Moon Bound

(18) The Wrong Way |Scarlet's POV|

Weeks after that night they were still on edge. It was no longer only their disappointment in me tainting the air but also the presence of the rogue where he didn't belong – in our home.

He'd come snooping into our business and, naturally, we didn't like that. He came a few nights after we returned from the hunting trip and had been taunting us ever since. He gave us small hints and placed tiny signs as if to mark his territory when it wasn't his to mark. Other supernaturals would avoid the place like it was a death's trap – all but him.

Without even a thought of consideration, he barged right into our home and by the looks of it, pretty much intended to settle down here for good, or at least that was what he had us believe.

I didn't know the man's reasons for seeking shelter here, or how he even found this place for that matter, but I'd already witnessed how a complete stranger could take over a land that I considered my home. I didn't want a repeat, and neither did my family.

Despite the air of animosity between us, this was something we agreed on. The rogue had to be taken care of and it needed to happen before he did some serious damage. And since I'd been the one to suggest we settled the matter in a peaceful manner, I was also the one who was charged to resolve it.

I stopped in front of the next tree and held up the knife with unwavering hand. Carving the message onto the trunk, pieces of tree skin rained down as the letters formed a single word.

'Leave,' it said. The message couldn't be clearer. I just hoped he received it well and made up his mind for his own good.

I slid the knife back into its sheath on my waist and took the metal canister out of my backpack. Lately, the bottle had been my constant companion, the liquid it held inside proving to be the only balm that somewhat alleviated the thirst raging inside me.

As soon as I removed the cap the scent of blood wafted to my nostrils. I gritted my teeth, poured a few drops of the liquid on my fingers then smeared it over the carving. I hoped this was going to scare him enough to give him the necessary incentive to leave us alone, but I knew it most likely wouldn't do the trick.

The moon children were a stubborn lot. They didn't run with their tails tucked between their legs when faced with a challenge. They dived head on.

What I was doing was pointless, but I had to stay optimistic or plain stupid, that is.

I went further into the woods to place several more marks on the trees then proceeded by checking the traps were secured in place only to find blood tracks left around several of them. The rogue was taking this a step further and upping his game. He was stealing our food now too.

I made one last round over the perimeter, no less but flinging silent curses the rogue's way, then headed back towards the house.

Watching the thick tree line slowly disperse to give way to the clearing the house was elevated on, I was almost there when something black and blinking caught my eyes. Curiosity getting the better of me, I stepped closer to the tree and strained my neck up to take a better look at what it was.

An odd looking, small device was secured to a branch near the top of the tree and peeking under the green foliage. A device that seemed familiar even from below.

"Son of a bitch," I swore under my breath before starting to climb up the tree. Gripping the trunk with my hands, I pulled my body over the nearest branch and slowly lifted myself up then crawled my way up, using both hands and legs to support me on the tree so I wouldn't tumble down.

Wolves tended to have stronger bones while vampires were more flexible in terms of physical movement, however, even being a bit of both, I had no doubt that the high fall was going to hurt like a bitch.