The Dark Passage: Rise Of The Dark Coven (Book 2)

Chapter Seventeen

"Ozias ... where are you taking me?", Diana asked. Once Ozias was settled in and Diana fed Zora and put her to bed, she decided it was time to learn to hunt. The moon shined bright in the sky and was the only light that was present. Ozias seemed to be able to move effortlessly in the darkness but Diana was having trouble. He followed orders and brought Diana to the outskirts of Larfire, next to a known camping ground. The air was crisp, so Diana didn't expect many people to be out. Especially at midnight. 

Ozias stopped by a large tree and pulled Diana off to the side of him. He placed a finger over his lips, signaling for Diana to stay quiet.

"I brought you here because it's discreet enough for your first time", Ozias whispered. "Plus, if you so happened to get a little ... brutal with the kill, they'll chalk it up to an animal attack".

"They?", Diana asked.

"Park rangers".

Almost like a cat, Ozias turned to face the tree and began to climb up it's trunk. He reached one of the higher branches and looked down at Diana, who was looking up at him in amazement. 

"Aren't you coming?", he said in a way that only she could hear.

Diana took a breath and copied Ozias ascent up the tree. It took her some time and she couldn't help the curse words that fluently passed her lips. By the time she reached the branch, Ozias was almost close to giving up on their teaching lesson. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"It's almost like you haven't been a vampire your entire life".

Diana paused. "Well ... technically I haven't".

Ozias looked at Diana with confusion then shook his head. "We're gonna put a dot in this conversation because I must know this. But here's a little vampire one-oh-one. Our strength has its pros and cons. We're strong enough to snap a bird's by just pinching it. But we can also make ourselves light as a feather with just the right amount of control".

"So, what you're saying is-".

"You are an amazing creature, Artemis. Stop second guessing your instincts. You can become whatever you want to. You're strong enough to do so".

Ozias winked at Diana then jumped from one tree to the next. Diana took in what he said and followed his path effortlessly. She felt empowered in more ways than she ever had. She felt like she was finally stretching herself in the ways she was meant to. She knew it was a reason Amethyst appointed her and it was time she started to embrace everything that came with who she was.

Ozias stopped on a tree a few feet away from some lone humans setting up a tent and started a fire. They were oblivious to the fact of both Ozias and Diana looking down on them. Ozias looked behind him at Diana.

"Are you ready?", he asked.

Diana's answer was a nod.

"Good. You're going to drop back down to the forest floor. Try to draw them to you. Once they are, you attack. And try to do so quietly".

"Draw them to me how?", Diana asked.

Ozias patted Diana's shoulder. "That is up to you".

Diana rolled her eyes, not seeing how this was a lesson. All he was doing was bossing her around and leaving her out to make multiple mistakes and possibly make the situation bigger than what it needed to be. However, she was an adult and she knew she had to learn on her own. 

Diana took yet another breath and dropped down from the tree, making sure she's light on her feet. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, smelling each human and their scents. When she opened her eyes, she summoned her aura and they began to glow. She commanded her aura to surround her entire body and she glistened like a star in the night's sky. Just like she predicted, the humans were curious about the light and began to walk towards her.