Page 105 of Terror at the Gates

I thought I pissed it off.

One of its tentacles wrapped around my wrist, tightening as a serpent would, burning my skin. I screamed and tried to jerk my hand away, but the limb remained tight. I drew my gun, having no other option, and shot at the creature. Its unholy howl echoed in the narrow passageway, butit released me, leaving behind an oily substance on my skin that burned.

“Fuck!”

I realized too late how unprepared I was for this fight. I kept my gun pointed at the demon as it pulsed, growing in size, using its tendril-like arms to glide effortlessly toward me. I had one more cartridge in my pocket, but I needed time to load it.

So I fired, and as my bullets sliced through the demon, chunks of it tore free. The creature shrieked, and the sound was like nails on a chalkboard permeating my entire body. I gritted my teeth against it and kept firing as I put distance between us.

When my clip was empty, I holstered my gun and took out the stun gun and cartridge.

My hands shook, though I didn’t think it was so much from fear as it was from pain. The spot where the demon had touched me still burned.

I kept shifting away, maintaining distance, even as I loaded my final cartridge. The demon was quivering and bubbling, almost like it was boiling. Maybe it was. I imagined it was angry. It wasn’t until something shot out of it and flew past my head that I realized what it was doing—returning my fucking bullets.

Goddammit!

I dove behind the dumpster as more followed, making an awful high-pitched sound as they struck, and managed to shove the new cartridge into my stun gun. Finally, there was silence, at least from the demon.Iwas fuckingloud, my breath haggard and uneven.

Slowly, I peered around the dumpster, but the demon was gone.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I whispered.

I leaned farther out just as another bullet slammed into the dumpster near my face.

I screamed and fell back but caught a glimpse of the creature glowing violet as it unleashed another bullet. I reached for the trash can lid. Using it as cover, I stepped out from behind the dumpster. As the demon glowed, preparing to launch another bullet at me, I aimed and fired.

This time, both darts hit their mark. I squeezed the trigger, as if the current might increase the harder I pulled.

The demon pulsed and flashed, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

I shuffled toward my backpack, which I’d stupidly left near the opening of the alleyway, and withdrew the blade. The creature’s shrieks grew louder at the sight of it.

“Does this scare you, fucker?” I asked.

I’d never fought with a knife before and didn’t know how to hold it, but I wasn’t afraid, because the current running through the demon kept it frozen in place. I neared, lifting the dagger, my hand fisted around the hilt, and shoved it into the demon.

The cut was easy, and I thrust so hard, the tip of the blade hit the asphalt, causing my hand to slip. I readjusted my grip and continued my frenzied attack, fueled by anger.

When I was done, it seemed too quiet, but maybe because everything had been so loud.

I sat on my knees, breathing hard, watching its pink-tinged body wither into blackened ash.

Then I looked at the knife.

It had basically melted that creature. Like it had beenmadeto do so.

“What are you?” I muttered, turning the blade over in the muted light.

As I staggered to my feet, I was certain of one thing.

I needed to get that jade, and soon.

Zahariev

Archbishop Lisk’s home sat opposite First Temple, a smaller, no less striking version of his coveted church. It was a sprawling mansion with a gleaming marble facade, stained-glass windows, and a spired rooftop.

It was a shrine dedicated to his greed.