The Hunting

Chapter Five: Dreams and Deceit

He was on a hill. Clara's hill. The sun was setting, just like the last time he was here. Warm, brilliant oranges and purples surrounded him. A light breeze caressed his face and made the leaves of the oak tree dance in delight.

Tempest breathed in the moment, arms outstretched to catch the light.

He was free. He was safe.

Slowly, the sky faded from orange to red to blue to black. Stars glittered above his head as they ran across the sky.

Then the screaming started. Just like the cries of the owl Therian, it was the horrific screams of Clara. The high pitched sound echoed all around him and rattled his very bones. He got goosebumps... It was happening again.

Dark shadows sprung up all around and threatened to consume him completely.

He couldn't see her. He didn't know where she was.

For once, Tempest felt completely helpless.

He didn't have a weapon on him. He couldn't see where Clara was. He didn't know what was going on.

She was crying, begging for Tempest to help her but he couldn't even move. He felt like he was suffocating. He had to help Clara. He had to make things right.

His head was pounding and his shoulder was throbbing but he pushed on. He swung his bare fists at the black wall around him, trying desperately to break through. Despite his efforts, the blackness just retreated from him, it moved like water.

Eventually it ebbed away from him and he saw he was now in a forest. Dark tendrils swarmed just steps away but that's not why Tempest was terrified.

He was not alone in this forest, and he could no longer hear Clara.

He could hear growling and snarling all around him and he had no idea what was making it. Branches snapped and bushes rustled. Whatever it was, it was heading straight for him.

His heart pounded desperately in his chest. He didn't have any weapons, he didn't know where he was, he didn't know where Clara was.

The air seemed to get thinner as Tempest found that he could not breathe. He couldn't die like this. Not without a fight. Not without Clara.

As if the darkness had read his mind, Clara stepped out of the black tendrils and joined him. But it wasn't really Clara. Her once fair skin was white as bone, long shadows cascaded down her face and her emerald eyes were now hollow and dead.

She smiled, showing maroon-speckled fangs, and glided slowly towards him.

"No." Tempest breathed, because he knew what this meant.

Clara was the monster. Clara was the evil. His sweet, gentle Clara was going to kill him.

And she was going to enjoy it.

**********

Aldous was one of the Nokturna guards that lived in the castle. He had been turned seventy-two years ago by Lazarus himself. In total there were one-hundred and fifty four Nokturna living there. Aldous was a commanding officer, which put him above eighty percent of the others. Although many of them were merely servants.

He liked his life in the castle. He had luxury, a food source and a woman when he needed one. The only thing he was unsure of, was Lazarus' hybrid. He had only seen her on occasion but he knew he didn't like her. She gave off this sense of power that made Aldous feel uncomfortable. Besides, no girl should have that much authority.

He also wasn't very fond of Theria. They looked completely human, save for one day of the month, but a Nokturna was highly recognizable. If only they could turn off their fangs and golden eyes, then they could go wherever they pleased and nobody would be able to tell that they were looking at a monster. Though he'd rather be immortal than look human.