Page 83 of Her Rabid Beasts

Yuran prods my stomach with a finger. Pain hits the fresh wounds and both me and my anima scream in pure agony. As I clamp my mouth shut, my eyes water and I fight my bonds once again, kicking out so hard it rocks the chair backwards. Natalia swears but I barely hear it. I need to get away. I need to find Minnie. Myfriends.He’s going to go after the people who’ve become my family. It’s a worse punishment than death. I won’t be able to live with myself.

“Just think,” Yuran whispers in awe. “If he’s powerful enough to cast an attack from so far, what else is he capable of? He doesn’t even have to be here to hurt your friends.”

Minnie. Oh God,Minnie.Not again, please not again.

“He’ll be here in two Saturdays,” Natalia says, yanking my neck for emphasis. “Present yourself for collection or your friends will suffer. You’re not allowed to be a martyr, but the rest of them can be.”

I thrash again, protesting against her words, at the implication. The serpents laugh.

“Well, well, well,” a deep voice sneers in disgust, “look what we have here.”

My eyes snap open just as a set of white glowing eyes appear through the dark.

Chapter 34

Xander

How many vermin does it take to kidnap a Boneweaver?

Five, apparently.

The first thing I see isthatheinous glowing symbol shining through the low light. A skull with five beams of curling light.

It’s the third time I’m seeing the so-called “mating mark” and it feels like I’m digging up an old, rotting corpse.

I almost gag.

Eugene squawks a question from the shadows behind me.

“Yeah, yeah,” I assure him. He came to me frantic and cock-a-doodle-do-ing to high heaven. I had to calm him down with some fumes from my joint before he told me what was going on.

Most people think chickens are too stupid to make use of the healing powers other avians have. Instead, the Wild Gods gave them a little something to help them survive with their low intellect. It’s barely useful, but if something unexpected is about to happen, they can see five seconds into the future.

So, Eugene had been able to see the vermin jumping out and gotten out of the way in the nick of time. I’d dragged myself out of bed and had to put clothes on just for the stroll over here.

They have her tied to a chair with power dampening shackles, and have her surrounded like five filthy, towering worms.

I announce my presence and the worms whip around, mouths gaping open.

Sighing, I take out my headphones and put them in my pocket. The Red Hot Chili Peppers will have to wait.

The five worms recoil and terror sparkles around them like feverish, red stars.

I wait for it to hit—the killing rage that turns my vision red and means death to all in the room.

But— Wait, what?

It doesn’t come. My vision doesn’t bleed like it usually does when my headphones are out.

I’m still… calm. All executive functions intact.

And then everyone in the room seems to realise it.

They rush at me all at once and I don’t have time to think about it. I don’tneedto use the fire, but I rather like the smell of charred meat. I chuck a crimson fireball from each hand, and they blast into the first two worms in the chest so fast they don’t have time to try and dodge them. The flames engulf their writhing bodies. They shriek and drop to the ground, rolling around, arms flailing like cockroaches.

“Mmm. Roast snake,” I rasp. My dragon likes to watch when it comes to killing. He doesn’t want to miss out on the fun, and I can’t blame him.

The next two worms bring out knives from their pockets, throwing them at my head in unison, but I dodge both and they clatter uselessly to the dust.

---