Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Ren receded in his mind. It and his own consciousness melded into one. He couldn't separate himself from the thing. It was a parasite taking over his body and it was futile to resist.

The woman screamed again. He turned her back to him and ran back to the crowd of Hunters. They were all shocked as they took a look at him. A few of them were horrified, disgusted by the thing they saw before them.

Ren didn't know what they saw. He didn't care. The emotions wafting off of them gave him a sick thrill. He felt a thick energy building around him and he felt like he could do anything. The gun in his hand was useless now compared to It.

He threw it to the ground.

In a blur, the Hunters charged at him, but he was already there in front of him in the next second. They didn't have a chance to counterattack. He grabbed one of them by the throat blindly and tore it out with his bare teeth. Blood sprayed across his face. He stared down at the now lifeless eyes of the Hunter. They were still alive, gurgling to breathe. Their weak hands wrapped around their throat to stop the bleeding. It was too late for them. Their eyes went out and they sagged in Ren's hands.

Ren tossed them to the ground. Screams surrounded him. Mayhem. Chaos. It was all the same. He picked the Hunters one by one, tearing them apart like they were made of paper. He didn't care. He wanted them to suffer. He wanted them to scream more, to beg for their lives. Everything about it was feeding him.

The emotions weren't suffocating anymore. They were delicious. It overshadowed the blood a hundred times. It was better than anything and he felt stronger each time he pulled the energy back into him.

The blood was rushing to his head. The screams ended and it was silent once more. He licked his lips, relishing in the leftover blood that was running down his face.

His red vision faded. The hallway became clearer, but the red didn't fully disappear.

The red painted everything. The walls, the floor, and the motionless bodies that piled in front of him. He looked in horror at them, taking a step back. He stepped on a detached arm and almost tripped. He scrambled away from the massacre.

"No..."

The pool of blood was rolling toward him. He moved away, avoiding the liquid, but it was like it had a mind of its own. He saw then that he was covered in blood. His clothes were soaked in it.

He was shaking as he looked up.

Ashton was standing across from the pile of bodies. His eyes were bright red and wide. He gaped back at Ren.

Ren had messed up.

He lifted his hands. They were soaked with blood, dripping in a red river that wouldn't get off of him. It was satisfied. It was curling inside of him, almost purring in satisfaction.

There was a commotion from behind him. He looked and saw the empty corridor, but he could hear more Hunters coming their way. He turned and saw the panic on Ashton's face. Their eyes met just once and then they were running again.

They made it to the back door and busted through, throwing it open with so much force that it slammed into the wall. He flew down the stairs right behind Ashton. His bloody footsteps left a trail behind him on the cement, but it disappeared the second they were on the grass.

The smell was intoxicating. He had barely any strength to stop himself from stopping and licking the liquid from his body. He shook his head as the smell clouded his thoughts. It was full for now and so was he so he didn't fall into temptation while coated in it.

Ren noticed that he felt quicker and lighter on his feet. The faster he pushed himself, the more he felt like he was control. Almost like there was a link between the two. Before, he would have tripped already and fallen flat on his face. And it wasn't just that he was faster. He was more agile. He was gliding over the rough terrain like he'd trained running on it for years when in fact he hadn't.

Not even close.

He wasn't a runner. He wasn't good with stamina. In all regards, he was bad at being a vampire. Everything good that came with being one, he was shitty at.

But not anymore it seemed.

Even his eyesight had gotten better. He could see the pattern of the bark on the trees and they were hundreds of feet away from them. His head was dizzy for a moment as he looked at his surroundings in a new light. He was caught off guard by how well he could see it all. And he was running so fast that it was all moving past him too quickly, making him sick.

Soon, he caught up to Ashton with ease. He was no longer running behind him. He was running beside him which felt strange. And he found that he wasn't at all winded. He could go faster than this. He could outrun Ashton like it was nothing.

The wind was slapping him in the face. The sting was never something he thought that he would long for. He didn't know it was something that he was missing in his life. But right then, it was a blessing. It was a piece that completed him. It made him feel one step closer to being him.

The feeling it gave him felt strange though. It didn't feel right. It felt like he was trying to be someone else when that someone was in fact him.

And the thing loved it. It was freed from its cage. While it wasn't currently in control, it was in a pleasant state, fine because it was no longer shackled.

It wasn't long before he and Ashton crossed over into the forest. The trees flew by him. They were a blur. Merely colors as he zipped by them. The nausea passed. He didn't feel like he was going to hurl anymore. His head was aching, but he figured that would soon pass as well once he got used to it.

He couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his chest.

Used to running a hundred miles per hour. Used to seeing things that were impossible to see.

This was what it was like for real vampires. He never knew just what he was missing.

Long tree limbs threatened to smack him in the face. He dodged them, ducking and jumping out of the way as they were coming at him like a speeding bullet. He laughed again as he thought about actually trying to dodge a real bullet.

The forest became a haze of color. His eyes locked on nothing in the distance. There was nothing on his mind. The wind was howling in his ears and his skin was almost burning as it hit him. He didn't hurt though. It felt good. It felt like freedom.

And he was lost in the feeling.

Until he was grabbed and yanked off his path.

He was flying back in the air, his balance snatched from him. But with this new agility, he was able to turn on his heels and catch himself. He whirled around and faced Ashton all in a split second.

"Tell me—please fucking tell me—you're awake in there." Ashton voiced was stressed. He was practically begging.

Ren was shock by it. He didn't know why but he looked behind himself. But Ashton was talking to him.

There wasn't a question as to why Ashton was acting like that toward him. Ren hadn't forgotten why exactly he could suddenly see better and run faster than he ever could have in his life. He didn't want to acknowledge it though. Even if the evidence was painted all over his body, he wanted to wishfully think that he could ignore it.

But that wasn't going to happen.

Ashton looked over him, seeing the blood up close for the first time. He was slightly out of breath, his chest heaving as he stared at Ren. And Ren found that he was the same, except maybe for a different reason.

He was giddy with a thrum of excitement going through him. His legs were almost quivering with the need to run. He didn't care where he went or what happened to him. He wanted to expel this energy and that was it for now.

He resisted licking his lips. He could smell the blood on his upper lip and he really didn't think that would help his case if he started lapping up blood.

"It's me." His voice was shaky. If the roles were reversed, he wouldn't have believed himself.

Maybe it was their connection—though Ren couldn't feel Ashton much at all right now—that made Ashton believe him. Perhaps he didn't want to believe that Ren was a cold blooded murderer either. That would mean Ashton would have to kill Ren and in turn, Ashton would have to die.

Ren heard a noise in the distance from behind them. He and Ashton both heard it. They didn't need to speak before they were rushing forward once more. It would have been nice if Ren had this hearing when they were inside the Hunter Society building. He would have been a bigger help.

He had to swallow down a swell of sourness in his mouth as he thought about what he'd done back there. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, repeating to himself that this wasn't the time.

When he opened his eyes again, they were about to emerge from forest and enter the dense pathway that lead straight to the Mantels' home.

"Finally," Ashton said with a sort of relief.

The Mantel house came into view. Ashton picked up the pace until he was all but running toward the house. Ren kept the same speed. He bit the inside of his cheek.

The house seemed scarier. It was in its full glory, radiating in the sun. It was strange how the night had hidden most of the jutting features of the house. When it was out in the daylight, there wasn't anything hiding how fierce it was. The sharp angles looked as if someone could be speared on them and the long windows looked like open mouths screaming.

He couldn't go in. It would kill him if he stepped foot into that place again.

Before Ashton made it to the porch, the front door flew open.

Mr. and Mrs. Mantel stepped out. They were two towering figures though Mrs. Mantel and Ashton were the same height. Behind them, a head of red hair loomed in the shadows which Ren knew immediately was Ashton's cousin Kai.

Ren was instantly self-conscious about the way he looked. He should be considering he was dripping in blood. And if the Mantel's open stares weren't bad enough, another figure pushed their way onto the porch.

"Oh my god! What the fuck is going?"

Ren had rarely ever heard his mom curse and this time, the word made him feel like he was being skinned alive.

She didn't give a shit about what Mr. and Mrs. Mantel. She shoved them out of the way and Mrs. Mantel gave her a dirty look.

She ran toward them, her hands stretched out in front of her, but it seemed like she finally realized what he was covered in. She slowed to a hesitant walk. A horrified look made its way over her face.

Ren was going to throw up. That look...he never wanted to see that look on her face. And it was that exact face he'd been running away from that night he ran away. The thing inside of him had grown too strong, threatening to take over while she was so close to him, and he had to get away before he did something he regretted.

Yet, here he was, covered in blood. He'd done something he regretted. She could see that. She saw his shame and now she knew that he wasn't her son anymore.

He was a monster.

Her hands were shaking. "Ren?"

There was a muffled cry mixed in with her voice. Then, he saw that her entire body was shaking. Her eyes looked over him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. He couldn't feel emotions like he had before. It was like when the thing had taken over it had removed that ability. Almost like he had to trade it for better eyesight, hearing, and speed.

Her eyes broke away from his blood covered body. She looked past him and past Ashton into the forest.

"They're coming," she said.

It was the way she said it that caused a shiver to go down his spine. The impending doom in the sound of her voice jolted him back into reality. What he'd done and what the Hunters already thought he'd done was going to ruin him.

They were going to kill him.

He wanted so badly to reach out toward her. To hug her, but he couldn't.

"You've got to get out of here." He was frantic now. She couldn't be caught with him.

None of them could. And he felt so horrible knowing that Ashton just might end up dying along with him though he had nothing to do with the murder of those Hunters.

She shook her head. She looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. Go get inside. Hurry."

She didn't need to push him. His feet were already moving. Ashton followed him.

As they neared the porch, Mr. and Mrs. Mantel stepped down. Mrs. Mantel wrinkled her nose when Ren passed by her. She crossed her arms over her black turtle neck. Her almost white blond hair was tucked behind her ears, showing off the silver earrings that dangled from her ears.

"So, this is where you've been?" She gave Ren a glance over, a look of pure disappointment on her face.

"I can explain," Ashton started.

Mr. Mantel cut him off.

"I hope you can." When he looked at Ren, there was something else in his eyes mixed with disgust. Ren couldn't know what it was because before he could decipher it, Mr. Mantel was looking away once more.

With that, Mr. Mantel ushered both of them into the house. Ren made double sure that he didn't touch anything. When he and Ashton fully entered the house, Kai was standing off to the side. He had almost the same look Mrs. Mantel had when she looked at him. Kai was actually pinching his nose.

"You need to seriously take a shower."

"Fuck off, Kai," Ashton bit out.

Kai gave Ashton a filthy glare. He uncrossed his arms and stood up straighter. "If you weren't already in serious trouble, I would have kicked your ass. I'm feeling generous today."

Ashton rolled his eyes. He looked back at Ren. "Clean yourself up before they see you."

Ren didn't need to ask who "they" were. Margret had already said they were coming. He didn't know how long he had before they arrived.

He ran up the stairs. He knew where Ashton's bedroom was and where the bathroom was. He used his new strength to his advantage. It was a little strange to be stripping naked while technically being in Ashton's bedroom.

He scrubbed himself until he thought he was going to break skin. He couldn't help, but notice the scent of the shampoo as he lathered up his hair. It smelled like Ashton. He didn't know that would be something he would look though maybe he should have. His body had been throwing signals for a while now and he doubted it was an uncommon occurrence.

Not that there were a lot of people that were attracted to Ashton.

His brows furrowed.

Definitely not the time to be thinking about this.

He finished up and hurriedly dried himself off. The longer time stretched on the more his stomach started to clench with anxiousness. It couldn't be long before they traced or figured out he and Ashton were hiding out at the Mantels.

He wished his mom had ran away. She didn't understand what was wrong with him. She didn't know who he'd become. It didn't matter if she was a witch or not. She should know that her life mattered a lot more than his did.

And he just didn't understand why it was so hard for her to throw him away. She couldn't possibly love him like a real son. She hadn't wanted him. She hadn't wanted what had happened to him. Surely she must hate his guts.

Once he was dressed again, he rushed back downstairs. His hair was still wet and if anyone smelled him closely, they would be able to detect the scent of blood. He hoped it would fade in time.

Though, he might not have time. This might be the day he died.

The moment he stepped off the last stair, he could feel them. They were arriving from all directions. As they drew nearer—coming closer faster and faster—his throat seized up with more bottled emotions.

He was a geyser about to explode though his powers were still laying dormant because of the thing. He could feel his powers thumping beneath his skin, blocked by some unknown source.

Well, not totally unknown. He knew the thing had something to do with it.

He hadn't noticed that he was blindly walking toward the close front door until someone grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

"They'll see you," Kai calmly said.

Ren jolted as Kai said it almost directly in his ear. He pulled away, wiggling his arm out of the vampire's grip.

He looked at Kai for a moment. Kai wasn't looking back at him though. His eyes were locked on the window, staring at what Ren could only guess were the Hunters.

More of them. Maybe even the last of them. Though Ren was sure that there were still hundreds of them. The Hunter Society had been planning this. He could sense it from what Cipher had let on. Really, the Society had never really disappeared. They'd been lying in wait for their moment to rise back again.

Ren looked around. "Where is he?"

Ashton. He wasn't with them.

He searched out the window. Kai said something, but he couldn't hear it as he saw his mom walking across the manicured lawn by herself.

What the hell was she doing?

And his worst nightmare happened.

Tens of Hunters emerged from the shadows of the forest and ascended down upon Margret.