Page 35 of The Demon God's Desire
I hear a strange noise and go still. “You should know that I will protect you from any...”
“Shhh!” I order him, putting a finger to his lips so I can listen. I heard it again in the distance. His eyebrows scrunch up and his eyes go cross-eyed as he stares at my finger but he nods and stays silent.
I hear the noise once more and my blood runs cold.
SssSSssssSsss…
SSSssssSssss…
ssSSssssSSSsss….
It’s hissing.
And it’s getting louder by the second.
Both our eyes turn to see a swarm of venomous serpents. Our eyes widen at the same time as the serpents bare their fangs at us, tongues darting in and out as they taste the air, honing in on our location with deadly precision.
Fear surges through me and I gasp, going stock still. I can’t move. The serpents have glowing amber eyes that shine like a thousand warning lights in the distance.
They start slithering towards us, heading right for us. I scream, stumbling backwards. Guilri grabs whatever he can reach and I’m about to do the same when he throws me over his shoulder and takes off.
“Guilri!” I yell. I have no idea what is going on. Serpents, especially those kind, aren’t pack animals. They never hunt in groups. They aren’t usually even aggressive unless they’re provoked! “Why are we running from a group of angry serpents?” I demand, getting jostled up and down as he runs.
“Those aren’t normal serpents!” Guilri yells back. “They’ve been sent by the Hearthkeeper!”
“What the glacies?” There is no way I’m awake right now. I have to be dreaming. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Angry serpents, a vengeful goddess coming after us...I have fallen asleep and am having a nightmare.
“She can initiate their instincts to protect their homes and is making them view us as a threat! The serpents attack us and fight to the death to defend their territory!”
My blood runs cold. Shit. What the actual fuck?
More serpents seem to appear by the second, swarming from every direction. They’re nearly upon us, nipping at Guilri’s heels as he runs, zigzagging this way and that to avoid them.
When the serpents start throwing themselves in the air, I’m done. I’m ready to pack it all up and go home. If not for the fact that I’m hanging upside down on Guilri’s shoulder,Iwould be running for my life straight back to my house and locking the door, never to leave again.
“Guilri!” I shriek, watching one fling themselves up and sink their fangs into his leg. He shakes it off and just manages to avoid getting another bite by closing his eyes and turning his own skin into protective scales.
Again. What the actual fuck? Is there no limit to this man’s powers? How is he doing this? I hang on for dear life and pray to gods I don’t believe in that he doesn’t accidentally drop me as he keeps running, sprinting in the direction we came from.
The serpents seem to gain speed though, following right on our heels still. Guilri is doing his best to protect me but we’re nearly surrounded. He heads for a rock formation and starts trying to climb up it but the serpents are slithering onto the walls of the rock just as quickly and he’s forced to abandon his plans.
“They’re gaining on us!” I yell as I watch one lunge for him again, nearly getting a chunk out of his calf.
“I’m doing the best I can!” Guilri yells back. “Just tell me when they’re getting close. Maybe I can blast them away!”
“And how are you going to do that?” I ask.
“I have a way!” he tells me, nearly stumbling over a serpent that blocks our path. The serpent goes for his feet but he darts out of the way at the last second.
“At your right flank!” I tell him. He tightens his grip on me and frees his hand, holding it up to send out a blast of firepower that sends several serpents up in flames.
“Oh my fucking Thirteen!” I curse, my eyes wide as I realize that Guilri is a one-man army unto himself. The goddessreallymust have favored him to bless him with such strength, such ability. I can see now why she’d be angry if he suddenly seemed to turn his back on her.
Still. This entire thing is terrifying as glacies. I screw my eyes shut, trying to block out seeing the thousands of wriggling tails and bared fangs that are coming at us from every direction still. It’s as though every single serpent in Protheka is on our trail.
But then Guilri yells back, “Are you still watching out?” and I’m forced to open my eyes again, realizing he needs me to warn him.
“There’s three headed for your left flank!” I tell him. He blasts them out of the way with ease and then two more who appear in front of him without warning. We’re running quickly but we’re still very much in danger.