"If you let people into your life a little, they can be pretty damn amazing."
-Sherman Alexie
He sank his fangs deeper into the flesh of his enemy. Warm blood oozed down his chin, dripping down onto the stark white snow at his feet. Disheveled drifts caused the area to appear as a war zone, and to Kylo it seemed as such. The red furred beast writhing beneath his clawed grip was anything but a friend. His roars of pain and anger matched that of a sworn enemy.
Using the remaining power he could muster, Kylo Ren threw the red furred animal to the side like a doll rag. The creature flopped through the powdery snow, sending crystal spray into air to sparkle as they fell back to earth. Defiance ridden eyes glared back at the heaving monstrosity before him while he attempted to right himself again. Yellow, red rimmed eyes of hatred met Ren's. Snarls passed between the two like snakes hissing over a meal. Kylo's fur bristled as he positioned himself between the red head and the girl.
His enemy couldn't touch her. Kylo wouldn't let him. Of course, he didn't know why. The overwhelming need to protect the girl wasn't normal for him. However, a lot of things had changed that day. He figured it to be some sort of fate, or something much different. Still, if it were anything in his power to keep her safe, he would. Why? He didn't know. She was nothing, but, somehow, she didn't feel that way to him.
The red head plowed toward Kylo and he braced for it. Riding on his hind two, Kylo welcomed the challenge with open arms, flexing clawed fingers with glinting spears toward his enemy. They met with brute force. The crashing of their bodies and slashing of their razor talons echoed from the whispering leaves of the trees. The once peaceful wood now filled itself with roars of pain and angst.
Out of his peripherals, Kylo spotted two more dark shapes approaching the thing he swore to protect. With lightning speed, he whirled around to see the red head's henchmen closing in for the kill. The girl had lost consciousness, her blood tainting the pearl white of the powder she lay upon. The dark beasts approached her, threads of drool spilling from their fang filled maws.
He had a choice to make. He had never been good at such things. Still, the pressure was upon him to decide and he was left to it. Should he fight his enemy behind him but allow the other two to shred the girl to pieces? Or, should he protect her like his tattered heart demanded him to? If he were being honest with himself, there was no question his decision.
He flung himself toward the two dark beasts, a roar escaping his lips. Landing above her, her body right beneath his own, he stood on all fours to his full height. Hissing a challenge, he demanded the two to approach any further. They knew he wasn't a game player. Still, their amber eyes flared with defiance and the lust for blood. Had they known such a thing before? Kylo didn't doubt it.
"Ren," A voice slithered across the wood. Footsteps approached, the red furred creature entering Kylo's line of sight. "End this now. There's no need to fight like this."
"What are you doing in my wood, Hux?" Kylo demanded. "This isn't your part."
The red head chuckled, nasty playful eyes narrowed. "Maybe things have changed, Ren. Maybe you don't own this anymore."
Kylo's ears flattened. "What?"
"Snoke hasn't been impressed with your latest work. Why is that?" Hux's snarl rose the hair upon Kylo's nape. He had only just spoken to Snoke moments before. What had changed now?
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ren snorted.
Hux's eyes traveled down to the girl. "Well, besides that, we scented something sweet in this area and decided to check it out. Turns out we were right."
The two henchmen chuckled. Kylo growled. "Don't touch her."
"How scandalous, Kylo Ren." Hux mocked. "Seems you have yourself a pet. Why is this little mouse so alluring to you?"
"Maybe you should ask yourself that same question." Ren hissed through barred fangs. "I swear you touch one hair on her head, I will kill you."
"That's a shame." Hux smiled. "She seems like she'd be such a tasty snack. I'd hate to see her wasted on you."
Hux reached forward, attempting to touch the girl beneath Kylo's protective stance. Ren reacted in the blink of an eye, snapping powerful jaws toward his enemy. Fangs met flesh and Hux hissed in pain. The red head withdrew quickly, eyes blazing with anger.
"Snoke will hear of this, Kylo Ren." Hux boomed. "He will know of your folly, and your silly pet. Mark my words."
Then, with a quirk of his head, the trio burst through the surrounding snow drifts and out of Kylo's line of sight. Their footfalls faded, and the wood fell silent once again. Kylo stilled for a moment or two, carefully listening to trees as they whispered of the intruders and the battle that had ensued. Small, woodland creatures tattered on the subject as well. Their comments fell upon his sore shoulders, rolling from them as if water on a smooth rock.
A steady breathing broke the serenity. Kylo glanced down, a small gasp escaping from his lips. He had completely forgotten about the girl comatose at his feet. Slowly, he slid to the side and away from atop of her. She hadn't woken, to his relief. As he viewed her, though, he felt a sense of worry build within. The blood had not stopped seeping from her wound. If he were right, he remembered one of the others sinking their fangs within the soft flesh.
If the stories spread through America were true, he would worry of a transformation like his. However, the curse was much different than what the social norms of society. If someone was bitten by him, or the others, they would be just fine. Besides having a gaping wound and a possibility of infection, there was nothing threatening a transformation. Therefore, his mind didn't whirl with worry over the girl becoming like him. He wouldn't wish that on anyone. His worry fell on her well being. He didn't know her, but someone's blood on his hands was not what he wished for.
Shaking his ears, he padded over to her limp form. His heart thumped wildly against his chest, threatening to burst forth from its cage. She wasn't dead, he remembered. Thankfully, she had only blacked out due to the immense pain. Somehow, he felt that pain. It was quite possible the agony fell upon him due to his own wounds, but then again, it focused solely upon the location where he knew she had been bitten. His shoulder, and the area between, ached.
Flexing his body, the cold nipping at every strand of fur, he observed the girl's state. Amid the wood and snow, he knew he couldn't leave her there. Elbe wasn't too far away, but the walk would most likely cause her more harm than good. The air deemed to bitter, too harsh for her frail body. She would freeze to death if he didn't do something right away.
His eyes lingered upon her pale skin. A light dusting of snow mingled with the sun kissed hue of her cheeks, freckles sprayed under her eyes. Her lips were deathly discolored, his panic spurring into overdrive at the sharpness of her breath. What once had been prolonged puffs of steam streaming from flared nostrils were now only small and short. Shivers wracked through her, a reaction subconsciously because of her environment. He reached out by instinct alone, the terror driven part of his brain sending warning flares throughout his entire body. His warmth would do her some good, he thought. Maybe it would help her from shivering.
His paw met her shoulder and his knees weakened. Something akin to shock lanced through him, his paw recoiling. He hissed with fangs barred to the wind, ears flattened to his skull in confusion. It hurt, but the tingling left behind was something he didn't understand. In his mind, he saw the taught crimson string pull even tighter and the tug upon his heart urge him to disregard the shock. He didn't, however, forget how it felt.
He touched her again, the electricity he had felt earlier nothing but a small zap of static. Under his paw, she felt horribly cold. He could hear the feeble thumping of her heart. It scared him how low the echo seemed to be. With haste, he gripped her arms and drug her forward toward him. Reaching under her neck, he cradled her lolling head. Doing the same under her knees, he lifted her entirely from the snow bank and stood with her against his chest.
He gazed out to the snowy wood, ears plastered to his skull. He couldn't deny the feeling coursing through him. She was light, lighter than anything he had ever held. In fact, he hadn't held someone in so long; he had almost forgotten what sensations came with it. To him, he was experiencing something new all over again. Her small frame pressed against his beating heart was enough to send the tendrils of lightning flashing through him once again. She was a living, breathing creature and he held her against him like she was the most fragile thing on the planet.
She was, in fact, and the inferno of anxiety split through him instantly. His brain whirled solutions to the problem around like a spoon mixing sugar in tea. However, the situation was anything but sweet. As he processed the possible answers to his quandary, only one seemed to come to the forefront. Her home lay too far to safely deposit her and leave. The next town deemed just as much. However, there was a place he knew that lay just within reach before the cold set itself permanently and her death fell upon him.
The response scared him, however, for he had never brought anyone to that place. Ever.
Then, he glanced down at her frail form. Her once pale pink lips were now a horrid shade of blue, dark eye lashes stilled with icy crystals. Her smooth skin mirrored the snow at his feet and her body began shivering once again. She was like a tiny lamb caught in a nasty storm. Shivering and vulnerable to the elements, it pained him. Then, he remembered himself to be the lion. His body was a behemoth of strength and power compared to her. He could crush her in an instant.
Why would he?
She was light. Shining brighter than the pale sun piercing through the veil of tree limbs, she was illumination to the shadows he knew too well. For whatever reason, she was placed in his path. He had to save her, needed to save her. He would know why in the future, but at that moment, there was no trying. He was put there to save her. The answer he dared not accept seemed the only logical thing to do.
With a sigh, he gripped her tighter against him and trekked north. Toward his cabin.
*****
Warmth caressed her cheeks like the hand of a lover. It softly ran its fingers across her skin, spreading the heat deep within her core. That warmth embraced her, cradled her in its arms and she sank into it willingly. She wished to indulge herself in the wonderful sensations. A hue of orange danced around her like flickering flames, licking at her limbs and begging her to stay with them. She wanted to. Oh, did she wish to dance with them. However, something called her. A pull lodged within her breast tugged at her very being to awaken. Was she asleep? Or was she dead? This she didn't know.
The faint ticking of a clock met her ears. Light danced beyond her consciousness. She felt her body shudder, the blood pulsing through her veins. She jerked, slowly opening her eyes to shafting sunlight. At first, she didn't feel. Oddly, she could move a little with no pain. Then, she made the mistake of turning her head. Covering her mouth to contain her scream, she righted her neck to ease the ache lancing through her spine. To be more exact, she felt the throb of agony engulf her shoulder and the space between the two.
Since she feared to moved quickly, she took the time to study where she lay. Draped over her lay a heavy quilt. The pastel colors of pinks and blues contrast with the stars and moons stitched upon the fabric. It was a beautiful work of art, done masterfully by someone else's hand. She envied the talent. All she could do was sew a simple hole in her jeans.
Beyond the warm quilt, she noticed the comfortable bed she lay in. Ornate wooded posts sat on each corner, twisted dark wood and floral carvings signifying the wonderful craftsmanship. Furthering her observation, she noticed the large room expanded before her. Dusted bookshelves cluttered with old tomes signified the room hadn't been used much before. There were three, one before her and two to either side. An old lamp perched on the corner of one bookshelf had been switched on, spilling warm light upon the grubby dark wood.
Slowly, she turned to observe more of the room. Cautious of her predicament, she eased her eyes over the area shyly. On either side of the bed she lay in were dark wooden bedside tables. Two, stained glass lamps rested upon colorful woven covers. A glass of water and a few white tablets lay upon the untainted surface of the table to her right. She blinked wearily, curious but alert of what the white tablets could possibly be.
A note lay to one side of the glass. Rough scrawl informed her the tablets were, in fact, pain killers. If she were a guessing woman, she would have guessed the note to be correct. Yet, there wasn't a single signature to notify her of who had who had written the note. Alarm bells blared within her mind, her heart pounding against her chest. A stifling fear latched nasty fingers onto her, settling at the base of her stomach. She had to catch her breath as it came shuddering from her dried lips.
She flipped the quilt from her legs, seeing as they were not injured. Wiggling her toes, Rey decided they were in good enough condition to walk. The only pain she could feel tingled between her shoulder blades, or around the area. She couldn't really tell. It was unable to be reached by her eyes to asses the damage. She could really use the painkillers, she told herself. Yet, the cautious part of her didn't dare touch them.
Slowly swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, she monitored her pain tolerance. Again, the only uncomfortable feeling was that that rested on her back. Her muscles groaned and ached, signifying she had been through some sort of trauma before she had awakened. This confused her a little for she couldn't remember anything but waking up. Even so, it would come to her. She knew she wasn't in Oklahoma anymore, even though she wished she was.
The aura of the room was warm, bathing her skin in caresses of orange and yellow. As she stood shakily, she noticed the wood and beige curtains. The light from outside dimmed and the girl slowly wobbled over to glance out of the dusty window panes. The snow glittered upon the ground, a slight breeze whipping dusty diamonds through the air. The sun was either setting or rising, Rey didn't know. She didn't know which direction she faced.
Turning toward the bed, she eyed the glass of water and tablets. Searching for her phone or anything she had previous, she grew disappointed. Knowing not where she had been placed caused the sickening fear to deepen within her. She held no means in which to communicate and not knowing exactly where she was caused an even greater problem. She had to find her phone, or an escape route.
Granted, the room was a little better to wake up in than a ditch. If she could remember even a little of the previous events that placed her there she would feel a little better. Or she would feel worse. It depended on who or what placed her there in the first place. Still, she needed to know where she was and who owned the room. She prayed they wouldn't be hostile.
Slowly limping toward the door, she reached for the brass door knob. The cold metal was a stark reminder of her situation, the slight dream state she thought she was in shattered. The fear in her stomach rose to her breast, causing her heart to drum wildly. Was something there? Was that why gripping the door handle such a shock? She could feel something but couldn't pin point its location or meaning.
Something else was in the cabin with her.
She drank in the scent of wood and pine, inhaling the bravery she needed and the courage to press on. She turned the handle and the door swung inward toward her. A dark hall lay beyond, the room she woke up on obviously the one to be on the very end. The corridor stretched toward light, orange flickering signaling a fire. She could only assume the fire to be held within a fireplace. If not, she was in for a rude awakening.
The floor beyond was like the one she stood upon. Pristine hardwood warmed by the soles of her bare feet continued past the threshold of the room and toward the firelight. She sensed nothing in the warm, still air. The lingering scent of pine and wood remained to waft through her nostrils. She shivered, the hall very short yet seeming to stretch for eons.
Taking a cautious step forward, Rey placed her foot upon the wooden floor of the corridor. The floorboards remained silent, ornate rugs muffling what sounds could have been made by the wood floor. She eased into the hall, noting dusty picture frames and wall art along either side of her. She stepped slowly, her aching muscles hindering her gait. Her nerves tensed with every creaks of a floor board or shadow she thought moved in her peripherals.
The cabin was eerily silent. As she emerged from the hall into a large den, she noticed a staircase lifting upward to a landing bathed in shadow. A large skull of an elk hung upon the railing overhead with dark eye sockets glaring down upon her. She didn't mind skulls, but the creeping gloom behind it only seemed to darken the atmosphere. She let her eyes drop to the living area and absorbed her surroundings.
Rustic seemed a fitting word for the den. Orange light mingled with dancing shadows frolicked upon the wooden floor in front of a blazing fire. The fireplace was made of rough, dark stone signature with a rustic log cabin. Above the dark wooden mantel hung what appeared to be a fully haired bear head. Gleaming teeth glinted in the pale light of the fire.
Beneath the head lay a beautiful multicolored cowhide rug. Atop the rug sat an overstuffed brown couch and two similar appearing chairs. Rey loved the look of all of them, her aching muscles missing sleep the longer she stood. On either side of the couch and chairs were a few dark wooden tables. Antler based lamps were left unlit, setting upon rabbit furs. An opened beer bottle sat atop a cork style drink coaster. It was half full.
Along the walls were paintings of western scenes and other skulls. Most of them were just of deer, the occasional cow skull with curving horns dotting the spaces the deer skulls didn't. Toward one end of the cabin she spotted what appeared to be the kitchen. It lay nestled beneath the staircase, and her stomach suddenly rumbled obscenely. She clutched it, realizing how starved she was.
The eves of the ceiling were beams of bare wood, the scent of pine heavy within the area. The air around her caused her to shiver slightly, but she didn't know what from. The warmth of the fire drew her toward it, bare feet softly tapping across the floor. She dared not make a horrible racket, unsure of the cabin owner's location. She didn't feel scared, only caution. There wasn't an aura of hostility.
Still, Rey slowly inched toward the kitchen. She was hungry. That much she couldn't deny. Her stomach rumbled uncomfortably, enough so that she would risk peeping into a stranger's fridge. A large, gleaming refrigerator of stainless steel loomed in the corner nearest the kitchen sink. That, too, was stainless. Everything seemed flawless and clean, unlike her tiny kitchen back in Oklahoma. What she had was all she could afford. It was her home. That was about it.
The cabin didn't look uninhabited. It scared her.
A loud creak echoed from above. She halted her slow beeline toward the kitchen. The silence around her hung heavy around her. She stiffened, feeling the gravity of the situation beginning to take its toll. She had no idea where she was. No idea who the cabin belonged to. She had no idea if they were still inside. If she was honest with herself, she was scared to death of who owned the placed. What event had led her to where she was?
Something dark shadowed the staircase. She heard the groaning wood beneath something large echo from the banisters. Goosebumps erupted on her skin, the hair at her nape standing on end. She felt a presence she had never felt before. It materialized like a darkness, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. She honestly didn't know how to feel.
Another sensation, one she didn't find horrible, tingled her nerves like tiny firecrackers. It sparked and sizzled, leaving her heart humming like a live wire. It was delicious but horrifying. She wanted to know what it was, but shy away from it. Rey had always been one to keep her head down. She didn't interest herself in matters that could deem harmful.
She could see light spill onto the hardwood, the waning gold signifying it was evening. Something dark cast its gloom over the yellow luminosity, signifying to the girl that she was most certainly not alone. The groaning wood told her the subject was heavy. She felt its breath stir the still air. The buzzing in her skin grew intensely. A million bees in her head. She couldn't shake it, nor could she back away any faster.
Then, it stopped. She held her breath, heart threatening to burst. There was only silence. It and her.
"You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen." A gruff voice filled the void of silence. Unsure, yet sure. It confused her.
Then, she felt the buzzing halt completely. Instead, she could hear. It wasn't completely coherent, but she could hear something. A muffled cacophony of noises within her head that weren't completely hers. She couldn't tune it out. She couldn't shut it off. It was as if the remote had used all its battery power and those batteries were dead.
For a moment, her voice escaped her. She searched as best she could to find it, but to no avail. She didn't know why she felt so bewildered. The very thought of something above her should have struck fear within her very core. She was calm, though. Uncertain, but calm. She mustered up what she could and found what little voice she had.
"Where am I?" Her voice broke.
The object, the creature or person above, hadn't gone anywhere. She felt it as much as she felt the cold thrill of the air morphing around her. She shivered, feeling the entity's being crawl up and down her spine. Did she know this person or thing? She didn't even know what it was, exactly, but she found herself wondering if she knew who or what it was.
"In my cabin." It responded. "In the woods."
She nodded. "Am I far away from my hotel?"
The voice cautiously proceeded. "In a manner of speaking. Yes."
She shuddered. "Am I even in the same state?"
The voice chuckled. "Yes."
Wrinkling her nose, she nodded. Unsure of where the conversation was to go, she cleared her throat. "Am I allowed to go back?"
The voice shook, the sensation within her mind pulsing with fear. Whatever it was didn't know that answer. How did she know what it knew? She roved her mind, recognizing its panic. Was she even supposed to be there? According to it, she was not. Then again, she hadn't meant to be caught in the middle of the woods in a stranger's cabin.
"Tell me this." She demanded diplomatically. "What is your name?"
The shadows seethed. Many secrets writhed within them. She couldn't tell if she had upset the being or not, but she hoped she hadn't. Asking the wrong questions seemed to be normal for her. If she were honest with herself, she was never one to pry. Answers were answers, though. If she were to be in the same cabin as someone, practically living with them, she might as well know what they went by.
As far as she was concerned, the being was mostly human. This assumption struck a bit of horror through her. The tiny part she felt wasn't human was the entire reason her nerves spun out of control. The hair at her nape stood erect, the feeling of being watched a constant. Who was this thing or person? Why were the signals she received from them so distorted?
"My name," It snarled. "Is Kylo Ren."