Sensual Dark Contest Entry

Snap! The sound of a large twig breaking under my foot startled me. I scrambled backwards and landed heavily on the grass, stirring a few shrubs I’d been lucky enough to miss. Still breathing quickly and listening intently for anything close by, I realised the only thing that was causing me any danger was myself.

Sighing at my own stupidity, I eased myself off the ground, trying not to make too much noise. I continued forwards, ducking under the branches of the trees around me; their presence only a shadow against the black of the night.

I could see a dim glow up ahead, beyond the many tree trunks. I couldn’t be sure if this was the right way; it was difficult enough finding this place during the day. But coming here whilst the sun was up wouldn’t have served any purpose. What I was searching for only dwelled here at night.

Pushing aside the lower branches, I stepped out of the collection of trees and out into a clearing. A gentle gasp of shock escaped my lips as I observed the perfect scene before me. Silver moonlight of the almost full moon threw itself across the diamond surface of the lake, giving it such a rare beauty that may never have been seen before...

I had found it...I was here. The trees whispered to me gently as the breeze stirred them. If their whispers had made any sense to me, I’m sure they would have been telling me to run, to leave this place. True, I was risking my life by being here, but I would rather lose it than be without him...

A tear pushed past the barrier of my eyelid and slid slowly down my cheek. This time two years ago I had believed that the world was as I perceived it – normal, boring and monotonous. Little had I known, there was a world that existed beyond my own. I would never have dreamed that my own existence would co-mingle with the very world I had been so sceptical of.

Vampires, werewolves, demons and banshees - they had all been fairytales and had meant nothing more to me than any other fictional writing...but then I had met Hax. It was difficult to think of someone who wouldn’t have been taken in by him and I certainly had been when he had helped me to my feet the day I had fallen in the street.

My heart raced as my mind thought back fondly on the memory. I had been late for work, as usual and fallen causing all my possessions to scatter themselves across the pavement. A hand had taken mine and pulled me back to my feet to meet the eyes of an Angel.

Another tear forced its way down my cheek as I stared out across the lake. I had fallen in love with him quicker than I would have liked; I was never one to rush things. Maybe if I hadn’t have fallen in love so quickly, I wouldn’t be here...I would have been able to take his advice and stay away from him as he had instructed. The life of a werewolf was a dangerous one and Hax had promised me that his rejection was simply to keep me safe.

I remembered the sadness in his eyes and the moisture that had threatened tears before he’d held my face softly in his hands and kissed me for the final time. Savouring his presence in those last hours we had had together hadn’t made anything easier, as I’d hoped it would. I needed him...I loved him.

An involuntary squeak came out of my mouth as a rustle in the bushes behind me made me spin around, squinting through the darkness. Hax wasn’t the only supernatural being that ventured through this place. It was secluded and the abundant vegetation perfect for any monster to conceal itself whether it was hiding or...hunting.

My ribs ached with the pounding of my heart against them as it beat faster and faster. Every instinct was screaming at me to run but I couldn’t move; paralysed with fear and hope, each overpowering emotion taking turns to be dominant.

“Crewe?”

I laughed weakly, relief flooding through me like a cooling wave after searing heat. A tall, dark figure hidden in the shadows, Hax stood ten feet away as he stared, his expression a mixture of horror and delight.

“Hax,” I whispered, another tear daring to escape. Finally finding my senses, I hurried towards him and fell into his open arms that embraced me. I inhaled his sweet scent, a million memories and feelings coming back to me. He stood many inches taller than me, my head resting on his chest even at full height. It seemed silly that he was so prominent in my mind for every second but there were still so many things I had forgotten.

I looked up at him, stroking his face and untidy brown hair. My eyes gazed into his beautiful blue ones, barely daring to blink to miss any moment with him. It was suddenly so easy to remember how much I was loved...and how much I loved him.

“What’re you doing here?” Hax muttered.

“I came to find you,” I said, my voice thick with the tears that streamed uncontrollably down my face. “I can’t do this Hax, I need you.”

“No you don’t,” he murmured into the top of my head. “You shouldn’t have come here.” His hands stroked my hair and my back, his actions contrasting greatly with his words. I looked up at him, marvelling at his beautiful brown eyes. Despite my tears, I smiled widely.

“I’m glad I did,” I told him, stubbornly. My own hands reached up to feel his face, stroking and caressing with such care although I had seen how robust he really was. I breathed a happy sigh, relishing the feel of normality and the sense of things finally being right again.

So quickly I didn’t see it coming, Hax pressed his warm lips against mine. He held my face against his with a gentle force that wouldn’t have let my lips part from his even if I’d wanted to try. Warmth spread through my being, fuelling a fiery passion that belonged somewhere more private.

“I’m glad you did too,” Hax admitted. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad he still wanted me, although I had known the whole time that he did. It was still good to hear it. “But that doesn’t change how much danger you’re in. You need to leave.”

“I like danger,” I reminded him. He opened his mouth to argue but I preoccupied his lips before he could make a sound. There was no way I would let him talk me out of leaving, no matter how dangerous it was. He was like my very own catalyst; causing me so much emotional change whilst still staying the same himself.

“Please,” I murmured. “Let me stay. I want to stay with you.”

“You can’t,” he disagreed, shaking his head. “Please, Crewe. Make this easy and just go home.”

“No,” I snapped. I stared fiercely into his eyes. He had to know that I meant this; that I couldn’t go on without him. To my surprise, his returning stare wasn’t hostile like mine; it was soft and...sad. Hax stroked my cheek so lovingly I immediately felt guilty. The anger melted from my face.

“Do you have any idea how much you mean to me?” he whispered. “I miss you more than anything but that pain is nothing compared to what I would feel if I was responsible for hurting you.”

“You wouldn’t...you couldn’t...” I tried feebly to argue.

“But I could,” Hax said, his voice hushed and gentle. “I’m not going to pretend that it’s not a possibility and neither should you.” I swallowed hard, fighting back the flood of tears that threatened my ego. He was right. I had seen the transformation from human to werewolf and how all trace of the man I loved disappeared in those few minutes. Hax loved me but the wolf felt nothing for anyone...and he was both. I wouldn’t make him feel any more pain than he had to. Even seeing the pain on his face was more than I could bear.

“When you leave tonight, promise me you won’t come back,” he said. It was more difficult getting the word out than I’d ever have imagined.

“Ok,” I choked out, giving in to the overwhelming rush of devastation. By the look on his face, I could tell he didn’t like my answer any more than I did. Hax raised his hand to wipe away my tears and kissed me. The ferocity of his kiss surprised me, sparking the familiar passion I had felt only minutes before. It seemed he felt the way I did; we didn’t have much time but what little we did have he wanted to make the most of.

Hax’s hands explored my body whilst his excited kisses grew in intensity. My knees weakened but he held me in his arms. Part of me was unsure; what if a parting like this only made the aftermath more painful? But there was too much of me that didn’t care about then, only now. My own hands pulled at his clothes, forcing his t-shirt over his head before we eased ourselves onto the ground.

I ran my hands over Hax’s skin; so soft and warm but virtually impenetrable. His scent rolled off his skin, fuelling my desire for him. He kissed me again and again, much to my delight until his hand gripped my t-shirt, ready to tear it off my body.

“Well, well, well, isn’t this romantic?” Hax’s breath caught in his throat as he looked up, horror replacing the love that had been there seconds ago. Before I knew what was happening, Hax had seized me and stood us up, careful to stand between me and the source of the mysterious yet sinister voice.

From around Hax’s perfect form I could see a tall, dark figure looming not far from us at the water’s edge. The moonlight lit up his features; pale white skin that was streaked with black markings. The rest of him was shrouded in an oddly cliché, black cloak. Even without Hax’s defensive reaction to his appearance, it was easy to tell that his presence here wasn’t a welcome one.

“Crewe,” Hax whispered. “You have to get out of here.” I was torn, yet again. I wanted to run but I didn’t want to leave Hax, I didn’t want him to get hurt. Instinctively, I grasped his arm as the figure changed his stance; poised to strike like a vicious cobra. To my horror, a pair of hands escaped the cloak; sharp talons instead of fingers. I swallowed, nervously. Furious with my hesitance, Hax hissed at me:

“Just run, now!” This time, I decided to heed him and stumbled towards the trees. An ear-splitting screech rang out followed by a familiar, vicious snarl and the sound of furious fighting. As I reached the first few trees of the forest, I turned to look. Hax and the monster were locked in battle; Hax dodging each vengeful attack.

My breathing turned to gasps as I watched the brawl. Whatever this thing was, it wasn’t fully human...and Hax was, unable to change until he was exposed to the light of a full moon. My legs, weak with shock, failed me and I sank to the floor watching uselessly as the love of my life fought for his.

Hax reached into his back pocket and pulled out a knife, slashing at the semi-human creature but only cutting through air as it jumped backwards to avoid his attacks. I could barely keep up with what was happening, both too quick for my eyes, moving with inhuman speed.

I heard Hax’s defeated cry before I saw what had happened. The creature knocked the knife out of his hand and pinned him to the ground, his monstrous hands around Hax’s throat. The razor sharp talons were just moments away from tearing the skin at his neck.

“No!” I screamed and scrambled forwards, my legs finding new strength. Hax choked, gasping for breath and trying to struggle free but managing neither. I tugged desperately on the arm of the monster, screaming furiously. With one mighty swing of its arm, it knocked me to the ground, winding me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks at the sound of Hax’s choking breaths. The glint of the knife on the floor, visible only by the light of the moon, caught my eye and without even thinking, I seized it. With another desperate scream, I raised the knife up and plunged it into the neck of the creature. It screeched once more, in agony, finally releasing Hax from its steel grip.

It swung it’s hand towards me in retaliation, whilst I was too slow to react. The blow knocked me over once more, a blinding pain in my abdomen paralysing my limbs. I was still conscious enough to see the creature topple over, the knife still embedded in its throat as inky blood poured from the wound. It wriggled and writhed, struggling to scream but very soon, it was still.

“Crewe!” The desperate scream I heard filled me with more pain than my wound and my eyes searched for Hax. Although I wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, I found myself suddenly in his arms. He cradled me, sobbing.

“You silly girl,” he snapped. “You silly girl!” I smiled, despite the pain. He wasn't hurt...that fact giving me more relief than if the pain stopped right now. The agony was overwhelming, the wound too painful to ignore and I moaned, weakly. Hax’s lips pressed down on my forehead, muffling his sobs.

I longed to take his pain away. His face was a picture of suffering and I had caused it. I cursed myself for causing him all that I had hoped to cure. But by trying to cure our pain, I had only worsened it and in more ways for my beloved than for myself. I was a monster.

"You silly, beautiful girl...I love you." My love, my soul mate; how could I have done this to him?
I felt the warm trickle of blood from the corner of my mouth as it travelled down my neck. My sight was becoming fuzzy, saddening me that I could no longer and would probably never see his face properly again, so I relied on my other senses. Reaching up with my red hand to touch his cheek, I felt his beautiful skin.

“I love you too,” I whispered.

Rosanna Bates
Word count: 2,455