Page 91 of Hollyhocks

If I thought my ears were ringing before, it’s nothing compared to now. Even the monsters cover their ears. I groan, my hold weakening on the gun.

I refuse to relent.

The glass window that allows us to see into the office shatters. Holly flies through the space, her eyes glowing yellow, and her fangs drop to show her stance.

She’s coming to save me.

Isn’t that wild? I’m the damsel in distress and I don’t mind one fucking bit.

Her tail wraps around one monster’s neck, snapping it like a twig. He drops to the ground. His limp body is dead weight and his head smacks against the ground. The beasts' lifeless reptilian eyes view me in death.

Holly roars, ramming her horns through the skull of another. She yanks her head, the horns tearing through bone. Brain matter and blood fly through the air, landing on the ground next to me.

She’s so damn sexy when she is protecting me. I’ll need to put myself in these positions more often.

It leaves one beast left and my dad.

“You’re fucking sick.” I finally rip the gun away from him, aiming it at his chest, gasping for breath from our fight. My head is killing me. Warmth drips from my left ear and I wipe it away. Glancing down, I rub the liquid between my fingers.

Blood.

Holly screeches, her wings spread out in fury, and her talons rip through the last creature’s eyes. She claws at his face, ripping it to shreds until it is unrecognized.

Black blood gurgles and sprays from his face. Grabbing his head with her hands, she twists it, tossing his body next to the others.

She marches over to my mom next, drenched in the enemy's blood. Her blue hair is red, and the beautiful white of her feathers is splattered with it too.

There’s never been a prettier sight.

Mom is lying on the ground, hands over her stomach. When the gun went off, she must have been shot.

“Do you even care that your mother is dying?” The man who used to be my father shouts at me, spit flying everywhere.

“No. I stopped caring about the two of you a long time ago.”

“She’s already dead,” Holly hisses, sauntering over to my side.

There’s a small pain rippling through my heart. She was my mom. There will always be a part of me that will wish things were different.

“Do you care she’s dead?”

His eyes swim with tears. “Of course. She was my partner. I loved her. And you took her from me!” He reaches for me, and I cock the gun.

“How many other facilities are there? How many?” I yell, shoving the gun against his forehead.

A serpentine grin spreads across his evil face. “So many I’ve lost count.”

I don’t think. I don’t hesitate.

I pull the trigger.

His head jerks back, a river of blood rolling down the bridge of his broken nose.

And he falls.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what just happened as I look around. Blood is everywhere. There are five dead bodies. I’m sure the cops will be here soon.

“Are you okay?” Holly checks me all over for any wounds, snarling when she sees the cuts on the back of my legs. Her tongue licks the wounds, and they begin to heal.

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