Lycan

Snow looked at me with guilt in her eyes. She blamed herself for the change in me, she moved slightly to let me into the house. Our bodies brushed and for the first time in three days I felt a strong human emotion, passion. Red hot and uncontrollable, I grabbed her and crushed her lips with mine. Somehow the kiss felt off, like she didn't want me to kiss her, or touch her. She didn’t push me away, she just hesitated, and didn’t give herself to the kiss. How could I blame her? I killed our friends, and one of our closest adult friends.

"Snow I'm sorry. I couldn't, --"

"Lycan, I know, it wasn't your fault, you didn't have your humanity, I know that you did this for me, and the innocent lives lost rest on my soul, not yours alright."

"Snow please, don't blame yourself, it was my decision. The Council will understand."

"What if they don't? What if they strip you of your powers? If they do, how will you deal with it? You'll be normal; you wouldn't know what to do with yourself." Snow cast her eyes to the ground. Worried about me, as she usually was.

"Snow, honey please it's going to be okay alright. I went sixteen years without knowing about the wolf. I think I can handle whatever punishment they throw at me."

"Okay. Lycan?"

She looked like she knew something that I didn’t, but she didn’t want to divulge the information. She was afraid, not of me, but for me.

"Yes Snow?"

"Thank you, for waking me. It was horrible in there. In the Death Sleep."

 That wasn’t what she was about to say; but I let it go. Hoping she would tell me one day. If I survived this trial.

"I know, in a way I was there to.” I whispered, kissing her forehead.

I squeezed her hand as she turned, I let go of her when I saw the look in her eyes; the immense guilt of the souls lost screamed at me silently. I watched as Snow disappeared into the dark hallway, and I closed the door and went after her. I found her in the kitchen, making tea. I watched her for a while, she was crying, and I felt horrible.

 Maybe I should've let Echo do it. To lose her humanity, maybe then I wouldn't feel so guilty about making her cry. I felt guilty that I wasn’t feeling guilty about killing twenty-five innocents. All I cared about was how Snow felt about me.

I exited the kitchen quietly I didn't want her to see me, unfortunately I ran into Echo, the last person I wanted to see. But now at least I could chew her out about dumping me in my home town without my humanity. At least then I wouldn't have known the people I killed. But would it have been better? To feel guilty about killing nameless people? They still had families, and children, friends; jobs, and pets that they wouldn’t have gone home to. All in all, people still would’ve died...at least now, I have names I can mourn.

"Lycan I am so sorry; I shouldn't have left you behind the bowling alley. I know your beating yourself up, but the headline today should help." she handed me the paper and the headline read:

CAMPERS ATTACKED BY ANIMAL IN WOODS! FOURTEEN DEAD INCLUDING 9-Year-Old AMILEE DILLENHOLER.

"How the hell is that supposed to help? Echo, I killed twenty something people, our friends, and I killed a nine-year-old girl. I don't care if she was a Dillenholer, her blood is resting in my now human stomach."

I brushed past her knocking her off balance. I had to wait for my hearing with the Council. I closed the doors of the study and locked myself in. I turned and I was face to face with Luna's father, Valentine and the rest of the Council, including Marcus, Snow’s dad, my father, and the others. Even the Elders were present… I gulped and took a seat in the leather reading chair.

"Lycan Taylor Johnson, you have been tainted by the Wiccan."

"You have committed treason against your kind. We do not support the Wiccan faith. Nor should any of our Guardians.”

"May I speak father? Mr. Everett."

"Of course, you may represent your case." 

Snow

            I stood at the kitchen sink, waiting for the teapot to whistle on the stove top. I thought about Lycan and all the people he had killed. I couldn't face the fact that Echo had wanted to take his place but he refused, saying it was his fault that I had been inflicted with the curse of the Death Sleep.

I felt guilty for being so stupid as to engage an Unspeakable alone, I knew Lycan was in the basement, and I still didn’t wait; I let the bitch goad me until I snapped. My damn anger. Then, I felt the guilt for Lycan’s actions; I felt each of the souls within me; screaming at me; calling me names. I felt Ralph the most; his disappointment, his sadness over never seeing Terry again. I felt Amilee and Travis, and Charity, but I didn’t feel as guilty about the latter two.

 I felt guilty about pushing Lycan away; I was slightly disgusted about what he did; but at the same time, I wanted to jump his bones and give him a proper thank you. God being in a supernatural relationship takes its toll on a person’s sanity. I heard someone come up behind me; I expected it to be Lycan so I turned ready to hurl myself into his surprised arms.

"Lycan I am so-" I stopped mid-sentence; it wasn't Lycan it was Echo.

"Oh, it’s only you, what is it?"

I mustered all my strength to resist the urge to lunge at her. How dare she, waltz in here and act like she’s little miss innocent? I settled for watching her body language coolly, indifferent; even when she was almost Accalia like in her response,

"What the hell bit you in the ass?"

"Nothing it’s just that you're the one who gave him the damn spell so now he's going to get his ass chewed out by the Council." I snarled at her.

"Snow, the hearing is already taking place now in the study." Echo said sweetly; as if I hadn’t said a word to her that was in any way unkind.

"WHAT?" I raced out of the kitchen just when the teapot started to sound its alarm.

Lycan

            The study; a room I had been in numerous times before when Luna and the rest of us studied for upcoming exams and did our homework; took on an ominous feeling now that it was full of people who could end my life if they were in the mood. The cherry wood paneling, once cozy and warm; now felt cold and oppressing, and the giant fireplace without the fire lit made everything that much colder.

 What really turned me off from the room was the fact that all the previous furniture; save a few cozy armchairs had been removed; in their place was a long table, it had two tiers; it was high enough that it could also be a juror’s stand. On the top tier were the Elder’s, the First Guardians, nicknamed that because they were the First Guardians to ever do serious harm to the All Powerful One. They looked hawk like; nothing about them screamed wolf.

 They watched my every move; cataloging everything I did; from breathing; to twiddling my thumbs. The second tier held the Council; our parents. My parents refused to look at me. I assumed they were ashamed. My mother, she would glance at me quickly; and then dart her eyes away. That left only the Council looking at me; which I hoped that he would stop soon. I was Marcus; Snow’s father. No one spoke...and for me; that was the most uncomfortable part of all of this.

"Mr. Johnson, or Dad, Mr. Heathcliff and the rest of the council and members of the Elders, I did that stupid spell to save the only girl I will ever love. I know it was stupid and had horrible consequences but it saved our greatest asset, did it not?

I am terribly sorry about the great loss this town has gone through, I am. But you must understand the situation I was in. I was the one who put Snow in that situation, I was one who didn't get there in time, I was the one who quite frankly; started the whole mess. If I hadn't told Snow that I heard something, if I had just ignored it and went on our run through the woods instead, then we wouldn't be in this situation now. But our dear friend Mr. Placksworth would still be dead and his killer would still be on the loose. So, there are TWO evils and one good. I killed an Unspeakable and saved Snow oh wait that's two goods, what are the evils, I lost my humanity to help Snow so we can defeat the All Powerful One, and in the process, I rid the town of a couple d-bags."

"Lycan we will deliberate our decision. You may leave for now. We ask you to stay in isolation, so the stories will not be...tainted." said the oldest of the Elders of the Guardians.

"I understand Elder Malcolm." I left the room passing Snow as I went. I whispered to her,” I’m in isolation, I can’t speak with you until after the hearing and decision is over." She grabbed me and kissed me, I broke away and she blushed.

"I love you; you know that right?"

"I know that Lycan. I love you too. I don't blame you. It was my decision to attack the bitch. It is not your fault I should have waited for you."

"Snow White I love you so much. Now don’t tell anyone we spoke."

 I joked and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway. I saw her blue eyes flash to aqua and I flashed her, my gold ones.  I found the guest room and locked myself inside. I sat on the bed and slept peacefully, for what felt like the first time in three days.

The Elders

            Deliberation was always the most boring of the trial process. We looked around at the Council; after all, they spent the most time with the boy. If he should live or die should remain their decision; but of course; that isn’t permitted. It must be our decision because we are the Elders. We decide who lives and who dies.

“I think, the boy should live. After-all, he didn’t specifically ask for the spell. No, it was given to him.” Malcolm, our Alpha said in his deep monotone voice. “I would do the same; if given the choice. We would do anything for our mates...wouldn’t we?”

“I second that.” Tiffany; a member of the Council spoke.

“And I agree.” Marcus said loudly, the alpha male of the Council.

“Raise your hand if you also agree?” Six more hands shot into the air.

“Then it is decided. Lycan Taylor Johnson is found innocent, and all charges are to be dropped.” Malcolm intoned. Banging his gavel as he did.

“I want their history lessons to continue immediately. Claudette?”

“Of course, Malcolm.”

The All Powerful One

            I watched from the blood at my feet, the scene that had just unfolded. The Elders had decided to pardon dear Lycan. Making the Children of the Moon even more powerful with the blessing of the Firsts. I scowled and sliced the black water with my talons. This does not please me, two of my most powerful Unspeakables have been terminated by that bitch Snow. They all need to be terminated, the Moon Children shall end, the Guardians will come to an end! In two months’, time the prophecy will come alive and I shall prevail!

I have prepared for this day before the parents of the Children had been born themselves! I shall win, and I shall have my souvenirs! Their heads on plaques and their pelts as robes and blankets. I heard my chamber doors open and a fire boil covered Natasha walk in.

"Hello my dear what happened, got stuck in the sun?"

"Yes master; dinner continued far too long."

“You're late dear Natasha."

"I am sorry Master."

"I don't like when my henchmen are tardy. Especially the ones I take to bed!"

"Please Master I will not do so again!"

"No Natasha! This is the last time you disobey me!"

I reached across the distance that separated us, I stroked her beautiful face with a talon before encasing her throat with my hand, my talons sinking into her delicate looking stone hard white flesh, fresh blood trickled down her skin and into the space between her breast, I closed my fist, collapsing her throat and severing her head from her body.

"What a waste."

I bent down and licked the blood from her chest and throat and continued to lick my hand free of blood. As her almost dead eyes watched from across the stone room. Her red hair already fading its wonderful color, and shiny appearance. I cast the cleanup to more reliable henchmen, whilst I beckoned the only woman, I have truly loved to come closer, for one hundred Lucia’s Gate years I have loved her, keeping her existence a secret from not only the imbeciles I controlled, but from the mongrels that lived in Reality. For far longer I have been resenting what my ancestor’s curse had done to me.

Ever since it was activated, I began to lose a part of myself to the dragon that resided within me and having him bound made it worse. Distractions only did so much to relieve the pain I felt each time the Dragon consumed another piece of my humanity. The part of me that was capable of love.

"Good evening, master."

She smiled, and her white fangs descended over her bottom lip, making her a dangerously sexy woman. I felt myself grow-excited and I went to the bed and she smiled as she undressed me. Her touch was intoxicating and I intended to become very, very drunk.

            I turned onto my side, and Ana was fast asleep…her chest rising and falling peacefully in her slumber. I slid from the bed and made my way to the dungeons.  The guard nodded his head and allowed me to pass.

The only occupied cell was still lit with torches, and the woman inside was leafing through a book, her long neglected nails slicing the pages, not that she seemed to care. Her hair was unkempt, and I knew from stories my father once told that she was once the most beautiful creature in all the lands.

“Hello mother.”

“Selvatore, what do I owe this honor?”

Queen Beezlebub stood, her long legs unfolding, and her gown falling into place as she stepped closer to the enchanted bars. Her blazing orange eyes lit with her curiosity and malice.

“Why don’t you tell me, my son what is it that I can do for you? You know as well as I that I will not help you defeat the Guardians.”

“You will if it means you get your freedom. Isn’t that what you want? To go back to Hell, to rule next to Lucifer once more.”

“The key to defeating your enemy is to separate them. Exploit their weaknesses.”

“Now, that wasn’t so hard…now, was it?”

I opened the cell door and broke the bangles from her arms. My mother flexed her arms as if she hadn’t been able to use them for more than flipping pages in books in millennia, before she unfurled her wings…it was truly a sight to behold. They were dark crimson, with flecks of gold. Gone was the unkempt prisoner from before, in her place was the Queen of Hell.

“Thank you, my son.”