5 November 2012
I slipped quietly out of the passenger door and crept around to the trunk, popping it open to reveal the cache of weapons. Theo joined me, his breath escaping in audible gasps; the attack on the Impala had shaken him up. I picked up two heavy silver swords, their polished blades reflecting the moonlight. I span them deftly in my able hands - it wasn't the first time I had wielded such a weapon; I came from an age before the vulgarity of guns, when death was dealt by ones own personal strength, not through impersonal firepower.
"Theo, take the crossbow," I instructed, "a few silver bolts should weaken it. Just try not to hit Vargulf, silver is his weakness too." Theo said nothing but silently loaded the crossbow with a gleaming silver bolt. His jaw was set with fierce determination.
"Hey," I touched his elbow in an attempt at reassurance, "we can do this. You can do this." He nodded grimly in response.
An anguished roar from further down the street shook us into action; it sounded like Vargulf was in trouble. I rounded the side of the car, keeping my body pressed in close to the now-ruined metalwork. I had stalked prey before and knew that with Vargulf working as a distraction now would be our best shot at a sneak attack. In the middle of the street, only about a hundred feet away, Vargulf and the monstrous Daemon were exchanging blows; one of the Cacodaemon's wings was bent in a most unnatural position and it was limping heavily on its right leg. Vargulf was bleeding, the ground mottled with shimmering patches of thick red. I could smell the blood, even over the heavy odour of a near still-burning fire.
Crouching low and keeping in the shadows cast by the dark-windowed shops, I made my way towards the duelling duo. Theo was only a step behind me, following my lead. Suddenly the Cacodaemon leapt upon Vargulf, pinning his lupine form to the road. Vargulf yelped in pain as the daemon slashed at him with sharp, black talons.
"Theo, now!" I whispered. He took aim and fired; the bolt whistled through the night air before embedding itself in the Daemon's sinuous neck. It howled in surprise and tumbled backwards, a little smoke rising from the wound. Vargulf wasn't moving. I had to act now, while we had the creature on the back foot.
"Help Vargulf," I said, before dashing towards the Daemon, a sword in each hand. I managed to plunge one blade into the monster's muscled flank before it even realised I was there. It kicked out with a powerful foot, sending me flying several feet into the air, before landing painfully on the Tarmac.
"Lilith!" Theo called, panic in his voice. He was dragging Vargulf back towards the Impala, but stopped, leaning the great lycanthrope up against a trash can. He ran to my side and pulled me to my feet.
"I'm fine," I said, wiping a little blood from my lip, "look out!" A huge fireball careered towards us, but the injured Daemon was off target and it whumped into the road a few feet to the left of us, melting the tar.
The Cacodaemon limped towards us, screeching in pain and anger, one wing flapping uselessly. I attacked with both swords, slashing at the creature's chest, but it caught me with a backhand swipe, sending me to the ground, winded, the swords clattering away from my grasp. My leg throbbed painfully; I had landed on it awkwardly, twisting my knee. The creature closed in as I struggled to catch my breath and for a moment, fear crept in to my heart. Perhaps I had bitten off more than I could chew. The Cacodaemon leant over me, it's teeth clicking menacingly, but it suddenly recoiled, a look of shock on its hideous face. Theo had crept up behind the monster and plunged a sword into its scaled back, shedding black sticky blood. It turned, grabbing Theo by the arm and shaking him like a rag doll. His shoulder dislocated with a sickening 'pop' and Theo screamed in pain. It was all the motivation I needed to drag myself up on to my one good leg. I retrieved one of the silver swords and struck from behind with all my remaining strength, embedding the blade into the thick neck of the daemon. It took two swings to bring it to its knees, and one more to completely sever the head. Theo scrabbled away from the Cacodaemon as it flailed blindly for a few seconds, before collapsing onto the road, hissing and popping as its remains turned into a sticky pool of black gloop.
Theo put his remaining useful arm around my waist and I leant against him, taking the weight off my painful knee. Together, battle-worn and exhausted, we limped back to the battered Impala. Vargulf had returned to human form and was sprawled on the back seat, a blanket wrapped around his naked shoulders, the tatters of his clothes in a bundle in the footwell. He lit a cigarette with a grimace and gave me a tired thumbs up.
"Good job," he said with a half-grin.
"Thanks," Theo replied. His face was bleeding and his left arm hung limply at his side, dislocated.
"Trick or treat?" I asked with a smile.
"...Er, treat?" He replied, puzzled.
I cupped Theo's bloodied face in my hands, pulled him close and gently kissed his soft lips, lingering for a few seconds, before pulling away.
"Wow," Theo said, a stupid grin spreading on his face, "what would have happened if I had said trick?"
Trick Or Treat - Part Nine • Opuss № I