Chapter 15
Damon remained at the isolated spot. His aura, intense and oppressive. The air around him crackled with an unspoken warning.No one dared venture close to where he stood. Until her. The lady in a bewitching blue dress. Damon's keen senses detected her presence the moment she graced the hall, her enchanting scent weaving through the air to reach him. Amidst the cluster of bodies, her fragrance stood as a distinctive scent that echoed the same enchanting fragrance from the night before.The question lingered in Damon's mind: how could one person exude such an intoxicating aroma? Casting aside all other distractions, his focus honed in on her every move. She gracefully approached Lady Sophia, exchanging secretive words before gracefully moving away.
Closer she drew, inching towards the isolated enclave where Damon stood. Absorbed in the rhythmic dance unfolding before her, she remained blissfully unaware of her impending collision. Until she inadvertently bumped into him. The touch of her skin against his sent an electric jolt through Damon's entire being.
Jasmine, startled, turned to face him, her eyes locking with his. As their eyes met, Damon anticipated the typical response; retreat, fear, or both. Yet, she defied expectations, standing her ground and locking eyes with him. A fusion of curiosity and fascination played across her gaze, creating an unspoken connection that resonated in the charged atmosphere enveloping them.
Damon's piercing gaze wandered over her petite frame, his towering height of six feet seven inches casting a shadow over her much smaller frame. His eyes fixated on hers, captivated by the depth of her mesmerizing brown orbs, so large and round, they seemed to possess a universe within.
To Damon's surprise, she met his gaze head-on, an unprecedented boldness that held him in a momentary trance. A mysterious energy coursed through him, awakening something deep within him.
Suddenly, a commanding voice echoed in Damon's mind, resonating with clarity, "Mate." The word hung in the air. Followed by the directive;" Kill." A disoriented haze clouded Damon's senses as he instinctively retreated taking a step back while grappling with the conflicting surge of emotions coursing through him.
In that very moment, the festivity and vibrancy of the hall was violently shattered by a chorus of deafening screams, each cry intertwining with the next, creating a dissonant symphony of fear.
It was then that he spotted them, Hellhounds. Damon's usual keen senses seemed oddly dulled on this evening. Usually he could sense things miles away. And now One of the menacing creatures had hurtled towards their vicinity, dangerously close before Damon could even register its presence. He had almost been caught off guard by one.
In a swift and decisive move, Damon lunged into action, seizing the audacious young girl who had boldly met his gaze. With a deft twist, he redirected her away from the menacing creature that lunged towards her. The hound, driven by predatory fervor, leaped onto Damon instead, its razor-sharp teeth sinking mercilessly into his arms. As Damon grappled with the relentless beast, the hound's fangs burrowed deeper, causing a surge of searing pain. It was the same arm which had been poisoned with wolfsbane. Now, with the teeth of the hounds would take even longer to heal.
These infernal canines posed a formidable challenge in situations like this. Their unyielding grip made it impossible to release a prey from their death like grip. Coupled with their speed and agility, it made them even harder to kill. Damon unsheathed his sword, thrusting it with precision into the creature's guts. Although the beast lay lifeless, its formidable teeth remained embedded in Damon's arm
Amidst the chaotic struggle, a disquieting realization dawned on Damon. Kronos, maintained an unusual silence, abstaining from intervening in this dire confrontation as he would have in other cases.
At that moment, thee Nightfall knights, clad in resplendent armor, charged into the ball which, initially a celebration, had quickly morphed into a battleground. The ball had been held in the grand hall just beyond the towering walls of the main palace.
Damon's sharp mind, amidst the pandemonium, saw an opportunity to safeguard the people, by herding them inside and sealing the massive doors they could then deal with the onslaught of intruders.
Damon's knights seemed to read through him and understand the plan. They guided the terrified guests, weaving through the turbulent crowd like a protective shield, leading them into the secure confines of the palace's inner chambers.
Meanwhile, amidst the unfolding turmoil, Jasmine stood frozen, her eyes transfixed by the nightmarish tableau before her, an expression of sheer horror etched onto her face.
Damon seized Jasmine with an authoritative grip.
"Here," he declared, expertly tossing her into Devin's waiting arms. With unwavering resolve, Devin throwing the frozen woman over his shoulders headed towards the huge door of the inner chambers.
As the last of the guests found refuge behind the closing doors, the air became tense with the impending confrontation. Devin, almost reaching the safety of the inner sanctum, found himself confronted by a menacing pack of eight hounds baring it's teeth at him.
Damon lunged forward, his sword cleaving through the air with a deadly precision. The weapon found its mark, skewering one of the creatures, which had leaped at Devin at that very moment pining it down to the floor. It however recovered with unnerving speed. The hound, now injured and furious, fixed its feral gaze on Damon, teeth bared in a snarl of defiance.
As the chaotic scene unfolded, Damon's strategic distraction played a pivotal role, providing Devin and Jasmine with the precious seconds needed to make a hasty retreat into the safety of the building.
The command sliced through the air, Damon's voice cutting through the chaos.
"Get out!" he roared, directing the remaining knights to evacuate. Responding swiftly to their leaders urgent call, the knights sprinted towards the doors, their armor clinking with each determined step. The heavy doors groaned as they were forcibly shut, the last bastion sealing the interior from the impending onslaught.
Now standing alone, Damon shifted letting his wolf take charge.
He charged forward his huge grey wolf aiming for the hounds.