Tainted

Chapter Eight

TAINTED| CHAPTER 8

Sparing

Arianna gave me a coy smile and walked closer to me to give me a hand. Taking it, she said, "My bultungin didn't kill you which I find interesting... you might be who you say you are that's why the strong is attached to you. Or you could be a fake and be using a spell."

I dusted the snow off my cold body and looked her up and down, "I thought I was a human up until what feels like 3 days ago. I didn't even know things like this could exist let alone what a bultungin was."

She examined me some more. It was like she was figuring out if I was lying or not. Before I knew it the snug little smile, she had on her face disappeared. She suddenly swooped down in a clean circle and swiped her foot underneath mine. When I was back on the ground with no time to react, she placed her foot on my chest. "I don't know if you're telling the truth or not. However, I'm going to let you prove yourself to me."

This psycho bitch.

"What do you even mean?" I asked somewhat desperately. She was sounding crazier each time she opened her mouth.

Arianna smiled again and said, "Calm down he didn't kill you the first time, so I'm pretty sure he won't try to kill you now." After she spoke, she looked over to the side of her and whistled. What followed was that same animal that I saw in the shed made its way out of the woods. His eyes glowed a bright yellow in the dark and as he approached you could hear him coughing up a laugh.

He stopped right near the leg Arianna was using to hold me down. I could hear his breathing and smell his rabid breath right above me. He was just mere inches away.

Arianna had reached down to pet the animal and spoke again, "I want to show you something." She said as she unhooked the animal's chain collar that had been around his neck.

I was quiet as she talked. I didn't want to interrupt what she was doing. I rather have this woman trust me than be on her bad side. When she had unhooked the hyena, she had pushed it to the side with her foot to move him a little. I expected him to growl however he didn't. He had just moved as if she had asked him. There was no sign of aggression.

He was actually very quiet. The wild animal was peaceful around Ari which seemed so unnatural. It didn't seem like a beast that want an owner. But the wilder you are sometimes it's good for structure. "What am I waiting for?" I had asked.

"Just watch and get up Alex," she said as she gave me a hand again.

I watched the animal as she instructed. As we watched something strange started to happen. It was something you didn't want to miss. The hyena started to violently vibrate. It was a process that didn't take long but it left you in wonder. You could see the fur on his back rip open like it was a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. I saw his human flesh burst through and his back had straightened up as he continued to transform. His legs then popped into place and his face cleared and there was no fur other than the wild beard that he grew. His hair on the top of his head was kinky like cotton and was a jet black. His face was hard, and he stood about eight feet tall. The skin that covered his body was the color of oil and the eyes that came with the body matched the same. They were as dull as they were when he was an animal.

Ari walked away from me and went to his side. She smiled in his face, and she put a hand on his cheek. "Bomani, I want you to properly meet our Bastard King Alex. I heard you've guys already got acquainted but I wanted to do it properly. Alex right now is our friend and I do not want you to hurt him."

Bomani looked down to her and his face finally made an expression. It was small but on him it was noticeable. His brows slightly pulled together and his mouth to some extent pulled up to a small grin. He then looked over to me and he kept the same expression on his face. "Stavros Belento Eari, or I guess Alexander,  friend you are indeed a friend."