The Bonding by Victoria Hansen Read Free Book Online Page B

every fold of her clothing, she spoke to Davin, her voice low and intense.
    “Promise me, love, you won't try to save me. This mission is more important than my life, more than our love. If I die, use the opportunity to stop the creature.”
    Davin swallowed hard.
This is a conversation I do not want to have.
“I hate this. Everything inside me says you are more important than anything.”
    “I'm less important than anything,” she retorted. Her face, moments ago soft in the aftermath of loving, had hardened to lines of granite determination. The woman had gone, the warrior returned to her rightful place. “Only the creature matters.”
    “I know,” he choked. “You're right. Don't
you
try to save me either. Most likely she will go after me, sensing my powers. Use that against her.” Another snippet of information floated to the front of his mind. “And if she bites me, promise you'll kill me. I don't want to become like she is. Contagion is powerful.”
    “Same here. Let's go.”
    She made as though to walk toward the narrow passage that led to the outside.
No, that's not right. It can't end like this.
Davin put his hand on Kiri's arm.
    * * *
    She turned him and received a lingering, open-mouthed kiss. It was the sweetest goodbye she could imagine. Scrubbing angrily at her tears, she led the way out of the cave, walking boldly into the clearing. The meadow lay empty and silent, but there was an unnatural quality to the stillness, as though something were waiting. Infused with Davin's magic, her senses, already razor keen after years of fighting, had become almost painfully intense. She could hear Davin breathing behind her, as he stood with his back against hers, could smell his intrinsic scent, and the musk of their sex on his skin. Memories tried to rise, but she suppressed them.
This is no time for ruminating.
She peered into the forest, scanning from side to side, waiting…waiting. Off to the right, a twig snapped. A small animal chattered in protest. Kiri's fighting sense warned her not to be distracted. It was coming…from behind them.
    The creature leaped from the top of the cave entrance, landing on Davin and dragging him to the ground, iron claws flashing in the air.
    “You're too late. I destroyed him,” Davin rasped.
    The monster screamed, a horrible, shrill hissing, and bared her metal teeth, ready to strike, but Kiri was too quick for her. Using her broadsword two-handed, like a club, she knocked the monster to the ground.
    Disoriented, it staggered to its feet and swung towards her, sniffing. It grabbed, not as blindly as Kiri would have anticipated, missing her by inches. She backed away slowly, readying her sword for another blow. The creature advanced towards her, accurately pinpointing her changes in direction.
How does the damned thing know where I am?
    “You destroyed my love, little wizard,” the creature snarled, its voice like a dry wind blowing over an open tomb, “I will destroy yours. I will eat her before your eyes.”
    Gods
, Kiri thought, her eyes widening,
the creature can smell me
!
    Whipping out a throwing star, she aimed and threw in a single continuous movement, catching the creature squarely in the chest. The iron claws removed the star from the withered flesh and snapped it in two easily.
Not good, the creature is impervious to weapons.
    Magic gushed through the clearing as Davin shot the creature with a blast of power. It hit her squarely in the back, and sank into her. She had absorbed it, added it to her own power. She whirled, blasted back and returned to stalking the swordmaster.
    Kiri continued her strategic retreat, unsure what would be effective against this monster. Suddenly, a branch seemed to spring up under Kiri's feet. She went down hard, no time to react. Her sword fell uselessly to the ground.
    The creature coiled to pounce. Kiri's hand went into her pocket and pulled out the leaf.
This is it
. But the anticipated blow never landed. Just as Kiri had fallen,