Aura

Fate Sealed

Nash and I backtracked through the forest following the bloodshed. Death became our stepping stone to where the fight split off into two paths. Nash's arm was draped across my shoulder for support. His minor scrapes were healed, but his eye was still sealed shut. I wondered how long it would take to mend the damage Seth caused. The reality of his death weighted my insides down to the pit of my stomach. I'm not sure why death made people reflect on the brighter part of the deceased's lives, but his limited kindness was all I could think of as we walked away.

Nash hunched over clutching his ribs. With each step, he winced. All his pain seemed to melt away at the new distraction before us. A lanky man squatted over a werewolf partially shifted. From the man above, slurping and suckling could be clearly heard. The wolf below twitched sporadically. My eyes strained to see any detail other than pale bony limbs sticking out like a frog. Nash gently guided me behind him as he took a defensive stance. On tip toes, I peeked over his shoulder to see the man whip his head up to stare back at us. Vibrant red eyes consumed his irises. What was a vampire doing here? Blood soaked his shirt and stained his face and neck. A predatory smile stretched his lips thin to reveal two fangs.

Nash tightened his fists until the skin cracked under the pressure. Even though the vampire could hear him, he whispered over his shoulder. "I'll hold him off, run at the first chance you get." The vampire rose to his full height which dwarfed us both, and stepped over his victim. With each slow step forward, Nash and I took one hesitant step back. He was toying with us; each movement was deliberate and terrifying. "Who sired you?" Nash called out.

The vampire continued to stalk forward without an answer. Nash asked once more, only to be ignored. Angular features of the vampire highlighted how starved he was and only one thing appealed to him. The slender vampire crouched down ready to spring at us. Nash's muscles bunched under my fingertips. I prepared myself to run, not exactly sure where to. Would it be better if I grabbed more rocks? In a sudden epiphany, I remembered the silver knife from before. My fingers flexed around the crude dagger and lifted it from Nash's belt just as the vampire chose to strike.

"Well this is bothersome." A familiar voice called out from behind us. All three of us paused our fight but weren't stupid enough to take our eyes off our opponent.

"Michael, I hope you and your minions got your rabies shots. Some of these wolves were feral." When Nash mentioned his friend's name I turned to confirm.

Michael strolled toward us with regal purpose. His hands were busy wiping off blood from his face with a handkerchief. A sword with a gold handle was sheathed at his hip. Michael, in this moment, looked more like a predator than any time before. His eyes and brows were stretched narrow with a subtler change to his wider mouth. "Give me more credit than that. I would never turn such a pathetic human." Within a blink, Michael had traveled the distance and slashed the vampire's head clean from his body. The blade dripped in new and old blood as it was once again sheathed.

"Why are you here then if these aren't from your lineage?" Nash kept his battle stance against his new adversary.

A dramatic and weary sigh blew out from Michael's parted lips. "The High Alpha involved another species to your little werewolf war. This now makes it officially my business."

Nash scented out his truth. "Why would your King send his newly made creations to interfere?"

"Ah now that is the problem. They do not carry the scent of any vampire I've met. This means we have a rogue working for the King of the Werewolves. The question I can't seem to understand is why?" Michael pocketed his handkerchief. He made a motion for us to follow him. We followed the carnage, together shouldering Nash along.

"Why?" I questioned still not understanding.

"He means why would a vampire help out a werewolf? The truce between the supernatural is flimsy at best. If one leader decided to recede from the council, we would all be at war again."