Page 74 of Treasured Secrets
He was far more intimidating than the guy I had encountered in the woods of Grayford. His yellow long nails hung from his hands like twisted vines drooping from the limbs of trees. His teeth were just as yellow as his nails, and his stench was far more grotesque than I had smelled thus far. He was so skinny that his bones showed clearly through the pale layer of skin that seemed to barely cover them.
I tried to block out the pungent odor, the chilling sight, and the promise of death. I had to try something, anything. I didn't want to die. I didn't want this monster to have me.
"You'll be slaughtered by my family if you try anything," I murmured in a hoarse whisper, not sounding intimidating or convincing at all.
"I don't think so, little one. The Bradbury's have been a peaceful coven for a really, really long time; too scared to stir up any trouble without Isis to protect them. I'm not too worried about any retaliation from them. They'll just weep over any remains left of you - if there are any to find."
His low hissing tone was mocking me now. He really did not fear them in the least bit. I could only imagine the agony my family would have to suffer now because of me. I was such a fool for doing this to them.
The smell was so atrocious that I fought back the overwhelming urge to vomit... until I couldn't anymore. I leaned over and heaved forth all the meager possessions of my stomach. Now I would be dying with even less dignity.
As I wiped my mouth and stood up, my eyes found him again. An eerie smile spread over his lips, as if he'd enjoyed my body's sudden crude expulsion.
"You're scared, little one. That's a natural reaction when you're about to die."
I pulled the bottom of my shirt up to wipe my mouth, needing to be fully rid of anything on my face before trying a last ditch effort to sound strong.
"I'm not scared," I lied, sounding steadier and more convincing this time.
"You just smell disgusting. Do you quit bathing when you're immortal?"
He snarled at me, somewhat growling. Then he cracked his neck and his smile returned as the sinister gleam in his eyes deepened.
"I'll take care of that. I'll just make it to where you never have to breathe again." He leapt through the air toward me. Dirt splattered beneath his feet as he impacted it with his monstrous force. I didn't flinch. I didn't move. It wouldn't have done me any good anyway. I would never be able to stop him. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing pure fear in my eyes any longer.
Painful as it was, I calmly accepted my fate and gracefully awaited death.
Suddenly, I saw a flash out of the corner of my left eye. The flash flew in front of me, and in an instant, the creepy man was flying through the air.
I gasped in pure astonishment as Tallis dusted his hands off in a casual manner. Then he put himself directly between me and the putrid fiend.
He cut his eyes at the skeletal man he had surprised. "Well, she does have a point. Your scent is far more appalling than the usual maggots I encounter."
Without any warning, Tallis turned to me and pushed me hard, knocking me thirty-feet backwards into the water. The water engulfed me instantly, drenching me as thoroughly as my confusion. I didn't have time to collect air before I was thrown in, so I was frantically clawing my way back to the surface.
When the air finally reached me, I was gasping and coughing. Ignoring the burning of the water in my eyes, I stared in disbelief, still trying to wrap my mind around Tallis really being here. I shrieked loudly as I saw another man appear. Tallis must have smelled him. That's why he launched me backwards.
The new monster knocked Tallis into a tree. A harsh crack made it sound like his back broke, which forced a squeal through my lips. I clamped my hands over my mouth to keep me from making another sound.
Tallis got up and shook himself off, acting as though he had merely stumbled. The two men attacked him simultaneously. The tears gushed from my eyes as I watched helplessly. I couldn't do anything but witness the brutal double team. This was my fault. If he died… I would beg for death to take me as well.
They pinned him down and the larger man started to put his hands on him.
There was only one thing I could do. Distract them. Draw them to me and save his life.
"You want me! Take me!" I screamed, praying for a miracle.
The bigger brute quickly took the bait and he started to charge at me, but the skinnier one tripped him up, refusing to share me. Tallis seized his opportunity and quickly leapt to his feet. He hit them both with a blast to draw their attention back to him.
They raced him again. He ducked in the gap between them and they blew past. Then he ran up, grabbed the new guy's arm, and it exploded into ash. The scrawny man charged him as the ashy, one-armed man screamed in agony.
The hissing man suddenly shot out energy. It looked like streaks of lightning. Before it could hit Tallis, someone had jumped in front of it. I quickly realized that it was Everett, and my trapped breath finally came out in an exhale.
The lightning bounced off his chest like it had hit a rubber wall. Then I saw more energy bolts of lightning coming from behind Tallis. The bolts struck the man in the chest, blasting him backwards about fifty or sixty feet. Now I could see that the bolts had originated from Jay. He was dashing toward us, hands out and ready to strike again.
Everett slid in front of the ashy one-armed man when the fiend tried to grab Jay. Everett fell to his knees, his eyes becoming void of any life. I paled at the sight. A drainer.
The ashy man was a drainer, and apparently, invincibles weren't invincible to everything. I heard Jay yell something and then a giant blast of electrical currents zapped into the ashy man. He shook ferociously and then collapsed. He wasn't getting up this time.
