The Truth Behind Those Eyes

Chapter Fifteen

"Get her out!" Josh mouthed and Sam intended on doing just that. Whilst the pack watched - distracted by the floorshow and waiting their turn - Sam slithered slowly around the wall to Nikki. Inching around the room he ignored Josh's cries, concentrating instead on reaching Nikki as she helplessly witnessed the bloodbath.

When he arrived at her side, she was overcome by shock; her face white and aghast - her gaze locked on Josh laid alone in the circle of Hounds. Sam knew she was desperate to turn away but the sight of Josh writhing in agony and smeared with blood was not easily ignored.

Nikki heaved as the liquid leaking out of his chest to the large, sinewy monsters, reached their claws and they dipped their heads to lap deftly at the viscous mess. Their long black tongues snaking in and out of their disgusting mouths greedily.

But that wasn't enough for the pack. They prowled forwards, snapping and snarling before their claws sliced through his flesh, releasing more of his blood into the pool surrounding him.

Nikki watched in horror as Josh endured a macabre attack; the repugnant killers enjoying every slash of his delicate flesh.

She knew she had to do something, but what? She was as feeble as a newborn baby against the monsters assaulting Josh, their sheer size and strength enough to kill her without factoring the deadly claws and teeth. What chance would she stand against beasts designed to slay? It was hopeless.

With her shoulders slumping, she dropped her head in defeat. There was nothing she could do. A spluttering screech tore from Josh's sliced chest, dragging Nikki from her torment and setting fire to a new determination in her belly. He had fought for her, now it was her turn to fight for him.

Letting out a hoarse cry, she regained her senses and lunged forward but before she had made any progress, Sam pulled her back and pinned her tightly against his chest. She struggled, trying her best to break free but he was far too strong for her.

Clutching her, he shushed in her ear as he attempted to creep around the braying pack. His movements were slow and measured, purposely trying to blend in to the background to avoid the attention of the Hounds but Nikki refused to go without a fight.

With renewed effort and forgetting her own afflictions, she managed to wrench one arm free of Sam's vice like grip. She reached out to Josh, her heart splintering afresh with each of his agonised cries.

Leaning forward, she stretched out her hand, trying desperately to reach Josh but the distance between them was too great. Briefly his eyes connected with hers and she could see him desperately begging her to leave but the pain of his tortured gaze only fed her unswayable need to get to him.

The beasts began a new wave of attack upon his mangled flesh, and Josh let out a hollow gasp as blood trickled down his chin.

He was defeated.

Within her chest, Nikki's heart shattered. She ripped her gaze from Josh and found the snarling beasts that surrounded him, their eyes bright and gleaming as they unleashed hell on the man writhing in untold agony.

Her emotions began to shift. The heaviness of her heart was replaced by the anger that had started this sequence of events. Her eyes flashed as she glared at the pack, so carelessly shredding Josh's skin and she felt a new strength flow through her veins.

A fury so powerful it physically rocked her frame, ignited within the pit of her stomach. She slammed back against Sam - the unexpected force throwing him back against the wall. In the confusion he released her and she seized her opportunity to break free.

Fire rocketed through Nikki's veins, boiling her blood and tinting her vision. A red, vengeful haze swallowed her as she found her feet and rose up to her full height.

The flames in her blood licked at her fury and instilled a sense of authority and energy within her. With quiet confidence, she took a step forward and headed into the circle of monsters assertively.

As she ghosted closer to Josh the Blood Hounds began to snarl, baring their pointed fangs hungrily.

"Shut up!" she roared, her voice booming around the crowded room, reverberating off the walls causing the light above them to shake. It sounded strange; it had a double resonance, one deep and soft the other high and sharp. The pack snapped their mouths shut and cringed away from her authoritative figure.

Lowering her head, she dipped down and met Josh's dulled stare. Sweat beaded on his face, uniting with the drops of blood that had sprayed from his gashed wounds. He gasped, jagged uneven breaths, his face contorting with the searing agony.

The anguished thud from her splintered heart tipped her over a precipice and a single fat droplet of water fell from her eye, splashing into the puddle of blood by Josh's shredded shoulder.

In that moment, she experienced Josh's pain and shuddered, throwing her head back as it washed over her. She paused, the roaring fire coursing through her building into a blaze so consuming she couldn't understand why the house wasn't burning down around her. In her mind she replayed his every scream, every gasp, every slash until she could no longer contain her wrath.

Her eyes flew open and she pierced the confused pack, one by one, with a merciless glare. Centuries of loathing swelled inside her chest and she twitched, desperately fighting the urge to strike the pack down.

She turned slowly, fixing her gaze on each of the creatures one by one, drinking in their appearance. When she'd had her fill she returned to face the leader, holding her hand out to stroke its face.

"NIKKI!" Sam shouted, unable to get to her through the circle of Hounds.

But she didn't hear. The only sound audible to her was the haunting echoes of Josh's pain emblazoned into her memory.

She stepped closer to the cherry skinned demon, her outstretched hand curved as if she was about to cradle the face of a lover. Her tiny frame was dwarfed by the height of the Hound as she closed the small gap between them. Slowly her bloodied fingers touched the silky smooth, wet skin of the gigantic beast. Simultaneously, the monster and Nikki closed their eyes and exhaled, pausing to absorb the texture of one another.

With great care she laid her palm against the side of its face and closed her eyes. She felt the pull immediately, the jerk through her arm causing her to frown.

The dried blood in her hand became wet and sticky and fresh, as the monsters skin sucked at her wound. She grit her teeth as the parasite absorbed more and more of her blood, her pain building with each passing second. The screaming in her head increased to a thunderous level, and she emitted a howl as the noise and pain climaxed. Her strange new tone filled the entire house.

"DIE!" she shrieked, clamping her eyes shut and slamming her other hand against the creature's thirsty skin. "BURN!"

With a loud crackle the Hound staggered back, yelping in exquisite agony. Nikki opened her eyes and smiled cruelly as the beast threw itself against the walls, a beautiful blue fire engulfing the thing from head to claw. It thrashed and twisted, crashing around until it fell onto its back, with its grossly stretched limbs twitching awkwardly.

As the fire surrounding it hissed and fizzled the other members of the pack whined before falling to the floor, clawing at the concrete pathetically.

"Burn." Nikki repeated, her voice once again familiar.

Moments later the scorched carcasses of five demon corpses lay charred and defeated in the murkiness of what was now their tomb.

Nikki, her arms still held high caressing the air where the demon's head had been, fell to the floor and wheezed, struggling to fill her lungs. The peace she'd found in her revenge, depleted and exhausted as she was over powered by the necessity to rest and recuperate. Her body - worn out and spent - demanded respite.

She stretched out on the cold, wet floor, her head inches from a Blood Hound, and breathed, slow, calming, tired breaths.

"Indestructible," she murmured sarcastically as her eyes flickered to Josh before falling shut.