Your Silver Bullets Won't Save You Now

The sun had just disappeared behind a distant hill as we stood in the clearing. Around us, a village that had long been abandoned since the vampires had torn through, destroying all they found.

I could sense them in the shadows, hear the hissing and feel the eyes watching us closely. But we were not alone this time.

Me, Fred and Max stood at the front, the wolves and galiks flanked us on either side. Together we would fight these creatures.

The nocturnal sounds of nature drifted away and all fell silent.

None of us moved as we all held our breaths, this was it. The dawn of our war.

A flicker of shadow and a cry of pain shattered the night. Looking up to the sky I allowed my wold out to play. My eyes glowed brightly as I shifted into my golden form. Howls of the wolves filled the night sky as the Galik's too transformed into their rightful forms.

The night would never be the same after this battle.

***

It was a bloody battle and one that even I had underestimated.

Flecks of paper still burning bright spiralled down around me, clashing with the chaos on the floor as they dulled and became wisps of smoke. Ears still ringing and legs still shaking, I knelt among the flames and ashes, unaware of the world around me.

Placing hands with broken skin onto the floor, I gently eased myself onto the balls of my feet, swaying slightly as I pushed myself into a standing position. Listing to one side I stumbled and moved slowly through the debris, hoping to head out of the worst of the fire.

As my hearing slowly returned, I could hear screams, yet everything seemed far away, even the fire that raged beside me sounded like a tea light beside an open window. Focused and yet distanced from my surroundings, I carefully placed a hand to my side, somewhere in my mind I knew that the warm feeling across the back of my hand was not a good sign, but I felt no pain in this strange state I found myself in.

The remains of our battleground lay around me, the building I’d been seeking shelter in only moments ago was in ruins. A spell, I assumed, had burnt the building to the ground and sent a shock wave across the battle field. No doubt we had Elspeth to thank for that.

Despite the odds, we had won this war, the vampires were defeated. Many lay shredded around us, but some had run for shelter. Across the Smokey battle field I could see Max, rising from the ashes like a Greek hero.

His hair was speckled with pieces of fallen plaster, he too limped slightly, though I knew the injuries wouldn’t last long. For a chaos silencing moment our eyes locked. In our silent bubble we traded a thousand words of unspoken regrets and promises. We both knew that this was our last goodbye to the life that we could have lived together, had these creatures not got in the way. But that was not to be our path this time. We were not meant to be.

Our connection was broken as Max turned to embrace the purple haired witch as she threw herself into his arms. I watched them for a moment as he span her on the spot before setting her down and giving her the movie kiss-happy-ending that I’d always imagined us sharing.

Turning from the scene of perfection in a scene of total destruction, I wiped discarded tears from my charred cheeks. The tears weren’t from jealousy or pain, but relief. Relief that finally this war was over and that we had succeeded. They were also from a distant sadness, as I mourned the passing of the love Max and I could have shared, had we only had the opportunity.

My brother and Aries stood off to the side, talking to a group of Galiks. Every now and then they would look at one another and a smile would break across my brother’s face. Finally he was happy.

I clutched my side tighter as the warm liquid began to slow. I could feel my body begin to heal, all be it slowly. For a second I revelled in the silence. Around me wolves aided galiks and vice versa, as injuries were healed and bodies accounted for. Stood alone in this battle field, I felt more like a leader than I ever had, and it chilled me to my core. I had not wanted this power; I had never wanted to lead.

I shuddered as the wind picked up and faltered for a second, a shudder of lonliness flickering through my body.

Crunching rocks and twigs caught my attention, I snapped my attention around watched as he walked towards me.

Skin a dusty grey from ash and hair speckled with white, he walked with a confidence I admired. His eyes glittered brightly in the dark evening as he moved towards me. They remained focused solely on me as he clambered and stepped over obstacles and small flames. I smiled a slow, lazy smile as his hands wrapped naturally around me and pulled me close.

Inhaling a mixture of smoke and sweat I nestled into Zack’s body, my wolf growling happily in response.

I deep breath and sighed deeply, wounds I didn't know I had, healing as he held me.

We had won. Finally, it was over.

And here in the destruction, I had finally found my home.