Shadow's Kiss

Chapter 6

Artemis woke up swinging.
Her fists connected with a body, but they didn't grunt or give any sign that her hit had caused them any pain.
Her eyes popped open, and at first all she saw was black.
Confused, her eyes came into focus. A shirt. She was staring at a shirt.
She was upside down! On someone's shoulder! Anger tore threw her. How dare they!
She started pounding on their back. "Put. Me. Down!" They gave no reply. She started to kick him, and connected with something hard. Possibly their stomach? It didn't slow them down a bit, in actually, it caused him to raise her up then slam her stomach on his shoulder, causing the breath to leave her entire body.
Why that... bastard!
"Who are you?" She wheezed. "Where are you taking me?" She was gaining the breath back, but she was still humiliated at how high her voice sounded. They didn't reply. She grabbed onto his shirt and pushed her upper body up, trying to take stock in her surroundings. They where in a forest. Minuscule snow showed on the ground, but it was raining. She realized she was actually cold. And soaked.
She fell back down, and used her hands to feel around his waist.
"What are you-" the voice, a purely masculine voice with a litting accent, demanded after she found what she was looking for.
She pulled the knife out of their- his- waist, and cut the top of his thigh, blood appearing on the blade, but not showing on his black pants. "You little-" suddenly he tripped, and her upper body went flying over his shoulder, her head giving a healthy thwack on the ground.
She gritted her teeth as she saw stars, but wasting no time, she wrapped her legs around his middle and yanked him over, rolling with him, blade still in her hand.
The hood was back on, she couldn't see his face, but if she was honest, that would help her with another death on her conscious. Only he grabbed her wrist, yanking her arm over until he was back on top, and driving the blade down.
With her free hand, she struck into the hood, and was surprised to feel a nose break under her fist.
She heard a hiss of pain, and confident, she slid her hand across her face, found his hair and pulled.
His head went back, but he was able to pull the blade out of her hand.
She let go of his hair and swatted the knife out of his hand, sending it flying into the foliage. He tried to restrain her two hands but she worked her leg in between their bodies and pushed with all her might.
He fell back, his own head hitting the ground with a satisfying hit, and she kept on him, straddling him. She tried punching his face, but he brought his hands up.
He pushed her, simply pushed her, while rising his upper body she was straddling. Unbalanced, she fell back, and as they switched, she yanked his hood back.
Her head hit the ground. Again. The pain twice as bad.
He took the moment to grab her hands, pinning them above her head.
Rain in her eyes, her vision was blurry at first, until he loomed over her.
She looked at him, then burst out laughing. Oh got i must have hit my head harder then i thought! She was delusional!
"What are you laughing at?" He demanded. She tried to stop, but saw him again, and burst out laughing. He shook her, jostling her head causing her to wince.
"I must be dreaming! Or i hit my head harder then i thought." She snickered. "There is absolutely no way... in all the earth... a real human being has those ears!" She laughed again.
"And what are so funny about my ears?" He snarled, his voice getting low with a growl. Her laugher died, but a grin played on her lips.
"Oh come on, look at them! They are to...cute!" She snickered again, and yanked her wet hands from his, and instead of going for a weapon like a rational person should, she reached up and grabbed them lightly. They where dog ears. Pure white, rising from his pure as snow hair that hung in his beautiful blue eyes. They where so soft.
"Cute?" He scoffed like it was the worst insult he has ver been dealt. He grabbed her wrists and trapped them again by her head, and used them to hoist himself up, holding himself above her. She smiled.
"Sorry." She giggled. "Gorgeous." He snarled at her, flashing a set of sharpened fangs at her.
Gasping, she slipped her hand out, yet again, and pushed him to the side, using her knees to pin his wrists as she sat on his chest. She leaned down, not caring if he could bite her.
"Oh my gods, this is so fascinating! Where you born like this?" She asked excitedly. If someone was like her...
Maybe there where others out there. Others like her.
She was never able to transform a certain body part, like a tail in human form, but to see someone else who has ears like a dog, what looked like fangs...
She grabbed his hand, and examined the nails. Thicker then humans, and sharper. Suddenly he yanked his hand out of her grasp, wrapped those fingers around her neck, and was suddenly up against a tree.
Her airway blocked, she could only hold on to his hand as she tried to kick him. His amber eyes glared up at her, a scowl twisted his rose dusted lips.
Her amusement and shock left her, leaving behind anger and confusion.
What happened to her? Why was she out here with him?
Then she remembered back home. Kelis. Going up the path. The metal on her arm...
She glanced at her arm from the side, and a scream of wrath built up in her chest. That blasted cuff, the one which made her under the control of the master.
That son of a bitch! She got her legs behind her, feet planted on the tree, and she lunged with all her might.
He threw her away from him, causing her to land in the mud and roll.
She went with it and jumped to her feet in a defensive position.
"Get this off of me. Now!" She hissed, trying to yank it from her arm. The man shook his head. Man? He couldn't be older then her by a couple of years.
"Nope. They told me to deliver you alive, and as I want to be alive as well, that stays." A cruel smile erupted on his lips.
"Don't need to give the kitty her claws."
With a shriek of outrage, she charged him. She managed to wrap her arms around his waist but he pushed her down with ease, again straddling her and wrapped his hand around her throat. Her air wasn't cut off but she was pinned.
She thrashed, and felt the sting of his nails scratch her skin.
"Who are you?" She demanded. "What do you want, and why do you have this?"
He pulled out another knife from his waist, and placed the blade against her throat, ending her struggles as she panted, trying to get air into her lungs.
"The names Ciaran. And your my bounty."