by Brenda Trim
The dark alley between two buildings was the perfect hiding place for the skirm he saw crouched in a doorway. Gotcha, motherfucker. Araton had his flaming sword in hand, but before he could take the minion out, Aison jumped into the fray and plunged an enchanted titanium blade into the skirm’s chest.
The minion flashed on fire and was ash in the blink of an eye. The blade wasn’t the strongest weapon the Dark Warriors could have used, but it was the only one that caused a chemical reaction in skirm that made fire blaze through them in an instant turning them to ash. Made cleanup a fucking breeze.
Slate was behind Aison with his hands in the air. “Shit, sorry. Didn’t see you guys there.”
“That’s because we were hidden from sight,” Araton replied as he stowed his angelic weapon.
“What brings you to our fair city?” Aison asked as he twirled the sgian dubh in his hand.
“There was a major surge in demonic energy suggesting an archdemon breached the veil,” Ayil explained as they all headed out of the alley.
“That’s what we sensed,” Slate said as he looked at his fellow warrior. Slate’s hazel eyes scanned their surroundings as he walked while Aison did the same.
The warriors were highly vigilant, reminding Araton why they’d ingrained themselves in the alliance. Angels weren’t officially on team DWA, but he and his brothers worked closely with the group.
Not only because their sister was mated to a Dark Warrior in Seattle, but because they fought the very same entities as he and his brothers. Araton appreciated their zeal for killing demons. It matched his own.
“What do you know?” Aison asked. Araton slid a gaze his way, taking in the powerful wolf shifter. His closely cropped black hair matched his animal’s fur. Araton had seen him shifted once before and marveled that his dark brown gaze lightened when he shifted.
“The disturbance occurred at the LaLaurie Mansion and was one of the strongest Gabriel registered in a long time,” Abraxos informed them, suddenly all business. The encounter with the skirm refocusing his brother from sensual pursuits to the business at hand.
“Why is it always that place?” Slate interjected with a shake of his head. “That house is like a magnet for evil.”
“There’s no like about it,” Araton replied as he hooked a right and headed down Governor Nicholls. The quiet was eerie. And heavy. It went beyond simple silence. “The location was bathed in blood from the moment it was completed. We might have destroyed the archdemon influencing the previous owners, but their deeds left a stain on the place.”
“As if patrols couldn’t get any harder right now. More and more skirm are taking risks of exposure and breaking into homes to feed. I am really damn tired of wiping memories.” Slate growled. “Did Gabriel say if Lucifer was able to break through to this side?”
Allowing his gaze to scan the area, he continued to search for malevolent energy. As it always did in this city, there was malignant energy in the air. It likely had to do with the ghosts, demons and supernaturals that congregated there. It was the perfect place if you asked him.
Aside from having unique architecture that he loved, everything there had vibrant energy in the wood, steel and concrete that surrounded them. The energy was a mix of light and dark that oddly enough soothed his restless soul. Likely because he had always been surrounded by both.
The gas lamps on the homes flickered in the cool evening air as they walked. Araton loved New Orleans. The Spanish style homes, and Cajun food were unlike anything found anywhere else in the world.
About a block and a half away he paused along with his brothers and the Dark Warriors. “We’re going in to clear the house first. You guys make sure there are no lower level demons or skirm hanging around,” Araton instructed Aison and Slate.
Slate ran a hand through his brown hair and shifted his head around the area. After several seconds he sighed and nodded. “We will give you fifteen minutes then we are coming in. And, don’t forget about the attic. That’s usually where they conduct ceremonies.”
“The humans do. I doubt the demons will need to be that close to the epicenter of evil,” Aison countered.
Araton opened his mouth to argue but Ayil clapped his hand on his shoulder, stopping the words. “I will personally check the attic while these two scour the rest of the house.”
Araton headed across the street and didn’t bother hiding his presence as they stepped out from the shadows. It took too much energy and there was no one around. He nearly fell on his ass the second he stood on the side of Madame LaLaurie’s mansion.
The demonic energy was suffocating. He stumbled and fought his gag reflex bouncing in the back of his throat. In all the centuries he’d been fighting demons there had never been a signature this strong.
“Fucking hell,” Abraxos ground out as he braced himself against one of the windows of the house. He hissed and lifted his hand a second later. “I hate to say this but Gabriel might be wrong about Lucifer.”
“No, he’s not wrong. The Rowan sisters also cast a spell binding him to Hell. Between that and God’s force keeping him in the Underworld it’s not possible that he escaped,” Ayil added.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Abraxos announced and hurried around the corner. His skin crawled and his stomach rebelled against the evil as he opened the door.
It felt as if he walked through a gelatinous barrier made of acid when he stepped over the threshold. Agony washed through his wings making his heart race. It was a good fucking thing he’d had centuries of ignoring pain to continue his fight against demons.
The scent of sulfur and smoke increasing sent off an alert in his brain that had him rolling before he even knew what he was doing. His wings didn’t retract so the blood on the floor smeared across the feathers. Given the pain lancing his right wing he guessed some of the blood was demonic.
His sword of light was out and slicing through a hellhound before Araton managed to get a full view of the room. He was on his feet and kicking the two halves of the demon dog aside. He didn’t have the time at the moment to plunge his flaming word through the creature’s heart to disintegrate the fucker.
His weapon was designed to kill creatures from the Underworld with ridiculous ease and would eliminate the need for cleanup when they hit the heart or head. Sounds echoed behind him and he knew by the light energy that it was his brothers entering the house. At the same time, his sixth sense told him there were other enemies nearby.
Araton continued through the dining room and into another room. He had no idea what it was used for normally, but it had been converted into a demonic temple. There was a large pentagram along with symbols drawn in blood on the wood floor.
The sound of one of his brother’s heading up the stairs was hardly noticeable from his position. Wherever the demon was hiding it was doing a phenomenal job of remaining silent. Lower level demons were incapable of stealth.
Turning another corner, Araton’s heart clenched at the proof that they were too late. Easily a dozen slaughtered humans were scattered around the floor. Throats sliced open. Skulls cracked with brain matter all over the floor. And Stomachs were gaping with entrails spilled on the wood.
A creak behind him had him swiveling as he leveled his weapon at his enemy. Matted black hair flew around wide green eyes. The human female fell on her ass barely missing the cut that would render her to ash.
Araton lost his balance as he pulled his arm back to avoid harming the innocent. His mind stowed the blade before he was even aware of giving the command. His wings flared wide to help him catch his balance.
The female cried out as she landed and fell to her side. One side of her face was black and blue while blood poured from a gaping wound on her side. Something in Araton broke at the sight of her barely hanging onto life.
He’d taken a step toward her and was stopped when claws raked across one of his wings. “Fuck,” he roared and called his weapon to his hand.
The screech of the demon was loud in his
ear. As was the sound of demon flesh sizzling. Thanks to the proximity of his flaming sword he was treated to eau-de-barbeque. Of the rotten meat variety.
And, cue the bile gymnastics again. Araton flipped the sword in his palm and thrust the blade behind him. His feet were in the air and he was moving before the demon hit the ground.
When he landed, his eyes found the source of the disturbance. It was a Daeva demon. The stunning female had a beautiful exterior over a rancid core. Black blood poured from a wound in its shoulder.
“Did Lucifer cross over?” Araton demanded.
Araton sent his senses out not wanting to be taken unaware again. He didn’t pick up on anything on his level. Yelling echoed from the upper floors, making Araton want to rush to his brother’s sides. He could kill this Daeva and head up to help, but that would mean leaving the beautiful human female unprotected. And, every part of him objected to that possibility.
“Fuck you, angel. I don’t have to tell you shit,” the demon spat then screamed when he stabbed through one of her thighs. He hated her kind of all demons. They hid their evil nature beneath a beautiful exterior. Countless humans had been lured in by these monsters. No doubt most of the humans lying dead on the floor had been brought here by this vile creature before him.
“You want to try again? We know you cast a spell to open a portal for him. What I want to know is if it succeeded,” Araton demanded.
The Daeva smiled up at him while arching her back. The move exposed more of her cleavage. As if he was distracted by an attractive female. He never had been and never would be. Liar.
He recoiled at the silent admonishment. He glanced over his shoulder to the human female and noticed she was watching with wide eyes.
“The devil didn’t make it,” she whispered.
Turning back to the demon, Araton smiled. “Guess I don’t need you after all.” His flaming steel pierced her heart and a scream echoed before she burst into flames and disintegrated.
Rushing to the human’s side, he crouched next to her and ripped his shirt from his back and pressed it to her side. She hissed and groaned. “You’re safe now. That demon that lured you here is gone and never coming back. Can you tell me what happened here?”
“That bitch didn’t lure me here,” the human choked out. Sweat beaded on her brow to mix with the blood and grime smeared all over her body. Araton had the absurd urge to pick her up and comfort her. “I’m a cop. Officer Natalia Olsen. I came to investigate. They killed my partner.”
Araton stiffened when a sob left her, and tears brimmed in her eyes. Had he pressed too hard? He lifted the corner of his shirt and was surprised to see the bleeding had slowed.
Abraxos and Ayil came running into the room a second later and stopped short when they saw him. Abraxos shook himself and continued to their side. “I’ve got her,” his brother told him.
Araton looked at his brother for a minute and pressed the cloth against her flesh once again. “Which one is your partner, Natalia?”
“He’s not in here. He is out on the street with the people I had to shoot.” She closed her eyes and laid her head back.
“There are no bodies out there,” Abraxos informed her. “How’s your head? Looks like you took a hard hit to the face.”
“Like I have a house sitting on my face. Backup must have cleaned the scene up. Shit. I need to report into my chief,” Natalia blurted and tried to sit up.
Abraxos caught her arm before she fell back to the ground. He and his brother eased her to a sitting position and Araton lifted his shirt again and noticed she had stopped bleeding.
Tossing the cloth aside, he wondered how he managed that. He wasn’t a healer. He should have offered her no comfort from the pain she suffered, yet he couldn’t deny that she was breathing easier.
“You can’t tell your chief about any of this,” he told her.
“I have to. They’re all in danger. As an angel, you should be all about protecting us humans, right?”
Araton glanced over his shoulder and wanted to curse his lack of forethought. “I am a warrior angel as are my brothers. Our job is to kill demons. Now, you said the devil didn’t cross over. What happened?”
Shaking her head, Natalia lifted her shirt and looked at her side that was now nothing but a scab right under the edge of a thick black under shirt. “How did you do that?”
Abraxos ran a hand down her arm. “Angel blood. My brother was bleeding, and some was on his shirt when he pressed it to your wound. Can you tell us what happened?”
She looked at Araton for several seconds then told them how they’d arrived on scene to find several people that sounded like the archdemon’s skirm. After a brief encounter broke out, she was drug into the house where she was stabbed and added to the pile. What sounded like a Behemoth demon tried to summon Lucifer and when the spell failed, he was sucked back to hell with Lucifer.
“I have to call this in,” Natalia insisted.
Araton shook his head. “That isn’t going to happen and before you start yelling, this is for their safety. We will handle the scene. Can you get Slate in here? I want him to erase her memories,” Araton asked Ayil.
Natalia jumped to her feet and swayed for a second before she thrust her hands on her hips and scowled at him. “You aren’t taking a fucking thing from me.”
“Trust me. You don’t want to have these memories,” Araton insisted.
“You don’t get to decide that for me. I refuse to have any memories erased. I’m no danger to you or anyone else. Demons are another thing altogether. It’s my job to protect the citizens of this city. I can’t do that if you take these memories from me,” Natalia argued.
Slate, Ayil and Aison came to a halt in the doorway a second later. “She’s right,” Abraxos countered. “She survived a demon attack. Besides, I doubt they will be able to erase anything after you gave her your blood. We’re immune to magic, remember?”
“Dammit,” Araton cursed. “Fine. Let’s burn this shit down and we can go back to Les Augres and see about the rest. We cannot stand here any longer and argue about this.”
Araton had no idea what effects his blood would have on the human. Did that change her biology? He could ask Jace. The male would know, or at least be able to runs some tests.
“You aren’t burning this house down. You can’t. I can call in a cleaning crew,” the human female countered.
“Your crew can’t cleanse the demonic energy infused in this place. Demons will continue to use this place for evil purposes. And, my flames will erase this place from existence.”
“You won’t be able to burn it down,” Aison interjected. Araton shot a glance at the Dark Warrior. “We’ve tried every kind of flame possible, but nothing has worked. There is something more at work here.”
“We will see about that. Let’s get out of here,” Abraxos said as he started for the front door.
Natalia stared at Araton. “Surely you don’t want this paragon of evil in your city any longer.”
“No. I don’t,” she grumbled and followed his brothers and the warriors outside. Araton used his flaming sword and lit the bodies on fire and headed out the door. Fire raged inside as they stood on the opposite corner and watched.
A voice echoed from Natalia’s shoulder. “It’s my radio. Fire department is on their way.” Sirens sounded somewhere in the distance, but before any trucks arrived the fire died out.
“Told you,” Slate added. “Let’s go. I have some questions for the human cop.”
“I can’t leave,” she complained. “I have to let them know I’m alive. I can catch up with you guys. Cause I have questions of my own.”
The cop was right. He didn’t want her boss or family to worry. If they had discovered her partner dead earlier, they were likely searching for her right now. “You guys go on ahead. I will wait with Natalia and bring her to the house.”
Sirens blared in the night air and Araton forced his wings away with a wince. The claw marks hadn’t healed yet and it
hurt like a bitch to put them away. His brothers grabbed hold of the Dark Warriors and turned them all invisible before they headed to the Dark Warrior Alliance’s New Orleans headquarters.
The night had taken a sharp left and for Araton what remained was a case of what-the-fucks. The demons had come close to bringing Lucifer to earth. Dozens of humans were dead, and he couldn’t take his eyes away from the human cop.
Her black hair was matted with blood. There was a black and blue lump on the side of her face, and she wore a wicked scowl. He wasn’t the one fascinated by females. So why couldn’t he look away from the beautiful human?
Chapter 4
As he got closer to Bienville and Bourbon Dante contemplated continuing to Royal street to join Slate, Aison and Illianna’s brothers. From the reports something big was going down. Unfortunately, his need for sex clawed at his body, pushing him close to the edge. He needed sex soon or he was going to be a danger to everyone around him.
That was the downside of being what he was. He loved being the Cambion Lord most days. Since losing one of his closest friends he wanted to be anything but the leader of his kind. As an incubus-human hybrid, sex was Wheaties to his kind. But he’d lost interest after Nikko’s death.
It was a Goddess damned tragedy for him. A female’s body had always been his Nirvana. Yet duty had become his mistress of late. Not that he hadn’t been driven by a desire to make a better life for supernaturals in the realm.
Ever since he’d escaped the Underworld after his mother sent him to live with his father, Dante had been determined to improve life for cambions. Zander helped him create his position as Cambion Lord to provide structure where there had previously been none.
When he came into his power as a young man he was overwhelmed by his inner demon. Unaware he was anything more than a human boy, he ignored the cravings for sex. Initially he believed he was possessed by the devil. His mom treated him as if his head turned in a circle. It was unacceptable to have sexual relations with anyone outside marriage and when he coaxed several women into his bed, his mom sent him away.