Chapter 1 - Rose and Wolf

“Momma come play with me!” I protested.

My mother only laughed as she patted my head trying to concentrate on her collage papers splayed out on the desk top. I huffed; she was supposed to play ball with me not study. Grabbing her white sleeve I pulled on it to get her attention.

“Momma.“ I whined.

“What my Little Rose?”

My name was Alice, my middle name was Rosemarie, but she always called me her Little Rose. Stretching my hands out to her she lifted me up onto her lap absentmindedly. Taking in a deep breath I smiled at the strong scent of sunflowers that clung to her chocolate brown hair. Resting my head on her shoulder I played with the ends of her hair.

Glancing over at her desk I saw her scribble dark lines on a blank piece of paper. They didn’t make any sense to me, just shapes not words. I was five but I hadn’t begun to learn to read, the scribbles meant nothing to me. Turning back to my mother I tugged on her white shirt again, whining the word play at her. Her face light up with a radiant smile as she sat me down on the floor again.

“You go play I have to work. Linda will watch you, sorry Little Rose.”

I jutted my lower lip out in a pout making her smile apologetically. She always had to leave to work at the hospital or work on her papers from collage. It took her away from me more then I liked but it was something she loved to do, I couldn’t pull her away from it. Turning back to the desk waves of brown hair fell into her face, covering her beautiful brown eyes.
I ran my fingers through my own hair. It was the same rich brown as my mothers, my eyes a slightly more golden chocolate then hers. But for all the similarities between us I was always told I looked more like my father. Rather she always told me I looked like him; I’d never had the opportunity to meet the man in person. Thinking about the stranger called father I glanced over at one of the many pictures of him that hung around the house.

The picture I looked at only showed him and my mother, I wasn’t even around yet according to Linda. The man whose arm was hung low around my mother’s waist smiled at me from behind the glass. Compared to her he was a giant, nearly two foot taller than my beautiful mother. Being so tall didn’t take away from his muscle though. He was buff, chest and arms sculpted under his plain grey shirt.

Combined with his raven dark hair and ocean blue eyes they looked striking together, beauty and the biker. I looked closer at his face. Defined cheek bones and a blocky jaw, that was what mom said I looked like. She said we had the same face and personality but I didn’t see myself in him. We could pass each other on the street and never think we were related.

“Go on my little pup.”

Turning away from the picture I smiled knowingly at my mother. She knew exactly what I wanted to play though she couldn’t come out with me. Bounding out of the room I concentrated on the feeling of the floor under my bare feet. How cold it felt against my skin. What it would feel like under my paws. Bursting out the door I barked at the open air excitedly.

Stepping down into the lush grass of our back yard I dug my nails into the soil. The feeling of the wind blowing through my fur was soothing. It’s been like this ever since I could remember, shifting from a little girl to that of a white wolf. Mother said it was because I was a special girl, a special werewolf, whatever that was. Pacing around the yard I hunted for my ball.

Naturally my eyes wondered over to the fence separating my yard from the neighbors. I frowned at the bordered up hole in the fence, memories of old Miss Garrison nearly fainting when she saw me shift clouded my mind. Snatching my ball from under the porch I chewed on it nervously. Mom never freaked out about my mysterious wolf form, but others did.

The only accident I ever remember happening was with Miss Garrison. It was winter, the third snow fall of December, kids were playing outside in the freshly fallen snow and I wanted to join them. But because I was so much younger they told me off. It made me mad I couldn't join them but I left. I didn't know at the time that my emotions were linked to the wolf, or my thoughts.

Being so put down by the older kids frustrated me. My beloved blue ball wounded up sailing over the fence and into Miss Garrison’s yard. It was also the one time my baby sitter Linda wasn't around to watch me. Desperate to get my ball back I crawled under the fence and right into a slush puddle. It chilled me to the bone, inadvertently making me shift into my wolf form.

Miss Garrison chose that moment to walk out into her yard with my ball. She started screaming words like ‘monster’ and ‘freak’. It scared me to think I was so frightening when all I had even been told was that my wolf form was cute and adorable. Naturally I fled back into the house. It was a lesson I learned the hard way, keep it a secret. Shaking the memory away I started stalking the tennis ball in the middle of the yard.

I hunted like that for awhile, alone, but soon got bored. This is no fun

. Huffing I went to the only tree we had, an old maple, and curled up under it for a nap. Maybe Linda would come out and play with me, maybe even mom if she finished her work. With thoughts of play and laughter in my mind I drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 2 - Blood

Distant footsteps drew me from the thick fog of sleep. Ears flicking forward I stretched my limbs out. Either Linda or mother had finally come out of the house which meant I could get back to playing. I wasn’t sure which of my guardians would greet me though; I was still cloaked in the fog of sleep, not really aware of who was walking towards me.

Before I could even open my eyes a wall of foul stench assailed my sensitive nose. I whined. Jerking away from the burning odor of salt and rust I blinked at the tears. It was so strong it was making my eyes water. Burying my nose under a paw I whimpered. Where was that horrible smell coming from? Even with the barrier of flesh covering my nose I could still smell the rust. A pair of black shoes stopped just in my line of sight, bringing a new wave of that retched odor with it.

Squinting up at the dark figure I growled then whined nervously. My baby sitter Linda was there, standing awkwardly in front of this stranger, but she wasn’t moving. The first thing I noticed was her normally shiny black hair flipped to one side in a mess of matted tangles. Body tense I looked closer at her face. Trickling from the corner of her mouth was a thick crimson liquid.

The wind rustled the leaves around me, forcing the smell down my throat. In that second two things clicked. One, that liquid covering the lower half of Linda’s body was blood. And two, that hole in her chest was where her heart use

to be. The fur on the back of my neck stood on end. Blood, so much blood

. Body trembling a small growl eased out from between my gaping jaws.

Linda dropped to the ground like a lifeless doll. Her body made a wet thumping sound when it landed; face down, in the grass. I felt numb, afraid. That smell of blood was so much more then it seemed. It was too strong to just be from Linda. It was too powerful to just be blood. I was smelling death, multiple deaths. Through the tears of pain and fear I saw the man move forward.

His face was blank but his eyes, his crimson

eyes, were mirrors of carnage and massacre. The hood of his black cloak fell back to reveal a head of neatly styled black spikes. His overall appearance was frightening but what scared me the most was the blood dripping from his claws. Despite his sinister appearance he walked toward me with a kind smile plastered on his face.

The faintest hint of sharp canines peeked out from under his lips. I wondered if he was a wolf like me, the sharp teeth being a trait. But he was different somehow. Life fled from him instead of gravitating to his presence like it did to me and my uncle. I wasn’t sure what he was but one thing was clear, he was a dangerous inhuman monster. Knowing this my mind became a mess of tangled thoughts.

Two hammered at my brain louder than the others. Did I attack him or flee and leave my mother behind? The idea tipped my undecided mind. A low growl emanated from deep in my chest as I tensed under his stare. My veins burned with adrenaline, vision tinting red at the edges as my instincts kicked in. I hated this man for hurting Linda, worse yet I was terrified that he had hurt my mother.

Lunging I aimed high, for his arm or shoulder. My teeth sunk into his upper arm. A burst of decayed flesh and cold riddled my throat. He didn’t just smell bad he tasted worse, living dead soaked in blood. Shivering I felt the chill of his lifelessness flow from his body over into my fur. It was cold, foreign, and very dead.

Glaring at me he raised a hand up so I could see it. Growling I chewed on his arm. His lips pulled back in a hiss. For a second the sight of his fangs startled me. They were so long and snake like I wasn’t sure if he was going to bite me or slap me with his raised hand. Suddenly, faster than I could see, he swatted me. The world went dark for a moment, my body disconnecting from itself.

Did he hit me?

Spots bubbling up in the darkness, my jaw slid open allowing me to collapse to the ground. I felt the world shift faster than I could comprehend. Before I could even make a sound everything went dark again. My body just shut down without even trying to fight back.

Chapter 3 - A Friends among Foes?

The scent of blood was thick in the confined space I woke up in. Darkness surrounded me, the rough feel of burlap rubbing against my fur. Was I in a potato bag or was it my imagination? Stretching I pushed against the sides. They gave but not much. My heart was beating loudly in my ears as I twisted in the bag. The thickness of the air was becoming an invisible wall smothering me.

Flexing my paw I slashed at the rough burlap. A small tare broke the over powering feeling claustrophobia. From the sliver of light fresh air filtered in. I stuck my nose over the rip, inhaling deeply. Heavy scents of wet bark and rotting foliage filled my nose. The familiar tingle of forest calmed me, cleared my head.

Even though the scent of forest was soothing to me I could smell a plethora of plants I didn’t recognize. This forest was something I had never experienced before. While I tried to sift out the scents I did know the bag shifted, throwing me out into the blinding light of the outside world. Curled into a ball I tumbled end over end in the air.

Suddenly my fall stopped, the endless space of air interrupted by the sharp strike of metal. I whined as the heavy thud rattled my body. It was so unexpected, the blood, the light, the feeling of cold steel under me. It made me feel helpless. Shivering I blinked at the bright reflection shining in my face. Two voices echoed around me, bouncing off walls and doors.

“Look at the mutt’s fur, are you sure it’s this one?”

“Yes I’m sure, it has blue eyes. We were told to catch the snow wolf with ice eyes. There isn’t any other werewolf with blue eyes and white fur, it has to be her.”

Blue eyes, white fur, their talking about me

. Forcing myself to look beyond the disorienting light I stared at the second figure. His voice was kinder then the first persons and just like the man at my house he was clad in a midnight black cloak. Shifting my paws under my contorted body I tried to stand, maybe to fight, maybe to try and escape, I wasn’t sure which I would be forced to do.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my neck and my face slammed into the metal tray I was standing on. I yelped but the pain continued to crush my neck. Panicked I howled at the ceiling, struggling with my feet to kick whatever was pinning me away. Then just as suddenly as it had come the thing was gone. Flying back I shoved myself against a wall, teeth bared defensively.

The two cloaked figures hissed at each other, the second smaller one was griping the first man’s arm tightly. Was that what had been trying to break my neck, the larger cloaked man? Jerking away the larger and obviously more violent of the two turned to me, still hissing like a snake. Upset the second man pushed his hood back to reveal his face.

Brown curls cascaded down from his head to rest just below his shoulders, framing his chiseled face. I fidgeted under his crimson stare. He was another inhuman creature. But like the man from my house he was different, different from me, different from the man. Instead of seeing pools of death and fear I saw a kindness that the man next to him lacked.

“We should kill it, after all what is another mutt to us but a pest.” The second man growled. I glanced over at him, keeping the curly haired one just in my line of sight. “This one has a reward on its head anyway. Besides that I don’t want it growing up to be a problem.”

Ranting about how much he wanted to end my life made me feel sick. How can someone be so evil?

Flicking his hood back my faceless kidnapper stepped forward. The second his sneering face drew away from the shadows I recognized him. A growl tore through my bared teeth. That face, those remorseless red eyes, the toxic scent of blood hanging around him.

The feeling to kill shook my body as the images of Linda laying dead on the ground and thoughts of my mother being just as injured crossed my numbed mind. Reflexively I lunged forward, roaring at him like a rabid dog. Before I could even get close to him he slapped me with that blinding speed he had. I flew back into the wall, shoulders first. My enraged growl cut off, replaced with a broken whimper as I slid down onto the tray.

Even as I flattened myself against the cold metal in submission my mind kept screaming one word over and over, murderer

. I wanted to fight, to hurt him, but my wolf knew when it was out classes. My body pressed itself lower and lower, trying to disappear from the man’s irritated glare. His hand twitched like he was going to hit me again.

Reflexively my eyes darted to the silent brunette. There was a disdainful glare on his face. Grabbing the aggressive mans arm once again they hissed at each other. It was like something bigger than a little argument was happening in the silence of their glares. I couldn’t comprehend it, their enraged eyes. What would make someone so angry?

“No,” the brunette growled. Releasing his comrade he turned to me,” it would be a good pet.”

Reaching out he started to touch me. I flinched away, remembering how painful my last three physical encounters with them had been. Hand dropping to his side he smiled sadly at me.

“What are you thinking Roan?”

Looking away from me the brunette stared at his friend. “Like I said Max, it would be a good pet.”

“A good pet for who exactly?”

“Me.”

Max scoffed at the brunette, Roan, then turned to me. A small displeased growl rumbled in his chest. Would they fight again? Jerking back Max loomed over my shaking body like a shadow. Eyes wide I stared at him. Don’t hurt me

. My thoughts of fear came across as a weak whimper.

Scoffing Max snatched my tail, dragging me off the tray. The sudden motion caused me to cry out in pain as my tail shot jolts of electricity up my spine. Swinging in the air I cried out in short pleading barks. It hurts, stop!

He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t let me go. Lips pulling back over my teeth I began to growl. If he won’t stop I’ll make him

. Chest tight I let the wolf take over once again.

Chapter 4 - Orphan

Legs trembling I glared at the raging vampire in front of me. His left hand was clutched to his chest, blood pouring down between his fingers. Baring his snake like fangs at me Max growled. I growled back instinctually. I was afraid of him but now I knew he wasn’t invincible and that small fact gave me some hope. With a hunk of his flesh in my mouth I flexed my jaw. Blood oozed down on my tongue making me want to hurl.

Max jerked like I’d hit him. “You stupid mutt.”

Growling he lunged for me, teeth bared, hands curved like claws. I tensed for the impact, unwilling to back down with my wolf on high alert. A loud clattering noise filled the dreary space of the room. My ears flicked forward curiously. Max was fuming, hands reaching between a set of bars like a caged animal as he roared.

It was like he couldn’t see the cell door between us, just me and the blood color the world was tinted in. Taking a step back my eyes wondered to the left. Leaning against the cell wall was Roan. His face was bland, an unpleasant smile pulling at his lips, one hand on the door holding it shut. When he saw me looking at him in disbelief he smiled, red eyes playful.

“You’ll never get it as a pet. Payton won’t let you if it’s dangerous!”

Pulling my gaze from the smug Roan I frowned at Max. He had finally stopped throwing himself against the cage door like a zombie and composed himself, somewhat. Hands balled at his sides Max took three long huffy breaths before he would meet Roan’s calm face.

“I always get what I want, and that was your fault.” Roan said darkly, motioning to what remained of Max’s hand.

“Just because you are Payton’s tracker.” Max hissed at him in annoyance.
“Exactly.” Roan said smugly.

Making an almost inaudible growl Max cursed at Roan. Turning on his heels Max stocked off stiffly, claws dragging along the wall. He was clearly unhappy Roan had defended me, and I wondered why he had. Eyes sliding back to the brunette I watched him stare at Max’s back. What ever he was thinking he kept to himself as he turned back to me. Squatting by the cage door he smiled kindly.

With the overpowering presence of Max gone I let the bloody piece of his hand drop to the floor. I coughed, tongue running against my teeth to try and get the taste of Max’s rustic blood off. Roan stared at me while I fought the urge not to tremble. Max was gone but Roan still remained. Without his friend here would he still show me kindness, or become a monster too? Gazes locked on each other I stared into his crimson eyes.

Will you help me

, I wondered. Again his hand lifted to touch me. A small growl escaped my bared teeth. Despite the safe feeling Roan gave off he was still one of those things that killed Linda, I just couldn’t trust him. He seemed to laugh at my reaction, hand still reaching through the bars. I growled louder, more defiant, but still he didn’t stop. His continued advances made my courage crumble.

Eyes closing tightly I kept growling at him, though it was weaker than before. My shoulders started to tremble under my own weight. I was too young to keep this adrenalin high going for much longer. Sooner, rather than later, I would collapse from exhaustion. Cool fingers pressed against my nose drawing my mind back to the present. There was a monster reaching for me and I had my eyes closed.

“Alice.” Staring at his blank expression I shivered under his cold touch. “Your name, your name is Alice Bell.” Mouth agape I felt my shoulders stiffen. Why do you know that? “I’ll get you out, Alice, I promise.”

And with that he pulled back and melted into the darkness around me. I was just too stunned to move. Out, I can get out? But why? He’s an enemy isn’t he?

My mind reeled as I tried to understand his meaning. He wanted me as a pet; he was going to get me out of here. But then why was he like Max, a monster that smelled like blood? Wasn’t that bad, evil in a way? But he was helping me, he couldn’t be evil.

I shook my head. There was no way I could keep up with something that complicated. Inside of me my wolf shifted, an intense feeling of dread pulling at my heart. Head bowed I felt the world crash down on me for a second. Swallowing hard I saw my mother’s face flash before my eyes. She was smiling, telling me it was ok. Breathing strangled I opened my mouth to cry out in heartache when a familiar scent drifted to me.

Eyes lifting to the small window in the cell I saw it, a sunflower growing out of the concrete. Was that even possible? Sunflowers were delicate not strong like trees. Yet there it was, a sunflower, growing out of the concrete window. Tears brimmed in my eyes. My mother smelled like sunflowers, did this mean she was really dead? Why else would there be a sunflower watching me from so far away, from so close to the sky.

Body trembling I stepped forward, towards the flower. Mother

. My legs buckled, collapsing under me before I could reach the wall. My face fell into the soft uneven comfort of an old mattress. Vision blurred with tears I rolled onto my side, pulling my legs under me tightly. An unearthly sense of loose crushed down on me. I was alone, no one left to look after me, everyone I loved was gone, had been taken, killed. I had been abandoned, orphaned.

Tears streaking down my fur I threw my head back and howled my despair to the world.

Chapter 5 - Restless

Pacing around in the confined space of the cell I huffed. I’d been confined in this dingy cage for days and it was making me edgy. I wasn’t really sure how many sun rises had passed since I was taken from my mother, but at least seven months had gone by when I stopped counting. My eyes lifted to the sun flower curled around the bars of the window.

It was so much larger then that small fragile looking plant I had first laid eyes upon on that horrifying night. Mother, are you crying for my return?

Head dropping I felt tears well in the corner of my eyes. If you’re still alive.

Clawing at the ground I shook my head. No I won’t think about that, she has to be alive. I’m getting out of here and I’m going back to her. She has to be there waiting for me.

I had to keep thinking she was alive otherwise I would lose all hope and reason to live. Pacing around the cage I shifted, pushing the ragged strands of hair back out of my face. My human body was also larger, different, and less fragile. But I was still young and feeble compared to Roan and Max. The very idea of Max being stronger than me made me shutter.

Since I had come here he had been trying to kill me. Even after Roan’s initial interest in me Max had continued to sneak down and attempt to harm me. But Roan was always there, in the shadows, protecting me. And when confronted Roan always told him the same thing.

“If you hurt her she will be useless as a tracker. Payton wants her alive. Kill her you go against him. I don’t think you want that, do you Max?”

I had no clue what a tracker, or who this Payton everyone seemed to be afraid of, was. Regardless that statement always stopped Max from advancing any further. Yet he would return a few nights later to try again. My fingers ran over the gashes in the stone I had made a week ago. Max had gotten into the cage, actually wounding me before Roan came.

I had gone mad, my wolf tearing at the walls with rage. It wanted to kill him, tear out his throat and bleed him dry like he had Linda. Those feelings of murder were so intense it scared me. I was almost as bad as he was; only I didn’t act on my thoughts. If I ever got to carried away with my feelings of rage I would look to the flower, remembering my mother. Or Roan would come.

After his last failed attempt at murder Max stopped coming, Roan didn’t. Whether it was to form a bond of trust or just to talk, he came. Every day around eight and three he would come. Small talk would be made; about the days events or his past, all one sided of course. While it was ever more apparent I could trust him I never let him see me as a human, always a wolf, always safe.

After a couple weeks of one sided conversations, and hours of waiting for a reply, Roan gave up trying to get me to answer him. He would still talk of course but he never asked my opinion of anything. When he had satisfied himself with idle chit chat he would feed me, smile, and walk off. Not once since I was thrown into this jail cell have I been let out.

It grated my nerves sometimes, restlessness setting in. But Roan continued to promise my release. I could only trust that he would set me free one day. Again my eyes traveled to the sun flower in the window. When ever I looked at it I saw my mothers smiling face, or had a memory come rushing back to me. Staring at the sun kissed petals an old memory began to float around in my mind.

It had been about a year since the accident with Miss Garrison. I was a crazy little wolf pup determined to go outside and play with the other kids. I’d convinced myself that if they didn’t see me shift I was ok. Either I was a wolf or a child, no switching. I chose wolf. One of the neighbor’s sons fainted when I ran across the street after his soccer ball. My attempt at socializing back fired, stones were thrown at me, more curse words and names tossed around.

Wolves didn’t live in cities; they certainly didn’t chase after children and live to tell about it. Thankfully my mother pulled the boys father away long enough for me to escape animal control. She flipped out but not the way I was expecting. Instead of lecturing me again she broke down and cried. She came so close to loosing me she didn’t know what to do. Are you crying over me now mother?

Tears began to roll down my cheeks as I thought of how heart broken my mother and Linda would be over me. Linda wont cry for me, she’s dead

. That thought brought more tears to my face. I began to sob, shoulders shaking as I tried not to let my cries of agony escape my lips. I would never get to see Linda’s crazy hair styles again. My mother would never pat my head affectionately as she worked on her papers.

Tilting my head back I cried, eyes focused on the sky. I stayed that way for a couple hours, crying as quietly as I could to the stars. When the tears dried out I wiped the snot from my face. There was nothing I could do, just wait and listen to my wolf. I would fight to survive but contently be submissive. Curling up on the bed I pushed in the corner I rested my head on the pillow.

Tomorrow Roan would come, he would talk, he would feed me, and I would wait for something to change.

Chapter 6 - Human, Wolf, or Other?

The door at the top of the stairs creaked. My eyes flew open, body tense as foot steps echoed down the stair way. Jumping up from the bed I balled my hands, heart racing in my chest. It could have been Roan bringing me food. My eyes drifted to the window, the sun was still down, too soon for Roan. Did that mean Max was back, had he not given up his quest for my death?

Concentrating I blocked the growing panic out, forcing my ears to ignore the heavy foot falls on the concrete steps. My body trembled, thoughts of the wolf running free through the forest filled me. The sensation of wind in my fur, claws digging into tree bark, teeth wrapping around the neck of a rabbit on hunts completed me. Skin stretched my bones molding into the smaller form of the wolf.

Shoulder joints popping out I stepped back, the bones in my face already knitting together into a muzzle. Fur spilled over my body as I went down on all fours, paws pressing to the cold stone floor. Blinking a couple seconds later my change finished. Fangs and claws replaced teeth and nails, ears had sifted from the sides to the top of my head, a tail swished behind me nervously. The light that surrounded my change disappeared leaving me alone in the cage once more.

Ears pivoting forward I listened intently on the footsteps. They had taken the stairs and crossed the floor already, a thin line of shadows keeping them hidden from me yet. I sniffed the air but all I could sense was blood, fresh blood. My ear flattened against my head, lips pulling back over my teeth in a defensive growl.

“Easy Alice, it’s just me.”

My ears flicked forward again, growl cutting off as his voice echoed around the room. Taking one step forward Roan let the moonlight bathe over his face. In the pale star light he looked dead, skin pale as snow stretched over his face. Maybe it was the crimson glow hinting around his eyes that made him look so pale, or maybe he was just a ghost. Smiling Roan showed me his fangs, thin and needle like under his lips.

Stepping closer I sat down next to the bars of the cage. There was something in his hands, it smelled of blood and meat. To my wolf it was intoxicating, but to me it was frightening. The last time I smelled blood like this Max had ripped out my baby sitter’s heart. Did Roan come to show me her heart, or was it my mothers? Fear prickled down my spine as he held his hand open, letting the bloodied object rest in his open palm for me to see.

My eyes fell from his face to his hand. At first I wasn’t sure what he was holding but then piece by piece I put the puzzle of flesh clumps together. It was a hand, or rather three fingers of a hand. One of the fingers twitched, reaching out towards me. Tensing I stepped away from the bars. I wasn’t sure what unnerved me the most, the fingers twitching in Roans hand, or my wolf craving a taste of the meat.

“Max.” My eyes rose from the twitching clumps. “He disobeyed Payton, this is his price. Alice its ok I’m not here to hurt you.”

The trembling in my shoulders lessened but my eyes couldn’t stop staring at the blood and meat. Closing his hand Roan dropped the fingers, blood running down his palms like a dripping faucet. I watched the grotesque things fall, the wet plopping sounds making me want to hurl. Something cold touched my nose, the pressure gentle and reassuring somehow.

“Alice.” Using his body to block the sight of the mangled hand Roan crouched in front of me. “Look at me Alice.”

I did. Fingers gliding along my jaw line Roan kept his gaze blank and calm. I let him run his hand over my ears, that unearthly cold flowing from his body into my fur. Hand gliding from my head to my neck he repeated the motion five more times before withdrawing from the cage. I felt a sense of calm wash over me. A smile played on his lips when I sat down abruptly at the cage door.

I huffed at his proud face, clearly he liked the fact that he could pet me. Eyes trained on each other I saw him stiffen as he sat down on the hard floor. I stayed seated while he crossed his legs and dropped his hands in his lap. This is new

. Normally after feeding me he would leave, but now he was staying.

“Do you know what I am Alice?”

I blinked, surprised by his question. Honestly I had no idea what he was. He wasn’t human, he had the features to prove that. Fangs like needles snapped in and out of his mouth like a snakes. Cold lifelessly pale skin stretched over his face and arms like a corpse. But by far the most inhuman thing was his eyes. The scent of blood that hung around him was always strongest when his eyes were red. And at its weakest his eyes were dark brown, normal in a way.

As I stared at the man sitting across from me I recalled the time my uncle Hennery visited. He was a wolf too, a werewolf he said. Looking at Roan now I couldn’t see anything that would make me think he was a wolf. He radiated blood, death, and cold where my uncle was nothing but warmth, love, and energy. Clearly he wasn’t a werewolf either. I was at a loose.

Staring at me Roan waited, sections of his body going still little by little. By the time I had organized my thoughts he was motionless, a marble statue staring at me, waiting for me to answer. Finally I shook my head, a yawn escaping before I could stop it. I didn’t know what he was. I didn’t think I wanted to know what he was. A smile broke the illusion, making the rest of him radiate with life that had leek from him earlier.

“Rest my pup, your questions will be answered next time you wake.”

He stood effortlessly, like someone had pulled him up with a set of strings. Nodding his approval of my shock he left, disappearing into the shadows. Another yawn overpowered me, sleep dragging me down till I couldn’t think clearly. I blinked at the burning in my eyes. Why ask me such a question then leave without answering it?

I snorted. He said next time I woke up I would have answers. I hopped he was right. Pacing back to the bed I dropped into an exhausted sleep. My eyes closed but my ears continued to flick around, listening for any sign of life. There was someone out there watching me, I could feel it, and they smelled like blood and axe.

Note

~~~~~ NOTE ~~~~~

Thank you for reading Blood Shadow. It is a work in progress so add me as a friend and I will send out updates as I go. Hopefully this will be an "add a chapter a day" or a week deal until it is finished. Please heart if you feel the story worthy so far.

- Verbayne


~~~~ New Note ~~~~

My flash drive took a dive last week. I was very unhappy to say the least. But after letting it rest for a couple days it decided to be good and let me write again, lol.

I added one chapter this time around, mom hasn't edited anything passed chapter one so there are probably a million issues. Bare with them please, my grammar and what not have never, ever, been my strong suit.

If you are reading this story for the second time, in other words having read the old version first, you will have noticed I changed a couple things and added a lot of extra snid bits. Her memories are new, just something to give her a background and life. And the sun flower, use to be birds just flying around outside. I prefer the sunflower, it means something to her.

And as always add me as a friend for updates ;D

- Verbayne


~~~~~ I like notes ~~~~

Two chapters in one day woho

-verbayne

Imprint

Text: Ideas and characters are original please do not steal
Images: Cover from Google
Editing: My loving mother LeeAnn
Publication Date: 09-15-2012

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