My heart races in my chest, every beat reminding me that I'm still alive. I'm still breathing. But with every beat death grows closer.

With every breath my lungs feel as though they'll burst from exhaustion. With every step I take my legs feel as though they'll give out. But I keep going.

I keep running.

Run for your life, Melody, run and never look back.

I know they grow near. I sense them.

The blood in their veins.

Humming, thrumming, calling out to me.

They hunt us like wild animals, forced to flee into the dense forest in search of any sort of protection from the monsters who so ruthlessly track us down, determined to set our bodies ablaze in their sick sense of justice.

Humans.

The dark sky offers no help as we dodge through the trees, everything cast in shadow by the moonless night.

Owls cry into the night in search of their next meal, mice scatter into the underbrush, seeking sanctuary.

Is that what I've been reduced to? A mouse simply trying to survive by staying hidden.

"I don't hear them anymore." Leilani whispers breathlessly behind me, knowing I'll hear her despite how low she speaks.

"We can't stop, we have to keep going."

"Please, I can't keep going, Melody.. My feet are bleeding, I-i can't keep running.."

I slow down and look over my shoulder at my little sister, taking in her state as she bends over with her hands on her knees to dry heave. We haven't eaten in days, so there's nothing but stomach bile that comes up at this point.

"Okay.. we will rest for a short time."

"I'm sorry, I just need to rest for a little while, is all." She reassures me. Looking down at her bare feet covered in dirt and blood, knowing we won't be able to get much further this way, looking down at my own feet I see I'm not doing much better.

"Here, let me help." I reach out a hand towards her, only for her to fiercely slap it away.

"Don't you dare touch me with your dark magic, you know what our mother told us." She snaps at me.

I drop my hand to my side, knowing she's right.

"Once you practice blood magic there's no going back, it will consume you, body and soul."

"I'm sorry. You're right, I just.. wanted to help." I mumble, my chest feeling tight.

"I'm sorry I smacked you.. I'm just scared."

"Of me?" I smirk teasingly.

She rolls her eyes in response. "Of course not. I'm scared of those psychotic humans who enjoy watching innocent women burn to death."

"We'll find somewhere safe, we just have to find a town far enough away that no one will recognize us." I assure her.

Leilani remains quiet for a moment before speaking again. "We will never be safe, Melody.. not with your white hair. It always draws attention, no matter where we go."

My heart sinks at her words, knowing she's right. I turn my back to her before speaking, fearing my eyes will give away how her words sting. "Perhaps you should continue on without me.. You'll be able to blend in better if I'm not around."

"I'll do no such thing! We've stuck together this long, I'm not leaving now, nor ever. You're my sister, Melody. I love you.."

Tears sting my eyes, knowing I've caused my little sister much grief over simply being by my side with my strange hair color.

"I love you too, Leilani." I say as I turn around to face her once more.

The blood instantly draining from my face as I take in my sister's frightened eyes as a large vampire holds her in his grasp. "Witch blood always did have the most delicious scent." His gravely voice rings out, sending a chill down my spine.

"Let her go!" I lunge towards them, though I have no weapons besides my untrained magic.

His nails dig into her neck, causing little droplets of crimson to appear. "I will feast on both of you tonight, your blood will strengthen and sustain me for months to come."

I call out to my magic, begging it to aid me anyway it can. But nothing happens.

Nothing. Happens.

I'm frozen. Fear ripples through me at the realization that I've been bespelled by the vampire, left completely immobile as he lowers the collar of my sister's shirt as he brings his fangs to her pale neck.

Leilani suddenly twists within the vampires grasp, leaving him distracted enough to let his bespellment fade away as I fall to my knees in the dirt.

Me and Leilani's eyes meet, her fear gone, replaced by calm resolve as she shouts just as the vampire takes hold of her again.

"Run, Melody! Run and never look back!"

I jump to my feet, ready to assist her, refusing to leave my sister in the hands of a murderous vampire who would bleed her dry in mere minutes.

"Run!" Her scream comes out gurgled, drowned by the blood that now spills from her neck as the vampire takes a chunk out of her before feasting upon her blood.

"Run.. Melody.. It's too late.. Live.. for me.." The light from her eyes fades at the same time I hear her heart stop.

"No!" My scream rips through my chest as I lunge at the vampire, only for him to collide with me, sending me reeling backwards, my head crashing against the trunk of a tree.

I lay on the forest floor, the scent of fallen leaves filling my senses as I look through blurry vision at my little sister who stares back at me with lifeless eyes.

"You're not as young as the other one, are you?" He breathes against my neck, the scent of blood making my stomach churn.

His cold hands slide up my calf, dragging the hem of my dress up as he goes. I should scream. I should fight. I should put a stop to this.

But I don't move. I don't do anything as tears silently trail down the side of my face as I beg the heavens to return my little sister to me.

I can't go on without her..

Maybe this is easier. Maybe death would be a release.. maybe after all my years of running.. I will finally find peace in death's dark embrace.

The vampire's cold finger hooks into the waist of my undergarments, and suddenly Leilani's plea screams through my mind.

"Live.. for me.."

Anger pools deep within my stomach, churning in the depths of my soul as something sinister claws its way past all the barriers I forged to lock my magic away for all these years.

Forbidden magic.

Dark magic.

Blood magic.

I can feel the fresh blood coursing through the vampire, I call out to it, and it sings to me in response. Bending to my every whim. My every desire. My every command.

It belongs to me now.

With a flick of my wrist I fling the vampire off of me, using the blood within his body to contort him in ways that shouldn't be possible.

And by the sounds of his pitiful screaming, it truly isn't.

I tisk three times before speaking. "You should know better than to attack a blood witch, you filthy leech." I bring both of my hands out in front of me, spreading my fingers out as I toy with the scum who stole my sister from me.

"Should I make you dance? Should I make you sing?" I chuckle darkly, a hidden part of me enjoying the powerful feeling coursing through my being as I bend and weave with my dark magic.

I slowly close my hands, crushing the vampire from the inside out. "Mmm, but those beautiful screams are much more fun to bring out of you." I step closer, the vampire unable to move as I lean in closely to whisper in his ear. "Your screams are simply.. delicious."

I smirk and lean away, with one final squeeze of my hand the vampire falls to the floor, unmoving.

"Now I'll take your heart, so you can't return. We wouldn't want that now, would we?" I reach out a hand over his chest, ready to rid the body of its heart.

When sudden pain flashes through me. A loud gasp escapes me as my back is slashed open repeatedly in such quick movements I don't have time to turn around to stop the attack as my flesh is torn into again and again.

"My mate! You killed him! You killed him!" A female voice shrieks out behind me, informing me of whom my attacker is.

The vampire's mate.

She tears at my hair and clothes, slashing my body and tearing me apart in movements so quick I can't catch even a glimpse as warm blood starts to blur my vision.

"I'll bleed you dry!" She screams directly into my ear before viciously tearing into the flesh of my neck.

My consciousness begins to fade as the amount of blood I'm losing drains me of my life source.

I'm sorry, Leilani.. I tried..

Everything seems to feel lighter, as though the attack suddenly stopped.

Am I dead? No, this hurts too much. I'm still alive.. but not for long.. please make this pain stop.. make it go away..

"Don't move." A gruff male voice speaks, sending a shiver down my spine despite the pain.

I don't move, not that I could. What a silly request to make when I'm barely alive to begin with.

Warm arms cradle me, and suddenly I can tell we're moving, and quickly at that.. This is no human. Nor vampire, seeing as how warm the male is.

I'm being set back down, where exactly I'm not sure.

"A blood witch. Such a rare being, in all my years I've only known one other. Though your skills are lacking." He speaks.

I'd glare at him if I wasn't fighting for my life currently, trying not to bleed out.

"Such a beautiful and rare creature, it would be a shame to let you die here tonight."

Is this stranger going to save me? Or ruin me?

I can feel warm callused fingers softly move my hair away from my neck, then my face. Wiping some of the blood away as well.

"Perhaps leaving my mark somewhere so visible won't do you much good, will it?"

His mark?

Warm hands grab my upper thigh as he speaks. "This will not be pleasant, this will not be painless. But in the end, you will thank me for saving your life this night, Melody."

Warm lips brush my inner left thigh, right before I feel large fangs brush against my skin.

"Please.." I whimper. "No.." The Last word leaves my lips as I cry out as the male pierces my flesh with his teeth, causing intense pain to ripple through me in waves.

It feels as though my whole being is being consumed in a raging fire that begins within my own veins. My nerves. Every inch of my body being scorched in unimaginable pain, even as he withdraws his teeth and covers my legs with the remaining pieces of my torn dress.

Screams rip through my lungs, leaving my throat aching and sore. But still I cry out. It feels as though the pain will last forever, consuming my every thought.

Until suddenly, it's not.

Just as suddenly as it began, it ends. Leaving me gasping for air as exhaustion weighs down on me like a thousand stones.

I try to open my eyes, to blink away the filth that covers my face. I can barely move, but I no longer feel pain. I hear footsteps receding, slowly growing fainter. I use all the strength I have left to turn my head in the direction the large male walks off in.

His large frame barely clothed, muscles rippling beneath the surface of his skin, his hair as dark as the night sky above me.

He removes what little clothing he has on, dropping it beside him before his whole body begins to shake violently and contort in a disgusting manner, the sound of bones breaking and popping making me wish I could look away.

But I can't.

I simply stare as the man transforms into a massive beast, standing tall on two legs and covered in dense, dark fur, with claws longer than my fingers protruding from his large hands. Massive curved horns that resemble a rams adorn his head. He looks like a demon. Or the god of death himself.

What is it?

As if reading my mind the large beast turns around, it's strikingly dark eyes assessing me carefully before turning around and taking off so quickly it seems the beast simply vanished.

My eyes close on their own accord, the exhaustion weighing down on me like a crashing wave.

What was that.. and what did he just do to me?

I try to remain aware, not wanting to be left unconscious in the forest, alone. I lay there for hours until the sun bathes my face in light, warming my body after the long chilly night I spent amongst the leaves on the ground. I sit up and take in my surroundings, realizing I'm in a partially hidden area covered by dense foliage. I look down at my body, not a single scratch to be seen, only dried blood where there should be gaping wounds.

A blackened mark on my thigh catches my attention, moving my dress up further to see what I've been marked with.

Fear courses through me as I bring a shaky hand to my mouth to hold back a shocked gasp.

As if I wasn't hunted enough before. As if I wasn't feared by all because of what I was cursed as at birth.

I trail a finger delicately over the intricate vines that form the mark as tears fall from my face and onto the inky colored skin. A Dark Witch knows this symbol well, and are taught to stay far away from any who would dare use it in their practice of magic.

Forbidden.

The symbol of evil and darkness.

A symbol of death and destruction.

The Mark Of The Beast.

2,358 words.

This will be the darkest, most "mature" and graphic book I've written so far, there will be a lot of trigger warnings listed soon, as this book is very dark and not for the faint of heart. There will be only one love interest in this book. M×F romance.