The Hunter

The duel's winner was now facing the Bitch Squad, who all showed their discontent through their body language. Cecy was raising her chin defiantly, Bere put a hand on her hip defensively, and María folded her arms, disgusted.

"Hold your damn horses, you lunatic," María said, glaring at her. "This quarrel was just between Camila and you."

"Yeah, don't get us involved in your mess!" Bere cried at the sight of Ana strolling toward them.

"Changing your hair color doesn't change the fact that you're still the Red Stain," Bere sneered, fervently holding aloft her phone, pointing the camera at Ana's face. "You'll never get satisfied until everyone is stained with your bitchiness. Am I right, girls?"

"Are you really saying that this doesn't concern you?" Ana said in a soft and calm voice, which made them feel uneasy after glancing at her contrasting new, fierce red eyes. "You were the ones that unleashed that hound on me, so I'm pretty sure that I deserve some retribution from this."

Ana stopped ten feet away from them, with her huge guardian waiting at her back, hissing hungrily.

Cecy was the only one that gathered the courage to shout: "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about it? Do you see our Egos anywhere? We're recording everything, so better calm yourself before—"

The Anaconda hissed fiercely, flying their hair back and forcing them to cover their ears.

Bere was the first to open her eyes and notice that her three guardian animals had forcefully manifested in front of them. Hers was a golden retriever, wailing, terrified. "Hey, guys? Is that normal?"

"How did she…?" María asked, frowning and the sight of her ginger cat.

"You have to be kidding me…" Cecy muttered, glancing at her fox, before all three animals got devoured in one gulp.

Ana also swallowed. "Salty… Not as exotic as Camila's tasty bitterness, but oh well..."

After feeling a slight dizziness, the three teens looked at each other, perplexed.

"Why do I feel the sudden urge to go back home?" Cecy said.

"Yeah, whatever," María muttered. "Just keep your voice down. I feel like throwing up…"

"So!" Ana approached them, widely grinning. "What do you think of me, darlings? Do you still hate me?"

"N-n-no?" Bere frowned, squinting. "I'm not sure. What do you say, guys?"

"D-don't care, let's just go," María said, leading the way, but after three steps, she ducked and released her stomach's contents.

Ana quietly giggled before turning her smile upside down. **I don't feel satisfied, not in the slightest.**

"I feel the same way, partner. Asss a matter of fact, I feel like devouring the entire neighborhood… Hi-hi-hisss..."

The 30 feet Anaconda slithered forward at the command of her master, pushing aside a light pole, getting in its way. It stopped its huge scaly head in front of the door's apartment and opened its fangs with anticipation.

**I wonder what Laura tastes like. Sweet? Or maybe salty like these bitches.**

But Ana made it stop.

The smell of tobacco was reaching her from somewhere nearby. She hated that pestilence.

**It reminds me of Mario…**

She turned around, finding a young man strolling to her. "I knew there was a known stench in the air," he said aloud.

"You should know, you're the one smoking."

"No, not me. That." He pointed at the anaconda.

When he got closer, Ana noticed that her 4" high heels were not enough to reach his height. He was wearing a ponytail and a black leather jacket. In his lips, a lighted cigarette that he pulled away to release smoke in her direction.

"Um, excuse me…" Ana said calmly, without knowing that her crimson-colored irises betrayed her, making her look livid instead. "...but what did you say?"

"You're corrupting it," he said, pointing at the monstrous snake again. "Why?"

Ana snickered. "That's none of your business, pal."

"You're partially right." The guy advanced forward, taking a quick puff. "I don't know what you're going through and I don't care, but as soon as you brought that thing here…" He stopped fifteen feet away from her, close enough to look deeply into her eyes. "Then I have to intrude."

His shadow grew at his side, and from it came out a silver-furred canine that quickly snarled at her. The guy's hair was as dark as the night itself and his almost golden-looking eyes were striking enough to get lost in them for hours. But his smirk was pissing her off.

**Is it wise of him to challenge me after I devoured four Egos? I can't remember when was the last time I felt so… unstoppable! **

Ana sneered at the guy, ready to crush him too, until a realization made its way through her mind. **Wait, where have I seen you before?**

"You're Laura's cousin, right?"

The guy raised his eyebrows and grinned, showing perfect teeth, still not stained by his addiction. "Do I know you, little miss?"

"You will," Ana replied, snapping her fingers to call back her beast. Her anaconda immediately hissed with all of its might, trying to scare the silver wolf, but it remained unfaced.

"So be it..." he muttered after puffing out.

"Laura was right about you! I should thank her later. So do me a favor and stay still while I devour your little partner, please? And don't worry, you and me are going to get along juuust fine!"

"That sounds great," he said playfully, staring at the snake widely opening its jaws. "I've always wanted to be another person's plaything."

Ana's Ego launched itself forward, more hungry than ever, ready to chomp on the guy too if necessary, but he was ready. The guy hit the giant snake's head with a bat hidden on his back.

The snake recoiled, shaking its head, confused. Ana felt the hit too, although with a lower intensity. Still, the ghost of Camila's slap haunted her.

**Are you going to be in my way too?! **

Before she could even question the fact that he had countered her snake with a simple bat, the wolf had already sprung into action, pouncing over the anaconda.

"Time to eat," the guy said, ordering his wolf to bite on that thick scaly skin.

Black blood came out. **And a more piercing pain! **

Ana's spine contorted, and she felt like fainting. She almost fell on her knees but gathered the strength to glare at the guy, who had gotten close to look down on her.

"Call it quits, will ya?" he asked, throwing away the cigarette.

"Or what? Are you going to hit me with that?"

"Nope." The guy twirled the bat so she could read what was written on it, with huge black letters. 'Nothing personal'. He chuckled. "This is not intended to be used against people. So, are you going to calm down now?"

"If I refuse?" Ana replied, sweating cold.

The guy grinned, amused. "You're really something."

The wolf finally ripped a sizable piece of the snake monster, sending pain directly to the stubborn master. Finally defeated, the snake slowly turned into dust and Ana kneeled abruptly, feeling that she was lacking air.

**What the hell was that?!**

As she stubbornly remained conscious, even though she felt like a part of her chest had gone missing, she looked up at the stranger, who was offering her a hand.

"Come on, get up," he said, showing genuine concern in his eyes and eyebrows.

"He's perfect…" Ana muttered while taking his hand and staring at his fleshy lips.

"What did you say?"

"I said…" She grabbed him by the back of his nape and kissed him. A short but passionate little smooch. "I'm Ana Terán, nice to meet you!" she beamed while her eyes and hair returned to normal.

The guy stared dumbfounded at the sight of her natural violet irises and red hair before groaning. "Oh, shit…"