The Smokiest Grave (The Unnatural Series Book 1)

by Tosha Y. Miller

  Run.

  Thirty-three

  Lance came out of the kitchen with his bare manhood dangling, dripping red wine liquid all over the floor as he walked into the room. He’d already had a few glasses tonight and a couple more in the kitchen, so he was ready to play with his toy.

  “I brought you a gift, my toy. Come play.” His words drifted into the abyss, no one was there. The cabin was empty.

  What the hell?

  His face squeezed together in anger as he looked in every corner of the room. “Cathleen?” His voice cracked like a whip and the word vibrated in the empty room. His light brown furniture hid a few places, so he walked over to inspect them. Maybe, she is playing a game of her own?

  He walked to the couch, maybe she was hiding there. The side and front of the sofa were empty making his heart beat faster. The sound of laughter echoed in his mind. His eyes darted around with purpose now.

  He noticed the door slightly ajar and with an immediate urgency he swung around to his desk. The fact that it was empty meant his toy was gone. He growled and ground his teeth together. The desk looked cleaner than before like she wanted to taunt him by emphasizing how empty the surface was.

  He cursed himself for letting her get the best of him. The bottle of wine crashed to the floor in a heap of glass and liquid. His rage increased as the red liquid splashed against his feet.

  “Aha!” A boiling hot rage exploded inside of him, more heated than any erupting volcano.

  An ear bleeding roar he let out shook the cottage. “No one makes me look like a fool,” he said with a growl in his throat as his new demonic beast surged to the surface. His beast was slamming into place; there was no time to go outside.

  The beast wanted her life.

  Lance had kept his deal with the demon a secret from everyone, so no one knew of his strength yet. He didn’t plan on the demon dying that he sold his soul to, but the way his power grew, no one was complaining.

  The demon fused itself with his woodland beast making him exponentially more powerful. Deep inside, the evil monster was old as night and victoriously wicked like the actual demon. He loved it but controlling the beast’s temper was something he still struggled with.

  A groan escaped him as he grew taller and wider. It sounded more like an animal than a man. He hit the roof, his feet smashed through the carpet and the wood foundation of the cabin.

  “I just got that fixed!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. At the same time, his arms extended outward, bulging his muscles.

  Next was the part Lance hated, his skin turned lime green, and his pores opened letting a sludge poor through. The demon must have been snot man because that was new.

  He was almost finished transforming.

  The last part took the longest and hurt the most. His new demon beast subconsciously coded his mind, making him think and act differently. The way the evil tar slithered through him, gripping his brain was the worst feeling ever. He was meaner, and oh so much deadlier.

  Lance would kill his own family if they were no longer needed. If he was honest with himself, being the beast was the only time he was free. As if he was a chain smoker and his beast was a puff of nicotine after a long grueling day. He craved his beast. Even as a child something always was off inside of him.

  Now that his eyes had been opened to the high power, being in his usual, tan shell was a cage for him. Never put a wolf in a kennel, it gets hungry, was what his father used to say. Lance understood what he meant, now.

  He was an entirely different person in the beast form. So much so, he named his creature Beastor. And that was his true name. The day he could show his true self to people and become their master was all he wanted.

  He was willing to wait in the shadows of other leaders. Until he could kill them and take their place.

  He knew the transformation was complete when his vision changed. All the shapes in the room were more pronounced and everything became clearer. His malevolent scowl darted from side to side. His walls were dented with age and his furniture had a coat of dirt on it that he couldn’t see with his regular eyes. I’m going to kill my cleaning lady. Worthless slob.

  The only thing he wasn’t a fan of was the color change his demon eyes gave. All the vibrant colors were darkened and grayed slightly. Not enough to make him completely color blind, though. His red eyes were shining bright, for sure.

  Aaarr!

  The animal inside him was ready to play. He sniffed the air, loving the scent of the blood and fear she left behind. Good toy, be afraid, I can find you faster that way.

  He slammed the door making the hole twice as big. That’s another thing he’d have to fix because of her, which made him angrier. He brushed off wood chips from his slimy skin.

  He dreaded having to pass the magic blocker amulets around his house. Going into the tan curse was like having tons mosquitoes bite into his skin.

  She was going to pay.

  “She’ll pay in flesh,” he said with a hiss. A wicked smile wrinkled his face as he showed off his jagged teeth.

  He used his four new, long limbs to push against the ground following the smell of rotten apple Cat was trailing behind her. Fear is the easiest emotion to track. He was going faster and faster until his movement blurred. The hiss of the wind in his ears and the forest vibrating through him made him even stronger.

  A shiver of anticipation went down his spine. Here puss, puss.

  Thirty-four

  Cat hated running. The shock-waves pounding on her knees and the twigs scraping her bare feet made her clench her jaw. She wished she could levitate to him.

  In case Lance had sensors or magical detectors, Hendrick was miles away. So, she had a long run still ahead of her.

  At least she wasn’t sinking to her knees in mud with chompers biting at her heels, like in the Goddess’s vision. She was grateful for that.

  Despite everything, she was alive and hyped up.

  The night rubbed against her flesh and called to her. She felt amazing. The large trees, bright moon, and soft dirt made her soul hum with glee.

  She held her breath as she ran. Now that she was a vampire her body didn’t need as much oxygen. She would have to test her new abilities later.

  Except for her burning muscles. Even changing into a vampire couldn’t stop her round thighs from blazing from the stress. She seriously needed to run more often. So, running wouldn’t be as stressful for her body.

  An expected roar thundered behind Cat a few miles away. The sound-waves were so strong the rocks under her feet shot up, tripping her, which made her steady pace falter. She tightened her muscles, showing a little fear, and survival adrenaline spiked through her.

  She pushed her feet against the ground faster. Tapping further into her new beast made her vision laser sharp. The comforting green shine lit a path for her.

  Not that she needed the extra light. The tan curse wouldn’t let the darkness turn things black. Everything was an eerie bronze; not even the shadows could change the core color.

  She could hear Lance gaining on her; the way he snarled and snorted made him easy to hear. Might as well blare a car horn stupid.

  Something didn’t make sense though. Lance was a wilderness Beast, so his abilities shouldn't have exceeded hers. Not now that she had her own beast. She had studied wilder’s skills and flaws. They get their power from the trees. Like a tree, if they get damaged in the roots, they die.

  So, aim for the feet when fighting them. The shot won’t kill them, but their energy source is damaged. Effectively, making them easier to take down.

  They couldn't outrun a vampire, though. Even with the forest giving him strength. His new speed must have something to do with the demon. Maybe Lance got more than just hierarchy power from the demon. She contemplated that for a few seconds.

  Her eyes widened as realization hit her in the gut. “Dammit!” Cat said as she tucked her elbows into her body and made her aching legs move faster.

  She could not give u
p now, there was too much at stake. Her surroundings blurred, making her smile. Maybe she'd survive after all.

  Crunch, dead leaves on the ground sounded like a grenade going off. He was closer than she thought. Okay, maybe I spoke too soon.

  She said a small prayer that she would make it to Hendrick in time. If she was right about his boost in power, the situation had gotten a lot worse.

  She didn't get to think of the consequences of Lance having new powers. In less than a second, a brutal force slammed into her. She grunted, her luck had run out. Lance's large body crashed into Cat’s smaller frame. She tried to use their momentum to her advantage, but the blast of his monstrous body against hers was too fast.

  Even with his strong hold on her, she didn't go down easily. With all her might, she kept him from pinning her to the ground.

  Their bodies rolled around in the dirt, cutting into one another with their long, extended claws. When the documents fell out of her pants, he grabbed a handful of them and growled at her. He threw the papers down, leaping for her.

  His disgusting odor seeped into her skin, making her skin slimy. His nasty smell soaked into the cut Lance was making on her sides.

  Cat knew she was in trouble when he gripped her shoulders and pinned her down. A wicked grin stretched across his eyes as he let go of her, using his magic to keep her in place.

  "Mmm, this looks familiar.” He closed his eyes, “I sliced your smooth skin with my dagger?" He swiped a finger on Cat's face and scooped the seeping blood. Cat couldn't stop him; he had her pinned.

  Lance wiped the blood on his chest causing ripples of goosebumps to form over his body. Cat watched how they traveled from his neck then lower.

  She wanted to cut off his skin, so he could never experience that again.

  "Do you know what the funny part is? I knew you would open your legs for me without the drugs, but I wanted to smell and taste your fear."

  Her eyes widened.

  He was too strong. The sickening fear was like black oil drowning her. It threatened to take over her. “No, no, no, no!”

  His long claws cut at her again, but he wasn’t cutting her to cause her harm. The assault was to rip off the rest of her tattered clothes.

  Lance grabbed the documents from her and threw them to the side. Only stopping for a second, then attacking her clothes again.

  Cat knew what he was doing. If she was naked, he could attach himself to her. Once his erection was inside of her, she’d be trapped.

  That kind of demon attachment was different than a magical link, if a demon got the chance to inject someone physically, it was fatal.

  He would latch his manhood inside, and it would not leave until he wanted it to. Demons do it for psychological torture. The more they struggle, the tighter his member got inside of them until the victim was utterly helpless and eventually dead. So, if the someone wanted to live through that, they would have to submit to the demon.

  Knowing that was what he intended, Cat moved her legs and arms like a crazy person. She hoped he would either think she was letting fear run her and loosen his magical grip on her shoulder. Or, the movement would distract him enough to where Cat could find a way out.

  When he loosened his grip on her shoulders, Cat hesitated only a second. She never thought her flaying around would work. She looked him straight in the eyes and slammed her knee into his groin and her elbow into his face.

  Cat scrambled away.

  Lance held himself with one hand and pulled her back by her ankle with the other. The terror in her eyes and the sound of her thumping heart Cat could have forgiven herself for, but the bitter cry that exited her mouth made her angry. He wasn’t allowed to see her this way again.

  She blamed it on his new, intense scratches. They were like lava on her skin. She could smell them boil. She could feel herself passing out. He kept saying, "I’m Beastor, I get what I want," as he tore through her flesh like butter.

  She must have passed out because when she opened her eyes she was naked and Beastor was guiding himself toward her opening. “NO!” Cat screamed. This time she didn’t hesitate, she elbowed him again.

  She let her beast take over, flinging herself up and over his back. She dug her nails into his shoulder which made him cry out. The sound made her beast jitter with glee. Before she knew what, she was doing, her fangs sank into his neck.

  That was a breaking point for Cat. She was not going to let this dirtbag win again. Kill, kill, kill chanted over and over in her head. Her body rose off the ground, but she didn’t pay too much attention to it. All she knew was the bastard couldn’t get loose from her grip.

  She opened her eyes; their bodies were floating over the ground. As if connected to a rope, Cat let go of Beastor. Without her to hold him up anymore Beastor smashed to the ground. With all Cat’s might, she dove for him and pushed her nails into his spine.

  She could sense his demon magic surfacing again, so she only had one chance to escape. She needed to run. She needed Hendrick’s blood to kill him. There was no way she could defeat him without weapons or magic.

  When she was happy with the gashes in his back and on his neck, she booked it. Just in time, too, because Beastor put up a lightning shield. Anything inside the circle would be electrocuted. She hated demons.

  Pictures of his body on her and his blade in hand had her call out for help, "Hendrick! Hendrick!" Damn her pride. Her life mattered more.

  Cat ran to Hendrick who was waiting by some dark tan smooth trees. “Hendrick, heads up!” she yelled, so he would be prepared for battle. His eyes brows bunched together like he didn’t recognize her. He has been out in the curse for too long.

  Beastor hadn’t caught up with her yet which meant she had a few seconds to snap Hendrick out of it.

  Just as she reached him, he shook his head, “Aye, love?” His voice was the sweet caramel smoothness that she loved about him. “Ye naked and cut up, what in Hades is going on?” he pulled off his shirt and helped it over her head in a blur of movements.

  Cat was so flustered she didn’t even care if she was naked, “Beastor is coming.” She rambled, “Green, slimy, demon and has long, sharp nails. They almost cut my eyes out.” She panted trying to fill her lungs with enough air to talk, “He’s coming are you ready? The tan curse didn’t-”

  Hendrick’s eyes widened as he cut his palm shoving the blood in her face cutting her off. She took one drink and pushed his hand away. Her cuts were healing because of her vampire beast, but not quick enough to his liking.

  “I’m fine, kitty.” He rubbed his palm on his pants as his skin knitted back together, “Who the blasted is Beastor?” Hendrick asked holding her arms to steady her when she wavered on her feet.

  She paused for a second. Before she could answer, a familiar deep voice replied, “I’m Beastor.” His black eyes shone in the moonlight as his green, disgusting body walked out of the shadows.

  Thirty-five

  Cat could feel the vein in her forehead throb as Beastor stepped out of the shadows. His movements were slow and precise. Every step he took made Cat's heart pound faster.

  “It looks like someone crapped you out lad,” Hendrick lifted his chin to the demon. If there was one thing Cat was learning about Hendrick, he could win a provoking award.

  A deep warning growl came from Beastor, like a feral dog ready to attack, “You are going to be a part of my crap after I eat you alive.”

  Cat tried not to show any emotion, but he was the one person her stoic dead expression didn’t work on. She knew a flicker of fear escaped because his smile grew mischievous.

  She cursed under her breath, knowing that smile was going to haunt her nightmares. The razor-sharp teeth and long stretched mouth was the equivalent of evil. His black gaping eyes were even worse.

  ***

  Beastor got tired of waiting, he launched himself at Hendrick using his magic to push him back before swirling in the air. His big foot slammed into Hendrick’s jaw. The man was more of a threat, so h
e was going to take him down first.

  ***

  Hendrick moved so fast Cat could barely see his movements. He jumped to the side slashing his fist on Beastor’s jaw and using his dagger to rip into his chest. Hendrick didn’t have time to slice his palm with his blade, so it wasn’t a killing blow.

  The two tangled together on the ground, both trying to gain the upper hand. Cat watched, wanting to join in the fight, but their movements were a messy blur. If she jumped in, she could get Hendrick hurt, or herself. Hendrick already looked like he was slowing down. With his blood loss and tan curse, he was like a Natural.

  Cat put up her hand. “Volant,” she shouted as loud as she could. Beastor jerked to the side, but there wasn’t the substantial impact she was expecting. Cat shook her hand and tried again. Nothing…

  What the hell?

  Her beast wasn’t helping her much. Either her abilities weren’t strong enough in comparison to them, or she didn’t know how to tap into it yet.

  When she saw Beastor grab Hendrick’s head and get ready to snap it, she couldn’t stand by anymore. She leaped on a tree trunk and jumped on Beastor’s back. “Of all the Hades sluts, get off me.” His voice rose to a volume that hurt Cat’s ears.

  She bit his neck again, hating the tar taste of his blood flooding her mouth. This time she was different, like seeing Hendrick so close to death clicked something inside of her. Her muscles expanded and her power vibrating in her body became thunderous.

  “Get off me bitch.”

  Instead of letting go of Hendrick’s head like she hoped, he gripped onto it tighter, his power holding him down and his hands wrapped around his skull. She glanced down at Hendrick and noticed his skin looked a pale-yellow tan. He’s been out here for too long; the curse has gotten to him.

  Cat bit fiercely at Beastor’s open neck to stop him from hurting Hendrick. But the beast wasn’t going to let go. He shot green light into Hendrick’s head.

  The intense flash of light partially blinded Cat, so she pulled her mouth away from his neck to shield her eyes. When she opened them again, Hendrick’s limp body was crashing to the ground. “No!” Cat's heart broke at the sight of Hendrick laying on the ground. With the tan curse seeping into him and the blood loss, she feared he wouldn't wake up.