Chapter 75: Blood Will Tell
Simon didn’t get far before his instincts screamed at him to stop.
The warehouse’s hum had gone silent, replaced by the heavy scrape of claws against concrete. He turned, his back to the cold night air, facing the hulking hybrid as it stalked toward him with murderous intent.
It wasn’t going to stop.
He gritted his teeth, his hands tightening into fists.
His blood pounded in his ears, hot and insistent, urging him forward rather than away. He couldn’t keep running; this thing would chase him until he was too weak to fight back.
"Fine," Simon muttered, his voice low and sharp. "You want me? Here I am."
The hybrid growled, the guttural sound reverberating through the air like a predator savoring its kill. It crouched, muscles coiling as it prepared to pounce.
Simon raised his hand and felt the familiar pull deep within his veins — a dark, commanding force. His blood surged to his call, slipping from his skin like liquid rubies, forming shimmering tendrils that twisted and coiled in the air.
The pain was sharp but fleeting, replaced by the adrenaline-fueled clarity of battle.
The hybrid leaped, but Simon was faster. He thrust his hand forward, the blood tendrils snapping through the air and lashing against the creature’s side.
The impact sent the hybrid crashing to the ground, its claws scraping furrows into the concrete as it scrambled to regain its footing.
"You’re not so tough now, are you?" Simon taunted, his voice steady despite the effort it took to maintain control over the tendrils.
The hybrid snarled and lunged again, its glowing eyes wild with fury. Simon moved to the side, the tendrils curling around him like living shields.
With a flick of his wrist, one of the tendrils hardened into a dagger-like point, slashing across the creature’s shoulder.
Blackened blood spattered the ground, and the hybrid howled in pain.
But it didn’t stop.
It swiped at Simon with relentless ferocity, its claws clashing against the blood tendrils in bursts of sparks and force.
Simon grunted, the strain of maintaining the constructs beginning to take its toll.
"Persistent bastard," he muttered, his breath coming in short bursts.
The hybrid lunged again, but this time Simon was ready. He sidestepped and extended his arm, a tendril snapping forward and wrapping around the creature’s neck.
He pulled hard, slamming the hybrid into the ground with a bone-rattling thud.
The creature thrashed, its claws scraping at the tendril as it tried to break free. Simon gritted his teeth, pouring more of his energy into the tendrils to hold it down.
Sweat dripped down his forehead, mingling with the blood that seeped from the small cuts on his arms.
"Stay... down," he growled, his voice raw with effort.
The hybrid roared, its strength seemingly endless as it pushed against Simon’s hold. Its claws dug into the tendril around its neck, black blood dripping onto the floor as it clawed and bit at its restraints.
Simon could feel his energy waning.
Every second he held the creature down was a battle against his own limits, the strain of his power threatening to overwhelm him. But he couldn’t let this thing win.
"You’re done," he said through gritted teeth. "You just don’t know it yet."
With a surge of will, Simon tightened his grip on the tendrils, forcing the creature’s head to the ground. He raised his other hand, forming a new blade from his blood — a crimson dagger that shimmered in the flickering warehouse lights.
The hybrid snarled, its glowing eyes locking onto Simon with a mix of fury and desperation.
For a moment, it almost looked human — its gaze pleading, as though some remnant of its former self still lingered within the monstrous form.
Simon hesitated, his grip faltering for the briefest of moments.
But then the creature surged forward, its claws slicing through the air and narrowly missing his face.
Any trace of hesitation vanished.
"Enough," Simon snarled, plunging the dagger into the hybrid’s chest.
The creature let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing as the blade sank deep. Simon twisted the dagger, his expression cold and resolute as blackened blood poured from the wound.
The hybrid thrashed one final time, its claws scraping weakly against the ground before its body went still.
Simon staggered back, the blood tendrils dissolving into mist as he released his hold. His knees nearly buckled, the exhaustion hitting him like a wave.
He leaned against a nearby crate, his chest heaving as he stared at the lifeless form of the hybrid.
For a long moment, the warehouse was silent.
Simon wiped a hand across his face, smearing blood and sweat. His side ached where the hybrid’s claws had grazed him, but the pain was a dull throb compared to the toll his powers had taken.
He took a shaky breath, his mind racing even as his body demanded rest.
Adrian’s warning played in his mind again, the words now carrying a weight he couldn’t ignore.
"You knew," Simon muttered under his breath. "You knew this would happen."
He pushed himself upright, his legs unsteady but determined. The hybrid’s body lay motionless on the ground, its once-glowing eyes now dim and lifeless. Simon’s gaze lingered on it for a moment before he turned toward the exit after carrying the crate he came for of course.
The cold night air hit him like a slap as he stepped outside, the stars obscured by the haze of smoke and ash from the warehouse.
Simon climbed onto his bike, his movements slow and deliberate as he tried to steady his breathing.
He didn’t know who had sent the hybrid or why, but one thing was clear: this was far from over.
Simon started the engine, the roar of the bike cutting through the silence.
As he sped away into the night, the weight of the battle lingered heavy on his shoulders. But despite the exhaustion, a spark of determination burned within him.
If someone thought they could hunt him, they were about to learn the hard way that Simon was no easy prey.
