Moon Child (Complete!)

Chapter 11

"You are a complete idiot," I grumbled at the figure in front of me. I leaned against a massive oak tree. The oak's rough bark cut into my back. I didn't register the pain as I looked at Jared standing a few paces ahead of me. 

He gave me a half maddening smile. Of course he would be the one to sneak into our territory. If he wasn't careful he'd be caught. I couldn't help but admire his moment of bravado though.  This would officially mark our fourth meeting with each other since that festival night. Exeter and the omegas thankfully had left the house.

I hadn't told anyone of dena, or the clans. No one would believe me anyway. I had worn the necklace given to me everyday since the dream encounter with them. Surprisingly whenever I had turned North it would glow faintly. 

I wanted answers but they would have to wait for now. It was not the time to go tramping through the wilderness trying to find a portal to a hidden world. 

"You got to admit I'm getting good at sneaking around." He stepped closer to me close enough for me to smell the faint scent of pine on him. He raised his eyebrows wiggling them. I let out a low laugh shoving past him. 

"Werido."

He puffed out his chest in response. Resulting in another fit of giggles from me. That's what I liked about Jared. He could make me laugh. Even if I was having a horrible day he'd be there to make me laugh. 

"What's this?." Jared questioned pointing to the ruby that had escaped from beneath my shirt. Self consciously I reached up to hold the ruby.  

"It's a gift from my family." The lie rolling off my tongue smoothly. His eyes narrowed slightly taking me in for a moment. Something dark slid past his blue eyes darkening them. His face became blank. Was she imagining it?. 

Suddenly as it had come it was gone in a blink of an eye. No trace of the darkness that had passed over him. A lop sided grin filled his features. The small lilt of his mouth formed lines at the corners of his mouth. His brown hair was disheveled from the strong wind. 

Unease settled through me. Maybe I had imagined the whole thing. And yet..I couldn't help but feel that something about him was off. Never once had she seen that look pass through him before. Her gut instinct clenched her stomach in a tight fist. Something truly was wrong here. 

I took a step back from Jared preparing to flee. He stepped forward as I kept stepping back. Twigs and leaves crunched underneath my feet.  

"What's going on?" I demanded keeping my gaze on him. Not daring to take my eyes off of him for a moment. He shook his head holding his hands behind his back. A sinister smile crept onto his face. Replacing the once playful grin. The look on his face felt foreign like it didn't belong there. 

My heart thundered in my ears. My body had gone rigid preparing for the worst. This did not feel like Jared. 

"Oh, you're a smart girl surely you can figure it out." 

That was just it. I had no clue what was happening. He took his hands from behind his back. Jared lifted them above him as if calling on some invisible force. I watched in disbelief as dark tendrils snaked along the ground following him. He seemed to be controlling them. 

"Has no one told you?" I fought back the urge to yell for help. I knew It would be futile no one was around for miles. No one patrols here. 

"Let me make it easy for you then." Jared shot his hands out forcing the black tendrils to wrap around my fists and ankles. I pulled against the restraints. But they might as well have been solid iron. I had to get out of here. To warn everybody they could be in trouble. 

I tried desperately to tap into that power from the festival. I came up empty handed. I couldn't find a single trace of it inside of me. Jared stalked forward coming face to face with me. I turned my head away not wanting to see his face. 

I would not die here. Not like this. 

A white hot sting of pain flared against me cheek as I  realized he had slapped me. 

"Look at me!." He bellowed grabbing my face forcing me to meet his hardened face. I couldn't believe this was happening. I could feel nothing through the hidden mark on my hand. 

"I have nothing to say to you." I spat at his face. A deep growl emanated from his throat as my spit landed on his face. 

"You bitch, Now I don't regret killing your little mate." His eyes glowed with barley controlled vengeance. My blood went cold. What was he talking about?.  Jared was standing right in front of me. 

"w-what?" I barley managed to get out. He was out of his mind. Jared smirked at me as I watched with utter horror as his face changed into that of a man with a balding head. A few wrinkles outlined his face showing age. The eyes that were once blue was a blackness brown.  

I stifled a gasp now standing in front of me was this unknown man. 

"who are you?" 

He gave a half mad laugh at the question. It was as though, it were the most obvious thing in the world.  He brought his face so close to mine his lips whispered against my ear. 

"Valric" 

I stopped breathing. That explains how he had the powers to summon the darkness and change into Jared. But that meant..

"You killed him!" I screamed no doubt my face turning red. I didn't care if he was the most powerful being. I would destroy him. He merely gave me a bored look. The forest around us had grown startling quiet. No doubt sensing the darkness that was dwelling here. 

Something tore it's way free of my throat. I could feel the power within me burning bright hot. That's when I exploded in a ball of hot fiery hatred. Fire shot at him from thin air. It nearly hit him until he put up a wall of darkness shielding him. The dark tendrils holding me shriveled away at the heat releasing me. 

"Finally a real fight".  Valrics face transformed into a feral animal ready to take down its prey. He watched me with quiet stillness. His hands out stretched the blackness swirling, twirling around him. Waiting for his command to strike me down. He would expect to win. But I would not let him go that easy. He seemed to sneer at me as a cheetah might when it's prey fought back. Before the Cheetah landed the killing blow. I would not be weak. 

I landed square on my feet on the hard packed dirt. I stalked toward Valric a murderous glare on my face. Fire burned all around me as I kept throwing my fire at him. Pushing everything I had. But he was well trained. He dodged and met the fire with his own blanket of blackness.  I grunted from the effort of keeping up. 

He was far better. Trained to do this I realized. He did grow up in the clans so he must have learnt it there. He threw daggers at me made of the blackness. I threw fire out to meet it slicing the them away like water. I pushed, pushed, pushed. I felt some satisfaction as he stumbled back loosing ground as I advanced forward.  

A line of fire broke past his defense. Valric tried to sidestep but was caught on the side of the face. He yelled out in agony as the left side of his face bubbled and blistered. 

a smile spread across my murderous face. I got you now. 

Just as I was about to throw the killing blow. Darkness exploded from Valric wrapped around him in a cocoon. I couldn't see him anymore save for the mound of darkness where I knew he was. 

"Until we meet again." His voice was laced with venom as the darkness dispersed showing an empty spot where he used to be.

A frustrated growl erupted within me. I had him but he had pulled one trick I hadn't seen coming. He could somehow vanish into thin air. My head ached from the power that I had used. This was all still new to me I had no idea how to navigate this new magical world. 

A hollow sorrow opened in my chest. Jared was dead. I sank to the forest floor. My hand splayed in the dirt. I mourned for him, for a love that could have blossomed between them. Instead I was left alone. I swore to whatever god out there that I would destroy Valric. Even if I had to die in the process I would save everyone from him. I grabbed the ruby which pulsed with life.

I knew what I had to do next.