The Demons New Princess, page 21
Grumble but are quick to move, giving me time to meet the kids and fury at the bottom of the stairs. We Sprint towards the kitchen, and I work with them to shove everything into different bags, quickly realizing there is no way we are going to take everything we’ve collected. We’ve been able to collect for at least a month’s worth of supplies, but the bags we carry can only hold up to about a week and a half worth for each person.
Fuck! There are so many nice supplies here that are going to be wasted. Focus, MJ! There’s nothing we can do about it. We have to get out of this house before those creatures make it up the rockslide.
Turning around, I watch everyone gather in the doorway, everyone’s hair a mess with bags beneath their eyes. They hold their packs tightly against their bodies, some even carry more than one. I smile, sliding my own packs onto my back, one up as high as I can get it with my quiver on and the other as low as I can without inhibiting my ability to walk. With a nod, we head out of the house. Everyone has a weapon in hand as we move towards the forest, our steps like.
“Fury?” I call through our connection, hoping it’s working. I’ve never had to use it in such a stressful situation.
“Yeah?” He replies, and I mentally pat myself on the back for doing it right the first time.
“I want you to stay at the back of the group. I’m going to guide us through the woods on a different path than we normally take. That way, you can sense if they are getting closer, and let me know if we are making the path too easy for them to follow.”
“Got it, boss,” Gary calls, and I can feel his presence move from my side as he goes to the back of the pack. To follow the normal path down the little hill, but as I make it to the bottom instead of turning at the tree, I head straight into the forest. I try to move as fast as I can, careful not to disturb the vegetation too much. We keep a steady pace, and I’m more grateful than ever. I forced everyone to continue moving their bodies at the house. We can now move faster than we would have if we’d just sat around.
We make it what has to be a few miles away before I choose to stop. We’re in a small clearing. Twigs and branches litter the ground, and no one complains as they stop to catch their breath. Pulling out a small ball, I fill it with water for Fury before taking a few drinks myself.
Blades have been tearing my throat apart slowly, quickly dulling as the liquid quells them. Each swallow of water feeling better than the last. It’s still pretty dark outside, only a sliver of the red moon showing, which will probably be for the best since we aren’t sure if anyone is chasing us yet.
“OK guys, I know we’ve just woken up and had to run for a while, but we only have time for a quick break. We should head back towards the road so we can follow it. We need to get up the mountain as far as possible,” I say to everyone, and, as I expected, everyone groans. “Guys, I get it, but they are following us. We don’t want to be caught too close to the house.”
“You’re right, but I still don’t like it,” Kyler grumbles, his breath ragged as he slides his fingertip down my arm, sending tingles through my body. I take a step away looking at him like he’s grown a second head, His face flush as he looks away from me. I take a moment to look around at the others in the group, instantly noticing Jason glaring at Kyler, Kimmy kicking at the dirt and avoiding my eye contact and Artie looking at Kyler with hurt in his eyes.
“Fair,” I respond, “However, I think we should be okay taking a slower pace now, at least for a while.
Everyone seems to be happy with my words, and honestly, so all my I. Even though I can run fairly well, doesn’t mean I like to. With a collective deep breath, we all start moving towards the road or where the road hopefully is. Running through the woods makes it hard to tell the exact direction of anything.
The woods get denser as I hear running water again; the trees, loving the extra moisture and helping them all to flourish. Excitement fills me as I remember the road is close to the river. An enormous tree fell across the river, making a small bridge we all walk across carefully. We’re cautious with every step and how many we allow on it at once, not wanting to risk anyone falling in. The weather may be slowly getting warmer, but the river water is still insanely cold. Thank you, Goddess, for giving us a safe passage back to the road.
“Hey look! A building,” Imani chirps, pointing in front of us as we all make it up the embankment to the road.
“That it is,” I respond, stopping us all.
A couple of yards in front of us is a rustic wood building with old school shutters covering the windows. Surrounding the outside is a wraparound porch with a deep, black railing and bushes planted perfectly around the foundation. It makes me feel comfortable and invited and curious about the people who own this place. They definitely knew how to attract people to it, even with it being so far out of the way as the other restaurants down in the city.
“Well, why are we here? Let’s go inside,” Dick grumbles, trying to push past me.
“No,” I say, grabbing his shoulder to stop him.
“Why not?” Elizabeth asks from my side.
“We should check it out first. We don’t know who, or what, is inside,” I explain. “Anyone willing to go check it out?”
“I can,” Artie says quickly before walking off towards the building.
What is he thinking? He knows better than to just go off anywhere by himself. But now he’s already heading off. If someone chases after him, we are going to draw more attention to ourselves. Fuck, this could go badly.
Sending off a silent prayer to the Goddess for everything to go smoothly and that we won’t get swarmed by demons, I usher everyone else back the way we came so we aren’t standing in the middle of the road.
I look around our group, the exhaustion clear on all their faces. Even though they have been giving their best in our workouts, the St. Johns are drenched in sweat and breathing harder than the rest of us. Sadly, they didn’t build up as much muscle and cardio endurance as I was hoping they would, and it’s slowing them down. I really hope they acclimate to the new exertion because otherwise this is going to be an insanely painful trip for us all.
Imani is leaning on Joey, both slowly falling asleep as they stand in each other’s arms, which is both cute and frustrating since we don’t have the manpower to carry them if they fall asleep. Either way, they won’t make it much longer. We need to find a place to rest. Kimmy looks the least affected as she sits on the ground, her knives held in both hands as they rest against her knees. If it wasn’t for the way her head keeps dropping now and then, I wouldn’t be able to tell she was tired. Kyler, the twins, and Jason aren’t even hiding the fact they are tired, all just laying flat on their stomachs with their eyes closed but weapons still in hand.
What can I do to help them all feel better? Maybe we all should have gone up to the building? That way we could just move in if it’s clear. No, don’t start thinking like that, MJ. Just because we’ve been fairly safe for a while doesn’t mean you can let your guard down.
You are doing the right thing. The thing that will keep you all safe is being cautious. It may annoy them, but in the end it will be worth it. Right? I bit at my bottom lip while flexing the fingers on my bow. We don’t have any choice but to walk into my mother’s arms. There’ s nowhere else to go bow that we’ve had to flee the only place we’d found that was semi-safe.
With a shuttering breath, I allow my shoulders to drop the thought, making my heart hurt. What if it’s just as bad for them there? I already know how much worse it will be for me, especially if I can’t get away. I can’t go back. I won’t, which means I have to take off on my own. Well, I guess not completely alone; I have Fury. He’ll be with me. Right?
“Hey boss,” Fury says in a whisper, as if anyone else can actually hear him.
“Seriously Fury, just call me MJ.” I bend down to look at him at eye level.
“MJ,” he rephrases with a whine. “Talk through your minds. Also, I think there is something off with Artie.”
“Why?”
“He smells weird suddenly. It’s familiar, but I don’t remember where it’s from.” He responds and turns his head to the side, as if thinking deeply. With a nod, I stay silent, not sure what to think. Realizing Fury can’t see me, I thank him for telling me.
It’s not like we really know each other that well; we’ve only been together about a month now. Fury even less. But he has been nothing but faithful to me, doing anything I ask of him without hesitation. Plus the kids like him. Other than disagreeing with me. I have had no issues with Artie either, just some dislike between him and Kyler. Now I’m stuck thinking about them when it definitely isn’t safe. I had that strange feeling about Artie when I first met him. And the cards were trying to tell me something I just wasn’t able to understand. Plus, how would Artie have a familiar scent to Fury? Maybe he’s just getting mixed up with all the surrounding scents?
Branches snap as Artie comes crashing through the embankment louder than I have ever heard him. His pace quick but not quiet in the slightest; his face drawn and eyes bulging. There had to be demons in there. I turn to get their attention, but everyone is already on their feet as more rustling follows Artie.
I usher Joey and Imani away, first ordering Fury to keep them safe, followed by everyone else deeper into the woods. Jason, Arite, Oliver, and I are the last to follow, forced to stop when demons appear from the shrubbery. In the blink of an eye. I have an arrow notched and pointed towards the demon closest to me. Flicking my eyes around the area, I quickly realize we’re outnumbered. Only by two, which aren’t impossible odds to beat, but definitely not in our favor when we’re battling demons.
Artie is the first to move, slice at the demon closest to him. I scream in frustration; it’s not like we can be any more visible, and I’m pissed Artie started this damn fight. I release my arrow, nicking the demon’s shoulder as it side steps toward me before lunging forward. I slide my bow across my back, pulling out my hunting knives, one for each hand, and I face off with my opponent.
The demon’s eyes blaze red as its gnarly yellow teeth are barred in a wicked snarl. She throws a punch, and I quickly duck before shoving my knife into her gut. That doesn’t stop her though, just seems to piss her off more. Fuck! A scream from Oliver draws my attention, giving the demon time to grab onto my ponytail, yanking me up onto my tiptoes as she brings me eye-to-eye.
Burning pain as she pulls out pieces of my hair has me tearing up. I swing my knife, attempting to cut her, but to no avail. She punches me in the gut, pushing all the air out of me in a whoosh. My vision spots. My body aches. Through agonizingly burning half breaths, I force my brain to focus. A battle cry from Artie making me groan, the theatrics unnecessary.
Throwing up both hands, I sliced my blades deeply across the demon’s forearm, holding my hair. I feel as they cut through tendons, forcing the demon to release me, cursing in pain as it backs away.
Knocked off me behind as another demon throws Jason into my back. His large frame squishing me as he causes my legs to buckle beneath our weight. He is back on his feet in less than a second, running towards the demon he’s fighting. I take far longer than I want to, trying to catch my breath. My demon smiles, excited by my apparent weakness as she jumps in front of me, punching me in the face.
Copper fills my mouth as I bite the inside of my cheek. I spit it out; the splatter hitting the demon’s foot. She lets out a growl of disgust before coming at me again. Instead, keeping my leg out to the side, tripping the demon as I take both of my knives and plunge them to the hilt. One and two her upper shoulder; the other into her kidney, assuming they have the same anatomy as us.
The demon falls flat on her face; the ground shaking as she lands. The demon reaches back and grabs my leg, yanking my foot out from beneath me, causing my knee to hip painfully into the earth. I cry out; the sensation running down my leg, making it numb and limp.
Crawling away from the demon, praying she gives me enough time to get feeling back in my leg before attacking again. I spit out another waste of blood. After I’ve been able to drag myself a fair distance, I looked behind me to see the demon hadn’t moved from the pool of green oozing blood surrounding it. I must have hit it just right. A mix of emotions floods through me. I just killed a living creature… Goddess, please forgive me for taking a life. I save life but took another in the process.
“Grab those two and go!” A bone chilling voice shouts.
A glance at the group, trying to place who spoke, but I can’t tell. All I can see are demons taking an unconscious Oliver and Artie out of the clearing, leaving me and a banged-up Jason laying in the dirt with the two demons we killed.
Fuck. Olivia is going to lose her shit.
June 8, 2026, 10:15 A.M.
Jason and I lean on each other as we limp through the underbrush, hoping we can make it back to the group despite our fairly bruised and broken bodies. After the demons took off with Oliver and Artie, Jason had to be my brain. I tried taking off after them, but he grabbed my waist, magic in between my packs, halting me in an instant while also hurting himself.
The agony grunts is a sound that’s going to haunt me for a lifetime. The amount of blood coming from his body made me woozy, which has never happened before. MJ, just be glad we could wrap him up and stop the bleeding, otherwise you’d be limping through the forest on your own and feeling shitty for losing three people.
Goddess, how far did everyone make it? Like, I’m proud of them for taking off and not stopping, but come on, shouldn’t they have stopped by now? Give us some chance to catch up.
My eyes start from side to side and the constant lookout for danger. For some creature to fly down and attack us while we’re vulnerable. I just want to hear something that helps me think we are getting close to the others, that we are even heading in the right direction. The further we move up the mountain, the quieter the roar of the river becomes. The forest soon opening up into a small clearing maybe 20 feet across.
I collapse in a heap, joy spreading through me as I spot a white ball of fluff just barely peeking out from behind a rock. My knee groans in agony as it hits the dirt, but I let the tears fall as happiness hits me.
“Boss?” Fury’s concerned voice echoes through my head. Causing me to wince from the sudden noise. “Ohh, Satan, why didn’t you call me? I would have brought them to you.”
“I don’t know Fury. My brain was stuck on pain and just finding you guys, I must have just forgotten that I could have called for you.” I grumble to him, chastising myself for not using my brain.
“Well, don’t do it again!” Fury Says with a humph.
My sobs growing as the others come out from the forest like fairies or nymphs. Jason and I are both surrounded in a moment, Kimmy and Elizabeth looking at our wounds with gentle fingers. They quickly help me remove my packs, allowing me to lie flat on my back. I try not to move, keeping my eyes closed.
I don’t want to open them. I don’t want to answer the questions I know we’re coming. I can’t do it. I can’t tell Olivia, a girl so close to killing herself already, then demons stole away her twin brother. What if she tries to hurt herself again? Fuck, I can’t-
“Where’s Oliver and Artie?” Imani asks, lightly shaking my shoulder.
I squeezed my eyes, knowing she’s worried but wishing she would have just kept her mouth shut just this once.
“They, um…” I start, not sure how to say this.
“The demons took them, Princess,” Jason grunts, blurting it out.
My eyes shoot open, finding Olivia in the crowd and meeting her gaze. She collapses to the ground next to me, and I force myself to sit up, wrapping my arms around her as she sobs. I don’t blame her, but I also don’t want to risk her grabbing something off the ground and doing something rash.
She curls to me, sitting in my lap. She curls her body so small I wouldn’t know she was there if it wasn’t for the body racking sobs shaking us both. I talked to her, not really sure what I’m saying, just trying to calm her down as Imani’s and Joey’s small arms reach around her, holding her tight.
She’s learned from her last breakdown not to scream, but her sobs are more intense now. I can feel myself crying along with her. The pain of losing more people await I prayed I never have to carry again.
Why couldn’t I save them? Why am I such a failure at being a leader? First, I take Imani and Joey right back into the hands of their abusers, causing Joey to get hurt so badly he still hasn’t fully healed. Then I get Phillip killed by splitting our group up. Now I just let two of our people get killed by demons…
Wait.
The random voice I heard… He said, take those two… What if that means they aren’t planning to kill them? I know it’s a long shot, but… maybe?
“Olivia, I don’t plan to kill him,” I whisper.
“MJ!” Jason and Kimmy hiss, and I can tell from their tone they’re telling me not to lie to her.
“No, seriously,” I say, looking at everyone who’s staring at me like I’ve grown another head. “There was a voice. It specifically said to take them. Why would he say that? They easily could have killed us; They outnumbered us even with the two Jason and I killed. I think… I think he could still be alive. I think they both could be.”
Olivia finally looks up at me, the hope in her eyes clear, and I pray to everything I can think of. I’m not just getting her hopes up for nothing. I run it all back through my mind, and honestly, I think I’m right. I don’t think they plan to kill him. At least, not right away.
“Liv,” I say. “Can’t stay awake much longer. As soon as Jason and I wake up. We will head out to find your brother. I promise.” She looks like she wants to argue, but before she can utter a word, darkness fills my vision.
