Page 4 of A Dream Shrouded in Fury
I blinked the rain out of my eyes and pulled my hood up a little higher.From the moment I’d left the nest, the weather had worsened, but not enough to make me turn around.After leaving Cliff’s room, my thoughts had homed in on one thing: proving to Thorn that my idea had merit and that I had more to offer than the same tired routine.
Now that I’d been out here for a while, trudging through mud and forest debris, my mind was clearing.Thorn’s refusal had had time to settle, and I’d only begun to work through all the levels of fucked up she’d left me with.
Going on the hunt—scouting—made me happy.It was the only time I felt able to breathe.
Even without our outlawed status, our lives were limited.Thanks to our vampiric nature, we weren’t able to see the sun, we had to ration how much we fed to ensure our territory remained inhabited with livestock, and we were stuck in the same dreary cycles, our lives never changing because change meant danger.
In wandering these woods and climbing the mountains, I’d found the potential to balance the life I had with the one I wanted.When I climbed high enough, I could see areas of the forest that were otherwise closed off to me.I could see different stars.It was the biggest my world could ever become.To be told that my one meagre desire was too much for the fury to handle?It was a punch to the gut I hadn’t expected tonight, but I wasn’t about to let it put me off course.
Resolved, I squared my shoulders and tipped my head back to feel the rain on my face.It had softened into a light mist, and the droplets brushed across my eyelids like gentle kisses.My skin awoke under the sensation, and as goosebumps rippled over my arms and across my stomach, my senses sharpened.I noticed the faint rustle of raindrops falling through the leaves, the tickle of long grass against my leather-clad legs, the smell of damp earth… and blood.
My eyes flew open, and I scanned the area, searching for the source.There was something strange about the scent.It wasn’t human, but it wasn’t animal, either.The differences were subtle but pointed.We survived primarily on animal blood for lack of options, but whenever bandits crossed into our territory, they were a delicious treat.This…
My mouth watered and my nostrils flared.I followed the scent, careful to stay aware of my surroundings and make use of the thick tree cover.Fresh blood meant something living might be lurking, and I didn’t want to rush in and find myself overwhelmed by vampire hunters looking to gain the king’s reward.
Our territory was large, wrapping around the entire base of the dragon’s mountains, but the area that wasn’t rock was mostly forest.People didn’t have cause to pass through it unless they were lost or looking to travel unseen.I considered the report of fighting nearby.This had to be related.If I could get close enough to find out what had happened, maybe I could sneak a little farther to learn something the scouts assigned to this mission wouldn’t.Thorn would be pissed I’d gone against her wishes, but she’d also have to admit I’d helped.
When I cut through the trees and took in the source of the blood, my breath caught in my chest.
Based on what we’d heard, I’d thought we were dealing with some infighting between bandits.A skirmish.
This was a massacre.There had to be over two dozen corpses along the overgrown trail that cut through the territory.A single torch lay sputtering in the damp grass, but it was enough light for my vampiric vision to process some of the details.A good number of the fallen appeared to be wearing armour—clean, polished, expensive-looking armour.Even then, there appeared to be two different sets, some silver with blue accents and others silver and bronze.The rest were clad in black, with their faces mostly covered.
The damage to the black-clad bodies was extensive.The armoured people had not been gentle.
Curious, mindful that more enemies might be nearby, I approached the nearest body and drew the black cloth away from their face.Flawless skin and bright, empty eyes.I pulled the cowl back a bit farther and took in the pointed ears.
Fae.
“What the blood?”I murmured as I took in the scene again.They were all fae.That had to be why I hadn’t recognized the smell of their blood.
I’d never seen fae outside the few books we’d gathered over the years.From everything I’d read, they weren’t common in Golthwaine, having a bad habit of seeing anyone not fae as beneath them.
So what were they doing here?
With careful steps, I navigated around the bodies, getting a closer look at the armour.If I had to guess, I was looking at the results of an ambush.The armoured fae must have been travelling this trail for some reason, and the black-clad fae had attacked them.The attack obviously hadn’t gone according to plan.
I wondered if there was evidence of where the guards had been headed.Depending on where they were going—and if they decided to cycle back to clean up the bodies—we’d need to make sure we stayed well away for the next few weeks, shift our hunting grounds further west than south.
I stepped closer to the trail to see what else I could learn, and something closed around my ankle.A scream worked its way up my throat, but I swallowed it and jerked my leg to throw off whatever had grabbed me.My gaze landed on a corpse.A not-so-dead corpse.As their head rolled towards me, the black cowl slid from their face, revealing thick, white-blond hair curled around pointed ears.Their pale skin seemed to glow in the darkness, and the mist caught on long, pale eyelashes.
I found myself captivated by the magic of such a tiny, insignificant detail.
The scent of their blood where it flowed from some wound hidden by the black leather tickled my nose, and the hunger that had woken when I’d stumbled onto this macabre scene made my gums ache.
Yet there was something about this fae’s blood.Something more than it being from a species I’d never tasted before.It danced across my palate, rich and nuanced.Like a fine wine.
I drew in another breath, unable to help myself.Longing spilled through me—a deep, unfamiliarwant.Duty called for me to stay focused, slaughter the half-dead fae, and return to the fury, but instinct overrode reason.I dropped to my knees, needing to get closer to that smell.Copper and sunshine, fresh grass and wildflowers.When I opened my eyes—not having realized I’d closed them—I found myself leaning over the fae, my fangs bared, my fingers gripping the mask that covered their neck and the bottom half of their face.I tore it off, vaguely taking in the strong, masculine jaw and parted lips before grabbing his chin to claim better access to his throat, driven by my need to taste him.His fae blood called to me like no blood ever had, and if I didn’t sink my teeth into his flesh, I would regret it for the rest of my life.It had to be magic.
I was so focused on the fluttering pulse in his throat that I didn’t immediately understand the faint tingle on the back of my neck.Not until I looked up and found myself pinned by a pair of glazed-over, cat-green eyes.For a moment, all I could do was stare back.Even in the darkness, lit only by the flickering embers of the fallen torch, I made out the intricate colour of his irises, as though every shade of green, from the hue of my favourite silk scarf to the richness of a deep forest glade, existed within them.
They were beautiful.Hewas beautiful.Even half dead, he radiated an extraordinary warmth, and I was drawn to touch him.
For a heartbeat, those eyes homed in on me, touched with something like awe.
“Bredtha.Lutrena fin me de presa mathrennen.”
He spoke in a soft, barely lucid mutter.Then his gaze focused, dropped to my mouth, and raised to meet my stare.Horror flickered across his face, followed by a deep, broken resignation.“Do it, then,” he rasped.“I may as well be useful to someone.”
