"Do you... like the body you have now?" I question gently and he laughs.
"Oh, this shell of perfection? No," he shakes his head, "I really don't care. It's the inner beauty that really matters. His emerald eyes look at me, understanding my inner qualms. It's funny how he used the word shell too, like he's thinking about his physical appearance like I am.
Silence crackles in the air, tension between us. It's not usually like this, but now I have a biting curiosity that I have to satisfy. Xavier senses it too, stiffening when my mouth opens.
"Please tell me." I look up from the glaring image and grab his arm. It seems resistant, but then breaks under my intense gaze, weak against my hopes.
"Well, there's not much to tell. I was driving to a party, when a strange force brought the car to a complete stop. The windshield went blurry and I couldn't see anything. There was a dead silence, then the creature
"Thank you," my smile widens a bit more and more delighted, I'm glad someone likes the outfit I so carefully chose. Maybe she's thinking along the lines of "if you can't beat them, join them!" Honestly, I have no idea why she's like this.Xavier also gives her one of his golden smiles, causing Sidney to melt into a puddle on the floor. He seems very happy that Sidney is being nice to me. Sidney senses this and cunningly sneaks back to his seat as the fat professor finally rises from his perch on the swivel chair."Good morning, class," he calls out in a geeky, assumed, haughty voice. "Today you need to turn to page 787 in your textbook..." He rambles for a minute, then quickly concludes his daily two-minute speech. "Read Chapter 14, Section 9, and answer all of the following questions. What you don't finish is an assignment." He moves from the front of the classroom to the back, dropping into his favorite plush chair. He never teaches us any
"Go ahead and try," I laugh, "try to steal me from him."I point as a huffing and puffing Xavier stands in the doorway. He stares at our linked hands with thinly veiled disgust. I smile, ready to play my own little game."I thought you were gone for the day!" I exclaim, ripping my hands from his so forcefully that I almost turn around, and rush to him, "I'm so glad you're back!" I give him one of his own bone-breaking hugs, and out of the corner of my eye, I see him wince slightly. "Act like a lover," I hiss in his ear while searching for a kiss on his neck. He burns when I touch him with my soft lips, tingling with the passion that is about to come off his collar. Xavier is bewildered for a minute, then he joins me, his arms wrapping around my form. For a minute, there is no place I would rather be. I unconsciously close my eyes, drowning in his intoxicating aroma..."I know you're faking it," Ian says confidently.
Then I turn around and look at my own skin in its radiant beauty, creamy skin without blemish. My hands are fine and smooth, as are my feet. I slide off the bed, walking to a mirror. For a minute I observe my body in all its elegance, its perfection.I hate this body, for it has brought me much grief. Beauty has a terrible, terrible price."Mona, are you okay?" Jake comes to stand beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. He must have noticed the small, almost invisible tear that spilled into my eyes."Yeah, I'm fine," I bluff, slowly pushing him away, "never been better.""That's a lie," he says softly. There's a pause while I look at myself. Trying to believe that the person in the mirror is really me. After a few more seconds, Jake can't take it anymore. "Go talk to Xavier about it," he points toward the door.Maybe that would be best. After a moment of contemplation, I walk o
I waltz through a dirty courtyard, stained with beer cans and cigarettes, in disgust. A huge house stands before me, music beating furiously from within. People bubble around the entrance, many lounging on the many chairs outside. There is a lot of movement inside the house, several girls in bikinis and others in dresses like mine. There must be a pool around here, for there to be so many people in swimsuits.Suddenly, I feel overdressed.I stumble to the door, slowly making my way through the crowd. People immediately rub up against me as I am swallowed up by the crowd, many whispers beginning. I stick out like a sore thumb and momentarily regret letting Lauren dress me like a Barbie doll. I should have insisted on jeans and a top, instead of settling for this...Suddenly, I see Xavier's blue-haired head, talking to a random girl in the crowd. She is wearing a light swimsuit and has brown hair. He takes her away, piquin
I look at them all, wondering what's going on."Did you convert someone? Glancing over their shoulders, I squinted at the words. Maybe I missed something.But instead, this simply clarifies the obvious."Uh, nothing!" Wes moves quickly to block the screen, "they're talking about another pack!""I'm not stupid," I stare at him, pushing him away. I stare intently at the screen, watching the words on the screen. Understanding dawns on me, illuminating my thoughts, my questions. "Then why is it emailed to rayisbeast4ever@gmail.com?"They all look shyly at the floor."Xavier," I put my hands on my hips, "tell me NOW." He looks at me with his spectacular green eyes, without so much as a smile on the corner of his mouth."It seems that the Council has been following you as a recent convert, when in fact you are not fully converted," he said quie
He doesn't look at me when I walk into the room.I have never felt this way before. His cold, icy treatment has never escaped me. In the two and a half weeks I've been here, his aura has always been warm, comforting. But now I feel unwanted.Everyone can feel this sudden change in behavior. Xavier's face is like stone, incredibly beautiful, but unchanging. Yi is just sitting at the kitchen table, playing with his spoon. Wes doesn't flirt with me, giving me a brief, encouraging smile.Jake hands me a small carton of milk and a bowl of yogurt. "Eat up," he says briskly. I grab a spoon from the table, shove it into the sweet, delicious goodness and let it linger just in front of my lips before closing my mouth on it."Please sit down," he directs me to a chair; "We need to talk to you about some things." Being careful not to make eye contact with the blue-haired beast, I dropped down, staring into Jake'
In a beautiful room, lined with thick blood red curtains and marble statues, there is a long table. One person reclines on each seat, each looking very uncomfortable, fidgeting in their position. A chubby, stocky man stands off to the side, pouring drinks into teacups, then delivering them to the impatient men.Silence reigns over them, not even a breath heard. Each man looks like a statue, motionless and unmoving. It's almost like a painting, stillness in the air but violence suspended just beyond. Annoyance and anger flutter at the corner of a slender man's mouth."When will he get here?" he finally utters, his voice echoing in the large room. The murmurs begin, each one in agreement. They get bolder and bolder, until they are talking harshly and openly.Then suddenly there is silence, and the anger subsides. All eyes turn to one place. The sudden commotion begins again, surprise turning to fear.T
~Mona~The grass tickles my toes as I move slightly, sleep releasing its strong hold on me. The warm sunlight bathes my bare skin, my hair lying on the grass. I stagger to my feet, wondering why I am here in the garden.My gaze turns to the fountain, then it all comes back to me in a flash. I blush as I think back to my time with Ray earlier, with the fountain and the statue. Ray's warm embrace was very comforting, of course, but at the same time, it was terrifying. What if Xavier had seen us? What would he have thought?I hate to admit it, but I miss him. I want him to laugh and joke with me like he used to. He's really grown on me, so much so that I almost want a touch, a touch of his fingers. However, he is really impatient. It hasn't even been a month yet, and I've changed my old skin, cured people of their diseases, and had guys flirting with me. Even now, my brain is about to go into overdrive. Why can't it underst
I don't even know when I woke up, but it feels like someone just flipped the switch and freed me from the state I was in. Because the last thing I remember is falling into the pit of death and now I'm sitting in a patch of grass, staring up at the terribly blue sky.Blue sky. It's bright today. Almost too bright for the...Wait. Is it?I feel the grass on my fingertips, the soft rustling breeze tickling my nose. Am I really back in the real world?I jump to my feet, looking around in the forest, hoping to spot another human being. Anyone who can confirm that this is my new reality. I hope... the one I want to see the most.Yes, this is the real world.I shudder, looking both ways in a frantic attempt to find the source of the whisper. It is the same voice that has followed me in my dreams and throughout my quest. "Who are you?" I called. "Show yourself!"Nothing happens at first, then something around me changes in a flash. The air be
"He's still Ray. Trust me. He's just...slightly different. And a lot older than you think. But I have to destroy this jewel and crown to fulfill the prophecy, and Ray said he had to be cast into the chasm of eternal darkness that surrounds us. The Shifters aren't all bad either. You've seen the ones hidden in the forest.Xavier surveys his surroundings, his gaze cold and calculating. "So, what happens to us? You throw it away, the red stone is destroyed...""Well, the Shifters will be able to pass judgment. Werewolves will cease to exist as we know them. I still don't know what that means. Xavier's face crinkles as I speak the words of fate, and his hands leave the crown to wrap around my body."Are you saying that you were essentially going to leave me forever without giving me a chance to say goodbye? After everything I said to you last night? He asks fervently, his breath incredibly close to my ear. I find myself trembling under the threat of indecision.
Murmurs of judgment.The winds howl in the night, but I am not afraid. I am stronger than anything this world has to offer. She gives me strength... and hope.I lean against a tree, bereft of all my energy. Breaths are a commonplace for my species, but I need them... to keep my identity. To exist rather than fade away into the endless haze.There is no blood here. There are no tears or anger, no happiness or laughter. We are only shells, but we still have hope to live. She must come soon, or I will collapse into the emptiness of this world.I know she will send me on my way to deliverance.My eyes flutter and I wake up to the roar of the wind. I wonder why I'm not shaking, then I quickly recognize the warmth of the man right next to me. It's so nice here. I could stay here... forever...I want to say I'm sorry, but I can't form the words.I mean you don't have to do it, but I can't form the words.Be
Ray begins to speak, weaving a story about how the Shifters dragged him into a dungeon and kept him there, feeding him sparingly. I turn away from his story, paying attention only to the werewolves. They look so strong and determined, but beaten and bruised as this world takes its toll. Not a smile is to be found as the pack listens to Ray, and I realize that true joy is long gone. There is relief - that Ray is okay and back in the pack - but also distrust and suspicion. When did we fall apart at the seams, collapsing into the darkness of our fate?Frightened by my own thoughts, my hand unconsciously wraps around Xavier's arm in an attempt to forget. Having the bandage wrapped around our problems and the singularity of predestined purpose so that I don't have to look at it anymore.Probably puzzled by my movement, Xavier gives me a quick glance. His hair grows longer, cascading over his eyes and down his neck. I feel the urge to push it aside, but I hold back as he tur
I stare at the man before me, my fingers tightening on the crown until my fingertips turn white. My knees buckle as a weight as strong as an avalanche hits my shoulders. I can't tell the reality of it, but right now it doesn't seem to matter. In my delirium, I try to form his name with my lips.The man yells something and starts to run towards me. I feel my body slip as the rocky bottom turns into an eternal void. The weight drags me into the abyss, burying my vision in the darkness. I don't have time to think or even breathe, but my descent seems to happen in slow motion, my arms flailing without command or control. And all the while I'm looking through a camera lens, helpless as a glass wall separates me from my body and reality.Until arms encircle my shoulders, taking me up into an unfathomable heat. The familiar smell disarms me and my eyes blink as I begin to realize what's happening. He has returned. He has found me.I had almost forgotten his face and to
"And now fate says I have to try to kill you... and I can't!" He whispers desperately, slowly tilting his head forward and resting in my lap. "Because you deserve to live, just like the Shifters deserve to be sent back until the day of reckoning. They have waited too long."He looks up at me and his eyes flicker between green and red, involuntarily reflecting his will. "Ray...please tell me what will happen if I fulfill the prophecy."There is silence for a minute as he collects himself. Looking at me, he stands up firmly from his position. "The werewolves, the Shifters, and this world will cease to exist as you know it. The Shifters will be able to move on to judgment and will no longer wreak havoc on the outside world. The werewolves... will be without purpose. You will live. I'm sure you will... because you are tangible, unlike the rest of this world."What are you saying?!" I cry, standing up too. I walk over to him and grab his arms. "You're tangible too. Y
It was hard to go back to my realm. When I did, I went straight to my huge crystal ball to see the Earth and learn more about it. I became obsessed, and for hours I scoured the ends of the Earth for any kind of new curiosity that might strike. But at the same time, I did it with a lot of guilt. Because I knew the prophecy. I knew the wishes of fate. And when the framework is laid out, all you can do is build on it and look down, wishing and hoping for the impossible."I knew, but I was watching, watching the world, watching the Shifters swell with sadness, love, pain and fear. Many more went to join the others, drawn by the sweet promises offered by the Earth. As this progressed, I noticed that the Shifters on Earth had changed. They were becoming wild, dissatisfied with the taste of a certain feeling but wanted it all. Those who stayed in our realm began to be more satisfied with their portions than those who left, staying full for longer periods of time. The Shifters on Ear
"This castle is ancient anyway," Ray says, completely ignoring my question. Looking straight ahead, he walks toward a pair of doors and then stops.I almost ask him why he's being so evasive, but the sight before my eyes prevents me from doing so. Speechless, I examine the narrow hallway, with gold-encrusted stone walls and floors covered with a luxurious blood-red carpet. At the end of the hallway is a magnificent set of doors, engraved with many strange designs."What is this..." I murmur in wonder, staring at the carpet and shaking my foot in it. My feet seem to sink into its luxurious depths as I imagine myself falling on it and flying off."This is the most sacred area of the castle. Everything in this world comes from this room." He grabs the handles but keeps them closed, turning to me."How could this-""You'll see. Just take a look. Ray smiles, his eyes softening as we look at each other. He continues to stare at me for a moment, I almost
The crackling of a fire is the first thing I notice when my eyes open. The faint aroma of cinnamon wafts through the room, though tainted by a heavy premonition that I can't quite shake, though I can't quite remember why this mysterious feeling exists.I blink once, twice, trying to consolidate the swirl of colors into something more closely resembling solid objects. Just to convince myself that I'm not crazy, I bang my head against the floor, then roll awkwardly onto my back."Ouch, that must have hurt," a small, muffled laugh erupts as my vision fixes on long strands of brown hair hanging around my face. Still a little dazed, I let my hand brush the hair, then finally a firm chin, tracing her jaw and neck. As if just realizing my actions, I dropped my arm and my mouth opened as I finally registered who the person was that was leaning precariously over me."Ray?" I asked, my hand reflexively moving up to touch his cheek."After passing out when I saw mys