by Ruby Forrest
Chapter 16
As they drove into the forest, Mary-Ann felt a chill move up her spine. They were close, so close. She kept looking back over her shoulder and checking the mirrors. It was feeling too easy, like they should have been caught by now, could have been found. It made her shudder.
She didn’t know what was worse, the thought that they were hot on their tail, or the thought that they had already caught up and they were just biding their time.
Mary-Ann assumed that they didn’t know what the artifact was, only that Mary-Ann was carrying it around- otherwise, he could have just pulled it from her neck, and won the war right there and then. It was a logical explanation, but Mary-Ann wasn’t sure about it. Maybe they had figured it out now. She tucked the necklace into her shirt, putting her jacket on and doing her best to hide it. She didn’t want it being an obvious target to anyone who did manage to catch up with them.
Alister was on edge too as he drove them deeper into the forest. They moved slowly and deeply along the bumpy track. It was clearly not designed for cars, but Alister didn’t seem to care and Mary-Ann could understand why. After all, if they made it all the way into the forest with a car, then they were much more protected than if they were just walking. The car could move faster and it shielded them from view, shielded them from being grabbed or hurt. The attackers would have to break into the car and Mary-Ann wasn’t sure that Alister would let that happen. He seemed to alert for that.
“How much further?” Mary-Ann whispered. Somehow, loud voices didn’t feel right at this moment.
Alister shrugged, “Not far, and then we’ll have to get out. We need to make sure that we don’t announce ourselves. Besides that…I doubt there’s any paths that are wide enough for a car.”
Mary-Ann nodded and fiddled with her shirt again, making sure that the necklace stayed tucked in. She glanced around and was startled to see that, although the night was getting darker and darker through the trees, the forest itself was absolutely awash with the light of the full moon.
There were plenty of shadows dancing around them, plenty of places to hide, but Mary-Ann was relieved that she could see okay now. It was more unnerving not being able to see anything. He eyes could only adjust so much to the darkness, before she found that she just couldn’t see much anymore.
They continued along this way for what felt like another hour. Then Alister pulled over, into the shade of a few trees, and turned the car off. For a moment, they both sat, almost holding their breath. They listened, listened very carefully, for the snap of a twig, a rustle of movement, a voice, a shift in the shadows.
Neither of them moved. Mary-Ann knew that, if someone had been following them, it would be a good idea to time their attack for when Alister and Mary-Ann stepped out of the car. Alister seemed to be thinking along the same lines and he was listening out, listening very carefully for the faintest move, the lightest touch.
A few moments later, his shoulders relaxed, just a little and he shook his head. He stepped out of the car and walked to Mary-Ann’s side, opening up her door. They both stood like that, in the forest, just listening.
Moonlight was streaming in around them and Alister shifted, just slightly, to take her hand in his own. He squeezed it softly and Mary-Ann felt courage flood her system. He nodded in reassurance and Mary-Ann relaxed a little bit.
So no ambush was waiting, not just yet anyway. They would still have to be careful and an attack was still likely, but at least they hadn’t been jumped already. Mary-Ann didn’t know if she felt relieved, or more worried.
With quiet steps, they began walking through the forest, making their way down the curves of the track, through the trees that grew closer and closer together, through the twisting moonlight.
Neither of them said a word. Mary-Ann was very aware of every single sound that she made. She was smaller than Alister, and she was talking great care not to make a sound, but she couldn’t avoid it completely. Every rustle of leaves under her shoes made her conscious.
Alister never insulted her for this, never told her to stop, or to be quiet. He just squeezed her hand in encouragement as they continued on. Alister, on the other hand, never made a single sound. He was like a shadow, moving through the night. His dark clothes helped him blend into the forest, and his feet never made a single sound on the ground. He was such a big man that Mary-Ann had expected it, expected some sort of noise, but there was nothing. Mary-Ann could only assume that it had something to do with the moon, something to do with the change that she had seen him make before.
His steps were lighter than a wolf, lighter than the smallest animal. The perfect predator, and impossible prey. He was on edge, and alert. As they moved through and the trees grew closer together, Alister pointed something out to Mary-Ann. If she squinted and looked very carefully through the trees, she could see a spot where the moonlight was brightest, could see what she could only assume to be the glade itself.
Alister nodded in response to her questioning stare and Mary-Ann felt excitement flutter through her stomach. They were so close! Maybe they would make it after all!
All at once, she felt Alister’s hand on her body, grabbing her arm and throwing her into the dirt. She hit the ground with a thud, biting her lip to stop herself from calling out. She turned, but she didn’t get time to speak.
The sound of a snarling wolf filled the air and Mary-Ann’s eyes widened at the sight. They were no longer alone. Where Mary-Ann had been standing seconds before was a massive wolf, his jaws snapping shut in an almighty bite.
If Alister hadn’t pushed her out of the way… Mary-Ann felt a shudder move through her. She’d be finished. When the wolf turned his yellow eyes on her, Mary-Ann felt a pang of dread.
They’d been found.
Chapter 17
The wolf was massive, with fur that seemed scraggly and matted. His huge paws bit into the dirt, and his eyes shone like a cloudy moon. His fangs were massive, huge, dripping things, as he pulled back his lips and snarled at her. He took a step forward. Mary-Ann felt frozen by fear, frozen by the sight of him.
“Mary-Ann, run!” It was Alister, his voice cutting through the fog and the panic. Mary-Ann scooted back, scrambling to her feet. The wolf snarled and lunged, but Alister got in first. He jumped, wrapping his arms around the wolf’s neck, grabbing it hard and tackling it to the ground.
“Go!” He yelled and Mary-Ann could hear the strain in his voice. She stumbled back. Before she turned, she saw the scene in front of her change. Two wolves now went at each other, biting and snarling and sinking fangs into fur and flesh.
Alister had given her an opening. She had to take it. She turned and sprinted through the forest, hearing the sound of the fight behind her. She gasped, trying to draw breath as she ran, sprinting as fast as she could through the forest. The wind was rushing past her, her hair streaming out behind her. It tangled in the trees and bushes, but she pushed them out of the way and just kept going, kept running and running and running. She could see the clearing ahead of her, getting closer and closer. It was almost within her reach.
She finally reached it, stumbling through the trees, almost falling to her knees. The clearing was stunning. It was a huge open area in the middle of the forest, with nothing but the sky above, the moon shining and glowing above them like a beacon. In the middle was a huge, flat stone. Mary-Ann wasn’t close enough to make out more, but everything about this area felt sacred, felt right. She had come to the right place. She had found the clearing and she was so close to ending all of this.
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, hear the thud and the heaviness of her breathing. She was shaking all over but Mary-Ann knew that she couldn’t stop now. It wasn’t until she got closer to the stone that she felt her heart sink.
There, at the base of the stone, was a wolf. This one had fur that was silky and long, a deep black color. He rose to his feet as Mary-Ann approached. He didn’t snarl, didn’t fight. He simply began to
walk towards her.
Mary-Ann stared in horror, backing away slowly. As she watched, he transformed before her very eyes, slowly turning into a man, a man in a deep black suit, with hair the color of silver. He was calm, too calm. He held out his hand and smiled, “Give it to me, please.”
He was polite and it caught her off guard, but Mary-Ann knew instantly that he was not her ally. There was a coldness in his eyes, a deadness that left Mary-Ann shaky. He wasn’t here to help her. He was working with the wolf who was fighting Alister.
Mary-Ann shook her head.
“No?” He smirked, eyes burning, “Why not?”
“I’m going to end this.” Mary-Ann didn’t know where those words came from, but she meant them. She meant them with every fiber of her being. She was going to end this.
“I want to end this too.” His voice was soft and smooth, “Give the artifact to me and I’ll end everything. I will not have my men follow you anymore. You can live in peace.” He smiled again, “After all, this really is none of your business.”
Mary-Ann felt the anger bubble up inside of her. She realized that she needed to end this fast, as fast as she could and to do that, she would have to risk everything.
“Will you let Alister go?” Her voice was shaky, even to her own ears.
“Yes, of course. We won’t need him anymore…”
Mary-Ann took a step forward and then another, approaching him. He was smirking, the light of triumph fluttering in his eyes. He was confident, confident that he was about to win this. Mary-Ann moved closer and closer, approaching him until they were almost touching. The stone was only a few steps away. She took another step forward…
And lunged to the left. She swept past him, her hand flying to her necklace, tearing it off, the chain snapping as she ran. She heard a snarl of range behind her and an almighty roar. Mary-Ann didn’t look back, didn’t stop, didn’t hesitate. She was so close. She reached her hand out, closing in on the stone, her eyes falling on the hole, the space. Teeth ripped at her jacket. She fell forward.
Her hand kept reaching even as she hit the dirt. The necklace flew from her hands, tumbled in space.
And slid straight into the hole. The man behind her howled, an awful sound that was inhuman, horrific and nothing like anything she had ever heard before. The rage inside of him was bubbling over, bubbling over and Mary-Ann realized, with a start, that even though she’d finished this, he was about to end her life.
Petty revenge, but she knew that he would take it and she was the one who had ruined his plans. He lunged and Mary-Ann lifted her arms to cover her face, biting back a scream, waiting for the pain that never came.
Instead, an almighty growl broke through the night and when she opened her eyes, Alister was there. She recognized him between the two wolves, his coat shining, although, she noted with alarm, it was stained with blood.
She gasped, her breathing ragged and heavy as she watched the fight. Alister fought fiercely and the other wolf…he was furious beyond reason, beyond clever words and escape. They were fighting to the death. The thought jolted Mary-Ann and left her feeling cold. The death. Alister!
When the other wolf leapt at Alister, Mary-Ann felt her heart stop. He jumped on him, claws sinking into Alister’ fur, pinning Alister to the ground. Then he bit him.
Mary-Ann screamed. The bite was brutal, more brutal than anything she had seen. His massive fangs sunk straight into Alister’s flesh, damaging and horrible. Alister howled. Mary-Ann started running towards them. She didn’t know what else to do. It was like a movie in slow motion.
Before she could get there, Alister shifted, dislodging his attacker and turning on him. Mary-Ann couldn’t see what was happening, but she heard the crack. It echoed through the air and made her sick. She couldn’t find it in herself to stop running towards them.
Alister turned and their eyes met. In an instant, he was transformed. He barely stood for a moment, before he collapsed to the ground.
“Alister!” She screamed. The other wolf lay to one side. Mary-Ann knew, without a doubt, that he was dead. She didn’t care. She only cared about Alister, collapsed on the ground, blood starting to pool on the ground around him.
She dropped to her knees beside him, feeling the panic build in her heart. It looked like such a bad wound, his clothing torn to shreds, his skin even worse. She held back a sob, her chest starting to ache with pain and desperation. She pulled off her jacket and held it against him to stem the bleeding, unable to stop her eyes from tearing up. She shuddered softly. Did she call the ambulance? Would they help? Where was his phone?
“Alister, hang on…” She whispered as she searched. Nothing. She couldn’t find a phone. She looked around desperately, but they were out in the middle of nowhere. No one to call for help. In a panic, she grabbed him and did the only thing she could think of.
It wasn’t rational, it wasn’t smart, it was pure terror as she pulled him to the stone. Maybe, just maybe…he had said it was special. Maybe it could help him, maybe it could heal him.
The moment he touched the stone, Alister was gasping, pushing himself up and looking around, dazed, eyes wide like he’d just received a shock, a jolt straight to the heart. He ran his hands down his body, patting where the wound used to be.
He turned his confused eyes to Mary-Ann, then to the stone and back to her. Awe flooded his gaze, “It’s….you did it!”
He pulled her in and Mary-Ann fell against his chest, “Mary-Ann you did it!”
He was laughing and holding her and Mary-Ann had never felt so confused or so relieved in her entire life.
“You put the artifact in, didn’t you?” He touched the stone, beaming. Mary-Ann just nodded, “It’s got its life back. It’s healing, its divinity, everything…” He looked up, “This stone is the life of my kind, the center of peace. You fixed it.” He held her tight in his arms and Mary-Ann embraced him, feeling the relief flood through her, the happiness bubbled up inside her.
He was alive! He was alive and here and holding her. Everything was okay now, everything was fixed and Mary-Ann had never felt so alive. Alister pressed his lips to hers, kissing her hard as his hands cupped her face, “Thank you.” He whispered.
“Alister…” She held him tight, beneath the moonlight, his hands in her hair.
“Mary-Ann, I love you.” He whispered. The words were sudden, sudden and quiet and heavy with emotion. Mary-Ann felt joy rising up inside of her. Everything she had been feeling was true. Every hope and dream she had was coming true. He loved her. He loved her and she loved him.
She would no longer be hunted and he would no longer have to watch his loved ones die.
“I love you too.” The words tumbled out of her like a whisper and she held him tightly, clinging to him, her fingers grabbing at his leather jacket.
They were together now. They loved each other and everything was going to be okay.
Mary-Ann looked up at the stars and felt her heart swell with joy. She didn’t have to do it alone anymore, because she knew in her heart of hearts, Alister would never leave her side.
Her star. Her everything.
THE END
Dragon Protector
Chapter 1
Janet was sitting in a large office, staring out across the skyline. The office was at the top of the building, grand and sprawling. There were leather chairs dotted around the room, artwork hanging off the walls and a sleek desk in the middle of the room.
Janet had turned away from all of that, so that she could, instead, look out of the window and enjoy the view, take it all in and think. She wasn’t in a happy mood, not particularly, but the sting of grief had lessened, at least a little bit.
This had been her father’s office, and she found herself sitting in it now, feeling unbearably alone. She sighed, the sound heavy and far too loud in the silence of the room. This had been her father’s desk, his chair. This was where he had worked hard to build the company up from scratch, th
is was where he had sat and discussed the world and the changes that he was making in it. This room held her father’s presence. His ghost.
Janet turned and rubbed at her eyes, feeling a dull ache in her chest. Janet had never truly known her father, had never truly known him as a person, or as a figure present in her life. He worked hard to run the company, worked hard to give Janet and her mother a great life, a life where they did not have to struggle. He worked deeply at this every single day of his life.
He stayed late at the office and often worked weekends. He worked hard, and Janet could never be angry at him for that. Still, it left a dull sort of ache, a hole where intense grief should be. She didn’t know how to mourn him, how to mourn a man who she loved, and yet barely knew, in every sense of the word.
He had been a good father and she held no ill will towards him, but at the same time, she didn’t know how to miss him, how to feel his absence like a hole in her chest. He had never really been around enough for Janet to learn about him, to learn what he liked, what he enjoyed, what made him tick. She didn’t know what he liked, didn’t know what he enjoyed, and didn’t know why he was so driven to work and work and work. She had barely known him, when it came down to it and the thought sent a dull sort of ache through Janet, a twinge of pain in her chest.
She wished that she felt more pain and sorrow, wished that she felt his loss more keenly. Still, she was saddened by his loss, she felt the pain of everything in her life changing, everything shifting, the grief that piled and pooled around her, driven by people who knew him better than she ever could.
Janet sighed and looked out of the window. And then there was the added responsibilities that were being heaped on Janet, the added things that she had to focus on, had to think about, had to plan for and sort and do her best to make sure she had a good grip on.