Blue Moon

Talen had been waiting by the window as the sun was starting to come up on New Year's Day. He hadn't gone out partying. No reason to. Why would he celebrate the last year of his life? The chances of him breaking the curse before the next blue moon in December was already a lost cause. I was sad to him to think that this would be his last year. Soon the light would hit him and he would be lost again for the day. He wanted some hope that his whole life hadn't been some cruel joke. But he couldn't think about that.

He was the Last Valorin in the house. A mansion of three stories and enough rooms that even the White House would be jealous was set in the woods. There was a conservatory, a green house, a huge kitchen where the ceiling was another story up. Banisters and balconies snaked around the atrium. The library that Talen was in had bookshelves all the way to the ceiling, every shelf filled with books and other knick-knacks, covered in a thick layer of dust.

Most of the staff had been forced to retire and Talen had been left all alone as his mother and sister had left. And that was four years ago.

Well, it had been for a good reason. He thought as he got up and headed to the back storage room. The main reason was to check the basement.

The last time he had been there, on of this brothers had had a girl caged down here, like she was the “problem” they had to deal with. Sometimes, Talen wished that he could be locked up, but now that he was alone, he didn't trust himself. His other side was conniving. It was tricky and would do anything to get out.

Talen sighed as he looked in the dank darkness. Nothing for him to worry about. Some rats had made themselves at home here and everything of metal was starting to rust. The shackles and the cage had started to turn a rusty red coloration.

Maybe it is for the best. He had been thinking about other girls who had probably suffered here. They suffered until the men that had chosen them died and they were freed with no explanation of whatever happened to their “master” as they spend the rest of their lives wondering.

At least Talen wouldn't have to worry about something like that. No girls would be kidnapped, he could live/die with a clear conscious.

Talen heard the grand clock in the atrium chime the time. One, two, three, four, five, six strikes before it all became silent again. Talen headed back up the stairs and shut the basement door.

The staff that had been reduced would be coming in during the day while he was out. Soon, there would be food when he got back that would be something he could eat. As long as it didn't eat the local fauna.

Talen had come to the atrium and looked up the balconies and stairs. He had realized that eh was alone. He shook his head and came to the front door, his stomach starting to twist. He knew that his transformation was going to be just as painful as the ones from the past 15 years.

He opened the door, letting the light come in. As soon as the light hit his foot, he took a deep breath and fell to his knees. His nails started to grow and hair started to sprout all over his body. His body convulsed and grew, his bones breaking and his teeth growing excessively. His vision blurred and turned black and white. All his sense had been enhanced and he had grown 3 times his normal size. He let out a howl, one filled with pain and anguish as his bones had repositioned to fit the new frame.

He padded the ground with his paws, shifting uncomfortably. His mind was trying to register where he was. The smell of human was troubling, which led him to running toward the forest surrounding the mansion. All the smells were going up his nose and into his mind. He had all his human thoughts ripped apart as each step took him farther and farther away from the place he used to call home.

The beast had come out to play and would stay until the sun set. That was how Talen's curse worked, but he always wished he could break it.

As he came to the edge of the forest that overlooked a town just below the cliff-face, Talen let out a howl. It wanted to be known. Wanted something that couldn't be filled without feeling truly desired. He knew no one could truly see him from the angel the town was and the sheer rock face of the cliff. He looked down and finally turned around as smoke came out of people's chimneys for the cold morning.

Talen knew to go back into the woods, to hide from human eyes. He was 3 times bigger than a normal wolf with dark brown fur and even more menacing face as the fangs were enhanced like a saber-tooth cat. His paws trotting through the forest was quiet. The creature's mind wanted to take on a hunt.

Only 12 hours left before all this fun is gone. His mind reasoned as his nose picked up a scent, his ears swiveling. His blood was blazing for the run, the exhilaration for the hunt. His human side had decided to hide away, not wanting to take part in his cursed half's “fun”.

His loss... again. The creature shook its head and picked up the scent again and started to run toward it. Hearing it's heartbeat run fast was what made all his instincts open up and take over.

Now, the hunt was on.