by Amy Braun
I tried to pull it back, but he grabbed my forearm and began to crush the bones in my wrist. He clenched tighter, making me wince as his claws hooked into my skin. I lashed out a kick that caught him in the ribs, but he didn’t let go.
A second Soulless, who looked like he’d been a young Asian man before giving up his soul, snarled and darted for my right side. I jabbed him in the nose when he got into range, sending him back until Simon finished him off with an arrow.
The Soulless hanging onto me dragged his claws down my arm, ripping apart the skin and filling the air with the scent of my blood. It drove the remaining two Soulless crazy.
Both of them pounced on me at the same time, shoving me against the wall. I drew up my right arm, pressing it against the neck of the older Soulless angling for my throat. The one holding my wrist punched me in the stomach, pushing the air from my lungs. He roared and went for my throat. I heard a twang and felt him suddenly loosen his grip. That didn’t save me from the older Soulless, who drove his knee into my chin. My head rocked back, exposing my neck. But my injured hand was free. I swung a powerful uppercut into his chin, veering him off course from my throat. I rolled away from the wall and grabbed the back of his neck, slamming him face first into the cement. After one more hard slam, I gripped my machete like a baseball bat and slammed it into the back of his neck. His head toppled off his shoulders while his body slithered down the wall, leaving a smear of blood behind. I turned and glared at Simon.
“Thanks for all the help.”
He blinked and tossed a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to his empty quiver. “Sorry I wasted all my arrows saving your ass.”
I was working on another argument when I heard a familiar shout.
“Hey! We’re in here! Help us!”
Putting my machete into my left hand so I didn’t aggravate my slowly bleeding right one, I ran forward and swerved into the dimly lit room.
No, room is the wrong word. It was a fucking kennel.
At least a hundred wire cages lined the walls, split into two sections and stacked from the floor to the top of the fifteen foot ceiling. Every single one of them held a cramped human being. Some were barely clothed while others weren’t clothed at all. Blood, bruises, and tears streaked their skin. The sour smells of sweat, piss, shit, and vomit strangled my senses. It was difficult to tell how long these humans had been here, waiting to turn into pets for demons, but some of them burst into tears at the sight of us while the others howled, screamed, and rattled the bars of their cages.
The voice that had called for help hadn’t been Maddy’s. I didn’t see her at all. That didn’t put my mind at ease.
“Avery!”
I turned again, finally spotting him. Ricardo was in one of the middle cages on the left wall, and looked like he had most of his sanity. Laurel wasn’t too far from him, but she was an inconsolable, sobbing mess. I rushed over to the cages. They were held shut with padlocks, and I wasn’t going to risk using my locusts on such a small space. Once they got a taste from human flesh, they would eat through it like acid.
“Simon! See if you can find the keys on the guards!”
Knowing he would listen to me, I looked at Ricardo again. “Where’s Maddy?”
His dark eyes widened with fear. He hesitated in his answer.
“They took her into that room,” he nodded to the door on my left that parted the cages. “A guy with dreadlocks and… and Josh.” Ricardo looked at me nervously. He was still coming to grips with his former friend turning into a backstabbing monster. I don’t think there are support groups for that kind of thing.
Simon finally appeared beside me with a set of keys in his hand. He reached up and unlocked Ricardo’s cage. We both helped the big man crawl out of his cage. He must have been in there for hours. The stiffness in his muscles was obvious. I let him go and stepped back, walking for the door. Simon was following me. I turned and put my hand on his chest, shoving him back.
“No. You stay here and help them.”
Simon glared, turning only once to throw the keys and Ricardo. The freed human fumbled to catch them, then hurried to unlock the other cages.
“You can’t face Ciaran alone. He has Maddy. He’ll use her against you.”
“Probably, but I can buy you time to get these people out of here. Ricardo can’t do it himself, and he seems to be the only other rational person in the room. And we still don’t know what happened to Kade.”
“Screw Kade,” my brother protested. “He can handle himself.”
Just as he said it, the basement under the hangar trembled. The shock of it threw me against the wall and nearly bucked Simon onto his ass. The bars of the cages rattled and the humans started wailing.
Ciaran’s ritual was beginning.
“Simon, we don’t have time for this,” I shot back. “Ciaran has to be stopped now. Get the humans to safety, grab Kade, then come back and help me, okay?”
It was a shitty plan, but the truth was that I needed Simon to get the other humans out of here. Fighting Ciaran would buy them time, and if I died, then my brother would be able to find Kade. The two of them would be able to take Ciaran down if I couldn’t do it. Having Simon there was just one more thing Ciaran could use against me. As if he didn’t have enough already.
“You’re a fucking idiot,” growled Simon. “You’d better stay alive so I can kick your ass for this later.”
I didn’t argue this time. Simon held my eyes for another brief moment, then turned away and ran to help Ricardo. I twisted away from them and grabbed the cold metal door between the cages of crying humans. I pulled it open with a sharp tug, and slipped into the darkness beyond.
The door slammed shut behind me, its echo seeming to go on for forever. I pinched my eyes shut and tried to see where I was going. It was pitch black in this hallway or room or whatever, and I could hardly see three feet in front of me. My injured hand fumbled around the darkness until it found the frigid concrete wall. I shuffled forward, not knowing what I would step on.
All of a sudden, I took a step forward and felt it disappear under me. I yanked my foot back before I could pitch headfirst into blackness. Once it was on solid ground again, I took my hand from the wall and got onto my hands and knees. After placing my machete in its scabbard on my back, I reached out and felt along the cold cement until my hand went over the ledge. My fingers brushed against a metal railing, which had to be a ladder. I looked over the ledge. This ladder went down at least fifty feet, but I could see a subtle red glow at the bottom of it. I dragged myself toward the ladder and swung around, starting my descent.
As I made my way deeper into the darkness, I heard voices drifting up, bouncing off the walls of the tunnel I assumed I was in. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, or who the voices belonged to. I figured it was best to find out personally.
The farther down I went, the lighter the tunnel became. I was nearly at the end when another tremor shook the tunnel. I gripped the ladder rungs tightly, listening to rubble crack and skitter down the walls around me. Deciding the distance was safe, I jumped down into the pool of red light below me.
I bent my knees to absorb the shock, reaching back and taking the machete from its scabbard. The air was hot and thick down here, and the bright red light was coming from the door on my right. The last door I intended to take. It didn’t look very strong, more like one of those emergency exit doors. So I pulled back my leg and kicked it open.
The door bounced off the wall with a loud snap as I slid inside. The loud slamming noise behind me carried a note of finality when the door closed. I barely noticed, given what I saw before me.
Demonic runes were scrawled in dark red liquid along the roof, walls, and floor. Tables, chairs, lockers, and metal shelves had been pushed out of the center of the room and left in piles along the walls to make space for the glowing pyre in the middle of the room. Hearty black and red flames flickered in a carefully laid circle that had to be at least ten feet across.
&n
bsp; Hanging from thick ropes above the demonfire was a small, slender shape. She’d been stripped to her underwear and tank top, making it easy for her kidnappers to cut deep slashes down her legs and along the length of her underarms. Her head hung to her chest, honey blonde hair obscuring her face. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead, but my eyes refused to tear away from the blood dripping into the demonfire, feeding the flames and unlocking the Hell Door further.
A dark shape peeled out of the shadows of the right wall. A bloody knife hung in his hand. He spun it, sending more of Maddy’s blood into the flames.
“So,” Ciaran said, his smile not matching the rage on his face. “You decided to join us. How unfortunate.”
Chapter 23
I wished I came up with a snarky comeback. Spouted some shit about how I wasn’t intimidated by him. That I wasn’t absolutely terrified of how close to death the girl hanging by her wrists over the fire was.
“She’s a fighter,” said the Paladin, glancing at Maddy. “Too weak to stay conscious, yet too strong to let go of life. How adorable.”
I didn’t waste time on words. I didn’t bother rushing him to take off his head. I searched for my power, building it until I could make the largest swarm of locusts I’d ever–
Eight knives plunged into my ribs.
I shouted from the unexpected pain, feeling them twist and tug in me. My vision started to swim, but I still threw an elbow back and caught my attacker in the head. The knives tore out of my sides, feeling just as ruthless as they had when they stabbed into me. I dropped my machete and put my hands on the wounds, forcing black smoke into them and knitting them closed–
A powerful kick hit me in the chest and knocked me into the left wall. The wounds in my side throbbed aggressively, but weren’t so grievous anymore. Warm blood still soaked my shirt and made it cling to my body, but I wouldn’t die from blood loss.
Maybe.
My attacker lunged at me, moving so fast I thought he was a demon. At least I was ready for him this time. I let his jab fly past me, hearing his knuckles cracking sharply against the wall. I crashed my elbow into his jaw, then used my other first to uppercut him. I kicked him in the chest to get him away from me, then pushed off the wall. The Soulless man raised his head, sharp teeth bared in a furious snarl.
Josh wasn’t looking very sane these days.
“Bastard,” I growled. “You’re letting Maddy die!”
I pointed to the girl he’d cared so much about, bleeding to death over a fire that would open Hell.
Josh didn’t even look in her direction. Whatever had made him human had been erased.
“I told her to give in,” he shouted back. “She didn’t have to suffer, didn’t have to become a slave. But she didn’t listen. She never fucking listens.” Josh’s bloodshot eyes tightened on mine. “You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.”
That held a double meaning, since it was obvious that Josh didn’t want to be saved. Even through the pain-filled haze slipping into my mind, I knew there was nothing I could do to help Josh. Whatever made him the person I knew was gone. I hoped Maddy would forgive me for what I had to do.
“You wanted to do this, Josh,” said Ciaran. “So make it quick. The Door is almost open.” The Paladin turned to me. “You should remove your blades, Avery. He was hoping you’d face him honorably.”
I scowled at that. Honorable. Is that why he literally stabbed me in the back and let an innocent girl bleed?
But it was too late to argue. If I played by Josh’s rules, maybe I could get close to Ciaran. Close enough to use the remainder of my power to kill them both.
I unbuckled my belt and tossed it, then pulled the machete’s empty scabbard over my head and threw it aside too.
The weapons hadn’t even finished clattering on the ground before Josh darted forward and aimed a kick at my head.
I blocked him with my sore arm, forcing the pain from my mind and throwing out a kick of my own. Josh sidestepped to miss it and drove his knee into my stomach. I sent my left elbow into his chin and slammed my right palm into his chest. He staggered once and lashed out with another kick. I caught his foot as it met my side and pulled, screwing up his balance. I twisted in front of him and drove my elbow into his chest, dropping his leg while using my far foot to push his balancing leg away. Barely able to hold himself up, Josh stumbled. My knee was right there to catch him in the temple.
Josh tumbled back onto the ground, his head probably spinning. I balled my fists and stormed over to him, ready to end the fight he started–
He pushed his legs up, both of his booted feet slamming into my stomach and doubling me over. I clutched my stomach, gasping for breath. Josh planted his hands against the cement floor and used them as leverage to flip himself to his feet. He yanked my head up and slammed his forearm into my chest. One of his black clawed hands gripped my neck and forced my head up. Josh pushed me deeper to the side of the room, his free hand rapidly hitting my ribs.
I shot out a quick punch of my own, catching him in the stomach and forcing him to relax his hold. I batted away the hand that had been at my throat and jabbed him with my free hand. Josh grabbed my fist and started to crush it, but I pulled my captured hand back, ducking under Josh’s extended arm so it was over my back. I straightened and wrenched his arm, making him shout angrily. I stomped on the inside of his knee and twisted sharply, taking his arm with me, and out of its socket.
Josh howled in pain and I let him go, driving my boot into his stomach and sending him tumbling along the ground.
But of course the asshole didn’t stay there.
Oblivious to his useless arm, Josh rolled to his feet and charged me. Seeing I was close to the wall, I stepped back. I crouched and waited until Josh was in front of me, ready to swing. Then I stepped to the side, grabbed his waist, and twisted to throw him into the wall.
Or that was my plan, anyway. What happened instead was Josh pressed his feet against the wall, keeping him from plowing into the graffiti covered concrete. Before I could let go of him, Josh pushed off the wall with all his strength.
It was too much for me. He was a big, strong guy when he was human. Now he was Soulless, and much stronger. Most Soulless weren’t fighters. They were normal humans with an extra demonic boost to their system. But Josh had carried his fighting skills over after the exchange. He wasn’t getting tired the way I was.
Josh’s sudden weight against me caused me to trip and fall onto my back. He landed on top of me, crushing the air from my lungs. He hammered his elbow into my ribs, battering them to the point where I was sure at least one of them cracked. I shoved him until he rolled off me, but he made it to his feet before I did. He planted one foot on the left side of my chest and used the other to kick my ribs. Then he decided to stomp on me for the hell of it.
Kick, stomp, kick, stomp, kick stomp. It didn’t seem like it would ever end, and thanks to his previous stab wounds, my sides felt like they were splitting open. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. I couldn’t even poison him because every time I reached for his leg, he batted my hand away and kicked me harder.
I didn’t know why Josh stopped or when. Maybe he was bored. He stepped off my aching torso and slid his hand under my arms, drawing me up to my feet. He let me go and I swayed, unable to stop him when he jump-kicked me in the chest.
I flew back five feet, landing in a heap of unwanted furniture. My head was almost speared by a broken metal chair leg. I glanced at it, feeling it move as I shifted, not sure why my instincts were kicking in like this. Then I watched Josh run for the wall, using it as leverage for the flying kick he aimed at my head. The one I knew would break my neck if it connected.
I let my body take control of my brain. I forced my reflexes into overdrive, grabbing the broken chair leg and pulling it in front of me. I twisted onto one knee, shoving the chair leg up like it was a spear.