Chapter 26

We proceed further with Alpha Carson and his Luna at one end of the territory. Alpha informed us that only the Luna of this territory is blessed by the “Moon Goddess” to create the barrier and open it. Ever since the barrier was created their territory has been safe. All of us were getting nervous as we neared the barrier.

“The place where my Luna is opening the barrier for you all to enter does not have many strigois but, be extra careful when you go there. You won’t be power bound there. Stay safe, if you are done with your search your mate Aria can manage to mind link my Luna to open the barrier. All the best. Alpha Carson informed us.”

The Luna was already concentrating on the barrier to open it for us. We have to do this anyway, there is no going back now after we have been this far. There is no time for us to be afraid of what we are about to face as the barrier opens enough for us to enter the forbidden land of the territory.

Taking a deep breath we prepare ourselves to go inside the barrier. We pass through the barrier-like wall one by one entering the forbidden land. The barrier closed once we were there. We could hear the sound of crickets all around, it was dark even though it was still morning. We all went on high alert as we walked further inside the dense forest.

Mason has mind-linked everyone to stay together no matter what happens. We were proceeding with caution when we heard the rustling of leaves in the distance. Mason and I quickly assessed the area only to find two strigoi-like creatures charging for us. I took out my swords holding them in my hand ready to attack them. Others were ready with their weapons as well.

Sensing them closer Mason and I lurched forward Mason staking one in his heart while I beheaded the other. We could feel there were more of them coming at us, each of us was ready skillfully behead and stake them on our way ahead.

We were moving forward in unison, it was getting hard to concentrate on two things simultaneously. More of them were waiting ahead on our way.

“We need to be more alert about that strigois if they can hide their presence and change into any animal, I suggested through our mind link.”

All of them were in agreement with me on that point. The ones we faced now must have been the basic ones we caught off guard. The darker the area the more of them were present. Maybe direct sunlight burns their skin. As we kept moving forward more of them attacked us.

They had a slim muscular build, red eyes, and bulging veins with pale white skin. The ones we were facing at the moment were giving us a good fight. We managed to stake them after a whole thirty-minute fight. The opponents were getting stronger as we move forward. While fighting we even came across the ones who can hide their presence and shift into an animal. They were the ones giving us the most trouble.

We were halfway through the forest and I still couldn’t find any traces of my family. It was almost evening now, the sky grew darker in the shade. It was the prime time for the strigois to get out of their hiding and roam around in the darkness of the night. It was too dark to see, we were lucky to have our animal senses to help us.

I was trying hard to concentrate in the middle of fighting that strigoi. I could feel the faint presence of my parents nearby. I gazed around us to find a place that held Blair and my parents. Others were covering up for me as I followed my senses. Somewhere in the far corner, I could see a large boulder structure that looked like a cave.

“That must be the place we are looking for, I told others.”

“What are we waiting for let’s go check it out. Mason suggested.”

The further we went there was an increase in the number of strigoi we were dealing with. It even seemed like that place was guarded by them. We had sustained a few injuries while fighting, but being a vampire and hybrid Mason and I had healed. Blair, granny, and Prince Caleb still had their injuries. It took more time for werewolves to heal. The smell of their blood was attracting the strigoi.

We moved ahead in unison staking and beheading the strigoi coming our way while still being together. Mason and I were primarily fighting the ones who could hide their presence and shapeshift as our senses were stronger than that of our friends. Others were dealing with the normal-looking ones but they still had great speed and strength.

Mason took care of the ones who shifted to birds as I still couldn’t fly well. They could even shift into spiders, wolves, lizards, bats, insects, snakes, rats, cats, dogs, and toads. We saw a few who could turn into insects, toads, and spiders they were the ones giving us the most trouble as they could still hide their presence in that tiny form and surprisingly attack us. We had sustained injuries due to them.

I don’t want to face the strigoi who can shift into tiny creatures, I complained internally. Suddenly I heard Blair’s scream a toad had turned to strigoi after leaping on her. She was struggling to get him off her as he tried to drink her blood. He was holding her arms tightly stopping the movement. His hold on her was not only bruising her arm but also making her bleed as his nails dug into her skin.

Damn it, Mason and I rushed to her. He threw the strigoi off her body, and as it fell off balance I staked his heart killing him on the spot. Blair was breathing roughly as he had almost crushed her. She didn’t have much time to catch her breath as her blood attracted more of them.

Damn those little ones I cursed internally, fighting them one mistake and they would jump on us to drink our blood. I had sustained a few nicks and claw marks while fighting them but being a fast healer came in handy. The smell of wolf blood had made them crazy. As we neared the place they had almost surrounded us. Groups of them targeted us breaking our unity.

Shit! They were everywhere, they had singled each one of us. A group of nine or ten strigoi was attacking each person. We had no choice but to face them head-on. We were so close to finding our parents, I could feel that they were behind that cave-like structure. But we have to deal with the strigoi first.

I can sense that the battle between the two kingdoms would start at any moment now. We need to hurry up, I don’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily because of my uncle. I took a deep breath taking a look at the strigoi surrounding me, strigoi here I come, get ready to taste the dust. I was very angry at them, I won’t be letting them off the hook easily.

I took the sword in one hand while the other consisted of the silver stake. As they closed in on me, I pounced back on them with my weapons killing two of them on the spot. I wasn’t interested in giving them time to shift or hide their presence as I turned to the remaining ones. In no time all 10 of my opponents lie lifeless on the ground, a few staked and others beheaded.

I proceed to help Blair and granny, who were struggling because of their wounds killing more strigoi on my way to them. I was so angry that I killed the tiny ones before they could transform back. After helping them finish off the ones encircling them. We turned to see that Mason and Prince Caleb were done with their opponents as well.

We could see more of them on the way to us, Blair, granny, and Price Caleb had fresh wounds which were attracting the strigoi, their numbers increasing with each attack on us. We rushed ahead reaching the spot where I was sensing our parents but we didn’t know how to get inside the place. We have to search for a door or something that will lead us inside. It was hard to do that with the oncoming mob of strigoi. There are too many of them all set on injuring us.

Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I took a step forward weapons in my hands ready to face them. We were in the situation of “Kill or get Killed”. We have been surviving the situation we are in, we can do it even if it seems near impossible. We have to do it for all the people waiting for us hoping for the day when they will be able to live in peace. I reminded myself.