She whispered, "Max?" her voice trembling. Before she could react, Fluffy began behaving the same way. His tiny body twisted unnaturally, the bumps spreading as his form grew and twisted. Lola's eyes widened in terror.
She let out a scream, throwing Fluffy away in panic as she stumbled backward. The hamster cage falls to the floor, its door swinging open, and Lola's cry echoes through the house.
Lola's scream rang through the house as her parents rushed into the room. "Lola! What happened?" Her father shouted, his voice tense with worry.
"Papa!" Lola cried, pointing toward the cage. "Fluffy… Max… they're… changing!"
Her father and mother froze as they saw what she meant. Inside the cage, Max was twitching, his small body getting big as strange lumps formed under his fur. His claws grew longer and sharper, and his glowing red eyes locked onto Lola. Fluffy, too, was changing, but something about him seemed hesitant, his movements slower and less horrifying.
As Max's transformation neared completion, he let out a chilling growl and turned to Fluffy. "Is there another way?" Fluffy asked, his voice low and uneasy.
Max smirked, his newly elongated teeth glinting in the dim light. "Don't be silly. We need human blood to transform fully," he sneered. "We can't stop now."
Fluffy shook his head, his fur bristling with tension. "There has to be another way. We don't have to hurt them!" he said, glancing toward Lola and her family.
Max let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You're too soft. You'll never get what you want without sacrifice," he said coldly. His glowing eyes narrowed. "We need one of their faces to take their appearance and become immortal. That's how this works."
Fluffy looked away, his paws trembling. "I… I can't attack them."
Max's smirk widened. "Then stay out of my way," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I'll do it myself."
Max crouched low, his glowing eyes fixed on Lola and her family, his lips curling into a sinister grin. Fluffy remained motionless, watching with a heavy heart as Max prepared to strike. Deep down, Fluffy knew Max was right—if they didn't consume blood, they wouldn't survive much longer. Their strength would drain, and their existence would come to a slow, agonizing end. He had once been the same monster, but now, faced with the family that had shown him kindness, he hesitated.
As Max lunged toward them, Lola's father stepped forward, grabbing a nearby lamp and holding it like a weapon. His voice was firm, though fear flickered in his eyes. "Run! You both need to run now! I'll hold him off!"
"Papa, no!" Lola cried, her small hands clutching her mother's arm as her father charged toward Max.
"Go!" he shouted again, slamming the lamp down toward Max, who dodged easily and retaliated with a powerful swipe of his claws.
Lola and her mother ran downstairs, tears streaming down their faces as they heard the horrifying sounds of a struggle above—grunts, crashes, and the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground.
Moments later, Max emerged from the shadows of the staircase, his claws dripping with blood, his face a mask of triumph. Behind him, Fluffy followed reluctantly, his form now fully transformed. His once-soft fur was matted and patchy, and his glowing red eyes were filled with regret.
Lola's mother stood protectively in front of her daughter, her arms spread wide as she backed them into a corner. Her voice trembled with desperation. "Please… take my life and leave Lola. Please, show some mercy. We loved you. We treated you as part of our family."
Max stopped at the bottom of the stairs, tilting his head mockingly. "Family?" he sneered. "We killed our own family to gain this power and immortality. What makes you think you're any different?"
Tears streamed down Lola's mother's face as she trembled in fear. "Please, Max… Fluffy… don't do this."
Max let out a chilling laugh. "Mercy?" he said, his voice cold and devoid of compassion. "We're not pets anymore. We're predators."
Without warning, Max lunged forward. His claws gleamed in the dim light as he slashed across Lola's mother's neck. Blood sprayed across the room as her head fell to the floor, her body collapsing lifelessly.
Lola screamed in horror, backing into the corner as Max turned his attention to her. His grin widened, his teeth glinting with malice.
"Fluffy…" Lola sobbed, looking at him with tear-filled eyes. "Please… don't let him hurt me…"
Fluffy hesitated, his body trembling as he looked at the terrified girl. For a moment, his eyes seemed to soften, a flicker of the old Fluffy trying to break through the monstrous transformation.
But before he could act, Max struck. His claws drove through Lola's chest, silencing her scream as her lifeless body crumpled to the floor.
The room fell silent, save for the faint dripping of blood pooling beneath the lifeless bodies.
Max stood over the massacre, licking the blood from his claws. "Weaklings like you don't deserve to live," he muttered, glancing at Fluffy with an evil look.
Fluffy looked away, guilt and sorrow consuming him. In his heart, he knew he had crossed a line he could never return from.
Max's mocking voice shattered his thoughts. "Where's the old Hózhó? The one who killed his father without mercy?"
Hózhó's eyes locked onto the severed head of Lola's mother. Her lifeless face still glistened with tears, frozen in despair.
His human consciousness warred against the animalistic hunger rising within him. His mouth watered with the scent of blood, yet a delicate fragment of his soul triggered the memory of what he once was.
Hózhó stood frozen, his trembling hands betraying the inner war waging within him. The scent of blood, rich and metallic, filled his nostrils. His eyes lingered on the lifeless form of Lola's mother, her still-warm body lying in a pool on the floor.
Max noticed his hesitation and let out a low, dark chuckle. "Go on, Hózhó. You can't deny what you are. It's in your nature."
The temporary hunger clawed at Hózhó's soul, and his resolve began to hesitate. Slowly, he knelt beside the body, his mouth watering as the animalistic side gained the upper hand. With a shudder, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the wound, drinking deeply.
The taste overwhelmed him—intoxicating, vile, yet irresistible. The human part of him screamed in protest, but it was smothered by the beast that now controlled him.
Max grinned, satisfied. "Good. You're finally accepting the truth. You and I—we're not like them. Weak, fragile, afraid. We're stronger, better." He gestured to the carnage around them. "This is what power looks like."
As Hózhó wiped the blood from his mouth, his gaze fell once more on Lola's lifeless face. A pang of guilt rippled through him, but it was drowned by the satisfaction coursing through his veins.
Max walked to the window, peering into the night. "It's a good thing this house is far from town. No one heard the screams, and no one will come looking until it's too late." He turned back to Hózhó, his grin sharp and predatory. "But we can't stay here. They are coming for us."
Hózhó looked up, his voice rough and low. "Where do we go, Yitchi?"
"Farmington," Yitchi said firmly. "It's perfect. Bigger place, more prey, and everybody had already reached there, and also it'll be harder for them to track us." He cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Besides, we've already outgrown this little town. Time to move on, Hózhó. We're just getting started."
Hózhó hesitated, but deep down, he knew Yitchi was right. The bloodlust, once buried, now felt insatiable. There was no turning back—not anymore.
Yitchi clapped Hózhó on the shoulder. "I've already taken his face and begun the ritual to assume his appearance. You should transform into an animal for our next prey."
As Yitchi and Hózhó approached Farmington, Hózhó shifted into a golden, furry dog. Yitchi, meanwhile, altered his form again, this time transforming into a sleek black cat to gain entry into a house as a pet.
One month later, Yitchi had successfully massacred Mrs. Christine's family. Hózhó, on the other hand, had also gained entry into a home. However, he found himself unable to harm the family that had shown him nothing but love. Yet, week by week, his strength began to wane, and his body slowly gave up to an unknown force.
Two months passed, and Hózhó decided it was time to leave the house. He didn't want to bring any more trouble to the family that had shown him kindness. But when he tried to transform into another animal, he realized he no longer had the strength. Frustrated, he just changed the colour of his fur to white to try and mask himself.
As he walked through the streets, a deep sense of regret weighed on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had made the wrong choices. Then, suddenly, a man appeared. He wore a cloak with vibrant, intricate patterns, silver bangles on his wrists, and a headband with a glowing blue stone. The man moved quickly, rushing straight toward Hózhó.
Panicked, Hózhó tried to run, but his body was exhausted. He leaped onto the nearest rooftop, pushing himself as hard as he could. The man, however, wasn't far behind. Without missing a beat, he transformed into a large, muscular dog and jumped after him, landing on the rooftop with a heavy thud.
"I wish I could transform into a hawk," the stranger muttered, his voice tense with frustration. "But I haven't gained enough power yet. Still, I don't need to be a bird to finish this."
Hózhó's heart raced. The chase wasn't over.
The stranger sprinted toward Hózhó, claws bared, and lunged at him. Hózhó tripped and fell hard against the ground. The claws scratched across his back, leaving a painful scar. The muscular dog bit down on his leg, its sharp teeth sinking into his flesh. Blood poured from the wound, and Hózhó screamed in pain.
"What did you think?" the stranger smirked. "You thought we couldn't find you?"
In a panic, Hózhó kicked the dog away, pushing himself to his feet. He jumped from the building, trying to escape. As he fell, he saw a sharp tree branch pointing upward. He twisted in the air, rolling to avoid it, but still crashed hard onto the ground. His head spun, and his body felt weak.
The dog followed, jumping down after him, but it didn't notice the branch. It landed straight onto it, and the sharp wood pierced through its body. The dog went limp and died.
Hózhó's relief was short-lived. His body was in bad shape. He might have been able to handle this if he were still the same as before the blood beast changed him. He wanted to live a normal life again, to be human, and not be hunted. Tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "Please, God, give me one last chance."
Hózhó muttered under his breath, his gaze flickering toward Luis. He couldn't stand the way his body was failing him. Blood was pouring from his wounds, and his strength was slipping away. His vision blurred, and he moaned for help under the dim light. His body felt heavier with each passing second, then he suddenly saw a shadow saying, "Hey… what happened to you?"