The wind of its passing ruffled my hair as the stinger plunged three feet into the ground. Dirt and debris exploded from the earth; rocks stung my skin as they peppered my face.
I blinked debris from my eyes while rolling to avoid the claw another one swung at me. When a tail sank into the ground only inches from my face, I stopped moving as the edge of its rigid tail brushed my cheek.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Ryker
When the creaturelifted its claw to hammer me into the ground, sparks flew from my sword as I managed to bring it up between me and the cordou. Gripping the end of the blade with my free hand to use it as a barrier between us, blood welled forth as it sliced through skin and muscle to grind against my bones while the claw scraped my blade.
I gritted my teeth as the creature bore down on me, pushing me deeper into the earth. The electricity flowed through my body and illuminated the blade before I unleashed it on the fucker.
It released an eerie screeching howl as it reeled onto its hind legs. Its claws flashed over my head, and one struck my temple before it fell onto its back.
White lights swam before my eyes as my vision narrowed. Blinking rapidly, I struggled to remain conscious as something trickled down my temple.
The skittering sound of another one charging sent a bolt of adrenaline through me, and my vision cleared. The danger was far from over.
Dropping my blade, I twisted onto my side, planted one hand on the ground, and lifted the other. When the charging cordou reeled back on its legs and lifted its claws to hammer them into me, I shot a lightning bolt at its chest.
The impact created a black hole in the center of the cordou, and smoke spiraled from it as the creature flew backward. It hit a tree and splintered the trunk in half.
A loud creaking filled the air as the tree tilted precariously before giving way with a loud crack and a rush of wind as it sped toward the ground. The earth quaked when the trunk crashed off the ground and bounced up before settling into its new position.
Scampering to my feet, I ran past the first one I electrocuted. It remained on its back, its small legs curled into its chest and its tongue lolling out of its head.
I rushed at the other creatures who had closed in on Tucker and Ianto. I couldn’t see Tucker anymore, but Ianto was doing his best to fend the remaining three off with his staff.
Now that the creatures had surrounded my friends, they’d exposed themselves better to me. Lifting my hands, I flung two bolts of electricity into the creatures closest to me.
Fury and terror propelled my ability to higher levels as lightning came from inside me and the earth. One of the creatures flew over Ianto while the other screeched as it sat back on its hind legs and its claws waved in the air. White light encompassed it before the thing burst.
Pieces of its body showered the clearing and us. Shell, blood, and other debris stuck to me, dripped from my hair, and slid down my cheeks before plopping onto the ground.
Once I eradicated those two, the third was exposed. Planting my feet, I unleashed another bolt that hit it straight in the center of its forehead. It exploded on impact.
Those pieces showered Ianto in more debris and blood. The giant stood there, his eyes closed against the goo dripping down his face and sliding off his chin.
“About time, Pretty Boy,” Farley said as he floated past.
Unable to ignore him anymore, I lifted my hand and fired a lightning bolt straight into his nondescript ass. Farley erupted into hundreds of tendrils of a smokey substance when the lightning pierced through him and slammed into a tree.
I scowled as those pieces started knitting themselves back together. It was too much to hope I’d killed the fucker, but a few minutes of peace would have been nice.
“That wasrude,” Farley grumbled as he turned and floated away from me.
I’d stopped paying attention to him as my focus had shifted to Tucker. A growing pool of blood spread beneath his unmoving body.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Ellery
“You have a lovely home, milady,”Gaius commented when I returned from gathering Ivan’s money.
I’d left him in the hall and asked him to stay there, but apparently that meant he was free to roam, as I found him in the dining room. This time, I didn’t hide my irritation as I stared at him from the front hallway.
“Thank you,” I said in a clipped tone.
I set the trunk with Ivan’s carisle down and opened the front door. The fresh air, carrying the hint of horses, chickens, and sheep, was a welcome contrast to the claustrophobic feel of the manor.
