15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Effie
I creep between the trees, the bag my friend gave me is an ever-present thump against my back with each step I take. I couldn’t be more thankful for the help she provided. I call the shadows to me, using the last dregs of my magic to beckon clouds of darkness to swirl around my body, condensing to hide me from view. The wall took more from me than in past visits. I’ve got to get out of these hunting grounds quickly. I haven’t heard any hunters this deep in the woods, thank the gods, so it doesn’t take me long to reach the edge of Demendia's territory.
A snarl echoes through the air, causing me to snap my gaze in its direction. The sound is otherworldly deep. I take a few creeping steps toward the tree line, and I keep my shadows folded around me, hiding me in the dark of night. The putrid smell of sulfur and rot assaults my senses, and I gag. I cover my mouth and nose with my hand, hoping it will give me some relief, but it does little as I press my back into one of the trunks. Peering around my shelter I catch a glimpse of some person standing there. It could be a hunter. My body stiffens on edge, muscles tense and ready to take off into the forest at the first threat to my safety. A man stands in the center of the path, his long blonde hair blanched in the moonlight, his back is to me. The visible skin is so white it’s almost transparent. Warning bells in the pit of my stomach go off, something is wrong. My eyes track his every move; he’s not a hunter, that much I know for sure. His movements are too smooth, and practiced, unlike the oafish men of Demendia. But will this stranger pass me by? That’s the real question. I thank the gods the wind is blowing toward me and reinforce the mental grip I have on my magic. I’ll have to be careful. Grandfather lost his eyesight using magic he didn't have.
The man’s head rears back, baring his fangs before lurching forward. I suppress a gasp when he turns, revealing the victim he clutches to him, his teeth buried deep in the human's neck. The front of the creature’s white shirt is stained dark red. Blood drips from his chin as he draws in deeply. His victim’s feet fight against the ground, unable to gain purchase under the monster’s hold. My hands ball into fists as the soon-to-be dead man tries to scream, but it comes out as a gurgle. Pointed, razor-sharp teeth gleam in the moonlight before dropping the now lifeless body. It hits the ground with a dull thump. The creature’s chin dribbles with fresh blood as he smacks his lips. He opens his eyes, and they catch the light. Pitch blackness.
Demon.
I watch a moment longer as the creature squats down on his legs and tilts his head up toward the full moon. He lets out a shriek that sounds like the metal of a fork scraping across a plate. It ends abruptly. All that is left is an eerie silence that crashes over the road. He watches the sky like he’s waiting. But waiting for what? What could possibly be out in the woods that everyone in the continent knows to avoid? I don’t dare make a move, a sound. I can’t do anything that will alert that thing to where I am. I feel bad for whatever human or fae went and got themselves possessed. Since the wards went up all those years ago around the hellmouth, it hasn’t been a common problem.
After a few seconds, the chorus of a demon horde sounds through the air and a trill shivers down my body. They sound close as they return his bone-chilling call. The demon disguised as a man stands up straight and throws the corpse over his shoulder before walking down the road in the direction the horde's response came from. Fear grips me. I wait for what feels like hours for him to come back and discover my hiding place. I don’t know how much time passes before I can breathe freely and continue across the path. Keeping my shadows close, I leave Demendian territory. Maybe I can find a good place to camp where only Astrid can find me. Although, I’d rather brave the humans again than the demons.