Chapter 12

Twelve

Skyler

It’s freezing, I’m freezing.

But I’m alive, at least for now, and if I want it to stay that way, I need to keep moving. Whatever the fuck is going on, I know their goal is to kill me. It’s why I chanced jumping into the water to begin with. At least if I’d drowned, it wouldn’t have been to their hands, whatever they are.

I dig my fingers into the wet sand, slowly hauling myself up onto the beach. It’s slow going. Everything hurts, and I want nothing more than to lie down and sleep, but I know that’s not an option, at least not right now.

No, if I close my eyes now I might very well never open them again.

I need to get out of here, and if I want any hope of that, I need to move!

Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I push myself up to stand. My legs shake, and despite trying to keep myself quiet, I can’t stop the whimper of pain when I put weight on my left leg. By some miracle, I stay upright. Though for how long, I don’t know.

I’d kept the damn stick in my leg on purpose. I’ve seen enough movies and read enough books to know you leave it in so you don’t bleed out, but somewhere between jumping in the river and being tossed around, it had come free. It hurt like a bitch going in, but coming out was worse.

I don’t need to look to know I’m losing blood at an alarming rate. I can feel it dripping down my leg. It’s almost hot on my otherwise freezing skin as it seeps through my jeans.

Stop being a bitch and move!

With another deep breath, I do just that, putting one foot in front of the other and almost crying out from the pain.

Fuck! How do people get shot and still move?

I make it all of three steps before my damn leg has had enough, and I go down. This might be better, though, honestly I’d just been dragging my leg behind me. I don’t give myself a second to overthink it. I’ve wasted enough time as it is. Rolling over, I sit up and begin to scoot along the beach backward, dragging my bum leg.

Is it pretty? Probably not, but it’s effective.

It takes much longer than it should, but eventually, I see the flicker of flames in the distance.

The campsite!

Tears roll down my cheeks at the thought of finding help, of getting out of here, being warm. Fuck, I don't know if I’ve ever been so happy at the idea of seeing other people.

Of course, it can’t be that easy. It never is.

“Where are you going, lamb?” A voice rings out from behind me. A deep, ominous tone that I’ve heard before.

I whip my head around and find him standing just outside the tree line, watching me. For the first time since I’d left the woods, I miss the cold darkness it offered.

Sunrise is coming, and I can just make out his outline. He’s tall, so fucking tall; bigger than Price. But even squinting at him, I can’t make out much more than his cold black eyes and the cruel smile that twists his lips up to make him look crazed.

“Fuck you,” I spit with more bravado than I feel, and thank the universe that my words don’t waver.

I’m terrified, but I refuse to show him. He can kiss my ass.

‘I’m more of a biter,’ his voice rings out in my head with a deep laugh, and I gasp in surprise.

“You!” I shouted, unsure what to say but knowing it was him. He was the voice I heard, the one who started all of this.

“What the fuck are you?” I spit the words in disgust, but also trying to keep him talking as I continue toward the camp.

Maybe if I can just make it… I don’t know what to even hope for, but I know I need to keep moving. I can’t just sit here.

“It doesn’t matter if you make it to the camp. Everyone else is dead, and there's nobody left to hear you scream,” he says, slowly stalking toward me as if this is just a casual stroll in the woods for him. “And oh, will you scream, little lamb.” His already deep voice drops another octave as he all but purrs.

This sick fuck is enjoying this.

He throws his head back and barks a laugh that would have any villain jealous. I’m not even sure I should call it a laugh. There’s no joy to it. It rolls over me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and goosebumps break out on my skin.

“So much more than you know,” he says, and I take a second to realize he’s responding to my thoughts.

“Stay out of my head,” I hiss as I continue down the beach.

It’s useless, I know it, and so does he.

He’s gaining on me even at his leisurely pace, but I can’t stop. I won’t give up, not for him or anyone.

“It’s a shame, really, that you have to die. You have so much moxie. It’s refreshing,” he says, and I get the feeling he’s not teasing me despite how condescending his words sound.

“You see, the veil is thinnest now, and we only get freedom once a year. We have to make the most of it, and this,” he holds his arms out in a gesture to the whole of the woods. “Well, this is the most fun we’ve had in a very, very long time. In large part, thanks to you.”

I glare at him, but he only chuckles in response.

“See that, right there.” He points at me, and I pull a face, not liking that he’s enjoying my glare that's meant to deter him.

“And to think we almost went elsewhere,” he says, shaking his head as he stops just a few feet from me. My back hits something solid and stops me from continuing my desperate but pointless attempt at escaping.

“Wait, what?” I can’t stop myself from asking as his words finally sink in.

“Ah, yes. You see, we had no plans to come here, but Asmodeus heard a call, and being his usual curious self, he couldn’t ignore it,” he says, sounding almost fond of whoever the fuck Asmodeus is. “So you see, you and your friends called us here, and I can’t bring myself to be upset by the turn of events.”

What the fuck is he talking about?

“We don’t have time to get into all of that right now. Unfortunately, we need to wrap this up before the sun rises. Which means you have to die.” He says it so simply, as if he’s not talking about taking my life to my fucking face.

“Or you could just not kill me. Crazy idea, right?” I sass, rolling my eyes.

I mean, I’m going to die either way. I might as well go out in true Sky fashion.

“If only it were that easy. Letting you live would have consequences,” he says, and before I can ask what the fuck that means, he lunges.

His hand wraps around my throat, and it feels like it’s on fire, but as quickly as the pain is there, it’s gone. I watch with blurry eyes full of tears as he pulls back, cradling his hand to his chest, and curses.

“By the gods, what is with you mortals and iron!?” he spits, though he doesn't seem to actually be talking to me.

Even if he is, I ignore him. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I do know he’s distracted, at least for the moment. At the rate I’m going, I don’t think I’ll get another chance like this.

Despite the pain in my leg, I push myself up. The fear of dying, the feel of his hand around my neck, is fresh and pushes the pain aside. Adrenaline pumps through my veins and numbs everything as I take off toward the camp, running like my life depends on it.

Right now, it does.

I’m so close. I can see the tents we set up, and the fires that, while smaller, still burn even through the rain of the night. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I reach it. He’s already said everyone is dead, but I have to try.

There has to be a way to stop him. I just need to think.

The air leaves my lungs in a whoosh as I’m slammed from behind, and I go down hard, the weight on my back keeping me pinned. I gasp for air as my skull explodes with pain, and I feel the now familiar feeling of blood as it trails down my forehead.

The world spins before my eyes and then actually spins as I’m rolled onto my back.

My vision swims as I stare up into his black eyes. They're not just dark but completely black, and as my vision blinks in and out, I swear he has… horns?

Fuck, I must have hit my head really good.

I blink a few times, and my vision goes back to normal, but his horns remain, and when he smiles down at me, his teeth are pointed, just like Holt’s were.

I’m going to die to a fucking monster, alone in the woods. Some nameless fuck who says that I called them here.

How pathetic.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, my dear. Nobody who calls on us ever survives,” he hisses. Like actually hisses, and I’m not sure if it’s a result of hitting my head or him being whatever the fuck he is.

“But you came the closest, and you were by far the most fun.” He rubs a hand down the side of my face, and I wince at the pain of his finger running over the injury there.

Unable to look away, I watch as he brings his finger up to his lips and pops it into his mouth with a hum of satisfaction.

“And the most delicious.”

He leans down so that we’re damn near face to face. I know he’s going to kill me, but something about him is so strangely beautiful I can’t help but take in every bit of him.

“You're not like any other mortal I’ve ever met before,” he says, reaching out. I expect his hand to close around my throat again, but instead, he moves the collar of my shirt and fishes out my necklace.

He carefully holds it up and I can’t help but gasp as I see smoke coming from his skin where the chain rests against it.

With the flick of his wrist, he yanks, and I feel the chain snap, but before I can feel the pain, his hand wraps around my throat, and any pain from that is drowned by the burning feeling of his skin on mine.

He doesn’t squeeze, but I know it’s coming. How can it not be?

I’ve never been one to give up. I’ve always fought, and I want to keep fighting, but I’m so fucking tired. It’s as if every bit of energy I had has been stripped from me, and I’m left trapped in my own body.

I feel his fingers flex. His hand is so fucking big he doesn’t even need to use both of them. One wraps around my throat completely. A single tear rolls down my face as I breathe in, knowing any breath might be my last.

He leans impossibly closer until his mouth is so close I can feel his warm breath on my ear. “Don’t be afraid, little lamb. Death isn’t so bad. Should you end up in hell, I’ll take care of you. Think of it as a thank you for a night none of us will soon forget.”

Pulling away, he licks the side of my face, licking away the tear and whatever else I’m covered in, probably blood and dirt. It doesn’t seem to bother him, though. If anything, I’d say it excites him based on the hard length pressing into my stomach.

“Tell them Lucifer sent you,” he says, and I swear he sounds almost apologetic. I don’t get the chance to dwell on the thought as his fingers tighten, cutting off my ability to draw in a breath.

Finally my body moves, the loss of oxygen enough to push me to panic. I thrash around and manage to get a hand free from under him. I claw and pull at his hand, but he doesn’t so much as flinch. His face is blank as he stares down at me, watching me fight for air, even though we both know I’m going to lose.

Black dots swim in my eyes, and I know I’m going to pass out any second. I’m sure moving around isn’t helping me, but now that I’ve started, I can’t stop.

Fuck him, and fuck this stupid night.

“Fuck you,” I choke out with the little air I have left. I need him to know he didn’t break me even if he kills me, even if it doesn’t make a difference.

As I fade, my eyes sag, and my limbs go limp. It almost feels as though I’m going to sleep, only it’s about a thousand times more painful. Before my eyes fall closed completely, I swear I see his lips quirk up in a smirk, but I can’t be sure.

This is it, I guess.

My body warms, and I know I’ve lost. I’ve been a shivering mess since I crawled my ass out of the water earlier, so the warmth feels nice, and I let myself relax into it.