Blue Moon

Sweat had poured over Talen's face as he woke up, still seeing the gore and the horror fresh in his mind. He was trying to calm his own breath.

Ended it before it got interesting.

"Shut up!" Talen held his head and got up. "Why didn't you wake me when the sun went down?"

Have my reasons. Your nightmares were... intriguing. Talen groaned as he got up and brushed off. He started to head toward the house, his heart still racing. He hoped that Valeriana would be ok. Don't be foolish pup. She should mean nothing. You cannot hope to...

"Enough." He came toward the door and was about to grab the door handle when it flung open and Valeriana crashed into him. "Whoa!" Talen tried to catch her and keep him from falling with her. She gripped onto his shirt, tears streaming her face. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

She was shaking in his arms and he had no idea what was going on.

Did she see the nightmare too? He shook his head. That would be impossible. But something had to have happen when he was gone. He patted her back gently.

"Hey. It's alright." He looked her over, seeing nothing that was out of the ordinary.

"Someone... They came in the house..." Her eyes looked scared, but Talen had a nagging feeling. Though, having his other half nagging him was also a reason for it.

Something is very wrong... Something is very wrong with her. The beast tensed inside him. She doesn't smell like the girl, pup.

What are you talking about? It's Valeriana.

Look again. Looks are always deceiving. Look at yourself. Talen gulped.

He didn't want to believe that Valeriana had been changed or taken. He had promised himself that he would protect her. And every fiber of his body believed that. She looked like Valeriana in every possibly way. Her smell... He took a sniff at how close she was and immediately tensed. The smell of death. He tensed under her grip on his shirt. She must have noticed it because she looked up at him.

"What's wrong? Why are you staring at me?" There was something in the air, something potent.

"Let me see your neck." She put a hand to her hair that was covering her neck.

"But why?" Talen raised an eyebrow. That just did it that he actually understood.

"You are not Val. I can smell the death reeking off you. And if you were the real Val, the collar would have reacted. She would not have been able to resist. Who are you and where is the real Valeriana?" His tone had changed into something close to a snarl.

"I am the real Valeriana." Her face looked scared to him, but he had to concentrate. She doesn't smell like Valeriana. It's not her.

"Cut the bull and tell me where she is. Now." He started to edge her towards a wall, his eyes starting to turn yellow. His eyes never left the fake girl's eyes, but she did something that surprised him. She laughed. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"You." She had her back pressed against the wall, laughing at hi. For what reason, he wasn't sure. But he soon started to clench his hands to his sides.

"You dare laugh at me?"

"You are a funny and interesting case, Talen Valorin. Many of the others could not even tell."

"What are you blathering about?"

Something shimmer in the corner of his eye and Braum came at him, barreling towards him. Talen attempted to sidestep and tried to avoid his hand when he lunged at Talen from the side. Not quick enough. Braum's hand shot out and grabbed Talen by the throat to pin him to the wall. Talen grunted and tried to pull Braum's hand from his throat.

"Braum..." Talen coughed. "What the hell are you doing?" Braum didn't respond, but his eyes were red.

"Oh. He can't hear you." Talen blinked in confusion. "One of the best spells I have learned. Now, young Valorin, if you would care to ignore the "killing the messenger", I'll gut the bull with you."

Talen gulped and narrowed his eyes, trying to keep Braum from constricting his throat further. "What do you want? Where is Valeriana?"

"She's safe, for now. Though, if you try looking for her, she might not be." There was an audible gasp from Talen. "And as for what I want," She pushed herself off the wall towards him. "I would like my curse lifted. As you are the sole remaining male heir of the Valorin line, you are the only one to do so."

"What are you talking about?"

The grip tightened around Talen's neck. Talen struggled slightly until fake Valeriana came over and brushed the back of her hand on his cheek before grabbing his jaw, forcing him to look at her.

"Don't act stupid. You know who I am and why I'm here." Her eyes started to shift colors.

"You're the witch..." He gulped slightly. He guessed that his father's description was a trick of light. Now that he was looking at her, it was anything but a fantasy. She smiled curiously at him, causing his skin to crawl.

"That's right. Now, since you know who I am, you know my curse." Talen furrowed his eyebrows again in confusion.

Another curse? On the witch? He shook his head, whipping his head out of her grasp and still struggling under Braum's grip.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Hmm... Guess Alden did feel guilty for what he did that he didn't write in those special journals of yours. No matter." Her eyes glinted to something that was quite old. "Your family cursed me. Until the last Valorin died or until the curse is lifted." Talen's eyes widened. She started to make a tsk sound at him. "You have to die of your own accord. Not mine. As you are the last Valorin, a lot is riding on you. Though..." She moved his shirt slightly to reveal his bandaged torso. "I see you have already tried."

Talen grounded his teeth slightly. "Like I was planning to get shot."

"No matter the circumstance." She looked at Braum. "Let him down. He'll cooperate. Otherwise, the girl will die." Talen's heart sank to his stomach.

Valeriana... "Where is she?" Braum slowly let him go as the witch looked at him.

"Oh. She's alright." Talen grounded his teeth.

"I want to see her." The witch raised an eyebrow.

"A Valorin caring for a girl, an interesting development." She held up her hand and an orb appeared. Braum slowly started to let go. "I'll show you where the girl is, but it may not be a pretty sight."

The orb started to glow in front of Talen's eyes. A mist seemed to go and move within the orb. Though, the image it started to form. There was Valeriana, her eyes closed and her hair was slightly stuck to her face. Around her wait and torso, locking her arms to her sides, were these vines with thorns that were going into her. She didn't move and he couldn't tell if she was breathing either.

"Valeriana..." Talen clenched his hands to his side. The vines and thorns caused him to feel a wrench in his heart. Flowers sprouted in random places as she was pinned into place. He furrowed his eyebrows as he narrowed them on the witch. "What did you do to her? Let her go. She doesn't deserve this."

The witch smirked and laughed. Talen was shaking, but couldn't act on his instincts. "Aw. As if you care for the girl. You Valorins, still the same." She threw the orb behind her and it disappeared in a bit of mist on the floor. She came closer to him, causing him to press his back to the wall. "She is only asleep. For now."

Talen pressed his hands against the wall. He shouldn't have been scared of such a petite figure. She is a witch. Never forget that. Every alarm was going off as she leaned in closed.

"What do you want for Valeriana's freedom?"

"Hmm... a test. If you really care for this girl, you'll be doing my bidding until I deem if you are worthy."

Don't take this pup. It's some sort of trap.

I can't just let Valeriana suffer like that.

"Worthy of what?"

"Worthy to be saved. And break my curse on your family. Or, you can watch the girl and yourself die on the blue moon. As that's how long she has before the thorns kill her." Talen's eyes widened.

"What..."

"You heard me. Do my test and maybe you'll both be saved. Otherwise..." She put a finger to her throat and went across her neck in the killing gesture.

"You son of a..." She put a finger to his lips.

"I am a witch. But that is the deal. Take it or leave it." Talen narrowed his eyes, but his chest clenched at the thought that Valeriana would die with him.

Don't make a deal with a witch. What do you think she'll do. Let the girl go and have you saved by the blue moon? The beast growled. Talen's mind was reeling to find answers and ways out of this. None were popping up. He took a deep breath.

But I have to try. Against the beast's protest, Talen looked at the witch.

"I'll do your test. What do I need to do?" The witch's smile turned into a sneer.

"Well, to start, we need to have a contract."

"Ok... Where do I need to sign?"

You foolish pup!

"It's not that kind of contract." She leaned up and kissed him. His eyes bugged and he felt like he was on fire. His lips and mouth burned as he pushed her away. Tears stung his eyes as he looked at the witch.

"What did you do to me?" He croaked, trying to see clearly.

"A binding contract. You'll get over it. It shouldn't bother you much." The burning sensation slowly dissipated. "Now, I would run off for now until you are needed." Talen grounded his teeth as she stepped away. "And Valorin, I wouldn't actually try anything while under the contract. It has a nasty habit of... biting back."

His beast growled, but Talen barely acknowledged her as he left. I will find you Valeriana... I promise you.

The frustration was shaking through him as he tried to think of where the witch would be hiding Valeriana. But as soon as he headed out the door, he heard the witch and Braum talking.

"Do you really believe that he'll help you? With the girl in such a distress?"

"I need to see with my own eyes. And maybe only one needs to die." Talen clenched his hands.

Maybe only one needs to die. He started to stalk to his room. And I won't allow it to be her.

And what of us? Talen looked out the window to the moon. He hoped that that would be enough of an answer to the beast. I see. I hope she is worth this.