The Truth Behind Those Eyes

Chapter Thirty-Five

They had been waiting a long time, too long and Nikki could sense Josh and Sam were becoming anxious and restless. Their hooded eyes spoke volumes in the silence. Something was very wrong. Mikey should have reached them by now and the way that Josh insisted on pulling her closer, even though she was already sat in his lap, unnerved her. In the back of her mind she was aware of a bell ringing. It tolled noisily but it was a background din in comparison to her inner worries. Had she inadvertently harmed someone else? Had the demons got to Mikey? Why was he taking so long?

Why?

She hated that word.

Sam and Josh continued their vigilance. They swept their gaze over the entrance of the alley frequently and searched the empty rooftops surrounding them. They glared through the gloom at any movement, imagined or otherwise. Nikki tried to watch with them, to help, but her eyes were too tired and her mind too sluggish. Josh had told her to sleep, begged her to close her eyes and rest but she had refused. If anything attacked she wanted to be awake and alert, she had to make amends for her earlier outburst, after all, if it wasn't for her inexcusable behavior they wouldn't be in this predicament. Without saying a word, Josh stood and placed his finger on his lips. Gently he guided Nikki to the back of the alley, hiding her behind a pile of rubble and rubbish. She asked no questions, the look on his face held all the answers she needed. They were about to have company and he didn't want her out in the open. She sank down, peering through the slats of a broken wooden crate. In the distant glow of the streetlight she could make out Josh and Sam positioned side-by-side a dozen feet back from the opening of the dead end. Around them a strange, thick fog seemed to swell, materializing from the shadows leisurely. It appeared to pulse softly like it had a heartbeat but the strange silvery mist didn't appear to be alive in any way. It swirled and grew, billowing out until it eventually took a human shape and began walking towards her. The two men ignored it as it passed directly in between their bodies pacing itself at an unhurried swagger. At the mouth of the passageway something else was creeping forward, blocking out the faint light and casting long unnatural shadows on the grimy slick concrete. Again they looked almost human but the strange way they snuck forward, crawling and slithering, alerted Nikki to the fact that they were otherworldly. They made their way towards the Guardians and Nikki counted four of the strange pale beings. Their skin looked like the flesh of a human with the exception of the luminosity. It glowed and in any other circumstances she would have thought it beautiful. From what Nikki could tell they were naked but lacking genitalia. They seemed neither male nor female, appearing endogenous and pretty harmless in comparison to the Blood Hounds.

As she gaped at the strange humanoid creatures the body of mist sauntered forwards. It took its time, moving almost too slowly for Nikki to pick out any definable motion. Up ahead, Josh shot out his arm and grabbed one of the skulking figures, his fingers grasped its throat and he pinned it easily against the wall. It screamed and a second one jumped across the small gap tearing at Josh's back but he didn't appear to notice it. Meanwhile Sam was squaring up to two of his own. He waited until they were close before snatching up a long wooden pole and spearing one through the chest. He shoved, an audible grunt escaping his lips, impaling the thrashing creature against the rotting wooden door that Josh had spent half the night leaning against. Nikki was awed by the speed and precision with which Josh and Sam fought. They were clearly well practiced and skillful fighters. Josh effortlessly ripped the gullet from one of his demons, the nauseating crack of bones and squelches of shredding flesh as he pulled it out and snapped the neck causing Nikki to gag. As the pale body fell to the floor Josh dropped in to a crouch and turned, ready to pounce on his next victim. The blood from his last still smeared on his hands and splattered down his top.
Peering through the cloud Nikki bit down on her tongue to stop a shocked cry from escaping as Josh snatched the second of his demons by the ankles and dragged it towards him. He gripped the skull and smacked it down hard on the unforgiving concrete, the resounding crack sending a stomach-churning shiver through Nikki. The creature twitched and moaned but it was clear Josh had bettered it.
Goose bumps rose on her arms as the two men dealt with their unwelcomed visitors, her lungs aching as she struggled against her natural instincts to heave. A bead of water trickled from her brow and down her cheek, her cold sweat making her hairs stand on end as Sam took down the last of the demons, snapping its neck without mercy, a strange black gleam in his excited eyes.
They had dealt with the four beings in less than ten minutes, disposing of them effortlessly and they seemed happy with their achievement, high fiving each other with enthusiasm. And then Nikki understood why it had been so easy for them to take out the four creatures. They hadn't been the real threat. The mist solidified around her and cold clammy hands closed around her neck, the flesh rough, scaly and calloused against her soft skin.