"Kai!" Lena screamed in terror as she walked down the dark hallway of the hotel building where the party was held.
"Kai!" Her breathing distorted, she placed her left palm gently on her chest to relieve the pain she felt in her heart on sighting one of those monsters.
Half of the hallway was illuminated by the moon light while the other half disappeared into the darkness.
As she walked further down looking for her date a strange unsettling sound echoed from the darkness a low growl deep and guttural rumble from the darkness sending chills down her spine.
Unsure about what to make of the sound she called out one more time "Kai is that you ?" She asked, her voice trembling and her limbs shaking.
As the sound got louder and drew closer, fear completely engulfed her, ther air around her thickened with each breath she took making it harder and harder to breathe.
She could only imagine what might emerge from the darkness. The growl grew louder, more menacing, yet Lena remained frozen, fear had locked her legs in place.
Then, in an instant, a hand clamped over her mouth, another wrapped around her waist, yanking her into the shadows. Panic surged through her—until something in her gut told her it was Kai. Her fear eased, but her heart still pounded in her chest.
The creature manifested it's ugly self from the shadows a torn black trouser stuck around its waist only coming down to its knees in shreds, its eyes were ominous red hue that glowed with hunger.
It walked around in different directions trying to sniff out it's prey, Kai's clothing was completely tattered blood stained his white shirt around his shoulder level but he didn't look like he was in much pain.
Lena's back pressed gently against Kai as she slowly lifted his hand from her mouth. Instead of letting go, she clutched it tightly against her chest. Kai could feel her heart pounding wildly, as if trying to break free from her ribs. A wave of pity washed over him, she must have been terrified.
"Poor Lena… she must have been scared out of her mind. It's okay. I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you." His grip tightened slightly, a silent vow forming in his heart. "I'll protect you, just like Caden protected me that night… even if it costs me my life."
His thoughts were soft, gentle—so different from the terror closing in around them.
Lena's breathing slowly steadied as Kai held her close wrapped in his embrace the fear that gripped her moments ago began to fade.
The tension in the air gradually decreased, the growling of the creature couldn't be heard anymore, Kai heaved a deep sigh of relief and Lena's grip loosened a bit as a sense of relief washed over both of them, their breathing became longer and a bit louder.
Lena slowly turned around to look at Kai, the top half of his shirt was a dark pink color, four deep gashes ripped through his shirt and tearing into his flesh his current state evident of the monsters he had fought and killed.
Pity washed over Lena's face as she saw her date in a terrible state, her eyes locked deep into his "I'm so sorry" She whispered.
"It's okay" Kai said forcing a smile despite the pain "We're gonna make out of this alive". He gently cupped Lena's cheeks with both hands his touch warm and reassuring. Even as agony burned through his back his only focus was easing her.
During the party a group of teenagers snuck off to the bathroom on the floor Lena and Kai were currently in holding a bottle of wine in their hands laced with Seraphina's potion, they were in a group of 8, boys and girls included and after the transformation they were all turned lurking around aimlessly around that floor.
Not until they sighted both Kai and Lena.
The eerie silence was shattered by a guttural screech a sound so primal it sent a cold shiver down Lena's spine, their grotesque forms illuminated by the dim moon light that penetrated through the glass windows.
Immediately the creatures lunged forward their red eyes burned with insatiable hunger and their twisted frames ran unnaturally and their claws scrapping against the ground as they ran.
Kai grabbed Lena's wrist and pulled her into a sprint with his weapon clutched tightly on his other hand. The ground trembled under the weight of the pursuing horde their razor sharp teeth glinting as they closed the distance.
Kai and Lena cornered into another hallway sprinting with every ounce of energy in them the monsters followed suit their claws scrapping the floor as they made a turn.
The creatures were closing in on them fast, Kai noticed, he knew that if they kept running it'd be only a matter of time before they get caught.
Lena could only hear the sound of her self breathing at that moment until–"Lena" Kai called her name out softly "Yes" She replied.
"Can you still run ?" Kai asked. Lena didn't see the points of all these questions worse still his voice was calm like nothing was happening but she answered anyway "Yes, why ?".
"Good, am gonna need you to run as far away from here as fast as you possibly can and don't look back." Lena's face etched with confusion "What are you talking about, we're both going to run away."
"At this rate it's only a matter of seconds before they catch us" Kai said his voice strained
Before Lena could protest he abruptly let go of her hand and spun around sprinting straight towards the oncoming horde.
"Kai, no!" She screamed, reaching for him but he was already gone.
His body moved on instinct, his muscles burning as he charged towards the creatures, He clenched onto his weapon tightly a red iron rod with a pointed end originally a framed work of art now Kai's weapon.
Blood dripping from the wounds on his back but he refused to stop, the monsters snarled their grotesque mouths widened in twisted grin as they welcomed their prey, but Kai wouldn't be so easy to take down after all he killed four of them earlier.
PS: Kai is short for Kyler