SAVAGE PASSION

ng...This is n

d moon w

, almost inconsequential, then it slowly morphed into a creeping, insidious blackness. The neighbor stoppe

ase flowed thro

ought worried looks and talk of preparations to be made. With the third eclipse, all doubt was removed. It was time. The blood moon w

..for the wolves

Rose Ra

utter their name. The dark force was the nightmare that tortured sleep. The foreboding chill down your spine. A shadow swallowing the light. Knowing that no weapon forged on Earth could defeat them, the elders of the village made

t the elders did what was best for the village as a whole; still, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the men. Did they know what was happening to them as the elders ci

orce. Darkness fighting darkness. The beasts prevailed but paid a horrible price. The enchantment was truly a curse trapping the men in the bodies of the beasts. Fo

ve back the dark force, keeping my village s

clearing, a forbidden, desolate stretch of land between the village and the forest that separated us from both the dark force and the vengeful wrath of the beas

here are you?"

soft pile of leaves. I was hiding from...well...everyone. Hoping the wide, gna

ng for you. Honestly, Red Rose, you act like yo

page, I was reminded why. Out of a cloistered village of several hundred, I was the only one with the name Rose. So everyone called me Red Rose...everyone except for my grandmother. My grandmother, Aurora Ramirez had raised me from the moment I

remind me that my own life had cost the life of my mother. That I was a useless, unwanted burden. As a child, my only notion of love and protection was what I read in books-fairy tales. T

me with cold indifference. It was why, though past marrying age, no one had ever offered my hand. Despite my family's wealth and position, the men of the village knew there would be no benefit to marrying Elder

we have to be there," I protested. "This barbaric custo

er her shoulder, her eagerness shown in her quick step toward the town square. I found the entire spectacle

with gray flagstones and flanked on all sides by large, dark gray stone buildings. I hated it. The ominous, unrelenting stone made me feel trapped as if I couldn't breathe. I much preferred the grotto with its freshwater spring, wildflowers, and old oak trees. Preferred the sweet, musty smell of the soil to the stale, perfumed scents of th

th brocade and gold badges. She was in her element, I thought with a sneer. The Selection was supposed to be destined by

a hundred years since the last Selection, we had all been taught the ancient texts. The text clearly stated that it was the duty of the eldes

an for the males to step forward, do you

and. Turning, I watched as she lowered her eyes and took a step back, distancing

oined me before I realized I was the only female to be judged for The Selection. I watched in stunned silence as each man, one by one, was called upon by name to step forward and be judged. Placed in the center of the dais was a mass

one of the elders forced their hand into the jaws of the wolf. Every

ard," intoned on

w stayed clenched. In a panic, I looked at my grandmother again. Her visage seemed warped and distorted. Her thin lips pulled back in a taunting sneer displaying sharp teeth as her large eyes glistened with triumphant hatred. In a rage, I pulled back and swung my trapped arm sharply. The heavy marble disk tottered on its pedestal and tipped backward, releasing my hand moment

nwanted granddaughter of an elder rather than a son of a prominent family. Led to the top of the square, I was pushed over the threshold of the sanctuary. The heavy wooden doors closed, silencing the harried noise of the crowd outside. The air was cool and musty smelling inside the enclosed chamber. Like the square,

dded their heads forward. Turning once again to face the chamber, I watched as three women dres

came the st

my dress close to my body, heedless o

must be prepa

e kind lady who owned a bakery near my home. Yet, in this cham

derstand all this. You must

ot speak. Disrobe," c

ifice!" I screamed. "My n

must prepare her," intoned Marilyn, her face obscured by the large hood of her robes. The two women from behind sna

adness! St

ge of the stone basin scrape against my bare stomach before my head was forced under the water. Bubbles caressed my face and neck as I screamed in surprise. A strong hand gripped my hair and wrenched me backward. I had only a moment to choke on some air before my head was fo

ey began to painfully pluck all the hair from my body from the neck down. Groaning, I tried to shift my hips, to protect my hidden core, but their grip was too strong. My water-chilled skin began to warm from the agony of the hundreds of tiny pricks and pulls. When it was over, they began to chan

lders forced me back down. The oil was a sick crimson red. My pale skin looked as

ll rise," came th

sin and stretch my legs till my toes could feel the cold, stone floor. Grimacing as

the chamber, a thick curtain opened to reveal a large window showing the night sky and the glowing red visage of the moon. The slow

on my shoulders. I looked down to see the red brocade fabric. The red, hooded robe of the sacrifice. I had seen

she kissed my cheek, whispering in my ear, "You are mor

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