Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
The long tube of water spun in the air, acting much like the spray from a showerhead, dispersing the liquid in what appeared to be gentle raindrops. They fell around the room as the clear tube continued to spin. Each drop that landed on the serpent pierced the scales, leaving behind a smoking hole. The insides of the demon glowed orange-red through the pinpoint dots. The demon screamed hideously, its mouth wide open, teeth dripping long strings of yellowish poisonous saliva as it hurtled itself straight at Silke.
A dozen prongs on the sword sprang to life, the colors vibrant and blinding, wrapped in the long, soft dark maroon petals of the dragon lily. The spectrum of light was changed significantly by the wrapping. The lights from the prongs hit the shrieking demon from various angles, but the hapless creature continued to charge forward, unable to stop its momentum. Or, she decided, it was programmed to try to kill her at any cost to itself.
Silke didn’t attempt to sidestep or try to elude the demon, not even when four more demons, a completely different type, came at her from all directions.
* * *
—
Benedek’s breath caught in his lungs as he watched the demon slayer standing her ground in the face of an all-out attack. The dark craving was gone from him. She had pulled the demons from every ancient, but now she was alone, facing them. His first thought was to put his body between her and the vicious killers seeking her death. There was no doubt in his mind that their every thought was to destroy the slayer.
Two things allowed his discipline to kick in. The urge to put himself between Silke and danger was strong; it was a compulsion. He didn’t trust any feeling or emotion that intense. He didn’t believe that he could be the one originating that strong of a need. That meant an outside source was attempting to control him for their own purpose. Secondly, he had seen demon slayers at work. Interfering with one could upset the delicate balance of power they wielded and place the slayer in more danger.
He could feel waves of power emanating from Silke. She didn’t appear to be looking at or acknowledging the four demons she’d extracted from the Carpathians. She seemed to be focusing her entire attention on the serpent, yet he knew the energy she put out into the room had somehow created a barrier between her and the other demons. They seemed frantic to get through or around it. He would have felt better had he been able to test the strength of that invisible wall between his lifemate and the demons so eager to tear her apart.
Benedek could feel their vicious intent. The desire to kill Silke permeated the entire room. It was sickening to feel the hatred in such strong waves coming at the slayer from every direction. His respect and admiration for her grew as she stood her ground in the face of such relentless, determined enemies.
The crystal sword wrapped in dragon lily petals converged on the demon as the creature shot forward toward her. The tube overhead continued to spray drops of sacred water just as if it were raining down on the demon. Hundreds of tiny holes appeared in the scales. Smoke spewed from the holes along with a noxious smell.
Various colored lights from the crystal sword struck the serpent head-on, right in its open mouth. The shriek was high-pitched, shattering an antique etched mirror in the room so that the glass fell in shards all over the floor. Just as Benedek was certain the serpent would strike Silke, orange-red flames shot from the dark maroon–wrapped prongs as if the dragon lily were spitting fire at the serpent.
Silke waited until the last possible moment, so her aim was absolutely true. The steady stream of flames shot down the serpent’s throat, igniting the insides of the creature so that a roaring fire instantly swept through it. The flames were so hot and wild that they shot out of the multitude of holes the sacred water had created. The air fed the fire.
Above their heads, close to the ceiling, the spinning drops of water had ceased over the serpent, raining instead on the four demons who continuously charged at the invisible barriers in an effort to get at the demon slayer. The smell of the burning demon was vile.
Benedek could see that Silke refused to cough or show any sign of discomfort, although she felt it. He had cautiously merged with her, staying very quiet in the background. The only thoughts in her head were to protect those in the room and destroy the demons. She didn’t once allow a thought to enter her head that there were too many enemies to take on alone.