This Is Where I Want To Be

157. The Journey Continues

Charlene

My heart was pounding. I had just killed someone, unable to control my breathing. My first living person... creature or whatever the universe called us all. Romero was calm behind me. His breathing was steady. "Calm down... You won't let anything happen to me." Romero quipped.

"Another joke... I'm impressed."

His one arm was around my waist, holding me tightly from behind, kicking the beast below us. I glanced down at his arm. It had turned into a shadowy spirit after his manifestation. Where his skin was usually brown, it had turned completely black and seemed almost on fire. The ends of the black flames drifted off into the air. Where the veins in Miriam's hand had traveled up from her fingertips... Romero's whole arm was covered in golden veins. Contrasted on the black background. When I caught a glimpse of the blackness in my peripheral at the oasis, I only had a second to take in his form. Romero's facial features were utterly consumed with the darkness, and at that moment, he had no colored veins. No eyes. Nothing distinctive.

"Do not dull me now!" I said, seeing the gold patterns rapidly moving around my waist.

"No. I'll be good. I need you alert."

I had thought about turning the beast away from the storm of raiders coming at us. Still, I was sick of being a coward. And Romero didn't say we should make a run for it. He was ready for the fight. The group in front of us started spreading out, circling, and trying to corner us. It would make it easier to take them on one by one.

As we came closer to the first two raiders, Romero let go of me, sliding off the back of the beast. I didn't want him to go. Afraid that something would happen to him. The one man, covered in material from head to toe, kicked his beast into motion, galloping towards Romero. A long sword in one hand. If Romero could manifest.... Did everyone on the planet?

Romero was still walking on two legs. He was solid, but his whole body was covered in those shadows. He wasn't literally turning to air. I directed my attention at the other man on his own beast. Just like the first one, I would teleport and catch him unaware. I stood up on the moving form beneath me and landed behind the raider. My nails dug upward into his skull. I extended and flexed my long black claws. It splattered his skull and brains over my two hands. I grabbed his sword before pushing him off. I straddled the beast, holding the reins.

The other raiders gave a cry into the air. I glanced over my shoulder at Romero. The other man had also manifested, thrown his cloak from his person, and the two were fighting with swords. Both their black shadows were moving and covering their swords. The golden veins were gone, and they were both black as night. Black meant murder. Romero wasn't in distress. His form was flawless. So, I left the two to fight it out.

Would it be the first time that I saved another person? Killed a group of men. The corner of my mouth lifted. I pushed the reins over the neck of the beast. It moved its feet under me. The other raiders had gathered and stopped in a group, observing me. They had no idea what I was. Their gazes traveled from the dead man in the sand to me.

"Don't think you will get away... You might as well come at me." Their heads cocked, and they glanced at each other. They didn't understand me. I hurled the beast forward. They did notice the threat, and I growled loudly, letting loose the animalistic roar stuck in my throat. A low rumble emanated from the group in one accord. They all climbed off their mounts. A frown played over my brow. Wasn't it better to stay mounted in a fight? That's what the movies said. I missed my family at that moment. Marcus would have been able to direct me. Juliet wouldn't have asked and had already been fighting.

"Where are you when I need you?" I whispered as I stopped my beast. The cloaks went next. They all manifested. "What will you do? Lull me to sleep from a distance?" I had to ask. They pointed their swords, channeled their veins to the edges, and pushed their power out towards me. The darkness was coming at me, so I manifested into a Vampire. Some of them faltered, seeing me change into yet another creature. And unfortunately, I was still naked... I snorted. The shadowy colors hit me. The beast under me fell to the sand. I dismounted slowly, stepping over its big corps. The beast had died instantly. How could they kill something so fast? Another cry, and they grouped up even closer together.