A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2)(20)

Clearly I did need a tutor. Time for plan B.

“Good goddess, you are gross.” I surged up and punched her in the throat.

She made a choking noise and instinctively reached for the offending spot. I grabbed her wrists and spun her, getting behind her. I clutched her head and twisted, trying to snap her neck. She cried out…but did not die.

What the fucking hell are you doing? my animal thought-hollered. Just kill her already!

That move seems a lot easier in books!

I probably needed a tutor for hand-to-hand combat, as well. I’d better start making a list.

The demon reached back and grabbed me, flinging me away with incredible strength. I rolled across the ground. A rock dug into my hip, sending dull, throbbing pain down my leg.

She was on me a moment later, clawing down my side, tearing flesh.

“Give in to me, girl.” Her magic delved, punching me with disgusting desire. It curdled my stomach, sending bile up my throat. I convulsed, nearly vomited, and then squeezed the pads of my first two fingers and thumb together before jabbing her in the eyeball.

She howled and slapped a hand to her eye. I fisted her hair and ripped her head to the side. I really should’ve brought my fucking dagger! What the fucking fuck had I been thinking? Fuck!

I arched and bucked her off before trying to figure out how to kill someone with my bare hands. Books made this seem so fucking easy! Nyfain would have a lot of explaining to do, because the hero in that book he’d lent me did this all the time. He’d basically yawn and people would die. More realistic, my ass.

I punched her a few times, my hands, thankfully, strong from hunting and working the hides. What should I do, choke her? Try to, like…pound her head with a rock or something?

“Fuck, why didn’t I realize I was so bad at this? Where’s Hannon and his axe when you need him?”

I punched her a few more times and then ripped her toward me, hoping to get her by the neck again so I could strong-arm her over to the sword, where I might finally stab her and end this whole thing.

“It would be easier on both of us if you’d just tap out and die. Just give in to it,” I said in a series of grunts, working my hand between her neck and the ground.

“Why…isn’t…my…magic…working,” the demon said through a strangled throat.

“Your magic is working. I just think it’s gross. I found someone sexier who doesn’t need magic. So suck it. Come on now, stop struggling. You know I’m going to win. You know this! Stop making it so hard on me and just let me kill you already!”

My animal surged up, and a blast of fire crackled over my skin. My vision wobbled, blackening.

What are you doing? I demanded of her. Too much power!

A strong hand wrapped around my arm and shoved me to the side. A large, nude form stabbed down with my sword, the blade cutting through the middle of the demon. She cried out, the strength and volume of the sound lowering dramatically until it cut off.

Blotches of colored light throbbed within my line of sight, multiple small zigzags chopping up the image of Nyfain turning and crouching down beside me. My heart warmed, adding to the furnace in my middle, and prickles of pain turned into knife strikes, washing over my body and digging into my shoulders, head, and legs.

“Finley,” Nyfain said, and hearing that deep, rough voice was like coming home. When had that started?

His power swept through me, a tidal wave quickly overcoming me and threatening to pull me under. The searing agony covering my flesh bit in deeper, and the inferno within struggled to get out.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Nyfain said, strain evident in his voice.

“Couldn’t…work…that sword,” I struggled to say, my animal trying to kick me out of the way and take over. “Need…tutor after…all.”

That was when I felt it. The strong, sure pulse beckoning my animal closer. Asking her to join hearts and minds and souls.

Nyfain’s dragon was intent on protecting us. On dominating and claiming us. He called to my animal, and she was struggling against me to answer.

“She can’t shift, you colossal prick,” Nyfain said, picking me up and hugging me close. He bent and retrieved the sword as well. After a beat, he said, “No, I will not fucking shift with you in this state. You’ll kill her. She can’t shift with this curse! Stop calling to her animal!”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my cheek to his stubble, looking over his shoulder as he jogged. I squeezed my eyes shut and gritted my teeth against the pain. I didn’t know where he was going, but it didn’t matter. I trusted him.

Nyfain turned his head just a little, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. My animal purred in delight even as butterflies swarmed my stomach.

“Don’t give in, Finley,” he said softly, holding me tightly. “Don’t give in to your animal. The first shift needs to be done in the best conditions, when the shifter is at peak power and in the presence of a guiding influence. This is the worst possible time for it. Talk to your creature. Pull her off my dragon’s scent.”

I squeezed my arms tighter around him. My heart beat strongly, and somehow it seemed like it was echoing through him before coming back to me. Like I used it, lent it to him, then got it back. One heart keeping us both going.

I slid my hand across his bare shoulder and up the side of his neck, to his strong jaw with prickly stubble. He stopped in his walk, suddenly silenced.