Free Netherworld, Soul Guardians Book 4 by Kim Richardson Page B

Please stop. Take me—it’s
me you want. Don’t hurt her!”
    The air beside Lilith shimmered like a
heat wave. A strange groan erupted, a gargle, and then a suction
noise, like when the bathtub finishes draining. The air around
Lilith and Jenny wavered and grew in diameter until it was a
ten-foot tall and five-foot wide black hole. Kara could see the
shadow of a tunnel behind them. Shapes cavorted and disappeared
into the gloominess. Kara heard grunts in a guttural language she
couldn’t understand. But one thing she knew for sure—she was
staring right into the depths of the netherworld.
    The seirs raised their fists and
chanted in another language. Their bodies shook, and the painted
eyes on the backs of their heads looked even more disturbing as
their heads twitched from side to side.
    “ Mistress, what do you want
us to do with them?” Ranab bent down and pulled his blade out of
Kara’s back. She bit down on her tongue and held back a scream. The
blade’s poison attacked her like a sickness, her body was
weakening. She knew the others were in bad shape as well. She heard
Lilith circle behind her, and Jenny’s boots drag against the
concrete floor.
    “ I want Kara alive,”
ordered Lilith. “I have plans for her. Kill the others.”
    Kara struggled feverishly to stand. A
weight held her down. Her wound tore, and she cried out in pain.
She twisted her head and saw the white leering face of a seir. He
laughed and stepped on her some more.
    He stamped his red leather boot inches
from Kara’s face. The pointed tip neared her eye.
    “ I hope to see you soon on
the other side, dearest sister. If you want to see your friend
again, you’ll have to come and fetch her. Let the games
begin.”
    “ What? Wait!”
    With Jenny dragging behind her, Lilith
stepped into the Rift and disappeared.
    “ No!” screamed Kara. She
could just see Jenny’s silhouette inside the Rift. There was still
a chance she could get her out. Jenny’s body was already
deteriorating. Her terrified green eyes were disappearing into the
Rift.
    She bucked and kicked out her legs.
She didn’t care if she hurt the seir; she only cared about Jenny.
She had to reach Jenny before it was too late.
    With one last kick, she nailed the
seir in the groin, and he tumbled down beside her. She rolled over
and pushed herself to her feet. Another seir slashed his weapon at
her. She wrestled with her manacles; the burning wire cut deeper
into her flesh, but they wouldn’t break. Kara ducked. The blade
sliced the air, and she stuck her foot out and tripped
him.
    Kara checked herself immediately. She
was still there.
    The others caught on quickly. David
slammed his body against the nearest seir. The man was caught off
guard and crumbled to the ground. Another seir came at him, but
David slipped out of his grasp easily. Peter dodged and squirmed
his way out of the circle of seirs.
    Seeing her friends managing themselves
for the time being, Kara ran towards the Rift. The dark hole
wavered and groaned. She was almost there. She could still see a
shade of Jenny’s purple hair on the other side. Only a few more
paces—
    Something grabbed her wrists, and Kara
was propelled backwards. She landed face down on the hard concrete
floor.
    “ Where do you think you’re
going?” Ranab kicked her savagely in the back. Her wound split open
some more, and Kara cried out. “Your friend’s probably already
dead, you know. Angels can’t survive the netherworld.” His pallid
face broke into a wicked smile. “Too bad the mistress won’t let me
kill you. I love a good challenge.”
    “ Why are you doing this?”
Kara growled and ignored the excruciating pain in her back. “You’re
human—how can you side with demons. They can’t be trusted. They’re
using you. They’ll kill you someday.”
    Ranab chuckled softly, and Kara was
appalled by his manner. “It’s very simple. We have been promised
immortality. Serve the netherworld—and we will live forever. It’s