behind a tree. The entire area lit up with the glow of silver and green flame.
“Things aren’t the same as when you left, brother. I’m stronger now than ever before. I don’t need to create fire. I just need to take it with me.”
I peeked around the tree to get a feel for the battleground, but the flash of silver and green was all I saw. I slipped back behind the trunk and the fireball just brushed my skin, leaving a patch of raw flesh.
A grunt came from behind me and I risked poking my head back out. Willy had jumped onto Brock’s back, wrapping both arms around his neck. He wasn’t doing much but hanging on, and it occurred to me then that Willy didn’t know how to fight. He was strong enough to pick up a truck, but he didn’t know how to use that strength.
I took the opportunity for what it was: a distraction. I squeezed the handle of my blade and moved towards Brock. The butt of the handle made a loud crack as it hit his cheek bone and forced him down on one knee. With Willy still clinging, he lost his balance and fell.
The other two hunters sprang into action. The first wasn’t as fast as me and I dodged as his knife came down near my chest. I countered with a kick. My heel hit the back of his head and sent him face-first into the dirt. The other boy was behind me before I could move and his fist hit the back of my head. I felt my skull crack and I braced myself with my arms as I hit the ground.
The pain in my head was sharp and black dots swarmed in my vision. I ignored the agony and pushed myself up. I was halfway up when the knee hit my face and pushed me into another fist. This one was covered with shining silver knuckles, and the cold metal made a spine-chilling noise as it hit my face. The momentum of the strike pushed me back and I was forced to curl up in self-defense. A flurry of fists and feet pounded my back and it took all I had to resist arching with pain and exposing the rest of my body.
It seemed like forever before the kicking stopped and hands grabbed my arms, pulling me up. They lifted me in a quick, smooth motion that made the blood rush to my head. I fought to keep from passing out as I stood in a swirl of light and dark spots. I could feel blood trickling down my cheek and nose.
Brock stood in front of me and Willy was behind him, lying motionless on the ground.
“You always have to be the hero, don’t you Chase? Too bad you didn’t choose a better cause. Protecting demons is unbecoming of your heritage.”
“Unbecoming? You know better than to use big words like that, Brock.”
He leaned back and launched his fist into my mouth. My lip exploded and more blood poured down my face.
“What are you looking for?” I said, spitting blood on the ground.
Brock leaned forward and drove his thumb into an apparent cut in my eyebrow. I ground my teeth and muffled a scream. “Blood,” he said, showing me what was dripping from his finger.
The pain faded but the fresh blood ran into my eye and forced it shut.
“What does that mean?”
“Exactly that,” he said. I watched him slide something onto his hand, the light it reflected glinting off the silver knuckles. “We just need to find the right blood.”
All I could see with my one open eye was Brock’s smile before his fist crushed the side of my face. My vision went spotty again and the pain vanished, leaving only darkness to engulf me.
~~~~~~
Chapter 10
The moment my eyes opened the pain came back in full force. Every part of my body throbbed. Even my aches had pains. I was on my back and could see an unfamiliar ceiling above me. In a panic, I tried to sit up, but the throbbing in my head was too much and forced me back down.
I took a deep breath, and after a few mental curses and a lot of effort, I moved my head. I discovered I was on a couch, and the table beside me held old ice cream buckets full of dark liquid. I couldn’t see anything else in the room other than an old armchair, covered in floral designs
“Things aren’t the same as when you left, brother. I’m stronger now than ever before. I don’t need to create fire. I just need to take it with me.”
I peeked around the tree to get a feel for the battleground, but the flash of silver and green was all I saw. I slipped back behind the trunk and the fireball just brushed my skin, leaving a patch of raw flesh.
A grunt came from behind me and I risked poking my head back out. Willy had jumped onto Brock’s back, wrapping both arms around his neck. He wasn’t doing much but hanging on, and it occurred to me then that Willy didn’t know how to fight. He was strong enough to pick up a truck, but he didn’t know how to use that strength.
I took the opportunity for what it was: a distraction. I squeezed the handle of my blade and moved towards Brock. The butt of the handle made a loud crack as it hit his cheek bone and forced him down on one knee. With Willy still clinging, he lost his balance and fell.
The other two hunters sprang into action. The first wasn’t as fast as me and I dodged as his knife came down near my chest. I countered with a kick. My heel hit the back of his head and sent him face-first into the dirt. The other boy was behind me before I could move and his fist hit the back of my head. I felt my skull crack and I braced myself with my arms as I hit the ground.
The pain in my head was sharp and black dots swarmed in my vision. I ignored the agony and pushed myself up. I was halfway up when the knee hit my face and pushed me into another fist. This one was covered with shining silver knuckles, and the cold metal made a spine-chilling noise as it hit my face. The momentum of the strike pushed me back and I was forced to curl up in self-defense. A flurry of fists and feet pounded my back and it took all I had to resist arching with pain and exposing the rest of my body.
It seemed like forever before the kicking stopped and hands grabbed my arms, pulling me up. They lifted me in a quick, smooth motion that made the blood rush to my head. I fought to keep from passing out as I stood in a swirl of light and dark spots. I could feel blood trickling down my cheek and nose.
Brock stood in front of me and Willy was behind him, lying motionless on the ground.
“You always have to be the hero, don’t you Chase? Too bad you didn’t choose a better cause. Protecting demons is unbecoming of your heritage.”
“Unbecoming? You know better than to use big words like that, Brock.”
He leaned back and launched his fist into my mouth. My lip exploded and more blood poured down my face.
“What are you looking for?” I said, spitting blood on the ground.
Brock leaned forward and drove his thumb into an apparent cut in my eyebrow. I ground my teeth and muffled a scream. “Blood,” he said, showing me what was dripping from his finger.
The pain faded but the fresh blood ran into my eye and forced it shut.
“What does that mean?”
“Exactly that,” he said. I watched him slide something onto his hand, the light it reflected glinting off the silver knuckles. “We just need to find the right blood.”
All I could see with my one open eye was Brock’s smile before his fist crushed the side of my face. My vision went spotty again and the pain vanished, leaving only darkness to engulf me.
~~~~~~
Chapter 10
The moment my eyes opened the pain came back in full force. Every part of my body throbbed. Even my aches had pains. I was on my back and could see an unfamiliar ceiling above me. In a panic, I tried to sit up, but the throbbing in my head was too much and forced me back down.
I took a deep breath, and after a few mental curses and a lot of effort, I moved my head. I discovered I was on a couch, and the table beside me held old ice cream buckets full of dark liquid. I couldn’t see anything else in the room other than an old armchair, covered in floral designs
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