Unleashed

Chapter Twenty-three: Fire

Mila

I swallowed, trying to ignore the distress I felt while stepping over the two dead bodies that laid in front of the vineyard's gates. I bent down to grab a torch out of one of their hands and really had to pull it out of the clasping fingers as the lifeless hand wouldn't let go of it. It creeped me out, but there was no time to overthink things, for we needed to be quick before Connor was going to lose it.

Time or no time, I couldn't fight the urge to first inhale that exhilarating scent coming from the vines a few times. I followed the Lycan's example and started to set fire onto the grape-bearing plants until roaring orange flames danced all around me. I knew this was the right thing to do, but I secretly felt a little tormented for destroying something that smelled so wonderful.

Grey clouds of smoke fogged up the air, and not only the air. My brain got fogged too as I inhaled the intoxicating acrid fumes. I felt so airy, dizzy, hot, and so, so strange.

I ran back to the gate as fast as my trembling legs could take me. Connor came outside a little later, sweating and coughing, just as I did. I almost couldn't look at him, not able to focus. My vision was blurred and I think he wasn't in a better state. Maybe even worse.

"We're d-done," he mumbled, trying to catch back his breath while grabbing my arm and dragging me further away from the vineyard that we had destroyed in just mere minutes.

I stumbled over my own feet a few times, not able to keep balance.

"You have to l-leave," Connor suddenly said, fuzzy and slurred. "W-without me. On the horse. F-fast as you can." He appeared to be in great discomfort. "I don't know h-how long I can-can hold back. My b-beast... wan-wants out and... I d-don't know what it'll do to you." He breathed heavily.

"I can't... l-leave you here," I answered, my tongue not working fast enough.

Before we reached the horse, he collapsed to his knees and sat there, completely still, before he supported on all fours and turned his head towards me. His eyes were lighting up as he said: "Run, Mila. Now."

I ignored his order at first and stood glued to the ground—paralyzed by what I saw. His body twitched as if the beast wanted to break out of his skin and he didn't let it. Muscles curled and bones snapped. I witnessed his spine cracking in half underneath his skin, making his back bending into an impossible form. It gave me goosebumps all over. When his mouth turned into a muzzle, I finally snapped out of my frozen state, turned around, and ran as fast as I could in this drunken state, falling a few times until I finally reached the horse.

As I tried to untie the reins with trembling fingers that seemed to move in slow motion, a roar echoed through the woods. After I finally succeeded in unknotting the leather, I tried to jump onto the stallion's back but failed during this first attempt, my mind and body still being dizzy from the poison that had infiltrated my lungs. I tried again, able to climb on its back, and quickly kicked the horse, making it run at a full gallop.

While the horse attacked the hills at full speed, I wiped the tears from my eyes as the wind made me weep. This entire time—I didn't know how long it had been, but the sun was starting to rise already—I hadn't looked back even once.

When I noticed the animal started to breathe as heavily as I did, I made it stop on top of the hill and finally dared to look back, seeing yellow and orange flames forking and twirling into the air in the far distance.

Truthfully, I did not know where I was. Because I was hastily fleeing the scene, I hadn't thought about going in the right direction. I just knew I needed to get away.

My head was a lot clearer again, so I swiftly jumped off the horse, landing on my feet, and stood there for a while, looking at the fire, thinking about Connor, hoping he was alright. It didn't sit right with me. What if something bad has happened to him?