Demon Queen

Demon Queen Post-Apocalyptic Monster Girls, Volume 1 by Julie Law This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental. DEMON QUEEN Web Edition Copyright ©2023 Julie Law All Rights Reserved Table of Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Epilogue Chapter 1 My heartbeat seemed so loud that I couldn’t believe the beast moving below couldn’t hear it. Sweat adorned my face, and I had to resist the temptation to breathe faster, not knowing how good its hearing was. I had never seen a beast like this. And it was a beast. A monster would know I was there, would have been able to sense me. Most of its body seemed like that of a big cat, like a tiger or a lion. However, its fur was similar to a wolf’s, and though I didn’t see its face for long, it resembled a boar more than anything else. One thing was certain: it was a big beast. Seven or eight feet from head to tail, the tail being very short. Fortunately, it was wounded. One of the traps must have gotten to it, and though not enough to immobilize the beast, one of its paws dragged through the ground, an obvious limitation. It didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous, though. I shifted slightly, felt the branch creak under me, and froze. The beast did the same, tilting its head one way and the other. I couldn't be sure how good its sense of smell was, but I had taken some precautions there. Plenty of the plants in the area gave out their unique scent, one that easily overpowered that of a human. Learning how to use that became necessary to live in these woods. With all the dangers involved… The creature took another step forward, and I turned my focus to it. I couldn’t allow anything else to distract me at this moment, not if I didn’t want to pay for it with my life. It got closer to my position, too close. A certain tension seemed to adorn its frame. Or maybe I was just projecting my anxiety onto the beast below me. That could be it. I should do the smart thing and let it move away, let it flee. I could have finished it easily if the traps had wounded it more. It was bigger than most of the creatures I hunted down and must have weighed nearly half a ton. Trying to kill it was too risky… Still, allowing it to recover might be worse. There was a chance it wouldn’t, and the wound would finish it off, but such a large predator in the area was a danger to everyone around. My grip around my spear tightened, I shifted my position again, and the tree didn’t try to give my spot away this time. And the beast took a step closer. I leaped. There must be something wrong inside my head. It was the only reason why I would be willing to leap fifteen feet down from a tree with a spear in hand into a beast that could probably rip me to shreds in seconds, hoping the first hit would put an end to it and it wouldn’t have enough time to make me pay for my daring. The noise was enough for the beast to notice, and it looked up in time, then tried to rear back in an attempt at protecting itself. It was a mistake. The spear's tip would have buried itself on its back if it hadn’t moved and might have stopped against its ribs or spine. It could have been enough to kill it, but it might not be fast. With the beast’s motion, I scored a hit on its flank. The spear slid almost a foot in without difficulty, pushing hard enough to make the beast fall on its side. I had to let go of the spear, felt my knees complain when I crashed with my feet against the ground, and a huff escaped me. I ignored that pain, though, reached forward, retook hold of the spear, pushed it further in, used it to force the creature into the ground, and didn’t allow it to move. It squealed like a pig, and I meant that literally. It made the same sounds a pig in pain would make, and I had to struggle to hold it down, pushed at the back of the spear with my weight, and forced it a few more inches in. Bit by bit, the beast’s struggles ceased, and I could breathe out in relief. I pulled back a few feet, pressed my back against the tree, and let my body slide down, wincing slightly at my burning knees and heaving breath. I wasn’t old, not really, but mid-thirties pushed the envelope a bit, especially considering the life I lived. Throwing my gaze around to ensure nothing could use my brief respite to attack me, I let myself stay like that for a couple of minutes, only getting to my feet when my heart was beating normally and my breathing came more easily. “You’re far too big for me to carry back home.” I muttered under my breath, taking off my backpack and reaching for what I needed. I hadn’t killed the beast for its fur and meat, but now that I had it lying dead in front of me, I would have to be a fool to waste the opportunity. Fur first. Putting the beast on its back and ensuring it stayed that way wasn’t easy, not with how heavy it was. Once I managed it, I grabbed my skinning knife and shallowly cut a path from the abdomen to the neck, then from the feet to the rear, careful not to cut too deep. If anyone back when I was a teenager had told me I would be doing something