A Twisted Fantasy (Leon Kennedy X OC) [BOOK 2]

Chapter 17: The Queen and her disciples

"Mykie!"

My eyes were locked on the charred body at my feet, my teeth clenched as I watched the fire continue to consume him, a twin to the one that blazed under my skin. I fought against the urge to scream.

Outwardly, I was raging at the corpse at my feet, but deep down I knew my anger wasn't truly for him. No, it was for Saddler, who wielded these people like they were nothing more than tools--no, nothing more than cattle.

"Mykie!" I finally looked at Leon as he darted down the ramp, eyes darting from me to the smoking corpse in front of me. I dropped the crossbow at my side and let him help me to my feet. "What did I say about staying put?"

"If I hadn't, you'd be sweeping me up off the floor," I replied, trying to blink away the dizziness still lingering.

His gaze swung back to the ganado, now unidentifiable through all the bubbling flesh and dwindling flames. I could see the same bolt of anger lighting his gaze the way it just had mine, but he quickly blinked it away and closed the gap between us.

He slung my arm over his shoulder and placed the other hand on my waist, "Do you feel okay? Can you move?"

"I'm good, just need a few minutes," I tried to pull away, walk on my own two feet and prove I wasn't a liability, but his fingers tightened on my waist, "I can walk by myself."

"I don't doubt that, but let me be a gentleman while we climb this tower," he said, pulling me even more flush against him as he moved us up the tower.

His words sent tingles across my body that doused my boiling rage down to a simmer, and ignited something sweet beneath my skin.

The building was completely absent of growls and groans, leaving only the sound of our staggered steps up the ramp. Without the commotion of fighting, I could feel the tower stirring, like it was being shaken by some invisible force. Or perhaps that was just a symptom of being hit in the head with a 2x4.

After another half rotation, something shook beneath us, subtle but vicious enough that leon's head tipped upward.

"Am I crazy, or are you feeling this?" I whispered, hoping for the first time that I was indeed mad.

"Yeah...I feel it," He didn't let it slip in his voice, but his eyes were concerned as his fingers tightened around me.

We continued, finally making it to the top of the ramp toward a expanse of flat space at the top of the tower. It was mostly used for storage, keeping stacks of wood and tools used for the remodeling occurring below. A large open arch sat at the far end, allowing the salty breeze to waft into the space. Beyond it was a covered veranda with a set of wide steps that trailed up and around the tower's exterior.

We moved out onto the veranda, where I welcomed the cool touch of the wind that helped to soothe my now dull headache.

Leon finally released me at the railing, his gaze raking up the set of steps as I reached for my backpack. He turned back as I deposited two more pills onto my tongue and tipped them back. That take two at a time warning weren't written with head injuries in mind, so I'm sure bending the recommendation will be fine.

Leon looked inclined to speak, but his mouth snapped shut as a muffled screech split the night, coming from somewhere higher up. We both turned to the steps.

The ritual. Salazar had been gloating about some kind of ritual.

"We have to hurry," I said, pushing away from the railing and heading for the steps. They've already started, they could be doing anything to her in there. That screech wasn't human, that much I could tell.