Follow the Screams (The Executioner Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  I could sense every creature turning its back and walking away, like it lost my scent altogether. Gratefulness washed over me and I couldn’t help but just sit there and let the sweat evaporate off of me. I was going to have to do a better job at holding this beast back, no matter what it took.

  I heard the scream of a vampire right behind me at the tree line and I stiffened. I turned and the vampire launched itself at my neck, knocking us both to the ground as its fingers found my shoulder wound. I struggled against it and it pulled its fingers away from the wound and licked them clean. It howled in frenzy and I kicked it off of me. I took my chance to look around me and there was a small and burnt branch beside me. I reacted on instinct and grabbed it. The vampire launched itself at me and I lashed out with the branch, hitting home in one move. It crumbled to ash around me and let out one final demonic scream that signaled its end.

  Embers fell around me as I let myself lie on the ground, branch still in hand. I put my arms out to the side and tried to catch my breath. I guessed I was no longer safe at the tree line, which had been my only refuge. I did believe though, as long as I kept my power and the beast in check I was still safe. I let myself believe it.

  Chapter 5: Adrenalize

  I sat against the nearest tree for what felt like hours. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to move or not. I think I was scared that even just my movements would call evil towards me again. Being outnumbered wasn’t a great motivator.

  I kept my hand over my heart, and I could still feel it racing and hammering against my chest. It sped up slightly with every twig that snapped behind me or demonic sound in the distance. The wound on my shoulder was still bleeding slightly, soaking the sleeve of my shirt. I heard the ground hiss as a few drops made their way down. There was even a faint smell of iron from the small amount of smoke it produced. The wound needed more ash to stop the bleeding completely, or maybe something even more drastic. I looked to the closest fire, which was about one hundred yards away. Far away from the safety of the tree line. I knew that fire was the key. I cringed at the thought. I had been in pain before, but almost nothing hurt worse the putting fire on an open wound. Of course, there was an alternative to leaving safety.

  I moved my hand from my chest and looked at it. This wasn’t going to be pretty either way. I looked from my hand and back to the fire. Which was going to be more effective? Which was worth the risk? I could move to the fire and risk drawing attention, or I could use my power and risk it overtaking me and drawing even more attention. I let my hand fall to the ground beside me and sighed in frustration. Making a decision in a place where either option could get you killed was beyond maddening.

  Did I only want to attract a few stragglers, or every creature within the next ten miles? I’d take a few idlers.

  Fear gripped me as I made the decision to head towards the small fire instead of taking the chance. I stood and looked for a small branch on the ground to heat over the flames. Once that was done I’d have to force myself to shove it into my shoulder. The slight glow in my chest began as my heart began to race from the fear and pulsated. I reached down and grabbed the first branch I could find, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to slow my heart rate. Apparently fear and a racing heart was a trigger.

  The glow wouldn’t go away, it just slowed down. The fear inside me caused the beast to become enraged. As I put my hand over my heart once more I could feel my heart beat like the beast was trying to force its way out there. I imagined it ripping through my chest and causing my heart to explode in flames. That didn’t help. The glow began to glow brighter, the light easing its way between my fingers.

  It didn’t matter. I had to keep going. The bleeding wasn’t going to stop on its own. The scent of live blood was guaranteed to draw danger more than the light coming from my chest. Right? Who truly knew? At this point it was all a guessing game.

  After a few steadying breaths, I took my hand away from my chest and pushed myself away from the tree. A roar sounded from the distance when I took my first step away from it and my hands started to shake. Ever since I had ended up in Hell, I had seen things that I had never seen on the surface. Too many things to think about while trying to hold myself together long enough to tend to myself. If I kept it up, I would become one of them for sure. I took another shaky step and the roar sounded again. Louder and angrier this time. I would have to make this as fast as humanly possible to avoid whatever that was. I wasn’t looking to meet this creature anytime soon.

  I took a breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, but that didn’t do anything to lessen the light coming from my chest. This was now starting to flow out from my heart to the veins. Nothing was going to stop it unless I could fight the fear. All I could feel was the heat and the adrenaline pouring through my veins.

  The only way to get there fast enough and get out was going to be to run. I was already leaving the safe zone; I wanted to get back to it as quickly as possible. That was if the evil surrounding me would allow it.

  I looked down at the ground and watched as a few bright embers were blown around by the slight wind. I was trying to work up the nerve to do it, but I still wasn’t sure about my decision. I glanced up and saw the fire blazing at such a long distance away. I was going to do this. I had to do this. Not even the few glowing sets of eyes that surfaced even farther away that were drawn towards me could stop me now. I was going to make a run for it.

  I gripped the blackened branch with both hands and twisted. It was almost like charcoal and a few shards fell, landing right in front of me. I took off in what felt like slow motion, and my path to my destination was clear. It was beginning to look like I would have to kill a few things on the way. I was going to do whatever it took. Like I said, better to draw stragglers than everything in existence down here. I braced myself, every muscle tensing as I ran, and my legs launched me into oblivion.

  Chapter 6: Running for Life

  Every muscle fiber was burning as my legs propelled me towards the flames in the distance. The glowing in my chest was spreading even further out into my veins with each step and each heartbeat. There was nothing I could do to stop it as it drew the creatures on both sides of my path towards me with feverish speed. All the while I felt like I wasn’t moving at all. Like I was stuck in the same place I had started.

  It was a good thing I held onto the demon’s knife. I had it tucked into the waist band of my pants, really the only place I had to put it. I could feel the heat and embers floating in the air touching my skin as I passed through them, running as fast as I could without looking back. I had my eyes set on the fire that was now fifty yards away. I knew by the time I made it there I would be surrounded. I could feel the energies of at least six creatures surrounding me, and they were drowning out another presence. Because of them I couldn’t make the presence out. All I could tell was that it was bright and flashing in the distance within my mind.

  I could hear growls and hisses as I made my way through the congregation of creatures. I couldn’t even tell what most of them were. The vibrations they put off weren’t of interest to me at that time. I was interested in the fire drawing closer and closer, and the presence in the distance that was calling out to me. Both were like a beacon drawing me home.

  My legs felt like they were on fire but as I closed in on the small pillar of light and warmth I willed myself to keep going. A hand clasped around my wrist, pulling me back with a hard jerk. My arm felt like it was almost ripped from its socket as I landed hard on the ash covered ground.

  I was greeted by dark eyes and snapping teeth. The branch I had been holding skidded along the ashy ground. This creature was a demon, and others were quickly closing in. He was upside down and snapping his jaw directly in my line of sight., hovering above me and spittle making its way down to greet me. This left a fine sheen of slime on my face. This demon was an animal. He was pure hunger and animal instinct. All they wanted was life, and I had it. Hey may have looked human, but those dark eyes and vi
sceral growls reminded me that he wasn’t what he seemed on the outside.

  Another came around and grabbed my ankles. This I wasn’t okay with. The one above me grabbed my wrists and he seemed to delight in the struggle I was putting up. My shoulders were burning from the effort and the glow from my chest was growing brighter and spreading even faster through my veins. This wasn’t going to end well for them as far as I was concerned. Not in the least.

  As I felt the energies of the creatures around me, I felt two of them get snuffed out. By who or what I wasn’t sure, and I wasn’t planning on finding out if I could help it. Another two ran to our struggling forms and leaned over me. All four of them were animalistic and there was nothing left in them that was human. Only their appearance was an indicator.

  I quickly took inventory of who was where. The one above me seemed to be the ring leader, one was holding my ankles, and the other two took posts on either side of me. The leader of the group used to be a gorgeous man that was replaced with pure evil. I could see it in his eyes and the set of jaw and feel it as his intentions emanated from his pores like acrid smoke. He leaned down quickly and bit into my already injured collar bone. I couldn’t stifle the scream. It ripped through me and echoed through the darkness, leaving me breathless. This sent the other three into frenzy. They began to howl and nip at the air like wild dogs. Terror was now ravaging my body and the glow coming from inside of me was getting brighter and brighter by the second, like my own beast was responding to the fear and the pain. It had taken slightly longer than usual, but I couldn’t worry about that now.

  The next scream that ripped through me sounded gravelly with a demonic edge. I had heard this same edge before when my power was about to boil over. The demon was now licking at my collar bone, trying to get as much blood as he possibly could while his henchmen held me down. When he finally pulled away I could see my own reflection in his eyes. This was a part of me I had never seen before. My eyes were the color of liquid fire instead of bright green, and every vein I had glowed with intense light, even up into my face. The bright ball of light in my chest was pulsing quickly keeping in time with my own steady heartbeat. The beast was trying to free itself again.

  That’s when I decided I would give in, at least halfway. I would use the powers of my own beast and still remain in control. I felt it leach through every cell and every muscle with warmth and a savage hunger for blood and retribution as I released it. A savage scream flowed out of my mouth and the demons around me tensed in fear, gripping me even harder than before. Then another scream erupted and I lit up the darkness.

  A brilliant light erupted from my chest and disappeared just as quickly. The palm of my hand began to glow and I ripped my arm from the demon and planted it directly onto his face. His skin began to sizzle and shrieks exploded from him as I held onto him, sending as much heat as I dared. I kicked out at the demon at my feet, and sent him backwards onto the ground. He landed with a harsh grunt.

  I held onto the other demon’s face until he started to turn into embers and ash, the other two backing away as quickly as possible. They didn’t run away. They were going to avenge their leader now, and they wanted the life and the light I had within me. I stood swiftly and pulled the blade I had stolen from my waist band with my right hand, the silver glinting in the fire light. They knew what it was made of, but refused to back down. The other had regained his footing and hissed in my direction and the rest of them howled. Demons in Hell weren’t like demons on the surface. They were animals, dangerous and bloodthirsty animals that growled and bayed.

  All three demons stood before me, crouched and ready for a fight. Then the two at the sides came at me. Flames burst from my hand in glorious waves and obliterated the demon. They then ceased and I moved on to the demon to my right. He launched himself at me, all snarling teeth and wails. I lashed out with the blade and caught him across the face, sending him into painful screams as he backed away and tripped over his own feet.

  The last demon standing finally decided to make his move. He came towards me swiftly and I caught him with my fist. He jerked, but didn’t back down. The other was finally up and coming to join the fight, blood as black as tar running down his face. I didn’t realize it but I had slashed him from his chin to his forehead, crossing over his left eye. This made him look even more sinister.

  I spent what felt like the next few hours fighting off punches with blocks, and they just kept coming. I brought my knee into the stomach of the demon whose face I had slashed, and he crumpled to the ground. Then the roundhouse kick I launched to attack caught him in the cheek and he spun until he was lying flat on his stomach. I turned to the other demon and jammed my hand deep into his chest until I found his heart, slippery and smooth.

  I gripped it tight and let the heat build in my chest. My chest began to glow brighter and brighter and the light flowed down into my arm, leaching away from my own heart. I channeled it into the demons chest and watched it as it flowed into him. The heat in my hand that was building was becoming unbearable and I knew release was coming soon.

  I felt the heat explode into his heart and a cry escaped from between my lips. I could feel light and heat pouring out of my hand as well as from my eyes and my mouth as I screamed, feeling the sweet release of power as the beast inside of me took over. The demon began to turn into ash from the inside out, and his heart crumbled in my hand as he fell to pieces around it. Once he was a broken pile of ash and embers on the ground, I crushed his charcoal heart in my hands.

  I turned around. The other demon had made his way to his knees and his back was to me. He was hunched and in the dim light from the distant fire I could see him shaking his head as he tried to wake himself up from the blow. I spun the blade in my hand and walked to him, humming a sweet song of death as I went. As soon as I was behind him I grabbed his head with one hand, and drug the blade over his throat and set his blood on fire. The flames spread through his body like a wildfire had started, and with a sizzling sound I let him fall to the ground.

  The beast was growling within me as I tried to reel it in. I was in control. I took a deep breath, in and out. The glow was beginning to flow from my veins and back into my heart, fading slowly. I heard movement behind me and the beast was a growing presence again that took over quickly. So quickly I almost lost control altogether.

  I spun, arm out and ready to catch anything it could. My wrist, blade still in hand, was caught by a warm hand. My gaze met a pair of dark eyes, alive with a sparkle of life, and all vengeance and anger within me was gone and replaced by fear.

  Chapter 7: Reunion

  Fear overtook me as I looked into those eyes. They were stark black with just a sparkle of life. The face of an angel looked back at me, fear and love evident in his eyes. His face was contorted in confusion. Gordon looked back at me, and I knew he couldn’t be real.

  I was sure I mirrored his expression. My heart was already racing, but as fear made its way through me I could feel the heat snake into my face. I could see the glow from my chest in my peripheral vision as it flashed with my racing heart. I felt love and confusion, but the most overwhelming emotion at that moment was sheer terror. It couldn’t be him. There was no way he was here.

  I didn’t want it to be real, but I knew he was truly here. The warmth of his skin on my arm confirmed it. The look in his eyes made me want to cry. I felt a few tears stream down my face, but I had to be sure it was actually him. This place played tricks on you. It could make you think your wildest dreams had come true. I had to be sure that this place wasn’t just torturing me, no matter how real he felt.

  “Gordon?” I asked with uncertainty. My voice was shaky with fear and sadness. I could feel tears clogging my throat.

  “Yes,” he paused, “it’s me.” He reached his other hand up to caress my face and horror and disbelief took over. I began to shake my head. It couldn’t really be him. It just couldn’t. “Yes, Robin,” he answered to my denial.

  I continued to shake my head a
nd jerked my arm away from his grasp, taking a few steps back. I didn’t know how to react. All I knew is that he was right here in front of me, but there was a large part of me that didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t belong here. Demon or not.

  The beast was still a lingering presence inside of me. It was bursting to be free again and it was responding to everything I was feeling. The glow was growing brighter, the light spreading and my eyes burned. There he was, standing before me, both hands held out towards me. He seemed so willing to believe that I was here and that this wasn’t a trick, but I was terrified that this was just another thing Hell had cooked up for me. I knew it was true, but I didn’t want to believe it.

  He walked slowly towards me and the beast inside of me responded violently, slashing out with the silver blade. I saw him jolt back and he cried out in pain. He responded quickly, reaching out and taking both of my arms into his hands. I struggled to get free of his grasp and even more tears began to flow. Even though I had hurt him and I was struggling to get away from him, he held my wrists so gently. In our struggle we had ended up on the ground, me beneath him and he had my arms pinned above my head to protect himself

  “No,” I protested as I shook my head and tears streaked down my ash covered face. It was him and I knew it with absolute certainty. Sadness took over at the realization he was truly here and the beast began to subside. The radiant veins began to fade and my heart began to dim and tears started to flow in rivers down my cheeks. He was here in this horrible place and had survived it alone, just like I had. He was here. I loved him so much, and he was here, with me. We could face this place together.