He barely had the strength
to groan.
“So that’s it. Your weakness. I didn’t think you were that
much into him.” The monster’s gleeful laugh echoed in the room.
Abby swiped at her cheeks and picked up her swords. Her legs
were shaky as she stood up. She wanted to beg, to promise to give the thing
whatever it wanted if it let Demetrius go. Her heart couldn’t take losing him.
She choked back a sob.
“This is what I waited to see. The Fearless isn’t so
fearless in the end.” Burrows stomped on Demetrius’ head and there was a crack.
This time, the beast’s insane laughter made Abby scream.
Chapter 13
The world seemed to shatter around
her, but it was only Abby’s heart. She fell to her knees, shaking her head as
the tears streamed down her cheeks. It was her fault Demetrius was dead. Honor
meant much to him, but she knew the real reason he stayed. He protected her
because he fell in love with her. And she had let him stay because she loved
him too.
“Now I have the mighty warrior on her knees before me.”
Burrows chortled and walked over the fae’s body toward Abby. “Brought down not
by my fighting prowess, but by her own fear of loss. This is better than when I
killed my first Fearless. She was pathetic compared to you.”
Abby didn’t move. She couldn’t take her eyes off Demetrius.
She’d never feel his lips on hers again nor hear his sexy, gravelly laugh.
“Soon the rest of the Fearless will fall just as you did.
Warriors you might be, but you’re all so pitifully human.” Burrows spat onto
the floor. “Then I will rule. The big bad wolf wins in this story.”
“What?” Abby wasn’t sure she had heard the beast’s mad
ramblings, but it was slowly sinking into her head. “All the Fearless?”
“Oh, yes.” Burrows clapped her hands with an excited little
hop and stopped five feet in front of Abby. “Why do you think I wrote all those
books? Do you honestly think I have aspirations to be an author?” She snorted. “No,
no. I want to rid the world of you Fearless and then the monsters can roam
free. I’m seeding the minds of children. Not every one of them will be special
enough, but there are more and more out there with imaginations fertile enough
to create magnificent creatures like me. Children are not as xenophobic as
adults. They will live with us, and we will live off them.”
The children.
No one in this town had protected the children. And if this
beast had its way, there would be no one left in the world to protect them.
Abby’s hands grew brighter, and the glow slowly worked its
way up her arms.
“Powering up for one last desperate attack?” Burrows
smirked, rolling her eyes. “Ah, how you amuse me.”
The light picked up speed. It went past Abby’s shoulders
across her chest and back. The empty ache within her dulled and determination
replaced it. Her whole body glowed as she raised her head.
“This your imitation of a nightlight?” Burrows’ snark wasn’t
as confident as it had been a few seconds ago.
“The big bad wolf never wins.” Abby rose to her feet. Her
purpose had never been clearer. “You will never harm another child.”
“I’ve rewritten the ending.” Burrows hissed and struck out
at Abby. The first tendril that hit her sizzled and melted with no effect. The
monster screeched and lashed out with several tendrils. Each one withered if it
didn’t retract.
“You’re not one of the Fearless. I broke you.” Burrows
shuddered with rage. “I took from you what you feared most to lose. I will take
your pathetic life!”
“I’ve never feared death. And now you’ve taken away those I
care about.” Abby stepped forward, feeling lighter than she ever had. “There’s
nothing left I fear. You didn’t break me. You made me truly one of the Fearless.”
Burrows howled and tackled Abby. The two fell to the floor,
but Abby felt none of the dreadful strength of the monster. The shadows melted
or fled from her touch.
Abby rolled
to groan.
“So that’s it. Your weakness. I didn’t think you were that
much into him.” The monster’s gleeful laugh echoed in the room.
Abby swiped at her cheeks and picked up her swords. Her legs
were shaky as she stood up. She wanted to beg, to promise to give the thing
whatever it wanted if it let Demetrius go. Her heart couldn’t take losing him.
She choked back a sob.
“This is what I waited to see. The Fearless isn’t so
fearless in the end.” Burrows stomped on Demetrius’ head and there was a crack.
This time, the beast’s insane laughter made Abby scream.
Chapter 13
The world seemed to shatter around
her, but it was only Abby’s heart. She fell to her knees, shaking her head as
the tears streamed down her cheeks. It was her fault Demetrius was dead. Honor
meant much to him, but she knew the real reason he stayed. He protected her
because he fell in love with her. And she had let him stay because she loved
him too.
“Now I have the mighty warrior on her knees before me.”
Burrows chortled and walked over the fae’s body toward Abby. “Brought down not
by my fighting prowess, but by her own fear of loss. This is better than when I
killed my first Fearless. She was pathetic compared to you.”
Abby didn’t move. She couldn’t take her eyes off Demetrius.
She’d never feel his lips on hers again nor hear his sexy, gravelly laugh.
“Soon the rest of the Fearless will fall just as you did.
Warriors you might be, but you’re all so pitifully human.” Burrows spat onto
the floor. “Then I will rule. The big bad wolf wins in this story.”
“What?” Abby wasn’t sure she had heard the beast’s mad
ramblings, but it was slowly sinking into her head. “All the Fearless?”
“Oh, yes.” Burrows clapped her hands with an excited little
hop and stopped five feet in front of Abby. “Why do you think I wrote all those
books? Do you honestly think I have aspirations to be an author?” She snorted. “No,
no. I want to rid the world of you Fearless and then the monsters can roam
free. I’m seeding the minds of children. Not every one of them will be special
enough, but there are more and more out there with imaginations fertile enough
to create magnificent creatures like me. Children are not as xenophobic as
adults. They will live with us, and we will live off them.”
The children.
No one in this town had protected the children. And if this
beast had its way, there would be no one left in the world to protect them.
Abby’s hands grew brighter, and the glow slowly worked its
way up her arms.
“Powering up for one last desperate attack?” Burrows
smirked, rolling her eyes. “Ah, how you amuse me.”
The light picked up speed. It went past Abby’s shoulders
across her chest and back. The empty ache within her dulled and determination
replaced it. Her whole body glowed as she raised her head.
“This your imitation of a nightlight?” Burrows’ snark wasn’t
as confident as it had been a few seconds ago.
“The big bad wolf never wins.” Abby rose to her feet. Her
purpose had never been clearer. “You will never harm another child.”
“I’ve rewritten the ending.” Burrows hissed and struck out
at Abby. The first tendril that hit her sizzled and melted with no effect. The
monster screeched and lashed out with several tendrils. Each one withered if it
didn’t retract.
“You’re not one of the Fearless. I broke you.” Burrows
shuddered with rage. “I took from you what you feared most to lose. I will take
your pathetic life!”
“I’ve never feared death. And now you’ve taken away those I
care about.” Abby stepped forward, feeling lighter than she ever had. “There’s
nothing left I fear. You didn’t break me. You made me truly one of the Fearless.”
Burrows howled and tackled Abby. The two fell to the floor,
but Abby felt none of the dreadful strength of the monster. The shadows melted
or fled from her touch.
Abby rolled
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