Page 77 of Stone Seduction
By the gods, there was so many of them. At least thirty fighting with the gargoyles. Attacking with weapons and magic, some even slaughtering those humans who tried making a run for it.
Chaos and carnage, no sign of Luke.
“Asher!” Billy cried.
An enchanter leaped onto a car bonnet, hurling a potion in my direction. I flew out of its trajectory in an upward swoop, getting enough distance as it exploded. Red dust mushroomed in the air, transforming into liquid. It came down on Luke’s SUV in an aggressive deluge.
Whoa!
The metal fizzed and melted away within seconds, leaving behind a bubbling crimson pool.
Shit. Not good.
Billy grabbed Seth and Luna under each arm, taking them into the air, looking as magnificent as always.
I shook off rising memories of better times with him, eyeing up the scene again, staying vigilant.
“Luke!”
“The key will be with the queen!” a chorus of voices boomed from above.
Six chimeras with humans on their backs, all red, were coming in like fighter jets. At the same time, a torrent of multicolored motes swept into the carpark in a case of seriously bad timing. They went everywhere, creating monster after monster, serving up a buffet of horror.
“Such glorious fun!” a voice hissed from the burning café.
A snake burst out of the flames, as radiantly orange as the fire, five eyes in its massive head.
The screams of the poor humans caught in this crossfire hurt my soul.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Luke!” I prepared for battle, getting no sense of my mark. “Luke!”
A glow on the bridge crossing the motorway caught my eye. The same glow the shark monster launched at us. Humans marching beneath the glitter light, the glow shaped like an egg.
Luke was inside that thing.
I’m coming!
Before I could move, the chimera unleashed their fire.
TWENTY-TWO
Luke
Iarrived at Ember’s place, drenched in fury.
“What the hell is going on?” I demanded. “Your?—”
She charged, closing the distance between us with long strides.
I didn’t dodge the attack in time. Her charcoal fist hit my left cheek, sending me spinning across the cavern.
Thankfully, in the opposite direction of the lava lake.
I hit the wall on my side, sliding to the floor. The jagged black rocks sliced my skin on the way down.
Oh, hell no.
