Blood Moon Chronicles: Book 2: As the Waning Moon Sets

by James Howlette

Copyright© 2019 by James Howlette

A Blood Moon Story (2)

Description: Book 2 in the story of Davik. Still reeling from the events of the last blood moon, Davik needs to come to terms of the fallout. Will he be able to figure out how to move forward? Will this dark figure succeed in his attempts to kill him?

Tags: Some Sex, Ma/Fa, Consensual, Romantic, BiSexual, Heterosexual, non-anthro, Were animal, Bestiality, Cream Pie, Oral Sex, Petting, Safe Sex, Big Breasts, Size, Revenge, Slow

Published: 2019-04-19

Updated: 2019-07-19

Size: 87,590 Words

Chapter 1

I awoke feeling quite groggy, my vision was blurry and sounds from outside were far too loud. As I gained my bearings, the pain in my shoulder became known to me once again. The pain was horrendous, and the memory of how I gained that injury flashed through my mind. The battle with the wolves in the town square. I misjudged him in that fight, which gave Brant the opportunity to sink his teeth into my shoulder. The elation I felt at ending his miserable life was over, shadowed by the dull pain in my arm and the foreboding of what I learned. Brant was like the creature who attacked my family. There was a connection between him and that beast that I had to find. Once I did, then I could begin to hunt my true prey. It would be difficult, given that Brant and all his lackeys that were wolves were now dead. It put an obstacle in my path, but I was confident that I would be able to overcome it.

I looked about the room and recognized the furniture as my own. It was strange, as I remembered bidding Violet goodbye at the gates and the tears that followed. The rest was a bit of a blur. I could not recall how I could have made it back to my house. I pulled back the covers to take stock of myself. Nothing seemed any different than when I had decided to leave. The only injuries I had were the ones that I had sustained that night against Brant. However, they were far closer to healing than I had remembered. That begged the question of just how long I had been here. I turned to get out of my bed, choosing the left side, as it would give me the wall to steady myself if I needed it. As my feet hit the ground, I felt the expected dizziness and braced myself against the wall.

My hand hit the wall with a loud thump, and I was sure that my efforts to get out of bed would no longer be hidden from those in the house. I could hear footsteps approaching my door and tried to be as upright as possible to face the onslaught that was about to commence. I was not disappointed, as Violet was the first one to burst through the door.

“And just what in the hell do you think you are doing, Davik? You are in no condition to be out of bed. Get your butt back in that bed right now, mister!”

I tried to stand to my full height - be somewhat intimidating - while I stood my ground. I failed miserably. The next thing I knew, I was back in the bed with Violet pinning me down. In another setting, it would spark a much different response with me. Now was not that time: I felt like death had hit me with a wagon, and we were not exactly alone in the room. Ruben was there, as was Ilane, and I could see my house mates out in the hallway. Everyone had various looks of concern, no doubt I looked like walking death. I gave up resisting and looked deep into Violet’s eyes. There was a swirling storm of emotions that danced in her eyes. Fear, anger, panic, pride, amazement, terror and love all appeared and disappeared as her thoughts swam around in her head. I just gave her a goofy, lopsided grin, and it did the trick. Just as it did when we were kids, she could not help but giggle.

With the tension of the situation dissolved, the others made their way out of the room and back to wherever they had been before my ill-thought-out attempt to get out of bed. A few moments passed between us, our eyes searching the other’s. Unspoken words being sent by the simplest movement of the eye. Her resolve crumbled, and she collapsed on top of me, tears streaming down her face as powerful sobs wracked her body. I just held her as she worked through the tears and fear that had taken hold of her. I was uncertain how much time had passed before the sobs ebbed and the tears stopped flowing. I released my hold and she gently propped herself up.

“I nearly lost you that night, Davik. Then you told me you are leaving, which I understood, but it terrified me. I would have gone with you, but you wouldn’t let me. Then you got a few steps out of the village and collapsed. We brought you back to your house, and father looked at your wound. I looked like it had right after Brant bit you. We tried everything. You would get a bit better, then it would get worse again. You developed a fever and it only made things worse. It has been nearly two months, Davik! We nearly lost you - twice. And it was a miracle that my mother was able to find the right mixture of herbs to counteract the effect of that bite. After all of this, you still want to be foolish.”

I kissed her forehead and softly replied, “I am sorry, my love. I cannot change who I am. I will fight to protect those whom I can. I cannot sit idly by when people are in danger. I must find the beast that killed my parents. I believe it had a hand in Brant and the terror that has gripped this village. If I just leave it alone, someone worse could come and hurt you and your family, just to get to me. I have no doubt that the creature has learned of Brant’s death and my hand in it: Knows who I am and that I am hunting it.”

Violet slowly got up and turned towards the wall. Her eyes stared blankly at it; she was no doubt mulling over what I had said.

“You are right, beloved,” she softly said, “I hate that it is the case, but you are right. I just wish that it did not have to be this way. I just want to be able to forget all of this pain and death and move forward with our lives together.”

I sat up and wrapped my arms around her waist. She relaxed and rested her head against my shoulder with a sigh.

“I know Violet, so do I. Unless I do this, we will never be free, never be safe. And one day, this thing could come for us and our children.”

We sat silently for a while, just enjoying the embrace of the other. It was a peaceful respite from the flurry of recent events. She turned and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips, and then got up from the bed. I started to feel fatigue starting to pull at my body. Violet could see my exhaustion and helped get me comfortable in the bed before leaving me to rest. I let sleep envelop me as I surrendered to the darkness of my dreams. I could not recall the content of the dreams, only that they were dark and filled me with dread.

I woke up with a start to find myself still in my bed. I recalled the instant I had reawakened, so I wasn’t surprised at where I was. What did surprise me, was to find Liza lying in the bed with me. She was dressed in her clothes, which meant that I would not be murdered by Violet, only castrated. While my mind tried to grasp what had led to this, nature was calling. I made my way out of bed, without waking the beauty curled up on the other side.

I was feeling steadier on my feet than the last time I had attempted to get up. Thankfully, I was in bed clothes, as traipsing through the house naked would not be ideal.

I had no idea who was still in the house. I stepped carefully and tried to call on all my hunting skills to limit the noise I made as I moved through the house. Based on the sounds coming through the window, it was sometime in the middle of the night, and most of the people in the house would be asleep. I made my way out of the room and found Ruben sitting in a chair, asleep. Ilane would be giving him hell for that, I was sure. I made my way to the stairs and slowly made my way down. When I reached the landing, I turned and headed for the back door. I opened the door to find Clive standing guard, watching the back garden. He was startled by the door being opened and turned to find me standing there with my goofy grin.

“Davik? I am surprised to see you up and about, sir. I heard that you only regained consciousness a few hours ago. We were all worried about you and I know I am happy to see you pulled through, sir.”

“Thank you, Clive, I am feeling a little better. I am not ready to be killing wolves yet. Maybe a bunny ... if it is asleep.”

That made him chuckle and he moved aside. I made my way to the outhouse to relieve myself of the pressure that had built. Once I had done that, I made my way back into the house and set my course for the kitchen. I was starving. It felt like I hadn’t eaten in weeks, and I was ravenous. I knew there were cured meats and the like for me to eat, but I knew what would be good for my system. I found it sitting in a pot on the counter. One of the ladies in my life had cooked a hearty stew that smelled like heaven. It was a mixture of deer meat, potatoes, carrots, turnips, corn and various herbs and spices. It smelt fresh and savory and my mouth watered. Grabbing a bowl, I poured a decent portion of the stew. I then tore a chunk of bread off the loaf that was sitting on the shelf.

I took my food to the lovely table that Ruben built for me and dug in. My hunger demanded that I eat it as fast as I could, but I knew where that would lead. I was sick once after the incident, and I had gotten weak from a terrible fever. Once I was strong enough to eat, I had attacked the food elder mother made for me and ate it too quickly. I ended up heaving it all up in a vomiting fit that set me back a few more days. This time, I savored each bite as it filled my mouth with exquisite flavor. The bread became even more pungent and flavorful when it was dipped in the broth. With each spoonful, I felt a little bit more whole. When my meal was complete, I cleaned up after myself, putting the dishes in the sink before making my way back to bed.

When I arrived in my room, I saw that Liza was still in the bed, and resigned myself, knowing that I would not have any other options tonight. Liza and her sister had been sharing a bed, and the rest were taken up with my apprentices and Trent. All the beds the guys were using were for single occupants. The only large beds in the house were my own and the one I got for the sisters. So, the only option I really had was to choose which sister I wanted to sleep with tonight. Resigning myself to my fate, I returned to my bed and got in as gently as I could. As I got comfortable, Liza rolled over and snuggled into my side. I could feel the firm flesh of her chest pressed into my side. Her smooth leg draped over mine. The smell of her skin filled my nose with pleasant aromas of berries and lilac. I ignored the pull of these sensations, though my body seemed to have other things in mind. I did my best to think of anything else and allowed sleep to once again take me in her sweet embrace.

When I awoke, Liza was gone and I was alone in bed. Relief washed over me, as I hoped that she had left before Violet arrived to check in on me. I cleared my head of those thoughts and got out of bed. I was beginning to smell a bit ripe and I figured it had been a while since I had bathed. I went to my dresser to collect some fresh clothes and made my way down to the bath room. I was greeted by the sight of my apprentices sitting at the table with the sisters, eating breakfast. We traded small talk, the boys telling me of the work they had been up to the last two months. They had worked to continue the plans I had made for the house. They were doing the house section by section, trying not to disrupt the people living in it. The progress they made was astounding, and I felt pride in their progress.

Liza had a slight blush each time we made eye contact. I did not make light of the situation last night and I am sure that Liza appreciated that. Trina let me know how her garden had been progressing. The boys had built multiple, framed planting beds for her. Each was sectioned for different things. Root vegetables in one, berries in another. Fruits in a section near the outer fence and herbs closer to the house. Each bed was doing well and growing nicely. I congratulated her and told my housemates that I was going to be having a bath. I was then bombarded with jokes and laughs at my expense on how bad I smelt and how it was time I did something about it. I waved off their comments with a chuckle and asked the boys to help me bring in the heated water. It took only two trips with everyone helping, and soon I had a tub full of hot, soothing water. I took one of my remedies and poured the vial into the water. It would help speed up my recovery and help me get back to fighting form in a fraction of the time.

I had also filled a side basin with water and used a tronge to scrub off the grime, sweat and everything else that had caked on my skin. Once I felt I had scrubbed off enough, I rinsed with the basin and slipped into the tub. The hot water was a godsend and I felt the heat permeate my muscles. The pain I was feeling went from an intense throb to a dull ache. I relaxed in the heat and felt myself drifting off. Blackness and warmth enveloped me in its embrace, and I fell once again into a deep sleep. This time a dream came to me, and it wasn’t dark or painful. A faceless woman was approaching me slowly, her hips swaying seductively. Her body looked curvy and soft, but the details were fuzzy. I couldn’t make out her shape or face. Even her hair was hidden by a scarf. Though her physical appearance was masked, her intentions were not.

As she got closer, I was able to make out that she was wearing nothing but the scarf on her head, a choker around her neck, and a thin golden band around her waist. Her body was smooth and hairless; I could tell her breasts were large and full, but not what they looked like or even the shape and color of her nipples. Her sex was smooth and swollen with need. When she reached less than a foot from me, she sank to her knees and looked up at me. Her face was still blurred, but the signals her body was sending were unmistakable. Her need vibrated from every inch of her body. I was surprised at the desire and carnal craving this woman was emanating from her very core. I could not help, nor could I stop, when my body responded in kind.

A gasp of surprise and contentment came from her lips as she noticed my body responding to her. It was only then that I realized that I was in an even less formal state of dress than her. I was as naked as I had been in the tub, and nothing hid my jutting manhood standing proudly before her. In a flash, she was on me, hungrily devouring me with her mouth. Her hand wrapped around my legs, her fingers sinking into the flesh of my buttock as she tried to fill her carnal need. The sensations that flooded me as her mouth moved up and down my shaft were like nothing I had ever felt before. I saw stars and colors that I never thought I would see as my senses were overloaded with the pleasure. In only moments, I felt the familiar pressure build as my pleasure built to a crescendo. She had to have noticed the signs as she picked up the pace and began to take more and more of me into her waiting mouth.

The sight was more than I could bear, and, with a roar, I emptied myself into her waiting mouth. She didn’t miss a drop as shot after shot erupted from deep within me. She never missed a drop as I filled her mouth with my seed. And as the final spurts began to wane, she released me from her mouth with a resounding pop. Those last few spurts landed on her face and ample bosom. I had never seen something so erotic or enticing in all my life. The woman seemed to resonate contentment and peace; with her act completed, she began to fade from my sight. Taking a hesitant step backward ... always facing me ... her form becoming fuzzier and fuzzier. Her body conveying the hint of a return and more pleasures to come. Soon, she was gone, and there was an emptiness that remained. Soon that emptiness was replaced with guilt at the thought of a betrayal of Violet’s love and my commitment to her.

Slowly I regained consciousness, the memory of the dream hanging on my consciousness, reminding me of what had transpired. I felt the same sensation of release and relaxation in my body. No doubt my body’s response to the dream and the bath. I had no idea how long I had been there asleep, but I was beginning to look like I was pruning. The water had lost most of its heat but was still relatively warm. The tub was one of the best ideas I had when I was working on this place. A knock at the door startled me from my thoughts.

“Sir. I was asked to tell you by the boys, that they added a tube at the bottom of the tub. It will empty the water out into the garden. Just pull the ... plug ... I think that is what they called it. It looks like the top of a kettle at the foot of the tub.”

I thanked him and put my arm back into the water. After a few moments, I found the plug he had mentioned. I pulled it out with a little difficulty and was surprised as the water drained out of the tub. I chuckled at the ingenuity that my apprentices were beginning to show. I was proud of them, at what they had accomplished when I was out. I would have to find out what other things they had thought up. I dressed, feeling some of the tension from before in my muscles. Thankfully, the bath had done its job, and I was feeling better. A few more days of rest - and those baths - and I would be able to start working and preparing.

I made my way down to the kitchen to find everyone there eating again. I guess I had slept longer than I thought, as they were eating the mid-day meal. I took my seat at the table as Liza brought me a cup of lorit juice and Trina brought me a plate of food. It smelled as delicious as the stew from last night. It looked like a mixture of vegetables, grains and protein in a light gravy. I took a spoonful of the food and groaned at the delicious flavors as they danced on my taste-buds.

Clint laughed and said, “Wow, Davik! You must like that food as much as you liked your bath, because this is the second time today, we heard those noises from you.”

I feigned shock at his words but could not help but chuckle myself. The girls joined in with the laughter, though a blush had befallen both girls. I continued to eat my food and welcomed the polite banter with everyone. With everything that had happened in the village, I had not realized how much I had missed this. It had been years since I sat around a table with people close to me; talking and laughing about our day. When the meal was completed, I gave everyone my thanks and took my leave. I promised to return for the evening meal, but fatigue was once again hitting me, and I needed to rest. The girls mentioned that Violet and her family would be over for dinner to check up on me. I was happy to find my bed empty of any other occupants, and I crawled into it with a contented sigh. Sleep came fast and this time it was dreamless.

Chapter 2

When I awoke, I was sometime in the evening, the sounds of the insects out on their nighttime hunts filled the air. The gentle breeze from the open window carried their sounds into my room. Hopefully, I hadn’t slept past evening meal. As I moved to get up, I realized there was a soft arm draped across my chest and a leg resting on my thighs. I looked down to see dark locks of hair draped across my chest and felt the soft rise and fall of my companion’s chest. The scent that filled my senses told me that Violet was the one lying with me. I enjoyed the contact, knowing my beloved was with me. I knew I had to get out of the bed to relieve myself and go eat. I just could not pull myself away from the contact. It had been a while since we had been able to just lie together and I cherished the times like this. I closed my eyes to relax and enjoy the moment, when my door burst open.

“Why is he not up yet? I told you that he needed to be up by supper time, and I have been calling for the past fifteen minutes!” Oh gods, it was Violet!

The anger was there in full blast in her voice, but there was a merriment shining in her eyes that gave her away. That is when it hit me and I looked down to find a smiling, but groggy Trina. Once again, I was astounded by Violet’s lack of concern at the scantily clothed female in my bed. I decided that I would not press my luck by asking about it. I had the suspicion that it would not end well for me if I did. Trina sat up and stretched her lithe body in interesting ways and it took every ounce of willpower not to look. Instead, I just kept my eyes locked on Violet, despite the scene playing at the edge of my peripheral vision. I noticed that her smile never wavered, and her body shook slightly as I watched her.

“Sorry Violet, he is just so cuddly that I could not help it. You know full well that once you are wrapped in these arms you will not want to get out either.”

My jaw dropped at that statement, and whatever control Violet had was lost. The room filled with her laughter, which only further confused me about what was going on. No doubt the confusion showed on my face, as Violet laughed even harder and Trina decided to join in as well. I knew I should have been gravely upset at their laughing at me, but it was doing interesting things to their bodies that easily made me forget what I was supposed to be mad about. Trina got out of the bed and made her way to the other side of the room. After giving Violet a quick hug, she sauntered out of the room, and I sighed in relief when she was gone. That set off another round of giggles out of Violet as she made her way to my bed. She sat gently near my legs, placing her hand on my thigh.

“I guess I should explain things, so that your head does not explode from the confusion or fear of me getting mad. Yes Davik, your fears are written all over your face, and they are adorable.

“To answer it plainly, I have asked the girls to do me a service. I cannot be around all the time, I have too many commitments between my work with mother and other activities I do for the town. As such, I cannot be here to soothe you when you have a nightmare. You had a lot of them when you fell ill, and the only thing that helped was when I would lie with you. At one point, I was delayed coming over, and I found Liza in your bed. I lost control and screamed and threatened her, scaring everyone, including myself. I left the room and ran from the house to our tree.

“I sat under the tree, trying to calm down and understand where the anger had come from. I realized that I had become jealous and lashed out at her without hearing her side of things. Filled with shame, I made my way back to your house to pay my penance for how I had wronged her. I found everyone sitting at the table having the evening meal, however Liza and Trina were missing. I went up to your room to find you asleep alone. I then knocked on the girl’s door and asked to come in. Trina tore open the door and proceeded to say some very mean things to me in defense of her sister. Given how I had acted before I stood there and accepted them all.

“When she had finished berating me, I made my way in and apologized to her. I explained how seeing her with you like that made me feel, and how I could not think straight. Liza told me she understood and explained that you had fallen into another fit. She could not think of anything to help, and in a brash attempt to do something, climbed into bed with you. Her solution worked, causing you to calm and stay resting for nearly an hour before I arrived.

“The three of us then spent the next few hours talking. Trina went down and got food and drink for us. They told me their story and why they had pledged themselves to you. Hearing what had happened to them, and how you accepted their request, knowing full well what it meant, made me love you more. I knew that you would not take advantage of the situation, it was not something you were capable of. They explained how they felt towards you and even towards me, which gave me pause to think and consider how the future may play out.

“After many words and many shed tears, we came to this current arrangement. When I am not here, they will periodically lie with you to ensure your dreams do not become restless again. This will continue indefinitely for the foreseeable future, regardless of your now-conscious state. I will, of course, lie with you and measure your progress from time to time. Mother and I will use this to help you on your road to recovery. So do not fear if I am not the one you wake up with, my love. They would not be there, unless I gave them permission first.”

I breathed a sigh of relief that got another set of giggles from Violet. She looked at me with compassion in her eyes as she leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips. With a quick smile she got up and made her way out of the room. I slowly got out of bed, not sure of what would be hurting today, and noticed I was naked. There is no way Violet was not aware of this, meaning she must have given permission. That opened a new door to thoughts and worries in my mind, and I shook the thoughts out for now. I would have more time for contemplation later. Now, I needed to get dressed and eat some food. My stomach growled in protest and I hurried to dress within the limits my current condition allowed me. Once I was presentable enough, I slowly made my way down stairs. I was once again welcomed to the dinner table and everyone gathered there, told me how their day had progressed. It was nice to spend time with them. I had been sleeping so much I felt disconnected from everyone. I knew that it was needed for me to heal, but it did not make me feel any better about it.

Once I had my fill of food and friends, I bade them all goodnight and headed back to my room. I climbed back into bed making sure to leave my clothes on. A few minutes later Violet entered the room with a cup. She sat at the side of the bed and handed the cup to me.

“Here my love Davik, drink this. It should help you to sleep better, as well as help your healing. Your shoulder should be healing properly, now. The bruises you suffered in your fight that night had gotten worse somehow. I saw as you sat up in bed they are starting to finally heal. Hopefully, this helps fight off whatever made you collapse and get worse.”

I took a gulp of the liquid, it tasted more horrible than anything I had tasted in my life. I nearly threw up right then but fought the urge. The best medicines always tasted horrible - my elder mother had taught me that. Once the urge passed, I steeled my resolve and gulped down the remaining contents of the cup. I thanked her and received a kiss on the forehead for my efforts.

Violet continued, “I would give you a much better kiss than that, however the medicine I made tastes absolutely disgusting. So, no offence my lovely man, but a kiss on the forehead will have to do.”

I laughed and nodded, enjoying it all the same. She joined me on the bed, and, after a few moments, I surrendered to the abyss of sleep.

I had once been a joyful person, before the death of my parents. Before my return to the town, it had been useful to imagine killing the monster that had ended my happy childhood. After my return, I had been filled with dreams of Violet. Some dreams had been quite tender and peaceful, enjoying her company. Some were wild and erotic, with some being reliving that day in the forest. Others being of us in this house, or in the village, taking a moment to enjoy each other’s bodies. Now, my dreams were only filled with nightmares. Ruben and his family torn apart by the beast. My friends killed in front of me, and nothing I could do to stop it. Violet, Liza and Trina being torn apart and eaten alive as I watched. The beast’s eyes never leaving mine as it did its dark work. Finally, it would eat my arms and legs, leaving me a useless stump of a man. Alive, but ultimately alone, with everyone I love taken from me.

This became the routine for the next two weeks. I would awaken at some point of the day with one of the girls in bed with me. Often, it alternated between Liza and Trina, but the evenings found Violet sometimes my bed-mate when I awoke. I was healing, and each day I hurt a little less. As the end of the week neared, dread began to fill me. It was only a few days from the next blood moon, and I was not healed. I knew Brant and his lackeys were dead, but that did not mean there was not a threat. The beast itself could very well come back and attack the village. I started to push myself hard, hoping to get myself more able in time. This caused a lot of anger with the ladies, as they would repeatedly tell me. Violet of course, explaining what pushing too hard would do to my progress. They just did not understand, I had to be ready for anything. I could not protect anyone when I could barely lift a cup, let alone a bow.

The day of the blood moon my behavior had become too much for everyone. They would not allow me to hurt myself and put my progress farther back given all the progress I had been making.

For myself, I felt abandoned - the girls would not speak to me, my apprentices gave curt nods of respect, as did our friends who watched over the house and grounds. The night before, Violet had admonished me for trying to use my bow and told me she could not see me doing this to myself. None of her family would visit me until the night had passed. They felt it would be without incident, but I could not agree with them.

I kept pushing myself, ignoring the searing pain that filled my body each time I did. My frustrations continued to build as some of the tasks I had once found so easy, had become almost impossible now. After once again being rendered unable to pull the string of my bow even the slightest, I roared in anger and threw it as hard as I could. It flew a few measly feet before landing in the grass of my back garden. I made my way back to my room as fast as my tired body could take me, tears streaming down my face. No matter how hard I tried, I was not getting any better.

The blood moon was two hours away and I was in no condition to do anything. My friends and loved ones would be unprotected because I had been too cocky when I had fought Brent. I had let my ego get the better of me, and the result was my current state.

It was not long before deep crimson light began to fill my window. Dread filled my chest when I realized that my time had run out. A deep bellowing howl filled the air, and, for a moment, it felt as though my heart had stopped. Fear filled my very being and I scrambled out of bed. A loud crash came from downstairs as I reached the door of my room. I tried to open the door, but I did not seem to have the strength to open the latch. I heard a piercing scream and found the strength I needed to throw open the door and make my way towards the origin of the scream. The sounds of furniture and dishes crashing filled the air along with the screams of two women. Liza and Trina were in trouble, I had no time to lose. As I reached the top of the stairs one of the screams was abruptly cut short. The remaining scream only intensified in volume and terror. I hobbled down the stairs as fast as my feet could carry me and came to an abrupt halt.

What remained of the mangled body of Trent lay at the foot of the stairs. His left arm was missing at the shoulder, no doubt from being torn off. His right arm had not fared any better, as everything below the elbow was missing. A large chunk of his right bicep had torn off, as had his jaw. His tongue hung out of the shredded maw that remained. His legs were broken at odd angles, and his genitals had been torn off. His stomach had been eviscerated, leaving his organs on display. His body had pieces of wood sticking out at weird angles. Looking up, I could see a hole where his corpse had been thrown through the wall. The force had to have been immense as the wood that was used to construct it was some of the strongest that existed. His cold, lifeless eyes looked at me and guilt filled me. As I turned to look away, I was confronted with another horrendous sight.

I looked upon Trina’s mangled body and felt what little control I had leave me. I turned away and retched onto the floor what little contents was in my stomach. The taste and smell of bile filling my senses. I was thankful for the reprieve form the smells coming off the bodies. As I got control of myself, I looked again on my friend and sadness filled me. There was not much left of her. Her legs and arms had been torn off completely. They were splayed around the room, as were her breasts. Her abdomen was hollow, all her organs were either missing or mostly gone. The beast had to have eaten them. Another crash and a loud scream came from the dining area. I moved as fast as I could, trying not to trip on the body parts or slip on the blood. I made it into the dining area just as Liza lost her battle to out run the beast.

The table had been broken to pieces and the chairs had been tossed around the room. All the dishes had been shattered around the room in the fury of the chase. Liza was pinned against a slab of table. The big black beast had his paws on her shoulders, his claws sinking into her flesh. She was flailing, hitting at the beast trying to break free of his grip. I could see her left ankle had been bitten, along the hamstring. It must have been how it had caught her. Its eyes locked onto mine, a sinister intelligence looking back at me and it almost looked as if the beast was smiling at me. In a flash it moved, and the screaming ceased. The beast sank its teeth into her skull and with a quick jerk of its powerful jaws tore her head off her neck. Blood shot out of her veins like a fountain, as the beast tossed the head right at me. My reflexes kicked in and I could not keep myself from catching it. I immediately dropped the head in a jerk reaction. When I looked up, the beast was gone. I turned to see it dart out of the hole it had made.

Despite my better judgment, I followed it out of the hole and found that the beast had been busy. I threw up again at the sight before me. The bodies of my friends were all over the back garden. They, like Trina and Trent, had been viciously attacked. Parts were torn off and tossed about, part of them were eaten. The carnage was sickening, everyone was dead, and I could not have stopped them from being killed by that monster.

Screams from the village broke me from my self-pity, and I made my way towards the screams. As I passed by Clive’s torso, I knelt and grabbed his hunting knife, before I continued towards the screams. I found a trail of carnage as I made my way towards the town. After a bit of time, I realized where it was heading, and I hurried as fast as I could.

As I approached the house, dread filled my stomach as I looked upon the shattered front door of Ruben’s family home. As I entered the house, the strong metallic smell of blood filled the air. There were blood and body parts everywhere. The level of carnage was nothing like I had seen at my house. This was a fury I had never seen. Bones, blood and tissue were spread across the entire bottom floor. I could not tell which corpse was which, what parts belonged with which person. Frantically I looked to see some sign that one of them was Violet when there was as scream upstairs. I hurried up and found the door to Violet’s room broken down. As I approached the room, I could hear her frantic pleas for mercy. I entered the room and saw that Violet was cowering in the corner, before the beast.

I tried to sneak up on the creature, but my weakened body was too clumsy. It heard me and turned to face me. The menace in its eyes was evident as a low guttural growl escaped its bared teeth. I swung at it with the knife, but it was too quick. On my third attempt to cut the beast, it bit my hand making me drop the knife. It picked it up and threw it out the window. I tried to get to Violet, but the beast bit at my legs, tearing my tendons and causing me to fall on my hands and knees. In another rush of speed and power, it sank its teeth into my back. It jerked its head and sharp pain flooded my back. I cried out and my vision filled with stars. When my senses returned, I tried to get up and I realized that I could no longer move, or even feel my legs. The beast had paralyzed me with its bite to my back and I could only watch in horror as it turned its attention to Violet.

Tears streaked her face as the beast approached. She begged to be spared, begged for me to be spared. The beast continued its approach, and Violet began to shake in terror. She tried to run around it, to reach me, but the beast was too fast. It knocked her down and pinned her to the ground. She frantically tried to get out from underneath the beast, it was just too strong. Its eyes locked with mine and I once again thought I saw the thing smiling at me. The beast brought its head down and sniffed around her, causing her to whimper in fear. Next it brought its muzzle lower until it reached the bottom of her dress. I then watched in terror as it brought its large black nose up underneath her dress and took a large sniff. Violet screamed in terror at the act. and screamed again when the beast tore her dress clean off. The Wolf snaked its tongue out and ran it slowly from her backside all the way up to her neck. Violet shivered in revulsion and begged the creature to release her. It used its hind legs to kick hers and I knew immediately what was going to happen next. I begged it to let her go and just kill me, but my words did nothing.

I watched in horror as it forced Violet to kneel, while still pinning her shoulders to the floor. I vomited again, as I watched its monstrous appendage unsheathe itself. It looked to be thirteen to fourteen inches long and incredibly thick. Violet was sobbing uncontrollably as the wolf lowered its head next to hers, its glistening member pressed against the opening to her sex. In a swift violent move, it buried itself inside her. The screamed as loud as I had ever heard anyone. She passed out, no doubt from the pain of its forced entry. After a moment or two the beast pulled out until it was almost out and rammed it back in. After a few moments, the beast was rhythmically pounding into her body. I could see blood from where it was violating her. A few minutes later, she regained consciousness and my stomach turned. She began to moan, and the moan was not one of pain.

I had heard that sound before, in the forest, and the night we had our first dinner together in my home. It was the sound she made when she felt pleasure. The beast began to increase his pace and power, and her moans only grew louder. Its paws moved to either side of her shoulders and she pushed herself onto her hands. Her large breasts swaying from each thrust, eyes closed as she bit her lower lip. I could not believe that she was enjoying what this thing was doing to her. I watched on in horror as she began to push back on each thrust. Now, not only was there blood, but her own juices had joined it on the beast’s phallus. Soon they were in a flurry of movement, and I watched as she began to reach her plateau. What had once been a beautiful scene for me to enjoy had become tainted by this beast. Violet opened her eyes as a scream escaped her lungs, suddenly, the beast stopped moving and a thick white liquid exploded out from where they were joined.

The beast had emptied itself inside her and that had sent her over the edge, causing her to climax. Her eyes rolled back into her head as more liquid oozed out from between her legs. The beast pulled out of her and shifted its hips before thrusting forward again. She moaned out a cry of surprise and then the beast began to thrust into her again. Her sounds were grunts at first and then her moans began to fill the air. It took a while before I noticed the changed angle and realized that eth beast was now sodomizing her. Her moans got louder and louder, she was flailing, and I had never seen her this wild, and in so much pleasure before. I could tell she was climaxing again and again. The scene caused me to throw up although nothing but thick bile came up, scorching my throat and nose. I could tell that it was reaching its peak as well. She was arching her back, her skin flush and wet with sweat. Her large breasts moving with the violence of each thrust. And as it thrust one last time, I watched in horror as the beast opened its jaws as wide as it could and tore Violet’s head off in one massive bite.

Her limp, lifeless body crumpled to the floor, the only thing holding it, the beast’s large member still buried in her bottom. It placed a paw on her back and pulled itself out of her.

The beast slowly began to chew, the sound of crushing bone filling the room as it ate my lover’s head.

I cried out in pain and loss, images of my beloved Violet flashing before my eyes. Us as kids, the last time I saw her before I left, the first time I saw her when I returned. The sight of her smile, the sound of her laugh, the first time I saw her in the forest. The look of bliss when we became one.

Then all of them bled away to the sight of the beast violating her while she enjoyed it - and then it bit her head off. It was all too much, and blackness began to take me over. The last word on my lips before I lost consciousness - “Violet”!

Chapter 3

I awoke slowly. A light throbbing of my head caused a bit of discomfort. I looked around to find myself alone in bed, daylight shining through the window. I could hear the faint sounds of birds through the glass. It was very auspicious, given the nature of events that had transpired last night. As memories filled my mind of everything that had happened, tears began to fall freely down my face. My friends, my love and her family all gone. Taken by that black monstrosity in a binge of carnage and blood. The visions of what that thing did to Violet - violating her like that - kept replaying in my mind. How she enjoyed what had been done to her so violently. How the beast looked me in the eye the whole time it defiled her until it had its fill and bit her head off in one big bite. The sight of her lifeless body crashing to the floor and the sounds the beast made as it chewed. A wave of nausea hit me, and it took all my willpower not to vomit all over the floor. I let out a wail of pain at all I had, lost and banged my hands against my now useless legs.

My tears were stopped abruptly from the burst of pain that radiated along my thighs, where I had slammed my fists into them. The beast had rendered my legs useless by its bite to my back. I should not have felt that. As I was contemplating that, my door burst open with Violet, Liza and Trina entering, frantic. I sat dumbfounded, trying to grasp what was going on and how they could be alive.

“H ... how are you alive? The beast killed all of you last night. I had to watch in horror as it killed everyone I love.”

The three girls rushed over and threw their arms around me. All three uttering murmurs of assurance and comfort. Violet was the first to release me and sit back on the bed.

“Silly man, we are all fine. What makes you think that we were harmed or killed by anything? The blood moon came and went without anything happening.”

I told them the what had happened as I recalled it. Liza and Trina had gone quite pale when I described what I had seen happen to them. They both were holding each other when I had finished telling the events in the dining area. I then continued and told them of the carnage I had found and the state of our friends as I had made my way to the town. Tears were streaming down all our faces by the time I reached the final act of my story. As I told of how I found Violet’s family, she began to visibly shake. I stopped and tried to comfort her, but she told me to finish the story. With great trepidation, I continued and told her of what the wolf did to her. I had tried to be vague, but she would not have it. So, I gave her what she wanted and told every grizzly detail right up to her head being bitten off.

All three of the girls left the room, each looked like they were about to spill the contents of their stomachs. As I watched them flee, I could not help but feel terrible for telling them what had happened. I still could not believe it had only been a dream. Never had I ever had a dream feel so vivid and realistic. Not even my dreams of Violet, which were rather explicit, did not ever feel as real as that nightmare had. I pondered this a while, trying to make sense of it, when I felt a set of eyes on me. I looked up to find Violet standing there looking at me. She was a little less pale and had that warm smile that always put me at ease. She came over and sat on the bed beside me, her fragrance filling my senses. While it would normally give me a sense of calm, now, it flashed images of the beast having its way with her as she moaned in pleasure. I had to shake the images out of my mind, which caused her smile to falter.

I looked back up to her and said, “I am sorry, my love, I could not help a flash of that dream filling my head with disturbing images. I had to shake them loose.”

Her smile faltered, as even more, a wave of concern flashed across her face. She pulled me gently into a warm embrace, my head placed on her ample bosom. We stayed like that for a little while, enjoying the contact of one another and allowing us to ease the thoughts that were disturbing us. I was reluctant to let go, as I felt her arms released me from their tender embrace. She grabbed my hands and gently pulled me out of the bed. For a moment fear gripped me as I believed that I would fall to the ground because of my useless legs. Once I felt the hard wood pressing into the bottom of my feet, the silly fear left me. Still holding my left hand, Violet guided me downstairs to our waiting friends below.

The sounds of my friends in rapt discussion emanated from the dining room and put me more at ease with each voice I could pick out. As we entered the room, the talking stopped, leaving only silence. Everyone looked at me with understanding or concern, and it filled me with shame. No doubt, the girls had filled them in on the story I had told them, but that was not my only source of shame. My actions leading up to the blood moon had been beyond the pale. I had disregarded the council of my friends and loved ones. I went against the advice of the healers charged with my care and fixated on the fears that had taken hold of me. All those fears and rage resulted in the dark, haunting dream that had nearly destroyed my mind. Despite all the foolish actions and reactions, to their attempts to help me see past all the foolish ideas, that clouded my mind. Despite the anger, rage and vehemence that I unleashed on them, they were all still there and all still supported me and worried about me.

I dropped to my knees and begged their forgiveness for how I had wronged my friends. They all told me not to dwell on it, as they would not. Without delving into details, each expressed that they had also been controlled by their fear and by loss. They knew that once the blood moon had passed without incident, that I would see how foolish I had been.

Violet helped me up and everyone came up, one at a time, to shake my hand. They accepted my apology as I shook each hand. The girls, of course, would not settle for anything less than a hug from me. Their support meant everything, and I made sure to tell them all.

I put on a smile and said, “well now that we have established how big of a fool I have been, let us sit and eat.”

A chorus of agreement followed, and we all took our seats. My apprentices regaled me of their day, what they had accomplished. They were coming along in their training quite well and I was astounded at the ingenuity they showed. A flash of memory hit me, and I recalled the expressions of shock and amazement at the things I created that had changed how their jobs were done. I knew they would do well and once I had given them enough tools of both the body and the mind, they would be ready to strike out on their own. The girls regaled us with the status of their gardens. They were all coming along nicely, providing bountiful yields. Those yields were split between our use and sale. Ruben chimed in at that point to say that, after a meeting with the Merchant’s council, their food stand had been approved. They would pay ten percent of their sales, five would go to the council for the operation of their stand, the other five would go to the town. The girls were happy to pay it, as they felt the returns would be high enough that the cost would not do much harm.

The boys told of their patrols, and of their hunts. There were not many people coming around the property, those who did wanted to see if I was doing any better. While there was a portion of the town that felt I was a murderer who killed their Patron, an even bigger number were in support of me. I could not understand how people would blame me, when there were fifteen to twenty-five witnesses that night. All of them seeing that the wolf, once killed, had reverted to Brant. I said as much, and everyone agreed that they could not understand it. as well. Ruben explained the rumors that were coming from the Brant supporters. That I was a sorcerer and used magic to make him a wolf to justify killing him. That I had replaced the dead wolf’s body with Brant’s when no one looked. Each became more preposterous than the next.

Violet took her turn next, letting us all know how things were going with her mother and their patients. Almost all the victims from the last attack, those that had survived, were doing well and almost completely recovered. One patient, however, was proving to be troublesome and not listening to her. She made a point to stare at me when she said this, causing everyone in the room - other than me - to begin laughing in earnest. I blushed slightly and joined in laughing, which caused Violet to giggle as well.

Once the talk was out of the way, we dug into the food the girls had made. A hearty venison stew, with roasted corn and fresh baked bread. The stew had thick meaty chunks, with no hint of fat. The flavor it gave, told me this was the more tender meat, as the taste was much more robust. There were potatoes, carrots, turnips and rice mixed in, giving it a flavorful mix of taste and texture. I could not make out all the spices they used, but it was earthy and fresh. I could see the girls looking on to everyone to see how they liked it. This was the case with any new recipe they concocted and so far, none had disappointed.

Once the meal was over, I bade my friends a good night, and made my way to bed. Violet, of course, was there alongside me, carrying that gods-forsaken tonic. I got into bed, plugged my nose and gulped down the sludge. I then spent a few minutes fighting the urge to retch it back up. I laid back, joined at my side by Violet and soon felt the effects of the medicine putting me asleep. I do not remember if I dreamt anything, and I had no memory of one occurring. However, I once again awoke to find myself with a partner, the blond trusses told me that Liza was my bed mate this time. The warmth of her body was palpable, as her back seemed pressed into me. The scent of her skin was only slightly fragrant, smelling of wild flowers. As I became more aware, I realized I had woken up in a slight predicament.

Though Liza was facing away from me, she was using my right arm to lie on. My right hand was draped across her side, with my hand pressed into a large, firm breast. I could feel the weight and softness pressed against my palm and the sensation of her hand on mine. It seemed to be pressing my hand into her flesh. I tried to pull my hand away, and felt her resistance, and the return of my hand to its previous position. I also became painfully aware that my early morning condition was resting firmly between the globes of her buttocks. I could feel the sensation of skin and fabric pressed against the top of my shaft. Once again, I had been rendered naked in my sleep and thank the gods that Liza still had some clothes on. I know Violet had allowed them some leniency with this, but in bed naked with me could lead to problems no one could fathom. If that happened, I would welcome a pack of wolves eating me alive, rather than face Violet’s wrath.

I tried to move backwards, out of her grasp, but she would not release me. Despite her small size, she had a strength to her, and I was unable to break free from her grip. The resulting movement caused my erection to slide back and forth between her cheeks. It distracted me enough that I didn’t realize I was gripping bare flesh until it was too late. I now had a very firm breast in my hand with a very hard nipple poking my palm. I also became acutely aware that Liza had begun to slowly move her hips back and forth. It was having the expected response from my lower half, but I was more interested in the reaction she was having. Her breathing had become ragged, at times quick gasps, before returning to more rhythmic pattern. Her hand was pressing mine even deeper into her breast, while the other was grabbing my forearm. The pressure of her squeezing hands came and went along with her gasps. It was not long before she was letting out a mixture of gasps and moans. Though I was trying to prevent the inevitable, I was losing the battle fast.

Soon, I splashed her thighs with my seed, and she let out a long moan. The orgasm was intense, given the fact I had not had self-release in a few days, and I felt exhaustion wash over me. When I regained consciousness, I found myself alone in the bed. I pulled back the covers and saw the large wet spot I had made when I released. A wave of embarrassment washed over me, and I wondered if Liza had been awake during that unplanned, yet erotic, episode.

I moved slightly to test the tenderness of my muscles without risking injury or spikes in pain. I was pleased to find a little less soreness, but I was becoming increasingly worried about the lack of progress in my shoulder. It was not getting any better, and pain persisted with no change after all this time. I feared that it would result in me no longer being able to draw a bow. That idea filled me with worry and dread for the future. I could not bottle it in, or it would result in a repeat of my mean attitude and nightmares. They did not deserve that from me, especially after all that they had been doing for me.

I got out of bed, and quickly dressed in the clothes that one of the ladies had put out for me. Once dressed, I made my way outside to do my morning business. I caught my apprentices in the yard cleaning, shaping and cutting wood. Each bade me a hello as I made my way to the outhouse. I passed the girls working in tandem to deal with weeds that were encroaching one of their herb beds. Both gave a smile, a wave and a noticeable blush as they greeted me. I of course, waved back and entered to do my daily business. When I was done, I made my way over to the apprentices and looked over what they were up to. Since most of the repairs and updates to the house had been completed, they had tasked themselves to come up with ways to accent the interior. As well, they were starting to get commissions for wood collection and sculpting. Between Ruben and me, these boys were getting invaluable experience and using their ingenuity to realize new things that we had never thought of. I felt a swell of pride as I looked on at their work.

David came up to me and said, “Davik, sir, the boys and I have worked with Trent and Clive to come up with something for you.”

Just then Clive appeared on my right with a smile on his face. We followed David to the eastern side of the house, and I was amazed at what I found. They had built an archery range along the side of the house. Near the front were two hay targets, with the typical bullseye design. One was set at fifty meters, while another one was set at one hundred meters and the last was about one hundred fifty meters back. Near where we were standing was a baseline of white circular stones stretching from the house to the fence line. Attached to the house was a small wooden cabinet. David opened the lock and opened the doors to reveal three bows sitting inside, one of which was mine. Hanging from the doors were three quivers, one of which was also mine. The other two no doubt belonged to Trent and Clive and there were hooks in the door and backing for a fourth person to store their gear.

From the baseline, there were also two rows of black stones, leading down to the targets and separating them into three different lanes. Wanting to test the level of my recovery, I grabbed my bow and one arrow from my quiver. I moved to the lane that had the target set to fifty meters and got into position. I raised my right arm, positioning the bow towards the target. The weight felt a little heavier than usual, but that was, no doubt, from being bed-ridden for the last few months. I placed the arrow into position and took a deep breath before pulling back on the bow string. The tension was a lot more than I remembered, and I struggled to move the string. Getting frustrated, I pulled with all my might and my worst fear happened. Pain exploded in my shoulder as bad as the night Brant bit me. I screamed in agony as the bow and arrow fell from my hands. The world around me began to spin as the pain became too much and darkness enveloped me.

I awoke sometime later and found myself in my room again. I was clothed and without a partner, which I found oddly reassuring. I made to get up and felt a wave of dizziness hit me and fell back onto the bed. The resounding thump soon caused the sounds of footsteps to approach the door. They stopped for a minute and a hushed conversation began that I could not make out. After a few moments, the whispering ceased, and my bedroom door opened. Violet and her mother, Ilane, entered the room. I could tell from the look on their faces, that they did not have good news to tell.

“Davik,” Ilane said softly, “You had an episode when you tried to pull on the bow string. David and Clive said that you had trouble drawing it back. They said they saw you get frustrated and jerk back on the string as hard as you could. You cried out in pain, dropping the bow and arrow to the ground. You then clutched your shoulder, screamed out again and then fainted. This is what you recall happening, correct?”

I sat there and simply nodded in response. A swirl of questions turning about in my head, along with worries and doubts. Ilane placed a reassuring hand on my leg, snapping me out of my thoughts and continued.

“After you lost consciousness, you landed on the ground pretty hard. David and Clive approached you to see how you were doing and you began to shake violently. Both rushed over to try and wake you, but you did not respond. They tried to hold you down until the shaking stopped and could not do it. It took all six of them to get your shaking under control. Liza and Trina rushed over to us and explained to us what had happened. Violet and I closed the shop and rushed over as fast as we could. You were still shaking when we arrived. I checked your temperature and found you to be warm and clammy. I ground up some herbs that help relax the body and we administered it to you, hoping it would work. The shaking only stopped slightly. I gave you a double dose and the shaking finally stopped. Had that not worked, we would not have been able to dose you any more, as that level of the herb can prove quite toxic.

“Once you calmed down, we brought you inside and Violet and I inspected you. We found that the area where you were bitten hot to the touch, despite it healing well. The scar had not reopened, and we were baffled. With Violet’s permission and help from Clive and Trent, we re-created the situation and found you reacted the same, though we could not do it as hard, given your unconscious state. Thus, the results were milder, and we could see all the muscles in your body seizing in different intervals, causing your who body to shake. These seizures took seven hours to stop on their own. The same heat was present on the wound area. I am afraid that for now, you will not be able to use a bow until we figure out what is causing this. It could be that you have not healed enough, it could be an effect of the bite of one of those wolves. We do not know enough yet to figure out what we can do to treat it.”

Ilane gently patted my leg reassuringly before getting up to leave the room. She gave Violet a quick hug and kiss on the forehead, then left the room, closing the door behind her. Violet moved up on the bed and lay beside me, wrapping her arms around my lower torso. We laid like that for a while, enjoying the presence of one another, while I processed this new development. I had essentially been made unable to fight with his bite to my shoulder. Brant had known what he was doing, and now my friends and family could pay for it. Violet could sense the shift in my mood and brought her soft hand to my face. She softly pulled my head towards hers and gave me a soft, but passionate kiss. It brought me out of my reverie and pulled me away from my worries, for a while. The worries and troubles would be there tomorrow, tonight I would enjoy the kiss and embrace of the woman I love.

Chapter 4

I awoke alone in bed, dressed in the clothes I had slept in, which was an odd occurrence. I gingerly stretched myself, paying mind not to trigger an attack from my shoulder. Violet had given me those instructions before giving me my nightly tonic. She explained what they believed could cause attacks and how to avoid them. Once I felt limber enough, I got out of bed and went about dressing for the day. It took longer than usual as every time I moved, I had to slow or stop to protect myself from another attack. While Ilane and Violet were certain that sharp and drastic movements would trigger attacks, they would not rule out that minor ones could as well. Once dressed, I made my way to my bathing room. The girls had mentioned that they had added a mirror and basin to allow for grooming. I made my way in and found the mirror and basin along the far wall. It was a simple mirror, rectangular in shape with a generic border. The basin was made of bronze, one of the few items the girls had kept from their home. The basin sat on a small table, simple in its design, that had two drawers in it.

I opened the first drawer to find it filled with combs and other items that the girls would use. Perfumes and other items I was not sure of were placed in their own special sections. The drawer had a framework in it that allowed the organization of its contents. I closed the top drawer and opened the one below it. There I found my comb, shaving kit and other items that I would believe belonged to the boys. I collected my shaving kit and closed the drawer carefully, hoping to not accidentally disturb the contents. I looked up at my reflection and saw a haunted individual. My cheeks were sunken, I looked much thinner and frailer than I had ever been. A long, scruffy beard had grown and made me look much older. My hair had grown long in my time in bed, looking to be around an inch longer. If I let it keep growing, I would be able to put the back into a small ponytail. I laughed a bit at the vision and collected my razor. I poured some water into the basin and splashed my face a few times. I made sure to get my beard wet. Once that was done, I collected my shaving soap and began the lather process.

It took a few minutes before the soap reached the correct consistency. Once it was thick enough, I lathered it onto my beard. I had to make a few passes to ensure that the soap made it down to my skin. Once that was done, I took out my razor and leather strop. As I ran the blade across the leather to sharpen it, my mind drifted to when I first learned to shave. I was thirteen when my elder father gave me my first blade ad strop. Through trial and error, I had found how much I should sharpen it and how to shave. My elder father had thought it important that I learned on my own, though he would give insight into how to do it a different and better way when I was stuck. Using the years of experience, I had accumulated since then, I adequately sharpened the blade and set about trimming my beard. Carefully, I began the tedious job of making my face look presentable. After what I could only assume was around a half hour, my face was clean-shaven and looking something resembling myself. I gave my hair a quick comb and made my way downstairs to see what was going on around the house.

As I reached the main floor, I entered the dining area and found Liza chopping up some veggies, humming a tune to herself. I waited until the knife was put down before announcing my presence, which was a good thing. I cleared my throat, causing her to let out a shriek and toss chopped carrots everywhere. She turned to see the source of the noise, with a look of murder in her eyes. When they settled on me the look faltered and instead, she began to giggle.

When her giggles subsided Liza said, “You need to be more careful Davik. You nearly gave me a serious fright. It was a good thing that I had put down the knife, else I could have cut myself or hurt you.”

An image of her hurling the knife at my head appeared in my mind and I felt very fortunate that I waited.

“Where is everyone,” I asked, “because of the tonic and all the resting I have been doing, my internal clock is all wrong. So, I have absolutely no clue what time of day it is.”

“Well I was starting to prepare the vegetables for tonight’s dinner. Trina is in town working to set up the stall. We got approval to start planning and setting it up. We figure we can start selling our surplus goods in a fortnight. Trent is out with Clive on a hunt, they saw some deer about half a kilometer to the east of the village. They are hoping to get a decent sized buck. They also set some snares the other day, hopefully they got a hare or two. Two of your apprentices, Brandon and Earl, are in town doing some training with Ruben; they are hoping to learn some new techniques for a few of their projects. David and Carl were looking at a section of land you are not using yet. They are thinking of building a structure for the business. That will give another income to the household and give them a place to work and store items. Right now, we have been blessed with decent weather, but that could change soon. As it is, they have six different projects sitting in the back garden, unprotected from the elements.”

I thanked her and made my way outside. I found David and Carl at the south eastern section of the fence. Due to the uneven ground, as well as the fact that the soil was no good to plant anything in, it had been left unused. Carl was using twine and stakes made from scrap wood to mark out the perimeter of the building. Based on the dimensions that were plotted out, the space looked to be eight meters wide by sixteen meters long. Utilizing the terrain they could effectively have the work area and storage area at slightly different levels. It looked like the building would be a decent size, more than enough room for all four of them to work and store their projects. I greeted them as I approached, and they explained their plans. They were reasonable but would take at least a few months to get done. I told them if they needed more Drectars, they only need ask. They thanked me and went back to planning. I chuckled at their enthusiasm and made my way back to the house as Trent and Clive were coming in from a gate at the back of the property. They had a hare in each hand, their bows slung over their shoulder.

“Hello, my friends, how did your hunt go? I can see your snares were fruitful, but Liza said you were also hoping to snag a buck.”

“Greeting, Davik,” Trent replied, “the snares were indeed good to us today. We tried our best, but luck was not with us today. Hopefully, we will have a deer for dinner tomorrow, we plan to try and head out a bit earlier.”

“That sounds like a good plan, my friends. I would suggest that you head north for about a kilometer, then begin a return trip slowly through the brush. The early morning wind tends to travel north, and it will help keep your scent from being detected by your prey.”

The two thanked me for the advice and made their way towards the house. Looking up at the sky it looked that I had an hour or two of daylight left. I thought about what to do with that time, as I was feeling rather energetic for the first time in a while. The only thought that came to mind was to visit Violet at her mother’s clinic in town. I made my way out of the back garden and followed the side trail to the front of the house. It was good to be able to walk around and be outside again. I had begun to get a bit stir-crazy, only sleeping and eating every day. I saw the occasional person as I made my way into the heart of town. I would bid them a good evening, either getting a friendly reply or a cold shoulder. Not so long ago I was given mostly a cold shoulder when I had first arrived. While it was a bit upsetting, given the change that had occurred, I tried not to let it bother me.

I continued weaving my way through the streets and pathways, until I arrived in front of Ilane’s clinic. With a deep breath, I made my way inside and was surprised to see how busy it was. There were at least half a dozen people, waiting in chairs along the front entryway. Two were women in some level of discomfort, though I dared not ask what it was. The other four were men, around the ages of sixteen to twenty-two years of age. Each of the men had the signs of a fight. Swollen eye, fat lip, various cuts and scrapes. Each of them cast an icy stare at me, one that Brant had once given me any time we were near one another. I simply nodded at them, showing that I felt them to be of no threat and made my way to the front counter. I noticed that Violet was not behind the counter, but instead a woman I was unfamiliar with.

She looked to be around the same age as Violet and me. She was an inch shorter than Violet, with light red hair curling down her face in soft ringlets. Her eyes were bright green, with flecks of yellow spattered about. It was an exotic look, though I had come across a few like her when I had lived with my elders. She was in a light green leather dress, not to unlike ones that Violet would wear occasionally. I could not tell the length due to the counter being in the way, but it fit her well. It hugged her body without ‘looking like a harlot’ as my mother used to say. The neckline plunged slightly, hinting at only the top swell of her bosom. A bosom which was along the lines of Liza and Trina, if not a bit smaller in the chest. She had a warm smile on her face as I approached the counter.

“Hello sir, my name is Lillian, how may I help you today?” her voice was soft and musical, almost childlike. It was a contrast to her very grown up appearance.

“Good afternoon Lillian, my name is Davik. I am here to see Violet, could you please let her know I am here.”

Her smile faltered for a moment, before she nodded and went into the back room. A few minutes later, she came back out.

“If you would just take a seat, Violet is helping someone at the moment, she will see you as soon as she can.”

I thanked her and sat in one of the chairs opposite the group of men. As I waited my thoughts drifted to that night. I kept replaying the night over and over. Trying to see if there had been a way to a different outcome. Unfortunately, there were too many unknowns that made it impossible to guess.

My thoughts then drifted to my shoulder. While it looked fine on the outside, the pain that shot through my arm when I tried to pull back the bow was beyond anything I could imagine. Was it a fluke due to the weakened state of my arm? Would it lessen over time and eventually fade away? Was this permanent, leaving me unable to draw a bow again? Was this more than physical? I had no idea how they changed into wolves, perhaps a mystical element was in play that was responsible for the pain. Regardless, I would need to be careful, and work with Violet and Ilane to recover properly.

When I came out of my thoughts, I noticed that only one person remained in the front of the clinic. One of the women I saw earlier was still sitting on the same chair as she had before. It looked as though the sun had almost set. How long had I been lost in thought, I wondered? I also realized that in all that time, Violet had not come out to see me. I got up and approached the counter.

“Sorry to bother you Lillian, but how much longer will Violet be? You had told me that she would be right out. That looks to be some while ago and five people have since left this room.”

There was no smile on her face as she replied, “As I said before, she will be out as soon as she can. There are people who actually need to see her, you can wait until they are done.”

???

I was shocked at the tone she had taken, and how quickly she had changed her manner from friendly to hostile. Anger filled me and I made my way around the counter. She ran in front of me and attempted to block my way. I met her eyes with mine and fixed her a glare that had been reserved to wolves I had hunted. Her bravado cracked, and fear slipped in its place. I calmly walked around her and opened the door to the back room. There I found Ilane, Violet and one of the other women from before. Ilane could see me as I entered, a small smile crept onto her face. Violet was turned away facing the woman and explaining something to her. She turned to return a jar to the shelf beside me when she noticed me standing there. She let out a little noise of shock, before squealing with joy and rushing to me. Both Ilane and I laughed at her little display, Violet gave a mock pout in response.

“Davik my love, I am so happy to see you. I did not know you were planning to visit me today. I am very happy for the surprise.”

My smile left my face as I replied, “That is funny. I have been here for some time. There were six people out in the waiting area when I arrived, there is only one now. I told the woman at the counter - Lillian I believe her name was - that I was here to see you. She went into this room and came back out a few minutes later. She said you would be out shortly and that I should take a seat while I waited. I hadn’t noticed how much time had passed. because I had been lost in thought.”

In a flash, Violet’s face changed from warm and happy, to cold and angry. The only time I saw that look before was when she had to deal with Brant. Ilane even had a look of both anger and disgust on her face.

“Lillian! “Violet screamed. It hurt my ears to hear it; I believe that some animals in range of the town also winced upon hearing it.

Lillian rushed into the room, “I tried to stop him Violet, but he wouldn’t listen. Then he looked like he was going to kill me. I froze, it scared me. I will go get the guards.”

Violet coldly replied, “Lillian shut up. Would you please explain to me why you failed to tell either myself or my mother that Davik was here? Why you lied to him by saying I would be out momentarily, when in fact you did not tell either of us he was here?”

Lillian paled at the coldness of her words. She looked to Ilane and saw the same cold stare directed at her. The woman who was being treated sat there looking at everyone, nervous as to what was going to happen.

“He did not look to be sick or the like. Besides everyone knows he murdered the Patron in cold blood. Yeah, he killed a bunch of wolves that terrorized the town, but he is still a murderer.”

I had to grab a hold of Violet before she could leap the distance between herself and Lillian. The cold stare had been replaced with a look of almost murder. Ilane’s face had morphed into a look of pity and disgust.

“You stupid cow! Davik did not murder anyone, I was there. I watched as he killed the wolf that had bitten his shoulder. How he killed the wolf with his bare hands, driving his knife through the beast’s jaw into his brain. Watched, as the dead wolf transformed back into Brant. There were a few dozen people who witnessed it as well. Davik is a hero! As for your assumption that he was not sick or injured, he has spent over two months in bed, recuperating. He has persistent symptoms that still plague him. Who are you to determine who will get treated by us, or not? Who are you to lie in our name to someone who could be in need? You better think long and hard about your answer, because the wrong one will see you no longer welcome at this clinic.”

Violet tried to break free of my grip and launch herself at the frightened young woman. The commotion of trying to hold her back caused my shoulder to explode in pain. I felt my legs give way beneath me as I fell to the ground, a cry of pain bursting from my lips. My world went dark, but I did not lose consciousness. I could hear the cries of shock and surprise from all the women in the room. A pair of hands started checking my head and then my torso.

“Oh no, not again, mother get me a pillow to rest his head on. You! Either you will help me to cure this or get out of here and do not return.”

I felt a second pair of hands gently lift my head and lower me back down onto a soft cushion. The first pair were trying to hold me in place as my body began to shake uncontrollably. I became afraid of the intensity with which my body was shaking: I had been unconscious the last time this had happened. The first pair of hands tried valiantly to keep me still, but I was too big, and the tremors were too strong. Another two pair of hands joined the first and spread out across my body. A pair was holding my left arm and the left side of my torso, the second pair was holding my thighs and sitting on my shins. The third was holding my right arm and the right side of my torso.

I could hear someone going through the room looking for something. The clattering of jars and bottles filled the air, the fourth person frantically searched. Since only Violet and Ilane would know what I would need, it meant Lillian and the woman they were treating were helping me. Soon the clattering ceased, and I felt a fourth set of hands on my jaw. She was opening it and trying to pour something in. It tasted horrible, and I began to cough. Still, some made it down and I felt warmth filling my body. After a few moments, the tremors became a little lighter in their intensity. She poured a bit more; I fought the urge to spit or cough it out and swallowed what was given to me. This pattern was repeated five more times before the tremors had lessened enough that I did not need to be held down.

I opened my eyes to see the unknown woman holding down my right side, Lillian was on my legs, and Violet was on my left. I looked up to see Ilane had been the one who had administered the medicine, and I smiled a weak smile. Ilane thanked the woman, who was named Joy apparently, and walked her out. Lillian moved to the far side of the room, a mixture of worry, shame and pity on her face. Violet cradled my head, placing soft kisses on my face. She then lifted a cup in front of my lips, no doubt more of that disgusting medicine. I nodded, and she gently lifted my head, and brought the cup to my lips. I begrudgingly drank the medicine and Violet lay my head back on the pillow. The tremors had almost completely faded when fatigue began to hit me. I fought to keep my eyes open to no avail, as blackness took me. The soft words of comfort from Violet were the last thing I heard before I surrendered to the abyss of my dreams.

Chapter 5

I was standing in a glen, the sounds of birds filling the spring air. The wind smelled of fresh vegetation waking from its winter slumber. The warmth of the mid-day sun felt good on my face as I basked in a ray that had pierced the blanket of leaves. I took a deep breath and then focused myself. I looked down at the ground in front of me, searching for a sign of which way my prey had gone. Tracks in the grass and dirt showed that it had gone east of where I was now. The wind was traveling in an eastern direction through the trees, and unless I took a longer approach it would smell me before I got close enough to strike. Looking at my options it seemed that heading north east far enough would keep my scent from reaching them and allow me to approach easier. I set off in my chosen path, making sure to step lightly to limit the noise I made as I moved through the brush. As I made my way, I could feel a shift in the wind; it had shifted enough to blow north east and allow me to start heading south to look for sign of my prey. As I neared where I hoped would be more sign of where my prey had run off to, I heard movement a few meters ahead.

I slowed my approach, nocking an arrow, as I moved south towards the source of the noise. Once I was able to see the source of the noise, my heart skipped a beat. The beast was there, growling in what seemed to be pain. Its muscles rippling and contorting as hair started to fall from its massive body. The creature’s form, reverting to a more human shape with each passing moment. I held my breath in awe as I watched the person behind all of this being revealed. When the sounds stopped, a large naked figure was huddled before me. I slowly drew back on the bow string and lined my arrow up with my target. The figure began to rise, and I could tell that it was a heavily muscled man. I aimed for the bastard’s heart and let loose the arrow. As it flew towards its target, the man turned, and I watched as the arrow slammed into his chest. The sound of the beast howl of pain filled the air, as its legs buckled, and it fell to the ground. I watched with mild fascination as the wolfs body began to shift and contort, its fur becoming thinner revealing the skin beneath. Slowly the wolf became a man, I would finally see the face of the man who had brought so much pain into the lives of me and those I care for.

I watched in horror as I saw the man revealed and the person I had shot was me. Pain tore through my chest and I looked down to find myself naked, with an arrow in my chest. The pain was beyond anything I could describe, even that of my shoulder. Each breath became harder to take, and I felt myself becoming weaker. Looking toward where I had just been standing, I saw the glowing eyes of the beast, heard his maniacal laughter. Despair filled me as I realized he had won, and my last thoughts before I could no longer stay awake, were of Violet.

I awoke with a start and felt disoriented, as I looked around me and tried to get my bearings. I looked to be in the back room of the clinic, lying on one of the beds. My pillow and sheet were soaked with sweat, as were my clothes. I looked around and found that there was no one in the room with me. Moonlight shone through the windows into the room, offset by the candles lit, here and there, across the room. They cast a mixture of shadows as the light was blocked by various surfaces in the room. I could hear nocturnal insects faintly, outside in the distance. The door to the front was closed, and the back door was secured with a long plank of wood. No doubt designed to be able to withstand great force trying to enter the room from the outside. I continued to look about the room, noticing that the other bed was not occupied. The tables on either side of it unlit, unlike their counterparts in the room. I looked to the table on my right and saw that there was a set of my clothes, neatly folded, on it. On the table to my left, there was a lit candle, a small plate of food and a cup of water. Lying against the cup was a piece of paper, which looked to be a note of some kind. I took a deep breath, worried about what the note might contain, then I picked it up and read its contents.

My love Davik,

Mother and I are sorry to have left you, but we feared moving you would set off another attack. I am so sorry that my anger caused that to happen. You know I would never intentionally hurt you. Liza brought over a bowl of the rabbit stew she made for dinner tonight. Trina brought you a change of clothing, which is on the opposite table. If I can, I will return later in the evening to check up on you and keep you company. Love always,

Your Violet

I placed the letter back down and sat up in the bed. I grabbed the bowl and began to eat slowly. The broth was cool, meaning it had sat for a while, but it was still delicious. The chunks of rabbit were succulent and flavorful. Along with the rabbit, were pieces of carrot, turnip, corn and rice all adding to the flavors and textures. Liza must have been experimenting with different mixtures of herbs and spices. Since I first woke up, it has been only stews for our evening meal, no doubt to be easy on my stomach. Yet, each stew had different taste than the next, and only made me want more. I took a drink of the water left for me; I was feeling refreshed from that meal. I collected my clothes, made sure I could not be seen from the window, and changed my clothes. It felt good to be in clean clothes, given how much I had sweat in the ones from yesterday. I made my way to the door leading to the front of the clinic and found that the door was locked. In the dim light it looked to only be unlocked, on either side, with a key. I had no doubt that the same would be the case for the other door. I also did not want to remove the board reinforcing the door, as I would not be able to put it back into place.

I decided to look about the room at the shelves. Each had jars or bottles on them. Each was labeled in what looked to be Violet’s handwriting. I recognized some of them from the collection that my elder mother had kept in her house. Some helped lessen pain by eating or by drinking a powder added to liquid. The others were ointments that could be rubbed directly onto the skin or effected area. The same went for others that helped with burns, cuts and various infections. It was not in any way foolproof and there were always a few cases where they did not work, and they would have to take more extreme measures. There were others that I had not seen before, but that was the contrast between a large town and a small village. One that caught my eye was the Wolf’s Bane. I thought back to some of the things my elder mother had taught me, and Wolf’s Bane was one of them. She would never collect or use it for any reason due to the highly poisonous content of the flower. As such, I was shocked to see it sitting in a jar on the shelf with the other medicinal items.

I would have to ask Violet when I saw her tomorrow., but for now I was stuck in their clinic, until someone showed up to let me out. It was like I was hidden away, until someone found my hiding spot. The thought made me laugh a bit, as I remembered the games we used to play as kids. One of the games she was good at was ‘find the spy’. We used to play it with a bunch of other kids when we were younger. There were usually nine of us playing. Eight would search for the ninth who would be deemed the spy. The spy was given a head start of thirty counts to dash into the woods and hide from the rest. He or she could move from their different hiding spots to keep one step ahead of the group. Each person had a piece of cloth hung from their belt, the person who was the spy wore red and the other eight green. You had to claim the cloth to say you caught the spy. However, the spy could claim the cloth of someone searching for them, removing them from the game.

We would each take turns playing, most of us would try to just stay away from the group. Violet, a friend named Ethan and I always tried to take out everyone before we could be caught. Ethan could get about one or two before he would be caught. I was able to get about five or six before I was caught. Violet got maybe three or four, but that happened randomly for her. Where she always excelled was finding the spy. Nine times out of ten, it was her holding the red cloth up in triumph. I could sometimes catch her off guard, but even I was not immune to her just popping up out of nowhere and snatching my cloth. It had been a simpler time, and I missed the freedom and peace we had as kids. Regret filled me as I thought of those friends from so long ago. None of those kids are alive today, each was a victim of one of the blood moons over the years. Resigned to the fact I was stuck here in this room until I was let out, I returned to the bed and tried to go back to sleep. I do not remember when sleep finally claimed me, but I welcomed the rest.

I did not dream, and for that I was thankful, for I did not want to repeat the nightmare that had claimed my sleep before. I felt myself being pulled out of the embrace of my sleep and I awoke to the gentle touch of Violet. She was softly shaking me awake, her beautiful smile highlighted by the light shining through the window.

“Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well last night, as we could not bear to move you after the fit you had. Given the way some of the people in the town have acted lately, we felt it best to lock everything up tight. I hope that you do not mind?”

That was a preview of Blood Moon Chronicles : Book 2 : As the Waning Moon Sets. To read the rest purchase the book.

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