There was smoke everywhere.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJv5iqUvOO
Soldiers were crying out—yelping in agony. Understandable.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzznvgNCEx
Some had lost their arms, others their legs—and some even both.
Only Nicole had been fast enough to react.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpW2QlDu6g
Yet even she wasn’t without injury.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxFbZsHxdV
She touched her chest—blood seeped from the wound and dripped to the ground.
She had already been in bad shape, but now... she was truly done for.
The commander still hovered in the air above them, watching like a predator.
Nicole struggled to her feet and staggered toward a wounded soldier.
‘Can you stand up?’ she asked.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIJ9Ip5lHv
The soldier nodded—his arm was gone, but he could move. Still, tears streamed down his face.
‘What happened to our commander? What happened to him? Daaamnn!’
Suddenly, something caught the commander’s attention.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjTerjjPEA
Without a word, he turned and flew away.
The group felt a rush of relief—momentary delight.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnjawqtsOL
But they knew he’d be back.
He was a predator.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYusfM2nwGy
And the way he had looked at them… he enjoyed the hunt. That much was certain.
Still, with him gone, they could finally breathe.
‘He’s become a beast,’ Nicole whispered, her voice cracking as her tears threatened to return.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe0buqfm8S
‘He’s turned into a beast… and this time, for good.’
In the City
Sark and the others had no better plan than to follow the women.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwb3RKLrLy
Returning to the forest wasn’t an option—not with the pressure and the lights emanating from there.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOR23Wb7vVj
People were fighting.
At the front, Jessie and Larah suddenly stopped.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAX36d3QpY
They all ducked behind a truck, observing the incoming army of ghouls.
Leading them was a light priest.
‘What do we do now?’ one of the soldiers asked.
‘We capture that bastard and force the information out of them,’ Larah declared.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8860QmODi
‘Aren’t you soldiers of the Special Forces—Alpha and Beta?221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQu7JalIhn
How come you're more scared than me?’
The soldiers remained silent.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoZ1bwK7HS
Larah ignored the side-eyes Sark was giving her.
She stepped out from behind the truck. Her walk turned to a jog—and then to a sprint.
The priest spotted her and bellowed:221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGrQhesNG9
‘Attack!’
The ghouls charged.
Larah tightened her grip on her weapon and leapt over some of them.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm5I7wZ0I4
She landed in their midst and started cutting down everything in her path.
She didn’t differentiate.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKGDJlzidv
If it moved, it was the enemy. If it was alive, it had to be cut.
As she sliced, she bathed in blood—hers and theirs.
‘She’s totally snapped!’ Sark grunted.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFqlxUux8Q
‘Let’s go!’
The rest joined the battle.
Jessie fought her way toward the priest, who was clearly stunned that she had gotten so far.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvbcy4RRp5
Even more shocking was Larah suddenly appearing behind him.
The priest pulled back their hood, revealing long blonde hair—221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYPNITjZNi
and eyes that shimmered gold and white.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqG94YolAw
A woman.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzqwQVDGgH
An immune one.
‘I can feel it! You two are crazy!221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgo1eplbx3
Well, I’m crazy myself—hahahah!’
In the Forest
Nicole had placed the wounded soldiers beneath a tree, giving them something to lean against.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HXjJeY2Yx
They had lost their light, their hope.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIZ2vYShRZ
They were waiting for death.
One of them had already passed—his body completely drained of blood.
‘What’s the plan, Nicole?’ one soldier asked.
‘I—I don’t know! I’m sorry! I don’t know! I—fuck!’
‘Drink our blood,’ the same soldier suggested.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98z9DK6psB
‘We’re already dead men. But you—you can still save the others.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhS5l4foGW
And the commander—he’s wounded.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlaBVQrJK8
If you drink our blood, you might be able to defeat him!’
‘You mean kill him,’ Nicole corrected.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpVXvriXH6
‘You want me to kill our commander?’
‘Yes. I do.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurX319W7xR
He’s not our commander anymore—he’s an enemy.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8lcYqviDd
And you’re the only one who can stop him.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lX5wSkUVE
I can feel it—my body is reacting to something... something dangerous.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJD5symaO9
He’s coming. So what will you do?221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZnCTkUXY1
Die with us—or fight for us?’
The other soldiers said nothing.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6h4qFwHgJ
But their silence was not hesitation—it was unity.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OdXDQLC2s
Their faces all said the same thing:221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFgxBIUolI
We’re ready.
Nicole had to decide.
She rose, stepping back.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFVyC0I9ys
Shaking her head.
‘First I lose the commander… and now I must kill my own men. I can’t—’
‘Get a grip, Nicole!’ one soldier shouted.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84iwlk2pZM
‘You’re our commander now! We serve you!221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE8VxwkamB
And we will gladly lay down our lives if it helps you.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91q4tIcMyT
So, Commander—what are your orders?’
Tears spilled down her face.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnPyRVU1dW
Nicole gave her order.
‘Die… for me.’
‘Yes, Commander!’ they all replied.
Suddenly, blood left their bodies—221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUbauZc0Sp
and Nicole’s skin absorbed it.
Her wounds healed.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPBkzhAc2Y
Her strength returned.
Just in time.
Because the commander had returned.
He approached slowly.
‘You’ve come back… to be hunted like a beast,’ he said with a groan.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQsMv6kHqX
‘You’ve even lost the ability to speak.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAR3BSqBYs
Let me end your suffering… my love.’
Somewhere in the Forest
Seraphina finally woke up.
‘Damn… that was a strong woman!’
She gasped for air and crawled toward a tree, leaning against it for support.
‘Guys… where are you?221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRgFaABJi8
Shit’s about to get real here…’221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YrJFdRUvi
and then Add to home screen.