Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(56)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

A vicious cross between a gargoyle and an ogre, the creature had dark, armor-like skin and a ridge of spines that ran from the base of its large, misshapen head down between its leathery wings to the tip of his long tail. Its short arms ended with clawed hands, as did his powerful legs, and when it turned toward Jaelyn she shuddered as she caught sight of its face.

Even by demon standards the thing was butt-ugly.

It had the grotesque features of gargoyles with beady crimson eyes and a snout with flaps over its nostrils. It also had a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth it proudly displayed.

But Jaelyn wasn’t fooled by the loutish cruelty etched into the face. There was an unmistakable intelligence shimmering in his eyes that was more dangerous than all his brute strength.

Remaining motionless, Jaelyn watched as the mongrel sniffed the air before it cautiously began to shuffle in her direction.

She didn’t so much as twitch a muscle as it halted near her feet, reaching out to poke her calf with a claw that was at least three inches long. She would bet good money that the creature was like most ogres, who preferred their meals to be alive and struggling.

The thing no doubt intended to drag her down to its private lair and wait for her to wake before it tried to eat her.

There was another poke; then the mongrel grabbed her around the ankle and began to drag her toward the back of the cell.

Knowing she’d only have one shot at catching the creature off guard, she remained limp until his head turned to glance toward the opening. His brief distraction was all she needed and, jerking her ankle free of his claws, she used the motion to rise to her feet and slammed her hand into his snout as he turned in shock.

She felt bone and cartilage shatter beneath her blow, but while the creature bellowed in pain, he remained upright and seriously pissed off.

Moving with surprising speed considering his heavy bulk, the thing grasped Jaelyn around the neck, ignoring the spikes of her dog collar, which bit into his thick hide, and lifting her to meet his glowing crimson gaze.

“Bitch,” he hissed, the word barely distinguishable between the sharp teeth.

Jaelyn smiled with cold anticipation, already knowing exactly where she would strike the killing blow.

“You’ve been a very naughty boy,” she mocked, hanging loosely in his grasp. “You should have known the vampires would come searching for you. We don’t like being prey.”

The thing wheezed out what she assumed was a laugh. “Tasty leeches. Yum, yum.”

He leaned forward to lick a rough tongue over her cheek.

A revolting mistake that Jaelyn made him pay for … with interest.

While he was occupied with his pre-dinner snack, Jaelyn was swinging her leg forward, landing a perfect blow to his manly bits, which were swollen with arousal.

As expected, the brute lost his grip on her as he doubled over in pain, but Jaelyn didn’t take time to appreciate her handiwork. Instead she used his contorted position to her advantage as she wrenched off her shoe and with one smooth motion had the three-inch heel stuck in the bastard’s eye.

With another bellow, the creature reeled backward, struggling to remove the shoe as the blood poured down his naked chest. Jaelyn smiled as she deliberately removed her other shoe and stalked forward. The heels were made from a combination of lead and silver since they hadn’t known exactly what sort of creature she’d be facing.

As luck would have it, a perfect blend to destroy the mongrel.

Hurray for her.

Sensing her approach, the demon lifted his head, swinging a clawed hand at her head. Jaelyn easily ducked the clumsy blow, and without the least amount of regret, she lifted the shoe and punched it into his other eye.

Screaming in pain the creature flailed forward, his arms swinging and his wings flapping as the metal in the heels allowed him to swiftly bleed to death.

Jaelyn stepped back and waited for nature to take its course, deeply relieved she didn’t have to actually drain the nasty thing to kill it.

On the downside, it seemed to take forever for the beast to collapse to the floor as the last of his life drained into the dirt.

“Jaelyn, the guards are coming,” the voice of Valla warned.

“Shit.”

Too well trained to leave a mark before she was certain it was dead, Jaelyn bent over the mongrel and allowed her senses to search some sign of his life force. Only when she was convinced that the beast was dead did she tug off the dog collar and remove the key that was enchanted to fit in any lock.

A handy little item.

Careful not to touch the silver bars, Jaelyn swiftly unlocked the cell door and allowed it to swing open. She had just stepped into the pathway when Valla reached out of her cell to brush her fingers over Jaelyn’s shoulder.

“Help me.”

Jaelyn stiffened, desperately refusing to glance at the vulnerable young female.

She was here on a mission. Which meant she didn’t have the luxury of caring what happened to the nymph. After all, if she dared to help Valla escape then the Addonexus would only hunt her down and kill her. Just to teach Jaelyn a lesson.

“I can’t.”

“Please,” the female begged. “Please, don’t leave me.”

“I …” Jaelyn struggled against her screaming instinct to unlock the damned cell and release the pleading female. For all she knew this was another test of her training. “I don’t have a choice.”

“Of course you do. Just open the door.” Valla’s choked sob stabbed Jaelyn directly in the heart. “I swear, I won’t slow you down.”

“You’re not part of the job.”

“Job? What job?”

“I have to go.” Jaelyn took off for the door, desperately trying to shut out the female’s scent of absolute terror.

“Wait,” the nymph cried out. “At least put me out of my misery.”

“ No.”

“Jaelyn, I beg of you.”

The screams followed her as she escaped from the dungeons and then the auction house.

They followed her back to her lair with the Addonexus, haunting her… .

Always haunting her.

Jaelyn woke with a low curse, rising to her feet to glance around the abandoned church.

She told herself the dream was a result of her near-death experience.

After all, if she hadn’t been a Hunter with the ability to shroud herself in shadows so thick she could bear the sunlight for short periods of time she would even now be a tiny pile of ash in the nearby caves.

As it was, she’d barely managed to climb out of the cave and dart to this church before she’d passed out from exhaustion.