His Only

Prolog

I stood up looking down at the mountain lion below me. Its eyes were hollow, dead. I inhaled deeply clearing any blood from my lips.

"Oh what a life," I mumbled.

I began walking with no clear direction in mind.

"Should I just give in?" I said sighing, "What's even the point?"

A loud scream emitted nearby and before I even realized it I had bolted towards it. I came to a small clearing and saw a man on a girl holding her up drinking deeply from her throat. Her eyes were dead, but full of fear and pain. I could smell the blood, but as I stepped closer the man stood up. A small crying nearby caught his attention causing him to move towards it, but I had moved too. I caught him by the throat looking at his dead red eyes.

"Why live feral? Did you give up? We don't need hunters scoping this area looking for us," I growled.

He only growled not even speaking. I moved my other hand on his and popped his neck easily throwing his limp body to the floor feeling nostalgic to kill another cursed. Although, it was never this easy to kill them.

"Pathetic," I mumbled.

A baby crying caught my attention. I looked down near my feet seeing the cloth moving.

"I'm sorry child," I said bending down slowly. "Your mother brought you out here and died. This world you know can be so cruel, but you know what? I'll save you from it."

I moved my hand towards the bundle as the child kicked it off. I froze looking down at the baby her forest green eyes halting me. She stopped crying abruptly reaching up to touch my fingertips.

A vision appeared before my eyes, I could see a girl, her beauty beyond description with long brown hair blowing in the soft breeze. She had her back to me but turned her head smiling at me. I could see her green eyes staring back at me as she reached for me. Blinking I looked down at the giggling toddler holding my fingers in her tiny hands.

"I guess you had other plans," I said softly. "I wanted to spare you of further pain. Now I don't think I can now that I know this."

I slowly picked up the girl in my arms and she cooed happily.

"Too young to speak, I see," I said sighing.

I looked at the girl laying sprawled out on the ground her leg bent under her body. I picked up the bag on the ground near her hand rummaging through it finding baby food and diapers, but nothing to indicate the girl's name.

"Well I'm not seeing any indication of a name here sweetheart," I said thinking deeply. "How about... Emily?"

She giggled happily accepting the name.

"Emily it is then," I said.

Something warmed inside me seeing her happy, something I hadn't felt in many years. A sudden strong urge to continue making her happy and to protect her.

"You're what? Two? And already stole a stilled heart," I said touching her nose softly brushing some strands of hair out of her face, "I'm in love with a baby."

I chuckled shaking my head repeating it a few times loving how ridiculously true it was. She closed her eyes and went to sleep in my arms trusting me fully. I couldn't stop smiling watching her.

How long has it been since I had a real reason to fight? How close did I come to giving up? Having Emily by my side I knew one thing for sure, no one will take her away from me now.