I shivered as the wind howled through the trees. My thin jacket wasn’t providing much shelter. I stumbled down the steep incline. The small ring of light from my phone’s flashlight lit the middle of the path. My blue eyes jumped from tree to tree, watching for any movement. The plastic bag rustled against my leg, still holding the bag of chips and candy. I gulped, ‘There’s nothing out here, Cat. It’s just the wind.’ Leaves crunched under my feet as I kept walking. ‘I should almost be at the end.’ I curled my fingers into fists inside my pockets to keep them warm. 

After a few minutes, my phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my pocket to see a Low Battery Warning. 4%. I cursed under my breath and turned it off. Now, in complete darkness, a different shiver curled up my spine. ‘There’s someone else here.’ I looked around to see nothing but trees and bushes. ‘Is someone in the bushes? Are they gonna kill me? Kidnap me? Rape me?’ I tightened my fists and walked a little faster. ‘You’re freaking out Cat. No one is here.’ 

A twig snapped in the distance and I froze for a second. I gulped and pushed my body forward. ‘You’re imagining it. You’ll go home and crawl in bed and call yourself stupid for panicing.’ 
I bit my lip. ‘I should’ve been out by now. Did I lose the path? Oh frick no. Stupid Cat! You couldn’t for once be good with directions?’ I whined, furrowing my brows. I looked around to find the path but it was too dark to see the ground.

 A whisper lingered in the wind as the leaves danced.I wrapped my arms around my waist to feel less alone. The problem was, I didn’t feel alone to begin with. A nagging feeling pulled on my shoulders and ached in my bones. ‘No one is watching you. NO ONE IS HERE.’ I started to tremble. ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ The nagging grew stronger the longer I stood still. I bolted forward with my head down. ‘Just get home. Please.’ 

A thump echoed through the trees and I held my breath. ‘If I don’t move, it’ll go away.’ Another thump. A whimper slipped from my throat. I felt so small and weak. I backed away from where the sound came from. Something tapped my back. I screamed, falling on my butt as I came face to face with a tree.  I panted, staring at the thick tree. ‘I’m an idiot.’ A yell echoed in the darkness. 

I turned to look for the owner. ‘There is someone else here.’ A scream erupted. ‘Sounds like they need help… Should I go help?’ I stood up shakily, dusting myself off. I walked closer to where I thought the sound came from. The trees rustled above me and the leaves below me. Another thud. A loud sound like wood snapping followed by a thud rattled my senses. ‘What was that?’ I crept forward looking for any sign of life.  

The sounds continued echoing randomly as I moved closer and closer. I stumbled, placing my hand out in front of me and caught myself on a tall log. It stood up to my ribs. I followed with my hands along the fallen stump until my fingers dropped off the edge and I moved around the end. Twigs and leaves snapped under my shoes. A growl pierced me to my spot. ‘Please be a dog.’ The ground shook. I shrieked, bracing against a tree. The ground stilled as a yell sounded again. 

It was a lot closer than before. I jogged forward a few feet to see someone standing in a small clearing. The woman had long blonde and she was wearing dark pants. I leaned forward to ask if she was okay when a deep laugh came from the clearing. “Come on, little wolf.” The woman raised her arms. ‘Guess that’s a dude. Whoops.’ A growl came from the left and the man turned to face it. I gasped lightly when I saw his face. His pale skin seemed to glow in the darkness but it was no match for the radiant purple coming from his eyes. ‘Can people really have purple eyes?’ I took a step. ‘I want.. to be closer.’ 

Another growl made me freeze. “What? Are you scared of just one guy?” The man said mockingly. ‘Is he crazy? Whatever it is, doesn’t want to play.’ 

“Leave!” A deep husky voice commanded. A shiver ran up and down my spine. ‘I would if I could but I have no idea where I am.’ The man laughed. 

“Don’t think you can tell me what to do, Lycan.” The warning was a double-edged sword. “I go where I please. And this little town.. Uh.. Greenbridge, was it? It looks mighty appealing. ‘Greenberg?’

A thud came from the left followed by a growl, “You are forbidden from Greenberg.” The man smiled at the silent threat. “Your territory ended long ago. I suggest you go back to it.”

“Oh, have I really wandered so far?” He teased, running a hand through his long hair. “Must be the old age.” 

His purple eyes shot through me. I gasp. ‘How can he see me?’ I took a step back to hide behind a tree. He smirked and vanished. A growl erupted from the left, angry and rabid. Something cold pressed against my back. “Run.” I gasped, bolting through the trees. My heart raced as I sensed the heavy eyes of a predator. Twigs brushed against my jeans as I panted in fear. A cold sweat coated my neck. I pressed my back against a tree, my eyes searching the dark for the glowing man. 

I ran between trees and bushes blindly. ‘It’s too dark.’ I hurried over a log and ducked under a tree branch. My eyes had adjusted, total darkness was now shadowy figures and shapes. I stopped to catch my breath. ‘I need a plan. This psycho could be anywhere.’ I looked over my shoulder to see nothing, nothing sounded out of place; no crunching steps, no breaking twigs. ‘Where is he?’ Arms wrapped around my waist, a cold storm washing over me. I gasped staring at the glowing man. He pressed me against his chest with a smirk. 

His eyes were a deep purple pool, turning in a whirlpool drawing me in like trance. His high cheekbones and full, pouty lips gave him the beauty of a god. He grinned down at me, his lush lips pulling back to show sharp canines and incisors, from the gum to gum. I gaped wide-eyed. Inch long fangs, sharp and tinted. “First time seeing a vampire? How cute. Don’t mind the yellowing, I was a foolish fledgling; I never brushed after a meal.” He ran his tongue over his fangs. 

I started breathing heavy as he came closer to my neck. ‘No..no!’ My knee shot up until it hit his groin and I sprinted away in a random direction. A twig snapped in front of me and I froze. A large wolf stood in front of me, standing as tall as my waist. It looked at me as I hyperventilated. I gulped as it stepped forward. “Keep running straight.”, said the same deep husky voice as earlier.  The wolf bolted passed me, I turned to see it again, but it was gone. I followed the man’s advice and kept running. 

‘Oh, how fast you are; will I ever catch up?” He appeared in front of me. ‘Sarcasm, really?’ The vampire raised an eyebrow and smirked, “Oh, hello.” I stumbled backward, falling on my ass. ‘Shit.’ He stepped closer to me. My fingers searched for something, anything on the ground. They touched something hard, large, and rough; a rock. As he got closer and leaned down to my face, my heart thumped heavily. ‘If I mess this up, I’m dead.’ “I do love a good thrill.” I swung my fist fast and hard until it connected to his forehead.

 I dashed to the right and pushed my tingling legs to go faster. I bit my lip as they burned. ‘Faster, please. I just need to be faster.’ Trees darted in and out of view, as I slowed. ‘I’m running out of energy. I need to get out of here.’ I leaned against a tree and crouched down behind a bush. ‘That guy said to keep going straight… I turned right…’ I readied my position and listened for any movements. I sprinted left, pushing my limbs to go faster. ‘Don’t stop. Don’t stop, Cat.’ I bit my lip as my eyes watered. 

Something connected to my side and my back hit a tree. I opened my eyes to connect to a bright purple pair glaring at me. Blood streamed down his left eyebrow. ‘I did it, I actually made him bleed…’ “You pesky little mouse. You’re getting irritating.” His voice wavered in anger. His long fingers clasped on my neck, pushing my face up, exposing my neck. I kicked out my legs but felt the stopped. “You think I’d fall for that again, Princess?” His hand tightened as I swallowed. “Being alive for this long, I’ve learned to adapt.” The vampire kissed my neck and hummed. I hissed in pain as a stinging cold shot through my bones, a hot fire invoked a scream  as it soared through my blood.

I weakly pushed against his shoulder. All my strength seemed to be drained from me. My head grew heavy and gentle thud against the tree. I opened my eyes briefly to see the tall wolf standing behind the vampire, he released a growl, exposing his teeth. “No.” I whispered. ‘If he attacks, there’s no way I can move fast enough to get out of the way.’ My eyes met his dark ones, like that of a dog’s, his eyes showed me his thoughts; his determination, his fear, his target. ‘I have no say in this.’ I closed my eyes and waited for fate to set its course. ‘How poetic.’ 

The vampire was ripped from me and I screamed as my neck was dragged with him. I collapsed on my knees and clutched my neck, blood seeping between my fingers. It dripped down my shoulder soaking my jacket. The trees blurred around me. The thumping and growling became more distant until they were a low hum. ‘Am I….’  I wheezed as goosebumps grew mountains on my skin. I pressed my hand against my neck harder. ‘Blood… there’s so much blood. I have to..’ My shaky hand pulled at the zipped of my jacket and I slipped it off my arm. Bundling it, I bit my lip and braced myself. ‘Don’t be a little bitch!’ I pressed the black jacket into my neck and screamed in pain as my felt light.

 I swayed in place, placing a blood coated hand in the dirt to hold myself up. I looked up to find the vampire holding a blade as the wolf charged. ‘Why is this happening? A wolf and a vampire?’ My eyes widened. ‘Could that wolf be...a werewolf..?’ I shook my head before groaning. ‘Don’t be stupid. This isn’t a movie.’ My limbs felt like lead and the blurred dirt came rushing toward me. I choked on blood as my head hurt. My eyes watched the fight until my eyes blurred over and I had to look up.

The stars peaked between the branches as  my vision darkened. A fuzzy face and a wet nose hovered over me. I opened my mouth to thank him but only a wet choking came out. My throat closed and my teeth ached. Tears dripped down into my ears. My arm lifted onto a wet, slippery surface, I glanced over to see my arm in the wolf’s mouth. My heart raced. ‘Don’t tell me…’ He bit down hard and I screamed, white flashed across my eyes as my arm grew numb and tingly. Everything faded as soon as his teeth withdrew from my arm.