Into the Dark

Chapter 38

Something suddenly jumped out from a bush in front of us, startling me until I realized it was just a fox. I began to laugh... but then it started to approach us with its head lowered, sniffing as if it was planning to attack. I took a couple of steps back as it stopped and eyed us harshly.

All of a sudden, a red mist showered the creature and engulfed it completely. When it faded, the fox was gone and in its place... a woman. A young woman not much older than me and Kade. Her long hair was the color of the fox's fur: a red and brown mixture, like the color of rust. Her eyes were a deep brown, but cruelly judging as she glared at us like we were murderers. There was a ring in her nose that glinted even in the little moonlight shining down through the trees.

She sat on her knees but quickly scrambled to her feet and held a defensive and cautious posture towards us. Her full black outfit made her even more ominous.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" she growled, revealing a missing tooth on her top row of teeth. She was actually a beautiful woman, despite all that I just saw.

"We're just passing through for a couple of days. No need for trouble," I assured.

"Trouble my ass. You don't belong here," she snapped.

"What are you?" I randomly asked out of curiosity. She scoffed at me and twitched her nose with annoyance.

"What? Are you stupid or something? I'm a shapeshifter," she snapped. I was actually starting to get aggravated with her... angry more than anything. "Like I was saying, you need to leave. You don't belong here."

"Look, we weren't planning to stay long," Kade tried to add. It seemed like the lady noticed him for the first time and actually smiled when she glanced at him. Being a girl, I knew the look she gave him instantly: a flirty one. She even approached him and brushed her fingers over his shoulder.

Oh hell no.

"Maybe I can make an exception... for something in return, of course," she cooed as her desperate eyes watched Kade. My lips twitched into a psychotic smile as I reached for her shoulder and shoved her back.

"Okay... first you insult me and then you hit on my man. You obviously don't know who you're messing with," I barked. I'd never released my inner bitch before but now that I did... it felt pretty nice.

"Oh... you've obviously never challenged a shape-shifter before," the girl sassily responded. I could almost laugh at how good my next comeback was.

"You've obviously never challenged a goddess before." She actually froze and suspiciously gazed at me, staring at my eyes more than anything.

"They're... they're extinct," she then mumbled awkwardly. I arched an eyebrow and widened my eyes to prove her wrong... which ended up working.

"My apologies... I-I tend to get aggressive sometimes," she stammered. Her eyes darted around like she didn't know where to look. Even in the darkness, I could see her cheeks growing red with embarrassment and shame. "If you don't mind me asking... how is possible that a god lives on?"

"Long story that I don't have time to explain," I answered more politely now that I had beaten her. She nodded understandingly and wiped the whole mean look off her face.

"Right... well, since you're obviously new here, I might as well give you the most needed advice you'll need in these woods," she said, pausing afterward for some dramatic effect. "Don't wake the baby." Her words were slow and deliberate, but my next ones weren't.

"What does that mean?!"

"You'll know if the time comes," she answered reluctantly. "Just be cautious around here. There are things in these woods that will give you nightmares... if you're even able to sleep after seeing them."