Demon kissed: demon kissed

Chapter 27

I looked up at him, gnashing my teeth. "What do you want? Cause it seems like you want me dead, but you can't hold your hilt tight enough to do it." I took in a breath. My anger faded. I looked up at him, not wanting to fight, and wishing I could undo everything. If I could go back to the night Jake attacked me and Eric saved me... oh God. I'd rather die than live through this again. Sadness covered my face. I didn't try to hide it from him. My voice was soft, "I didn't want this."

His face softened for the first time, since I told him my secret. His mouth opened, but I never got to hear what he was going to say. The glass windows shattered, pouring into the room like a crystal carpet. I screamed as it seemed like everything played out in slow motion. Jake's body passed through the flying shards. I sprung backward. Jake came at me quickly. Blood ran down my cheek. I smeared it away, as my body tensed. I touched my comb to my mark, extending its tines.

"Give her to me and you won't die tonight," Jake breathed heavily. Eric answered him with his sword.

Four more Valefar poured into the room. They swarmed Eric. Jake refocused his attention on me. A sadistic smile spread across his face. I darted across the room, heading for the door. My body lunged for the knob. I turned back to the room slashing. Jake jumped back. Pulling the door opened, I swiped the silver in front of me. My blades cut through two more Valefar. They crumpled onto the carpet. I wounded them enough to slow them down, but I didn't give the deathblow. I couldn't. I darted into the hallway, with Jake right behind me. I could hear Eric's voice spill out into the hallway, but I couldn't make out his words. I backed down the hall, keeping the curved blades in front of me.

Jake's face was contorted, as he snarled, "Ivy, you bitch! Do you have any idea what you've cost me?"

"Cost you! Are you insane?! Cost you?" I yelled. Hatred spewed out from me. I suddenly didn't care if I lived or died. The urge to kill Jake was too strong. I couldn't control it. I ran at him. The sharp tines slashed through the air. I wanted to feel the bite of my blades move across his flesh—to feel the sensation of his body ripping open. The feeling consumed me. And I let it.

Jake paused, then withdrew his attack before I could pin him to the wall. Backing down the hall, he twirled the brimstone chains in front of me. It kept him just out of reach of my blade. He jumped down a flight of stairs, and looked up at me. He didn't think I would follow him. He was wrong.

As my feet sprung off the ground a body collided with mine, and I fell to the floor. I turned growling. My hand slashed the creature that downed me. The silver pierced his flesh. Fury blinded me until it was too late. The curved blades ripped into Eric's chest. He fell back. Scarlet poured out of the sliced skin. Clutching his chest, he dragged me away from the stairwell, moving stiffly.

"There are more of them down there," Eric said, "He was baiting you." He walked into his apartment and clutched the counter. I stared at him. All that crap about how he wouldn't protect me. I never thought he'd try to save me again. And I'd slashed him!

"Eric. I'm... I thought you were one of them." I tried to help him, but he held up his hand, waiving me away. I stayed back.

Shannon was moving quickly through the room. "Shannon?" I asked, dazed. When did she get here? I couldn't take my eyes off of Eric. She moved around me shifting through the debris looking for something, "Al told me what happened. Listen, we have to get out of here. Now. There will be more coming."

My focus fell on several patches of black goo smeared on the carpet. My stomach twisted. Shannon pushed her hands through a pile of wreckage and pulled out Eric's book. She dragged me out the door. Eric followed. I could hear movement below, but the only Valefar left alive was Jake. He wasn't stupid enough to come after me with two Martis at my side.