WARFIRE

Chapter 5

For the second time in what seemed like very little time, Amira found herself waking up in an unknown place. Instead of being surrounded by garbage, she blinked her eyes open to find herself hogtied to a cot. Rope or twine wrapped around her wrists and ankles, binding her to the cot. 

She was in a small bare room, the interior lit by a single candle on the table a few away from her. A wooden door beyond the table. There was no one else in the room except for her. 

What the hell? Where was she? Was this still Hell? 

Cursing, Amira struggled against her bonds. The rope stood no chance against her newfound strength. With one good tug, she freed her hands and used her talons to cut the rope at her ankles. She stood up and was just about to head for the door when she heard footsteps approaching. 

Quick as lightning, Amira ducked behind the door, ready for whatever or whoever it was. Whatever it was had tied her up and moved her to someplace, meaning that it was an enemy. The door opened and a slim figure stepped through the doorway. They didn't even have time to gasp when Amira snaked her arm around their neck, choking them in a headlock. 

Tiny needles sunk into Amira's arm but she refused to let go. They tried shoving her against the wall to break the hold but Amira didn't budge. 

Suddenly, a pointy elbow jabbed into her midsection, causing her to loosen her hold just a bit. Damn it, she hadn't regained all of her strength apparently. The creature she was head locking seized the opportunity, slipping out of her arms before whirling to face her.

It was...a girl? 

A petite girl who looked no more than twenty years stood in front of her, hands fisted in a defensive stance. She was a little over five feet tall and wore a black shirt and black jeans. And she was gorgeous. She had a heart-shaped face and big blue eyes framed by long thick eyelashes. Her lips were a perfect cupid's bow even though they were formed now in a scowl. Amira didn't swing that way but even she could tell that the person in front of her was beautiful. 

Her beauty almost distracted Amira from the two red horns that poked through her brown locks at the top of her head and the talons that tipped her fingers. Even though she looked mostly human, Amira wasn't quite sure she was. So what was she? She had no wings, so she couldn't have been an angel. But she looked too human to be a demon. Yet those talons and horns definitely didn't belong to a human. 

Amira blinked. "What are you?" came out before she could stop it. 

The girl lowered her hands before rubbing her raw throat, glaring at her as she coughed. "How did you get out? And do you always thank your savior that way? " 

"Savior?" 

"Didn't they teach you in Heaven that it's rude to strangle someone who saved you?" the girl huffed. "Serves my demon ass right for saving an angel." 

You can't be a demon," Amira blurted. "You look human."

She scoffed, touching her fingers to her bruised throat and winced. "You gave me a nasty one." Yet...the bruise slowly turned from purple to yellow and vanished, leaving behind unblemished skin. Yup...definitely not human.

Amira stepped back warily.  Whatever this person was, she was an unknown. She said she was a demon but Amira had never seen demons that looked like humans.  "You look human," she repeated.

"What are you, an owl?" she retorted.

Amira stared back at her. The girl raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "So are we going to stand here all day?" 

"If you're a demon, shouldn't you be attacking me right now?" Amira asked. "We're mortal enemies."

The girl sighed, muttering "thick" underneath her breath. Amira tried not to bristle.