The Blood Moon [rise of the kinsmir]

Twenty minutes had passed, and Jack still hadn't returned. A knot of worry tightened in Rose's stomach. She decided to ask Sam.

"Hey Sam, have you seen Jack?" she asked, walking over to him.

"No," he replied, turning to face her.

"But he was with you earlier," she said, confused.

Sam paused, thinking. "Yeah, his mom called, so he went out to call her back…"

"Okay," she said, feeling a little relieved.

She went outside to look for Jack. She scanned the area, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just as she was about to head back inside, she heard a loud howl echoing from the woods. It was then she realized it was a blood moon tonight.

But something was wrong with the howl. It wasn't a normal werewolf howl. What is it then? she wondered, a shiver running down her spine. Curiosity, mixed with growing unease, pushed her to investigate.

She slipped into the woods unnoticed, her movements swift and silent. The howl grew louder as she ran deeper into the trees.

Ten minutes later, she still couldn't pinpoint the source. She stopped, breathing heavily. "Ugh, maybe this was a bad idea…" she muttered, exhaustion creeping in.

Just as she was about to turn back, something—or someone—blurred past her. "What was that?" she whispered, her senses on high alert. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her, and she took off after it.

"Ouch!" she cried out, suddenly finding herself sprawled on the ground. She'd been tripped.

She looked up, her eyes widening in shock.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a voice sneered.

Rose stood up, her expression hardening. "What are you vampires doing in Red woods?" she demanded, trying to project an air of confidence she didn't feel.

"We came to hunt," the vampire replied with a cruel grin, "and it looks like we just found dinner." He exchanged a look with the other vampire, who had remained silent.

Rose felt a chill run down her spine, but she refused to show fear. She scanned the area, desperately searching for a way out.

As if reading her thoughts, one of the vampires said, "Don't even think about it."

Before she could react, she was pinned to a tree by the other vampire, his hands clamped around her neck. "Less talking, more action," he snarled.

"Arrghrr," Rose gasped, struggling against his grip. She instinctively twisted his arm and kneed him in the ribs. He loosened his hold slightly, but she was still trapped, outnumbered. She couldn't take on two vampires alone.

Still recovering, she felt a sharp pain in her side. She'd been clawed.

She knew that vampire bites and claw wounds were incredibly difficult for werewolves—and most supernaturals—to heal. Vampires called this tactic Siphon Paralysis; it was used to weaken and subdue their prey. A werewolf bite, however, was fatal to vampires.

"Why even try?" the vampire smirked, walking towards her. "I wonder who's going to save you now."

Rose tried to move, but her legs felt heavy and unresponsive. "What did you do to me? You…" she asked, her voice strained.

"Oh, that? That right there is Siphon Paralysis."

"Siphon what?"

"It's a technique we use to subdue… You know what? How about I show you?"

Rose's heart pounded in her chest. She was terrified. I don't want to die like this, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut.

She braced herself for the excruciating pain, but it never came. She opened her eyes to a gruesome scene. The two vampires who had been about to attack her were now ripped to shreds, their bodies lying in a pool of blood.

What could have happened? she wondered, her mind reeling. I should get out of here. The Siphon Paralysis must have worn off by now. She cautiously looked around.

"What the heck is that?" she whispered, her eyes widening. Standing before her was a massive, gigantic wolf… or at least, she thought it was a wolf. This creature was unlike anything she'd ever seen. It stood on two legs, its eyes glowing an eerie red, its claws long and sharp. It was easily twice the size of a normal werewolf. Its dark grey fur was matted with blood.

Terror gripped her as the creature moved towards her. She still couldn't move her legs. "Damn it! What the f**k is this?" she cried silently.

Suddenly, the huge beast pulled her into a protective embrace, as if shielding a precious treasure. Rose was stunned by the beast's actions. Seeing that it wasn't trying to harm her, a strange sense of security washed over her, and her fear began to recede, replaced by a cautious warmth.

Minutes passed. Rose tried to move away, but the beast seemed determined to hold her close.

She was still trying to figure out how to escape his embrace when she heard movement in the woods. Multiple footsteps, someone was coming.

The beast immediately tensed, turning to the direction of the sound and emitting a low, menacing growl—a clear warning. 

Three werewolves burst from the trees, taking up offensive positions, ready to attack the beast. Rose's heart pounded. She knew that with the blood moon tonight, this could end badly for everyone.

For some reason, she didn't want the beast to be hurt. Perhaps it was because it had saved her from the vampires. As she was thinking this, she realized they were now completely surrounded by wolves.

The woods erupted in a cacophony of howls and growls. This is definitely not going to end well, she thought, her fear returning tenfold.

The beast still stood in front of Rose, shielding her from the other werewolves. The first wolf lunged, followed by the others. Despite being outnumbered, the werewolves' strength and speed were no match for the beast.

The once quiet woods became a scene of carnage, littered with the bodies of fallen werewolves. The sight was too much for Rose to take in. Suddenly, a deafening scream pierced the air, sending shock waves through the trees.

"What was that?" she whispered, her eyes half-closed. Slowly, darkness enveloped her.