Page 12 of Hellfire

How is that possible?

My fear amplified as my brain tried to comprehend what I was seeing.

"We don't want any trouble," I yelled out. "We're just passing through."

The figure closest to us stopped just on the edge of the water that separated us, his head tilted in our direction.

"Please let us leave." I'm not opposed to begging.

I watched in horror as he took two steps back before launching himself clear across the gap and landed swiftly on the other side, like it took zero effort at all.

"What the fuck are you?" I screamed as I scrambled backwards in an attempt to avoid him.

But still the figures said nothing. Their silence was worse than if they had threatened us.Leona tugged on my hand, urging me to run. But I couldn't take my eyes off of the other figures as they too cleared the distance, one right after the other.

Taking a step back, my foot caught on the uneven terrain and I fell backwards. I pulled Leona into my arms protectively.

"Katrina," a deep voice called out from behind me.

Looking over my shoulder, Tank was coming in fast, his long onyx hair flowed down his back in waves. A murderous look on his handsome face. This was the first time I'd ever seen him fully. He was gorgeous, but terrifying. His body coiled like a snake, ready to strike as he launched himself at us. I screamed as he leaped over us.

The nefarious growl that escaped his throat sent a shiver of fear down my spine. His body began to contort and shift. His limbs twisted and lengthened before my eyes. Fur sprouted down his hind legs to the largest paws I'd ever seen. His head and shoulders morphed, elongating into a set of snouts full of razor-sharp teeth.

Where one head once was, now there were three. They snapped and snarled in all directions. I couldn't believe my eyes. Before me stood a Cerberus. A creature of hell that I always believed to be a myth. The figures hissed and bared their fangs. Glowing red eyes glinted with hunger as they assessed the new threat. The breath in my throat caught.

Vampires.

"How is this possible?" I reached up and touched the still healing wound.

I was bitten by a vampire?

Tank launched himself at the nearest vampire, slashing out with one massive paw, tearing through flesh and bone. The vampire's scream caused the others to attack as a unit. In a blur of motion, one attacked from behind, but Tank's massive tail whipped out and sent the vampire flying through the air and crashing into a nearby tree. His body fell to the ground, but he didn't stay down for long.

The third vampire jumped up on his back, but he wasn't quick enough for the massive jaws of Tank's beast. He turned and took the vampire's head in his massive maw and chomped down, crushing it like a grape. Blood sprayed everywhere, gushing down his mouth and back.

I screamed and closed my eyes, burying my face in Leona's hair. As the chaos continued, I debated on running while both sides were distracted, but I couldn't find the courage to try.

Snarling from the battle slowly quieted down. When the sounds finally stopped, I took a hesitant look at the carnage. Tank's beast stood triumphantly over the pile of vampire corpses, panting and covered in gore.

Leona pushed up from my lap and looked around at what little was left of our attackers. My little girl should be a screaming, sobbing mess, but she is utterly calm. I know her reaction wasn’t normal, but a part of me was grateful she was handling it so well.

My mouth popped open in horror as she approached Tank.

"Leona," I called out, getting to my feet. "Don't–"

Before I could finish my sentence, Leona began to scratch behind the ear of one of his three heads. His tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth as he enjoyed her attention.

This is the most bizarre thing I've ever seen.

One of the other heads licked up the side of her face, making her giggle.

What the fuck is going on?

Leona turned to the third head who whimpered at her.

"Oh no! You poor baby," she cried. "You got a boo boo."

Leona reached up on her tiptoes and laid a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. My feet carried me closer as I stared at the scene before me in shock.

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