Caged by Damnation (Caged #2)(55)
I had exchanged my life for Isis's without giving her a choice. I had known that there wasn't a chance in hell that Griffin or Liam could have been saved, but Maloc was strong enough to force Isis to safety. She had always seemed selfish, but the survivor’s guilt etched in her face told another story. She strained against Maloc, refusing to leave us.
We hadn't died yet, but there was no doubt in everyone's mind that this would be our last stand. Death didn't terrify me, I was at peace with my last act. Isis was the last person that I thought I would give my life for, and yet, I had.
Maloc and Isis faded from sight.
The imminent danger approached; the drums of war drowned out all thought and my stomach settled with the gravity of the situation. Moving closer to my companions, I searched the ground for a weapon, anything that might put a dent in their army.
At first, I saw nothing, but then I noticed a glint of steel a few feet away beneath a corpse. Gauging what time I had, I ran for it, sliding the last few feet until I reached the dead man. As I turned him over, I realized that the blade was still embedded in his ribcage.
Tears stung my eyes. "I'm sorry." Grasping the hilt with both palms, I pulled. My efforts brought forth the sound of suction as the dagger slid from its prison and resulted in a steady stream of blood from the wound.
I dashed back to my original stance and tried not to balk at the blood staining my hands. I saw that the others had armed themselves as well. Liam now held a talon large enough to belong to a small dragon, while Griffin had created a spear of ice. Looking down, my weapon seemed pitiful until I noticed the hooks in the blade itself. This weapon was built to gut an opponent. If thrust inward, when I pulled, it would deliver a fatal blow. The difficulty would be getting close enough to injure anyone.
I sought my gifts, calling to earth, and I sang a song of regret at the lives torn tonight, but also a song for the aid I needed. Moments later, my dagger was dusted with pure poison. I doubted it would kill the demonic sort, but it might slow them down long enough for me to get my hooks into them.
If I managed to eliminate a single foe, at least I would be avenging some of the lives stolen. It would mean that some of them could rest in the afterlife. I hated the thought of them moaning in agony while they awaited justice.
Griffin held his spear before him, while Liam tossed his talon between his hands in a waltz born of a righteous anger. Our hands were no longer linked, but the swirling emotions emanating from each of them held determination, acceptance, and fear. Like me, they believed this would be the death of them.
Hysterical giggling, like that of a psychopath on laughing gas, startled me. It came from a twisted creature that was all sorts of wrong. From the welts on its back to the open sores spreading across its face and dark olive skin, it resembled something born from nightmares.
It smiled, displaying rotten teeth, and examined me with crossed eyes. "What have we here?" It spoke in a high-pitched voice. "Is this the little Anakim herself? Have you come to play?" As it spoke, the welts strained against its flesh, trying to burst.
Its widened smile allowed me a glimpse at the rows of hidden teeth. The jaw detached from its skull, elongating the way wax did as it dripped down the side of a candle. It reminded me of a snake. "You've been a very naughty girl. You've brought our wrath down upon you." It nodded towards Griffin and Liam, who were embroiled in heated battles. "Their blood is on your hands." It laughed, furthering my disgust and irritation.
"Let's skip the small talk and move straight to the slap in the face at the end of the date. Shall we?"
"Don't worry. You shall have your date, you will be the main course." Its mouth widened further and snapped in a display of exactly how I would be devoured. My stomach plummeted.
Moving away from the others, I circled the creature and vowed to take him out. No one deserved to die a slow, painful death, aware of this demon’s innards, as they were digested – the undulating of its muscles, the tense quiet that would be amplified as bile scalded away the flesh. Though the prey might be lucky enough to die more quickly from the rows of the teeth, which could easily impale before swallowing.
My dagger faced off against the creature’s wicked-looking claws. Liquid oozed from beneath them, leaving me to believe that I no longer held the upper hand in the poison department.
He slashed a hand towards me, as a cat would when threatened. Only this was not a cat, this thing was a monstrosity that could easily pull me into Hell along with it. I barely managed to dodge backwards as it began its assault. If I didn't have the courage to use it, my dagger would be useless.
Calling on Kit’s instincts, I delved into the knowledge that all wild animals were born with, the instinct to survive at any cost. I searched inside myself for them, but came up empty. Holding my dagger in front of me, my hand shook, betraying me to the predator, who would take any weakness he could get.
Its mouth opened wider and an obnoxious odor encased me.
It said, "Do I detect fear? Tsk, tsk. That will do you no good here. I have no sympathy for weaklings."
Dizziness came over me, making it difficult to focus on what was taking place. I turned to focus on Liam, realizing he was much farther away than I’d thought. Griffin was lying at his feet. I couldn't see if he was moving, much less if he were alive.
I couldn't lose anyone else. It was true that Griffin and I had been at war for a long time, but in recent months I’d learned to regard him as a friend.