The corpse convulsed violently. Splintered bones cracked under the strain, echoing across the dimly lit room. Blood pooled rapidly, slicking the floor beneath Argon's feet, and the acrid stench of iron filled his nostrils. Every nerve in his body screamed for him to move, but what moved next was far worse than he could have anticipated.
A second head forced its way out from the shattered skull of the first beast. It was larger, jagged, glistening with black slime, and its eyes… no, not eyes, but glowing pits of malice locked onto Argon. The shriek it released shattered his eardrums and sent a shiver straight down his spine. The room, already tense, now trembled with fear.
Argon staggered backward, clutching the brass key, his shoulder burning where the first creature's claw had sliced him. Pain shot through his entire body with every step. The blood dripping from his wounds made it hard to keep his balance. He could hear the wet squelch of his own shoes against the floorboards and the faint gurgle of the pool spreading beneath him.
"You've got to be shtting me," Argon rasped, voice thick with blood and fear. "One wasn't enough? Now it's a fcking nesting doll of nightmares?"
Jax laughed uncontrollably, staggering backward as though the sight of Argon facing imminent death were the funniest thing he'd ever seen. "Oh man! This is gold! I can't wait to see him shredded!"
Vanessa, however, remained unnervingly composed. She leaned against the wall, one leg crossed over the other, eyes glinting as she watched him struggle. Her lips curved into a slow, maddening smile. "Mmm… look at him, bleeding, desperate… beautiful. Don't die too quickly, darling. I need to savor this."
Argon's teeth ground together. "Lady, I swear—if I live, I'm gonna—"
"Shhh," Selene's voice cut through, sharp and cold. "Save your breath. You'll need it to scream."
Her words, chilling as they were, carried a strange undercurrent of warning. She wasn't joking. This was no longer about dares; this was survival.
The Second Beast Emerges
The second creature unfolded from the corpse in grotesque jerks, limbs bending in impossible angles. Its claws elongated, fangs jagged, and saliva oozed down its twisted jaw. It seemed to stretch in every direction, becoming larger, more horrific with each second.
It sniffed the air, then locked onto Argon with predatory precision. The glow from its eyes seemed to pierce the darkness, freezing his spine in place.
"Fantastic," Argon muttered under his breath. "I get to fight the sequel too. Wonderful."
The beast lunged.
Argon barely managed to roll aside, but its claw grazed his ribs, ripping through muscle and skin. He screamed as pain flared, staggering backward. His heart thudded in his chest, each beat threatening to burst him from the inside. The floor was slick with his blood, and with every step, it felt like the room itself wanted to drag him down.
Vanessa's Dangerous Games
Even in the midst of horror, Vanessa's presence was suffocating. She stepped forward slowly, deliberately, her heels clicking softly on the wooden floor. Her hand grazed Argon's blood-soaked shoulder in a teasing, almost intimate way.
"Darling…" she whispered, voice low, sultry, "you fight so well. Bleeding, struggling… it's exquisite. Don't die yet. I want to see how far you can go."
Argon groaned, trying to swat her hand away. "If I live, you're gonna pay for this!"
She only chuckled, leaning closer so her lips brushed his ear. "Maybe. But only if you survive. Otherwise… well, we wouldn't want all this fun to go to waste, would we?"
He shivered despite the fear—partly from adrenaline, partly from the ridiculous tension her teasing created in a room full of blood and monsters.
Selene's Forbidden Power
The creature lunged again. Argon barely rolled away, but the force sent him crashing into the wall. Pain exploded along his ribs, vision blurring. He could feel his strength slipping, his body failing him with every movement.
Selene's eyes narrowed. For the first time, the icy mask cracked. Shadows swirled around her fingers, pulsing with black energy. The room grew colder, and the hairs on Argon's arms stood on end.
"No… I shouldn't… not here…" she hissed under her breath, torn between restraint and necessity.
The beast pounced once more, claws tearing through the air inches from Argon's head. Without hesitation, Selene raised her hand, releasing the black energy in a spiraling wave that struck the beast midair. It screeched in agony as the shadows wrapped around its limbs, searing and constricting it.
The others froze. Even Vanessa's smirk faltered.
"Selene…" Argon gasped, voice trembling from pain and awe. "What… what was that?"
Selene said nothing. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, every movement tense with effort. The shadows lingered around her fingers, writhing like living snakes, and the room smelled faintly of charred flesh.
The Beast Struggles
The creature thrashed violently, but the black shadows held it. It shrieked, thrashing its massive form, black blood spraying across Argon's face. He coughed, gagging on the metallic tang, but forced himself to rise.
Jax's laughter faltered. He stepped back, unease flashing across his manic grin. "Uh… maybe I overdid the cheering."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed, watching Selene intently. "Interesting… so she does have tricks she's been hiding."
Selene's jaw clenched. "Enough observations. Focus, Argon."
Argon's muscles screamed in protest, but he tightened his grip on the bloodied hacksaw. The beast lunged again, its head snapping toward him.
Blood, Pain, and Madness
Argon dodged barely, the creature's claw grazing his side, tearing through more skin and muscle. Blood poured freely now, seeping into his eyes and hair. Every breath was agony; every movement felt like fire shooting through his veins.
Vanessa knelt beside him, brushing the wet hair from his face, leaving streaks of blood on her fingers. "Look at you," she whispered, voice low and thrilling. "Bleeding like this… it suits you. So raw… so alive… so delicious."
Argon groaned. "I'm about this close to smacking you across the face."
She laughed softly. "You'll need both hands free if you want to survive. Don't waste your strength on me… unless you want to."
Even in his blood-soaked state, he felt his pulse spike. Fear and desire tangled in a storm that made his mind almost unable to function.
The Beast's Final Assault
The second creature, still writhing in Selene's shadows, pushed forward. Its glowing pits of hunger focused entirely on Argon. The floor shook beneath its massive weight.
Argon's vision swam. He barely had the strength to lift the hacksaw. Each movement was agony. His blood slicked the floor, making every step treacherous.
Selene's shadows pulsed, constricting the beast partially, but the effort was draining her. Her breathing was sharp, her jaw tight.
Argon knew he had to act now or die. He took a deep breath, bracing himself. Pain lanced through his body as he lunged, stabbing the hacksaw into the creature's side. It shrieked, a sound so loud it rattled his skull. Black blood sprayed in his face, mixing with his own.
The beast thrashed, knocking him to the floor. He gritted his teeth, struggling to hold on.
Cliffhanger Ending
The creature's body heaved violently. Its glowing pits fixed on Argon, narrowing. Then, with a sickening crack, the first head of the beast split wider, revealing something writhing inside the corpse—a third, even larger horror, pressing to be born.
Argon's chest tightened. Blood poured freely down his body. The brass key lay inches from his hand, but he was too weak to reach it.
Vanessa leaned closer, whispering, her lips dangerously near his ear. "Don't die yet, darling… the real fun is just beginning."
Selene's eyes were dark, almost pleading. "Argon… you have to survive this. No matter the cost."
The creature shifted, the third horror inside pressing outward, and the room shook violently.
Argon's blood ran cold. He whispered through clenched teeth:
"Not again… f*ck… not again…"
The shadows around Selene's hand flared brighter, and the beast prepared its next strike—one that could end him… or tear the room apart.
Next Chapter Preview
Next chapter: Argon must face the full horror of the third, evolving beast while bleeding and barely conscious. Vanessa's twisted teasing grows sharper, and Selene's forbidden power strains her to the edge. Argon's survival will require courage, cunning, and sheer desperation. But can he live long enough to even fight?