Kevin’s POV
Ella was still sleeping. She had been sleeping ever since we got here. There was a stack of firewood beneath her and I wondered what they had doing to her before we got there.
Four strange creatures walked out of the shadows into where she was and my eyes rounded with shock. I had never seen or read of them before.
“The fire is out.” One of them groaned as they got closer to Ella was.
We could hear them perfectly from where we were.
“She is taking forever to be cooked. I’m hungry.” Another groaned.
I sighed. Another pack of cannibals? Did they ever finish around here? I understood why the town had been empty. The people hadn’t gone for greener pastures. These strange oddly looking cannibals had turned them to nutrients for their own bodies. They wouldn’t eat my mate. Their last meal was their last and they didn’t know it yet.
“Let’s make another fire and let’s make it hotter this time.”
Not on my watch. I didn’t think there was anyone else. They were four of them and as I looked around at all the men I had brought with me, I was sure that we would be able to get rid of them.
“Here is the plan.” I whispered as I turned to my men.
They nodded as I spoke and we all moved into positions based on the plan afterwards, surging forward towards the bastards who had dared to kidnap my mate. It was time to save her.
“Don’t you dare.” I growled as I walked into their midst, kicking the wood away from their hands.
“You are awake?”
They seemed surprised and I wondered why they were asking that.
“She is also waking up.” Another of the creature shouted in shock, pointing at Ella up in the tree.
“She is?” Two of them gasped as they looked up at her. “What are you all? You should be asleep by now.”
I smiled. That was my girl. She must have heard my voice and forced herself awake.
“You don’t need to know what we are.” I scoffed. “We also don’t know what you are. All I know is that we are enemies.”
Ella’s eyes widened as she saw me and her eyes filled with panic as she glanced at the five men beside me. “Kevin? Cover your noses.” She yelled. “You all should cover your noses before you do anything.”
I didn’t know what she was talking about but I listened to her. I quickly brought out a thick handkerchief and tied it around my nose. I watched as the others covered their noses as well, as fast as I had been. I knew those who were in hiding as well waiting to join us later to surprise the opponents during the battle would have done the same.
I was glad that we had quickly listened to Ella because no sooner did we cover our noses that I saw a strange smoke oozing out of their skins. I didn’t doubt that the odor would be horrible. Ella must have inhaled a lot of it for her to know enough to warn us.
The creatures hissed as they noticed the clothes on our noses and glared at us. They seemed to be waiting for something to happen and when they didn’t find it, they hissed and rounded on one of them.
“That bitch ratted us out. You shouldn’t have told her about our secret.”
The one being hissed at cringed. “She wasn’t meant to be saved. They were still meant to be sleeping.” He said, pointing at us.
Now, I knew why we had overslept. It wasn’t because we had lost our discipline.
“She told you not to be sure she wasn’t going to make it out of here alive.”
“How was I to know that she wasn’t bluffing? It’s common for people to bluff before their deaths and that bitch could have been doing that as well.”
I frowned. That word again. “Don’t you dare call my girl a bitch again.”
“What if I do?” The creature who kept on calling me snapped at me.
“I would make sure you never speak again.” I hissed back.
“You are only six against the four of us. Save her if you can.”
I hid my smile at the challenge. He had no idea we were much more than that and still didn’t know what we were or they wouldn’t be so confident about winning.
“Charge!” I shouted at my men.
We all rushed at one another, hands flailing and legs kicking in the air as we throw punches and blows at one another. The air was thick with sweats and laced with groans as we all fought with all we had in us. They were stronger than we expected but not that good in combat. I guessed their secret recipe to winning a war was the foul smell they secret from their bodies and since we had our noses covered, there wasn’t much that they could do.
They seemed to be more intent on removing the coverings on our faces than fighting us and throwing our backs to the ground. I glanced at Ella and relieved that she was still sleeping. I didn’t want her to witness this fight and get herself worked up. Knowing her, she would hate that she was tied up there while we were fighting down here. She seemed to be the one inhaling all the foul gas emanating from their skins and I hoped that it wasn’t dangerous for her.
I wanted this fight to end as fast as possible.
“Now!” I yelled a signal to the men in hiding.
The creatures staggered back in shock as the men burst out of hiding and yelped as they realized that they were greatly outnumbered and we had superior fighting skills than they did.
They moved back, intending to run away but I wouldn’t have that. They wouldn’t leave here alive for daring to play a foul game on us and touching a hair on Ella’s body.
“Charge!” I yelled.
We all surrounded them, each of them fighting three of us at the same time. They eventually got tired and became weak. It wasn’t long after that they stopped fighting and dropped dead. I snapped off their necks even though they were dead, wounded and bleeding all over to avoid any foul play. I didn’t want them waking up or magically stirring to life while I rescued Ella.
“Ella,” I breathed as I rushed to where she was.
I flew up the tree and slashed at the ropes binding her with my claws as I held her body to mine with the other hand so she wouldn’t fall. I knew the others would catch her if she slipped from my hand and wouldn’t let her break her neck but I wanted to be the one to hold her.
I exhaled in relief as I got her free from the binds and pulled her to me. Gently, I made my way down.
“Let’s go.” I said to the men, carrying her in my arms and caressing her hair as I hoped she wakes up soon.