Hunted

Chapter 41

...Elizabeth...

"Aiden, show your filthy face!" I yell out into the pitch black darkness. I hate it when I can't see. It makes me feel panicked and claustrophobic.

"Oh, Princess Elizabeth, of course!" His voice cuts sharply through the air. I slowly circle around, my stake pointed ahead of me. My instincts mixed with my training have proved to be extremely useful in these dreams. The air wavers on my left and I spin to that side.

The blackness dims to a dark gray and Aiden reveals himself. He looks worse than last time if it's even possible. More skin is peeling off him and white bone shows under the skin that's still intact. My eyes widen in disgust.

"Shocked at how alive I look?" He snarls and walks closer to me, a limp in his right leg.

"If you think you'll be strong enough to attack the school, I suggest taking a five hour energy before you do." I can't resist it. My sarcasm makes an appearance.

"Very funny. I'm actually getting stronger, believe it or not." He scoffs.

"What do you mean?"

"You blood is killing me as it makes me stronger. Why do you think I'm coming at such a late date?" He says as if it's obvious. Darn. I was hoping as it killed him, it made him weaker. He doesn't seem to be in any pain either, which is really confusing.

"Why won't you just leave my dreams alone and go jump off a bridge or something? It seems a lot more useful to me." I growl and he smiles.

"You don't think that you've changed, but you've grown darker. I'm hoping I helped with that." He appears thoughtful. "You do seem the same though."

"Will you just leave me alone? You've already made my life terrible, so how 'bout you just rub in some other stuff while you're at it?" My friend, Sarcasm joins the party.

"Alright, if you insist." He shrugs, which flings a piece of skin off him. It takes all my gut to not throw up. "I've made a friend. Someone who goes to your school." Ouch. Great way to rub that salt in the wound.

"Who?"

"Now why would I tell you that? Now, this is a waste of my precious energy, so goodbye." The darkness conceals himself once again. "Saraphine!" He yells before his voice fades.

Saraphine? Who's that? Suddenly a bright shape jumps out of the darkness and pushes me to the ground. It's the same werewolf from the other dream, but without all the peeling skin! I try to push her off me, but her weight is too great for even me. She snarls in my face, digging her claws into my chest. You want to play with claws, puppy? Alright, let's play with claws...

I shift to my fox and claw at her neck. She squeals before she erupts in a ball of blinding light. Did I just kill her? Or did she disappear since I hurt her? The darkness continues to linger around me, not in a hurry to be anywhere else.

I open my eyes and stare dully ahead at Blaise's black back. Aiden really is coming after me, not that I had really any doubt, but now it just seems so real.

I carefully peel myself out of my covers without waking up my kitten and get dressed. Emilee isn't up yet, her chocolate hair actually messy for once. The air is stale with no new scents, and all the emotions are neutral. I prick my ears for any sound of life, but only breathing greets me. It's just so dead. And it's already five thirty.

I grab a book to read from one of my many stacks and start reading at my desk in the dark. The book that I picked is ironically Dracula. Ha. I swivel around in my chair as I wait for Emilee to wake up.