Page 79 of Starve
Beyond the next building, the logging camp opens up, and I see the stacks of logs that Hattie mentioned, along with a few stray ones that lie strewn across the ground, half rotted back into the dirt. The smell of blood strengthens, filling my nose until it’s overwhelming. But when I find Cairo strewn across two of the logs on the ground, I have to clap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming.
There’s no way he’s alive.
That’s my first thought until I remember what he told me about the ways to kill him. There’s no hole in his chest, though it’s covered with raking claw marks that mar his skin and left his shirt torn to shreds. His head is still attached as well, and he’s certainly not on fire.
These are the things I have to focus on, rather than surrendering to the fury-driven panic raging through me. Looking closely, I can see the shallow rise and fall of his chest, but he doesn’t look like he’s conscious where he lies. Did Tyler really do this to him?
As if summoned by my thoughts, the cursed in question suddenly appears from between the two buildings behind me, talking quietly to Hattie. She glances my way, making eye contact as I duck into a doorway, but she doesn’t say a word, and keeps his attention focused on her. But there’s no way I’ll be able to stay hidden for long. The moment the wind changes, or he just looks around, I’ll lose my advantage.
With my heart racing in my chest and Moro’s barking sounding closer, I watch as he strides toward Cairo witharrogance in every step. I see the tug of his grin on the side of his face, and notice the healing wounds on his bare chest and throat, probably where Cairo got him before whatever happened that went wrong.
“Poorthing,” he sneers when he’s close enough, and reaches out to kick Cairo’s leg. From here I can just see Cairo’s eyes open to slits, and he bares his teeth weakly up at Tyler, a rueful grin on his lips.
“Pathetic,” Cairo drawls from where he lies. “So afraid of me you couldn’t face me alone.” His words are soft and slurred with pain, but it sends some measure of relief through me to know he’s alive, at least. “You think anyone will respect you when they learn how you did this?”
“Who’s going to tell them?” Tyler hums. “Agatha? She only crawls out of her den once every decade or so, and she doesn’t care enough to save you. Yourlittle bird?”He’s suddenly mimicking my voice with the next words, and instead of scaring me, it simply infuriates me. “Teague and Fletcher left hours ago to find her and bring back her head.” He kneels beside Cairo and reaches out to run his claws mockingly through his hair.
“I even asked Teague to bring me her heart,” he whispers conspiratorially in Cairo’s ear. “I thought about eating it while you watch, right before youdie.”
Three things happen at once.
Cairo lunges and Tyler grabs for him, a grin on his face that tells me he was expecting it. But my temper snaps at the sight of his claws going for Cairo’s chest, and I’m moving before I can stop myself. And Hattie lunges backward, moving away and disappearing instantly. She’s not my concern, however. I tackle Tyler to the ground, my fangs on display as I pin him under me and a long, low growl leaves my lips.
“Fern?!” he gasps, just as Cairo echoes the sentiment and struggles to sit up.
“I have some bad news about your friends,” I sneer. “They didn’t make it.” He surges upward, and I let him, tossing him away from me while raking my claws into the skin of his stomach, going for what my instincts tell me would be the softest.
“Fern…” Cairo pants, trying to get his balance on the logs that give a little under him. “Fuck…” When I turn to him, his wide eyes show surprise and utter shock. “Little bird,” he purrs, with both approval and surprise. But then his face falls, and he lets out a hiss, wrapping his arm around his body.
“Don’t turn your back on him,” he pants. “Don’t underestimate him. I know you’re strong. I know you feel invincible. But he’s been alive a lot longer than you.”
“He hurt you.” I start towards him with the single-minded intention of checking him over, but Cairo shakes his head.
“I’ll live…unless he kills you. Standup, Fern,” he growls with an authority that has me on my feet and willing to obey him like it’s second nature, which is something to look more into later.
Tyler snarls a laugh as I turn on him, and he gets to his feet to wipe blood off of his torso. “Thatbitch!” He laughs. “I should’ve known she had a plan. That she wasn’t willing to stay out of this like she promised.”
“Don’t insult yourself,” I sneer. “For you to realize that would’ve required a lot more brainpower than you’ve ever shown around me.”
Shock causes his eyes to widen, and the open indignation makes me snort while Cairo lets out a rueful snicker. “You little bitch. You’re too cocky for what you are, and I’ll rip you apart while he watches.”
He lunges for me, but it’s not like that night at Bluebone Ridge. I can see his movements now, like he’s just any other human, though realistically I know he hasn’t slowed down.
I’ve just gotten faster.
I meet his lunge, though Tyler manages to score his claws down my arm, sending a white-hot shock of pain through me that has me stumbling backward in surprise. His experience lends him an advantage, and he keeps coming, knocking me to my back, his teeth bloody as he spits his fury in my face.
This is going to hurt, my brain tells me in a cool, detached way. I lift my arm up between us, knowing it won’t help, but the rush of paws and a loud, furious snarling have both of us looking back over his shoulder, just as Moro tackles him off of me.
It allows me to roll to my feet, and I do so, one hand on the ground and fingers sinking into the dirt. The longer this goes on, the more Tyler can use his experience against me. I’m not afraid to kill him, though the lingering pain from the claw marks in my arm is sharper than I could’ve anticipated.
When Moro leaps away from his grasping hand, I move in again, gripping his arm and breaking it soundly. He howls, but it doesn’t put him on the ground, even though the pain must be severe. His other hand moves in a blur, and Tyler grabs my hair to spin me around and slam me into the front of a cabin. The wood splinters against my face from the blow, and I can feel the trickle of blood as I shove backward and headbutt him in a graceless, slightly desperate move.
“Bitch,” he spits, stumbling back with one hand over his face to guard his freely bleeding nose. But it’s like he’s forgotten about Moro, who closes her fangs around his leg and tears backward before dancing away to avoid his kick.
“I want to know why,” I pant, rounding on him. My heart pounds with hate and adrenaline, and my focus on him is something I’ve never experienced before. “Why do you want to kill him so badly?”
Tyler scoffs and spits out a mouthful of blood that lands near my foot. “It’s really not obvious to you, is it? You really don’t get it.” He feints left, and I react, making it easier for him to snap hishand out and rake his claws down my neck, tearing through my shirt. I hiss at the hot pain of his claws in my skin, and feel blood welling to soak into the ruined fabric. The pain doesn’t make me want to run away, however. It only fuels my anger, and a sort of rage I’ve never known.
