The Queen Of Darkness

2.Silver in the air

I jolted awake, my heart beating erratically in my chest. Muddy red eyes assaulted my vision for a second. I blinked. They were gone.

I rolled over and reached for my phone, checking the time. 6:39 am. I groaned and yanked my blanket off me, shivering as the freezing air surrounded my body. I'd left the window open all night. I pushed aside the curtain before grasping the window and slamming it shut. Just as I was about to head to the kitchen, I noticed something up on the mountain top.

Where our house was situated on a flat piece of land, our backyard was the continuation of the mountain. So basically, if you looked out my back door all you would see was a steep incline of dirt, rocks and trees.

I blinked, trying to focus my eyes on the spot I'd seen, but they were atleast 2 miles, maybe more, up from us. I raced through the house, passing my mom who was cooking breakfast, and out to the laundry room. I pulled the binoculars down from the shelf, and peared out the window.

3 tents were pitched, with atleast 10 men and 3 women clustered around them. Everyone of them was decked out in full black clothes, with weapons strapped to their sides and backs.

I heard my mom enter the room, so I turned to her, my lips set in a thin line and my eyes wide with worry.

"What?" She asked, seeing my face and the binoculars clutched in my hand. I inhaled, took a quick look at the window, then closed the curtain.

"Hunter's."

My mom yanked the binoculars out of my hands and looked for herself. She turned and gave me a solemn look.

"We have to get out of here." I followed her as she calmly walked back into the kitchen, where she handed me a plate of bacon.

"Where are we gonna go?" I asked, shoving a piece of the heavenly food in my mouth.

"New Orleans."

It was common knowledge that we'd be relatively safe there, considering how many different types of supernatural creatures lived there.

"Okay, I'll call Annalee, see if any hunters are there. Start packing, we'll leave soon." I told her, then headed to my room.

I rang Anna and put her on loud speaker as I started shoving clothes into my duffel. After a few seconds, she answered. I explained the situation while trying not to freak her out.

"The last time hunter's were here was about two months ago, but there'll be a whole lot more back soon."

I paused with my packing and stared at the phone wearily, "Why?"

"The shifting ceremony is in four days. All the changing werewolves will be here, accompanied by some Alpha's. The magic here helps those that shift, so there's a higher survival rate. And because there'll be more werewolves, there will definitely be more vampires. You do understand that you'll feel it, right? It won't be like anything you've ever felt before." I reassured her that I'd be fine before hanging up as I heard my mom behind me.

"What did Anna say?" If it wasn't for my heightened senses, I wouldn't of heard her come in.

"She said hunter's haven't been there in more then six months, and that we should be perfectly fine." The lie came naturally, without hesitation.. She gave me a small smile, then nodded towards the door, "Let's go."

We moved through the house, turning all of the lights and other electronics off. Mom passed me the car keys and her card to put in my pocket as she picked up her bag. I watched her as she did so. She was only an inch or two taller than me, her hair a few shades lighter. She had put on some weight recently, but it was good for her. Years of abuse from my father had left her thin, anorexic and slight. She was rounder now, healthier and happier. Pretty brown almond eyes, hooded and wise, lined by laugh lines and over plucked eyebrows. Her face was oval shaped and thin, her nose small and upturned, thin wide lips. Her skin a light brown, rough with her 44 years of age. I had her hour glass shape and slightly chunky arms. People always told her how much I looked like her, but I couldn't see it myself. She was constantly hit on, naive to it sometimes. She had a nature that drew people to her, caring and quirky. I smiled as her mouth twitched as she thought.

As she grasped the front door handle, I heard a whistling in the air and yanked her towards me. She gasped, startled, a second before an arrow pierced the wood where her head had been.

Her heart thuddered in her chest, thunderous to my sensitive hearing. causing mine to match the pace. I felt ashamed that she was put in situations like this, because of me. I shook my head, ignoring my emotions. I glanced out the window next to the door. The first thing I saw was the car, with all the tires slashed and deflated. A movement down the hill caught my attention. I watched as the man loaded another bolt and prepared to fire. I pulled the door open just as he let it fly, catching it before it hit me in the face. I felt it start to blister and burn my skin. Silver. I snapped it, and watched as the hunter frantically reloaded. I dropped my bag, then grabbed a hold of my mother, and started running.

I dashed into the trees on the left side of the house, basically carrying my mom. I honed in my senses, listening to all the heart beats and deep breaths around me. The nearest hunter was at 2 o'clock.

I ducked behind a tree as he fired his gun. I could smell it now, all the silver in the air. I leant down for my mom to get on my back. She clung to me as I took off again.

I leapt at the tree in front of me, feeling my claws burst from my skin. I braced myself before I hit the tree, ready for the impact. My breath rushed out of me, but I continued. I used my talons and slid down the tree, ripping bark off as I went. The hunters took chase, firing at me whenever they had a clear shot. I dodged every bullet and arrow, until I didn't.

I clutched at the new tree, and prepared to slide down to the next branch that could support our weight, when I heard the bullet wizz through the air. I didn't have time to react before it lodged into my forearm. The initial shock wore off, and was quickly replaced by blinding pain.

My arm bucked under our weight, and I let go of the tree. My mom screamed in my ear, bringing me back into focus.

I latched onto a branch with my good arm, and screamed as my shoulder strained under the weight. I tried to use my injured arm to pull me up, but with the added weight of my mom, I couldn't do it.

I stayed like that for a few seconds, trying to ground myself. I heard the rustle of footsteps, smelt the undertone of malice, and saw the hunter's rush towards us, getting closer. Anger surged through me.

I grabbed onto my mom's hand as she started to slip, and clenched my teeth in agony as I felt the silver spread through my blood. I used the remainder of strength I had, and lifted her towards the branch, where she managed to pull herself up.

She clutched at my arm in futile as I started to slip, her face twisted in anguish.

"Climb. " I grunted out harshly, before I let go.