short stories

the scientist and the beast - P1 (g x g)

🩸 vampire story 🩸

i hid behind the thick tree, probably not thirty feet away from the beasts. i clutched the stake in my hand and tried to even my breaths. anthony had made sure our scents were masked but that didn't stop them from hearing us. i has long ago learned to slow my heart to blend in with the creatures and other beings that would be in most places we find ourselves.

i looked to anthony on my left, hiding behind a similar tree five or ten feet away from me. he held a finger to his lips, signaling need to be quite. i nodded and tried to listen to the distant conversation.

"you said there was a camp around here?" i couldn't make out who said the words but the voice sounded masculine.

"i said what i was told. they could have plotted it wrong, maybe it's in proximity?" a deeper yet feminine sounding voice. they sounded bored.

"i doubt it. humans have never been too good at hiding themselves; we'd see signs of their existence." a beat of silence. "who gave you this information?" anger. or perhaps annoyance?

"simon; so you best take that attitude up with him. i just go where i'm told." another beat.

i looked to anthony again to see him peaking his head too far out. idiot! they're going to see him! he glanced to me and shrugged, waving his steak lightly. cocky bastard; i gave him a cheeky smirk and copied him. he held three fingers up to his waist and the count began in my head. his fist snapped shut and we lunged forward. the beasts, of course, heard or sudden movement and whipped around to us. they met us more than halfway, obviously up for the fight. i saw anthony pull a small glass bottle from his weapon pouch before smashing it on the ground. the substance worked quickly, our opponents hissing as a steam rose and burned their skin. it was merely a deterrent as the steam only produced for a few minutes. i'd know of course, i made it.

anthony threw his stake forward, hitting the larger beast in the shoulder. i held tight to mine, knowing i needed to be closer to pull off a critical hit as well as a chance to keep ahold of my weapon. i had a backup but it was strapped onto my side and would take at least four seconds to dislodge and another two to properly arm myself. the beast was just out of arms reach now; i pushed myself forward, stake raised at an angle. it grabbed my wrist and i clenched my teeth as i tightened my hold on the stake now not currently unusable. with my free hand, i quickly grabbed the small aerosol can, flicking the cap open and spraying it. the beast let go as ice particles dug into its skin like glass. i used the opportunity to swing the stake towards its chest. then anthony screamed.

the stake missed its mark greatly and i felt my arm strain as it met dead air and a greater burn on my scalp as my hair was roughly yanked. i was spun around and pressed to the creatures back, it's cold temperature bleeding into my clothes and skin. anthony was in front of me in a somewhat similar position, only the other beast had a tight grasp on his arms and neck. i tried to swing the steak back and found my wrist being grabbed and bent at an awkward angle. i yelped as i felt a very distinguished 'pop' and my fingers went slightly numb.  my hair was briefly let go of to grab my other wrist and group it with the first before the beasts hand went back to my hair.

"now which of you stupid humans managed to get such. . . interesting concoctions." looking over the beast with its hold on anthony, i noted the slowly healing blisters on its face. anthony had used the acid. despite our situation, part of myself was glad to see its effect on a beast. that was one of the ones i had yet to been able to fully test. i had a strong idea but to see it was relieving. the stake was no longer in its shoulder and i scanned the ground, finding it some odd feet away from the two.

anthony didn't look great, blood dripping from his head and nose, leg bent at an awkward angle. i cursed myself for getting distracted by him. if i had stayed focused i could have gotten us out of this but no, i had to go around and care about my community. and now we were both going to die. i thought of the notebook in my bag and cursed myself again for wanting to take field notes while on a mission. i had every concoction and combination for our weapons on my person and our people depend on them. they depend on me. i could only hope that once they murder us that they don't riffle through our stuff and leave our bodies for our people to find. henry was going to be upset. . . him and anthony have been engaged for. . over a year? i believe. hard to get married when you're trying to take back the world from blood drinking monsters.

"what no words? you had the balls to attack us but don't have the balls to speak up before i fucking kill you?" my hair was yanked on rather unceremoniously and i felt a cold chill on my neck. i shivered as i felt it's nose take a exaggerated inhale. "well, Lucile? what do you think?"

"i think i'd like to drink her dry right here," sharp fangs ran over my neck. a sharp nip and i felt a drop of blood bubble to the surface. i yanked myself as it's lips found my neck and a tongue darted out to catch the drop. it hummed, "absolutely delectable."

"we're not here to play," the other beast spat. anthony shook with the force it let out. i caught his eyes and narrowed my own. he best keep himself together. "i think simon would want to deal with them, don't you think?" i gasped as fangs unexpectedly sunk into my neck. my eyes clenched shut as flashbacks hit me; i tried desperately to stay in the moment. i knew from the years of training that trying to pull myself away was a guaranteed death and a brutal one at that and, despite my confidence in our survival, a part of me believed i could get out of this. that i could get both anthony and i back home safely. the fangs ripped away from my skin and i felt another exaggerated inhale against my neck.

"she tastes better than she smells." a tongue hit my neck and i finally yanked myself to the side, not getting out of the beasts hold but managing to get its disgusting tongue off my being. my head feels cold and i take deep breaths in to try and regulate my body. anthony had put up a fight as well at the beasts action and a loud snap is heard from what i'm assuming is his now fully broken leg followed by an anguished scream. "i'm taking her back regardless. kill the boy here or let simon figure it out?"

"i think as much fun as it is to play with our food, simons going to want answers and i don't know who they'll come from. they both come back alive. if simon wants her you don't put up a fight." my hair and wrists was let go in favor of a tight grip across my middle, pinning my arms to my sides as well. i yanked my shoulder up as high as it would go and felt a successful jab to the beast behind me. i smirked briefly before fangs plunged back into my neck, none too gently. a scream i tried to hold in made its presence briefly known. it didn't stop this time. i heard anthony start to yell but the words quickly became fuzzy, hard to make out. i felt my knees give out and a brief feeling of flying? then everything went black