The Land of Gods and Beasts

Chapter 17

Esther

The darkness writhes like shadows of the damned trying to claw their way out from the underworld. Wisping arms reaching for the hounds that kept spilling from the splits in the world, tugging at the spines along their backs, their blackened fur. Enraged as the beasts escaped the hell they would never be able to.

The panic that stretched between Ekon's Trusted as he weaseled into our minds and told us why the lines of demonica pouring in weren't slowing, was palpable.

But even still, hound after hound fell to us, the fae warrior's shredding through them with ease.

Ellie was a formidable warrior, nothing but quicksilver and flashes of dark hair as she darted amongst the hounds, leaving only crumbling corpses in her wake. Silas glowed a sickly yellow, limbs cracking and bending in unnatural painful looking shapes. A knee sliding backwards, his spine bowing too far. I watched over my shoulder, barely paying attention to the hounds I ripped apart with nothing but the golden talons that slid through their flesh like warm tallow. My eyes widened as I took in the giant cat, goosebumps rising as it roared.

As the demonica took in the cat that was twice their size, they froze. The cat's maw pulled into a smile that exposed massive teeth, and the demonica started running. They didn't make it very far. Silas's massive canines crunched through skulls, massive paws hitting them so hard their bodies broke on impact.

My eyes searched for Ekon, a breath of relief leaving me as I spotted him working his way towards one of the many portals. Even without his magic, Ekon was a force of such magnitude that it made me breathless to watch. He didn't move like the battle was a carefully choregraphed dance like Ellie. Didn't rip through them with glee like my beast and me.

Ekon was a rock which the sea of demons had no choice but to break against. Mouth set into a firm line, eyes blazing with determination, sword cutting through the bodies with such force the beasts were unrecognizable when he was through with them. His muscles bulge against his leathers, powerful shoulders stretching the leather so tight it looks like it will rip. The rain had plastered his dark hair against his head, setting his tan beautiful face in stark relief. His mouth opened in a roar as his sword splits through a hound, canines flashing, the column of his strong throat bulging with tendons.

Is now really the time to be getting hot and bothered?

My eyes snapped to the hound I was holding before me, it thrashed against my grip on its throat but I barely notice as my attention drifts back to Ekon.

He's... gods he is-

Sexy as sin? Hot as the fires of hell?

I let out a snort as my beast purrs, wiggling against my skin.

Guess I'm not the only one hot and bothered.

A longing sigh as Ekon's sword slams into the skull of a hound, no, no you are not.

I can't help the laugh that escapes me as heat pours through my body. Heat that settles in places that have me shifting on my feet, the hound lets out a whine as my hand tightens reflexively. My eyes settle on the beast once again, irritation sliding through me at the distraction.

My power rages into the demonica, golden flames pouring from its eyes and mouth. I drop the sizzling beast to the ground, my feet moving towards Ekon without my command. Hounds launch at me, but they fall to the ground in sizzling heaps before they can touch me. Some small part of me is amazed at the magnitude and depth of my power. I have been burning through the hounds for what feels like hours, but it shows no sign of waning. Whether that was because I had Ekon's power pulsing through me as well, I do not know, do not care.