You Fight For All The Wrong Reasons

Do I ever have a knack for being at the wrong place and the wrong time.

Cam’s dark eyes followed the path that the oozing blood took down my leg. Petrified, I was frozen to the ground. I wasn’t even in my wolf stage. I wouldn’t stand a chance. I would just have to hope that one human, the one he was clutching in his icy fingers, was enough to satisfy a thirsty vampire.

My hope was crushed as six figures emerged from the trees behind the shack. Six new characters to our cast. Six thirsty vampires, against five unprepared werewolves.

My mind switched into battle mode, and I racked it for any clever tactics that could save my skin.

We absolutely had to get into our wolf stages. To do that, we would have to make the first move.

I had never ran like this before. I ran for my life, the scenery flying by as I searched for a hiding spot. A cluster of oaks caught my eye and dashed into their shadowy shelter.

I had ten seconds at most. Ripping every article of clothing off me, and feeling extremely stupid and exposed as I did so, I quickly morphed into my wolf stage. Four other werewolves bounded out from the distance towards me, fur coats and all.

Mitch barked at me and I ran to join the pack.

Time for a showdown.

We already had a plan: we wanted a 100 percent kill. We couldn’t lead them back to the suburbs of Maryland and risk the lives of who knows how many unsuspecting humans. Ray had seen the vampires go near the group of trees I was just in. We were far away from there, and far into the woods now. We had been smart to scatter. But now we had to stick together and be prepared for an ambush as we tried to plan our own ambush.

Mitch sniffed the air. Ugh. I can smell them. They’re this way. We silently followed Mitch to an area of the woods I had never been to before, a discreet little section. Not knowing the territory didn’t help me in any way, but Mitch seemed to know where he was going.

I saw Mitch’s body tense. He had seen them. A loud bark erupted from his mouth. He stood there, out in the open, easy bait for the sharks.

What the hell is he doing?! As soon as I thought that, I realized Mitch’s plan. Creating a diversion, he would lead the vampires to the four of us, where we would have an easy advantage to attack the vampires. It was foolish for the one creating the distraction, and dangerous, but if we pulled it off perfectly, our chances of winning this were high.

The battle had already begun. Mitch was speeding down toward us at an incredible speed, vampires close behind. Quickly, we found our positions: Ray and I would take the vampires head on, while Julia and Christina would sneak up from behind.

I was terrified. Terrified for the five lives on the line here, and the thousands of lives elsewhere if something went wrong and we lost this. Christina had always told me that in the heat of “battle”, the best turn their fear into deranged madness, and it always worked if they were in for a kill. I didn’t like the deranged part, but I knew what she was getting at.

Ray and I shot up like bullets from a shotgun. We had the element of surprise on our side. The vampires had all stopped for a split second, startled.

A split second was all we needed.

If we couldn’t kill them, we had to maul them up as best we could, then make our grand escape. Julia leaped onto the back of one of them, her long fangs digging at the vampire’s icy skin. Digging at the vampire’s back wouldn’t do the damage we wanted. But she was setting the stage perfectly for someone else to do the job.

That would be Ray and I. Ray went for the legs and Julia pinned the vampire down. I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. I jumped on the vampire’s chest. It was a girl, with long white-blond hair and a narrow face. There was something very disturbing about the look in her eyes. I ripped away at her chest. Ray was no longer needed at his position, and he came to assist me. I was slowly digging a hole in her chest. Ray did the honors. With a huge, sharp stick he held in his mouth, he jammed it into the vampire’s chest and that was the last of her.

One down, five to go.

The fight was raging down at Mitch’s and Christina’s end. Three vampires and two werewolves all but a blur, making the occasional blow at each other. Julia dashed over to help, and I saw one vampire start to weaken.

Something grazed me leg. With a shock, I realized I was still sporting dried blood on my calf. A tall vampire with dark hair pushed back from his face and skin that seemed to illuminate took a swipe at me. God, he was fast. I backed away. He lunged forward. I jumped and swiped. His face twisted with pain. Our dance continued.

It seemed like we had been going at this forever, slow, deliberate movements followed by short, quick blows. But then the vampire suddenly lunged at me with such ferocity and strength, and his fangs grazed my ear.

That was frightfully close. I bit his leg, and at that moment, Ray came charging at full speed and toppled the vampire. This might be another kill. Ray gave me a look that said “Leave this to me.” and I did.

I was ready to go take on another bloodsucker, but the woods were deserted, except for the five of us. A terrible scream came from behind me, and I tried to ignore the blood-curdling sound. Ray was once again successful.

For a moment, the only noises were panting and the sound of my heart thumping in my chest. I managed to speak, "We got rid of them all.”

Christina replied. “Yes. We killed two and chased away four.”

A miracle. A wave of triumph washed over me, but I was too tired to show my excitement.

“No!” The word had not been spoken from any one of us. I knew that voice anywhere. Cam.

I chased the sound of his voice and found the source. Cam was backed into a tree, Mitch’s paws pressed against him. Mitch held a stake in his mouth. I had no doubt that Mitch had the strength to rupture Cam’s chest and stake his heart right then and there.

“Mitch! Stop!” I barked. I ran up to him. “Don’t! Don’t do it!”

Mitch glowered at me. “Why should I let a blood sucking, killing machine go?”

“Just…please, just don’t do it!”

“He was going to KILL you!”

Mitch turned back to the tree, ready to kill.

But Cam had already escaped.