Bound (A Faery Story 1)

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Meg flew back, and this time her head cracked against the log

where she had previously found safety. She saw stars and the world

started to go dark around her.

You stay awake. The voice was ferocious now. It slapped at her

mind and forced her eyes open. It wouldn’t let her go under.

Liadan fell on her. She sat on Meg’s waist, holding her down with

the bulk of her body and wrapped her good hand around Meg’s throat.

She tried to struggle, but Meg couldn’t get her legs to move under the

heavy weight of the witch.

“I need more blood to get through that fucking wall the king

erected,” Liadan explained with a ghoulish grin.

Meg felt for the cool metal of the .357 Magnum. She’d dropped it

when she hit her head. Her fingers clawed through the mud,

desperately trying to find it. Liadan’s hands were choking the life out

of her. Meg fought for breath, but the hag tightened her hold.

“Do you know what I’m going to do to those boys when I get a

hold

of them?” Liadan moved close. Meg could smell the blood on

her breath. Her stomach turned. “I’m going to gut them. I’m going to

pull their insides out. Why don’t I give you a demonstration?”

The witch cackled and pulled back, showing off the way her

fingers changed into thick, dirty-looking claws. Meg dragged in air

the instant she could. Liadan pulled her clawed hand back just as

Meg’s fingers met metal. Pulling the gun up, Meg brought it between

her chest and the hag’s.

Meg pulled the trigger just before those knives on the hag’s

fingers met her flesh. The report boomed through the forest.

Liadan looked down at the hole in her chest dumbly before falling

over dead.