Clara Mainn wasn't expecting a man with red eyes, black claws, and teeth as sharp as razors to attack in the night.
Suddenly thrown into a world of supernatural creatures, Clara is finding it hard not to question her own mental sanity. A chance enc...
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Cage watched as Clara cried out for help, her body being drug under the water downstream. He swam after her at full speed, his head ducking under the water to try to see where she was.
Unlike the water's surface, the floor- or what seemed to be the floor of the deeper part of the lake- wasn't a clear blue. The water was dark and clouded, swirls of dirt danced from the disturbance of movement.
After sucking in a breath of air while coming back up to the surface, Cage fully emerged into the water and swam far enough down to where he could no longer see.
Something hard and dark collided with Cage, causing his body to be pushed backwards, further down into the water. Pain shocked his lower back and abdomen, the intense sting caused him to almost breathe out the breath of air he held in.
A hand gripped Cage's hand and didn't let go. He recognized the firm yet delicate grip of his mate, and he in turn held on to her arm.
In one swift motion, Cage was on his way up to the waters surface, his hand still gripping onto Clara's. Something gripped onto her ankle once more and almost pried her away from Cage. Cage wrapped his arms around Clara, and pulled her upward, in the opposite direction of where the creature beneath the water wanted her to go.
The two tired and utterly confused mates gasped for air when they reached the surface. Cage pulled himself and Clara up towards the muddy ground surrounding the late. Safe. She's safe, was all he could think.
Water spewed from Clara's mouth as she coughed loudly, falling on her back against the ground.
Cage realized the proximity between himself and Clara. Her thin under-gown was all that separated her body from his. In a moment of bad judgment, Cage rested his head in the crook of Clara's neck and breathed in her scent.
"I want to mark you. I want to make you mine." He whispered out in an exasperated breath, momentarily forgetting about the situation at hand.
Clara opened her eyes and reached up to Cage, her hand resting on his bare chest.
Just as Angelica, Daniel, Kai, Callum and Orion all reached the two laying on the ground, clearly having a moment, Clara pushed Cage away from her. He fell back onto the ground, his body landing further away from the uncomfortable girl who was previously beneath him.
"What happened?!" Daniel asked, his voice booming. Kai ran to Clara's side and examined the black raised marks that were appearing on her feet, ankles and calves. The black marks seemed to be under her skin, like ink that was embedded.
"S-something is in the water-" Clara stuttered, but before anyone could react, Daniel who stood close to the water was suddenly pulled and tripped by his ankle. One of the creature's black tentacles gripped him over his pant leg, not directly touching Daniel's dark skin.
Everyone beside Cage and Clara rushed to Daniel and held him at the embankment.
A loud shriek sounded from the surface of the water. The Black Sea creature had shown it's face and open mouth. It's squinted eyes glowed a subtle red and it's teeth were sharp as razors.
Kai pulled his sword from his side. He lifted the blade up and brought it back down, completely cutting off the tentacle that held Daniel. The creature let out another shriek, this time it was one of agony.
"That's what you get, you-" Kai growled and almost cursed at the creature as he pulled Daniel up the bank, his body now laying beside Clara and Cage.
The creature in the water tried one last time to pull Clara into the water, but Cage was quicker. He took hold of the creatures tentacle that reached in his direction and pulled forcefully.
Black colored blood oozed from where the creature's tentacle reached from its large body. Cage had torn it off it's body completely, the creature retreated into the water without another motion. An earth shaking squeal erupted from beneath the water before it disappeared.
Daniel nodded his head when Kai asked him if he was alright. The creature hadn't been able to successfully latch on to his bare skin, unlike what it had done to Clara and Cage.
Clara started to feel a bit drowsy and she rolled on her side when Cage draped a blanket over her. He quickly threw on pants before examining Clara's legs and his own abdomen.
"Does it hurt?" Cage asked Clara.
"No. Not anymore... It stung at first." She replied and glanced up at Cage. Her eyes traced the black swirls of ink that covered his chest and lower back.
"What are they?" She asked and studied the imbedded scars on Cage's body. She stood and walked around him, gently running her fingers along the areas affected by the sea monsters attack.
To lie and say Clara felt completely well, would be a lie. She felt slight fatigue and tiredness, the sting in her legs was gone but she could still feel tingling beneath her skin, almost as if it was so close... As if the pain was still there.
"Ink scars. I read about them in a book once... They were left by that creature. They aren't harmful once they are under your skin, don't quote me though." Kai answered.
"You could have at least told us that there are creatures that live in water and can cause them!" Cage snarled at his brother.
"I didn't think it was worth mentioning. How would I have known there was something in the water that would attack Dani?! Angelica and I went into the water first and nothing happened." Kai defended angrily and everyone gathered their gear and moved away from the lake.
"I think it's gone... For now." Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.
"We hope." Angelica said and hugged Callum tightly. Callum kissed her forehead and pulled her body against him sweetly.
"So much for having a nice swim." Callum said and chuckled, everyone joined in on the laughter.
"Let's get out of here." Cage said and threw on his shirt and boots.
