Page 22 of The Demon God's Desire
“You have no right!” Allan shrieks, throwing himself at the dark elf.
The two of them square off, trading blows back and forth briefly before Guilri physically picks him up and throws him ten yards back, sending him skidding across the sand.
Dean, Andrew and Marcus immediately launch themselves at Guirli, attacking him with their weapons out.
Guilri should be outnumbered but he seems surprisingly at ease fighting them off. It’s almost kind of incredible to watch. I’m in shock though, and my eyes are nearly bugging out of my head as I watch them trade blows back and forth.
The men all flank around him but Guilri fends them off easily, knocking them back as they rush him. Andrew has an axe and he tries to use it to land a blow on Guilri’s head but it’s unsuccessful and Guilri takes the axe and easily snaps the handle.
“Fuck!” Andrew snarls. “That was my wood chopping axe!”
“You shouldn’t have used it against me, stupid human,” Guilri taunts.
“Get him!” Dean yells. I’m angry to see Dean out here, raging against Guilri when I spent so long tending to his son, helping Ash when he needed looking after.
And he would deliberately attack an injured man as repayment? It’s enough to have my blood boiling.
“What would Laura think?” I yell at Dean.
“I don’t care!” Dean yells back. “You’ve clearly lost your damned mind, Bridget. Someone needs to take charge around here. Allan knows what he’s doing. You ought to stand back and let him defend you.”
What, like a good little wifey?I want to ask. But I ignore him. “Stop it, for the gods’ sakes Andrew, Marcus! You two are too old to be playing village vigilante!”
Guilri is almost completely healed but he’s still not completely at one hundred percent either. He needs to stop before he injures himself further.
“Please, stop!” I yell, begging everyone to calm the glacies down.
Just then, Marcus lifts a heavy stick and delivers a solid blow straight into Guilri’s side, which breaks his stitches and sends him to his knees. He’s bleeding from the injured site and I feel sick at seeing him taken down.
I’ve had enough, dammit! Just before Marcus can lift his stick again, I throw myself onto Guilri, shielding him from the blow. “Stop!” I scream at him. “Stop or you’ll kill your only healer, you ass!”
Allan has gotten to his feet during the fight and lumbered over and he stands over me now. “You’re a traitor!” he yells. “Nothing but a traitorous whore! Are you sleeping with him?” he demands.
“Is that why you’re so ready to defend him? Gods, you’re a piece of work. I should have known that you’d throw yourself at anyone who wasn’t me. Am I right? You’re willing to whore yourself out to some dark elf scum instead of being with me because you’re mad that I didn’t let you play healer to him, isn’t that right?”
I wince at his words. “No!” I tell him flatly. I turn, still keeping myself between Guilri and the other men but facing them head on. “Fuck you, Allan! You’re a bastard! Guess what? I was never yours to begin with! I don’t belong toanybody. I am my own damned person!”
Allan steps back, clearly surprised by my reaction but I’ve just gotten started. “I thought we werefriends,” I hiss. “But clearly I was wrong. You only saw my friendship as transactional. Pay me with kindness, get a wife in return! I don’t want to be your friend anymore, you ass! I refuse to be associated with such embarrassing behavior!”
The other villagers have been roused by now from the shouting and the fighting. People are standing around in their nightclothes, looking confused and a little scared.
“Dean!” Laura yells, holding onto Ash tightly. “What the fuck are you doing here? You go home right now before I beat you with my rolling pin!”
Dean doesn’t move but Laura gives him a nasty look and he slinks off, forced to leave in humiliation by his angry wife.
Marcus’ mother comes out, hand on her hip. She’s got her hair tied up in rags and looks ready to throw her shoe at Marcus.
“Marcus!” she hollers. “Get over here now or you’ll be sleeping outside again tonight!”
“Mom!” Marcus protests, looking sulky.
“And drop the stick before I beat you with it!” she adds. Marcus slinks off as well, leaving just Allan and Andrew, who has no wife or mother to scold him.
But the angry looks his fellow villagers are giving him are enough to send Andrew scurrying off as well. He makes a beeline for his own hut at the end of the row, eager to get away from prying eyes.
That just leaves Allan. His eyes bore into mine, barely concealed fury dancing in them. I would like to think I know the man, having lived around him for so long, but right now, he’s hardly recognizable.
Walk away,I will him silently.Don’t do this.