From the edge of a rooftop, Nicholas cleared the remaining distance and threw himself into the pit. He landed in a roll and came upright with his gun aimed at the massive creature who held Daniela. As he’d suspected, they were shape-shifters; a primitive race of witches whose powers enabled them to morph into various forms. The three deformed entities who loitered in the background were perhaps only a few centuries old and thus unable to complete a full transformation. The one Nicholas opposed was no doubt the leader of them. He’d heard of the creature who kept his slaves chained to his body; the flesh-eating monstrosity who called himself Leviathan.
Nicholas’s attention lifted to Daniela who was struggling to free herself. “Release her,” he said with checked anger, drawing the attention of the beast.
His gaze remained upon her and their eyes met. Relief and fear were obvious on her face and something unusual tugged at his conscience, but he quickly dismissed it. Her own stubbornness had wrought these results.
Leviathan laughed, but his eyes were venomous. “Will not happen. I have room on my chains for another whore.”
Nicholas cocked his gun. “The woman belongs to me. Release her or you will drown in your own blood.”
The creature sobered and his face hardened. “She is mine. Perhaps now you will learn to keep a tighter rein on your sluts.” As he spoke his head dipped and a thick, blackened tongue emerged to trace a path along Daniela’s neck.
Nicholas’s jaw tightened as he watched her struggle even harder to free herself. She was soaking wet and dirty as if this was hardly the prelude to her encounter with the creatures. A sweltering heat was making its way up along his spine and he fought to control the rage that was building within him. He didn’t know what angered him most; knowing that Daniela had yet again placed them in an unsavory predicament, or seeing Leviathan’s hands on her.
Advancing a few steps, Nicholas began to circle Leviathan. “I’ll not warn you again. Release her to me or you will face your death.”
“And what of the code? All in Tiraghol follow the code.”
Nicholas wasn’t oblivious to the codes that governed the city. In all its chaos there were laws that remained sacred and the book of codes was among them. Daniela was human. She’d been captured, and as a result she was the property of the shape-shifters.
It would be no difficult task to simply kill the lot of them, for his aim with a gun was as precise as that with his crossbow. However he was certain that they’d drawn the attention of many citizens of Tiraghol. To have them bear witness to his blatant discount of their laws wouldn’t be very wise. He and Daniela wouldn’t make it out alive. The only way to reclaim his right to leave with her was to challenge Leviathan to a battle of mortal combat. A feat that may prove detrimental for him should the creatures detect that he, despite his apparent familiarity, was indeed a human.
His attention strayed to Daniela once again. She would be Leviathan’s plaything until he got bored with her, then she’d be eaten. Leaving her behind wasn’t an option. She looked so defenseless, but that wasn’t the reason why he would challenge the creature, he told himself. Nor was it due to the twisting that he felt swelling in his abdomen once again. It was because she held the rune. She’d hidden it and was the only one who knew where it was. To lose her would be to lose the rune for eternity.
Slowly, Nicholas eased his finger off the trigger and held the gun up. He placed it on the ground then stripped his jacket off. Leviathan understood his intent immediately.
“This whore must be very worthy if you fight to reclaim her,” he said as his eyes trailed the length of her. “I will enjoy feasting on her when your bones are stripped clean.”
With that said, he lowered Daniela to the ground and shoved her toward the others, who immediately grabbed on to her. He then gripped the two chains that bound the women to him and with both hands, snapped them. The women were immediately set upon by the other shape-shifters, who dragged them out of the way. He then withdrew a long knife that had been strapped to his leg.
Nicholas pulled the two knives that were in his shoulder holster. In Tiraghol to fight to reclaim something was to fight to the death, which meant he had to kill Leviathan.
The beast attacked first, swinging the massive blade. Nicholas ducked, avoiding a sure decapitation. The battle had begun.
Despite being human now, Nicholas found that his speed had been retained. He’d not engaged in such a fight, mock or real, since the curse had been broken, but his skill hadn’t diminished in the slightest. He swung his blades with dangerous precision, yet the beast remained quick and his strength was daunting. Nicholas struggled to avoid injury and several times he failed.
Leviathan thrust a foot in his abdomen and he stumbled backward in the dirt. The creature immediately set upon him and a violent struggle ensued. Nicholas lost his knives as he fought to keep Leviathan’s weapon from puncturing his body. Gripping three of the chains that dangled from Leviathan’s chest, he tore them away. The creature’s agonizing roar filled his ears, momentarily deafening them.
Leviathan retracted, cradling his body where his flesh had been torn away. Blood trickled through his fingers and was gladly swallowed by the earth. Nicholas didn’t hesitate to claim the upper hand. He rose to his feet and slammed a knee into Leviathan’s head, sending the creature sprawling into the soil. The massive knife was also struck from his fingers.
Leviathan however, was resilient. Using the thick muscles of his legs, he sprang back onto his feet. His face was contorted with more than rage and his body began to morph. His head mutated into that of a giant sea serpent with pointed fangs barred in anger. Thick scales rose from his skin and a wavering and spiked dorsal fin pushed through his spine. He charged forward and gripped Nicholas in a painful tackle.
Faced with this new opponent now, Nicholas’s confidence began to falter. He was beginning to doubt his ability to defeat the beast for already his body ached. It felt as if his joints were aflame and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to avoid Leviathan’s attacks.
A moment later, the creature snatched him up from the ground and, lifting him high, threw him effortlessly. Nicholas struck the wall of the pit and crumbled to the ground. A sharp pain shot through his spine, the intensity shaking him. Groaning, he managed to push himself to his knees. He turned his head to watch as Leviathan approached. His huge form paused a few feet away.
“A fool you are to challenge Leviathan,” he spoke, his serpent’s tongue lashing out. “Now you die.”
Nicholas’s teeth clenched as another sharp pain shot through him. It knifed up his spine to pause midback. He arched upward as he attempted to stifle the ache. He knew he had to stand, to fight, or his death would be inevitable, but he couldn’t. The strength had been sapped from him and the pain he felt was too great.
A sudden ripping moved down his back and he cried out. He was certain that Leviathan had carved a slit in his flesh with the knife, but a glance to the side revealed that his opponent had paused in his advance. Leviathan stood there watching him with interest.
Nicholas moaned again as the ripping continued and he could hear the progressive ripping of his shirt. From his back, two massive wings sprang forth, initiating the transformation that hadn’t taken place in over a year; the transformation that should not have been able to occur since the curse had been broken.
Two thick horns pressed through his skull and his face contorted as his teeth sharpened into fangs. His hair, already a thick mass, spilled over him to fall at his waist. His body expanded, growing taller and thicker with sleek muscles bulging and flexing with his every movement. He’d become a gargoyle.
Slowly, Nicholas climbed to his feet. His wings stretched to their full length of twelve feet, relishing their freedom after so long being dormant. He wasn’t given the time to ponder how his transformation had come about, for Leviathan, realizing the new threat
, attacked.
He charged, slamming Nicholas into the wall. Dirt crumbled about them and they went down in an earth-shaking tackle. With his transformation, Nicholas had gained both strength and speed which matched if not exceeded that of his opponent. But Leviathan was a skilled fighter—ruthless and savage, a callous beast who possessed no regard for any life save his own.
The battle waged. Nicholas broke free of the bruising death lock and took flight, somersaulting in the air and landing in a crouch on a metal beam that extended across the open pit. Leviathan stood and glared up at him. Blood dripped from the tips of one of his massive clawlike hands. He brought it to his face and his tongue snaked out, greedily licking away the fluid.
It was then that Nicholas realized that he was injured. He stood and wound a fist into what remained of his shirt and tore it from his body. Three twelve-inch claw marks cut into his abdomen. Blood trickled from the wounds and they burned as if alight with flame. Nicholas’s eyes slowly slid to Leviathan. He’d had his fill of this beast.
The heavy beating of his wings filled the silence as he sprang from the beam and swept toward Leviathan. Before his opponent could move, he slammed into him and gripped the remaining chains that dangled from his chest. As they met the ground together, Nicholas brought the chains about Leviathan’s neck and used his body to pin him. He wound the chains tightly, pulling them until the sickening sound of bones snapping could be heard.
Leviathan thrashed about, his strangled voice crying out into the night as his body fluctuated between the forms of various creatures. Nicholas’s hold didn’t relent. The veins in his arm surfaced as he increased the pressure even more. He never enjoyed killing, but this monstrosity was well-deserving of his end; his days enslaving and raping women and devouring their flesh had come to a fitting conclusion.
Nicholas watched as the light faded from Leviathan’s eyes. He maintained his hold for another minute, needing to be certain the world was free of this scourge. When the creature remained still, Nicholas stood. Not sparing Leviathan’s body another look, he turned to the two women who the creature had enslaved. The other shape-shifters had begun withdrawing back into the shadows. With their leader dead now, they dared not challenge Nicholas.
“You are free now,” he told the cowering females. “The gate lies to the north. Go quickly.” He pointed.
They hesitated only a moment before fleeing in the direction he’d indicated.
Slowly, his attention moved to Daniela. She sat in the dirt with wide fear-filled eyes as she regarded him. He was hardly pleased that she’d just witnessed his transformation; something not even he understood. The complexity of the situation had just transcended anything he could’ve imagined when he’d agreed to comply with her demands. Now she was a liability. He didn’t trust her, and the continued safety of his family and the secrets surrounding them was essential.
His chest heaved as he fought to steady both his breathing and the emotions that were raging within him. All this had been brought about because of her. Single-handedly she’d managed to disrupt the newfound peace he’d been enjoying. She’d stolen the rune stones, destroyed his grandfather’s tomb and tonight, because of her stubbornness, she’d nearly gotten herself and him killed. Anger overtook him as he stalked toward her.
* * *
Daniela’s heart drummed wildly in her chest as the beast that had once been Nicholas began moving in her direction. His face was masked in displeasure and his eyes were fixed to her with a determination that made her quake. She had the distinct feeling that she’d just been rescued from one danger only to be ushered into another.
With a whimper, she scrambled across the dirt and snatched up the fallen handgun. She staggered to her feet and raced toward the iron stairway that led out of the pit. Too much had occurred during this night. She was in no way ready for more. Her only thought was to get the hell out of there, away from the demons, away from the stench of death and away from Nicholas Drakon.
As she scampered up the steps she could hear the beating of massive wings behind her. A look over her shoulder confirmed that Nicholas had taken flight and was headed for her.
“Stay away from me!” she screamed as she climbed out of the pit.
She’d entered what appeared to be a junkyard. It was littered with old and rusted cars, furniture and scrap metal. She wove her way through the mess and when a huge shadow fell over her, she spun around. Nicholas was descending to the ground a few feet away from her.
“Stay away or I’ll—” Her threat was cut short when Nicholas closed the distance between them and, in one steel grip, brought her hands above her head. He snatched the gun from her and tossed it aside.
“Why is it so difficult for you to follow instructions?” he growled in a lethal voice.
His large body towered above her as he glared down with eyes that were both infuriated and chastising. She began to struggle, anything to get away from him. With a very impatient growl, Nicholas swung her around and brought her down flat on her back on the hood of an old sedan.
With her hands still pinned above her head, Daniela’s body went rigid. In disbelief she assessed the creature he’d become. Gone was the beautiful man who could steal her breath with a simple glance. In his place was a tall and powerful entity; strong and domineering. The way his eyes roamed her body made her nipples peak beneath the wet material of her shirt. She didn’t know what to expect for it was evident that with his form, his temperament had also swelled. And lord knew Nicholas had been enough to contend with before.
For a moment longer he watched her, then, with a moan, his head dipped and his mouth claimed hers. The warmth of his lips and the savagery with which he took her, created a mixture of fear and intense desire within her. A large hand moved to spread her legs and as he stepped between them, she trembled. Never had she been kissed this way. To her surprise her body began to respond. Her lips parted, welcoming his tongue.
Nicholas must’ve felt her surrender for his hold loosened but remained firm. With their bodies so close she could feel every powerful inch of him; thick and taut muscles flexing as he braced himself above her. And there was no mistaking the hard bulge in his trousers. Daniela dared not move for fear of inciting something within him that she was hardly prepared for. Instead, her eyes fluttered closed and she succumbed to the warm sensation that was consuming her.
At the recesses of her mind, she frantically questioned the sanity of her actions. Here she was, sprawled on the hood of a car and passionately making out with a man who possessed wings and horns. And to make matters worse, he’d just violently murdered another. Yet none of it seemed to matter. The taste of him was simply too intoxicating.
The kiss simmered to a sensuous ending and Nicholas withdrew from her. Daniela’s eyes eased open and met his contemplative and accusing stare. Somehow he’d returned to himself. The creature had dissipated, leaving the man in its wake. He turned away and bowed his beautiful head as if he was ashamed of what he’d just done. As if kissing her was more vile than taking a life.
She sat up and slid from the hood of the sedan. She was shaking as her mind fought to come to grips with all that had taken place within the past hour.
Nicholas’s head turned to the side and when he spoke the anger was gone from his voice. “If you care nothing for your own life at least have consideration for those of others before you act,” he said quietly.
Without waiting for her response, he stalked toward his handgun, snatched it up and began heading in the direction of the gate.
Daniela stared after him for a few seconds. She had no choice but to follow Nicholas. He would see her safely out of Tiraghol and she needed him to find her sister. Yes, he was perhaps as deeply integrated in all this demonic madness as the creatures who’d attempted to capture her. But that she would have to overlook. He was her only hope, and with a shuddering sigh, she reluctantly followed.
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Chapter 10
The morning had come quickly. The smell of baking bread filled the air of the small tavern in the remote village of Viscri. Nicholas slipped outside and was met with the coolness of the dawn as he headed toward his Lamborghini. He’d rented a set of rooms over the tavern for the few hours that had remained before the sun rose. The ache in his body had subsided, but his wounds had needed tending.
Daniela had made use of the shared bath then she’d disappeared shortly after, presumably into her own bedroom. He hadn’t bothered seeking her out for he knew she wouldn’t go very far. The events of the past day had escalated into something even she would be unable to face alone.
The drive to the village had been made in silence. His thoughts had been consumed by all that had just happened to him. He understood now that his transformation had been inevitable. Though he’d experienced the aches associated with the change for months, an inciting factor had eluded him. Until last night. There was also the question of how many of his clan had been affected. Thus far, only his brother had admitted to having experienced the same symptoms. Could there be a possibility that they’d been singled out?
Nicholas didn’t expect to find answers in one night. He would go and consult his brother Simion. His parents would also have valuable insight, since in their endeavor to break the curse, they’d studied much about the art of witchcraft.
Opening the door of his car, he pulled out his jacket and slipped it on, careful not to aggravate the wounds on his abdomen that he’d just rewrapped with bandages. Taking a quick look about the area, he spotted Daniela huddled on a rock and staring into the unwavering surface of the lake.
He was immediately reminded of the way she’d tasted on his lips. He’d been furious when he’d discovered she’d placed herself in such danger; more inclined to throttle the little thief than kiss her. And yet, as he’d gazed down at her, something within him had turned to pure lust.
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