he actually thought he’d be devoured.
“That’s very heroic and all, but you’re mortal, do you have any
idea what they could have done to you?” He growled only to
freeze in horror.
“What? What’s wrong?” She asked in a panic, shrieking when
she felt something sticky wrap around her throat and hoist her
high into the air. Kailani struggled as the bloodied, half eaten
arms of one of the humans strangled her, her nails digging into
the loose flesh as her feet beat against its shins. Leviathan grit his
teeth as the demons descended upon the fallen humans, climbing
into their corpses and reanimating them.
“Possession.” He muttered as the humans rose, their eyes pitch
black as the demons controlled them from the inside. They were
puppets, cadavers on strings. “Don’t move.” He told the
struggling Kailani who did her best to cease her movements. Her
skin began to lighten as the air left her lungs, the blackness of
unconsciousness looming ever so near. She watched from behind
drooping lids as Leviathan sped towards her, ignoring the shriek
of the possessed human as he reached for its face, tearing at its
mangled flesh. Kailani fell forward onto her knees, her breath
returning to her as Leviathan grabbed the demon by the throat
and punched several fist size holes into its abdomen. He watched
the limp body slink to the desert floor as a small, black, slug like
creature slithered its way out of its mouth. Without a word
Leviathan caught it under his boot heel, crushing it beneath his
superior weight and staining the sand black.
“Shit.” Kailani cursed, gripping her abused throat as she stared
first at the remains of the demon then up at Leviathan. He didn’t
waist any time, stalking over and hauling her to her feet before
shoving her towards the car. But before they made it one of the
possessed men dropped onto the hood as if it’d fallen from the
sky. It stalked towards them on all fours like a predator, its mouth
hanging at an unnatural angle as it dripped blood and saliva.
“Come here Hellmouth.” It voiced without its distorted lips
moving and Kailani balked.
“It can talk?!” The demon only chuckled as it sank lower to the
ground like a cat ready to strike. Before it could move Leviathan
grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her out of the way, taking
the weight of the demon against his chest as it leapt. They went
tumbling to the ground and he flipped them in mid air, landing
the demon on it’s back to avoid driving the knife any deeper into
his own. Leviathan gripped its throat tightly to keep its lopsided,
snapping jaws away from his face; the demon struggled, its
fingernails contorting into black claws that ripped at his forearms.
It was stronger than the others, making him wonder what was
giving it such power. Could it have been Kailani? A hotspot? He
applied more pressure to its larynx until it’s throat collapsed then
ripped, spraying himself with it’s blood as it crumbled to dust in
his hands. The others shrieked from nearby, circling them but
keeping their distance.
“It’s a nest.” He stood, dusting off his hands as he jumped to his
feet, crushing the black slug beneath his boot. Leviathan cursed
as he moved to pull Kailani to her feet. “They’re breeding
nearby.”
“Those things breed?” She asked and he pulled open her door and
shoved her inside without a word. Before he could get to the
drivers side he was thrown backwards, arching his back as he
landed in the sand, the handle snapping off the knife as the blade
was driven deeper into his shoulder blade. He could hear Kailani
screaming at him from the car to get up but he was blinded with
pain, the breath leaving his body as another heavy demon landed
on his chest. The third mans body had been possessed. He
narrowly missed having his face bitten off as its jaws clamped
down on his shoulder instead. The demon tore into him and he
fought it, lifting his hands and digging his thumbs into its now
pitch black eyes. It howled in pain but didn’t release its grip,
before it could do any more damage it shuddered on top of him.
Kailani stood over them both, beating the demon as hard as she
could with the aluminum bat she’d grabbed when she fell. It
didn’t do any damage but it gave Leviathan the opening he
needed to rip off its head and send it rolling across the desert
floor. He cursed as he was covered in yet another spray of blood.
“Are you alright?” She asked, reaching to catch his arm as he
struggled to his feet. His injuries were more than he could stand,
he needed to sleep and heal but he couldn’t bring himself to tell
her that.
“I’m fine. Next time I tell you to stay in the car, stay in the damn
car.” He growled, his eyes watching for the fourth demon but it
had scampered off as soon as it realized it was out numbered. He
climbed into the driver’s side as she slid in and slammed her
door.
“Oh please, I saved you didn’t I?” He cocked a brow at her as he
dropped the car into gear and sped off.
“No.”
“Liar.” She said and he didn’t reply. They drove for what felt like
an hour before the jeep began to slow again. She didn’t say
anything at first but they were headed towards an outcropping of
very large rocks she knew the car wouldn’t be able to pass over.
“Hey Leviathan?” She nudged him and again he didn’t respond.
“If this is your way of getting back at me for not staying in the
car it’s not funny.” She growled, grabbing his arm and shaking
him. His head rolled back onto his shoulders and she stared at his
closed eyelids. He was unconscious! Panicking she quickly
scrambled to yank on the emergency break between their seats,
bracing him when the car skidded to a halt just a few feet from
the rocks. “Oh no no no, this cannot be happening!” Kai shook
him again, patting his cheek in an attempt to rouse him but he
was completely unresponsive. “If you’re dead I’m going to kill
you!”
“He’s not dead.” Kailani nearly jumped out of her skin as a
woman appeared next to her window. She was dressed in khaki
from head to toe, and thick tan boots that laced up her ankles. She
had a mane of long, wavy black hair and skin the color of coffee
beans. Her ears were slightly pointed but she was so tall and
statuesque, she could have been walking someone’s runway in
Paris or Milan. What the hell was she doing in the middle of the
desert?!
“Who the hell are you?” Kai rushed to lock the doors and the
woman simply smiled at her antics.
“A friend. I knew you were coming and I came to greet you.” She
said simply and Kai’s head whipped around to Leviathan’s side
of the car when his door was pulled open. Two large men stood
there gently tugging him out but she grabbed his other arm and
held on tightly.
“Don’t touch him!” She screamed trying desperately to pull him
back into the car.
“It’s alright, we’re not going to hurt you or the demon. We only
wish to help you little one.” The woman’s voice was soothing as
she pulled Kai’s door open but she was still hesitant to trust her.
“Who are you?”
“I am Naomi Mbeki, a member of the peace corps and at this
very moment trying to save a very tired demons life. Please,” She
held out a hand for Kailani to take, “Trust me just until he is no
longer ill.”
“Naomi…” She said, realization striking her hard. Before she
knew it she was out of the jeep and throwing herself into the
woman’s arms to hug her tight. Naomi just laughed as the men
who gathered Levi paused to stare.
“She’s just an excited little Wakma.” The woman laughed as
Kailani hugged her and balled like a baby against her shoulder.
Kailani had been by his side since Naomi and the others
had finished bandaging his wounds and, he’d only been awake
for a few seconds, long enough to scream and attempt to attack
them when they pulled the knife blade out of his back. Naomi
told her not to worry, but how could she not? Leviathan had only
been protecting her. Had she not been there, or maybe even just
stayed in the car he wouldn’t have gotten hurt. He looked so
weak as he lay there, naked from the waist up, beneath the heavy
sleeping bags she’d placed over him. They were occupying one
of the larger tents in Naomi’s camp but his mass made the place
feel so small. His skin was paler than she’d ever seen it and he
didn’t seem to breathe at all, his chest barely moving as he slept.
She was more worried than she’d ever been and she felt like
she’d go insane if her thoughts and emotions became anymore
jumbled up. She thought for a moment that she’d lost him, and
that brought her more pain than she’d ever felt before.
“If your thoughts get anymore ‘jumbled up’ I’ll never be able to
sleep.” He said suddenly and her eyes widened. She leaned over
him, frowning deeply as she tried to discern whether or not she’d
actually heard him speak or if her mind was playing tricks on her.
“Leviathan?” She watched his beautiful blue eyes open, so
intense some foreign part of her wanted to cower from his gaze.
“Yes?” He asked, his voice low and husky. She smiled, her eyes
filling with tears that she tried her best to keep from falling.
“Is there anything I can do?” Leviathan wasn’t one to pass up a
prime opportunity.
“You could kiss me.” She chuckled, leaning down to kiss him
softly. Leviathan growled, lifting a hand to fist in her hair and
pull her closer. He nipped at her lips before releasing her.
“You seem to be feeling better.” She said with a wry twist of her
lips and he grinned.
“What can I say? Kissing a beautiful woman makes everything
better.” He said, looking around the tent for a moment before
frowning. “Where are we?”
“We’re at the Fitzgerald River National park, in Naomi’s camp.
She and her tribe members rescued us after you tried to drive us
into a bunch of rocks.” She told him and he smirked.
“Sounds about right. She more than likely sensed us coming.” He
eyed her slowly, noting her change of attire. “Khaki?”
“It was all she had and all our things got left with the jeep. After
helping them pull a knife blade from your body I was covered in
your blood and had to change. Hey, did you know your blood is
red?”
“Yes I did know that.” He chuckled. “Did you already speak with
her?” Kailani shook her head.
“No. She said she’d talk to us both in the morning. I wanted to
make sure you were okay first.” She said lowly and he frowned.
She’d actually cared that he was injured? Her thoughts where a
chaotic mess and her emotions were even worse; she’d been
terrified he was going to die, not for selfish reasons, but because
she actually wanted him to live. It was inconceivable. In his
world no one cared whether you lived or died. For a mortal to
actually concern herself with his well being, it just didn’t make
any sense. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked
with a chuckle and he extended his hand to cup her cheek. His
eyes studied her face as he lifted himself up to press his lips to
hers. It was the softest kiss she’d ever felt. It wasn’t like his usual
kisses, which were meant to seduce, but tender and sensual.
Affectionate.
Leviathan rolled her beneath him, his lips leaving hers and
trailing over her neck and collarbone. She was pliant, soft and
yielding, her hands traveling up his back, ever careful to avoid
his wounds. He couldn’t help but sigh, resting his forehead
against her shoulder.
“I can’t give you what you deserve Kailani.” He breathed against
her and she ran her fingers through his hair.
“I’ve never asked you for that. Leviathan,” Her voice was soft
and he pulled back to stare into her eyes. Gone was the heartache
he’d sensed in her before. It was replaced by something he dare
not give a name to. He wasn’t ready to acknowledge it, but a
similar emotion inside of him answered its call. “I’m not a little
girl. I know what I want. Even if it’s something that doesn’t last I
know that I—” He cut her off with a kiss that was way too