Before the Fall by Sable Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

beast from shoulder to hip, and the dismembered monster fell to the ground with two distinct plops.
    Zach’s sword glowed bright as he seemed to find his groove, slicing it through the air and depositing another winged creature on the asphalt. The third, however, wasn’t going down so easily. With each punishing blow that caused Zach to stagger, Shanna inched a little closer toward the fight, easing the gun back into her waistband and sliding the silver knuckle rings on instead.
    Flexing her fist, she glanced down at the spiky points jutting out from atop her fingers. The injury the weapon could cause probably wouldn’t be fatal, but maybe the silver would give Zach time to regain his footing.
    Holding her breath, she made a mad dash at the creature’s back. Just as she leaped with the intent of wrapping herself around its back, it spun, grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.
    Shanna found herself staring into blood-red eyes. She tried to scream, but the beast was holding her throat so tightly, it was all she could do just to breathe. From the corner of her eye, she saw Zach grow smaller and smaller, and the overwhelming urge to vomit rose within her as she realized the demon was flying with her clutched in its claws.
    She could hear his voice but couldn’t understand the words he was yelling. Black drool dampened her neck as the demon smiled at her and dove toward the trees.
    Never let your attacker take you to the second location.
    All her self-defense lessons rushed through her head, but all she could hang on to was that one. A branch slapped at her cheek and it gave her hope. If she was low enough to see the ground between the trees, then there was a chance she might survive the fall.
    Raising her arm, she swiped at the paper-thin skin beneath the beast’s wing. It roared, screeching in pain. It teetered like a bird with a broken wing and spiraled toward the ground. She wrapped her arm around its neck and sliced the knuckle ring across its throat.
    The next thing she knew, she was on the ground beneath the demon, her head pounding and her leg throbbing. She turned her head, the crackle of leaves making her ears feel as though they bled from the pain, but she was alive. And there were blessed footsteps headed in her direction.
    â€œZach!” Though she’d tried to scream it, her raw throat barely released his name in a whisper.
    Then she saw him. Saw him raise his sword, saw him lower it at lightning speed, as she fought desperately to roll out from beneath the demon toward safety. But Zach’s aim didn’t go astray. It sliced through the beast’s neck, sending its nasty head rolling down the sloped ground to land with a splash in the nearby creek.
    She barely had time to find her breath again when Zach grabbed her by the arm.
    â€œWhat the fuck were you thinking!” he screamed, yanking her to her feet so violently she thought her arm might pop out of its socket.
    â€œThe silver . . . I wanted to weaken him—”
    â€œMy sword is silver! Didn’t you see the other two die? Damn it, Shanna, you could have been killed!”
    She jerked free of his clutches, rubbing her arm and sinking back to the ground where the world was more stable. Her leg hurt like hell, but she was pretty sure nothing was broken. Just bruised like a bitch.
    â€œYou said silver would make them vulnerable to death. I was tr-trying to help!”
    And she had! She’d saved his sorry ass and he was yelling at her?
    Shanna tried to muster the energy to feel real anger, but it wouldn’t come. He was right. She hadn’t truly thought through her actions. She’d seen him in trouble and had acted as her instincts had bidden her to do. But her instincts knew nothing of this world in which Zach lived.
    They could have died today. There was a very real possibility that they still might. If so, it would be nice to have someone who belonged to her when it happened.