The SpellBinder's Grim (LONG LIST 2018)

Chapter Ten: Goodnight

Anna kept creeping back to the front window, her paranoia getting the best of her. Every flicker of light set her on edge. She sat, patiently waiting for her daughters to come home- but neither one of them did. She could feel the impending doom settling upon her. Tonight would be the worst night of her life. She could only hope that Caius had found peace in his death.

***

Emily laid sprawled on the frosted grass. She could smell the scent of -rust? It was something metallic. It took her a while to realize the smell was of her own blood. She kept questioning when the hell she had started bleeding in the first place. Her hand was scraped up, that much she knew. She had tried lifting herself off the cold ground and her palms stung. Her jaw was sore. It felt like her teeth were just coming in, cutting through swollen gums like a newborn babe. There was a terrible throbbing pain on her shoulder now, a burning sensation creeping through her body.

Her head was still dizzy from drinking, and she rested her head on the cold, damp earth. She wanted to sleep. She needed to sleep. Faintly, in her mind she stumbled through flashing memories of gnashing teeth and bright eyes. She could hear her own shrieking echoing in her ears, the sound of snarling vibrating through her body. She lay there, trying to make sense of the memories- trying to think passed the pain.

Something big had had her in her jaws and shaken her by the shoulders. Something big and furry. Her first thought was a bear. She wondered why it let her go. Perhaps it did not like the smell of drink on her. She could taste the bile in her mouth, at some point she had vomited.

She needed to get up. She had to find Caius, praying that the bear did not find him and finished him off. She lifted herself on stinging palms.

"Who are you?" A deep, animalistic voice growled against the nape of her neck.

***

Roland strolled down the pathway, taking any route possible to avoid contact with anyone. He had a plan, a plan that would further ruin Caius, and Elizabeth. He knew the possibility that Caius still lived were very slim- he had delivered a fatal blow to his stomach- but if there were any chances of further breaking him and making Elizabeth hate him even more he needed to take it.

The Fouler home was dimly lit. Roland guessed he had only a couple more hours until dawn. Someone inside was awake still. A shadow shifted and Roland crept forward. He went to the side of the wooden home and peered through the kitchen window. Justine was sitting at the table, sneaking a pastry and milk into her mouth. It reminded him of something he had wanted.

Roland had decided he would have her live. Just her though. He reasoned that the people would be more outraged if the girl was orphaned. He felt the shifting change in his body and knew the demon and him were becoming synchronized in mind. He flexed hands that were not his anymore and saw his reflection in the window. Green eyes stared back and him and he resisted the urge to break the window.

He would walk right through the front door, sit with the girl awhile, maybe even tuck her in after he slaughtered her family. He would have to get the little brat that lived above the stables first. He trudged to the back where the stables were and the horses started to whiney uneasily. The horse closest to him, a beautiful chestnut mare began snorting loudly and shaking its head back and forth.

"How am I supposed to shut them up?" Roland hissed.

No sooner had he asked his body lurched forward with an unforeseen force and he felt hot liquid splatter his face through the blur. The seven horses thumped to the ground and the smell of blood permeated the air. Each horse had large slits going down their necks. Curiously, Roland licked his blood covered hand. The taste was absolutely revolting and he gagged.