Chapter 35

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Lyric

Inzo’s psycho patrol was just out of sight and I was just out of time. Needing a little boost of juice, I pictured my wings unfolding and they quickly snapped out behind me. It felt natural, as though I’d always been able to do such a thing.

The charge came faster this time, like the best shot of espresso I’d ever had, coating me in a soft radiance. Unlike before, these powers didn’t burn fabric. Maybe something in me knew to adjust the dial so I wouldn’t have to fight naked.

I reached for only one sword this time, Deimos, because my little buddy needed a turn. Also, I’d need to keep one hand free to throw daggers and stars, or to force the demons out of Shadow form if that was how they attacked.

When the first enemy breached the tree line, fully corporal, he did a double take. I tried not to be insulted. I’m sure from his perspective what he was seeing was a little peculiar.

I mean, I was standing alone in the woods, in a bra, with sprays of blood dotting my arms and abdomen, newly formed wings on my back, while glowing from head to toe. And let’s not forget the make-shift turban wrapped around my head. Even in the Otherland this wasn’t normal.

Close to a hundred demons appeared right after the first, all armed in some fashion. I almost respected the way they held an actual formation. It was amazing what a bunch of walking-talking-hemorrhoids could figure out when they really put their minds to it.

I was just about to come up with a great opening line when a hot stream of liquid landed on my wings. They sizzled and the putrid stench of burnt ammonia clogged the air.

Just what I needed—a piss bath right before I got murdered. Only one turd nugget could be responsible. I felt Chimmie’s energy zap and he became visible right above my head, wiggling in his little harness.

“Damnit, Chimmie!”

“Nice wings,” Leeta voiced from behind me.

My spine snapped ramrod straight. There were two other souls right beside her, one so unexpected I didn’t believe it.

I turned my head and there he was, Gabrian Petrov dressed in full combat gear, covered in blood. Not his, I was sure. Next to him stood Draven.

The energy rolling off his body was stifling, full of want, of longing, of things unsaid. Or were those my feelings being reflected back to me? It didn’t matter. I wasn’t ready to deal with him, with either of them.

Everything. Every fucking little thing. Every lie, every omission, every second of misbelief that I’d never get back, the betrayals I’d never get over. It all skyrocketed to the surface, pouring gasoline on fire.

Full blown flames, not sparks, erupted from my pores. Engulfed, it was a wonder I could see.

“Get control of yourself, Alyrica.”

It was the wrong thing for Gabrian to say. I lifted my flaming middle finger, the one he’d broken on my twentieth birthday. “Fuck you, Father.”

Then I turned my favorite digit to the Shadow Lord. “And fuck you, too. Fuck you both!” I shouted, spinning on one foot and taking off at a dead sprint towards the closest enemy.

Draven’s thundered warning barely registered. Paying no heed wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done, but it felt fanfuckingtastic. I was half-feral by this point and running on instinct. Okay, instinct and a hefty slice of heartache.

The Shadow I struck first was no soldier. Neither was the second. As Deimos sliced and cut, I was able to reflect on the two males on the receiving end of my outrage. As far as end-of-life dramatic goodbyes went, I thought I’d done pretty great. Their faces were priceless. They—

An arrow whizzed by, too close for comfort. The more skilled fighters were further back. Pussies.

Draven and his army joined the melee, falling in behind my lead. Inexplicably, it was Gabrian who remained close, covering my back. Why give me the death pill if he was going to put effort into keeping me alive?

I lost sight of Draven. There were too many bodies. Too many cries of pain. Too much chaos.

The battery pack on my back kept me going. Because my wings weren’t made of flesh, no impact could injure them. They were awesome.

Not awesome? The press of steel into the side of my neck. I stopped in my tracks, pissed beyond belief. One whiff and I knew who’d gotten to me.

Fucking Inzo.

Now that a sword was pressed into my flesh, the haze of violence lifted. Most of the combatants were dead. A few were being held off to the side by Leeta and some Shadows I didn’t know. Five of Inzo’s troops were surrounding Inzo and I, facing outward to guard us. Where was Gabrian?

“Put them away or I’ll draw blood,” Inzo whispered in my ear.

I retracted my wings and dropped my sword. I felt his surprise when I pressed my back to his front. I’d let him think I was a willing captive. For now.

“Let her go,” Draven ordered.

“No, I don’t think I will. Back up. All of you.”

Nobody moved until Draven waved them off. It was clear his army would never take orders from a traitor.

“What is it you want? Inzo, is it?”

Inzo laughed humorlessly. “You don’t even know who I am, do you?”

“No.”

“Such arrogance. Let me enlighten you. My name is Inzo. My father’s name was Rorik.”

“So your dad was a murdering piece of shit, too?” I accused.

“Hold your tongue or I’ll remove it!” Inzo teemed, sliding his sword across the base of my neck, drawing blood. The warm flow tickled on its way down to my clavicle. I’d had worse.

“You killed my father, Draven, and for that you must pay.”

“I didn’t know he had a child.”

“My mother had only recently found out she was pregnant at the time of his murder. She fled home to her family’s village so she wouldn’t be alone when I was born.”

“Dude,” I scoffed, “you realize Rorik killed Draven’s father first, right?”

“Lyric, stop talking.”

I glared at Draven. I wasn’t too keen on taking orders from him ever again. Except in bed. Shut up, slutsoul!

“I’ll ask once more. What do you want?”

“You. Dead by my hand.”

“An exchange, then? Me for Lyric?”

“Yes.”

Draven seemed to be contemplating this dickasaur’s demand. Was he nuts? He had the upper hand. He outnumbered the enemy more than ten to one. He wouldn’t. He definitely shouldn’t. I wasn’t worth it.

When I met his eyes, I knew. I knew he was actually going to put himself in Inzo’s hands. For me. My throat thickened. Though he’d hurt me, I refused to let Draven fall victim to the son of his father’s murderer.

“Done,” Draven decreed.

The recently established icy casing around my heart shattered. A white-hot searing scorched my soul, waning into a palliated connection to the Shadow Lord.

Nope. I was so not going to let this swap take place. Rolling my eyes into the back of my head, I let all my weight fall into Inzo.

“What the—”

“She fainted,” said one of Inzo’s lackeys.

Inzo sighed. “This is why women should never be allowed to fight.”

Leeta snarled. Why did she have to be so awesome? If I were a male, I’d totally want her.

Keeping the pointy end of his blade at my neck, Inzo lowered me to the ground. My head and hands were at the side of his feet. Perfect—I hoped.

Above me, the males traded words. I was too focused on pulling energy into my palms to listen to Inzo’s planned exchange.

Kree’s explanation had been simple, I picture a place, release the energy, and the location I visualized is where the portal takes me.

My palms pressed to the ground. Slowly, praying I’d avoid detection and this hairbrained idea worked, I slid my hands across the grass behind Inzo’s heels, stretching them as far as could. Heat licked at my skin and I drew my hands back.

The pong of sulfur pushing out of the hole I’d created was overwhelming. Inzo shifted, lifting his sword off my neck as he turned to inspect the god-awful stink.

Not allowing him time to figure out what I’d done, I grabbed the wrist holding the sword and yanked him off balance as hard as I could. He tried to take Shadow form but my magic wouldn’t let him.

As I watched him fall, I bent his wrist, pushing the blade of his weapon into his calf. Only then did I roll away. The injury wasn’t severe, but Draven had said an injured Shadow couldn’t ghost.

When I came to a stop and jumped to my feet, the portal was gone. So was Inzo. The rest of the bad guys were on their knees in surrender.

Holy shiznit. I’d done it. Inzo was lying at the bottom of a live volcano. I hoped he melted slowly. I had zero time to celebrate. Coming at me was one determined Shadow Lord. I wasn’t ready to face him.

“Lyric?” he said.

My fight or flight instinct took over. For the first time in my life, I chose flight.