His gaze was so loving that it made me want to run screaming into the woods after my sister. I could feel the smoldering heat of Cade’s gaze on my back. I didn’t know what to say, what to do, and thankfully I didn’t have time to worry about it. The snakelike tentacles burst free of the woods, proving that at least the creature had excellent timing along with its violent urge to murder.
It felt good to squeeze the trigger on the gun, to finally take a stand. The gun recoiled fiercely, I had prepared myself for this, but it still knocked me back at least a foot. The guns cracked loudly as bullets whizzed through the woods. I steadied myself, holding the gun tighter and bracing my legs further apart in order to take the kickback better.
The second shot didn't hit the creature, but it didn’t almost knock me over either. I adjusted myself, aiming a little more to the left and slightly higher. I fired again and had an instant of feeling like the cat that ate the canary; I was fairly certain I’d hit the monster, but it was tough to tell as Cade, Aiden, and Bret continued to fire upon the thing. They seemed to be doing better with their shots, but that thing was still coming rapidly toward us, skittering forward with a rush of momentum that I was beginning to think would never stop.
I was seized by the urge to turn and flee screaming into the woods. However, I was many things, but a coward wasn't one of them. I wouldn't abandon them right now, no matter how much my survival instincts were telling me to do so. If they decided to retreat…
Well I’d be running like the hounds of Hell were after me with them. Looking at this thing, I was pretty sure that they just might be.
It was getting closer, only fifteen feet away now. It barreled through the woods at us, snapping smaller trees in half and darting with an almost mesmerizing grace around the larger ones. I was almost as entranced, and impressed by this thing, as I was repulsed by it.
I was taking time with my shots, I didn’t know how many bullets the gun possessed and I didn’t know how to reload it. I had to make sure that when that thing was on top of us, and it would be, that I at least had some bullets left in my gun.
It was a good thing that Cade appeared to be an excellent shot. He seemed to be the only one that hadn’t missed yet, the only one doing consistent damage to it. Damage that was scarcely making a dent.
Ten feet, I fired another shot. Eight feet, I could feel my heart jump all the way into my throat. Six feet, I was half worried that I was going to piss myself. Four feet, I fired off another shot as a tentacle lashed out.
I never saw the thing until it slammed against the side of my face. My head whipped around, my teeth clamped down on my tongue so hard that blood spurted into my mouth. I cried out, as I stumbled back from the force of the blow. My vision swam, stars burst over my eyes as blackness threatened to consume me.
Someone shouted my name, I didn’t know who. I couldn’t make out the voice over the loud ringing in my ears. Arms encircled me, pulling me back as something wrapped around my leg. A strangled scream escaped as I fought against the unconsciousness trying to claim me. “Kill it! Kill it!”
Bret’s frightened cries were muffled in my ears, but I knew now that it was him holding me. That it was him trying to keep me from the clutches of that hideous thing. Bret’s arms clenched around me as the creature tried to pull me away. I knew he would never let me go. Aiden appeared beside us, a knife in his hand. I held my breath and closed my eyes as I braced myself. I knew what these things did when they were stabbed, and it wasn't pretty.
A loud, ear splitting shriek rent the air. My hands slammed over my ears, an answering scream almost ripped from me but I managed to suppress it in time. Bret's breath was warm against my neck as he ducked over me. My fingers dug into the rigid muscles of his arm as another shot rang through the air. The awful screeching grew louder, blood sprayed over us as the broken tentacle whipped through the air. More blood sprayed from the bullet holes as Cade fired two more shots.
The screaming ended abruptly.
Bret’s breath was ragged in my ears now; I could feel the frantic beat of his heart against my cheek. The thing wrapped around my leg went slack, but it didn't release me. I wanted to close my eyes, click my heels together, and go back to a year to when things hadn't been easy but they had been far better than this never ending nightmare.
“Bethany?”
“I’m fine.”
“Then why are you shaking?” I almost asked Bret why he was shaking, but I realized that he actually wasn’t shaking; it was the force of my tremors rocking him. It was unnerving to know this, but I couldn’t stop myself. “It’s ok, we’re safe right now.”
I bit on my lip as I managed a brief nod. It was Cade that un-wrapped the remains of the tentacle from my leg. Bret helped me to my feet, for a second I was terrified that my wobbling legs wouldn't hold me. Bret rubbed my arms as he held me before him. “The thing?” I managed to croak out.
“Dead.” Cade was beside us, my revolver in his hand. He slid a bullet into it, spun the cylinder, and slammed it shut before handing it to me again. “Are you going to be ok with this?”
“Maybe she shouldn’t have it,” Bret protested instantly.
“Bethany?” Cade inquired.
I swallowed heavily and forced myself to nod. “Yes.”
“Beth…”
“I need something to help protect us Bret.”
“We’re fine for now,” he protested.
“For now,” I emphasized.
I could see the concern in his soft green eyes, but I could also see the love. His fingers were as wispy as butterfly wings against my cheek as he took a step toward me. Cade thrust the revolver in between us and smiled grimly. Bret shook his head but didn’t protest further as I took the gun from Cade again.
CHAPTER 10
I staggered through the door of the antique shop. My stomach heaved as I slumped to the floor. I could barely catch my breath; my lungs were on fire as I strained to keep control of my shaking body. I jumped when hands seized hold of me. “It’s ok Bethy.”
It wasn’t ok, both Aiden and I knew that, but I wasn’t about to protest. He hauled me to my feet, pulling me beside him as he led me through the store. It was a good thing that Aiden was more graceful than I was, I would have knocked everything in the store over if he hadn’t been leading me. My stomach rolled again, bile burned the back of my throat but I refused to vomit, I would not lose the meager contents of my stomach here.
“Stairs Bethy, where are the stairs?” he breathed in my ear.