The sight of the petite woman's extended fangs wants to make Imani's heart leap out of her chest.

She shakily puts her arms up to protect herself. "Please don't hurt me!"

"THEN HAND IT OVER!" V snarls with venom in her words. Her mind swirls more than a whirlpool as the past brings out the worst in her. The imagery of the one person who betrayed her and Enzo is now within the officer's hands.

She feels arms wrapped around her waist. Her arms locked tight against it while his bag of chips fall to the floor. "Breathe, my love. Don't do this."

The dirty blonde tries to squirm out of his hold. "HAND IT OVER OR I WILL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!"

As soon as the words slip out, her eyes analyze the officer clinging to the wall to keep her distance. She can hear her heart racing more than a rabbit.

Regret quivers on her lips. "I'm so sorry. I just want you safe by keeping you out of this."

The change in behavior stuns Imani. Her mind is drawing more questions than she can answer. Meanwhile, the small blue spider nuzzles against her master's neck to calm her raging heart.

"Forgive her, officer. She's suffered a lot from that amulet. Kick it over to us and we will let you go. I promise," the man swears to her while keeping his lover from getting out.

Imani swallows the lump in her throat. "What are you trying-"

"Stop. No more questions." His steely eyes reflect his calm, yet direct manner.

Imani clutches the necklace. They will kill me as soon as I hand it over. I can't do that to my family.

Her golden-brown eyes reveal her answer. V's heart rattles inside its calcium prison. Icicles form all around them. She places a hand on her lover's leg.

"V-"

Emilio's body is pinned against the wall behind them by an ice block! He sticks out his tongue to summon his familiar to stop his lover from a grave mistake.

Imani's scream is cut short by the woman now within a foot of her. The vampire's hands tremble before holding onto the amulet.

The necklace pulses. Golden fire sends her flying back! Imani sees her body crash to the floor with steam coming out from her. A shaky inhale of air finally enters her lungs.

Questions race through the officer's mind, but she finds the ice around the doorknob had melted. She bolts out the building with each step pounding against the pavement. Her eyes look out for any open shop where the electricity was working.

But she curses her situation. For several blocks and beyond, no lights. No taxis. Not even a peep of a conversation. Every shop has been closed.

Fuck! The curfew!

She turns an alley to catch her breath. She puts hands over her mouth to keep her breaths small and quiet.

Assess things, Imani! I'm alive....for now. She checks her taser which is now operable from what the mysterious man did. Only one shot. Damn my juju!

A crisp wind carries a sound that shakes her heart. A cacophony of howls that are beyond regular dogs.

Her shaking hands almost drop her phone.

Get it together!

Her mind contemplates calling for backup...What could they even do against them? They're faster and they have magic too.

Her fingers tap Ruben's name for a text. The trembling fingers add in extra letters that she had to start over.

...{Ruben! I'm in danger. I'm near The Vegan Factory. Car is blown out}

As soon as the message is sent, a bright light of a circle opens behind her. White gloved hands reach out and cover her mouth before pulling backwards into a room.

Her necklace pulses again. Golden fire erupts again to get the attacker off of her. A heavy grunt is followed by the multiple thuds against the walls. Imani whips out her taser with confused eyes.

Embers flicker on the floor with scorch marks on computers and phones.

Ten people dressed head to toe in pitch black military combat gear. Several knife handles are seating in the left chest pockets with sniper rifles on their backs.

To her shock, the eleventh person is still standing. The seafoam white suited man pats out the flames on his shoulders with his white gloves. He touches his short brown hair and his foresty brown beard that almost hides his lips. A dazzling smile that none of it was set on fire. He swings his cane before resting his hands on top of it.

Moonlight bounces off the silver cobra handle that's baring its fangs. On the hood of it are two engraved Ms but with a straight line cutting across them.

"Sorry about that, offica," his British accent matches the pleasantness of a babbling brook. "We mean you no-"

She points her taser gun at him. "Don't move a muscle!" She analyzes his figure. A 6'ft lean man with dark brown eyes that added more questions than answers.

"But of course. We mean you no harm, Offica Jefferson."

She laughs hysterically from the sights burned into her mind. "You will not fool me!"

The black garbed individuals stir up but keep their weapons to themselves.

"We're here to get rid of the monsters that want to hunt you."

Each "t" in his words are crisp and stand out to her.

Imani's hands tremble while keeping her sight on him.

"Lower your gun and let us take over."

"No way! Explain to me what's going on right now!" Imani reigns in the voice that wants to scream at him.

"Oh, my apologies. My name is Jack Taylor. I'm a monster hunter, second to no one except my master. But you are in harm's way because of that amulet. Either hand it over or-"

She fires the taser!

The prongs pierce through his suit and voltage carries over...her eyes widen. Someone of his build should be on the floor, writhing in agony. But he removes the prongs off his clothing, leaving her without a weapon.

He sighs from the small holes in his blue shirt. "If you had let me finish, you can join us against them."

Her breath hitches.

"Of course not right now, my dear. Let a professional-"

A howl from across the street cuts him off. He puts a finger to his lips as his subordinates crouch down and bring out their guns.

"Just stand back for now," while Jack motions Imani to follow him to the door.

His long strides reflect no fear of what he will face. Having no option and with a curious mind, she follows behind him while crouching from table to table.

Her feet almost stumble back. A shirtless and shoeless Ruben is checking his phone. Her phone rings off. Despite the closed door of the tech store, his ears perk up from the sound. He turns in that direction and glares at the man in white coming out. Snarling comes from his throat.

With a tap of Jack's cane, the item transforms into a sword. The silver blade curves like a slithering snake with the tip being as sharp as its fangs. "It's been a while since I killed one of your kind. Let me reunite them with you."

Imani's feet make a decision before she thinks it through. She goes to jump on Jack to stop her partner from being killed.

A back fist to her ribs forces air to exit her body. She collides against a wall with crimson iron leaving her lips.

"IMANI!" Ruben growls before letting his anger consume him.

Imani gasps with shaky breaths from the madness she's witnessing. Midnight black fur covers over Ruben's bulky body. His ears protude and stick up to rest on his head. His nose and lips contort into a snout with enlarged fangs for tearing things apart. His once gentle eyes now represent a mad beast. Claws extend for their design of ripping. 

A howl from him rattles her core before his claws clash against Jack's sword. The monster hunter smiles as he can now let loose.