The First Touch

by Alice Sweet

  She put her hand to her head and felt the urge hit her hard and said, “I need something to eat. Please hurry I cannot hold it back much longer.” Utvic was at her side holding two large pitchers of blood instantly and looking concerned. Everyone stepped back watching the floating pitchers next to her. She looked at Utvic and waved them off telling him not to worry about them. Then she took the first one and guzzled it greedily, then took the second one and did the same.

  Afterwards she handed them both back and said softly, “Thank you Utvic.”

  He nodded and looked at the council who were staring at her bloody face and then at the pitchers floating away from her, dumbfounded. Autumn then stood again and smiled and snapping her fingers, finally released Helen from the wall Now freed she walked over to join the group, her expression masked. Autumn wiped her mouth with the back of her arm and smiled un-phased asking the group, “Who is next?”

  Helen stepped forward surprising herself and the others as well, Autumn smiled and said, “Do your worst Helen.” She nodded and came to the same conclusion that she had before; Helen’s pheromones had no effect on her. So in turn she activated all of the others to capture Autumn, and instead of kiss Drake, she was supposed to kiss Henry.

  She outsmarted her this time, and caught Helen quickly this time. Then she hit her in the face so hard that it crushed her skull in and she fell to the ground. As they all shook off the tightness in their muscles they saw Autumn holding Helen’s body. She was healing her within moments, reconstructing her face bit by bit until Helen gasped for breath. Helen, unlike the others could tell right away that she had been damaged. She shot up looking into a mirror that she pulled from her pocket as she asked, “Is my face alright?”

  Flanagan answered sarcastically, “You look great Helen.”

  Autumn winced at those words and then walked over and touched Flanagan’s face, “I am sorry. I should have been more thoughtful.” He smiled and winced and then she said, “Close your eyes and try to relax.” He nodded and complied, and Autumn closed her eyes as well. There was a sudden bright light coming from the skin on his face. Then she stepped back and Flanagan was whole once again.

  He smiled cheerfully, raising his eyebrow as he flirted shamelessly this time, “Thanks love, and I meant what I said earlier about that training.”

  Autumn blushed and waved him off asking, “Alright who’s next?”

  Galen nearly chirped his response, “I would love to try, my dear.”

  Autumn smiled and turned to Utvic who was now back at the door looking calm now, “Could I get another pitcher just in case, please?”

  Utvic nodded and left the stage quickly, then Autumn turned back to Galen who blinked and twitched, “Who were you talking to?”

  Autumn smiled, “My new friend.” Galen twisted his head as if he were going to argue but thought better and shrugged.

  Then he jumped into the air and flew around for a while until he felt confident enough to strike. She smiled as he took the first chunk from her flesh. Then she reached up and pulled that arm off. He squawked loudly and shot back down to hurt her and instead she held the arm for him to take back and he did then he roosted on top of the beam high above reattaching it. Autumn pulled in all of the available energy from the air around her and shot herself into the air. She landed with a powerful thud on the beam not ten feet from him.

  Galen let out a warning growl as he finished reattaching his arm. Then she saw a new glint in his eyes and Autumn asked, “You have been hiding something.” Galen nodded, he came running at her then, his teeth drawn and sunk them into her forearm. She immediately threw him over the ledge. He swooped back up as Autumn noticed that the limb went to sleep. She shook it at her side, as she felt it begin to travel up her arm to her chest. Her flame flared in her chest and managed to keep it at bay, but just barely.

  Then Galen took another swipe and knocking her from the ledge. She landed with a thud and let out a cry of pain. Then she turned her pain into a growl and pushed off of the ground swooping through the air just as Galen had. Her growl was near deafening as she wrapped her arm around his neck but not before he caught her again with his front teeth. Autumn hissed as her arm stopped working altogether now.

  The tables turned, as Galen now began to pursue her. She backed away as both of her arms lay helpless at her side. It was not how she planned this encounter. It hit her then, another urge to eat that pulled her strongly. She hissed and then let it turn into her natural reactive state, the place where no sound existed, just the moment the motions. Autumn let the cold begin to expand out from her mind, and travel down her body. Filling it with healing iciness, as she did, she kicked Galen square in the side of the head.

  He went flying sideways and she followed right behind him landing on his neck as his back hit the floor. Autumn let out a roar unlike any she had ever heard and lifted Galen’s upper body up off of the ground. Then she twisted her waist and her body fell backwards snapping his neck and jerked her legs, pulling his head clean from his body. The crowd behind her roared as the head came rolling across the stage. Autumn slowly stood as the feeling began to finally return to her arms and hands, now that he was dead, and flexed her hands for a moment.

  Henry meanwhile fetched his head, returning it to her, as she whispered, “Sorry about that,” to Galen, while she reconnected the head with her golden touch. Utvic was already be her side with another two pitchers and Autumn smiled at him and drank greedily.

  Then she said, “Thanks you’re a life saver.”

  “Perhaps if you weren’t so generous with your gift,” He urged.

  Then he motioned to Galen who was twitching and blinking and watching her closely. Autumn smiled, “I hurt him. I cannot very well leave him that way. Even allowing him to suffer for a moment longer than he had to would be cruel. I just don’t have that in me.”

  He nodded, “Very well I will keep them ready and waiting for you then.”

  Autumn smiled, “Thank you.”

  Utvic reached his hand out and pat her shoulder and then disappeared carrying the pitchers away with him again. Galen still sat still blinking, “I am not the only one with secrets.”

  She shrugged, “It’s not mine to tell.” Galen blinked and Autumn stood and offered her hand and he took it readily. Then she wiped the blood from her face with the back of her arm again, “So who will be next?”

  Flora raised her hand and then stepped forward smiling sweetly. The smile could not take the look of fear in her eyes, “I am just going to sing you a song.” You just have to try and resist it.”

  “I know.” Flora smiled again and began slowly just as before, and Autumn added politely, “A little louder love.” Flora opened her mouth wider and the sound increased until it was nearly painful.

  Just as before though the sound stopped, and Autumn smiled feeling calm and happy, then she said, “My turn.”

  Flora seemed alarmed but Autumn sang softly and smiled sweetly and she calmed instantly. It was almost too low for anyone but her to hear. The tune changed then and Flora nodded and walked over to her mate, reaching her hand up gently sliding it up past his chest ruffling his collar and she rubbed his face sweetly smiling. Then she pulled her hand back and smacked Henry hard across the face, sending blood flying from his mouth. Henry shot Autumn a sour look rubbing his jaw, she smiled teasingly back at him without missing a beat. Then she changed the tone again and Flora smiled up at Henry and then kissed him passionately.

  Autumn stopped singing then, and Henry finally pulled back and smiled at Flora ruefully and then remembering asked Flora, “Are you alright my heart?”

  Her smile widened, and she answered, “Yes, of course…” But then seeing the look of worry on his face she asked frowning, “Why?”

  Henry grinned announcing, “I will go next.”

  Autumn nodded her confirmation, as Flora frowned, “What did I miss?”

  Drake replied, twirling the rock in his hand again, “You lost.” Flora nodded and sat in her
chair looking at Helen who filled her in, whispering quickly. Flora nodded and looked at Autumn smiling when she heard the last bit. Autumn stepped back giving Henry room on the stage. Then she concentrated and told Flora, and only Flora in her head, “I am going to try and behead Henry. Please do not kill me, it will be reattached when we finish, promise.” Her eyes were wide but she nodded, understanding Autumn’s objective.

  Autumn turned back to Henry who suddenly looked even bigger than he had moments before. She twisted her head, asking, “Is it just me or did you just get bigger somehow?”

  Henry grinned, patting his chest, “You got that part right.”

  Autumn nodded bending her knees, and said, “Seven forty seven.”

  “Are you ready?” Autumn sat and closed her eyes, allowing her skin to grow cold as fast as she could allowing a larger portion than she felt comfortable as she nodded. Autumn pictured metamorphosing in to a massive stopping block at the end of a train track in her head, as a train came rushing towards her.

  Henry hit her with a force that she could not have ever imagined. The pain was more than she had felt in a long time. Instantly, she imagined every crack healing and then she stood looking around and saw Henry getting to his feet from the far side of the crowd. His chest and arm were bloody and dented but he rose to his feet quick enough. Then he walked back through the large skid mark of destruction that he had just created with his body.

  Autumn looked down at herself and saw that her body was fine not a scratch on her. But Henry was definitely powerful, as she thought it, her thirst spiked. Then she watched him walking towards her confidently, a new plan bubbling in his brain. Autumn’s skin went cold again and she said to herself, I am solid and he… bleeds. Then her hunger spiked at the word choice and Henry reached out and grabbed Autumn’s wrist.

  Then he tried pulling her arm from her body and she reacted instinctually. She reached down and bit his forearm. Henry sent her flying, and Autumn thought happily as she hit the wall behind her with her arm still attached.

  She licked her lips then and tasted the pure delectable power then and felt the darkness creeping out. Then she said to herself as she marched back towards the stage, “You can only drink after you take his head off.”

  She hissed at her own warning, what would a little taste hurt? She smiled darkly liking her new train of thought, jumping up on stage on all fours. In a blink, she leapt at him jumping up on to his shoulders and then shot up into the air behind him.

  As he turned to face him, she swiped at his eyes scooping them from their sockets blinding him temporarily. Then she landed on his back imagining herself as a growth, one that would cause him physical pain if he tried to remove it. Autumn smiled at that last bit. He would have to hurt himself to remove her. Then she felt her skin grow hot and her body fused to his back.

  Autumn bit down and began draining him, taking her almost five minutes until he dropped to the ground. He continued feebly to pull her loose and cried out in pain each time he did. To her surprise though, he continued trying long past any hope for victory, making her proud of him. Meanwhile, she was filled with images of Henry’s life and it wasn’t until the vision of Flora and Henry kissing for their first time did Autumn finally break the seal from his back jumping away from him.

  He began sitting up again, still looking dazed, that she pictured an axe in her hand and sliced through his neck easily. As it rolled and Flora was next to her holding it tears streaming down her cheeks, Autumn let Flora place it back on as she rubbed her hands together warming them and then placed them on Henry’s neck. It took slightly longer than it had taken the others to heal and she felt Flora’s worry coming off of her like waves.

  As Henry sat up slowly still looking very hurt and dazed, Autumn finally sliced her own wrist and placed it over his mouth. He drank heartily and when he opened his eyes they were clear and focused. He wiped his mouth and then looked back at Autumn his eyes dilating quickly.

  Autumn backed away holding up her hands, “Whoa boy, I won fair and square, I am not looking for a round two.” Henry stood and walked over towards Autumn his eyes still dilated though his face was blank. Then slid his hands out for a hug and broke into a huge grin. Autumn smiled back genuinely and wrapped her arms around him, and listened as he whispered, “You are the eye.”

  Autumn replied matter-of-factly, “Yes I know.”

  More

  Henry patted her on the head and said to the group, “Who wants to go next? Grayton, Serena, or Ivan.”

  Autumn frowned, “I would like to do Ivan last.” Henry nodded though he did not look at her, he was staring at his wife and smiling with big love in his eyes. She smiled, “How about Serena?” Serena smiled looking at Autumn with red eyes.

  “What is it Serena.”

  She frowned, “It is just you look so different.”

  Then Autumn frowned, “What do you mean?”

  Serena smacked her teeth, “No it is not the out side it’s the inside, you are changing.”

  Autumn nodded and replied, “Yes it has been a lot in a short amount of time.” Then it hit her with a flash of an image. It was so quick that Autumn thought that it was just her imagination. But then it happened again, as Serena began talking with her.

  The images were of Ivan and her kissing, he was laying his head in her lap while she cried. Then the image formed in her mind again only slightly different. Ivan’s mouth was bleeding and then suddenly she was crying while she held him. Then another image flashed, this one was her crying and Ivan dying in her arms while Mirth watched smiling. Then the next was Ivan dying and Autumn standing next to Mirth holding his hand smiling. Then there was another final flash entered her mind where just as Ivan is about to be killed Autumn faces Mirth with new eyes. Autumn decided that this was the route that she liked the most.

  Meanwhile, it was just general conversations, on the outside. They talked about the time she was missing and then their search for her and the third. Serena’s words towards the end were of sad regret for not being able to locate the third. Autumn nodded and her cold voice came out and said, “But she is here.” Serena seemed taken aback by the turn of conversation.

  “I smelt her on Mirth.”

  Serena seemed angry then her eyes squinting, “You smelt her on Mirth? When did you see Mirth?”

  Autumn shrugged, “When he came to my cell last night.”

  Serena asked more to the others than to Autumn, “Why was Mirth in your cell last night?”

  Grayton answered, “He brought her a pillow and blanket.”

  Autumn nodded in agreement, “Where he also broke my forearm…oh and the blanket he brought me was laced with some sort of disease or virus, because I awoke with a fever.”

  Autumn looked at Utvic who nodded and left the hall. Serena stood instantly, and hissing came from the crowd. Autumn did not seem phased by the skepticism, “The bed I was laying on should still have plenty still on it. Have a guard bring it up.” As she said it she watched as the female next to Mirth disappeared out the back door. Serena gestured with her hand and two guards left the room. Autumn looked back at Serena, “Anyways, the female that you were looking for is with Mirth’s clan, though I wouldn’t doubt that he lied about not having her.”

  Serena beckoned for him to come forward, a look of danger in her eyes. Grayton still stood behind her, smiling darkly. Mirth stood gracefully and made his way down the walkway slowly and calmly. Autumn watched him closely, as he even used the stair case, thinking to herself, he is stalling for time. He came before Serena and smiled sickeningly sweet, and Serena stepped closer and began sniffing him. She frowned and said, “I do not smell anyone but him.” Grayton came forward and smelled him as well and frowned and shook his head, still watching Mirth closely.

  Autumn squinted then, “He is sleeping with her, his sweat and hers, and a tinge of blood and paint.”

  Serena and Grayton looked at her surprised then, “How do you know that they are sleeping together?”

 
; She frowned, “The majority of the smell is coming from there.” And she pointed at his groin, Serena seemed a bit repulsed. Even Grayton seemed a bit discomforted by her words. Autumn said slightly frustrated, “Listen,” she pointed to Grayton, “You smell like you, Serena smells like her.”

  Then she walked towards Flora and said, “She smells like Flora and Henry.” Then she walked towards Galen and sniffed, “And he smells like Galen and two, no wait three females, the last two are twins.” They all looked at him and he shrugged and then nodded in response.

  Flanagan said jokingly, “You dog.” Galen shot him an angry look and Flanagan added, “You must tell me your secret.”

  He smiled then, “You would have to be good looking.”

  Flanagan looked as if he was going to jump up and Helen hissed, “Later.” Then Flanagan sat back looking like a punished school boy. Once Helen turned back Flanagan bit his thumb at her. Serena shot him a look and he shrugged. Helen continued to watch Mirth, while Galen smiled and shook his head. Serena returned her attention to Mirth. “She sounds like she knows her scents, Mirth?”

  He stood absolutely still and then answered, “I have had relations but it was not with a new female, I have been with her for some time.”

  Autumn interjected, “If by some time you mean three months then yes that would still be the missing vessel.” He did not seem phased by the turn of events but raised his eyebrow at her tone. Grayton instantly moved in front of Autumn blocking her from Mirth.

  Mirth smiled at that, “Good man.”

  Autumn hissed looking at the female who had returned, “I am not scared of you Mirth, you or your little pixy.” The female was standing back at the spot where he had been sitting before, glaring at Autumn. She saw the look in his eyes; a glazed guard and she smiled. Then she turned toward the female, “That is strange that he smells so strongly of passion and yet you follow him around like a dog.” Then she turned back towards Mirth pushing Grayton out of the way, even shrugging off Serena’s hand that reached out to pull her back. Then she added, looking at Mirth sliding her hand over his cold cheek. He finally looked at her with surprise now, “And you Mirth I would have guessed a man of your stature your handsome looks, well you could have just about your pick of the litter. Why would you pick such a scraggly looking one?”