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hellishmess · 4 years ago

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21: The Union Festival pt. 2

September 22,2018 [11:12 pm]

[Ana pov ]

Everything changed in a heartbeat.

Loud bangs shook the ground underneath me. People were running, taking cover. I ran too, but not before I saw some pterodactyl looking creature take a woman in its claws and lift her to the sky.

The halls of the center building was a mess. Gifted tried to defend themselves, but no one had weapons and the creatures were horrible.

A scream.

"Demons!" Someone shouted.

It was a frenzy. Instinct shoved common thought out of my brain. It had me running down an adjoining hall, away from the chaos of the main one and all the monsters.

I dove into a small hidden crevice. It had a door made of the same stone material as the walls.

I shoved against it, begging it to move.

A sickening crunching sound came from the main hallway. Panic and fear bolted all movement. I froze, back, pressed up into the crevice’s corner.

When the noise faded I managed a final shove against the door, earning entry with an open the door. I plunged into darkness, and darkness engulfed me. The door shut behind me with a final grate.

I collapsed on the floor, my back still against the door. My breaths were erratic. The booming of the blood in my ears was all I could hear.

Monsters and death was outside.

Aspen was somewhere out there too.

Christ! I should have went with her to get the punch.

I banged my head against the door.

I scrambled to find my phone, thankful it was still in the leather garter she let me borrow.

Flicking on flashlight, I stifled a scream again. I wasn't alone. A body was laid out flat along the back wall with someone crouching in front of their face. Another was curled in the far corner.

Men. The one crouching and the one in the corner turned.

I could have cried at the familiar face.

"Ana!" Eli exclaimed softly. "How'd you get in here?"

"I saw a maid leave from here." Moving closer, I saw who Eli was crouched over.

Samuel’s body was mauled with long gashes shredding his skin. They created caverns in his body.

I backed away. I escaped one circle of hell only to climb into another. I wasn't an idiot. He'll be looking for something to eat soon.

"Ana," Eli said. His worry moving from Samuel to me. "It's okay. He's unconscious."

"Oh god. Oh god," I hit the wall. Everything’s closing in. I try to focus on the light from my phone but even that was growing dim. "Oh god."

My breathing was erratic. My lungs were heaving, but my muscles tingled as if they weren't getting enough air. Maybe they were getting too much?

"Ana. Calm down." Eli sounded so far away.

"Oh holy shit." My knees shook. I felt the slide down the wall. The coolness of it touched my skin. Was I going to pass out?

Someone had grabbed me, their hands gripping my chin to force my head up. It was Eli.

Suddenly he was all I knew. The depth of his voice as he said my name, the blue allure of his eyes. I waited for him to say something to me, I'd wait forever if I had too.

"Ana," His voice reverberated in my soul. "I need you to calm down."

I took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. In, hold for a moment, then out. I repeated that task for a moment, still looking at Eli, still waiting for him to say something else.

He looked away, and the spell snapped.

"Shit," My hand ran through my hair. He just compelled me.

Eli apologized, "Sorry. I didn't know any other way to get you to chill."

I shook my hand, "No, it's fine. I think I was going to have a panic attack."

Eli went back to Samuel.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Some creature had him pinned. It had 4 arms and claws a foot long." Eli's lips turned up at the grotesque creature he saw.

I understood and took another deep breath. I didn't want to be weak. I wasn't weak. What would Aspen do?

An image of her popped into my mind. She stood tall, defiant against any adversary.

"Can he sit up?"

Eli shook his head. "No the witch over there put him under."

I glanced into the dark corner. The man was still curled up, his eyes blank as they met mine.

"He needs blood?" I asked.

Eli nodded.

"Let him feed from me." I said. "Just enough for him to heal and get some of his strength back."

Eli was shaking his head. "No way. I don't know if he'd stop. It's too risky."

"It doesn't matter. He's old, right? Powerful? We need to get out of here. We're just sitting ducks here. I mean have you seen the monsters out there?! He’s our strongest bet of making it out alive."

I scoot closer, raising my wrist to Eli. A stubborn set to my jaw. This was the only way, I told myself. The best way.

Eli hesitates, "Have you ever been bit before?"

I suck in a breath, my answer delayed. That was enough to tell him.

"This won't be pleasant," he warned. "This is really fucking dangerous."

"Yeah. Well I don't expect it to tickle and this whole situation is unpleasant." I brought my wrist up to his face. "Lets just get it done. I'm serious. I don't plan on dying just yet."

With frown, Eli took my wrist. I knew the unspoken words that hung between us. You just might if we do this.

His lips part to reveal fangs. I close my eyes. Flinching back, my eyelids pop open at the sudden sting from the bite. Eli withdraws immediately.

With a shaky breath, I quickly cover Samuel's mouth. My blood dripping between his lips.

He's still for a second. Worry starts to form.

I stifle another scream into a yelp. Samuel's latched himself to my wrist, his fangs splitting the bite even farther.

I cry out, feeling the flick of his tongue and the draw of my blood.

Suddenly, he's on top of me, snapping my head sideways to split the skin at my throat.

Pain erupts throughout my whole body, but my screams are muffled by a hand. I struggle to breath. Samuel has me fully immobilized.

Tears run down my face as I stare into the darkness. The pressure of Samuel is gone.

"Samuel," Eli's there. He's somewhere close. "She healed you."

I can't move. Shock keeps me on the ground.

Eli's closer, crouching over me this time. "Hey. You want some blood from me? It would heal you and give you your strength back."

I shake my head. I don't feel too bad. The shock dissipates allowing me to be sharply aware of my situation.

"At least let me heal the bite," Eli presses.

"Okay."

Eli pulls me in close. His tongue against my mangled throat, before hitting my wrist.

It was awkward, but I was grateful. I didn't want the open wounds or the scars.

An itching burn blossomed within seconds. My hands went to scratch but Eli brought them back down. "Don't. It's your skin multiplying and healing."

I curl my fingers into fists until the itch subsides. Slowly I manage to stand. I wasn't as weak as I thought I'd be.

Upon expressing my shock, I learn why.

"It's because I didn't take much from you. You're blood is surprisingly strong. I'm healed and at full strength from just three mouthfuls." Samuel said.

I push that out the window. "We need to get out of here."

"I agree," Samuel says.

"There’s a hallways over here," the witch says. He stood in a tight little stone walkway.

Samuel takes the lead position. "Let's go."

We all file out. It's eerily quiet. Only sometimes broken by the faint crash or scream.

The pace is quick. I drag a hand along the wall, my flashlight in my hand so only some light leaked through.

Samuel leads us up some stairs and into a kitchen. The sound of fighting and monsters is so much closer.

A high pitched screech sounds, making me flinch back into Eli. It’s too hellish to be human.

My eardrums ring. I see something fly by the little window in the kitchen.

A huge hound-like creature crashed through the door. It's jaws big enough to crush my skull, the beast stood easily at my stomach.

I gasp, backing away as it eyes us all. It's breath creeps into the room as it pants. I cough. My lungs start to burn. The witch grabs me and shoved my shirt over my mouth and nose.

"Hell hounds exhale toxic gas." He says.

The beast lunges forwards but Samuel meets it head on. We scurry to the edges of the kitchen while Samuel wrangles the beast. His stomach and thighs were scratched by its claws before he maneuvered himself behind it.

Samuel grabs the hounds jaws, prying them apart as it tries to snap. Soon the dog falls, it's jaw split wide open.

I stand there. Not moving, not blinking. This is crazy. Yet no one is really batting an eye? This was this world. I'm apart of this now.

"Ana!" Eli whispers. "Come on!"

I see Samuel grab another kitchen knife. The witch and Samuel following suit. I grab a frying pan.

We all slip through a back door and burst outside. The hell out here is being battled by gifted and some others.

In a blazing strike, lightning takes down 5 monsters at once. I see the woman that the power came from. Her eyes shining and her hair standing up from her electricity.

Another screech and something blurs in my the corner of my eyes. I knock to the ground, squealing as something with claws and a long snout tried to eat my face. The only thing saving me is my pan.

It lets out a scream of its own, a loud pain-filled bellow. I fling myself away as it's skin bubbles and boils.

A figure is rushing over, through the smoke and the chaos. "Aspen!" I yell, unsure of myself.

She comes and scoops me up in her arms. "Are you okay?!"

I look at the body on the ground. It was the demon version of a goose, with a long neck, two rows of fangs, and wings with claws at the bend of them.

"Yea. Thanks to you." I pull her close. Maybe this wasn't the time for hugs but god I couldn't stop myself. Aspen wrapped her hands around me.

But I get jostled to the side. A huge shadow looms over us all. Aspen moves towards it, encircling the 15ft tall monstrosity. Samuel and Eli draw its attention too.

I sit, stunned and hawking as they attack this Grendel like beast.

The creature swipes at Eli with a huge paw. It was crazy fast for its size, but Eli managed to duck just in time.

Samuel used his knife, stabbing at its muscles. It roars when blood gushed out of its wound.

Still, it wasn’t enough to slow it down, and Samuel’s plan backfired quickly. He hissed, recoiling in pain when the blood touched his hand.

The creature started to move but found himself unable. Aspen was to the back of it, out of sight with her hands raised. Slowly they moved together.

I saw the hard look of concentration, watched as the creature’s body bent. Aspen was crushing this thing.

Samuel and Eli step back. A confused glance was shared before Eli points to Aspen.

She ends this. Literally crushing the creature down to the ground. It squirmed, but it didn't move. It couldn't.

The realization that it might literally explode had me running behind one of the oak trees.

Just as I thought, with a last shove from Aspen the creature flattens. Blood spews in a nauseating show of gore. My eyes close, expecting the acidic blood to burn towards us.

It doesn't. The barrier Aspen set up kept it all contained like glass. Trails of dark green blood slid to the ground.

It was silent.

Aspen comes back up to me. Her hands grazing my face, then my throat. "Jesus Christ. What happened to you?"

My mind whirls. "No time. We need to go get somewhere safe!"

I twist to run, but she holds me still. "Ana, we've got them all. The Assault team was quick to respond and we managed to contain and kill the wave of creatures."

"What?" I looked around. Bodies of human and creature shapes lie dead around us. Nothing moved. The panic died down. "Oh thank god."

I pull Aspen into another hug, tears threatening to roll. "I should have went with you to get the punch."

Aspen hugs me back, her arms wrapping around me in the strong way that I loved. "I'm glad you’re safe." She pulls way, holding me at arms distance as she looks me over again. "Jesus what happened here?" Aspen draws up my wrist where crusty blood trails bled. Her eyes got to my throat next.

I notice her jaw clench, her eyes sliding over to the two vampires among us, and got the strange wariness one feels when unsheathing a sharp blade.

I bit my lip. Might as well be truthful and save these two from whatever anger is brewing. "I fed Samuel to heal him so he could get us out of the room we were in."

"You what?" She snaps. Her voice rough. There was a darkness in her gaze. She wasn't looking at me though. No, her eyes were pinned on Samuel.

I gently pull her focus back to me. She softened up when I sheepishly smiled at her, "Yeah. I escaped into their room, Eli saved me from a having panic attack and passing out, and then I tried to get myself to act like how you would."

Aspen just stared at me. Her lips parted slightly.

I clarified what I meant, "Strong and unafraid."

Aspen’s laugh was gentle as she grabs my wrist where she rubs off all the crusted blood. "So you think I would have risked my health to feed a hungry vampire?"

My face starts to redden, and I shake my head. "I didn't feed him because I thought that's what you would have done. I know you would have done something else, something better, but I fed him because I thought that's what I needed to do to stay alive. He was the most powerful friend I had at the moment. We all needed him."

"Smart, I guess. Ballsy definitely," She says. She turns to Samuel next. "You tell her thank you?"

Samuel's eyes narrow. He looks like he's going to snarl something nasty.

"He doesn't need to. He got us out safely." I interject.

"He should. You saved him, too." Aspen retorts, but she doesn't fight. "Let's go before we get roped into having to clean this clusterfuck."

I laugh, feeling all the tension in my body release.

Aspen leads us out to where the cars are parked. I think to thank Samuel but decide against it. I thank Eli instead.

"No problem." He replies. "I'm glad we all get to go home tonight."

"Me too," Aspen agrees. "Thanks for helping her."

Eli nods again and we turn away, walking throughout the destroyed lawn together.

Aspen squeezes my hand. "You don't understand how happy I am you're safe."

"Same here." I utter, looking at the damage. "I was worried about you."

Aspen laughs as if she can't believe the thought. "Don't worry about me. I'm okay."

We're quiet as we hit the sea of cars. Finding our own was gonna be hard. Aspen raised her hand and clicks her keys. Nothing sounds.

We head down the rows.

"Did you really think of me to draw strength from?" Aspen’s voice is low when she asks.

I smile, getting the faint feeling this is an important question to her. "Of course I did. You're the strongest person I know. I envy you."

Aspen nudges her body into me, dropping the subject at that. "Come on. I think I see the car."

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