Welcome to Tales from the GrimVerse: Grim & Bare It – Killion’s POV, an urban fantasy novel I’m republishing with scenes from the original story but told from the Master Vampire’s point of view.
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Chloe Becomes A Ninja
Chloe screamed, dropped the bag, and ran.
Her attempt to flee was cut short by my protective magic. The was pliable, like a balloon, and it stretched around her body, slowing her progress.
As if in slow motion, it catapulted her back to the scene. Ghost morphed into her psychopomp version, paws braced and teeth bared. I shifted as well, all fangs and claws now.
Still airborne, Chloe’s hand flew out ,and her scythe smacked into her palm. From the backward momentum, she somersaulted and crashed into Ghost’s side. She fell to the ground. The scythe whacked the concrete.
The three attackers paused their advance, perplexed. Not at me or the psychopomp, but at Chloe landing in a heap at their feet.
Ninja, I heard her think to herself.
“Get up,” I growled. The guttural sound made her head snap around. In one blink, she took in my pale, distorted face and red irises, and swallowed hard.
The scent of her blood permeated the air—she must have bitten her tongue when she landed. Our attackers smelled it—and they wanted it.
So did I.
She must have realized the fact, jumping to her feet, sneakers squeaking on the frosty sidewalk. Before I could coach her—or stop her—she launched herself at them.
Or so it seemed. In reality, the scythe did the launching, her cringing and hanging on for dear life.
The death blade hacked at the closest predator. Kill, it commanded.
I swung elongated claws at the chest of my target. Ghost pounced on the third and her opponent sliced the psychopomp’s left shoulder with his blade. Her paws knocked him backward, and her massive jaws snapped at his face.
He screamed.
Chloe’s blade seemed to possess a life of its own, and her reaper instincts took over. Her arms and legs made swift, hard punches and jabs.
I got the upper hand with my grim, but Ghost was bleeding. Even with her size, the man she fought inflicted more damage on her. He yanked on her ears, punched her in the muzzle, and I sensed a new flood of anger racing through Chloe.
With a mighty roar, she aimed her blade at him, and it sailed through the air like a frisbee, slicing through his neck.
For half a beat, his face registered shock. Then he imploded, leaving only his robes and weapon behind. Ghost cocked her head, panted, and wagged her tail, untangling her paws from the fabric.
Without her scythe, however, Chloe no longer had the upper hand with her enemy. The man under her punched her square in the nose.
My claws ripped through the mask of the one in front of me, even as I twisted to watch. I started to warn her of her vulnerability when her attacker rose up between us.
The flash of steel reflected in the sun. I knew he would kill her before I could intervene.
Her weapon flew into her palm. At the same time, Ghost sprang, and Chloe rolled sideways.
Ninja, indeed.
The screech of his blade, as it struck the pavement, reverberated around us like nails on a chalkboard. He raised it again, but she was ready. Defending his next blow with a block, the impact of the blades rang in the air.
Ghost barreled into him, knocking him sideways, but he was quick, twirling his weapon in his hand and nailing her abdomen.
The roar that came out of Chloe shook the ground. “Come after me, that’s one thing,” she yelled, gaining her feet, “but two of you have now hurt my dog. I will end you!”
She lit into him with a ferocity I didn’t think she possessed, taking him out at the knees. Stumbling, he fell into his buddy, who was bleeding profusely from my claws. “Let’s get out of here,” he yelled.
The bubble emitted sparks as they hacked at it with their weapons. I released it, freeing them.
They raced off. Staggering, Chloe started after them, but I stopped her. “Let them go.”
I was back to my normal self; no evidence of fangs or claws. She was upset and unnerved, yet I sensed she wanted to throw herself into my arms. A fight could do that to you. Adrenaline and something more flowed between us.
While she was wounded and her pulse pounded loud enough even a non-magical person could have heard it, she did not look away. Her gaze held mine.
If I’d still had a pulse, it might have sped up at that look. My dragon came to attention.
Ghost shrank to puppy-size and danced at our feet. She had blood in her fur, and the sight of it snapped Chloe out of her trance.
Chloe gently touched her nose, which appeared broken, and grimaced. “What just happened?” She spit blood onto the grass.
“Gustafson’s followers.” I had the urge to wrap in her my arms and never let her go. “I warned you they would seek revenge.”
“He tried to kill me! What was I supposed to do?”
“Technically, he did kill you.” I examined her busted cartilage, then scrutinized her other injuries. “And if we don’t succeed at training you to defend yourself, those reaper imposters will finish the job.”
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Next up, Episode 10 – Interview With A Grim