une chose sombre et contre nature (phrase) a dark and unnatural thing

My head. Hurt.

My chest. Burned.

My blood felt like was boiling in my veins.

My skin felt like centipedes were crawling all over me.

What was happening? Why was there so much pain?

I couldn't quite remember what I'd been doing just before I blacked out. It was like trying to remember a dream just after waking. Every time one detail surfaced, it disappeared just as quickly.

All I knew was that I had a burning desire to run. As far and fast as I could...

Because...

Because Bastien was one of them.

I needed to find the strength to get up and move.

The thought helped my consciousness return, and I held on to it like the tail of a kite. I followed it as I slowly opened my eyes and found my vision was blurry. I blinked, trying to clear the image, but everything was a blob of red, orange, black, and grey.

Then everyone was shouting at once.

Gritting my teeth at the pain, I lifted my head, squinting until I could make out the big blurry shapes in front of me.

Wolves.

Not just one, but a pack. And by the looks of the tight circle they'd made around me, they were... protecting me.

But why?

One voice penetrated through the cacophony of others.

"That was my gift!" screamed someone. "It belongs to me! I'm the worthiest witch in this graveyard! You did something to the spell."

A growl and the snapping of teeth followed.

My head spun, and my stomach was sick. Sweat trickled down the side of my face. I didn't understand what she meant. I wondered if the throbbing spot on my eyebrow was to blame or if it was something else.

"Call off your beasts, Hera! If you don't, so help me...I'll kill every last one."

I'd recognize that voice even if it were pitch black, and I was on the brink of death. I'd heard it inside my head more times than I could count.

It was Bastien. And he was furious.

The wolves growled, and their circle around me tightened. Bristly tails brushing against my legs and arms.

I could only watch what was transpiring from between their feet.

"They aren't my wolves!" the witch screeched. "They're hers!"

Hers?

As in...mine?

Of course. The wolf in the graveyard, the one with the yellow eyes—it was all coming back to me now. Yes, these were my beasts, my gifts from Diana. Finally, I must've done something right.

The vampire lunged forward, eyes dark as night and fangs lengthened, but the wolves moved in unison, biting his arms and legs when he tried to attack. Pushing him further away from me.

Which was what I wanted, right?

Yes. He was born of darkness. He'd never understand the plight of my people and the war that Seraphina will one day be in charge of fighting.

But even after all I saw, my heart cried out, Don't hurt him!

Helplessly, I reached for him, and when I did, heat gathered behind the skin of my palm, and a pulse of static energy raced through me.

My hand burned like someone had set fire to it.

Quickly, I brought it back to my face, staring at it, expecting to see black flesh. I knew that I must've been hit by a black magick spell. But there was nothing—just...my skin.

Confusion and fear set in, and I looked to Bastien for explanation, but he was on the ground. Flat on his back. And the wolves were reforming their circle around me.

What was going on? How did I do that?

"She can't control the power. She's a threat!" someone shouted.

"You're right! Only a true born witch can handle the gift of darkness!" exclaimed another.

Then Hera's voice rose above the discord. "Sisters! Kill the wolves! And bring me the girl!"

My body shook with unexpressed fear, and my eyes found Bastien's again as he clambered to his feet. I didn't want to look to him for answers anymore, not after what I saw him do in the graveyard, but I had little choice.

There were too many witches. And they wanted me.

"Stop!" another voice shouted. "We can't! The wolves are sacred. The penalty for killing a familiar is death!"

It was the witch with the white raven. The bird had hopped down from the statue and was sitting on her shoulder, and now she was standing between her family and my wolves.

"You simple-minded fool! She's stolen your grandmother's gift!"

The girl's bird hooted dolefully. "The law is the law, whether you uphold it or not. We'll have to face the consequences from The King of the Underworld."

While they bickered, Bastien opened the connection between us, speaking to me as only he could.

"Tell your wolves you need to leave," he commanded. "Escape out the back. Run for the woods behind the house and make for the caves. I'll be right behind you."

I was in no condition to run. Not with the gash on my head. I could barely find the energy to stand. On top of that, I was scared. Scared of what happened in the graveyard. Of who that power went to...

Flexing my fingers, I cast my gaze down to my hand. "Bastien," I said, my voice small, "what is happening to me? Why do they want me?"

I felt the fear and regret stirring inside him even though his face remained impassive. "We'll talk later. Right now, I need you to run."

I didn't need him to tell me what happened to know the truth. I could feel it. He was just as nervous and afraid as I was.

This was why I felt like my blood was boiling. Or like something had taken residence in my chest and refused to leave.

With shaking fingers, I reached inside my fur-lined hat and grabbed a few strands of hair. Then, slowly, I freed it, revealing that my silver lilac hue had turned a burnished shade of copper.

No. No. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. I couldn't be...

I cast my gaze around the graveyard at all the witches shouting for my blood. Maybe I should let them kill me. Because I could never go home. Never. I'd become the thing my family despised. The thing I despised.

A dark witch.

How? Why? I was born from the light. This shouldn't be possible.

"Claire, we will figure this out," Bastien reassured me. "But right now, I need you to climb on the biggest wolf's back and run. I'll hold off the witches so you can escape."

My eyes ran to him. Concern creased my brows together, which made my gash sting.

There were too many witches. He couldn't possibly fight them all.

But Bastien was still in his monstrous state, with eyes as dark as pitch and teeth long and sharp. I knew he was a battle-tested vampire prince with the scars that prove his skill. He was willing to fight his beloved witches for me so I could escape.

He was going to fight them and risk his life...for me.

As much as I was hesitant to trust him, I didn't know what else to do. I could either follow Bastien's orders or allow the witches to take me. The wolves protecting me were fierce, but I wasn't sure they could take on every witch with a wand.

As much as I wanted to die rather than be the thing I hated, Seraphina still needed me. I could still be of use to her, even like this. Couldn't I? If I just gave into the darkness.

Tears welled in my eyes.

"Run!" Bastien shouted. I could tell by the way he dropped into a defensive crouch he meant to fight.

The biggest of the wolves, the grey one with the yellow eyes that had shown himself to me during the spell, lowered himself to the ground.

Here was my choice. Was I going to die, or was I going to keep fighting?

As I contemplated my options, the graveyard erupted with the sounds of battle. Bolts of fire and flashes of light illuminated the darkness around me. Bastien snarled as he threw one of the cloaked witches into a copper statue, and they landed with a sickening crack.

He was protecting me, just like he promised. Willingly. Even though there were enough witches to kill him, just so I could have the chance to escape.

For the first time in my entire life, I felt important. More than important. I felt...loved. Even though I was at my lowest low, having been turned into a disgusting abomination.

Bastien was still willing to fight for me.

I twisted my fingers into the wolf's shaggy fur, and using all the strength I had left, I pulled myself onto his back. Something warm trickled down from my cut, and I swallowed my fear.

I couldn't let that stop me now.

Bastien wanted me to run to the woods to hide from the fighting, just like my family when they left me to haunt Proctor Hill alone.

But I wasn't useless anymore. People didn't need to protect me. In fact, they were afraid I didn't know how to control the darkness inside me. And maybe I didn't. But that didn't matter anymore. I didn't need to be ashamed or afraid of the dark thing inside me.

I was that dark thing.

Me and my wolves weren't going to leave. No. Not without Bastien. We were going to fight. Together.

I was going to unleash all my anger on these witches who did this to me.

This was their fault. And they were going to pay.

Omgggggg y'all!! 😱😱😱😱😱

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Who is here for dark Claire?

I 👏 know 👏 I 👏 am!