Page 16 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

A wave of nausea washed over me. They studied us, their beady eyes glinting with malevolent intelligence. They were searching for the weakest link in our chain, and my stomach clenched painfully at the thought that it might be me.

I redoubled my grip on Damon’s and Justice’s hands, my fingers aching with the fierce intensity of my hold. Determination surged through me, overriding my fear. I wouldn’t let go, no matter what horrors awaited us. I couldn’t be the one to break our lifeline.

The sound of my own rapid breathing seemed unnaturally loud in the tense silence.

Justice led us to the back of the house toward the kitchen door. My pulse quickened as I spotted the demons gathered there, too, their grotesque forms blocking our only escape route. We had no choice but to face them.

Justice glanced back at us, his eyes steely with determination. He gave a curt nod, and the message was clear. This was it.

He reached for the doorknob, and my chest tightened. Every nerve in my body was on high alert, bracing for the icy touch of demonic hands. I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable.

With a swift motion, Justice wrenched the door open. A blast of frigid air hit me, carrying the putrid stench of the slothdemons. Justice surged forward, pulling our human chain with him.

Reality warped and twisted, melting at the edges of my vision. My stomach lurched as I felt my feet leave the ground, my body weightless and untethered, like a kite being pulled along by an unstoppable force.

Angry hisses erupted around us, a cacophony of inhuman rage that froze my blood. My senses sharpened to a knife’s edge, and time seemed to slow. Terror and exhilaration mingled in my gut as we hurtled through the night, our desperate flight carrying us away from the sloth demons’ grasping claws.

CHAPTER NINE

Justice halted abruptly, and I collided with his back. My legs wobbled as I struggled to regain my balance. The world slowly came into focus, the dizzying blur of our escape resolving into the familiar cobblestones of the Royal Mile. My stomach churned, and I swallowed hard against the nausea.

A narrow alley stretched into shadows between two ancient buildings. To human eyes, it would appear unremarkable, but I knew better. The portal lay hidden there, our salvation and possibly our doom. At the far end, a white church stood sentinel, its spire reaching toward the night sky. The name of the church eluded me, lost in the fog of adrenaline and fear clouding my mind.

My muscles tightened with a creeping tension as I scoured the landscape for signs of sloth demons. Tourists looked at maps and stopped to stare at landmarks. The residents walked by without even glancing at the attractions. No one stared at us. I didn’t see any black-eyed men in expensive suits, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

If they attacked us, would the sanctity of holy ground repel them, or were we leading them directly to their prey? The uncertainty gnawed at me.

Beside me, Damon swayed, his usual grace momentarily abandoned. He raised a hand to his forehead, grimacing as he fought to orient himself. “Remind me not to ride the vampire train. Unless it’s first class,” His strained voice managed to inject a note of humor into our dire situation.

The chill afternoon air carried the faint scent of rain tainted by the raw musk of our collective dread. In the distance, I heard the muffled sounds of men and women talking, oblivious to the supernatural drama unfolding in their midst. The normalcy felt surreal, a stark contrast to the terror that still had my heart racing.

I flexed my fingers, wincing at the stiffness in my joints from gripping so tightly during our frantic escape.

Garrick glanced over his shoulder. “We can’t stand here waiting for them to catch up.” He grabbed Maggie’s hand. “We need to move now.”

Justice stepped in front of him. “No tricks. I don’t want to be the only one to end up in a swamp fighting god knows what.”

Garrick gave him a tight smile. “No tricks.”

A knot of anxiety twisted in my gut. I hoped the Unseelie king wasn’t lying. The mere thought of being separated from Justice or my brother sent dread scurrying down my back.

Garrick strode ahead, leading us down the shadowed alley. The air grew colder and damper as we ventured further, the scent of moss and ancient stone filling my nostrils.

My stomach clenched painfully as memories of our previous journey flooded back, the dizzying, nauseating ride that felt like an endlessly spinning, out-of-control Ferris wheel.

Justice’s hand tightened around mine, pulling me closer until I was pressed against his broad chest. “Don’t let go of my hand,” he commanded.

My heart raced as fear and anticipation coursed through my veins. “I won’t,” I promised, my fingers interlacing with his, holding on for dear life.

Behind us, I heard a rustle of movement. Damon reached for Zara’s hand, his fingers closing around hers. “We’re going on another wild ride,” he warned.

I glanced back at Zara and caught the flash of dread in her eyes. Her face had taken on a sickly pallor, a hint of green tinging the skin around her eyes. She remained silent, but I could almost feel the waves of nausea radiating from her. She was clearly fighting to keep her composure.

I faced the path ahead, steeling myself for what was to come. The air thickened, charged with an otherworldly energy that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My pulse pounded in my ears as we approached the threshold of our next perilous journey.

Furious clouds crowded the sky, their thunderous growls echoing through my bones.

Justice’s gaze darted upward, and his jaw clenched. “I think our friends have found us again.”

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