IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy

Axel

“NOOOOO! STOP! DON’T HURT HIM!”

Before the words had even finished leaving her mouth, another pair of feet came charging up the stairs. Just behind her, a tall, muscular male appeared. His long dark hair was pulled back into a messy knot behind his head with pointy ears peeking out from underneath it.

The clothing he wore looked like something from another era. A black well-tailored jacket, embroidered with bright blue string forming intricate designs of shiny swirls and patterns accentuated his muscular form. It was paired with dark, navy-blue pants and leather-like armour covering his forearms, shoulders and the front part of his chest. His thick brows shot up and his warm brown eyes widened in surprize as he beheld me with the creature.

It all happened so fast.

I was still gaping at the strange man, when the creature pulled its nails out of my thigh and slammed it right back in, digging through a new set of muscle, tendons and arteries.

“Fuck!” I roared and tried to kick the filthy beast off. It clung to my leg like a parasite, and I slammed my fist into the side of its body with one well-placed, forceful blow.

The creature’s agonizing cries echoed off the walls, but was interrupted by the large male’s command, “STAND DOWN!” His voice boomed, muscles bulging and eyes wild with anger. Bright light danced around his fingertips as he took one threatening step closer to us.

I wasn’t sure who he was speaking to until the creature made a pained yelp noise and let go of my leg. It staggered a few feet away with a limp and then disappeared entirely.

Blood was pouring out of my leg and pooling onto the floor, but I kept staring at the spot where the creature had just disappeared from.

The redhead had her trembling hands clamped over her mouth as tears started running from her horrified gaze down her cheeks. The large male gently placed his calloused hands on her shoulders and moved her out of the way. He also stared at the spot where the creature had disappeared from and said in a deep, deadly voice, “you know the rules. If I find you here again, your life is over.”

After he spoke, the male turned towards me. His face was cold and almost unreadable as he surveyed the bloodied stone floor and the extent of my injuries.

“Pamela, link Gabrielle to come and take care of this.”

He spoke to the redhead but didn’t turn to face her. His eyes remained on me as he crouched down, resting his elbows lazily on his knees.

“Speak to no one about this,” he said, idly gesturing with his hand in the air.

A pregnant silence fell as he waited for me to react.

“Your feet are in my blood,” I replied through clenched teeth.

The male looked down briefly before flicking his eyes back up to my face. Worry lines had begun forming on his forehead, but as he opened his mouth to speak again, I cut him off.

“Who the hell are you?” I growled and stammered into an upright position. The male also stood up but didn’t move away.

To keep me from slumping back down, I held onto the wall for support while bright red blood kept oozing out of the puncture wounds in my thighs.

“Name’s Locke,” the male said, holding out his hand for me to shake.

I looked at his outstretched hand but made no move whatsoever to shake it.

“What was that? And where did it go?” I nodded to where the creature had disappeared from.

Locke glanced at the redhead whose name was apparently Pamela and asked her if she was ok.

She merely nodded, but I was on the verge of exploding. I needed answers and I needed them NOW.

“ANSWER ME!” I barked just as Gabrielle came running up the stairs in a short, black dress and high heels. Her loose, long hair had been curled at the ends, which fell perfectly over her exposed slender shoulders and bareback.

Usually, that sort of attire was exactly what I scanned for when entering a room, but now? Shit!

I had to force myself to look away with an uncomfortable lump already forming in my throat.

Turning my back on her, I pulled a hand through my hair in frustration, cursing under my breath.

Locke’s lips instantly curled up into a knowing grin. Prick.

Without waiting for anyone else to say a word, I started to limp-walk back into my room, leaving a trail of fresh blood behind.

I still wanted my answers, but it would have to wait for now. Being in the same space as her, dressed like THAT, would be a very bad decision. One I was certain I would regret, sooner rather than later.

Besides, I should probably be taking care of my injuries since they healed so slowly these days. Slamming the door shut behind me, and limping towards the bathroom, I heard her speaking to Locke and Pamela in the hallway. Without my wolf’s hearing, I couldn’t possibly make out what they were saying, and I didn’t care either.

As I gazed down at my blood-soaked, ruined pants, I felt an ounce of relief that Lily had thought to pack me that tiny red medical bag. It was the second time I truly needed it since coming here, and I couldn’t shake the thought from my mind that my twin probably knew me better than I knew myself, whether I wanted to admit it or not.

With a small smile, I pulled the little bag out of my drawer and started zipping it open with my sister’s bright smile still on my mind. She has always been that way. The caring one who looked after me even when I didn’t need her to. She was always there for me, yet, when she needed me, where was I?

I climbed into the bathtub with a heavy heart, the brief smile from seconds ago, a mere memory.

As I sat on the side of the tub, slowly peeling my pants off, I flinched as the heavy fabric scraped over the tender wounds. Cursing again, I left my boxers on and dug through the little bag for gauze and antiseptic while the bottom of the tub ran red.

My hands had started to tremble from the adrenalin working its way out of my system and I found it hard to grip the few items I needed without letting the rest of the contents tumble to the floor.

Her voice reached my ears before I had even pulled the plastic bottle with the clear brown liquid from the bag, and I watched helplessly as it fell to the floor, rolling along the shiny tiled surface until it halted against a sparkly, golden stiletto.