Page 68 of Huntress

A massive spike of quartz shot out of the ground, spearing the last rat through the middle. It gasped, wriggling in place, unable to keep attacking, though it tried. With savage joy, the demon hound bolted off to tear into the human-born zombies.

“We should have removed his collar from the start,” Elsie muttered, watching him go.

“Are you kidding?” Perrie snorted. “He’s dangerous.”

“Look how many lives we’ve lost,” Elsie frowned. “He could have helped us save them.”

Tired of his puppet’s failures, the necromancer’s looming presence finally coalesced into a living being. Elsie looked beyond their battlefield and spotted him.

Bare-chested, his long black hair stirred by the wind of his own power. Layers of hemp and bone necklaces weighed heavily around his neck. Further adorned with bracelets and anklets made of various teeth, carved beads, and bone, his only clothing was a deerskin breechcloth that left the sides of his powerful thighs bare. Three small skulls stolen from magical creatures dangled from his belt, clinking together softly with each step.

His feet were elongated, grotesque rat paws, with long spurs at the back of each backward-facing knee. His tail split into three, each barbed end charged with venom. His huge, delicate ears were folded back, and those penetrating eyes were solid black, charged with malevolence. The ground trembled each time one of those paws touched it, his power spider-webbing outward as earth magic coiled around him like a snake ready to strike.

“Awww, now what?” Perrie moaned, voice thin with exhaustion.

Including Mutt, only four of them were still standing, and from the looks of him, there wasn’t much fight left in Trenton. Apparently he disagreed. Her second in command was making his way through the carnage to join them.

Elsie watched the necromancer walk, taking his measure as she moved to meet him. His stride was lithe and smooth, posture and expression confident and cocky. She saw no weakness.

Her study of him caught his attention, and one corner of his mouth quirked upward in amusement. She knew how she must look to him, and what he must be thinking. He couldn’t possibly view her as a threat after his rat army had torn holes in her and her squad. To him, they must look like easy prey.

The wolfhound demon pounced on the last zombie, finishing it off with a wet crunch. He looked around, making sure nothing else outside of the barrier was moving, then wheeled toward the necromancer and bounded to Elsie’s side.

His eyes glowed red with feral protectiveness, and he took the lead, keeping her near his shoulder. The fresh mating bond throbbed between them, and for the first time since the fight started, she felt a twinge of his rage. How dare these creatures threaten what belonged to him?!

The necromancer watched them come, a low laugh crossing the distance between them. “A reaper and her pet demon, both bitches of the demon hunters. How dreadfully amusing.”

He slammed a paw into the ground, and his earth magic rippled toward them, stone pillars shooting upward in a deadly wave. Elsie dove left, using her ability to see trails of magic to light up the threads of power, allowing her to weave between his attacks.

Almost out of magic, Perrie threw up a shield that cracked on impact, but didn’t give out entirely. Trenton rolled, but he wasn’t fast enough. One of the pillars slammed into him, and he cursed as he crumpled to the ground. He struggled to his hands and knees, but he couldn’t get back to his feet.

Mutt charged straight through the pillars. Crystals shot up around him, his own light moon, and earth magic clashing with the necromancer’s. He pushed in close, dodging and weaving, darting in close to bite at his legs before vanishing. He miscalculated, taking the full brunt of one of those spiked tails to his shoulder, but he kept coming, jaws snapping.

“Perrie, cover Trenton!” Elsie shouted, hoping his bones hadn’t been crushed. The witch complied, throwing a protective dome around their second-in-command.

Elsie and her demon hounded the necromancer together, not giving him a moment’s peace. She darted in low, dagger flashing, aiming for any skin to shove her blade into. He spun, one barbed tail whipping toward her face. Mutt intercepted it with his body, the spike driving deep into his side. The wolfhound snarled in pain, but he clamped his jaws around the tail and ripped.

“Pests!” the necromancer hissed in fury. Blood sprayed from his severed tail, and he smashed both paws into the dirt. The ground split open between them, a chasm of jagged rock trying to swallow Elsie whole.

She leapt, but her injuries screamed in protest. Mutt lunged, catching her between his teeth in mid-air. He hurled her clear; the brief touch making their bond flare white-hot between them. Elsie hit the ground with a thud, and she rolled several times before coming to a stop. He was already back to tearing at the Necromancer, one piece at a time.

Perrie chanted the ancient language, speaking so quickly that the words were indecipherable. She was trying to bind the necromancer’s magic, but those black eyes flicked her way, and he shattered her spell, sending a tidal wave of stone in her direction. She jumped, taking herself out of his reach.

Banks dragged himself over and let loose a final fiery arrow that sank into the necromancer’s thigh. He hissed and tore the arrow free. The wound was shallow, barely slowing him down.

“How many of your people will fall?” the piper growled. Perrie reappeared, blowing that dust of hers into his face. It had taken out many rats on the battlefield, but he was unfazed. He snorted, and his two remaining tails lashed, catching Perrie across the back, sending her flying. She hit the ground hard.

Elsie saw red. She charged, her demon at her side like a vengeful shadow. The necromancer snickered and met them, claws and tails a blur. Mutt took another blow, and the venom burned into his side.

Spikes erupted beneath Elsie’s feet, and she danced between them, using every scrap of training she’d picked up from Albright. She spotted an opening and streaked forward. Her target twisted to meet her, but in a stroke of pure luck, her dagger sank into the hollow between two of his ribs.

He sucked in a breath, and the hound went for his throat. The piper caught him with both tails, driving the barbs deep into his chest and flank. Mutt snarled, refusing to let go, his teeth sinking deeper. Crystals shattered the ground, spearing the necromancer’s paws and pinning him in place.

Elsie took the opening he’d created. She heaved her dagger upward, burying it under the necromancer’s jaw, twisting it viciously.

“Die, you bastard!” she screamed.

Mutt shook the demon’s throat, struggling through muscle and sinew to close his jaws. The piper struggled frantically, claws scrabbling and tails lashing, but Elsie sliced her dagger to the side, opening his throat. Together she and her hound tore the piper’s head from his shoulders in a spray of dark blood.