Page 5 of The Fearless Witch

He evaded me again, deflecting my stick with disconcerting speed, which brought up the thought that maybe, just maybe, he had been hiding a few tricks up his sleeve, too. The magic coursed through my veins, making my feet light and my weapon even lighter. I felt no strain, no fatigue, not even pain as I moved from one attack straight into the next. Yet nothing seemed enough to make him falter. He looked like he could evade me forever. The only sign that he was affected by our fight was the deep line of frustration forming on his forehead.

I was just considering a change of strategy when my wooden blade finally slipped past his defenses. Dark blood seeped out of the wound on his side, a few drops falling on the floor before his eyes turned black and he bared his teeth with an unspoken threat. Moving ever so slowly, he wrapped his fingers around the part of the staff that protruded from his body and hissed, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He vanished again. I whipped around in search of him, but he didn’t reappear.

‘Well, that was easier than I expected it would be,’ I thought as I allowed myself a small smile. I was sure he’d be back to settle the score, but maybe his temporary retreat would be enough to get out of here.

Magic exploded out of me even before I reached the door, and the poor thing flew outward, landing on the ground with a loud screech. A wave of uncertainty made me pause when heat and the stench of blood and brimstone assaulted my nose, but I refused to let it sway me off my course.

My magic sang in warning even before my foot touched the ground. It happened so fast, I had no time to react before I was violently yanked back.

My back slammed against a hard chest, and a set of long, rough fingers wrapped around my throat. He caught my weapon with his other hand when I tried to stab him in the face, but the spell that protected the wood resisted his power… at first. Deep, glowing cracks appeared over its surface, and a moment later, white-hot fire burst from inside of them. I screamed when their scorching tongues licked my skin, letting go of the crumbling staff even as the demon’s arms tightened around me.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a real menace, Red?” His breath sent cold shivers down my spine, making my head spin almost as much as the lack of air. And the way he said that nickname… it sounded like a curse and a prayer all at once.

‘Fuck,’ I thought when he picked me up and carried me further into the room while his shadows sealed my escape. The moment he set me down, I threw all my weight against him, trying to disrupt his balance so I could free myself. He just scoffed and pushed my face against the wall, grabbing my hand and twisting it behind my back until my shoulder was ready to pop.

“Enough!” he snarled, bending it even higher. My vision blurred from the pain. “Devil knows, I tried to be… nice,” he spat the word like it offended him, “but I can’t have you thinking you can do anything you want just because I can’t cut you open and feed you your organs! So reap what you sowed!”

The pressure on my throat disappeared just when I thought I might pass out. Leaning my forehead on the cold stone, I tried to get some air into my lungs before he could make good on his threat.

My eyes snapped open at the familiar clank of metal. I jerked, no longer caring if my hand broke, but before I could do anything, something clicked around my wrist and a painfully familiar weakness spread through my body. While I fought with the dizziness, he bent my other arm behind my back and cuffed it. Cool metal pressed on my neck as well although I couldn’t quite remember when he put that on me.

The moment he released me, I tried to free my hands, but the shackles barely allowed me to reach my lower back before the movement tugged on the collar around my throat. A vicious cough rocked my body, making me stumble, while he just watched as I landed heavily on my stomach. When I looked back up, the goddamn demon was smirking.

“Why the long face? I thought you said you liked being tied up?” He squatted next to me, the epitome of fucking smugness, while he studied the collar around my neck. Helpless rage filled my chest, so when he reached for my face, I pulled my legs to my body and kicked. His eyes widened in shock, but he caught my ankle just before my heel connected with his cheek. The darkness returned to his gaze, and black veins spread under his skin, showing me the infernal creature lurking within.

“Fucking brat!” he snarled, using my leg to drag me toward him. I kicked again, but he easily avoided it this time. When he grabbed my collar and pulled me to my feet, there was little I could do to stop him. Bending down until our noses were touching, he stared into my eyes with all the malice of his demon soul, like he thought that would be enough to make me cower. I stood my ground, but when the black retreated to his irises, I exhaled a small breath of relief.

That only lasted until he threw me over his shoulder and stomped toward the other end of the room. At first, I thought he was taking me to the bed, but when he passed it by, my stomach hollowed. He dropped me on the ground in the corner, yanking the chain that connected my collar to my cuffs and attaching it to something on the wall. Finally, he shackled my ankles.

I didn’t bother fighting him this time. With my magic out of reach and me already tied to the wall, I didn’t want him to decide that cutting my legs off would do the same job as binding them. I had the feeling that today I might have pushed him further than ever before and his strange protectiveness of my body wouldn’t be enough to stay his hand.

“Why?” I snarled when he rose to his feet, stepping away from me. “Why did you drag me here? If you wanted to kill me, you could have done it in the crypt! What exactly do you want from me?”

His eye twitched at the mention of the word kill, but he just spun on his heel and headed toward the door. I cried out in frustration, but he didn’t so much as take a look back.

I hated it. I hated all of this. Why was it so hard to tell me what he wanted? What did I have to do for him to fucking do something, even if it was to… kill me?

“Wait,” I gasped as understanding swooped in. He had said he couldn’t cut me open and just now, he had winced when I suggested killing me. He wasn’t protective of my body; he was protective of my life. “You don’t want me to die,” I whispered. How could I be so stupid? It had been right before my eyes the whole time! What other reason would a powerful demon have to do this?

His step faltered. It only lasted a second, and then he continued toward the door, moving even faster. “Leave now and when you come back, I’ll be dead! I give you my word!”

He halted. I shook my head in disbelief as I watched him ball his hands into fists, back muscles flexing under the shirt. I was going to force him to talk this time, or may the goddamn devil take me.

“I know how to take my life, even with my hands and legs tied,” I said, making sure he heard every grain of desperation I currently held. “So tell me the truth or I’ll fucking end this. I have a lot of experience dying, you know.”

He didn’t reply for a long time, and I thought he would just leave when he turned on his heel and stormed toward me with a furious expression. My heart lodged in my throat, fear and excitement battling inside of me while I held my breath. He crouched beside me, squeezing my cheeks between his fingers.

“You want to know?” he snarled in my face. “Fine! I’ll tell you!” His grip tightened painfully, but I made no sound, afraid he’d change his mind. “Demon powers come from making deals, and the deal I made with you is the strongest…” His fingers dug deeper into my skin. “...longest…” He leaned in, his eyes unblinking as they bore into mine. “...and the most important one I currently have.” His face was so close, his nose brushed mine, the smell of smoke and brimstone wrapping around me. His attention switched to my lips before he captured my gaze again, and the way he smiled sent an icy chill down my spine. “So as long as you are alive, your magic is also mine.”

I was pretty sure that if he wasn’t squeezing my cheeks, my jaw would have hit the floor. ‘The deal I made with you.’ That’s what he had said, but how was that possible? The demon I sold my soul to was… was… so different! I knew it was unreasonable to expect him to keep the same body all this time, but his demeanor that night… was of an entirely different person. And what did he mean, my magic was his as long as I was alive? How was that possible?

“What happens when I die?” I asked, the words barely comprehensible because of his grip. He released my jaw but didn’t back up.

“I lose access to that power, obviously,” he sneered. “Which is why you’re here. You die too much up there.”

My frustration returned with full force, and I snarled. “It’s not like I want to die!” He scoffed, rising to his feet and turning his back to me. “I’m not done talking! Hey, I’m serious! If you leave—”

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