Red struggled against his hold. She could not look at him. “You’re a f**king liar!”
“I wish I was. You are in danger because unknown to you, you carry the secret. Trapped deep inside that head of yours is the location of their lair.”
Red pried his hand off her arm. “You’re f**king crazy. Their lair. Them. Who the f**k are you talking about?”
“The Brothers Grimm.”
“Now, I know you’re delirious. The Brothers Grimm are a myth. They’re not real. It’s a fairytale told to children to frighten them.”
“They are real, Red. And you have seen them.”
Red glared down at him. His eyes were heavy, and blood dribbled out from between his lips. He was dying, and talking nonsense. “I’m getting some firewood. I suggest you shut up, or you’ll be dead by morn’.”
Wolf regretfully watched her go as she stomped out of the cave. “I’m dead already.”
Red collected some kindling and larger sticks. She should leave him here, she thought. She could easily find another place before it became too dark. She didn’t need him. She had to remember that he was a murderer and a vicious liar. The lies he was sprouting. She couldn’t believe him. Even now, on his deathbed, he could lie. Thank God, they had been interrupted earlier. She was not sure she would be able to live with herself if she had slept with him.
Especially now, after the ridiculous story he was fabricating about her Grandma. He would say anything to absolve himself from her brutal murder.
Red bent down and retrieved a large tree branch.
She quickly raised her head and searched the surrounding trees. It had gotten quiet. Too quiet. The birds had stopped chirping, and the wind had ceased to blow.
She dropped the wood she was carrying and slowly stood. Her hand was on her knife, slowly sliding it out from its sheath.
“I can help you.”
Red turned around. Behind her stood a woman in a long, slim white dress. She had long wild black hair and big black eyes. Her skin was so pale, she almost glowed.
“Who are you?” Red’s voiced quaked. She had not heard the woman approach. It was as if she had floated in on the wind.
“My name is Morgana. And you are the little Red Riding-Hood. Except you are not so little, now.”
Red raised her knife. “What do you want?”
“I want to help. The Wolf dies even as we speak.
His life force seeps out of him. He will not be alive when you return.”
“What do I care? He is a murderer and a liar. I have no use for him.”
Morgana smiled. She stepped closer to Red. “Oh, but I think you do.”
“Don’t come any closer.” Red’s hand shook. She felt strange. She felt fear for the first time in seven years. It gripped her tightly around her body constricting all her movements.
Morgana stopped right before Red. She reached out and took Red’s knife. She sheathed it back into Red’s leg holder. Her hand lightly brushed Red’s hip as she pulled back. She put a hand gently on Red’s cheek, rubbing her thumb over her lips.
“Please…” Red whimpered. A deep, swelling heat traveled from her lips where Morgana had touched her to the center of her body.
Morgana leaned forward and covered Red’s mouth with her own. She pushed her tongue between her lips. Red moaned lightly as Morgana kissed her. She could feel an intimate throb in her belly. It radiated out to her thighs and caused her legs to quiver.
Morgana pulled back and smiled. “Take me to The Wolf.”
When they entered the cave, Wolf was lying on his side. His breathing was labored.
Red dumped the firewood on the ground as Morgana leaned down next to Wolf. She felt his forehead and ran her hands down over his face to his throat. She felt for his pulse.
“He is stepping into the underworld. Hurry, make a fire.”
Red built a fire. She quickly lit the kindling and blew on it for life. It burned brightly. Warmth spread through the dreary cave.
“Help me remove his clothing.” Morgana stripped him of Red’s cloak.
Red looked down at him concerned. “Is that really necessary?”
“Yes. If you do not do as I say, he will die. It is your choice.”
Red hesitated then helped her remove Wolf’s shirt and trousers. They lay him flat on his back. His massive body twitched and quivered.
Morgana stood over him. She took the leather pouch from her belt and opened it. She reached in with her fingers; she came away with a pinch of black powder.
She sprinkled it over Wolf’s na**d form and muttered unintelligible words. Red strained to hear them, but she could not understand. The words were in an ancient tongue she had never heard before.
Morgana raised her arms in the air and swayed back and forth. She looked like a radiant flower blowing in a nonexistent wind. Red’s stare was transfixed on the woman. She was mesmerized by her.
Morgana moved around his body. She paused at his feet and spat onto him. She moved to his left side and spat again. She moved to his head and spat, then to his right side where she spat once more.
Wolf started to twitch and shudder. His body bolted off the ground like he had been struck by lightning, or burned by acid.
Morgana untied her belt. Her white dress slid off her body. She was na**d underneath. Red gazed at her beauty. She was perfect. Her br**sts were full round globes, her waist trim, and her h*ps flared ever so slightly. The hair at the juncture of her legs was a black as that on her head. Her skin was flawless, pale and unmarked by any blemish. Not so much as a freckle.
Morgana knelt down at Wolf’s hip. She reached over and gripped his c*ck in her long hand. She muttered under her breath as she stroked him.
Red watched in fascination as Wolf’s c*ck grew in Morgana’s hand. It was big, like the rest of him. Her hand could hardly contain him. When he was completely stiff, Morgana straddled him. She held him still while she impaled herself.
As Morgana rode him, Wolf began to mutter. His head lolled from side to side. It was as if he was trying to wake from his deadly slumber.
Their union hypnotized Red. She watched intently as Morgana slid up and down on his cock, her arms raised to the sky. She babbled the same verse repeatedly. Red’s gaze traveled over Wolf. His muscles bulged. Sweat poured off his skin. His eyes were open. They were as black as Morgana’s. They stared right into Red.
“Wolf?”
“Kill her.” His voice was barely audible over Morgana’s fervent chanting.
Red knelt down beside his head.
“Kill her. She will imprison us both,” he said desperately.
Red gently caressed his cheek. “It’s okay. She’s helping you.”
Wolf reached up and grabbed Red’s arm. He squeezed her tightly. “Kill her! She’s a witch. The price for my life will be our damnation!”
Red looked over at Morgana. She was watching them, smiling. Her eyes were black, and thick black tears like ink for a quill pen ran from them. She continued to rock on top of Wolf, faster now. Red glanced back at Wolf. His eyes were closed and he had released her arm. Did she imagine it? Was she going mad? Or could she take his warning as the truth?
She could not risk it if it was the truth. Red jumped up and unsheathed her knives from behind her back.
She charged toward Morgana, hands raised to attack.
Morgana waved a hand toward Red. She felt a tremendous force pushing back on her. Red tried to fight, but it was useless. She could not get near. She couldn’t even move. She was suspended in mid air, her arms raised up and to the sides.
She watched in horror, as Morgana reached her plateau. She screamed out. It was a shrill sound, and made Red’s ears ache. She glanced down at Wolf. His face was grimacing as if in pain. His pelvis pushed up. He had also reached release.
Morgana leaned forward over Wolf. She covered his body with her own. She pressed her lips to his. He was comatose.
“My little wolf. Finally I have you.”
Red struggled against her invisible captor. It was futile. She was held firmly by an unseen force.
Morgana raised herself off of Wolf’s body. She slunk to where Red stood immobile. She smiled.
“Thank you for helping me trap The Wolf. I have been hunting him for some time. Three moon-turns ago, he thwarted my attempt to sacrifice three children to my Dark Lord. Triplets they were, a rare thing these days. So beautiful, so innocent. Of course, he could not protect them forever.”
“You filthy deceiver! You lying witch!”
Morgana laughed. She trailed a finger over Red’s mouth. “You allowed yourself to be deceived, little one. The little Red Riding-Hood I heard of would never have dropped her guard. Not for the life of a man. And especially not this one.” She gestured absently to Wolf’s lifeless form.
She continued her path down Red’s neck over her shoulders and down to her br**sts. She circled the material of her shirt slowly, teasingly over Red’s ni**les. They hardened, responding to the intimate touch. Red shuddered.
“I think maybe he touched you somewhere inside.
Got into you somehow. Softened your resolve.” Her hand continued down. She rubbed it over the crotch of Red’s pants. “Did he enter you here, little one?
Pierced your heart from the inside out.”
“No matter how long it takes or what I must do, I’m going to kill you.” Red’s voice was calm and even.
She stared straight into Morgana’s dark empty eyes.
Morgana’s smile faded. She lifted her hand to Red’s throat and closed it tightly. “I don’t think so.”
She squeezed.
Red could feel the air leave her lungs. Her head started to spin. Her eyes grew heavy.
“Sleep, little one. When you wake, you will discover the true meaning of death. You will struggle in its painful grip, and learn to love it.”
Red’s sight faded. She felt like she was floating in a sea of black. She tried to claw through it, but found nothing to hold on to. Vast emptiness surrounded her. She was completely alone. She called out. Her voice sounded flat and lifeless. There was no echo.
She closed her eyes and tears silently streamed down her face. She could feel the warm liquid on her skin. It brought her some comfort. She had not cried in a long time, it was a weakness she could ill afford.