Wolf in the Shadows!!…

*Cut them off silently. They know exactly what they did!!...*

**Hades' POV (Kingdom of Ruins)**
"Fuck!" I hissed through gritted teeth after learning what Estrella did to Jericho and Mira before abducting Kora. Then as if in some trance, I walked over to a dark spot on the forest floor and put one knee to the ground before scratching it. I brought my hand to my nose. It was no doubt the scent of Kora's blood. I followed the trail of blood and smelled through the forest that led me to the Kingdom of Ruins after five excruciating hours. This place was destroyed by the greed of its ruler and had been cursed to remain like this for eternity. I know the harpies have stolen this place and made it their lair.
The fucking hairless rodents with wings!
Climbing its deteriorated walls and entering the castle wasn't a problem because there were large holes in it that helped me. I needed to climb the highest point to see what was happening there clearly.
I spun around the second I heard a noise sensing the threat coming at me. The winged creature was closer than I thought, and my instincts took over as I ducked under the swing of a serrated sword coming at me. I spun around in a crouched position, elbowing the creature in the back, and kicked out at the side of its knee. Then I jumped off its shoulders and off to the side using a root to strangle the fucking thing! Humanoid Bats!
"Okay, time to die now." I wheezed as I yanked harder, rolling forward, taking the creature to the ground, and snapping its neck. The sickening sound and the body's limpness hinted that it was safe to let go. I looked at the dead humanoid bat, still facing down on the dirt floor. Its hideous wings were creased and broken at the wrong angle.
I was sure that Vlad would want Kora alive, but that doesn't mean they won't torture her. The thought aroused my anger as I pounded my fist on the ground, narrowing my eyes on the dead creature.
They would pay for this.
They would all fucking pay!
I rose to my feet and looked for that serrated weapon, focusing on killing all of them today. I followed the cracked stone floor that was almost crumbled. I gritted my teeth and climbed the edge of a stone block to climb to the main floor and then continued through the dimly lit place. I walked around in an area that seemed like a maze with no purpose until I came to a broken set of stairs. The staircase was made of wood, with many steps either rotten or completely missing. But then again, what did harpies, bats and Estrella need with steps? All they need is to flutter their wings. I carefully put my feet in places that looked strong enough to hold my weight. I felt like I was walking over thin ice on a frozen lake. The staircase narrowed as I reached the top of the tower.
"Time to get this shit over with!" I snarled. The tower looked like a giant boulder had catapulted through the air and taken it out.
It was made up of grey stone with arched doorways to nowhere and windows that had long been without glass. The other part of the castle consisted of the crumbling battlements and towers surrounding a bailey. Few things remained intact, but I was certain it would have been spectacular and beautiful before it was ruined.
I looked around to see many harpies and humanoid bats perched at different levels of broken stone walls with enormous bat-like wings stretched out and pointed ears perched. The black spots mottled their skin, and an overly jaw filled with rows of sharp, pointed fangs.
The leading group, however, seemed to be circling something below. Their large bat wings stretched out over something. I waited for them to move. So, I curled up against the wall with a big enough crack that allowed me a good view of below.
One big vampire swooped low and reached the centre of the main courtyard. All the other humanoid bats and harpies call out to it in some high-pitched cry. It circled the bailey, its greyish-toned wings glinting off the moonlight. It landed in the centre and instantly transformed into a beautiful woman in a scary way. She was dressed in a regal medieval flowy dress. Then she started to speak, and I instantly recognized that malevolent voice. Her usual blue eyes looked like crimson pools of hatred.
Estrella!
Whether she is a stepmother or not, it doesn't matter because she was the one who kidnapped Kora. So she will pay for this. A rage ignited in me at the thought, burning and boiling as if it would soon burst, and I could feel Cerberus raging under my skin to creep out of it. My hands started twitching uncontrollably, my eyes flashed lava, and the skin cracked for my wolf to make its way.
He would kill them all!
I started to lift my arms out wide to unleash my wolf, but a sudden scream reached my ears, making me stop as I looked down.
Estrella laughed, raising a slender hand, flicking it aside and commanding the group to separate. Once the group separated, I dropped my hand and curled the fingers into a fist, trying too hard to push Cerberus back because I knew that anger wouldn't work, but a proper plan would definitely.
For there she was my mate, tied up like a prisoner.
"Thank the Gods!" I muttered, closing my eyes before whispering her name like a prayer had been answered...
"Kora!"
Kora was chained to a large H-shaped wooden post over the old well, which could be used to lower or raise the large bucket. The relief I felt at seeing her soured by the sight of how bloody and beaten she was. I narrowed my eyes at the sight, getting angrier by the second at those damn vampires who were toying with her. She looked half-dead with her head hung limp between her arms pulled above her head. Her clothes were covered in dirt as if she had been half-dragged along the floor, and blood stains edged the pasts of the fabric wherever it was torn.
"Just hand on a little longer, Kora," I whispered as if she could hear me. She looked around with barely open eyes as if she had subconsciously heard me.
I need to be smart and sneaky to outwit them. I had to use the cover of darkness to protect her before unleashing the wolf-shit crazy version of myself on these bitches!
I decided to wait until they all got their asses to sleep so that I could rescue Kora and then come back to kill every last of them. So, I waited, lowering down and leaning against part of the wall that hadn't been left to ruin. Then once they all dozed off, I returned to plan, focussing on the two creatures put on guard duty dozing in the empty arch of a broken window. Keeping low, I emerged from the tower and made my way along the battlements towards the harpies. I also knew that taking out both of them without making a sound would be tricky. So I'm left with only one option.
Slit their fucking throats!
I crept along the top to reach the next staircase, hoping it was intact. Well, for the most part, it was intact as I moved down. But then the problem started. There was a big hole that had taken out almost about twenty steps. I slid the weapon inside my mouth to prevent it from falling on the floor and alert the enemies. Then I lowered on my knees, holding onto the ledge and landed with the creaking of the wood, waiting if I had alerted anyone. But when nothing happened, I let out a relieved breath, which ended up being premature.
Fuck! I had woken the creature.
I knew this when I saw the shadow of wings entering the opening before the creature did. I sank back into the shadows and waited with my hand curling around the serrated blade. I put it on the floor such that the moonlight glinted off it. The moment the creature entered, its focus landed on the blade instead of looking around the space to find me there hiding. Then, it bent down onto one of its bird-like legs to pick the blade. It picked up the blade and started to snarl, but it was too late. I was already upon it. I jumped on its back and slit its throat to prevent another sound from coming from it. It slumped forward with a resounding crack. It was still twitching in pain, so I grabbed a handful of its hair and yanked back its face, and this time when I slit through its throat, I very nearly took its head off.
"I'll take that," I said, reaching up to retrieve the fallen blade. I also wiped as much of its blood off the blade as possible, using the grotesque, folded, baggy skin at its wing. Then I continued, ready to take down my next creature. I snuck my head around the side of the arched doorway, continued down the staircase, reached the bottom, and then made my way across the open space to stab another creature in the throat.
I crept back down the staircase, strengthening my nerves and made my way out of the door that led into the bailey. The vampire guard and Kora were asleep, but the second I got closer, Kora moaned as if sensing my presence. She lifted her head and opened her eyes. Before some reflex action might kick in, as if she shouting my name in surprise, I dashed towards her, stepping up the wall surrounding the well to face her.
Her wide eyes took in the sight of me. The relief washed over her face, and tears appeared. I gave her a grin and mouthed the question, "Are you okay?"
She nodded as I placed a finger on her lips, telling her to stay quiet, cocking my head to the sleeping guard. I crept around to where the creature was leaning against the wall, crouched at its level and positioned the blade at its throat, waiting for it to wake up. Once its eyes flickered open, I said, "Good dreams?" Before it could open its mouth to scream to the others, I grabbed a fistful of hair and slit its throat, closing my eyes just as I felt its blood spray out over me. Once I was sure it died, I let it go, wiping the blood on the side of my face with its scaly wings and removing the key hidden inside one of the folds of her baggy skin.
"That's what you get for sleeping on the job," I told it before running to free Kora from the chains.
"Love you, my badass assassin," she said, putting an arm around my waist for a tight hug and a soft kiss.
"Noted, now come on, time to get out of here," I said, holding her during the first few steps till she got that feeling back in her numb legs.
We started to head towards the ruined gatehouse, which seemed to be the only way in and out of the place.
"Do you think we will make it?" she asked in a strained voice that spoke of her pain and anxiety. I was just about to give her the optimistic answer when suddenly something pierced my back.
Wolfs' fucking bane!
"That would be a no, sweetheart!" Estrella smirked with that ugly grin of hers.

*Dear Wolfsbane, you are my favourite pain in the ass!!...*