Page 84 of Hell on Earth
Mine! I want them! Mine!Mine!Mine!
The words screeched across my mind; my body shuddered as my survival instinct warred with my craving to possess themall. I’d wear them, run them over my body, hold them close, and never evereverwould anyone else be allowed to touchmyrings.
You will die if you goforthem!
Somehow my survival instinct won the war, but barely. I ducked away again and pressed my back to the rock as my body shook like a jolt of electricity had hit it. My fingers clawed at my palms, tearing away the skin. The pain helped me to focus on something other than the rings as I forced myself to remain whereIwas.
Somewhat back under control again, I uncurled my fingers and twisted my hands into the dirt to coat the gashes I’d inflicted on myself. Hopefully, the soil would be enough to staunch the flow and smell of my blood until I could makemymove.
I was pretty sure I knew which horseman I was dealing with. It had to be Greed sitting over there, proudly creating anarchy between a group that had fought and killedforeach other until he rode into ourmidst.
I hated these twisted horsemen as much as the fallen angels. Maybe more so. The angels couldn’t manipulate us into killing each other, as far as I knew. However, there was no way to fight a monster who could hide in the trees while he turned people and demons against each other withsuchease.
I poked my head out around the boulder again. My teeth grated together when I saw the smile curving the corners of Greed’s lips. That smile, and the obvious joy he took in inflicting hurt on those I loved, pushed aside my lingeringavarice.
My grip shifted on my gun, and leaning further out, I lifted it. Squeezing the trigger, I fired three rapid shots. One took Greed in the shoulder, the other in his temple and the third in the center of his forehead when he turned to look at me. His head barely moved an inch from the impact of the lastbullet.
I gulped when those hideous green eyes fastened on me with a rapacious greed that opened an endless pit within mybelly.
Greed can never be satisfied, never be filled. It always wants more and moreandmore.
This thing wantedallof me, and when it was done, it would still seekmore. My hand shook on my gun as something sinister slithered through my mind. The empty pit of need swelled inside me until it threatened to possess me in a way no one should ever bepossessed.
I opened my mouth to beg him to make the awful hollowness stop, but I closed it again. I wouldnotbeg this thing. No matter how empty I felt, I would not give it the satisfaction of seeing meplead.
Lifting my wobbling hand, I fired another bullet. This one went straight through Greed’s throat, spilling more of his black blood. Blinking, I tried to stand, but my knees gave out. All four of the horse’s eyes fastened on me when Greed turned his mount. With a kick to his horse, Greed cameforme.
ChapterForty-Two
Wren
I succeeded in getting my legs underneath me as I turned to face the rider. I had no idea whatIcould do against it, but I refused to go down without a fight. Lifting my gun, I fired again. I was about to squeeze the trigger once more when something burst out of the woods and raced towardGreed.
Corson leapt high, placed his hand on the horse’s rump, and propelled himself into the air. He landed behind Greed and plunged his talons through the horseman’s neck. Greed’s hands flew behind his head; he gripped Corson’s wrist to stop him when Corson started to saw Greed’s head fromhisbody.
When Greed succeeded in tearing Corson’s talons from his neck, I slid my gun into its holster, pulled out my knife, and raced toward them. The horse rose onto its hind legs when I got close to it. Black hooves whistled in the air as they zipped past my head. I reeled away from the horse when it kicked at meagain.
The horse’s abrupt movement caused Corson to lose his grip on Greed. Before he could topple from the saddle, he plunged his talons into Greed’s thigh. A strange, high-pitched hiss filled the air. It reminded me of the ouro, only this one was inherently moresinister.
Corson raked his talons down Greed’s thigh, slicing it open to reveal his black muscles and the black bone beneath. When I tried to dash to the side to help Corson, the horse reared again. I lurched back when the tip of a hoof caught my forehead. A burst of pain momentarily blurred my vision as blood trickled down my broken skin and stuck in myeyelashes.
I wiped the blood hastily away and blinked my vision back into focus as Greed rested his hand on Corson’s forehead. Misery and rage filled Corson’s bellow. My heart lodged in my throat as I realized Greed was making him experience the same emptiness I hadearlier.
Swinging up with his other hand, Corson buried his talons in Greed’s back and jerked downward. More black blood oozed out of Greed as he strove to stay mounted. The horse twisted to the side in an attempt to throw Corsonfromit.
Seeing an opening, I lunged forward, but one of the horse’s heads swung toward me, and its teeth snapped inches from my face. Its fetid breath blew my hair back as its body spun toward me and it struck out again. This time, its hoof caught my forearm, breaking my skin open to spill moreblood.
I refused to be deterred as I dodged to the side to avoid the next hoof the horse aimed at my head. Clutching a handful of the horse’s red mane, I jumped up. The horse spun, trying to shake me off as I swung my leg over and hooked it around the beast’s neck. I somehow managed to hold on and twist around to straddleitsneck.
“Wren, watch out!” Corson shouted, and a hand landed onmyback.
I screamed before I realized my mouth opened. Emptiness engulfed me until I was swimming in a bleak pit of melancholy. I fell forward, inhaling the sulfur scent of the horse as I struggled against the overwhelming impulse to drive my knife into my heart and end thistorment.
“Shit!” Corson grunted, and that hideous hissing sound filled the airagain.
I didn’t know where I found the strength, but I somehow managed to turn and swing blindly downward with my knife. The blade plunged into something and I yanked it when I felt the scrape of bone. The hand on my back fell away. I gasped in a breath as the emptiness within me eased afraction.
Turning, I saw Greed lifting its bloody hand into the air. I slashed out again, slicing more flesh before grabbing his hand and yanking it totheside.
