Status: Thanks for reading. Please rec/sub/comment!
Heart and Soul
Chapter Thirty One
Howls echoed through the darkness. Shivers shot through me. I had to think. They couldn’t get too close. In a moment of sheer panic, I grabbed Annika’s arm even though she was the last person in the world I wanted to rescue. About twenty steps would get us to the door of the safe house. The house that Boss put a protection spell on for vampires to hide. One bite from those disgusting howling beasts would destroy any of my kind; I didn’t want to find out what they could do to a witch.
The baying got worse with each step I took. I flung open the door just as the first of them came into view. A huge gray wolf, that looked more like a bear, watched me with its fangs bared. Annika gasped.
“Wait!” She yelled as I took a threatening step toward my opponent. The creature shook its jowls sending what looked like slime flying through the air.
“Get inside,” I growled.
“No!” She stepped in front of me. “I saw an animal like this before.” My eyes widened as my brain tried to focus on what she was saying. “When I was going to find Madon I ran into a wolf like this, and it saved my life.”
“These beasts don’t save lives. They’re worse than me!” I grit my teeth. If she wanted to die at the hands of a Hellhound, who was I to stop her?” “That’s not a wolf.”
“Then what is it?” She rolled her eyes at me. “How could it be worse than you?”
“It’s a Hound, and he makes me look like a saint when stealing souls. At least I don’t chew my victims like dog toys.”
“It is not!” She argued. Before I realized what she was doing, Annika stepped forward gently before kneeling and offering a hand to the beast.
“You don’t want to…” I trailed off as it shyly made its way to her hand. Sniffing gently before rubbing its head against her fingers, the animal seemed to relax. She scratched it between the ears causing the beast’s smell to fill my nose. Something about it was too familiar, even though I was sure I hadn’t seen this one before.
“Annika,” I growled. The beast growled in response. She turned with a raised brow. “You don’t understand, alright? Can we leave the Hound alone?”
“What?”
“Hellhounds are the stealers sworn enemies.” I ran my hand through my hair. “We’ve been in turf wars for as long as I can remember.” She laughed. I rolled up the sleeve of my arm revealing a scar the length of my forearm. “One scratched me once, and Cassius sat by my bedside for two weeks until I woke up. Half a dozen men weren’t as lucky as I was that day. Three of the guys in the group made it back with a bite, but died before the night was over with high fevers and delusions.”
“Maybe they can help us, Nick?” She sighed while staring into the animal’s eyes. “Can you help us?” She whispered while stroking it gently.
The wolf-like creature nodded its massive head before glaring at me. “The feeling is mutual dog,” I hissed. It growled.
“Please,” she begged. I knew this would’ve been the same thing Sora would do if she were here. If her soul hadn’t been damned. My emotions steeled themselves before I finally, reluctantly, agreed to asking for help from the Hounds. Maybe they’ll turn on me and I won’t have to deal with any of this anymore?
“Lead the way,” I stated.
The baying got worse with each step I took. I flung open the door just as the first of them came into view. A huge gray wolf, that looked more like a bear, watched me with its fangs bared. Annika gasped.
“Wait!” She yelled as I took a threatening step toward my opponent. The creature shook its jowls sending what looked like slime flying through the air.
“Get inside,” I growled.
“No!” She stepped in front of me. “I saw an animal like this before.” My eyes widened as my brain tried to focus on what she was saying. “When I was going to find Madon I ran into a wolf like this, and it saved my life.”
“These beasts don’t save lives. They’re worse than me!” I grit my teeth. If she wanted to die at the hands of a Hellhound, who was I to stop her?” “That’s not a wolf.”
“Then what is it?” She rolled her eyes at me. “How could it be worse than you?”
“It’s a Hound, and he makes me look like a saint when stealing souls. At least I don’t chew my victims like dog toys.”
“It is not!” She argued. Before I realized what she was doing, Annika stepped forward gently before kneeling and offering a hand to the beast.
“You don’t want to…” I trailed off as it shyly made its way to her hand. Sniffing gently before rubbing its head against her fingers, the animal seemed to relax. She scratched it between the ears causing the beast’s smell to fill my nose. Something about it was too familiar, even though I was sure I hadn’t seen this one before.
“Annika,” I growled. The beast growled in response. She turned with a raised brow. “You don’t understand, alright? Can we leave the Hound alone?”
“What?”
“Hellhounds are the stealers sworn enemies.” I ran my hand through my hair. “We’ve been in turf wars for as long as I can remember.” She laughed. I rolled up the sleeve of my arm revealing a scar the length of my forearm. “One scratched me once, and Cassius sat by my bedside for two weeks until I woke up. Half a dozen men weren’t as lucky as I was that day. Three of the guys in the group made it back with a bite, but died before the night was over with high fevers and delusions.”
“Maybe they can help us, Nick?” She sighed while staring into the animal’s eyes. “Can you help us?” She whispered while stroking it gently.
The wolf-like creature nodded its massive head before glaring at me. “The feeling is mutual dog,” I hissed. It growled.
“Please,” she begged. I knew this would’ve been the same thing Sora would do if she were here. If her soul hadn’t been damned. My emotions steeled themselves before I finally, reluctantly, agreed to asking for help from the Hounds. Maybe they’ll turn on me and I won’t have to deal with any of this anymore?
“Lead the way,” I stated.