Page 214 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

The door slides open, revealing the source of the loud noise. Instead of an army of guards, a large creature appears. One that looks like one of those messed up werewolves from a horror movie.

Its long sharp fangs curve out of its mouth to its chin. Its entire body is covered in a muddy black fur. Stepping closer, it towers over us, nearly twice the size of Malik. It moves towards us, looking pissed as hell.

The guard behind us laughs as we back away from it, moving us closer to him.

I hear another buzz just before more creatures show up.

All identical to the first one. They keep coming until there are seven large, enraged creatures surrounding us.

All looking ready to kill.

“Fuck.”

I glance over at Malik to see him shaking his head and clenching his fists. “My demon is pushing forward. I don’t know if I’ll be much help once that happens.” Before I get a chance to answer Malik, the guard clicks his fingers, and just like that, the creatures move forward, ready to attack.

Great timing.

With my energy levels still slightly depleted from last time, I dig down deep inside and drag up the darkness. It’s slightly harder to pull up, but once it does, it settles over me, making me feel stronger.

Powerful.

“What thefuckis she?” I hear another voice from where the guard is, but I keep my focus on the creatures coming at me. One slashes out a sharp claw aimed toward my face, but my shadows catch it, breaking it along with the arm attached to it.

Instead of growling in pain, the beast glances down at it. It steps over it and continues forward, ignoring the dark blood that seeps onto the floor.

Just before it reaches me, the shadow beast appears, whipping forward and slicing the creature in two.

It drops to the ground like a sack of meat, falling in half.

“Kill her!” the guard demands.

The six beasts left all step forward. I try to pull up the darkness, but it’s like pulling from a dry well.

A creature reaches Malik just as his body begins to shake and shift. Within seconds, his demon is there, but instead of attacking me, he turns to the creature and lays into it.

Distracted from watching Malik, I miss one of the creatures sneak up from behind, slicing a claw down my side. The sharp burn catches my breath for a moment just before my ability kicks in.

“Did you see that?” A shocked voice floats over to me, but I ignore it, focusing on the newest creature trying to grab me.

Twisting out of its way, I move closer to Malik’s demon, turning just in time to see him land a punch to the creature’s face, knocking him down.

He whips his purple eyes up at me, accessing the threat. Instead of attacking me, he tilts his head as if to ask what I need next. But something behind me quickly grabs his attention.

Flashing forward, he intercepts another beast. The two trade punches, Malik’s demon taking a few hard hits.

Shouts come from all around as more guards arrive. We’re surrounded from all angles now with no way out. The shadow beast whips in and around the creatures, attacking any that get too close. But there’s too many, even for him and Malik to take on.

Too drained to help, I glance over at the shadow beast just as it turns to me. It gives me a look as if trying to tell me something.

“What?!” I ask.

“Let it out.”Its deep voice speaks inside my head.

“Letwhatout?” I step back as the guards and creatures get by Malik and move toward the shadow beast.

“Every… thing.”

As the guards and last couple of creatures inch closer, I glance over to Malik, now in his human form, as he holds his injured side. There’s a defeated look on his face as he watches the guards.

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