"What if what I have to tell you makes you want to leave."

"Then so be it."

"Don't make me do this. I told you I need them to tell me when it's time."

"No, Jaxson! How long will it be until they say yes? I won't risk it taking that long."

He snarled, threatening. Instead of freighting Zoey, it gave her confidence as she knew he couldn't follow her out there.

"Tell me, Jaxson." Her patience was wading down.

"Not yet."

"Okay then."

Zoey turned and started heading deeper into the forest.

All the irritation Jaxson held inside him snapped, and he went against everything that held him back from saying anything.

"I'm cursed! Okay. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Zoey stopped in her tracks and stomped back.

"What do you mean cursed?"

"Come in here first."

"If you even think about not telling me, I will run out of that cave so fast that-"

"Zoey, I promise. Now get in here."

She eyed him hesitantly, looking for any signs that he was lying.

Jaxson remained straight-faced, emotionless.

Zoey sighed, giving in. She wanted answers so bad.

She crept into the cave, staying close to the entrance just in case.

Jaxson ran a hand down his face. "I'm going to be some serious trouble."

"What do you mean you are cursed?"

"I guess I'll start at the beginning.

Centuries ago, there was a village that lived near these parts. The town was fearful of the beasts that lived in the woods. The beasts stopped them from leaving and anyone from reaching their village. The villagers grew angry and wanted to destroy the beasts. For years the town trained so they would be strong enough. And when they were, they attacked. Every last beast was slaughtered until the lands turned red. The villagers rejoiced as the dark times were now over.

They did not know, but there was a woman who controlled the beasts. She was furious with the humans for destroying what was hers. She cursed the blood of the beasts as it flowed down the river leading into the human village.

Without knowing the villagers partook of the water and under the light of the crescent moon, they became what they feared. They transformed into beasts. Beasts that couldn't go out in the sun, had cravings for blood and could turn into hideous creatures under the moon's light."

Zoey didn't believe it. She couldn't. Everything in her brain told her that his words were a lie. Her whole life, she believed or tried to convince herself that the supernatural was a myth. Even living in a town where almost everyone believed in the supernatural, she didn't. Her brain thought more logically, and she was having a tough time understanding all of this. But how could she not when the supernatural was directly in front of her.

Jaxson gave her a second to process everything. She nodded slowly, giving him the okay to continue.

"The women thought she could control the village as she did the beasts before them. She was wrong, as they still had their minds. My ancestors could still think logically, ask questions, and have control over themselves. They would not give in to their blood cravings as they knew that the second they did, she would own them.

The village didn't worry for the first few decades of becoming beasts. They knew she was watching them, but she couldn't do anything. The villagers soon realized they enjoyed being beasts. They were stronger, faster. Life was easier being beasts as they rose in the food chain. Once a new generation of beasts was born, it was even easier to live that life as none of them knew what it was like to be in the sun."

"You've never been in the sun."

He shook his head, his gaze going out the cave.

"Sometimes I wish I could go out and enjoy the sun's rays as you do, but I've always lived a life of darkness. I prefer it that way."

"Anyway, year by year went by, and a few of us would give in to the blood cravings and go under the woman's control. When she had ten of us, the village started to worry.

For many years, they began to search for the answer as they feared soon, she would have all of them.

Finally, they found the answer. A book that a group of villagers had to shed blood, sweat, and tears to find held the solution they needed. It mentioned the ways of poising blood and turning humans into creatures and provided them with a way to undo it.

Two people will be born with the crescent moon mark. One will belong to the cursed while the other will live among the humans. Only the two together can break the curse."

Jaxson showed her the inside of his wrist. Zoey looked down at her own wrist. She never thought the crescent moon-shaped birthmark was anything special besides when she would brag about it at the playground when she was younger.

"So no information on how exactly to break it."

"Nope, nothing."

"So, you know nothing."

Frustration shot through Zoey. She felt angry that he would take her away from her home to break a curse that he had no idea how to break.

"Well, this is the first time the other has ever been found."

"First time?"

"Yes, the others have never been found before."

"Others?"

"Many cursed beasts have been found with the birthmark since they had found the book. None had been able to find the match. I'm the first."

Zoey opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Jaxson put his hand up, silencing her.

"I think that's enough for now. I'm in enough trouble as if is."

Zoey nodded, respecting his wishes.

"Well, we have a few more hours until sunset if you'd like to rest."

"That's okay. I think I'll stay awake. Why don't you sleep."

Zoey suggested noticing how often he would reach up to rub his hidden eyes or at his hunched figure.

"I promise I'll stay here. You gave me answers, so I'll keep my word."

Jaxson nodded and laid down in the back of the cave. Within minutes, he was out like a light.

~~~~~~

Zoey woke up to her body swaying and her cheek pressed against something solid. She leaned up and wiped the drool from her mouth.

Her eyes widened in horror when she noticed a giant wet mark on Jaxson's shoulder.

"Finally, you're awake. Your drool is starting to drip down my back."

"Sorry, I didn't realize I had fallen asleep."

"It's alright. We move faster when I carry you."

"Well, I can walk now."

Jaxson crouched down near the ground and let Zoey slide off his back.

"How close are we?"

Zoey asked as they started walking through the dense trees.

"We're almost there."

After some time of hiking, Jaxson finally announced, "We're here."

Zoey couldn't see anything but trees, but then they walked out into a clearing, and she could see better. Zoey saw roofs of houses lit up by the light of the moon.

Zoey studied the homes as they passed by. The homes ranged in many sizes but looked relatively lovely for there to be no road and in the middle of nowhere.

Jaxson stopped at one of the houses. It looked smaller and older than the others. He opened the unlocked door, and we walked into the tiny house. It looked smaller inside as an oversized couch sat in the front room, taking up a lot of the space in the room.

Jaxson ducked into a room while Zoey gazed around the little house. It had an odd old scent and looked to have been in this village for a long time.

He came back into the room holding a t-shirt and sweats and handed them over to Zoey.

"I'm going to go talk to some people. Stay here. I'll be back in an hour."

She nodded as he slipped on some shoes and left out the door.

Zoey quickly changed into the clothes, grateful to finally be out of those clothes. She had rashes and marks from where the wet and stiff clothes had rubbed against her skin.

Zoey's stomach ached, and she turned her head to the kitchen. The kitchen looked older than the front room. It also looked like it hadn't been used for a while.

I wonder why Jaxson would come here when he had a nice house on the outskirts of Aria, Zoey thought.

She pulled open cub boards finding a container of old oats and some honey. She pulled open the fridge and was hit with a mildew smell. The fridge's power was off, but there was nothing inside.

Zoey huffed, thinking about cooking those oats, but she decided to wait for Jaxson. She was worried about how long the oats had sat in the cub board.

Zoey pulled open the curtains and gazed out the little window. It was dark, but Zoey figured it would be that way for a few more hours.

She was shocked to see many people out at this time. Light shone down on the people as they moved through the town. She was even more surprised to find they looked just like her, nothing like the beasts she expected to find.

I guess that makes sense as Jaxson doesn't look like a beast, she thought.

A group of kids moved closer to the window, and Zoey could see them better. She expected to find shadow-covered eyes, but she found none. No one she had seen so far had covered their eyes. So why did Jaxson?

Zoey continued to stare out the window. She was fascinated by this mysterious town. She wanted nothing more than to get out there and know more about them.

Time passed as Zoey was lost in thought, and Jaxson was making his way back.

The door creaking open caused her to jump from the window in fright. She placed a hand over her heart when it was just Jaxson. Though she was interested in learning about these people, she was afraid of them and what they could do.

"I need you to come with me."

Jaxson grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the door. "Stay close to me at all times."

She nodded and followed him into the darkness.

The children who played outside stopped once they noticed me leave the house. Zoey gasped as she got closer to them. The bright light illuminating their crimson irises.

Jaxson pulled tightly on Zoey, tucking her under his arm as the children's expressions turned curious.

Zoey's eyes darted from one of the beasts to the other. Every one of them had blood-colored eyes.

Jaxson led her to a more extensive building at the edge of town. The townspeople continued to stop what they were doing and watched them as they passed.

Zoey let out a small sigh of relief once they were inside, away from prying eyes. Blood filled eyes.

Thanks for reading!!