DANIEL HERON: BECOMING

23 - Compared to me, you are but a little girl.

The scream that escaped Ana's mouth, frightened dormant birds in the tree canopies. The flutter of alarmed wings filled the night. Daniel glanced over his shoulder. Outside, the demon's fingers were still grasping Ana's chin. Tiny droplets of blood appeared on her face where his nails pierced the skin.

"This will cost you dearly," he hissed.

It's been several moments before Daniel realized the vampire had an arrow stuck in his shoulder.

With a flick of an arm, the demon dressed in black threw Ana into a wall. Her collision with the wooden planks echoed like a sudden thunder. Then, with the same hand that held Ana just moments ago, he gripped the arrow and, contrary to Daniel's expectations, pushed it deeper. He let out a soft moan, followed by the sound of a ripping fabric, after which the point of an arrow peeked out on the back of his shoulder. He reached for the bloody arrow, carefully caught it below the point, and snapped it. He threw the arrow point deep into the woods, after which he pulled the rest of it out of his shoulder.

Although he didn't let out a single moan, the amber flashed in his eyes like fire. He stormed towards the door with the speed of a raging animal, but luck was on Daniel and Teresa's side; they were on the other side of the doorframe. Halted by an invisible barrier, the vampire in black got even more infuriated. After he saw that those inside the house were out of his reach, he turned his attention to the one outside – Ana.

She was on her feet again, her stance revealing her readiness for fight. She didn't wait for the demon to strike first; she leapt in his direction, her hands ready to grab him, her teeth bared.

There was only one thing she overlooked – the dagger. It lay on the floor right next to where the vampire stood.

Faster than a blink of an eye, he picked it up and when Ana was at his reach, plunged it towards her chest.

In the nick of time, Ana shifted her body, but she didn't completely evade the dagger. It cut the right sleeve of her black blouse, and underneath, on the white skin, red liquid reflected some of the light that illuminated it.

The vampire grinned. As if that small victory poured new strength into him, he resumed charging at Ana like a wasp defending its nest. Daniel couldn't fathom how wounded shoulder didn't slow him down, but after giving it a second thought, he concluded that his knowledge of the vampire kind was meager.

The black demon resumed his onslaught. The dagger was in search of its target, but Ana was quicker, staying out of its reach. One moment she would duck, the jump, left, right, never stopping.

Do vampires ever get tired, Daniel wondered?

As if she were answering his question, Ana stumbled. In a matter of a split second, the vampire towered over her, his teeth revealed in a smirk.

"No!" Daniel yelled. He didn't dare to step outside of the house, aware that he was no match to the demon with fiery eyes.

Said demon ignored him. He brought the dagger to Ana's neck, his smirk never fading.

"Get away from her!" Daniel cried. He felt like a child trying to break up a dog fight. One part of him wanted to help Ana, while the other screamed in horror.

The vampire turned his head, encompassing Daniel with his amber eyes. He laughed to his face, exposing the sharp edges of his canines.

"Come and stop me, boy," he said.

Daniel hesitated. Although he didn't feel the command in the vampire's voice, he mustered the courage, determined to do something, anything, to help Ana. At the very moment, Teresa pushed him aside. She walked up to the door, holding an arrow in her hand, while the crossbow lay on the living room floor, tossed aside.