CHAPTER 8 - BLOOD LUST - ETAMINA'S POV
1398 Words
"Sorry about my dad." Tiane apologized as they left the room.
"Don’t stress." I shrugged, feeling anything but casual, my nerves were shot, and I could feel my wolf's temper just under the surface.
"It’s just that he’s fascinated with your family history." She told me, sounding both embarrassed and exasperated by the statement.
"Who isn’t?" I sighed and looked around at all the students looking at me.
"At least yours is interesting." Tiane said, "Mine were Vikings on my mom’s side and apparently witches on my dad’s. I wish they were werewolves."
"No, you don’t." I snapped without thinking, and Tiane looked startled.
"Sorry," I said quickly, raining in my wolf. "I’ve just heard these stories my whole life, and I’m sick of it. I didn’t mean to bite your head off."
"Must be the wolf in you." Noah said from behind them, "I love a girl with a temper."
"Hilarious," I said and kept walking with Tiane, "Than perhaps you should run along and find one that can stand you."
Noah and his friend Domonic kept pace with us.
"So that’s why you got all edgy when I mentioned the wolf legend." Noah laughed, he had flung himself in front of me and was walking backwards down the hall. "Because it was about your family."
"Go away, Nole." I said, without looking at him.
"Oh, don’t be like that." Noah moaned, "And it's Noah." He corrected me once more.
"Better listen to her, Noah." Domonic laughed, "She might turn into a wolf and eat you."
I frowned and kept walking, but anger was flooding my body, their stupid jokes were wearing thin and my wolf was growling inside of me.
"KILL!" It was demanding, making me feel sick.
"Or maybe she’ll just bite you and turn you into her slave dog." Domonic went on.
I gritted my teeth but said nothing, as I tried to calm myself down. It was not a good idea for me to lose my temper.
"Shut up Dom." Tiane sprang to my defense, surprising me, we’d only known each other for a few hours. "Grow up, will you?"
"It’s just a bit of fun." Domonic laughed again.
We reached the cafeteria then and went in. The boys remained in the hall for which I was grateful.
"Don’t let it get to you." Tiane said, "They’ve always been like that, even when we were at school, they think they’re funny, but they didn’t mean anything by it. When you get to know them, you'll see that they really are great guys."
"Yeah, they’re hilarious." I said sarcastically, "I can’t breathe from laughing so much."
"Oh well, just forget it and have some lunch." Tiane smiled, "I’ll give you some embarrassing stories about them, you can throw back in their faces the next time they start."
We headed to the line to wait but the second we entered the line we saw one of the cook’s trip and smack her head on the corner of the bench, splitting her head open as she did. I froze and stared at the women, all thoughts and feelings drained away, only one thing mattered, the smell of flesh and blood and hunger.
My wolf began to claw its way forward, trying to take control of my body, I froze as I began to shake.
"KILL!" I heard my wolves horrid growls in my mind, "MEAT!"
I closed my eyes as my vision changed, I knew my eyes had turned black, and I couldn’t let anyone see that.
I could hear Tiane’s voice distantly in the background, but I was too focused on trying to stay calm.
I took a step backwards, I had to run away, but then a firm hand grabbed me around my wrist and pulled me away from the line.
I tried to shrug off the person holding me but he or she was too strong. My eyes remained closed while I was dragged off, and I didn’t open them until I smelt fresh bloodless air.
The fresh breeze washed over my face.
"Mina?" It was my mother’s urgent voice in my mind, "Honey, it’s okay, just breathe."
I did as I was told, but my body was shaking, I could feel my nails shift into claws as I dug them into my mother’s arm. She winced in pain but kept reassuring me.
"It'll be alright, just breathe."
"I can't." My voice shook, "I'm going to turn, I have to go."
"No," My mother said firmly, "Just let it wash away, just breathe, it'll pass."
I closed my eyes and took gulps of air. "Don't turn, don't turn." I whispered, not caring that my mother could hear. "Don't turn."
After a few seconds, I focused on the scene around me and saw my mother’s worried face come into view.
"How do you feel?" Mom asked, touching my cheek as she spoke.
"I’m fine." I said savagely, and stepped away from my mother’s embrace.
I hated this! I hated not being in control of my own body, I hated these inhuman urges, I hated her for not warning me, and then I saw the blood dripping down her arm from where I'd hurt her and guilt savaged me.
"You have to learn how to control it, Mina." Anna pleaded in a whisper, not caring a bit about her wounds. "I know it’s not fun, but if you’d just come out with me one day, I could teach you."
"I said I’m fine." I snapped, and let her go. I looked down and saw the claw marks on her arm start to heal and she used her powers to burn the blood from the ground.
"Mina!" Tiane said as she came out the cafeteria door.
I noticed my mother wave her arm over where I had clawed her and the rips in her sleeve fixed themselves. I could still smell her blood, she hadn’t fully healed, but I doubted Tiane would smell the blood. Nothing could heal the wounds of another wolf except time. All she did was hide the wounds from site as they healed, so no humans could see.
"Are you alright?"
I walked over to her. "I’m fine." I said again, this time without the anger and guilt. "I just don’t like blood, I’m not hungry anymore."
"Me either." Taine said, looking slightly green, "I hate blood too, but I’ve never seen anyone look as freaked out as you. Your face went blank and you started shaking."
"She was probably trying not to attack her."Domonic teased. He had heard our conversation from where he was standing with Noah. "Dogs like the smell of fresh blood, don't they? Maybe we should give you a bone to chew on for lunch instead."
I lost it, my wolf was already on edge and my own temper fueled it on. I could not control my temper with the smell of fresh blood still lingering in the air, I spun around so fast that Domonic stepped back in shock, I slammed him into the wall and pinned him there.
"Enough!" I screamed. He tried to break free, but I was too strong.
"Etamina!" Anna yelled in her Alpha tone, "Let him go!"
"That was the last wolf joke." I screamed, easily ignoring her command. My wolf was more powerful than hers. "Got it!?"
"Yeah, I’ve got it." Domonic sounded scared.
"Mina, let him go!" My mother was behind me now, Tiane stood back with her hands over her mouth. "Now!"
Noah's scent suddenly wrapped around me and I froze.
"Etamina," Noah said in a tone that confused me, it was as if he cared about my pain. "Please, let him go."
I frowned and looked into Noah's eyes. He seemed confused by his own familiarity with me as well, but he stood his ground.
"Please," He said again and touched my arm. Electricity sprang over my skin where he touched.
Who is the boy? I wondered for the hundredth time today as I looked into his face. Why do I feel so strange around him? Why do I feel so comforted by him? I need to get away from him.
I dropped Domonic and marched off shaking with anger and confusion.
"Mina!" Anna ran after me and grabbed my arm.
"I’m going for a run." I screamed and pulled away from her, “Leave me alone.”
- Writer
