Fearless by Christine Rains Read Free Book Online Page B

was him.
    “You saved my life again. If I had two lives to pledge to
you, you would have them.” His eyes bore into hers. “Honor or not, you already
have me. Blood for blood, breath for breath, heart for heart.”
    Abby didn’t have time to respond before he let her go,
turned, and marched up the stairs. It wouldn’t have mattered. His words left
her more breathless than the kiss.

Chapter 11
     
    Go to the attic . That’s
where most of the characters are killed in Burrows’ book . Tawa informed them. It’s also where Jessica tells Matt that she kissed his best friend, but he
still protected her and got eaten .
    “What else does the book say?” Abby followed Demetrius up
the stairs. Her steps were careful and silent. Her heart was still pounding and
her lips still tingling. “Seems kind of soap opera-ishy for a kids’ book.”
    Matt was the older brother of the protagonist . His
death helped motivate her . Not soap opera-ishy . I just have a
mature appreciation for the story , Tawa said. The attic is through the
door at the far end of the hall .
    Abby reached the top of the stairs and stood beside
Demetrius. She could feel the heat of his body and had to battle the temptation
to touch him. Silently chastising herself, she forced her thoughts away from
him and demanded focus. There were five doors between them and the closed one
at the end of the hall. All five doors opened slowly, and green glowing cat’s
eyes locked onto their prey.
    “Of course,” Abby groaned. “At the end of a hall filled with
monsters.”
    “I’ll clear the way.” Demetrius tapped his club on the floor
and crooked a finger at the beasts. “Come here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”
    The answering growls didn’t sound feline at all, but the
monsters had a big cat’s grace as they padded out of the rooms and fell into a
synchronized prowl. Demetrius raised his club and roared, barreling down the
hall at them. He smashed two against the wall as a third bit into his forearm.
A fourth, going for his head, jumped high into the air over the others.
    Abby threw her blade with her right hand. It twirled in the
air, leaving a pale blue contrail and hit its mark.
    The monster fell motionless to the ground, but there were
still four. Demetrius snarled and slammed the beast attached to his arm onto
the floor. The position allowed him to headbutt another as it charged him. Abby
moved forward to join him.
    Abby ! Tawa screamed.
    Turning around, but not quick enough, Abby faced another
green-eyed beast that had come from a linen closet. It had snatched Tawa from
her backpack, and with a technique like an alligator, it swallowed the stuffed
hippo with two hungry gulps.
    “No.” The word came out as barely a whimper.
    There was an answering roar of pain from down the hall. The
monsters had taken Demetrius to the ground. He was sitting on one, pounding
another, and a third had just leapt onto his back.
    There was no time for Abby to let loose her tears. She
swiped at the monster that had swallowed Tawa with her sword, scratching it
across the eyes, and then ran down the hall as her other blade emerged from her
right hand. She used her momentum to skewer the creature on Demetrius’ back.
She hopped over him and tossed the dead thing into one of the rooms. She spun
and chopped down another beast. Black blood splashed over the walls and dripped
on her from the ceiling.
    Demetrius killed the other two. Ignoring his wounds, he
picked up his club and met the newly blinded monster as it tore down the hall
at them. His swing sent it flying against the wall. Abby was there to stake it
to the ground and disembowel it. There was nothing inside but shadows and ooze.
    “No!” This time, her cry rattled her throat. Abby would have
fallen to the floor if Demetrius didn’t put an arm around her. A few shuddering
sobs escaped her before she could speak again. “Tawa. It ate Tawa.”
    Demetrius held her closer, stroking her arm. “Tawa went down
honorably. But