The Mark Of The Phoenix

Chapter 7 Howling At The Moon

Dominic and I stepped into the Nightmare Forest just as the sun reached its peak, though its brilliance was lost to us. Barely a sliver of light managed to spill through the suffocating canopy above. We moved slowly, hand in hand, every sense on high alert. The very name of the woods had already warned us to be cautious.

A damp, heavy fog clung to the floor, and the forest was eerily silent—no birdsong, no crickets, just the sound of our own breathing. We stumbled upon a skeleton slumped against the trunk of an enormous, twisted tree. The clothes were still intact, but the flesh had long since been picked clean by scavengers. I gulped, my stomach churning at the sight. Even Dominic, a vampire who had seen his share of death, looked away.

I stepped on a dry stick, and the snap echoed like a gunshot in the suffocating silence.

Then came the howl. It was deeper and louder than any hunting dog in Clover Valley. A second howl answered it, closer this time. We squeezed each other's hands, our hearts pounding. Something blurred through the shadows behind us. We spun around, but the forest was a solid wall of dark wood. Then, a low growl vibrated from the thicket.

A wolf stepped out—but it was massive, the size of a pony. It rose onto its hind legs like a man, towering over Dominic. When it dropped to all fours, its shoulders reached my chest. Two more appeared, then three, until we were surrounded by six hulking beasts.

"Werewolves," Dominic whispered, his back pressed against mine.

The Nightmare Forest was living up to its name. Even a Vampire Prince and a Prize Slayer were suddenly at the bottom of the food chain.

"I can take on one or two," Dominic said, his voice low and urgent. "But we’re outnumbered. Sindel, get your blade ready. We have to split them up, keep them distracted while I take them out one by one."

He pointed toward a trail where a jagged hole in the canopy allowed a bright pillar of sunlight to hit the forest floor. "Run for the light. I'll deal with the mutts. Just don't step into the sun until I tell you."

"But your eyes—" I started, worried about the blinding rays.

"We'll deal with that later. Go!"

I didn't hesitate. I sprinted toward the light, leaping over the first wolf that lunged. My years of training kicked in. A werewolf dove from a rocky ledge above, but I performed a mid-air flip, landing behind it as it hit the dirt. Before it could recover, I drove my blade between its shoulder blades four times. It spasmed once, its eyes glazing over. One down.

Another wolf snapped at my heels, but Dominic was there instantly, snapping its neck with a sickening crack. Two more charged us simultaneously. We jumped together, and the beasts collided into each other, losing their balance. Dominic broke the neck of one while I sliced the throat of the other, its green-black blood cascading onto the dead leaves.

"Only two left," Dominic panted.

One wolf stood on a high rock, pacing like a shark. It lifted its head and let out an ear-piercing howl. Within seconds, the bushes rustled. At least twelve more wolves emerged from the treeline.

"Now what do we do?" I whispered, backing up toward the sunlit path.

"No idea," Dominic admitted, his gaze sweeping the encircling pack.

As the pack closed in, a massive shadow blotted out the sun. A roar that sounded like a mix of a lion’s growl and a hawk’s scream thundered from above. A Griffin—with the head of a lion and the wings of a predatory bird—swooped through the hole in the canopy. Its talons shifted in mid-air, snatching the lead wolf and biting through its neck as if it were a mere snack.

The remaining wolves whimpered and fled back into the darkness.

We collapsed at the edge of the light. I stayed within the golden rays, feeling a sense of security, while Dominic remained just outside the line, his eyes protected. A small cave sat nearby, its mouth illuminated by the sun.

"I think the cave is safe to rest," I said, shielding my eyes to look at him.

"I can't see well enough to get there," he said, his gaze fixed on the dark woods.

I took his hand. It was a visual metaphor for our lives: my hand in the light, his in the dark. A perfect balance. "Stay here. I'll check it first, then I'll come back and guide you."

"I won't be able to save you if something attacks you in there," he warned, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"I'm scared too, my love," I whispered into his chest. "But we have to rest."

"If I ever lost you, Sindel..." he started, his voice trailing off with a fear I'd never seen in him.

"I feel the same, my Romeo. I wouldn't want to live in a world without you."

I cautiously approached the cave. A family of bats flew out, startled by my presence, but the cavern was empty. I returned and guided Dominic through the sunlit trail into our temporary sanctuary. We gathered flint and sticks, and Dominic soon had a small fire crackling.

"You sleep first, my hummingbird," he said. He sat against the cave wall and pulled me back so he became my pillow, his cold arms wrapping around me like a protective cocoon.

Between the exhaustion of the climb and the shock of the Griffin's rescue, I didn't have the strength to argue. I let my eyes close, feeling safe for the first time since leaving the mountain, as my vampire stood guard in the shadows.