Page 17 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“Don’t look!” Eesha ordered. “We’re almost there. The carriage is safe if you?—”
A hulking dark form smashed into him, whipping him off his feet and carrying him away. His scream cut off abruptly.
“Keep running!” Cor called from behind us. “Get to the road.”
I glanced back to see him dive into the gloom after his lover just as another inhuman screech drifted up from somewhere to our left. My thighs burned as I pumped my arms to go faster. Dharma was up ahead, pounding earth like she’d been born to do it. Something tracked us, moving at equal speed so that my insides formed knots.
The road came into view.
Screams, roars, and bellows of exertion filled the air, rising and falling in a symphony of battle.
We beelined for the nearest carriage.
“We can all get in,” Dharma cried from up ahead. “Move it.” She was at the edge of the road when the thing tracking us broke cover to leap into her path.
She skidded to a halt and fell into a crouch, her breath coming short and shallow.
We all froze, staring up at the monster blocking our route to safety.
Over seven feet tall, the figure was humanoid, andmade of black, corded muscle, as if someone had stripped the skin from its body, then charred the remains. Its shoulders were too wide, its waist much too slender to hold the weight of its upper body, and its thighs were slabs of pulsing muscle. It stood, chest heaving, talons clacking, and even though it had no eyes, there was no doubt in my mind that it was looking right at us.
“Leela…” Remi said my name in a trembling whisper.
“Don’t. Move.”
The thing sniffed, the action opening crimson apertures in its face, then it opened its mouth and roared.
Chapter 7
MONSTERS, MAYHEM, AND EYE CANDY
The beast’s roar was a physical vibration that shook the air. Its thighs bunched, ready to pounce, but a bloodcurdling battle cry drew its attention from us. It turned toward the sound, toward Umbra running at it, hair flying like a dark flag behind her.
Spectral forms erupted from the tip of her staff and clashed with the beast, rolling over its body and clawing at it. Silver sparks of power spat at the air, and the creature screamed.
Ghosts.
Ghosts were attacking the beast.
“Run!” Umbra yelled at us.
She was small. So fucking small, and that thing was?—
“Leela!” Dharma grabbed my hand, and we ran forthe carriage. She flung the door open, and we ushered everyone in while Umbra kept the thing busy.
“Hurry!” Dharma shoved me toward the door, but movement to my right caught my eye.
Another monster was coming at us.
My instinct should have been to throw myself into the carriage, but instead I shoved Dharma inside and slammed the door.
The air pricked my skin as a ripple passed over the structure.
Someone screamed my name, jolting me to my senses.
Wait, what the fuck was I do?—
The thing grabbed me by the waist and shook me so hard my teeth rattled, clamping down on my tongue hard enough for me to taste blood.
