A Demon Made Me Do It(70)

Kieron closes his eyes, tilts his head to the sky, and slowly turns in a circle. Bones and I exchange confused glances. I shrug.

A moment later, Kieron opens his eyes. “There,” he says, pointing to a patch of trees in the distance.

“What’s there?” Bones and I ask in unison.

Kieron seems to be in a trance. He grasps my hand, and the vacant look in his eyes unnerves me; it’s as if he’s a million miles away. I sense Bones’ irritation as he moves to stand beside me. But Kieron ignores him, speaking to me in hushed tones.

“Cody and Ivy are in trouble, and I’m not sure if the danger has totally passed. I’ve located their positions and will go check on them. For right now, I think it’s better if you stay here. Please wait for my signal that all is clear.”

Despite my growing dread I give a low chuckle. “Think again. Those are my friends in there. If you think I’m staying here like some kind of…”

“We’re all going,” Bones says, and wraps his hand possessively around my arm. “Lucky is one of the best fighters around. She doesn’t need you treating her like a Sapie child.”

“It’s on the other side of the border, behind that grove. Crossing it has its own risks, but that’s not what worries me. What this is…what I think has happened…This is different than anything you’ve ever been prepared to face.” Kieron’s face has an eerie, haunted look to it.

I jerk my arm out of Bones’ grasp, and my hand from Kieron’s. “You two work it out. I’m going in.” I run across the border before either of them can stop me.

They dash after me as I leap over a fallen tree and make my way to a small, hidden clearing. The stench is overwhelming, and I scrunch my nose in disgust. I stop and glance around, my eyes suddenly freezing on a gruesome sight. Jumping back in horror, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

Instantly, Kieron’s hand is over my mouth, muffling the cry. Bones makes a pained, whimpering sound, and I feel like I’ve just been whacked in the gut with an ax. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to bear the sight of what is left of Cody’s bloodied, mangled corpse.

“No, no,” I moan, pressing my face into Kieron’s chest. “Who would do this? Why?”

“Shhhhh…” he whispers in my ear. “They may still be here.” He wraps his arms around me. Instantly, rage overtakes me, and I push him away, sending him staggering back against a tree.

“Tell me where so I can rip their heads off!” I yell, my eyes blazing with fury.

Kieron rushes to me and slaps his hand over my mouth again, urgently signaling for me to be quiet. Only the terrifying intensity in his eyes forces me to remain still.

Bones slowly pads over to the lifeless body and nuzzles it with his nose. His droopy eyes display an unspeakable grief demons rarely show. Bones and Cody had been close friends for over twenty years, and I know Bones is allowing himself to feel pain out of respect for his lost comrade. But he’ll soon shut off the feelings that are causing him such unbearable suffering.

Lucky bastard.

I fluctuate between choking back sobs and screaming at the top of my lungs. I want to hit something. I want to destroy everything in my sight. I want to find whoever did this and rip them to pieces. But something in my gut is telling me to obey Kieron’s cautions. I grit my teeth and look at him, but his attention is elsewhere.

The hairs on my arms stand up at the sound. “Did you hear that?” I gasp, and quickly disentangle from his embrace.

“No, Lucky…wait.”

I don’t have to go far; she’s only a couple hundred yards away. I almost don’t see her, as her body is mostly covered by a fallen tree.

Frantically, I throw off the wooden branches. But uncovering Ivy’s body reveals a sight even worse than death. I’d thought Cody looked horrific…

I’m momentarily frozen...stunned by what I see. Her blonde hair is stained bright red from the wounds. Her face, so swollen it’s unrecognizable, is various shades of green and yellow. But that isn’t the worst of it. Her eyes have been carved out of their sockets, and tears of blood run down her cheeks.

But she’s still alive…barely.

She lets out a moan so soft I can hardly hear it, but it’s enough to spring me into action again.

“Shhhhh,” I whisper, cradling her head in my lap. “I have you, sweetie. Everything’s going to be okay. You’re fine…” I look up at Kieron, who’s scanning the area for hidden dangers.

“Is anyone out there,” I whisper. My breath stops until he finally shakes his head.

“No, they’re gone…for now” he says, coming to kneel beside us. When he sees the extent of Ivy’s injuries, his face contorts in stunned disbelief.