The Hunt

Scarlet tries to duck out of the way but the pillow catches her right in the face rather then simply hitting her stomach as ice had aimed.
“Ha!” Ice says in victory
Scarlet grumbles something like “lucky shot” as she sits on the couch.
“What’s got you feeling so down? A moment ago you were laughing and betting with me” Ice asks sitting beside Scarlet.
As Ice sits down she starts to feel pretty down herself but there is no reason behind it. Both girls feel a dull ache on their left ankles. Scarlet ignores it and tries to think of a reason as to why she is feeling so down and lost but she finds nothing. There is no reason for her to be feeling like this.

“I have no idea” Scarlet replies.
Ice nods solemnly. Scarlet winces as the pain in her ankle intensifies finally it is too much and she looks down irritated. She gasps shocked taking a closer look at her ankle. Ice follows Scarlet’s eyes down to Scarlet’s ankle then she sees it. On Scarlet’s ankle is a crescent moon with a star seeming to peek around the moon. Inside the crescent moon is two triangle that have no base pointing downwards. The triangles look like fangs. It appears to be a tattoo but the lines of the shape are raised from the skin as if it had been branded there. The skin is not scarred in any way so it could not have been branded there.
“What the hell?!” Scarlet exclaims shocked.
Ice looks at her own left ankle and see the same crescent moon but in the place of the triangles there are two stars each upside down.

“When did this happen?” Ice exclaims running her fingers over the raised lines.
“I don’t know but mine is aching, badly” Scarlet says pulling her knees up to her chest on the couch.
“So is mine” Ice says mimicking Scarlet’s actions.
Normally both girl have high pain threshold but this pain is like nothing they’ve felt before.
“It’s getting worse” Scarlet says studying it.
“Why are they getting worse?” Ice asks

Both girls sit in silence trying to overcome the growing pain. Scarlet stands up wincing.
“Ice I’m going to bed, maybe this will get better after I rest” Scarlet announces to her friend.
“Alright, should we take turns staying up?” Ice asks
“Right now I don’t feel like doing anything, I just feel like curling up into a ball and crying but I have never cried since fifth grade and that was a legitimate reason” Scarlet says leaning against the arm of the couch.
Ice nods in understanding.
“I feel the same, but why?” Ice says.

“Can we just lock the doors and keep weapons with us? Will we be safe?” Scarlet asks Ice looking for advice on the matter but ice was in the same boat as her.
“I don’t think a locked door will keep out vampires but there isn’t much else we can do” Ice responds standing up.

Both girls trudge into their rooms with aching ankles. After checking their weapons they collapse into bed. Shortly after their head hit the pillows they drift to sleep.

~Ice’s Dream~

“Ice” Call a soft masculine voice.
Ice looks around and she is in Mathew’s room. He is leaning over her as she lay in the bed. Ice gasps and rolls away from Mathew. She reaches for her weapon but her holster is empty.
“Looking for this?” Mathew asks cynically as he holds her gun.
“Mathew? Mathew, what has gotten into you?” Ice asks
“What do you mean?” He asks taking a step closer to the bed.
Ice is right on the edge of the bed and can’t move back any further.
“You were so kind but then you turn up at my place so evil” Ice explains
“Ahh…. But you see that is what happens when one tangles with demons, you of all people should know that demons can forcefully turn people against all that they love by using the darkest parts of the persons being. I ,for instance, am a vampire and the darkest part of me is that I can easily kill, drain or bond people.” Mathew explains but his voice is talking with the echo of Ice’s own voice in her head.
Mathew drops the guns them lunges at her quick as a flash.

Ice sits bolt upright in bed panting. Suddenly she realises what has happened to the boys. She had the knowledge to solve the puzzle about why Mathew had turned on her and had known it subconsciously since she noticed how different he was. Ice had studied demons tricks in battle for two years and had read that some have the rare powder that causes whoever comes in contact with it to turn to the darkest part of their being.

~Scarlet’s Dream~

Scarlet am curled up under a desk of an unknown place. The room is covered with dust and the walls are marked with varies chips in the paint and indentations. For an unknown reason she is scared and holding her breath listening for something but since it is a dream it doesn’t matter why she is there or why she is behaving the way she is. Suddenly she hears it, the steady thump, thump, thump of boots hitting the ground. Someone is coming and quickly. Her ankle that was burning terribly at first is now starting to grow less and less painful. Now the mark is starting to cool and become comforting. She finally has to release the breath she was holding. The thumping pauses for a moment them is followed by a low chuckle. Scarlet looks towards the closed door the sound is creeping under. The steps grow closer and closer. Scarlet’s ankles begins to feel so wonderfully comforting and the sensation starts to spread through her whole body relaxing her muscles that were tight with fear as the steps near. The door is opened swiftly and Scarlet gasps as she sees Ryan grinning down at her.
“You can’t hide from me, we’re bonded now” Ryan says coming towards Scarlet.
Amongst Scarlet’s shock and fear there is also comfort. It is that mark on her ankle causing the feeling of comfort. She looks down at it. Suddenly Ryan’s arm slides around her waist and as his skin touches hers the mark glows warmly but not painfully. It fills her with bliss at his touch. He hauls her out from under the desk.
“Honey, you should know we’re bonded know and no matter how far you run I will always find you” Ryan says in her ear “I make you whole, you can’t live without me”
“I can live without you” Scarlet says defiantly
“No you can’t” Ryan whispers “The mark is to keep you bonded to me, it is a blessing if you stay with me but a curse if you go too long without me”
“Why would you do this?” Scarlet says fighting back the tears that threaten to spill from her eyes.
Ryan grins.
“You already know why” Ryan says
Suddenly Scarlet hears Ice’s voice distantly calling her.

“Scarlet!” Ice says desperately as she leans over Scarlet’s sleeping form.
Scarlet jolts awake and sits up quickly. Her forehead collides with Ice’s.
“Ow!” They exclaim in unison.