The dog’s tongue lolled out, and he howled shortly. It sounded like a greeting, and Samantha’s smile came back. “So you’re on our side, huh?”
Panting seemed to mean agreement.
“Traitors, all of you,” Cyrene screeched, gasping. “This is impossible. This is unthinkable! How could they?” She whirled on them. “How dare you go against your very nature!”
“How dare they?” Samantha asked, frowning. “You’re the one who did it. You shoved their humanity back on them and expect them just to take being Damned lying down?”
“And what are you going to do about it?” Cyrene snarled.
Samantha lifted her chin. “I am the bridge between. I am the mortal who saves. And I am going to right the balance. So fuck off!”
Her eyes lit with rage, Cyrene screamed with such force Samantha felt it echo in her soul. Then the twenty thousand within her screamed in return, drowning out the terror of the Damned and reinforcing Samantha’s spirit. When Cyrene attacked her in a whirl of claws, fists and feet, Samantha was ready, effortlessly pushing past and aside. Cyrene grew more and more frenzied, but with the cries of encouragement from those within, Samantha did not falter until Hammy took the opportunity afforded by their fight and jumped at Cyrene.
Without missing a beat, the Damned woman held out her hand and caught the hell hound by the skull, nails sinking into burning skin and bone. Despite the hissing heat released as she punctured Hammy’s skin, Cyrene held fast. The hell hound yipped and thrashed as Cyrene cackled in glee. “The mortal savior?” she crowed. “Don’t make me laugh! You cannot save those already in hell’s claws!”
And before Samantha could speak, she whipped Hammy into both hands and tore the hound in half.
Samantha fell back, breathless in horror. Behind her, Francis loosed a guttural scream, his loss and pain echoing over the field further than Cyrene’s anger.
Cyrene laughed as she tossed the smoldering pieces of the dog to the ground, where her crow flitted down from on high and pecked at the corpse. Samantha heaved for breath, staring at Cyrene in growing rage. “You…”
“Give up!” Cyrene snapped, holding up a hand still filled with steaming embers, Hammy’s last remains. “You’re hopeless, the lot of you.”
* * * *
Francis staggered to the ground, his eyes stricken and dull. Eli caught him, aching in sympathy as he watched his friend shudder through the shock of loss. Cyrene was right. Their hope of winning, of even surviving, was waning rapidly.
“Eli.” Francis’s voice was strained, quiet. He groped at the air until Eli found his hand and squeezed. Francis wheezed. “Kill me.”
Eli frowned. “What?”
“Kill me. Don’t let me die of the loss, or she’ll inherit.”
Eli’s eyes widened. “You can still pull through.”
“Shut up, Eli.” Francis smiled, as if at peace with his wounds. “We didn’t come here expecting to live.”
“Then why did you come?”
Francis’s gaze wandered from Eli to Samantha. “When I was a boy, someone told me I’d know a savior when I saw it. They didn’t mention it would be a her, but I think I get the picture.” He groaned, half rolled over and pulled out a knife. “Do it before Cyrene can take advantage of her anger.”
Eli took the knife, studying Francis. The other man was certain, that he could see. “How many?” “More than twenty thousand,” Francis said, smiling. “You’ll have her whipped.”
Eli nodded, and thenclosed his eyes. “Thanks, Francis.”
“Give that bitch hers.” Francis growled. “See you on the inside.”
Not allowing himself to think about it too hard, Eli leaned forward onto the knife and slid it between Francis’s ribs. Francis gasped and stiffened immediately. Eli gritted his teeth, waiting for the torrent of souls as Samantha had experienced only a few days previous, but it never came. There was just a gentle shift, as if one rope were being woven into another, and then, without any fanfare, Eli felt a million things click at once. It didn’t hurt, or even shock. It was rather like the pleasant tingle of feathers up his spine. The world was so much wider.
He stood and walked to where Samantha was fending Cyrene off. Cyrene whirled to smash him as before, but he caught the hand. “You made a miscalculation, Cyrene,” he rumbled, and tossed her away.
Samantha stared with wide eyes, stopping dead . “Eli?”
He nodded.
Cyrene scrambled to her feet as her crow fluttered away from Hammy’s remains and to her shoulder. She stared at them with narrowed eyes as Samantha reached out and stroked Eli’s arm in wonder. “I see.” Cyrene finally growled. “So that’s how it is.”
Eli nodded. “That’s how it is,” he repeated. “I suppose we’ll be seeing you later.”
“I’m not stupid like you two,” she snarled, and turned. The crow squawked, and they disappeared.
Eli snaked an arm around Samantha’s waist, looking around. The cornfield was destroyed. A smoldering mass lay where Hammy had been. “Damn good dog.”
“What happened?” Samantha asked.
“Francis.” Eli gestured behind him, where Francis’s body lay. “He’ll dissolve in a few minutes.”
Samantha swallowed, looking up at him again. “So you have him?”
“And Hammy,” Eli smiled down at her.
“You’re taller” she said.
“Maybe you’re shorter,” he replied with a smile. “Is it okay?”
Her lip trembled, and she threw her arms around him. Where they had reached all the way around before, now her fingers could hardly touch around his chest. “More than okay,” she whispered, weeping. “More than okay. Let’s go.”
Kaitlin R. Branch
Kaitlin graduated from college for Biology, taught English in South Korea, briefly entertained a stint as a zookeeper, and finally decided that after all she wanted to write books. It just so happens that she married a man who had the same idea. She loves to read mysteries, but writes romance and high fantasy. Go figure. She also happens to be completely wild about Greek myth, which might explain a bit about The Cinereal Series.
You can find Kaitlin and her Husband, Michael, at www.kaitlinandmichaelbranch.com and on twitter with @theatheleseries.
Valeria
Sometimes, ya just gotta let your hair down.
Mache Harcming is an airfoil pilot having a bad day. Forced to make an emergency landing on an unmarked dirigible, he discovers a genius inventor, Valeria. She is beautiful, fascinating, and unlike any woman he has ever known before. Sheís also dangerous. Mache is certain f the CEO of her company, Elthgo Inc., discovers his presence aboard her aircraft, he will die.
But Valeria begs him to stay. And stay he does, hiding in the vents of the airship whenever the CEO visits. How can he refuse such a beautiful woman? More importantly, how long will the ruse last before he's found out?
WARNING: Brief torture scene.
Sword’s Blessing
Cinecreal, #2
Can she find the strength to love without fear?
Giselle and Armand were born within months of each other, died within minutes of each other, and ascended to be angels in the same moment. They have always been together, and will be for the rest of their existences. Or so Giselle thinks.
The two angels are sent on a mission to find a rogue damned and an in-betweener. But a run-in with another damned nearly kills Armand, and though he survives, his memory does not. Giselleís faith in her station and her love are shaken to the foundations.
Giselle is faced with a terrible choice. Stay with the man who barely recognizes her, or have faith in the love they shared in days past?
CONTENT WARNING: Suggestion of molestation, threat of rape.
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 Kaitlin R. Branch
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or
by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: May 2013
ISBN-13: 9781616504618
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