A tar-like tongue swept over its razor teeth.
“The souls beggggged for youuu,” it hissed. “Their savvviorrr.”
The tongue tsked. “Buthehas other plansssss for youuuu.”
An ominous, wheezing laugh reverberated through the void.
I cringed back as its hot, putrid breath washed over my face.
I couldn’t see its body or the ground around me. Only that face.
Panic had me momentarily paralyzed.
Breathe. Focus. Breathe.
With my one arm free, I pulled back—throwing a punch with every ounce of strength I had.
Thud!
It collided with the creature’s disgusting face
A high-pitched screech exploded from its throat as its head swung back and forth in the air.
What the?—?
The whip angrily flared in response, digging deeper into my ankle. It flickered—bright enough to illuminate nearby.
And that’s when I saw it . . . the head.Dark hair, held in a vice-like grip by a body. Aheadlessbody.
A wet, gaping hole sat where the head should have been. Thick, black fluid oozed from the cavity, dripping down the leathers the body wore.
A gloved hand visibly tightened on the still-swinging head—the same head that was now grimacing.
“Fool!” it seethed. “I’ll enjoyyyy your screammsss for that!”
It leapt forward, knocking the wind from my chest. The weight of the headless body crushed me, straddling my torso.
One gloved hand came up around my throat, pinning me in place.
My hand was still cemented to the ground—Pogue’s vice-like grip locked on mine. But the sight of it was lost to a void of blackness that hid him away like a storm cloud.
What the hell was he doing?
Needle-fangs inched closer.
“Jussssst a tassste . . .” Its tongue swept over its mouth again with a wet, slapping sound.
I squirmed trying to get air back into my lungs but the hand around my throat only squeezed more forcefully.
Suddenly, something slick slid up the side of my neck, moist and cold. Like a nauseatingly grotesque slug. No, not a slug . . . atongue.
I wanted to light on fire. Wanted to burn every inch of my flesh, to purge the grimy feeling from my body forever.
No, no, no! He was going to bite me!
The tongue slid up to the base of my ear when suddenly—a shadow slammed into its body, launching the creature several feet into the air. It landed with a nauseating crunch. Head smacked the ground, rolling a few paces away.
Pogue.
