The Crimson Assassin

Chapter 12: The Burning Mark

"Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked Holly. "Yeah, I can handle it," she said. "Ok, so after extensive research, I have found that there is a 60% chance this will work," Crystal said coming over with a tablet. "Then whats the other 40?" I asked. "That either, he won't save her, it won't work or...something worse," she said. "Great" I mumbled. "Hey, don't worry, I've got this" Holly said. "Ok, we all know the plan?" I asked. The others nodded. I turned my head. "Casper?" I said, Casper, perked up from his phone. "Hm, sorry what?" he replied. We already introduced him to Holly and told him the story and plan. "You good for the plan?" I asked. "Yeah, yeah sure...whats the plan again?" I rolled my eyes. "Ok let's get going, to Ferrington bridge," Crystal said.

We all ran to the Ferrington Bridge. It was a bridge for trucks to go through, it had a small pathway on the side for bikes and pedestrians. The bridge was really high up above the water, a fall from there will mean death it was that bad and rocky. "Ok, so we know he will definitely come down here?" Crystal asked me. "Yeah, he will" I replied. "Ok, assume positions," Crystal said. "O-okay" Holly replied. Holly walked down the path of the bridge and stopped around the middle. The Bridge is mostly deserted with only a few trucks coming by every few minutes.

"Ok, let's do this," I said.

I stood in my outfit in the tree line watching Holly. She was standing looking over the bridge down to the water her back to the trucks. Casper was on a dirt track in a small truck getting ready...so if you ask how we got a truck you will just get confused. Then Jake appeared. He walked down the opposite side from Holly. I gave Casper the thumbs up and he started the truck. He drove around the corner fast and drove down the bridge. "Ok Holly, your turn," I said to her in my mind. She glared at me from the corner of her eyes and nodded.

The truck swerved out of control, Casper pulled the wheel hard to Holly's direction, she turned around and saw a truck going extremely high speed towards her. She screamed and Jake turned. I could see him run faster than ever towards Holly. She covered her face with her arms, Jake stood between her and the truck. He put out his hands on the truck and pushed on it. The truck tried to slow down. Huge craters were forming in the front of the truck. Jake shielded Holly and pushed hard on the truck until he was pushing the truck back. His head popped up, I saw he was struggling. His eyes flashed yellow, then the yellow melted from his eyes as a glow of red in his eyes made my neck burn.

A bright glow came from the truck and there was a loud pop. "Are you ok?" Jake asked Holly she nodded. He went around to the driver's seat but Casper had already fled. "Thank you," Holly said. "That's ok, whats your name?" he asked her. "Holly," she replied. "Well Holly, are you alright getting home?" he asked. His kindness warmed my heart. "Yeah," she said."Ok, be safe, mainly on this bridge," he said. She nodded. I could see him sniff the air for a second. He turned in my direction, the wind blew on my side. He was looking straight at me, he turned back to Holly but she wasn't there anymore. He turned back to where I was. All he saw were two shadows walk back into the forest.

We got back to the house with everyone safe. "It worked," I puffed. "Yep, good job everyone," Crystal said. "You good Crim? You look...you look tired," Casper said. I rubbed my neck. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," I replied. "That was a really smart idea putting mountain ash on the bridge, he broke it with ease," Casper said. "Yeah isn't mountain ash that like barrier thing?" I said. "Yeah ash from mountain ash oak tree, when put around the area or target can trap them and they can't get out, only the most powerful alphas or people can get out, only done a few times, can trap any supernatural creature," Crystal said. "I did it once, wasn't much thought," I said. "Hm, we knew Jake would be able to break it, he did mark Crimson so...he had the power, and that's what made him an alpha," she said. "But wouldn't that mean the Markers are coming after him even earlier?" Casper asked. "Yeah, probably," Crystal said.

"Ok, for now, we keep an eye on him, watch out for attackers and the Shadows, we can't let him die," I said. "Of course not Crimson," Holly said. I looked at her sincerely. "Okay, we keep it neutral, report anything strong to each other, the Alphas coming round in a few days so we gotta be ready," Crystal said. "Yep" I agreed. "Okay, now what do we do in the mean time," Casper said. "Why don't you just go back to school Crimson, but as your self?" Casper asked. "No, it won't work. Number one my name, number two, wouldn't people get really suspicious, number three...Jake will know I'm his mate no matter how I look or act," I said. "Alright, let's just keep going shall we," he said.

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Do you know how bloody hard it is for me not to race in to the school and kiss him, HARDER THEN CONCRETE. I watched over him all day. In the darkness of the trees. He looked so sad, depressed and he was. It was hard for me not to cry but i had to, i had to show strength. He lumbered into school. And there was Rebecca. She went over to him. Her plastic face kept creeping me out. She went over to him and talked to him. "Oh baby, I'm here now, its ok, I'm here for you" she said holding his arm. "Go away Bec" he grumbled. "Oh but baby" she leaned into his ear. "I know you've missed me" she whispered. He pushed her off. "Enough" he said. "Oh but Jakey" she said trying to get back to him. "Rebecca stop" he said, i could hear a growl in his voice, then i realised it was mine as well, my mate instincts kicked in.

She looked horrified, she turned and ran crying. OMB. i thought. "YO Jake" Casper yelled. They did there little hand shake thing boys always do. "You right bro? You seem diff" Casper said. "Yeah, just tired, upset still" he said. "Of course you are bro and its ok" Casper said comforting him. Blaze ran over to Jake. "Im so sorry Jake" she said. She turned crying into Casper's chest. Then i was a bit curious. I made sure no one was around. I quickly walked down as if a normal girl walking down a path, my normal clothes where on. I stopped and looked at the memorials. Danny, the..other girl and...Amber Shrine. There seemed to be hundred more things around the picture. I spotted a note top of the image. It read on it. 'A Mate, Killed by a monster', it was by Jake, i could tell even though there was no signature. I whipped a tear from my eye. I looked around me and sped back into the trees.

I was curious to see what was there and i saw it, it was sad but true...Amber Shrine was dead. There where times through the day where i saw Jake tearing, His buddy's trying to calm him down and comfort him but he just seems so down. When it was the end of the school day i kind of...fell to sleep. I was woken up by the sound of snickers...and not the chocolate snickers. Luckily i was dressed in casual clothing and not my assassin outfit.

I looked down and saw some boys and girls form the school snickering at me. I didn't dare make eyes contact with them. I tried to focus on something else but their whispering kept annoying me. Then a football hit my face. It bounced off my face and landed on the ground. They ran over and the boy said sorry, but he was pretending. About a minuet later it hit me again. Luckily, being further deep into the forest than usual teenager would go had a better chance at freaking them out...and no i wast going to show them my eyes, but maybe my strength.

I closed my eyes and put my head phones in. AGAIN the ball hit my face. "Do you mind?" i finally spoke up. "No, you?" the guy said. "You could aim for another tree, or a rabbit or some rodent" i said leaning back against the tree. "Ok" i heard him say. He turned around and threw the ball, but this time i caught it. Yes the ball was flying at supernatural speed but nothing that i couldn't catch. Their faces where in awe. "See how it feels" i said, I threw the ball hard and it took down the front boy, they all toppled like dominos, the girls ran over worried. "You're a bully" one said. "You hurt them" another said. "Oh please, they're just winded, and honey, i have done worse" i said.

The smell of citrus and lavender filled my nose, my sense wanted me to follow it. "Lets scare her out" i heard form down below. "Hey, Girl" i heard them yell. I looked down. "What?" i asked annoyed. They jumped and shifted into wolves, they gnarled their teeth and scrapped the ground. One tried jumping and scratching the tree pretending as if they where going to climb. Their yellow eyes didn't scare me , they had me laugh at their attempt. "HAHAHAHAH" i laughed. They had confused faces. "Why you laughing, thats scary" One girl said. "Oh that hilarious, this is scary" i said. I sped down to the ground, I flash my blue wolf eyes and sharp fangs and claws. I screeched/roared a them, the boys shifted back to human cowardly and scared. They ran away from me like little mice from a cat. "Pfft, boys" i said.

As soon as i turned around i was met by a pair of shoulders. I looked up and saw... Jake. He looked at me confused. "M-" i sped vamp speed before he could say anything or notice me. I sped into my window and leaned against the door. I sighed in relief. "Crimson?" i heard. "Yeah I'm here" i said. That was close.