Page 48 of The Blackened Blade

It's on me in seconds, its teeth too close for comfort as I make my move, pushing every ounce of strength I have into my legs and toward the beast's large face.

It buys me only a moment.

I flip the dagger still gripped in my hand and thrust it into the beast's side, trying, but failing to catch its neck.

The beast knocks me backward, smacking my head against the thick wood as a deep guttural snarl pours from its throat.

My head aches with the hit, but as I try to turn and get away, the beast growls, his breath brushing across the side of my face as it stands over me.

Its teeth are bared, each point sharp and glistening. Its icy eyes narrowed toward me as my movements still, my mind falling blank on how to escape this ferocious creature.

It's cold breath sweeps over my skin, chills running down every nerve of my body, as I see the only weapon I had laying too far across the forest to reach, with the beast's blood coating its metal blade.

Another snarl pulls me back to its glowing blue eyes.

Its lips pull back, a strange sound unlike the growls and snarls before, almost like a chuffing noise, as if the beast was laughing.

Its cold breath brushes past my face with the noise. Its so close to me I can feel the fur from its face touch my skin.

My heart races in my chest as I hold my breath.

Was this my end? To be eaten by a beast? To die in the cold woods, once again alone and unknown to anyone?

No…I couldn’t die like this. Not again.

I don’t know why I was given this second chance, but I doubt I would get a third.

Clenching my fist, I ignore the pain slicing up my side and thrumming through my head.

I didn’t go quietly the first time, even locked away and burning in that hell alone. And this time I was free, there were no shackles, just an oversized mutt who needed leashing.

I watch the beast as it watches me.

“Take a bite…” An unfamiliar gravelly voice flows from my lips as I allow all my anger to surface with each word. “But I won't go down easy.”

A strange noise rolls up its throat, a blue gleam growing brighter in its eyes as it watches me. But before I can make a move, a large gust of cold wind blows around us, the mist covering us completely and the surrounding area. It forces my eyes to close with the icy chill lashing against my face.

I quickly force them open again and watch on as the icy white mist blankets the area around us. My vision is overtaken and clouded before the mist slowly recedes back into the forest. The large beast follows it, disappearing into the distance with only one final glance back toward me with its hauntingly bright blue eyes.

When it and the strange mist is gone, I flicker my eyes around the surrounding area, pushing my sight to scan every inch to see where the creature went.

He couldn’t hide a body like that so easily.

What was going on?

Was he planning to jump out and kill me when I thought I was safe?

My eyes find nothing, my ears also picking up no noise, other than some small creatures moving in the distance.

It was gone. But why?

It had me where it wanted me. Why would it leave?

My shoulders sag as I lean back onto the broken tree trunk behind me.

A bitter chuckle leaves my lips.Round one to you then beast…

I wanted to be pushed harder but not die.

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