F.D. (Ch.10)

Josh woke up with a start, panting heavily, suddenly realizing that Jess’ head was resting securely on his chest. What was he doing in this shed, away from the coven? And Lori! His head felt groggy and it felt like someone was pulling him, forcing him up and out of the shed. He got up and left Jess slumped on the floor. But didn’t he love her? He turned to go back to her but fell backwards. He hit something hard and made a loud howl. His tears were coming quickly. His body was struggling under an invisible force. Tremors? How could it be… no one was there. Jess opened her eyes and saw him.

            “Josh, what’s wrong?” She screamed. The sight of him made her jump in terror. He could hear her voice, but he didn’t want her to come to him. Something was there, controlling him. He couldn’t open his mouth, and breathing became difficult. Jess placed her hands on his chest. “What is it?” Josh pushed her away and shook his head. He was choking on his own tears.

            “Hello, my son.” Lord Shavor smiled.

            “I am not your son! Where is my mother?” Christan screamed.

            “Josh!” Jess came scrambling back to him, a tint of red on her arm from her harsh fall. Josh closed his eyes, trying not to focus on the distinct smell of blood.

            “Oh, but you are my son.”

            “Where is my mother!” Christan tried to run away, but Lord Shavor was too strong for him.

            “Josh, answer me!” Josh shut his eyes, trying not breathe in her blood. She leaned over him, making it even more difficult for him to restrain himself.

            “Get away from me.” He whispered. Jess was shocked. She began to shake him, droplets of her blood spilling on to his face. He shut his mouth and turned his head away, her constant pounding on him feeling like a drum. “JESS,” he finally roared, overwhelmed by his hunger and his inability to move, “GET AWAY FROM ME!”

            “Josh, but…but why?” Her tears landed on his quivering lips. He couldn’t explain it.

            “Your mother is dead, Christan, as she should be, but you… you are to follow in my footsteps. To be what I am!”

            “And what are you but a heartless monster!”

Josh could feel Jess’ head on his chest, again, as her tears soaked through his shirt. He could feel a presence lingering outside the doorway, luring him forward. He grabbed Jess’ shoulders and threw her back. In her surprise, she clutched onto him.

            “Josh! What the hell is wrong? Tell me!” He pushed her back, but still she wouldn’t let go. He did the only thing that was in his mind to do. He bit her.

            “True, I am what you say, but I am much more! I have a power, an authority if you will, that I want to pass on to you.’

            “And why me? What I have got that someone else does not?” Christan was backing away, but Lord Shavor was right on his tail.

            “My dear boy, you have… anger.” And then he pounced, landing firmly on Christan, aware that the boy’s eyes were bleeding and his screams silenced by his overpowering hand.

            “Josh, please, stop!” Jess was barely able to breathe, her hands punching his back, but becoming limp as he used his massive teeth to tear at her neck. His eyes opened, still feeling the ecstasy of the moment, and up high in the sky, was the moon. Jess was already slipping into unconsciousness. She had no chance.

Lord Shavor licked up the blood from Christan’s wounds, Christan moaning in pain.

            “Please, stop.” He begged.

            “Don’t worry, it is almost over. Then I will take you out and you will feel the power and the wonder I have given you.” Christan couldn’t open his eyes. They felt like two empty sockets. His mother…how stupid he had been.

Instantly Josh backed away from Jess letting her fall to the ground, she was trying to raise herself up, but Josh quickly changed into his animal form and grabbed her by the throat.

            “Josh,” she croaked, “this isn’t you!” He tossed his wolf head about, her neck still in his teeth, letting the blood seep through the punctured wounds. He started for the door, bounding outside, letting Jess’ body drag behind him.

            “Can you move, my boy?” Christan felt sore, but he noticed how pale he had become, how limber, and there was an immediate aura of power that buzzed through his veins.

            “Yes.”

            “Good, now it is time for you to hunt. Soon though, you shall pick your own child, your own successor. You will be the leader of the Tremors, Christan. You will be great.” Christan looked in awe as he glanced around the mansion in which he had been brought to, all the dark eyes peering up at him from below a rooftop. He was the one to rule them all.

Jess could barely cry out in pain though it surged through every inch of her body, let alone cry out for help. Josh was being pushed farther on by an unknown force telling him to go deeper into the woods. Kill her, the voice breathed to him. Didn’t he love Jess? Wasn’t he supposed to protect her? It didn’t matter. His mind was clouded by something he couldn’t define. He stopped in a clearing of the woods, letting Jess drop from his mouth and slowly changing back into his human form. He was about to go in search of a stake, when, with all the energy she had left in her, Jess grabbed him and bit his neck, forgetting that Christan had bitten him. It hurt him, yes, but he let her do it, knowing he should’ve let her do it a long time ago. The voice in his head finally urged him away and Jess fell limp on the ground, fear eating away at her, too bruised and broken to get up and run away.

            “Ouch.” Josh murmured as he stepped away from her. The bite had irritated him, but the voice in his head told him to find the stake quickly before Jess had time to heal herself. Josh found a slightly sharpened stick and broke it in half, sharpening the pointy edge with his teeth. When he went back to find Jess, she was lying with her eyes open, translucent tears filling her eyes at the sight of him.

            “Josh, please, don’t. You don’t know what you’re doing! I created you. I’m your friend! I love you!” Josh couldn’t hear her. Kill her was all he heard. He approached her, standing above her heaving chest, the stick raised high in the air, right above her. Her tears spilled and made the earth around her damp and moist. How could he kill his creator, his lover, and his friend? He didn’t know, for in the second he asked himself what he was doing, his hands plunged down upon her, pushing the stick further into her flesh. Blood seeped from the wound, and after pulling out the stick once she was motionless, he noticed the smoke that began to rise from her. Bite her again, Josh. He knelt down and bit her again, feeling the lifeless blood pour into his mouth. Drink all of her blood, that way she won’t be able to rise again, and her ashes will remain ashes. He did as the voice commanded him. He recognized the voice, soft, female, almost friendly. Where had he heard that voice before? He drank Jess dry until her body burst into gray ashes, not sinking into the earth, but laying inert on the ground, unable to mend themselves, having no blood to do so. Josh felt guilty, but again, the voice commanded him to leave the sight, and, as he walked away, the next victim was Lori.