Page 5 of Ruthless Fae
Ahead, the trees thinned out. Tyler ran beneath me, glancing up. “We’re close.”
“Just a few more yards.” Vinya dropped her defensive spell and shot a beam of light towards the clearing where we’d first touched down. The light arched through the sky like a falling star and landed on the spot, illuminating everything within a twelve-foot radius.
That was when we spotted them.
Two monsters waited, blocking our escape. They were grotesque, unlike anything I knew possible.
The first had an oblong head with eyes on either side like some sort of shark. Rows of dagger-like teeth filled its mouth, top and bottom. If the head wasn’t enough of a killing machine, the body was even worse. The creature stood on all fours, legs as wide and solid as tree trunks, with flat feet, and sharp hoof-like toes. Thick spikes protruded from its shoulders, down the top of its head, and along the tail that wiped back and forth like a cat waiting to pounce.
The second creature was clearly female, naked, and standing erect. Thick vines twined up one leg and over the opposite shoulder, covering most of her important anatomy. Her hair, if it could be called that, was also vines that grew from her scalp and down to her shoulders. She didn’t look like the formidable opponent her partner did, but I had a feeling her dark stare meant something vicious lurked under the surface.
I recorded all this in two seconds as we skidded to a stop and readied for a fight. We couldn’t leave without getting to the spot they occupied, and they were here to stop us from doing so.
Heart pounding, I pulled out my sword while Vinya readied her magic and Tyler lifted his gun.
“Move out the way!” he shouted as if they could understand him. He aimed the rifle’s sight at the large beast’s chest. “Or we’ll have to use force.”
They didn’t move. Instead, the big beast clawed at the ground, while the viney female lifted her hands, palms up.
Could creatures like this cast magic?
Vines shot out of the ground like vipers, whipping around us and tangling our limbs. They snaked over my arms and tugged me down, fastening the hand that held the sword to my body. Ropes circled my feet and slithered up both shoulders. I beat my wings but went nowhere as they dragged me down.
Beside me, Vinya screamed and Tyler fired a round of three shots before the gun clattered to the ground. I wanted to help them, but the vines pinned me to the earth. Growling, I fought against them, but they were as strong and solid as chains, However, these were organic. I could smell the living material inside them as one snaked over my face.
The sword was still in my hand, and, though my arm was pinned, my wrist could move. Carefully, I began sawing at the vines. If I had a few minutes…
But I didn’t. The beast with the rows of horrible teeth advanced.
Its body shook the ground as it walked. And, though I lay flat to the earth, I could see the beast as it headed my way, towering over me by eight feet, at least. One of its feet could crush my skull, and it appeared as if that was what it intended to do. It stepped closer, nearly smiling with that giant mouth. It dropped its head down until the fangs were only inches from my skull. Drool dripped onto my skin, sliding down as its tongue lapped out and slathered over my cheek.
Terror and horror wared inside me as I pictured the beast devouring me. Would he sever my head from my body with its jaws or crush it under the weight of those horrible clawed feet?
“Leave her alone,” Vinya screamed. An errant spell flew forward, but landed in the dirt and fizzled. Tyler grunted but didn’t seem to be able to help either.
Biting down the scream in my throat, I continued sawing at the vine. If I could cut it loose...
The beast dropped down until its eye leveled with mine and spoke in a deep rumbling voice.
“Remember me… Tally?”
It knew my name?!
A chuckle rumbled from its chest as it opened its mouth and fitted my head in its jaws. Teeth scraped against my skull. More drool slid down my face. It smelled like rot and decay and meat left in the sun. More teeth situated themselves against the soft skin of my neck, the perfect place to bite down to end my life.
Oh, gods. Oh, no. Oh, please.
The pressure in its jaw built as it prepared to clamp down and sever my head.
This was it.I closed my eyes…
And rammed my sword as hard as I could up into its neck.
The blade slammed into its hide, bit through, and sank to the hilt.
A hit. A direct hit.
The beast lurched back, releasing me, as it howled and bled. With my free arm, I slashed at the remaining material pinning me, cutting desperately as the beast shook its head and tramped around, spraying blood all over the foliage.
