Only Half Bad

He was surrounded by the deepest parts of the forest of Geminor.

It was aglow with the sunset, golden and silent, just the way he liked it.

Rogan lowered his dark glasses onto the bridge of his nose, staring intently at the plant. He’d finally found it. A rare species. A powerful one.

Possibly his last hope to make a potion powerful enough to break his aunt’s curse and free him from his pointless living. Ursula’s spell was still effective even after years and because of it, Rogan had found himself experiencing all the frustration of not killing Viktor and all the side-effects of having claimed so many lives, all which he’d so intelligently planned to avoid by escaping this pointless living.

His aunt had squashed that plan good.

That’s why this plant, the Trojan plant, with its spindly green stem and its large purple flower, it was the last thing he could see as powerful enough to make a potion that could break Ursula’s curse. Once broken, Rogan would, of course, escape the torture of living in a body that was the battleground for the war between his body and his soul. He’d finally embrace the peace of death.

But, damn. Rogan scowled.

A few moments more and that all-important plant would be churning in the guts of some buck.

Raising the gaze of his swirling black eyes, Rogan looked at the beast. They both stood still, gazes fixated on each other.

Rogan snarled at the creature. “Get lost. Fuck off else I’ll rip your limbs out,” he hissed at it.

The animal knew Rogan wanted the plant it was about to eat, Rogan could tell. Cocky creature was deliberately putting Rogan on edge.

He could enchant it or kill it and get the plant, but damn. The Kingdom of Geminor was kingdom full of subjects who had two forms of existence. Rogan had no idea if this buck was just a buck or someone’s fifteen-year-old son and his killing a subject was something that Rogan just knew Aiden would lose his mind about, being a good king and all.

Twitching its nose, the animal sniffed at the plant, the strong fragrance of the purple flower probably drawing it.

“No!” Rogan hissed urgently.

The animal froze, slowly raising its head to look at him.

“Stop,” Rogan ordered firmly, his hand raised.

Slowly, he took a step toward the animal, hoping it would just run off and leave the plant. Dammit, Rogan had been looking all over the kingdom for a plant like this for the past ten years, he wouldn’t lose it now!

The stubborn creature however, didn’t run away. It stood firm, looking curiously up at Rogan as he approached.

It had to be a Geminus. No pure animal would look at another specie with so much damn sass, especially one as unusual as the Vampire Sorcerer that Rogan was. Ready to strike a deal with the creature, Rogan drew even closer. Slowly, silently.

Phewp!

A sudden sharp sound made Rogan’s ear ring, quickly followed by a sharp stab in the arm.

Startled, he frowned, looking down in shock at his arm which had suddenly gotten pierced by a hot arrow. Rogan’s mouth dropped open in shock. Who had dared to shoot an arrow at him? The shaft was imbedded in his arm, blood seeping through his shirt.

“Who the hell…?” murmured Rogan in annoyance as he raised his gaze and scanned the area.

Just as he thought he saw something in the distance, the sound of rustling bushes reached his ear and by the time Rogan looked back at the animal, it had torn the plant out of the bush and bolted of with it.

“No! Hey!” Rogan yelled, frustrated. “Fuck!”

Oh, for hell’s sake, he needed that damn plant! Who knew when next he’d come across that specie?!

“Goddamn it!”

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the arrow sticking out of his arm and snatched it out, ripping his own flesh in the process.

Annoyed, Rogan hurled it to the forest floor, satisfied when the shaft broke in two.

Suddenly, a sound pricked up his ear. The sound of a stretching bowstring. Bow and arrow.

On guard, Rogan’s gaze snapped in the direction of the sound just in time to watch the glistening sharp end of another arrow flying towards him, his superior Vampire’s vision seeing it as easily as if it were moving slow.

Unhesitant, his arm shot out and caught the arrow around its shaft before it pierced him.

Another arrow? Someone wanted trouble.

Furious now, Rogan looked back in the direction of the arrow and froze.

Another arrow was already flying at him when he saw her.

A… a female?

Rogan easily caught the arrow, a deep frown between his brows as he stared at her. She wore strange forest tribal attire. Who was she? Pocahontas?

She was running rapidly towards him, a bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows across her back.

Unbelievable. Was she challenging him? She’d dared to shoot arrows at him? What an audacious brat. He'd make a fur hat with her wild hair.

Dropping the arrows he’d caught to the ground, Rogan pushed his glasses back up to cover his eyes. She’d made him lose a precious resource! His most possible way to break the curse!

He’d teach her a lesson she’d never forget.

The girl had nearly reached him and Rogan glared intensely at her from behind his shades. Getting attacked by a bizarre female. This day was going to the dogs.

He squared his shoulders. “Who the hell—”

“Help!” she suddenly shrieked as she ran toward him.

Rogan frowned. “Who—”

“Heeeelllpp!!” she shrieked again and before Rogan could move, she’d thrown herself into his arms just as another arrow flew his way, slicing him in the thigh.

“Gnngg!” Rogan groaned, feeling his flesh tear open.

Puzzled beyond anything, he looked down at the strange little female in his arms.

She stared up at him, wide-eyed and panting.

“Please… h-help me.”