Demon's Rage

by Janelle Peel

  Standing on my tiptoes, I rubbed my cheek along Kai’s. “I’ll be back soon.”

  Gripping my waist, he pulled me closer. “You’d better. If this goes south there’s nothing I won’t do to get you back.”

  I chuckled. “Love you, too.”

  Chapter 14

  Bex

  The skin on my arms tingled as we stepped through the barrier.

  Gazing at the descending crescent Moon, I placed the time around four in the morning. We’d chosen a spot far from the city’s ruined buildings to ensure visibility.

  Lillin bit the leather lining her index finger and tugged off her glove. Tucking it under her armpit, she snatched a small knife from the pocket at her hip. Pausing, she looked for Nat’s silhouette in the sky. As she found her undulating shape, she took a deep breath. “There’s no going back after this. The Demons will be starving. Are you ready?”

  Calling to my well, I nodded. “We don’t have a choice. Let’s just get it over with.”

  The scent of her blood littered the air. Similar to Kai’s brimstone, but with a delicate sweetness. I’d tried on many occasions to pinpoint what it was but never could. One moment it would smell like fresh baked cookies. Viv swore the heady fragrance was closer to chocolate. Shelving the wayward thoughts, I focused on our surroundings.

  What was once rife with life was completely barren. Ash puffed up from beneath my boots as we moved a few steps away from the safety of the sphere. Nothing had survived.

  A chittering met my ears followed by a low hiss.

  Lillin froze.

  Fisting my hands, I zeroed in on the source. No, sources.

  Like a spilled basin of ink, the wave rolled across the dark landscape in one smooth motion.

  Goosebumps rose along my spine. There were too many. “Lillin, get back inside.”

  She hesitated. “Just another minute. We need to make sure they get close enough.”

  Gritting my teeth, I calculated the distance. 1200 yards. 1000. 750. At 500, I drew the line. “Now!”

  With my focus split, I failed to notice the creatures flanking our rear.

  Nat’s roared warning came a moment too late.

  Grabbing Lillin’s blood slicked palm, I spun her in a fast circle. Whispering a prayer, I threw her in the direction of the sphere. Just before the horde closed in around me, she sailed through its shimmering shell.

  Slammed to the ground by the weight of a hundred lessers, I reached for my magic. Iridescent fur sprouted on my arms and legs as sharp teeth closed around my neck.

  The brave abomination dropped my ruff with a pained scream. Blue light flashed, coloring spots in my vision as its leathery hide disintegrated.

  Spitting and snarling, the others slowly backed away. Four more fell who hadn’t moved fast enough.

  Baring my teeth, I howled for Skye.

  Skye

  Dropping down beside the large white Wolf, he made sure to steer clear of her blade like wings. He had no desire to be flayed with their ice tipped points.

  Bracing his feet, he sent his power flaring below the sooty ground. Water bubbled to the surface instantly in answer.

  Giving the growing pool a wide birth, the Demons chittered at one another at the prospect of a meal.

  Fire brightened the area from Nat’s maw as she passed overhead. The scent of cooked meat filtered through the desiccation littering the air.

  Asena’s voice rumbled through his mind. ‘There’s too many! Fall back!’

  Bex growled in irritation.

  Tethering his magic to the wind, he attempted to lift them both.

  Her ice blue gaze met his in refusal. Turning on her hind legs, she ran into the fray.

  A surge of destruction followed in her wake as the loitering creatures failed to move from her path.

  Taking to the sky, he quickly took advantage of her distraction and located a straggler. Its glossy carapace gleamed in the moonlight as its beady eyes roved the chaos around them.

  Knowing it couldn’t see him, he moved closer. Using Bex’s Element, he herded the creature further from the herd. Clacking its shiny mandibles, it scrambled away in fear.

  Their plan had literally gone to Hell. In an attempt to salvage it, he projected his thoughts as loudly as he could. ‘Asena! I need the chain!’

  The heavy links dropped near the lesser with a dull thud. Manipulating the breeze, sweat beaded along his brow as he wrapped it around the flailing creature. Satisfied once it was secure, he turned corporeal and towed it through the barrier.

  Jackson flashed forward with a cage.

  Lowering his precious cargo inside, he heaved a relieved sigh as the lid clanged closed.

  Nat flew through the silver surface and nearly slammed into him. Her jade eyes met his in silent question.

  Bex was still out there.

  Bex

  Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I ripped through the horde. Nothing could stop me. Flaring my wings, I simply had to run. Their diamond coated tips took care of the rest.

  A light gale ruffled my fur followed by Skye’s whisper, “We’ve got one. It’s time to go back.”

  Indecision flashed through me. I was so close. They needed to pay for what they’d done to the world.

  Between one blink and the next, he appeared in my path. Soot puffed up beneath my paws as I quickly put on the brakes.

  A Demon knocked into him from behind. Bright red, his blood splattered in all directions as he crumpled to the ground.

  Time slowed as I frantically tried to get to him. My pulse hammered inside my skull in tandem with my labored breathing.

  The remaining lessers picked up a hissed chorus.

  “Bring him.”

  “Leave the Wolf.”

  “Bait for Kai.”

  “Retreat.”

  As one, their chatters reached a nail grating crescendo.

  “Yes, my Liege.”

  Chills raced down my spine. No! A desolate howl rang from my throat as a winged creature snatched Skye from the ground. Beating its bat like appendages, it sprung into the sky.

  The oncoming wall of Demons quickly blotted out their shape.

  Snapping my teeth, I plowed through their retreating forms for an eternity.

  As the last lesser fell, I collapsed. Bathed in tar, my stupidity came full bore.

  Skye was gone.

  And it was all my fault.

  Kai

  The loss of Skye hit them all hard but it affected Bex most.

  After Nat retrieved her, she’d refused to shift. He couldn’t even hold her. His inability to console her was quickly driving him insane.

  As he paced his hundredth circuit of the hall, Nat exited their suite.

  Her jade eyes watered at the edges as she attempted to muster a smile. “She’s resting.”

  “And? Did she…?”

  Firming her lips, she slowly shook her head. “No. She refuses to change back. The only reason she’s even asleep is because I drugged her.”

  A low growl rumbled from his throat.

  Throwing her hands up, she added, “It’s not like that. I just burned some herbs I’ve been experimenting with. She nodded off about five minutes ago.”

  Swallowing his irritation, he jerked his chin to the door. “I need to see her.”

  Stepping to the side, she blocked the entryway. “She’s exhausted, Kai. I know you want to be with her but there’s nothing you can do. Not until we know for sure whether her touch will kill you.” A pleading note entered her voice, “Please? If you get hurt she will never forgive herself.”

  Backing up to the wall, he slid down its silver veined surface. She was right and he hated it. What kind of Mate could he ever hope to be if he couldn’t help her? He understood her need for revenge. If the Sundering hadn’t begun, they could have been together the way they were meant to be. They’d lost so many years…

  A soft touch settled on his bicep. “She’s strong, Kai. She just needs some time to come to terms with the loss
. Once we’ve determined the Clutch’s immunity, we can go after Skye.”

  Shaking off her hand, he snorted. “Why would Sora risk the Clutch to save one Fae? She barely knows him.”

  She moved so fast, he didn’t even realize he’d been slapped until his head thumped against the wall.

  Gripping his jaw, she forced him to meet her gaze. A gold ring pulsed around her irises in anger. Her deep growl vibrated the small hairs inside his ear. “Because we’re family.” Releasing him, she stormed away. As she rounded the corner, she hissed over one shoulder. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  Digging his fingers into the plush black carpet, his mind rolled. If he couldn’t be with her, his life wasn’t worth living. Getting to his feet, he entered the room.

  Sora

  Clattering and screeching, the Demon tried in vain to undo the heavy chain securing it to the concrete.

  Blaze leaned against an armored SUV in quiet contemplation.

  Sitting in the cargo area, Lillin swung her long legs with her fingers laced through Mel’s.

  We’d chosen the underground garage for our experiment. With a little bit of luck, no one upstairs would hear the abominations screams.

  Viv glared at the creature as its spiked legs scrabbled for purchase on the smooth concrete.

  The similarities between it and an insect were uncanny. Half praying mantis and half millipede, it was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen. Three rows of golf ball sized eyes gleamed with hatred from either side of its triangular head. Razor sharp, its mandibles clacked together in annoyance. Its glossy black body was segmented in two. Raised spines along its back glistened with a sickly green substance.

  Jackson stepped forward with a five foot long metal pipe. Twirling it before him, he met my gaze in silent question.

  It was time to begin.

  Nodding my consent, we all held our breath as he ran the grey length across the oozing points. Once he’d coated the surface, he offered the pole to Blaze.

  Blaze glanced at Lillin. “Are you ready?”

  Shimmying to the bumper, she offered her palm. “Yes. Just a drop should suffice.”

  My heart rate increased as Blaze reached toward the pipe. There’s no way he would let anyone else touch it. I hated and loved him in equal proportions for it. A strong leader would never put those he led in danger. Selfishly, I wanted to wail at the unfairness but couldn’t. He was a full Vampire where I was a mixed up half breed. If not for that, I’d be the one risking my life.

  I took a mental snapshot of him in that moment. His sapphire eyes squinted with steely determination. The navy tee he wore showcased the hard planes of his muscular chest. Worn denim fit his hips like glove and highlighted the thickness of his thighs. His ever-present shitkickers rounded out his look. If he’d had his leather jacket on, he’d look just as he had the day I found him in my studio apartment.

  A sharp pain lanced my heart at the memory. I missed Giselle. As a faithful Christian, she’d been on God’s recall list. The only consolation of her loss was my hope that she was with Lila.

  The sound of the door opening broke my concentration.

  Nat cringed at the loud noise and gently closed it behind her.

  Perusing her haggard appearance, I deduced that Bex still hadn’t shifted.

  Lillin’s gasp moved my attention back to Blaze.

  Rubbing the puss between his thumb and forefinger, his lips curled at the corners. “It worked.”

  Finally! Some good news! Thank the Goddess. We definitely needed a break.

  Boom!

  Ears ringing, I tried to figure out what the fuck just happened.

  A sadistic grin settled over Viv’s face as she lowered the 9MM gripped tightly in her small hand. Nodding to her Mate, I following her line of sight.

  Perfectly round and dead center between the lessers eyes, was a dime shaped hole. Tar trickled down its shiny shell before dripping to the concrete. Tendrils of smoke rose with each drop.

  Opening and closing my mouth to relieve the pressure, my hearing slowly returned.

  Jackson strode back to the dead Demon. The metal hissed as he ran the pipe through its black blood. As he once again offered it to my Mate, Nat took my hand. In restraint or sympathy, I didn’t know.

  Blaze stared at the steaming substance as it ate away the pipe. Bile burned the back of my throat as he caught a droplet inside his meaty palm. Sucking in a sharp breath, he closed his fist.

  My thoughts stuttered to a stop. No, no, no, no…

  Raising his arm, he uncurled his fingers with a broad grin. Oil like, the liquid settled into the creases of his skin, but he did not burn.

  Bex

  Curled into a ball, the tips of my bushy tail tickled my snout. Lifting the annoying appendage aside, I took in the walls of my room.

  Kai snored softly from the wingback near the foot of our bed.

  Ugh. My head hurt. What happened?

  The events of the last 24 hours slapped me full in the face.

  I’d lost Skye. If I had listened he would still be here. Mentally berating myself wasn’t going to help anything, though.

  My refusal to shift was twofold. If I couldn’t speak, Sora couldn’t pry out Lucian’s plan. He wanted Kai, and because he couldn’t take me he took Skye instead. The other part was the need to be alone. I didn’t deserve anyone’s comfort. The blame was squarely at my feet, and I alone would bear it.

  The sick fuck knew I would come for Skye. What he didn’t know was that I wasn’t coming alone.

  Quietly, I stepped to the floor and shifted.

  Kai mumbled at the bright light but quickly settled.

  Finger combing the white lengths of my hair, I threw it into a messy ponytail. Double checking Lila’s baby blanket tucked inside my vest, I memorized Kai’s face. My fingers twitched with the need to touch him, but I couldn’t.

  Heaving a soft sigh at the ache inside my chest, I left the room and prayed that I was right.

  Considering the hour, it was no surprise that Daisy and Cooper’s suite was vacant. They were probably eating.

  Locating the pack was even easier. I’d feared Sora would have it but was very pleased to be wrong. The golden glow spilled through the zipper in an impressive display of magic.

  Shouldering my burden, I moved a few things so it wasn’t immediately apparent the feather had gone missing.

  Thoughts rolling, I stealthily made my way outside.

  After Lila was kidnapped everyone lost it. Michael had transported Kai and I in the same manner that Gazardiel had taken Lila, but I didn’t have the heart to tell them as they fruitlessly searched the Archives. While they’d been busy, I scanned through the Angelic tomes Cooper and Daisy had compiled. In my grief, I’d failed to see what was literally right in front of me.

  The feather was Michael’s. Well, at least I thought it was. Before he’d been assigned to Hell, Gazardiel hinted that his feathers were once like hers. The unspeakable things he’d had to do to changed them.

  Michael was the will of God and the protector of humanity.

  If anyone could get me into Heaven he was the safest bet.

  I just hoped he was still fighting the good fight.

  My journey to the pier was mostly uninterrupted. I had to hide from a few patrols but it was fairly easy.

  Coronado was roughly half a mile from San Diego. Silver Strand and Coronado Bridge once connected the small island to the mainland, but in an effort to keep the Demons at bay, the humans had blown up both points of entry. Unfortunately for them it only enticed the Demons more. The promise of flesh was too strong for the braver lessers to ignore.

  Sora tried to get them to evacuate to the sphere, but they stubbornly refused. The entire city fell within a few short hours.

  Listening to the waves lap at the thick pylons beneath my feet, I reached for my well. Tendrils of mist flickered in and out of my sight. Extending my fingers, I sent it toward my destination.

  Ice formed on top of the ocean and gave a
clear view for a few feet past the clear surface. If I’d been damned near anywhere else, I would be able to see further.

  Stepping onto the glassy façade, I snorted internally at the thought. All the beaches had probably been scorched by now.

  Picking up my pace, I bid the wind to skate me to the other side. I could fly, but this seemed more appropriate. A little fun before meeting an Angel turned Demon sounded like the perfect excuse to splurge.

  All too quickly my boots hit the sand. Glancing back the way I’d come, I watched my bridge break apart in the churning waves. The barrier twinkled with a silver glow but the pier remained vacant.

  Dropping to my knees, I slid my pack off one shoulder.

  It was time.

  Chapter 15

  Kai

  “Come on Kai, Bex. Open up!”

  Groggily, he pried his lids open. Christ he was tired. The small nap barely took the edge off his exhaustion.

  Knock, knock.

  Nat’s voice rang through the thick mahogany again. “Come on! I have good news! Open up!”

  Grumbling under his breath, he trudged to the door and tugged it open with a yawn. “Shit, Nat. What?”

  Furrowing her brow, she peered over his shoulder. “Where’s Bex?”

  He blinked. “Probably sleeping?”

  Shoving him aside, she rushed into the room. A threatening growl rumbled from her chest as her spine stiffened. “Where. Is. She?”

  Her clipped words snapped him fully awake. The bed where she’s fallen asleep in Wolf form held a perfect indent of her shape but little else. Panic began to set in as he sent his magic searching through the world. Almost immediately, a bright ping answered. Relieved, he sighed. “She’s close. Maybe 15 miles away near the beach.”

  Bracing her fists on her hips, she turned. “Why would she go there?”

  He frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe she needed some space. She’s dealing with a lot, Nat.”