Chapter 3: Predator

1) The sun shines on a bright clear day. My pack shifts nervously in the underbrush. First they look up at the sun and then at me and let out a collective whine. I smile a moment from deep within the shadows and then shush them with a soft growl. I motion and they all scatter into the woods as my latest prey draws near. It is time for me to make a slave of my first human.

2) My smallest and least fearsome dog moves into view as a young lady jogs along the trail. As she gets close he let's out a pitiful whine and begins hobbling around. She slows, then stops and bends down to inspect the poor canine. That is when I strike! A burst of speed and I move across the path, grabbing her and pulling her into a deeply-shadowed cave. But not before the full sunlight washes over for just a moment

3) I let out a fierce growl from the pain and almost lose control as I bury my fangs into her tender neck. I taste the salty sweat on her skin as it mixes with the sweet metallic tang of her blood. Soon, I feel her going weak and her mind begins to open up to me. She is mine! She stares at me in wonder and calls me "master". How Cute! I lick my lips and watch her jog unsteadily away. She will be back.

4) Night is upon me once again and my hunt continues. As I stalk through the trees, I hear the faint cry of a woman. Intrigued, I move toward the sound until I come across a very familiar scene: a man with a knife in the process of robbing a hapless victim. It always amazes me that people will walk alone through a park at night, unaware of the predators that surround them.

5) The man is sloppy but I can see that he is enjoying himself, relishing the fear he causes in the woman. A flash of the blade and I can smell the sweet scent of her blood in the air. I move forward, my hunger driving me on. The man looks up as I emerge from the shadows. "What's this? Do we have a hero?" he barks with a sneer on his face. My only answer is a gravelly chuckle as I move closer.

6) I can hear their heartbeats racing in fear or excitement and the rushing of the blood in their veins calls to me. The man's demeanor suddenly turns hostile and he lunges for me. A scream cuts through the night as I catch his knife arm and with a pull and a twist, his bones shatter under my terrible grip. His eyes cloud over with fear now and I tear into his throat with my fangs. There is only one predator allowed to stalk these woods.

7) The woman screams and gets to her feet. She lurches off into the darkness, clutching her wounded arm. Her assailant's limp body drops to the ground and before she can fully break into a run, I am upon her. I cannot let anything go to waste.