Chapter 4: A New Start

Red eye's glare in Sephrina's vision, the rolling of sky and ground, sky and ground, when she finally stops she thought she would be relived but instead her heart feels as though it had just been thrown off a cliff and onto a spiked rocky cliff side below, as the face of the deep brown haired girl stared at her, eye's distant. Her light brown eyes looking past her, begging her to help but lulling to sleep as the light in them slowly dims.

Her death was not fast, instead the reaper dragged a jagged claw rather than swiping her life, seemingly finding enjoyment in the poor girls suffering. Her eye's began to gloss and its as if she could see the poor things soul actually leaving her body through her eye's as a blue aura started leaking from them. They were just about completely glossed and distant when they look directly at her, no into her. "It's your fault. I'm dead because of you!"

Sephrina's eye's open easily but feel awfully heavy, she did not jolt awake, she never had after any nightmare, no matter the fear laced behind it however she is now wide awake. She shifted to wake the rest of her body and felt an arm being draped over her left side. Looking behind her she see's that she has somehow managed to get into a cuddle train with the other women. She had grown fond of them over their short time together, they were like her sisters in a way.

Slowly getting up and making her way over to her things she shuffles through a backpack that they had gotten her at the store pulling out a purple sports bra and matching booty shorts. Quickly changing she looks at herself in the mirror and looks away swiftly as soon as she saw the reflection, gasping and sudden labored breathing over took her as her heart tried jumping out of her throat. Slowly looking back to the mirror fear gripping her stomach with and iron gauntlet only this time she had seen herself, not whatever she thought she saw before. Closing her eye's and taking a deep breath she leaves the bathroom and was more than elated to work out her heart trying to kill itself.

Quietly stepping over Darren who is sleeping on the floor she leaves the motel and stands at the door. Closing her eye's and rounding her lips she blows a thin breath from her mouth infusing her energy with it. She only has to wait five seconds before the warm summer breeze blows in, her hip long, blood red hair making it sway in the breeze as if it is dancing. Once the breeze stops she starts by jogging around the parking lot. She could run off, grab the key's and just go home, they are technically kidnapping her and nothing is holding her here other than the sudden friendship she has with Lillianna and Hallie, however they could just be acting like they care to get her to stay and keep her from running off.

They're all asleep right now, what's keeping her from running off into the forest, she knows how to protect herself and survive in the wilderness or she could even tell the keeper of the motel that she had been kidnapped but whether or not they would believe her is a fifty-fifty chance so there wasn't any good reason she could think of. Then why is she staying? "It's your fault!" the little girl screamed at her as it haunted her.

The girl died to the vampires and as far as she had known she had taken care of the roost so why is the little girl haunting her? Is it linked to why she hasn't run off from the group of werewolves yet? She started running faster trying to work out the problem. Her problems. She just wanted to burst free, to let her self shine, all of her, not just what this world would allow. Looking into the sky she gained a longing look, she wants to call out to have the stars take her from this world and to let her be free. "It's your fault!" Pain started etching itself onto her face. "All your fault!" She blinked back tears. "You're the reason I'm dead! You!"

"What are-"

Panic takes over, her reflexes kicking in within a fraction of a heart beat sending a round house kick towards the source as she felt her heart stop and breath catch in her throat stifling a scream. She felt someone grab her foot and shove her away. Landing on her left foot she gracefully does a cartwheel grabbing some lose stones from the ground where her hands landed and when she has straightened she looks to where she just was to see Kyle with wide eye's staring at her. "You could have taken off my head!"

Sephrina only breaths heavy, nerves frayed but his scare seemed to have done the trick, though her eye's had shed the tears she was trying to keep back the fear replaced the sorrow. "What are you doing awake?" She asks relaxing her stance and dropping the rocks with a dust of her hands.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I asked you first." She states.

"Technically I asked you and you tried to take my head off the first time." He glared.

She huffs "Fine. I was trying to clear my head."

"Is that why you were running laps?"

"Not so fast." So he can have a decent conversation she thought to herself. "A question for a question. What are you doing awake?"

He looks to his right and point's behind the building. "I wake at dawn, every day without fail. Where did you learn to fight like that?" He repeated.

"I insisted on being taught MMA when I was little." The answer left her lips so easy.

It wasn't a complete lie she had badgered her mom to let her learn but she didn't stay in the program long because her mom couldn't find a way to keep taking her so YouTube became a close friend in that aspect. "How long have you been standing there for?"

"Before you tried caving my skull in you had run maybe a lap or so. Why didn't you run off? I'm sure you had the time."

Sephrina looks at him, her eye's never flinching away nor breaking from his. "I don't know. I was trying to figure that out as well."

He let out a huff of air and started stretching a yawn making it's way from him. "Maybe one day I can see what your made of. I would find it fun beating you."

"What makes you so sure you'd win?" She asks venom staring to line her voice.

"Your not a full blooded werewolf yet, you have to survive the shift first."

Anger made it's way into her chest. "Then fight me now and we will see."

"Not now. It definitely wouldn't be a fair fight."

He is about to walk back in when her next words make him freeze. "A cowards excuse."

They are both still as he looks at her with anger over his shoulder and she at him with determination. He stalks up to her. "You really want to fight that bad huh?"

"If I am really going to lose to you then you should prove it." Her voice gained a high octave and mocked him.

A small one sided smile makes it way onto her lips. "As soon as we get you to Strawberry island it's you and me, one on one."

"Deal." She holds her hand out ready to shake his with no hesitation, no fear.

He grabbed her hand and with a curt shake he stalked back inside with anger. She continued her laps around the parking lot. It was a nice distraction. It definitely helped her thoughts straighten out that's for sure. She lets out a yawn. Damn, she hadn't slept enough, honestly she doubted she slept good at all, she never had slept well since she was little but this time of year had made her sleep almost non existent. After running around the parking lot a while longer she goes back inside. Kyle was locked on the tv his jaw muscles twitching, Lillianna seems to be just waking up as she had sat up at the noise of the door with her hair sprawled out everywhere, everyone else still seeming too be asleep. Rummaging through her bag she grabs some clothes, showers, dry's and put's on a white half open back top, thick strings wrap around her waist until settling into the bottom strip of her shirt, with black and white capered leggings, and a pair of black flipflops guarding the bottom of her feet.

She walks out while ringing her hair into the towel Hallie and Darren now awake. Slowly everyone starts getting ready for the day and Josh finally wakes up after getting badgered by Hallie. They get on their way; leaving the motel room rather clean. Stopping for breakfast Sephrina stares at her food with her stomach churning as she eyes the sausage and pancakes seemingly daring her to eat. She let's her thoughts wander thinking about different supernatural creatures, weaknesses, strength's, hunting habits and the works just to distract her from the distasteful feeling of nausea. "You don't look well, what's up?" Hallie pulls her from her thoughts.

"Didn't get enough sleep last night. Just a lack of energy" She responds tiredly.

"You had enough energy when you were trying to take my head off." Everyone looked between Kyle and Sephrina with both confused and surprised looks being passed between them. "She was running around the parking lot this morning and I decided I was gonna try to talk to her and she tried caving my skull in." Kyle made it sound as if she had been planning to try to kick him in the head although the thought hadn't occurred to her till then.

"You scared me." Sephrina said dryly not putting any emotion into her voice feeling the bags under her eye's starting to darken.

"You can sleep in the car when we are back on the road." Suggest Lillianna.

Sephrina simply nods but stays quiet. She barely took note that Darren had gotten her a to go box or that they were leaving. Before getting into the car a thought came to her, why was she willingly going with these people to Canada, she could take off and run, they are in a city, there would be no guarantee that they would be able to follow her. She could run but instead she was climbing into a van with five people she really didn't know as if she was going on a road trip. For all she knew she could be getting into a human trafficking's thing.

She didn't remember falling asleep but she when she opens her eyes, her head was resting in Darren's lap. Sitting up with a start she looks out the window and see's nothing but forest around her but she felt as though she had slept the greatest night ever. "Where are we?" she asked distracting herself from the thoughts of where her head was as a slight blush dusted her cheeks.

Quiet ensued for a heart beat. "Strawberry island."

Surprise spread over her face. "Already?"

Darren gave a small smile that did not meet his eyes. Climbing out of the car she notices that the car had been turned off, everyone and thing was nowhere in sight other than Darren and the gentle look he gave her. Once out of the car taking a look around she spots what look's to be a massive lake to the east, slowly turning about she see's a massive mansion standing to the west. It's dark wood matching the forest around it. "Where is Kyle?" Is all she was able to say. "We have a score to settle.

"I'm sure they are all inside by now." Darren responded confusion settling over his feature.

It seemed like confusion had been spreading amongst the group bit by bit as the day had gone one. If it was even the same day. Sephrina looks to Darren an innocent smile painted to her lips. "Show me to my room?"

Darren looks into her eye's a yearning to say something evident replaced the confusion. He holds out a hand. "My lady."

Her smile spreads a little and they make their way into the mansion, this first room seemed to be a very large foyer with a mural for walls of wolves running through the woods, to the right looked like a kitchen through an open archway with dark trim and to the left of the foyer through a copy of the previous archway is a dinning room. Darren leads her up the stairs and to the left passing several doors on either side until they get to the door at the very end of the hall. Letting go of her arm he opens the door and makes a welcoming gesture. Walking inside only a few steps she stops. Looking at everything in the room her breath catches. It was a warm and welcoming shade of light and dark brown and looked woodsy as if the room itself was inside of a great tree.

A king sized bed on the far wall between massive windows that outlooked who knows what held her things. The bed itself was draped in a mahogany colored comforter had a canopy with matching dark curtains, a cherry wood dresser with a standing wardrobe beside it that had been carved and painted too look like vines with moonflowers was growing across them sat against the far left wall, a cedar colored vanity to the left on the same wall as the door, no intricate design's but the beauty was unlike any other vanity she had seen and the mirror that sits atop it is rather large. Stepping farther into the room her shoes hit a rug and quick glance down at it shows that a pack of wolves are resting beside a lake, perhaps the same lake she had seen outside. To the right a dark walnut wooden door stands open to a large bathroom, fit with a double basin sink over a sliding door cabinet looking to be frilled with wash clothes and towels to the left of the door, a long and deep white tub to the right and a large very light grey tiled shower with a glass frame surrounding it on the farthest wall. "Do you like it?" Darren's voice priced the quiet.

Turning to him with no discerning look he seemed as though he was starting to panic. "It's nothing short of beautiful." A soft smile making it's way onto her face. "I would love to stay in the room and get everything settled but I need to make sure Kyle and I settle our... dispute."

"What are you talking about?" He asked as she dug through her things

"Kyle and I made a deal that once we got here he and I would fight. One on one. He thinks that because I am not a werewolf yet he can beat me in a fight and I have..." Finding everything she needed she went the the tiled floor bathroom.

Without hesitating for a second she changed into a red short sleeved top with half the shoulders missing and black shorts that are made from the fabric that make leggings with pockets on the hips, knee high boots, and fingerless gloves. She re-enters her new room and grabs her brush from the mess of things that are on the bed throwing her long hair into a tight high ponytail braid she barely notices that Darren may or may not have been checking her out. "Come on, I'm sure that you would love a good show." She commented as she walked out of the room throwing back a playful glance to him who stood confused in her room. "I don't go back on promises."

She flies through the house and to the kitchen finding Kyle looking through the fridge. "You ready to make good on that deal about our fight?"

Kyle looks up from the fridge to her and rolls his eye's. "Yeah, let's get this over with so I can eat." he groans as he closes the fridge.

Before she can get a good look at the kitchen they are on their way outside ignoring Darren's protest. They take their stances outside of the house much closer to the lake. They both waited for the other to move. "Come on Princess, you claim your not scared of me but you keep your distance. Come on. Or are you too much of a coward?"

"That's so hypercritical of you, but then again it's to be expected, you are so very predictable." she jabbed at him.

This seems to get under Kyle's skin and he rushes Sephrina, she sidesteps. The first ten minutes he tries to land blows and though it seems like he has her on the defensive with every missed hit it seems as though his anger rises, just what she wants. She knows that the others are watching from the sidelines, Darren probably worried sick. No, distraction means losses. "Come on do something other than dodge if you really mean that you are not a coward."

Only a few more swings from him and she would understand how he fight's. He charges at her swinging high and kicking low with opposite limbs, jumping through the small space of opportunity she rolls behind him and kicks the back of his leg forcing him to take a knee. He springs up and now, the real fight ensues. They exchange swings, both landing punches and kicks, however she knew that her bruises healed and the pain dissipated by the time the next hit had landed. Sephrina gains the upper hand as Kyle looses his cool. After landing a hit across his face his eyes flashed, a signal he was on the brink losing control and letting his wolf out to finish the fight. Bones vibrating with magic, muscles staring to burn from use, yet her movements came easy to her and only a few drops of sweat beaded her forehead while Kyle looked as though he was about to have a heat stroke. He lunges at her and she can see the shift before it he had summoned it or rather let it.

Sliding under the giant wolf that was now in mid air stopping herself midway, his hind legs landing only an inch from her face. She jumps pushing her legs hard and as he turns to look for her she lands on his back first grabbing his fur on the back of his neck and when he finally realized where she was he started bucking. She held onto his fur as if her fists were welded shut as he growled and tried nipping at her. Patiently she waited for the moment of opportunity and when he tucked his head to roll she grabbed his ears tighter than his fur earning a yelp and the weight of the wolf nearly crushes her lungs as he lands on top of her. Once he was up and she was to his side she drove one knee into his jaw and when her foot lands back on the ground she swung herself under his neck letting go of his ears and wrapping her left arm around his throat pulling it tight with her right. He tried running and bucking for a few seconds before attempting to roll when his legs gave out and he started panting and coughing. He finally shifts back and taps out. Sephrina turns her back to a now fully naked Kyle and looks to the group watching them. "He tapped out." She said triumphantly.

Looks of surprise crossed their faces but only Josh, Hallie, and Lillianna smiled, Darren's face contorted into something disapproving but Sephrina didn't let that tint her victory. "The fuck did you learn to fight like that?" Kyle managed to get out after a coughing fit.

"Like I told you at the motel. I got into MMA."

"That was not MMA." Hallie stated a huge smile covering her mouth "But it was awesome."

Darren walks inside the house. "What's his problem? Kyle and I made a promise to fight one on one when we got here."

"I just don't think he likes the idea of you fighting." Lillianna suggests.

A disappointed laugh eases out of Sephrina's lips. "I'm not going to stop fighting anytime soon." Darren walks back out of the house something balled up in his hands. Once close enough he throws the ball at Kyle. Assuming it was clothes Sephrina waited for him to put them on then turned to make sure that he was on his feet and wasn't about to fall over before she bowed to him as a notion of respect and made her way back towards the house a quiet Darren following her, Lillianna, Hallie and Josh all taking to Kyle as they walk back into the house. Sephrina enters her room and Darren stands in the doorway seeming as though he was brooding. "What is it?" she blurted. "You're brooding. It's not like you to brood."

Why did she say that? What if it is like him to brood though, after all she didn't really know him. "I don't like what happened." He finally said something

"What? That he and I kept our promise to fight each other once we got here?"

"You shouldn't have been fighting at all." he managed out through gritted teeth.

"And who are you to determine that?" She scoffed.

"I am the alpha of this pack."

"But I am not a werewolf."

"I bit you on the night of the full moon!"

"Yeah cause your bite makes that much of a difference."

"Magic makes that much of a difference, never has anyone who has been bitten by a wolf has ever resisted the wolf that forms inside. Not anyone who isn't a vampire or some other supernatural creature. So a mortal like you-"

Sephrina didn't know that she had balled her fists, even less so the she had punched Darren until she looked down at him laying unconscious on her new bedroom floor. She took a shaky breath into her lungs. "Who said that I am a mortal." Though he was out she couldn't help but to say what had been building in her chest after years of being told that she wasn't anything special. "Josh! Lillianna! Come get Darren please!" She shouted as the front door opened going back to deal with the mess of things on her bed.

By the time the group had gotten to her room she had organized a good bit of her mess. "What happened?" Lillianna asked in a voice that sounded protective and on edge.

Sephrina could feel her words cause a small chip in her heart. "He insulted me and went over the line. Before even realizing that I had my hand in a fist I hit him."

Lillianna and Josh picked up Darren who's chest rose and fell steadily and they all gave Sephrina one look. Distrust. Once they had left the room Sephrina closed the door and let some tear fall from her eye's. She never meant to hit him. 'So a mortal like you-' Ringing through her head only brought more tears to her eye's. No he didn't know how much it hurt her, no he probably didn't care, but she knows what she is, how there is rumored to be only two more of her kind besides her and though they all look the part of a mortal the only way to tell that they aren't is to feel the extent of their powers. She is technically part of an endangered race. She hated that she was never able to be in her true form like other supernatural entities could; angles, demons, werewolves, vampires, goblins, ogres, orcs, hell even dwarves just pass as midgets now a days so why was she cut off from that part of her, she so desperately wanted all of her features to come flying out and show themselves to give her some sort of hope she had waited so long to be able to have them but no matter what she did nor time she waited she was never able to have them. More tears spilled from her eye's as she cried silently at the door in rage and something else. Despair perhaps.