Crimson Bite (Hillcrest Supernaturals Book 1)

by Ben Alderson

  Chad sees my power and does not refuse my help again. We both run for the opposite end of the field to fight the wolves who have us surrounded.

  I can’t focus on Savi or Chad. I can only keep my attention on the snapping jaws before me. Conjured bursts of wind send beasts scurrying into the shadows. I command my elements, causing trees to quake and leaves to gather in streams of pointed arrows. Everything I do is to keep the monsters at bay, giving us time to reach Savi.

  The more power I use, the more the darkness seems to turn with pride. I sense its desire to help, but what I need is fire.

  Flame would drive them away. But even with all the training the school has given me and all the guidance Elder Jane offered, I can’t build the courage to call upon fire.

  Chad moves like water, weaving in and out of the wolves. He brings his fists down onto snouts and clashes his nails across bellies and jaws.

  In his wake, like Savi, he leaves a littering of bodies.

  I focus my attention on a group of three wolves who join our fight. Saliva drips between their pointed jaws, and their golden eyes narrow in on me. Bending my knees, I prepare myself, raising my hands to my side to call for a new element.

  Inspired by Chad, I reach for the water within the bodies of the wolves before me. I latch onto the presence, pulling it toward me. The wolves drop to the forest bed before they can attack me.

  I stumble over my foot, my power draining me. I sense more circling around us, but my mind is foggy.

  Release me.

  I want to answer it, but before I can, a scream stops my heart entirely. My head snaps to see Chad drop to the ground, claw marks decorating his chest. His hand clutches his wound instead of fighting off beast that pounces atop him.

  No longer does the darkness within me need my permission to help. It fills every fiber of my being, and I take a back seat in my mind. Shadows of strange power leak from my hands, wrapping around the wolf atop of Chad.

  Like before, I am no more than a witness, seeing my body move under something else’s control.

  The darkness scoops beneath the wolf and lifts it from Chad. Suspended in the air, the wolf has no means to move. It attempts to break free, but I don’t let it.

  With a mind of its own, the shadows seep into the wolf’s body until I sense its soul. Like the coiling of a serpent around its prey, the darkness loops itself around the wolf’s soul, tethering itself to it, and then it pulls.

  It happens so quickly that if I blinked, I would have missed it all. The wolf’s life blinks out of existence, its soul smothered by the darkness. Like tentacles, it reaches out for the rest of the wolves who try and get close. They regard it with fearful gazes and snarls. Chad tries to stand. Not a single wolf tries to attack as the darkness spreads out around us, forming a new layer of protection.

  “Run!” Savi screams, but I am not in control of my body to see who she speaks to. Chad is on his knees, blood pouring from his wound. He is in no state to fight anymore. Once the darkness recedes and returns my body to me, I know we will be done for. The wolves may not come close to us as the darkness is around, but they grow in numbers beyond my protection, ready to pounce the moment they can.

  “George, run! You… ah… You must leave here. Take… Chad.”

  Savi’s panic is palpable. She screams across the field to me. The alpha is on the ground beneath her, struggling to pull Savi’s hand from his neck. To hold down an alpha, she must hold an enormous amount of power.

  Listen to her. You must leave. You must live… it tells me.

  As I watch from the dark space in my mind, I sense my body move, help Chad up, and run. The darkness still spins around us the entire way out of Bane’s Forest.

  Every now and then, Chad would stumble and fall, and the wolves who follow us would howl in excitement. This was a chase for them.

  Only when we burst onto the open streets of Hillcrest do we stop. Thankfully, the wolves do not pass the threshold of the forest, because my darkness snaps back into the pit of my stomach, giving me full control of my body again. Like I’ve come up for air after being in the belly of a deep lake, I gulp for breath.

  Chad is back on the floor, slumped as his wound struggles to heal.

  “You left her,” he accuses. “Why did you listen to her? We need to go back!”

  I can’t explain, not now.

  “I wasn’t in control,” I say.

  “I saw that much—” He winces, hissing as he tries to stand up.

  I look back to the forest at the many golden eyes that watch us. Reaching for Chad, I place my bare palm on his arm, and immediately, I see the confusion in the wolves’ eyes as they look for us. The charm is back up. They won’t be able to sense us as we leave.

  “Savi will be fine,” I tell him, remembering how she held the alpha down gave me hope she could get out of there alive. “But you will not be if we don’t get back and heal you up. You know as well as I that wolves slow your healing process. Unless you want to bleed out on the street?”

  Chad doesn’t complain as I help him up off the street. Only a couple of curses slip past his lips as we walk toward his home. For luck, I wrap the cocoon charm around us again. It stops those around from seeing a bleeding vampire being carried by an Alcott witch from Bane’s Forest. That would trudge up questions—questions we don’t have time to deal with.

  Each step I take, I turn back, searching for a sign that Savi made it out. A part of me knows she is fine. Deep down, like an intuition, I sense her escape from the wolves. But another part of me also notices the silence. It’s a strange connection with her—one I’ve never noticed before.

  I send a silent thought for her safe return and stumble into her home. Closing the door behind me, I put my worries to bed and prepare myself to help Chad heal.

  Savi

  The wolves try to stop me from reaching my brother, but I foil every attack. Nothing will stop me from getting to his side. As I emerge from the woods, mere feet from the safety of the wolfsbane, I see them. Chad is lying on the ground, hand clutching his bloody chest, and George is by his side, a dark, shadowy mist surrounds them both. The wolves remain at bay, but their eyes betray their eagerness to pounce. I don’t know how long they have before George’s magic fails to protect them. I see the weakness in his eyes, in his touch, in the way he moves. He’s struggling for control, and the moment he loses it, the wolves will feed.

  I have the alpha, now in human form, pinned beneath me. The surprise on his face fuels my energy, and he struggles to free himself from my grasp. Just as I’m about to land the final blow that would leave Hillcrest’s wolves without a leader, something nags at me. The darkness deep within stings as if it’s begging to be released. I feel its desire to join George. I offer a quick side-glance to my friend.

  “George, run! You—”

  Something attacks me from behind. I cry out as I’m tumbling forward. My forehead smacks the cold, hard ground, and momentarily, I’m dazed.

  “You have to leave here. Take… Chad,” I say. I speak softly, and I worry George cannot hear me over the sounds of the forest.

  I roll onto my back and stare at the sky. The wolfsbane growing all around me tickles my bare skin, and the stars dance above me.

  “Keep him safe,” I whisper, a final plea to protect the only family I have left.

  A shadow figure hovers over me, blocking my view of the moonlit sky. I roll my head against the soft soil to try and get a better look at him. The feet beside me are large and hairy, the toenails caked with dirt. The sharp point of my attacker’s foot makes contact with my side. Instinctively, I roll away, tumbling until I’m far enough to stand again. I waver slightly, lightheaded from my fall. A glance over my shoulder tells me I’m alone. George heard my cries and retreated. I can only hope his magic will stand strong until he reaches the safety of Hillcrest town.

  With each step backward I take, my attacker’s long, lean legs make two more forward. Soon, we’re dancing. I’m dodging his attacks with extr
eme speed, and he’s laughing at my own feeble attempts to stop him.

  “Aren’t you the least bit curious why I can walk among these leeches?” the alpha wolf asks me as the wolves howl their approval from the field’s edge. He spits at the flowers growing and smashing the ones beneath his bare feet. His long, dark hair falls before his eyes, and he pushes it back with a hand before meeting my gaze. His golden eyes are ablaze with fury.

  “You’re their alpha,” I breathe. “I’m sure there’s all sorts of things you can do that they can’t.”

  “You do incredibly stupid things for being such a smart vampire.” He spits his words at me, as if the word vampire tasted bad.

  I ignore him as he tells me of his power, of the many wolves ready to strike the moment I leave the safety of the wolfsbane field. He’s right. I can only stay here for so long. Either I fight him, the strongest of the wolves, within its barrier, or I fight them, the dozens of wolves ready to feed, ready to avenge their fallen brethren.

  I can’t help but wonder how I got into this mess. The bonfire was absolutely not worth the hell George and I have been living since then. Next time I suggest to cut loose and party with humans, I hope George smacks me over the head.

  The alpha’s mouth curves into a menacing smile. I almost don’t see it—the dead giveaway that he’s preparing his attack—because his bushy, overgrown beard nearly hides his thin lips.

  He lunges, and jumping into the air, I land a perfect full twist layout. I avoid his sloppy attack and end up behind him. I leap into the air and plant both feet into his back, sending him lurching forward. I land less gracefully but recover quickly. I’m on my feet before he can even turn to face me.

  The wolves are loud, their howls, barks, and roars are likely heard by every neighboring town, but I ignore them, desperately trying to tune them out as I face their alpha.

  His back glistens with sweat, and the moon’s rays illuminate each of his scars. They twinkle under the light as tiny silver streaks against overly tanned skin. He’s nude, and I fight the urge to land a cheap shot. That would be easier, but I’m no coward.

  He turns abruptly to face me, and I can practically see his skin sizzling from anger. With narrowed eyes and jaw clenched, he runs at me with a newfound determination. I backflip through the air, enjoying my newly discovered gift for gymnastics.

  Just as my feet meet earth, I fall, and before he can realize what I’ve done, he’s already trampling over me. The moment his legs are on either side of my narrow frame, I slam my fists against his inner calves with such force I hear muscles tear. He falls to the ground, shrieking in agony.

  I jump to my feet and look down upon him with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. As a vampire, I may not be stronger than the alpha wolf, but I’m definitely more creative.

  I crouch beside him. A hand full of dark, wiry hair, I yank his head to the side to bare his neck. He meets my gaze, fear in his eyes as my fangs elongate. My stomach rumbles as I inhale his musky scent.

  He gasps. “It can’t be…” I loosen my grip slightly as I consider his admission. He jerks away and stumbles backward. I stand and take a few steps backward. One by one, the wolves cower under my gaze. Falling to their sides, they submit to my glare, lying on their backs, legs spread, noses to the ground.

  I swallow the knot in my throat and return my gaze to the alpha. He shakes under my presence. I frown. What the hell is going on? Internally, I’m laughing. I’m enjoying every second of their willing defeat, but in truth, I know it is not me who laughs. It’s the darkness within me. That thought makes my chest burn.

  I take the exit he’s offering me. I land a final blow to his chest, watching as he is flown backward through the air. He disappears into the forest. Though I cannot see him, I hear him assault the trunk of a faraway tree.

  I’m running. I leap over the few remaining wolves and dash through the forest. I don’t stop running until the sounds of wolves fall mute to my ears. By the time I finally stop, I’m in an unfamiliar part of Wolfsbane Forest. George and I have hiked many acres, but out of fear, we’ve never crossed the threshold of the forest that faces nearby towns. I’m sure that’s where I walk now—close to the college town and far from home.

  The slightest of stings sends shockwaves through my arm. I can feel the poison work its way through my veins even as I quickly work to remove it. I bring it before my eyes, expecting to find a dagger by the amount of pain spread through my veins, but instead, I witness a small, black dart.

  I spin in circles, sensing my surroundings. Just as I pick up the faintest of heartbeats, another dart penetrates my skin. This time, it lands squarely in my chest. I rip it out and stumble backward, trying to run.

  My feet are heavy, my legs weak. My arm aches where the original dart landed. I struggle to breathe, but I won’t risk resting.

  I’m running, yet my feet move so slowly I have to assume I’m dragging hundreds of pounds of weights behind me. I fall against a tree, and as I push myself off, I falter, tumbling to the ground.

  I crawl, digging my fingers into the ground. The dirt is packed tightly. The veins in my hands are black as the toxin works its way through my system. I can feel it everywhere—in my blood, my heart, my mind. I gasp for air, the noise escaping my mouth is a weak whimper.

  I struggle to turn over, but when I’m on my back, I stare up at the trees that tower over me. My eyes flutter shut, and I fight to reopen them. I have to wake up. I have to fight. I hear them approach. My eyelids are heavy as I open them. My attackers move quickly and in unison. If I wasn’t facing them now, I’d swear only one was approaching.

  The poison has hardened my muscles so that I’m paralyzed. Though this means the pain is gone, the overwhelming sense of dread that washes over me has not been muffled.

  I cannot move. I cannot speak. And when an unfamiliar face points a weapon at me, I can do nothing but plea with my eyes.

  The shot of a single dart echoes through the trees. Birds calling this forest home flutter away, squawking their fear. If only I had wings, I too could join them.

  My urge to fight is overtaken by the poison enveloping my world, and as I retreat into the shadows, I sense the presence of the evil that lingers within my own personal darkness.

  George

  Chad lies on the bed before me, his hands resting on the plush sheets. His skin is almost as pale as the white bedding around him. Only the tufts of dark hair across his chest and lower stomach stand out.

  I sit beside him, legs folded as I rub the wet muslin cloth across his forehead and wounded shoulder. His temperature spiked since returning home, and no matter how many charms or healing spells I throw at him, it’s hard to lower it.

  A werewolf scratch has a similar poison to a bite, except instead of causing death, it slows the healing response. Chad’s body tries to refuse my help; it’s as stubborn as he is.

  Regardless, each time I complete a healing spell, the slash across his chest seems to get smaller, and the redness decreases before my very eyes.

  I’m exhausted from using the darkness—or, rather, the darkness’s use of me. Even now, my limbs don’t feel like they belong to me. Chad tried to question me on what he saw, but I avoided his questions. He knows little of a witch’s power, so I explained the darkness is a perk of the Alcott bloodline.

  “Have you heard from her?” Chad breaks the silence, asking the same question for the third time since we got back. I peer to my phone, which rests on the bedside table, but the screen is still dark. I didn’t need to look at it to know she has not called or messaged. I haven’t heard the alert, but checking still makes me feel like I am doing something.

  “Not yet. But I’m sure she is fine. This is Savi we are talking about.”

  It is hard to believe my own words. Part of me knows she is still alive. I feel her like a tugging in my gut. Even the darkness, which has been considerably quiet since we left the woods, seems to agree.

  “If she is hurt, I will never ever forgive mysel
f. My one task was to look after her after our parents died, and I’ve failed multiple times. She is such a free spirit, and I let her be. Perhaps I should have limited her freedom. Maybe she wouldn’t have gotten into this mess if I had.”

  I dab the cloth on his head, swiping the sweat from his thick brows. “You know that would never work. Do you really think Savi would ever listen to you, or anyone else for that matter?”

  Chad shakes his head on the pillow. “She kills humans, and I let her. Part of me is scared to tell her to stop, because I know the urge. It’s our instincts. If my parents were here, they’d shun me for my lack of action…”

  “Chad, no.” I rest my hand on his cold shoulder. His muscles ripple under my touch, and my stomach jolts in response. “You mustn’t think like that. Ever. I know as well as Savi that you’re a good brother to her. All I have ever seen is you doing what you think is best for her. Your parents would be proud.”

  “I left her, surrounded by wolves, while she fought an alpha. How do I have her best interests at heart?”

  Chad is right. Saying it aloud makes it sound much more serious, but she told us to leave. If we would’ve stayed, we would be nothing but meat between hungry jaws. “You saw what I saw. She was winning against him. She’s stronger than you know. We need to stay positive.”

  He turns his head slowly to face me and opens his eyes. I catch my breath as his red gaze holds me prisoner.

  “Did you mean what you told me earlier?” he asks.

  “What?”

  “That you missed me?”

  “Yes. I did… do. I do,” I say, stumbling over my words.

  “Why?” His question is as innocent as it is brash. “Why would you miss me after what I did to you? You deserve better than me. You should know that.”

  “Don’t tell me what I deserve.”