"Daphne! Daphne!"
Daphne groaned, holding the pillow to the side of her head without opening her eyes. She knew Melissa Aurora would understand if she chose to continue sleeping. They only had each other. Daphne was proud to have true friends defined by quality, not quantity.
"Get up! You're going to die if you keep going like this!"
"Why?" Daphne muttered incoherently, "Is there a fire?"
"YES."
"WHAT?"
Daphne suddenly pushed her lengthy, black hair away from her face and stormed out. Her mouth gaped open. Under a sky shrouded in thick smoke, the students scrambled to avoid the pack of wolves.
Several young men, most on the campsite committee, were working together to beat the animals with flaming torches. The air sent hot ash billowing into the air. The fire blazed, spreading from tent to tent as if trying to trap the campers in a circle of hell.
"What is this? How is this possible? Where did they come from?" All of Daphne's questions came pouring out automatically.
Lisa moved quickly to herd her friend to the side of the tent so that the wolves wouldn't detect her.
"This morning, I caught a committee member returning from hunting carrying a wolf carcass!"
"What? Isn't that illegal?"
"Daphne, watch out!"
Flames engulfed the two girls' tent. Lisa hurriedly pushed Daphne into the middle of the field. Because Lisa was so thin, they both fell to the ground.
The hot grass burned her entire body. Daphne slapped her wrists and ankles to get rid of the dirt.
"Are you okay?" asked Daphne.
Something behind her best friend diverted Lisa's attention. Lisa's entire body shivered violently, and she was far from feeling okay.
"Why? What's wrong?" Daphne slowly turned her head. When she fully turned, her eyelids trembled violently as she met the gaze of a pitch-black wolf. The beast's chest could have completely engulfed Daphne.
A roar echoed. Sharp fangs ready to tear.
Daphe rolled before her chest would be smashed by the wolf's leg bone.
She struggled to her feet, then ran, continuing to pound her feet, jumping over rocks and large tree roots until her vision was no longer filled with smoke but fog.
"NOOO!"
Daphne fell deep into the abyss. The world seemed to collapse before it finally darkened. Her eyelids refused to open no matter how hard she tried. The same was true for her entire body. She couldn't lift her fingers. Daphne tried to breathe, but she forgot how.
Is this what it feels like to die? Please… please… my grandmother is alone.
I have to go home.
Someone, please help me. For the stars' sake, I'll do anything to get back.
"Will you do anything?"
The man's voice behind the dazzling white light echoed.
"Who is there?!"
"Oh, what a poor human child. You have been cursed to cross two worlds. However, I will offer you one last chance. If you are willing to accept a pure ability, unlock Pandora from every soul, and to make the work of the Gods easier, I will bring you back alive."
"Pandora? I think I've heard of it. Ah, my grandmother! She once explained that every soul has a Pandora. Pandora contains an aura that reveals the veil of life. But how could I know all that? I haven't learned anything yet."
The Great Entity laughed. "Oh, human child. I am the one who can give you all that. You will automatically read countless auras, understand their meaning, and do something with them."
"You are… Lugh! The god of light and power!"
Suddenly, Daphne felt a great shiver.
"Your body can't wait long."
"I do!"
Daphne jolted awake. The emerald-eyed black wolf was poised to pounce. The beast leaped toward her. Luckily, Daphne was adept at spreading her legs wide. She immediately sped off. It seemed the wolf's strategy had been tested many times in hunting. Without hesitation, it used a tree trunk as a springboard to fly and land on the petite girl's back.
Daphne continued to elbow the wolf until its grip loosened. She was entirely on her back, with one wrist desperately holding the wolf's neck, while her other hand groped for the ground.
"You like playing with women, huh?"
An olive green light mixed with numerous dark red dots pulsed in the wolf's heart.
Daphne knew immediately that this wolf had betrayed her Luna.
The red dots indicated how many times he had had sex.
"Die, you bastard wolf!"
A piece of wood was successfully grabbed. Daphne brandished the stick, stabbing the sharp end into one of the wolf's emerald eyes. His eyelids dripped with blood. Daphne also witnessed the last howl of the wolf, which changed shape as it fell with a thud.
"I AM GONNA KILL YOU!"
Another man's hysterical screams startled Daphne. He was pretty old, but he could leap through the undergrowth. His iron claws would have lodged in Daphne's heart if a sword hadn't intercepted. The old man's head rolled while Daphne was reluctant to open her eyes after that.
The sound of hunting footsteps broke the stillness. Daphne's heart filled with a babble of prayers, hoping for help from the committee, the police, the residents, anyone, as long as it wasn't strange creatures.
"Oh my… what happened?"
"The Alpha has fallen!"
"Poor Sam Rogers…."
"Mr. Levin, what did you do to Sam's father?" asked a middle-aged man in tattered clothes.
There was no answer; people were arguing.
"He must have a reason."
"Still. Isn't this too much?"
"Don't doubt our lycan warrior."
"Wait, what was that girl who killed Sam?"
"How could it be….?"
There was a frightful argument until Levin raised Daphne's body, taken out far away.
"Open your eyes."
Levin's voice was like a messenger arrow in the rain; both soft and unsettling in its firmness. Daphne pressed her knees together, bowing. Although her eyes were open, Daphne stared at the empty ground. Finally, Levin's sword clattered and fell. His cold fingers gripped Daphne's upper arm completely.
The girl's heart sank as her petite body was pulled to her feet as easily as plucking cotton. His hazel brown eyes pierced Daphne's gaze, hypnotizing her. Under the sunlight, it was just like an exotic sculpture. Too beautiful, even though wrapped in a cold gaze.
"How do you know Sam betrayed his Luna?"
Daphne's eyes followed the movement of Levin's lips
Daphne blinked in confusion. "Why do you want to know?"
Levin strangled Daphne. The girl's gaze fell to Levin's chest. Illusions filled Daphne's hidden vision, throbbing in her lonely soul. Meanwhile, in Daphne's mind, Levin's Pandora radiated black, without any gaps of color, as if screaming for a hug.
And, Daphne complied.
Daphne's arms wrapped around Levin's body, feeling the warmth and comfort of being in the safest place. Levin loosened his stranglehold. Daphne's white aura was free from Pandora, merging with Levin's.
"You see the Pandora?" Levin guessed, his breath coming out in gasps as his gaze on Daphne deepened.
Daphne nodded slowly.
With one push, Levin pinned Daphne's body against the stone building, then planted a kiss on her lips, almost as if he were about to devour her.
A faint red glow began to form on each of their hearts, ready to ignite into a full-fledged flame as desire rippled through them.
Between kisses, Daphne smiled. "So, why was he waiting for me?"