Tower of Light (Under The Cowl Book #2)

CHAPTER 12

The woman's threat did not faze Jessica. Threats are not anything new to her, especially in her line of work.

"I'm not interested in being your light bulb."

"Have you told anyone about your fear of being exposed?"

Jessica's eyes narrowed, hardening to the implication this woman was making. She spoke as if she knew her intimately, and that included all her secrets that came with.

"Come now Jessica, I'm talking about what you've led everyone believe happened on the day your hunting party was killed. Have you told them the truth yet? Have you told yourself the truth?"

Jessica felt her face slack and her concentration fracture. The forged house from her lantern ring had begun to do the same. "What are you talking about?" she asked with a sense of dread in her voice.

"I'm talking about your lie, the regret and anger built up and let fester. Your resolve to hide from what happened that day has strengthened since. Now that takes willpower. But how long can you keep it up?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do not need to lie to me. I can see who you really are."

Bekka placed her hands on the hilt of both swords. She pulled them slowly from their anchored sheathe. Like a prima ballerina, she raised her arms up over her head with her swords in hand. A flower in full bloom, she placed one foot perfectly aligned in front of the other. She then crouched low with her swords pointed out to the sides like the wings of a bird.

Jessica couldn't help but to tense up.

Bekka dug her feet into the blacktop. And like a predator she locked her eyes in on her prey. 

Jessica could feel the silence increase the weighted anticipation of what's about to come.

"Are you ready?" a question Bekka had to intention of finding an answer for.

Kicked into high gear Bekka sprang into action.

Jessica quickly pulled her concentration from the house she shielded and fired the power of her lantern ring at the threat rushing her way.

A giant right hook forged in the blink of an eye, Jessica slammed her giant green fist into the blind spot of the woman seeking to do her harm.

Swatted like a fly where she hit the ground hard, Bekka bounced and shattered the body and windows of a parked car beside her.

Jessica felt her feet drag against the blacktop after she threw the first punch. But aware one won't be enough to end this; she quickly rushed in for a second punch.

Bekka raised her swords to block the massive fist.

They clash as the neighborhood echoed the sound of a horrific car crash. The dents and folds from the metal on the car door cried out into Bekka's shoulder. 

Jessica now has pinned. "You want to tell me who you are before you get yourself hurt?"

Not at all showing any signs of panic while stuck between a block of metal and a hard place, Bekka instead smirked, practically on the verge of bursting into laughter. "Whenever I find a human who thinks they can defy a god, I can't help but to feel relieved."

A god? Jessica's eyes narrowed in reply toward Bekka's returning glare, along with the slight push back with the swords to show her strength.

Poured from her lantern ring and swallowing the giant fist whole are tentacles, hundreds of them.

Bekka severed the car beside her to make her escape.