“A woman? Maybe. A demon? Y’all can go fuck yourselves.”
“Oh, I do. Would you like to watch? Is that what gets you off?”
Damn it. I’d walked into that one.
“Come now, little pet,” she said, five feet from me now, no weapon in hand. Her fingers probably turned to claws in her demon form, though. She didn’t need weapons. “First I’ll pleasure you…” Her magic pumped through the air, thick and syrupy, coating my skin and turning my stomach. “Then we’ll go to the castle and see what is to be done with you. I bet the demon king would greatly like to meet you. He likes to toy with pretty things like you. Tell me, have you ever begged for cock? Crawled on your knees, desperate to be fucked?”
“Again, maybe. But not by one of you arrogant, fucked-up bastards. I want nothing to do with you.” I lunged, stabbing forward with the sword.
She twisted and stepped to the side, easily evading me. I turned the lunge into a slice, but the sword was too big and cumbersome. She darted into my reach, her hip in line with the hilt of my sword. She reached out, and her body changed color to a mottled red and orange, like her scales were flaking off. Horns twisted from her head, and her face flattened with slits for a nose.
She slashed down with her long claws, grazing my skin. I grunted but held on to the sword until my senses caught up to me. I dropped it, reaching for my injured arm with my free hand. She smiled, exposing yellowed teeth, and her tongue slithered out and tasted the air.
Clearly I did need a tutor. Time for plan B.
“Good goddess, you are gross.” I surged up and punched her in the throat.
She made a choking noise and instinctively reached for the offending spot. I grabbed her wrists and spun her, getting behind her. I clutched her head and twisted, trying to snap her neck. She cried out…but did not die.
What the fucking hell are you doing? my animal thought-hollered. Just kill her already!
That move seems a lot easier in books!
I probably needed a tutor for hand-to-hand combat, as well. I’d better start making a list.
The demon reached back and grabbed me, flinging me away with incredible strength. I rolled across the ground. A rock dug into my hip, sending dull, throbbing pain down my leg.
She was on me a moment later, clawing down my side, tearing flesh.
“Give in to me, girl.” Her magic delved, punching me with disgusting desire. It curdled my stomach, sending bile up my throat. I convulsed, nearly vomited, and then squeezed the pads of my first two fingers and thumb together before jabbing her in the eyeball.
She howled and slapped a hand to her eye. I fisted her hair and ripped her head to the side. I really should’ve brought my fucking dagger! What the fucking fuck had I been thinking? Fuck!
I arched and bucked her off before trying to figure out how to kill someone with my bare hands. Books made this seem so fucking easy! Nyfain would have a lot of explaining to do, because the hero in that book he’d lent me did this all the time. He’d basically yawn and people would die. More realistic, my ass.
I punched her a few times, my hands, thankfully, strong from hunting and working the hides. What should I do, choke her? Try to, like…pound her head with a rock or something?
“Fuck, why didn’t I realize I was so bad at this? Where’s Hannon and his axe when you need him?”
I punched her a few more times and then ripped her toward me, hoping to get her by the neck again so I could strong-arm her over to the sword, where I might finally stab her and end this whole thing.
“It would be easier on both of us if you’d just tap out and die. Just give in to it,” I said in a series of grunts, working my hand between her neck and the ground.
“Why…isn’t…my…magic…working,” the demon said through a strangled throat.
“Your magic is working. I just think it’s gross. I found someone sexier who doesn’t need magic. So suck it. Come on now, stop struggling. You know I’m going to win. You know this! Stop making it so hard on me and just let me kill you already!”
My animal surged up, and a blast of fire crackled over my skin. My vision wobbled, blackening.
What are you doing? I demanded of her. Too much power!
A strong hand wrapped around my arm and shoved me to the side. A large, nude form stabbed down with my sword, the blade cutting through the middle of the demon. She cried out, the strength and volume of the sound lowering dramatically until it cut off.