Hiding in the Shadows

     Latifa was collecting the dishes, the long table showing no real purpose but to be in the way. Latifa was humming softly and picked up my empty glass and the small soup bowl that had held the beef stew. It was surprisingly good. Along with being a nurse, Latifa was a chef. When I first said how good it was and was shocked when she said she made it; she only said it was simple and nothing to be impressed about. But I would admit, the taste was ravishing! I can't figure out how she made it so good. The spices were beautifully mixed, neither too strong or weak. It was just...perfect.

    "I am going to go wash the dishes. I will be leaving Sorscha with you." Latifa said, gathering the utensils. They chimed against each other like wind chimes as I watched her in silence for a moment.

    "I still don't know who Sorscha is.." I said slowly. She paused and looked at me.

    "You don't—oh!! That's right!" Latifa's cheeks turned pink as she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I totally forgot. I'll call for her." She looked around the room slowly before staring at a shadow in the corner of the ceiling.

    I watched the darkness, nothing. I started to turn back to her but I noticed a ripple. Snapping my eyes back to the darkness, I caught the glint of eyes. The figure at first seemed to be feline, but its head was skinless. White bone stared at me as its green eyes shined from beneath. Almost like a mask. Its white fur still blended perfectly into the skull, and if I paid attention, I could see its mouth was how it should be. A long tongue slid over its long teeth and its cat-like ears that poked out from the partially exposed skull twitched. As if half its head wasn't skinless, but a full flesh covered body part.

    I watched its long claws extended from its almost hand-like paws, its shoulders shifting as it moved fluidly down from the ceiling. But its body was long. As it slithered from the shadows I stared at the snake's body. There were no back legs, just a long slick body covered in short white fur. The only other colored fur was near the head in a form of a black mohawk that slid along its spine a few feet; stopping about mid-way on a normal cat's back.

    It slid down and landed with next to no sound, its eyes watching me as it waited.

    "Kasey, this is Sorscha, she is my familiar. She's what you mortals call a Tatzelwurm." Latifa walked over to the beast that's head was half the size of Latifa. Its paws are bigger than the width of my chest. It was huge!

    "How.....did...." I looked back at the small shadowy corner it came from in complete shock and confusion.

    "Oh, she can change sizes." I looked back at Latifa as Sorscha suddenly became smaller, shrinking to the size of a scarf. Its smooth body slid around her shoulders and I couldn't help but think of the snake keepers at a zoo. "She won't hurt you, I promise. She is far gentler than Kedar." Latifa smiled at me and scratched Sorscha behind the ear with a finger, a soft purring sounded from the beast.

    "Alright..." I said slowly. Sorscha slid from Latifas shoulders and flew to the table, sitting on it and curling her tail around her. She watched me with curiosity, her ears perking up as Latifa went back to gathering the dishes. Sorscha and I  stared at each other in silence. As Latifa left the room, Sorscha finally moved, laying down. Her head resting on her paws as her body curled around her again.

    I watched Sorscha warily before looking around the huge room again. It looked as if it would be in an old antique painting or in a picture in a museum. It had a giant chandelier that dangled above the long dark wooded table. I counted the number of chairs, twenty-two. Ten on either side and one at each end. But unlike the normal chair, I sat in, the one on the other end was more of a throne. A very ugly and old-looking throne. At least this told me I should never let Samael be an interior designer.

    "I take it you don't like it here?" I looked behind me surprised. "I can take you home. I can set you free.."

    Sorscha hissed, jumping between me and the figure cloaked in darkness. Her size growing to be as tall as I was, her eyes glowing as she hissed at the intruder.

    "What do you say, Kasey Jinkens?"

    "Who are you?"

    "Does it matter who I am? I can take you away from here. You won't have to fear or suffer anymore...I can take you home, Kasey.."

    "Who. Are. You?"

    "Kaseyyy.....I don't have much time here.. Do you want to stay here? Wait for another monster to kill you?"

    I glanced down at the sore and pained leg, its agony making me want to collapse. I looked back at the cloaked figure, "Why should I trust you?"

    "Why should you trust Samael either? He said he would protect you...But he locked you into a room, and you were nearly killed. Am I wrong?"

    "How...How do you know all of that? How do you know my name?"

    "I  know because you are in danger. I can help you. I can make all the suffering stop, I can make it all end." The figure slowly moved from the shadows, but it didn't matter. His whole body was made of slithering shadows, his eyes slim and white. His teeth reminded me of the Hollywood vampires, and his grin only complimented the look. Sorscha lunged for him, her jaws yawning open. In a blur of motion, Sorscha went tumbling into the wall, a yowl-like noise coming from her as she collapsed. I looked back at the figure, fear gripping me again. Its familiar claws clinging onto my skin as I froze. He had one hand reaching for me, waiting for me to take it. "What do you say?"

    I stared at his hand, the shadows whispering and slithering over his arm. I looked back to his gaze and glanced back at Sorscha. "Who are you?"

    His frown apeared for only a few seconds before disappearing again. "If you come with me, I will tell you. The walls have eyes and ears here. Neither of us are safe."

    "How do I know you're not just trying to kill me?"

    "Wouldn't you already be dead if I wanted to kill you? Clearly...I have been watching from a distance.. If I wanted you dead, I would have stalled Samael from saving you from that thing instead of alarming him."

    I hesitated, "you warned him?"

    "Somewhat...Kasey, if we don't leave now, I cannot take you with me.."

    "How do I know you're any–"

    "Kasey! We are running out of time–"

    The door opened and I turned to look at Latifa, she was drying her hands with a cloth, her humming filling the sudden silence. She looked up and froze when she saw Sorscha laying limply on the ground. Her eyes flicked to me, then to the figure, her eyes widening from shock.

    "Kasey...Make your choice.." He hissed, his gaze watching Latifa as she got into a battle position, a white aura lighting up around her. I slowly looked back at him, my curiousity pushing me towards his waiting hand.

    "Kasey! Get away from him!" Latifa shouted, her footsteps sounding as she ran toward us. I slowly raised my hand, looking back at Latifa as the distance between us closed.

    "I'm sorry...But I want to know." His hand was icy but soft, the shadows licking over my hand as they slithered up my arm. And then, I was swallowed by the shadows. I was slowly pulled through a tunnel, the black shadowed man, becoming clearer as we moved. His hand was slowly becoming warmer as the shadows slid into the tunnel walls. I limped along, my leg screaming at me in pain, I hissed through my teeth as my leg started to give up. "Stop..Stop.."

    He slowly came to a stop, his bright blue eyes meeting mine as I panted through the pain. He had a strong jaw and a sharp gaze. He looked down at my leg, my hand covering the blood the started to soak through. His eyes softened, "how bad is it...?"

    "Shouldn't you know since you have been watching me?" I asked bitterly as I put all my weight on my good leg.

    He met my gaze again, "I risked letting them know my presence if I got that close."

    "Why are you scared of them?"

    He went to my side and slid my arm around his shoulders, his other hand slipping around my waist as he helped me walk. "Because he is able to destroy things...he's the Angel of Death."

    My heart froze, a chill sinking into my bones as I felt the blood flush from my face, "Angel....of...Death...?"

    The blue eyes met mine, "why do you think a demon lord would be following you around all your life? His mission was simple: kill the girl at eighteen." I refused to move as the information settled in.

    "Wh...what....?"

    He sighed and slid his arm under my legs, hoisting me up princess style. "Let me make it simple for you, princess. Samael was sent to kill you."