Page 72 of Sinful Curses
Glancing down, he lowered the candle to reveal another dead creature. This one was in worse shape than the last, as the bones he’d stepped on had crumbled and turned to ash beneath his weight.
Lifting the candle, he spotted another husk ahead. Unease churned inside him; they’d entered the killing grounds of whatever hunted them.
He withdrew his sword as he prepared for an imminent attack. Behind him, the others gathered as close as possible through the twisty mountain while the dead became more abundant with every twist and turn.
The further they got into the passage, the more they uncovered dead creatures enshrouded in a gauzy film that clung to his boots when he stepped in it. Yanking his foot free of the webbing, Orin forged ahead despite knowing what followed them from above.
He never considered turning back but knew death lay ahead.
CHAPTERSIXTY-TWO
Snap.Crack. Pop.
Orin gritted his teeth against the noise of the breaking bones and crumbling bodies as it drowned out the noises from above. As they progressed through the passage, avoiding the carcasses littering the ground became impossible.
And he wasn’t the only one stepping on them, as the others couldn’t avoid the remains beneath their feet. The only good thing about this area was, though the walls remained high, the twists and turns in the passage had stopped.
They now walked straight toward whatever nightmare lay ahead, and it was coming fast. After another ten feet, he held his hand up to halt the others.
Sahira stopped behind him; Pip twisted on his shoulder to look at her before turning back. The last crack of bone faded away beneath the demon’s feet.
Orin lifted the candle higher; only two inches remained of the cylindrical shape. Wax dripped down to his fingertips, but he no longer felt its heat beneath the coating that had formed.
He suspected the things stalking them had dragged these corpses into the passage so the noise of their passing would hide any sounds made above. He doubted there were only two up there now and would bet his left testicle—which he liked very much—that more had joined the hunt without them knowing.
They were heading deeper into the lair of whatever tracked them, and those things had the advantage. He glanced over Sahira and Elsa’s heads to where the demon stood.
Zeth’s eyes met his, and in them, Orin saw the same understanding that had come to him a while ago—they’d walked into a trap, but they’d never had a choice. They’d followed the only path from the town to here.
They could have turned back, but none of them would have agreed to do so, and it was too late to retreat now. Plus, he didn’t run from anything; he never had and never would.
Except her.
He shifted his attention to Sahira with Fath sitting on her shoulder. As their eyes met, he understood the truth of his realization. He stood in front of her while also running from her and everything she represented, though he still wasn’t sure what that was.
And no matter what happened between them, he would get her out of this.
“You should get a protection spell ready,” he told her before glancing at Elsa.
Ever since he’d threatened the witch, she’d been doing better and now stood with her shoulders back while glowering at him. He smiled in return.
He was fine with her not liking him; he didn’t care about her or her opinion. Sahira was his main concern, which was strange becausehewas always his main concern.
Sure, he worried about his family too, but he had no family here. Unless he counted Cole and Lexi’s pending nuptials, which would make him and Sahira relatives in a way, but that didn’t count to him.
He’d prefer to keep his future sister-in-law happy by bringing her aunt home, but they weren’t blood. And he should still be more concerned about his ass than anyone else’s.
The sad truth was that he wasn’t.
And he hadn’t been for a while now; it's why he went after her when the scarog beetles attacked. It hadn’t been because he was playing a game and determined to fuck her. It was because it washer.
He hadn’t been able to admit that to himself until now. He was a moron and a bigger asshole than he’d realized, as he’d always embraced the label and never denied it.
There were so many things he wanted to say to her and a truth he should reveal. It was all there, ready to pour out, but he couldn’t bare himself to her while Fath sat on her shoulder and Elsa glared at him.
This wasn’t something for the others; it was forthem. As multiple scratching and skittering sounds came from above, it became evident it was also something for another time.
Sahira must have sensed something from him as her forehead crinkled and confusion filled her gaze. “Orin?”
