Beyond The Fangs

Chapter 39

IZEL

I closed my eyes and stood still in the circle.

I felt the wind change.

A vampire was coming from my left. I held my sword out, not early enough for it to dodge and not late enough for me to miss, but just on time so that it ran straight through the point. I quickly grabbed my dagger from my thigh sheath and stabbed its heart. The ambience of the room immediately changed when I shoved the dead vampire away from me.

I closed my eyes again, sheathing my dagger and fixing my grip on my sword.

So long as the vampires kept coming at me one by one, I knew I had at least a 10% chance of survival. There was a high chance they would come one by one because vampires like these would want to prove they were the best by taking me down on their own, and it was that arrogance that would get them killed.

I felt the wind change.

A vampire was coming from behind me. I shifted to the side, dodging it so that it sped past me but just as it turned, I quickly unsheathed and threw a dagger. The vampire fell down. Dead. I got its heart.

I quickly went and grabbed my dagger from its chest as another vampire sped from my left, shoving me to the edge of the circle. I hadn't fallen, only slid on my feet, so I used that as an opportunity. I swiftly turned and pierced my dagger through the unexpecting vampire behind me. One of the vampires near it grabbed my hand and threw me back and I threw the same dagger at it while I was still in the air and was surprised myself when I heard the vampire collapse to the ground just as I landed on the ground with a hard thud.

I groaned against the sharp pain running up my back, but managed to slowly stand, grabbing another dagger from my calf holster. I closed my eyes but the vampires were taking a little longer to attack me.

I felt the wind change from two directions.

Now that was just dirty.

I waited till the last minute before stepping back. The vampires crashed into each other, then I thrust my sword forward hard enough that it went right through both vampires. They both shrieked, pinned against each other because of the sword. I unsheathed a dagger and thrust it through both their chests before reclaiming my sword. 

I closed my eyes again.

I felt the wind change from my right side and timed my attack before extending my sword, waiting to feel it pierce skin, but when it didn't I opened my eyes and before me stood the Quearus. It was standing right in front of the point, looking me dead in the eyes. It hit the sword out of the way then grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard and making me release my grip on the sword. I lifted my hand with the dagger to hit its head but it caught that wrist too and squeezed, making me release the weapon. It then grabbed my neck and raised me off the ground, slowly tightening its grip.

"This was supposed to be a fun game," the Quearus growled.

The only response I could form was little whimpers as I failed to breathe and futilely tried to get it to release my neck. I began feeling light-headed and stars flickered in my eyes before they started closing, despite my efforts to keep them open. This was it. I could feel it. My pulse started slowing and my hands dropped limply to my sides. My lungs started burning and I felt myself losing consciousness—

The Quearus suddenly howled and released me. 

My legs buckled and I fell to my knees, uncontrollably coughing and gasping for the air I'd been deprived of.

I looked and saw a throwing knife had gone through its hand. Around me, bodies suddenly started dropping to the ground. One by one. The Quearus removed the knife from its hand and looked around, searching for the source.