actually, I was smaller than her, but she was extremely skinny. When I felt I had a good grip on her, and Carlota was grabbing me like her life depended on it -literally - I started running. I was faster than any of the wolves in the pack. I was faster than Bill. I was stronger too. And now, I was free. I crossed the line of trees that enclosed the territory of the pack and felt like a weight was lifted from my soul. If my mind was not concentrated on making the distance between Bill and us greater, I would have dropped to the ground and cried. I hadn't cried in so many years. -Go to the south. There's a little town in there where we can rest, and I can contact somebody that can help us - said Carlota in my ear, trying to control the bouncing of her body. I kept going. I wasn't tired. I had never felt more alive. A little laugh left my lips while I augmented my speed now that the terrain was even. After two more hours, in which we took a little break and Carlota felt good again to walk at a slower pace, we arrived at the town Carlota mentioned. We left the protection of the scattered trees to get closer. My senses were alert to any kind of weird movement or noise that I could pick up. It was past sunrise, so we could see a few villagers starting their day. We blended with the townspeople. I was grabbing Carlota by the arm so it wouldn't be so obvious that she was limping, and Carlota was wearing a straw hat that she had retrieved from her backpack as low as she could, to hide her beaten face. We got to a little inn, and I took Carlota to the reception at her request. -Good afternoon, I need room 3 - Carlota lifted her hat and looked the inn clerk in the eyes. The guy, a fae, blinked twice, swayed a little, and then turned and grabbed the key belonging to room 3. Carlota snatched it from his hand, and without saying anything, turned, grabbed me by the arm, and went up the stairs in a hurry. I took both bags, while Carlota walked in front of me until we reached our room. It was small; it had two beds, a lamp in a corner, and a bathroom. I put the bags on a little table in the corner and helped Carlota get on the bed. -Pass me my bag - she reached for it when I passed it - I want you to take a shower with this soap. It will hide our scents for a few hours. Then, I want you to retrace our steps all the way to the entrance with this candle on. It needs to be the exact way, Leila. If you miss any turn, they can track us - she gave me the soap and put the candle on the night table - I am going to try and contact someone that can help us, so if you see me in a trance do not touch me - she wasn't looking at me anymore while she kept getting stuff out of her bag. I saw some crystals, and some herbs, and decided to hurry and shower. Whatever she was going to do, my instincts were not comfortable with it. I made sure to clean every part of my body, including my hair, with the soap. It smelled like mint, rosemary, and something else that irritated my nose and made my eyes water, but for the sake of not seeing Bill ever again, I endured it. When I got out of the bathroom dressed and with my hair in a bun, Carlota was lying on the bed, her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her eyes were closed. Around her were all those crystals and herbs that she took from her bag, and the air in the room felt heavy. I put back my black boots, grabbed the candle and lighter, and left the room in a hurry. Right outside the door, I turned the candle on and looked around me to remember the path that we had taken. While I walked, my instincts kept trying to push me to run further, to cover more distance between Bill and me. Now that I was out of that place, I was not going back. When I returned to the room, Carlota was getting out of the shower. -How are you feeling? - I asked, sitting on the bed. -There's nothing broken, just badly beaten - Carlota said while drying her hair with a towel - don't get too comfortable, we are leaving soon. I was able to get in contact with my coven, and they'll be here soon - -It's too risky, we are still too close to Bill's territory - I said, nervously looking at the windows in our room on the second floor. -Calm down, child - Carlota sat next to me and put her hand on top of mine - We did everything that we could do, and we can't go any further. The next town is too far from here for us to go walking - I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I had always found funny the way that Carlota called me "child" when it looked like we were not very far in age. I suspected that she was around 35 or a little more. In all aspects, we were complete opposites. Carlota had beautiful brown skin that shined like gold in the sunlight, and her hair was black and wavy, always framing her face, calling attention to her hazel eyes. I was pinkie white, with straight long blond hair and green eyes. We could not be more different. Around 1:00 am, the noise of cartwheels, the only noise breaking the silence of the night, passed in front of the inn and it stopped right under their window. I got close to the window to investigate when Carlota got up from the floor. -She is here. Grab your things - Carlota said, grabbing her bag. -Are you sure, Carlota? - I stood by the window, full alert - We can't risk going out there just like that - -I am sure. I can feel the call of my coven - We got out of the little inn and walked towards the cart hidden closer to the trees. I was looking at the figure sitting in the front seat, holding the reins of the horse, my instincts telling me that something was not right. And then I smelled them. Wolves. And one human. I saw the linen at the top of the cart being ripped open and ran to get in front of Carlota. Four wolves from the pack got out, one of them grabbing a woman by the hair and keeping her close to his body as protection and warning. -Marie! - exclaimed Carlota, seeing her sister being mistreated by the beasts. -You thought you could escape from us, bastard? - exclaimed the Beta, Michael, smiling cynically at me. He was another that enjoyed every time that Bill tortured me and made me kill. His eyes always shone with disgusting lust when he looked at me covered in blood, looking for the moment when he could r**e me, but Bill was always on top of his ass reading his intentions. I looked at the wolf group; all of them were looking nervously between Michael and me. I looked back at Carlota, and realized again that I was free, she was not going to take my strength away anymore, I was not going to be stopped by Carlota's spells ever again, and that no one controlled me. They broke me, making me invincible, and I would show them the results. I relaxed my stance and looked at Michael. -Oh no, Michael. Did you think that you could escape from me? - I showed my best sinister smile and launched at Michael. Michael saw me go at him and threw a punch directly at my jawline, but I blocked it with one hand, and with the other one grabbed Michael by the back of his neck and threw him to the ground, face down. With a foot on his back, I grabbed both arms and pulled them back until everyone could hear both shoulders popping out of their sockets. Michael's screams could be heard on the entire street, so I had to finish him fast. I grabbed his head and twisted it. Like always, I felt when life left his body, and when I let go, his head just fell into the dirt. I turned to look at the other wolves. -Anybody wants to be next? - The three of them were looking at Michael on the floor, and the one grabbing Marie, let her go. The young witch ran to the extended arms of her sister. -Take his body with you and give it to Bill. Tell him it's a little present from me - I looked at them and then at Michael's body - Tell him... - I savored the words in my mouth before saying them, kicking the dead body on the floor - Tell him he's next - I looked at them again and the wolves flinched. I turned to look at Carlota and Marie. -We are leaving now - I took Carlota’s bag along with mine and walked to the cart while the wolves picked up Michael's body - You better hurry, I don't want to see your faces - I told them and one of them carried the body on his shoulder while running away. I loaded the bags inside the cart and jumped inside, while Marie got in the driver's seat and took the forgotten reins of the horses. She looked at me from above her shoulder. I could smell her apprehension from the back seat, so I only lowered my eyes and looked at my hands. I knew that I was supposed to feel bad, to feel dirty and broken, for killing Michael. At least, feel some type of remorse. But I felt nothing of the sort. I felt better because I now knew that one of the people that made my life a living hell did not exist anymore. I was happy that he was dead. “And I hope he rots in hell.” Carlota, jumping inside the cart and sitting in front of me, brought me to the present. -What are we going to do with her? - Marie asked, as if I was not there. -She's coming with us, now drive! - exclaimed Carlota, trying to hurry up her sister. -What?! She is a werewolf! Didn't you see how she just killed one of her kind? What makes you think that we are safe? - Marie complained but still flicked the reins to push the horses forward. -Marie, for once, just shut up and drive - Marie glared at her and then at me. We drove for what felt like hours, but I was not sure because I fell asleep a few miles down the road. The cart stopped suddenly, and I woke up with a start, getting into a semi-fighting position in my seat and growling loudly. -Calm down, Cujo - exclaimed Marie, turning to look at me - we just stopped to eat - “Cujo? Right, the book from the human dimension” I then looked out of the cart and saw a very nice-looking diner, with people sitting at outside tables and a woman carrying a beer pitcher and several plates filled with food in her hands and distributing them. My stomach growled as loudly as I had, and I looked at Marie with round eyes and blushing profusely. Marie looked at me for a second before laughing. -Come one, let's get some food in there before you eat me - she said, still laughing while jumping out of the cart. Still blushing, I climbed down and saw Carlota already at the door of the diner opening it. We got a table in the far corner. I was looking around surprised, enchanted with every little detail of the place. -Girl, can you calm down? It's just a diner - Marie said, looking at me like I was from another planet. -She has never been to or seen a diner - Carlota murmured, and Marie looked at her exalted - She never left that house; I told you - -I thought you were exaggerating - Marie replied in a whisper. Both females looked at me, and I could not meet their gazes feeling vulnerable, so I looked at the table, wriggling my hands. When the waitress approached us to take our order, I did not know what to do. I had never been in a place like this or even ordered food, but I knew how things worked, and I had no money. -Don't worry about it - said Carlota, casually looking at her menu- Just order whatever you want - I looked at her for a few seconds, before opening the menu and ordering four different dishes. I ended up staying with them for 18 months in their cottage on the outside of the Mageia City – the territory belonging to witches and wizards, in a little village built by their coven, while Carlota and Marie taught me how to behave around other beings and their environment. While with them, I learned that Carlota was 107 years old, even though she looked like 30-something because of her magic. -No wonder you call me child all the time… You are a relic – I mocked her with a big smile on my face. -How dare you, you little beast – she laughed while chasing me around her living room trying to pull my ears. I could not remember the last time I had felt as safe and at peace as I had felt in Carlota's house. It was still new to me, and it was very difficult to let it go. But it was time to go. The more time that I spent here, the more danger I brought to them and their coven. Rumors were going around that Bill was hunting me down, and I could not let him get close to the witches. When I informed them that I was leaving, Carlota looked me dead in the eyes, while Marie snorted and looked towards the ceiling asking for patience. -We are a family now, child, so we are sticking together – said Carlota while she resumed crushing the leaves that she used for her potions. A couple of months later, the three of us moved to Lazuline, a merchant town with a port, where all types of species and beings were coming and going, and Carlota assured us that it would be easy for us to blend. We got a cottage on the outside of the town, with the back towards the limit of the woods for me to be able to shift and run close to home. Meanwhile, Carlota and Marie opened an apothecary store, where they sold potions, medicines, and amulets. We have been living here for three years now. Life was peaceful, we had decent neighbors, and the apothecary was running smoothly – until it wasn’t. On the day of my 27th birthday, my life completely changed.