Page 141 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

They both directed their gaze towards the cabin, where harpies continued to fly. One of them attacked Amelia and fell motionless on the grass a few blinks later.

“She doesn’t need help, I suppose…” Kathrine said.

Zacharia rolled his neck from side to side. “I could be wrong, but it seems someone’s setting us up for the real game.”

She nodded. “This is a distraction. I’d stop fighting them and run.”

A sound, between a bark and a woman’s scream, rang out behind them. More harpies emerged from the forest.

“How many of these did you say the Queen has made?” Zacharia grimaced.

“More than I thought…”

52

Zacharia

A dozen harpies strode through the grass. Their faces bore the same uniform features as the others, yet something set them apart. Emotion.

Presiyan and Jasmina – maybe someone else too – opened fire. A few harpies collapsed, but most moved with unnatural speed, slipping through the hail of bullets.

Zacharia pointed to the knives in their hands. “These look like an upgraded version. Armed turbo-version.”

“I didn’t know there was more than one.” Kathrine took up a battle stance.

Zacharia tried not to be distracted by her immortal form, although it was odd to have a snake-like creature with feminine curves wearing a tank top and shorts speaking to him.

Two harpies attacked them, while the others lunged for the cabin. The one charging Zacharia possessed the speed of a sprinter and the strikes of a professional boxer. It was time for him to transform.

But this damned winged woman wasn’t giving him a break to shift into his animal form. Her knife sliced through the air again and again, aiming at Zacharia’s body. When his right cross found its way to her chin, she threw her knife to the ground with an angry scream and adjusted her dislocated jaw with her hands.

What a show!And an opportunity for Zacharia to strike. He dropped into a sprinter’s stance – knees bent, torso almost parallel to the ground – and charged towards her. He plunged his head beneath her elbow and gripped her waist, lifting herinto the air. Zacharia drove his shoulder into her solar plexus, then slammed her down with all his might. Her skull cracked upon impact.

Zacharia spotted her knife in the grass and picked it up. He approached Kathrine unnoticed, grabbed the harpy she was fighting by the head, and thrust the blade sideways into her neck.

The reptilian nodded towards the thrashing woman on the ground. “Thank you, although I had everything under control.”

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist. I’m a gentleman, after all.”

She laughed, revealing a reptilian mouth lined with two sharp fangs and a pointed tongue. Zacharia’s curious gaze drifted to her unusual skin. How would it feel beneath his fingers? Slick and cool like a serpent? Or soft like the fuzz of a peach?

Kathrine sprinted towards the main battle near the cabin. He moved to follow, but a sudden blow struck his back, forcing him forward. He staggered, barely maintaining his footing, then spun around just in time to avoid a second strike from the harpy’s fist.

Hadn’t he already killed her? Ignoring the searing pain in his lower spine, he attacked her with a series of punches. Before delivering the final blow, Kathrine interfered and neutralised the harpy with a kick.

“No need,” Zacharia said.

“I always pay back my debts.”

He reached his back, fingers brushing over the torn fabric of his T-shirt. The spot where the harpy had clawed him burned as if branded. Odd. He’d endured plenty of injuries during the fight, but none had hurt like this one.

He lifted his hand to his face and examined the blood-streaked palm. Dark red mixed with black, threaded through the smear. That could mean only one thing.

A thousand fucking devils.

“Watch out! They’re releasing nymph poison!” he shouted to the others.

***