Of Mine Enemy

chapter nine

There seemed to be a developing pattern of things going wrong - then Alex wouldn't know what to do. He saw the thing leap from the trees, watched as it toppled both itself and Saiorse to the ground, and he heard the deafening scream that couldn't have possibly come from the brunette's lips - but it did. It did. He wasn't certain where the creature started and Saiorse ended. Over each other they flipped, biting, snarling, tearing at one another, until the thing leapt away on its own free will, moving back to circle the both of them with a splotchy tongue hanging from its bloodied mouth. The wheeze of its breath made Alex's lungs constrict.

It was a wolf, but a giant, misshapen one at that. His fur was splotchy and his eyes the color of rotten squash, his teeth protruding long past his drool-soaked muzzle. He eyed Saiorse as she turned in the dirt, clutching her shoulder where he'd sunk his teeth. Her entire body trembled, her teeth bared and her face taut. A scream that echoed the first left her lips as she tried to stand, her head dizzied and her stomach sick.

Alex remained where he stood. If this creature could afflict Saiorse so horribly he didn't want to know what it could do to him. From their right two more of the canines spilled, one black, the other timbered like a wolf he might've seen in the wild. Alex backed Elia away, clutching his dagger tight. Now would be a perfect time to run, to escape her clutches. All he had to do was turn his horse around and go. With any luck this things would tear the vampire monarch to shreds and he'd be free of all his problems.

But he couldn't. He bloody. Just. Couldn't.

As Saiorse seemed to settle herself as much as possible, she clambered to her feet, surprising all three of the candids. The first one that had shot from the cover of brush lopped quicker around her, snapping at her heels as he passed, Saiorse hissed at him, her hand striking out with curved claws, but the animal was far too quick, evading her nails with a snapping growl of his own.

"Vampires," the black one drolled. Alex's jaw dropped. So animals could talk now? He suddenly felt just as dizzy as Saiorse looked. "All of you hold such little respect for borders. You know what happens when you cross a territory marker."

"I need passage through to Basama," Saiorse hissed, her words shaky and her breath vacant. "The rivers are flooded - we could not cross above your territory." The wolf tilted her head. Alex had thought Saiorse's chuckles were dark. He was proved wrong for sure. The timbered beast drew unnervingly close. Alex bared his teeth at it. The dog laughed at him.

"Oi, Ravena," it barked. The black wolf rolled her ears forward to give him her attention. "This'n is a human! Showin' me 'is fangs like an little bloodsucker."

"Your kind stretching your wings out, ey?" Ravena questioned, stepping forward to Saiorse, their faces level. Sweat coated saiorse's face, her cheeks growing a ghastly shade of green. "Venom hurts, doesn't it?" Ravena swooned, flicking her tongue out to touch Saiorse's cheek. A whimper escaped her. "Good thing ours is more potent, hm? Otherwise this would be going in a far different direction."

"I say we kill 'em," the timbered wolf stated.

"Ay, Korin, so long as I get her cold, crunchy heart."

"Nonsense, Destrel," Ravena cooed. "We will share it."

"Listen," Saiorse pleaded, falling to her hands and knees as she began to shake. She gritted her teeth, her breathing rapid and shaky. She gained enough control only to speak between clenched teeth. "My name is Saiorse Addinell, I must take this man to Basama. I mean no harm to your den."

"Hah," Ravena snorted, lifting her paw to smack it harshly against Saiorse's cheek. With a grunt, Saiorse smacked into the Earth, her vision blurring and her head swirling. Ravena moved to stand atop her, pressing the pads of her feet into her spine. Alexander thought he could hear it begin to crunch. Saiorse's face grew paler than fresh snow. "Saiorse is long dead and so are her triumphs."