“Savannah, you’re strong, and you have a good heart. Trust it.” She
clapped her hands. “Now, let’s summon some demons. Casey, fetch the
coal.”
My head spun.
Having a conversation with my aunt was like listening to an airline
captain come over the intercom and say, “Sorry about the turbulence, folks.
Everything is going to be okay,” followed shortly by, “Good news, there are
enough parachutes for everyone, and the flight attendants are standing by to
help you put them on.”
A scent of nutmeg filled the room as a stream of light poured from my
aunt’s hand into the runes of one of the circles. The sigils illuminated one by
one until the whole circle was lit and crackling with magic. “This is a circle
of protection,” she explained. “As long as we’re in here, we’ll be protected
from the demons.”
Casey dumped a hefty bag of coal into a wide brass brazier set into one of
the other circles.
“The coal is an offering, used to lure the demons and give them form in
our world,” my aunt continued. She flicked her eyes to me. “Kahanov would
have used blood to summon the blood demons that attacked you. A lot of it.”
Memories of the blood drainers with all their tubes and IV bags brought
bile to my throat.
At my aunt’s command, Casey lobbed a fireball into the pile of coal.
Bright orange flames flickered in his eyes as he grinned at me. “You’re going
to love this.”
Why didn’t I believe him?
Laurel gently shoved me inside the glowing circle of protection, and
Casey joined me. She strode to the burning heap of coal and poured her
magic into it until the surrounding circle of runes glowed bright red.
With a swift gesture, she raised her hands, and all the shadows of the
room swung toward her. She began chanting and weaving her hands, and the
world twisted around her silhouette. Vertigo squirmed in my belly, and I
grabbed Casey’s arm as the room spun.
As my aunt’s voice rose in tempo, the air crackled with power, and the
scent of brimstone burned my throat. The fire seemed to suck the shadows
inward.
No doubt about it—this was definitely diabolic magic.
An ear-splitting screech echoed through the room, and a sinister form
rose from the flames, clawing at the air.
My aunt scurried back to the circle of protection just as the lighting in the
candlelit room returned to normal, leaving a flaming demon perched atop the
pile of coal.
It was about two feet tall.
“That’s it?” Casey asked.
“Baby steps, Casey,” my aunt responded.
I was too busy trembling. My very own aunt had just summoned a
creature from hell.
The thing screeched, glared at us, and then scampered on all fours across
the room and ran up one of the walls.
Holy shit.
“What am I supposed to do?” I asked, my voice not quite as steady as I’d
have liked.
“Extinguish it. Like you’ve practiced with candles and fire.”
I bit my lip, uncertain what to think. “You want me to…kill it? After we
just summoned it?”
She shrugged. “You can’t really kill demons, at least not in the way we
think of death, not without a lot of trouble. They just disappear and go back
to whichever hell they came from. I’m sure it’s unpleasant for them, but
they’re embodiments of chaos. This is like recess for them.”
I raised my hand toward the creature on the wall, but hesitated. “Isn’t
Zara a demon?”
Casey snorted. “Half-demon. There’s a big difference. As in real death.
So don’t kill her, no matter how mouthy she gets.”
I licked my lips as the thing jumped down and scrabbled over the stone
floor, then slammed against the steel exit door.
“Actually, you make a good point, Savannah,” my aunt mused. “Why
don’t you negotiate with it?”
She shoved me out of the circle of protection. The instant I was out, the
thing screeched and charged at me, flames billowing from its coal-like eyes.
Heart racing, I bolted for the opposite end of the room, desperately trying
to summon my magic. Icy shadows swirled around me, along with the
memories of being chased by blood demons. I tried to call the long, dark
shadows that stretched across the room to smother the monster, but I couldn’t
concentrate.
Searing pain lanced through my skin as the devilish thing’s burning claws
raked into me. With a yelp of surprise and despair, I spun and sent a burst of
uncontrolled dark magic at the monster. It flew backward with a sizzle.
Casey hooted. “Nice shot! Now extinguish it before it extinguishes you!”
The thing charged, but feeling more confident, I backpedaled, calling the
shadows. Streaks of darkness coiled around my hand and slithered across the
floor. I waved my fingers, and the shadows moved like a black fog, but
before I could strike, the burning thing leapt to the wall, and then plunged
down onto me.
Its claws dug into my shoulders, and its touch burned like pressing my
hand to a hot grill. I screamed and lashed out with my magic, sending the
demon careening across the floor.
I struck out with the shadows, pushing them toward the demon. The
shadows slithered and darted like serpents, and the creature’s flames flickered
and began to fade. It screeched and struggled to get away, but I showed no
mercy as I willed the darkness to extinguish it.
Suddenly, it vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving an unearthly chuckle
hanging in the air. It was laughing? How was I supposed to interpret that?
You got me this time? or I’ll be back?
I shook my head in wonder as Casey started applauding. Chest heaving, I
placed my hands on my knees.
“You got it, Cuz! Nice job,” he shouted.
“Yes. Well done. Now try more,” my aunt quipped, and then began
chanting again. Seconds later, the room twisted, and demons began leaping
from the flames.
I was still bushed. This was too much.
My heels pounded on the stone as I darted toward the circle. Casey
shoved me back before I could get in.
“What the hell?” I shouted as I dodged away from the clutches of a
diminutive yet deadly, charging fire demon.
Casey dramatically put the back of his wrist against his forehead and gave
a plaintive and deeply sarcastic cry. “Oh, save me cousin. I can’t protect
myself with my weak fire magic. It’s useless against fire demons.”
The trio of fire demons darted toward me, and I retreated as quickly as I
could, trying unsuccessfully to repel them. “Casey, you asshole!”
My aunt Laurel grinned. “You make a good point, son. As a specialist,
you’re woefully unprepared for a battle like this.”
She clapped her hands, and he was ejected out of the circle of protection
with a yelp.
“Oh, shit!” he cried as the demons converged on their juicy new target.
Chaos ensued. Blasts of magic filled the room as we tried to contend with
the fiery devils. As soon as one was down, my aunt summoned another.
&nbs
p; Finally, I screamed, “Enough already!” and pointed my hand at the
burning pile of charcoal and ash. The shadows converged like serpents and
extinguished the flames. Unfortunately, the little bastards didn’t disappear.
Well, it was worth a shot.
Deprived of their burnt offering, one charged at me in a rage, and I
stumbled back. My foot caught on a seam in the stone, and I slammed down
onto the hard floor, sending a jolt of pain up my tailbone and through my
spine.
I gasped as the burning beastie lunged, but before it landed on me, my
aunt clapped her hands again, and the red glowing circle vanished. A
surprised screech erupted from the flaming demon as it poofed out of
existence, along with all the others.
Pulse hammering in my temples, I flopped back onto the mercifully cold
stone as bits of ash rained down around me. I was more drained than I’d ever
been in my life, but the glowing warmth of triumph trickled through my
veins.
I’d lived. And I’d actually slain demons with my magic. Not bullets.
Magic.
Casey dropped to the floor and rolled onto his back, chest heaving. “Holy
shit, Mom. Are you nuts?”
As fit as he looked, he was really out of shape, and she gave him a kick.
“Practice outside your specialty, you little pyromaniac.”
Then she headed over to me and helped me up. “You did so well. Wasn’t
that fun?”
My mouth was dry, and I didn’t have the strength to respond. My family
was comprised of demon-summoning lunatics who were definitely into the
dark arts.
Seemed about right.
My phone alarm began to buzz. I swiped it off and glanced up at my
insane family. “Shit. I lost track of time. I’ve got a date with a devil.”
6
Jaxson
I parked my truck in the lot at Old Channel Harbor, got out, and slammed
the door harder than I’d intended.
I had two days to hand over Savannah Caine, or the sorcerer was going to
make my pack pay. How, I didn’t know, but I believed his threat. I could
watch over Savannah, but I couldn’t watch over everyone in my pack.
That meant I had two days to bring him down.
I wound my way through the lot over to the two women waiting for me
by the dock—Nevaeh and Amal, both agents of the Order. I didn’t trust the
organization, but I’d trust both women with my life.
No sign of Savannah. Maybe she wouldn’t show.
“Good to see you, Jax,” Amal said as she stepped forward and clasped my
arm.
She’d spent her childhood torn between Chicago and Cairo, and we were
old friends. She’d been like a sweet little sister then. Now, she was one of the
deadliest assassins I knew.
I tilted my head to Neve, whose red hair gently floated in the still air—an
enchanting quirk of being a powerful djinn, a genie of the winds. “Nice to see
you, Detective Cross.”
She smiled. “I’ve been out of town, but I heard you’re the new alpha
around here.”
I’d helped her and Damian Malek, one of Magic Side’s wealthiest and
most dangerous underlords, overthrow a demented mage who’d managed to
tear open a portal to the hells and had been amassing a demon army. This was
after he’d unleashed a water genie on Bentham a month ago, allowing five
prisoners to escape—including Kahanov.
Since I’d taken over as alpha from my father, we’d faced one crisis after
another. I’d hoped Billy’s death had been the tragic end of it, but now, I
worried that was only a prelude. “Any new leads on the sorcerer?”
Amal shook her head. “I lost his trail in Italy. Sorry, Jax.”
“Then this visit better pay off. We need a lead. Fast.”
I’d told them about the note, as well as most of the details surrounding the
abductions and blood demon attacks.
“Is Savannah supposed to be meeting us?” Neve asked. “You had me get
clearance for her.”
As if mentioning her name summoned the she-devil up from the pits of
hell, Savannah’s Gran Fury peeled into the parking lot with the radio
blasting. The werewolves I’d assigned to her protection detail followed
shortly behind in a black SUV.
She was late and loudly broadcasting that the world revolved around her.
I clenched my fist. Just the sight of her made my blood pressure rise. She was
insufferable and obstinate…and frustratingly arousing.
Savannah climbed out of the car and strode over to us. Her white T-shirt
was tucked into high-cut jeans that accentuated her curves, and I had to dig
my claws into my palms to keep my head straight.
Amal leaned close and whispered, “A new love interest?”
“Never. She’s a LaSalle,” I snapped, too quickly. Unfortunately, Amal
could probably smell the desire that plagued my mind the minute Savannah
showed up.
Her hips swayed as she crossed the parking lot, and I forced my
smoldering arousal down, reminding myself that Savannah was the reason
my pack was under threat.
I tensed as she drew near. “Nice of you to show. At last.”
“Better late than never.” She shot me a glare, then extended her hand to
Amal. “Hi, I’m Savy. You two must work for the Order.”
Amal shook Savannah’s hand. “I’m Amal, and this is Neve. We’re
hunting Kahanov. It’s good to meet the woman he’s after. I’ve got a lot of
questions for you.”
“Likewise,” Savannah said.
Neve shook her hand as well. “Your illustrations helped us identify him.
You’re quite the gifted artist.”
Savannah’s expression darkened. “That bastard turned my life into a
nightmare. Even if I never saw his face, it’s hard to forget the details of
someone like that.”
A jolt of anger and protectiveness tightened the muscles in my arm.
“Let’s go,” I growled.
“What’s at Bentham?” Savannah asked as we headed toward the two-
prop boat waiting for us in the marina. “Jaxson mentioned a bloodthirsty
devil.”
Neve nodded, her mood suddenly dark. “Kahanov escaped from Bentham
with the help of a devil known as the Ripper. He might know what
Kahanov’s plans were. It’s all we’ve got to go on, so we’re going to bash him
around a bit until he coughs up something useful. He’s a real bastard.”
A cold wind whipped around us, and the boats at the dock started bobbing
gently in the breeze. Neve had a temper, and when it rose, so did the storms.
We boarded the black Order patrol boat and sped across the harbor
toward Bentham Island. Over the roar of the engines, Amal and Neve
relentlessly grilled Savannah about Kahanov, his magic, and what she’d seen
while scrying on him. But silence fell when we approached the massive
prison, and Nevaeh whistled low as we pulled into the recently outfitted
dock. “What a change. The last time I was here, this place was crumbling into
the lake.”
“What happened?” Savannah asked.
“A water genie hit it with a tsunami and cursed its defenses.” Neve
pointed to a faint shimmering dome in the air above the prison. “That spell
protects Bentham. When it came down, five prisoners managed to escape,
despite a half dozen backup measures. Kahanov is the only one still on the
loose.”
The captain killed the engine and secured the boat against the concrete
jetty. Neve stood and levitated onto the dock, while Amal leapt up.
Savannah’s eyes rounded, and her jaw dropped. “Holy hell, that’s…
awesome,” she said, then stood and placed her foot on the gunwale. Amal
and I both extended our hands to help her up, and Savannah paused.
Amal smirked. “I won’t bite.”
Ignoring me, Savannah took her hand, and Amal pulled her up to the jetty
with a swift tug.
“Let me guess, you’re a werewolf,” Savannah said to Amal.
“That’s right. The best kind, too.”
“Wolfborn, like Jaxson?”
“Gods, no.” Amal frowned. “I shapeshift into a wolf with magic, which
means I can do it with my clothes on.”
Savannah looked her up and down. “I’ve seen some of Jaxson’s people do
that. Does it work with guns, too?”
“Anything I’m carrying.”
“Yeah. That seems better than the other option with all the twisting and
bones snapping.” Savannah gave me a wry smile. “If I had to be a werewolf,
I think I know what I’d choose.”
She’d probably choose death. Her reproach for our kind was blatantly
obvious.
The guards at the gate had been expecting us, but it took ten minutes of
running background checks before they let us pass wearing visitor badges.
Finally, they stepped aside and waved us into the highest-security prison in
the US.
Half a dozen men and women in tactical uniforms were waiting to escort
us. I heard the chatter in their earpieces as they led us down a bare concrete
corridor lit by fluorescent bulbs— Level B is secure. Three-twenty-four has
been subdued. Even with the spells and design of the prison, the guards here
had their work cut out for them. Bentham held some of the world’s most
dangerous Magica criminals.
We took an elevator ride down to Level E and were escorted past a dozen
cells with iron doors. The guards stopped in front of a door with a glowing
number 36 in a triangle.
Time to meet the Ripper.
Savannah’s shoulders tensed as she glanced toward cell 37, which had
once held Kahanov. She held herself strong, but I could feel her unease and
Untamed Fate (Magic Side: Wolf Bound Book 2) Page 4