Iron Wolf

Chapter 5~ The Dark Side

Melody's POV

Two months. That's how long it had been since I had killed. I normally couldn't go for more than six weeks but it had been a solid eight weeks. I hadn't killed so much as a fly in that time, much less a person. It was all part of my plan to be worthy of Steve. As time had gone on, I'd noticed myself fall harder and harder for the star-spangled man and all I wanted was for him to notice me. To hold me. To share my feelings for him. It didn't matter to me that I would only be 14 next February, all that mattered was that Steve liked me as much as I liked him. And step one of that was being worthy of him, being as pure as I could get. And that meant no more dead bodies because of me.

A Month Later

Melody's POV

"Sweetheart, are you ok? You've been a bit... off... today. Is everything ok?" Dad asked one day while we were in the lab.

"I'm fine. Just feel a little weird. Like something's missing," I said, shrugging.

"Maybe you should go lie down. Maybe take a nap?" Dad suggested.

"Uh oh. You only suggest I nap when you're really worried," I pointed out and he gave me a stern look.

"I am worried. That's my number one job; to be worried about you."

"Ok, ok. I'll go nap. I love you, Dad," I said, giving him a hug before heading to my room. I flopped on my bed and scrolled around on the internet before something caught my attention. There were 13 murders in Queens, all with the same MO, and all within the last twenty-four hours. Which is when I'd started feeling strange.

"Girls? Is everyone there?" I thought to my alter Egos.

"Luna, Adara and I are. Raven is gone," Seraphine answered.

"Shit," I cursed out loud, running to my balcony and flinging myself off it so I could start tracking my dark side. All she fucking does is cause trouble.

Steve's POV

Horrified. That's the only word that came to mind when I watched Melody jump off her balcony and down onto the street below. My heart was beating a million beats per minute even after I watched her graciously land on her feet. Still scare for the reckless teen, I followed her. After about an hour of walking she, and by extension me, found a girl who could be Melody's identical twin. The only differences were her hair which went almost down to her butt and was blacker than night and her eyes. While Melody had little white flecks in her eyes, this new girl had them in black.

"Raven, come on. This is enough. Come home," Melody pleaded with the new girl.

"You broke your end of the deal by not letting me out. Therefore I can do whatever the fuck I want now, and I'm not ready to recharge yet. I still have an hour or so left."

"You know why I haven't let you out, Raven-"

"Three months. It has been three months since I have been allowed to breathe air you haven't already breathed and to see things with my own eyes. I could deal with two months, but you pushed me to this. All of those deaths are your fault!"

"Because I'm trying to better myself?! Because I don't want to feel like a monster every time I look in the mirror?! Somehow that puts all this new blood on my hands? Bullshit. That's on you, Raven. And if you're not going to come willingly, then I guess I have no choice but to make you," Melody screamed before charging Raven with a sword that seemed to materialize out of thin air. The two fought back and forth, and the upper hand was constantly changing from one girl to the next before Melody upped the game and cast a spell that seemed to suck all of... something out of Raven until the girl looked like a ghost; completely translucent.

"You have no choice now. Either come home or fade into nothingness. It's your decision," Melody said, her voice cold. Raven glared at her before fusing with Melody. The redhead slumped her shoulders before turning around, probably to walk home.

"Steve," She breathed, finally noticing me. "How long have you been there?"

"Since you jumped off your balcony. I was worried so I followed you. What was all of that?" I asked, walking towards her.

"Well, you know how I said that I was trained to kill ever since I was little? Well, that's because I have a magic that is unique to me. Death magic. Essentially, I have to kill every six weeks or so or else I go crazy or, alternatively Raven gets out and does as she pleases. Raven is my dark side; an alter ego of mine. She's my depression, my anger, my bloodlust and just about anything else negative. There are others too. There's Seraphine who is my passion, my determination, my poise, my intelligence, my fierceness. There's Luna, my resourcefulness, my compassion, my understanding, but also my cunning. And there is Adara, my anxiety, my ability to come back from any situation, my will. They make up who I am but they are their own people in a way," Melody explained, ashamed.

See, Steve, she has to kill. She's a killer. This is just another reason you shouldn't feel the way you do about her. She is everything you stand against.

"How long has it been since you last killed?" I asked.

"Three months. I was trying to be better since I live with people who's whole thing is saving people. Lotta good that did..."

My heart just about burst. All she wanted was to be better because of the Avengers.

"You shouldn't try to change who you are because of us, Melody. We all care about you and love you just the way you are," I told her.

"Are you sure about that? I kill people for personal gain."

"No, you kill for self-perseverance. It's different," I told her. Why is all I want to do is kiss you? Why? After everything you just told me, why do I want to kiss you so badly?

"You don't hate me?"

"Of course I don't." And I never will.