Tainted Memory

The look on Sophie’s face will forever haunt me. Fear was radiating from her as she stared at me, like she didn’t even know me. Can’t say I didn’t blame her.

“How long have you been this way?” She asked, voice quivering slightly.

Slowly, I try to prop myself up from the cold dingy floor, the silver binds cutting into my already bleeding wrists.

“Since high school,” I hiss in pain.

“How?”

I look into my little sister’s wide fearful eyes. How can I possibly reveal to her my darkest secret? When I left home, I made it my sole purpose in life to spare her and our mother from ever finding out the truth about me, that I was a monster. And even after Mom died, I knew that bringing Sophie here to live with me was a risk, but it was a risk I was willing to take to ensure her safety. But look where that got us; beaten and held prisoner by a gang of sadistic vampires.

“I was turned,” I whisper.

A small gasp escapes her mouth.

There’s no use putting it off any further. “You want the truth and I owe you that much, especially in our current predicament. Remember that night I was attacked by a wild animal?”

Sophie gives me a slight nod.

“Well, it wasn’t an animal attack. It was Derek. He had been weird for a while and I wanted to know what was going on with him, so I followed him in the woods. I saw him shifting, but not before he caught sight of me. He didn’t mean to do it, but when it’s the full moon, your beast takes over and there’s nothing it wants more than to hunt after the shift. The guy who found me and took me to the hospital was Aidan, Derek’s older brother. I didn’t know it at the time, but he’s a wolf too, our Alpha to be more exact. Afterwards, Derek never stopped apologizing for what happened. No matter what we are, born into this life or made, it doesn’t change the fact that we wouldn’t wish this curse on anyone.”

Sophie stiffened. “So, what really happened to Derek? How did he die?”

I thought I had dealt with it, but I guess it was apparent that I hadn’t. I hung my head, lowering my eyes as the memory tainted with blood and misery came flooding back.

“It happened so quickly. Our group consisted of seven of us: four other newborn wolves, myself, Derek and another elder, Harlan. They took us deep into the woods to teach us how to use our newly sharpened senses. Being a newborn, you have the skills, but just because you have them doesn’t mean you know how to use them. We had no idea that we were being hunted by vampires, until it was too late. We were ambushed; they killed Harlan where he stood and a huge net made of nothing but pure concentrated silver was thrown on top of us. We never saw it coming. We tried to fight them off, but once silver contacts our skin, it burns and seeps through into our blood system, weakening us, killing us slowly.

“The vamps took us deep into the mountains, to their camp. Once there and while wearing thick gloves, they bound us with silver chains and lined us up against the cavern walls, three on either side. Then one by one, they tortured us. Once they broke one of us, they dragged them to the center and forced us to watch as they fed on and ripped them apart, throwing the pieces into the fire. Derek was the first. I was forced to watch the man I loved being tortured then slaughtered by their leader; had to smell his flesh being burned in the fire.”

I hadn’t realized that I was starting to cry until I felt the tears fall onto the back of my hands, already caked with dried blood and dirt. I wiped my eyes and looked up to find Sophie sobbing softly.

“By the second night, we lost hope of ever making it out alive. They had already killed Harlan, Derek, and three of the newborns and were enjoying every second of it. Their leader was considering on keeping what was left of us alive since we’d manage not to succumb to their torture. He wanted to take us back to their stronghold and use us as their champions in the fights.”

“What fights?” Sophie asked, barely audible.

“Think of it as dog fights. But in this case, they’re werewolf fights; fights to the death. The clan with the winning wolf took absolute control of the losing clan’s territory. The more territory a clan has means the more blood available to feed their people, and more blood means more power. The band’s leader wanted to keep and use us for the fights.

“On the third day, they prepared us for the travel to their stronghold, but our pack attacked. The vamps had covered their tracks, but not well enough to hide from us. Our pack killed virtually all of them, only their leader escaped, and rescued us.

“Three days ago, there were seven of us. In the end, only Jared and I survived.”