Page 80 of Till Death

Amon was content to play the game with me and kept up with our hand-to-hand combat. I somehow managed to gain my footing, planting my feet and forcing any doubts to the side. At least I did until his knuckles rocked against the side of my head. Stars burst to life in front of my eyes, and my teeth felt too loose.

Ready to crack right out of my skull.

“Come,” Amon taunted. His eyes narrowed.

My heart attacked my ribs at the same time as my fists on his abdomen, lower and lower as I went for the area between his legs. A demon but also a man and men were always the most sensitive in their testicles.

My punches were too weak and soft to make any kind of difference to his torso, but perhaps if he was able to taste his testicles, it would make a difference. Amon wouldn’t relent until one of us fell and neither would I. There was no doubt in my mind that my fury would drive me through this attack. That, and my feelings for Cole.

The demon lord shifted in time to avoid my knee in his groin and pivoted in the same move to kick out at me with his opposite leg. Brutal and savage and effective. I went flying across the space and skidded to a halt against the wall with pain in every part of my body.

“It hurts a little differently when you have no divinity, doesn’t it?” Amon chuckled and each of his steps towards me rippled along the stone. I felt them in my bones. “In this weak shell of a mortal body. You gave up everything for balance. A move I applaud. Now you have nothing left to give for my son. It’s pathetic to see you try.”

Cole would have to stand there and watch me kill his dad. I held tight to the thought. Only once Amon fell for good would he be free. This was my chance, weak and mortal or not.

Amon raced toward me and brought a fist into my gut while I was still on my back. The hit knocked the last of the breath from my lungs. The stars were back and not going away, dancing in front of my vision merrily. I tasted blood in the back of my mouth.

“The problem with you is you’re weak,” Amon hissed out. “Now you have made yourself weaker yet. Howdoesit feel, Jade?”

“Fucking asshole,” I growled, both my hands wrapped around his wrist to keep him from crushing me.

My palms slipped along his skin.

He wouldn’t tire soon.He won’t give up, I thought as his jaws stretched toward my neck. Those fangs would crunch down on my bone until I turned to dust in his mouth.

I lifted my legs as far as they would go and kicked off of his wrist, sending myself in a circle on the ground so that his teeth bit through open air and his face smashed into the floor where I’d been. He lost his grip on me and I scrambled free in his distraction.

Amon recovered quickly and used his magic to catch the back of my legs and send me stumbling forward, flung like a yoyo. I hit spine first, the back of my neck crunched and my breath knocked out from under me. A split-second later he jumped over top of me and I grunted in pain as his gigantic paw wrapped around my neck. He lifted me in a single movement.

Eye level, I glared at him. Choking. Dizzy. My head lightened and spiraled up to the ceiling while the rest of me went heavy and pulled against his unbreakable hold. He didn’t need to squeeze his fingers to make his point.

Every part of me hurt now.

My lungs cried out for air as I struggled, my eyes bugging out of my head.

Blood-red eyes set on me and refused to look away. “It’s over, Miss Blackwell,” he said in a hiss. “This is your last fight. Your eternal rest is well deserved. Know I’ll take care of Cole in your absence. He will make a fine general, and when I send him out into the world, he will leave a trail of destruction behind him.”

No. I kicked out, hoping to make contact and coming up short. No, this was wrong. Black spots danced in front of my vision, along with those mocking stars, and my lungs clenched for the last time.

A shape collided with Amon and I yelped as I fell, slamming down onto my shoulder just before Amon crashed with a sickening thud. Air whooshed into my lungs and through coughing fits I saw Cole knocking Amon away from me.

“Leave. Her. Alone.” A half-human, garbled voice issued the warning.

No longer a full demon, Cole had somehow managed to shift into a half-transformed version of himself. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips although even that caused an ache.

I struggled upright as quickly as possible and lumbered toward him, my joy at hearing his voice outweighing any worry or pain. He dragged me to his side in a quick hug before Amon recovered and slammed a fist into Cole’s chin.

I snapped forward in retaliation. My punches weren’t hard enough to break a bone, but now Amon had both of us to contend with. Cole was on my side.

They were two dogs fighting over the same bone. Claws flashed, fangs bit deep and drew blood, all while adrenaline surged through me. I crept behind Amon just out of sight and when he least expected it, I jumped on his back, flicking my wrist and slamming the side of my hand into his temple.

He roared, stumbling back, torn between trying to defend from Cole and knock me loose. Cole didn’t waste a second of the brief advantage I bought him and sent a wave of power out. It built in the space between him and his dad so that when it hit dead center, Amon gasped.

Actually gasped.

We made a pretty good team.

No words, no plan. Only the two of us working in tandem.

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