The Land of Gods and Beasts

Chapter 16

Esther

The demonica's screams are a lullaby to my blackened heart. The feel of my blades sliding through their thick hides, snagging along bones, sliding through the soft spot behind their skull, is a surprisingly addictive form of ecstasy.

But the black blood coating my face, seeping through my leathers, making my daggers slippery in my hands, burns. The pouring rain drips down my face, the rancid blood sliding into my eyes making my vision blurry.

Though even that, is not enough to stop the blood induced frenzy possessing me.

Nor is it enough to slow my beast's rapturous purring as we lay waste to the demonic hounds.

There were close to thirty demonica surrounding the safe house now. More and more prowled from the slowly dissipating smoke as Ekon's Trusted travelled broken fae into the safe house. Even I could smell the reek of fear and blood emanating from the small home now packed with broken bodies. Its no wonder the hounds flocked to it like flies.

Thunder shakes the ground as I spin the dagger in my hand, a flash of lightening illuminating the grizzly face of the only hound brave enough to creep from its pack. The only one too proud to look at me and not see it's death in my eyes. They had swarmed me at first, so enticed by the scent pouring out of the house behind me that they willingly fell onto my blades. But as the decimated street filled with their fallen bodies, their frenzy slowed. Their eyes became assessing, their countenance weakening into caution as my roars of fury rippled throughout the village, and were echoed by the sky.

The massive wolf shakes, blood and rain arcing off its back. My boot sinks into the mud as I take a step towards it, the ring of demonica surrounding us sinking back as I approach. When I am close enough to see the scars crisscrossing the massive hounds snout, I raise one arm, and beckon it forward.

Its growl sends shivers of delight down my spine as it glances at its companions. But the hounds only retreat further, offering no assistance. Its teeth gnash angrily, a paw tearing at the ground in a threat that fails to soften my smile.

"Bring it, pup."

I laugh as the demonica rushes me with a roar, and knocks me onto my back. My forearm shoots up to protect my face as its maw snaps at me, my teeth gritting as it bites down. Some part of me that is still aware, still has some semblance of a soul, is thankful for the armor Ekon stuffed me into every day. The scale-like vambrace holds, the hounds teeth's shooting tiny sparks against the odd material.

But it still hurts like hell.

My legs tuck up and I push, my arm shrieking in pain as the beast flies off of me. I climb to my feet with a growl the demonica matches, crouching low on its haunches. We stare at each other for a moment, and in the pause as we circle each other, I can feel the exhaustion breaking through my frenzy. Can feel the battle induced adrenaline begin to slip.

The hound sees that tiny flicker, and lunges. I watch, my body frozen, as it soars through the air, its maw open and straining for my neck, eyes alight with triumph.

Stupid dog.

My hand snatches the hound by its throat and slams it to the ground. Long talons shred through the loose skin of its throat as it thrashes and wails beneath me. The beast that prowls along the edges of my soul lets out a malicious cackle as it lets out a defeaning scream. A scream that is quickly silenced as my hand tears through flesh and tightens around the beast's bony esophagus. My mouth curls into a wretched smile as I wrench my hand back, pleasure dancing through me as the beast convulses.