A Love Soaked In Blood

chapter 7

It's three hours before midnight.
I double check my knives, all are sheathed and concealed. Good.
I've spent the last two days sharpening my knife skills with Elias, and I'm satisfied with the results.
I think slamming my knee in his face is now my new favorite thing to do.
We are standing some miles away from the borders, the wind is blowing in the trees with a loud rustle. I can hear humans' voices from here.
"Remember Sylvia" father says to me "don't attack unless to defend yourself, the most important element here is to keep your profile low understand?"
I nod.
"Look for Agatha, I asked her to help you"
Another nod, I guess this is the arrangements father mentioned before.
Agatha is my mother's sister. I met her several times when I was a kid, she used to come to the forest during the day when mother and I sneaked out from the castle to it. It was like some kind of a picnic and I was always looking forward to it.
She stopped coming a week before my mother's death.
I'm a bit skeptical, is she really willing to help?
I can't deny that I'm nervous. Our survival depends on this.
Father suddenly wraps his arms around me in a hug "make it back safe" he whispers.
I nod against his chest, catching sight of Elias in my peripheral vision and he looks...sad, there is a gloom in his eyes. No, I can't be emotional now, not now, but father's hug isn't doing me much favor.
He pulls away and smiles at me, then bids us a good-bye as Elias and I walk deeper to the borders.
~♥~
"So here is the plan" I whisper to Elias as I tug myself lower in the bushes we are hiding in, staring at the two humans who are standing some miles ahead of us "transform your hand and scratch us both--"
"Excuse me?" He cuts me
I ignore him and keep going "make sure it looks obvious that it's done by a werewolf"
"Why on earth would I do that?"
"You would've known if you stopped interrupting me and listened!" I whisper shout "we will pretend that we got separated from our group, got attacked and ran all the way here, throwing ourselves in front of these two" I glare at him "once we get to the humans' area heal your wound very very slowly, for now let it bleed"
"Easy for you I'm sure" he sneers.
"A wound being healed in a couple of hours will be too suspicious" I shrug "stay away from my sleeves so you don't cut the sheaths there, you also pay attention to that matter when you scratch yourself"
"And you're sure there will be a group? So we don't get caught lying?"
"Yes, they go on troupes every night"
"That's a terrible plan" he argues
"Do you have a better one?" I challenge
"No, let's get done with it" he stands up and backs away, transforming his hand to a one that is covered in grey fur and his nails are replaced with deadly sharp claws which he digs in his abdomen and moves to the right side, he winces but keeps going, leaving five bloody and messy horizontal lines.
"Damn that's awfully painful" he says as I move to stand in front of him. "Hurry up" I raise my hands.
He doesn't move, just looks at me, is he hesitant? Why? It should be a good excuse for him to hurt me.
We are wasting time "do I need to order you to do it?"
He scoffs "no thanks" then raises his hand and scratches my chest, a bit lower where my heart is but higher from the stomach, making also five bloody and messy vertical lines.
I wince, he is right it's awfully painful but he did it fast so it's tolerable, he also didn't make it deep.
"You know, it will be more convincing if one of us pretends unconsciousness, we will save us the effort of answering their questions" I say
"That will be you, end of discussion" he says then immediately lifts me up, an arm against my back, its hand is clasping my shoulder and the other is carrying my legs, my head is against his chest.
"D-don't do something like that without my permission!" I glare up at him, I'm literally against his chest I can hear his heartbeats but he doesn't even spare me a glance and starts walking.
I tilt my head backward, resting it on his arm, place a palm on my wound and close my eyes, slowing my breaths as much as I can.
"P-please help us" he says as we approach the two humans.
"Who are you?" One of them yells and I'm sure he is pointing whatever his weapon is at us but Elias is still moving.
"P-please" he coughs.
"Don't point your weapon like that whenever you see someone" the other says with a laugh before it dies "wait, that girl looks unconscious"
Take the bait take the bait
"What's your name boy?" The second one asks.
Shoot I forgot there is something called last names for humans, we forgot to give ourselves one.
"Elia--" Elias collapses on his knees, breathing hard, blood is dripping from his injury.
Nice act and smart escape, I almost smile.
"They are bleeding Wilson! Help me carry them to the car!" The second one yells as he helps Elias to stand up.
Wilson comes over "I'll help him walk, you get the car here Matthew"
A car.
I remember mom told me about what they call steamed cars, she said it's a method of transportation.
I feel Elias is leaning his weight against Wilson's arm as he helps him walk.
I hear a sound I can't quite place then Matthew yells "get up boy"
Elias places a foot on something metallic as he climbs up to the car with Wilson's help and sits, he folds my legs and I feel them brush against cushion. He lifts his arm a bit, bringing my head up, his hand still clasping my shoulder.
And we are moving.
I open my eyes just the little, I see the back of the two humans, sitting on another seat in front of us, one of them is moving something like a wheel, stirring it left and right.
"Are you okay?" I whisper to Elias, his chest is heaving up and down fast against the side of my head.
He closes my eyes with his free hand "yes" he whispers back "keep quiet"
the car is taking us to the humans' area, in the center of Yotubia.