Fearless by Christine Rains Page A

had
Demetrius.
    “I didn’t think you would. That’s what makes this even more
thrilling.” Burrows stopped in front of her desk and pushed her glasses up her
nose. It was a silly human gesture, but somehow chilling in this moment. “I’ve
always wanted to be the villain, the big bad wolf of the world. It’s hard to do
stuck in a pathetic little body.”
    “So you want Abby’s? Not going to happen.” Demetrius limped,
but his pride seemed hurt more than anything else. He readied himself for
another charge, but Abby put a hand on his arm.
    “It doesn’t want my body. It can’t leave Burrows.” It seemed
easy enough to just kill the host to kill the beast, but Abby doubted it was
going to be that easy. Something else was going on. Something she hadn’t
figured out yet.
    “Then let’s get on with the fight.” Patience wasn’t one of
Demetrius’ virtues. He ran head-on again, but wary of the dark tendrils this
time. He dodged two and then Burrows smacked him into the bookshelf with a
third.
    There was no point standing around playing Twenty Questions.
Abby used the fae’s distraction and dove in, targeting Burrows’ mid-section.
She was swept back, stopping herself just before she fell down the stairs.
    Demetrius and Abby made a second attack together, and then a
third and fourth. Each time, Burrows knocked them back. Neither was able to get
close enough to land a hit on Burrows. The attic was small. There was only so
much room to maneuver, and the monster was aware of every tiny movement.
    Abby threw one blade as Demetrius bellowed and swung from
the opposite side. Burrows threw him to the side and caught the glowing sword.
She held it in one hand, examining it with a childlike fascination.
    “Interesting. It burns my essence, but human flesh can hold
it. Perhaps it isn’t so bad being trapped in this form.” Burrows gave Abby a
sly look. “Or maybe it’s a sign that you can’t kill me after all.”
    Abby recalled her sword and it re-emerged from her palm. “I
don’t know. Let me run you through with it and see what happens.”
    “I’m not going to make it that easy for you.” Burrows
laughed and motioned with her hand for them to come at her again.
    Demetrius roared and tried to zigzag his way closer to the
writer, but with such little space, there was no way his strategy could work.
Abby held her ground as a slap hit him back again.
    “It’s just toying with us.” Why? What was it up to? Abby
knew it was waiting for something. Her usual way to go about it was to think
like a child, but Burrows was no child. The monster had grown as the woman had.
Yet it was still was a monster. It wanted to kill.
    “Toy with this then.” Demetrius rammed his club into the
desk and sent it into Burrows.
    The writer let out a girlish shriek as the desk pinned her
against the wall. Her face contorted into something ugly and unnatural as the
beast howled. A dozen tendrils smashed Demetrius into the ceiling and wall. The
wood cracked and split as it repeatedly slammed against him.
    Abby cried out and leapt at Burrows. Thrown against the
filing cabinet, she landed hard on one shoulder. She didn’t drop her swords as
she sped to Demetrius and sliced through the tendrils to free him. He slumped
to the floor, his breaths coming in shuddering gasps.
    “Demetrius, no. Stay with me.” Abby laid her swords down to
put his head on her lap and brushed his hair back from his handsome face. Her
chest was so tight it hurt to breathe. She used her sleeve to wipe the blood
from his eyes. “Please.”
    “Abby.” A bubble of blood accompanied his whisper. His hands
curled into fists.
    “That’s right. Don’t you dare die on me. Fight. Fight, you
stubborn freakin’ fae.” She couldn’t contain her tears or the trembling of her
body.
    Suddenly, Demetrius was yanked away and dragged across the
floor. Burrows grinned as he came to rest before her. She put a foot on the
side of his face and pressed into it with her heel.