Curse of the Moon Goddess

“Do you have a half-moon scar?” I asked, already preparing myself for the answer I wanted to hear.

“How did you…?”

She never got the chance to finish her sentence.

I blinked and she was gone. Glancing to my left, I saw a creature on top of her a hundred yards away. The creature looked human but reeked of metallic blood.

I prepared to launch at the beast when I was pinned to the ground by another creature. I could hear screaming and howling coming from inside the building. This wasn’t just a hunt. This was an ambush.

I fought my way from under the creature on me. The creature was aiming to bite my neck. My wolf, fed up and wanting to get to Natalia, roared. With the roar I released my true wolf.

In an instant, we were in our blood red coat with their matching blood red eyes. I ripped the arm off of the creature amazingly still on top of us. In a swift movement, we ripped their head off.

Glancing around, I was aggravated to notice there were three more of these monsters. Not wishing to waste any more precious time, my wolf and I tore through the other three. In less than I minute, I was tackling the final beast. But this one was different. He stopped to laugh when he saw me.

“Well, I didn’t expect to meet Alpha Richard himself here. It will be the greatest honor to kill you tonight,” he said, grinning madly in the moonlight. There was a soft blanket of snow falling around us covering the red from my handiwork.

I growled.

“Oh, what are we and how do we know you?” the guy was standing nonchalantly as if I was no more than a puppy, “You should know who we are. You killed my love, or mate as you monstrosities call them. I am simply repaying the favor.”

I stopped growling as the memory flashed through my mind of killing a female a few months back. She had come into my pack and was killing people left and right. She would act innocent, begging for shelter. The next, she was sucking the blood of everyone in the home, no matter their age. It was sickening to go to those homes. It took us a painfully long week to find her and put an end to her.

Vampire.

I had done countless research after the attacks started. I knew more about these creatures than they probably wanted me to. They are children of the dark side of the Moon Goddess. She created them in her anger at being left alone in the dark. While we were created during the Moon Goddess’ time of light. Since the Moon Goddess only spent one day a month in the darkness, she wasn’t able to create very many, and the light side of the Moon Goddess worked tirelessly to hide those dark children from the rest of the world.

I had never encountered one before as the light side of the Moon Goddess did exceptionally well at her job. But recently there have been more and more of them emerging from the shadows. It is thought to be because of advances in technology are providing them more shadows to hide in during the day. But I’d never met one until those few months ago. It wouldn’t be until a few years later, during my research, that I would come across the old man kind of crazy vampire who would teach me about the alpha command.

Understanding the situation and recalling the painful memories of burying my pack members, I released the most terrifying growl I had in me and launched.

We fought back and forth for several minutes, neither of us gaining ground on the other. Then, a miracle happened. There was an explosion from the house that caused the vampire to flinch from the heat. I didn’t hesitate and lunged for his throat.

I missed, but only barely. I managed to take a nice chunk out of his shoulder instead. He screamed in pain, grabbing at the empty hole.

I knew enough to recognize I had to act immediately. Since it was still dark, the vampire would be able to regenerate fairly quickly. I couldn’t let that happen.

I lunged again and again. With each lunge, I took another chunk out of the monster. He was wearing down and struggling to fight between the pain and my constant attacks.

Finally, the vampire tripped on a rock providing me full access to his head. In one bite, I ripped it clean off.

With this battle finished, I finally analyzed my condition. I was panting heavily and at some point, I injured my front leg and was now heavily limping. I didn’t have time to care though. I quickly shifted and ran over to Natalia who was gasping for air.

Upon reaching her, I could see several deep bite marks along her neck and collarbone. One in particular looked like the vampire had taken a literal bite out of her.

“Rich…” she started coughing and blood flew out.

“Shhh. It’s ok. You’ll be ok,” I whispered, trying to convince myself more than her. Not again. Please, don’t leave me again was all I could think about.

She gave a peaceful smile as she whispered, “It is. I remember. We will be together.”

She began rolling up her right sleeve. I tried to stop her as she shouldn’t be moving in her condition, but she simply brushed my efforts away.

Once it was a little above the elbow, I saw it. The half-moon scar. I rolled my sleeve up and held my wrist with my scar next to hers.

I’m sure she was in a dreadful amount of pain as she lifted her blood-covered left hand to my cheek. Tears I hadn’t realized were there flowed freely into her hand.

“I love you,” she whispered.

I kissed her forehead gently and whispered back, “I love you too.”

She smiled her sweet smile and breathed out, “I know.”

The breath never returned to her lungs.

I felt my heart shatter and my wolf break. We howled and cried to the crescent moon smiling wickedly upon our fate. The tears continued to come as I howled in anguish at the cruel punishment the Moon Goddess had bestowed upon us.

I snapped back to reality as tears began forming in my eyes at the painful memory. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve heard her say those words. Yet, they still echoed in my mind each time my head hits the pillow at night. How I longed to share that pillow with her!

“Why the sour face man? Jealous?” the guy named Adam was watching Lukas intently. I had to admit, Lukas did have a look on his face similar to that of someone smelling spoiled milk.

Sage pushed Adam away with a glare.

“Knock it off Adam,” then she added turning to the rest of us, “Adam is a good friend of mine too.”

Adam didn’t try to hide his scowl from us at the word ‘friend’. When Sage turned to face him again, his face miraculous transformed into a smile.

“Well,” Adam said, clapping his hands together, “why don’t we get this show on the road. Your aunt and uncle have been worried sick about you.”

Sage’s face immediately darkened.

Lizzy, seeing her friend’s expression, quickly interceded, “What he means to say is we have a camping trip to finish! We hardly got to spend any time with you since you wondered off and ended up falling into a pit.”

Sage glanced quickly in my direction and I shrugged. I had to tell them something so they wouldn’t get suspicious.

“You’re lucky those two hotties found you. Otherwise, who knows what could have happened! You could have been attacked by a wolf!” Lizzy continued her rant.

It took everything I had not to laugh at the irony of the comment. Looking around, I wasn’t the only one stifling a laugh.

“Why are you smirking? You like being called hottie that much?” Adam spat, glaring at me.

“Nah. Only when a pretty girl calls me that,” I joked, trying to ease the tension.

This earned me a punch in the arm by Venessa who I forgot was standing next to me and a cherry red Lizzy. Next time, I should make sure I’m out of reach of Venessa. She wasn’t strong, but she did know how to aim for nerves. My entire arm felt like dead weight now.

“Ouch,” I whined, rubbing my arm.

“What? Can’t take a little hit from a girl?” Adam taunted with a smirk.

I looked at him quizzically, trying to decide if it was worth starting a fight or if ignoring him would be worse.

I settled on a different alternative.

“At least I get hit on by them.”

The room erupted in unsuppressed roars of laughter. Lizzy and Sage were giggling while Venessa was trying hard not to laugh seeming as I just admitted girls hit on me, while Lukas and Ian were doubled over. I caught Lukas give me a glance of gratitude. Afterall, the guy had targeted him earlier.

Adam, beat red from anger and embarrassment, stormed up to me, grabbing me by the collar. I heard the room die as I’m sure everyone who was there were having flashbacks of what I’d done yesterday. They knew, but this guy didn’t, I wasn’t someone you messed with.

“You saying something?” Adam snarled, his face inches from mine.

I decided to test my luck a little further, “Yeah. I know I’m good-looking and all, but I’m not interested in guys. So, if you wouldn’t mind backing up a little. This is a bit too intimate for me.”

I’m sure a couple people smirked, but no one dared laugh. We were on a very thin rope that was starting to unravel.

“What?!” Adam literally yelled in my face.

“Dude get a breath mint! No wonder the chicks don’t dig you,” I retorted, unable to let the opportunity to embarrass this guy further pass up. He’d made Sage uncomfortable. It was time for some pay back.

“Why you little…” Adam brought his arm back, his hand balled in a white fist. I watched as it came flying towards my face, planning on stopping it right before he made contact.

He never got that close.