It was cold, wet, and dark as Tega pulled her feet through the thick and murky swamp. The grimy moss stuck to her legs as she searched for an exit in the clearing. There was a small light about 10 feet away from her. The heavy vines and moss that spread across the swamp hid it.

Just a little further, she thought to herself as she gripped the deep wound in her left arm.

It was the first time vamps and witches ambushed her. Something in the order had changed. To see any of the underworld beings working in unison was rare.

Practically nonexistent.

“What is this place?” Tega sighed as her vision blurred.

In the clearing was a dark and dilapidated mansion. There were blue and white shingles, floral designed window coverings, and vines growing up the side of the building. It was clear that no one had lived there for a long time.

“It’s shitty, but it must do for now,” she stumbled towards the mansion, “I have to get out of the open.”

She slowly pushed open the heavy door and looked for signs of life. The piles of dust floated across the room as the faint moonlight lit a small corner of the room. The small amount of furniture was covered in dingy off-white sheets. The pain was starting to take its toll as she struggled to get across the room.

She collapsed.

“Well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes?” a deep voice broke the silence.

“How did you find me?” she sighed.

“Like I told you before. I am always at your side,” the voice replied.

“Then where were you when I was getting my ass kick?” she groaned.

“Yeah. Sorry about that. I was stalled by that damn witch,” the voice responded.

“She got away again?” she asked.

He walked over to her and squatted down beside her, “Yeah. Let me help you.”

He pulled her arm over his shoulder as he helped her over to the dusty sofa.

“I’m gonna go and see if I can find you something to eat?”

Getting up, she grabbed his arm, "Can't it wait?”

“What’s up with you?” he smiled as he sat back down.

“Nothing. I just… don’t feel like being alone right now. Don’t think anything of it.”

“Are you sure? Cause you seem to never want me around.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh, really?”

“Whatever. If you want to go, then go.”

He quickly pushed her back on the couch. Pausing for a second, he began to kiss her passionately. They gasped for air only in the small moments that their passion allowed.

“I thought you wanted to leave?”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

She followed his command as she pulled him down into a forceful kiss. Her kiss was hungrier than usual as if she was starving for him. He wasn’t going to give up this opportunity to ravish her like he always wanted to.

                                                              *****

Tega lay on her side staring at the empty walls across the room. She was afraid to tell him about the nightmares she had been having recently. It wasn’t like they foretold anything, but she wasn’t about to have him becoming even more overprotective of her.

“What’s on your mind?’

He rolled over and kissed her shoulder.

“It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything?”

She turned back to him with a timid look on her face. It was a look he has never seen before. She appeared vulnerable and innocent.

“Just tell me, Tega.”

“Well… I have been—”

A sudden pause came to the conversation as a faint smell of rotten flesh filled the air. It wasn’t something that either of them encountered before. They sat up and got dressed in a hurry.

Slam!

A sudden gust of wind burst through the large front door. A black figure appeared amongst the cloud of dust and fog that crept into the home.

“Something doesn’t seem right about this?”

Tega ready her weapons preparing for a fight against the thing that threatened the silence.

“What is that thing?”

Swlick… Swlick…

Tega peered closer at the black figure as it crept further and further into the building. Pieces of it fell to the ground as a trail of green sludge and blood followed.

“Is that what I think it is?!”

“I think it is?”

BLEEEEAGGHAAAAH!

The screeching and sunken unfocused eyes of the being confirmed their suspicions. The zombie dashed unsteadily after them. She dodged it and headed for the door.

“Tega, wait!”

He called out to her as he knocked the gruesome head from the zombie. The undead corpse slumped to the ground in a pool of discolored blood and flesh. Tega stood on the small stone porch as she gazed at the horde of rotting corpses that were making their way towards them.

“W-where did they all come from?!”

She turned to Nore as he stood next to her.

“This is a big problem. There are too many of them to fight.”

“Speak for yourself!”

She replied as she cocked her guns and began firing at the horde.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Opening fire, they were able to make an opening for their escape through the horde back into the dark woods that surrounded the dreary swamp.

“They’re still coming!” he shouted.

They dashed through the dense woods until they came to an opening. There was a large field of dead grass for at least a few miles.

“Why don’t you transform and help me out?”

“Are you crazy?! When I transform, I tend to bite, and I can’t bite a zombie.”

“Why not?” she paused.

“It will make me sick and probably kill me.”

“For heaven’s sake,” she sighed and reached into her pouch.

She pulled out a small metal device. Pressing a bright red button on the bottom of the object, she tossed it into the oncoming horde. A large explosion cleared out the horde and everything fell silent once more.

“And why didn’t you lead with that?”

She turned to him and grinned, “I only had one, and I was saving it for a special occasion.”

Scratching his head, he walked over to the scattered pieces of the undead. He squatted down and picked up one of their heads while examining it.

“Hey, Tega?”

She walked over to him while putting her weapons away, “What is it?”

Bending down next to him, she could see a strange marking on the zombie's neck. It was a faint symbol of a crooked bird, possibly a falcon.

“What is that?”

He tossed the head to the side and stood up, “Do you remember that village that disappeared a year ago?”

She stood next to him, “Yeah. They said that everyone suddenly vanished without a trace.”

“I think these poor undead bastards are them.”

“Why would you think that? Because of the symbol on the neck?”

Looking around he sighed, “Yeah. It was the symbol of the village leader. He had everyone marked so that they would know if someone was a stranger or not.”

“So, then… Who turned them into these things?”

“I’m not sure, but we need to get out of here before more of those things show up.”

“You’re probably right.”

She turned to walk away when he grabbed her arm.

“What is it?”

“I need to ask you something before we go.”

Sighing, she turned back to him and crossed her arms, “What?”

“Your wounds seem to have healed fairly quickly.”

“So what?”

“What’s going on with you?”

“For the last time, nothing.”

“You’re human, and the last time I checked, they can’t heal like that.”

She furrowed her brow and responded in a harsher tone, “I’m fine and I don’t know what’s going on—”

A sudden flash exploded in between the two tossing them in opposite directions. She rolled to her feet and quickly scanned the woods for the cause of the explosion.

“What the hell was that?!”

Nore growled as he transformed. Tearing away his clothing, his skin melted revealing ebony glazed fur. His sharp teeth glistened in the pale moonlight as he howled.

“This doesn’t smell good.”

Tega readied her weapons once again as they awaited the intruder.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my beautiful queen?”

She sighed and put her weapons away.

“What do you want, Alvah?”

A dark mist flowed calmly through the air and stopped at her feet. Expanding as it dispersed into a beautiful figure.

The warlock, Alvah, was once again at her side, ready to persuade her to join him willingly.

“Time is running out and so is my patience. I have come to give you one more chance to join me.”

“I already told you… I’m not going to be any kind of bride to you!”

Swipe!

A sharp claw slashed in between the two as Nore pounced on him. He quickly dodges and grabs the back of his head. Slamming him into the ground, Alvah sinks his long nails into his shoulder.

“Argh!” Nore cries out in pain.

Blood squirts into the air and splashes on her face as she watches in horror as Alvah rips off Nore's arm.

“Nore!” she cries out as she runs to his side.

She watched the blood ooze from his severed arm. He grips it tight and raises to his knees. Blood begins to drip from his exposed teeth as he refuses to give up against the monster.

“I-I will go with you,” she whispers as tears began to flow from her eyes.

“N-no, Tega. You can’t,” Nore grumbles as he collapses on the ground.

“It’s okay. I need to end this,” she leans over and kisses him on the forehead.

She stands up clenching her fists and turns to Alvah.

“It’s me you want right? Then take me and leave him alone.”

A sly grin spread across his face as he held out his hand to her. A cold chill blew past her as she reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Whatever you wish, my queen.”