Bloodlust: Cain's Eternal Curse

Episode 18: Miss New Orleans

The moon hung low, an ominous glow cast over the empty streets of New Orleans, where the shadows seemed to stretch farther, darker, more menacing than usual. The French Quarter, so often alive with music and laughter, was silent tonight. The air was thick, suffocating, carrying an uneasy tension as though the city itself was holding its breath. Every flicker of light, every creak of an old building, felt like the calm before the storm.

Jackson, the owner of a small antique shop, locked the door behind him, his hands shaking just slightly more than usual. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, glancing over his shoulder. He hadn't seen anyone since sundown, but the air felt wrong. There was something lurking just beyond the edge of his senses. He shook it off, muttering to himself, "Too much bourbon tonight, Jackson. Too damn much."

The streetlamps flickered overhead, casting faint pools of light that did nothing to calm his nerves. His footsteps echoed in the silence as he made his way down the alley that cut between the old, crumbling buildings, every step quicker than the last. The wind stirred behind him, just a whisper of sound, but it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

A low, guttural growl broke through the silence-a sound so primal it seemed to come from the bowels of the earth itself. Jackson froze, his heart slamming against his chest. He turned his head slowly, eyes wide, scanning the darkness that stretched down the alley behind him.

"Who's there?" His voice wavered, a pathetic attempt at confidence. His hand slipped into his coat, fingers wrapping tightly around the small knife he carried for protection. It felt laughable now, like a toy against whatever was out there.

For a moment, there was nothing. The street was empty. Jackson exhaled shakily, releasing the breath he'd been holding, and began to take another step.

Then, they appeared-two burning orbs in the shadows, glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light. Golden eyes. Eyes that locked onto him with a hunger that sent a wave of cold terror through his veins.

"Shit..." Jackson's voice was barely a whisper now, his hand tightening around the knife as he backed away, his heartbeat echoing in his ears. He couldn't tear his eyes away from those glowing orbs, even as they grew larger, closer.

A massive figure stepped into the faint light. A wolf. But no ordinary wolf. This thing was enormous-larger than any beast Jackson had ever seen. Its sleek black fur shimmered in the moonlight, muscles rippling beneath its coat. The creature's lips curled back, revealing jagged fangs that glistened with saliva, each tooth a weapon in its own right. But it was those eyes-those terrifying, intelligent golden eyes-that sent a primal fear coursing through him.

The wolf growled low in its throat, a sound that seemed to vibrate the very air around them. Jackson stumbled back, his boots scraping against the cobblestone. He pulled the knife from his coat and held it out in front of him, his hand shaking violently.

"Stay the fuck back," Jackson growled, though his voice was trembling. "I swear to God..."

The wolf took another step forward, the growl deepening, its eyes locked on his throat as if measuring how easy the kill would be.

Jackson's heart raced. "You hear me? I'll cut you open!" He slashed the air, desperation in his every movement. But the wolf only seemed amused, its growl morphing into something that almost resembled a laugh, as though mocking him.

The beast moved suddenly, a blur of motion as it leaped forward with terrifying speed. Jackson barely had time to react before the wolf's massive body collided with his, knocking him to the ground with a sickening thud. His knife clattered from his hand, useless now, as the creature's claws raked across his chest, ripping through fabric, flesh, and bone like butter.