Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,71

pulled itself up, scrabbling at Lucy on its back, connecting with her body and throwing her off before taking off in the direction that it had just come from. I ran after it again, starting to pant with the exertion.

Other shifters were starting to run onto the beach from the forest. I noted a bear – great, Anton again – a grey haired tiger which I took to be Staines, and a couple of wolves. The Cyclops spooked and turned again, this time heading right for me. I slashed out with my knife, connecting with its skin and cutting it deeply, and jumped out of the way, landing on my feet, but it only paused momentarily and then headed back in the direction of the village. Goddamn Brethren. I’d have finished this thing off well before now if it wasn’t for them.

One of the wolves caught up and overtook me. As it passed by Lucy curled up by the water’s edge, it leapt at the Cyclops and gained purchase on its arm. The monster tried to shake it off as it loped even closer to the settlement, eventually managing to fling it down onto its back. The wolf rolled over back onto its feet, not seriously harmed, but looking slightly dazed. It shook its fur and ran after the Cyclops again.

This time it was the tiger that launched at it from a few feet away, fanged mouth chopping at the Cyclops’ skin. The monster howled and wheeled yet again, running zigzagged back towards the direction of the portal. Staines’ tiger snapped at its heels. Blood was dripping from it in all directions, spraying onto the surface of the sand. Its great head turned to me, the one great eye blinking. I noted idly that it had impossibly long lashes that any large cosmetics company would be thrilled to use in a campaign. I kicked out at it again, and heard the satisfying crunch of a rib snapping from within its great cage of a torso. It moaned yet again but continued running. I was starting to wonder just how many times I’d have to chase it up and down the beach before this ended.

Anton started lumbering towards it, shiny fur shaking with the exertion. The Cyclops leapfrogged over him, however, and carried on. Its injuries were definitely starting to slow it down considerably however, and I could see that I was gaining on it. The shifters behind me were catching up too. I reached a hand out to snag its ankle and bring it down once and for all but hadn’t realised how close we were to the portal. Just as my hand started to curve around its leg, it escaped into the purple shimmer and vanished. I was left grasping at air and only barely managed to stop myself from falling headlong into the gateway after it by skidding into the sand and digging in my heels.

Shit.

I took a few steps backwards and watched the portal carefully in case the Cyclops re-emerged. Staines, Anton and the two wolves joined me, and we all stood there, waiting. But there was nothing.

I cursed again and plonked myself down on the sand, thoroughly pissed off now. Alex reappeared from behind a dune.

“Oh my God, dude. Did you see that thing?”

“I could hardly miss it, Alex,” I answered, barely disguised irritation evident in my voice.

He put his hands up in the air. “Jeez, way to attack the innocent party. I tried to help but you didn’t listen.”

I looked up at him and waited for him to elaborate. Staines, beside me, still in tiger form, did the same, feline eyes narrowed.

“I told you. It’s an ispolin. A Bulgarian giant.”

“It’s a fucking Cyclops,” I hissed.

“No,” he answered patiently. “It’s an ispolin.

“Wandering around a beach in Cornwall? Why the hell can’t these things stay where they belong? Between earthquake monsters, Basque dragons and one eyed ispo…”

“Ispolin,” offered Alex helpfully.

“Whatever.”

“What Basque dragons?” It was Anton. He’d shifted back to a human and stood there naked as the day he was born. I looked down. Yeah, still unimpressed. Then I remembered that the Basque dragon part had come from me breaking into John’s computer. Oops.

“Uhhh…last week, when you were in Penzance there was one,” I lied, badly, and then changed the topic quickly by directing it back to Alex. “Anyway, what do you mean, you tried to help? I didn’t hear what you said.”

“Blackberry bushes.”

“Excuse me?”

“Blackberry bushes,” he repeated slowly, as if I was hard of hearing. “Ispolin