6 Markus's Hunt

Earlier that day, back in the forest clearing...

"Fuck!" Markus yelled from the searing pain. "I swear I'll kill that bitch for this," Markus carried on in hatred.

Clutching his fists, all Markus could do was watch Clarissa make her escape as he layed on the grass healing. After five minutes or so, Markus's wounds had completely healed. But his clothes were in tatters and riddled with bloodstains, holes and burn marks. When Markus got up, he went to check on the Hellhound.

"Come on. Get up, you overgrown mutt. We still have a job to carry out," Markus said, annoyed over his defeat.

The Hellhound stammered to its feet and growled in response.

"Don't growl at me; if you'd waited, I could've been here to assist you. You're just lucky those daggers couldn't manage to break thru your scales." Markus scolds. The Hellhound shook its head with a humph at Markus's scolding.

"At least I put up a good fight." The Hellhound said telepathically with a deep distorted voice. "And don't call me mutt. My name's Seraphim," The Hellhound added.

"Just hurry up and find her!" Markus ordered.

As the Hellhound tried to sniff out Clarissa, its senses became confused; Clarissa's trail and scent were all around them. The Hellhound started scratching its's nose and whining in discomfort. Taking the form of a misty shadow figure with red eyes, the Hellhound retreated into Markus's shadow.

"Damn it," Markus said in frustration before speeding off. "What the hell's going on here."

Checking the area with his inhuman speed, Markus discovered footprints and blood scattered all around the perimeter of the clearing, covering a ten-metre radius. Clarissa had made sure to not leave anything to chance. Knowing it would be useless to do any tracking in the forest, Markus decides to take his time and have a little fun.

Lying down on the concrete with his blood-stained clothes, Markus waited for some lunch. Soon enough, a concerned woman came rushing out of her car to help. The first thing the woman did was check Markus's pulse. But as she felt his ice-cold skin and didn't detect a pulse, the woman went back to her car and dialled 111. Utilizing his inhuman speed, Markus appeared before the unsuspecting woman and crushed her phone in her hand, gripping her by her arms.

"Don't fight; don't speak," Markus says to the woman as she put up a futile struggle.

As the woman just stood there, unable to speak or fight back, Markus sunk his fangs into her neck, quenching his thirst for blood. When Markus finishes his meal, he licks his lips, savouring the taste of the woman's blood before concealing the body in the forest. The deceased woman's body, now disposed of, Markus decides to take her car. But during the drive, the Hellhound catches a whiff of Clarissa's scent.

Letting the Hellhound out of his shadow, Markus lets it lead the way. Following the Hellhound, as it ran through the shadows. It leads Markus to a cafe.

'A cafe? Why would she come here?' Markus wondered.

As he got out of the car and walked up to the entrance, the Hellhound went back to hiding in his shadow. Entering the establishment, Markus 'questioned' the barista.

"Has a woman with short brown hair and a leather jacket come in here recently," Markus asks the barista.

"I wouldn't know. I've only just arrived not long ago." The barista answers.

"Then who was the person here before you?"

"Suzanne, she just started working here a week ago."

"And where can I find her?"

"24 Rosemount drive."

Getting the information he needed, Markus ditched the car and made his way to 24 Rosemount drive. But as he was walking up to the house that was just in view, he was stopped by a barrier. Taking that as a sign Clarissa was there, Markus discretely hid amongst the dank evergreen that lightly hugged the house.

'What's going on? Why would Clarissa risk staying?' Markus pondered.

With his enhanced sense of hearing, Markus heard someone opening the front door; it was Clarissa. Stealthily, Markus watched from afar as Clarissa set up runes around the house.

"Mutt, get out of my shadow. I've got a job for you," Markus ordered.

The Hellhound came out and tried to nip him for saying mutt again. But Markus dodged.

"I already told you. My name's Seraphim," The Hellhound said angrily. "I won't miss next time."

"Whatever; just do as I say and attack this spot on the barrier," Markus orders.

Seraphim responded with a growl. With a humph, Seraphim strikes the area Markus pointed out with a powerful attack from its claws. After Seraphim's attack, one of the runes broke, making a hole in the barrier.

"How did you know that would work?" Seraphim asked.

"Call it a hunch," Markus said.

"Wait a minute." Seraphim came to a sudden realization. "You were watching the fight, weren't you." Seraphim accused Markus. "You saw me break one of the daggers," Seraphim said angrily. "And you also saw that I needed help." Seraphim got even angrier.

"Your the one who wanted to go on without me," Markus said. "You brought it on yourself. I ended up getting hurt as well, so we're even."

"You and I are far from even," Seraphim said, menacingly moving forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. We wouldn't want your new summoner to end up dead, now would we?" Markus threatened.

Begrudgingly, Seraphim retreated into Markus's shadow.

His attention back onto the house, Markus heard the purr of a car engine. Unable to enter the building without an invitation from a resident, Markus bided his time by making a hole thru the second barrier surrounding the house. But when Clarissa and Suzanne arrived back with children, Markus saw his chance.

Back to Rhiannon's POV…

"My name's Markus; I'm a friend of Clarissa's; could you invite me in," The man asked politely.

"Sure, come in. Aunties just round back talking with mum." I answer.

But as I faced my back towards Markus, I felt something as cold as ice grip my neck from behind.

"Clarissa, I know you're here. Did you really think you could hide from me?" The man's voice sounded throughout the house, his icy grasp still gripping my neck.

Suddenly, mum and Clarissa rushed in from the backdoor. "Don't you dare hurt her," Clarissa ordered as she stopped metres away from me and Markus.

Markus just scoffs in response, gently caressing my neck. "Oh, I won't. Not yet anyway," Markus says with a wicked smile. "But who knows; maybe I might get peckish."

Quickly, mum signals for Dominic to come over to her.

"I don't think so. Seraphim, get the boy," Markus ordered.

Out of nowhere, a giant dog looking monster with gleaming red eyes appeared between Dominic and mum.

"NO! JUST HURT ME! LET THEM GO," I begged as Markus held me hostage.

"Oh, well then; who would've thought she'd have it in her," Markus exclaimed. "Most adults wouldn't be strong enough to try sacrifice themselves like that, let alone a kid," Markus laughs, "Too bad, I don't care; Seraphim bring the boy to me," Markus ordered.

And just like me, Markus gripped Dominic by the neck; we were both trapped.

"If you hurt them in any way, Markus. I will make sure that you suffer something far worse than death." Clarissa threatened.

"You know, you wanting to protect them; only makes me want to kill these two even more," Markus mused.

Clarissa shot him a look of disdain.

"How about this. I'll let you choose which one I kill." Markus said to Clarissa. "So which one will it be. The girl or the boy."

"Neither," Clarissa answered in hatred.

"Wrong answer," Markus replied before breaking one of my arms.

As the pain reverberated thru my arm, I felt like I was about to pass out.

"Now, unless you want the boy to have a broken arm too. I suggest you choose." Markus demanded.

But the whole ordeal was interrupted by a cascade of monstrous growls.

"Finally, they've come," Clarissa said in relief.

In disbelief, Markus released his grip on Dominic and threw me to the ground, right on top of my broken arm. I screamed in pain as Dominic came running to assist me.

"Wolves," Markus said in disgust. "Watch the kids," Markus ordered the monster dog.

"Just take me, and leave them out of this. And I'll lay off the wolves." Clarissa offers.

"Fine then," Markus kept his eye's on the wolves. "We're leaving Seraphim.' Markus says,

And with that, Markus, the giant wolves, the monster dog, all the monsters left. But as I sit up on the floor propped up against Dominic, I pass out.