Allison
My skin stings all over from the knife-sharp cuts that form a patchwork on my exposed flesh. Maybe I don't have as many cuts as I think, since the blood coating my skin makes it hard to see exactly how much damage has been done. What just happened is impossible. Lightning shouldn't do that. When a bolt hits a building, it can fry electrical stuff and damage the roof, but it can't drill a massive hole through the entire building and the foundation.
My ears ring, thanks to the deafening force of the explosion, but at least I don't think I have any broken bones. I push up until I'm on my knees, surrounded by debris. Dax is kneeling beside me, but he seems focused on something ahead of us, in the direction of the corridor outside the store. Shadows writhe out there, with only the grayish twilight to pierce the darkness. Dark shapes, that's all I can see.
As the ringing in my ears fades away, I start to hear other sounds. Growling. Grunting. Snarling reminiscent of a rabid dog.
"What is that?" I ask.
Dax swivels his head to glare at me. "Monsters, obviously."
"How is that obvious? All I see is shadows moving around out there."
"Those aren't shadows. They're creatures." He seizes my arm and stands, forcing me to scramble to my feet too. "You think I'm a beast, but those things out there make me seem like a sweet little puppy."
Worse beasts than him? I don't want to meet those things.
But I don't have a choice. We can't get out of here unless we go through the corridor.
He reaches inside his leather coat and pulls out a large knife, the one he'd threatened me with earlier. The sharp edge has an elegant curve to it, but the barbs on the opposite edge look like they could shred flesh. He snatches the battery-powered lantern off the shattered floor and seizes my arm again, dragging me toward the store's entrance and the corridor beyond. The corridor full of terrible beasts, according to Dax. Maybe he's just trying to scare me. He seems to enjoy doing that.
The jerk thinks I caused the apocalypse. He's insane and dangerous, but I guess that's what I need in a protector. I have no idea how to defend myself against the creatures that have invaded the city, but Dax at least has a weapon. Maybe he's got more hidden inside his coat. As long as he believes I know what the hell is going on and why, he will keep me alive. Right? My brain isn't running on all thrusters, but I'm pretty sure the beast of a man hauling me away is my only shot at survival.
For now.
I'm a librarian, not a woman warrior. What do I know about combat? Zilch, that's what. I hate feeling helpless.
Just as we step out into the corridor, Dax freezes. He swerves his head left and right, eyes narrowed.
A gang of freakish creatures has gathered in the corridor. I count at least six of them. Each looks different, but every single one of them scares the shit out of me. One has long fangs that protrude from its mouth, extending down its chin. Another has reddish-brown hair all over its body and eyes that flicker with red fire. And those are the nicest ones in the bunch. Every creature growls or snarls or gnashes its teeth, sometimes all three at once.
So this is what hell looks like.
Dax keeps hold of my arm, but pushes me behind his body. He waves his huge knife around like he's showing the monsters what he's got. They don't seem impressed.
"Back away," he growls, though his voice isn't as scary as the animalistic noises coming from the gang of creatures. "Let us pass, or I will be forced to destroy you."
Saliva drips from Fang Boy's mouth. "Give us the woman, and we will let you pass."
The creepy monster speaks? Yeah, this is definitely hell. That hole in the sky must've pulled demons out of the bowels of purgatory and dropped them off here just for fun.
Red Eyes chuckles, trickling a shiver down my spine. "Yes, give her to us."
"No," Dax declares, his voice so commanding and dangerous that another, harder shiver rakes through me. "She belongs to me. Leave now or die."
He brandishes his knife. It glistens in the backlit glow from the hole in the ceiling of the store behind us.
Fang Boy charges us.
Dax shoves me backward and rushes at Fang Boy. He slashes his knife across the monster's throat. Blood pours from the wound, and the creature crumples to his knees, gasping and gurgling.
Red Eyes makes his move next, roaring as he throws himself at Dax.
My sort-of protector dispatches that creature too. He stabs his knife into Red Eyes' gut and yanks it upward, gutting the beast.
I wince and look away. I've seen enough blood and gore today, but I doubt this will be the last.
The other monsters gallop away.