he attacked.
The chain attack caught the rest of the beasts by surprise, pushing them back, but Rog was already on them, fangs flashing out to catch the closest one by the throat, opening it up in a single bite.
Black blood filled the air with the stench of rotting eggs, sizzling in contact with the ground.
The battle started, and Rog was already turning to attack the next. The other hounds were already recovering from my blast, turning their attention on the demon in front of them.
Bram was rushing forward too, with Dracul at his side. The faun jumped up into the air, smoothly launching himself at one of the beasts that had its back turned, kicking at the creature with all his momentum and both feet before launching himself up into the air and landing on his feet again.
"Don't see that every day," I said aloud, gathering in as much power as I could muster. Growing the plants had taken a lot out of me, and all I could manage was a little extra push to send the creature sprawling to the ground. "Really starting to wish that I paid more attention to Mom's lectures about stamina."
Not something I said every day either.
The combined attacks were enough to send the creature to the ground, stunned, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Dracul jumped forward, digging his teeth into its heel, dragging away at it until I could see blackened tendons being ripped out, making my stomach revolt at the sights and smells surrounding me now.
I wasn't a fighter. Everyone else seemed ready and willing, waiting for something, and all I could muster was enough energy to knock a couple of the creatures over.
Rog turned around, jumping clear of the slashing claws aiming to rip his chest open, teeth barred and a sadistic grin touching his features as I moved forward, feeling another crackling bolt of power gathered up and ready, launching it at the nearest of the hellhounds.
It was enough to rip a hole in the creature's chest, dropping it to the ground, but I took a step back, seeing that three more were turning their attention back on me.
"Oh... hell."
Chapter 19
It was easy to miss just how massive the creatures were until they were heading toward me, still acting like they were unsure of whether I would be able to shoot them down again.
Bram was doing his part, keeping those that he could distracted with Dracul at his side, moving quicker than I ever thought a faun could go to keep two of the beasts occupied. Two more were dead, one was whining and looking down at the leg that Dracul had ruined. That left three for me, and the rest attacking Rog, who realized that Bram had the right idea.
Both of them could move a lot faster than I could and were too busy keeping themselves alive.
I nodded, taking in a deep breath and trying to gather in the energy like I had before, but my chest was pounding so hard I thought it would explode, and it felt like I was trying to grab at a very slimy fish with my bare hands.
Once I had some in my grasp, I lashed out, launching it at the closest one, hitting him right in the chest with the blast. Not enough to kill, but enough to stun, sending it stumbling backwards.
The other two rushed forward, thinking I was distracted. A good assumption. I turned around, sending another blast that I didn't know I had in me straight into the face of a second, knocking a handful of fangs out and sending it crashing into the side of the farmhouse terrace.
Leaving one. I tried to turn in time, reaching out for anything that I might be able to gather. Nothing came. All I could really focus on was the massive claws that were coming for my throat. Just one swipe would take my head off. About as good an end as a non-practicing witch could ask for, I supposed.
Suddenly, the claws stopped short. I took a step back, gulping and looking around, trying to understand why I was still alive. The hellhound looked about as confused as I was, finally turning his attention down to his feet, where I could see a grouping of knotted roots had jumped up from the ground, wrapping around his legs and firmly holding him in place.
Almost before I could say anything, I could hear the screech of something approaching at full speed. It