"I could definitely go for wine and dinner," Desmond replied with a grin. They each took turns using the shower before they ate, though he had to barricade the bathroom door to prevent Miss Jones from coming in to seduce him while he was wet and naked. After their meal, the hunter helped Myka do the dishes and clean up the kitchen as they conversed. Soon they were back up in her room, after Desmond had gone out to his jeep to fetch his sleeping bag and pillows. He made himself comfortable on the floor across the room from her bed, and before long both were snoozing away.

Around three in the morning, they were both suddenly awakened by a loud crashing sound from downstairs, an otherworldly roar, and the panicked screams of Miss Jones. Desmond jumped up and grabbed his twin daggers, running out of the bedroom shirtless and barefoot, wearing only the pair of jeans he had slept in. He barreled down the stairs into the living room to see a giant hole in the front wall of the cottage and the bear from earlier standing erect on two legs over the cowering mother as debris from its entrance littered the floor.

"Get away from her!" the hunter yelled, jumping at the monster. He stabbed his daggers into its chest while he yelled to Myka, "Quick, get her upstairs!" The beast roared as he repeatedly cut into its flesh, but it's endurance had been greatly enhanced by whatever had revived it. The previous fatal wound from earlier in the day had been completely healed, and the monster seemed stronger than ever.

"Fuck!" Desmond yelled out in pain as the bear managed to shake him free and slam him onto the floor, cracking the wooden planks beneath him. The hunters eyes lit up to a brighter golden yellow as he called upon more of his power, throwing a foot up in a kick with enough force to send the monster sliding back a few feet. He then jumped back up, gripped his daggers firmer, and dove at his adversary again.

At the last second, the hunter dropped down and slipped between the bear's legs, spinning around in sort of a breakdance fashion and plunging his blades upwards directly into its rectum. He then spun around again to sweep the monster's legs, causing it to fall face-down on the floor. With his daggers still impaled in its behind, he quickly drew them along its body, slicing the backside open all the way up the spine. He then began stabbing the spinal cord repeatedly to sever the nerves controlling motor function, and the creature finally lay there motionless after one final shriek into the night.

"I need to make sure this thing can't come back again," Desmond growled, continuing to mutilate the bear's body. He began dismembering it, and finished off by cutting off its head and smashing the skull. He was preparing to dispose of it when suddenly he felt a dark aura surge to life somewhere nearby. "Shit!"

He began looking around frantically for the source of this new power, but it was hiding its exact location expertly. Then suddenly, a cloud of black mist came rushing out of the forest and into the cottage, surrounding Desmond. He found it hard to breathe, and was flung across the room by an invisible force. The mist began pooling around the pieces of the dead bear, and they began clumping together, rearranging into a new form.

The monster stood back to its feet, and let out a roar more terrifying and demonic than before, and it turned its now glowing-white eyes towards Myka by the stairwell.



Desmond then dove back at the beast, grabbing his daggers once more. But this time, they were completely ineffective -- the monster's flesh moved and shifted as if it was both a solid and a liquid. The creature then reached up with it's clawed-hand and impaled the hunter through the back, causing him to scream out in pain. It pulled him off and held him up, allowing Myka to see three claws sticking out through Desmond's chest.

The monster then moved the hunter to its mouth bit down hard, sinking its fangs into his shoulder like it had in their first encounter. Desmond tried frantically to kick and punch the creature, but its flesh just kept moving and shifting to lessen his blows.

"Fuck!" the hunter yelled out as the beast clamped its jaw down harder and nearly ripped his arm off. The bite had the added effect of rapidly draining his stored Mana, causing him to become weak and lightheaded, his vision blurry. He had three claws impaling him from the back through his chest, he had massive fangs digging into his shoulder, and was about to lose consciousness. "Myka... I'm... sorry..."