Elara POV 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Fear has its cold fingers around my heart as we run towards the doctor’s house. He helped us, and I will never forgive myself if something happens to him because of us. I am also intensely relieved that Asher took Quinn and their mother out of town. At least, I do not have to worry about them.

“Back so soon?” The doctor asks when he opens his door. “Did you maybe change your mind about your blood?”

“Doctor, remember I told you my blood can’t help for what’s coming?” I ask hurriedly, and he frowns. “Well, it’s here, and Stillwood’s in danger.”

“I don’t understand,” he frowns, looking at me as if I have lost my mind.

“Get your cell phone, get your family and get into your car,” I say firmly. “The Council has bred a new breed of horror, and those things are unstoppable and on their way.”

“What things?” He asks, confused.

“Dammit, Doc, I like you, but now’s not the time for questions,” Mason snaps. “Get your ass in your car and get to a human city or another state as fast as you can.”

“And call everyone you know and tell them to do the same,” I add. “We’ll explain later, but we can’t tell you when you’re dead.”

“Celia!” The doctor shouts over his shoulder. “Get your handbag, we’re leaving.”

“But I have a cake in the oven,” she protests from the kitchen.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I huff, push past him, and run to the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Celia shrieks when I turn off the oven, grab her by the arm and drag her to the front door.

“Saving your life,” I huff, releasing her arm. “This is not paranoia or a conspiracy theory. Get out of here, now!”

The doctor grabs his wife’s hand, and I sigh in relief when they rush to their car.

“This is going to take forever if we have to repeat this,” Mason sighs.

Mason is not wrong. A lot of people do not even know who I am. I must seem batshit crazy to knock on their doors and order them to leave.

“Let’s just hope the good doctor calls people,” I reply. “And that they’ll follow my scent and ignore everyone else.”

“I’ll take the houses on the right, and you the left,” Mason suggests, but I shake my head.

“I shouldn’t go near a house,” I say firmly. “What if the people don’t leave, and those monsters get there? I’m running back to my place, and I’m going to spread my scent like there’s no tomorrow. Hopefully, it will draw them directly to my house.”

“Elara, that’s suicide!” Mason snaps.

“Well, a suicide is better than a mass killing,” I sneer. “Warn people and come with a truck to fetch me. I’ll try and stay alive till then.”

“Elara, that’s insane!” Mason calls as I turn around and run back home.

I know he is right, but I will be damned if I am responsible for the deaths of an entire town.

I sniff the air when I get home, and the subjects’ scent is closer, but I do not hear or see them. I run to my backyard, pull down my pants and pee a little on the grass. For the first time in my life, I wish I had a penis. That would have been so much easier than squatting.

I finish my business, pull up my pants and summon a gentle breeze over my urine towards the woods. Hopefully, my scent will be so overwhelming that they do not even bother to stop at another house.

I run inside, grab a lighter, a bottle of vodka, cooking oil, and toilet paper and carry them outside to the big tree in my front yard. I run back inside, ripping down curtains and gathering all the blankets and clothes I can carry.

I drape the curtains, the toilet paper, and clothes in a messy circle around the tree and pour the vodka and cooking oil over it. I take the lighter and stand with my back against the tree and wait.

It is not long before I hear thunderous paws running my way, accompanied by heaving breathing and low growls.

“Elara Montgomery, you’re an idiot,” I mutter to myself when green glowing eyes emerge from the woods and come my way. Theoretically, my idea might work, but practically, it is a gamble. I have flammable materials, but it is not like gasoline or another accelerant.

I bite back my fear and take a deep breath as they slowly approach me like a lion would its prey. I keep my eyes on their legs, studying the movement of their muscles, and trying to pinpoint the moment they will lunge towards me.

The closest one lowers itself a little, and I kneel. I roll my finger over the lighter, and my heart pounds wildly when it only clicks.

“For fuck’s sake, please,” I mutter, on the verge of panic, and I nearly burst into tears when it finally lights. I hold the flame to the toilet paper and watch the flame grow bigger, spreading towards the other materials.

The subjects tilt their heads as they look at the tiny flames, then at me as if they want to laugh.

“Ah, shit,” I mutter, turn around and climb the tree as if my life depends on it – which it does.

The subjects run closer, and I summon the wind. Just strong enough to help the flames without extinguishing them. The first subject steps over the flames but jumps back with a yelp when its fur catches fire.

“Burn, bitch,” I sneer, directing the wind to the subject.

It howls and rolls on the grass, but I manage to keep the flames alive until the air is filled with burned flesh. The other subjects take a step back, looking from the burning body to me. Then they sit, their eyes locked onto me, waiting for the fire to die.

Ah, shit.