Chapter 12
The plan worked and the Dark Ones gave chase to the two men, abandoning the children and rushing after the meddlers instead. Aaron knew there was absolutely no way that he could possibly outrun the Dark Ones; he had heard numerous stories of those who had tried and failed. Even as he began to accept that his fate was sealed and that he may never see his sweet Aislyn again, he realized a strange sensation, one he’d certainly never felt before, was beginning to spread throughout his body. His legs began to tingle, and while at first he thought it was due to the speed he was approaching, he soon realized that wasn’t it at all. He suddenly felt stronger, faster than he had ever before.
A quick glance over his shoulder revealed that Kian was taking another path, a smart move. Perhaps that way one of them would escape. However, as the monsters closed in, they also split, and Aaron knew he’d have to turn and face his assailant soon. He couldn’t keep running forever.
Or could he? Though he’d certainly covered a lot of ground in his day, he could never remember running this quickly for so long without a stitch in his side. Something was happening inside him; he could feel it. Perhaps it was a response to certain death, but as he continued to sprint away, he felt it was more.
He noticed a large branch lying on the ground up ahead on the left. This might be his only opportunity to find a weapon. Though he was tempted to continue to outrun the Dark One, part of him also felt intrigued by this newfound strength, and before he was even sure what he was doing, he found himself stooping to pick up the branch. He turned just in time to see the Dark one closing in, and taking careful aim, he swung, hoping to hit the monster in the head.
As the wood made contact, it splintered and broke into a thousand pieces, debris flying everywhere. Aaron closed his eyes and ducked his head. Once the blast was over, he looked up to find the Dark One stumbling backward and tumbling to the ground. Though the blow had caught it off guard, it wasn’t down for the count, and before the monster could get up and give chase again, Aaron launched himself at the creature, knocking it backward onto the ground.
Despite the fact that he was no longer human, the man looked surprised as Aaron closed his grip around his neck. With absolutely no conscious thought streaming, Aaron followed his instinct and began to squeeze. He realized the long claws were coming up to scrape at his hands, and Aaron shifted his position so that the monster’s arms were beneath his knees. This also allowed him to put more pressure on the Dark One’s neck, and a few seconds later, there was a resounding popping noise as the Vampire’s head actually came free from its body. Aaron could hardly believe what he had done, and as the creature let out a scream similar to the one he’d heard the night he walked Aislyn home from the cross-roads dance, he tossed the writhing skull away. Before it even hit the ground, it turned to ash, which caught in the wind and scattered all around. He looked down to see the body had also dissolved, the only remains the echoes of the scream that lingered on in his ears.
There was no time to stand and ponder what had just happened, and brushing his hands off on his trousers, Aaron took off sprinting up the hill in the direction Kian had disappeared, hoping he would get there in time to help his friend. He couldn’t imagine what he might do if something happened to his best friend.
He arrived in time to see Kian deliver one final blow with a sharp stone from where he sat straddling the monster. With that last blast, the monster’s head caved in, and once again the air was filled with the haunting shriek of the undead. This time, Aaron covered his ears, and Kian jumped back in shock. Within a few seconds, this body, too, disappeared, and the two friends stood staring at each other in amazement amidst the blowing ash.
“Are you all right?” Aaron asked as Kian dropped the stone and turned to face him. He hugged his friend and clapped his shoulders before taking a step back and looking for damage. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“Nay,” Kian answered, though his eyes revealed that he was still in shock. “You?”
Aaron shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Before he could say more, Kian began to spew a string of disconnected phrases indicating that whatever it was that had happened to Aaron as he was running away from the Dark Ones had happened to his friend as well. The only parts Aaron could firmly grasp were, “I’ve never run so fast,” and “I felt like my body was on fire.”
“Me, too,” he assured his friend. “I’ve never had anything like that happen before.”
“What do you think it was?” Kian asked.
“I have no idea,” Aaron replied. “But I think we need to find this Ward person again and see if he does.”
“Yes,” Kian agreed. “But not today. All I want to do now is go back home and lie in my bed and try to forget what I just saw.”
“And what I’ve just done,” Aaron added, although there were only parts of it he’d like to forget. The horrible, distorted face of the monster, particularly when it screamed, was an unwelcome sight he’d like to forget, but not the rest—not the power and the strength he’d just felt pulsating through his body. That he’d like to hold on to for the rest of his existence. If he was able to destroy this Dark One, perhaps he’d have a fighting chance at keeping his family safe after all.
