Through Flame and Blade

Ch. 42 Destruction of Wrath

*Logan

Not a minute later, they were surrounded. Logan rolled his shoulders and put his back to Chiara's, the delicious burning pain of her wings brushing his skin. So long as she burned him, she was close.

Within seconds, the battle raged around them. He spun and hacked, a killing machine, reflexes taking over. He blocked a sword meant for Chiara. He cut a demon in two. He jumped over a swinging chain coming for his feet. He whipped his axe through the air, a blinding whir of red and flashing steel. It stuck in the skull of a huge demon, who, falling sideways, wrenched it from his hands.

He beckoned his enemies on with bare hands, needing them close enough to steal a new weapon.

"Logan!"

Instantly, Chiara's shout made him turn, despite the enemy bearing down on him with the huge mace.

Her sword was flying through the air, hilt first, straight at him. In one single move, he caught it and swept it upwards to slice through the demon's belly and chest. He sidestepped the viscera that spilled out.

And she was weaponless.

Fuck.

Did he tell her to hold onto her weapons or not? Of course he told her.

Did she listen?

Obviously not.

She was a blur of action. As demons rushed her, she spun and clapped her wings, sending two flying and a mini-tornado of sand into the air, blinding the others.

Fuck.

She was incredible. Lithe and graceful, she had a fluidity to her movements that rivaled a dancer's. When she struck it was like an artist brushing a canvas, but her brush broke a demon's neck. When she turned, light glinted from her skin and shimmering wings, and her arms curved up like a fucking ballerina on her slim feet. She brought her hands down to slam a demon to the ground.

Logan ducked a blow, barely looking at his own enemies, so entranced he was by Chiara. But she didn't seem to be trying to pick any weapons off her enemies.

Fine. He would deal with this problem and get her another sword or two. Maybe a spear first.

Right. Arms a blur, he dealt with the three demons rushing him, kicked a spear up from the ground, caught it, took aim, and hurled it. It went through the back of a demon running at Chiara, knocking the body to the ground at her feet.

She wrenched the spear free, then used it as a staff to block several blows. One clap of her wings and she rose above them, then swept them aside with another clap, spearing one who remained standing.

And she didn't even acknowledge his help.

He huffed. Damn it—she couldn't attack with that thing in close quarters. He launched into a sprint, hacking his way free of the knot of demons forming around him.

Then, she almost speared him as he ran to help her.

"Not me!" he hissed, spinning low as the point came for his throat.

She twisted and hit the blunt end into a demon's face. In an arching bend, she reversed the move to skewer another, behind her, leaving it sticking through him. "Do you need help?"

"Do I need—" he sputtered in disbelief.

"You ran over here like something scared you." She plucked the tiny knife from her belt and sent it spinning through air to embed itself in a demon's neck.

And she was completely weaponless. Again.

"Did they train you to lose your weapons like this on purpose, or this just a personal quirk?" he grumbled. He maneuvered in front of her to block a lethal swing on his sword, and ducked low. Thrusting his sword up, he severed the demon's arm and took his wide blade for Chiara.