The forest was cloaked in shadow, the moonlight filtering through the canopy like silver knives. Asher's lungs burned as he ran, screaming her name hoarsely. "Erica! Erica!" His voice cracked, raw from over twenty minutes of calling, but he refused to stop.
But then—
Claws tore into his back. Pain flared instantly, white-hot and blinding. He fell to the ground with a grunt, blood spreading across his shirt. Another swipe ripped across his side, tearing through flesh.
Adrenaline surged. With every ounce of strength he didn't know he possessed, Asher shoved against the force attacking him. The movement was sudden and violent, a surge of power he didn't understand, and Erica was thrown off him.
He gasped for air, heart hammering, and for a moment, the world seemed still. But the pause was brief. Erica's yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. Her ears twitched, fangs bared. She lunged again, faster, more feral than before. Asher barely managed to roll out of her path, pain radiating through his ribs.
She attacked relentlessly. Claws slashed his torso, shoulders, and arms. Fangs grazed his neck. Each strike sent waves of agony through his body, and his blood soaked the forest floor. His lungs burned, his vision blurred, and for a moment he felt the fragile edges of consciousness slipping.
Even as the pain consumed him, he smiled weakly through gritted teeth, his eyes fixed on her. He couldn't let her hurt anyone. Not her. Not himself.
"Erica…" he rasped, barely audible. His hand trembled as he reached for her, brushing her cheek in a fleeting touch. Her movements faltered, just a fraction, the glow in her eyes flickering. But she didn't stop.
Claws raked his back again. Pain exploded through his body. His strength faded fast; he could barely lift his arms. He wanted to speak, to remind her he was human, that he was her friend—but words stuck in his throat, rasping out in short, broken gasps.
His blood pooled beneath him, warm and sticky, staining the fallen leaves. And yet, despite the agony, he refused to give up. "It's… me," he managed, each word a struggle. "Asher…"
The flicker in her eyes grew, confusion creeping into her feral gaze. The golden light dimmed, ears lowering slightly. For a heartbeat, she paused, tense, her claws hovering just above his chest.
Asher's hand pressed lightly against her cheek, trembling. "I… found… you," he gasped, pain wracking his body. He coughed, blood streaking his lips, but he didn't move. He couldn't. All he could do was hold on to her.
Her claws retracted slowly, ears flattening, fangs retreating. Panic replaced the predator in her eyes. "A-Asher?!" she shouted, voice cracking. "What… what have I… I—"
She sank beside him, hands pressing against his bloodied chest, trembling violently. "No… no… this isn't real… I… I'm a monster! I hurt you!" Her voice rose, a high-pitched scream that echoed through the forest. "Asher! Please… don't leave me! Don't—don't die! You can't die!"
Tears streamed down her face as she shook him, nails scraping his arms, desperate to feel that he was still alive. "Why… why did I… why couldn't I control myself? I… I'm so sorry! I… I hurt you! I—" Her voice cracked again, raw and jagged. "I don't deserve you… Asher! I—I'm a monster!"
She pressed her face to his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably, her hands trembling on his chest. Each breath he took was shallow, uneven, a struggle against the pain and blood loss. He tried to respond, tried to reassure her, but the words wouldn't come. Strength left him like water through clenched fingers, each heartbeat weaker than the last.
Erica's hands shook violently, gripping his arms as if she could keep him tethered to life. "Asher! Please! Don't leave me! I can't—oh God, I can't! You can't—please!" Her screams pierced the night, bouncing off the trees, raw and panicked. "I hurt you… I'm so sorry… please, please, please don't—"
Asher's vision darkened at the edges. Blood trickled from his lips, his limbs heavy and unresponsive. He could feel consciousness slipping, a fog rolling in that dulled the world around him. Erica's screaming continued, desperate and frantic, shaking him, but he had no strength left to react.
Her hands pressed harder, shaking him violently. "No! No! Stay with me, Asher! Don't you dare leave me! I… I can't live without you! You… you're alive! You're… you have to—please!"
And then his eyes rolled back. His grip on the world loosened. His body slumped into her arms, limp, warm blood pooling beneath him.
"Asher!"
Her scream tore through the woods, echoing into the night.
To be continued...
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Sorry if this chapter was short, but I felt like it should have ended like this.
I don't give a damn about word count, but I know you probably want to read more and not have short chapters. I promise you the next one will be longer.