Page 57 of Red

No longer interested in Alex, however, theattackers target others. From the chopper's side, which is mounted with heavy weaponry, shots keep raining down.

Poor Maddox gets critically injured, taking a barrage of shots and plummets to the ground. Penelope, who is dismembering the soldiers closest to him, rushes to help.

At the same moment, a spine-chilling holler comes out of Edwin’s chest as he watches his son from the distance. With Tristan’s assistance, he takes advantage of the helicopter’s position low to the ground and gets a hold of the landing skids. This immediately causes the aircraft to sputter and veer off course before faltering. No one’s spared after Edwin attacks the crew.

Left without a backup, Katia suddenly gets overpowered. With no hesitation, Alex leaps to her rescue, scooping me on his back once again. My legs circle his waist as I fist his fur, holding on for dear life. I feel how the powerful muscles ripple below his thick skin while he moves with a predatory precision. Refusing to watch, I can only hear his teeth gnashing and claws slashing mixed with the screams and horrific sounds of blood being shed in the most gruesome of ways.

“I had this!” Katia whines.

No, she hadn’t.

“You’re welcome,” Alex replies to her as he safely puts me down… right next to the pile of dead bodies.

She continues to pout at him like a child but smiles with her eyes.

Oh, these two are cute. No time for this, though.

I look over to check on Maddox and breathe out a sigh of relief when I see him standing up.

Yet, it’s way too soon to celebrate, because additional tactical vehicles arrive, and this time, the military isn’t alone. Half a dozen vampire “soldiers” line up, accompanied by a couple of massive, white-coated werewolves.

All hell breaks loose as they charge at us.

Unexpectedly, our own numbers triple. We are joined by more allies, who waited for a cue to reveal themselves. A surge of mystical energy pulses through the forest behind as a group of witches emerges from the shadows, chanting incantations. They are immediately followed by another pack of wolves, and a few more friendly vampires.

“Alexander!” one of witches shouts, pulling out a sword from under her coat.

Alex gets a grip on the handle mid-air after she tosses it. Right in time to decapitate a male vampire that dashes at him.

He then nods to her. “That’s Farah,” he tells me. “If we get separated, she’ll keep you safe.”

“Let’s not get separated,” I whisper.

The shots begin to pour as another military helicopter flies in circles above the clearing. And everything gets even more chaotic.

I miss the majority of action with my limited human vision. But what I see is enough—them fighting together, helping and protecting each other. I’ve never felt this sense of family before.

All of them are here only because of me, and still, they’re fighting to save me. I’m no magical individual, but I finally feel like I belong.

Although, despite their resilience and unity, they’re struggling to withstand the unrelenting onslaught. The forces of nature and mysticism are slowly succumbing to the calculated human ruthlessness, combined with the innovative technology of military weaponry.

The worst happens when one of the weird white wolves faces Alex, trying to start a duel. His glowing blood-red eyes frighten me, there’s no humanity in them. He seems too methodical to be one of the bitten ones, either.

“What’s this?”

“One of their hybrids. Smells like vampire.”

But looks like a werewolf.

Alex's fur bristles while he gives a warning snarl to the opponent, an echo disappears in the mayhem around us. The creature growls in response, its fangs glistening in the moonlight.

With a primal roar, Alex lunges forward, as I stay back. Claws clash and teeth gnash while they engage in a brutal dance of dominance that my eyes are unable to keep up with.

Despite all Alex’s hardiness and agility, the hybrid delivers a powerful blow that sends my werewolf staggering backward. Being already severely wounded prior to the assault, he loses his grasp on the sword, gasping for breath, he scrambles to regain his footing.

Capitalizing on his momentary weakness, the hybrid unleashes a barrage of calculated strikes. Each blow lands with devastating force, causing Alex to stumble further, his muscles strained and his movements growing sluggish against the relentless assault.

With a snarl of triumph, the hybrid seizes the opportunity, pinning Alex to the ground, its claws digging into his flesh, slashing his sides.

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