The full moon overhead shone like a brilliant ornament illuminating the sky, casting light that rimmed each building and dark window frame. The stars were out to play and Jex and Ray both admired them with awe despite the bitterness of the night air. The sky had been smothered in dreary, gray clouds during the time traveling in the mountains. Seeing the sky for the first time in weeks was a treat. Hand in hand, they walked close behind Nimer. Ray had a delicate handle on her bow and Jex's long sword was neatly sheathed at his side. They were both prepared to fight if need be.
Nimer stopped in an alleyway. Crates and barrels lined the walls holding the storage of goods for the shop they found cover behind. They hid behind a few of them for cover.
"You have the stake?" Nimer asked.
Jex held up the pointed wooden weapon and nodded. "Indeed," he answered.
"Good," Nimer said, peeking around the corner. "I anticipate the vampire may start feeding soon."
Ray looked at him but did not say anything and only nodded. She gripped her bow tighter. She would not admit she felt scared to face another danger. As long as Jex didn't get hurt, she would be okay.
On the edge of the town, Rin stood guard as Canin hid in the bushes. Despite the bite of the cold air, Canin did what he always did in the full moon. His feverish skin was bare. He had taken off his clothing and put it somewhere he'd remember later on. In a few moments with the sounds of skin ripping and small gasps of agony, his skin fell off his human form and fell to the snowy floor of the forest and a beast emerged from the skin suit like a moth emerging from a cocoon.
An abnormally large brown, furred wolf stood over top of the newly torn flesh. He shook his fur. It ruffled about and his large fanned ears wobbled on top of his head. Then, like any beast of his type, he devoured his skin by eating it.
Rin couldn't help but watch from afar despite feeling discomfort. His lip curled in disgust. "I can't believe you have to eat your own skin to return to human form."
Canin lapped his jowls with his long red tong tongue. He huffed in amusement. "It's the way of a lycan. For how long you've been traveling with me, I'd assume you'd be over it by now."
"Apparently not," Rin said and shuttered as he pulled his coat tighter around his frail body.
Canin came and sat next to him, his form towering over Rin in wolf form. His large, black nose wiggled as he took in the smells around him. The hair on the back of his neck rose and he started growling. "I smell blood," he said darkly and rose to his feet.
Rin's brows furrowed and he placed a hand on Canin's back. "Which direction?"
Canin surveyed the area, his amber eyes watching every light movement in the trees and the edge of town. His ears swiveled as he listened for anything, or anyone, to approach them. It was then, a shadowy flash caught the wolf's eye and he turned sharply, looking fifty yards out.
"There," he growled and tilted his head back, and let out a long shrill howl, releasing billows of breath into the air. The sound of the howl met the ears of the three waiting in the alleyway and sent chills down their spines.
"They've spotted him," Nimer said quietly then drew his swords. He leaned flat against the hard wall of the house and peered around the corner. He glared at the creature he could see.
Out in the moonlight, a hooded figure stood in the middle of the muddy street, his form like a shadowy silhouette with the full moon pointing at his back. Blood red, jeweled eyes glowed from under his hood and Nimer could barely make out the pale features on the face of the monster. The edge of his cloak billowed like black bat's wings stretching to take flight.
Before he could lock eyes with Nimer, the guide quickly hid behind the wall again. His heart raced, but he stayed poised and cool. He waved frantically at Jex and Ray to get them to their feet. They stood immediately, being careful not to make any noise to draw the monster further. They both joined Nimer, flat against the wall.
"Wait for my signal," Nimer whispered.
Meanwhile, Rin had climbed onto Canin's back. The large wolf ran across the field back toward town. Rin held onto large handfuls of Canin's fur, holding on for dear life as the lycan moved through the snow and mud, his sleek muscles beneath his fur shining in the moonlight. Canin pulled to a stop some yards away behind the vampire and drew his attention with a fierce, low growl. He lowered down closer to the ground. Rin slid off his back, fumbling to gain his footing.
A stream of laughter lingered from the vampire's mouth and he turned to Canin and Rin. "Ah, what a surprise. Another monster in my presence? I must be blessed!" he cheered and threw his hands out to the side. The moonlight basked on his pale skin, turning it a pale blue light of the moon. "And you brought fresh meat! How extraordinary! How Wonderful! How…obedient," he laughed maniacally.
"Do not treat me like your slave," Canin growled. "My kind stopped serving your kind years ago."
The vampire shrugged, "If you insist. I'd say I'd love for you to serve under me once again, but I'd be lying, filthy wolf. The war has raged between our kind and I don't particularly feel like starting another war."
While Canin was distracting the vampire, Nimer motioned for Jex and Ray to stay close to him and close to the ground. They walked single file out of the alley and stood downwind of the vampire together in a small group.
"Now Ray!" Nimer whispered loudly.
Ray quickly drew back her bow with a small creak of the wood, aiming straight for the vampire's shoulder. With little hesitation she released, sending the arrow flying through the air at a high velocity.
It hit him, square in his shoulder, and the vampire let out a loud wail of pain. Blood seeped from the wound, spilling splatters on the ground, and he turned sharply, seeing Jex, Ray, and Nimer standing, weapons and stance ready for a fight.
Groping around to the back of his shoulder, he snapped the arrow in half, throwing the feathered end to the muddy street and stomped it further into pieces. Laughter soon followed. "Well, well, well, you brought friends-a feast!" he said grinning wide. "Such a generous gift!"
"Stand down and we won't hurt you," bluffed Nimer as he raised his blade pointing it at the vampire.
The fanged creature only laughed in response. "Ho ho, you think I will stand down and follow your commands? Ha! That's not the way this works. I have no idea who you even are."
Rising to his toes, his whole body vanished in a shadow and he reappeared inches away from Nimer's face, a wide grin curling his lips. His fangs glistened in the moonlight. He raised his hand and swiped at the guide with his fist.
Nimer nimbly dodged and in a flash moved to the other side of the vampire. His eyes and the runes on his blades started to glow bright blue and he lunged forward, driving his blade into the vampire's back.
The creature yelled, but in the midst of his yelling started to laugh again. "Please tell me… that's not all you've got!" he laughed.
"Jex! Now!" Nimer yelled.
Jex lunged forward revealing the stake and tried driving it into the vampire's chest. The vampire caught it with his bare hand. His bare palm crumbled away from touching it. He let out an eerie hiss and side swiped the boy sending Jex flying to the other side of the street. Jex slid through the cold mud and toppled over. He rolled till he sat up, the stake still in hand.
The vampire held his hand up in front of his face, hissing angrily. In moments, Canin was charging at him at full speed, his large teeth bared and ginormous paws indenting the ground and spraying mud behind him. Canin lunged at the vampire, trying to take a bite of his arm but he dissolved into a shadowy form again, blinking out of the wolf's way.
Rin watched from his spot, ever so often looking down at his hands and clenching his fists. He felt inferior to the others fighting around him. He had no weapon nor means to join the fight. He was too distracted by his thoughts that he didn't see the vampire shadow up next to him. He stood frozen, eye to eye contact with the vampire.
The others ran toward Rin to save him, but the vampire had taken out a knife and had Rin in a hold around his neck. Rin struggled against the hold of the monster.
"I'll kill him if you come any closer!" the vampire announced, his crazed grin like that of a lunatic. All four of the others stopped, watching in fear of what would happen to Rin.
He pressed the blade against Rin's face, a line of blood appeared against Rin's pale skin. The moment the smell of Rin's blood met his nose, the vampire's pupils dilated.
"This is the one. This is the ONE!" he cried. Canin lunged at the vampire when the monster vanished with Rin in a shadow, both disappearing in a wave of shadowy dust.