The shadow fae threw her head back laughing and goddess, the way her body arched—I groaned.
“This…” she smirked, waving at his person, “coming from a fae that has one of his own chained so prettily to that tree over there. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you are afraid of him. Why else would irons be needed?”
I full out grinned when they all turned to look at me, my fangs bared before I shot them a lazy wink. Something splattered to the forest floor and her nose wrinkled ever so slightly.
Was that drool?
Diego sneered. “General Dark or not. You have no idea who you are messing with, shadow bitch.”
She smiled back lethally. “Then who exactly am Imessingwith, shifter? I’d love to meet them. I’m in need of a real challenge.” She spun slowly with her arms outward in a mock search. Stopping, she raised her brows. “Or is it that you are referring to yourself, do you think you’d be able to meet myneeds?”
“Nuh uh, sweetheart. The real question would be can you meet all of mine.” The bear shifter growled, his claws lengthening and fur rolling across his body.
Remnant snorted and rolled her eyes, the pretend amusement gone from her striking features. “Shifters are so disgusting. Why the goddess even created you is beyond my comprehension. But have it your way.” She waved her hand and the shadows released Diego without any hesitation for their mistress’s safety.
I sputtered out another warning when the fae shifted and a fucking demented teddy bear now stood over her, twenty five feet tall with over 600 pounds of bear muscle clawing outward with a savage swipe. Growling, I fought against the iron chains, feeling my flesh burn, desperate to help her.
Undeterred, emerald eyes shot towards me with glittering amusement before dancing gracefully away from his attack.
“Too slow baby bear.” She blew a kiss at him.
“Get her Diego!”
Cheers rose from the remaining two shifters while they continued to struggle against their bonds. Frowning, I tilted my head when the shadows stretched out from their anchored darkness towards me and then proceeded to rub against my chained legs in what seemed like a silent greeting.
I chuckled down at them. “Niccee meet you tooooo, little fiendsssss. Do me favorsss, don’ttellsss her ’et.”
They swirled excitedly up my body, around my head in a cool caress before fluttering back down to the ground. A content black puddle of darkness at my feet, not at all worried for their mistress.
Fond of her shadows already, I smiled. “Thanksss.”
A roar from Diego, that shook the very trees, drew my attention back to her. The bear had reared up on his back legs and his tawny head disappeared into the silver foliage of the woods. Drool dangled from his mouth and splattered straight into the shadow fae’s upturned face.
“Gross.” She wiped the drool off with the back of her hand and sneered.
He roared again and lunged, his giant paw lashing out in several directions while she twirled and danced out of the way with perfectly coordinated movement.
“Your attacks are predictable, baby bear.” She shook her head disappointedly. “How you lived this long is beyond me.” Finally, flicking her sword up, her eyes glowed villainously. “Allow me to remedy that. Give my best regards to the god of Sheol.”
The bear shifter roar’s shook the woods. Silver leaves fell down around us like confetti before he charged her. Without hesitation she met him head on, sliding under his swiping paws with her shadow sword raised.
Hot steaming entrails tumbled out from beneath him like a waterfall, her slice fatally long and deep. The shadow fae cleared his large frame, sliding to her feet, without sparing a glance at the bear shifter tumbling to the ground behind her.
Satisfaction rose within me as the goddess's light extinguished from his deep brown eyes.
“Uhg,” she said, wiping Diego’s blood off her shadow sword onto her black leathers. “That was messier than I wanted it to be. Who’s next?”
The other two shifters were silent, transfixed on the bloody pile of guts that was the fiercest of their little company.
Laughter bubbled up deep from my chest. Goddess she was a sight to behold. My slurring rumbles earned a small smile from her that had me practically glowing with happiness.
“Please miss.” A small shifter, named Tomac stammered. “Please, General, have mercy. Let us go. We won't tell no one what happened. We won't mention we even saw a shadow fae here in the woods. Jurin and Diego just got eaten by some animal.”
“Shut the fuck up Tomac.” Hissed his friend. I never did get his name. I didn’t care. She was going to kill him anyway.
Four howls, four deaths, since the goddess so graciously decided to save my dying ass today, there were only two obvious candidates left.
I was going to enjoy this.
