The Red Hood

                                       ~~~

My first step into the mouth of the cave is a shaky one.
    Within, a thief awaits.
    Nathan's last warning to me was, "Make him think he's the one in control. Only then will he play into your hand." Meanwhile, he will wait outside until I reappear from the cold crevice in the earth.
    My steps echo throughout the dank halls of a hidden settlement. Vines grow, reaching towards the light dripping in through a hole in the ceiling of the cave. Nathan had said the Wolf had stolen the souls of every villager here. He hadn't had to seduce back then. With a wave of his hand, people fell dead. A Riding enchanter had cursed him after that with the kiss of death. Sadly, he'd passed that curse onto Nathan. The Wolf abused his power and paid the price. After he kissed his one and only true love, she died in his arms. Soulless for eternity.
To an extent, I could understand his rampage on Ridings. But I also understood why he'd been punished. He'd deserved it.
    And my goal is to punish him further. Kill him. If it isn't the ultimate punishment, it's the ultimate mercy, putting him out of his misery.
    Another set of footsteps ricochets on the cave walls and bounces into my ears. I hesitate then round a corner.
    His eyes hit me first. Green and enchanting. Another thing Nathan had inherited. His gaze relaxed as he raised an eyebrow. "Wandered away from home, have you, petal?"
    "My home is not a place." I manage a calm smile. "Lilred Riding, at your service."
    His sureness wavers. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
    "Fate."
    The Wolf bares his teeth in a playful grin. "Fate is a game."
    A corner of my mouth lifts. "One I enjoy playing."
    He nods. "What brings you to me on this fine day?"
    "A proposition."
    "Such as?"
    "Breaking your curse."
    The Wolf lifts his head, looking down at me. I smile. Confidence is key.
    I continue onto a different topic, letting the bait bob in front of him. "This really is an interesting place you have here. I've never seen anything like it. It must have cost you everything." Easy, now. Don't hurt him until you have to.
    His gaze rakes over me and I have to fight a shiver. It feels like he's touching me.
    "Care to show me around?"
    "Most women are afraid to be alone with me."
    I step towards him. "I'm not most."
    His eyes grow lazy and a grin dimples his cheeks. The Wolf offers me his arm and I take it. He guides me into the abandoned city. A weathered path leads through the bones of his long ago victims. More hate towards him roiled in my gut.
To feint fear and seek comfort, I leant into him as we walked. He stiffened, then relaxed at my touch. I hide my satisfaction. He doesn't know what to expect-
    Suddenly, he swings me out in front of him. "Are you an enchantress?"
    I swallow my surprised sputtering, trying to remain calm. "In a way, yes."
    "How would you break the curse? Why would you?"
    "Old things should be put to rest. You shouldn't have to suffer anymore for things long past."
    He frowns, his brows bending inward. "You shouldn't have come."
"Why?"
"Because I'm hungry." He places a smooth hand on my neck and leans forward. I gently swerve, keeping up my aloof facade.
    "Fight it, would you?"
    He's still behind me, I feel his breath on my hair. "You smell of him. His stench coats your skin."
    Nathan.
    I step away from him and turn.
    He looks cockier still. "So, that's why you've come."
    "I told you, I came here to break the curse."
    "I don't want it to be broken. I don't need it to be broken. My reason for wanting to be rid of this curse is already gone. And now the Ridings will pay."
    I tame my panic. "You're not doing a very good job of seducing me."
    "Why should I? You've already fallen for a part of me, whether you realize it or not. To make matters worse, for you that is, you've come into my den. Who's to rescue you? Surely not my son. He's powerless against me. I need only to remind of his pathetic whore of a mother and he will fall to his knees at my feet, weeping for mercy."
    "You underestimate him."
    The Wolf laughs. "And I overestimated you. You're the only Riding that has managed to escape my clutches. I thought you'd be smarter, yet here you are. Blindly giving up."
    Well, this isn't going as planned.
    "Do you know how I killed Nathan's mother?"
    I brace, quietly reaching for the dagger hidden within my red cloak.
    A devilish grin spreads on the Wolf's handsome face. "Like this!" He leaps towards me and I pull out my blade to protect myself. I close my eyes as he crashes into me. We fall to the ground.
    For a dreadful moment, I just lay there, waiting. He doesn't move and my dagger feels stuck. Inside. Him.
    Blood seeps into my already red cloak. I can't help but scream.
    He's dead. Dead, dead, dead. I killed him. I killed him.
    I push the Wolf's body away and run. But the truth chases me. I killed him.
    I nearly fall on my face five times before I reach Nathan. The first thing that registers on his face is relief, and then realization and worry.
    At the sight of him, I collapse to the ground, sobbing.
    He rushes over to support me. When he takes me in his arms, I nestle into his warmth and strength.
    "He's gone, he's gone," I cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I thought I could kill him without question, but all I could do was defend myself. And even now, I'm in pain."
    "I should have been with you."
I squeeze my eyes shut. "You were right. I can't bear this."
    Nathan grabs hold of my shoulders and pushes me away. "You can and you will. I won't let you give up. You'll endure." He lifts my chin so our gazes can meet. "We both will."
    I sniff, wiping away my tears. "Together?"
    "Always."
    I take a deep breath and my cries go quiet. I see tears on Nathan's cheeks and wipe them away also. "Did- did the curse lift? Is it broken?"
    His gaze lands on my mouth and my heart stops, the familiar flutter returning to my stomach. "Only one way to find out."
    I can only stare. Scared for my life, but dying to express my deep love.
    "You know I love you, right?"
    I nodded. "And I love you."
    Nathan hovers a hand on my cheek and we're inches apart.
His voice drops to a whisper. His breath tickles my skin. "What if-"
    I shake my head. "It will have been worth it."
    In a wavering second, Nathan hesitates. But then our lips touch. I tense and we both pull away in surprise.
    His eyes are wide, shifting back and forth between mine, realizing what just happened. I can't help but let my relief show. Nothing happened. I'm still alive. He's still Nathan. We're still together.
    Always.
    He kisses me again. Passionately this time. Butterfly wings beat so loud I can hear them. Nathan doesn't steal my soul, but breathes in a piece of it just the same. And I know, as sure as our hearts are tied to each other, it will be his forever.

    This is my story. . .what's yours?