Page 3 of Cursed Shadows

“Fine place,” says Cambion. “You always frequent the nicest establishments.”

“For Grimreap, it’s bordering on pleasant,” I reply honestly. There’s far worse than this tavern within the city’s limits.

Cambion appears annoyed, but just as he leans in to speak, a man bumps into the corner of our table.

He’s big. Not so big as Thoradin and me, but still big enough to pose a risk. And I’m sorely attempting to avoid risks at all costs.

The man appears human but, of course, he isn’t—humans have been extinct for longer than I can remember. The fire red of his hair and his point-tipped ears signify he’s an elf. A blood elf. His blazing irises lock with mine and I realize trouble has finally found us.

“You all look a little too pretty to be from around here,” he says, his voice thin but threatening. A second man appears behind him, his face pockmarked and scarred. The side of hisbody is ravaged with burns, deforming his neck and arms in a look so grotesque, he could be one of the walking dead.

“We’re not looking for trouble,” I mutter in a voice just loud enough to be heard over the discordant noise surrounding us.

“Then, it appears you’ve come to the wrong place.” The blood elf laughs, a sinister and smug smile lingering even after his chortle has evaporated from the damp air. “This city got a mind all its own. Dangerous place for strangers. Bein’ a charitable man, I thought I’d introduce myself. Maybe inform you ‘bout the way things work here.”

“We can figure out the way things work for ourselves,” replies Cambion, coldly. With his red hair, he looks like he could be kin to the man before us, but even disguised, Cambion’s lightness outshines any transfigurations and enchantments he can cast on himself.

A few tables nearby have sensed the tension and the patrons sit poised, eager for violence, hungrier for it than they are for the women on their laps or the tankards balanced precariously against the sides of their tables.

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” the blood elf continues “You’ve already made mistakes.”

“Such as?” Cambion demands before I can stop him. The last thing we want is to play into this asshole’s game. I would have paid him off and sent him on his way, but Cambion always makes things more difficult.

“For starters,” the bastard continues. “You came here, somewhere’s you clearly don’t belong. Second, you failed to pay me the courtesy you should have.” Then, he turns to look at Eilish and his smile returns. “And you brought a sweet, little nymph wiffout offerin’ me first dibs.”

“The woman isn’t for you,” I tell him, turning my chair and body until I’m blocking his view of her. My voice is deadly. Fire isalready brewing in my gut at the thought of this fiend laying just one finger on Eilish. If he touches her, I’ll kill him.

“All women are for my enjoyment.” He turns to his comrade, “Hendor, when do I not get what I want?”

“Never,” confirms the man, a dumb grin spreading across his marred face.

I’ve had enough. I stand up, towering over the stranger by at least a head. But he doesn’t back down. He’s large in his own right and he’s broad.

“You need ta understand just how things work,” the man continues. “There ain’t no law here. No one to protect you. You chose a bad place to die.” His tongue pokes out from behind his brown, decayed teeth, yellowed juice leaking out of the space between them.

He takes a step closer, which puts him closer to Eilish. He’ll regret it. This man doesn’t realize who I am. His tactic of intimidation has likely worked numerous times before, but he’s in for a surprise if he expects me to cower before him. The only reason he isn’t already dead is because I need to avoid attention.

But I also need to get him off my back. He tries another step and I push him backward, choosing to show him only a fraction of my power. As he falls to the floor, I realize I’ve failed in that mission; everyone within a ten-foot radius is now turning in their chairs to watch as the loudmouth is leveled. All eyes are fixed on us, greedy for the fight.

He slowly stands, the venom behind his crimson eyes visibly swirling. “You’ve made a mistake, friend,” he hisses. “And it’s just cost you your lives.”

“No one will die today,friend,” I spit back at him. My arms are tense with fury. “Except you.”

He squares his body toward me, snarling, his eyes nearly pulsing in their anger.

I’m aware of all the other eyes on us, and I wonder how I can settle this without causing more of a fuss. I clench and unclench my fist. We may have to fight more than just these two to get out of here alive.

CHAPTER TWO

DRAGAN

Grimreap

Shadow Realm

The man takes another step closer, but just as he does, another man emerges from beneath a shadow and quickly occupies the space between us. This man is tall and broad, though not as large or imposing as I am. His back is to me, keeping his identity a mystery.

The asshole immediately recognizes the man and his face falls briefly into an expression of fear, which lasts only a millisecond before it’s replaced with pure ire. Whoever has stepped between us obviously has an ugly history with this bastard.

---