Page 7 of Bound By Fire and Magic
Kirin started to follow Elle’s car out of the entrance when his engine died. Just like that, no cough or sputter, just silence. Since that never happened, and the car wouldn’t restart, suspicion prickled along his skin. He stepped out and surveyed his surroundings. The heavy energy hovered close by. He stripped out of his clothes and Catalyzed, able to see in the dark better as Dragon.
Danger, his Dragon warned.
He went back inside and searched the space. Yes, it was strong now, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary…until he found a large, black circle on the floor. Inside the circle were two long ovals that formed a cross. Kirin knew little about Deuce rituals, but this looked like Shadow Magick. He stayed outside the circle, which had been broken on the other side by a smearing of the line.
He searched for movement, alert for the slightest sound. The air above him shifted, and a huge, black cloud descended on him. He shot out of the way, and the mass hit the floor with a thud.
What the hell?
It took form: a misshapen head, no neck, huge arms ending in ham-sized fists. Its chest was massive, thighs as big as tree trunks, its essence oily and churning. It stood over fifteen feet tall, arms poised as though ready to give him a hug. Of course, it would not be embracing him with affection. Though actually…it looked like a dark, demented version of Shrek.
What the hell?
“Kiiiiiiiill,” it uttered in a deep, scratchy voice and lunged at him.
Kirin ducked to the side, and the thing smashed into the wall. It wailed as it spun toward him. He was quicker, but running away wasn’t an option. No way could he leave this thing here, especially knowing Elle might come back. Dragons fought like wildcats, methodical, stalking their prey, then going in for the kill. Kirin didn’t have time to stalk this particular beast. He charged it, his fangs tearing into its side.
The thing howled, clutching its side. Its essence poured out of the wound but disappeared like smoke. Kirin spit out the piece of “flesh” that tasted of old rubber. As soon as it hit the floor, it evaporated, too.
The entity reached toward his throat, claws like four knives. Kirin dodged the other way, hitting a hard object that sent him skidding across the floor. The thing’s other hand.
Didn’t see that coming.
“Kiiiiiill,” it screeched again, its fiery eyes pinning him.
It leaped. Kirin rolled, only getting the brunt of the thing’s thigh against his back.
Scales acted as mini-shields all over his body, but Dragons had a vulnerability. A spike driven up into their kill spot, under their chin, would push unheeded right into their brain. The thing knew this. Its gaze was glued to that very spot.
Kirin lowered his head, hiding his throat from view with his snout. He bared his teeth, but the thing didn’t seem fazed by his gleaming fangs. He raced toward it, talons out, intending to carve a hole right through it. A stream of his breath, spikes of fire, preceded him.
The thing slapped him aside just as he reached it. Kirin rolled, head spinning, until he slammed into a large table, which tipped over and landed on him. The thing was fast, faster than Kirin had calculated. He threw the table at it with his strong legs. The flat surface knocked the creature backward, but only for a second. It grabbed the table and tossed it back. Kirin jumped out of the way as the table hit the floor and broke into pieces.
“Kiiiiiill.”
Fiery hell.
It grabbed at him again. Kirin spun out of its reach. He knelt on the floor, pushed off with his arms, and back flipped into the air to land behind the behemoth. Using those spikes of fire, he dove at the thing as it turned and went right through it. Its interior felt oily and thick as he passed through. He thought he heard a scream, muted in the mass of energy the creature was made of. But there were no guts, no bones. He shot out the back and rolled into his landing. The hole mended. The black goo covering Kirin disappeared like a mist. They now faced off.
“What the hell are you?” he asked.
It laughed, a deep belly laugh. “I am a squasher.”
“Squasher?” He’d never heard of such a thing.
“I will squash you.” It tilted its head. “You are not afraid?”
Kirin flexed his claws. “Fear is for sissies.”
“Fear is for sissies,” it repeated, as though it was some novel concept.
The thing wasn’t afraid, nor bothered that a Dragon had burrowed right through its center. Of course, it had healed within seconds, so why should it be?
Kirin stalked it now, searching for some vulnerability. It appeared to be ephemeral, yet it had form. Ish.
“Are you some kind of demon?” he asked, though it didn’t look or act like any demon he’d ever seen. They were smarter, for one thing.
The thing swiped at him again, catching Kirin in the side. He dove to the right and sent a blast of fire at it. Flames caught on its surface, and it howled in pain as it patted them out.
