Chapter 66 – Escape or Die Part 1

Matt's eyes flicked over the yacht's radio, static crackling suddenly. He froze, listening intently, and the next moment, he was on his feet.

Without a word, Matt bolted below deck, practically flying down the stairs. His heart pounded as he skidded to a stop in front of Bastian and Anastasia's cabin. He didn't want to know what was happening inside—honestly, he didn't want to see it either—but there was no time to waste.

Bang! Bang! He pounded on the door, his voice raw with urgency. "Bastian! My dad's calling for you! It's urgent!"

In a flash, the door swung open. Bastian, disheveled but focused, slipped past him with Anastasia close behind. This got the attention of the security guard known as Joe that Wyatt had sent with them and he rushed out of his cabin to follow Anastasia and Bastian. They rushed up to the bridge, and Bastian grabbed the radio, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him. "Wyatt, I'm here. What's going on?"

Wyatt's voice crackled through the radio, tense and serious. "We've got company, and they're not here for tea. There's a crew waiting for us at the dock—armed, and I don't think they're on our side. We need to divert to the main harbor, fast."

Bastian grabbed the binoculars, peering through them at the far-off dock. His gut twisted. Dozens of cars were parked there, figures standing ominously by the water. "Wait… isn't that your security team?"

Wyatt's heavy sigh came through the static. "No, and I can't reach my guys. I'm guessing they're dead. We're sitting ducks out here, Bastian. We need to get to the main harbor where we have backup. Otherwise, we're trapped."

Just as Wyatt finished speaking, another voice cut through the airwaves. "Bastian, its Billy. Can you feel it? Sense the power coming from that crowd?"

Bastian didn't hesitate. He closed his eyes, focusing on what Billy had taught him. The air around him darkened as he stretched out with his mind, feeling for the energy waiting for them at the pier. A pulse of something cold, something malevolent, hit him hard. His eyes shot open, heart slamming against his ribs.

Anastasia's hand was on his arm in a second, her panic rising. "Bastian? What is it? What did you feel?"

His face told her everything. "Demons," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're all demons. Powerful ones. More than we can handle right now."

She paled, her grip tightening on his arm. "Then what do we do?"

Before he could answer, Bastian stepped outside the bridge, scanning the horizon. His gaze snapped back behind them, his stomach plummeting. The problem wasn't just up ahead. He grabbed the radio again, his voice sharper now. "Billy, come in."

A moment's pause, then Billy responded, his tone clipped. "What is it?"

"It's not just the ones waiting for us at the dock. There's another group behind us, and they're closing in."

The silence on the other end of the radio was all the confirmation Bastian needed. The demons were already moving in from both sides.

Billy's voice came back, grim. "Damn it, I didn't sense them before. We need to get out of here. Now. Full speed, Bastian. Don't hold back."

Wyatt's yacht roared to life ahead, picking up speed, and Bastian followed suit. He slammed the throttle forward, the boat lurching as the engines roared to their limit. The sea churned beneath them, the once-placid waves now splashing up against the sides of the boat as they raced toward safety.

The wind whipped through Anastasia's hair as she clung to the railing, her heart pounding in her chest. "Are they gaining on us?" she asked, her voice tight.

Bastian's eyes were fixed on the water behind them, his jaw clenched. "Yes," he said through gritted teeth. "They've got speedboats. Fast ones."

Joe and Matt scrambled to the side of the boat, squinting at the dark shapes rapidly approaching from behind. "They're catching up!" Matt shouted, panic creeping into his voice.

Anastasia's heart raced as she glanced between Bastian and the oncoming demons. "Can we outrun them?"

"We're gonna try," Bastian muttered, his hands white-knuckled on the wheel. "But they've got the advantage on the water."

Suddenly, gunfire echoed across the waves. Bullets sprayed the water around them, missing the boat by inches. Wyatt's yacht veered sharply ahead of them, trying to dodge the attack, but the demons weren't backing off. They were coming fast, and they were out for blood.

"We need to split up!" Wyatt's voice barked over the radio. "We'll draw some of them away. Head for the other side of the harbor, we'll meet you there!"

Bastian didn't argue. He yanked the wheel to the right, the boat swerving dangerously as it sped away from Wyatt's yacht. While Joe rushed downstairs to get his weapons, Anastasia held on for dear life as the boat cut through the water at breakneck speed, the demons still hot on their trail.

"They're not letting up!" Matt yelled, his eyes wild as he watched the speedboats getting closer. "What do we do now?"

Bastian's mind raced, searching for a way out, for anything that would give them an edge. The boat was fast, but the demons were faster. And they were running out of time.

Suddenly, one of the demon boats surged forward, pulling up alongside them. A hulking figure stood at the helm, its eyes glowing with a menacing light. It grinned at Bastian, raising a weapon—a black, twisted blade that pulsed with dark energy.

Anastasia's breath caught in her throat. "Bastian, look out!"

Before Bastian could react, the demon swung the blade, aiming for the side of their boat.

Everything slowed as the blade descended, the air thick with tension.

Then—crash.

The world seemed to tilt as the demon's blade collided with the side of the yacht, slicing through the air with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the twisted metal tore into the hull. For a split second, everything froze.

Then the boat shuddered violently.

As Joe had come back up with his guns, he was thrown against the railing, gripping it hard to keep from tumbling overboard. The yacht lurched sideways, water spraying up as the momentum shifted. Bastian cursed under his breath, fighting the wheel to regain control as the engine groaned under the strain.

"That bastard's trying to sink us!" Matt shouted from the deck, his eyes wide. But fear didn't hold him back; he snapped into action, grabbed one of Joe's guns and ran down to the crew quarters glancing at the crew of the yacht. "Girls, stay hidden! Boys, arm yourselves—we've got demons on our tails!"

The girls slipped into hidden compartments below deck, while the guys grabbed their weapons and took positions by the portholes, their faces grim with determination. They weren't just crew—they were fighters now. Matt ran back up to stay with Anastasia.

Anastasia, her pulse steady with adrenaline, clutched the massive weapon in her hands. "We've got this, Matt. We're not running anymore."

"Damn right," Matt agreed, loading his gun, his smile fierce.

From their vantage point, they could see the demon speedboats circling them like sharks. The crew opened fire, their bullets finding marks in the lesser demons. But the bigger ones pressed on, undeterred.

As the nearest boat sped toward them with deadly precision, the demon on board raised its weapon, eyes gleaming with malice. Anastasia fired, knocking one vessel off course. But more were closing in.

"We're not going to outrun them," Matt growled, his jaw clenched. "We need to fight."

Bastian threw the boat into a sharp, stomach-churning turn, forcing a demon boat to miss its strike by inches. "You up for it?" he called to Matt.

Matt fired another round, taking out a demon. "We don't have a choice!"

Gunfire erupted from the crew as bullets ricocheted off the speedboats. Matt aimed down the sights, picking off another demon with a single shot. "These guys just don't quit!"

"Then neither do we!" Anastasia yelled, firing a grenade launcher that obliterated another demon vessel. "Hell yeah!" she shouted as debris scattered across the water.

Just then, the radio crackled. "Bastian, it's Billy. We've got backup incoming. Hold tight for a few more minutes!"

"We don't have a few minutes!" Bastian barked, his focus on the rapidly approaching threat.

Matt and Anastasia's eyes locked on the lead demon boat. "We need to take that one out, now," Matt said grimly. They both fired, striking the engine in unison. The explosion rocked the sea, sending flames and debris into the air.

But before they could catch their breath, a towering demon leaped from the wreckage and landed on the back of their yacht with a deafening roar.

Anastasia's heart pounded as she whipped around, weapon ready. Matt stood beside her, his gaze fierce. The demon, far larger and stronger than the others, snarled, its fiery eyes locked on them. This wasn't an ordinary demon—it was far worse.

Matt's voice dropped to a whisper. "Get ready."

The demon lunged, and the yacht's deck buckled beneath its weight and Joe immediately stepped in front of Anastasia and Matt shooting at the demon with every bullet he had. To Anastasia's horror, Joe was no match for this demon and with one swing, Joe was torn to shreds by the demon's claws, killing him instantly. The demon threw his limp body overboard. Saddened by the death of one of their guards who looked after them until the end, Anastasia and Matt fired together with rage, but the demon kept coming, relentlessly. The fight for survival had begun, and this time, they couldn't afford to lose.

"Fuck this!" Matt shouted as he decided to use the training he had been given and launched an air kick at the demon while Anastasia followed suit. They kept launching kicks at it until eventually the demon lost footing and went over the railing. The demon managed to hold on to the railing with one hand and Matt pulled out his gun.

He smiled at the demon and took a perfect opportunity to quote one of his favourite movies, "Hasta la vista Baby!" He then shot the demon's fingers off, making it plunge into the waters below.

Suddenly, the boat lurched again. One of the demon boats had pulled alongside them, and a vicious blade slashed at their engine. Metal screeched as the engine sputtered violently.

They were losing power.

"No, no, no!" Bastian muttered, hands frantic on the controls. The yacht slowed, the demon boats closing in.

"We're dead in the water," Matt breathed, fear threatening to creep in.

Anastasia's mind raced. "Bastian, you may have to use your powers or we're all going to die!"