Page 68 of Bonds of Hercules
In slow motion, I brought my fingers to my wet cheek as the Titans were flung backward through the air by bullets.
Blood covered my hand—it was black.
Achilles and Patro stalked forward, smoking guns raised, gunfire spraying.
My left ear rang with sharp feedback.
In a blur, the Crimson Duo dropped empty cartridges, reloaded, and kept firing.
Shakily, I made the sign of the cross.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Poppae and Nero leapt forward, snapping at the downed Titans as the monsters crawled backward in the assail of bullets.
Amen.
Gunpowder mixed with the putrid scent of gore.
Fluffy Jr. stood in front of me growling protectively. His head swiveled back to me, like he wasn’t sure what he should do.
My feet were rooted to the spot.
One Titan stopped crawling. It stood up and straightened to its full height, bullets clattering to the pavement as its body healed and expelled them at a terrifying rate.
Achilles shot at it with two guns, one in each hand.
Ligaments popped as the shadowy wings spread up from the Titan’s back—it leaned forward and let out anunholyscreech.
Gnarled wings flapped and the Titan shot forward with impossible speed.
There was no time to react.
Thud.
The monster rammed into a body.
Patro sailed through the air, slamming into the wall of a townhome—his head cracked loudly and debris crumbled around him. His neck was turned at an unnatural angle, and crimson painted the bricks behind his skull.
He lay collapsed in the rubble, unmoving.
Achilles’s eyes widened with horror.
The Titan who’d rammed Patro stood in the middle of the street—and was now focused on me.
Achilles was between me and the Titan, smoke rising around his head, staring at Patro with his weapons lowered.
With shaking fingers, I unholstered my Spartan guns.
Long, tension-filled seconds stretched, seemingly endless.
The other Titan joined its brethren. The monsters stood side by side, both once again focused on me.
Aren’t they solitary hunters?
Achilles took a step toward Patro.
The Titans screeched.
