Cold Front | Paul Lahote

vingt-trois

Curling her hair around her finger, tugging the tricky tangles loose carelessly, Erica tried to make herself presentable. It was metaphysical, the way it felt to be so well-kept and beautiful in front a person that feared her above most things.

She liked the way their eyes flashed in panic, pulse quickening, and hands shaking. Erica loved to see that look above all else, especially when she instilled it into the hearts of others.

Perhaps she was what people would like to call a sadist, perhaps even worse; though she hardly cared in the slightest. She revelled in the pain of others, she would have bathed in their blood if it would not have taken so much work to accomplish. Drinking their life's sustenance was well enough.

Her steps were confident as she passed through the forest that housed the wolves. She was their greatest enemy, they had seen how easily she had entered their land before yet they had not upped their security.

It was easy to follow the scent of dog, to follow the trampled undergrowth. She had thought, planned, for them to be prepared, to be waiting but it seems they set a trail for her to follow as the human girl's smell carried straight to her on the wind.

Bella was on the reservation, calling her to visit and Erica planned to. She might not have organized a playdate but she was sure that something could be worked out.

Something would definitely come from this visit and there was a seventy-six percent change it would be in her favour.

Coming to a stop, she took in a breath, letting it guide her closer to where she wanted to go. Part of her wondered what they would do if they spotted her, though she was prepared for just about anything.

Part of her wished they would try to kill her, so that she could dig cold fingers into warm furry flesh. She could imagine the layers of muscle she would need to rip through if she wanted to get a hand around a vital organ.

Bones were easy to snap, death bowing to her with a well aimed punch or kick. These things were far too easy for her to achieved and she very much wanted to give these wolves a drawn-out death just for the sake of pain.

Erica continued to tug through her hair, yanking out stands along with the twigs and leaves that were stuck. Ice swirled around her fingers, smoothing onto the crown of her head in intricate designs.

She fashioned herself a Queen of her element, a true force of nature and she wanted to look the part.

She wanted people to see her as such, to fear something as simple as snow and ice. She wanted to fill the world with her hatred, burn it into memory. The bible had said never to take revenge, to wait for the lord but Erica no longer believed in him to right the wrongs and cure the evils.

He had allowed her to be turned into a demon that he so scorned, her life was full of hatred and she wanted his children to feel it. She wanted him to see the monster that turned into a Queen of his world.

With James gone, she was left to rule alone, to pass along judgment and then continue on with their foolish games. The world was full of people willing to run from her, and Erica enjoyed the hunt of prey.

Her prey was close, though it was not the blood she desired from the girl. The human was a challenge, one that would present with an ultimatum- death or existence at the side of a Queen.

As she drew closer to the houses on the reservation, Erica scaled to the top of the trees for cover. The last time she had been this close to the population it did not end well for the pack, though the last time she had seen a wolf it had been a highly pleasurable experience.