Killing On Command

Chapter 12

Alex awoke with a start to the sound of violent snarling the next evening.

She sat up, noting the fact that her curtains were still drawn around the four poster bed she'd slept in, but were disturbed by the three deep claw marks in one curtain at the end of her bed. She reached down onto the floor through the curtains and picked up the empty phial, which had held blood in only a few hours before, and held it over her shoulder like a club. Then, preparing for the worst, she whipped the curtains open and swung for the first threat she saw.

It was a dog. No, a wolf.

It had long glossy yellow fur with dark brown eyes, and paws the size of Alex's face alone. Requiem was perched above the curtain rails of his bed, and was baring his fangs in pure anger and rage. As the heavy glass phial hit the wolf, it flinched, then turned away from Requiem to face her. She began to panic, but then remembered that she could still fight. She stood in a prepared stance as the wolf jumped for her, missing her by a few inches as she dived to her right and toward the door. The dog dived into the majestic bed, making the posts collapse on it with a mighty force on top of its form, crushing it with the heavy mahogany roof to it. 

"Get out of here!" Requiem shouted to her, jumping down and throwing her some clothes to change into. She turned around a corner and pulled on the pair of training trousers which she had been given earlier the previous night (which were made of a tight fitting thick material), and unfolded the other piece of black material which turned out to be a long sleeved work shirt, which she pulled on hastily while the wolf was unconscious. 

The she ran. She ran as fast as her newly formed superhuman legs could carry her into the gardens opposite the house. She knew of lots of places to hide here, although she'd only walked through here once, and ran straight for the large blood fountain in the centre. I t was in the form of a Blood man biting a Moral's neck. Blood poured from the wound and from a jug in the mortal's hand and down to their feet, where a crimson pool lay peaceful other than the ripples from the flow from the fountain.

Around the edge lay thick rose bushes with black roses flowering all over them. Underneath one of them was a small gap which she was certain she could squeeze through. The thorns of the bush scratched her back, and although she felt the pain a little, she couldn't feel herself bleeding. She crawled along a little more so that she could see out into the gardens a little more, and saw a large fire near the Treasury. Also, across the large garden, she could see three more wolves.

One was huge, maybe twice her height and a light grey colour. He had dried blood matting his fur, and his teeth were bared. Another wolf looked a lot less threatening, with messy brown fur and white paws, which could have still killed her. She gasped at the sight of them.

The third almost looked familiar.

She felt herself crawling out of the bushes and into the open, where she was on show for the entire Haven. She crouched down and began to creep closer to the wolves, who were conversing in low grunts which were barely audible. 

"She's here-" The grey one said in a low growl. His teeth were still bared, and she could smell the vile dog breath from around the corner where she was sitting. 

"We can find her," Another said, a more familiar voice, but in a growl again. She listened intently, feeling what she thought was her heart beat racing. 

"I need to find her," A breathless voice told them. He didn't even sound like a wolf, and she knew the voice like the back of her hand. Every pronunciation of the words, and the sweet velvet tone she loved. It was Zack. He sounded injured.

"Zack..." She spoke aloud, then covered her mouth. A sudden movement of the wolves made her jump to her feet and inhale deeply. She didn't want to breathe, and didn't have to, but seeing Zack's bloody face made her gasp in shock. Her breathing became unsteady as he moved toward her, and she took a step back.