Page 59 of A Study of Blood and Ichor

Vain crossed the room in a blur. He raised one arm, slamming Eldin against the wall. The surge of power lit up my nerves like a lightning bolt to my system. Every blood vessel, every hair, every molecule in me sang with Vain’s power. It was addicting, especially when he lashed out in anger. It felt like the biggest hit of dopamine, of ecstasy. The pleasure was near soul-shattering.

Vain slipped out of using the demon tongue as he growled at Eldin through gritted teeth. “I hope it was fucking worth it, you snake.”

He edged closer, leaning in to bask in the scent of Eldin’s fear, gripping tightly onto the lapels of the demon’s coat. I was faintly aware of a weight being dropped into the inner pocket lining of our jacket. Vain’s eyes widened slightly before releasing Eldin and backing away.

“Restraint?” Ghen crooned. “How disappointing…” The curved bone-white tooth pendant that hung from his neck jumped against his chest as he laughed.

The archdemon took one last greedy gulp of his drink and then suspended the empty tumbler in the air above his palm before he let it drop with a crash. Crystal shards glittered across the floor.

“Where is it, Eldin?” Ghen asked. “I know you’ve hidden it close.”

Eldin addressed the archdemon, but never took his eyes off Vain. “I did take it, but I don’t have it anymore.”

Ghen sniffed at the air, glass shards crunching under his shoes as he stalked closer. “Liar.”

The archdemon’s hand arced through the air, and Eldin released a strangled cry of pain as a severed tentacle splattered to the floor. It jumped and skittered as ichor pooled around it, making the most nauseating squelching sounds.

“My patience is not endless, though I will cut through every last appendage you have until you break if that’s what it will take.”

Eldin grimaced as ichor continued to ooze to his feet. He lifted his eyes to Ghen and spat, saliva and ichor spraying the archdemon’s shoes. “I am no traitor to Lilith.”

The dark brows over Ghen’s equally dark eyes drew together, his sharp mouth turning up into a sneer.

“I will also not bow to an inferior who thinks himself a king,” Eldin continued.

Another slice.

Eldin howled, clutching at a second gushing stump.

The archdemon advanced a step, his hand raised, ready to send out another cleaving blow. “You are a fool to give the Dark Mother such blind loyalty, Eldin.”

“I’d rather be a fool than your hound,” Eldin muttered. His eyes burned with the fire of the sun, and his voice rumbled low and dark in his chest. “Long has She suffered. And long may She reign.” A silver tipped selenite blade flashed in Eldin’s hand before he sliced across his own throat. Vain stumbled backward as Eldin gurgled on the tar-black ichor as it spilled from his open neck. The demon’s tentacles still writhed, even after the last bit of light dimmed from his saurian eyes.

Disappointment glanced across Ghen’s features as he rolled his jaw at the sight of the ichor pooling around Eldin’s slumped body.

Now would be a really good time to get the hell out of here, I urged.

I never wished to be in control of my body more than in that moment. Our feet felt like they were burning straight through the floor, aching to run. But Vain refused to budge.

What the hell, man? What are you doing?

Still, Vain did not move.

Ghen sucked his teeth and then slowly raised his gaze to us, a stormy nebula swirled in his eyes.

Vain casually dug into the pockets of his jacket, his right hand wrapping around the round metal object he had stashed there “as a precaution”, he'd told me earlier.

“Where is it?” Ghen hissed.

“I haven’t the slightest idea, but I’m sure you’ll find it eventually if you turn this whole place inside out…I’ll leave you to it.”

Ghen roared, outstretching one arm towards Vain. An invisible force slammed into our chest, throwing us backwards into the wall with a resounding crack. Vain scrambled to our feet, already anticipating another attack. As powerful as Vain was, his power was limited by him being restricted to my human body.

“And will you also be professing your loyalty to Lilith before I tear your pathetic little vessel to shreds?”

Vain let out a short cold laugh as he thumbed at the blood that had trailed out at the corner of our lips. “I hold no loyalty to Lilith or any of the Arches. Like you, I prefer not to bow to those I deem beneath me.”

Ghen unleashed a treacherous wide-lipped smile. “It’s a shame you’ve confined yourself to this pathetic form. I was hoping for a fair fight.”

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