Their choice. Either option was fine by her. The bloodier, the better, because with what they would be bleeding, she’d get a free meal out of it.
She licked her fangs in expectation of a most satisfying dinner.
Stepping back, she manifested her own sword and made ready to send as many of them as she could to whatever god they worshiped if they chose to fight.
This was bullshit and she wasn’t about to sit back and let them have her family. Not without it costing them life and limb.
Falcyn moved in to protect her. “What are you doing here?” he demanded of them.
“We’re here for your stone, dragon.”
Falcyn tsked. “Ah, see, you don’t want to be going there, guys. You come for my stone and I’ll be handing you yours instead. Now before the massive geldings commence, I suggest you take yourselves back to whatever moron sent you out on this suicide quest and bitch-slap them with my deepest regards.”
Medea rolled her eyes at his sense of irony while Davyn made an indefinable noise that landed somewhere between humor and horror. Her father actually laughed.
Her mother applauded. “I like the way your dragon thinks, Medea.”
“I knew you would, Mum. Knew you would.”
The strykyn moved in to attack, but before they could get near them, a murder of Charonte overran their group like a school of starving piranha.
Medea ducked as one of the Charonte almost took her head off in his enthusiasm to chow down on the nearest strykyn.
They howled as the Charonte tore into them with glee.
Falcyn screwed his face up. “Guess they’re not on Acheron’s Charonte no-eat list.”
Obviously. Just as Apollymi must still be looking out for her Daimon army, as well. Nice to know the goddess of destruction hadn’t abandoned them in their hour of need.
Made her feel almost warm and fuzzy inside.
Or maybe that was the sudden weird nausea caused by the hungry demons.
Medea cringed as one of the female demons moved to rip a strykyn apart. “Wonder if they taste like chicken?”
“Ew, Chicken Little! I know we’re cannibals, technically, but still.…” Davyn nudged at her. “You’ve been hanging out with the dragons too long.”
“Actually, Simi.” Worse? This was making her crave barbecue. Yeah, she was sick and she admitted it.
But then, that was what made her the villain. And what made her appreciate the darker side of Falcyn.
Which terrified her. She’d spent centuries alone, never thinking about being with someone else. Never considering the possibility of ever being part of a couple again. She’d become relegated to the concept. Complacent.
Now…
Dare she trust Brogan’s prophecy?
Her own feelings?
For so long life had given her more kicks than it’d withheld. And that made it all the harder to trust. All the harder to believe. How could she have faith when all she knew was betrayal and pain?
Then again, two negatives did make a positive. And no one and nothing was more negative than Falcyn and her.
Together…
He scowled at her as he caught the look in her eyes. “What’sthatmean?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
