Read Online 03 - Evolution by Greg Cox - (ebook by Undead) - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Greg Cox - (ebook by Undead)
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off-balance. Kraven stumbled and
nearly fell. His hand reached out to steady himself, coming to rest
against the twisted iron frame of the sarcophagus. One foot landed in
the pool of congealed blood around Singe’s corpse. The sticky gore clung
to the sole of his shoe.
Fear showed on the faces of his men. Like Kraven, they
looked about them anxiously, their fingers on the triggers of their
automatic rifles. They shifted uneasily on their feet, trying to keep
their balance despite the gargantuan blows shaking the floor of the
crypt. Naturally pale faces turned even more ashen.
“May the Elders preserve us!” Miklos exclaimed. The
other men muttered in agreement.
Not bloody likely, Kraven
thought. There was only one Elder left, and he did not appear to be in a
benevolent mood. Kraven’s confidence deserted him and he opened his
mouth to order an immediate retreat. We have to get
out of here… now!
But before he could take another step toward the exit, a
shadowy figure erupted from the floor. The force of the explosion threw
him backward, onto the floor. Chunks of shattered stone and tile rained
down on him like shrapnel. He cried out in pain as the jagged fragments
pelted his face and body, slicing through silk and flesh alike. Fresh
blood streamed onto the ruptured floor. His Uzi slipped from his
fingers.
No! he thought hysterically. This can’t be happening!
Blood from a scalp wound ran down his face, obscuring
his vision. Dazed, he blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of the
chaotic scene unfolding around him. Automatic weapons fired wildly,
their muzzle flares creating a strobe effect that disoriented Kraven
even further. All he caught were fragmentary impressions of a dark
figure laying waste to his men.
An inhuman growl echoed throughout the crypt, audible
even over the blare of the rifles. The hellish noise sounded like a
cross between a wolf’s howl and the screech of an enraged vampire bat.
Leathery black skin flashed across his field of vision
at preternatural speed. Gleaming black eyes shone like polished
obsidian.
Gunfire chipped away at venerable stone walls, but
failed to stop the creature loose in the devastated crypt. Dust and
pulverized stone went flying. Powdered debris filled the air. The acrid
odor of cordite invaded Kraven’s nostrils, overpowering the stench from
the dead lycan. Smoke rose from the barrels of the unleashed Uzis.
A rifle was snatched right out of a soldier’s grip, only
seconds before the hapless vampire was catapulted into the nearest wall
with enough force to crack the ancient stones. His body slid to the
floor, where it collapsed into a heap.
Bloodstained talons raked across another vampire’s face.
Blood gushed between his fingers as he clutched his mutilated
countenance.
Panicky shouts gave way to bloodcurdling screams. Kraven
listened with alarm as, one by one, the guards’ rifles clattered to the
floor. A peculiar flapping noise reached his ears.
Immortal bones snapped like twigs.
Bright arterial blood sprayed like a fountain from a
headless body.
“Heinrich!” another guard shouted in horror, only
seconds before a clawed hand exploded from his chest. A bony fist
crushed the vampire’s still-beating heart within its grip.
Kraven caught another glimpse of an indistinct figure
behind the dead guard, but the creature moved too quickly for him to
focus on it. Within a split second, the figure retracted its claw and
disappeared back into the shadows. Its victim dropped lifelessly onto
the shattered floor.
It was a massacre.
A third soldier dashed toward the steps, only to be
snatched back by his collar and dragged back into the bloodbath. Smoke
and dust concealed what happened next. An agonized shriek was cut off
abruptly.
Miklos cried out frantically, momentarily exposed by the
flare of his Uzi. A pair of gleaming fangs sank into his neck and his
rifle fell silent. The strobing muzzle blinked out,
nearly fell. His hand reached out to steady himself, coming to rest
against the twisted iron frame of the sarcophagus. One foot landed in
the pool of congealed blood around Singe’s corpse. The sticky gore clung
to the sole of his shoe.
Fear showed on the faces of his men. Like Kraven, they
looked about them anxiously, their fingers on the triggers of their
automatic rifles. They shifted uneasily on their feet, trying to keep
their balance despite the gargantuan blows shaking the floor of the
crypt. Naturally pale faces turned even more ashen.
“May the Elders preserve us!” Miklos exclaimed. The
other men muttered in agreement.
Not bloody likely, Kraven
thought. There was only one Elder left, and he did not appear to be in a
benevolent mood. Kraven’s confidence deserted him and he opened his
mouth to order an immediate retreat. We have to get
out of here… now!
But before he could take another step toward the exit, a
shadowy figure erupted from the floor. The force of the explosion threw
him backward, onto the floor. Chunks of shattered stone and tile rained
down on him like shrapnel. He cried out in pain as the jagged fragments
pelted his face and body, slicing through silk and flesh alike. Fresh
blood streamed onto the ruptured floor. His Uzi slipped from his
fingers.
No! he thought hysterically. This can’t be happening!
Blood from a scalp wound ran down his face, obscuring
his vision. Dazed, he blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of the
chaotic scene unfolding around him. Automatic weapons fired wildly,
their muzzle flares creating a strobe effect that disoriented Kraven
even further. All he caught were fragmentary impressions of a dark
figure laying waste to his men.
An inhuman growl echoed throughout the crypt, audible
even over the blare of the rifles. The hellish noise sounded like a
cross between a wolf’s howl and the screech of an enraged vampire bat.
Leathery black skin flashed across his field of vision
at preternatural speed. Gleaming black eyes shone like polished
obsidian.
Gunfire chipped away at venerable stone walls, but
failed to stop the creature loose in the devastated crypt. Dust and
pulverized stone went flying. Powdered debris filled the air. The acrid
odor of cordite invaded Kraven’s nostrils, overpowering the stench from
the dead lycan. Smoke rose from the barrels of the unleashed Uzis.
A rifle was snatched right out of a soldier’s grip, only
seconds before the hapless vampire was catapulted into the nearest wall
with enough force to crack the ancient stones. His body slid to the
floor, where it collapsed into a heap.
Bloodstained talons raked across another vampire’s face.
Blood gushed between his fingers as he clutched his mutilated
countenance.
Panicky shouts gave way to bloodcurdling screams. Kraven
listened with alarm as, one by one, the guards’ rifles clattered to the
floor. A peculiar flapping noise reached his ears.
Immortal bones snapped like twigs.
Bright arterial blood sprayed like a fountain from a
headless body.
“Heinrich!” another guard shouted in horror, only
seconds before a clawed hand exploded from his chest. A bony fist
crushed the vampire’s still-beating heart within its grip.
Kraven caught another glimpse of an indistinct figure
behind the dead guard, but the creature moved too quickly for him to
focus on it. Within a split second, the figure retracted its claw and
disappeared back into the shadows. Its victim dropped lifelessly onto
the shattered floor.
It was a massacre.
A third soldier dashed toward the steps, only to be
snatched back by his collar and dragged back into the bloodbath. Smoke
and dust concealed what happened next. An agonized shriek was cut off
abruptly.
Miklos cried out frantically, momentarily exposed by the
flare of his Uzi. A pair of gleaming fangs sank into his neck and his
rifle fell silent. The strobing muzzle blinked out,
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