Aurora

Chapter One



The weakness was returning.  It always returned, and there was only one way to survive it.  

Tallutha slipped through the overgrown hollowed out building using the harsh shadows that the moon cast as cover.  The skeletons of the ancient city that now supported a towering growth of thick vines were the perfect hunting grounds.  No one knew exactly what had happened to the pervious world, most didn’t care.

Tallutha had her beliefs about it, and it was what drove her to the cities rather than to the Wilds.  The prey in the cities was more dangerous, but it was worth it.  Closing her dark brown eyes she took a deep breath.  The air was sweet in every direction but one.

To the north there was the unpleasant smell of industry.  She headed the in the direction of the acrid smoky scent.  Tallutha’s sensitive eyes glittered as she spotted the small fire burning bright inside one of the broken buildings.  She smiled.  There was a male here, a lone one.

“Sir...”  

The young man huddling next to the fire jolted in surprise.  He looked around, but the burning fire kept his eyes from penetrating the shadows.

“Who’s there.”  He demanded.  “I have a weapon.”

“I do not.”  Tallutha whimpered.  “Please, I...I have lost my Guardian...I need another.”

This instantly got the man’s attention.  Risking everything Tallutha stepped from the shadows into the edge of the fire’s golden glow.  She kept her head bowed and her eyes cast down.  Even without seeing her face his breath hissed sharply across his teeth at her beauty.  

Despite living a life in the shadows of the trees Tallutha’s skin was kissed by a deep, almost copper, brown.  In contrast her light blonde hair hung past her shoulders in loose curls.  Her soft leather brown dress was accented in several places with the fur of a red fox and hung just above her knees.  

The man stood up slowly.  He knew that his next few moves were vital.  Tallutha was in a position to run, and as lightly built female she always had the fleetness of foot to out pace a heavier framed male.  

If he wanted her to stay he’d have to prove himself.

He took a deep breath, to show off his well muscled chest.  Turning his face to the side he displayed the fact that he had suffered a wound, but had managed to heal.  He wore the long scar as a badge of honour.  He displayed his flexibility with a choreographed routine similar to yoga.

Walking over to the corner her brought back several deer antlers to show that he was a successful hunter.  This last act amused Tallutha and she smiled, although she was careful to keep her eyes from making direct contact.

“You are impressive indeed.”  Tallutha purred.  “Although I sense you have not Guarded before.”

“I Guarded my sister until she found a Mate Guardian of her own.”

“That is better than nothing.”  Tallutha nodded and pretended to mull over her options.  “I believe you will be a fine Guardian.  Do you accept me?”

Tallutha pulled up on the hem of her dress seductively.  This was the moment she had been waiting for.  The man was hypnotized by the tantalizing view she was supplying.  He stepped forward to take her but then froze.

“Let me see your eyes.”  He said suddenly.  

Tallutha’s skin chilled with fear.  This man wasn’t as naive as he seemed.  She had two options, she could run or she could go through with her plan.  Her weakness was growing worse, if she didn’t take this chance she might not be strong enough to try again.  

Before the man could get too suspicious Tallutha switched her grip from the hem of her dress to the knife strapped to her thigh.  As she looked up at him her eyes glowed a bright green, the way an animal’s does when caught in the right light.

The man whipped around to retrieve his own weapon, which etiquette had forced him to leave on the ground during his courting.  Tallutha had no choice but to take her own knife by the blade and throw it at her victim as hard as she could.  If this one blow didn’t bring him down she would have to run.  She’s lose her knife and possibly her life.

He cried out in pain as the knife sunk into his lower back.  She waited for him to make the mistake of pulling the blade out.  He dropped to his knees as blood poured from the wound.  His severed renal artery pumped blood onto the dirt floor.  

Tallutha watched him dying without regret.  His death would provide her with new strength, new life.  Her reflective eyes caught the firelight once more as she looked around to make sure they were alone and undiscovered.  

The man was still clinging to life, but he was too weak to fight against her.  She retrieved her knife, cleaning it on his clothing.  There was something she needed, something buried deep in his skull.  

Her victim began whimpering pitifully.  She rolled him over on to his back and straddled him.  Strapped to her upper arm was the one thing that kept her, and others of her kind, alive.  A thick straw like syringe made of a dark strong metal known as a Kaffel.  

How they were made was no longer known.  They were passed down in their small families.  They could only have as many children as could be supported by however many devices that family had.  As much as she hated to admit it Tallutha had fought with her parents, had stolen her mother’s Kaffel, and run away.  

Pushing the past to the back of her mind Tallutha leaned in and kissed the dying man passionately.  She did this to all her kills, she wasn’t even sure why she did it.  When she pulled away the man was left with his jaw dropped.  

Taking the opportunity she thrust the syringe up through the roof of his mouth to allow her to feed on the delicate pituitary gland.  Her prey arched his back and clawed at the ground before relaxing in death.

It made her sick to consume it.  She had to bite down on her lip every time to keep herself from vomiting the precious piece of tissue.  This was the curse of her kind, a disease that had been forced upon her and the others to destroy them.  She felt no pity for the dead man as she got off him.

Her weakness was the human’s fault and she saw it only fitting that they paid for it.

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