The Hunters

Chapter 14 part 2

Adriana

"Don't do anything stupid..."

Those very words ring out clear in my head as I throw myself toward Becca's closest attacker, slicing a blade across its neck. It gargles, eyes darkening as its stumpy hands inspect the wound. For a second I feel a surge of disgust - the things skin is curling outwards away from the cut, and a thick black substance oozes out, forming in thick bubbles as it comes into contact with the air.

We take advantage of the creatures' temporary distraction, Becca leading the way out. I swipe up my steel Chakrams as I go, placing them over my wrist. Despite running as fast as possible, unlike Becca, I'm not a vampire - I'm not fast enough to avoid getting snagged by a creature. Its jagged nails rip through my shirt. I whip around, my blades slicing wherever they can.

The creature stumbled back, clutching the stump where its hand once was.

I waste no time bolting out, scanning for Becca and Emily.

They're not here.

Looking back, I notice the creatures, all surrounding their now handless accomplice. One of them appears to be trying to push the hand back on, visibly grunting when it falls back to the ground. The injured creature lets out a broken whine. The others move to comfort it, slapping their hands clumsily on its back.

Not gonna lie, I'm confused.

Accepting the fact that the creatures are now preoccupied, I break into a run. I'm not even sure where to go - Becca has seemingly disappeared so the only options are to either follow the sound of fighting, or run from it, potentially getting lost in the process.

I can't leave. I need to be here for Emily. Even if I can't take her home yet.

Making my final decision, I follow the sounds of the battle. I try not to think about the shouting, cries of pain, clashing of weapons; instead I focus on my friends and Emily, letting determination take hold. I have no idea how to fight, but I'm damn well going to try.

I close in on the battle, mouth hanging open as I come to a quick halt, taking in how many of those creatures there are. Mahlia is the first person I notice, knelt down away from the fighting, surrounded by bolts of lightning that occasionally reach out to strike the creatures, though this only disorients them. As she does this, she tends to an injured, unconscious Venus. Amongst the fighting, Kellen and Alec fight side by side, Alec pinning the creatures in place for Kellen's wolf to tear into their chests.

I watch wide eyed as a creature approaches Kellen's wolf from behind, grabbing his tail and slamming a club down onto his back. He wails in pain.

Alec's head snaps toward him at an inhuman speed, his eyes glowing an impossibly darker shade of purple. His lips twist and his skin appears to tighten, his features appearing sunken and greying. He's... Growing?

His shirt tears at the back, revealing his now hunched spine, the skin tightening over it and making each bump protrude. His arms and legs have lengthened, and long claws adorn his fingertips.

Now in what I assume to be a vrykolaka's true form, he leaps at the attacking creature, gripping it by the neck and digging his claws in before brutally ripping it apart, his lips forming a hellish smile.

I stumble back, not able to look away from Alec's blood covered hands. This can't be Alec.

He's a monster.

Barely noticing the hand on my arm, I find myself tumbling straight into Eros's chest. I don't move despite him shaking me, the image of Alec still imprinted on my eyelids. My eyes catch sight of the hammer placed on the ground, and my chest continues to tighten painfully. I don't want to look at it but I can't stop. I don't want to close my eyes. But I can't look away.