Sinister (Lethal Fear: Book One)

17 - Hearing

After all the drinking I had done, I threw up, walked around the campfire in a daze, and eventually passed out.

I still didn't understand why Dylan, despite everything that was happening, thought we actually had time for a relationship. One, I had lives on my shoulders. Two, I had my sister's heart on my shoulders. Three, Dylan was betrothed and had no business liking another girl.

However, I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me that he had went on the rebound with Silk. It was better this way. He would move out of danger and I'd struggle to take care of everything. Which is why as soon as we got home, I would tell Dad everything. I would be there for him when he broke down and I wouldn't hide away like a child until it was over.

"ALINA!"

I was shaken away, rolling off the soft blankets I had set for myself.  I had pulled my stake out in seconds, using it to block my chest. 

However, to my relief, it was Leya. Her eyes wild and terrified as she struggled to pull me up. "Alina, we've got to get out of here!"

"What?" I was more alert now, trying to see what was happening but Leya blocked my view as we both staggered to our feet. I didn't have time to see anything, she started to push me towards the forest thickets, away from the camp ground.

Screams and cries rang in my ear and another scream that sent Leya and I falling to our knees. The scream of a Sixth.

I suddenly couldn't hear anything and I was pretty sure Leya couldn't either as she screamed out something I couldn't hear. There were other, our fellow hunters, running. Some rushing to attack the hordes of Sixth that had snuck up on us. The rest were fleeing with the medical team that had accompanied us.

I tried to pull a terrified Leya on to her feet but she stayed down, her hands flying up to her ears as she said something hurriedly.

I couldn't leave her. We had really made peace this week and it would shatter everything if I just left her. However, before I could make another attempt to save Leya, I was knocked to the ground by something as hard as a boulder.

I looked up, my breathing quick and my heart almost leaping out of my chest. A sixth, a male with those hallow black eyes and an arrogant smirk on his face, towered over me, fangs bared. He looked so...intelligent and human. Almost like Elena.

I didn't dwell instead I shoved my stake into his knee and he screamed soundlessly, falling to the ground. I quickly got to my feet, ready to slice his head off but another pair of hands grabbed me by the waist, swinging me away from Leya and the injured sixth.

I reflexively sliced another Sixth as I was flung through the air, hitting the ground so hard, I felt a stabbing pain in my legs. I realized I had been thrown into thorn bushes and my legs were now red and bloody as the thorns had ripped through my pants.

The pain was so bad I could feel hot tears in my eyes but I forced myself to get up. It was a slow action that seemed to take years but I got up. Dead bodies were on the floor. Hunters and Sixth alike. I almost choked up as I seen Issac's lifeless body a few yards away.

More hunters were rushing towards a group of about seven approaching Sixth, they all smiled menacingly at their prey that was now running right into their fangs.

I looked around the open field, trying to find Leya or Dylan or even Silk. However, they were nowhere in sight. I knew I was going to die. I was injured and being injured made you easy prey. I stumbled away from the Sixth who had cracked the necks of the hunters, draining them dry and throwing them to the ground like rag dolls.

I stumbled through the shadows and thickets, praying they wouldn't see the bloody deer as she desperately tried to get to safety.

I limped as fast as I could, nearly tripping over bodies as I went. My boots were sticky with red and my face was soaked in mud that threatened to take away my sight as I pushed through hanging branches.