Read Online Unbound by Kate Douglas - Free Book Online

Chapter 1
     
    With a startled curse, Addie ducked, bent low at the waist and twisted to the left as the demon charged. The ugly beast dove right over the top of her. She jabbed her short sword straight up, felt the almost rubbery sensation as sharp point hit thick demon hide, and then the smooth slide as it pierced the creature’s gut.
    The weight of the beast and its forward momentum added strength to Addie’s thrust. Gripping the hilt in both hands, she sliced the demon from sternum to crotch as he sailed overhead.
    The foul stink of demon guts pouring from the creature’s belly left her gagging. Addie rolled to her right, barely avoiding the coils of steaming intestines.
    A mind-numbing screech echoed off the filthy brick walls of the narrow alley.
    Addie heard Locan’s curse over the demon’s angry cry. She bounced to her feet beside Jett, slipping in the green blood and tangled viscera, short sword in hand. Ready, once again, to fight.
    One thing she’d learned over the past month—eviscerating a demon didn’t always kill one of the damned things, but at least it slowed them down. Jett flashed a brilliant grin—teeth sharp and white against ebony skin—and gave her a quick thumbs-up. “Good job, Addie!”
    Then he swung his broadsword, aiming for the juncture between the demon’s head and shoulder.
    And that was when things went horribly wrong.
    Jett’s foot slipped in the sloppy mass of intestines. Locan reached out to steady his partner, but he missed, and Jett slid beneath the demon’s crouching form.
    Addie screamed. Locan grabbed Jett’s arm to pull him back, but the demon lunged, sinking his serrated fangs into Jett’s throat, just at the point where neck and shoulder met.
    The heavy black studded leather of Jett’s vest was no protection at all against the demon’s attack. Snarling, the filthy beast bit down, hard, just as Jett’s sword went through the creature’s chest and ripped out through the heavy scales on his back. Locan swung his blade with his usual precision, beheading the demon while its jaws were still locked on Jett’s throat.
    Addie slid to her knees in the steaming entrails, grabbed the demon’s heavy jaws and pulled them open with all her strength. Jett’s eyes were closed, his mouth twisted with pain as she carefully slid the long fangs out of his throat and shoulder.
    The demon’s head rolled across the filthy ground and stopped against its body. Within seconds, the eviscerated corpse turned into nothing more than a puddle of steaming black goo, but demon disposal was the least of Addie’s worries.
    Jett groaned and his long body jerked and shuddered in convulsions. Incandescent yellow saliva glowed all about the ragged wound, mingling with his blood, covering Addie’s fingers.
    Heart pounding in her chest, she stared at the gel-like substance sticking to her hands, covering Jett’s horrible wound. “Locan? What is this stuff? It’s everywhere. Shit. It burns!” She started to wipe her hand against her jeans. Locan stopped her.
    “Don’t. I think it’s . . . holy shit, Addie. It looks like some kind of venom.” He grabbed a plastic bottle out of his pack and poured water over Jett’s throat. It sizzled and steamed wherever it touched the yellow gunk, but he succeeded in rinsing much of it away. “Don’t touch it. Here. Hold your hands out.”
    He poured more water over her fingers, washing the foul stuff away. Once the venom was diluted, Addie wiped her hands on her jeans, but her skin still burned where it had touched her. She couldn’t imagine what it was doing to Jett. She realized she was actually thankful for the loud rasp of his breathing, the blood pouring from his torn throat—evidence he was alive.
    At least the convulsions had stopped.
    He was unconscious, his body completely limp. “What do we do?” She shot a quick look at Locan, but he was staring blankly at his lover. After a moment he raised his head.
    Addie bit back a soft curse. Locan’s