deflect one of them, but the other grazed her exposed left shoulder. She took a half-step back. The hit only seemed to anger her. The two opponents eyed one another warily now as they circled. The Serpent felt the power build in him again, but his master held it in check.
“What’s wrong, Denizen?” the girl asked. “Not as tough as you thought you were?”
The Serpent felt his master’s fury, but he continued to wait. “I don’t think you know what you’re doing, Chemosh,” the Serpent said as Denizen’s words flashed across his mind. “The one you follow is meddling with a power beyond his understanding.”
The girl laughed. “Beyond his understanding? Really? No, I don’t think so. Once the gate opens, this world will be ours—just like it once was.”
The Serpent noticed a change in the way the girl spoke and knew it was her master, Chemosh, doing the talking now. He really had no idea what Chemosh and Denizen were talking about, but it didn’t matter. He just wanted the power Denizen gave him. The less he knew, the bigger the adventure.
“Do you truly believe the Bene Ha’ Elohim will leave anything of this world for us? If released, they will annihilate every living thing on this planet.”
The girl shrugged. “So? Isn’t that what we’ve been trying to do since the Ancient One first put them here?”
“Do you forget so easily, Chemosh? The Bene Ha’ Elohim will not be satisfied with the simple destruction of the worthless humans. If freed, they will not stop until they have enslaved us as well.” The Serpent launched a fireball. He waited the split second it took the girl to shield herself, and then launched another, this time at her feet. With inhuman speed, she leapt into the air, but the blazing ball of light caught the tip of her foot and flipped her over. She spun in mid-air, but couldn’t avoid the next attack. The Serpent’s flame caught her in her right side. The room filled with a guttural scream and the scent of burned flesh. She hit the floor hard, groaning as her body convulsed.
The Serpent approached his injured opponent. “Is that really the best you could do, Chemosh?” The Serpent felt Denizen’s laughter and joined in.
“You can’t kill him,” the girl whispered. “He won’t let you.”
This, at least, the Serpent understood. He had been trying to kill John Burke for some time now. He had thought this would bother Denizen, but his master allowed that he had suspected as much. The Ancient One was protecting John Burke. But the reason such a being would take an interest in a worthless piece of garbage puzzled the Serpent.
The Serpent shrugged. “Just because I can’t kill him doesn’t mean he can’t die. Besides, all I really have to do is keep you and your friends from taking him.”
The Serpent smiled down at the dying girl. He enjoyed the look of terror on her pretty face. Reaching beneath his jacket, he pulled out the hunting knife he had used to kill and behead the rich kid. What fun that had been—nothing like an unexpected side job to keep the night interesting. Until this chick had come along and messed it all up, of course. Oh well, the game continued.
He squatted down beside his foe and saw her eyes begin to glaze over. “Oh, no you don’t. My master took you this far, but you die by my hand.” He took a moment to enjoy the sudden knowing look that came over her face. Then, with a flick of the wrist, he slit her throat. He could have toyed with her longer, but that would have been cruel. The Serpent did not consider himself a cruel person.
The girl’s master, Chemosh, fled his now worthless skin with a shriek of rage. The Serpent always loved that part. He turned away from the body and stood, stretching his back. The day had been both productive and physically strenuous.
“Well now, Mr. Burke. What to do with you?” He watched as the lump of filth that was John Burke squirmed, trying to zero in on where the Serpent’s voice was coming
“What’s wrong, Denizen?” the girl asked. “Not as tough as you thought you were?”
The Serpent felt his master’s fury, but he continued to wait. “I don’t think you know what you’re doing, Chemosh,” the Serpent said as Denizen’s words flashed across his mind. “The one you follow is meddling with a power beyond his understanding.”
The girl laughed. “Beyond his understanding? Really? No, I don’t think so. Once the gate opens, this world will be ours—just like it once was.”
The Serpent noticed a change in the way the girl spoke and knew it was her master, Chemosh, doing the talking now. He really had no idea what Chemosh and Denizen were talking about, but it didn’t matter. He just wanted the power Denizen gave him. The less he knew, the bigger the adventure.
“Do you truly believe the Bene Ha’ Elohim will leave anything of this world for us? If released, they will annihilate every living thing on this planet.”
The girl shrugged. “So? Isn’t that what we’ve been trying to do since the Ancient One first put them here?”
“Do you forget so easily, Chemosh? The Bene Ha’ Elohim will not be satisfied with the simple destruction of the worthless humans. If freed, they will not stop until they have enslaved us as well.” The Serpent launched a fireball. He waited the split second it took the girl to shield herself, and then launched another, this time at her feet. With inhuman speed, she leapt into the air, but the blazing ball of light caught the tip of her foot and flipped her over. She spun in mid-air, but couldn’t avoid the next attack. The Serpent’s flame caught her in her right side. The room filled with a guttural scream and the scent of burned flesh. She hit the floor hard, groaning as her body convulsed.
The Serpent approached his injured opponent. “Is that really the best you could do, Chemosh?” The Serpent felt Denizen’s laughter and joined in.
“You can’t kill him,” the girl whispered. “He won’t let you.”
This, at least, the Serpent understood. He had been trying to kill John Burke for some time now. He had thought this would bother Denizen, but his master allowed that he had suspected as much. The Ancient One was protecting John Burke. But the reason such a being would take an interest in a worthless piece of garbage puzzled the Serpent.
The Serpent shrugged. “Just because I can’t kill him doesn’t mean he can’t die. Besides, all I really have to do is keep you and your friends from taking him.”
The Serpent smiled down at the dying girl. He enjoyed the look of terror on her pretty face. Reaching beneath his jacket, he pulled out the hunting knife he had used to kill and behead the rich kid. What fun that had been—nothing like an unexpected side job to keep the night interesting. Until this chick had come along and messed it all up, of course. Oh well, the game continued.
He squatted down beside his foe and saw her eyes begin to glaze over. “Oh, no you don’t. My master took you this far, but you die by my hand.” He took a moment to enjoy the sudden knowing look that came over her face. Then, with a flick of the wrist, he slit her throat. He could have toyed with her longer, but that would have been cruel. The Serpent did not consider himself a cruel person.
The girl’s master, Chemosh, fled his now worthless skin with a shriek of rage. The Serpent always loved that part. He turned away from the body and stood, stretching his back. The day had been both productive and physically strenuous.
“Well now, Mr. Burke. What to do with you?” He watched as the lump of filth that was John Burke squirmed, trying to zero in on where the Serpent’s voice was coming
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