Chapter 242

Chapter 242

Despite being pinned between a brick wall and a ton of vehicle, the arrow still planted firmly in its half-destroyed head and frost covering its entire body, the Minotaur was moving.

What the fuck!

I drew my hand-crossbow at the waist and fired through the windshield. The bolt landed lower than Id intended, surprise throwing off my aim, bolt stabbing through the creatures neck instead of its head. Black ichor spewed from the wound, the rainbow dark of oil covering the windshield and dripping through the spider webbing puncture.

Without hesitating, Sae slammed a studded, enchanted metal stick into its forehead like the bases were loaded, and there was a pair of wet thumps as its head recoiled from the impact, bouncing against the brick and slamming down into the engine block.

Miles fired an arrow into its incapacitated head, then another. When he lowered the bow, his satisfied smirk from before was nowhere to be seen.

I thought you killed it? Sae snapped. She stepped backward shakily.

Should be dead. Necromancer creation or not. Miles frowned. Ability packs the impact of a 50 cal. Even if it didnt do enough immediate damage to the brain to put it out of commission, the connecting vertebrae should be toast.

There was motion in the rear-view. Iris had curled up into a ball, her knees flush to her chest, breaths coming in quick gasps again, hands on her head, shielding her view. Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped out of the car and withdrew a new acquisition from my inventory, a rare quality serrated blade Id picked up mainly for gathering and harvesting valuable ingredients. warned me I was on the outer fringes of socially acceptable actions, and my current course might tip my hand to Miles.

But when I looked at Iris again, traumatized and terrified in the backseat, I found thatat least at that momentI didnt care.

Keep an eye on the road? I asked Miles, my voice cold.

Yeah. Miles said slowly, sensing what I intended from the blade in my hand, walking backwards a few steps before he turned to keep watch. Dont take too long.

Take Iris? I said to Sae.

Sae nodded grimly, pulling the passenger seat open and fishing my sister out, angling her head from the downed minotaur.

I gripped looking for weak-points. At first I thought it wasnt working, as nothing in the creature lit up at all, until I saw Saes nearby vitals light up like a Christmas tree.

Is it actually dead?

Figure out its critical weakness. Would be ideal, but I didnt have time. So I settled for B.

It was unfortunately inconsistent. System vehicles, for example, could be stored easily, while non-system vehicles could not. And despite the obvious potential utility for live capture of small monsters and other specimens, it didnt work that way. Any creature had to be unconscious to be stored, and came out flatlined.

The latter was what I was banking on.

There was almost a tangible relief when I successfully inventoried the skinned creatures head.

Miles peeked around the corner and turned back. Four of them now, heading this way, moving with purpose. Not as fuck-you big as nightmare-fuel over there, but big enough to be a problem.

They see you? Sae asked, rubbing Iriss back with one-hand.

No. But smart money says they know where we are. Could be using the ravens to scout.

Sae chucked her thumb towards the dead-end back of the alley. No outlet. Need to make a break for it before they close the distance.

Even if one of us stays behind to stall them, too high of a chance theyll ignore us and rush straight for him.

I looked up at a series of spiraling ladders, extending upward in ascending rectangles. Fire escape? Buildings are close together. Not great with the birds, but maybe we go up and climb down to the next street over.

Miles nodded. Thatll work. Ill take the car and run interference. Might buy us time if they think youre still in it. Just try not to be up there for too long.

While Miles busied himself with the car, I climbed on top of a dumpster, then leapt up to the bottom platform of the fire escape, seizing the ladder in both fists and hoisting myself up. Sae followed in the same path and lifted Iris above her head.

Miles. I called out.

Yep?

Thank you.

Miles nodded, slipped into the drivers side and started the car.

Before long, we were running across the rooftops, my damaged Prius chugging the opposite way on the road below, directly towards our pursuers.