Page 12 of Vampire Solstice

“I see it,” he says, his tone sharp.

The thing moves closer, just at the edge of the faint light. Its eyes appear first—two orbs of glowing amber, flickering like firelight. They lock onto us, unblinking and unnervingly intelligent. The rest of its form emerges slowly, as if the darkness itself is reluctant to release it.

It’s massive. Its fur is black as midnight, thick and matted, rippling as it moves. Its body is wolf-like, but twisted, wrong—too large, its limbs stretched unnaturally, claws scraping against the stone floor. Its breath fogs the air, carrying the scent of decay.

The beast.

“Back away, slowly,” Fen says, his voice low and controlled.

I take a step back, careful not to make any sudden movements, but the beast snarls, its lips curling back to reveal jagged, yellowed teeth. It lowers its head, its muscles coiling as if preparing to pounce.

“It’s not going to let us go,” I murmur.

“Then we fight,” Fen says grimly.

He’s about to say something else but his words are cut off as the beast lunges forward with terrifying speed. Fen pushes me back, meeting the creature head-on with a clash of steel against claw. The force of the impact reverberates through the cave, and I stumble but manage to keep my footing.

“Fen!” I scream, my voice echoing off the cavern walls.

The beast snarls, swiping with claws as long as daggers, but Fen moves with precision, ducking under its swing andcountering with a slash to its side. The blade cuts deep, black ichor spilling onto the ground, but the creature barely flinches. It rounds on Fen with a deafening roar, swiping at him again with enough force to send shards of stone flying.

“Stay back, Ari!” Fen shouts, his focus never wavering. “I can handle this!”

But I can’t just stand there as the beast lunges for Fen again.

“No!” I rush toward him, drawing the beast’s attention, its glowing eyes locking onto me. It snarls, baring its teeth, and I can feel the sheer weight of its hatred pressing against me. This thing isn’t just an animal. It’s something worse.

“Ari, now!” Fen’s voice snaps me into action, and I raise my hands, summoning the light within me.

The magic rushes through my veins, warm and electric, and I unleash it in a blinding burst. A spear of silver light arcs from my palms, slamming into the beast’s side and forcing it to stumble back with a pained roar. Its claws scrape against the stone as it regains its balance, but the light has left its mark—a burn along its flank that smokes faintly in the cold air.

“Keep it off me!” Fen calls as he circles around the beast, his blade poised for another strike.

I nod, my heart pounding as I focus on the creature, my magic flickering at my fingertips. The beast growls low, its glowing eyes narrowing as it stalks toward me, its movements predatory and deliberate.

I release another burst of light, aiming for its chest, but it dodges with inhuman speed, darting to the side and lunging toward Fen. He meets it with a powerful swing, his blade slicing across its shoulder, but the beast retaliates with a swipe that sends him sprawling.

“Fen!” I cry, panic clawing at my throat.

“I’m fine!” he shouts, rolling to his feet with practiced ease. “Focus on the magic, Ari. It’s the only thing slowing it down.”

The beast rounds on me again, its amber eyes burning with rage. It charges, its massive frame barreling toward me like a storm. I brace myself, raising my hands and summoning every ounce of magic I can muster.

The light explodes from my palms, brighter and stronger than before, slamming into the beast’s chest and forcing it back. It roars, the sound echoing like thunder, and for a moment, I think it might retreat.

But then it shakes itself, its massive body bristling with fury, and charges again.

This time, Fen is ready. He intercepts the beast mid-lunge, his sword flashing as he drives it deep into the creature’s side. The beast howls in pain, its claws raking across Fen’s shoulder,leaving deep gashes in his leather armor.

“Get clear!” Fen shouts, pulling his blade free and dodging another swipe.

I backpedal, my magic flickering as I try to catch my breath.

The beast roars again, its fury growing as black ichor drips from its wounds. It seems to grow larger, its movements more erratic, as if the pain is pushing it closer to some breaking point.

“Fen, we can’t keep this up!” I shout, my voice hoarse. “We need to end this!”

“Working on it!” he growls, parrying another strike and driving the beast back a step.