Embers

The Bruxa

Chapter 27 - The Bruxa

Eira's POV

One moment, both Geralt and Eira stared at the vampire before them, the next second, the Bruxa disappeared before their eyes. Eira moved a bit to the front towards Geralt. Yet, the Witcher quickly stretched his arm to hold the Elemental behind him.

"Where is she?"

Geralt looked around, turned his head slightly to the left and his free hand grabbed Eira by the hip. He pushed her even more back while his silver sword was stretched out before him.

"Invisible," he replied, and Eira now realized he was trying to listen where the Bruxa was.

"What element?" She quickly asked and stayed behind the Witcher.

Never before, Geralt had taken the action of a protective stance over the Elemental. Knowing full well, Eira could handle her own. The mere fact that the Witcher did it now, made Eira highly uncomfortable.

"None," Geralt said and turned a bit when a gust of wind let his hair move slightly. "She'll attack at random, swift strikes. We need to take her out when she turns visible."

For the first time since they travelled together, Eira felt useless and her magic hummed dangerously inside her due to the proximity of a strong foe.

"I need a weapon," she murmured and turned swiftly around when a branch cracked behind her.

The Elemental and the witcher stood back to back when Geralt's hand found hers. Eira frowned and looked down ; a small, silver dagger rested in the palm of her hand.

"All I have," the Witcher grumbled, but Eira eagerly took the small weapon.

The wind around them picked up speed, the sound of branches moving became louder and the cracking of dead leaves on the ground made Eira snap her head up.

"Here she comes," Geralt warned her. "Stay close, Eira."

She slightly pushed herself a bit more against his back for safety, not knowing what to expect from this fight.

At first, the scream came ; it filled the air and was painful to her ears. Eira's magic reacted out of instinct and her hands turned white from ice. The sparkling, golden thread that bound Geralt and her, flickered and moved around both of them. Joining them by the hips in an invisible barrier against the Bruxa.

Eira caught the movement from the corner of her eyes just in time.

"Right," she said loud enough for Geralt to hear.

They moved together and at the same time to their right. The vampire appeared, fangs bared and only now, Eira saw the woman was completely naked. Fingernails long and sharp.

Geralt swung his sword once. Then again, but the monster jumped out of the way easily. The Bruxa was fast. Too fast. Eira was hardly able to see her move and it just looked like tiny flashes to the elemental's eyes.

The dagger in her hand, ice ready to strike when needed though Geralt shook his head.

"It isn't going to work," he said, not unkindly yet rushed. "I need to be able to strike her."

Eira bit her bottom lip.

"You need a distraction," she muttered silently and Geralt's head whipped into her direction.

"No," was his short reaction before his sword flashed again.

The wail of the Bruxa was one out of frustration, not pain. Geralt missed her by a hair and she disappeared again.

"Fuck," he cursed and Eira's eyes wildly scanned the area.

"Let me help," she said and moved a bit further.

The Witcher's hand circled around her wrist and pulled Eira back.

"No, it's dangerous."

Eira locked eyes with him and saw the worry written in them. She smiled faintly, tried her best to make the smile look confident.

"It'll be fine," she said. "I can run fast."

"No, you can't," he stated bluntly and his grip on her wrist increased slightly.

"Geralt," Eira spoke up, felt the air move around them and pulled herself loose.

There wasn't any time to doubt. The vampire moved around them in circles, closing them in and Eira moved fast.

She started running, away from Geralt and into the direction of the road instead of the forest. The dagger in her hand moved to her free hand palm and she cut her skin. Eira pulled up her nose when she felt the sharp pain, but closed her hand to let the blood stream down and onto the ground beneath her.

When she glanced over her shoulder, Eira couldn't see the Bruxa following her. Yet, she felt as if something was breathing down her neck. The hair on her arms went up, goosebumps formed everywhere over her skin when cold, large hands grabbed her by the shoulders from behind.

She was pushed to the ground. Hitting her elbows and knees hard. Quickly, Eira turned on her back and saw the vampire linger above her. The monster hummed happily, sniffed the air and her dark eyes flickered to the wound on Eira's hand.

The Earth moved around them, trembled in unison with Eira's fear. Yet, the Bruxa didn't even react on the display of the Elemental's magic. Instead, licked her lips and swiftly bowed towards Eira.

"Fuck off," Geralt grumbled impatiently from behind and Eira closed her eyes when the sickening sound of silver touching the vampire's flesh reached her ears.

The sweet and puny smell of decay made Eira gag and when she opened her eyes again, she saw the Bruxa lying on the ground. Eyes wide open, fangs retracted and dark blood around her.

A nervous chuckle left her throat before she was pulled up underneath her arms by Geralt.

"Can't believe it worked," she managed the breathe out and locked out with the witcher.

Who glared at her out of anger.

"Are you fucking insane?"

Eira took a step back when she heard the anger in his voice.

"It worked. We had to do something," she tried to counter back, but Geralt took her by the arms and pulled her so close Eira could feel his breath tickling her cheeks.

"It was reckless," he stated calmly and let her go.

His gaze flickered to her hand and Geralt rolled his eyes.

"I had the best teacher," she replied and deserved a blunt stare with the comment.

"Fuck," Geralt muttered and went back to the campfire, not bothering with searching the Bruxa for loot.

Eira followed silently and when he motioned for her to sit, the elemental obeyed silently.

"I'm not a child," she spoke when Geralt started to take care of the cut in her hand.

"Don't act like one, then," he grunted.

'What an ass.'

The same distant voice Eira heard before echoed in her mind and she blinked her eyes a few time. Geralt's lips hadn't moved and Eira shook her head slightly.

"What's wrong? It hurts to get it clean," Geralt spoke and must have seen her temporarily confusion.

"Nothing," Eira quickly said, sure that he would think her insane.

She looked around them and saw or felt nothing. Geralt looked calm while taking care of her hand, so Eira shouldn't be alarmed. Yet, she was. Something made the hair in her neck stand up again. Like someone tried to reach her by softly running fingers over her skin.