❝ Borderline Love ❞

I could hear them coming.

The thumps of their footsteps. Their hushed whispers. Their knives being slid out of their sheaths.

I knew what they wanted.

Me.

My body. Lifeless. Soulless. And very much dead.

I had to leave.

I stuffed all my belongings (which wasn't much anyways) into my bag, familiar with this particular situation I always ended up in. Running away from the monsters. Just the normal everyday life of a young adult. Ha.

Holding onto my trusty paring knife, I located all the nearest exits, mentally planning the best way to escape. My heart was racing, but my body was steady, waiting for the chance to make a run for it.

Fingers tightly gripping onto my weapon, I slipped out of my house window and into the cold dark night.

And into the forest I ran.

Twigs snapping underneath my feet as I stealthily leapt through the great dense forest, I glanced back at my house, letting out a sad sigh. I had hoped that this stay would last longer, but alas, it was always temporary.

The humans always seemed to find me wherever I went.

I watched from afar, my feet carrying me further and further, as the door to my room swung open and multiple people trampled inside, their spears in their hands.

Little blue orbs danced in the darkness of my house.

Blue?

No.

It couldn't be.

I sucked in a sharp breath, facing forward again. I ran faster.

All this while, I had thought it had just been the measly humans chasing after me. But vampires? God, no way. Vampires never came after werewolves. Only humans.

Then why the hell are those blue-eyed creatures in your house, Adelia?

Shit.

I ran faster. I had to.

Vampires ruled this world. They were powerful. They were ruthless. But luckily they left us werewolves alone and let the humans kill us off. So what did they want now?

Nothing good, probably.

Being one of the last few werewolves in existence, I had to survive.

I disappeared into the woods.

- - -

1 week. That's how long I had been hiding in the forest, awaiting just the teeniest tiniest chance to escape away into another city and start anew. Alas, unlike humans, vampires were persistent. They wouldn't rest till they'd caught their prey.

And so, I was probably stuck in the forest for the rest of my life. How wonderful.

I'd ventured deep into the forest, close to the realm of the great beasts, ferocious creatures whom everyone knew not to mess with, in hopes of the vampires running out of animals to feed on and retreating. Vampires needed to feed on blood to survive, and hardly any animals dared to go close to the beasts, so it would be hard for them to find much to feed on.

I hoped the vampires were smart enough, unlike me, and would avoid going near the sacred territory.

Me? Well, I had to live, and scaring away the vampires by hiding right under the beasts' noses was literally the only plan I has. Let's just hope that I would survive.

Branches creaked nearby.

Oh no.

I could sense it. Someone was close. Not a beast, they had a different scent. There was hardly anyone in the woods, so my nose had become incredibly good at sniffing out the scent of a vampire.

I couldn't possibly run away. Although werewolves are incredibly fast after their transformation, in our human form, we have the same abilities as a mere human. Vampires, however, are incredibly strong creatures all year round.

No wonder they ruled us.

I had to hide. Thanks to my elevated werewolf senses, the vampire probably wasn't that close yet. I probably had 3 minutes at most before they realised that someone was nearby.

Like werewolves, vampires had a great sense of smell as well (well not as good as ours tho), but they could only smell our blood, which luckily had a similar scent to that of humans. So, hopefully, I'd be able to fool this little vamp.

Pulling out my wig from my bag, I hurriedly stuffed my weapon away, trying to look like an innocent girl just lost in the woods.

Hopefully, the vampire would fall for it.

All werewolves have brown hair, so I had to wear a wig if I wanted to act as just a harmless clueless soul. I just hoped the fake hair would do the trick.

Sniffling, I stepped out into the light, my eyes teary, "H-hello? Someone please... g-get me out of h-here." I had to act like I was lost.

Glancing up, I came face to face with... "Layla?"

I sucked in my breath, thanking the lord that I'd worn my blonde wig. I'd first met Layla back in high school, when I was acting as a blonde human... before my parents got, well, murdered. I'd been on the run ever since then.

Gosh, I had had the biggest crush on her back then.

Maybe I still do.

But now she was standing before me? Holding a spear?

"Wait what? Adelia? Why're you here? It's not safe," Layla muttered, eyes fast. Her breath was fast and ragged. She must've been tired.

I mumbled out my measly excuse, rambling off about getting lost. I felt idiotic. She probably thought I was stupid.

"Why're you here? And, god, why do you have a weapon in your hands omg," I let out my breath, my eyes on the sharp spear she held so confidently.

"Oh. Right. So you see... I joined the vampire league haha," Layla laughed, running a hand through her dyed hair, "I'm actually here to catch a werewolf. Orders straight from the King. I don't know why he wants a werewolf but eh, whatever. Gosh, I'm so fricking honoured."

Oh, God, why do you do this to me?

And that's how I ended up tailing behind Layla like a lost puppy as she ventured ahead out to capture... well, me.

- - -

Three days.

That's how many days I had left before the full moon. My transformation.

I had to leave the forest.

A calm state of mind is needed during every werewolf's transformation, or we'll end up transforming into a wild untamed beast, ripping apart everything and everyone in sight.

I couldn't do that to Layla. I wouldn't.

I trudged forward, watching Layla as she led the way, her hair flowing in the wind.

She was shaking.

"Layla?" I rushed forward, gripping her shoulder, "You okay?"

She leaned onto me, her breath shallow and fast. "No, no. I'm fine. I-I'm... fi-fine."

"Bullshit!" I grumbled, sitting her down near a tree, "You need blood, don't you?"

"Shut up. I'm really okay. Just tired."

"Liar."

"Adelia."

"Liar."

"Lia."

"Pants on fire."

"Adi."

"Ew, that nickname sucks."

She laughed, "I can last a few more days without any blood. I'll be fiiineee."

I sighed, kneeling before her weak body, "No. Look at you! Your body's drained of energy. You literally won't be able to do shit," I gulped, staring right into her beautiful glowing blue eyes as I pulled down the side of my shirt collar to expose my right collarbone, "So... just drink my blood already."

"What?!"

"You need blood. Now, drink."

Layla swallowed, eyeing the skin just above my collarbone. Her sapphire eyes flickered towards mine. Just do it.

Slowly, she placed a hand on my shoulder, bringing her lips closer to my skin.

Oh my god.

She was so close.

Her sharp teeth bit into the skin, fleshing out the very blood she needed to survive.

Everything felt hot. Too hot.

My face was on fire.

I couldn't think straight. Layla was literally millimetres away from me. I could feel her lips on my skin as she fed on my blood.

Goodness, wasn't this supposed to be painful? So why did I just feel a swarm a butterflies trampling over my pounding heart rather than killer bees?

Pulling away, Layla wiped her lips with the back of her hand, her face flushed. "Thanks," She mumbled, "I guess I really did need it."

I smiled slightly, still unable to get over how close she had been to me just mere seconds ago.

My heart was still beating at the speed of racecars. God, help me.

"So, by the way,... is the King after the werewolf to feed on their blood? I thought vampires don't feed on werewolf blood because they don't like it..."

"Oh no, we don't. I'm not even sure why the King wants him. But hey, who cares," Layla shrugged, "And we don't avoid feeding on werewolf blood because we don't like it. It tastes almost identical to that of a human. It's just that werewolf blood is extremely harmful to us."

"What?"

"Yup, it's paralysing. Pure torture."

What the shit.

- - -

A few hours.

That's all the time I had left.

I'd been too worried about Layla drinking my blood I hadn't been able to come up with a plan.

Oh no no nooo.

"Hey, Adelia?"

I glanced up, masking my frantic worries behind a passive face, "Hmm?"

She sat down next to me, resting her chin on her hands as a sad sigh escaped her lips, "Do you think we'll ever find that werewolf? He seems damn good at hiding. None of the other vampires have even found a trace of him yet. And better yet, it's the day of the full moon."

I smiled a grim smile, "Don't worry, you'll catch him soon enough."

She turned towards me, eyes glistening, and as the sun set in the horizon, my crush pulled me closer and kissed me.

Oh my holy mother of gods.

Her lips were soft and sweet, the definition of warmth. My fingers laced through her hair, pulling her closer to me. Her hands danced on my skin, leaving tingles wherever they touched. They raced up my shoulder and towards my hair.

Wait- My hair.

Shoot.

Panicking, I quickly grabbed her hands, guiding them downwards.

Oh-

My face was burning as her fingers played with my shirt, teasing me.

Ugh, what a sly girl.

I reached up to scratch my face. Why was my skin itching so much?

Pulling away, I whipped my head towards the sky, my crisp swears ruining the peace.

"Adelia? What's wrong?"

I had no idea what to do. "N-Nothing."

I could feel the changes. My head hurt. My hands were shaking. And my wig felt oh so very itchy.

I yeeted it off my head.

I could see the horror in the Layla's widened eyes. She hated me.

"A-Adelia? It was y-you? All this while... H-how could you?" Her choked cries came as she stepped away from me.

I felt like crying. My head felt like a hundred knives were stabbing it. I needed to keep a peace head, but it was just so hard.

As my vision grew distorted, I watched Layla's fingers fumble with her phone while called the troops.

Why is she so goddamn loyal?

I fell to the ground, screaming. The pain, I couldn't stand it.

The troops were surrounding me within minutes, with their King at the very heart of the operation.

I felt so angry. I hated everything. Every single fricking thing in this goddamn world.

I shrieked, clutching my head at my body transformed into something greater, more ferocious, more vicious.

A monster.

Vampires everywhere, tiny blue orbs lighting up the darkness. God, those awful creatures.

I lunged, my sharp teeth ready to rip out their skin.

I will get my revenge.

- - -

I woke up to blood. Everywhere.

No.

Fallen soldiers. Their lifeless bodies.

No.

And then I saw it.

The blood drained from my face.

Layla's corpse (or at least what was left of it) lay on the bright green grass, her beautiful blue eyes no longer shining as they used to.

I fell to the ground, crying.

NO.

• • •

my entry for GraphicSilly's Wraphics contest :)