Page 22 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

The sword feels at home in my hand, and thankfully in this situation, the fact that I haven’t fought with a blade for a couple of years makes no difference to the outcome, it doesn’t require skill, I just need to kill it.

I have no idea what this creature is, I have never seen or heard of one before, and hell, I don’t even know where the fuck I am, but a good rule of thumb is to cut off the head.

Since the creature has no arms now, it is coming for me with its giant mouth. I don’t waste any time, I don’t know how long it has been trying to eat me, but I know that I have to get to the door quickly. As it lunges for me, I swing my sword again, hoping that whoever left this here didn’t do so because it was blunt and no good anymore. The blade sings through the air, making me smile as it slices through the creature's neck like it’s fucking butter. Oh, I like this sword a lot.

The head falls to the floor with a heavy thud, the body quickly following after it, I kick the head as far away from the body as I can, and then do the same with the severed arms, just in case it can put itself back together. I have read about creatures that can do that.

There is no time for rest, I take off at a sprint, following the mental map and glancing at the glowing countdown clock that is still floating next to me.

Shit, I have ten minutes. That’s it. There is a good chance that I am not going to make it, but I refuse to stay here and be eaten by one of those things. That just seems really fucking painful.

I don’t dare let go of this sword, it has saved my life now, and that means that we are officially bonded, and it’s mine. It’s coming back to the guys with me, besides if I see that bloody imp there when I get back, I am going to need the fucking sword with me.

Finally, the door comes into sight. The only reason that I know that it is what I’m looking for is because my mental map is telling me, there is no physical door there, it’s more like a vague shimmer in the air, kind of like heat rising off asphalt in the summer. I can see it, but it’s still too far away for my liking, and I put on an extra burst of speed.

I am not alone.

Once again, I am being tracked and chased. Glancing to my left, I almost stop in my tracks, this time the beast looks like a giant dog, dark purple and black fur covers it entirely, huge, pointed ears are pinned back against its head and its muzzle pulled back in a deadly snarl. It probably reaches my shoulder in height, and it looks like it is built to fight, corded muscle, and powerfully bounding after me.

Chapter Eight

Neith

It’s hunting me. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that is what it is doing, and yet I am reluctant to swing my newly found sword, I don’t want to hurt it. I can’t explain why, it is trying to kill me, snapping at my heels, and I had absolutely no problem with killing the long-limbed creature but for some reason, I pause in harming this one even though it seems just as intent on eating me.

I just need to get to the door.

It’s still a fair way in front of me, and I get the shock of my life when a tall, dark figure steps out of the tree line. He is fucking hot, and I know I shouldn’t be noticing that right now, but anyone would. His face is scared, he is easily the same height as Reed but slimmer in build, more like Ransom. Two perfectly formed horns protrude from his head, curving backward and not detracting from his appeal at all. This man is a fighter. That is easy to see. I want to study him more, but his purple eyes widen in shock as he spots me, and the door is closing. I need to leave.

Me being the smartass I am, I grin at him and wink. Everything that happens next happens in a whirlwind: the door is a few strides ahead of me, the beast launches and clamps down on my shoulder, and the man, if he even is a man, cries out in dismay. The clock ticks down to seconds, and I smack the beast on the nose with the hilt of my sword. It lets go, the growl cutting off abruptly, and I swear its eyes widen, but I don’t have any time to do anything about it as I throw myself through the door just as it snaps closed.

That was too fucking close.

I lay on the ground, gazing up at the familiar trees of the earth realm. My shoulder is screaming in agony, but I can’t relax.

I force my feet beneath me and push myself up, grateful that I still have my sword with me.

“Miss, did it,” Flinotive says, his voice laced with awe. His eyes widen as he spots me, in all my blood covered glory.

I point my sword at him, “Walk. You are coming back to the house with me. You can explain to the guys that you had a hand in this and that I am not bat shit fucking crazy.”

Surprisingly, he doesn’t argue. He just stares, and his eyes widen when they see the sword. He turns and walks forward. Smart imp.

“How long have I been gone?” I ask, studiously ignoring the pain thrumming through my shoulder. I grip the blade in my hand tighter, a pulse of magic thrumming through it, before it dissipates, I don’t know what it is, I don’t know what it has done but the pain is easier to deal with, so I am not going to question it.

“Ten minutes, miss,” he replies. “Time moves differently here to when you are there.”

I nod, but I am not in the mood to speak, even though I know that I should be asking questions, all I want to do is get back. I want Doc to look at my shoulder, and I want my fucking dessertsafter I have showered the blood from that fucking creature off me.

The house comes into view a lot quicker than I thought it was going to, and either I came back closer to the house than when I left, or I didn’t get as far into the forest as I thought I did.

My sword is still pointed at the imp as I move to push open the door and then force him inside, he goes willingly.

“Neith, you’re back quicker than I thought you would be,” Raiden says, and I follow the sound of his voice into the front room to find all of them, minus Reed, and River, where I left them.

As soon as they spot me, they all jump up, looking at me in alarm until they freeze when their gazes land on the imp.

“What the fuck?” Griff curses.

---