Page 36 of Vampire's Vixen

As I reached the fallen tree, I reached up to grab hold of a broken branch that jutted out from the top. I dragged myself up as Kyle grabbed me under the arms, helping as I braced myself against the dirt, pushing with my feet. He helped me swing over the log, and I rolled over the mossy top, catching several splinters along the way.

The next moment, something rammed into the log as the boar hit the other side and squealed. Kyle dragged me to my feet and I stumbled to the side with him as Jason aimed a wand at the boar. The next moment a ball of fire came shooting out of the tip.

“Get down!” he screamed.

I didn’t stop to think and neither did Kyle. We dropped. I cowered into a ball and covered my head with my arms. The next moment there was a loud shriek and what sounded like an explosion. Another moment, and everything went quiet.

“Maisy! Are you okay?” Kyle knelt beside me. “Are you okay?”

Jason and the others raced over to my side.

“The pig—” I caught my breath, leaning against Kyle as I tried to make sense of what had happened.

“He’s dead,” Kyle said. “In fact, there’s not much left of him. And what there is, is pretty much toast.”

“Maisy, I’m so sorry—” Jason reached down and took my other arm but I shook him off.

Kyle helped me up. I winced as the thorns dug into my flesh. “What the hell was that thing?” It hadn’t looked like any normal pig to me.

“That was a ferandal, a wild boar that comes from the dimension of the Fae. The Fae hunt it for meat, and charm it for magical protection. The boar, once charmed, will fight for the Overkings, and they use them when they go to battle.” He helped me back to the log and I sat down, exhausted and in pain.

I stared down at the body of the boar. It was as frightening in death as it had been in life. I could still feel its breath still on my heels. Those tusks could have run me through, and now, up close, I could see the serrated edges on the outer curve of the bone.

“Are there more of them?” Kyle asked.

“It must have been waiting at the gate. Which, by the way, I’ll go lock now.” Jason shook his head. “This didn’t turn out to be the field trip I was hoping it would, and I’m very grateful that Tiffany and the others went home. I’ll think very hard before bringing you out here again.”

Kyle frowned as Jason left to go lock the gate. “Maisy, you need to stop at urgent care on the way home. We should get going.” He turned to me. “Can you walk?”

I winced. I hurt like hell, everywhere. “I think so, but it doesn’t feel good. I just want out of this place.”

I never wanted to see Hollow Hill again. All I wanted to do was get home and take a warm bath. But Kyle was right. I could feel the bramble thorns in my skin, and I needed to stop for treatment. I wouldn’t be able to find all the thorns myself and if I didn’t get them out, I could get some nasty infections if the skin healed over them.

Kyle frowned. “Tell you what. I’ll drive you to urgent care, then home. I can take a taxi back to get my car. I don’t trust that you’re okay driving.”

I thought about protesting, but I was shaky, on an adrenaline crash, hurting, and not sure where my emotions were. I knew Aphrodite had helped me manage them during the attack, otherwise I would have frozen in place and been gored, quite possibly killed.

Jason tried to apologize again, but I didn’t want to listen. I just wanted to leave.

Kyle brushed him off, helping me to my car. I handed him the keys and he helped me into the passenger’s seat. As we pulled out of the parking lot, I thought that I sure as hell wasn’t ever going camping up here. Way too close to Hollow Hill, and if the pig had been any indication of whatever else lay beyond that fence, I wanted no part of it.

On the drive back into town, Kyle cautiously navigated the lights, keeping the ride smooth with as few bumps as possible. He kept glancing over at me.

“I’m going to drive you directly to urgent care, and I’ll wait there with you,” he said.

“You can take me home. My aunt will go with me?—”

“No, the sooner you get those cuts looked at, the better. Did the ferandal hurt you at all?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. If it had, I’d probably be unconscious. But I’ve got more thorns in me than I want to think about and those buggers hurt.” As the adrenaline wore off, I leaned back against the seat, sweating from the pain. I moaned. “Gods, I’m feeling every prick of every thorn right now. They’re embedded in my flesh because as I crawled over the brambles, it pushed them in.”

“We’re almost there,” Kyle said. “Hang on.”

“Oh, I’m hanging in here, I’m just…losing steam really quickly. I should call my aunt,” I said. “What time is it?”

“It’s eleven-thirty,” he said.

I gingerly picked up my phone and texted Astra. i’m headed to urgent care. i’ll be fine, but i was hurt and i need a doctor.

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