Red as Blood
three
I feel frozen, paralyzed, unable to move as I watch him stalk towards me with a look reminiscent of a hungry predator. I feel like terrified prey, unable to call the others from this distance without giving myself away.
"I don't believe we've met." he licks his lips and extends a hand. It's then I realize he's covered head to toe in blood. I makes my stomach clench in disgust and terror.
I hesitantly take his hand. "A-Amaranth." I stutter, teeth chattering from the chill. My mother named me after her favorite flower. The human peasants call it love-lies-bleeding.
"Amaranth." He repeats, slow and soft, as though tasting my name. "They call me Red."
"I know." I murmur. "I'm not sure anyone doesn't know you."
He comes a bit closer, to close for comfort, and the wolf beneath my skin bristles defensively. I want to step back, run away like a scared little rabbit, but my feet wont move. He breaths out, warm peppermint and smoke scented breath covering my face. Our eyes lock, my own grey blue unable to leave his endless forest eyes.
He takes a step back, and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding as he turns away and steps under the falls. I mutter something that I think was about heading home, and dart away as fast as I can, shifting into a wolf again as soon as he can't see me.
I run, fast and hard, skidding to a halt in front of the cave we call our den and shifting back. I am lucky it only hurts so much the first time after a full moon, otherwise I would probably head back to the waterfall despite everything. My father notices my face right away and runs toward me.
"Amaranth, what happened?" He questions as I start slipping back into my clothes.
"I ran into a hunter at the falls." I say in a voice little over a whisper, and he gives me a panicked look. "As a human, don't worry. I was cooling off. He doesn't know what I am, so It's fine."
"What did they look like?" My father asks, worried, but still eager to learn anything he can on our predators.
"Red." Is all I say before strolling back towards the village. "I'm going to work." I throw over my shoulder and wander off.
I stop for breakfast in the inn, hanging my green cloak by the door. "What can I get you?" The blonde innkeeper smiles.
"Just tea thanks. Two sugars and milk please." I order. "And maybe some of those cinnamon cakes if you have some Misty." They do. I can smell the cinnamon from here. Faint on her hands, as she never makes them. No one knows who does, just that occasionally someone delivers fresh baked sweets to the inn.
"Well you are in luck." She says, "Just got delivered a moment ago. Almost saw our mysterious chef too, but I was a bit slow. Maybe next time."
"Maybe." I murmur as she wanders off. The unique smell of the one person I don't want to see catches my attention, and he wastes no time settling down on the chair opposite of me.
"Hello. You ran off so quickly I thought maybe you'd seen a monster." He smirks.
"Something like that." I smile wryly. Misty sets my tea and cakes on the table, and he steals a sticky roll from the plate. "Hey!"
"What?" he asks innocently, biting into the frosted treat. he gives me a look like a child begging his parent for a toy.
"Don't think being cute is going to save you." I mock scold. "They rarely have these, and they are my favorite."
"Really?" he asks curiously, licking the cinnamon and frosting from his fingers.
"No I'm just saying that to make you feel bad." I answer sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
He laughs, brushing a stray hair behind his ears. "You called me cute."
"I did not." I protest, turning as red as a pomegranate.
He smirks. "You did too." He sticks out his tongue, wrinkling his scarred nose.
"You are such a child." I pout, still blushing like a little girl.
"It's all good." he chuckles, ruffling my hair. "I think I'm cute too."
He waves goodbye as he walks out the door, leaving me staring open mouthed after him. Misty laughs. "Oh you too huh?" She giggles.
"What?" I ask.
"Oh come on Amaranth. You are so sweet on him too. Admit it. I'm a girl, I know this kind of thing." I blink in shock and she giggles again. "Don't worry, I wont tell anyone."
"How could I love him?" I protest. "He's a guy." He's a hunter. I'm a wolf. It would never work.
"If that's the excuse you are going with." She laughs. "You know none of us really care about this kind of thing. We have to stick together."
"Yeah." I pay her and head off to work. "See you later Mist."
"See you cousin." She smiles. "But just know I am not giving up just because I like you. I am your rival in love."
I blush again. I feel like such a girl. Red passes me as I walk down the street and gives me his blood hungry grin. I shiver, both chilled to the bone with fear and warm with happiness.
"I don't believe we've met." he licks his lips and extends a hand. It's then I realize he's covered head to toe in blood. I makes my stomach clench in disgust and terror.
I hesitantly take his hand. "A-Amaranth." I stutter, teeth chattering from the chill. My mother named me after her favorite flower. The human peasants call it love-lies-bleeding.
"Amaranth." He repeats, slow and soft, as though tasting my name. "They call me Red."
"I know." I murmur. "I'm not sure anyone doesn't know you."
He comes a bit closer, to close for comfort, and the wolf beneath my skin bristles defensively. I want to step back, run away like a scared little rabbit, but my feet wont move. He breaths out, warm peppermint and smoke scented breath covering my face. Our eyes lock, my own grey blue unable to leave his endless forest eyes.
He takes a step back, and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding as he turns away and steps under the falls. I mutter something that I think was about heading home, and dart away as fast as I can, shifting into a wolf again as soon as he can't see me.
I run, fast and hard, skidding to a halt in front of the cave we call our den and shifting back. I am lucky it only hurts so much the first time after a full moon, otherwise I would probably head back to the waterfall despite everything. My father notices my face right away and runs toward me.
"Amaranth, what happened?" He questions as I start slipping back into my clothes.
"I ran into a hunter at the falls." I say in a voice little over a whisper, and he gives me a panicked look. "As a human, don't worry. I was cooling off. He doesn't know what I am, so It's fine."
"What did they look like?" My father asks, worried, but still eager to learn anything he can on our predators.
"Red." Is all I say before strolling back towards the village. "I'm going to work." I throw over my shoulder and wander off.
I stop for breakfast in the inn, hanging my green cloak by the door. "What can I get you?" The blonde innkeeper smiles.
"Just tea thanks. Two sugars and milk please." I order. "And maybe some of those cinnamon cakes if you have some Misty." They do. I can smell the cinnamon from here. Faint on her hands, as she never makes them. No one knows who does, just that occasionally someone delivers fresh baked sweets to the inn.
"Well you are in luck." She says, "Just got delivered a moment ago. Almost saw our mysterious chef too, but I was a bit slow. Maybe next time."
"Maybe." I murmur as she wanders off. The unique smell of the one person I don't want to see catches my attention, and he wastes no time settling down on the chair opposite of me.
"Hello. You ran off so quickly I thought maybe you'd seen a monster." He smirks.
"Something like that." I smile wryly. Misty sets my tea and cakes on the table, and he steals a sticky roll from the plate. "Hey!"
"What?" he asks innocently, biting into the frosted treat. he gives me a look like a child begging his parent for a toy.
"Don't think being cute is going to save you." I mock scold. "They rarely have these, and they are my favorite."
"Really?" he asks curiously, licking the cinnamon and frosting from his fingers.
"No I'm just saying that to make you feel bad." I answer sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
He laughs, brushing a stray hair behind his ears. "You called me cute."
"I did not." I protest, turning as red as a pomegranate.
He smirks. "You did too." He sticks out his tongue, wrinkling his scarred nose.
"You are such a child." I pout, still blushing like a little girl.
"It's all good." he chuckles, ruffling my hair. "I think I'm cute too."
He waves goodbye as he walks out the door, leaving me staring open mouthed after him. Misty laughs. "Oh you too huh?" She giggles.
"What?" I ask.
"Oh come on Amaranth. You are so sweet on him too. Admit it. I'm a girl, I know this kind of thing." I blink in shock and she giggles again. "Don't worry, I wont tell anyone."
"How could I love him?" I protest. "He's a guy." He's a hunter. I'm a wolf. It would never work.
"If that's the excuse you are going with." She laughs. "You know none of us really care about this kind of thing. We have to stick together."
"Yeah." I pay her and head off to work. "See you later Mist."
"See you cousin." She smiles. "But just know I am not giving up just because I like you. I am your rival in love."
I blush again. I feel like such a girl. Red passes me as I walk down the street and gives me his blood hungry grin. I shiver, both chilled to the bone with fear and warm with happiness.