Page 9 of Blood and War
In the distance, a blurred object caught her eye, shifting her attention away from Jace. Murmured voices erupted around them, and they all watched with bated breath as it neared. Growing in size before splitting off into multiple figures. One. Then two.Three. Demitria’s hand found the pommel of her sword, readying the weapon for whatever was coming. Her boots pivoted in the dirt.
“Don’t.” Jace scolded, knowing full well that she was prepared to meet whatever was on its way head on with her sword swinging. She wouldn’t let it get to them with the gates wide open. They were too vulnerable waiting like that. He should send away the remaining curious residents that hadn’t already fled when the figures had appeared. More than anything, Demitria knew she needed the space to do her job, and with the bystanders in her immediate vicinity, they’d only serve to get in her way.
“Wait.” He instructed.
Reluctantly, she listened. As the figures got closer, she could see the matching chestnut hair of the twins. They were alive, at least. Hatred for them aside, she should be happy.
Darkness. Whatever it was, nausea rolled through her, itching her skin as if a thousand tiny creatures had burrowed under her flesh. The third figure struggled within the twins’ grasp, writhing back and forth within their grip as they dragged the being between them. She narrowed her eyes, taking in the dainty but lethal body of the creature as it fought against their hold. Female in stature, by the looks of it. Long, dark inky hair clung to its face. Female in stature, by the looks of it.
Bound by her wrists, the creature bared a set of razor-sharp teeth at the men holding her captive. But it was the scarlet eyes that gave her away first. She snarled an animalistic sound that sent a wave of shivers up Demitria’s spine.
But still, the twins brought her closer and closer to the gate.
“What are they doing?” Jace reached out to her, holding her arm steady, unwilling to let her go out.He was really going to let them bring that thing in here?Jace said nothing as she moved to inch closer to the gate, his grip tightening around her. Burning into her in an effort to ground himself.
Though her wrists were bound, the female tried to claw at Sam, but he managed to evade her attack before she made contact. Dark, murky blood dripped down her face in rivulets from a wound somewhere on her head, streaking down across the pale flesh of her skin. Her blood, not theirs. So dark as if it was poison. That’s what they all were. Poisoned beings that didn’t belong anywhere on their planet.
The twins crossed the gates’ threshold before they quickly shut behind them as the last of the onlookers darted away. Demitria hoped they were returning to their homes. Will kicked the female to the ground, her knees buckling as she crumbled underneath herself. Like a rabid animal, she snarled. Biting at them, but didn’t make to get away. Eyes filled with rage, she watched each and every one of them as if the demon was burning their images into her mind, never to forget their faces. When she met Demitria’s own, she stopped. The snarl disappeared only to be quickly replaced with a sadistic smile. It grew wider and wider as she zeroed in, one long spindly finger pointed toward Demitria, nail sharpened to a deadly point.
“You.” The female erupted with laughter. The sound almost maniacal.
“Are you absolutely mad?” Demitria exclaimed, trying to tamper down the anger that was rising within her.
“Why did you bring it here?” Jace moved his hand to her shoulder, squeezing it as if willing her to calm down.
“We wanted her to talk.” Sam stepped on the hand she’d placed on the ground, the bones popping under his weight, yet the demon didn’t flinch.
“We tried everything.” Will added, nodding at her. The demon’s bloodied face made sense. They’d beaten her for information, and she hadn’t yielded an ounce of it to them.
“You risk the entire community bringing that thing in here!” Demitria’s voice rose an octave, despite the restraint she’d tried to keep. She couldn’t let the other residents within earshot hear the worry in her voice as the demon just smiled. “Surely you have a better reason than wanting it to talk.”
“You know as well as I do that there isalwaysmore than one. This piece of shit wandered up all alone.” Sam narrowed his eyes, looking from the demon on the ground back up to her.
Despite looking human, the creature was far from it. Hadn’t ever been close to it. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for a demon to take on a different skin. To blend in with humans and infiltrate their communities. But she could have just as well had human ancestry somewhere up the line. Someone having been forced to bear the spawn of the underworld. The thought sickened her.
Demitria waited for Jace to say something, but he remained silent. His hands wound into tight fists at his sides, brows knitted. Thinking. Questioning what to do. Knowing he was battling with a decision that could backfire on them all. No matter what he chose, it would end in bloodshed. Whether the demon’s today, or one of their own members down the line. It was only a matter of when. Each time they killed a demon, more came hunting for the humans that slayed them. A vicious cycle turning round and round that never seemed to end.
It had happened more times than she could count. Sometimes only two or three would come. Those were the times they got lucky.
“Who sent you here?” Will’s boot connected with the female’s back and she buckled underneath the force, her body connecting with the dirt. A new wave of blood dripped from her face, thedark liquid spurting from an array of cuts across her beaten lips. Sam and Will took a step back, waiting to see what the creature would do. She righted herself, finger resuming its position toward Demitria as she laughed again. More hysterical this time. Phantom fingers traced down Demitria’s spine, taking hold of her body.
She didn’t think before pulling the deadly blade from the sheath at her thigh. Her newest dagger came free as she stepped forward in one swift motion before embedding deep into the female’s chest. She could feel the resistance as her blade fought to go deeper, catching between her ribs but Demitria shoved harder. Finally pushing it home. She’d been ready to evade whatever strike the demon unleashed, but it didn’t move.
Again, the female laughed. A dark, bloody smile graced her terrifying features. “They’ll come for this place.” She hissed with a ferociousness Demitria couldn’t explain. “Come for you.”
Jace was the one to speak next, pushing Demitria’s body aside as he stood before the demon. “Speak now and I may let you live.” He nearly growled. “Who is coming for her?” The demon didn’t answer, but spat out a mixture of saliva and that vile, dark blood on his boots. Demitria could see the anger swirling through those familiar green eyes, yet he managed to hold his composure.
“They’ll take everything away from you,” The female’s eyes found hers once more. “Tear the handsome blond one limb from limb.” The demon’s eyes drifted up toward him, licking her lips in a way that meant she’d eat him, given the chance. Demitria could feel her body shaking, vibrating as her own eyes saw red. The rage swelled within at the threat uttered toward Jace. Toward all of them. The demon continued anyway.
“Hewill come for you. For you all, and he’ll burn this fucking place to the ground.” The demon’s legs shouldn’t have been able to support her with how beat up she was, but the female stoodtall on steady legs. “You have no idea what’s coming. No idea what you’re up against.” The female laughed again, bellowing through the yard. Demitria freed the weapon resting at her hip. Her sword tore through the flesh of the demon’s throat in one clean motion as if it was nothing more than paper. Tearing through the sinewy muscle and bone with ease. The eerie sound was cut short, replaced with a gurgled choking as she bled out on the ground.
Jace didn’t take any chances, lighting a match and tossing it to the female’s body. Spread out, the remaining Guardians stood, watching as she burst into flames. Flames that burned different shades of orange and red before turning nearly black. The smell of burning human flesh was never something you got used to. A demon’s was even worse.
“Are we not going to talk about what the hell just happened?” Sam bellowed, eyes wide as he turned from Jace to her.
She couldn’t find the words to answer. Couldn’t even think straight. The demon attacks on the other communities were one thing, but this? She’d targeted them.Someonehad targeted them.
“We don’t know that her threat has merit.” Demitria said, looking back at Jace. Jace ran a hand through his hair, not meeting her gaze.
