Page 33 of That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human
When the harpy stumbled back, Alexis slashed her side. Blood sprayed from the wound and painted the surrounding ferns in red.
I staggered to my feet only to be slammed into the stone by the red harpy. Ignoring the ringing in my ears, I punched at the harpy’s face. She reared back then stabbed at my gut. I grabbed her foot in my hand, stopping the blow. Pain raced up my wrists as her back claw dug into my skin. The foul stink of her breath made me recoil. “Just die quickly, we’re starving!” she hissed.
My arms strained with the effort to keep her at bay. “Alexis, a little help?” I yelled. Instead of answering, the clang of metal rang through the air. I chanced a look to see that Alexis had her hands (blade?) full with the other two harpies.
Panic seeped into my bones when the harpy pushed harder. The tip of her sharp talon jabbed against my stomach. She smiled cruelly. “I’m going to enjoy plucking those pretty brown eyes right out of your head.” The harpy jumped back with a flap of her wings, grabbed my wrist and used momentum to throw me to the ground. My back scraped against a fallen log, tearing my skin.
Time slowed as I watched the harpy rear up for the killing blow. The steady pounding of my heart drowned out the noise of the world.
“GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed, raising my hands up. Lightning shot out of my palms and struck the harpy dead in the chest. Burning feathers and hair sizzled, sending putrid waves of stink through the air.
The two harpies attacking Alexis paused to look back, but by the time they did it was too late for their friend. The redheaded harpy was fried to a crisp on the ground. Silence fell over the clearing. The defeated harpy twitched, then gurgled and fell still.
“She’s dead,” the black-haired harpy whispered.
Alexis slashed at the black-haired harpy, slicing a gash in her cheek before darting over to me. The black-haired harpy cried out and slapped a hand to her face. Blood dripped from her raven wings and onto the mud. “Damn right she’s dead!” Alexis shouted. “Unless you want to end up like her, I suggest you take your pendulous titties and get the hell out of here!”
“You,” the dark-haired harpy hissed. Her feathers puffed up and her talons dug into the ground beneath her feet. “You’ll pay for this!” she roared, before the two of them charged forward.
Alexis floated behind me and tapped my shoulder. “You may wanna do that little zap zap again,” she said.
I jumped to my feet and held my hands up. The harpies flapped to a halt, fear lacing their expressions. Blue sparks pricked at the tips of my palms but no lightning came forward. “Umm,” I murmured. I flexed my hands, trying to get lightning to come out, but nothing happened.
Alexis laughed and nudged at my side. “OK, stop messing around. Light ’em up!”
“I can’t,” I whispered.
She floated closer to my ear and lowered her voice. “What do you mean you can’t? You just did it.”
“I don’t know, it’s just not working.” I tried rubbing my hands together and flicked them out in another frantic attempt.
“Cherry, they’re starting to realize there’s a problem,” she hissed.
The two harpies exchanged looks then advanced forward. Drool spilled from the black-haired harpy’s maw as she licked her lips. She sprang forward just as the blue sparks ignited in my palm. Frantic, I shoved my hands forward, pleading with whatever magic I had tapped into to listen. The harpy flung herself back, screaming. White light blinded my vision before fiery pain erupted in my hands.
“FUCKING DICK BISCUITS!” I yelled. Smoke simmered from my burned hands. The skin was angry and red as if I’d been holding a scalding-hot pot.
“Oh shit, that looks like it hurts,” Alexis said.
“YA THINK?” I cried out, clutching my hands to my chest.
“Is that the best you can do?” The dark-haired harpy sneered. “Well, looks like your luck has just run out.”
Chapter 12
Cherry
In a flash, the sunlight peeking through the canopy vanished. Thunder boomed so loud my ears rang. Wind picked up, snatching the raven-coloured harpy’s body like a leaf in a storm, and slammed her against a tree. Before the other harpy could blink, Dante was on her. She screeched as he pulled back her wings until they made a sickening pop. I looked on in shock as he ripped the wings from her body and threw them to the side. Blood splattered the ends of his black cloak.
His gaze turned to the last harpy, who was struggling to get up. One of her wings was broken. The white of her frail bones peeked out among black feathers as she desperately tried to flap away.
She didn’t get far. Sparks danced along his arms as he advanced on her. I shielded my eyes, only opening them again when I heard her scream cut short.
“Dante!” Alexis cried cheerfully. “Cherry, you didn’t tell me Dante was your dragon.” She flew up to the dragon-shifter and twirled happily. “Man, am I glad to see you. You wouldn’t believe the week I—” Her words cut short when Dante turned to her. He said nothing, but she sank lower to the ground then backed away from him. “You know what, I can wait.” Alexis retreated to the other side of the rock and laid herself down, far away from the man’s path. “I’m just gonna wait right here. Yup, don’t worry about me.”
That can’t be good.
Lightning flashed and the dragon-shifter was suddenly in front of me. His face was calm, but the surrounding storm whipped with fury, as if mirroring his wrath. Startled, I backed up against a tree, then hissed in pain. He tugged me toward him, then inspected the damage. Blood from the cuts on my back left their mark on the tree. His grip on my shoulder tightened painfully. I winced and he let go just as quickly. The wind picked up around us, howling so fiercely that the giant redwoods began to sway and creak under the storm’s pressure.
