Page 62 of Claiming Demons

Erini screamed. I had the advantage now and slashed again, but some natural defense mechanism of hers kicked in. A pulse of energy billowed out from her, pushing me away, and slamming me into a tree.

Three sets of fiery eyes slowly turned toward me. One of her heads was so crazed it was frothing at the mouth.

Well, Fuck.

She flew in and I blocked her whip with my shield, but then she was on me, two arms grasping my shield and pulling it away from me. Her sword swung in and cut through my armor into my side. At the same time, she bashed a fist into my face, hitting like a jackhammer.

I swung with my sword, but her one free hand stopped my arm, crushing my wrist before wrenching my arm the wrong way.

Agony, like nothing I’d ever felt before, exploded through my arm as joints were torn out of their sockets and tendons snapped. Then… just to be safe, she did the same thing to my other arm.

I screamed an inhuman sound.

Erini laughed.

“That’s more like it,” she snarled and she punched me in the face again, caving in my mouth. I couldn’t scream anymore, choking on blood.

Erini finally had me at her mercy and she reveled in her hatred, bashing her fist over and over into my face.

“Let’s see if anyone wants you once I’m done with you, little slut,” she bellowed.

She was too close to use her sword and whip effectively, but her arms were doing a good job of pummeling the rest of me as well, breaking through my armor.

My healing couldn’t keep up. Blood flowed over my chin from a shattered mouth and broken nose. I could barely see out of one eye, the other swollen shut, and my mind was growing hazy.

Then, thankfully, the punching stopped… only to have two of her hands shift up to grab my neck and squeeze.

I managed to gasp in one gulp of air… then… I was scrambling to breathe.

My arms hadn’t mended, so I kicked at her. But she blocked my feeble attacks, then stabbed her sword into my legs until they were useless. And that was it. I had nothing left. My guys were down. No one was going to save me now, except me, and I’d done all I could. Still, I flailed and struggled, but Erini was too strong, too pumped up on her aspects. I didn’t know how I could possibly defeat her.

No!

The voice came from within me, not my own. It sounded rich and womanly, a vibrant alto.

You must find a way. You must survive. You must fight. We cannot end like this.

We?

Who are you?I asked.

Whoever they were, they had a point. I couldn’t die, not like this. I had too much to live for. I’d only just found true love — times three — each of my guys loving me in their own unique way. And I needed more time with my daughters. They might drive me crazy sometimes, but I still loved them and wanted to be the mother they deserved. And, speaking of being a mother, I had three new lives unborn within me. I had to live for them.

And I wanted to live for me too!

What can I do?I pleaded with the voice. I had almost no time left and I was barely conscious. My vision had contracted down to a couple of points of distant light filled with Erini’s insane visages.

I don’t know,the voice admitted, sounding a bit ashamed.I’ve never fought Erini in her prime before. But we are a feared warrior. We can’t be defeated by this upstart young godling. We should be far more powerful than she is.

I’ve only just come into my aspects and she’s been honing hers for centuries. I may have more aspects, but she’s just too powerful!

Yes, you’re right.A hesitant pause, then:I’ve never done it before… but you can use your love to forge a bond with another willing soul,the voice said softly, guiding me.You need to bond with your men.You’ve already laid the groundwork, connecting to them with love. Seal the bond and you’ll be able to share aspects with them, and they with you, all the time.

Which meant, I’d be able to use my guys’ aspects as well as my own. That might just give me the edge against Erini.

I’ll do it,I breathed internally.

I was no longer aware of the physical world at all, but I knew I wasn’t dead yet, simply because I was still thinking. Even as the last of my awareness faded, I reached out with love and connected with my three daemon princes.