Night Fae (Dark Fae Kings #3) - Meg Xuemei X. Page 0,68
big bullets failed to punch a hole in the aliens. What else did I have that could stand against the mighty hunters? A spark of an idea hit me. Magic could counter their defense. That was why the Fae warriors went into their realm to hunt their young with Fae magic.
I had to admit that it was a genius scheme for Brigantia and the Furies to get the alien hunters to come after me while I couldn’t use magic in the null zone.
The only good thing was that my team had reached the cave. Richie helped my brother off the hellhound’s back. With Joy guarding my brother, I could relax. Richie charged into the cave first, and Nox darted after him. Megan and Jill brought up the rear. I appreciated that they placed my brother in the center to protect him.
Now it was my turn to run for the shelter.
I bolted.
Forty-five yards. I could do it.
Run faster, Evie! I yelled at myself and pumped strength into my legs.
The female hunter shrieked; her voice sounded so terrible I was afraid that my eardrums were bleeding.
Forty yards, and I fired my rifle at the male hunter again as he swooped toward me. He reached me in the blink of an eye, tearing my elephant gun from my hand and flinging it away. Dad’s Legend Heavy disappeared into the ether. Before I could kick him, his talons seized me and hurled me into the air.
I screamed as the ground rushed away from me.
My team poked their heads out of the cave’s mouth, looking petrified. Nox screamed my name and dashed out of the cave, as if he could save me. Richie chased after him and frantically tried to hurl my struggling brother back inside, their faces all paler than death.
The hellhound shot out of the cave, chasing after me on the ground and howling.
If I let the aliens take me high into the air and then drop me, death would meet me for sure, even if they decided not to bite me in half. And when I plunged to the earth, there would be no vines to hold me up and cushion me.
Quick as lightning, I yanked the pin from my grenade and tossed the explosive device into the hunter’s open jaw. At the same time, I scythed Netherbane across his thick arm where it wasn’t covered by the armguard.
I gambled and prayed that Netherbane would work wonders where the elephant rifle had failed. Netherbane was infused with magic. Even though magic was nullified in the arena, magic items still carried some power.
Blue blood streamed from the alien’s injured arm, dripping onto my leg and instantly seeping through my armored pants and burning my flesh. Their blood was acid. Fuckers.
I cried out in pain. The hunter also shrieked in agony and rage. Glad I was right—Netherbane was more powerful against the aliens than a human weapon.
I stabbed the blade backward at the hunter, not sure which part I had cut. It didn’t matter. He shrieked and tossed me away like a rag doll. Then, an explosion pierced my ears. The grenade I’d thrown into his mouth had just gone off.
Wasn’t that poetic? But I had other things to worry about as I plunged to the ground.
Luckily, it wasn’t as far as I’d dreaded. I could manage it.
I twisted in the air. My shoulder crashed to the ground first, as I’d intended. There was no time to wince, moan, or wallow in self-pity, despite the pain blossoming in every part of my body. I might have broken a rib or two, but none had punctured my lungs, and I counted that as good news.
I rolled and scrambled to my feet.
My team tried to come toward me, but I waved them back frantically.
The female hunter, who had been checking on her partner’s knife wound, shrieked in wrath. The bomb had shocked him but didn’t do much damage.
She peeled away from him and swept toward me with the force of a train.
I called on my Fae speed and raced toward the cave. My faithful hellhound galloped beside me. He hadn’t shown an ounce of fear.
Three yards from the cave, the female alien descended on me. I slashed Netherbane at her, and Joy lunged, sank his fangs into her leg, and yanked out a chunk of flesh. The alien’s acid didn’t bother him. Joy, after all, was a magical creature from Hell, and he could do damage to the aliens.