Page 108 of All Your Bloody Lies

Cinnamon…

My eyes widen, and I take a heavy breath in through my nose.

Apples…

I drop my head and sigh, “Right here…” I whisper. I don’t need saving, but I could use some help. “I’m right here… Don’t kill him…”

The speed at which Daigo is gone from in front of me makes me dizzy, and I have to close my eyes to center myself. When I reopen them, his back is against the closest tree, rage surrounding Kairhyse as he holds him up off the ground.

“You are lucky she told me not to kill you!” Hearing his voice makes me let out a soft laugh. I actually have to fight tears.

Guess I am worth finding.

38

Kairhyse

Ireally don’t know where I find the restraint not to completely tear off his head. The sound of the lengthy tail coming in for a swipe makes me laugh as I grip his throat tighter. I kick so hard that it flings back, circling the tree he’s pinned against. His extended nails claw at my hand, but I ignore them. I’m not sure what this Shifter is, maybe a snake, but I’m impervious to all venom.

“Kai…” Her voice is low, and I can hear the pain she’s in. “Remove his tail for me.”

The Shifter’s eyes widen, and with force, I throw him to the ground. His face crushes into the dirt with a groan. With my foot pressed against the upper part of his back, I do as my little demon has requested. I wrap my hand around the base of his tail, it’s now I can see that he is no mere snake. The texture and slime secreting off him reveal he is a Komodo.

With rage, I pull, hearing the tear of muscle and flesh accompany his anguished scream. I know Xeraphine is pleased. I’m fucking thriving, and I’ve been here for less than a minute. The loud thump of his tail as it hits the ground and rolls is the only sound besides hiscries. Not until I hear her struggling. The soft grunt and hiss through her teeth as she barely manages to get to her feet has me turning back to her.

I’m quick to her side, fighting my natural instinct to wrap her in my arms and warm her. I don’t, because right now, I understand what she needs and wants. I have her elbow in my hand as she stumbles forward, urging herself to move to the Shifter.

“This is Daigo,” she says with a shaky breath, “he is one of the five. Only I deserve to kill him.”

I nod. “Of course.” My job here is to help her over to him, but it’s so hard to ignore the state she is in. Her chest has three large claw marks that are foaming and bloody. The limp in her walk caused by the devastating hole in her thigh. “I’m right here if you need me…”

She fought so fucking hard, and I don’t need her to use words to tell me that.

As soon as we reach Daigo, he rolls onto his back, attempting to stand. When she pulls her arm away from me, I don’t hold on. She finds that strength she has to make it the rest of the way to him. I see his claws, and I know there isn’t anything she can do to keep him from cutting her as she falls onto his chest to straddle him.

Him slicing down her legs, I know it has to hurt, but she makes no move to show it. Instead, she swipes her hand across her thigh and immediately shoves her fingers down his throat. I can see him bite down onto her, but she once again, ignores it.

“Release me, Daigo,” she commands.

I love seeing the fear and pain in his eyes as he slowly opens his mouth. I’ve only witnessed her do this on Mathas, and even if he had been my work partner, it would turn me on all the same. She says she’s sick, but so am I, because I’m ready to watch her kill this Shifter. To see her so fucking powerful even in the state that she is in.

They should fear her, and so should I—and I do, but I will never run away. I fear her because she deserves to be feared, and that is what she wants.

“Why are they wanting to put me back under, Daigo? Tell me.” The exhaustion I can hear in her tone makes it hard not to take holdof her shoulder to give her the strength to stay upright. I won’t though, even if it’s difficult for me. I’m also now focused on the fact she just said put her back under.

“I don’t know,” he says, his shoulders trembling. “Just kill me.”

“I will,” she quickly responds. “Will Lars know? Tell me the truth Daigo.”

He nods.

“What is Lars’s full name?” I know I’m not to interrupt, but that is crucial, so I do ask. It doesn’t seem to bother her, or at least she doesn’t shift in her posture.

“Answer the question,” she demands.

“We only knew him as Lars,” Daigo says. I’m not sure if he is telling the truth, but by the sigh that slips from her lips, I can gather he is. That’s frustrating, but this entire situation surrounding her is just that.

“What kind of Shifter is he? What does he look like?” she presses, and as she does, her nails come to his neck and slice across his vein, blood beginning to pool from it. “Hurry, Daigo.”

---