Chapter 5

Quite suddenly he raised her up higher and tipped his head back. His mouth opened; lips pulled back to expose white teeth with notably sharp canines. Helia recoiled violently as he lowered her down. His hot breath washed over her with a deep menacing rasp as the dark cave of a throat seemed to gape wider in anticipation of her.

Helia's fear peaked and she cried out suddenly, "The king of Rumstead!"

The giant paused, his mouth slowly closed beneath her and his breath ruffled her hair, "Hmm. Rumstead. Most of you slayers are sent from there. Though...it's been awhile since the last ones." he smiled at her, "They weren't as fun as you...they tried to run."

He suddenly jerked his hand up and let go of her feet in a toss. Helia couldn't help but scream as she plummeted to the unforgiving ground. But, in the blink of an eye she was slammed into and enveloped by his massive hand; snatching her out of the air and righting her in the same motion. Helia cried out with pain as she heard a pop in her chest and it became harder to breath. He'd broken some of her ribs with that minuscule action.

"So, tell me...out of morbid curiosity...what were they going to pay you to kill me?"

Helia was shocked by his candid conversation but decided as long as he was engaging it, it would delay her demise, "Half...half the kingdom and [gasp!] five chests of gold."

The giant's brow raised with an impressed stretch of his mouth, "Half of Rumstead's kingdom plus gold, eh? The price on my head has gone up."

The redhead cringed when he brought her close to his nose and inhaled deeply. His eyes closed, lids twitching in an almost euphoric manner.

When his eyes opened again he quirked a dark brow, "Your scent is...exotic. You're not from this country are you?"

Helia shook her head, wincing with pain.+

He smirked, "Probably why you seemed so under-prepared to kill me."

"What?"

"Well surely you didn't think you'd just waltz up to me with that tiny sword, all alone, and hope to kill me?" he scoffed. When she gave an embarrassed angry look he started laughing, "Wait...you did?" he slapped a hand over his eyes as his shoulders shook with laughter, "Oh Lord!"

Helia glared angrily at his amusement but didn't say anything.

When he finally stopped laughing he wiped huge tears from his eyes, "You haven't killed a giant before have you?

Helia grimaced but was emotionally stung by his remark, "Yes! Yes I have!"

His eyebrows cocked with suspicion as he thought a moment. Then he pinned her with a serious yet bemused look, "The giants from your country aren't like me are they?"

Before she could muster a bluffing lie, his thumb shifted from her shoulder to her chest, "And...I'd like the truth."

He seemed to clench his jaw. That murderous flash danced across his eyes again as he gave her some pressure.

Helia screamed with pain, feeling her already fractured ribs being stressed more, "NO!"

He ceased the pressure momentarily, " 'No don't do this to me!' or 'No the giants from my country aren't like you.' ?"

"They're... not like you!" she admitted with a defeated gasp.

He smirked with a quick laugh, "I thought so." Then he removed his thumb from her chest and returned it to her side, "Smaller than me I assume?"

The redheaded slayer nodded. She wanted to lie and bluff him, but he wasn't stupid. Rather, he was dangerously cunning...and sadistic.

"I suppose that's why the king offered you such a hefty reward. He knew you wouldn't be able to do it, but he had to make the reward enticing enough to get you up here. Huh! Rather unworthy of him, really."

Helia wasn't sure what to say except that she knew he was right.

"So what country are you from again? I believe you shouted it before all this."

"T-Tegath."

"South then?"

She nodded.

His sharper canines flashed "Haven't been there before. Depending on how you taste, I might have to pay a visit."

Helia's blue eyes widened with horror at the statement, "No!"

"Oh, come now, don't be so surprised. You came to my home threatening to kill me. Did you expect me to let you go free?" he asked in a chiding tone.

Helia was shaking but she shouted at him, "Eat me if you must but leave my country in peace! It has nothing to do with this...just me!"

The giant stared at her a moment, a flicker of surprise playing across his amber eyes. Hearing a human plead for its own life or the lives of other humans that were present was nothing new to him. However, it was odd to hear a plea like hers. Still, it didn't change his mind on the matter.

He shrugged as a reply, "Well...I can honor at least half of your request, Slayer."

That predatory gleam reentered his eyes as his fist opened and she fell forward. He once again gripped her ankles, dangling her upside down.

Helia didn't want to plead for her life; it was very unbecoming of a slayer. But as his huge mouth opened beneath her again she reacted with pain and desperation, "No! No! NO! Please!"

Her hands desperately braced against his soft, yet narrow lips and his teeth to try and prevent her entry.

All at once a female voice rang out from somewhere in the trees, "Kendrick! Kendrick!"

The gray-skinned giant paused, eyes rolling toward the voice with recognition.

"Twillow?" He greeted into the woods.

Helia's eyes widened at the name. Twillow? Wasn't that the winged fae girl she had rescued earlier today?

"Kendrick, there are poachers in the woods! They left nets out." her voice sounded angry but scared at the same time.

"I know. Dealing with one right now." He announced.

"Oh... I'll-I'll give you a minute." The winged fae said uneasily, clearly knowing what he meant by "dealing with it".

He smirked, "Won't take a minute."

"No wait!" Helia tried to say something but the giant gave her no time to protest as he dropped her into his mouth abruptly.