The Different Ship
14

Days had passed, Rune laid in Azhar’s bed tossing and turning from what had happened. Mumbling incoherently about killing something and the moon, Arab and him had switched over positions to watch her. Making sure something didn’t happen and trying to decipher the broken puzzle that left her lips.

Rune’s eyes snapped open as she sat up suddenly and let out a shaky breath, her hair was sticking to her clammy forehead. The room around her darkened as she looked around, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness then she recognizing the surroundings, her eyes widened in grief.

“No, no I’m… on his ship… Azhar really took me back… even after…” she trailed off covering her mouth; she then noticed the bed suddenly jostle beside her. Her eyes moved to gaze at the man lying next to her. Azhar was laying on his side, he rolling to set up letting out a tired grunt.

“Rune… you’re awake finally…” he said with a yawn. His black hair was messy and his eyes gave off an unsettling glow as he looked her over. His features holding genuine concern and sadness with a hint of regret, but there was a new emotion in there she couldn’t distinguish. He reached his hand up to cup her cheek, caressing it with his rough callused thumb, she found herself leaning into his touch. She couldn’t look at him; he just made a mistake pulling her back with him. After all she was no longer the human he used to know.

“Azhar… why did you… you don’t even know what happened, I… I shouldn’t be here with you… its too risky!” she cried out, her eyes misting up as she looked him over taking him in, her eyes almost drinking in his appearance. Even though, she was somewhat confused on why they were sharing a bed, but right now that wasn’t her priority, at the moment she had mixed feelings about being back everything inside her felt mixed up. He pulled his hand away and shook his head as he looked down at her, his expression becoming torn and more worried. She was better and now saying it was too risky for her to be here, to be with him?

“Rune I don’t have any clue what you are talking about… what is too risky? I don’t understand and you won’t tell us so we are all lost in your puzzle right now!” he told her swallowing hard, his throat parched but he ignored it. Rune looked down into her lap, gripping the blanket, what was going to come out of her mouth was going to make her seem crazy to him but he needed to know.

“Galahad… he’s a werewolf I…I had no clue those things even existed! He… he…” she trailed off swallowing hard as she began to shake and tear up from the thought. Azhar looked her over and became angry, not for her but for Galahad. Whatever he did to her actually traumatized her, this once strong woman that held her own on a pirate ship. He shook his head, snapping him from his thoughts before he took a deep breath and replied.

“I know what he is Rune, but that doesn’t tell me what he did let alone condone it.” he said slowly looking down at her. Rune’s eyes widened once more, her head snapping up to face him.

“You… you knew? Matchy… he was supposed to take… Arab not me… I don’t know why…” she said with a vacant look staring off. Azhar snarled and shook his head before he moved to stand; he was just in his underwear. Likewise with Rune, her chest was in light wraps but that was all that covered her, they changed her because she was so feverish and soaked her other clothing. Azhar placed his hand where his scar was across his chest.

“is that all?” he asked her in an off irate tone that wasn’t directed at her. She shook her head and stopped slightly, she was trying to think of how to explain it.

“he… he did this ritual… u…under the moon… he said to turn me into one of them, s…so you would never want me or lay your hands on me again… then he left… me for you… to replace so I can kill you when it comes time! You fell right into his trap! Azhar, you need to let me go… or you need to kill me…” she said turning away from him showing off her scraped back from the rock she was tied to, his eyes wandered over her as they widened more.

“A ritual… he didn’t want to change you by biting or scratching you… I mean female wolves are rare and more than troublesome.” He said, she tensed with disbelief and pulled her hand up to her mouth covering it as she began to silently cry. He tensed as he noticed her; he walked over to her and kneeled, lifting her face to make her look at him.

“But that means nothing Rune; you see if there are werewolves there are other mystical creatures correct? Which means we can replace someone who can reverse it…” he said to her she moved her hand off her mouth and jerked out of his touch, breaking the scabs on her back, blood began to trickle down it onto the sheets. The copper scent caught Azhar’s attention almost immediately and he straightened up suddenly.

“Azhar are you alright?” she asked him confused as she reached up to wipe her eyes; he just stared down at her. The scent of her blood made his mouth water. Through the darkness his eyes began to glow brighter, she looked up at him and let out a tensed grunt at his condition. He leaned in closer and inhaled deeply, not even bother to hide what he was doing from her. Licking his lips he opened his mouth to reveal his fangs which peeked out from his upper lip.

“Rune, you smell so… good…” he said to her, pressing her back. She let out a startled shriek and tried to shove him off her, he didn’t budge he was in a blood trance, feigning for only hers though. No one else’s caught his attention like hers did so suddenly.

“Azhar wha… what are you doing, get off me!” she cried out, he just grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the bed with one hand careful not to harm her or grip her too tightly.

“I need it, I need to feed. I need your blood… it’s been so long… you smell so satisfying…” he spoke in a strained low tone as his other hand came up to turn her head revealing more her neck to him. It was pure, flawless not marks of any kind that made him crave it more; she then would hold his mark. He could almost see the blood ran through her veins, he could hear the way her heart beats in fear but he couldn’t stop himself. She tried fighting him off but from everything that has happened she couldn’t, he opened his mouth wider and bit down on her neck, his fangs piercing her honeyed skin with a small pop and her blood quickly filled his mouth. She couldn’t even cry out as the color drained from her face with every deep gulp he took from her. Azhar slipped his hand from her face under her back and pressed up in between her shoulder blades and pulled her up into his chest more, her hair hanging back. Her blood that missed his mouth trailing down the front to her cleavage and down her back mixing with the blood smears there, he pulled his head back and quickly gathered the blood that he had missed and licked over her wound. A refreshed gasped left his lips as he lowered Rune back to the bed. She was limp, her head still tilted to the side as she stared off, and her eyes glassy. They slid shut as she passed out from him gorging herself on her blood. He laid her down gently and looked her over in slight horror; after all she had just gone through he put her in more agony.

“Oh god what have I don’t…” he said as his hands went up to touch his lips, he pulled up the covers over her and moved to run to the doorway in more guilt then anything. Gripping it he leaned out searching for Arab before his eyes landed on him.

“Arab I need you in here right now!” he called out in a strained tone. Arab stopped what he was doing and rushed over to the cabin and looked at him. He spotted the blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, he looking at him with a knowing look.

“Azhar what did ya do ta tha lass!” he said in urgency pushing past him to look Rune over. Azhar looked at him blankly and shrugged as he pushed to door closed.

“Listen I didn’t think I took that much, she might have just passed out from fright since I kind of attacked her or well how weak she was from the Lycanthrope ritual Galahad preformed on her?” he said looking at him, Arab’s eyes went wide as he stared up at him.

“Azhar are ya dumb, do ya realize one ya dumb ass can’t drink no lycan blood and two he changed her and I am jus’ now hearin’ about this?!” he yelled at him before walking back over to the bed and placed his hand on her head.

“That explains so much, why she was burnin’ up when we go her and why she has slept for like five days. Ya need ta sit down before ya get sick all over tha place. Ya know its comin now.” He told Azhar, Azhar furrowed his brows but sat down at his desk.

“Well I don’t feel sick it usually hits me right away. I mean I remember when I made the mistake of drinking your blood when we were younger.” He said in a light airy tone as he turned his head watching her color come back slowly as Arab tucked the sheets around her and turned to him shaking his head.

“Ya still have blood on ya face ya idiot but what did he taste like? If ya ain’t sick somethin’ ain’t right…” he said trailing off. Azhar wiped his face with his thumb before he licked it clean. His body shuddering hard as the crimson liquid touched his tongue once more. Even though he vanquished his hunger quite thoroughly he wanted more of her, he could easily feed on her until he made himself sick.

“She tasted quite good but nothing like yours did, it was like a human. Besides well I want more, it feels like I need more of her.” he said as he stood up. Arab grunted and stopped him, sitting him back down.

“Now ya need ta stop or ya gon’ kill tha lass. Have ya told her yet? That may be why want more of her ya know.” He stated watching him closely.

“Arab, listen I didn’t even have a chance… she told me what happened then the scabs on her back broke and I couldn’t help myself not with how long I have went without so my crew had something. Then this, I know, I know trust me. I need to tell her, she needs to know how I feel.” He agreed with him as he looked away.

“How are ya feelin Azhar, I haven’t seen ya this lively for a long time.” Arab stated as he looked him over curiously.

“I feel rather great actually, better than I ever have after I fed… well a little on the tired side from the feast I must admit, but do you think something happened during the ritual that may have stopped it?” he asked him thinking that a wolf himself might know the answer. Arab retorted his question with a snort and a small shrug.

“Ya have ta remember I was bit. Never heard of a ritual, or well rumors of one? Never thought it was real. If ya ain’t sick though she ain’t no wolf, simple as that.” he grunted out slightly.

“Can I trust ya ta let her sleep or am I gon’ have ta take her from a grasp. Ya need ta sleep tha sun is already up.” Arab said moving to walk out. Azhar stood from his desk an moving to crawl into his bed.

“I will be replace you fool, I am full and well to be honest I kind of feel guilty for almost draining her like that.” he said covering himself up with the blanket. He then reached over to pull Rune into his chest and looking down at her with a soft gaze. Her blonde hair in a lavish pool around her, the blood tracks stained her skin where he had left them. Now Rune was his, Galahad no clue his plan was foiled by what he didn’t know. Something went wrong in the ritual that he was thankful for but the war wasn’t over.

“Alright ya get some rest and I will bring up some food for ya both unless ya up before I get around ta it.” Arab told him walking out and shutting the door. Azhar moved his hand to pinch the candle out before settling and drifting off into a deep peaceful slumber against her.