Chapter 99

Arthur’s POV

I climb my way out of Noah’s dungeon. I take in a deep breath of fresh air and only for a moment are my senses cleared. The fresh scent of pine from the trees replaces the smell of metallic blood clogging my nostrils.

I shake my head in hopes to clear my vision, but the sun is throwing off my focus. I can’t seem to see straight and my skin is prickling beneath the warm rays, as if overly aware of each sun beam.

The more I stand still the more I become irritated by it all, so I move. A few people have tried to stop me, maybe recognizing who I am or maybe they’re moved by compassion seeing a fellow being in such a state of frenzy distress, but I brush them off.

I can’t stop to talk. How do I explain whose blood this is? What if I lose control and bite them? Even the thought of that has enough power to make me consider doing it. I bellow out a frustrated cry and move faster.

Wind rushes past me, noise and sights of passerby’s become a blur, everything else in the world fades as I go deeper into rural territory. I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been on the move, but nightfall is about to blanket the sky and a deep relief washes over me. As does a gnawing hunger.

Finally, I reach the spot. Not many know about this little secret nest in the woods. It’s a piece of land my father and Uncle Jack had purchased many moons ago when the sports business really started soaring.

My father said he and his brother used to come here to get away from the stresses of a high-demand business. By the moon only knows what they did out here. Though, my father and uncle haven’t been here in years, I imagine they forgot all about this place.

By looks of it, the land looks just as unkempt as the surrounding area. In the fact the only way I knew I was in the right area was by the scent of the tree used to mark the territory, but even that is lessening.

No matter, no one else knows we own it and besides, it’s private property. I’d like to see someone try breaking and entering.

Some of the old gear is still here. My father and uncle furnished the land with what was the most popular sports gear during that time. I take a look at the old equipment and go pick up a chest guard that hasn’t been in market for at least ten years.

I laugh and toss it aside realizing that all this is, is just junk. This equipment may have sold and made us billions, but what does it matter being surrounded by it now? I don’t have Almara, I’ve left my child, and it’s all because of Noah.

The thought of him sends my blood boiling and I throw my head back in agonizing torment. The dual natures in me are pinning against one another as if knowing these two forms cannot coexist.

I’ve never had my desires be split before. On one hand I want to suck blood and on the other I want to transform and go on a rampage exerting this rage onto whoever dare challenges me. Though, deeper than all this, is the yearning to be with my family and the crushing pain of not being able to do so.

For the first time in my life, I’m not getting what I want and I can’t tolerate that. These forces in me have to be channeled someway or I’m going to lose it. I stop pacing, realizing I’ve been mumbling to myself aloud. I might already be starting to lose it.

I look up and see the moon beginning to glow, a couple more hours and she’ll be in her full glory. With the moon at a waxing gibbous, I can only hope that the moon will distill me with enough power to shove this vampire energy deep down within me. So deep that it never arises.

I decide I’m going to starve this desire. I can’t give in to drinking blood or somehow I know that means there’s no turning back. Suddenly becoming fully aware of the blood stains on my shirt I rip my clothes off of me.

Luckily, there’s a river nearby. I follow the route until I’m getting by the sound of steady flowing water. If I weren’t so distracted, I’d spent more time appreciating the beauty of nature. But, no. There’s work that needs to be done.

First, I submerge my head in the water and drink deeply. The cool water is refreshing, but not enough to quench my thirst. The water chills my empty stomach and I yank my head up bringing my hands to my thick hair and scrub.

The water rolls down from my hair and drips down my back. I splash more water onto my chesty and arms and wipe away the impurities of today. Then I dunk my clothes into the water and scrub them with a rough rock nearby.

The river becomes tinted with dried blood and it’s as if I’m soiling everything I touch. For a moment a great sense of sadness fills inside me, but I quickly dismiss it. What point is there for feeling sorry for myself? Ignoring my emotions, I keep cleaning.

As the night continues on my thoughts have been consumed with Grace, with Almara, and with how to rid myself of this disgusting vampire disease. Perhaps I should’ve made Noah tell me how to cure myself before I killed him.

I fall to my knees and howl up at the moon. My howl is soon choked by a bat-like screech and I roar in response. I bring my paws to my head and claw at my hair. Since when did I transform? I don’t stop to think about it much because I can’t. If I stop to catch my breathe or to center myself, I think I might go crazy.

I keep moving, my thoughts run wild, I punch the trees until my knuckles bleed but there’s no pain. I can’t feel anything except this deep painful hunger in my heart. I can’t tell if it’s the thirst for blood or the want of Alamara. Or Almara’s blood. I smack my paw against my temple, ridding myself of such thoughts.

“Show me to make it stop! Make it stop!” I cry out to the moon. Then as if responding to me, I see her glow brighter than the sun, as if reaching out to me from the sky and coming to speak to me, face to face.

Suddenly, images pop in my mind and obscure my sight. I’m shown cloves of garlic, colloidal silver, blood. So much blood. More images fall from the moon into my mind. Bats, hair, human hair? Or is that fur? Slime from a slug, tears. Whose tears?

The last image I remember is Almara. Her lush hair falling down her bare back, her head resting over her shoulder as her eyes filled with love search my face. Her full lips part to tell me something, but the only think that comes next is darkness.