Chapter 8: First Shift.

MIA. "Lucien" I called softly as he carried me in his arms. My body became feeble, almost like a lifeless skin I was to shed. But Lucien's arms were strong enough to wrap around me.  The windows parted as we made our way through. He wrapped me in a blanket, and shielded me from the night's cold.  I could feel my body's warmth, almost like my skin was on fire. I was terrified, this was my first shift. And I looked to Lucien, even though he had been through a thousand of these, there was still that terror in his eyes as well as he looked at me.  I was growling in agony, my bones cracked, my joints ached and a vein popped in my forehead. I was in immense pain. "I don't want to do this. I can't" I cried to Lucien.  "Come on," Lucien urged, a hint of haste in his voice, like time wasn't on our side. "I'll get you to the river, it will help, I promise." "The river on the other side of town?" I echoed. "We won't make it there fast enough." And at the sound of my voice, the moon ascended, cast