The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 275 - 275: Facing A Demon
"Maybe we took a wrong turn?" Cora whispered, her voice trembling as she raised her lantern higher.
The wavering light spilled across the stone walls, revealing damp streaks and faint scratches that looked far too deliberate to be natural. The air felt colder here, thick with an earthy staleness that clung to their throats.
Leonardo met her gaze.
The flickering glow caught the uncertainty in his eyes, confusion tangled with dread, but neither of them moved closer. The dark passageway beyond the doorway stretched endlessly, like a mouth waiting to swallow them whole.
"An inn can't have only one exit," Leonardo said quietly, though his tone carried conviction. "Let's… look around first. We'll be fine."
"You sound so sure of yourself," uttered a voice behind them.
They swiftly turned around, only to find the innkeeper descending the long staircase. His steps were soundless, his shadow stretching unnaturally along the floor. All they did was blink, and he was no longer halfway down the stairs. He was currently standing at the base.
The two of them instinctively took a step back.
"Leaving already?" His smile widened, too sharp, too deliberate. "But the good part is only just starting."
A chill swept through the hall.
The lantern flames sputtered, and they took another step back. Their breaths caught in their throat as the man's figure began to warp and convulse. His bones snapped, his flesh twisting, his skin darkening in unnatural shades. His mouth opened in a silent scream as his body contorted, reshaping itself into something that defied reason.
By the time the transformation ended, the innkeeper was gone.
In his place stood a demon – tall and slender, with void-black eyes that devoured the little flickering lights around them. Strands of dark hair framed his face, and strange markings crawled down his neck, arms and spine like living things. He smiled, a slow, dreadful grin that bared too many teeth.
Leonardo could feel the weight of the creature's presence pressing down on him, suffocating and cold. It was unlike any aura he had ever encountered. His instincts screamed that this demon was no ordinary one. He had faced demon wolves too, but this one's aura felt distinct and completely different – predatory, patient, and most especially, hungry.
"Go," he said to Cora. "The passageway, I'll stall him and catch up, but you need to leave… now."
Cora hesitated. "But…"
"Go!"
"Awww, are you trying to protect your lover?" the demon, whose name was Karnarth, mockingly sneered, amused. "Then I'll go for her first."
He took a step forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet.
Cora was already with the satchel. She didn't want to leave, but she trusted Leonardo knew what he was doing, and perhaps listening might help him more.
Turning sharply, she headed straight into the dark passageway, just as the demon lunged to come after her.
Leonardo moved just as fast. A mark burned to life across his lips, glowing faintly before turning black. He swung the wooden stick upward, catching the demon's claws in midair with a resounding crack. The impact jolted through his arms, but he held his ground, grinding his teeth as he determinedly held on.
The two locked eyes – one pair human, and the other an endless pit of void.
Karnath grinned, his fangs glinting. "Ah, I thought this was going to be a dull kill when my master sent me here. But this… is far better than I expected." He laughed, the sound distorting and echoing through the crumbling walls. "You're half-demon, I see the resemblance now. So you're a filthy traitor just like your brother, hm?"
He shoved forward with unnatural strength, sending sparks flying as claws met wood. Leonardo twisted, blocking again, but the demon was relentless, fast and erratic, almost enjoying the clash.
Their movements blurred with powerful kicks, strikes and snarling bursts of energy that cracked the air. Karnath's claws slashed past Leonardo's face, grazing his cheek just below his eye. Blood welled instantly, hot against the cold air.
Leonardo stumbled back a bit from exhaustion, panting, but his eyes blazed with defiance. Karnath landed effortlessly on the other side of the room, and he licked the blood on his claw, tasting it with sadistic delight. His eyes widened as if pleased by the taste.
"Do half-demons taste better than humans?"
As he approached, Leonardo pictured the intent he wanted and uttered the word;
"Fall."
Karnath was already half-across the room when a deep rumble shook the floor beneath their feet. The flickering lights in the hallway shook as dust rained down from the ceiling, catching Karnarth off-guard.
"Huh?"
The entire structure groaned, beams cracking and stones grinding together as if the building itself were protesting the cursed words that escaped Leonardo's lips. A look of irritation crossed Karnarth's face, as if he just realized what had happened.
The sound of collapsing timber echoed from somewhere behind them, a heavy final sound that made them both aware of what was about to happen.
Leonardo dashed forward as chunks of heavy debris began to crash around them. Karnath tried to reach for him, but the debris falling blocked his path.
"Hey!"
Just as Leonardo was about to make it inside the passageway, a sharp pain seized his ankle.
Karnath had caught him.
The demon yanked back with vicious strength, dragging him backwards. The ground lurched violently beneath them, the floorboards splintering as the entire inn began to tilt. Both crashed to the floor, the lanterns on the floor rolling aside and shattering in a burst of sparks.
Debris rained down in heavy chunks.
Leonardo gritted his teeth and tried to pull himself forward, also avoiding the debris as best as he could, but Karnath's claws sank deeper into his calf, painfully drawing out blood. The pain burned through him, sharp and searing as it forced a hiss between his clenched teeth.
Before the demon could drag him back to be crushed beneath the falling wreckage, something struck Karnath squarely in the face. A satchel was thrown with surprising force, bursting against his head. He roared in frustration, momentarily blinded by it.
Leonardo immediately used the opportunity to kick Karnath's face with his boot so he could release him.
"Your hand!"
Leonardo turned at the sound of the voice.
Cora stood at the threshold of the passageway, dust clinging to her hair and fear flashing in her eyes. She reached out toward him, her arm trembling but steady enough.
He didn't hesitate. He grabbed her hand, and she pulled him inside with all her strength just as the ceiling above the demon finally gave way.
A thunderous crash followed, and the last thing they saw was Karnath's silhouette swallowed by falling debris before the door sealed itself shut with a deep, mechanical groan. The sound echoed through the passageway, trapping the ruin and the demon behind it.
Silence settled over them.
Cora's breath came in shallow bursts, and she knelt beside Leonardo.
"Are you okay?"
Her eyes darted to the cut below his left eye, where blood had begun to dry against his skin. Leonardo sat up slowly, still catching his breath before nodding.
"I found a pathway," she whispered softly. "Let's… let's go from here before it finds another way in."
.
!
Chapter 275 - 275: Facing A Demon
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