Bite Me

I collapsed helplessly at Mason's side. Uncontrollable tears were already falling from my eyes, mixing with his blood as they reached the ground. Dark bruises were scattered across his face, his arms. His shirt was torn and soaked red, and six, maybe seven different stab wounds perforated the skin of his torso. There were more harsh gashes on his legs, and I had a sinking feeling that if I turned him over, I'd find even more cutting into his back.

Yet I noticed that his vital areas—his neck, his heart, his lungs—were left untouched, and I realized with a sick jolt that Cedric hadn't wanted to kill Mason that way. That would be too easy, too quick. He'd wanted to make him suffer.

I strained my ears and caught the sound of a pulse, faint and fading. Mason was still alive. Not dead, but dying.

Then I was flying backwards; Cedric grabbed me by the shoulder and yanked me away from Mason, tossing me aside like a rag doll. The back of my head hit the forest floor and my vision grew spotty, but I could still hear perfectly well as Cedric muttered angrily to himself, "I should have known, I should have known."

I staggered to my feet and turned on him, my face contorted into a snarl. "What the hell did you do?"

Cedric glared at me just as intently, but I didn't shrink back. "I did what I had to do."

I stepped forward, about ready to strangle him, but he held out a hand and smiled mockingly. "Calm down, calm down. I'll tell you."

"Calm down?"

"I sent a letter, said we could negotiate. He didn't hesitate to comply."

     My mind whirled around the idea—it was so like Mason, I didn't doubt it for a second—and even more anger seared my nerves. Mason was such an idiot for trusting Cedric like that, for still putting himself at risk just to be with me. Me. And I loved him for it, but now, all I could feel was hatred. If Cedric were to burst into flames right that second, I would've laughed.

      "He's not gonna die," I said shakily; I pointed to the steel knife in Cedric's hand. "That's not silver."

      Cedric's grin turned lopsided. "You forget that I've done my research, brother—"

     "We are not brothers."

     Cedric ignored me. "Silver might be fatal to werewolves, but it's not the only thing that can kill them. They can only heal so many wounds at once. As long as he stays here, with no help, he's as good as dead."

     A soundless gasp passed through my lips as it hit me that this was actually happening, Cedric was actually getting his revenge. Even with the confinements placed on him, he'd found a way. I'd been so naive to ever think that he wouldn't, to think that he'd give up once he'd gotten his initial wish.

A violent tremor shook my body and my knees buckled. I smacked my hand against the trunk of a tree for support, refusing to fall to Cedric.

     He wasn't done yet. "Unfortunately, little brother, I assume you'll try to thwart that plan." His eyes shone evilly and he dropped his false smile. "And I can't have that."

     He carelessly dropped his knife and dug into his pocket, pulling out a shaft of wood no longer than a dollar bill, with a pointed, deadly edge. I'd seen it before—it was the same wooden stake he'd thrown at me so long ago, the first time he threatened me.