“I wasn’t supposed to say that, but I guess what’s done is done! Not like you’ll be alive to tell anyone about it anyway,” she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. She dragged her tongue slowly along the edge of the blood-stained dagger, letting the crimson liquid smear across her lips. But as soon as the metallic tang hit her tongue, she spat it out with a disgusted grimace, her expression twisting. “What the hell? Whose blood is this? Tastes like crap!”
I kept my focus on her, my eyes locked onto every subtle shift in her stance. The others who surrounded me had no weapons that could threaten me—no, all they had were fists and blunt tools, nothing that could pierce my Guardian’s defenses. But that dagger in her hand? That was different. It was a power dampener, designed to seal and weaken abilities, and right now, it was the only thing that could make me vulnerable.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, not for a second.
Even as I focused, she vanished in a blink, her speed blurring the air where she had stood. But I kept my cool. I’d been through enough fights to know not to panic. The moment her dagger clashed with my Guardian, it shattered, splintering like glass. But that was my chance. I lunged forward, my fist wrapped in the glowing energy of the Guardian, and drove it into her side with a heavy thud. The force sent her skidding back across the ground, dirt and gravel flying up in her wake.
“That hurts!” she gasped, her voice breaking into a twisted, delighted laugh. Her grin stretched wide, eyes glinting with an almost feral hunger. “I love that! It makes me wanna go crazy!”
“You’re already crazy,” I shot back. I reactivated the Guardian, its barrier flaring to life around me, the energy humming as it kept the others at bay. They threw themselves against it, pounding and clawing like desperate animals, but their hits only bounced off harmlessly, barely making a dent.
I wasn’t worried about them. The real danger stood right in front of me.
Sara charged again, moving with a fluid, lethal grace, her dagger slicing through anyone who got in her way. Blood sprayed in arcs as heads rolled, bodies crumpling before her, and she came at me with a wild swing. Her blade struck the Guardian, shattering it once more. I reinforced my hands with the Guardian’s energy and swung back at her. Each blow met her dagger with a loud, ringing clash, the Guardian breaking under each impact, but I regenerated it instantly, refusing to give her an inch.
This endless back-and-forth wasn’t going to cut it, so I made my move. I expanded the Guardian, turning its energy into a dome that enveloped us both, sealing away the chaotic noise of the horde outside. Now, it was just the two of us.
“Oh, nice thinking!” she cooed, her eyes wide with manic glee as she surveyed the dome. The smile on her face was anything but sane—twisted, almost deranged. “Now, there’s nothing to get in the way!”
She rushed me again, her dagger trailing behind her like a streak of shadow, arm cocked back, ready to strike. She closed the distance in a heartbeat. I summoned the Guardian right where she aimed, her blade slamming into it, the force sending her dagger snapping back with a jarring crack. I took the chance to swing my leg up, aiming a kick straight at her midsection.
Sara reacted instantly, twisting her body and bringing her dagger up to block. The metal bit into the sole of my boot, the shock reverberating up my leg. Her reflexes were insane, like she could see my movements before I even made them.
I narrowed my focus, every muscle tensed, tracking her every breath and twitch. Charging in wasn’t my style; I preferred waiting for the right moment, reading my opponent’s movements. Sara’s eyes glimmered as she studied my stance, her lips curling into a smile. Her tongue darted out, dragging slowly across her lips, leaving a trail of saliva that glinted under the light.
“This is getting me excited,” she purred, her voice sultry, but edged with something unhinged. “Not quite like when I fought that man, but it’s making me cum all the same!”
“You’re absolutely insane,” I growled.
She dragged her tongue along the edge of her dagger again, letting it linger on the blood-streaked steel with a shiver. Her smile widened, revealing a mouth full of sharp, white teeth. “Maybe I am, but I’ve always been like this. Just using my twisted little brain to keep the fight interesting.”
“Are you doing this on your brother’s orders?” I asked.
Sara’s grin stretched wider, the edges of her lips curling up like a serpent’s. “Sessilian did ask me to keep anyone out—magic knights, soldiers, whatever—from setting foot on this road, all the way to the noble section of the Capital City.” Her tone dripped with disdain. “But, someone else gave me a different little directive… kill anyone connected to that man.”
“Connected to that man?”
Her eyes gleamed with a madness that made my blood run cold, pupils dilated to the point they looked almost black. The look she gave me was one of pure, unrestrained insanity, a kind of unhinged hunger. Even a lunatic wouldn’t have that kind of fire burning in their eyes.
“You know… Mephisto,” she whispered. “You’re one of Mephisto’s women, aren’t you?”
A shiver raced through me. “How do you know that?” I demanded.
She winked, a malicious twinkle in her eye, as if she enjoyed every second of my discomfort. “It’s a secret!” she sang, her voice sickeningly sweet. Then her tone shifted, growing darker, more twisted. “You know, I would’ve loved to feel that same wild rush again… that excruciating, heart-pounding pleasure of fighting that man. When I went toe to toe with him, I came so hard, I even soiled my panties! He was so strong—so fucking strong! No one else compares! Even after facing him, I couldn’t wrap my head around how deep his strength runs, how high he could reach…” Her voice turned breathless, a shudder rippling through her. “And just thinking about it—thinking about how he might give me that same wild, orgasmic feeling again if I killed one of his women, and he came after me with no holds barred… I’m fucking cumming just from the thought!” Her breaths came out in ragged gasps, a sick smile plastered on her face.
My pulse pounded in my ears. She knew about my connection to Master… but how? It couldn’t be—there had to be a mole among us.
