Dark Shadow (Book 1 in the Original DARKNESS Duology) ✔

Twenty-Nine: A Raging Fire

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I scooted back, frowning at the boy as he was looking around my hiding place. Hos brown eyes took it all in, taking it upon himself to step inside. My eyes squinted, wondering why this boy was all alone. Better yet... why did he follow me?

After a thorough gander of the enclosed space, the boy turned to me again. I felt my lip curl a bit while he placed his hands on his knees and cheerful greeted, "Hi!"

Narrowing my eyes further, I did my best to bend my knees to block my private areas.

He was still after all a kid. He looked to be no older than seven or eight---somewhere along there---and he was still in his bent forward position when he took a few steps closer. I scooted back again.

The boy blinked, tilting his head and he asked, "Are you all by yourself out here?"

His eyes glanced to the items beside me that I'd stolen and he raised his eyebrows in surprise before turning back to me.

"So you're the one taking all our stuff!" He laughed lightly, shaking his head and piped, "I knew it!"

My eyes widened, lowering a brow when he added that he'd seen me several times this week but wasn't quite sure if he was imagining me running around or not.

I had to think back the number of times I'd been at the campsite. I had been in wolf form at the time. How in God's name did this kid think I was there if he only saw me in human form today?

Chuckling, the boy tilted his head and smiled, "I'm Emory! What's your name?"

I scrunched my nose, curling my lip a little and growled in warning since I noticed the kid trying to get closer to me. He shook his head that he wasn't going to hurt me, but just wanted to talk.

Yeah. Right.

Feeling trapped, I could feel my wolf getting agitated.

Without realizing it, my vision on the boy was a bit clearer than before and that's when I knew my wolf eyes took over. It was a defense mechanism to hopefully scare off the kid.

But aside from the surprised widening of his eyes, the kid straightened and another grin pulled onto his lips.

"Hey! Your eyes changed to blue!" Then he pointed a finger towards his eyes and nodded, "Mine do too!"

I was now the one startled when his dark eyes changed to the same radiant blue my wolf had.

The kid was still grinning happily, tilting his head when someone shouted for him. They kept getting closer and I should have panicked about that but I was still panicking about the fact that this kid's eyes just turned blue! Blue!

He was a werewolf! But---but why were his eyes blue?!

"Emory!" Someone gasped, barging their way through the bushes and the boy turned around to face the tall girl whose eyes were already on me.

The boy looked between the both of us then jumped up and down excitedly. He ran over and tugged on the girl's hand, pointing at me, "Look, Vicky! She's just like me!"

Vicky, as I now knew her, frowned down at the boy and scoffed, "What are you talking about?!"

She glanced at me a second then returned to kid nodding frantically while he pointed at me again.

"She's like me! Honest! Her eyes are blue too!"

Vicky snapped her gaze my way and gave me a once over.