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The pendant around my neck, hidden beneath the fabric of my nightgown, begins to glow with them, pulsing in a rhythm, synchronizing… The crystals’ light is soft, a crimson hue, illuminating the fine details of the box, revealing carved letters on its side. "The Origin of Species," it reads, and below the inscription is a series of images etched into the wood — a man, shifting and changing, his form morphing into that of a fearsome beast. The transformation is depicted in meticulous detail, capturing every stage of the metamorphosis.
I trace my fingers over the carvings, feeling the magic thrum against my skin. It's as if the box itself is alive, its heart beating in time with my own, with the pulse of the crystals. The urge to see what lies within becomes overwhelming and I lift the lid, slowly at first. The hinges whisper in protest as I let it settle all the way back. Inside, nestled within the velvet lining, is an old book. A bestiary.
Taking it out, I gently flip through the pages, each one is filled with beautiful sketches and hand-penned descriptions of various shifters, from common werewolves to the more obscure and mystical creatures like changelings and fae folk.
My heart beats a little faster as I close it. This is it. This can help me.
I tuck the book under my arm and keep searching through the study. Gone is the thirst I felt, replaced or rather drowned out by my curiosity.
Looking through the vials next, a cool draft of air hit my face, weaving through the velvet threads of the cloak, making me shiver. The hair at the nape of neck tingles, standing on end, along with those of my arms. I look around the room, wondering where it came from. There’s no way for a breeze to make it down here.
“We’re not alone… I can’t explain how I know, but I do.”
“There’s no one else in here.” Then it dawns on me. Loric… Maybe he woke up. Unsure of whether I want to share the knowledge of this place, I glide to the archway, peeking through the tapestry, but I only get the hem between my fingers before his voice startles me.
I spin around, a gasp escaping my lips as I arch into the fabric to avoid touching him. His hands are braced upon the arched stone above me, his face peering down with those striking silver eyes. “And what might you be doing up?”
“I was thirsty and couldn't make it up the steps on my own. I thought there might be another staircase in here.” I swallow the knot forming in my throat.
His eyes slide down my face, my throat, my chest, landing on the book and his lips twitch. The smirk coming and going so quickly, I fear I’ve imagined it. “And that?”
“I found it. I thought it would help me figure out what I am.” It’s the truth… but even with the truth to protect me, it doesn’tstop the icy cold chill that creeps down my spine. It’s so light, so slow, it’s like a spider creeping down it, one vertebrae at a time.
“That's a shame.” He cups my face, his touch warm, gentle despite the roughness of his fingers. His thumb strokes over my bottom lip, tugging it enough to part them. His eyes search mine, and I don’t move away. I can’t. He bends, but it’s not until his lips are nearly on mine that his image flickers. His face gone, replaced by something that’s all bone. I step back through the fabric, nearly falling over in the process.
“What in the hell are you doing? We WANT this. We NEED this,”Hyde protests.Did she not see it?
“Something’s wrong. Very wrong,” I whisper, getting my balance and putting as much distance as I can between me and him.
Dropping his hands, he steps through the tapestry, into the open cavern and shoots me a cocky grin. “Sorry, I thought… Nevermind. I didn’t mean to offend you. Did you find something to drink among the tomes?”
“N–No.” I stutter, turning back to him. “I didn’t.”
“Would you like me to go get you something?”
I nod, my teeth clenched tight. My hands become clammy, even with the frigid air around us, my chest tight. “Please.”
Loric’s face falls, but he nods his understanding, then disappears into thin air.
What the fuck…
I search the space, looking for him, and when I turn around, I see his form still slouched against the wall by my bedroom door. Asleep.
The blood drains from my face, the air suddenly too thin. It wasn’t him.
“Fuckkkkk… Okay, don’t panic.”
“Oh, I’m panicking!” I don’t bother to look behind me, even though my crystal starts to pulse around my neck. Whoever thatis isn’t Loric, and I don’t want to find out what it wants with me. Instead, I break into a sprint. I open my mouth to yell for him, to wake him up but I barely get the first syllable out before something snatches around my neck, yanking me backward. My lungs, my airway, my everything screams as I’m slammed down onto one of the wooden tables. The book goes flying, landing somewhere off to my right.
The creature peers over me, his face twisted too far, facing me as if we were standing in front of each other, his head upside down. Gone is the illusion, and bile climbs at my throat. The bones of its face are humanoid, but I was wrong… What remains of its flesh and muscle have been mummified, shrunken until the bones have poked through. The dark abysses of its eyes are hollow, a soulless midnight black. My lungs burn as I choke, desperate for air. There’s nothing around my neck–whatever he hit me with is gone–but I can’t catch my breath. I gasp, and gasp, as he watches me, the bones of his teeth, his jaw, flexing as if it were rubber and not solid, creating a sinister smirk.
“This could’ve been easy, little one. Instead, you had to make it hard.” The creature bends, as if he’s still dead set on kissing me. Except, the closer he gets, the more I can see. A forked tongue slides between its teeth, lashing out to lick the side of my face.
Oh no… No, no, NO.
“I can’t help you… I don’t have the strength yet. Last time took so much out of me…”
My beast’s admission leaves me weak, the fight dissipating with every second that ticks by. I’m screwed.
