Chapter 17 Ashwiyaa
Chapter seventeen
Ashwiyaa
“Like a seed at rest in the darkness, from my shadows I grow.”
Iwake up in a small cavern, flickering torches dimly lighting the area.
Leaning against the chilly stone wall, I notice that my jeans, vest, and boots are missing.
I’m barely covered, wearing only my crop top and panties.
I shiver as I blink through the dense, hazy cloud hovering over my mind.
Rolling my head, I stretch my neck, looking left to right but unable to see anyone else.
The air is damp and cold, but surprisingly light, making it easy to draw in a breath.
Where am I?
The sound of water dripping nearby echoes in my ears, causing an instant dryness in my throat.
An inaudible groan slips out as I try to swallow.
My head throbs severely, making it difficult to think, and I’m unable to determine how much time has passed.
I attempt to move, but the weight of the heavy iron chains on my ankles and wrists prevents me from going far.
Are you fucking serious?
“Where are you? You piece of shit!” I yell, my voice broken and hoarse.
The lack of sound makes me uneasy, with only the constant dripping of water to break the silence. I make the effort to move, but the weight of the chain becomes a burden, and the weakened state I’m in hinders every movement.
Heat shoots through my biceps and I look down at where a chunk of flesh is missing.
The demon’s venom has hindered the usual automatic repairing of my body.
Although I will eventually heal, it will be at a much slower pace and result in a hideous scar.
If I survive this, it might be nice to have an actual scar as proof of what I’ve overcome.
It hasn’t even been a full seventy-two hours since this nightmare of a mission began, and already I’m held captive by a goddamn demon.
I knew my chances were slim, but I was hoping to make it through this realm unseen. The Outlands are only for those who know the roughness of the world they live in. For criminals and monsters alike. The fact that Penn, Demitri, and Alexander were willing to let me come here speaks volumes.
Whatever they want me to collect must be more valuable than my life, or they have too much faith in my abilities to pull this off.
With a heavy sigh, I drop my chin, my long, dark hair falling around my face.
The pressure of not wanting to disappoint them weighs heavily on my shoulders.
I also plan to see Kai again, and it will not be in the afterlife—we have too much to live for.
That man has effortlessly charmed his way into my heart, leaving me smitten.
His mischievous grin and captivating ocean eyes, framed by his tousled blond hair, make it hard to look away.
I smile, my heart racing slightly at the thought of escaping from here and getting back to Kai.
I’m here because I want my freedom, and I’m going to fight with all I have to get it.
“Smiling in your situation . . . that’s new.”
My head snaps up at the sound of the hissed demonic words floating in the air.
I look around the cavern, taking in every shadowy corner and darkened crevasse.
I narrow my eyes as I sense a change in the vibrations coming from the corner.
Emerging from the shadowy depths, a figure begins to take shape.
“I was just thinking of all the ways I am going to make you suffer,” I answer.
With an eerie laugh, the demon steps into the light of the fire, his presence sending goosebumps scattering across my exposed skin.
I remain composed as I silently observe his altered look.
The demon’s appearance has drastically changed from that of an old, frail man to that of a much younger individual, perhaps in his early forties.
His skin appears smooth and youthful, devoid of any wrinkles.
His once-gray hair has transformed into a deep-black shade, with only a hint of gray at the temples.
“Oh, do you like the new look?” he says, turning in a circle with his arms out wide. “Seems I only need a small amount of your blood to make a difference.”
“You’re a pile of steamy horse shit, you know that?”
The demon’s eyes glimmer with amusement at my words. “I knew you were special when I saw you cross the veil. You are brimming with magic, so much so you were like a beacon in the night. I could practically taste you on the air. You will keep me fed and young for a very, very long time.”
In front of me, the demon crouches, his previously outdated tunic and breeches gone. He’s now in a tailored suit, made to perfection. With a slight tilt of his head, he focuses his gaze on me, his eyes filled with deep contemplation.
“What’s your name, pet?”
As he reaches for my face, I instinctively lunge forward, my teeth snapping at his fingers. Regret floods me in an instant as a dizzying sensation washes over my body.
With a sinister chuckle, the demon rises. “Feisty. That’s good. You’ll need that inner fire, that fight. It keeps you alive and fresh. Your blood pumping.”
“Fuck you, demon,” I growl through short, sharp breaths.
“My name is Abchanchu.”
“Good to know.”
“I thought so.”
I glare up at him. “So, they finally caught you and trapped you here in the Outlands?”
Abchanchu, the Bolivian vampire, is a creature of myth and terror.
Legend has it he possesses the uncanny ability to shape-shift into the form of a frail and unsuspecting traveler.
This deceptive transformation allowed him to blend effortlessly among ordinary people, luring them into a false sense of security.
However, as soon as his true nature was revealed, mass panic ensued.
The fear instilled by Abchanchu was so intense it prompted the supernatural council to take drastic measures.
In a desperate bid to rid their land of this malevolent being, a substantial bounty was placed on his head, offering a reward to anyone who could capture or eliminate him.
Abchanchu’s dark irises bleed, transforming his entire eyes into inky-black pools. He’s in front of me in seconds, hand wrapped around my throat, lifting me from the ground and pinning me against the jagged stone behind me.
“I will get free, and I will hunt every one of those pests who helped trap me here,” he snarls, disturbingly dark veins running under his skin.
My head pounds relentlessly, and my vision fills with dancing white spots as I struggle to take a breath.
“No one . . .” I fight to get the words out. “Escapes the Outlands. I’ll personally make sure you die here,” I add, spitting in his face.
The dryness in my mouth makes the experience less satisfying than I had anticipated.
Abchanchu releases his grip, and I fall to the ground, my weak limbs crumbling under me. Before I can regain myself, he grips the hair on the top of my head, forcefully ripping my head back, and a sharp pain sears my neck as he sinks his teeth into my flesh.
I scream out, the sound echoing off the cave walls. White-hot agony ripples from the bite wound, the blood in my veins on fire. Time seems to stretch out endlessly, but in reality, it’s only a brief moment that passes by.
Pulling back from his bite, he leans in close, my blood smeared over his lips. “I can make this extremely painful for you. Or we can learn to enjoy our time together.”
“Fuck you.”
“Such a mouth on you.” He chuckles darkly. “I have to say, I find it more pleasing this way.” His clawed fingers grip my face as he comes in close, holding me firm. “I hate it when they cry and beg.”
My stomach twists at the way his eyes drop to my mouth, and he licks the blood from his lips.
“I wonder what noises you make if—”
Acting on instinct, I wrench my face from his hand, and with my dwindling energy, I slam my forehead into his nose, relishing the pleasant crack that resonates through the air.
“I’d rather die,” I hiss sharply, fury bleeding into my tone.
The backhand that follows is swift and brutal, the force behind it sending a shockwave of pain through my skull. My vision blurs instantly, white-hot stars exploding behind my eyes as the world around me tilts violently.
The ringing in my ears drowns out everything else, the sounds of the room fading into a distant hum. The cold darkness closes in, the edges of my vision narrowing as the pain slowly dulls, replaced by a numbness that creeps through my limbs.
It’s a strange sort of relief when the sweet embrace of unconsciousness begins to take hold. With no strength left to fight, I surrender. My eyes flutter closed, the last remnants of light slipping away as I plunge into the welcoming darkness.