07. Strange dreams, stranger people

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Eyes open, I find myself in the middle of the woods - snow coating every surface my eyes fall on. Trees surround me, leaves ruffling in the wind. I raise my gaze to the sky, finding the blue is obscured, quickly shifting into pitch black that descends upon me.

I move to run, panicked as the wind picks up. My legs move fast, unnaturally fast - so much so that the trees blur. I don't feel tired, not even in a need of a breath. My lungs don't burn, nor do my legs and I know something isn't right.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see the darkness is at my heels, seemingly impossible to avoid. It's terrifying, I'm scared out of my mind and yet, I cannot stop running, not even for a single moment.

I clench my jaw, pushing myself forward, but I can't escape. I see it twirling around my ankles, slowing me down as it travels up and toward my face. I find myself blinded, falling to the ground but it doesn't hurt. It sounds like a rock crashed into a tree, but I'm more concerned for my vision.

A distant howl is heard, one I wish would come closer without knowing why. That howl sounds like my salvation, the only way I'll survive.

"What an exceptional specimen. I'm quite impressed with you." A voice too sweet for it to be genuine speaks, the darkness seeping into my mind now as well. I try to fight it, pushing and pulling, but I can't move a muscle.

"EMBRY!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

'I barely know him', says the rational part of me.

'He's going to save me', says the heart.

"Oh, he can't help you now." The darkness lifts as quickly as it engulfed me and I'm faced with a pale teenage boy with blood red eyes and a vicious smirk tugging at his lips.

"He can't even look at you anymore." His words hurt, hitting my heart and still, my heart feels Embry will come. I don't know how or why, but he will. If I need him, he will show up.

"Who are you?" I grit my teeth together, pushing my back further into the tree behind me. My voice is strange though, slightly different.

"What are you?!" I ask sternly, forming fists at my sides.

The boy only chuckles, his laugh sounding far too musical to be human.

"A vampire." His response leaves me frozen in my spot, but my heart doesn't pick up speed. I'm trained to be calm, but never like this. I am trained to know vampires, but I've never heard of vampires like this. They're supposed to be completely human-like and only roam at night.

Kill them by taking their head.

Simple as that.

But this boy - this vampire was unlike anything I've seen so far. He looks human, acts human but there are major differences between humans and whatever he is.

He outstretches his hand for me to take, expecting me to comply. Looking at the palm of his hand, I sigh and take him up on it.

'Play along', I think, hoping I'll get a clear shot at him.

Standing, he shows me a mirror behind him, taking me to stand before the reflective surface. Swallowing thickly, I do as he wants, stepping right in front of it - however, my gaze is fixed on my feet.

"Look at the mirror." He commands, the tinge of annoyance evident in his tone.

I'm nervous, almost scared of what I might see. Nonetheless, I look up and face the image in the mirror staring back at me.

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