Hunted (Gods&Monsters Book 1)

Chapter 1

Without thinking, Serena drew back a hand and slapped him hard across the face. The sound resounded around the bar and she vaguely heard someone mutter a curse under their breath. She then growls back at him. "It's not like I chose to have this power, but I'll be damned if I'll let someone kill me so they can have it!!!" An animalistic growl rumbled from Thor and before she could summon her flames. He returned the gesture, slapping her hard across the face. The blow would have sent her sprawling onto the floor if Thor hadn't snatched ahold of her wrist in a bruising grip.  Dazed, Serena let out a pained grunt and began to struggle in a vain attempt to get herself free.

In a sickly sweet voice, Thor taunted her. "Come now Serena, that can't be the best that you can do against little old me." Her flames didn't like that one bit and before she could tamper them down they leaped from her straight into his smug face. Several feral curses left him and he quickly released his hold on her and began patting down his body in an attempt to put the flames out. But now that they had something to feed on there was no calling them back. Serena watched as they spread across his clothes and into his hair. The smell of burning meat soon filled the air and she fought not to retch. But to his credit, Thor did not scream. Those blue eyes clashed with her green ones and he warbled out weakly. "This isn't over you bitch, oh, and here's a little something to remember me by!"

A lightning bolt shot out from the charred remains of his right hand and slammed right into the center of her chest.  Crying out in agony Serena clutched at her chest as she fell to the ground. Thor grinned triumphantly at her pain before he disappeared in a flash of bright light. The only proof that he had been there at all was the scorch mark that scarred the hardwood floor. And the lingering stench of burning flesh. She vaguely felt her flames return to her but all that did was increase the pain tenfold. Her limbs flailed about as the electricity coursed through her veins. Relaxing her throat she let out a shrill scream. Shadows soon gathered at the edges of her line of sight as she laid there possibly dying.

Death never mentioned if being cooked from the inside out would kill her or not. Finding it hard to breathe, she rasped out weakly. "Looks like I can die after all, Death." The sound of approaching footsteps had her muttering several foul curses under her breath. She then addresses the stranger. "If you're here to kill me you're too late, someone's already beaten you to the punch." A handsome face filled her line of sight and she soon realized that it was one of the werewolves that had been playing pool before Thor arrived.  He offered her a lopsided grin before replying back raucously. "You're too pretty to die just yet, sweetness. My brother just left to go get you some help."

Taken aback, Serena opened her mouth to reply when the darkness swarmed her and pulled her into its warm embrace. Lucas let loose several curses fly like the beautiful woman who took on a God and survived fell unconscious. He watched as her body continued to twitch and he flinched in sympathy. The pain she was going through had to be unbearable, he didn't know how she had managed to stay conscious.  A soft voice suddenly called out from behind the bar. "Is it safe to come out?" Recognizing the voice of belonging to Fenris the bartender here at the Siren's Song, Lucas called back to him calmly. "It's safe now Fen."  His dark head popped up from behind the bar and he let out a panicked cry as he took in the state the woman was in.

He then stuttered out. "I-is she g-going to be o-ok?!" A grimness settled on Lucas's shoulders, he honestly didn't know if she would survive. But if she could summon blue flames then something had to be special about her. The door to the bar slammed open and in stormed his older brother Xander and what looked like an elven healer close on his heels. She took one look at the woman on the floor and let out a sigh of relief. Looking at both of them she then stated matter of factly. "This woman does not need my help, she will heal on her own. Though I would suggest getting her somewhere safe until she does." With that said, she then turned on her heel and exited the bar leaving them both flabbergasted.

They then looked back and forth at one another until finally, Lucas spoke up. "We could always take her back to the house?" Xander looked up to the ceiling for guidance but ultimately responded back tartly. "And have the rest of the pack sniffing at her like a prime cut of meat, but what other choice do we have really." A teasing grin spread across Lucas's face as he piped up. "None. I'll carry her." Rolling his eyes at his brother's antics, Xander left him to it and walked over to Fenris to pay their tab as well as the mysterious woman's tab. Lucas sucked in a sharp breath as he got zapped over and over again as he gathered her in his arms but he quickly shut out the pain.

Zander soon rejoined him and the three of them left the Siren's Song. Fenris saw them off, a perplexed expression on his handsome face but he soon shrugged it off. Not wanting any more excitement he went back inside and locked up for the night. He then went behind the bar and fetched his finest bottle of scotch and headed off for home. His mind filled with the images of the blue flames that answered to the mysterious woman. The questions that nettled at him were. Who was she? Why did even the Gods want her dead? How was she able to summon blue flames? But ultimately she was no longer his concern so he pushed them to the back of his mind.    Fenris started humming softly to himself as he focused on getting back home.

As he went to pass by an alleyway, he vaguely saw something move in the shadows. Tensing slightly, Fenris quickened his steps when something lunged at him knocking him off his feet. The bottle of scotch shattered on the sidewalk sending the expensive liquor in every direction. A frightened scream shoved its way past his busted lips though it was cut short as whatever tackled him dragged him back into the alley. And that's when the screaming really started.