Hollowed

IV: Tamed

Breathe, Soren, Breathe. I stared down at the limp figure in my arms, studying every detail on her face. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, but the rest of her face was as as pale as a ghost. Tonight. I will get all of my answers tonight, I thought. I cringed when I thought about my earlier lies to her when she had been trying to leave. Mother had nothing to do with this. 

I looked down at Erin again, desperately wanting to caress her milky white skin but shook the thought off. Don't get attached Soren. You don't know if last night's occurrences were only coincidental. I took a breath before scooping her up, cradling her close to my chest. She's either going to be torn to shreds tonight, or become my one and only. 

When my beast had spotted her, it had immediately begun to stalk her, ready to rip her apart against my will. I would only be able to watch... just like I had done with each and every victim. When she had made eye contact with the monster, though, suddenly I had been the one in control. I had been to one to choose. And I ran. I ran from her as fast as our legs could carry us. 

She had somehow tamed my possessor, and I needed to know how. Tonight. I'll find out tonight when he returns. 

My house was several miles away from the village, and by the time I reached it, it was late in the afternoon. My door opened with a loud creak as I entered, still carrying my... or my demon's.. potential victim. "You'll be okay," I whispered to her.

I gently placed her on my bed before straightening and admiring her. I raised a brow when her unconscious figure began shaking. Either she was cold... or... I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down, brushing my thumb against her cheek. "Erin," I murmured in a sing-song tone as I watched her facial expression. 

"Are you awake?"

Her trembling grew more noticeable, causing me to smirk. I tenderly brushed a strand of hair from her face with my knuckles, tilting my head to the side. She squeezed her eyes shut as her breathing grew shallow and quick. "Please.. please don't," she whimpered almost inaudibly. 

I slowly pulled away with a sigh. After several seconds of silence, she finally opened her eyes. Oh, those innocent, doe brown eyes. I prayed that I was right, and that she could actually tame my beast. She was so beautiful, from her dark, red-brown hair, to those soft eyes. I couldn't help but look down at her with adoration. 

Erin looked back up at me from where she lay, too paralyzed with fear to move. She had no idea what was going to happen tonight.. and it was best that I kept it from her for now. After a bit more of taking her appearance in, I finally looked away. "What do you want from me..?" her voice spoke up, causing me to look back over to her. 

"You'll see... right now I need you to rest, okay?" I responded as I stood up, giving her a sad smile. 

Suddenly Erin sat up, her breathing extremely quick. She began to move off the bed, and I had to quickly seize her in my arms to keep her from escaping. "Erin, hey, hey... I'm not going to do anything to you," I attempted to calm her. 

"Please! Please fucking let me go!" she cried as she writhed in my grip. 

"No.. not until tomorrow," I pushed her back onto the bed before quickly moving out of the room, shutting the door behind me and locking it from the outside. 

The doorknob jiggled several times as Erin attempted to open it before she gave up and resorted to banging on the door. I shook my head with a guilty sigh, running my hand down my face and leaving her in the house alone. 

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The sun was now setting as I trudged through the woods back to my cabin, swinging my axe by my side. It was almost time. As I entered my house, I was met with an eerie silence. I scowled thoughtfully and walked over to my room door. "Erin?" I called as I opened the door. My eyes scanned the room before they landed on her figure curled up in the furthest corner of the room. Guilt shot through me. It's fucking freezing in this house... she doesn't even have a coat on, I thought as I studied her shivering form. 

I walked over to her and knelt down next to her, placing a gloved hand on her back and giving it a gentle rub. She flinched at the contact. "Please..." was all she could say. 

"Shhh, it's okay," I whispered before suddenly I felt the familiar churning begin in my stomach. I could feel it. The writhing, the desperation inside of me began to grow stronger as the beast began to break loose. 

Every time the transformation took, which was every night, the pain and fear I felt was unimaginable. The sound of my bones snapping filled the air, causing Erin to look upon us with pure terror in her eyes. The process usually only took a minute, but with her watching, it felt like hours. 

I watched through its eyes as the beast stared down at her. drinking in every detail. I'm not in control. Why am I not in control? My mind screamed as the beast leaned its head down to her shaking figure and began inhaling her scent. It closed our eyes at her delicious smell, it's mouth watering. 

Suddenly, my eyes opened. I gasped, my heart pounding. It worked.. it worked! I was still trapped in this grotesque body for now.. but she was mine. I reached for Erin, causing her to let out a small cry, her frozen figure now finally moving. She scrambled to the door but stumbled half way, hitting the wood floor with a gasp. 

When I finally got ahold her her and pulled her against my chest, she was attempting to suppress sobs. It'll be okay... I mentally told her as I moved my head down to inhale her scent again, internally groaning. 

After several minutes of holding her, her breathing began to even out, her sobs subsiding. 

That's right. You're safe, my love....