Chapter 72 - Black Predator (Part 1)

Liam could feel Lorna's body tense due to how close they were, being this close Liam could see the undeniable resemblance, the same cheekbones, the same shape of face, those thick eyelashes and those green eyes he couldn't stop staring at and those lips he loved to kiss so much. Everything he saw in this agent was everything about his Riley he just couldn't resist, but he hid those emotions with an intent to kill her.

"Are you gonna kill me?".

Those words made his body tense a bit, can he? When she looks exactly like his long-lost love?

He didn't answer, what word could he say, When he didn't trust his own body around this agent, his decision when it came to her was against his very rule against an agent, for one the only reason he agreed to this game in the first place was a way of keeping her safe away from those hungry claw's, he didn't wanna involve her in a close battle knowing very well their second target would be her, with this, he can keep her at a safe distance while he took out the Claw's and gain the information he needed and then decides what he does with this agent next, she was a distraction he didn't like, a constant reminder of someone he can't have.

His eyes still burn in hers as she waited for his answer which he wasn't sure he could give, her looks were always catching him off guard, speaking of looks Riley had a birthmark behind her neck, maybe just maybe, that was Liams thought as he leaned close to her.

Lorna's body tense at Liam's sudden action, she thought for a moment he would kiss her with those lips she found attractive. 'What's he gonna do?' she panics in her head.

Liam leans close brushing his face against her soft hair, it reminds him of Riley's, her jacket blocked the assess to her neck, he needed to see for himself, if maybe just maybe, the lady standing right in front of him was her.

"What are yo-" before Lorna could finish her words a roar came in, they both turned to the position it came in, about two Claw's came after them.

Lorna panics as she intends to draw herself from his grip and run for the hills, but Liam didn't let go, he was calm as the Claw's came forth. 

"Switch!".

Liam quickly zaps in place of Ghost it was now Ghost holding Lorna but his nails didn't get to her skin, he was careful as he held her.

Lorna's eyes widen at the being now close to her, Ghost roars as a Claw jumps at him but with one wave of his hand Ghost slits its throat, the Claw dropping to the ground turning to dust. The other came but before he could even reach them, Ghost dugs his hand deeply in its chest, the Claw fading away.

Lorna took harsh breaths, almost thinking for a second that Claw would rip out her head.

Ghost turns to her smirking deeply.

"Enjoying the fun," he said in amusement.

Lorna's eyes drift to his bandage one's, Ghost long elongated tongue swamp out licking the blood at the corner of her lips, Lorna paled at the sudden action, unable to think or move.

"Delicious" he groans leaning close.

"GHOST!" Liam snaps pissed walking towards them.

Ghost instantly pauses his action, Lorna quickly used that opportunity to move away from Ghost, she instinctively hid behind Liam.

"That fucking Claw just lick my lips" Lorna accused not wanting to be near Ghost even for a second afraid of what he might do.

"What do you expect he's a primal being," Liam said.

Ghost shrugs. 

"How many remaining?" Liam asked. 

"Five, too easy" Ghost said as his smirk disappear not liking that the Claw's weren't tough targets like he expected.

"Yes it's too easy" Liam agrees.

Liam turns to Lorna behind him.

"You are only alive because if you die I don't get the name I want".

She gulps at his words, she looks away not wanting to stare at his ghoul's eyes any longer.

"Stay close" he orders.

A branch snaps, they all automatically turn in the direction.

"Ghost smells them," Ghost says growling.

"They must be up to something keep an eye close," Liam said on alert.

"Roger"

Lorna couldn't help but acknowledge their teamwork, whatever Liam said goes, she was surprised a savage being like Ghost obeyed his every command without question like he was born to do so, this must be the undying bond between a Claw and a ghoul.

Lorna couldn't help but feel useless right now. 'I wish I had my gun' she thought, knowing that was the only thing she could use to defend herself right, she didn't like the idea of the black ghoul protecting her. His large frame covered her away from the sight, behind him like his body was a shield.

Another branch snaps followed by a zap, but then nothing, Liam and Ghost could feel that they were surrounded, they were lying dominant waiting for who will make the first move, the area was quiet not a sound could be heard, the creatures of the woods making their enticing noise, the skies dimming showing it was almost sundown, the quietness was becoming more prominent, they knew it was a camouflage so they kept their heads on high alert.

Lorna was becoming dizzy with the quietness, she was convinced no one was around them anymore.

"I don't think they are around anymore," Lorna said as quietly as she could, it was just a faint whisper.

"Shh" Liam hushed.

Lorna kept her mouth shut, giving him a look. She rolls her eyes at him.

*Rope Snaps*

At the sound of that Lorna turns but she felt Liam push her, she lands on the ground hard, sitting up, she froze as a plank hit Liam where she once stood, he was sent flying across the air, his back slamming on a tree branch and then breaking it from the harsh impact. 

Lorna could only watch with widening eyes. 'He saved me' that was all she could process right now. 

Ghost roars pissed as the Claws dash out in the open coming at them, Lorna forced her body up as she made a run for it, Ghost charging towards the Claws in a deadly battle, the pain of Liam hurt weakening him but he ignores it. 

Lorna ran as fast as she could away from the scene, she ran without turning back, she took sharp breaths as she did, tears building at the corner of her eyes, she didn't want to die yet. 'I have to get out of here' she thought, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly her legs slowed down, so did her breath, it slowed and slowed until she stops, her body shaking like she was having a panic attack she quickly reached for her jacket pocket pulling out her meds, she opened the small container swallowing two pills at once, she leans her back on a branch as her body calms down, she then broke into tears, her sobs loud as the tears roll her cheeks nonstop.

"Pull yourself together," she said between tears, using the back of her hand to clean her wet cheeks.

She took a deep breath closing her eyes, her fist tighten, what she was about to do was against her every accord as an agent, but she knew standing beside the black ghoul was already certain she had broken all rules.

***

Ghost roars as his body vibrates, a Claw holding his throat tightly ready to rip it to shreds, about three others pinned him down to the ground. Their main objective was to weaken Liam from the start, to get to Liam they get to Ghost.

Ghost fights the pull to reverse back inside Liam, cause he needed to heal but he can't just yet, he had to keep fighting.

A Claw march forward reverting to human form showing Cassandra, she positioned her gun, it was that of the agency's, the one she stole when she kidnapped Lorna.

She faced a struggling weak Ghost overpowered by four Claws. 

"Tick Tock" she repeats Ghost's words smirking.

Seeing that as a signal one of the Claw slits Ghost's throat, he turns to black shadow reversing back inside Liam who struggled to stand, the moment Ghost enters him, Liam vomits a ton of blood, he held his chest as it tightens in unbearable pain. 

"Ghost" he growled in pain now holding his head rising to his feet. 

"You let your guard down the moment you stick your neck out for that agent," Cassandra said in amusement.

"No matter how strong and different you are, ghouls are always weakened when their Claw's are hurt"

Liam faces her as his eyes changed to their normal chocolate ones, Liam's head bleeds from the hard impact he took, his angry eyes fixed on Cassandra's ghoul ones.

"Killing you now I can be human again," she said pointing her gun at Liam, the rest of the Claw's stood behind her.

"You won't get what you came for, you should die without knowing" she adds referring to the name he wanted.

She fires the gun, the bullet came fast, Liam's body vibrates in a black aura in rage.

"LOOK OUT!"

*Loud Gunshot*