Chapter 5

The door busted open, sending pieces flying around. Larry walked through the house with a dozen bloodsuckers hissing and baring their fangs. The situation wasn't looking very pleasant for Malcolm, Gigi, and Clarissa.

"You're running away, little coyote? You should be able to know when you're outnumbered and outmatched," Larry hissed as he watched Malcolm and the gang run up the stairs.

"Get the Lycan, she's the one with the brown hair. Capture her but don't hurt her or else Lord Duncan will have your head," Larry instructed, giving a signal, and the bloodsuckers around him gave chase, hissing and baring their fangs as they pursued them.

"The back door should still be free, let's hurry to the back of the house," Malcolm yelled over his shoulders and increased his speed, making Clarissa and Gigi follow suit. Behind them, bloodsuckers were in hot pursuit and with the sheer numbers Larry brought, the situation looked bleak.

"Why are there bloodsuckers here, Malcolm? I thought we were safe here," Clarissa whined, but she increased her pace too, running as if her life depended on it.

"Will you shut up, Clarissa? Who do you think led them here? They followed your scent. They came for you," Gigi screamed as she deflected a dagger thrown at her from behind with a blade of her own.

"Came for me? I didn't even do anything. Why would they come for me?" Clarissa yelled back at Gigi while using her claws to deflect an incoming projectile.

They all made their way to the back door, and they were about to open it when the door was splintered open as three vampires walked through the broken entrance with wicked smiles on their faces.

"Gigi, Clarissa. Don't move," Malcolm hit the brakes and stared ferociously at the surrounding vampires. He stood in front of the girls protectively as he tried to figure out a way to get out of this encirclement.

"Well, well, well. The dogs have finally been surrounded," Larry strutted calmly towards them, and the bloodsuckers made way for him as he approached Malcolm and Co.

"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Malcolm growled, fur began sprouting from his skin as his claws ejected and his fangs shot out. He was ready to sacrifice his life for the safety of the girls if necessary.

"Slow down pup, we don't have to resort to such violent means when we could simply have a conversation," Larry drawled as he made his way to a seat amidst the hissing of the surrounding vampires.

He made himself comfortable and raised his head to stare at them.

"You disobeyed my orders, coyote," he said, glaring at Gigi in particular.

Clarissa was visibly stunned as she turned to face her sister.

"Uhm, Gigi, what does he mean by this? You betrayed us?" Clarissa asked with a disappointed expression on her face.

"Shut up, Clarissa. He assaulted me last night and wanted me to deliver you to him. Of course, I refused which is why he's here right now," Gigi fired back at Clarissa before turning to face Larry.

"Did you honestly think I would deliver my sister to you? I don't know what you want with her, but you'll have to get through me first," Gigi growled and her claws ejected from her fingertips. She was ready to do battle.

Clarissa stared at Gigi in astonishment. She never expected her half-sister to defend her like that. They had always been in competition against one another, and slowly that rivalry had built up to something akin to hatred—at least that was what Clarissa thought. Seeing her half-sister defend her like that made Clarissa develop a newfound respect for her, but she was also curious as to why the bloodsuckers would want her in the first place.

Larry threw his head back and laughed so hard he began to cough, much to the annoyance of Malcolm and Co.

"Are you really thinking about resisting? You're just three pups utterly outnumbered. You will die if you don't give us what we want. Hand over the girl, and we will leave quietly," Larry said with a terrifying smirk on his face, a dangerous glint shining in his eyes. "She will at least live. That I can promise you."

"You can take her, Vampire scum, but over my dead body," Malcolm growled heatedly, his wolf prowling at the surface just waiting to come forth.

Larry smiled seized, a look of fury gradually forming before he relaxed again.

"You're joking, right? You really want to die because of a single person? Alright, suit yourself," Larry shrugged before pointing his finger towards them. "Kill them, but don't harm the girl."

And with that single command, the house erupted into chaos.

"Gigi, Clarissa. Shift now," Malcolm commanded, and snapping sounds began to come from him. After a few moments, he shifted into a large furry Lycan standing on its hind legs, his claws grew and became razor-sharp, and his muscles became visibly thicker. He launched himself into the throng of vampires lunging for them.

Clarissa shifted into a Lycan, but hers was a little smaller. Gigi shifted into a lean coyote, but what she lost in strength, she made up for in speed and agility. She wafted through the battle dodging the fangs and claws of the bloodsuckers and responding with attacks of her own.

Clarissa and Malcolm used brute force as they used their strength to crush and tear through vampires, leaving bodies in their wake.

"Excellent, good show. Struggle more, you pathetic dogs," Larry laughed recklessly as he watched the battle with interest.

Soon the numbers of the vampires started to show its advantage as Malcolm and Co began to get weary with each wound inflicted on them. After an hour of fighting, they became very fatigued, and the vampires began to close in on them.

Malcolm began to get seriously worried as they were being encircled. He glanced at Gigi and Clarissa, and he saw they could barely hang on. His mind whirred, and he came up with a plan born out of desperation.

"Gigi, protect your sister. I'm going to go for Larry, he's the leader. They'll let us go if I take him hostage," Malcolm said to Gigi through the Lycan mind link.

With that, he began to bulldoze his way through the vampires, making his way to Larry who sat watching Malcolm with amusement.