The Witch's Mates

Chapter Six

As soon as the thought hits me, I am running. Running towards the sound, without even considering why there would be a baby out here, in the middle of the forest. It's as if my body has a mind of its own, my instincts kicking in. Urging me to go toward the sound.

I run for a few moments, the crying getting louder and louder as I get closer.

Then finally, I break through a thick patch of trees and into a clearing. And there, in the center of the clearing, there is a baby. She is laying on a pretty white blanket, tightly swaddled in another blanket.

I glance around the clearing quickly, and when I see no one else around I whisper the spell that will release my cloaking. I don't want to scare the baby by approaching her while still cloaked.

"Gratias tibi. Te dimittam."

As soon as I feel the spell lift off of me, I start walking toward the baby. She is still crying, but when she spots me approaching, she quiets down.

I smile at her and say, "Hello baby. What are you doing out here all on your own?"

I am about ten feet from her when I hear a voice shouting from across the clearing. I look up and Everett is there, standing between two trees, with a look of horror on his face.

"Willow, stop! Don't get any closer to it!" He shouts to me as he takes a couple of cautious steps toward us.

I'm confused and feel a little dazed. Why wouldn't he want me to help this poor defenseless baby? And why did he call her 'it'? She's a girl. I don't know how I know that though. I just do.

I look down at her again and see that she has wiggled her hand free from her blanket and is reaching it out toward me. This brings a smile to my face, and I reach my hand out as I take another step closer to her, feeling like I am in a trance that is pulling me toward her.

As soon as I do though, the look on her little face changes. She looks angry. Suddenly she starts growing, getting bigger right before my eyes. The blanket falls away and she stands up, a full foot taller than me now. Her face has changed too, becoming more angular. And her eyes are black now. When she opens her mouth, I can see that her teeth all end in sharp points.

I can hear more voices now. They are all shouting, but I can't understand what they are saying. I hear feet pounding on the ground and getting closer to me as well. But it's too late.

The creature pounces on me with lightning-fast speed. Before I can react, or even flinch back, it is on me. Grabbing my arms to pin me in place. I feel a sharp burning pain in my left shoulder, I can feel flesh tearing and I realize the creature is biting me.

As soon as I make this realization, the creature is ripped away from me. I feel myself falling back, but something catches me just before I hit the ground.

My limp body is lifted into someone's arms. And I can hear a voice speaking.

"Here, take her bag for me."

My body is jostled around a bit while my duffel bag is removed from my uninjured right shoulder. The movement causes sharp pains to radiate out from the wound on my left shoulder, traveling throughout my body. I let out a small whimper of pain and have to fight the darkness that is threatening to consume me.

"I'm sorry, Willow. I know it hurts. Once we get you back to the house, we can help you."

I finally recognize the voice as belonging to Keaton, and I am able to get my eyes to focus enough to see his face hovering just above mine. He is running now, with me in his arms.

As we make it out of the clearing and back into the trees an ear-piercing shriek breaks through the relative silence of the night.

I try to glance over Keaton's shoulder to see what is happening. But Aizen is there, blocking my view.