Hunter: Gods & Monsters

Chapter 28

Berserkers instantly began to close in on our little foursome with speed I hadn't anticipated as we appeared beside Cain. Yet they didn't instantly rush us, instead they just watched us with their wide, crazy eyes. Their jaws clenched, wounds freshly bleeding as weapons were drawn and ready. Each movement was in sync, a well rehearsed flash mob of deadly soldiers.

I felt their eyes digging in like fingers, hundreds of little pokes coming from every direction. Alfie was circled around me, vibrating with tension. I felt his urges as if they were my own and maybe they were. I hated feeling like the prey when I was the Hunter. Every fibre in me wanted to explode, to give them the real fight I know we all wanted. Blood, adrenaline and death saturated the air, a toxic combination that had Alfie's eyes glowing red and my hands burning with anticipation.

Hercules glared at Cain, barely glancing my way as if he either expected or didn't care about our sudden arrival. Then again, why would he? We were severely outnumbered right now, if the roles had been reversed I would be feeling rather smug about it all too.

"That superiority complex of yours hasn't improved over the years." Hercules carried on, slowly pacing in front of the three of us.

Somehow I managed not to roll my eyes as clearly they had some kind of history. Really, who didn't? It was more of a challenge to find someone Cain had not annoyed at some point over the years than people he had.

"I don't even know who you are," Cain also sounded like he didn't care which I don't think was helping this situation.

"Hercules." I offer, earning him a grunt from Lion Man as I said his name.

Cain shrugged. "Still means nothing to me."

"It will once I kill you both, starting with her!" Hercules leapt forward to strike, and the crowd of his Berserkers moved with him, instantly overwhelming us.

Cain moved faster than I could, blocking Hercules yet from behind, pain exploded in my back and I barely stopped the axe as it swung way too close to my head. Alfie had one of the attackers in his hold, and as this one reached for Cain, Alfie flung him away over the heads of his comrades. I managed to push back as Cain had done to Hercules. It didn't last long and somehow we managed to keep back to back, while Alfie ran interference on the ones we missed. They seemed set on dividing us, and occasionally they nearly did it, but it was tiring.

Worse than that, it was pointless.

"Did you see where he went?" Cain called out over his shoulder.

"No." I swung around as he did, so we now faced each other in the twenty seconds of peace we fought for. "And they say I have a habit of pissing people off. What did you do to him?"

"Fuck knows."

"Well, that's helpful." Alfie hisses, and takes out another attacker causing me to spin back around at the right moment. "He's over there!"

Cain looks, and nods. "He controls them with that necklace thing. He ordered them here as you came over."

"Is that a hint of blame I hear?"

"No, it's a tip in case you get to him first." I catch his eye and he winks.

"Game on then. Alfie!" I motion to Hercules. "Let's go get him."

Alfie nods, and stopping Hercules minions becomes less of a priority as instead, we use them. I duck and slide between a set of open legs and Alfie charges past sending them all scrabbling towards their fleet in an attempt to grab, or smash us. Alfie's tail is around my waist as I'm jerked upwards, just in time to avoid a rather sharp blade and as he lets me go, I end up doing a little crowd surfacing, half teleporting myself across the crowd as I struggle to keep balance, stepping on shoulders, helmets and faces. As my ankle is grabbed and I fall with no chance of saving myself I end up back with Alfie as the pair that grab me meet the spikes on his tails in a way that's fatal to their health.