Blood Bound [Book Two, Lady and the Wolf] (EDITING)

Chapter Twelve: Twisted Games

He moved quickly, trying to stay by the sick humans' side.

But was she truly human?

As he watched her pale blue eyes shine with a glimmer of something... Almost like divine inspiration.

Her gaze pierced through Van's being as If she were some kind of goddess coming down from the heavens to save him from the grim reaper, who was already creeping toward him.

Only Lycan' had golden eyes.

Only Lycans could kill a shifter.

He forced himself not to look back and see the carnage in their wake. He had never witnessed death before now. His mother had been taken and killed right in front of him, left for his father to find.

Death was instant.

Death was goodbye.

Death was forever.

A loud wheeze from her broke his concentration. Van spun to face the human, running to her as she kneeled on the cold, snow-covered ground.

"We have to keep moving!" he shouted.

Her smile was small, but it made him feel warm – made him feel loved.

"I'll be okay. We're nearly there, Van, and you won't need me anymore."

"No," he shook his head as he tried to help her to her feet, "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you! We-we can stay together now, forever."

He froze instantly as a drop of warm liquid hit his small arm. Looking up at her, his panic rose tenfold as he noticed she was crying.

Heavy, heartbreaking sobs that he had never heard before.

"I wish that that were true. I really do, but I'm dying, and this is the only way I can make it okay. I had hoped I could do more for you."

But she had saved his life. Did she not realize that she had come just when he thought it was all over? That he wouldn't have stood a chance out here all by himself?

Without much thought, he suddenly burst out with, "Your necklace. You left it back where you killed that shifter. We-we can go back and get it if you like."

'Please don't leave me.'

She shook her head, not even worried about the trinket. "Just keep walking, when you see a large building – larger than you could ever imagine – ask for Samiul Volkov. You'll meet him and a man called Aemilius. They will take care of you, and make sure you're always safe."

Her voice was breaking. He had only just met her, but she sounded as if she was letting someone she loved go.

"Samiul... my father was taking me there before he-"

He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence. His father was dead, and his mother and his brothers and sister were dead as well.

They were all dead.

Sniffing sounds and loud growls followed in the distance, making both visibly pale.

"There's more of them..." Van whimpered, panic rising in his small voice.

The girl looked back, looking just as worried. "They're after me now. Go, Van, and stay safe."

She slowly rose to her feet, ushering him away.