by Brianna West
The distance between us was roughly twenty feet or so. Judging by the last attack, he wasn’t seeking to kill me, so I at least had that to my advantage. My brain worked quickly as my body grew weightless, and I silently prepared myself. Blue and gray wafted up from below as my power throbbed with the threat looming in the air.
I didn’t usually spare words for enemies. Unless it was my intention to distract them, there was no use for monologuing aside from a need to exert one’s belief they had won. But I had questions and needed a few seconds to think, so I called out to him.
“You,” I said in a short, growling greeting. I spared myself a few moments to recover from the pain resonating inside of my body before continuing, “Where have you hidden my brother?”
“Hidden?” the demon asked, pressing a hand to his chest in mock insult, “Hardly. He came to me, you realize. Begging. Pleading. Desperate to find his lowly place in this world.”
It took all of my control to keep the outright anger from my expression. “Tell me, demon, or die here today.”
“Strong words from someone who just got brutalized by only one attack,” the demon said with a casual gesture towards me, waving me off with a click of his tongue, “And I told you, call me Master.”
“Princess!” my Guardian yelled before the demon’s eyes glowed and red magic shot out of his body to where I stood.
Blue and gray throbbed as I rebuffed his attack and looked over my shoulder to find Bernie and Pavel trying to penetrate the red barrier that surrounded the demon and I. From their continued efforts, I deduced that they couldn’t break through. Which meant that this demon was too powerful for two Guardians and I’d have to be clever about every move I made. Not willing to risk another attack while I stared at them, I peered across at the demon who moved leisurely over the pavement, silently sizing me up.
So, he was a strategist like myself. That would complicate matters.
“This power of yours,” he said conversationally as I watched his every movement for an opening, “I’m eager to see just what it’s capable of doing. Controlling another person to such a degree, it would be quite useful, yes? So why then, why do you not use it on me? Does it not work on demons? Who, then, does it work on?”
I gripped my sword, biting back a reply. I’d only be feeding into whatever he wished to know. Silence was the only response to an intelligent foe such as this one. He intended to know to what extent my power reached and how one could be overcome by it. Since it was evident he planned to use me, it would benefit him to know the ins and outs of my special ability. However, even I had very little knowledge of such things. So, if tortured, he would never gain a full understanding over it.
From the two attacks I’d suffered as a result of the demon, I knew that I’d be no match for his magic since mine wasn’t as practiced as his was. My ability to overtake the will of another was my greatest asset; however, it was something in which I’d never used before. I wasn’t exactly sure I could use it either, since it required a concentration level I wasn’t at present capable of with my muddled thoughts.
“I see, then a trade,” the demon said, easing closer to me.
His intention was to focus me on his words rather than his actions, but I wasn’t easily baited as I quickly peered over my shoulder at the two Guardians, who were shouting and working together to try to break through the barrier holding me prisoner.
“Not the least bit tempted?” I heard the demon ask as my head whipped back his direction, hand tightening on my sword as I summoned the power from within. “Not even slightly curious about the very Guardian who you trust your life to?”
Against my better judgment, I froze and listened to what he was saying.
“Yes,” the demon said, red eyes sweeping down my body as a confident smile lifted his mouth, “The very man who protects you now has also killed many of his own kind. Shameless, really.”
Killed his own kind? Was he talking about the time when Bernie was King of the Tigers?
Swallowing, I pushed down the curiosity being brought forth with his words and prepared myself. Two steps closer and I’d be within range. Blue vortexed around me as I cut through the air with a speed most would be unable to follow, and then completely disappeared. Having never fought a high-demon, I wasn’t sure if he could see me or not. But it was my intention to find out.
The demon’s eyes widened briefly as I attacked him with a powerful burst of blue and grey. Deftly, I avoided the spindles of red as they attempted to trap me, spinning and maneuvering around the demon who called himself Master. From what I perceived thus far, his eyes did not follow my movements.
“So, this is the ability of your kind,” he said half to himself, red eyes glowing vibrantly with the continuous attacks I was making on him, “You far exceed your brother in ability.”
His face lit up, eyes sharply seeking me out as I attempted to find a weakness in his defensive barrier with my magic and powerful blows. “Very good.”
What? Something struck me about the way he spoke and the expression on his face. It was almost as if…
“Nyla!” Bernie yelled through the hazy red he was lashing out at with brutal force.
My attention was stolen away to my Guardian as his body transformed into the beast I had first seen him as, claws and powerful body striking into the barrier and causing it to falter and crack against the strength he put into it.
Somehow, with his body fully transformed into his tiger form, he was more powerful. If I wasn’t currently occupied with fighting someone who clearly outpowered and outwit me, I would’ve watched Bernie longer. Because his beast form was truly a marvel to see as a mix of gold, red, and orange seemed to explode from his body in short, violent pulses.
Even though he had found a weakness in the barrier, I knew that the high-demon could still claim victory in our fight, so I called upon my spirit essence. My entire being shifted and moved as if it carried no weight at all, leaving the demon desperate to follow my swift, undetectable movements once again.
I swung my sword down with brutal force, ready to end the battle with the blow. But just as I reached the demon, he evaded the hit and my sword only managed to cut through the flesh of his arm. Blood seeped from the wound my weapon inflicted, oozing down the torn fabric of the demon’s shirt. The creature smiled, tasting the blood of his arm and capturing me before I had time to react. An unforgiving hand took hold of my neck and brought my lips crashing into his. My stomach coiled violently the instant his tongue pushed its way into my mouth, and I quickly fought to get out of his hold.
“Nyla! You rotten bastard!” Bernie shouted, though his voice was muffled by the rage clouding my head as the demon bit my lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
Before I could do more, my body was struck with an intense pain that was something I’d never be able to adequately describe into words. It took hold of every space inside of me, working over my body at an agonizingly slow pace similar to the pain of being cut through with a blade. I didn’t even have time to feel violated, let alone think, with the terrible sensation overcoming my entire body.
As if watching everything in excruciating slow-motion, red encased my writhing form and held me prisoner. I heard Bernie’s enraged growl that seemed to penetrate the very air around us, effectively breaking through the fog inside my head that the terrible sensation had created. It was a heartrending sound that echoed in my ears long after it had ceased.
“An excellent effort, little princess, but you’ve ingested something incredibly debilitating to your kind. Consuming my blood is a sort of poison to you. Clever, yes?”
My body grew unbearably numb as I scarcely managed to stay conscious, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth as I watched the two Guardians finally break through the barrier with the joining of their magic. White light flooded the world around the barrier, signifying the arrival of more Guardians. Relief washed over me as I was released from the red that held me captive and dropped me like useless garbage to the f
loor. But my relief was short-lived as the demon stood over me, his face cool and unaffected by the Guardians now coming to my rescue.
“Bloody angels always ruining the mood,” he said shortly, leering into my eyes, “But they’re too late, as always. I’ll be back for you, dear princess. Wait for your master, yeah?”
He disappeared from above me, taking the last bit of my strength with him as I laid lifelessly on the ground, fading in and out of consciousness. Bernie came to my side and lifted me from the floor, his face distorted with grief as the sides of my vision darkened. Touching my face, he whispered words I couldn’t hear as the last bit of color faded from view as I fell into a deep, impenetrable darkness.
Chapter Eleven
~***~
My consciousness sparked, hearing the frantic, concerned chatter around me for minutes before I was able to shed away the buzzing in my ears and groggy sensation clouding my head.
“Hands off!” I heard someone shout, voice loud and raspy but clearly female, “Give the princess some room, you damn idiot.”
My vision was hazy when I fully came to, unable to move much more than my eyes when I attempted to seek out the person whose voice reverberated with an authority I was instantly attracted to. But my body had remained dense and immobile as a woman with striking green-colored eyes hustled beside me, lifting a few vials and pressing them to my lips. Each liquid she helped me swallow with a kind touch, soothing it down with her hand along my throat and offering me a gentle smile.
Despite the bitterness overtaking my mouth, I was instantly mesmerized by the woman whose hair was flowing like exquisite golden silk over her shoulders, braided off to one side with curls hanging loosely around her face. Her green eyes harbored an intelligent glint within their depths every time they passed over my face; unconcealed confidence blaring inside them and suggesting that whatever she was doing, it would work without fail.
Having known very few women in my life, I was immediately taken with her. It wasn’t arrogance that was expressed in her every gesture and swift movement, but trust in her own ability to help me. And without knowing who or what she was, I found my own confidence in her ability to help me growing every second.
“How do you expect her to recover if you ain’t doin’ nothing, you sorry excuse for a brother?” the woman scolded the much larger man beside her, clicking her tongue with irritation as she pressed a tender hand to my forehead.
I was falling hard for this woman whom I’d only just met.
Her eyes were kind in spite of her brash words as she smacked the man beside her a moment later when he got in her way. Mumbling angrily, she endeavored to check the rest of my condition with her wispy gold magic as it formed around my body the instant it flowed out of her palms. She manipulated the strands, weaving them expertly over me.
If my stare hadn’t already been enraptured with the woman’s confident face, which expressed the powerful sense of self she carried in every action, I might have watched the beautiful display of magic as it snaked over my body and gathered the information she desired to know.
She was slight in frame, barely a few inches taller than me, judging by the difference in height to the man beside her. However, her features were discernably similar to the man hovering at her side, taking the occasional beating when he attempted to help her along with whatever she was doing. When I finally paid him enough attention, spending several minutes figuring out the small, violent woman I instantly shared a connection with, I realized just who it was by the hat situated on top of his head and the gleaming, worried amber eyes that were pinned to my face.
“Bernie?” I asked, voice feather-soft and barely audible, “What happened?”
“Darling!” he hollered, getting a sound hit to the head that resounded within the room as the magical woman with a similar face in spite of green eyes punished his loud outburst.
“She’s recovering, you blubbering idiot!” she barked, sighing heavily before touching my face with a soft hand. Her hand was soothing and gentle like a mother’s touch—or so I assumed since my memories of my mother were so faded I couldn’t quite remember her touch. “How are you feeling, princess? Can you move your body at all?”
She was the cutest, most lovable woman I’d ever met!
My gaze flickered over to Bernie, seeing the perspiration on his forehead and the pooling moisture along the collar of his shirt. His jugular was thudding rapidly as he moved closer, taking hold of my hand. The genuine concern in his eyes caused my own pulse to race as heat flushed through my cheeks when I remembered the reason we had come here and what had transpired before I’d been poisoned by a demon. Memories came and went quickly as I desperately tried to regain the composure I’d already lost in the seconds I was focused on the disorderly appearance of my Guardian.
He was breathtakingly gorgeous even with his unkempt appearance. Actually, the disorder to his person seemed to heighten how attractive he was. Or I was so far gone at this point with my infatuation for him that I’d find him alluring in any sort of state he might be in.
Even with a shirt that simply stated, “Your dirty little secret.”
The phrase alone made me yearn to punish him, but it was already being carried out by the woman bustling beside me.
The woman, seemingly misunderstanding the situation, pushed Bernie with a force that took him off of his feet. I heard the tremendous thump of his body as he hit the floor, his groan filtering up from beneath in the moments afterwards. Then, when it appeared he had recovered from the brutal blow, Bernie ambled to his feet precariously.
“Sheesh, Sis, you always put all your strength into every hit,” Bernie said, nursing a wound where he had hit his shoulder. His expression was contradictory, however, as his mouth and eyes were lifted with affection.
So, his masochism was a result of his sister’s treatment. Intriguing. My respect and admiration for her was increased a hundredfold with that mere discovery.
The woman’s stare narrowed with frustration as she whipped her head to the side and pointed a finger at the much taller Bernie, voice hissing with her growing agitation. “You dare say that to me after bringing her here, half-dead, no explanation, just ‘she got hurt bad’ and you expect me not to be ready to smother you in your sleep, you damn, stupid, sorry excuse for a brother!”
Bernie’s expression grew sheepish as I managed to move my arms, finding that I was no longer paralyzed and the pain was slowly fading with each breath I took.
“Well, when you put it like that…” he trailed, smiling helplessly.
Holy Mother, he was adorable.
I shook away the momentary appreciation of the smiling Guardian and sat up, drawing the two’s gaze with the sudden movement. Bernie made to speak, but the woman who was evidently his sister pressed her hand into his face and shoved him off. He just barely managed not to fall to the floor, taking several steps to keep his body upright.
Her green eyes watched me, sliding over my face with silent awe and relief. “Oh, thank heavens you can move,” she said with a whispered prayer, eyes straying over to Bernie with renewed frustration as she pushed back the hair that framed her face. “You must be so confused. And no thanks to my stupid, idiotic, no-good little brother, you and I are meeting like this.”
I swallowed the question I was desperate to ask, steeling my outward persona in face of this new woman who was quickly becoming a favorite. Her style of punishment was something in which I was enormously envious of. Never could I brutalize with such poise and unhesitant beauty as she did Bernie. Simply, it would never be permitted of my station. Punishment to such a degree would be considered excessive. Though in Bernie’s case, necessary.
Bernie’s hand touched mine, restarting the pulse I’d finally managed to calm down. “How are you feeling? Anything hurting? Need Bernie to rub it for you?”
Green eyes rolled as the woman took the tall Guardian by the ear. He giggled with an ‘owie!’ as she dragged him down with a penetrating stare, flicking her gaze
over to me briefly with a lift to her mouth. “Did I just hear you right, oh stupid little brother of mine? Did you just sexually harass a princess of the In-Between realm with that senseless mouth of yours?”
“We’re in love!” His ear got tugged again, making the last word turn into a squeal.
“A useless, ill-mannered, soft-handed imposter of a cowboy like you with a beautiful, definitely smarter than you’d ever hope to be, and not even in the same solar system out of league princess like her?” She laughed, but the sound lacked humor. “You better thank your lucky stars that she’s in the room, or I’d have you unconscious and laid out on the floor for Ma to find when she got home.”
I was in love.
“No need,” I interrupted, saving Bernie with my words as his ear was released, “I have grown accustomed to his uncouth way of addressing me. However, I do wish to know where I am and who you might be, if you would be so kind.”
Her eyes were sparkling with an eagerness to latch on and embrace me with an enthusiasm only Bernie could match. The difference was that she didn’t, respectfully keeping her distance unlike her shameless younger brother. A part of me was disappointed that she hadn’t, because in my current state, I would’ve been able to explain away the embrace. Truly, I wanted to throw my arms out and take hold of her myself, feeling all sorts of emotions with our instant kinship for brutality against rudeness.
“Oh, aren’t you just the sweetest thing! A heart of pure gold for putting up with this blithering idiot! Pardon my manners, princess. I’m this idiot’s older sister, Itzel. Half-sister, no less. Believe me, I’m glad for it in instances like these.”
Half-sister?
Gathering what my expression suggested, Itzel explained further. “We don’t have the same father. I’m a pureblood witch and the resident healer in our hometown. It’s lucky this idiot thought of me. When the angels were unable to heal the poison, it was left to me to figure out a way to concoct an antidote.” She smiled sweetly, touching my hand. “You have so much fortitude, which is the very reason the poison didn’t do what it was meant to do.”