Curse And Craving

36

A growl came from Lochlan just as a head from one of the creatures plunked on the concrete floor and rolled in front of me. I wasn't sure how he had done it, nor did I want to know. It hit me in a moment of clarity amid my panic that I had assumed the magic from my necklace would somehow keep me protected. That was the only reason I’d taken the risk of showing up to this m******e. It had kept me hidden and safe when I’d needed it most, and I’d subconsciously relied on that fact. I’d counted on its help to bring me home safely. But as I slashed at the Fae closing in on me, it was clear that my assumption had been a grave mistake. If I didn’t find a way out of here soon, my parents would have to bury another child. It would break them. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to survive this. How the f**k does this thing work? I tried to mentally summon the necklace’s powers without any luck. With each second that ticked by, the vicious creatures surrounding me were inches away from ending my life.

Taking a particularly large lunge forward on an attack, Lochlan separated from my back just long enough that a creature reached in from beside me in an attempt to grab my left arm. I slashed with the knife in my right hand without making contact. My miscalculation allowed him enough time to grab my downcast arm and yank me away from Lochlan. The creature threw me back against the wall, my back slamming so hard that the air squeezed from my lungs, and I gasped for breath. Approaching me with wicked delight, the creature raised its clawed hand and viciously slashed at me just as I lifted my arm in a feeble attempt to protect myself. Instead of the searing pain I had expected, there was a loud pop and an intense pressure on my wrist. I watched in astonishment as the Unseelie was thrown backward several feet, and Cat’s bracelet slid from my wrist, dropping to the floor. The bracelet had contained some sort of protective ability. I was stunned but had no time to dwell. Before I could make a move to grab the bracelet or get back to Lochlan, a second creature yanked me away from the wall and landed a brutal blow to my face that threw me headfirst into the wall. Lochlan bellowed out in fury, calling my name, but I couldn’t respond. I was too disoriented and writhing in pain on the floor. Knowing I needed to get up, I dazedly pulled myself back to my feet. Scanning the floor, I searched frantically for the knife I had dropped when I was punched. “Looking for this?” The raspy voice chilled my bones. I lifted my gaze to see the creature who had thrown me into the wall. The perverse expression on his wrinkled face was evidence that he delighted in toying with his prey. With a surge of adrenaline, I launched myself toward Lochlan but was quickly grabbed from behind and tackled to the floor. I managed to twist onto my back as we fell and land with the Unseelie above me. His spindly fingers plunged the knife toward my chest, and my hands shot up to grab his wrists. While I slowed the knife’s progress, it wasn't enough to stop the blade from sinking into my chest just below my right shoulder. White-hot pain seared through me, and I cried out in agony while I pushed with all my might at his arms to keep the knife from sinking farther. His saliva dripped between jagged teeth and fell in long strands onto my face and neck. Panic coursed through my body as I grappled with the creature. There was no way I could win this fight. I was going to die. In desperation, I removed one hand from his arm and pressed it against the side of his face to push him away. A tingling warmth radiated across the palm of my hand to the tips of my fingers just as small black tendrils branched out beneath his skin like inky veins consuming his face. Instantly, the pressure on the knife relented as he grabbed my forearm. I slammed my other hand against his other cheek, and he screamed in horror and rage. Attempting to get away from me, he pulled backward, but I kept my hands fastened against him. When he flung his body back, I surged forward until we switched places with him on his back and me towering over him. I watched in a delighted fascination as the veining darkness emanating from beneath my hand spread down his neck and beneath his tattered shirt. I had no clue what I was doing. That didn’t matter. All that did matter was that this awful creature was dying, and I would survive. My movements had jarred loose the knife, and it fell to the floor beside his head, but neither of us paid it any attention. The creature’s eyes cast unseeing to the ceiling, clouded over from a shiny black to a milky gray. An intoxicating feeling of power coursed through me, and I rejoiced in watching as his body stilled and the life drained from his eyes. I had done this. I had saved myself. He’d only been one creature out of a dozen, but I’d killed him all on my own. For once, I hadn’t felt helpless. I was the one in control. I was the one with the power. Eventually, the sound of others grappling drew me back to reality. I looked around to discover that Ronan had joined us and was finishing off the last of the Unseelie while Lochlan stood with his eyes glued to me. Between the two of them, they had made relatively short work of the dozen Unseelie that now lay dead, strewn about the room. I attempted to stand, but an intense dizzy spell took me to my knees. One glance down at my chest confirmed that I was bleeding profusely. Blackness threatened my vision. Before I could hit the ground, strong arms gently swept me up. While I’d expected Lochlan, it was Ronan’s stubbled jawline that came into focus when I opened my eyes. “Look at what you’ve done,” Ronan snarled at Lochlan. “What the f**k were you thinking bringing her here?” Two broken arrow shafts still protruded from Lochlan’s chest, blood staining the length of his shirt. “We need to get out of here, now. We can have this discussion at the club.” Ronan sneered but followed Lochlan out of the building to the car. Once I was securely in my seat, my eyes drifted out the window to a figure leaning on a wall not far from the car. My addled brain took a moment to recognize him, but it was clearly the man from the museum. He stood casually with his hands in his coat pockets as if simply enjoying an evening stroll. I wondered if my head injury had me hallucinating and gave a silent thanks that if my head was going to mess with me, it was the museum man I saw and not the shadow man. He tipped his head in my direction and then vanished. At the same time, the blackness that had been dancing at the edges of my vision consumed me, and I slumped onto the seat in oblivion.