AllFreeNovel
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Dozens of black horses surround the property. But as she watches, some of them shift into demonic type creatures with tails and long ears. These ones climb onto the horses, getting ready to take chase. ‘Nick...’
He grips her hand. ‘I’ve got this.’
She has no idea how he thinks he has this, but she’s so completely out of her depth, all she can do is nod. The Púca turn to look at them, their grins sending chills down her spine.
‘Scarlett.’
‘Yes?’
‘Run!’ He shoves her towards the car at the same time the horses at the front leap over the fence, moving towards Nick. Even though she doesn’t want to leave him, she races to her truck, hitting the remote as she runs. She pulls open the door, climbs inside and slams the door shut. It takes a few attempts to get the key in the ignition, her hands are shaking so badly, but it finally fits and she starts the engine.
When she looks up to see where Nick is, she can’t believe the scene in front of her. Púca are crowding him, attacking from all sides, but he’s still standing. He slashes at them with the poker and a knife, cutting and striking with deadly accuracy. He’s not randomly lashing out. He’s controlled and methodical.
Nick swings the poker against the head of one of the riders and Scarlett grimaces as it falls to the ground. He races towards her car, wrenching the door open and climbs inside. ‘Go!’
She screeches out the gate and along the track to the main road. ‘Are you okay?’ she shouts over the roar of the engine.
Nick wipes purple blood off his face, smearing it across his skin. ‘Yeah. Put your foot down!’ He turns around, peering over his shoulder.
‘What the hell was that?’
‘What was what?’
‘You were fighting them.’
He shrugs out of his coat, dumping it on the back seat. ‘They’re not usually fans of sitting down and having a chat.’
‘But you were fighting. I mean like you’d done it before.’
He nods as he meets her eyes. His own are pure white, giving him a seriously dangerous look. ‘I told you that’s what we do.’
‘Yeah, but I thought... actually scrap that. I haven’t got a clue what I thought. I just wasn’t expecting that.’ Scarlett screeches when something heavy lands on the roof of the car.
‘Hold that thought.’ Nick opens the car door and stands on the edge of the seat. A high-pitched scream comes from above the car, then one of the Púca slides down the windscreen, it’s throat gaping open, spilling bright purple blood onto her car. Nick grabs it by the leg, throwing it away from the car, before dropping back into the seat.
She manoeuvres the car off the track onto the single lane road, pushing it faster now she’s on a smooth surface.
Nick cleans her kitchen knife on his trousers and glances over at her again. ‘What were you saying?’
‘I have no idea. I don’t even know what’s going on right now.’
Nick squeezes his eyes shut and sucks in a breath.
‘Are you hurt?’
He shakes his head. ‘Just my magic. Are we nearly there?’
She checks their surroundings, recognising some of the landscape, even in the dark. ‘About five minutes. Can you last that long?’
‘No problem.’ He curses, then grabs the wheel, ploughing the car into a large black horse that steps out in front of them. Scarlett lets go of the wheel, screaming as it crashes over the car, landing on the road behind them.
‘Goddammit! How the hell are you so calm?’ she asks, taking the wheel from him again.
‘I told you. It’s my job.’
‘You’re fucking Santa, Nick! You give presents to kids.’
‘And fight the bad guys. I only deliver gifts one day a year. I don’t sit around on my arse for the other three hundred and sixty four days. We fight.’
