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I wanted to scoot closer, but they'd see me if I tried to move. From this distance, I couldn't understand what they were saying. But Green Eyes' friend threw his hands around in anger when he spoke. It sounded like they were having an argument.
I didn't know demons argued.
I'd always thought of them as brainless kinds of creatures – like jellyfish looking for their next meal. But I suppose if what Granny said was right, they had to have some sort of intelligence to be fighting over territory.
What was so special about this place anyway? I loved it, but it didn't make sense to me why demons would fight over this single patch of land. The forest was huge. They could each have their own territory and never have to cross paths. There had to be something here worth saving.
My thoughts distracted me enough that I almost missed the blurring figure cutting through the trees a few yards away from me. It flitted from tree to tree, hiding behind the thick trunks of the pines, only pausing for half second breaks. In that momentary break, I caught a glimpse of the creature.
He had a thick black beard and wavy black hair. His arms were rough and muscular under a flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off. The sick and deathly flush of his face paired with black eyes told me he was another demon. And he wasn't alone. Four other demons flitted through the trees beside him.
Pressing myself as flat as I could, I watched the team of new demons move in close to Green Eyes and his muscular friend. From what I could see, they had no clue they were being stalked. They still stood over the elk carcass, deep in conversation.
I wanted to shout out and warn them. Something about Green Eyes made me want to protect him. But it was stupid to interfere, especially to save a murderous demon that would take one look at me and snap my neck. So I laid low and waited for the battle to begin.
They struck without warning, jumping from behind the pines with dizzying speed. The black bearded demon razed his sharp claws across Green Eyes' friend, shredding the back of his legs. With a scream, he went down and a female demon dressed in a slim leather coat jumped on top of him, baring her claws and tearing into his neck.
Green Eyes drew the thin sword from his back and began to fend off the attack. He turned and sliced, beheading a tall redhead with a single motion, turning her into a pile of dirt. His friend was screaming, blood spilling from his neck onto the forest floor. Green Eyes made a move in his direction but dropped his sword when black beard lunged for him.
I watched in horror as three demons wrestled Green Eyes to the ground and tore at his clothes. He pulled a silver knife from his boot and plunged it into a demon that resembled a small Asian man, obliterating him into a black cloud that disappeared into the ground.
Green Eyes' friend pulled a similar silver dagger from his side. Blood was pooling in his mouth, trailing down the sides of his cheeks. His attacker was a trim brunette woman, her eyes flashing red at the sight of his blood on her hands. He thrust the knife squarely into her chest, turning the hilt for added effect.
The demon squealed, her scream morphing into the dark voice of an ancient and evil being. She swiped at him one last time with her claws, before bursting into dirt and leaving a black cloud behind. After it got sucked into the ground, his hand dropped and his eyes rolled in his head, the ground soaked in his blood. Even from where I lay, I could tell he was dead.
Now, all that remained were the two demons still wrestling with Green Eyes on the ground. He had retrieved his dagger and managed to slice off one of Black Beard’s arms. The other demon had his attention now. It was a tall blond man with a thick neck. He hissed at Green Eyes, driving his knees into Green Eyes' stomach to force him flat on his back. Green Eyes gasped for air, the weight of the demon driving the air from his lungs.
"Stab him," I urgently whispered, grabbing the boulder to steady myself. "Come on, you have to save yourself."
Green Eyes took a deep breath and in a blur of motion, threw the demon off and straddled him. He raised the silver dagger above his head and brought it down with both hands, piercing the blond demon's heart.
He didn't get long to celebrate his victory. Black Beard retrieved the thin sword with his remaining arm and plunged it into Green Eye's shoulder with a triumphant laugh. I covered my eyes with my fingers, afraid to look.
The battle had only lasted seconds, but it felt like an hour had gone by. These demons moved liked fighter jets, their bodies in constant motion. I just knew that when I opened my eyes, Green Eyes would be dead, and the black bearded demon would be feasting on his body. It made me sick just thinking about it.
But I couldn't stay there all day with my eyes closed, especially not if I wanted to make it home alive. These woods had become so dangerous this year. Never in my twenty-one years of living here had I seen so many demons up close. Maybe Granny was right and I should stay away. I didn't want to end up as a meal for some ferocious demon, and my death blamed on a bear attack.
I peeked through my fingers just as Black Beard burst into dust, leaving Green Eyes kneeling on the ground with his sword in his hands. He must've pulled it out of his own shoulder to run it through the remaining demon. A shiver ran through me. I could hardly handle the yearly flu vaccine Dr. Morton gave to all the folks healthy enough to get it. A sword wound like that would've knocked me dead.
Swaying in place, Green Eyes called out to his friend in a weak voice, before collapsing to the ground. He dropped his sword and closed his eyes, his head rolling to one side. All was silent.
He was dead. He had to be, after a fight like that.
I crept further over the rocks, considering my options. I could run away now and not stop until I was safe in the goddess' territory. Or, I could get a closer look at these demons th
at didn't disappear into a cloud of dust like their enemies. One of Granny's favorite saying was curiosity killed the cat. She knew I was too curious for my own good. She'd say it now if she were here, although we both knew I'd investigate anyway.
Moving cautiously forward, I hid behind the trees until I was only a few yards away from the bodies. His friend still hadn’t moved. I crept closer until I knelt beside him. He looked like a human. Red blood, pale skin, long brown hair, blue eyes. Just like the hikers that stopped every day at the Pump N’ Go.
A sputtering breath caught my attention. Green Eyes' chest rattled with the effort to breathe, droplets of blood spraying from his mouth. I crouched down, ready to run at the first sign of danger. With those wounds, even I'd be able to outrun him.
When nothing changed except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest, I crawled forward until I sat next to his body. Up close, Green Eyes was even more handsome. He had the shadow of a beard on his chin, and signs of healing scars along his neck. Other than the few boys from my tiny school and the neighboring farmers that would occasionally come into town, I didn't have much experience with men. But I could easily tell… this one was beautiful.
An ugly wound was torn into his upper right shoulder where the sword had been plunged. Blood seeped from the wound and soaked into his brown t-shirt. A few claw marks across his face and arms dripped blood onto his pale skin.
Without thinking, I reached out my hand and touched his cheek. I wasn't sure if I expected him to be cold, like a vampire or something, but his skin was as warm as mine and surprisingly soft. Maybe that's what made a demon so scary. They looked and acted like humans, seducing even the strongest of us into believing they were nothing more than a pretty face. With that thought in mind, I trailed my fingers down to his chiseled jaw, but pulled back as soon as his eyelids began to flutter.
I held my breath, waiting for him to wake up. If he saw me this close, there was no telling what he'd do. He still had the sword next to his hand, so I kicked it away and grabbed the silver dagger, storing it in the back pocket of my jeans. At least I could defend myself with it if it came to that.
