10. Chapter 10
The creature was something straight out of a nightmare—no, scrap that; in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have conjured up something like this. A cross between a bear and a panther. Add in some dinosaur for the face and deadly claws, and it still only gave half of the picture.
Long claws swiped for Ghan-Zahr, and I cried out, horrified and scared for him. But once again, Ghan-Zahr showed me that he was more agile than a man of his size should rightly be. He seemed to dance on his feet as he ducked another swipe of the monster's paw.
I wished I had been able to enjoy the way Ghan-Zahr's muscles moved underneath his skin when he rammed his sword forward, taking advantage of an opening the predator from hell gave him. Dark blue blood spilled from where Ghan-Zahr's sword had pierced its skin, but the creature wasn't done. Enraged and wounded, it turned its attention back to me.
Without hesitation, Ghan-Zahr pivoted, bringing himself once again between me and certain death.
The beast bellowed in rage and frustration at seeing its path to an easy meal blocked for the second time. Its red eyes blazed with fury and uncanny intelligence in which I could read its determination to make me its dinner. It would not stop until it had claimed its victim. Me.
With a battle cry that sent shivers down my spine, Ghan-Zahr lunged at the monster. His sword flashed in the dim light, meeting the creature's claws in a violent clash of what sounded like bone on bone. The vorathar roared, unleashing a flurry of attacks, but Ghan-Zahr held his ground, using his strength and probably years of training to parry each blow.
My teeth chattered at the thought of those claws making hamburger meat out of my skin or Ghan-Zahr's. I didn't think even his thicker skin would withstand a swipe of those razor claws or the needle-sharp-looking teeth.
The beast was relentless; its claws slashed through the air as it sought to tear Ghan-Zahr apart. It seemed smart enough to have realized it had to go through him if it wanted to get to me .
The beast was still bleeding, but it didn't look like it would bleed out soon. I wished there were something I could do to help Ghan-Zahr, but I doubted that even if I had a weapon, I would have been of any help to him.
All I could do was watch in awe and fear as Ghan-Zahr continued to battle for our lives. A situation I had forced us into because, for one moment, I had forgotten where I was and the possible deadly creatures out there. Well, here was one. Had it not been for Ghan-Zahr, it would have made mincemeat out of me already.
Ghan-Zahr's skills and determination to win pushed him forward. The beast was a formidable opponent, but after watching them fight for a few minutes, I realized they weren't evenly matched. Ghan-Zahr was still smarter than the creature. But I didn't allow myself a breath of relief because this battle could only end one way, with either one of them dead.
That thought seared hotly through me. I didn't want him to die. My heart clenched at the very idea of him succumbing to the beast. And it had nothing to do with the fact that it would mean my death too.
But there was something about the entire scene—terrifying as it was—that kept me frozen in place, a very inappropriate thrill running through me. Watching Ghan-Zahr's raw power unleashed stirred something deep and primal as if awakening instincts long buried. I once wrote an article about how, throughout history, a woman's survival depended on finding a man who could offer safety and protection. But now, watching Ghan-Zahr fight this near-primordial beast with such savage, brutal force—so far beyond anything civilized—I realized just how wrong I'd been. I had underestimated what life looks like when stripped of modern comforts and rules.
No matter how far society advances, moments like this remind me that we are still drawn to strength—for strength, in any form, promises security. It's about recognizing the deep, instinctual need to feel safe, to know that when danger strikes, there's someone who can stand between you and the threat—and that one was Ghan-Zahr.
As the battle progressed, Ghan-Zahr's breathing turned heavier, but the beast was also visibly slowing down. It tried again to get to me by pivoting around Ghan-Zahr, but the Vandruk was quicker and even managed to slice the beast again in the side.
The predator roared in agony. Its crimson eyes flashed with fury and desperation. It probably had never encountered a worthy opponent like Ghan-Zahr. From the looks of it, this creature was at the top of the food chain.
One more time, the monster's claws slashed through the air, swiping for Ghan-Zahr, but once again, he ducked, bringing his sword forward and embedding it inside the beast's chest.
With a loud thud that shook the very ground under my feet, the ginormous monster crashed to the forest floor. Heavily panting, Ghan-Zahr pushed his sword deeper into the monster's flesh. With its legs twitching, it let out a pitiful cry before its red eyes extinguished, surrendering to death.
Fighting for his breath, Ghan-Zahr pulled the sword out, facing me. On his expression, I could already read the tirade that would follow. The accusations that I had put us in this situation. Which he wasn't wrong about, not entirely, but he wasn't right about it either.
"Is it dead?" I asked, stepping forward.
Unable to utter a word just yet, he nodded.
It wasn't just that I wasn't ready yet to get the I told you so speech; no, there was also a deep need burning inside me to put my mark on this man. To apologize for my actions—despite him provoking me to. Or maybe these were all just excuses because I needed this. With a few strides, I closed the distance between us while he warily watched me, moved on my tiptoes, and crossed my arms behind his neck.
"My hero!" I said before I kissed him as if my life depended on it.
What started like a B-rated movie scene turned hotter than I had expected the moment our lips met. I had felt it earlier when he tried to kiss me, but I had been too outraged to allow it to happen. Ironic that a kiss before was what set us on this path now.
Nothing like a quick brush with death to put life in perspective flashed through my mind before all thought stopped and only sensations were left.