Shrieker

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Hello everyone! This is the first story I've ever written and therefore probably sucks LOL. But this is just for fun and something I enjoy doing. I don't mind constructive criticism, but please be kind. I'm really trying here lol. With that said, I hope you enjoy! :)

I am a dragon.

She blew little white clouds from her mouth as she exhaled.

Thalia loved autumn. It was the most colorful season with all the greens turning into yellows, bleeding into crimson. Nature shed her skin, transforming herself into her barest form.

Thalia wished she could transform. She wished she was something greater, something stronger. Dragons were strong. They were mighty creatures able to fly, swim and breathe fire, dominating sky, land and sea. Her mother told her stories of the creatures when she was little. Nestled under the blankets, tucked in tight, her mother would lay next to her and tell countless tales of the magical creatures. The white dragon with giant wings for sails that would ride the wind and block the sun like a storm cloud on the horizon. Of the blue dragons who had gills and webs between their claws to help them swim. Some even had retractable fins used to glide through the water without leaving so much as a ripple in their wake. Then of course there was her favorite, the red dragon whose massive size reigned over all others and whose fiery breath could destroy its enemies with a single blow. Though mighty and fierce, it was a guardian, meant to protect the other creatures of its kind.

There were times when Thalia's excitement overwhelmed her, and she would go to bed early just to hear her mothers stories sooner. To her, those stories were real. Dragons were one of life's wonderful mysteries, something a childs wild imagination made easy to believe in. To her mother they were lessons in disguise. The tales she told were meant to prepare her daughter for whatever life would throw her way. It was why she spent so many nights laying in her daughter's bed, telling her story after story, late into the early morning hours.

Thalia liked to think her mother was a dragon. Graceful in the way she moved, wild in the way she lived, and serene like the surface of an untouched lake. Her mother was magical, she just had to be. Magic doesn’t die, or else it wouldn’t really be magic.

She was wrong. The day her mother died, the dragons died too, along with the rest of her magic. Like a curse something else was born, a monster. Something so terrifying not even a dragon, her mother, could survive.

Thalia let out another breath, watching her sizzling smoke release once more. I am a dragon.

If only.

No matter how hard she wished it, her mother was never coming back. She could not save her. She could not fight the beast that grabbed her mom by the throat and forced a kiss upon her lips. She could not shield it from her mothers harsh words. She could not stop the demons fury as it sliced her mothers throat with its razor sharp claws. She could not hear her mothers voice as she clutched at her throat, blood seeping between her fingers, as her lips mouthed the word snapdragon.

Thalia knelt down and touched the fallen leaves. She stood in a sea of red. Though the ground was covered in fresh leaves and the trees were starting to look bare, she knew where she was. She stood there many times before. It was where she knelt beside her mom while she watched the magic fade from her eyes. A tear slipped from her eye and she looked down, letting the drop fall to the ground. She leaned forward, her lips almost brushing against the leaves and exhaled. She closed her eyes, imagining her dragons breath could reach her mother. It was silly, all of it. Coming out here, time after time, breathing into the spot her mother died. Thalia knew it made no sense, not even to her, but for whatever reason she felt connected to her mother when she did it.

Why? Why were they even out in the forest that day? She tried her best to suppress the memory, but it came crawling through the barrier she tried desperately to maintain.

Herbs. It was the reason they were out at all that day. Summer had just started to heat the morning air and within minutes of stepping outside, her dress had begun to cling to her. They walked together, hand in hand, as her mother pointed out the different plants to her. She had just started teaching Thalia to identify plants and their uses. Every petal, leaf, and color was a marker.

They hadn’t been out there long when the monster found them. Thalia had seen him before. He would stalk her and her mother around town. Golden eyes flashing in the shadows whenever she stole a glance at him. He was never looking at her though. His eyes were always fixed on her mother. They followed her every movement. Every step she took, he accounted for by sneaking silently along with her. Her mother noticed him of course. She could feel his eyes on her, the heat from his gaze scalding her skin. Her mother did her best to keep her distance, but how can one escape their shadow?

Her mother was married with a daughter, and she made that clear to the monster. It was against the treaty to take a human as a mate if they were already married. That was one of the laws, but he neither cared or acknowledged the fact. He was determined to have her, to make her his.

When he emerged from the trees, he looked more wild than he ever had. It was clear he had just shifted back to his human form, naked, skin smeared with dirt and bits of leaves caught in his hair. A thin ring of yellow encircled his blown out pupils. Fangs no longer hidden, but bared as a low growl rippled from his throat. It almost sounded inviting, a call meant to draw one's mate near. Even as a child, Thalia understood in some way what was happening. She knew he was calling her mother.

Her mother stood still, eyeing the black eyed monster with reserved disgust. No matter how hard she had tried, he wouldn’t stop tracking her. She knew now he never would.

He took a step forward, slowly, eyes never leaving hers. Another growl made its way out, louder this time, daring her mother to disobey him. Her mother tilted her chin up in silent defiance. He took another step towards her. The tension in her shoulders was evident as the veins in her neck started to protrude. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? His eyes darted to her neck and what little color his irises gave no longer showed. He lost himself then, plunging forward capturing her mother in his arms. Like a snake coiled around a field mouse, he held her tightly against himself. He smelled of sweat and dirt and it coated her dress while she struggled to free herself. Her body writhed and bent in a weak attempt to escape. He tightened his grip on her and let out a predatory growl, no longer beckoning, but a command to stay still. Her mother had little choice, his grip so tight now she could barely breathe.

Without warning he snatched her throat with his hand keeping his other arm around her waist. He dipped his face towards her neck, inhaling deeply before running his rough tongue against her skin. She leaned further away from him, his grip crushing her throat and making her face look a bruised shade of red. He moved his face away from her neck and she looked into his eyes. Nothing but endless black pits stared back at her. Suddenly his lips were on hers, crushing them into the front of her teeth, tongue pressing against their seam demanding entrance. She winced from both pain and disgust. He moved his hand from her throat to her jaw, applying just enough pressure and unhinged it easily, gaining access to her mouth. Her mother let out a whimper in defeat and stilled. There was no fighting her way out of death's kiss. Wet and slick like an eel slithering against the side of her cheek, she tried her best not to vomit. When he finally finished, she drew her face back as far as she could. Something in her snapped. Her eyes were lit with pure fury and when she spoke it seeped into every word.

“I told you I am a WIFE and a MOTHER! I told you to leave me alone, but you won’t stop following me! When will you understand I DON’T LOVE YOU. I WILL NEVER BE YOUR MATE!”

It was as if time slowed. Thalia watched his face contort, lips raised to fully expose his fangs and teeth, and his brows downcast in rage. Her mothers face showed the opposite, eyes full of fear. It was as if his hand had a mind of his own and swiftly swiped at her neck. It almost looked playful the way his hand moved against her throat, like a cat batting at a toy. The red gash streaked across her skin is what kept Thalia from laughing and she gasped. The monster released an ear deafening roar before he dropped her mothers body and ran back into the tree line.

Thalia ran to her mothers side, and put her hand on top of her mothers that covered the gash. Teardrops rained down onto her mothers face as she looked down at their bloody hands. There was blood, so much blood. Her mothers mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. She moved her eyes to her mothers lips. What was she trying to say? Blinking her blurry eyes of their tears, she leaned in closer to hear what she was saying. Barely a whisper, she heard it. Snapdragon. She turned her attention back to their hands, blood trailing down the sides of her neck, reaching the forest floor. It wasn’t working, they couldn’t stop the bleeding. She cried out suddenly, feeling scared and helpless. Would he come back to finish her off too? Her eyes darted around the forest surrounding them. She felt like she couldn’t breath, like there was a hole in her throat too, keeping her from screaming out for help. Thalia looked back at her mother just in time to watch the light leave her eyes.

No!

She couldn’t be dead, not like this. Moving her hands from her mothers neck, she grabbed her mothers shoulders and shook as hard as her ten year old self could. She didn’t stop even when her arms burned, but only when she was out of breath. Panting, she laid next to her mother sobbing, staring into her lifeless eyes. She stayed there staring at her mothers corpse until the sun began to set. She didn’t answer when she heard the townsfolk calling her name. She didn’t respond when her father held her chin and turned her face to meet his. She was gone too, receding deep within herself, thinking of the time when her mother was still alive.

Another tear landed on the dry leaves in front of her. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and got to her feet. She closed her eyes and blew out another breath. It was already past mid-day, and with it now being autumn the sun would be setting in a few hours.

Thalia turned back towards town. She knew her father would be upset if he found out she had been to the spot again. He didn’t like her going there, reliving that day. For him, every memory, every portrait, every conversation of his beloved wife was too much for him to handle. Every time Thalia mentioned her mother he would get quiet, distant. He refused to talk about her. He removed the two portraits he had of his wife and gave them to Thalia without a word. He didn’t want to see her. He didn’t want to see his other half if he couldn’t hold her.

Thalia knew he was hurting. Thirteen years, and he still hadn’t changed. Grief was a disease everyone caught sooner or later and the symptoms varied. She understood her fathers need to hide his wife away from himself. If distance was the medicine that eased his pain, she would not deny him that. Her grief showed itself in a different way. A way that made her heart ache so badly she needed to remember her mother, needed to feel. So she kept her mothers portraits in the little wooden box her father made her for her birthday that housed her precious things. Her mothers face lay next to a lock of her hair and a few dried snapdragon flowers. When seeing her mothers portraits and smelling her mothers hair wasn’t enough, she went to the spot where all their lives ended. Sure she could always go to the place her mother was buried, under the tree near their house, but it wasn’t right somehow. It wasn’t the place where magic died. Out there, in the forest, where her mothers blood was spilt and where her soul left her body, that’s what made that spot sacred.

She walked in a daze until she reached the edge of town. Thalia straightened out the skirt of her dress and brushed the stray hairs that hugged the side of her face. She passed the bakery and backtracked to buy a slice of bread. She needed an excuse for leaving the house. A loaf of bread was a decent excuse. She was certain her father knew at times when she had been to the spot, but if he didn’t catch her full on in a lie he let it pass. It was as if the little bits of proof she brought back, be it bread or other things, made it easier for him to ignore the truth. He didn’t want her to go there, but he didn’t want to fight with her over it either.

Waiting for the baker to return with her wrapped loaf, she noticed the townsfolk were on edge. Mothers held their children closer, not letting go of their hands as they tugged and pulled in different directions. Men walked swiftly about, leaving work early to get to their homes and tuck their families away. The town energy was charged now that she stopped to think about it. Fear. She knew the feeling better than most people in town.

Footsteps behind her told her the baker had returned with her bread. He set it on the counter and pushed it towards her in a rush. She took it and had to call him back to hand him the money. He had forgotten the payment before he made his way back to the safety of the storeroom. Turning to leave, she saw women in children almost running now, trying to get to their homes. Thalia made her way home, keeping her usual pace. She feared them too, but after witnessing the raw strength and power the monsters possessed, she knew doors and walls wouldn’t keep them out.

The shuffling footsteps of the people faded out as the remaining townsfolk made their way indoors. She was almost home now, just a few more houses away. Thalia heard them then, multiple footfalls of paws pounding dirt.

The wolves were here.