Scarlett's Moon

Chapter 13: Prey

“A…a demon wolf?” I asked. I had heard him perfectly the first time. But my mind felt like it was being rushed into all of this. I couldn’t keep up.

“Yes.” Chandler placed his face into his hands again. “This is bad.”

“Why?”

He peeked up at me. “Well, for one, he’s a demon.”

“Yeah, I get that. I mean what does it mean?”

Chandler placed my hands in his. “If one is sees a demon wolf, it could me three things. None of them are good.”

“Well, what are they?”

“If you see a demon wolf, you are either his prey, phantom hallowed, or a Demon Wolf yourself.”

I swallowed at that. “Phantom hallowed?”

“Yes. It’s when one’s wolf is kissed by wolves that walk with Death. So in other words, you have a connection between the Living and the Dead. The Dead have a grasp on your wolf and therefore yourself. Have you ever had a near death experience?” He asked.

I frowned as I thought. “No …not that I know of at least.”

“Chances are, you haven’t. Because, if you have, you would have actually been dead for a short few seconds and then been pulled back to the Living. However because of that temporary death, you would have been touched by it. And then the side effects of that would have been depression, self-afflicting extreme solitude or pain, becoming evil and doing some pretty demonic things that no one of the human world could explain, or just going pure crazy. It doesn’t happen to everyone when one is touched by Death. However, it is extremely common. So I think that’s ruled out.”

“How can you tell if one is a Demon Wolf?” I asked.

“Well…there really isn’t a way to tell one is a Demon Wolf until they see a Demon Wolf. And even then no one would be sure because there are those three things seeing a Demon Wolf could mean. But, I don’t think you are a Demon Wolf. You haven’t even changed into a wolf yet.”

“Does that have to do with anything? Because, I mean, you sensed my wolf a while ago. He could sense it, too. “

“There aren’t many female Demon Wolves either. Which is why they go out to hunt. They need someone to conceive with to produce more offspring. They prey on female wolves. They seek out the strongest of the batch. And try to go for her-to impregnate her.”

“So…men can’t be prey?”

“Nope. Because, we don’t have the ability to bear a child. So, really, men who see a Demon Wolf only have two options. Women have three. However, more Demon Wolves are conceived than they found.”

I sighed. This was just crazy. I was either a Demon Wolf…or about to become a Demon Wolf’s child bearer. Lovely. Just Peachy.

“Is there any way he could have just been curious and wanted to see someone other than demons?”

Chandler blinked. “No, Scarlett, not in the least. The only thing that stopped him from trying to get in your pants just a second ago was me startling him. Because if you are either a Demon Wolf or his prey he still would have tried to do it. It’s their nature. And they won’t stop until they have you…or until they are killed.”

“Well, how do we kill one?”

“Well, the one who sees it is the one who must kill it.”

I blinked at that. “I-I have to kill it?”

He nodded. “And it would be hard, of course. Because while you are trying to kill it. He’s going to be luring you in and trying to strip all of your clothes off."