(Unedited, 1st draft)
Chapter 9
"Let me go" I screamed, hoping someone nearby would hear my cry for help as I spin around releasing myself from my capture hold. Pulling my hood back down bring the gray light coming from the clouds above to shine down upon me to see Sophia lean down with her hands on her knees laughing.
"That was great, I've never scared anyone that badly before." She said between each laugh. I looked back down the alley to see Victor was no longer there, guessing he had gone out the other way so it didn't look so suspicious about us being together. "You and my brother look cozy with one another just now."
"It's not what it looked like. I know the rules and I made them very clear to him that I had no intention of breaking them." I reply, hoping she wouldn't go off telling others about the way she had seen us together.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone, but I will admit I've never seen my brother so fond of someone like he is with you." She smiled, but I could see the mischief lingering in her eyes. "I can't help but think what going to happen once the Beast takes you away and what my brother will do."
"What do you mean takes me?" I question, thinking she might know about me being the key to the Beast undoing. "What makes you think that Beast won't kill me like he does most the girls the night of the Blood Moon?"
"I didn't mean it in the state of taking you as its mate, but more in the sense of killing you if you're not its mate that is." She explains looking about the village to see that there still wasn't that many people about. "Either way it will be taking you away from my brother along with the rest of your family members.
"I'm sure your brother will be more devastated if something happened to you before something happen to me instead," I reply, wanting her to know she was more important than me in Victor life. "Even if the Beast did take one or both of us away there nothing he can do about it. It's been this way for centuries now."
It seems my statement made her delusional, making her laugh once again. "You really don't understand my brother affection throws you. I know my brother would try to take some kind of ravage if the Beast killed me, but with you he's been trying to find some kind of loophole to get you out from entering those woods during the Blood Moon tomorrow night."
"But there is no way out of it," I confirmed, thinking how all this was slowly starting to turn into some crazy nightmare, which it seem to be revolving around the Blood Moon. I was starting to believe that there was something more to the moon turning blood red than just the Beast finding its mate.
Thinking back to the pond and hearing the Blood Moon being called the Lovers Moon could be clue to want was really going on. Was this certain moon coming upon us, have a power of its own to make people feel love when really it was all an illusion. That's the why Victor was feeling for me was just some spell and not really how he felt, but he didn't know this. That seems to make more sense than everything else than what I have been able to come up with on my own.
"There always another way out of something if you look hard enough. It's just that no one has figured it out quite yet. I'm sure if Victor keeps looking he'll find the answer and take you away from here before the Blood Moon rises." Sophia went out saying, even though I have a different outlook on the Blood Moon now. "I must be going. Carter is probably wondering where I ran off to, but I couldn't help but spy on my brother when I saw him with you." I watched her walk away thinking if I should have told her my thought on the Blood Moon.
Looking up at the sky has more snow start to fall down around me, I search for some kind of break in the clouds to see some kind of sun rays but saw nothing. Seeing everything so dull of gray tone made me fearful for tomorrow night if the clouds cover the moon would the Beast still be seeking its mate if it didn't see that the moon had changed color?
"Laiya," I heard my mother's voice from behind me. Turning around to see her walking over to me with dreadfulness in her eyes, breaking my heart thinking about what Sophia said about if the Beast catch me. How it would break my mother's heart knowing her only child is dead or capture and how she would never be able to see me ever again. We haven't talked all that much since the dinner party when that strange power started to stir inside me. When she was finally in front of me she grips my hands and wrap them in hers. "I need to talk to you before you seek out to your Grandmother's house, but you must not tell your Pa we talked."
Looking over at her, feeling confused on why she wanted me to keep something from my father, but I felt that she might just be able to answer some question that I've been asking, "About what?"
"It's about the Sterling and the Hubbard family being tied together. There's a reason why your father dislikes them so much and it's a century-old rival." She explained, looking around to make sure no one was overhearing us talk. "There was a time when the two families were married another without anyone being aware of it. The man betrays his wife, though by marrying someone from the village of higher ranks starting the reveal."
When she talked about the marriage, I thought back to the story Victor told me when we first meet when he saw the ring. "Does the ring Penelope gave me on my fifth birthday have anything to do with it?"
"Yes, it was their wedding ring. The girl kept it as a reminder of what man really was, a Beast." Ma answered with soreness in her voice now. "From the story I read before I married your father the girl remarried and seek ravage on the man who broke her heart, but it never said how she did so."
"What story?" I question, thinking if this was what Grandma was going to tell me tonight when I went to her house. "Do you have a book or something talking about the Beast and why it only seeks a mate during the Blood Moon?"
"There was a book among us, but it went missing during the last Blood Moon, but you most know it wasn't always called that," my Ma went on to say looking about the people walking around. Some stop and eyed us closely as we keep talking in hush tones. "From what I read the red moon was known has the Lovers Moon, for that when people felt the strongest connection to one another. The name change, though during the Sacrifice due the amount of bloodshed during that night."
"Why did the Sacrifice start in the first place if there hasn't always been a beast around?" I question, sensing my mother did know more than she was leading on. "Is there a way to stop all the bloodshed?"
"Yes, there is a way to stop all this, but the dedicated soul has yet to come to break the curse of the Beast." She went on to explain had I could sense the pain in her voice, "I fear though you might be that soul that the beast has been looking for."
I wrap my arms around her being in the close hug, "Ma, nothing going to happen to me. Everything going to be fine and just watch I'll be walking out of that forest in one piece the morning after the Sacrifice." I never like when my mother seems so fragile when it came to me and the things going on around me.
"You've always been a strong-willed girl, but there are something that are going to be hard to fight off when it comes to being a soul mate to someone or something you have no control over." She said pulling away from me. "But I hope all this does turn out for the best and you do return to your Pa and me." Then she pulled away from me and ran her hand across her face to wipe the tears away. "You better get ready to go to your grandma's it's getting close to sunset. Please remember to stay on the trail and not wander off. There's no telling if the Beast is in the forest tonight or not." Before I could say anything back, she walked away from me with her head hanging down disappearing among the people still walking about before nightfall.
I went back to the shack to get a basket to get the bread and some gains I was planning to take to grandma's to see my father sitting at the table with the fire crackling behind him. Laying on the table, though was my bow and arrows that I had out the day Victor had told me about the story of the red ring. "Pa?"
He didn't look up at me just let out a deep sigh, "Laiya, I know we haven't had the best relationship this past few days and you feel we are keeping secrets from you but do know it was all for your own good." He picked up one of the arrows and swirled it in-between his fingers. "I know Peter been helping you to learn how to fight and shot, so I pray you are ready for everything that is to come tonight and for the rest of your life."
"Pa, what are you talking about? What's to come tonight?" I asked, starting to fear going to grandma's with the way both my parents were acting now.
"The truth to the Hubbard family line. You must know though Penelope and you are the first girls to be born in our family line for centuries." He spoke as if he wasn't sure if he should be telling me all this.
"What about grandma? Isn't she a Hubbard?" I question, thinking how his statement had confused me more than I already was about tonight. "Does being a Hubbard have anything to do with Penelope being taken that night?" thinking once again I would be captured by the beast tomorrow night if I was unable to fight it off.
"Yes, but she will explain all that to you tonight." He went to say before standing up finally looking up at me. Even being a few feet away, I could see the worry flooding his eyes about me leaving for tonight and learning the truth about our family and maybe even the Sterling. "Take my bow and arrows with you just in case something is to happen while you're out in the trail tonight." Then he walked over to the door before turning to look at me one last time, "Remember Laiya no matter what your ma and I love you to the star and beyond." Then he walked out shutting the door behind him has I felt the tears running down my face.
Grabbing the basket next to the fire I notice my father had put his bow and arrow next to it. I trace the stick of the arrow up to the silver tip at the top. This was the arrows my father said had told me as a kid never to touch them, for they had special powers to hurt you with my stab. Letting out a deep breath I picked everything up and turning looking about my home one last time thinking how this would be one last time I would be able to call this home for everything change tonight.
As I walked back through the village has the sky grow darker and the clouds even started to break I could see stars shining above them. Stars I've always been fascinated with since I was a little girl. A little girl I wish I could become back before that night Penelope captured, the one who thought there was nothing but good in everyone and everything. The same little girl who once told her pa that the Beast never meant to kill our cattle, but he was hungry and need to eat.
Finally at the entrance to the trail I look upon the forest like I did the night thirteen years ago. It was just as dark, but without the red tent among its. The thorns still poked out from the trunk of the trees and seem larger now. It was quiet and I heard no sound coming from within like the screams that still haunt my dreams.
Letting out a deep sigh, I walked onto the trail knowing there was no need to delay this night, for when the moon was at its highest I would be of age and it was time for me to learn and the secrets my family had been keeping. Walking though I let my thoughts wonder was I ready to learn the truth, what if it just lead to more question. Questions they didn't know the answers to and just left me more confused than I was when I started on this journey.
I stop when I heard voices coming from within the forest near the trail. "You have no right interfering, you need to go back to your post and forget everything you've learned."
"Wait, he could be a great asset to us," another voice that sounded familiar but couldn't pick up. "He is part of our bloodline even if it's small, this still there."
"We're trying to break the curse not make more of us," the strong voice spoke, sounding angry about the other person suggested.
Knowing my ma didn't want me wandering off the trail I took a step off it to find out who else was out here with me the eve of the Blood Moon. Did they not know it wasn't safe once the moon rise, knowing there was a chance the Beast could appear?
"Look at him, he's barely breathing. You about killed." The familiar voice explained. "If you don't change him, then I will."
Then the other voice let out a deep laugh, "You are aware you have to wait for the moon to fully rise before you make him one of us."
"Pleeease," I heard a weak male's voice say, "Just do want you must but just don't let me die."
"Then you shouldn't have been following us," the strong voice spoke about the time I was able to see two males standing over a body lying on the ground as the guy who spoke kick them. "Maybe death would be best for you. You would be the weak link in our world since you know nothing about it."
"No, he's family, even if is centuries old, you can't kill him." The other guy spoke, leaning down, placing his hand on the guy on the ground, "You do know that once we change you that there no turning back and you can't go back to your old life ever again."
"Yesss," he spoke, starting to cough about the time I moved to the side to see who I was among. I watched my step as I moved around, but saw the guy leaning down on the ground left up his head and look behind him towards the area I was.
"We're not alone," he spoke about the time his face came into view. "We can't stay here for long. We need to pick him up and move him."
"No leave him here to die, he can be the first to die as a sign of interfering with the sacrifice that is to come tomorrow." The strong voice spoke walking over the person on the ground and away from them deeper into the forest as if he had no care I was eavesdropping on them.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die," Victor said as I took in Peter's beaten body on the ground. Victor picked him up and started carrying Peter deeper into the forest away from me.
I stood there thinking what could have happened to my dear friend and what did Victor mean by change him. Change him into what?
copyright © 2015 Letty Scott/Embrace_Passion (All Rights Revered)
Author Note:
As you can see I'm still having problem with the emotion and detail with my writing, but I hope you still enjoying the chapter, even if it was a small filter before she goes to talk to her grandma. I'm sure you have all guess by now who Victor really is, but Laiya is still not fully aware of it.
If you have any question you like to be answered about the Blood/Lover Moon and the curse of the Beast please let me know so I can try to make sure I answer them the best I can. Thanks for reading :)