Devious Claws

Chapter Twenty-nine

"Cindy."

"I'm serious, I can explain it all--"

"I said to stay in the house."

"I did, but we had to rescue you!"

Eros looked me up and down, sweeping my disheveled appearance with a pointed gaze. He then looked to Luke - and back to me. I tried to pull my arm free from Creed's hold, to no avail. I was only tugged backwards harder. "Frill tried to kill us, he's a double agent, along with who knows else!"

"Frill?" Eros growled, his eyes which had been piercing through Creed now shot to me. "He tried to kill you... Where is he now?"

"Uh, well, incapacitated."

"For God's sake! Cindy killed him, now help us!" Luke shot in, before being quickly subdued.

"Enough!" Creed yelled, making everybody still. Claws were suddenly pressed against my throat. Eros' eyes squinted at the same time mine widened. "You see, this is what's going to happen, Eros. I'm going to kill this human right here and then," he laughed, "I'm going to take my sweet old time killing you."

"You don't need to do that, Creed." Eros took a step forward, prompting Creed's claws to press deeper into my throat. I felt a warm droplet run down to my collarbone as Eros spoke once again: "She's a bystander, a human, she's not a part of this."

"I think we both know that that's not true," Creed chuckled, continuing to press into my skin - I choked a little. "A little birdie told me that this female saved your life."

Eros looked crestfallen, practically twitching with restraint as he watched us. "Creed, you're going to kill her, for crying out loud - stop!"

To my surprise, he did.

"Let her go," Eros continued, "and you can have my head to take to the throne. The power will be yours."

Creed laughed, a cruel and hoarse cackle. "You hear that, men? The mighty king, the man that just killed dozens of invaders within these castle walls, is surrendering! And for what?" His rough face entered my field of vision, taunting. "For this little runt here."

"Fuck you," I croaked, feeling for the stinging wounds on my neck.

"A nasty little human at that," he added. "I don't see quite why you like her - but maybe I ought to find out..."

His hand reached for my shirt before I could even fully process what he'd said - I quickly staggered back, met by a few pairs of hands pushing me forward. I fell to the ground with a loud smack! and saw the dark, thick red droplets dribble down to the wood beneath my face.

The wounds on my throat were deeper than I'd thought.

"Go on then, humans, run!"

Another choir of laughter.

I felt the handle of the knife against my side, tucked into the lining of my pants. I felt my pulse in my throat. As I pushed myself to stand, I felt the pain in my knees where I'd been pushed to the floor. It all didn't seem very fun anymore, the adventure.

Behind me were Creed's men.

Ahead of me stood Eros - a pleading look in his eyes. He reached his hand out. "Come."

Luke stumbled to my side, having been pushed out of the group as well. He grabbed my shoulder. "C'mon, let's go."

"And what? Creed gets the throne?" I put a hand to my throat. "We leave the people we met in the hands of... them? It's all for nothing?"

Luke's brows furrowed, he tugged my shoulder again. "Cindy, c'mon, we don't have a choice."

"Eros," I called out, shrugging off Luke's hand. The knife burned at my side. "You've saved my life, the debt is repayed."