I wiped the sweat from my brow. Think, damn you! You’re a Hunter. These are monsters. You’re supposed to hunt them, not the other way around. A small part of me was screaming to just give up, let them eviscerate me, that it would be easier than fighting. The aches and pains in my body agreed, but I pushed them aside.

I hardly knew anything about Kurtadams. They were supposed to be a myth. What did I know? Well, they were dangerous. That’s useful, Jonas, good job. Okay. I knew they healed from injuries fast, as evidenced by the one I stabbed in the throat. Any weaknesses? None I knew of. Really great job, Jonas, on the thinking. Very helpful.

“Give up,” one of the Kurtadams hissed, in a low and hungry voice. “It’ll be easier if you don’t fight.”

I laughed nervously and kept my eyes on both of the Kurtadams as best I could. It wasn’t likely that there was any help on the way, but the more I prolonged the fight, the better my chances.

Who was I kidding? This was the Warren. Help wasn’t coming.

I just barely managed to dodge out of the way as one of the Kurtadams, I think Black Suit, took a swipe at me. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to completely dodge the other Kurtadams, which sliced my back with its claws.

I bit back a scream and took a deep breath as I steadied myself.

“What?” I asked. “Too scared to fight me one on one?”

Black Suit laughed, it was high-pitched and almost sounded like a hyena.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll kill you slowly and enjoy it.” How comforting.

“Your target is getting away,” I said, “won’t your boss get mad?”

The two Kurtadams paused for just a second before Black Suit said, “It’s no matter, we’ll catch up to her in seconds.”

“She can’t hide from us,” Green Suit said.

Green Suit took a tentative step forward and I slammed my fist into her snout. I felt cartilage and bone crack and get crushed underneath my blow. She squeaked and stumbled back. Black Suit snarled and took a step forward.

I wheeled around and Black Suit flinched and stepped back.

I smiled and said, “That’s right. I’ll go down, but I’ll take one of you with me. Which of you will it be?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

I wasn’t too confident of that, but they didn’t know that. They didn’t know I was injured, or that my wound was going to reopen soon. They just knew I could hurt them, probably kill them. Good.

Both Kurtadams glanced at each other for a second and then their gazes hardened and they both charged at me.

I managed to just barely dodge out of the way, my only injury was a gash on my arm from one of their claws. The Kurtadams just missed colliding with each other and Green Suit quickly scrambled to turn around and start running toward me.

I ran, my side screaming and the new injury on my arm burning, heading for the warehouse as fast as I could. Green Suit caught up with me, pouncing on me from behind, and we went tumbling.

The Kurtadam’s jaws snapped at my face as I held it by the neck, wrestling it away. Trying to pin it with one arm, it swiped at my chest, and I as I swallowed a scream and kept squeezing on its neck, I heard the other one charging.

At the last second, I turned over, hoisting the Kurtadam above me, just as the other Kurtadam leaped, colliding into us.

I shoved both of the Kurtadams off of me, sending them tumbling over each other. I wasn’t that strong, was I? I didn’t stop to think about it, I climbed to my feet and began to run.

I heard them give chase and I just barely managed to fling myself behind some boxes as a Kurtadam leaped to the stop where I’d just been, teeth bared. I pushed the boxes down on top of it, got up, and kept running.

The Kurtadam shook off the boxes in an instant and they were both behind me, hot on my tail. Finally, I saw what I was looking for: a weapon. There was a steel pipe, broken and rusted, loose and dripping water. I ripped it off from where it hung and wheeled around, slamming it into a Kurtadam’s jaw.

I heard a sharp crack and the Kurtadam spun around, collapsing to the ground. The other one leaped at me, but I managed to catch its jaws with the pipe. It took swipes at me with its long claws and they cut my stomach, but I didn’t let go. With my other hand, I punched its eyes until they burst and it let go of the pipe, howling in pain.

Blood poured from my stomach, but I ignored it. The other Kurtadam I’d hit in the jaw was getting up. I limped over to it and stabbed the steel pipe into its head. I felt and heard the pipe go through its skull and its brain. There was a wet squelch, the beast spasmed a bit, and then it let out a final sigh, twitched, and fell still.

The other one was on the floor, grabbing at its eyes. I slammed the steel pipe down on its head, hearing a crunch, and kept hitting until it stopped moving. Just to be sure, I grabbed it by its jaw and the top of its head, planted one foot on its chest, and twisted its head off.

The scene was gruesome, but I’d seen worse. I felt lightheaded as my stomach continued to leak blood. I took off my shirt, which was mostly shredded, and wrapped it tightly around the cuts. It soaked through with blood instantly.

Steadying myself against the wall, I began to head toward a main street. There, someone would at least report me, instead of just leaving me to bleed out.

Dragging myself forward, the ringing in my ears got louder and the pavement rose up to meet me. I tried to break the fall with my arms, but trying to move them felt like pushing through jelly, and I just hit the pavement straight on.

In the back of my head, I knew it should hurt, but all I could think about was how cool the stone felt against my head.