Save me woman with your heart full of innocence

Save me from myself

....

Miss Anderson had told me I was the descendant of Zachariah Argent who was seemingly patient zero of the Night Child curse. I felt my brows furrow as I trailed back to my hotel. I wanted to finish the chapter, to learn more about the disease but the librarian had said it was closing hours. It had been at that moment that I realised the sun was beginning to set.

Now, as I trudged back to my makeshift home, I allowed my mind to tick over the passages I read. The first Huntress, Estrella killed off the Forsaken only to realise years later her own child was one of the infected. But how could that be? I thought the Paidi ceremony had to be performed before the disease took place.

Once I reached the apartment, I slumped back into the tiny desk situated in the corner of the room. There was more I had to know. I turned to the following page, in the centre there was a sketch of a rabid dog, its eyes the colour of coal. Foam fell in slithers from its jaws and its spine was ridged with spikes. Its tail ended in a bloodied spear head.

'χάλκινος,' the title said, and then under it, 'Hell hound.'

'Legend says the first infected human of the Forsaken curse was bitten by a dog sent from Hell itself. Before the dog was slaughtered and sent to Hell, it was captured by a hunter, trapped behind bars to be poked and prodded. The hound was trained to perform, forced to become tame despite its nature. It wasn't long before its owner got bored and shot it in the heart. The hound was said to return from Hell, it's one incentive being revenge on its owner. The disease was created by the Devil himself to allow the owner to experience the world as a mindless creature, to be tortured as the hound had once been. The Hound was granted the ability to pass on the disease to whoever it bites. The disease was more so a curse, a lasting Devil imprint on those who disserved it. And so the hound was brought back to reality, and the curse was etched into its canines.

The hound tracked its past owner and sank its teeth into his neck. It was said from there that the Forsaken curse originated. The Hell hound was eventually found and burnt alive, its soul no longer able to return to humanity. The hound now haunts the dreams of the dying, and tales have said its howls can be heard during a Blood Moon.'

I swallowed down the sudden feeling of uneasiness that rose to form bile in the back of my throat. I shut the book with a loud bang and turned to look out the window. The last rays from the setting sun were hitting the edges of the skyscrapers around my building, painting them with a glimmer of gold.

The city was beautiful, but I couldn't let it hide my reality for long. I knew what I had to do, and I knew I had to do it soon. It wouldn't be long before winter would strike, and with it, my birthday will arise. But before I could let that happen, I had to find the Parade. I had the find the world they lived in. Before it was too late.

After having a shower, I collapsed into bed, running a hand through my wet hair to erase the tangles. A noise from my phone interrupted my thoughts and I picked it up.

"Hello?" I said carefully.

A familiar voice answered me but their tone was one of a stranger. "I saw you today."

"Aleena?" I said in confusion. It was late for her to be calling me.

"You were in my dreams," she continued, her voice deathly toneless. It was like listening to a stale recording. "I saw you and him."

My heart skipped a beat. "Isaac?"

There was a pause and a loud shuffling noise before she responded. "He was clutching you in his arms and your blood stained his T-shirt. He was trying to get an answer from me, yelling out except I couldn't hear him."

I sat upright on the bed, stirring the bed sheets. "What are you on about?"

Her voice lowered slightly. "But then my fingers were dripping with something and I looked down in my hand to see a heart. It still pumped blood and it leaked down my arm."

"Aleena I—"

"I looked back to you in his arms and it was at that point that I realised there was a hole in your heart," she said over top of me. "You were dead Renee. That heart was yours."

I swallowed audibly, my entire body shaking. I was sure my face had drained of colour. I didn't know what to say, and even if I did want to talk, my lips were trembling too much to utter a sentence.

She let out a small noise, her voice cracking. "I did it. I killed you Renee."

The phone slipped from my shaky fingers, and I heard the click that signalled she had hung up.

'You were dead Renee.'

Her words echoed into my skull. Dead. Death. Non-existence. It had haunted me over the last year, striking at me from every corner. Isaac had been there to prevent it but now he wasn't, now he was as good as dead. Now I was alone.

I rose from my bed, ignoring the unsteadiness of my legs to grab some water for my suddenly parched throat. Their just dreams Renee, I told myself. But I couldn't shake off the feeling they were more than that. They weren't visions, they were an aspect of the future. They were possibilities.

Soon I might be the headstone beside Fins.

....

Sebastian's eyes widened as he took me in, his smile slipping off his face. "You look like you haven't slept in years."

I slapped down the five dollar note onto the counter. "What a nice compliment to start off my morning with."

Sebastian offered an apologetic smile. "I'm not sure if you should be having coffee."

I rose an arched eyebrow. "Since when did your opinions matter."
He beamed. "Since my opinions are superior."

I rolled my eyes and he took the money. He didn't walk over to the machine like I thought he would, instead he reached down under the counter and brought out a freshly made coffee.

He handed it to me with his contagious smile. "This time I knew when you would stop by, so it should still be hot."
Despite my mood, I grinned. "How thoughtful."

He shrugged sheepishly. "What can I say, I'm a charmer."
I took a sip from my coffee and flashed him a doubtful look. "That's pushing it."
He chuckled, running his hands though his ruffled hair. His eyes raked down me, probably taking in my trackies and jumper clothing choices. "What kept you up all night?"

I walked over to my usual seat near the counter and ungracefully sat on it. "Homesick," I lied.

He narrowed his amber eyes and regarded me for a few seconds. "I never took you for a liar pigeon girl."

I rose my eyes to meet his in shock but he only watched me with a light smile. His irises seemed to be blazing today, enlightening the colour of his pupil so it was like looking into a crystallised forest.

However, he only softened his eyes sympathetically after taking in my reaction. "I don't mean to pry; I just don't like seeing people who resemble a zombie."

My lips twitched slightly. "Another compliment that makes my morning better and better."
He drummed his fingers on the register like he always did. "I could've called you something more sinister."

I placed the coffee down on the table with a light tap. "I don't think there is a descriptor worse than zombie," I replied. The coffee was beginning to perform miracles on my exhaustion.
Sebastian considered this for a moment, his brows furrowing in thought before he responded. "A werewolf?"

If had been holding my coffee, I knew it would've slipped out of my hands. I felt the blood drain out of my face and my spine stiffened instantly. I stared at him but he was watching me in confusion, taking in my reaction with curious eyes.

"I mean that would mean you looked all furry and beastly you know. I think that is worse than being a zombie." He amended but I still hadn't recovered from his words. I tried to swallow but my throat was parched. I hastily reached for my coffee and chugged down a mouthful.

After sucking in a quick breath, I mustered a laugh that sounded fake to my own ears. "Sorry, I'm just not used to being classified as a werewolf."
But Sebastian frowned. "I didn't call you one, I just thought calling someone else one would be worse than any other classifications." I felt his eyes search mine and it took everything in me to give him a smile.

"Oh right, clearly the coffee hasn't fully worked yet. I'm still a bit slow." I hoped he thought my cheeks were burning from embarrassment not shock.

Sebastian continued to examine me and then nodded slowly. He looked slightly ruffled himself and bit his lip.

I started to rise from my seat. "I better go."
"Wait," Sebastian seemed to surge with energy and rushed forward. "Don't leave just yet."

I felt the confusion etch itself across my face. "Why?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks blossoming a deep shade of red. "I was hoping you would wait for my shift to end."
This caused my heart to skip a beat. "Why would I do that?"
He shrugged casually and looked everywhere but my eyes. I noticed his fingers repetitively tapped against the counter.He was nervous. "Because I was wondering if you wanted to go somewhere."
I stared at him, my mouth falling open. I took him in, this boy who was still somewhat a stranger. His lips were constantly in a smile, even now they were pulled into a hopeful one. His hair was up in spikes. His long fingers continued to drum on the counter and his amber eyes drifted to mine.

I opened my mouth to answer when suddenly my phone went off. I took it out of my pocket with an apologetic look and saw the caller was Aleena.

I looked back up to Sebastian. "I'm sorry, I really have to take this."

He nodded, his cheeks reddening even more. "Go for it."

I mumbled another sorry and walked out of the café to answer the call.

"Renee you need to leave the city right now." Aleena's voice was rushed, her breaths coming out in ragged wheezes.

My fingers pressed harder onto the edges of my phone. "Why, what's happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she snapped, "its you I'm worried about. You need to catch the first bus that you see and don't get off until I tell you to."
I started to walk towards the bus stop, my heart hammering in my chest. "Is everything okay?"
There was a loud noise and Aleena's voice lowered to a whisper. "No its not, you need to listen to me." Another noise cut through her end and the sound of breaking glass echoed in the phone.

"Aleena? What's going on?" I nearly tripped over the pavement as I rushed towards the bus interval. My bag full of books bounced against my back.

"Whatever happens, do not stop moving," she hissed. "You need to get as far away from Canada as you can, do you hear me?"

I felt my eyes widen. "You want me to leave the country?"
"I want you to leave this planet if you could Renee. But right now you need to leave Idin." A dog started barking in the background and the phone began to cut in and out.

I neared the bus stop, watching as a bus arrived loaded with people. "Why? Please Aleena I need to know what's going on."
There was a long pause that extended to the point where I thought she had hung up but then her voice floated back in the phone, barely audible. "They are coming for you." The phone line ended with a soft noise.

I didn't need to question who. I bolted forwards, spearing towards the clerk behind the desk. "I need to get on the next bus." The lady behind the desk regarded me with arched eyebrows, her mascara filled lashes fluttering as she blinked.

"The next bus doesn't come for another two hours." Her voice was placidly bored. I wanted nothing more than to bang her head against the glass that separated us and demand for them to give me a private bus but I figured that was not appropriate. "Where's the closest taxi circuit?"

She let out a sigh, like I had asked her the most unreasonable question on earth. "Down the street to your left."
I didn't even mumble a thanks before I ran. The backpack weighed me down, the covers of the books rubbing into my back but I didn't stop. I ran past Sebastian's café, noticing he was wiping down one of the tables out the front. He looked up when he saw me flying towards him and flashed me a brilliant smile. "Hey pigeon girl, did you come up with an answer—"

"I have to go!" I shouted and blazed past him, ignoring the huge stab of guilt that came with his reaction. His smile fell, his eyes darkening with disappointment. I pushed his disheartened expression out of my mind and kept running.

Get to the taxi Renee. Don't stop.

I neared the yellow taxi and practically threw myself in. The guy glanced at me in disapproval. "To the airport," I said breathlessly.

He nodded and began to drive off. I fumbled for my phone, looking for anymore messages from Aleena. I tried to call her but she didn't pick up. Heaving for breath I stared out the window. They were coming. They were coming to kill me. It was nowhere near my birthday but yet they had come to claim me.

Vomit began to surge up my throat and I quickly swallowed it down. You don't have time to be sick. Once you're safe, you can vomit as much as you like.

Much to my dismay, the taxi began to slow down, its tires screeching. I glared up at him. "What's the problem."

He shrugged, his hands loosening on the steering wheel. "It's peak hour traffic. You're not going to get anywhere quickly sweetheart."

I stared out the windscreen, spotting lines upon lines of traffic jammed until all I could see were red tail lights. I didn't think before I flew open the door. The guy swore at me and fumbled for his own door but I was already running. Various car horns went off as I veered around stopped cars.

You're not even moving, get over it! I wanted to scream but I was too breathless to even consider it. I sped to the pavement and looked up, seeing the city's main gardens in front of me. I didn't know where I was going, I only wished to cut the traffic and find another taxi. I took the large steps that led to the botanical gardens three at a time and twisted to take a sharp corner.

Nearly taking a small child out as I ran, I weaved through various trees, dodging another shadow that could've been them. My hair clung to my neck and I could taste salt on my lips. I knew I didn't have much time.

Ahead of me there was a sharp curve that trailed near a pond. I neared it, stirring the ducks as I ran past so they all rose from the water in a flurry of feathers. I dodged through them and took the corner fast. Too fast.

A figure crashed into me from the side, propelling me down a small hill until we both rolled over top each other and hurtled down the incline. Sticks scratched up my arms and leaves swatted my face before we finally came to a stop.

I untangled myself from the figure, my heart pounding against my ears. I hastily rose from the ground, spitting out the blood that pooled in my mouth. The figure stood up, grunting in the effort.

I prepared to run again, my muscles screaming at me to suddenly duck and spear towards a more public place but then I recognised the stranger.

"Isaac?" I breathed, taking in his golden curls and tricoloured eyes.

He was shaking, the side of his lip busted from our fall. He rushed over to me and gripped my shoulders. I had never seen him so angry. His pupils were narrowed and his eyes were alight. "What the hell were you thinking?"
I stared up at him, feeling my legs shake. "What?" I asked pathetically.

He took me in, his eyes trailing over me. "You ran away like some idiot and got on the bus to do what? What could possibly be more important than staying safe in Brookfield?"

I continued to stare at him, ignoring his fingers that dug into my shirt. "Answers," I snapped back.

His pupils narrowed and a tiny growl escaped his parted mouth. "You could've gotten yourself killed."

I shrugged off his hands, taking a step away from him. "And I will if you don't move aside and let me through."

His lips thinned. "No, you need to come with me."

I shook my head, frustration and adrenaline whirling around me until all my muscles jittered. "Isaac we don't have time to argue, they'll be here any minute."

He opened his mouth to speak but I flew under his arms, ducking to escape his arms. I heard him curse under his breath before his footsteps pounded behind mine. "Renee, come with me and I can protect you from them."

I ignored him to swing right, soaring over a fallen log to run back towards the highway. I dodged through bamboo, desperately trying to find my way out of the gardens but I knew how large they were from reading about them. They were one of the easiest places to get lost in.

I heard Isaac yell after me and I pushed myself harder. The only bonus with him being human now was the fact he wasn't as fast as me. I heard Isaac call out again and I glanced behind me to see his face pale.

At that moment something caught around my leg, snapping into a knot so it cut off my circulation. The coiled object yanked me backwards and I went down in a tumbling mess back down the small valley. I came to an abrupt halt and forced myself to stand.

Another rope wrapped around my arm and tightened. I felt my eyes widen. They weren't ropes, they were lassos. And they weren't made from weaved material, it was silver.

Lassos flew at me from every direction, catching my arms, legs and waist before one tightened around my neck. I went to yell but it pulled against my neck, cutting off my vocal cords but not enough to stop me from breathing. I managed to crane my head to see Isaac on his knees, his own lassos tied around him.

"Don't try to escape, it will only make things harder." A figure appeared from within the trees and I instantly recognised her grey hair.

"You." I spat, blood dribbling down my chin.

Miss Anderson, or should I say, Georgina rose a thin eyebrow, her lips curling up into a smirk. "It's been awhile Renee. I have to say, you look terrible."

I tried to yank against the lassos that pulled at me when suddenly they seemed to heat and an electrical current surged through them. It entered my body, sizzling at my blood so it seemed to boil. Stars erupted across my visions and I let out an agonised cry.

The electrical current stopped and I slumped forward, my heart failing to catch up on heartbeats. An amused cackle sounded from above me. "I see you're still as stubborn as ever."

"Don't touch her!" A voice yelled. I didn't have to look up to know it was Isaac. My head was pounding and my muscles erupted into spasms from the current. I attempted to turn my head to see him. The figures holding the lassos had advanced out of the shadows. Now all I could see was five armoured figures yank against the lassos coiled around Isaac.

Georgina smiled at him smugly. "Isaac, I would say it's a pleasure to see you again but quite frankly its not."

He spat towards her, his curled haired tousled. "Stop hurting her."

Her pupils narrowed at this, her wrinkled face stretching. "Did you say hurt her? Well that can be arranged." She motioned to the Parade warriors holding my lasso and suddenly the current sizzled through me. I felt my insides burning, the smell of smoke filling my nostrils. My muscles clamped against each other, locking my joints so I collapsed again. It felt like every individual cell in my body was on fire. A scream admitted from me and my vision tumbled into darkness for a few seconds.

When I blinked them back into focus Isaac was pleading with The Huntress, sweat trailing down his forehead. "I'll do anything, please, take me instead of her."

Georgina regarded him. "I see she still remains your biggest weakness Mr Jackson."

Her eyes flitted to mine and I held them steadily despite being on the ground. I was sure I looked the least threatening out of the three of us.

"Kill me, or torture but just leave her alone," Isaac begged. He went to reach forward but the lassos coiled around him harder. The current hadn't gone off on his yet.

She tossed her grey hair behind her and cleared her throat. "I can't listen to your pathetic whimpering anymore." She reached into her belt and pulled out a needle. Clear liquid drippled from the tip. Isaac stiffened and clamped his mouth shut. This earned a chuckle from Georgina. "Good boy, I see you're learning." But instead of moving to him she advanced towards me.

I didn't have the energy to move away. She bent down, her grey, catlike eyes studying me. She reached down and tugged my chin up to face her. I noticed more wrinkles had formed on her face, making her seem older and more frail. Her nails dug into my skin.

"I've been dreaming of this day." And then she brought the syringe to my neck, pressing it into my vein before squeezing the contents in. I didn't have time to utter a retort before the darkness sucked me away.