Chapter 10

10

The moment we popped into the new realm, I could've sworn my teeth rattled from the ground shaking. Giants—actual flippin' giants—were out for an evening stroll, their footsteps causing personal earthquakes.

My stomach lurched with each seismic step of the behemoths around us. These weren't your garden-variety, fairy-tale giants. Nope, they looked like they'd been marinated in nightmare juice and sprinkled with terror flakes before being unleashed into the world.

Their faces were a canvas of grotesque beauty if such a contradiction ever existed. Each was uniquely terrifying—some had too many eyes, others none at all. Noses ranged from sharp tusks protruding like icebergs to mere slits that barely disrupted the vast expanse of their rugged cheeks. Their mouths were either massive yawning chasms filled with jagged stones masquerading as teeth, or disturbingly small, pursed lips that looked like they'd never known a smile.

"What the hell ? We can't catch a break," Kendra said.

Zara and I nodded in agreement as we crouched behind a large bush. It was dark again, and the shadows played tricks on us, making it seem like a giant convention was going on. "How many are there?" I said.

Their stomping and grunting were like some twisted nature's lullaby.

I scanned our surroundings. "It's over there." I pointed out a way across the immense field filled with giants. A portal shimmered like a nightclub's strobe light, daring us to make a run for it. However, between us and freedom were those hulking creatures straight out of a Jack and the Beanstalk horror remake.

"Yep. Looks like our ticket out of here." Kendra squinted at the distant light.

"The only problem is it's smack-dab in the middle of Giant Central," Zara said

"Giants or not, we don't have a choice, do we?" Kendra gulped.

Kendra had a point. As much as I hated to admit it, being flattened wasn't high on my list of ways to end the night.

"Okay, so we use our vampire speed," Zara said and I nodded. Running at full vamp speed would work.

"Uh, what about me?" Kendra said as she glanced from the giants to us and back again.

"Relax, I've got you." I patted my back, offering it to her. "Hop on."

"Like a piggyback ride?" She looked as if I'd suggested she juggle flaming torches.

"Yep, except less oink and more whoosh." I tried to keep things light. "But seriously, tuck your face in, and whatever you do, don't scream. We might be able to run fast enough that they won't even see us."

"Great, no pressure then." Kendra climbed onto my back with surprising agility for a non-vamp.

"Ready, Zara?" I glanced at her.

"Born ready." She bounced on her toes, her excitement infectious—if not a bit unnerving.

"All right, hold on tight. This is gonna be faster than clearing out a sample sale," I said, and her arms tightened around my neck.

With a deep breath that I didn't technically need, I nodded once sharply to Zara and launched into the field. The world reduced to streaks of color as we blitzed past the bewildered behemoths, their confused grunts fading behind us.

"Remind me to never sign up for your version of a fun run," Kendra said into my ear, her grip ironclad.

"Note to self: Kendra prefers boring jogs," I snarked back, but my focus was razor-sharp on that flickering portal.

"Hailey, left!" Zara shouted, and I veered, dodging an enormous foot by inches.

"Thanks!" I said.

"Wouldn't dream of letting you get squished," Zara's tone was too cheerful for someone avoiding being a giant's toe jam.

"Giants play tag way too rough for my taste," Kendra said.

"Agreed. Let's not stick around for round two," I said, and the portal loomed closer, our ticket out of this oversized nightmare.

We pushed harder and faster to get to the other side.

"Hailey, look out!" Kendra's voice was muffled against my jacket, but her fear cut through the roar of the wind. I chanced a glance ahead and saw it—the humongous club swinging directly at us. No way to dodge, no time to?—

Zara's tiny frame slammed into the giant's leg like a bullet. The impact sent the club veering off-course, and Zara tumbling to the ground with a nasty gash on her forehead.

Oh no. Although I was still leery of trusting Zara, seeing her on the ground hurt and pushed all my hangups about her almost killing me.

"Zara. Are you okay?" I barely paused as I scooped her up with one arm while keeping Kendra secure with the other. This wasn't right. Those huge giants shouldn't have been able to track our movements. We were too small and too fast. Yet we'd nearly been flattened by that club.

Zara nodded. "Yeah. Let's get out of here."

I was on board with that. "Hold on!"

The portal shimmered teasingly close as I sprinted with everything I had, the giants' roars fading into a distant echo. We were almost there, freedom just a heartbeat away.

"Jump!" And with a leap powered by sheer vampire adrenaline, we plunged into the portal's embrace, trading a land of giants for whatever awaited us on the other side.