Page 73 of Kiss of Light

“That hurt like fuck. I thought you’d gone over to the dark side?”

“Hey, I’m a mercenary bastard, you know that. But I didn’t like the idea of someone ripping your throat out.” He winked. “Not without a contract, anyway.”

“Like I always said. You’re all heart.”

He opened his mouth to make a sarcastic riposte and suddenly wasn’t there anymore. A rush of air blew the hair back from her face. She looked round wildly and saw Ravij-Lemar at the edge of the plateau holding Blake at arm’s length.

“Do you know the problem with humans, Mister Blake?” the demon inquired silkily. “They are just so unreliable. Always ruled by their emotions. I thought you would be different. Alas, I was wrong.”

He had Blake by the throat. The hunter’s face was slowly turning puce, his legs kicking fruitlessly over the long drop.

“Ravij, he has nothing to do with this!” Tala screamed. “It’s me you want. Let him go.”

“Poor choice of words,Tala-ji.”

The demon opened his grip and Blake fell. He didn’t scream. He didn’t have time. There was a sickening crunch as his body met the rocks some twenty metres down.

Ravij turned his host body towards Tala. She found it almost unbearable to see Lemar’s beautiful face twisted by hatred and anger.

Ravij forced the Vetali’s canines to lengthen. Spidery veins snaked across his skin. His eyes were black pools as he fixed on his prey.

“And now it’s just you and me.”

Thirty

He blurred with speed as he charged at her, moonlight glinting off his fangs. But Tala wasn’t there. She shimmered a split second before he reached her.

It took everything she had. The pain from her shattered leg was dragging on her energy. It was taking too long to heal and the exertion wasn’t helping. But she was careful not to show any weakness.

“Too slow, Ravij,” she taunted. “What’s wrong? Lemar fighting you?”

“He has no will. I can’t even feel him in here. He’s given up.”

Tala’s heart clenched. That couldn’t be true. Could it?

“Lemar wouldn’t give up. He’s the most stubborn bastard I’ve ever met.”

“I think you overestimate him,Tala-ji. He let me in without a fight.”

Ravij lunged for Tala again but she shimmered away. Now she was at the edge of the drop. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder.

Blake lay crumpled on the rocks. One leg was bent unnaturally and there was blood beneath his head. She strained to hear any breathing, any heartbeat.

Ravij blurred towards her and again she shimmered. A wave of nausea churned her stomach. She couldn’t keep this up much longer. She needed to rest her powers to let her leg heal. As it was, she could barely put any weight on it.

She cocked her hip jauntily.

“Gods, you’re slow. Must be because you’re so old. Know what we used to call you? Ravij the Cabbage. Always stuck in the mud.”

Ravij curled Lemar’s lips into a savage smile.

“Poor young shaitun. Always thinking you were better than the rest of us because you were granted your freedom. What a spurious concept that is. From where I’m standing, you’re still at the beck and call of Lord Shadeed.”

Tala’s eyes narrowed.

“At least he doesn’t keep me in a box. I hear Salaq stacks his demons ten deep when he isn’t using them. Is that how you want to spend the rest of your life? Like a sardine?”

“It is what shaitun were created for. To serve.”

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