Chloe got to her feet at the sound of movement from above. Moonlight bathed over her upturned face and her breath caught as a demons heavy footsteps came to a stop. Naethro sank to his knees peering down through the grate into the gloom. Hot breath billowed from his wet snout. Chloe clenched her teeth – her expression resolute. The monster barked a laugh before straightening up and moving on. Her heart sank and she bit the inside of her gaunt cheek. Naethro had paid a lot of money for her – enough to be seen as investment? She paced her cell the stone slippery underfoot.
New prisoners were led in shackles down the granite steps. Underground the prison was a labyrinth of tunnels. Shadows danced upon the walls and strange echoing moans seemed to surround them. The slavers clicking as they communicated to one another was harsh and sent shivers down the prisoner's spines. One prisoner stood taller than the rest though she kept her head down – dark hair spilling over her face – shielding her identity.
Chloe turned and quietly observed as the cells either side of her own were filled. She scanned the prisoner's faces but recognised none as previous inmates. Her stomach knotted. The doors sealed shut and they were left alone. Rusted railings divided her from the other crowded cells and she approached the bars – her dirty fingers curling around the damp metal.
"Any news?" She asked her voice rough, a coughing fit claimed her and when it subsided fresh beads of sweat shone upon her forehead.
"You?" Chloe frowned – not recognising the woman addressing her.
"Do I know you?" Hannah held her chin up revealing her face to a clueless Chloe. The werewolf keeper appraised Chloe thoughtfully.
"Are you the one?" She spoke in a whisper more to herself.
"What was that?!" One of the new prisoners cried out as the sound of claws circled around them.
"A mournslag." Chloe informed her grimly. "The beast that guards the prison." Hannah frowned.
"I've never heard of such a creature."
"I read about it."
"Is it going to eat us?" One of the prisoners asked fearfully. Chloe's gaze dropped to a rat scuttling across the cracked stones. She struggled to form words. Her cell mates never stayed long and never returned - she had her suspicions.
"No," Hannah replied for her – her tone firm. "Because we're not staying here." Chloe's head snapped up to stare at Hannah.
"What do you mean?"
"We're breaking out." Hannah's lips pulled up in a grin as she caught Chloe's bewildered expression. "Have you forgotten what I'm capable of?"
Metal shrieked upon its hinges as Hannah tore apart their cell divisions. Chloe's heart beat faster as hope sparked through her veins. The prisoners followed in Hannah's wake as she marched down the tunnels. Their heard the furious clicking of the slavers and Chloe swallowed her fear as they appeared around the corner – large bulbous eyes twitching in their sockets. Hannah took the lead – her expression grim.
Hannah caught the first slaver in the chest sending it crashing against the wall. Chloe dodged the lash of a whip and tackled one of the creatures to the ground. It writhed beneath her but Chloe slammed her fist upon its insectile head, cracking open its cranium. Black fluid discharged out of it, spreading over Chloe's knees like snow slush.
Chloe got to her feet and broke into a run chasing after the others. Hannah broke apart the bars of every cell and soon they were swarming through the tunnels overwhelming the slavers with sheer numbers. When they reached the stone steps to the surface Hannah came to a halt. She put her hand up gesturing for quiet. Chloe held her breath. The Nouveau bastille was a fortress – they'd escaped the underbelly but its walls still hemmed them in.
Hannah crept up the steps listening intently. The yard was deserted not a breath of wind disturbing the silence. Four courtyards divided them from the gates. She looked up at the windows detecting no movement. So far it had all been too easy. She raised her hand and signalled for the others to move. They ran as silently as they could. Hannah led the way across the yard – leading them to the first of the gates. The sound of a prisoner falling – slipping on the greasy tiles made her head turn in time to see movement behind one of the windows. "RUN!"
Guns pointed out of every window aimed directly at them. The prisoners sprinted as the demons let rip the machine gun fire. Hannah stared in horror as bodies smacked upon the ground. "KEEP RUNNING!" She screamed over the roar of bullets, waving her hands frantically for the prisoners to follow. "KEEP RUNNING!" Alarms sounded – shrieking throughout the base. Looking up Hannah saw lights in the sky. "About fucking time."
Chloe was thrown back by the blast and shielding her eyes she saw one of the guard towers engulfed in flame. Heat washed over her in a tidal wave making her eyes water. Something white floated down from the sky like an angel with a billowing skirt. She bent double coughing violently. Crawling on all fours she approached where the angel had landed. Its dress was made from smooth, while silk and pulling apart the folds her eyes locked upon an array of guns. Her fingers traced the hard lines of a semi automatic shot gun and what she recognised as a Beretta 92. She greeted these weapons as old friends – their touch so familiar to her hands. Life had given her many parts to play but now it was time to put on an old mask.
A taloned paw crashed down upon balcony, sending a cascade of stone raining down upon Hannah. She dived to the side, rolling across the slick paving slabs. Windows shattered above as flames billowed out of the fortress. Hannah looked up at the mournslag and her mouth went dry. It had the torso and front quarters of a wolf but the tough hind quarters of a gigantic scorpion complete with sting.
It was this fearsome tail that it struck at her. Hannah scrabbled quickly out of the way. Fire fell from the sky as blasts scattered debris over the burning fortress. She struggled to get to her feet but a blast as the third gate blew to pieces sent her flying backwards. Her back collided into the mournslag and in a tangle of limbs they fell through the crumbling ground and landed in the tunnels.
The mournslag roared in fury. Hannah was on her feet in an instant. Clicking behind her made her turn just in time to dodge a slavers strike. Moving with supernatural speed Hannah got behind the slaver and tightened her arm around its neck. It writhed its antenna scratching at her face. Clenching her teeth she pulled and twisted wrenching its head free from the body.
Jaws snapped around her torso catching her off guard from the side. Hannah cried out in pain as the cruel canines bit down upon her flesh. Trapped in its mouth her hands flailed uselessly, clutching as air as the beast shook her slamming her limp body against the collapsed masonry. She groaned in agony as she twisted her body, incisors ripping her stomach apart. She clawed at its face until her fingers encountered softer flesh. Mercilessly she gouged at the monsters eye.
The mournslag spat her out. She rolled across the rubble leaving a bloody trail across the stones. Her back smacked against the wall and, gasping for breath, she looked up at the wounded monster. It roared at her, its breath fanning her dark hair out behind her. The beast lunged but Hannah melted with the wind, her body turning in the air she span and landed on the mournslag's other side. Peripheral vision shattered the monster was caught unawares as she got her arms around its middle.
It writhed, its vicious tail swiping repeatedly at her back, hacking through her clothing and branding the skin beneath. Hannah bellowed, crushing the monsters spine with all her strength. She heard the shattering of bones followed by a broken whimper until at least the mournslag slumped to the ground. Hannah staggered backwards her breathing heavy and laboured.
Chloe threw a grenade into the barrage of demons. Blood and guts spewed up in the air.
"Run I'll cover you!" She shouted over the din. Fires raged around them, choking the air and blinding them with thick black smoke. She made it to the last courtyard, her heart pounding, as she looked upon the obliterated gate. Freedom – true freedom so close she could almost taste it. Tears pricked at her eyes and she joined the others in breaking into a sprint as if the hounds of hell were upon their heels.
Hannah leapt from the pit, landing gracefully on the courtyards blood splattered slates. With an air of determination she marched determinedly for the first gate. Wing beats made her look up but a moment too late. Naethro swooped down upon her, his fingers curling around her wrists and pinning them above her head as his weight crushed her into the ground. Hannah brought her head up, her forehead smacking against his muzzle – cracking his jaw.
Naethro was sent flying. Hannah moved with impossible speed, racing after his descent and aiding it by catching his throat mid-air and slamming him upon the ground. The stones cracked beneath the impact of Naethro's mighty head. The demon's eyelids fluttered briefly closed and the tip of one his horns broke away, clattering upon the stone. Naethro's eyes snapped suddenly alert and, pushing off with his wings, he propelled himself up, arms encircling Hannah's waist.
Hannah kept her footing, gripping Naethro beneath the arms she lifted him off his feet and swung him around like discus. The demon crashed into a wall. His wing snapped beneath his weight and Naethro howled in agony – landing in a heap on the ground. Hannah was standing over him in an instant. She gripped him by the throat and lifted him high into the air. Naethro's eyes bulged in fear as they locked onto her pitiless stare. Hannah tightened her grip, slowly, deliciously slowly crushing the life from him.
Hannah's mouth opened in surprise a strangled gasp of surprise escaping her parted lips. The grip on Naethro's throat loosened and the demon looked down to see the gaping whole punched through her chest. The werewolf keeper collapsed to the ground and Naethro sank to his knees, rasping for each painful breath. He rubbed his searing throat as he gazed up at someone he had not expected to see.
Ryder held Hannah's heart in his bloody hand. Carelessly he dropped it, allowing the mangled organ to thump upon the ground. Reaching over Ryder helped Naethro to his feet.
"The fortress is lost." Around them the fires raged like a ravenous beast.
"Broavhas," brother. Ryder's lips curled up into a smile. Thunder rumbled from the heavens like the angry bellows of a giant. At their feet Hannah lay unmoving – frozen eyes open in surprise, lips parted for mud and rain.