Page 42 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

In a blur of motion that left my stomach lurching, Justice pulled us along, his vampire speed propelling us back toward Garrick’s hideout. The world became a dizzying swirl of colors and shapes, the wind whipping past us with incredible force.

As we raced across the land, my mind was a storm of emotions. Fear for Damon and Zara, determination to see this through, and a fierce hope that we weren’t too late. The memory of the red eyes in the forest haunted me, a reminder of the danger we were rushing headlong into.

I clung to Justice’s hand, drawing comfort from his presence. As the landscape blurred, I sent up a silent prayer.Let us be in time. Let us find the strength to overcome whatever horrors awaited. Let us bring Damon and Zara home safely.

But my prayers went unanswered.

Justice abruptly stopped. Garrick’s private hideaway was infested with demons, but that wasn’t all.

Maci was here, and she was a dragon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Maci’s sudden movement caught our attention. Her head snapped to the side as if hearing something we couldn’t. Instinctively, we all pressed deeper into the forest’s embrace. The thick foliage offered a false sense of security, but my racing heart knew better. This was foolish, even reckless. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat. A dragon’s scaly form or the leering faces of sloth and lust demons.

I tilted my head up, seeking Justice’s steady gaze for reassurance, for some sign of what to do next. His gaze, usually so certain, was fixed in the distance. The furrow in his brow and the tight set of his jaw spoke volumes about the turmoil within. He was strategizing, weighing our limited options against the immense danger surrounding us.

The attack was swift and silent. One moment, we were alone in the forest’s hushed darkness. The next, we were encircled. Six men with solid black eyes materialized around us, their crisp suits a jarring contrast to our disheveled state.

The resemblance to the creatures that had ensnared Grady and Scott was undeniable. Sloth demons.

One reached for Maggie, its movements unnaturally fluid. I lunged forward, placing myself between the demon and my friend.

Justice’s panicked cry nearly drowned out Maggie’s sharp intake of breath. “Sawyer, no!” He reached for me, but it was too late. I was already in motion.

I opened my backpack, and my fingers closed around the Mirror of Aethereal, raising it high. The effect was instantaneous and horrifying. The demon before me recoiled, a bone-chilling hiss escaping its lips. Its body twisted and contorted in ways that defied nature, limbs bending at impossible angles. A scream tore from its throat, the sound more bestial than human. Its form dissolved into thick, oily smoke that seeped into the ground, leaving no trace behind.

The forest fell silent for a heartbeat, the remaining demons frozen in shock. I seized the moment, my voice ringing out with a confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “Stay back,” I warned, the mirror held high like a shield.

The demons retreated, melting into the shadows, but their absence brought little comfort. I felt their presence lingering, waiting for the right moment to strike. The air felt charged and heavy with wicked anticipation.

My arms trembled from the effort of holding the mirror aloft, but I refused to lower it. Adrenaline coursed through me, sharpening my senses. Every rustle of leaves, every shifting shadow drew my attention. The demons were out there, circling, looking for any sign of weakness.

Justice moved closer, his presence at my back a reassuring warmth. I heard Maggie’s rapid breathing, sensed Garrick’s tense readiness. We were surrounded, outnumbered, but not defeated.

Not yet.

A low, menacing growl rippled through the air. It wasn’t the familiar sound of a wolf, which might have been comforting, given our company. No, this was something far more ancient and terrifying. I knew that sound. Every hair on my body stood on end, a primal response to a predator beyond my worst nightmares.

Dragon.

The growl rose in pitch and volume, becoming a bone-rattling shriek that seemed to shake the earth beneath our feet. The sound reverberated through my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.

Time seemed to slow as I saw Justice’s eyes widen in alarm, his mouth opening to shout a warning lost in the deafening roar. In that suspended moment, I glimpsed movement through the trees. A massive, serpentine form, scales glinting in the dim light.

Then, chaos erupted.

A stream of blindingly bright, searing hot fire burst through the trees. The inferno moved with terrifying speed, engulfing everything in its path. Ancient trees that had stood for centuries were reduced to towering candlesticks in seconds. The heat hit us in a wave, scorching the air in our lungs.

Justice sprang into action. His arms wrapped around me with impossible speed, and suddenly the world spun. I felt the impact as we hit the ground, Justice’s body covering mine like a living shield.

His weight pressed me into the earth, leaves and twigs digging into my back. Through the cage of his arms, I saw the world burning around us. The fire roared overhead, a dragon’s breath turned weapon. The ashy smell of smoke filled my nostrils, and embers rained down, hissing as they hit the damp forest floor.

While pinned beneath Justice, my heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst from my chest, my thoughts turned to Garrick and Maggie. Had they managed to get clear? I strained my ears, trying to hear anything over the crackling of flames and the dragon’s continued shrieks.

But there was nothing.

No shouts, no signs of movement.

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