Going on the offensive, she sprang into the trees and slashed her blades across the throat of a very startled spirit. Black blood exploded from the wound to spray the winter snow. The body collapsed, twitching as the life drained from it.
Growls of rage erupted from the spirit’s brethren and as a group they descended. Darcy whirled to face them. One down, nine to go.
She attacked the spirits’ most vulnerable areas, their large rounded bellies and fragile throats. Her blades slashed as she cut through flesh. Blood coated her hands and stained her clothes. Teeth flashed before her eyes and she was pulled sharply to the left when one spirit dug its claws into her coat and pulled.
Struggling free of the constricting material, she mourned the loss of the paltry protection. Without it her arms were much too vulnerable to poisoned claws.
A spirit lunged for her throat and she danced back. Trusting her intuition she drove her dagger behind her and felt the blade plunge into soft flesh. A scream sounded behind her as she twisted the knife to cut through internal organs.
But despite the dent she made in their numbers there was no end to the storm of spirits. They seemed to be everywhere at once. Too many to guard against on her own.
Teeth ripped into her arm, forcing a cry from her. She knew without looking the wound would be jagged and vicious, like being mauled by a wild animal. Hopefully the blow hadn’t hit any major muscles or her arm would be useless.
Tips of claws sliced through the jeans on her thigh but luckily didn’t hit deep enough to break skin.
As she fought for her life she realized there was only one hope.
If Jared really was keeping tabs on her, he must be close. She just had to hold out until he found her.
Putting all her trust into a demon struck her as a suicidal move, but what other choice was left to her?
“Jared!” she screamed, praying he was close enough to hear.
Spirits pounced. Grinning, ghastly faces filled her vision before black claws dived into her calf.
The effect was instantaneous. One minute she was fighting with everything she had and the next her movements slowed. She struggled to keep going but her muscles refused to obey.
The spirits stood back to watch with glee. They knew they’d won.
Darcy sank to the ground, her body shutting down. She crumpled in the snow as the toxin paralyzed her. It was a cruel death. With their prey immobile, spirits had the time to play with their food. When they were done there’d be nothing left of her but bloody snow.
Not even her fingers twitched as the monsters began to crowd closer. Unable to help herself, she closed her eyes as one reached for her with curved claws.
But the blow never landed. Instead, inhuman screams filled the air.
She was only capable of rolling her eyes up but it was enough to see Jared descending on the spirits with a vengeance. If she could she would have shivered at the black expression on his face. She’d thought she’d seen enough of the demon to know he was deadly but the man before her now exceeded every preconception.
He fought with an ease that chilled her. Every swing of his sword connected. Flesh sprayed the nearby trees and screams rang in her ears. Jared showed no mercy as he systematically cut through her attackers. Heads rolled, limbs twitched where they fell. But the black blood pouring from the wounded never touched her. The snow she lay on was clean of all but her own wounds.
With a last thrust he skewered the final spirit. Darcy saw the life leave its face as it dropped to the ground.
Jared watched his prey with complete calm. The man wasn’t even breathing hard after his exertion. Barely a hair was out of place when he turned to her. When it came to this man, she was woefully out of her league.
He strode toward her. Blood ran down the length of his naked sword. When he stood over her she wondered for a moment whether he would simply drive the blade into her heart.
Instead he sheathed the sword and crouched by her side.
“Are you injured?” he asked. “Besides the toxin?”
Darcy thought of her wounded arm but knew he was asking about life threatening injuries that posed an immediate risk. Her arm could wait. She tried to shake her head but the poison kept her frozen.
“Blink once for yes, twice for no.”
She blinked twice.
“Good.”
He reached out and pulled her into his arms. The world spun for a moment as he stood, cradling her.
Darcy’s head lolled against his shoulder. Where was he taking her?
“The toxins are temporary,” he told her.
Darcy blinked in surprise. Had the big bad demon just attempted to reassure her?
“You might want to close your eyes for this part,” he added.
She wanted to ask why when Jared launched himself into the air.
A scream lodged soundless in her throat. Below them the forest grew smaller and smaller as they rocketed through the sky. Bitter winter wind should have shredded her but instead she felt warm. Jared, she realized, looking up at him. He was sharing his heat.