Cornered

Hatred and gleed filled her eyes, and a cruel and sinister smile bloomed on her face.

"Nice to meet you, Alexander."

Rose ran at Alexander, claws out ready and primed to rip the flesh of his skin.

She closed in fast, her claws descended diagonally with the ferocious of a tiger. A cruel grin plastered unto her face.

Seeing the hand bearing down, Alexander reacted fast and grabbed the collar of Jack, the injured limp man at his feet. And with one hand and great difficulty, he pulled Jack up and draped him over his side. Using Jack's body as a shield.

Rose did not realise what Alexander had done until her claws were halfway down her husband's chest.

She stops. Quickly pulled her hand out.

Alexander, afraid she might attack him again pushed her husband's body at her. And jumped back, putting some distance between them.

The body fell into her arms. The blood from the recent stab to the throat which was healing now. And the blood from her claw attack stained her chest. With her heightened senses, she could feel the warm blood turn cold and hear his weak and strained breath. The pungent smell of his blood filled her nose. It was all she could smell.

She started trembling.

Vampires mate for life, and she had harmed her mate to such an extent.

It was her fault this was happening. It was all her fault. It was her fault that the hunter found this place. It was her fault that Jacob was dead. It was her fault Jack was barely clinging to life.

'It was all my fault.'

'NO!'

'It isn't my fault.'

'IT'S HIS FAULT.' Rose thought.

Rose dropped her husband. Still trembling she looked at her blood-stained hands.

She trembled.

It was unknown how long she stood there, staring at her hands. A minute, maybe 2 or 3 or 4.

But as time progressed, her trembling slowly decreased until it stopped completely.

This stalemate was a welcomed one for Alexander. He had been racking his brain to think of a way to break free from the necklace's control.

And he had to do this well fending off foreign romanticised thoughts about Rose.

He stood there with his guard up, in a defensive stance, and his combat knife in one hand crossed under the other. His eyes peaked at Rose from a gap in his guard. His gaze pinned on her.

Rose finally raises her head. She stared at Alex with eyes filled with madness and murderous intent.

Low growls emitted from her throat. She was less human, more beast.

A switch had been flipped. A thread had been snapped.

Stepping on her husband's body, she charged at Alex with a single desire. To kill him in the most brutal way.

She went for a wide downward swing with her claws.

Seeing her hand coming, Alexander ducked underneath it and, out of the way, then quickly turned around to face his foe.

But she was just getting started. She turned and chased him. Swing her hands one after the other, intending to claw at him.

Alexander retreated. Narrowly avoiding the claw.

Again, she followed and attacked, using the same pattern, the same movement, the same ferocity.

Again, Alexander retreated narrowly avoiding the claw by skin of his teeth.

Again, clawed downwards. Powerful and bold. Ripping the air as she did.

Again, Alexander retreated.

However, this time her claws made brief contact with his arm. Barely scratching his sleeve.

He could avoid her attacks now, but he wouldn't last forever. His stamina and speed could not compare to hers.

Again. She attacked.

Again. He avoids.

Dodging and rolling and ducking left and right. All around the shed. His breath was starting to get hurried. He was sweating and drity. He couldn't keep this up.

Until.

*Slash*

"Mgghh." Alexander groaned. Stifling a scream.

He had been scratched. His sleeve was ripped, and his arm had 4 claw marks on it.

He could feel the sting. He could also feel the tickling sensation as blood ran down his arm to his elbow.

He was injured, but he could not relax his guard. His arms were still up. His brain racing to find a solution to his predicament while fighting off intrusive thoughts praising Rose.

He couldn't attack, only defend.

Again, Rose charged at him. She had drawn blood. She wanted more. Her smile grew wider.

Alexander, panting and tired knew he couldn't avoid her next attacks. So he opted to close the gap between the two. And rushed at Rose.

Seeing Rose smiled even more. Watching his futile attempts. She knew that he couldn't hurt her, so she let him get close.

Then she started hailing down slashes at him.

Because he had closed in the distance, she couldn't attack him with her claws, but each slash still felt like getting hit with a metal baseball bat. And every one of her slash landed.

Alexander was in intense pain but desperately held on. Holding in his screams and groans. His hands were in so much pain. They were numb to the point that he had long dropped his combat knife.

His shoulders screeched in pain, peading with him to put his hands down for just a second. Just for a short while, for a little break. But no matter what, his guard stayed up.

Rose did not seem to run out of steam, her hands still slashed, still hammered at the young hunter.

She grinned with joy as she watched him slowly shrink and sink with each hit. His legs were about to give out.

The hand she had clawed at previous was now almost entirely covered by blood.

His blood.

It had soaked into his sleeve to his rib and was the elbow dripped blood.

Alexander could feel his legs weren't going to be able to hold on for long. His arms either. If he dropped them, his death was certain.

He racked his brain.

'Think Alex. THINK.' He screamed at himself.

*boom* *boom* *boom*

His body sunk with every hit. His legs, his arms, were seconds away from dropping. They had been pushed too far.

'FUCKING THINK.' He screamed again.

Words, pictures and memories of his investigation start to flash in his mind.

'Kate .Tears. Widow. Kiss. Victims. Blush. Sunset. Motel. Victims. Necklace. Club. Victims. Necklace. Cops. Found. Victims. Necklace. Blush. Love. Receipts. Burger. Love.'

'Got it.'

Something clicked in Alexander's mind.

His tired eyes shot open.