Vampire Boys Of Summer (Completed!)

Episode 73: Through The Maze

We ran down the dark tunnel. There were no candles in the passageway to see by. The only light afforded us came through gaps in the ceiling where the roof had been haphazardly constructed. Small shafts of lights from the outside cavern painted lines upon the floor for us to see by. If there were other sections of a tunnel connected to this one, we passed them by.

Haru appeared to be heading in what he thought was a straight line, searching for the exit out the other side. We heard a faint stomping sound and shouts from somewhere behind us, but we couldn’t investigate for we could also hear the panting of the dogs amplified ten times in the corridor.

They were coming up on us fast. It was apparent to see Haru wouldn’t be able to pull me down the tunnel quick enough to escape them. We were going to have to hide or face them.

“We fight,” he said, reading my mind. I wasn’t sure about that decision. I’d never fought a dog before. I was a cat person. And these dogs were of such a size they probably ate cats as a snack. They were huge dogs, what they called Mastiffs. With massive heads and enormous bodies, they had to weigh nearly two hundred pounds each. From their jaws, dripped drool and foam, and even blood. If they managed to get their mouths clamped on a body part, it would probably be removed. As if to prove this, they came bounding towards us out of the darkness. Both mouths open they came in for the kill.

The first came at Haru. My love let go of my hand and the dog tried to take it. Haru was faster than the dog however. He grabbed a jaw with each hand, keeping its mouth open, so it couldn’t clamp down on anything. He spun around in a circle holding this gigantic beast by its mouth, and flung it against the wall. It disappeared into the darkness with a howl.

The second dog was airborne in front of me. It was hard to believe that with its size it could even get off the ground. But here it was in front of me, level with my chest, foam and drool flying in all directions. But I wasn’t unarmed. I’d prepared myself for bad vampires, but troublesome dogs could be dispatched in the same manner. The stake went in between two ribs, and I hit the floor with a roll, trying to get out of its way should it drop. It hit the ground and rolled, coming back up fast. The stake barely slowed it down. And I was out of weapons. The dog pounced and landed on my chest, pinning me to the ground. Its jaws snapped towards my face and I turned my head not wanting to see what death had prepared for me. There was a loud crack, a snapping sound that I assumed was its mouth clamping down towards my head. Instead the dog let out a sharp whimper and was still.

Haru dragged the dog off me and I looked over at it. My lover in his sworn protection had broken the dogs neck. He reached down for me, his hand extended and I grabbed it, allowing him to pull me to my feet. My legs were shaky and I clutched myself to him. He wrapped his arms around me. I began to cry.

“It’s okay, my love,” he whispered in my ear. “We’re okay.”

I slumped in his arm, and he held me up, kissing my cheek and earlobe for comfort.

“I thought I was dead,” I sobbed.

“We’re very much alive,” he assured me. “Everything is going to be…”

He stopped. A new sound was coming up the dark corridor. At first like a whisper, then growing into a roar. It was the sound of anger, rage, and delirious hunger. The vampires of the labyrinth were coming. Perhaps they had grown tired of trying to get on top of the maze to pursue Chi and Luhan. Now they were coming after us, and it didn’t sound very welcoming.

Haru looked at me. “Listen to me. We’re going to have to move faster than we ever have.”

I was already exhausted and I told him so.