One Bullet

ezinhlanu

I went to sleep shortly after Reth and I don't regret it. When I wake up she had collected some red and ripe fresh berries for us to eat.

"First meal is the most important." She informed me. I only smiled, half awake.

Now I can hear wolves howling in the distance, and they aren't normal wolves. Banshees scream loudly and Reth clings onto my arm, the side with the gun. I'm not particularly comfortable of that, but she seems nice-for now-enough to trust she won't shoot me.

The wolves' howls get closer with every step and I reach for my dagger, ready to unsheathe and kill. Werewolves or not, they are not eating me.

"Blade, I see one's eyes." She whispers in my ear. Her breath stings the soft scar tissue on the tips of my ear. I was burned from torture a few years back and never went back to that city.

"I'm focusing." I whisper harshly. She understands and I wait. I listen.

Their footsteps creep closer, their stomachs are fine. They just want to give us a welcome party.

I wait a minute longer, hoping they will leave, but another pair of lighter, human feet come along. In front of us.

"What are you doing in this territory?" A woman asks. Her voice has recently been gone, only been speaking for a day.

"I wish to visit for a few days. We have journeyed across the land to find this place." I call out, going in front of Reth protectively.

Silence except for the wolves snapping their jaws shut playfully. "Very well... follow me." The stranger states. She walks into view and her hair is brown and her stomach is big, she's well into pregnancy. A few more months and she will have a child.

"I'm Blade. This is Reth, my friend." I tell her. I notice the ring on her finger, she's married.

"I'm Claire, you're lucky I'm the pack's leader in this territory. Under other circumstances I would have you killed, but since today is a celebration day, we don't kill without further knowledge."

"Like what knowledge?"

"If you can be killed." She replies to my question emotionlessly. I laugh a little, but only out of nervousness. I don't know what it would be like to be questioned if I can be killed or not. Even vampires can be killed, and dragons for the Royals' sake.

"So you are welcomed into New Blood with open arms. There will be the street's celebration tonight. I would suggest getting a chauffer to show you around. I have a child and husband to tend to tonight as well as a town wide party to host. I hope to see you there." Claire tells us as we reach the edge of the town. She parts ways with us and we walk around blindly.

"I feel watched." Reth whispers in my ear again. It stings again, but not as much. I'm busy trying to find the eyes.

Reth screams as a stream of blood comes from her arm. I turn my attention to her before I get tackled to the ground.

"Who are you and why are you here with that cannibal of a monster?" A woman with blonde hair demands. Half her face is covered as her hair is high in a ponytail. Her eyes are wild with blue fire of excitement. Her hand carries a ragged dagger on my throat.

"I'm Blade and want you to be my chauffer." I tell her. She gives me a strange look and continues to sit on me. I jokingly put my hands on her waist and wink at her.

"Ugh, bite me." She tells me, irritated. I playfully snap my jaw around her dagger. "If this were a rose you'd so fall for me." I tell her. She rolls her eyes at me and gets up, ripping the dagger from my mouth. 

She holds out her left hand. "I'm Annabelle, nice to meet you, Blade. Who's the beast?" She asks roughly ask I shake her hand.

"My friend is Reth, she owes me her life, not the life of another's. So, Annabelle, will you be our chauffer? Claire told us-"

"Yeah well Claire told you a lot of things, didn't she? Just like if it were her husband telling the story. Well I can chauffer the way out. Not the way in. The party is for residents of the town only, not tourists who are seeking women and adventure." She tells me, her eyes dart back to Reth every few seconds, uneasy. What have I picked up in that town besides a gun?

"I don't seek women, I seek the borderlands." I tell her. She laughs.

"Idiots will be idiots..." She mutters before giving us a tour of her town.