From The Ashes

Chapter Twenty-Five

"What the hell is a Fate Spinner?" Valen asked me. I took a deep breath. 

"I'll explain more in a moment. Let's light a fire, we need more light in here to stay safe."

Von and Valen jumped up and began gathering washed up wood that was dry enough to ignite. They piled it all up in the middle of our little circle, before pulling out a fire-starter and igniting it.

The flames burned low at first, before finally creeping over the old wood and licking up the dried branches. Soon, the cave was illuminated with a soft glow. They all turned back to me. 

"A Fate Spinner is a legendary creature that Aunt Maddie used to tell Artemis and I about when we were kids. It only exists within the borders of a supernatural pack like werewolves, vampires, and witches. Nobody knows why it doesn't venture into human territory, but it's been theorized that whatever it is in our veins, in our Earthly energies that separates us from the human population, is what feeds the lifeforce of a Fate Spinner. They can survive for years from one feed."

Artemis was staring into the fire, while Von held her close. Valen had his hands clenched together and was resting his chin on top of them. Aislinn shuddered. 

"Okay, but what exactly are they?" she asked me. 

"Spiders. Large, oily, black spiders that can't come into the light. It blinds them and will burn them to death. Their webs are thick, sticky, and extremely tough to break through. Once you get caught in one, any movement will send a shockwave up the strands and alert the Fate Spinner to your presence. It will come to you, wrap the web so tightly around you that your ribs collapse and puncture your lungs. You'll either die from suffocation, or from slowly drowning due to internal bleeding. If you manage to escape the web before that happens and the Fate Spinner sinks it's fangs into you, you will instantly be paralyzed. You will no longer have control over any part of your body, and it apparently hurts like hell. You'll be dragged back into the nest, and the Fate Spinner will have succeeded in it's hunt." 

The cave was silent as everyone took in what I had just told them. Aislinn could no longer control the shaking of her body, so I wrapped a comforting arm around her. She looked up to me and her face was pale. 

"Shouldn't we get out of here then?" 

"It wouldn't be wise to leave now. Here, we have a good source of light. Fate Spinners can only hunt at night, and they venture from the nest to do so. It's best we wait until sunrise to leave."

She turned her face to the fire. Artemis spoke up. 

"I wasn't sure I ever really believed Aunt Maddie when she told us about them as kids. It seemed like such a long shot that something like that could still exist." She chuckled.

"Makes me wonder what else she was right about."

My heart squeezed, but I smiled at my friend. She was mourning Aunt Maddie just as I was. She had been just as much apart of her childhood as mine. 

"What should we do about sleeping arrangements?" Von asked. 

"I think we should take turns. Three people sleep, two people keep watch. We only have a few more hours left until sunrise anyway, we can trade off at the halfway mark," Valen suggested. I beamed at my mate. He was always thinking quickly. 

Von nodded his head. "That works, who wants to take the first watch?" 

"You and I should," Artemis volunteered.

"I can identify it  if need be, and you'll be able to keep us all safe." She glanced at me.

"I'm fine with staying up for a few more hours, there are a couple of us here who really need some sleep." I rolled my eyes at her not-so-subtle comment, but agreed. 

Not long later, I was nestled in the crook of Valen's arm, huddled next to his muscular body for warmth.

Aislinn was sleeping closer to the fire covered in a small, woolen blanket. I leaned over and pressed a kiss to Valen's cheek. He blinked one eye open and looked at me.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he whispered. 

"I will be. Just wanted to make sure you had a goodnight kiss."

He smiled and turned to dip his mouth down to mine. I sighed in pleasure as he pulled away and tucked my head under his chin. 

"Goodnight, my little mate. Sweet dreams." 

"Goodnight," I whispered back, before falling fast asleep. 

***

The next morning I was being shaken awake by Valen. I sat up and rubbed my bleary eyes, before looking around.

Light was beginning to peak through the waterfall, and the fire had been snuffed out already. Aislinn, Artemis, and Von were sitting around the remaining ashes, chowing on their protein bars. I glared back up at Valen. 

"Why didn't you wake me up last night?"

He shrugged. 

"You needed the sleep. Aislinn and I handled it. Besides, nothing happened." He tossed me a protein bar and a water bottle. 

"Eat up, we have to head back to the safe house and let my father know. It'll be his decision what we do next." 

I unwrapped the bar and devoured it greedily, before bringing the water bottle to my lips and feeling the cool liquid run down my throat.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, then stood and packed the remainder of my stuff back into my bag. Everyone else did the same, and we all stripped down and shifted. Von and Artemis led the way out, then Aislinn, then Valen and I.

When we made it back to the shore line of the lake, I glanced back at the waterfall and shivered. 

It really was a great place for a hideout, but that Fate Spinner could cause some serious problems. Just as I was about to turn around, I heard a whisper blowing through the breeze once again.

I paused for a moment, while Valen and Von debated the best route home over mind-link. I strained my ears and listened. The voice was faint, but very familiar. A cold sweat broke out over my brow, and my hackles began to raise. Sienna, however, seemed calm. I listened again but I could only make out a single word. 

"Indigo," a breathy voice whispered.

I didn't have time to think about it, as Valen was standing in front me of with a concerned look on his face. 

"Are you alright?" I nodded my head. 

"I'm fine. Everything is fine. Let's just hurry and get back, okay?"

He gave me a skeptical look, but knew that this wasn't the time to push for answers. Von let out a small bark, and we all took off running.

My mind was spinning in circles the whole way back, as I tried to figure out why that voice was so familiar to me, and yet so frightening at the same time. It wasn't until we reached the entrance of the safe house a few hours later that it finally hit me. 

It was the same voice I had heard in my room in the middle of the night all those months ago. The one that had warned me that change was coming. I was dazed for moment, as I tried to process this information.

Was I hearing the Moon Goddess calling to me? Was the war that was just around the corner about more than just the DarkBlood pack and the Moonlight pack? I didn't have the answers to the questions in my head yet, but I knew one thing for sure. 

I was soon going to get them, whether I wanted to or not. 

Author's Note: 

Alright, we're building again! What could be happening that they don't realize? Do you think the voice is from the Moon Goddess trying to reach her, or do you think it's an outside force trying to lead her astray?

As always, please don't forget to vote and comment if you liked the chapter! 

Xoxo, 

CrimsynIris