Chapter 45: Lost For Good
The waves crashed gently against the shore, the rhythmic sound filling the heavy silence that followed the battle. The scent of blood still lingered in the air, mixing with the salty sea breeze. Alex knelt beside Elizabeth’s unconscious form, his hands still trembling from the fight
She lay motionless, her pale skin marred by scratches and bruises. The moonlight reflected off her disheveled hair, giving her an almost ghostly appearance. But Alex knew the truth—she was far from a ghost. She was a living nightmare, a predator in human skin. And yet, she was also the girl who had fought by his side, the girl who had been forced into this monstrous existence.
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-dampened blue hair. His body ached, his wounds were healing, but exhaustion gnawed at him. Despite everything, he had done what he came here for. He had stopped her.
But now came the hardest part—getting her out of here before someone else found her.
The wanted posters. The bounty. The eyes that would be hunting for her. He couldn’t afford to waste time.
Gritting his teeth, Alex bent down and carefully lifted Elizabeth into his arms. She was lighter than he expected, her body limp against his. He felt the slow rise and fall of her chest, reassuring him that she was still alive. But for how long? If she woke up again, would she attack him? Would she even recognize him?
None of that mattered right now. He had to move.
Turning away from the rocky shore, Alex carried her toward the road, his steps steady despite his exhaustion. His mind raced with possibilities—where could he take her? Where would she be safe?
His apartment was out of the question. It was too exposed, too easy to track.
The city was crawling with hunters, mercenaries, and desperate people looking to claim the bounty on her head. Every second he spent here increased the risk of being spotted.
As he reached the road, his sharp senses picked up distant sounds—vehicles, voices, the hum of the city that never truly slept. He needed to make a decision fast.
Then it hit him.
There was one place. One place that no one would think to look.
Taking a deep breath, Alex tightened his grip on Elizabeth and started walking toward the only sanctuary he could think of—the underground hideout where he had been storing the spoils from his portal hunts.
It wasn’t ideal, not meant for this. But right now, it was the safest option he had.
And whether she wanted to or not, Elizabeth was coming with him.
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The journey was long, the weight of Elizabeth pressing against him as he moved through the dimly lit streets. He kept to the shadows, his heightened senses on high alert. Any wrong turn could spell disaster.
At one point, he heard footsteps—heavy, deliberate, not far behind him. Instinct took over, and he ducked into an alleyway, pressing himself against the cold brick wall. Holding Elizabeth close, he listened, counting the seconds as the footsteps drew nearer. A pair of men passed by, their hushed conversation carrying through the air.
"They said she was spotted near the bridge."
"We should check the riverside. If we find her first, we’re set for life."
Alex remained still, his grip tightening around Elizabeth. He didn’t move until their voices faded into the distance. Then, without hesitation, he slipped out of the alley and continued his journey.
By the time he reached the entrance to the underground hideout, the sky had begun to lighten a bit. He pushed open the rusted metal door and stepped inside, his boots echoing against the concrete floor. The air was damp and cool, the faint scent of metal and old stone filling the space.
Carefully, he laid Elizabeth down on a worn-out mattress in the corner of the room. Her breathing remained steady, but she showed no signs of waking yet. Alex exhaled, his muscles finally relaxing as he sank onto the floor beside her.
For the first time that night, he allowed himself to close his eyes. But even in the quiet, his mind remained restless.
She was safe, at least for now.
But the real question was, what would she do when she woke up?
The early morning light barely reached the depths of the underground hideout, but the faint glow of a flickering bulb cast shadows against the damp walls. A low groan escaped Elizabeth’s lips as her fingers twitched, the sensation of consciousness creeping back into her limbs.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was Alex, slumped against the opposite wall, his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly downward. He looked exhausted, his breathing steady but deep, as if he hadn’t allowed himself proper rest in a long time.
She stiffened immediately, memories of the previous night crashing down on her like a wave. The fight, the hunger, the warm rich taste of flesh between her teeth.
And worst of all—his eyes, wide with horror, watching her feast on a lifeless child.
Elizabeth’s stomach churned, not with hunger this time, but with something far worse. Shame and bitterness. A raw, ugly feeling she couldn’t name.
Alex had seen her at her worst, at her lowest. And yet... here he was.
She sat up slowly, careful not to make a sound, her gaze never leaving his sleeping form. Why was he still here? Why hadn’t he killed her yet? She had attacked him—tried to rip him apart, to end him before he could stop her.
But he had stopped her eventually.
And now, instead of handing her over to the people hunting her, instead of abandoning her to the fate she deserved, he had brought her here.
Her fists clenched. She hated this. She hated the way he looked at her, the way he refused to give up on her. Did he think he could save her? Did he think she could still be anything other than a monster?
She scoffed under her breath, bitterness curling her lips. ’Fool’.
Without a second thought, she turned and left the place.
Alex stirred in his sleep, he didn’t hear the faint breathing of Elizabeth, the silence was too deep.
His body tensed, and in an instant, he turned toward her spot, only to find it empty.
Elizabeth was gone.
Alex shot up to his feet, his enhanced senses flaring as he scanned the surroundings. There were faint footprints leading away, her scent still lingering in the crisp air.
"Damn it!" he hissed. He should have tied her down, restrained her somehow. He had let his guard down, thinking she would remain unconscious longer.
Without another moment of hesitation, he left the place. The sun had barely begun to rise, but his urgency overshadowed the beauty of the breaking dawn.
Then he heard it—the unmistakable sound of voices.
He pushed forward faster, his heart pounding, until he reached the clearing.
There she was.
Elizabeth stood in the center of the open ground, surrounded. At least seven figures encircled her, their stances firm, their weapons drawn. Their uniforms bore the insignia of the Hero Organization.
"Surrender, monster."
The words sent fire through Alex’s veins. His fists clenched as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Let her go."
The heroes turned to him, their expressions unreadable for a brief moment before hostility took over.
"Stay out of this, kid. This doesn’t concern you," one of them, a broad-shouldered man wielding twin daggers, barked. "She’s a wanted villain, a monster. We’ve been ordered to eliminate her."
Alex scoffed. "Eliminate? She’s still human. You’re just going to kill her like an animal?"
Another hero, a woman with glowing gauntlets, stepped forward. "That thing isn’t human anymore. She devours people. We’ve seen the bodies she leaves behind. She’s beyond saving."
Elizabeth remained silent. Her face was unreadable, but Alex saw the way her fingers twitched. She was preparing to fight. But she was still weak from their battle, still exhausted. If she fought them alone—
No. He wouldn’t let that happen.
"If you want her," Alex said, his voice low and deadly, "you’ll have to go through me."
The tension in the air thickened. Then, without warning, the first hero lunged.
Alex dodged, his reflexes carrying him just past the swinging dagger before he retaliated with a punch straight to the man’s gut. The force sent him sprawling, crashing into the ground with a pained grunt.
The fight erupted in full force.
Blades, fire, energy blasts—everything came at him at once. Alex weaved through the chaos, his enhanced strength crushing bones with every strike. He caught one hero’s arm mid-swing and snapped it, sending them to the ground screaming. Another attempted to blast him with a beam of light, but he rolled aside and countered with a devastating uppercut.
Eliysabeth fought too, despite her weakened state. Ice shards formed in her hands, shooting toward the heroes with deadly precision. But her movements were slower than usual, her energy depleting with each attack.
Then came the final opponent—a tall, armored hero with piercing blue eyes and an aura of chilling cold.
"Enough," the man said. The air around him dropped in temperature, frost spreading beneath his feet. "You’re strong, but you’re reckless. I’ll end this here."
Ice erupted from the ground, sharp spikes lunging toward Alex. He barely dodged in time, flipping backward as more ice chased him. The hero moved like a phantom, his frost-coated sword gleaming as he attacked. Alex deflected the blade with his forearm, the impact sending a jolt of pain through his bones. He countered with a brutal knee to the ribs, but the hero barely flinched, instead grabbing Alex’s arm and freezing it over with a mere touch.
Alex roared, shattering the ice with sheer strength before ramming his fist into the hero’s face. Blood sprayed, and the man staggered, but he wasn’t down yet.
They clashed again, their movements blurring. Ice slashed across Alex’s skin, leaving cuts that bled and froze simultaneously. But he fought through the pain, his regeneration keeping him standing.
Then, in the middle of their struggle, a sudden movement caught his eye.
Elizabeth.
She had picked up a fallen sword from one of the defeated heroes. And before Alex could react, before he could even call out her name—she moved swiftly.
In one swift motion, she raised the blade high above her head.
And then she brought it down.
The sword sliced through her own neck in a clean, brutal motion.
Time seemed to stop.
Blood spurted in a dark arc, splattering against the frozen ground. Her head separated from her body, silver hair catching the morning light as it tumbled to the earth.
"ELIZABETH!"
Alex’s world shattered. He abandoned his fight, rushing toward her as her lifeless body collapsed. His hands trembled as he reached out, but there was nothing to save. Nothing to stop.
The heroes stood frozen, some in shock, others in silent relief.
Alex’s mind screamed. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to save her. He was supposed to take her back.
But now—
She was gone.
And there was nothing he could do.
