Your shoulders shook with the cold breeze of the night, your thin coat doing little to protect the bare skin of your neck from the unrelenting wind. You fastened the belt tighter around your waist, stuffing your hands in the pockets as your heels clicked against the hard cement of the sidewalk, something more than the cold creeping up your spine as you passed through the dark gaps between each street light.

The hamlet was unfamiliar and quiet, hardly anything but the chirping of crickets and the whistling of the wind occupying the silent spaces around you. The entire street was dark, save for a few spare streetlights situated every few yards or so, much too many yards to lend any amount of light to your journey. Not a soul could be seen along the stretch of road you were traveling, and yet, there were eyes all over. Although you couldn’t see them, you felt them, following you, watching you, observing you from within the depths of the nearby forests. Your heart palpitated quickly. Suddenly, everything seemed to take on a sinister mode. The echoing of your heels against the sidewalk sounded so far away, you could have sworn they belonged to someone else entirely. The soft hoots and gentle hums of the nocturnal creatures slithered through the wind like death rattles, the last remnants of their sounds caressing your spine as they faded into silence, leaving you with goosebumps and clammy palms.  Still, you continued on, whispering jumbled words of assurance to yourself, only to be overpowered by the tremble in your voice. It wasn’t until a low growl hummed from within the dark woodlands that you finally succumbed to your nerves, quickly ducking into the only building nearby.

The pub was small and dimly lit, adorned with a few tables and two or three stools situated along the bar. It smelt of cigarettes and wood and seemed to be packed to the brim with only a few customers, mostly lumberers who’d taken refuge from the woods. With a sigh, you slipped through the crowded tables, climbing onto the vacant bar stool farthest from the door. The heat of the cramped room stifled your breath as you undid the tie around your waist, pulling open the coat to allow yourself some breath.

"Can I get you something?" the bartender asked.

"Just… water, please." you mumbled, feeling the stares of the men from behind you.

The bartender quickly retrieved a glass, filling it with water from the tap and placing it before you. You sipped quietly, keeping your head ducked to avoid any unwanted conversation. It was only once the previous occupants of the pub returned to their casual banter that you dared look up again, discreetly eyeing your surroundings. Most of the men gathered around the tables closer to the walls, occupied with a deck of cards and a few pints of beer. Although slightly drunk, and nearly twice your size, the men seemed relatively harmless, their minds  too preoccupied with the drunken jeers of the rest of the group to pay you any heed. Still, the door of the pub remained opened, letting in the breeze and assuring you of a quick and easy way out of the room, should it become necessary. For the first time that night, your shoulders slumped in relief, the feeling of safety easing the weight that seemed to press down on your back. With a soft sigh, you brought the glass to your lips, poised to take another sip, when a shadow crept up by the door.

The man stepped into the building soon after, shoulders pushed back, hands in his pockets, head slightly tilted up in arrogance as his crystal eyes scanned over the occupants calculatingly. A familiar tingle crept up your spine upon meeting his gaze, his lips turning up ever so slightly by the corners. Decidedly, he strode across the pub, taking the vacant seat beside your own.

"A scotch, please." he nodded towards the bartender, completely ignoring your eyes still on him.

As he waited for the drink, you took in his features, the uneasiness spreading throughout your body like a parasite. The man was not a lumberer, that much you were almost sure of. Although the small, hard muscles of his arm were visible against the tight fabric of his button down, the boy was young and relatively lean. His hands were delicate, the skin visibly soft and the nails almost manicured. His features were a mix of hard and soft, his jaw and bridge constructed of straight lines, only to blend in to gentle curves at the chin and nose. His lips, like his hands, were elegant, curving up in a natural pout as he them impatiently.

Once the bartender arrived, they stretched into a smile, displaying a set of sharp, stark white teeth. He sighed, bringing the drink to his lips and only then did you notice the black tribal tattoo etched into the skin of his forearm, just barely visible beneath the half-rolled sleeves of his dress shirt.

"Want a sip?"

You blinked, looking up to meet his icy onyx eyes, a hint of mischief dancing upon their surface.

"What?" you croaked, your voice caught in your throat.

"The way you’re looking at it, it’s like a dog drooling over a bone." he scoffed, laughing at his own joke, "If you want a scotch, order a scotch. There’s no need to act like a lady in a place like this."

"I wasn’t-"

"I know you weren’t." he took a sip of his drink, his grin stretching even wider, "You were looking at me, weren’t you?"

You stammered, feeling your cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Don’t get embarrassed." he hummed, his eyes flickering over your figure, "I was looking at you too."

The mischievous look in his eyes darkened for an instant, the smile disappearing from his lips like a ghost, before reappearing again. “It’s not often you see a girl such as yourself in a place as sleazy as this. Especially so late in the night.”

"I hadn’t intended on coming here-"

"Then why are you here now, sweetheart?"

Your skin crawled at the nickname, your eyes immediately falling to your fingers, folded tightly upon your lap. You didn’t answer.

"You should be careful walking around here at night, sweetheart." he hummed, his eyes dancing over the maroon sundress clinging to your torso, "The woods aren’t exactly an ideal place to get lost in."

"I wasn’t lost-" you snapped, shooting a glare up at the man, "-and I don’t need your advice, thanks."

"Weren’t you?" he chuckled, completely oblivious to your venomous tone, "I thought you said you ‘hadn’t intended on coming here.’"

"I didn’t-"

"Then you’re lost." he deadpanned, "Unless you were stumbling down the edge of town on purpose."

You bit your lip, your eyes wandering over the bare walls of the bar as he smirked beside you. “This town is commended for its lumbering business.”

"And?" he arched a brow.

"I’d say the woods is one of the safest places to get lost around here. This late at night, at least."

"Why? So one of those desperately alcoholic lugs tripping over themselves can ‘save’ a little damsel like yourself from the harsh environments of the suburban forests?" he scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the crowd of men hollering at each other on the other side of the pub. "You’d be better off if a bear found you."

"Well, I don’t think I’ll be needing any help." you replied through gritted teeth, standing up from the stool, "I should be going anyw-"

"Stay." he commanded, his pale peridot eyes staring you down as his lips pressed in a thin line, "It’s not a safe time right now."

"What do you mean?" you squinted at him, lingering by the stool.

"The wolves," he gestured with his glass towards the door, the hardness of his eyes melting into their previous look of mischief, "They like to come out around this time."

You scoffed loudly, arching a brow at him, but took a seat nonetheless.

"There’s no wolves in this area." you stated rather obviously, folding your arms across your chest.

"How would you know, sweetheart? I thought we already established, you’re lost."

"That doesn’t mean-"

"It does. You don’t know this town." he sipped his scotch tentatively, "I do."

"And how do you know the wolves come out at this time?"

The man simply shrugged, a smile playing on the edge of his lips, “I just know.”

You curled in your lip, on the flesh as you mulled over his words, deciding whether or not the man was to be trusted. He glanced at you, grinning widely.

"If you don’t believe me, ask your lumberjack buddies over there." he tilted his head towards the workers, some of them looking up to eye the boy, "The town has a problem with them. People going missing, body parts showing up in odd places about the woods, howling in the middle of the night. I’m sure you’ve heard it already. Even this-"

The man pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the entirety of his tattoo, an arrangement of intricate patterns and symbols from a culture you couldn’t quite detect. His eyes followed the twists and convulsions of the design, a smirk dancing across his lips, “This is to help… keep them at a distance, supposedly.”

"Do you believe that?" you asked, your fingers itching to trace the ink on his forearm. He pulled the sleeve back down, his eyes running over the lumberers as several of the men stared at the bar, something along the lines of disdain coloring their features as they targeted their eyes on the young man. Your throat tightened as the atmosphere thickened, tension lurking between the man and the others.

"Not really." the young man turned back to face you, smiling tightly, "It’s just for s and giggles. Besides, what business have I got with a bunch of wolves, hmm?"

Your eyes flickered between his, catching a slight hint of hardness in them, just beneath the playful surface. Your stomach curled.

"I suppose." you mumbled, fastening the tie around your coat. He took a sip of his drink, glancing at you as you stood up.

"Still want to leave, hm?"

You nodded slightly, adjusting your coat.

"I thought I told you it’s not safe right now."

You held in a breath, avoiding his gaze. “I have to get home.”

Before you could take a step, he reached for your wrist, his delicate fingers curling harshly around the bone and squeezing.

"You’re not going yet, sweetheart." he hummed, almost teasingly.

"Let go." your voice trembled as you attempted to yank your wrist from his grip. The young man pulled with just a little more force, pushing you against the edge of the counter, knocking the breath out of your lungs.

"I’m only trying to help you, darling." he mumbled, standing up to trap you against the counter, his face hardly a breadth away from your own. You turned away, focusing your eyes on the floor as his free hand trailed up your side, digging his nails into your hips. He monitored your expressions, the corner of his lip twitching up in satisfaction as your face contorted in an instant of pain.

"Hey-" a gruff voice sounded from across the bar, the screeching of a chair sliding across the floor echoing throughout the small pub. "What’s going on here?"

The young man rolled his eyes, not even sparing a glance over his shoulder.

"I don’t think its any of your damn business," he sighed, "So if you don’t mind-"

Before he could finish, a rough hand clutched at his shoulder, ripping his fingers away from your wrist. You stepped away from the counter, your legs shaking as you took in a shallow breath, the feeling of his fingers still lingering on your skin. The young man frowned.

"Let the lady leave." the lumberjack grumbled, his hands now holding the boy by the collar.

The man glanced at you, a taunting smirk curling his lips. You shot him a glare, only barely hiding the shiver that ran down your spine. He laughed heartily, a glint shining off the surface of his iridescent eyes as he returned his gaze to the lumberjack. The man removed a hand from the boy’s collar, bringing it back into the air in a fist. You snuck away to the door before his fist could come down, the sound of shattered glass shrieking through the air as you ran as fast as your trembling legs could manage, the solitary pub slowly disappearing into the midnight fog.

**********************************************

Your pulse echoed in your head as you slowed down, turning your head in search of a sign or exit. The path you’d taken led straight into the woods, winding this way and that and trapping you within depths of the wilderness, nothing but the beams of light shining randomly between the trees to guide you.

You continued with slow, halting steps, your heels shaking beneath your weight as you stumbled along the path. The cold night air seemed to chill even more in the darkness of the woods, causing the hairs on your neck to stand on edge. The creeping feeling of fear returned, stifling your breath, choking you with anxiety. The forest hummed with life,  the unfamiliar noises surrounding you on all sides, suffocating you with their ever changing sound. The clacking of your heels sounded loudly against the stone pathway, reverberating off the trees and back to you, the harsh noise somehow emphasizing your complete isolation. Yet, even so, there was an unaccounted presence, invisible but ever pressing upon your shoulders. Slowly, cautiously, it crept upon you, following your figure eagerly, decidedly, hungrily. Your breath came out in short trembles as you quickened your pace, clutching onto the tie of your coat like a rosary.

Suddenly, a howl resounded from the distance. Involuntarily, you jumped, your rapid pace halting to an immediate stop. Your eyes wandered over the surrounding foliage, searching in vain for a figure, a shadow, a pair of eyes, anything. With nothing to show for your search, you continued on, cautiously venturing further down the path, your lips moving softly in the form of a prayer.

Again, a howl sounded from within the woods, this time closer. A whimper escaped your quivering lips as the sound of snapping twigs emitted from within the darkness. Your limbs froze, your chest tightening as the noises crescendoed, drawing closer and closer. Your hands shook, your skin paling as the fear overwhelmed you. You suddenly recalled what the man at the bar had said. People going missing, body parts showing up in odd places about the woods, howling in the middle of the night. You imagined your limbs scattered about the fallen leaves on the floor, ice cold and pasty gray, the carcass of a monster’s meal, left for someone else to stumble across. The rustling drew closer, a low hum sounding from the depths of the wilderness. You closed your eyes, almost tearing apart the coat tie with your grip.

"Scared, sweetheart?"

Your eyes opened in shock, searching your surroundings frantically. Your stomach twisted when you caught sight of him, sitting upon the branch of one of the trees, his legs rocking back and forth playfully as he smirked down at you.

"Didn’t I tell you not to leave?"

"What are you doing here?" you whimpered, your throat dry.

His smirk widened into a full on grin as he jumped down from the branch, landing gracefully on the toes of his feet. His eyes rested on you, the glimmering crystal surface shining even brighter under the moonlight. Slowly, he his lips.

"I’m here for you."

You took a step back, your hands clenched into fists at your side, “What do you mean? What happened? That man-”

"That axe swinging fat ?" he scoffed, "What do you care about him?"

"H-he was going to-" you stammered as the young man took a step forward, "He was going to-"

"He wasn’t going to do anything." he cut you off, shrugging his shoulders, "But if you really wanna see him, he’s by those bushes behind you, sweetheart."

You glanced over your shoulder quickly, afraid to lose sight of the man for too long. He smiled in amusement, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.

"Go on. Look."

You took another step back, nearly tripping on your heel. The man watched silently, his pale eyes never once leaving your figure. You turned back slowly, glancing at him every few seconds as you approached the bushes. Cautiously, you moved aside the foliage, your heart nearly caving in. The pungent stench of iron and rotting flesh reached your nose, the faint sound of flies buzzing around what was left of the man’s body invading your ears. Quickly, you covered your mouth, cringing away from the sight, your eyes stinging with tears.

"What’s wrong, sweetheart?" the young man tilted his head, taking another step forward, "I thought he was going to help you?"

A shudder ran through your spine as you leaned against a tree trunk, a gag escaping your throat. The young man chuckled, coming closer.

"I thought he was going to get you away from me? Help you find your way back home, where you’ll be all nice and safe and away from the dark, scary woods? Don’t be like that now. How do you think that makes him feel?"

"Stop." you cried, clutching desperately onto the bark of the tree. The young man bit his lip, the playfulness in his eyes vanishing.

"You know, sweetheart," he spoke softly, his voice low, "We really do have a wolf problem around these parts."

Calmly, he took another step forward, hardly a foot away. “But I guess I should’ve told you, they’re not quite what you’d think.”

Your shoulders shivered as his eyes ran up and down your figure, their pale tone almost seeming to burn a fiery citrine. His lips twitched as he continued, “Do you know what a man has to do become a beast like that?”

You didn’t respond, your entire body petrified as he drew closer, his hands reaching out to rest on either side of your head against the trunk. You lowered your gaze, pressing yourself into the tree as his breath blew hotly against your neck.

"Do you know what kind of insatiable thirst a man has to have to want to become such a monster?" he whispered against your ear, his eyes running over your features, "Do you know what they give up, just to satisfy that craving?"

You closed your eyes, fighting back a cry as his slender fingers gripped your chin, forcing you to face him. He leaned in closer, his lip brushing against the skin of your neck. “Can you even understand, giving up a soul, an afterlife, any hope of salvation, just for a taste? Walking around with a mark on your body to show everyone what you’ve done? Who you are?”

"I was ready to let you go for a moment, sweetheart." His fingers trailed down your neck, dancing against your collarbone. "You were shaking so much in my hands back at the bar, I almost felt bad.”

Your eyes fluttered open at his words, immediately regretting the action upon catching his gaze, his iris swirling in a vivid mix fiery opal. His fingers curled around your neck, digging into the skin in a choke hold. His lips trailed along your jaw, stopping just before your lips as he sighed, looking down at you, “But I have to admit, I haven’t craved something this much in a long time. Not since that first night.”

Without warning, his lips molded against yours, wet and hot, his tongue swiping along your flesh tauntingly, his teeth pulling and biting your lips roughly. His hands traced down to your hips, the fingers digging into your flesh as he pulled your waist away from the tree and against his own body, his skin burning even through his shirt. Your hands pressed against his chest, pushing him away with as much strength as you could muster. However, he remained still, a small chuckle vibrating against your mouth as he laughed at the feeble attempt to escape. It was then you began to feel his body quiver. The fingers gripping into your skin sharpening, the muscles of his back cracking and breaking apart agonizingly as he continued the kiss. You whimpered against his lips, pushing frantically away as the contorting cracks resounded from within him. Slowly, he pulled away from the kiss, making sure to on your lip once before completely letting go. Your heart dropped at the sight of his eyes, clouded in a sickly amber, the pupils shaking in a pool of black. His lips turned up in a smirk as he tilted his head, placing a kiss against your neck before the venomous words slipped from his tongue, “I might just starve if I don’t have you now.”