Page 34 of Villainous Greed

From… him? I stalked toward him. “I already planned to kill you for kidnapping, Joy. Don’t provoke me further. I can make dying last a while.” When his hand moved, I faded, then re-faded into the trees above him. “I bet you’re thinking you’ll escape.”

The warlock lifted his head. His black barrier darkened around him as if he threw more of his magic into it.

“Yes, I do.” He grinned. “And I’ll be taking Nova with me.”

Something really pissed me off about the proxy warlock.

Several roars shook the trees. I glanced around to see the forest was on fire. Trees snapped in two as three dragons flew, more like plowed, through them.

“You brought pets,” I said while inwardly I groaned.Fuck.We were in the human world. I should have brought Nova to Grim’s woods to argue, but I worried the family would be mean to her. Worse, I feared she’d do her bad witch shit to them. We had enough damage control to do as it was for everything she had done already!

I called the daggers back as one and grabbed my scythe as it floated to me. Our powers and weapons no longer hurt the Harvest’s dragons. So, we had imbued one of Payne’s fangs into our weapons, but I hadn’t been around the family enough to know if it was a success. I’d know soon.

What should I do about the warlock while I killed three dragons?

When I glanced down, though, he was gone. I faded to Nova. The proxy stood beside her with his barrier. I swung my scythe down on top of it. The shield wobbled but didn’t collapse.

The warlock pointed behind me. “I don’t think you should worry about me.”

As I turned, I quickly scooped Nova up right when a spell hit me. There was a stinging pain in my abdomen. My ribcage snapped apart, then I sensed my essence pulling the bones back where they belong. I felt immense heat and had just enough time to fade with Nova before the flames engulfed us. I re-faded back into the woods. As much as I wished to get Nova away from the proxy, I couldn’t leave the dragons there.

Before she revived, I placed her against a tree, turned my head, and yanked two of the bands on her left ankle. She woke up screaming. Pain rattled through my bones from the explosion, but I was fine. She lost her foot and more blood spewed. I wished I had Joy’s or Mom’s ability to heal.

I cupped Nova’s cheek. “I know I said I’d suffer with you, but I’ve got dragons and a pesky warlock to protect you—”

Branches snapped. I didn’t get the chance to turn. Pressure closed around my arm and chest as the dragon’s teeth bit down on me. The beast lifted me into the air. He continued to take me higher, away from Nova, and away from the warlock who tried to take her.

While my hand was stuck inside the dragon’s mouth, an idea came to me. I dematerialized my scythe just so I could materialize it into my other hand—the one inside the dragon’s mouth. The beast’s wail came instantly. He shook his head, loosening his teeth, and I slipped out enough to float mid-air. I thrust the blade deeper into the roof of his mouth before yanking it out. Blood spewed. Hovering beneath him, I swung and cut open his stomach. Flies flew out from the gaping wound and a trickle of blackish stuff oozed out.

I didn’t see how Harvest had dragon corpses flying around. And he kept strengthening them. Payne’s fangs helped my weapon, at least. I could cut into the dragons again.

If I didn’t kill the creature, that should slow him down, at least. I wouldn’t risk any more time away from Nova, so I faded back. The proxy was slinging her over his shoulder when I re-faded.

“Put. Her. Down,” I yelled.

His gaze snapped to my empty sockets. “Jesus, you really are horrifying in that form.”

“Why?” I slammed my blade over his shield as the flapping of wings neared. Fuck. Another dragon. One problem at a time. I had to get Nova out of that proxy’s arms. “Do you see your death?” I asked.

“To think you tried to take her from me back then like Harvest, and you try again now!”

I froze mid-swing, staring at the proxy. My thoughts spiraled. Had Joy or Prudence given me the proxy’s name? Why did that suddenly seem so important? I should have listened more. Something about his words twisted my insides. Take her?

“Boom.” Nova’s soft voice broke through the forest.

A guttural cracking sound rang in the air. The proxy screamed as his chest burst open. Blood and meaty chunks dropped to the ground. Nova slid off his shoulder and stood before him as he staggered. My essence brightened around my bones as I drank her in. Bloodied and ripped dress, she was a sight to behold. “Don’t you dare, Derrick—”

I froze at Nova’s words.

Derrick ported.Derrick.Derrick. No. Fucking no. NotthatDerrick.

“He keeps healing elixirs on him.” Nova turned quickly. “If we keep letting him run, we will never kill him.”

“He’s the one who held you and the others captive,” I stated, knowing I had to be right. It made sense for him to be that proxy. The rage inside me bubbled to the surface. My essence moved erratically as I thought back to the times he’d been around my sisters. The hurt he inflicted wasn’t just on Joy and my family. He fucking stole my other family… My long-time enemy was so close, and I didn’t recognize him.

“You mean the proxy who kidnapped Joy, who walked inside my parent’s home as an imposter. The one who fuckingsmirkedat me every time he saw me is the same bastard who…” I thought of the spell she did in those barren woods so long ago. The magic was supposed to protect her from unwanted touches. She was defending herself fromDerrick.“You mean our enemy has been right under my nose, and I didn’t fucking know? I’ll kill him!”

Nova raised her hand and yelled, “Boom!” I had forgotten about the other two dragons until I heard their last shrieks. I saw no visible wounds as the dragons fell through the trees, but Nova never attacked the outside. She always went for the organs. She was wicked like that. Branches kept snapping as the dragons descended. Worrying they might drop on us, I scooped her up,causing her to gasp. I faded us, then re-faded several yards ahead.

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