Tirade (Heven and Hell #3)(78)
Author: Cambria Hebert

Chapter Twenty-Five

Heven

I walked for what seemed like hours. They followed me, of course. Cole was in the driver’s seat of the Jeep, at a nonthreatening distance away, while Sam and Riley walked just steps behind me, flanking me like two bodyguards.

I paid them no attention. I only knew that I had to walk, that I had to go home. When the huge freestanding caves came into view, that horrid sound ripped from my throat again, over and over until my throat went hoarse. When I got to the entrance of the biggest cave, my legs gave out and I sank to the ground.

Dark shadows surrounded me and I looked up to see the deformed bodies of the hellhounds coming out of their caves. I heard the sound of ripping fabric and I knew Sam and Riley were morphing. I could hear the idle of the Jeep’s engine and was glad Logan, Cole and Gemma stayed in the car. The largest of the beasts put its nose down to smell me and then it made the same sound that I had made before.

So this was it. This was how I was going to die. I didn’t have any strength left in me to fight. Frankly, death seemed like a relief. It wouldn’t be for whom I was leaving behind, but I would welcome it. One of the beasts lunged and I covered my head with my hands, but it never made contact.

Sam intercepted the blow and an all-out war began raging around me. Sam and Riley were outnumbered by the things that lived in the caves. How long could they fight before they were taken down? I couldn’t let them die for me. They weren’t really saving me anyway because my death was sealed.

Sam, please stop. You can’t save me.

He roared. It was ten times the sounds the other beasts made. I forced myself to sit up and watched in horror as Sam took down two of the beasts in one blow. He didn’t even pause when he tore out their throats.

He had never looked so big. In fact, his size matched the overgrown size of the things he was fighting. I realized then that the anger and frustration he had been living with since being trapped was affecting his size. He was so enraged and distraught that he was swollen with it.

Riley was fighting with equal vigor. Violence came natural to him. He didn’t have to be angry to fight like Sam; it’s just the way he was. Although, not even his natural meanness matched what Sam was doing right now.

Suddenly, from out of the smallest cave darted another beast. It came right at me, its jaws open wide. I didn’t have time to scream, but just as it lunged it fell out of the air, dropping at my feet.

Cole appeared over it and yanked the jewel-handled dagger out of the back of its neck. Then he lifted me in his arms and took me farther away from the fight, from the carnage. I knew Sam was okay because I could feel the adrenaline surging through his body and hear his roars that cut through the darkness. But what about Riley?

“Riley?” I said to Cole as he sat me on the ground. I shouldn’t worry about him, but I did.

“He’s fine.”

Before I could say anything else, he ran off into the mix and began fighting. Gemma was in the mix too, having pulled out a bow and arrow. Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want to die. These people were fighting for me to live; they were risking their lives on the slim chance I survived.

I pushed myself to my feet, looking for the strength to do something, anything that would end the fighting, but then another one of those howls ripped out of me and I knew the strength I used wasn’t mine. It was the beast’s. A lone beast broke away and came rushing at me. Sam landed in front of me. All the midnight hair on his back rose as he made sounds that terrified even me.

The beast didn’t back down, which only incensed the thing inside me. It began fighting and clawing, trying to rip through my skin to get out. I felt a warm trickle of something on my chest and I looked down. It had finally done it. It had pierced my skin, really gashed it open. Folds of skin lay against me as I bled what little blood I had left. It was only seconds away from tearing me open.

I love you, Sam.

Sam roared and took out the beast threatening me and then turned just as I fell onto the ground, unable to do anything but hurt. Dimly, I heard a new sound, a familiar sound, but I couldn’t place it. Sam, still in hellhound form, stood over me, whining and licking my face.

Hold on, Heven. Please don’t leave me like this.

I’ll try.

Something loomed over us and I opened my eyes and tried to focus. It was The Devourer. He must have heard the fighting and come to help. Or maybe he sensed my death. At least I knew my friends, my love, would all be safe now. The Devourer came close, sniffing me. The hot breath that blew out of its nostrils brushed over me as my life slipped away.

Then something happened. It opened its mouth and started to suck…

NO! Sam roared and launched himself at the dragon, but Riley threw himself at Sam and knocked him away.

The dragon thought I was dead and he wanted what was left of my soul. I heard snarling and fighting beside me as everything began to fade and I felt an intense pulling on my chest like I never felt before. Before I knew it, something dark and cloudy flew out of my chest, right out of the huge gash that the beast made, and then everything felt better. I felt so much lighter. Relief washed over me and I saw a wonderful light, warm and welcoming.

Somewhere in the distance I heard yelling, begging, fighting. “Heven! Please, baby, no.” Don’t do this to me again.

The light looked so welcoming. Behind me there was so much pain and fear. The air was whirling around me, tugging me fast, inviting me closer, and for a moment I wanted to go there.

Then I turned my back.

The sucking stopped and everything fell still.

I lay on the hard, dirty ground and looked up into the eyes of The Devourer. His brightly colored feathers were a happy sight. “Thank you,” I told him.

The Devourer had sucked that beast right out of me. It was gone. I was free. For one brief moment, I felt hope.

Then the pain started, the pain that I had been blissfully free of for such short moments. Blood covered my body, and I couldn’t find the strength to move. Sam fell to his knees beside me. Bruises covered his face and chest. His eyes were wild, but when he touched me, it was gentle.

Heven?

I’m still alive.

A single tear fell from his eye and trailed down his ash-streaked face. I thought The Devourer wanted to eat your soul.

He ate the beast inside me.

Can I touch you? His hands hovered over me, unsure.

Please.

He gathered me close then buried his face into my neck and hair. It hurt to be touched, but the look on his face when he thought I was dead was far worse.

Behind us, everyone let out a sigh and the dragon made a sound.