Chapter FourThe Forbidden Blood
893 Words
The wind changed.
Elara felt it firsta sudden stillness heavy and expectant pressing down on her lungs like a weight. Every hair on her body stood on end.
Asher stood frozen beside her muscles coiled tight. His face usually a mask of brutal confidence now showed something far worse.
Fear.
"Move " he growled grabbing her hand again. "Now."
Elara stumbled after him heart hammering in her chest.
Branches whipped at her face as they plunged deeper into the forest. The trees grew thicker the mist heavier swallowing the moonlight. It felt like the whole world had shrunk to the sound of their breathing and the crunch of dead leaves underfoot.
"What’s happening?" she gasped. "What is that thing?"
Asher didn’t answer immediately.
When he did his voice was raw.
"The Bloodborn."
Elara’s stomach turned at the name instinct screaming that it meant death.
"They shouldn’t exist anymore " Asher said glancing behind them. His eyes glowed faintly golden in the dark. "They were wiped out centuries ago."
"Then how?"
"I don’t know." His grip tightened. "But if it’s awake it’s because of you."
The words slammed into her like a punch.
"Me?" she snapped. "I didn’t ask for any of this!"
"You didn’t have to." He skidded down a slope hauling her after him. "It’s in your blood. Your lineage."
Elara almost tripped.
"My lineage? I’m human!"
Asher laughed bitterly.
"No Elara. You’re not. Not anymore."
They crashed into a small clearing surrounded by thick gnarled trees. A stream gurgled nearby its water black and shining like oil in the moonlight.
Asher stopped sniffing the air.
Too late.
A figure melted from the shadows across the clearing.
It was nothing like the wolves they had fought before.
It was talleralmost seven feetand gaunt its limbs too long its eyes pure white. Its skin was a sickly gray stretched tight over sharp bones. Black veins spiderwebbed beneath its surface.
It smiled.
Elara’s blood froze.
The creature opened its mouth and when it spoke its voice was a chorus of whispers.
"Finally " it hissed. "The key awakens."
Asher shoved Elara behind him baring his teeth in a snarl.
"Over my dead body."
The Bloodborn tilted its head studying him like a curious animal.
"So be it."
It moved faster than anything Elara had ever seen.
One blink and it was in front of them.
Asher roared shifting mid-leap. His wolf form collided with the creature but the Bloodborn barely flinched. It caught Asher by the throat lifting the massive wolf into the air like a rag doll.
Elara screamed.
Without thinking she grabbed a sharp rock from the ground and hurled it at the creature’s head.
It struck true but the Bloodborn only laugheda sound like dry leaves scraping together.
It flung Asher aside. He hit a tree with a sickening crunch and slumped to the ground unmoving.
"No!" Elara cried.
The Bloodborn turned its eyeless gaze on her.
"You have no idea what you are little one " it whispered.
Elara backed away heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst.
"What do you want?" she whispered.
It smiled wider revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth.
"You."
A black tendril of mist snaked from its fingers reaching for her.
Elara’s body reacted before her mind could.
The mark at her collarbone flared white-hot and a blast of silver light exploded from her skin striking the tendril and burning it to ash.
The Bloodborn shrieked recoiling.
Elara gasped for breath the world spinning.
The creature recovered quickly though and its voice dripped with rage now.
"You will come to me willingly or you will be dragged screaming."
It lunged again.
A blur of black fur intercepted it.
Asher.
Blood streamed from his mouth his body trembling with the effort but he didn’t hesitate.
He slammed into the Bloodborn driving it back toward the edge of the clearing.
"Run!" he roared in her mindlouder than thought louder than fear.
Elara hesitated for one breathless second.
Then she ran.
Branches clawed at her clothes and skin as she fled blindly through the trees. Tears blurred her vision. She didn’t know where she was going only that she had to move had to survive.
The howls behind her grew fainter but she didn’t stop.
Not until she stumbled into another clearing gasping for breath her body trembling.
The trees here were dead blackened and twisted. In the center of the clearing stood a stone altar cracked with age. Strange symbols were carved into it glowing faintly.
Elara’s knees buckled.
She knew this place.
She didn’t know howbut she knew.
The altar called to her pulling at something deep inside.
Slowly unwillingly she moved closer.
Her fingers brushed the stoneand a flood of images slammed into her mind.
Flashes of silver wolves. Blood rituals under a red moon. A woman who looked just like her standing on this very altar her hands dripping crimson.
A voice echoed in her skull:
"The last blood. The last vow."
Elara stumbled back clutching her head.
Pain lanced through her skull sharp and blinding.
When she opened her eyes again someone was standing across the clearing.
Not Asher.
A man.
Tall lean with dark hair and a cruel smile. His eyes gleamed a deep unnatural red.
"Hello little queen " he said softly. "I’ve been waiting a long time for you."
- Writer
