Page 33 of His to Slash

And then, like lightning striking, Cain lunged.

He moved like a blur, faster than I could track. One second, he was standing still, the next he was upon us, his blade flashing in the dim light. Panic surged in my chest, but I was ready. I let my shadows explode from my body, wrapping around his arm, wrenching him back with all my might.

Cain roared, a sound so raw and furious it rattled my bones. He lashed out at me, but I twisted, my shadows obeying my command. I ducked beneath his outstretched arm, dancing around him, my heart racing in sync with the chaotic fight unfolding.

Grayson struck from the other side, fists moving like a whirlwind as he attacked with relentless fury. Cain found himself caught in the pincer movement, fighting off blows that came from both directions. I could see it now—uncertainty etched on his face for the first time.

A savage smile curved my lips. I was powerful. With one swift motion, I yanked the shadows around his legs, pulling him off balance, just like I’d done before.

“Thought you could break us?” I whispered, my voice low and menacing. My darkness surged within me, its energy coursing through my veins like fire. Cain's body thrashed against the restraints I had woven, but it was futile—my power was unrestrained now.

As he staggered, Grayson seized the moment, delivering a blow that sent Cain crashing into a pile of metal. I pressed my advantage, shadows tightening around his throat, his wrists, his ankles.

This was it. I was in control.

“This ends now,” I hissed, feeling the intoxicating rush of power in every inch of my being. I tightened my grip, not relenting, not backing down.

Cain’s struggles grew weaker, his body finally stilling against the firm embrace of my shadows. Silence enveloped us, a heavy blanket of stillness broken only by the sound of my own labored breathing and the distant creak of metal around us.

And then, I released him.

He crumpled to the ground, his mask askew, his body trembling beneath me. I towered over him, unyielding as the shadows danced around my feet.

“It’s over,” I declared, my voice steady. “You’re not going to hurt anyone else.”

Cain's chest heaved, producing a low, broken laugh that sent chills racing down my spine. He looked up at me, his eyes gleaming with a dark intensity that sent shockwaves of uncertainty through my heart.

But I didn’t waver. With a single glance at Grayson, whose presence grounded me, we turned our backs on Cain’s defeated form, leaving him to be trapped with the shadows he once sought to command. But I was their true mistress.

We had won.

We hadsurvived.

twenty-nine

I strode backinto Red Hallow, my heart still pounding with adrenaline from the battle. I felt changed—transformed by the darkness that now coursed through my veins. Grayson kept close beside me, alert for any signs of a threat. We were both battered and bruised, our clothes torn and stained with the blood of our battle against Cain. But with each step forward, our skin knitted itself back together, and bruises faded to nothing.

The quiet streets reflected the fear that gripped the town. As we passed, lights flickered and died, plunging the already shadowy lanes into deeper darkness. Curtains twitched, and the few townspeople who dared to watch us quickly retreated inside, their faces etched with terror. Word of Cain's defeat had spread, and now, we were the conductors of this macabre dance.

I could feel my power rippling off me in waves, a living, breathing force that responded to my every emotion. Shadows flickered and twisted around us, dancing in time to the rhythms of my own heart. I felt like a sentinel of darkness, a bringer of fear, and although a part of me wanted to rein it in, another relished the impact it had on those who had wronged us.

The elders wouldn't be hard to find; their lair beckoned to us, a throbbing pulse in the heart of the town. The doors of the old meeting hall loomed before us, swinging open as if pulled by an invisible hand. The building itself seemed to breathe, alive with a malevolent presence, eager to witness what was about to unfold. A single dim light cast long, eerie shadows that danced across the decrepit walls, adding to the sense of lurking dread.

We stepped inside, our footsteps echoing on the creaking floorboards. The air was heavy with the scent of dust and something more sinister—the tang of fear. This was the heart of the conspiracy, the place where they had plotted and planned, thinking they were untouchable. I could feel their apprehension like a living entity as they sensed our approach.

Grayson growled a low, dangerous rumble in the near darkness. I glanced at him, his eyes gleaming with a feral light, reflecting the shadows that danced around us. There was primal energy about him, unleashed and untamed that perfectly mirrored my own.

The darkness in the room seemed to pulse, the shadows drawing closer as if curious about the confrontation that was about to unfold. I felt them, whispering against my skin, seeking a way to merge with me, to become extensions of my own rage and grief. The whispers of the town, the knowledge that these elders were the puppeteers of Red Hallow, fueled my anger and my determination to confront them.

Figures stepped out of the shadows, hesitant, their eyes darting between Grayson and me. For a moment, their faces were illuminated by the weak light, and I recognized them—the leaders of this cursed town, the elders who had trapped me in my booth in the diner, their eyes now betraying their fear.

“We thought you were as good as dead,” one of them spat, his voice cracking with a mixture of disbelief and rage. “You were our creation. How dare you turn on us?”

My power sparked, lashing out at their audacity. The light flickered, then died, leaving us cloaked in darkness.

"You gave us nothing," I replied, my voice steady. "We took back what was ours. And now, we're here to end this. For good."

Their gazes flickered to the shadows that now writhed around us, alive with their own malevolent intent. I was in control, their darkened creation, and their worst nightmare came to life.

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