Pagans Wood

Chapter seven: The unmasked

My brain struggled to process any information as though every coherent thought had just up and left me, alone and in a complete state of helplessness - I realised that my body was just too paralysed by fear to respond.

My breathing slowed as the world fell away from beneath me taking any remainder of any energy along with it. My vision wavered as a sea of distorted faces rushed by, my head rolling forward of its own accord in time to greet the ground that was rushing up towards me.

Instinct told me to throw out my arms and protect myself but the command failed to reach the consciousness of my limbs, leaving me to plunge into the icy cold depths of darkness that forced my eyes to close as all thought faded away into nothing.

Archer:

Fallon bent over her limp body, and reaching out with long, pale fingers he twisted a few loose strands of her brown hair through them, examining them as though he were a hunter weighing up the quality of his latest kill. An amused yet satisfied look appearing on his face as he again rose to his full height.

I stood, unmoving as stone, concentrating fiercely on her heartbeat that for the time was slow but present. I felt the struggle of her breaths, heard every slight gasp and gurgle of her lungs, an inner battle too low for human ears. Her breathing was being restricted, the blue tinge around her paling lips evidence of this. He was using her as leverage, leverage in his vicious game of control. An overwhelming urge to break the hand that had touched her washed over me. She is mine! The thought stunned me momentarily; a growl slipping passed my clenched jaw.

"What have you done to her!" the words came out half coherent, half growl, as I stepped forward. A hand grasped my shoulder firmly from behind me, holding me in place before I could complete the distance between us. Again my eyes fell to her, her gown pooling around her like a dark wave. I felt her slipping - further and further away the longer I looked at her. The dark marble making her appear all the more ashen in comparison. I growled again.

"Easy now lycan"

He said, with exaggerated patience as he moved. Kneeling beside Suri he ran his fingertips down the side of one pale cheek of her face, a thin line of blood seeping through the skin where he had touched her - the wound itself darkening as it discoloured the skin around it.

"She truly is a treasure, is she not?"

His gaze remained fixed on her, fixed on her life force that now ran black as it trickled down her skin and slowly began to pool in his hand beneath her jaw. Anger and pure hatred pricked every nerve ending as I scanned the room weighing his kind and the likelihood that I could take them. Of course this also applied to Lucas who appeared to know more than he was letting on. His face held an apologetic expression as his eyes remained fixed on the lifeless figure on the floor. I stepped towards him.

"You knew about this!"

I moved closer again but Thayer blocked my path, his hand still resting firmly on my shoulder.

"Take it easy Archer, now is not the time to provoke a reaction."

Provoke him! No I wanted to tear this son of a bitch apart with my bare hands. Turning from Thayer's grip I stepped forward, I felt my canines drop down with warning, snagging my lip in their descent. Blood pooled on my tongue yet the sting barely enough to keep me grounded.

"What do you want from me?"

My words shattered the vampire's trance like state as he slowly stepped away from her body, a guttural laugh erupting from his chest. He stepped towards me, raising a hand to the other vampires who tried to follow, the order to stay back perfectly clear. He began to circle me as his fingers rose to a steep In front of his mouth, his eyes shining in delight at my question.