What are you?

"Thank you for the food."

The world momentarily stopped, as all I could do was watch those fangs lurch at me. I couldn't even look away or close my eyes as my heart stopped.

SLAM!

Suddenly, I saw a hand on the side of the human bat's face before he disappeared from my sight. I instantly collapsed and only snapped back to when I felt something heavy dangling down with my hair. I didn't check, but a severed arm swung on my rear, inciting a loud scream from me.

I tried to get rid of the man's arm that was still clutching my hair like a hair accessory whilst screaming at the top of my lungs. I didn't even know how I got rid of it, but the next thing I had already tossed it away. My eyes lingered on that decapitated arm, shaking uncontrollably in fear.

What just happened?

"Ughh! Fucking dog!"

I flinched when the man who was about to devour me earlier cursed aloud. I turned my head in his direction on instinct, seeing that he was already lying on his stomach and a naked man squatting on his back — the latter's feet on the man's back. I darted my eyes between them blankly, pushing my feet on the dry ground to create more distance.

"Heh. Hopeless bat," the naked man replied casually, holding the bat's other hand on his back. The next thing I heard was bone-breaking before the latter tore the man's entire limb and showed it to the human bat as if to taunt him. Meanwhile, I could only stare at them blankly.

There was so much blood...

"Ugh!!" The human bat grunted through his gritted teeth while staring at his own arm swinging in front of him.

"I thought vampires are intelligent and strong species, but damn... you are so fucking fragile," the naked man clicked his tongue in disappointment before dropping the severed arm to the side. "What a disappointment, indeed. I don't even understand why those older dogs are so scared to mess with you."

The naked man slowly got off the other man's back while dusting his bloody hands. I jumped slightly when he looked in my direction and we locked eyes.

"Bambi, he didn't hurt you, right?" he asked while gazing at me. I didn't reply; I couldn't. All I could do was peer at him, noticing the wounds — that looked like claws tore his flesh — across his body heal on their own.

"It looks like you are fine... physically, at least," he muttered while studying me before he nodded in satisfaction. He then placed his foot on the man's head, making the latter curse and struggle, but to avail.

"Do you know what happens to mosquitoes?"

The naked man gazed down coldly, unfazed by the curses and slight yet quick movements underneath his foot. I noticed the glint in his eyes, making his initially golden eyes turn red for a second. At this point, I couldn't even question if I was simply seeing things, or this was actually happening.

"The vampires and werewolves had been avoiding each other's path for a long time," he uttered coldly, while the man under his foot shrieked even louder. "But you should know the basic knowledge not to touch a wolf's prey."

I gasped and covered my mouth with what I had to witness next. I felt my entire body grow numb as coldness seeped deep into my bones. All I could do was stare at the squashed flesh under that man's foot.

The screaming, the curses, the head... they were all gone.

All that was left was blood, flesh, and the horror in my heart.

The naked man snickered as he spat at the now headless corpse. My entire body shook when I saw him approach me, pushing myself with my feet while clutching my chest.

"Don't... come."

Am I next? Would he squash my head now? Or would he tear my limbs first, just like what he did to that man?

My mind went blank when he casually squatted down in front of me. He wiped the blood that was on his lean cheek with the back of his hand, eyes still on me.

"Scared?" he asked with his warm baritone and tilted his head to the side. My eyes burned, biting my trembling lower lip.

"Did you plan to run away?" he inquired, even though he received no response from me. "From me as well?"

My mouth opened and closed, and it took me a while to find my voice. "Who... what are you?"

"A werewolf." His response was quick, shrugging his shoulder indifferently. "You, what are you?"

I found his question strange, but I didn't dwell on it. Instead, I gave him an answer, "a person," with my breath hitching. If I could still run away from him, I would, but I was beyond scared to even get up right now. The last time I attempted to run away, that human bat grabbed me by the hair and nearly killed me.

"What kind of person are you?" he probed.

Silence descended upon us after his follow-up question. I looked at him and swallowed down hard, not knowing how to answer that inquiry. It terrified me that one wrong answer, he could go off and snap my neck.

"Girl, if you want to run away from me, go straight that path," he drawled, pointing in the direction behind me. "You will reach a small village at dawn. I won't come after you as well."

My brows rose while studying his unchanging countenance. He was looking at the path he was pointing at before shifting his eyes back to me.

"Although there is a chance that those damn mosquitoes will find you since you're still in the territory. But whatever, you're a big girl now." His eyes darkened as he looked at me solemnly. "But if you decide to come with me, I can't promise you not to see what you witnessed just now. What I can assure you is no one can harm you anymore... including me."

After spouting the words that didn't register immediately in my head, the naked man pushed himself up. He glanced down at me and smirk.

"Big fat tree," he said, and I gazed up at him. "I will be at our rendezvous point until sunrise. If you change your mind and choose yours truly, you'll see me there."

He walked past me and waved casually without looking back. "I'm expectant, though," he added in a laid-back tone, resting his hands behind his head while whistling.

I stayed on my spot and stared in the direction where he disappeared.

"Was he really letting me go?"