The Amalgamation Of Two Worlds

Damon’s POV

Have you ever been hit on the head? Like really hard? So hard that you forget everything around you, and all you see is a big blur, and all you think is oh shit? That every thought, everything you ever knew, disappeared? If only for a few moments?

Now, take away the part about being hit on the head, and you get my reaction. I didn’t react. Not in any way. Which was a first to me. Now, I expect many unexpect able things. Demons sprouting wings, I could handle that. Man-eating demons the size of buildings? I could even handle that if it came to be. I was used to dealing with the weird, but this? This was... was bizarre.

I was a mutt. Mutt’s don’t get sought out and asked to join a larger group. With the exception of the Zaccur, that is. But the Zaccur was a pansy group. To be completely honest? I was almost pleased they asked me. A savage group, bent on world inhalation, wanted my help? I don’t do touching moments, but heck, this boosted my ego. And I wanted to say yes. Badly.

Why was I stopping them? Because they wrecked my home? Because they tried to kill me? Because they were killing others? I hated my home. I was alive, wasn’t I? And I killed creatures constantly. So what was stopping me from joining them?

“Why?” I finally asked. The Demon smiled, stepping forward.

“You have skills. You can kill our kind easily. That’s a rare come by.” I studied him, my eyes narrowed. This was tempting... and I was beginning to wonder why I hadn’t agreed yet. I owed loyalty to Mackenzie, not Hayden. And Mackenzie was dead. So there was no question of loyalty, right?

“Damon.” My eyes flickered to the voice; Audrey.

Shit. Audrey.

The hope, the pride, the strange anticipation, all left. I wouldn’t sacrifice Audrey, no matter tempting the thought of her dead appealed to me. At times, anyways. I let out a low sigh and turned back to the Demon, who was watching me closely. This was sure going to come back and bite me in the ass. I already knew that.

“My loyalties remain elsewhere.” In a sense, anyways. The shifting of the other Demon’s all stopped, silence slapping me in the face. All eyes were on me; from the side, from above, even from my own men behind. The Demon in front of me, however, was the one I paid attention to. It would be his words that commanded the rest.

“You refuse to join?” His eyes were furious, flashing angrily. His hands were clenched tighter around his weapons, and the veins in his head seemed to bulge.

“That’s what I said.”

“You will die, then.” No command. No signal or yell. But they all came nonetheless.

“Hold the lines!” I screamed, my body already twisting and knocking Audrey to the side, the demon above landing where she had been. Her body landed beneath mine, dead leaves springing to the air from the impact. Her breath whooshed out, her eyes wide with fear and pain. My legs bunched as I lifted off of he-

A body slammed into mine, knocking me off Audrey and into a tree. The bark bit into my back as the tree creaked from the pressure. I snarled, and shoved the figure off me, with as much as ease as walking. I was not in the mood for this. Damn it!

Demons were dropping from overhead, and charging from the side. They were behind us, in front of us, above us, and to the side of us. Basically, we were screwed. Could this get any worse?

“Human.” My eyes snapped sideways, even if that comment wasn’t directed at me. Audrey also looked, still from her position on the ground. The Demon in charge was staring at her, his body now moving forward. “You’re mine.” Hell no.

I snarled, my body already moving toward Audrey, my eyes locked onto the Demon. My hands were bunched, and I could feel my fangs in my mouth. They were pulsing, just waiting to rip something up. I ignored the screams of my group dying, and went straight for the one heading to Audrey. I jumped over a body, I dodged The Demonio, and I was almost on him, when another figure hit me.

At first it was one. And then two. And then three. They blind sighted me from above, the one dropping right on me. My face slammed into the ground, dirt finding a way up my nose. My back was instantly ripped, as the shirt I wore was ripped off, and claws raked my back. I snarled, shoving my body up... only for the other demon to jam his hands against my head. My head slammed down again, this time my neck at a painful angle. My fists clenched with dead leaves as the other demon held my legs.

Claws raked my back, ripping the flesh off. I struggled, my eyes only seeing dirt. What was going on? What was happening to Audrey? I put all my weight into getting up, but was slammed down again, with a violent hiss and a hand into my back. I let out a grunt, and tired again to struggle, to do anything. I wouldn’t just sit here and let something happen to her! I wouldn’t!

“You will die, then.” The voice on top of him mimicked. I growled, but no matter how much I struggled, I knew I was screwed. I’ve handled three demons on my own, before, but this was different. Then, I was on my feet, fighting and using everything around me to my advantage. How I was to hold off three demons when I couldn’t even get up? It had been a low move, and I should have seen it coming. But I hadn’t and now the demon was about to chop my head off. I could tell that much by the air movement.

The blow didn’t come. Something I won’t complain about. What did come, were sounds. Mainly the sounds of screaming and sizzling... and with the sounds, came a feeling. A very warm feeling.

The demon above my head, and the demon at my feet, both shrieked and bolted. Whereas the one on top... remained on fire. I scrambled to my fight, shoving the demon off me, trying my best to not touch it.

The flames were engulfing the Demon, letting off billows of black smoke. It filled the sky, along with the stench of burning flesh. The Demon screeched and ran at me. My legs bunched again, and I launched myself to the side. The Demon fell to the ground now, screaming and writhing as the flames ate at its skin. Demons were even more prone to catching on fire than vampires, a sad, but true fact.

“Damon!” I was on my feet before I even saw what happened. The main Demon jumped Audrey, knocking what flame was left in her torch, to the ground. She screamed, and I didn’t blame her. As brave as Audrey was, I’m sure even the toughest beings would scream when a Demon who wanted to sacrifice you, jumped you. Just self preservation there. Self preservation the Demon obviously didn’t have. For he wouldn’t have touched Audrey, if he had.

Audrey was mine. And he was dead for touching her.

Audrey’s POV

The scream tore through my throat, and what I had assumed was my death grip on the torch, slipped. It flew and landed on the ground. My eyes were torn away form the sight as my body was slammed harshly into the ground, my face meeting rows of vicious teeth and darkened eyes. Foul breath hit me, and without thinking, I kicked up. My foot connected hard with some part of the Demon’s body, earning me a vicious snarl. I kicked again, and in return for the kick, a hand smashed down across my cheek.

My head whipped to the side as pain ricocheted through my cheek, going down my jaw. I didn’t scream this time. No. Screaming gave them satisfaction, and out of everything, that was one thing I couldn’t do. Fine. Take my life. But there was no way I would give them what they wanted. They wanted to break me, to hear me scream, and I won’t deny that I’ll give it to them sometimes. Sometimes, it’s just too hard to stop from giving in. But when I can, I’ll deny it to them. For what else could I do? Even I knew I was no match for them. So as he bared down on me, his teeth millimeters from my face, I kept my breath even, and the fear from showing in my eyes.

Deep down, I was terrified. I’ve gotten out of a lot of bad situations, but I knew a time would come when I wouldn’t get out of one. So, was this that one? Or would I live to grow old another day? In truth, I knew the answer to that laid in Damon’s hands. As sad as that was. I knew, and I had no idea how, that he wouldn’t let me die. There was something in his eyes, something that told me that. I wasn’t sure why, and I’m not sure I wanted to know, but if I died, I could be sure that anyone, or anything, around him would follow me.

“Filthy human!” I kicked him again, which earned me another backhand, this one with his claws. I inhaled sharply as pain and blood hit me.

His foul breath wove around me, making me nauseous.

“No!” That got my attention. My eyes moved as far as they could, seeking the sound. All I caught was a blur. A very angry blur, being slammed against the ground, Demons attacking. Damon. It was Damon. And his eyes were locked onto me the entire time he fought them, but even I knew, as the three Demons turned to Five, and then to Seven, that it was a losing battle. Damon had finally met his match.

I turned to the leader on top of me, my eyes set. I met him in his eyes, and smiled. That was all it took for his anger to boil over. And I knew it would be. He snarled and his head came down to my neck, his teeth immediately beginning to tear. I gave in this time and screamed, but the scream was blocked out by something louder; a howl.

The Demon stopped, his eyes moving upward. I remained still, no longer wanting to taunt the leader. My neck was searing in pain, where a chunk had been taken out. Blood was leaving fast, and I knew if I didn’t get this healed soon, I would bleed out. I suppose I preferred that to being eaten, but neither option appealed to me.

I barely caught the movement before it slammed into the leader, knocking him off. I didn’t hesitate to move, assuming it was Damon, my hand immediately pressing against my neck. But when I glanced back, I saw Damon still fighting. And still losing. I looked back at the scene, and my breath caught.

I grew up around vampires and demons. I even had a werewolf home, but never, had I actually seen a werewolf, and that’s what I assumed this was.

The wolf was big; bigger than myself. The fur was a golden hue, the tips darker than the rest. And I’m sure he would have been a beautiful creature, but there was nothing beautiful about him now. He was deadly, his fur standing on end, his tail low, ears pushed back, and his teeth showing, in a deadly snarl. His hackles were raised and the sounds that left him put my hair on edge. The leader had barely pushed himself to his feet before the wolf launched, his teeth ripping into whatever flesh he could find.

I turned away, gorge rising up. The sight before me didn’t help. More bodies, more blood, and a lot of gore. If I didn’t get a hold of myself, I would add vomit to the list of things on the ground. That would make the smell worse... smell?

I turned fast, the smell of smoke meeting my nose fast. I barely saw it before his name was leaving my lips.

“Damon!” The Demon I had lit on fire had long since died and turned to ashes, the smoke surprisingly having gone away. But now my torch, the one that had flown from my hands, had begun to catch fire. On the dead leaves that scattered everywhere. I saw the smoke immediately, and it was only seconds later that everything went up, along with many of the Demons. Damon managed to get out of the way, barely. But not everyone was so lucky, and seeing all the screaming burning bodies hurt my ears and eyes. What would I do if I was on fire? Or saw someone I knew, cared for, burning?

My mind stopped, my breath catching; Gabriel. Where was Gabriel?

“Gab-“

”Audrey, down!” I didn’t think or look, just dropped. A Demon flew over top of me, the wolf following. I stood up, just to jump to the side as a burning demon ran by, screeches and sounds so unearthly they made my skin tingle, leaving his lips. I slapped my hands over my ears and looked around, trying to ignore the burning Demons, and who knew what else. I searched the area, ignoring the bodies and the blood, until my eyes landed on what they wanted to see; Gabriel. He was alive. Looking pretty beat up, but alive, and tending to a male laying on the ground... a male missing an arm and a leg.

I didn’t have time to revel in the happiness of seeing him alive gave me, for a body slammed into me. This time I didn’t wait to the ground to struggle. And what did I get in return for my efforts? Curses.

“Audrey! It’s me!” And as he said that, he shoved me aside, making my body roll across the dirt. All I heard was something slam down against the ground and then... and then a tearing sound I’d like to forget. I made the mistake of glancing sideways. A head lay beside mine, eyes glowing red and set in a ferocious look, lips pulled back showing blood-stained teeth. The neck had blood and gore hanging from it, and the body lay several feet away. At this, I also screamed. Damon growled at me before hauling me to my feet... just to push me away again as a Demon hit him head on.

He killed it. I ignored the details. But another came. And another. And as I looked around, I realized that even with the fire, we were losing. The wolf was now moving from prey to prey, but even I could tell he was getting fatigued. But for a moment he froze, lifted his muzzle, and howled. Damon only spared a glance at the mysterious wolf before continuing on with his fight. I was content with staying behind him, only knowing that I stood no chance, and that if I left him, I was as good as dead.

“Left! Left!” I screamed. Damon ducked and went... right? “My left!” I screamed, as he took a blow to the gut. I didn’t catch what he said, as it left his lips in a snarl, but I knew it wasn’t anything pleasant directed at me. I chose to ignore it.

“Get out of here, Audrey!” He yelled... breathless-ness on his voice. When was Damon ever breathless? That frightened me itself.

“And go where?” I screamed back, over the roar of the flames. They were getting closer every second, engulfing everything and everyone they touched. It was a wall of flames, and though the heat fought the night chill, I didn’t feel at all comforted. I felt more afraid, if anything. For this was hell. Flames, Demons, death, blood. It chilled me, and I just wanted it to go away. I’d give anything to live in that crappy apartment again, to have that stupid job and that insane therapist. She’d tell me, “This is a part of your imagniation. It’s all fake. Close your eyes, count to ten, and wish it away. When your eyes open, everything will be better. Just breathe deeply and count. One. Two. Three...” I wish it was that simple. Oh how I do.

“Just go! You’re dead here!”

“Everyone’s dead here!” I screamed back. “Everyone’s going to be dead on Earth! What do you expect me to do?” Damon ducked a blow, only to be hit by two more. I caught my breath, waiting for his final blow, but it didn’t come. Instead, he managed to retaliate and hit them both back before feinting and knocking the one down for the count. Too bad there were about seven more to fill his place.

“How the hell should I know?! You live through everything, you’re like a damn cockroach! Just think of something and go!” I just stared at him, as he got hit again. To the stomach. To the face. Claws against his chest. A rock slammed against his head. He took the beating, as was everyone else. The flames grew, crackling with the life that it was eating. Demons died, along with our men, and everything fell apart.

One. It would all go away. Two. It had to. Three. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see anymore. Four. This was the end, and I didn’t want to see. Five. My hands closed over my ears, not wanting to hear either. Six. Deep breath. Seven. It’s not burning bodies I smell. Eight. Damon’s not dying. Nine. It would all go away. Ten. It had too.

My eyes opened, hoping to see bliss; waterfalls, green grass and deer frolicking in the meadow. And maybe some butterflies fluttering around my feet. Butterflies would be nice.

I saw blood. And flames. But what I also saw was silence, if you can see silence, and a type of stillness that chilled me down to the bone. Everyone had frozen, even the Demon’s on top of Damon. Damon was hunched, down on his knees. His face was bloody and beaten to a pulp, scratch marks covering it. His chest and back were both torn so bad they looked like ground beef. His knees were torn and ragged, and his knuckles were bloody pulps, and even he was frozen.

I followed his gaze, and found even myself frozen. Wolves surrounded us. All hunkered down, hackles rose, lips pulled back in snarls. They advanced slowly, and nothing moved. Now, the award winning question; were they on our side?