Free What Following Brings by S. E. Campbell Page A

imprisoned me are mine, ” the Raider said, “ then you and your foolish humans may pass us by. ”
    â€œ Okay, ” Eden said. “ We have a deal. ”
    â€œ Fine. ” The Raider reached forward and touched Eden ’ s forehead . She felt it burn fire hot.
    â€œ Ouch, ” Eden said, eyes widening in surprise.
    The Raider surveyed Eden for a moment, a glowing white ghost with pale hair and a blank face, and then she disappeared into a fine mist on the floor. Eden opened the cabinet and grabbed more of the red sludge, just in case. She prayed she would never have to use it.
    I hope Yuri will be okay during all this. He won ’ t be protected by my alliance . Then she imagined his strong, defiant face and knew he would be.
    As she attempted to close the cabinet, one of the little imps pressed his face against the glass of his vile and stared at her with glowing red eyes. These are Satan Spawn. You don ’ t want them released. You don ’ t even know what this one can do. Yet, as the creature stared at her, she felt horrible leaving him in the bottle. Even for an evil creature, it was inhumane.
    â€œ If I let you out, you won ’ t hurt me or the other prisoners? ” Eden asked.
    The imp shook his head.
    â€œ You swear? ” Eden asked.
    The imp shook his head again.
    Eden dropped the vial on the ground where it shattered into a million pieces and the small imp flailed around like a fish out of water. Bending down, Eden examined the small creature and then touched his horned head. His head was surprisingly hot.
    â€œ You okay, little guy? ”
    The imp wobbled to his feet and then gave her an evil grin.
    â€œ Never trust a Satan Spawn, ” the imp said in a, demonic growl. “ We know no loyalty except to our Dark Lord. ”
    The imp was no longer small. He began to grow larger and larger ; Eden screamed and backed up against the wall as she was suddenly pinned in an examination room with a twenty foot tall monster with large horns and a pronged tail. Eden recognized this Satan Spawn. He was the same type of spawn she had encountered in the fields the night Adanna and Thema , Adanna ’ s little sister, had been captured.
    As Eden quivered, a horrible smell filled her nostrils. Like blood and burning fire. Eden dug around in her pockets and brought out a jar of the red sludge and hurled it at the Satan Spawn . The imp let out a dark, evil , cackle and spread his arms as the fire licked him.
    â€œ The fire belongs to us, human, ” the imp said and then he seized her neck and held her up against the wall. “ You cannot extinguish a fire with more heat. You are foolish, just like the rest of your race. ”
    Fire. Got to get rid of him. I can ’ t let it end here. Eden dug around in her pockets and found a vial of holy water she had kept to save herself. She hurled it at the Satan Spawn and the vile cracked and spilled around him. The water worked like acid on his face and the imp screamed and released her.
    Eden shoved her hand in her pants pocket , grabbed the rest of her vials, and hurled them at the imp one by one. The bottles shattered and burned his skin and black smog surrounded his body, as if the water lit him aflame like the red sludge should have done. Clutching his face, the imp began to grow smaller and smaller as his deep voice grew higher and higher. Soon he was nothing more than a burned midget upon the ground.
    The imp rocked back and forth on the floor in his pain, and Eden didn ’ t take any second chances with him. She realized the imp was like a bug. She slammed her foot down upon him and heard an awful crunching noise which made her cringe.
    I ’ m not letting anymore of them out. Eden raced out of the room and took to the hallway. She entered the room to her right and opened the cabinet. She pulled out all of the vials of holy water and stashed them in her pockets . Then she seized all of the bottles of Raiders and