The Hunter's Prey

The quiet of the night was only interrupted by the crunching sound of gravel beneath their feet as Alex, Lila, and Mara walked along an empty road. Still the glow of the burning church hung on the horizon, the smoldering remnant of the struggle through which they had just managed to survive. Alex led the way, his shoulders stiff and his gaze flicking through the shadows for any hint of danger.

"Where are we going?" Mara, cutting through the oppressive quiet.

"There's an old safehouse a few miles from here," Alex said without looking back. "It's warded against demons. "We'll stop there and decide what we're doing next."

Lila walked faster now to keep up with him. "Is it still secure, for sure? "Given what we've seen, I wouldn't put it past these things to pass wards."

"It's our best shot," Alex said, his tone clipped. He looked over at her, his face thawing. "We need a place to regroup. You… need to rest."

Lila arched an eyebrow but said nothing. She could see how tired he was in his face, the lines of confusion and pain he was trying to keep hidden.

Mara walked along behind, clutching herself tight. "But what if they spot us before we arrive?" She asked, her voice quaking.

Alex came to a dead halt and turned toward her. "If they catch us, we fight," he said firmly. "But I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen."

Mara nodded, her fear still evident. Lila smiled assuredly at her. "We've got this," she said. "Just stay close."

It was a small cabin hidden away deep in the woods. The outside was worn, the wood darkened by time and seasons. But as they got closer, Alex could feel a faint hum of protective magic in the air. The wards were still intact.

"This is it," he said, as he opened the creaking door. Inside, the cabin was basic yet tidy. A solitary lantern dangled from the ceiling, flooding the room with a golden light.

Lila dropped her bag and started poking around the space. "It'll do," she told Alex, looking at him. "But we will have to be observing. Schools don't open this year. Just in case."

"I'll take the first shift," Alex volunteered as she walked toward the window. "You two get some sleep."

Lila hesitated, then nodded. "Wake me when it's my turn."

Mara sat on the side of a cot, hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Do you think it's over? The ones that hit the church… did they leave?"

"For now," Alex said, staring at the dark forest outside the window. "But there's always more. They're like a plague."

Mara was shivering and lay down, dragging a threadbare blanket over her. Lila hung by Alex's side, scanning his face. "You're not okay, are you?" She asked softly.

He did not reply right away. Finally, he sighed. "I'm alive. That's enough for now."

Lila touched him, fingers grazing his arm. "You don't have to do this alone, Alex. We're in this together."

He met her gaze, and the weight of her words settled in. "I know," he said gently. "But then if something happens to you or Mara …

"Nothing's going to happen," she cut in, her voice steady. "We're stronger together. Don't forget that."

Alex managed a small smile. "You're stubborn, you know that?

"And you're only now coming to that conclusion?" She teased, the corners of her lips upturning in a smile.

The minutes wore on in nervous silence, the only sounds the occasional rustle of the wind outside. Alex remained on high alert, every shadow a potential threat. But as the hours passed, the suffocating sense of danger started to fade.

As he was just starting to settle in, something faint caught his ears. It was a soft, rhythmic tapping of fingers drumming against wood. Alex tensed, feeling his hand ignite instinctively with hellfire.

"Lila," he said, his voice so quiet that I could hardly hear.

Her eyes were sharp; she woke up at once. "What is it?"

The tapping became louder, more insistent. It was coming from the roof.

Alex waved her back as he walked toward the door. As soon as he was outside, the cold night air bit his skin. He glanced up through the eerie shadows cast by his flames across the cabin. Above him, something moved, something dark that melted with the night.

"Show yourself," Alex said, his voice steady, even though the tension was coiling in his chest.

A low, guttural laugh crept through the trees. The figure jumped down, landing a few feet away. It was humanoid but deformed, its limbs stretched too long and its eyes glowing a sickly yellow light.

"You've had some fun, hunter," the creature hissed, the malice audible in its voice. "But you can't rescue them all."

Alex didn't hesitate. He threw a ball of hellfire at the creature, but it zipped away at unnatural speed, fading into the shadows.

"Coward," Alex said, his flames flaring.

The creature's laughter sounded again in the distance and also in multiple directions. Alex discovered too late that it wasn't by itself. Figures materialized from the darkness, their glowing eyes beady orbs surrounding him.

"Alex!" Lila's voice called from the door, weapon in hand.

"Get back inside!" He bellowed, planting himself between her and the creatures.

But Lila didn't retreat. But instead she stepped up, rising as a fireball of conviction. "Not without you."

The creatures rushed, and the fight was underway. Alex and Lila stood shoulder to shoulder, mimicking each other's movement. Hellfire and iron struck against serrated claws and sharpened teeth, the night alive with the sounds of battle.

Though skilled, the creatures never stopped coming, an unrelenting tide. Alex had known they wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. Nevertheless, despair pushed his strikes, each one stronger than the last.

Just when the tide seemed overwhelming, a blinding light shot from the cabin. The creatures screamed and skittered back, their shape melting into ash. Mara stood in the doorway, palms radiating an ethereal light.

"What the hell?" Alex muttered, his eyes wide.

Mara appeared just as taken aback as they were. "I… I don't know what happened. I just…"

"You saved us," Lila said with wonder in her voice.

Alex gazed at Mara, a new question etched in his mind. Who was she, really?