Summer Bliss

When the group stepped outside, they were greeted by a cackling fire. The flames monstrous. Whoever was feeding the fire had remained undetected. Alexa clung tightly to Joey's arm. Her nails dug into his flesh, leaving cuts that began to bleed. Joey didn't seem to feel the pain and looked past the fire. It was pitch black.

"No mistakes. Run for the Jeep."

Marcus stood opposite Alexa. His arms hung limp at his sides. The thought of leaving the porch sent his knees knocking together. Goosebumps littered his body seeing Theo's cabin. It was out there, watching them.

"You and Alexa go first. I can't see."

"No, we'll all make a run for the Jeep. The better our chances. Ready...run!"

They bolted. Stumbling over each other in the process. Time moved painfully slow. Each step towards the car propelled by fear. Shadows cast by the flames slithered across grass, reaching the front of the Jeep. The rest of the vehicle lay in obscurity beside Bear's cabin.

Alexa was the first to reach. Sweat pouring down her face into her eyes. Marcus and Joey arrived seconds later. Joy hit the key fob, jumping into the driver seat. Alexa followed suit in the passenger and Marcus in the back.

"Come on, let's go!" Alexa hollered.

Joey shakily inserted the keys in the ignition. Turning he waited for it to kick to life. Sputtering filled the night air. The Jeep roared to life before dying abruptly. Joey turned the key again. It didn't turn over. Leaning, Alexa peaked at the dash while Joey tried over again.

"What's wrong, what's the matter!"

"I-I don't know."

"Guys I think-"

Marcus looked outside. Sniffing, the bitter odor seared his nose. Amid the chaos he didn't notice. Now it tickled his senses with an unsympathetic hand. Mocking him for his slip-up on something so obvious. The others watched him keenly, confused by his hesitancy. However, realization soon reached their eyes. Alexa spoke, her words faltering,

"T-the gas? That's gas."

"Shit!" Balling his fist Joey slammed it against the window.

"T-Theo is doing this! It's him!"

"What am I doing Marcus!"

Alarmed by the pugnacious tone, they screamed. Joey all but jumped into Alexa's lap. Marcus released the lock then gripped the door handle. He didn't need his vision to tell who it was. Theo stood in front of the Jeep, silhouette aglow from the fire. They noticed his stark-naked form before the red liquid that covered it.

Theo's body shook with uninhibited laughter as he watched the three cower inside the vehicle, " Fear smells best in heavy quantities. Like a dense morning fog, intoxicating."

Marcus stared nonplussed when Theo gripped his hardening cock, stroking it with soiled hands.

"My lust for carnage has manifested that even I'm surprised at times. Never did I fathom that this would be my legacy. A man who lived lavishly, a man who conquered his desires with the same effort as breathing, would plummet so lowly as to prey on humans. Alpha to Pariah."

"What- where's Khalia!" Alexa screamed. Her hand pulled at the door handle with no avail. Theo tilted his head, a sneer spread across his lips.

"On which occasion? After I fucked her or after I killed Jay?" Genuine laughter as he gazed at their stupefied expressions. Once again, Marcus saw brown eyes become black.

"If I can't surrender unto the blissful wonders in life, why should you? If I can't return home, why should you? If I'm to be a discarded plebeian...so should you."

An unnerving smile spread across his chapped lips as he drowned in his nonsense.

"If this is to be my death sentence, I vow to not serve it alone."

When he took a step forward, Marcus threw open door. Alexa followed suit, pulling the lock on hers.

"Don't! He can't get us in the car!" Joey hollered, snatching her arm to keep her still.

"I can't?"

Shattering of glass blasted in the Jeep. Alexa screamed until her voice grew to a horse croak. The grip on her arm disappeared and swiveled on where Joey once sat. Blood dripped from cracked edges of the broken window. In the throes of darkness a sickening scream rang out, followed by a forceful thud. They listened as Theo cackled. A mixture of joy and malice.

"Where is that confident man? The one I saw in the cabin! The man who was read to abandon his pack! Don't be shy because of me Joey!"

Theo reminded Marcus of a father encouraging his toddler. In this instance the encouragement were fist. He flinched when a loud pop floated through the broken window. The garbled shriek that came afterwards engaged his gag reflex. Scrambling out the door, Alexa did the same. Linking hands, they raced to the backside of Bear's cabin.

Their footsteps, masked by the awful pleas of Joey. Theo expressed no mercy nor inkling of a sagacious mind while he brutalized their friend. Hesitantly, Marcus peered from behind the cabin. His gasped when Joey's body came crashing nearby. Raising his head up, Marcus noticed the red streaks leaving his eyes. If there even were eyes. Trailing leisurely behind, Theo clapped his hands. He shuddered at the shit-eating grin.

With each assault to his body, Marcus watched Joey's consciousness slip. No more did he cry out, mustering weak grunts and whimpers. He was at death's door waiting for the somber invite inside. Opening his fractured mouth he cried for Alexa.

Quickly Marcus covered Alexa's lips. She whined into his hand, soaking it with her saliva and snot. Leaning close, he let out a shaky breath.

"P-please be quiet. If we find the keys to the Tahoe we can leave. We have to check his cabin. I'm going to remove my hand. Don't scream."

She nodded. Slowly he pulled his hand away, entwining it with hers by his side. A dubious breath escaped but she held it together. Marcus soon got into a more comfortable crouching position. With Theo occupied they made it to the Tahoe, crouching behind its tires. Tugging Alexa's hand, he brought her next to him.

"I can't see from here, is he still over there?"

Squinting, Alexa surveyed the area for Theo. The flames flickered licked at the darkness, casting a pleasant glow, though the scenery was far from it. Joey grasped at the dirt in front of him. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. He paused; Theo's foot found his ankle. Another cry filled the clearing.

Marcus winced at the longing in her expression. Her hand tightened around his, squeezing firm. Giving Marcus's hand a tight squeeze she gave him a look. He looked at her, a bleak expression overtaking.

"Alexa- "

"I-I'll distract him. Don't waste time on the keys. Just run! You have-"

"What are you talking about? We're this close! I gotta run, then you run with me!"

Turning Marcus eye's watered at the resistance. He heard the sniffling before he saw her face.

"Fucks sakes Marcus, we're going to die out here. Everyone else is already dead, that beast, its still out there..."

Shaking his hand loose, Alexa gave Marcus a good shove and he hit the ground hard.

"I can never leave him. Not like that. Not with that demon!"

His mouth hung open and she gave him one last glance before running.

"Joey!"

Marcus watched, Images of them as kids danced in his mind and he hesitated to move. He couldn't leave his cousin, but he didn't want to die. However, if he did die, would he be able to live a cowardly life?

Shutting his eyes tightly he growled through his teeth as tears flowed. All his friends were gone. It'd be a miracle if anyone makes it out alive. Alexa's screaming soon roused him. Whispering under his breath, Marcus crossed over his heart before running towards Alexa.

Reaching into the fire he pulled out a log. The smell of his burning flesh sent dots in his vision. Swinging with all his might he smashed it against Theo's side. A growl rang out that chilled him to his core. Theo dropped Alexa, who wheezed. When he turned, Marcus curled his lip at the shit-eating grin.

"It's about time Marcus! Let's see if you last longer than the others!"

*~*~*

Khalia lost track of time kneeling next to Jay's corpse. The area around her lightened and she realized the sun would rise soon. Physically she was numb, emotionally she was fractured. The nights events were too much for her mind to wrap around. Staggering, her body went on autopilot, it's only goal: Home.

Absently she flicked and picked insects off her body, staring off in the direction of camp. Swollen eyes made out a dim orange flame in the distance. Taking small steps, she ambled onward. Her ankle had no feeling, ballooning 3x its size. In the recess of her mind, she wondered if she had nerve damage.

The bulk of her thinking was fixated on Jay. She forced her mind to consider him unconscious. She just had to reach camp, and everything would be back to normal. They'll all laugh about this stupid trip years from now.

The walk was longer than expected. The fire she was following had died out halfway. The desperation to leave grew when she stepped through the familiar tree line. Feeling the sun kiss her skin, she collapsed into the clearing. The wound on her neck stiffened her body and she whimpered.

"Lia-Baby, you joined us. A bit late unfortunately."

Khalia went ridged at the warm sarcastic voice she's become infatuated with. Searching her eyes found Theo, a sight she regrets beholding. He sat on top one of the picnic tables in the clearing.

Drenched head to toe in blood, he rested his chin in his palms. Droplets still dripped from his extremities. The black hair she found to be pillow soft was now slicked black with a muddy red sheen. Hopping off the table he smirked.

Near his feet she spotted three bodies, an ungodly amount of blood around them. She clocked the long matted black hair, the caved in bald head, and the other, his chest still rose and fell. Eyes widening, she screamed.

Theo leaned down and snatched a handful of Marcus hair, suspending him up. Marcus opened his mouth to protest, and blood came rushing out.

"Ya know, you have terrible taste in men. On one hand, there's me: roguishly handsome with minor flaws. Then you have this cowardly cuck. Did you tell her, Marcus? That you watched while I fucked that sweet pussy of hers? Oh? That's right, you were too upset with her choice in men too."

Khalia scrambled up to her knees. She furrowed her brows and shifted her eyes, a sting forming behind them.

"I wonder what he did after I left. Did you flip her over? I bet you did. She feels amazing from behind."

"F-fuck you! Don't believe him K-Khalia."

Marcus spoke with gritted teeth. She watched Theo sit him on his knees, gasping at the deep slashes across his chest. A pressure overtook the clearing and she found herself unable to move. Every action he pulled left her speechless. She truly was staring at the Devil.

"Of course she does. She can't help but believe me. Master was it, right Lia Baby?" The air around him hummed and she whined at the feral ferocity within his eyes.

Tossing Marcus to the side, he landed with a hard thud. She moved back, crawling quickly to escape his sinister presence. Crying when he grinned at her.

"I told you. If I find something I like, I don't let go. Out of hundreds, only a handful catch my attention. Feel honored that a sliver of my heart will burn for you Lia. That we shared the passion of century old lovers. You truly were my good bitch."

Reaching for her throat she slapped his hand away. Only to feel a sharp pain across her face seconds later. In her daze, he grabbed her, hoisting her up by the neck.

"Our time has ended. It's only fair that you witness this as well Marcus. Your intuition would have been valued with my kind."

Grunting, Khalia's heart lurched when she heard bones snapping. She wriggled when white tuffs of fur sprouted out his arm and chest. Throwing back his head, he roared. The rich baritone note he billowed sent a chill through her body.

Suddenly he dropped her. Craning her neck, she awed at the nine-foot beast. His fur, an abstract work of art with the blood splatter. His eyes matched his soul. Raising his head to the sky, Theo howled. In the midst, Marcus staggered up and launched himself at the beast.

"Run! Run Lia!"

Hearing his desperate plea she did just that. Hobbling as fast as she could with her bum leg, she started across the clearing. A snarl made her speed up. A grunt and a sickening crunch resonated as the ground trembled. A second didn't even pass before something connected with her back. Immediately she was airborne, skirting across the ground she slammed into a tree. Screaming, splintered wood rained down. Her sprained ankle felt like a minuscule scratch.

Wheezing, Khalia knew her lungs collapsed. Laying on her side, she attempted to roll but her body wouldn't comply. When her vision focused, she saw Marcus, his body contorted in an odd shape. The back of his head rested against the middle of his back. Lifeless hazel eyes stared into hers. Breathless, all the fight left her body.

This wasn't supposed to end like this.

Werewolves weren't real. Yet, one destroyed her world in three days. There were signs and she ignored them all. Khalia's eyes watered. A gurgled gasp forced its way out as blood cemented her airways.

Why? What did we do. Why?

Again, breathless.

The ground came alive with a steady drum. Straining her neck, she turned. Theo was running, fangs bared. Watching, she hated to admit how majestic the beast appeared gliding over the clearing. A memory of them lounging on the forest floor surfaced.

*~*~*

"Favorite animal?"

"Isn't it obvious." Khalia flicked her gaze to her tattoo, taking a drag from the joint before passing it down to Theo, who lay under her. "They're cute, loyal, and vicious. The perfect predator."

"Lia Baby, you think I'm perfect?" He smiled coyly before exhaling smoke between the valley of her breasts.

*~*~*

A distorted chuckle to escape her throat causing blood to dribble over her chin. With swollen eyes, she watched death come for her.