Chapter 8: Long time no see

Darkness encloses me from all around. I can still see trees silhouette in the distance, but I am supposed to be able to see. I have never experienced this in 10 years. Despite myself, I feel a sentiment of oppression rise inside of me. It is as if the world that was always open to me decided to turn its back and imprison me, stealing me from a sense that has been part of me since I woke up in this new life, just like all other senses.

In the distance, I hear the howl of a wolf. No! A werewolf. The same one that attacked us in the forest. Its voice is powerful, and at the sound of it, my right side hurt terribly. Hissing, I clench my hand on it and feel a warm liquid. That means my shadow doesn't act like a bandage anymore. Without asking myself why it disappeared like that, I try conjuring it again, but to no avail.

It isn't just my capacity to see in the dark that disappeared, but all of my power. The howl echoes again in the night, but closer to me, sounding hungry and excited as if it could sense its prey near and is already imagining the bestial pleasure of the killing blow.

I raise my hand close to my face, so I can confirm that it is really drenching in my blood. What I see startles me. First, I can look at myself as if I were standing in the sun, contrasting with the dark surrounding. Second, that can't be my blood, right? It is not red but pitches black, like if I dipped my hand in a pot of ink. Is it my power flowing out of me, and that's why I can't use it anymore?

I feel a short breeze pass, and shivers run through my body. I didn't sense any wind here before. And this one was too quick and felt more like air being moved by the motion of something... or someone.

If it is someone, I didn't see, hear or sense it. I am vulnerable here and now. In an environment I know nothing about, without my powers and with the werewolf that could have killed me when I had them.

As if to respond to my worries, it yelps in succession, each time in a different location around me, in a parody of a laugh sounding deeper and deeper until it resembles growls, until it stops.

The silence makes me more anxious than hearing the beast. At least I knew where it was, even if it moved without any sounds.

I look around, trying to see the silhouette of the werewolf, but I see nothing. Maybe it left. I close my eyes and sigh in relief.

When I reopen them, I see it standing tall in front of me. I slowly raise my head, and we lock eyes. This time, its red glowing eyes only reflect the wild thrill of the hunt.

In less than a second, it jumps on me and crushes me onto the ground with all its weight. The wind is knocked out of my lung, and the horrible face of the monster is mere centimeters from mine.

While it is growling, showing its sharp teeth, and drooling on my face, I can finally take a breath. The air burns my throat and my lungs.

It opens its mouth, and I can smell the putrefaction in its breath, making my eyes wet. I close them tight. Will it be how I'll die? Powerless and by the first supernatural creature I encounter? I trained for most of my life, even anticipating my first encounter with the supernatural to see where I stood, and that's how it would end.

I can't even lift a finger in front of it. The first time, I had my powers to help me, but now, I am literally powerless

Now, its mouth is a snap of the jaw from ripping out my throat. No! I won't let that happen. I won't let myself be defined only by my shadows. I can't fight him without them? We'll see about that.

But before I can do anything, and against all my expectations, he doesn't choose to take me as a juicy steak. Instead, it whispers in my ears in a low and articulate voice.

-You... will... belong... to... me.

It will never happen! I will track and kill you. Sadly, those words didn't come out of my mouth. I don't have enough breath to articulate, but I have enough to scream as I try to throw it to the side.

To my surprise, and if I consider its high pitch scream, I am not the only one, I succeed in turning it over, and now I am on top of it. It was strangely light.

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Allison POV:

I am so excited! We are finally back in Beacon Hills. It's been so long since I saw Raphael and Alexander. I miss them so much, oh, and uncle Stephane too. Even though he is not my uncle, it makes him so happy when I call him that.

I excitedly get ready. Like all the time I see them, I will probably have to push Raphael to stop talking to himself in the mirror and wake up Alex because neither his dad nor brother wants to take that risk.

The last time was two years ago. Dad had to be made a custom weapon and went to Stephane to order it, and I tagged along. When I entered the house, Raphael was posing and practicing his pickup lines in front of his mirror. He was crying and begging on his knees that I don't tell Alex or he wouldn't ever hear the end of it.

He made me pinky swear, and in exchange, I got his help to help me try to beat Alex at our next game session.

Then I went to wake this one up. I swear that if nobody wakes him up, he can sleep until noon. I've never been worried that he would headlock me or throw me out the window, as Raphael told me. I even started to think that it was just an excuse not to do it himself because I had never experienced any reaction like that.

Anyway, I am done dressing up. Quickly, I pack all my stuff in my bag and run down the stairs four by four.

As I put my shoes on, mom walks in.

-You leave already, honey?

-Yes, I want to stop by Steph's place.

-Then you should go now if you don't want to be late.

The thought of our near reunion makes me smile. Two years. I wonder how much they have changed. Will they notice how much I have changed?

-I'm off, mom. I'll call you when I arrive at school.

-I'm lucky if you only call me when you arrive at school.

She then hugs me, and I leave the house. I don't have to go too far since they live just next to us.

The free driveway tells me that uncle Stephane is not home. I'll have to wait to see him.

I knock at the door, and it is Raphael who opens it. As if Alex could have been awake at this hour.

He wears blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and an apron written "Queen of the kitchen." on it. In his hand, he is holding a dirty whisk. It only takes a second for him to recognize me and take me in his arms, spinning on himself. I laugh happily.

-ALLISON! What are you doing here?

He puts me on my feet.

-Well, I came to say hi to my new neighbors.

I made a pose with a toothy smile. He opens his mouth and eyes wide open in a comical way.

-So that means... That I won't be tortured anymore!

My eye twitches. I punch him on the shoulder. I know very well what he is thinking about.

-You mean we will see each other more often!

-Oh yeah, isn't that what I just said?

He laughs and walks into the kitchen to keep cooking breakfast. I guess he is making pancakes by the ingredients out. I follow him and lean on the counter.

-You cook now?

-I didn't have the choice to learn. It was that or eating Alex's food.

My stomach aches at the memories of the last time I ate what Alex had made.

-I would learn to cook, too, if it meant keeping all my taste buds intact.

-He is trying. We can't take it from him. Now, when he makes macaroni with meat, he cooks the pasta before mixing it in the pan.

I chuckle. While cooking, he keeps talking about all the times he and his father couldn't escape eating Alex's food.

I missed them so much. With all the moving my family has to do, I don't keep friends for long. But I have known the Rosé for as long as I can remember. In this life of loneliness and changes, they are the only ones that stayed in my life. They are like family to me.

-Allison?

I jump, startled, and see Raphael standing before me, licking the whisk.

-Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?

-I was telling you that you should wake Lexy before it's too late.

-Ohh, yes, I'll go.

-Up the stairs, last door to the right!

I climb the stairs and walk toward Alex's room, almost leaping in anticipation. He and Raph are the total opposite. One is an introvert, while the other one is an extrovert. One is a night bird, while the other one is asleep almost at the same time as the sun. One is serious and focused, and the other doesn't take anything seriously. However, as different as they come, I love them both equally.

I stop in front of the door and recollect myself. I open it slowly, making sure not to make a sound, and look inside.

The room is still half full of boxes, and the shelves are all empty. On the bed, a tall body is sleeping over the sheets. He must have been sleepy last night because he wasn't in his pajama.

I carefully tiptoe toward the bed without a sound, trying to keep the chuckles inside of me while I think about all the ways I could wake him up. This time I should tie his ankle together, so if he runs after me, he'll fall.

Arriving at his side, I take a look at him. Short, curly, black hair, a young and sharp face with no baby fat anymore, a well-defined jaw-line, and muscle apparent under his shirt. Even though Raphael is in shape, he is still less than his brother.

Irresistibly, my hand approaches his face, and the tip of my finger brushes his cheek. Laying down, he looks so innocent and vulnerable.

His face frowns, and he suddenly grabs my wrist and pulls hard. I scream in surprise, close my eyes, and am sent flying over him on the bed. When I open them, I see a confused Alex on top of me, holding both my wrist above my head.

-Allison?

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Alexander POV:

The monster I was fighting and clearly beating easily turned out to be... Allison? No wonder it felt so light.

She is lying under me. Her hair spread like a halo around her pale and crisped face. She opens her eyes, and the dim light of the rising sun reflects on them, making them shine like dark jewels. Her face goes from nervous anticipation to a big smile, illuminating it even more.

Why is she there? I know that she never announces it to us when she comes to visits, but we are at the start of the school year. Am I still dreaming?

-Allison?

She giggles and sends me a teasing look.

-Do you pin girls in your bed so much that it becomes a reflex?

I feel the red rise up to my face. Of course, I don't do this. I know that some girls wouldn't mind it, but I don't feel like doing it with someone I don't like, and so far, no one truly interests me.

However, there is no world where I'll let Allison knows about it. So I try to hide my red face by leaning in close to the side of her face to whisper in her ears.

-And what if I do?

-Then maybe you should show me what you do next.

She whispers back and ends her teasing by biting my earlobe. A shiver runs through me, and I become acutely aware of our body closer than it should be. I get off the bed and pass a hand on my face, hoping it will push the red inside.

-Don't joke about that. You're like a sister to me.

I hear her giggles and walk past me. She runs her finger on my arms while heading toward the door. I drop my hand down, and she intercepts it with hers intertwining our fingers together. I look at her, and she looks back at me while dragging me out of my room, giving me a cheeky smirk.

-Maybe you should tell that to little you.

I look down, speechless, and indeed, I am standing with all my glory. Well, as much as my jeans let it stand. My jeans? Why am I still wearing yesterday's clothes? In a flash, everything that happened yesterday comes back to my mind, plus my dream. I nearly forgot because of the surprise of seeing Allison.

I fought a fucking werewolf! And I, we, could have been killed by it if it wanted to. I stopped following Allison, and she nearly fell when she couldn't drag me.

-Why did you stop? We have to go before breakfast is cold.

-I... ehh, have to change and shower first.

She let go of my hands and looks to the side toward the open door. We are just in front of the bathroom. Her gaze comes back to me, and her eyes shine. I already know what's coming next, so I quickly enter the bathroom and shut the door. However, I am not fast enough to ignore her following remark.

-I can help you. It would be quicker... maybe.

The door closes on Allison winking at me and then skirting away down the stairs. I sigh, and my forehead hits the door. Why am I surrounded by perverts?

I walk in front of the mirror and take my shirt off. I must admit, I am proud of my physic. In my past life, I never took the time or the effort to do something about myself. I was lazy and missed all the opportunities to improve and learn. That's why I worked so much before, so I wouldn't regret it again.

I raise my right arm and turn to the side. I can see the patch of shadow I used to cut off the bleeding during the fight. That means I didn't lose my powers. That's a relief. I disperse it to see the result of the injury. The wound looks like a five fingers deep scratch that goes diagonally on my side, ending above my hips. It doesn't bleed anymore, but it doesn't look like it's closing. Normally, with my enhanced body, a deep cut like that would heal completely in a few days.

This wound, in any case, is swollen, and looking closely, I can see a taint of black in it. Would it bleed black, just like in my dream? Is it because of my power growing stronger? I hope I didn't get infected. I'm sure the werewolf didn't wash its hand before ripping me off.

I stop looking at myself and undress to take what will be a very painful shower.

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