The Shadow Realm

Chapter Five

Dante smirked, a dark amusement passing over him, whereas the young shewolf stopped in her tracks, shocked.

With both eyes widened into moons, and her mouth agape, she stuttered out with ,"W-What?!"

Swirling back, I continued walking, Dante staying close and Dawn jumping to catch up.

She ran forward at a surprising speed for a wolf, and stopped in front of me, halting me in my steps.

"Wait a second! You're going to just go up to wherever it is, see your friend, and KILL THEM?" 

"It's Vampire custom to kill your friends," Dante supplied helpfully. I'm sure by now, he's figured out who we were visiting, although, I doubt he'd know why we were visiting him.

"Vampire custom?!" her eyes were filled with incredulity. 

"How much do you even know of us, Deary?" I spare her a look.

"Um, other than mere rumors, and that you guys drink blood, and have red eyes? Ummm...Nothing!" Frustration flashed in her expressive eyes and I sighed.

"Good, then I've done my job. My people are a private people, and for good reasons. If just anyone knew about us, then you could imagine how many people would like to disturb the leading race. I'd probably have triple the enemies I already have now," I mused.

It was a stretch of truth. In fact, for us, 'killing' had become a joke. It represented a short visit to 'kill' time in our immortal lifespans. 

"Well, since we're on this nice walk to 'somewhere' why don't you tell me about yourselves?" She asked politely, her wildness seeming to have calmed down. She was changing the topic in order to alleviate confusion, I could tell.

She seemed to respect the secretiveness of my current journey, but the curious little thing was wanted to know the secrets of my race? Hmm...

"If I haven't said anything to anyone else, why would I disclose this information to someone like you, the very enemy of my kind?"

Dawn's face morphed into one of general thoughtfulness.

Like the words I were speaking weren't common sense.

Her face lit up, and her finger pointed to me in excitement.

"Oh! Oh! I know!"

Dante's arm brushed mine, and I felt his emotions. Alertness. Worry. Tension.

I made no sign that I received this information, but Dante knew how I was, he knew I got the message. It would seem an enemy was incoming. I had also felt the pin prick of ill intent from afar, and was thankful he was on alert as well. 

It would save me some time later.

"Why could become friends! End the war between our species! It's why I came looking for your territory in the first place!"

Nodding, I urge her to continue. I give her some of my attention, and I'll definitely have to have a talk with her about it, but my body hummed with energy. Strange, familiar energy.

"As Alpha of the strongest pack in the Realm, I've made a decision to try to bridge the gap between all species in the Shadow Realm! Once we are all united, the blood shed can end," her voice let off a hint of sadness. 

She must have lost someone in this bloodshed, and I could understand her want for change, but uniting the species? Vampires would not be happy to hear this. There would be an outrage.

In this moment in time, talk of peace was something I as well wanted, but knew was out of reach, as tensions between all the species were growing for some unknown reason.

I had my hands quite full without having to deal with wolves.

But I would not say anything yet. There was an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach, which I knew meant that something important needed to be done with the shewolf, but another odd twinge of feeling urged me of something bad. Considering I was a child of dark, something this bad, was truly something.

It occurred the same moment that I had opened my mouth to reply to Dawn.

Before I could release a syllable, trees and dark mist exploded before us. The ground shook furiously, and a deep, menacing feel, overwhelmed the area. Something evil had just touched the very ground, and the signs of corruption were evident as plants dwindled, and shriveled in the mere presence of the thing that had landed.

Dante pulled me into him, his chest solid against my back. The Alpha jumped close to us in a protective, yet defensive stance, her pack immediately closing a tight circle around us.

Low growls erupted around us, but they soon silenced completely as it stepped forward.

Such a feeling of wrongness emitted from it at every step it took.

I saw it's face first. Large black orbs, peered through lash less eyes, thick, solid brows that were raised in pure, wicked amusement, and porcelain skin to rival mine. With hair as silver as mine, that shifted slightly as he stalked forward, and black boots on his feet, I could tell exactly what stood before me.

His dark attire swallowed up the night and shadows, and his leathe muscles shifted powerfully.

"What a world this is," He said, his deceptively light voice echoed out, his hands stretching out all around, as if admiring the view.

"Cursed," I hissed out, baring my teeth to the evil that stood before me.

My senses must have been dulled not to have sensed such evil.

The onyx eyes tracked me, and seemed to smile.

"I've missed you too, Rose, my love," His hand stretched out toward me, and I had only half a thought to push Dante away, before a shrapnel of darkness pierced my abdomen.

I'm not sure why I pushed him out of the way, I should have pushed him in front of me, but alas, I cannot always control instinct.

Dawn looked shocked, and made move to help me, while Dante stared out in pure horror from the place where I had pushed him.

I waved a hand out to stop them. I knew what I was dealing with here, I didn't need to worry about them getting in the way.

The new, fresh wound, hurt worse then the last time I had been hit with it.

The memory flashed, and my undead heart moved.

"How did you get out?" I sneered at him.

His smile grew ferocious.

"My Love, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and so soon after being reunited, but it seems you're not as strong anymore."