Gilded Wings(42)

The Fallen placed both hands on my leg and flapped upward. I had to let go or his strength would have ripped my arms from their sockets. I was in the air, upside down, hanging by one leg. I screamed and tried to kick free. Unexpectedly, he released me. I hit a tree and spun, being tossed around like a rag doll, trying to grasp at anything that could break my fall. Branches scratched my hands and my face, but I couldn’t get a grip on anyone of them.

I hit the ground and everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I felt pain and could hear growls in the distance. I was on the ground lying in between a bunch of trees, out in the open. I wondered how long I was out. Hoping I hadn’t broken anything, I slowly moved. I didn’t feel like anything was broken, but my back and neck were aching. Sitting up, I quickly pressed myself back against the biggest spruce tree. I could hear the Hellhounds and Ethon, but I couldn’t see them.

Then I caught a scent in the breeze and it made my body stiffen.

About twenty yards away, the same Fallen who’d grabbed me, dropped down out of the sky. He sniffed the air, looking for me. I needed to get out of here. The thought being captured threatened to freeze my limbs. But I wouldn’t allow it. I would fight.

I quietly made my way around the tree, out from his view. My pulse raced as I reached for my dagger and unsheathed it. Thank God I still had it with me.

I figured that if I ran toward the Hellhounds maybe I could lose him. I’d rather be in the middle of the Hellhounds than dragged away to who knows where and have who knows what done to me. At least if I was near Ethon, he would know if I was taken and he could try and rescue me if I was captured.

It was a huge risk, but the only one that made sense at this very moment, so I sucked in a deep breath and took off in his direction. I ran as fast as I could toward the sounds of growling. When I was about fifty yards away, I stopped and turned back. The Fallen wasn’t there, but I knew he must have been close by.

There was a crack to the side of me, and when I turned there were two burning red eyes and sharp teeth standing about ten feet away, fixed directly on me.

Glancing down, I noticed I was still invisible. There was no place for me to run. I would have to fight the Hellhound, and readied myself, holding my dagger out in front of me.

Before I could blink, it crouched and pounced. I thrust my blade forward, and covered my face with the other arm, preparing for pain. Instead, I heard a horrifying scream. The Hellhound had leapt over me, attacking the Fallen who had captured me earlier.

The Hellhound sunk its sharp into the Fallen’s shoulder, then thrashing its head, it severed his arm. With another whipping movement, the detached limb flew over and hit me in the leg.

I internally screamed and jumped back. Eww!

Agonizing cries filled the air as the Hellhound mauled its prey. Another Fallen dropped from the sky with a sword held above his head. As soon as he landed, he thrust his weapon down and severed the Hellhound’s head. He then reached down and picked up his Fallen friend, who was on the brink of death.

“Do it,” the injured man yelled. He was fatally marred and covered in blood; shredded flesh hung from his severed arm.

His partner helped him to his knees, and then he leaned forward bowing his head. In an instant the other Fallen lifted his sword and beheaded him. His lifeless body toppled over to the ground. The Fallen began to speak a few angelic words, and within seconds his friend’s body began to burn. I knew he would be coming for me next.

The only reason they knew I was here was because they could catch my scent. I glanced down at the severed arm at my feet and had a flashback. When I was near a riverbank and being chased by Darkling, I covered myself with mud and they couldn’t smell me. But I didn’t have mud this time. The only thing I had now was that disgusting severed arm.

I bent down and picked it up, fighting the overwhelming urge to puke. I could feel the burning bile creeping up my chest, but I held it down. The limb disappeared as soon as I touched it, and not being able to see it helped. I was out of options. If I didn’t do this, he would find and capture me.

I held my breath, and clasped my eyes shut tight. Then I began to rub the bloody stump all over my exposed skin. Head, face, neck, and hands. I gagged and clasped my lips shut as thick blood trickled down them. The strong smell of iron was almost too much to bear. I dry heaved a few times, then began to breathe from my mouth.

This better freaking work.

The Fallen sniffed the air, trying to catch a scent. I took the arm and tossed it away from me. As soon as it left my hand, it became visible and hit the ground. In a flash, the Fallen shot toward the area. I was safe for now, but didn’t know for how much longer.