Grim by Amy Boyles

Author:Amy Boyles [Boyles, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ladybugbooks LLC
Published: 2023-01-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Matt didn’t move as the creature lowered its head and pressed its nose to his clothes, inhaling quick, shallow sniffs. The beast was seeing how he might taste. I jumped to push Matt out of the way, but the creature grabbed him by the throat and lifted Matt into the sky.

The beast brought one hand back. That hand, I knew, would plunge into Matt’s chest to find his heart, and yank it out.

Couldn’t let that happen, now, could I?

I drove my sword deep into the creature’s thigh. The beast yelped and dropped Matt.

“Stay back,” I called as Matt coughed and sputtered. He didn’t lay on the ground, however. He scrambled up and pulled what looked like a taser from his pants.

There was no time to wonder where he’d gotten such a silly weapon. Monsters had thicker skin than humans. A taser wouldn’t do any good to stop a beast bent on destroying you.

The creature abandoned Matt temporarily and lunged for me. I dodged the attack, but I’d been thinking about Matt too much and hadn’t accounted for the beast’s exceptionally long reach.

Its claws wrapped around my coat and the next thing I knew, I was flying. My back slammed against a tree, and the wind was knocked from me.

The creature took the opportunity to turn its focus back on Matt. Why had I brought him again? Right. Because I had a penchant for putting people I cared about in harm’s way. That was why I had left Paige—to keep her safe.

Matt, for what it was worth, had his taser out and was running around the beast, apparently attempting to tase the creature in the butt.

I really, really should work solo. Note to self—do not bring others with me on hunts, not even when they beg.

The creature swiped at Matt, tearing open his shirt.

Matt screamed and fell. The monster went down on all fours, preparing to lunge. I was too far away to touch it with my sword, so I used the next best thing—my magic.

I threw out my hand, sword and all, and sent my power through the blade, which acted like a super conductor, strengthening the magic’s bite.

The magic hit the beast in the hindquarters, and it turned to me. “Want to dance?” I asked.

The beast charged at full gallop. I was ready. I lifted my sword, knowing that the creature would run right into my blade.

“Come on,” I snarled.

But at the last instant, the beast jumped, swiping at me, and sending my sword clattering across the forest floor.

The beast landed softly on the ground, between me and my sword. Its lips peeled back, and it growled ferociously.

“You don’t scare me,” I told it. “If you stay here, and you will, you’ll move on from cattle. Once all of that’s gone, you’ll start feeding on the neighboring humans. I’ve seen it a thousand times. You are no different from any other monster.”

“And neither are you,” the creature said inside of my head.

Oh. This was new. I’d never met a cor manducare that could speak.

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