Page 82 of The River of Hatred

Chapter 39 – Jessica

Iduck and hamstring the demon holding Liam ransom. As he growls from pain and what sounds like a good deal of irritation, Liam pushes the sword away, hissing when the metal cuts through his reinforced leather glove. At least his fingers are still there.

“That was a gamble, Jess,” he hisses, swinging his weapon up to intercept an approaching demon.

“Thank me later,” I yell, pivoting to dodge another hatchet. How many of those do they have on them? I’m not afforded the luxury to dwell on it, however. Soon, the battle is in full swing and I’m busy parrying and thrusting, taking care of my teammates’ backs while avoiding getting something jabbed in mine.

“Jess, get down!” Ethan yells and I follow through without a moment of hesitation. For nearly five years we’ve been fighting together as a unit. A huge mace whistles through the air right where my head was not a breath ago. I push off the ground and slice the mace-wielding demon’s leg, forcing him to one knee. Ethan takes advantage and cuts the demon’s neck, letting him bleed out on the ground.

I don’t stop my momentum, heading for a demon swinging twin daggers. I redirect one of his blades, then use the hilt of my other weapon to knock the other dagger out of the screaming demon’s hand. I turn around in time to see Liam in a deadlock with an opponent. Looking around for inspiration, I see a discarded chain on the ground. I transfer my sword and dagger into one hand to free the other, then, using my affinity for metal, I wrap my ether around it and pull it through the air, into my open hand. I whip it around the neck of Liam’s foe, yanking hard and making him choke. As the demon grasps for the chain cutting off his airflow, Liam stabs his massive weapon through the enemy’s unguarded torso.

Immediately, Liam pivots to side-kick another opponent in the ribs, then grabs a fallen hatchet and hurls it at the demon about to land a blow with Ethan, throwing him off balance. Ethan then buries his blade between the demon’s shoulder blades, pushing him into the ground and landing on top of him.

We both notice Akira is overpowered at the same time, facing three foes. I rush for one, sailing into his middle and knocking him to the ground. I press both of my weapons against his throat and push with all my strength, just as Ethan shoulder-checks another demon, then headbutts him before hitting him in the jaw with the pommel of his weapon.

Akira drops into a crouch, swiping out a leg to unbalance the final demon. Once the foe is on the ground, he leaps atop him, jamming a dagger into the demon’s eye socket.Ew.

I can’t believe we’re winning this, though.

When the demon underneath me stops struggling, I stop pressing and lean back. That’s when I hear Ethan’s gasp. The pale-eyed demon holds him in his arms, almost like a lover would, while the demoness, Sythra observes with a lascivious smile on her painted lips.

At first, I don’t see it. Ethan looks scared, the demons look awfully pleased with themselves, and my mind is working a million miles an hour trying to find a way out of this. We always find a way out. But then I see the blood starting to drip out of Ethan’s slightly parted mouth. And I see the tip of the demon’s weapon protruding out of Ethan’s chest, straight through the middle.

“No!” I scream, scrabbling up to my feet.

“Don’t move, doll,” the demoness threatens, pointing at us with her stiletto. “The deal was one, but give me a reason and we’ll take more from you.”

The trio grows blurry as tears gather in my eyes. I need them gone so we can heal Ethan! “What do y–you mean, one?” I stutter, hating the way my lower lip trembles from fear, not for myself, but for one of my brothers. I can see Ethan’s eyes losing focus as they narrow pleadingly at me.I’m trying!“What do you want? Just let him go!” I shriek, not an ounce of cool left in me. I take a step forward, but Akira and Liam each grab one of my arms, holding me back.

“One,” the male demon says softly. “You ruined one of Andras’ plans. My advice?” He lifts an eyebrow, one side of his mouth hiking up. “Don’t get involved again.”

With that, the demon twists the weapon until the blade points up. Ethan coughs and blood bubbles painting the entirety of his chin and neck red.

“Fucking stop!” Liam yells, his hands clenching around my tense muscles.

Sythra giggles, hopping up and down and clapping at our turmoil.

“Please,” I beg with a whine. My sobs shake me so hard that the boys are the only thing keeping me up now.

The demon tilts his head, nuzzling the side of Ethan’s. “It’s too late for that,” he says. He takes half a step back, then, holding Ethan’s shoulder with one hand, he pulls the sword up, eviscerating one of my closest friends.

The sword leaves Ethan’s body with a squelch and his breath rattles, his fingers twitching. Time stands still as I hold his gaze. His lips form my name. The two demons say something, but I don’t hear them over the ringing of my ears.

My knees hit the ground first, the boys letting me go to rush forward. I don’t see Ethan fall because I tip over, my face in the soil nurtured by the demons’ blood. But I feel the thud. Feel it all the way to the soul I wish I didn’t have.

∞∞∞

“You have to eat something, child.” Daniel’s voice is as kind and comforting as always. So why doesn’t it penetrate this cloud around me? More than just my blankets, I feel like I’m wrapped in cotton, separate from the outside world.

“And I think your boys are about ready to tear this door down,” Maalik adds, his mahogany skin glowing under the candlelight. I find myself transfixed by the sight, the way his warm skin tone complements the yellow-gold of his eyes. One magnificent eyebrow raises. “I know I’m pretty, Jess, but I think your hands are full enough already.”

Instead of blushing, which some small part of me is trying to do, trying to say, ‘hey, Jess, snap out of it, this isn’t helping anyone’, I just slide my gaze away and back to the wall. If he doesn’t want me to look, then I just won’t look. Simple as that. Everything is… simple.

Ethan is gone – simple.

I will never forget the way he looked at me as he died – simple.

I don’t deserve to be here when he’s not – simple.

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