Chapter 105 : Dark Awakening

Xavier

‘If I can't find and remove the fragment, then I will eliminate Nathan's control.’

With grim resolve emanating from his golden-colored eyes, he rushed to confront Karen, responding to her attack when she returned to attack him, or so it seemed at first. Instead, he somersaulted over her head at the last second, landing a few meters behind her, and before she could turn around and attack him again, Xavier snapped her wrist, using the rope that had been thrown from his hand with controlled accuracy.

As Karen turned to face him, he moved around her, immobilizing her arms to her sides, and then pulling her arms back as he lunged at her. Catching her near his chest, he easily locked her against him, controlling her attempts to break free. With his arm still around her and the other arm wrapped around her waist, Xavier used his free hand and dug his fingers into the blood clot at the back of her head, forcing her head back at a painful angle, making it impossible for her to move her head or bite him as he smashed his lips into her open mouth.

Igniting his wolf aura, Xavier poured it into her with such force, that her body jerked as if she had been punched. Desperate, he was not at all sure if this action would work. Xavier had no hope of purifying the gems, but perhaps he could contaminate the stone with the energy of his demon wolf aura and remove all of Nathan's control over the moonstone. Maybe then Karen would wake up from her bloodlust.

If not... He would have to knock her out and figure it out later.

As always, even in difficult times like this, having her so close, the scent of her body, the taste of her, was addictive to him. The only thing he didn't really like was the scent of Maya's blood. He ignored it. He ignored everything, the way she muffled her growls, and how she fought him, focusing only on the mission at hand, staining the gemstone inside Karen with a different wolf aura, his own wolf aura. He had corrupted her body and soul. What else could he do to her that he hadn't already done? When Xavier didn't feel her spiritual energy rising up to try to counter his effect, sadness came over him. It was as if he needed a reminder of how much he had done wrong.

How much did Karen need? When would he know if and when all those fragments could be 'purified' of Nathan's taint?

Before the answers to his silent questions could be found, his senses flared, signaling that danger had arrived. Without much thought, he threw himself and Karen to the side, narrowly missing Nathan's sharp fingernails stabbing Xavier in the back and possibly Karen as well.

"You bastard," Nathan growled, hatred and evil rushing through him in waves. His crimson gaze seemed even redder like rubies as his anger peaked, and Xavier watched him warily, ready for a new attack, as he held Karen in front of him.

She was trembling, one hand pressed to her forehead as if she was in pain, or like she had finally awoken from a long slumber filled with horrors only she could see. Maybe it was both.

Had she regained consciousness? Or was she just dazed from the wolf aura and seconds away from attacking Xavier again? Either way, he pulled his hand away, freeing her hand, but not letting her go.

"Karen," he murmured, calling out her name, hoping she would hear his voice and respond without blindly attacking him. Did it work? Truth be told he didn't believe his desperate actions might actually pay off, not when his heart was filled with despair that Karen would be lost forever to bloodlust.

******

Karenina

For her, she was not feeling well. Her head hurt like hell, her heart raced every time it beat. And she felt weak and strong at the same time, but it didn't make sense. Right now, she almost didn't care. Where was she? And what was going on? Her name was... Someone was calling her... It was then that her senses finally awoke in her chaotic mind. Within seconds, everything around her came into focus, lightning-fast, and instead of overwhelming her, it somehow felt natural in a not-so-natural way.

She clung to him. She knew it was Xavier because his scent filled the air around her, filled her lungs, and swirled around in her mind like a warm blanket, making her feel safe and comfortable. There were other scents too, strong ones. Grass and flowers, the earth itself, the wind gently caressing her cheeks, carrying even more strange scents that she couldn't recognize - except for one. A scent that she was very used to and with her keen sense of smell, the scent of aged blood made her nauseous.

And it seemed that she could hear everything but see nothing. She could tell without seeing that she was in the forest, could hear the rustling of leaves in the trees, and the gurgling of water in the cave, but there was no sign of life other than the two other existences she could sense nearby. No animals large or small moved in the bushes or in the trees, no birds chirped or flapped their wings nearby, and no insects either.

And she knew why. The evil air filled the room around her in pulsating waves, obliterating any sign of life. Nathaniel... he was here, but before she could put herself on the defensive when her enemy was so close, she felt numb, her heart cold like ice frozen inside her chest, even though it was still beating - it hurt now. The evil she felt also came from herself. Something was not right - with her.

"Karen," he called more firmly, obviously trying to get her attention.

"Xavier...?" She whispered, hearing the fear in her voice.

Only one thought kept filtering through her mind, making her unfocused, making her blind and deaf to everything around her. Something was wrong. Because she was wrong.

He scooted over her so quickly that she flinched. One of his arms remained locked around her back, keeping her glued to him, but she could feel Xavier draw his weapon, hear the hiss of steel from the sheath, and then he swung his arm in a downward motion behind her back.

The slash of steel sliced through flesh, skin tore with a terrible ripping sound, and body parts fell to the forest ground with a loud thud, but they didn't die. She could hear them slithering on the ground, like a snake thrashing about after its head had been cut off.

Finally, she turned her head to look around. First on the ground in front of them. A writhing blob near their feet, purple blood darkening the ground, contaminating it like a venomous poison.

Her head jerked upwards when she felt the wolf's aura coming at her in a threatening manner. Reflexively, her body moved before her mind could comprehend what was happening and what she was doing. She mustered her strength and a dark light emerged from her outstretched palm, dissipating the energy blast of the wolf aura aimed at them.

Startled, she slowly lowered her hand, only to bring her palm up to her face to check. What was that? It wasn't her spiritual energy! The air in her lungs collapsed as she looked at the bloodied claws. And it was Xavier's blood that dyed her claws a ruby red color.

‘What the hell is going on?!’

"Xavier," Nathan yelled, interrupting her anxiety, and catching her attention.

She looked up to lock eyes with her most despised enemy, only to watch as Nathan's face twisted into bitter hatred and anger. It all came back to her as she stared into his piercing crimson eyes. Helga was dead. Maya had killed Helga. Maya had died trying to protect her from the man standing a few feet away from her. Nathan... he had done this. He was the one to blame. He has corrupted her...

‘Oh, Moon Goddess! Who is she?’

"You have the nerve to interfere where you shouldn't?" Nathan continued threateningly, ignoring her in order to glare at the man who was holding her so tightly with anger in his eyes.

‘No!’

‘No, no, no, no!’

It was Xavier who started this, her mind screamed at her. Her spiritual energy was gone. She could not feel its spark within her. What replaced it was nothing but the energy of her new wolf aura and it felt dark.

A dark priestess and so she could feel the dark magic within her, her mind whispered evilly to her.

‘No!’

"What have you done...?" She whispered as all the effects of her transformation hit her like a freight train. The power of her spiritual light... Gone. Gone...

Both men's attention was on her. Nathan's eyes were on her face, and she could also sense Xavier was staring at her. And it was obvious they thought she was referring to Nathan and not Xavier, the real target of her remarks.

Nathan's eyes, although still angry, turned almost sad as he looked at her.

"My sweet Karenina. Look at what he has done to you. He has stolen all your beauty. Allow me to get rid of him, and we can resume our relationship as before."

Although Nathan was talking about her previous wild state, it seemed to her that he was talking about something else, something more sinister. Yes, she thought, look what Xavier did to me...

"You can't have her, she's mine!" Xavier snapped at him in a harsh tone.