Jagged Embrace

Chapter 13 - Maeve

Maeve held Will's hand and beamed. He wasn't comfortable with their walk. She cast her eyes to Ander. He was still in a bad mood, but the walk helped. She was not entirely sure what happened before she roped them into the excursion, but it stopped whatever argument they were about to have. It was hot, too warm for her jeans, but worth it. She had no clue it was so pretty at LOCATION. She'd always preferred being near the water, but now appreciated the expanse of trees.

The closer they became to where the monster was thought to be, the more alert Will became. He wouldn't allow them to head in that direction, but slowly, she got him to nudge a little closer here and there, depending on what she was looking at. Her most recent reason was the stream. They were walking alongside it because she wanted to see it.

"If I wasn't here, what would you do? Camp out and wait for it?" She asked Will as she stepped up on some rocks near the moving water. He held on to her as she got up and peered around.

"Yeah, probably. I didn't take you for the hiking type," he said, clearly exasperated.

"Well, you don't know everything about me. Maybe I like to hike," she told him with levity.

"You did not possess hiking boots or any other equipment that would suggest you enjoyed outdoor activities," Ander replied quietly.

She looked at Ander and tilted her head. "Is that why you went into my room? To see what I had? While Will studied everything else?"

Ander stared at the grass and shrugged.

She stepped down but lost her footing. Will caught her in his large arms. "I guess that proves I'm not an outdoor girl," she laughed. Will hadn't removed his arms from her. "But I do like it here. I can kinda see why people want to hike, just not when it's so hot."

"You will at least need proper footwear if you want to hike," Ander told the grass.

"We done with hiking today?" Will grinned.

"I guess, but only if you tell me what you'd do if I wasn't here."

"Why is that important? You're here," Will responded.

She ran her palms up to his biceps. "I don't know. I just feel like I make everything more difficult for you. You pretty much said that, but I don't want to. I want it to be like it is supposed to be."

"It is like it is supposed to be," he told her before he pressed his lips against hers. All the ambient noises of the forest drifted away and only left the sound of her own heart.

An explosion of bright white light pulled her out of the kiss. She hadn't even taken a breath before she was roughly pushed behind Will and Ander. Gunfire rang out as she put her hands over her ears and squinted her eyes. Her right arm was seized, and she was dragged down the trail they came. She whipped her head around and saw Ander tugging her. More bright light. It was so familiar. She yanked against Ander to stop him and shook her head.

"Just go. Go help Will. I'll go to the SUV - go!" she yelled, too loud because her ears still rung from the gunfire.

He hesitated for a heartbeat and then ran back up the slope. She continued down the path. She knew she should run, but she couldn't make herself do it. She balled her hands into fists. She was a normal, all logic dictated she should return to the SUV, and she was debating going back to them. No, she would not screw things up again. She would do what they wanted her to do.

Another flash of light caused her to pause. The angel in the parking lot, that was the light - it was the same. Angels? It was about her, it had to be. Her feet turned and started back up the hill. If it was about her, then she couldn't leave them there; they could die trying to protect her. The sun was low in the sky, which made the light appear even brighter.

Maeve only got about twenty feet when an odd creature burst out of the trees to her right. She froze. It couldn't be real. The monster was unlike anything she'd ever seen, not even in pictures. It was taller than a person, perhaps seven feet with wings, a broad head, with a wide mouth, flared nostrils, large sharp teeth and snakes for hair. She was also covered in scales and had no clothing of any type on. Maeve blinked. Snakes for hair? It circled Maeve and studied her.

"Are you here for him?" she asked Maeve. Her voice had an odd serpentine sound.

"No," Maeve replied. She didn't know what the creature was talking about, but was certain being there for someone else was not good.

"How did you find me?" she hissed.

Maeve tried not to stare at the dozens of snakes slithering and sliding on her head. Shots rang out from Maeve's left and struck the creature repeatedly in the chest, opening red holes in her scales. Maeve's hand flew to her mouth out of surprise. The creature jumped and flew up into the trees. Will and Ander charged into the clearing, both wounded. Before anyone could say a word, the creature swooped down and scooped Ander up from behind and tossed him against a tree.

"Don't look it in the eyes!" he called out just before he hit the tree.

Why couldn't they look in her eyes? Will fired more rounds into its back before she turned to face him. He snapped his eyes shut. The creature flew up toward the trees before swooping back directly on top of where Will stood.

"Will, above you!" Maeve called out.

Will fired his gun above him before she smacked him with one of her mighty arms and knocked him out of the clearing.

"Stop!" Maeve yelled at the creature without thinking. It landed in front of her.

"Are these his minions?" she spat at Maeve. Maeve shook her head no. "Do you no longer serve him?" There was a hint of hope in that monstrous voice.

"I do not serve him," Maeve replied confidently. Unsure why she was positive about it, but there was no doubt in her mind.

"I am mortal now because of him. I do not want to die, I only want to be left alone." The accent of the monster seemed familiar, but Maeve couldn't place it.

Maeve heard movement near Ander and fought the urge to make sure he was all right. "Leave them alone."

Warm blood shot out onto Maeve, sprayed her face, clothes, and hair. The creature's head flew forward and hit her chest before falling to the ground. She turned to the side and wretched. Once her stomach calmed, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"It wasn't doing anything anymore," she choked out.

Will stared at her, his chest moving up and down, the excitement from the kill still blazed in his eyes. "And now it won't do anything anymore," he said, and stomped over to Ander.