Bloodmoon: The Hybrid Omega

The Second Choice

I sat by the river, hugging my knees. The sun was creeping up over the horizon and I knew it was dangerous for me to stay out too long with my sensitive skin, but I didn't want to move. I just wanted to sit until I dissolved into ashes.

"Uhm, I'm not sure about your skin's sun resistance, but I'd guess that now is a good time for you to be joining me in the shadows, no?"

I jumped and glared at the direction of the voice. Cassyan stood on the other side of the river, flashing a sharp-toothed grin.

"What are you doing here?" I growled, "It's not your dad or whatever's turn yet."

"Vansius isn't my father," He seemed unbothered, "Your loss honestly. I would make an excellent stepson."

"I'll kill you! Go away!" I grabbed a rock and threw it at him, missing by a wide margin.

"I am quite intimidated." He sat down,  "I'm just hanging around to make sure you're okay. I mean, Vansius already blames me for not capturing you before the mating ceremony began. He'd have my head if something happened to you."

"Great. I'll drown myself out of spite then."

He looked genuinely concerned for a second, but then sighed, "I really am sorry about all of this mess. It's a lot of legal nonsense and innocent people always end up in the crosshairs."

"It doesn't matter anyway." I threw another rock at him, "Damon doesn't want me! I might as well choose your disgusting Lord Vansius. At least I wasn't his second choice."

Cassyan counted on his fingers for a second, "Well, he really wanted to marry your mother at first, so I guess you actually are his second choice if you think about it."

I threw another rock at him and this time it actually hit him in the head.

"Ow! Do you mind? Here I am making sure you're okay and you assault me with your dirty wolf stones! No wonder nobody wants to marry you. You're a heathen."

I couldn't help it as tears sprung from my eyes. I let out an ugly sob and burried my head in my hands.

"No, I'm sorry. It wasn't fair to call you a heathen, please don't cry!" He made a nervous sound and crossed the river, "I'm sure you're very refined by dog standards. There are probably tons of wolfmen who would be thrilled to marry you. Please stop?"

I stood up and turned away from him, "I don't want you hanging around me!"

"I can't leave you alone or else Vansius will be mad and honestly I'm more afraid of him than I am of you."

I tried to leave, but he grabbed my wrist, "Look. I'm sorry, I should have stayed quiet, but honestly, I've been spying on you all night and you'd just been sitting there crying for hours and I thought you needed a friend. The fact that I've kidnapped and spied on you had completely slipped my mind."

I turned back to face him. The dim light peaking over the trees lit his face, making him look much more innocent than the shadows he usually lurked in. He suddenly screamed and lunged towards the safety of the woods, clutching his face, "MY FACE! I FORGOT IT WAS DAWN! OH MY FACE!"

I followed him to the shadows, "So... Purebred vampires can't take any sun at all?"

He shook his head, "It starts burning us almost immedietly. If this scars I will be so mad."

"Here," I crouched down next to him and observed the area. It didn't look burnt, but it was very red. I licked my finger and touched it.

"Ew! Saliva! What is wrong with you forest dogs?" He slapped my hand away.