Dangerous Diabolical: Book 1 (Iridescent) ✔️

4.3 | Edited

I hissed, burning spasms flaring out of the punctures created by its pointed teeth. Instinctively pulling magic to my fingertips, I grabbed its maw, forcing fire into its skin. The creature shrieked, releasing its grip and backing away, leaving me swaying from the empty reserves I'd been forced to scrape from. It began to circle, unsure of where the attack had come from, shaking its head and pawing with disfigured digits at its face. A satisfied smirk curled into my lips at the sight of handprints sizzled into its flesh.

It was too late. The smell of smoke alerted me to the kindled bandage on my arm smouldering into dust, the remnants falling off in a puddle of flame. "Shoot," I muttered, seeing the disfigured skin and the glinting gem.

Leaving no time to worry, the creature slunk as low as it could to the tiles, the universal dog sign for 'I'm about to pounce'. This time, when it did, I was ready, grabbing its neck and pushing my true self's strength behind it. Launching the thing, it catapulted over my shoulder like a rugby ball, sailing into the last-minute buys with a whimper.

Admiring the damage to the shop, I counted the fight as done and dusted, wiping my hands off on my trousers as I walked back to the security podium. The putrid flesh was sticky with a capital S. Prav would have fun cleaning that up. What the hell was that thing anyway? Was I going to become a zombie now it had bitten me? That would be seriously inconvenient.

Cans clinked behind me.

"Dammit," I swore, turning to see the thing pushing away produce as it stumbled to its feet. I readied my stance to receive another lunge. Our eyes met in a challenge, both growling low. It haphazardly shoved discarded items aside as it escaped out of the debris.

A small head bobbed up from behind the fridges. "Watch out!" Jo cried, flinging her arm to point at something behind me.

Abruptly, a whistling shriek approached, and it was instantaneously getting louder. Risking turning my back on the wolf-girl, I was too slow; magic slammed me from the side, buffeting me to the ground.

What the -

Another magical wave cascaded to strike, the force sliding me across the polished floors. Power crackled uncomfortably across where it contacted but glided harmlessly across my skin for the most part. From under my uniform, the emerald necklace spilt out, shimmering with magic residue.

Leofstan had mentioned the amulet would be an alert for danger, and if so, now would be an excellent time. Winded, scrabbling to standing, I took note of the new assailant. This one was robed too, their arms outstretched, hands glimmering with a new magic wave building up.

Despite their power lacking in strength to cause harm, the pressure hitting my skin was irritating. The spell-casting assailant would have to hit me with more if he wanted to surpass a tickle. Finding my feet, the figure hesitated, magic wavering.

Yes, fear me! I gloried in my brilliance, grinning. They wouldn't penetrate this hide with party tricks!

Then, the wolf-thing bit into my calf, and it broke through the skin with a crunch.

I hissed, teeth clenched, and nose scrunched, waiting to find out if the pain would be as bad as it looked. My breath gushed out. "Ouch!" I hollered, grasping at the creature and trying to pry it off. Annoyed, channelling raw magic to press burning hands against it again and using just a little more than before, black spots appeared in my vision.

Where magic swirled out of my hands, it also passed through the gem embedded there. The stone heated, burning my skin in return and sending pins and needles chasing up the limb. Rather than take Leofstan's advice and abstain from magic, I decided to commit and push out even more. Whatever was going on with the gem hurt a lot less than the decomposing mouth latched onto my leg.