Sacred Flame: His Enemy, His Mate (BL)-Chapter 31: Him

Kain Locke

"Go, go, go." Bella streamed as we ran without looking back, gaze ahead, legs flying like our lives depended on it, of course it does.

"Which way is the lab?" I cried out to Bella who was a few meters faster than me.

"Should be around this corner." She shouted with a heaving chest as she ran even faster.

The green light in the room was clearing off in each passing seconds so it’s clear that the greenlight effect is wearing off in each passing seconds.

And maybe in a few seconds, it’ll wear off completely and the beast snake will be after us.

I couldn’t help my curiosity as I glanced back, my mistake, because one of them had recovered already and was crawling closer very fast.

"Shit—" I cursed under my breath as the beast behind us shifted and lunged forward with a frightening hiss.

Bella skidded to a stop near a corner, her frantic gaze scanning the ceiling. "There!" she shouted, pointing at a small opening above us. Without hesitation, she jumped impossibly long, her legs pushing at the wall to aid her even higher as she took the final jump, grabbing onto the edge. A metal ladder rolled down with a loud clang almost hitting her in the process.

"Climb!" she yelled at me and Beta’s, who did just as quick before pulling herself up.

I turned to follow, but just as I reached for the ladder, a rush of movement came from behind and a snake beast lunged.

I barely had time to react before I felt something heavy slam into my back, knocking me forward causing me to lose balance and my chest hit the ground hard, forcing the air out of my lungs.

"Kain!" Bella screamed from the ceiling, "get up!"

The snake coiled, it was thick and heavy, its scales rough against my skin as it wrapped itself around my legs, then my waist. I gasped, struggling, feeling the pressure tighten around my ribs.

No. No. No.

I reached down, my fingers scrambling for the handle of the knife strapped to my thigh. The beast hissed again, its massive head rising over me, fangs dripping with thick and slippery white saliva.

I strained myself hard and yanked the blade free both from the belt and its hilt and drove it into its side.

The snake screeched, its body jerking violently and the coils around me loosened, but not enough to escape free

Therefore I kept stabbing, over and over, but the damn thing wouldn’t let go.

Then,

A loud clang echoed from above, followed by a loud screech.

I looked up just in time to see Bella swinging a steel pipe down from the ceiling. She slammed it against the snake’s head.

The creature recoiled, its grip faltering, she raised it again and plunged it down, stabbing at the snake but it only did a little damage, barely scratching its scale.

"Move, Kain! Come on! The rest are recovering! They’re coming closer, get up here!" she shouted, stabbing it down again.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my aching body to twist, breaking free from the loosened coils. Bella extended the pipe, and I grabbed onto it.

With all the strength she had, she pulled.

So I was able to get on my feet and scrambled up the ladder, my legs burning as I climbed.

The snake lashed out again but its movement was much slower, so its fangs only snapped a few inches from my boot.

Thankfully, Bella struck it again, this time harder, and the beast reeled back with a furious shriek.

I hauled myself through the opening, rolling onto my back, gasping for breath.

Bella quickly pulled the ladder along with the rest before she collapsed beside me, panting really hard.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Only the sound of our ragged breathing filled the space.

Then she turned her head toward me, brows raised. "Tell me we’re not doing that again."

I let out a breathless laugh, wiping sweat from my forehead. "Not unless we have a death wish. We should probably get going." I breathe through my mouth.

"Yeah." She answered, and so we started crawling in the dark space.

The snake-beasts screeched hard below, so loud the whole place shook.

"Keep moving! Faster!" Bella shouted.

Even though the ceiling space was tight, filled with pipes and dust in a way it was hard to breathe, but there was no time to stop.

Because there was another loud screech.

The metal beneath us rattled. They didn’t see us in sight so they were trying to break through the ceiling.

"There! A vent!" Bella pointed ahead.

She crawled fast, kicking open the grate, then, the transparent glass used to cover it.

I rushed forward, but...

BOOM.

The ceiling burst open at once

The snake lunged, jaws snapping inches from my foot.

"Shit!" I yanked my leg back, heart slamming in my chest.

Bella grabbed my wrist. "Faster, Kain!"

We crawled, metal groaning under us. The snake thrashed below, hissing, trying to reach us.

"We need to drop down! You guys drop down or you’re going to be filling their stomachs!" Bella yelled at them and they jumped, followed by Bella and lastly me,

I was already weak from the earlier struggle with the snake so I’m pretty much weak, as I failed to land on my legs and fall face flat instead, Bella quickly dart to the wall and pulled at a stick and a iron gate slide out and covered the vent we jumped through, it was only then that she sunk to the ground.

I groaned as I sat up, eyes scanning where we were, the walls were white, and there were several containers at every corner, each having one or two leaves sprouting out of them.

"This is where I work." Bella said breathlessly.

One of the beta crawled to the other side and coughed violently, "We aren’t going to die here. Are we?" He asked frighteningly.

Of course, no one answered him, not that we can’t, but because we also don’t know at this instance, in no time now, the best will definitely break through this place, then after that, we’ll be officially cooked. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The metal door groaned. Just as a deep, slow creak vibrated through the walls, debris from the wall and ceiling fell to the ground.

I turned my head toward the vent Bella had sealed. To see it had bulged inward, bending unnaturally as if something massive was pressing against it.

Then before I could voice my concern.

BANG!

The whole gate twisted, and more stones fell on us.

"They’re breaking in here." My lips trembled.

The Betas scrambled back, fear written all over their faces.

Bella pulled me up. "We need to move. Now!" She screamed out the last part, the urgency vibrantly clear in her voice.

I nodded, but before we could take a step

CRASH!

The gate tore open, followed by the vent falling to the ground, creating a large hole in the ceiling.

A massive snake-beast slithered through, its thick body coiling like a death from a nightmare come to life. Its beady black eyes locked onto us, and then it struck.

"NO!" One of the Betas screamed, but it was too late as the beast’s fangs sank into his shoulder, lifting him clean off the ground and bite down at once.

Blood sprayed. His screams turned to choked gurgles, his body going limp as the beast mouth opened and swallowed him in one huge gulp.

Ahhh! I screamed, stepping back slowly as if my whole self was paralyzed with fear.

The second Beta turned to run.

However, he didn’t make it two steps.

As another beast lunged from the broken hole, slamming into him with full force. His body hit the floor with a sickening crunch as it crawled to his side and ripped his head out of his body,

Then the screaming stopped.

It was only then that my finger moved, the fear no longer having such paralyzing effects on me as my legs moved, then I ran, we ran.

Through the rows of plants. Past the lab tables.

"Over there!" she pointed.

I had no idea there was a side door. I doubt she did as well because she sounded a little surprised.

We sprinted, but just as we reached it and were just about to go out.

A thick tail whipped through the air and slammed between us, sending Bella flying in one direction and me in the other.

"Bella!" I screamed as I lurched in the air and my back hit something hard and I heard a crack.

Something broke, nevertheless, I tried to push up, but the room spun. My ears rang. I broke something.

Then I heard it

The slow, slithering drag of scales against the floor, I can’t see it, because I can’t even move.

The beast loomed over me, its massive head dipping down, forked tongue flicking out with disgustingly thick saliva.

I forced my body to move, maybe I could crawl backward, but my limbs were weak, it hurts, my body as well.

This was it.

I was done, maybe this is where I end my life. My journey, everything. Would I have peace in death? Would Brian ever forgive me? Would he also live a life like mine with no place to call home?

But then

A gunshot.

The beast’s head snapped back, a hole appearing right between its black, soulless eyes.

It collapsed with a heavy thud

I froze. Guns shouldn’t be able to kill them, it’s impossible, yet it’s happening right in my face.

Because standing just a few feet away, with the gun still raised, was...

Him.

The same man from the nightbeast attack.

The sleek, dark crystal gun in his hand gleamed under the flickering lights. He has that same mask covering his face, revealing only his dark, unreadable eyes.

I swallowed hard, my body still trembling.

Was I dreaming?

Or was he real? Even if he was, why was he here again? Who is he? He saved me once, now twice, I really want to know who he is.