by P. K. Tyler
She left the room, Elemiah following closely.
Vai stood and waited for Riley to join her before making her way with the others until only Nik and Zeph stood alone.
"You can't kill her," Zeph pled. He wanted Nik to take him in his arms and say everything would be fine, but his friend... his lover... stood as stoic and cold as stone.
"There may not be any choice."
"You... I..." Zeph sputtered, unable to think straight. He'd only just begun to understand Adel, so many years of distance and pain between them and now finally it felt like he had his sister back. He couldn't lose her now. He wouldn't survive it.
"Zeph, if it's too much, maybe you should stay here."
"I'm not staying behind while you go out and murder my sister."
"It's not like that and you know it." Nik ran a hand through his long hair and Zeph remembered how soft it had been to the touch. For a moment, he could see the man behind the armor Nik wore.
"Please, Nik," Zeph approached and took Nik's hand in his own. "Please."
"You aren't being fair." Nik shook off the touch and leaned against the wall of the small living room. "You know how this works. I don't have a lot of choices in my life. This whole Sin Eater thing isn't something I want, but sometimes I have to make the hard decisions."
"Like killing? When did you start killing people? That's not how this has ever worked."
"Things have changed. There are angels here. Real life fucking angels in the next room getting ready to fight the goddamn anti-Christ. Literally. If there was ever a time for the rules to change, it's now. If Adel is helping them, I don't know what I can do. I really don't."
"Nik, she's my sister!"
"Don't you think I fucking know that?" Nik pushed off the wall and approached Zeph, his eyes hard and angry.
Zeph wanted to scream and punch the man before him. He wanted to hit him and make him bleed so he'd understand how much pain he was in. His anger boiled and he straightened his back, refusing to look away first.
Vai returned and threw a gun belt at Nik, breaking the standoff between them. She held out two revolvers.
Nik opened the cylinder; the chamber within was loaded.
Zeph stared, eyebrows high.
Nik had never used a gun before, that he knew of.
"Take this." She turned to Zeph, a half dozen little cloth sacks dangling from her fingers, her face impossible to read. "If you're coming with us, stay out of the way." Twine secured each little bundle and wrapped around twice, forming an X. Like tiny beanbags, something granular within shifted under his prodding fingers.
"Ow! What—?"
"Don't play with them." Vai rolled her eyes. "They're filled with dust and shrapnel."
“Ganje, just what you need,” Riley muttered behind Vai. “Let me come with you.”
Vai turned and stared at the man, her dark eyes intense with unshed tears. “You aren’t equipped.”
“So equip me.”
“You aren’t trained.”
“But some ganje priest is? You’d rather fight with outsiders than with me by your side?”
Vai placed a hand on his chest and, in a voice Zeph could barely hear, said, “I can’t stand to lose you, too. And I need someone to stay here and keep everyone safe. Please.”
Riley nodded and kissed her on the forehead before backing away and rejoining the frightened Roma.
Zeph held the hard package in his hand. "Okay, so what am I supposed to do with dust and shrapnel?"
"Toss it at a demon." She paused in attaching a few dust bombs to her own belt to glance at him with one eyebrow raised high. "It isn't regular dust, and neither is the shrapnel. It'll work."
"On a demon?"
"Yes. If the dust gets on us, it won't hurt us. The shrapnel might, but not as much as it'll hurt them."
Zeph fingered the soft material holding the special dust. "Will it even get on them? How hard do I have to throw it?"
The smug, self-assured Vai peeked through in her grin. "You know how magnets work? The dust is similar." She held her sword aloft. "If I were to stab a demon with this blade, even though the demon would struggle against the force, it's body would try to draw the dust into itself, like a magnet of opposite polarity. The dust in the blade itself does the same. When I pull the blade free," she demonstrated with a clean swipe through the air, then gazed at her weapon almost with affection, "the pull between the two forces does much more damage coming out than it does going in. And that's the kind of damage demons don't heal from. The dust destroys the bits of essence it contacts and draws more from within the demon. When you pull it out, chunks of the demon's essence come with it. And demons can not survive in pieces. It would be like your soul trying to survive with a part of itself missing."
He ignored the pointed look she gave him. The dust might come in handy, but he needed a way to save Adel, not just destroy the demon within her.
"I can exorcise demons." Zeph hated the petulant tone in his voice, but he knew he was outranked. He was grateful for the dust bombs, though. They wouldn't hurt his sister, only the demon controlling her.
"I know, I've seen it, and you can fight too. But if Belial is half of what Anahita and Elemiah have said—"
"He is." Elemiah strode into the room, shattering the tension with her voice. "It's time to go."
Chapter Five
Empty paper plates and cups littered the common area. Nik tried to convey calm, but he had never seen anything like what stood across the clearing with Adel. Blood soaked the ground, seeping slowly into the ground and spreading out wide under the corpses of Vai's family, a family Nik had begun to think of as his own.
Even with Vai and Zeph at his side, and two angels fighting with them, the odds didn't look good.
Adel's image hovered over her like a possession but it was off, somehow. Her soul remained deep inside, but evil darkened the energy around her. A demon resided in her body as well. Possessed but not, it almost looked to Nik like the two souls worked in tandem. But what did that mean? The demon within her was strong. Could it be the one who used her to torment Zeph, the same one who then used Zeph to torment Nik? It had to be.
Zeph stepped forward but Nik reached out and placed a hand on his chest and shook his head. "Not yet."
Zeph squared his shoulders but didn't continue toward his sister, even after Nik moved his hand away.
Behind Adel, a young man grinned and glared at Nik. His eyes clouded with black and his teeth glinted in the early morning light. Belial. The newly born demon stood a couple feet taller than her, his massive shoulders a bold outline to her slender form. Blood had soaked through his clothing and matted down his hair. Evil radiated off of him.
A wave of nausea hit as four others approached. Beside him, Vai groaned. He could handle these demons with Zeph at his side. But without her other, she would be more affected by them. Nik couldn't help but admire her tenacity. Many women might have crumbled under the overwhelming weight of grief. The kind of loss she'd suffered was incomparable. But she stood beside him, ready to fight.
The four demons approaching all wore female forms. Every single one of them wore tight black leather and combat boots and had their hair pulled back in tight, high pony tails. They looked like a teenaged boys video game wet dream.
Belial kept smiling at them, malice shining in his eyes like venom. He placed a hand on Adel's shoulder and leaned in close, whispering in her ear, his eyes never leaving Nik's.
Zeph stiffened and inhaled sharply. "Get your hand off my sister!" He started forward, but Nik grabbed his shoulder again. "What?!" Tears pooled in his eyes and his jaw clamped tightly shut, the muscles in his face flexing.
Nik dropped his hand from Zeph's arm. "Zeph, that's not Adel." He couldn't fight five demons, the son of Lucifer, and keep Zeph from doing something stupid all at the same time.
Zeph's shoulders and face relaxed, his eyes glazed over then went distant. His voice sounded hollow, monotonous. Dead. "You have to save her, Nik." He ref
ocused his attention on Nik. "You are the only one who can save her."
Nik felt like his heart shattered, the pieces exploding outward like shrapnel ripping through his chest and up his throat, lodging into his inner walls like so many shards of glass. "I can't... there's no..." He took a deep breath and tried to be strong.
There was nothing worse he could do to his friend, the love of his life, than what he was about to do. "Adel is gone." Keeping his voice as soft but firm as he could, he pleaded with his eyes for Zeph to understand. "Look at her, whatever part of Adel you think you see, it's not there anymore. I can't save her. No one can."
Zeph shook his head side to side, over and over, staring at the ground.
Adel walked across the field, kicking limbs and bodies out of her way as she came, blood caked over every inch of her body. Her long hair hung in waxy strands, framing her face with evidence of her crimes. "Beloved brother, have you come to save me? It's too late. You didn't save me from Daddy. You didn't save me from the demon." She laughed, a deep, throaty sigh.
Zeph kept shaking his head, raising his hands to cover his ears. He still faced Nik, but he hunched over like he had a stomach ache.
"Join us, brother. You can't save me, but you can be with me."
For one awful moment, Nik saw the hope in Zeph's downcast eyes. "Zeph, no." The world seemed to tilt, the ground felt like it crumbled beneath his feet and he staggered.
When Zeph finally met Nik's frantic gaze, tears spilled from both men's eyes. Zeph fell to his knees, staring at the ground again.
Relieved and heartbroken for his other, Nik's world returned to focus. When he looked at Adel again, she looked pissed. Whatever sway the demon thought it held over Zeph, Nik's hold was stronger and he wasn't going to let anything happen to his soul. Not even if it killed him.
A sudden crack resounded in the quiet field and Belial screamed. Everyone turned to look at him–demons, humans, and angels alike–now on his hands and knees. His body jerked with every new crack. He cried out with each spasm, his face twisted and beads of sweat appeared on his skin.
Two long, black bones shot up through his back like appendages. They trembled and grew until they were as wide as he was tall. Smaller branches grew out from each, spreading downward like tree roots, stretching longer until they crossed and intersected. He stood, shaking, and spread out the bones. The bones formed two half-heart shapes behind him. Small points of black bloomed in rows along the bones, each one unfurling into a perfect, glistening feather.
"Are you kidding me?" Vai growled. Nik turned to look at her and she stood transfixed, her eyes wide and full of terror.
He tested his new wings, spreading them wide even as they continued to fill out. Belial flapped them as a baby bird might, but his glistening wings couldn't lift him off the ground.
Nik's body trembled, and he couldn't quite close his mouth. That the son of Lucifer couldn't fly yet wasn't comforting. It would have been better if they only had to face five demons without him. Nik fervently hoped he would retreat while they fought. He may be newly born, still weak compared to what he would be, but Nik was sure he was strong enough to kick some serious ass.
Adel screamed, "Attack!" Her four blonde boot camp beauties sprang into action as though they'd had a battle plan coming in. Two sexy demons plowed into Anahita, and the other two tackled Elemiah.
Adel lunged straight for their most vulnerable member: Vai.
Vai raised her fist, palm up, and growled out a command and blew as she opened her hand. Sparkling red dust flew into the air as Adel came bearing down on her.
The dust hit Adel full in the face and her cries pierced through the grunts of demons and angels battling nearby.
Nik pulled two revolvers with Blood of Christ bullets and pointed them at Adel, now writhing on the ground. He hoped he could aim well enough to take her down, but the red dust bullets were their best option for ending this carnage.
"Nik! No!" Zeph wailed and grabbed his hands, turning the guns away from the creature he still thought of as his sister.
"Zeph, stop!" The time to reason with him had passed, but Nik couldn't bring himself to fight him off, to physically hurt him.
He watched as Adel rubbed her face and regained her feet out of the corner of his eye while grappling with Zeph for the guns. He heard metal sliding against metal as Vai's sword cleared its scabbard. Whatever advantage she'd gained was about to be lost. Nik needed the use of his guns.
He checked the location of Belial, but couldn't see him. He searched the grisly scene frantically, trying to locate the son of Lucifer.
The moment's distraction gave Zeph an opening Nik never imagined he'd actually take.
Zeph turned and brought one of his arms over both of Nik's, trapping his hands. Then he let go with one hand and brought his elbow up into Nik's face.
Bright white light flashed into Nik's vision, and, for a moment, he thought for sure he'd broken his nose—again. He shook his head and checked his hands: the right hand was empty but the left one, his dominant hand, remained armed. His other gun lay on the ground.
Zeph turned again to face Nik, and, still gripping the hand with the gun in it, reached for the one on the ground.
A horrible image of Nik and Zeph facing off, each with a gun in the other's face, popped into his mind. How far would Zeph go to protect Adel? Nik jabbed with his right hand, landing a solid blow to Zeph's beautiful face.
Nik’s knuckles ached but their sting wasn’t anything in comparison to the pain clenching his heart over what he’d just done. Nonetheless, relief filled him when Zeph staggered back a few paces.
Nik picked up the other gun and turned to find Adel lifting Vai by the throat. Her nails dug into Vai's flesh so trails of blood trickled down her neck and over her shoulders, painting stripes along her tight white top.
Nik raised the gun and aimed for Adel's head. "Stop! Put her down or I'll blow your fucking head off."
Adel's side bled.
Vai's sword lay on the ground at her feet, blood staining its length.
Zeph screamed again, and six other battle cries joined him in the cacophony. He rushed toward Nik.
As much as he hated to do it, Nik aimed the gun in his left hand at Zeph who stopped suddenly and sank to his knees in defeat.
Adel smiled. "You'll have to kill us both to save her, and then where will you be, Sin Eater?" She laughed.
Chapter Six
To Nik’s left, Zeph knelt, holding his hands in front of himself, staring at his palms as if he literally held the answer to the shit storm they'd found themselves in.
Nik was grateful Anahita and Elemiah were handling the four blonde demons. He had his hands full with Adel's demon. He prayed Belial would stay behind Adel.
Adel held Vai several inches off the ground, higher than she stood tall.
Vai glared back at her, even though she had her by the throat. She spit and the bloody saliva hit Adel's cheek, where it sizzled.
Adel shrieked and dropped Vai, and Nik took his chance. He swiveled away from Zeph and pointed both guns at the demon inside Adel. He'd fill her full of bullets to free her from the demon holding her.
Zeph stepped between Nik and Adel.
As Vai stood, a blonde demon tackled her from behind, and the two rolled out of sight.
"Zeph, it's not her."
He shook his head no. Nik hadn't convinced him it was too late to save her.
Belial stood and stretched his black wings wide. Though they still trembled, they'd dried out. He moved them forward and down, faster and faster, lifting off the ground.
A heavy weight barreled into Nik from his left, a blonde head butting his face, busting his lip. Arms wrapped around his chest and rolled with the momentum. They came to a stop with one of the blonde bimbos straddling him. His hands were empty, the guns lost somewhere near Zeph.
At the thought, Nik panicked. He couldn't keep the look of fear from showing on his face, and the demon must have seen it.
S
he grinned and sat up.
He balled his hands into fists but as soon as he tried to punch her, she grabbed his wrist and slammed his arm back down. She pinned him down by both wrists.
Nik tried to gather enough spit burn her face with his blood and saliva, but his mouth was dry.
She blocked Zeph from view, but he heard him nonetheless. "Adel, I know you're in there. Fight this. Please, let us help you." Zeph's voice came out as a plea.
Nik pictured him kneeling, hands clasped before him as though in prayer. But Adel was gone and demons didn't care about things like brothers and family. It could easily kill Zeph.
His friend let out a tortured cry that scared the wits out of Nik. "Adel, no!"
He twisted beneath the demon trapping him, his heart thudding.
Belial's flapping wings drew closer. A loud thud reverberated in the ground and the beating wings stopped.
The demon atop Nik turned to glance over her shoulder, and Nik bucked beneath her, successfully throwing her off balance enough for him to roll on top.
He drew his bottom lip into his mouth, sucking the blood that had barely trickled before. He half spit, half dropped a glob of bloody saliva onto her face.
She screamed and bucked him off.
He rolled, hoping he'd land close to his guns and Adel, maybe it wasn't too late to save Zeph. He checked the demon behind him. She'd rolled onto her knees and held her shaking hands out before her. Her fingertips bubbled, Nik's blood had burned her. Her eyes and cheeks were swollen and red. A rash of blisters broke out across her nose and cheeks and eyelids.
To his left, Zeph stood, horror in his eyes. "Adel, it's not too late. I'm your family. I can help."
Belial crouched down to wrap his arms around Adel.
She turned in his embrace to wrap her arms around his neck. "I have all the family I need, brother dear."
Zeph reached out with one hand, the other held against his chest as though he were in pain. "Adel, please," he whispered.
Belial straightened to his full height, lifting Adel at least a foot off the ground, and spread his dark wings yet again. She bent her knees up like a stupid damsel being rescued, kicking her heels with glee. Belial crouched low enough to get some momentum from his spring, leaped into the air, and carried them further away with his wings.