Page 33 of Hellish Witch

My special poison stained the black of my blade with red like it had already tasted blood.

The beast waited at the edge of the clearing, watching me from the darkness. I lingered in the moonlight, wishing the field of glowing wildflowers would keep the monster away.

The creature squealed in threat, the harsh pitch like a knife to my ears. Shadows flared wide, like a night viper about tostrike, revealing pearlescent eyes and glinting tusks as the giant boar tossed its head.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, but it was the darkness hunting after it that had my heart pounding. It felt eager, desperate for an outlet.

“I don’t want to hurt you!” I called out, hoping to scare it off. “So trot along now, before you become crackling.”

It snorted, pawing the ground, ready to charge.

Claw open its tender underbelly. Feast on its flesh while it’s still hot.

I swallowed hard, gripping my knives tighter and pretending I wasn’t having psychotic thoughts.

The poison on both my blades might end up killing it. I’d designed mine to paralyse the average demon, and we were a tough lot. The queen’s one would drop the boar with a single nick.

The nightmare boar charged.

Hooves thundered against the dirt as the beast raced towards me.

I widened my stance, holding my ground.

Vile magic lashed my insides, but I had no time to worry about what it might do, only raise my blades and see which one of us would walk away.

My heart drummed faster with each pounding step it took as the distance between us narrowed to the width of the fallen tree.

Spill its lifeblood before it takes yours!

I hissed, baring my fangs and brandishing my blade in warning at both the beast and the crazy voice in my head.

The boar’s eyes flashed silver, and it screeched to a halt, its tufted tail shooting up behind it. Squealing like a dying animal, it bolted back the way it had come, its shadows writhing around it in a smoky mess.

Shock gave way to a sense of triumph, and a grin stretched my lips. “Pffft, and they thought I needed babysitting.”

An odd hush cocooned the space, like the clearing had detached itself from the rest of the forest.

I frowned at the boar’s retreating form as logic seeped in. The thing was bigger than I was, and my diddly little fangs weren’t particularly fearsome compared to its sharpened tusks.

Dark foreboding clawed down my spine.

No way would a shadow boar run off, tail between its legs, for a demon-mage half its size.

Something more monstrous had scared it away.

As if the thought conjured my fears, those odd magical tendrils grazed something living, breathing.

And lurking right behind me.

Warm breath met the shell of my ear.

Chapter 12

Isucked in a gasp to scream, but a palm covered my mouth, trapping the sound.

My brain engaged, and I stabbed back with my poisoned blades. Before they could taste blood, a thick tail lashed one of my wrists, and a firm hand caught the other.

A hard body pressed against my back, shaking with a low chuckle. “Now, now, sweetness, is that any way to greet your saviour?”

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