Page 10 of Damsel to the Demon

Suddenly, the ground disappears beneath me. I tumble, the world spinning in a dizzying whirl of shadows and moonlight. My hands grasp wildly, finding purchase on a thick root. Idangle, heart in my throat, fingers burning with the strain of holding my weight.

Below me there’s a sheer drop. Rocks and mist shroud the bottom of the cliff, an abyss that promises either escape or oblivion.

Behind me, heavy footsteps and harsh breathing. The hunters have caught up.

"We've got you now, you little bitch!"

I look up and see the dark elven faces leering at me, triumph in their eyes. I look down at the misty abyss. Two choices. Be caught or fall. Neither promises salvation, but one at least offers an end to this nightmare.

A dark shadow materializes beside me, seemingly out of thin air.

God damn it. Another dark elf?My heart sinks.There's no escape.

The newcomer's eyes lock onto mine. Something about his gaze sends a chill down my spine. He's different from the others. Dangerous in a way I can't explain and there's a depth to his eyes, a hunger that both terrifies and intrigues me.

What now? Jump or be locked up again?

The guards are closing in. Their triumphant jeers ring in my ears, a cacophony of cruelty.

I can't go back. I won't. I'd rather die than endure what they have planned for me.

I release my grip on the root.

For a moment, I'm falling. The wind whips through my hair, my tattered dress billowing around me. A strange sense of peace washes over me. It's over. I close my eyes, ready to embrace whatever comes next.

But then... I'm not.

My body hangs suspended in midair. I blink, disbelieving.

Am I dead already? Is this what it feels like?

The mist swirls around me, cool and damp against my skin.

No. I'm still here, hovering above the misty abyss. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Even this choice has been taken from me. A sob catches in my throat, a mixture of frustration and fear.

"What's happening?" I choke out, my voice barely a whisper.

The strange dark elf appears beside me, floating as if it's the most natural thing in the world. His lips curl into a smirk, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Now, now. We can't have you dying just yet."

His voice is smooth, almost hypnotic. I want to scream, to fight, to do something. But I'm paralyzed, trapped in his invisible grip. My body refuses to obey my commands, suspended in this impossible moment.

"Mercedes."

The dark elf's voice rings out, different now. Deeper. Richer. It wraps around me like silk, compelling me to listen. My struggles cease, my body going still in mid-air. There's power in that voice, ancient and terrible.

His form begins to shift, melting and reforming before my eyes. I gasp, unable to look away. The dark elven features blur, giving way to something... else. Something that defies everything I thought I knew about the world.

What the hell is he?

Red veins spider across his skin, pulsing with an otherworldly light. His eyes glow like embers, piercing straight through me. Long, wicked talons extend from his fingers, gleaming in the moonlight. A tail - sharp and jagged like a sword - lashes behind him, cutting through the air with deadly grace.

My heart pounds against my ribs, a frantic rhythm of fear and... something else. Fascination? Awe? I can't quite name the emotion that stirs within me.

"What... what are you?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

He grins, revealing razor-sharp teeth. His tail swishes, cutting through the air with a soft whistle. His eyes roam over me, lingering on my face. There's hunger in that gaze, but also curiosity. As if I'm a puzzle he's eager to solve.

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