Page 46 of Secondhand Garagyre

Becauseit does.

Ican’t allowRulzikto recover or regenerate or whatever the fuck it is that demons can do.Rulzikmust be in more pain or weaker than he lets on because he lurches to the side a bit to try to escape the barrage of bullets raining down on him.Butthat half ass attempt is the only one he makes.Iwatch in disbelief asRulziktakes three drunken steps and then collapses in a heap, his chest rising with each rasping breath.

He’sdown, but not out.Fortyrounds of ammo knocked him down but didn’t kill him.Ineed something else, something capable of killing that rat bastard for good.Glancingover atLaithog, my eyes land on the black blade shining in the moonlight.

Hissword.Ofcourse!

Iknow it’ll kill a demon.

Iwatched him use it to behead more than one of our adversaries.Droppingmy gun,Isprint over toLaithog’sfallen form and gently pry his clawed hand from the grip.Liftingits impressive weight takes every bit of upper body strengthI’vegot.Proveshow strongLaithogis becauseIsaw him wielding this thing like it was light as a feather.

It’sa sobering realization.Hecould have taken me by force…but he chose to seduce me instead.

Hewooed me with kindness, andIlove him for it.

Heftingthe sword,Iwalk over toRulzik’sfallen form and smirk at whatIsee whenIget there. “Damn.You’refucked up, ain’t ya?Guessdemons aren’t bullet proof at all.”

Eachbreath rasping from his chest is a struggle, his words broken and grating. “You…stupid…cunt.I…would…have…made…you…a…Queen!”

“Yeah, that’s just it,Rulzik.Inever wanted money, power, or control.Ijust wanted a peaceful life full of peace, joy, and love.Youstole that from me, so nowI’mgoing to take the only thing you truly care for from you.Yourlife.”

Panicflashes in his crimson eyes whenIheftLaithog’ssword over my head and let the weight fall, aiming for his vulnerable throat.Hissquawk of alarm is cut short when the razor-sharp edge of the sword slices through his pitch-black hide.

Wincingat the wet sound removing the sword makes,Iwatch as his body slowly disintegrates and turns to ash.Tomy surprise, the particles of ash sink into the ground and disappear.

AssuredthatRulzikis truly dead and gone,Idrop the sword and sprint back over toLaithog.Skiddingto a halt, the caliche tearing at my knees,IgrabLaithoggently by the shoulder, being careful to avoid the various wounds littering his massive body. “Laithog, sugar.Yougotta help me.You’retoo heavy for me to move when you’re in your everyday version of you.There’sno wayIcan shift you like this.”

Worryfills me whenIget no response.Bitingmy lip,Istart trying to figure out how to get him back to the house.Ahundred yards has never been so far.Asubtle silver glow surroundsLaithogand his body drifts into the air, raising until he’s eyeball level with me.

“Noway…”Iwhisper.Somehow, someway, he heard me and his subconscious tapped into whatever magick he has left.Gettingto my feet,Itake a couple of steps and, to my pleasant surprise, his prone body follows me.Reachingout,Itenderly turn his body over so his face is up and his wings are facing towards the ground.Iwon’t be able to carry my rifle and his sword at the same time, andIdon’t want to lay his sword across his back.

Joggingover to whereIdroppedLaithog’s,Ibend down and pick it up, carefully laying it lengthwise down his body.Crossinghis arms over the hilt,Imake sure the sword is secured beforegrabbing my rifle and starting a ground eating jog back to the house.

Mymate’s unconscious body floating alongside me the entire way.

Chapter Forty-Seven

LAITHOG

Howmuch brewdidIdrink last night?

Memoriesslam into me, andIjolt up in bed, ignoring the twin fluffy bodies pressed up against the side of my body that startle with my motions.Groaning,Igrab at the center of my chest when my sudden movements send jarring pain radiating through my body.

“PAISLEY!”Callingher name asIcarefully swing my legs over the side of the bed, still ignoring the dual vexations following my every move with beady little yellow eyes.Iease to my feet, one hand braced on the tiny table beside the bed, when movement out of the corner of my eye makes me jerk my head towards the bedroom door.

“Paisley.”Hername is a whisper on my lips as relief fills me at the sight of her standing there, completely unscathed.

Well…

Thereis a small bandage around her left wrist.

Seeingwhere my gaze is fixated, she starts talking as she walks towards me. “Don’tget that look on your face.Ididn’t know what else to do to fix you except feed you.”Herwords are conciliatory as well as placating.

Huffingin exasperation,Ireply as she gets within arm’s reach andIgently reach out and grab her by the back of her neck, dragging her to me asIsit back down on the bed. “Youdid not err, little flame.Mostlikely, your quick thinking saved our lives.Thankyou, my love.”

Scrutinizingthe bandage,Iremove it, making sureIcause her no discomfort with my ministrations asIinspect the wound.It’sa clean line made by a blade, not a bite markIfailed to heal. “Tsk.Iwill fix this.”

Leaningforward slightly,Ibring her wrist up to my mouth and lave the cut with my tongue, thoroughly coating it in my salvia.Sitting up,I’mglad to see the edges of the cut closing as the wound heals whileIwatch.

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